Zero Dollar Project: Chalkboards

Oh my! These came out sooo cute! And free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had these cabinets fronts from my big fat kitchen makeover when we first moved here (long story, here it is if you're interested) Now I wish I'd saved ALL the fronts--they really are pretty all redone up! My daughter and I got to work...

We painted one orange, for my daughter, and one green--well for me, wasn't sure where I'd put it. I've had that chalkboard paint forever, and the spray paint was already in my cupboard.

Here's what we did:


Cabinet front- filled in hole where handle used to be



Spray painted



dry and ready to be taped to receive chalkboard paint





one coat on, watiting to dry overnight then apply coat 2

 



Detail in cabinet edge

 


Added some distressing and glaze






Added some rub-on Poly to the frame



Finito and hanging in the dining room...



I really like how they turned out. I have a HUGE door that came from the former pantry...I WAS going to use it as a headboard, but if its not the right size I will make another super-size one of these babies and hang it on my patio maybe.

Make it a Great (Zero-Dollar) Day!
Ann

Awesome Ideas to Steal...

I've been looking through everyone's "Best of 2010" parties and Linkys and I tell you, they are amazing! Check out my total faves which I will borrow for my home(hopefully)!

Closet Redo:

at KeepHomeSimple

Glass Side and Top Lights: (Diane at In My Own Style)

 Master Bath by Expanding adjacent closet:

Here at Memoirs of a Wanna Be Gypsy

Under Stairs Wine Storage: (from Photobucket)

Dining Room Window Treatments: DONE!

It took ALL DAY, but we are done! They turned out pretty much how I envisioned (see my post about my window treatment inspirations here)  It took forever to get these ideas into action, but I am so glad I did it!

Here's the before:

Here's the AFTER:

Ready for a close up:

My sources for materials were: Ikea, curtain rods, Overstock for the Bali Rattan Blinds, and WalMart for the Better Homes & Gardens drapery panels.
I spent 66.00 (about) each for the rattan blinds (they were sooo large mind you--for a small window much cheaper) and 9.00 per panel (on clearance ) for the panels. I bought 4, so I could lengthen them to 94" (from 84") The curtain rods were 9.99 each (steal! they came with fleur di lis filials, but I left those off)

Inspiration:

from Cote de Texas

Things I learned:

1. Curtain panels typically some in 55" and 84" length--check your packages carefully before you trot out of the store (I thought I had all 84" L panels, but one was 55"L!! Major bummer)

2. Stitch Witchery beats hemming a curtain panel every time...and.....

3. Satin/Taffeta is a major pain in the arse to sew straight, ok?

4. Gets hubs to help you put up the blinds...they are heavy and it'll take the two of you to hold them up while you attach them

5. Ikea has good , cheap curtain rods in lengths up to 134" in width!

6. Yes you CAN make a curtain rod our of PVC pipe, but it will sag if its longer than, like 3-4 ft ...so you will need a center bracket, ok?

Make it a Great Day!
Ann

Happy Dance! Found my long-lost fabric!

 I have been searching high and low for this fabric -- a curtain panel I bought about 2 yrs ago at Tuesday Morning. I LOVE LOVE LOVE modern florals, and the colors of this one is my absolute favorite. Love the taupe, the hint of red, the white, the ebony. LOVE. Its a Better Homes & Gardens (probably from Walmart originally?) the pattern is called Natchez in Sepia. I know all this because I was looking everywhere for this pattern, found out it is a discontinued fabirc at Joann's as well, and was even used in an episode of HGTV Designed to Sell... (Thanks, Google, like I really needed to know that!) Couldn't find it on Ebay or anything.

I only had 2 panels and I have been using them as a shower curtain, and I LIKE it there to cover up my gosh-awful looking shower in the master bath. I wanted to somehow tie in the bedding with the master bath...so now I found this ONE extra panel, its very large (like 56 x 96) so I can make 2 shams, and a smaller bolster, or 2 smaller pillows.

 (Geeez, I need to paint my cabinets already!)

So today I went into another Tuesday Morn, and there it was, ON THE FLOOR, reduced to $6.99. Woohoo! Score!

I also bought these valances, but it looks as though I need to adjust the tab length. I like them better than the basketweave pattern I got last week, do you?

 (Gawd, I HAVE to replace that flourescent light !!!)
I'm a linen-nut as you can see.... can't get enough.
My house is very neutral right now, so switching out the curtains, pillows and such gives me a whole new look. Like that.

Make it a Great Day!

Ann

Living Room: an ongoing evolution

I've been going nuts on how to inject color into my living room, while still keeping it  neutral/relaxing. Also I needed to incorporate a new layout in a long, narrow room... one of the hardest room shapes to layout furniture.

Here's the progress

I like the green...what do you think?
Still to do:
Replace verticals with curtains and rattan blinds...
sew the pillow covers ON the pillows...haha, right now they are just folded on....
spray paint the coffee table pewtery-gold
get an nice rug? sisal?

Good Stuff Links

I love sharing, don't you? And I love when YOU share. How else would I have find this incredible, delightful world of blogging?

Thought I'd try something new. I love reading blogs almost more than writing my blog, so here's some cool posts I came across this week.

Whatever: She had me at "cheesecake"...but the whole blog is delish!

My Sweet Savannah: She's so cute, and I get lots of good links off her blog!

The Art of Doing Stuff I just got turned on to this blog by DesignSponge(another fave, its on my BlogRoll) and just check out what this girl does herself. Awe-inspiring.

Mid-century Dresser re-deaux

This baby has been sitting in my garage since November. I finally finished it! The damage on the top necessitated me to paint part of it, and because the wood was so nice (is it mahogany? it is a 1960's dresser made by Drexel) I wanted to keep some wood tones... so I used a black glaze and a stain/sealer combo on the drawers (minwax provincial).

Here it is before:

and after:

 I sprayed the original hardware with Oil Rubbed Bronze..sanded all the surfaces, applied a black glaze to the cabinet and a natural wood stain (miniwax provincial) to the drawers. I don't know what type of wood it is but it is fine grained and very lovely. I also lined the drawers:

Detail:(before staining, after)

I plan to hang my black mirror (another recent makeover) over it, and use it as a buffet/storage console in the big huge blank space in between my dining room and living room.

This was my inspiration, from CB2:

Cheers!

Make it a great Day!

Ann

Sunshine Awards!

Thank you to Michelle of House Changers for my Sunshine Award!!

If you have not already, go and see absolute MAGIC at her blog--- the before and afters are a-maze-ing!

These are my Sunshine Awards!

ReStyled Home
Linda has so many tips and ideas you can roll thru her blog all day. One of the first blogs I discovered, she got me hooked! Her kitchen ideas and pictures alone are pure joy.

HouseChangers
OK, OK, Michelle gave me a Sunshine award, but I have to go right back at her  because her ideas are out of the box, ambitious, and, well, you gotta go check it out. She is blogging about totally rehabbing houses, so if you are hesitating about painting your kitchen (I am right now) because you are lazy too busy, see what she's done in the last week and see you don't have it so hard!

Anything Pretty
Jenny's house is amazing and her posts are so much fun. I love her kitchen..that's how I found her... our kitchens look kind of similar with the dark cabinets. Her makeovers are fantastic.


Cote de Texas
Joni's blog allows you to enter the world of high style and check out the most gorgeous houses around, especially Texas...it will make you wish you are a Texan, I swear. She's always got amazing designers on hand to lend advice and swoon-worthy tours. She herself is an interior designer extraordinaire, so check it out.

Clover Lane
Design Inspiration? Check. Do It Yourself projects? Check. Incredibly inspiring reads on life, family, and making a happy home? Check. I love her blog and you will too.

Centsational Girl
Kate's house is crazy-gorgeous and her kitchen is a dream --you gotta go check it out. She has great projects and a tremendous sense of style--all done by herself and on a budget.

Its Always Something Around Here
The name alone makes you wanna go check it out, right? Go. She's great.

Nesting Place
She is so funny I laugh out loud at many of her posts. And her tutorials are the best! Her window "mistreatments" alone are worth the hours you will spend browsing through all her amazing makeovers.


The Byrd's Nest
This is the sweetest blog that will tug at your heart while you browse the many creative projects she  has tackled.

Arren Williams Design

Arren is amazing and I love all his ideas and designs, he will even help you if you ask! I have gotten some great design advice from him. Check out the reno he is doing in a clean, mid-century vibe which I love.

Addicted2Decorating

See how Kristi is decorating her place on a budget... her kitchen is to die for and she did it all herself! Unbelievable you gotta check it out!


The Stories of A to Z
I love this blog for many reasons...one of them is, Beth doesn't have a 6,000 sf home on 20 acres of pristine pasture.. No, she lives in the city in a lovely historic home and has a sweet little backyard and terraces. What she has done in her spaces is just delightful. Her sense of style has a city-vibe that I really dig, but she has integrated that into a warm, homey style that suits her adorable family.

His House; Her Help Great chronicle of a house being redone, reborn, plus great design inspiration.

Thanks!!

. If you'd like to play along, here are the rules for the Sunshine Award!
1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to 12 other bloggers.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Link back to the person from whom you received this award.

Before and After

Kitchen Before/After:

This is what was done so far:

Remove peninsula, redesign fridge wall, replace cabinets, create island, replace flooring, replace sink/faucet, replace stove.

Cost Breakdown:

New Cabinets (local carpenter made them) 3800.00

Flooring: (in den, hall and powder room too) 1700.00

Counters (Ikea) 507.00

Granite: (remnant) 500.00

Sink and faucet (Lowe's) 300.00

Total: $6,907.00

Left to Do:

Backsplash, window treatments, replace lighting, expand dining room doorway to to ceiling

Here it is... pics of The "Before" House

OK, Here are the befores--- hopefully this blog will be more interesting when I begin to post the "durings" and the "afters"... any advice, suggestions or references.... please comment!!!!


I was going to try to post these "in order" as you walked into the home, but I am not good at posting photos I admit! So, here they are... there is also a powder room, kids bath, master and 3 more bedrooms upstairs but I'll get to those later---

Inspiration for master bath:

Den... connects w/ kitchen overlooks backyard....nice beams, dontcha think? and the wall is all windows after those hideous verticals come down.....

cabinets are staying for now..... but I am having them professionally painted an offwhite... counters will be Ikea butcherclock in Oak (hubs choice) or Birch (mine)... Hopefully with the big white double bowl farmhouse sink..... white appliances...... Floors will be Pergo in a dark cherry finish.

Thinking of re-doing cabinetry on this side with open shelves above fridge and a small bar-area with base cab, counter and top glass-front cab to add to counter space...in place of that huge pantrycloset.... and build-in the fridge so the whole right side can be a blackboard!

Nice size peninsula...will have 4 barstools.... will look good with the new counters, yes?

Dining room--- sad now, I know... blinds: gone!(Those are corner windows- very midcentury....) Replace with: rattan shades and muslin curtains? My chandy from Overstock! My newly refinished dining room table? Yes!!!!!

Hmmmm... yes I am working on a plan for this monster. Any insight appreciated.....

Looking from Dining room to formal Living room- faces front of home, will be the first room you see upon entry so I want it to be my showplace.. The light will increase so much once those verticals are gone gone gone!!!!! This is my inspiration room:

Sigh... I love that room... its actually the lobby at my fave little hotel in Santa Ynez Valley in Central Cali....Hadsten House

Stairwell- sigh.. what can I say? I will have to think on this................... but nice double entry doors I love that and the fact there is a proper entry / foyer!!