Server Makeover

I've been working on a bunch of projects around here, trying to get our house more organized.  We may be selling the house, which strikes fear in a hoarder furniture painter like me!

My first project was the garage. I've eliminated about half of the stuff I was storing in there by donating it to ReStore, and kept the good pieces.  Next on the list is the basement, which is overwhelming to me.  My first step is to get the furniture that is stashed down there painted and out of there.  Which brings me to today's makeover.

I was with my friend when she bought this piece at a flea market.  It's an old, heavy server that she decided to paint.  However, she never finished the project and decided it just didn't work for her.  She asked if I wanted it.  Umm ... yes!  So I took it off her hands, added it to my project pile, and finally got to it last week.

I forgot to get a real "before" photo, but here it is without the drawer, which I had out to play with paint colors.  As you can see, it was painted black, but it wasn't finished.  The primer showed through around the hinges, and the inside of the cabinet and underside of the wings wasn't painted.

I thought about just repainting it in black, but I decided I wanted to try something a little different for me. First I painted over the black paint on the base with Annie Sloan Country Grey. 

I was going to leave the top black, but it had a lot of imperfections. So I used my orbital sander to sand off the original paint.

I repainted the top in General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint.  I painted the inside of the cabinet and drawer in the black as well.

Then I heavily wet distressed the base to bring out the black underneath.

I added some rustic black knobs from Hobby Lobby, and finished it with ASCP clear wax. 

So here it is.  Not my usual style, but I think I'm liking it!



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Holding on to Fall

It seems everyone in Blogland starts to get ready for the holidays the day after Halloween.

Not me.  Maybe I'm a procrastinator, but Fall is my favorite time of the year, and I want to hold on tight to every last moment.

So instead of pulling out my holiday decorations, I dried some hydrangea blossoms and put them in a basket on my Craigslist-find table in the dining room.

In front of my chippy shutter with the grapevine wreath.

I love  the faded blues and greens of the flowers.

And the way the sun hits them in the afternoon.

This is my time for making soups and stews. Lighting cinnamon-and-apple-scented candles in the late afternoon as the light begins to fade.  And nesting until things start to get hectic.

Which will be soon enough!



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DIY by Design: Fall into Fall Party

Repurposing Shutters

I just took a pair of shutters to Mr. P's Emporium's booth, and they got me thinking about all the ways you can use them.

I have a thing for old shutters.  You'll find them throughout my house. I have an old chippy blue one in my dining room. The matching shutter is currently in the booth displaying artwork.

And a pair flank the doorway to our living room.

For inspiration on other ways to use them I turned to -- where else -- Pinterest, and found these great ideas.

Here's one used as a plate rack with hooks.

Here are a couple transformed into tables.

Use them outdoors as a garden fence...

Use them as a headboard ...

Love this idea to display flowers and bottles:

As a shelf and  hat rack by the entry.

 

To display photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a table runner ...

 

Use one to display your creativity...

Another holiday idea.

To add some interest to wall hangings.

Or you can always just prop some against the wall to look pretty!

Hope this gave you some ideas.  So next time you come across some old shutters, grab those babies!


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Fall Color Trends

When I think about fall color around here, its usually this:

We're surrounded by lots of trees, which are beautiful, but they have lots of leaves.  That fall ... and fall ...  and fall ...  And then have to be raked up.  Just thinking about it makes me tired. Maybe this year a magic wind will just swish them all away!  Hey!  It could happen.

Sigh.

But I digress.  What I'm going to talk about today are the Pantone Institute's fall color forecasts. These are their picks:

We'll all have our favorites, but for decorating, mine are Mykonos Blue, Turbulence and Acai. 

Here is some eye candy of my favorites in use.  First, Mykonos Blue as an accent wall paired with a navy.

 

 

 

And here's an eye popping duo of the Mykonos Blue and the Pantone color of the year, Emerald, with some Acai thrown in.

 

 

 

Now for some Turbulence.  I love this color for decorating. First a wall in the house of the Graphics Fairy, which is absolutely to die for if you ask me.

 

The Graphics Fairy



 

I love the contrast of the gray wall and the white sofa.

 

Here it is paired with taupe and cream.

 

House Beautiful

 

 

 

Here's another shot of the gray and white.  Just love it.

 

 

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

 

 

For the Acai I like it mostly as an accent color:

 

 

 

 

How about it for kitchen cabinets?

 

 

 

 

And here it is paired with Turbulence.

 

BHG

 



 

 

How about you?  What are your favorites?  Will you be using any of them in your decorating this season?  

 

 

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