Time to buy new furniture? Maybe not

I may or may not troll the alleyways of my neighborhood searching for occasional tables, dressers, chairs that folks have chunked to the curb thinking they were ready for the dump....actually I do....frequently.

I also may or may not have a basement full of said furniture (and abandoned solid wood doors)....actually I do....a lot of them.

I'll admit it, I can't stand the thought of a perfectly solid piece of REAL wood furniture, doors or windows filled with wavy glass sitting in a landfill.  It drives me nuts!  The down side to my little obsession - I mean hobby - is actually cleaning it all up and refinishing it.

The beauty of reviving cast off furniture is varied and sundry.  You get a solidly built piece of furniture for free.  And you get to customize it to suit your style/taste.  A person can easily spend upwards of $1,000 on a solidly built NEW dresser for the bedroom.  But grabbing one off the curb, cleaning it up, tightening any loose bits and painting it costs a bit of work (getting if off the curb) and about $50 in supplies (between the paint and any hardware such as new knobs).

From the mid 1960's to the mid 1990's furniture makers loved to embellish drawer fronts like the one below.  I'm not a fan of embellish drawer fronts.  I think they look cheap and dated.  However, once painted....they actually add texture and interest to a piece as you'll see later in this blog.....stay with me....the results are pretty amazing.

A lot of people would run screaming into the streets if they thought they had to paint furniture.....I used to be one of them.  Painting walls is a breeze, but painting furniture can be a nightmare.  So many nooks and crannies to sand, prime and paint.  If the paint doesn't adhere like it should, you get nicks, scuffs and even areas where the paint falls off completely.  Ugh.  Personally, I hate sanding little areas and I hate priming.

That's why I was pretty stoked to learn of chalk paint.  Anyone who has ever read any of my blogs knows I loathe chalkboard paint on anything anytime anywhere.  I'm not talking about chalkboard paint.  I'm talking about chalk paint.  There's a huge difference.

The effect that chalk paint has is subtle and smooth as chalk once finished.  It has a matte finish that is reminiscent of fine antique french furniture.  If you like a more glossy look, you can go over the painted piece with a wax made specifically for chalk paint which will not only give you a slight gloss but will also protect your finish for years to come.

The greatest thing about chalk paint is the absolute absence of priming or sanding....wonderful.  I recommend that you clean the piece super well and sand off any gunk that has gotten stuck to the surface or any deep gashes in the wood but little nicks, scratches or other small imperfections don't need to be bothered with at all because this paint is self leveling meaning it will sink into those scratches and nicks and make it all nice and smooth.  No wood putty or filler needed.

Want to see what the entire dresser looked like?

Don't go crazy on buying your paint brush for this job.  A $4 synthetic paintbrush from the big box store will work great.

First remove all the hardware, give it a good cleaning,  go over the areas that need to be sanded and fill in any deep gashes.  Once you've done that, go to town with the paint.

While the manufacturer will tell you that one coat is all you'll need.....you honestly need at least 2.  Sanding between coats is really not necessary.....except on the top.  I can't stand seeing any brush strokes or feel little bumps when I rub the top so I lightly sanded between my first and second coat - just on the top.  Once it was smooth to the feel, I applied my second coat.  I didn't worry about the sides or drawer fronts as once the piece is in place, you won't be rubbing all over the sides/front.

The last step is to apply the finishing wax.  This gives the piece a smooth velvety feel, darkens the paint just a hair, adds depth to the finish and protects the piece from wear and tear.  You can use a poly finish if you so choose.  However, be advised that poly will yellow over time and won't actually protect the finish as well as the wax.

Now for the reveal.......wait for it......

So there you have it!  You have just saved yourself a bunch of cash!!  
Enjoy your space.

Storage for every space!

Small houses or apartments are difficult to rent unless they are in a very high demand area. People tour them and the whole time, they're thinking "Where will I hang my pictures?" or "Where will all those knick knacks I love so much live?" Usually with a small rental, the bathroom has either a pedestal sink or maybe a cabinet style sink.  Neither of them offer much in way of places to sit the usual bathroom accessories like razors, hair spray, toothpaste, etc.

You could buy one of those metal or wood shelving units that fit over the toilet....but that takes up floor space and if you have a smaller toilet, it's uncomfortable because your back and/or head bumps into it every time you sit on the toilet.

Of course, a renter could buy shelving units to house all those pictures and dust collecting objects that they just couldn't do without.  But that takes up more floor space, makes the rooms feel far smaller than they really are and (most importantly) who wants to go through the expense of renting a house, the moving expenses and then on top of that have to buy storage solutions? 

My solution?  Add shelving between the wall studs!  This was a very messy project but a very attractive solution!  It takes up zero floor space and adds life to an otherwise blank wall. It will also make your rental stand out from all the others potential renters might view. They might not remember if the yard was fenced but they'll remember the built-ins.  They add valuable storage and display areas while giving the home character.  It's a win/win.

Here are some examples.  Below the photo's I will give you step by step instructions.

Below are more photo's for inspiration

Kitchen:   Great for a kitchen pantry or shelving for spices. Makes a nice niche to display decorative plates.

...and yes, you can add doors simply by installing the hinges and hanging the doors.

Bedroom: Great in the kid's room to house pictures books or small toys.  Also great for the teenager's room to house all those CD's that they love so much.

By the way, while you're building the shelves between the studs, why not build some simple boxes to go beneath it for even more built-in storage??

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• Bathroom: Best way to get the razor's, hair spray and other assorted products off the counter that I know!

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• Den/Living Room/Hallway/Stairs: There is no better way to get those family photo's  or treasured knickknacks in plain sight without taking up valuable floor space.

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Now that you've seen the completed projects, let's get on to how to do this in your space.

Bear in mind that you can only have the width and depth that your house will allow.  The first thing you have to do is find a wall that you want to rip into. 

1. Find the studs in that wall and mark each stud with a thumbtack (or you can use a sharpie and clean up afterwards).  Then taking your hammer knock out the sheetrock between the studs.  NOTE: try to be careful during this process for two reasons. First, you don't want to knock into any electrical or plumbing that might be hidden in the wall and secondly, you don't want to damage the sheetrock that covers your studs.  I chose walls that didn't have any electrical outlets on them to minimize the risk of finding electrical wires.
2. Once you have knocked away enough sheetrock to expose the area between the studs, take a sheetrock knife (I actually used a large serrated knife typically used to cut ham) and trim up the edges.
3. At this point there are two ways to continue.  You can either build a box that fits tightly into the opening or you can use the existing studs and back wall as your box.  If you choose to go this route, all you will have left to do is install the shelves, paint and trim it out!  
4. If you go with the first option, there will be some measuring and cutting to do.  The end result will not vary greatly from option number two.  However, with option 1, if you are off in your measurements, you will have to recut, renail and try again.  I don't know about you but I'm not good enough with this type of precision, so I chose to go with option number two and build off what was already there.
5. One issue you might have with the second scenario -  you have to make sure that the studs butt up against the back wall for this to work.  If it very nearly butts up, you can still use this procedure but you will need to apply paintable caulking to fill in the gaps otherwise your cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter will escape quite easily.  Gaps will also allow critters such as spiders easy access to the interior of your home.  To me the most important reason is because if you don't close up the gaps - it just looks ugly!  Once you have applied caulk and painted, no one will ever be able to tell - promise!
6. Once you have opened your space and trimmed up the sheetrock, wipe the area clean and paint.  I like to use the same wall color for the back board and studs and then paint only the trim white.  It gives it a lot of depth.  However, if you paint the entire area white will make it pop!
7. While the paint is drying, begin to cut your shelves.  I used regular MDF (medium density fiberboard) for my shelves. NOTE: MDF should never be cut indoors!  Also, when knocking in the wall always turn off the HVAC until you have gotten rid of all the dust or it can and will clog up your filter.  I like to use MDF because it's cheap and since I'm not going to be putting anything heavy on the shelves, it will hold up really well.  If you are going to have 3 shelves you will still need to cut 5 pieces.  3 for the shelves, 1 for the top of the area and one for the bottom to close up the gap.  I then used plain, cheap quarter round (or toe kick) to make my shelf supports.
8. When you go to the lumber store to get your lumber, don't be afraid to take your measurements with you and get them to do all your cuts for you.  Each store varies but most will give you a couple of free cuts when you buy the lumber and will charge you a nominal fee for any additional cuts that you want.  I had my MDF cut for the shelves but cut my own quarter round and trim.
9. While you are there, pick up your trim.  I used a plain corner trim for the sides of the opening and also for the front of the shelves.  As the name suggests, corner trim is typically used on corners.    I then picked up trim that matched the existing trim in the hallway to put at the top and bottom of my unit.  Tip.  Before you go to the lumber store, take a photo of the existing trim and take that with you when you shop for the trim for your shelving project.  You may think you remember what your baseboard trim looks like, but once you are confronted with 50+ just every so slightly different trims....you can get a bit confused.   Another tip.  You can purchase trim that is already primed.  This cuts down on the painting part of this project and normally it only costs a few pennies more than the plain wood.
10. Once you have everything cut and ready, use brad nails to attach the quarter round inside your unit to act as a support for your shelves.  Make sure the flat part is facing up so you can sit your shelves on top and that each side is exactly the same distance otherwise your shelf will tilt.  Also, make sure the piece you have cut is wide enough to give amble support to your shelves but short enough that it doesn't interfere when you are trying to put your front trim on.
11. The first shelves to install should be the top and bottom that will serve as the interior top and bottom of your unit.  Attach supports just below the sheetrock on the bottom and then set the shelf on top.  For the top part put the supports as close to the opening as possible allowing just enough room to put your shelf in.  Then continue to the rest of the shelves.
12. Don't worry about nailing the shelves onto the supports.  If you have cut your shelves to fit snugly into the opening, they will sit there without wobbling.  Also, should you decide to place something tall in your unit later, you can always take a shelf out if it's not nailed into the support.
13. Once you are satisfied with the placement of your supports and the shelves, it's time to do the trim.  The corner trim is awesome on this project because it covers the edges of the sheetrock where you have trimmed it and it gives it a wonderful finished look. After the corner trim is applied to the sides of your opening, attach the top and bottom trim.
14. Now that the unit has been completely assembled, it's time to grab the caulking gun.  Look for any spaces between the shelves and the back wall or studs, gaps between the trim and the wall, etc.  Give each space a good bead of caulk and then smooth it flat.  Allow 24 hours for the caulk to completely dry.  Then paint and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

This is one of the easiest and most rewarding projects that I have ever done.  It really gives an air of custom built-ins to any room and makes any wall look finished.   While this is a messy chore, it's not at all difficult and costs next to nothing.  Little bit of wood and a little bit of paint.

Trash to Treasure!

Sometimes I look around my house and think "I need new furniture".  But do I really?  My furniture isn't in bad shape - not in perfect shape - but not in "needs to go to the curb" shape.  But it is old and I am tired of it.  What to do?  Should I take out a second mortgage to buy new furniture or redo what I have?  

Let's see what I can do with what is already in my house.

The quickest, cheapest and easiest thing to do is paint.  The greatest thing about paint is the fact that if you finish and you don't like it......paint it again.  It's unbelievable how a quart of paint can completely transform a "take to the curb" table, chest of drawers, headboard into a loved keepsake!  There are 4 steps to painting a piece of furniture.....4....that's it.  Clean, sand, wipe and paint.  That's all there is to it.

Three things to remember:  

(1) When painting over something that has been varnished or stained, you have to give it a good sanding first or your paint will simply fall off.  Also, it's a good idea to lightly sand anything that has been painted before as well.  Just to make sure the new paint sticks to the old paint. You don't have to sand it down to the original wood.  Just rough it up enough for the new paint to stick well. 

(2) Always clean it well before you sand to remove any oils, grease or other material that will interfere with your paint adherence and always - always -  wipe the piece off after you've sanded it or all that mess will cause your finished product to be gritty and dull.....and 

(3) don't let all these online tutorials and DIY TV shows discourage you.  It's not necessary to do a lot of steps when painting furniture.....just clean, sand, wipe and paint.  

Below are some examples of "take to the curb" furniture that was revived and renewed simply by a coat of paint.

Two of the above pictures are dining room chairs.  These are about the easiest things in the world to totally transform.  You have to clean, sand, wipe and paint but you will also need to reupholster the seats.  

To do that, you will need some fabric that you think is pretty and a stapler.  You don't have to use a staple gun - I use my old metal office stapler most of the time because it's more lightweight and the end results are just as good.  The staples don't have to go deeply into the seat.  Just enough to keep it on there.  Don't have any fabric?  I'm sure you have some either hanging in your closet or in your linen closet....think outside the box.  Maybe you have a pair of draperies that you were thinking about replacing anyway?  Use them.  A sheet, pillow cases, even old sweaters.  The seats don't all have to match.  Actually I think it would be fun to have the chairs all painted the same color but with different fabrics on the cushions.

All you have to do is remove the cushion, fold your fabric around it making sure to keep it tight and then staple it to the underside.  Trim off any excess and then put it back on the chair.  Done.

I love the transformation of the chest.  Simply by painting, replacing the hardware and removing the drawers (and replacing them with baskets) this chest is ready for another 20 years!

Sofa's and upholstered chairs are the hardest to recover for me.  I'm not a seamstress so I opt for the simple treatments.  That involves ties and staples.  Anything beyond that is out of my skill set.

These pictures below show simple redo's.  With the sofa, I like to buy painter's cloth drop cloths.  They wash well, wear well and are a neutral color that you can dye to suit your moods.  I simply lay them over the sofa and tuck them into the crevices of the sofa as tightly as possible.  A helpful hint is to use a broomstick or a wooden (or metal) curtain rod to hold them into the crevices of your sofa.  To do that you just push your fabric into the crevices and then push the broomstick on top of that.  It will help tremendously.

The chair was a bit more challenging only because it required me to make a few cuts and do a lot of stapling.  Make sure to staple onto the frame of the chair.  If you miss the wood, it won't stay put.

Now you can get an entire house full of "new" furniture without having to break the bank!!  

As always, enjoy your space!

Throwing a few books into your eclectic design!

Remember when the word "Eclectic" was thrown around like air on every design show?  That was about the same time that "shabby chic", "country chic" and "cottage shabby" was thrown around too.  At any rate I liked the designs that were lumped into those categories.  They all had one thing in common.  They took things already in your house or things found on the curb, and made them pretty. For the cost of a little sandpaper and paint, you had a pretty room.  

Eclectic was very similar to the other looks but the great thing about eclectic was it could be anything you wanted it to be.  Fabric doesn't match your wallpaper - it's eclectic.  The wood tone of the floor clashes with the wood tones in your furniture - it's eclectic.  Books all over the floor and pictures leaning up against the walls rather than hung?....again....eclectic.  Basically, it's a catchall word meaning that you stuck stuff you liked in a room whether they match in any way at all and called it a day.....eclectic.  

I rather like that design choice.  Most of the things in my house don't match and a lot of them clash with one another.  But I like them so I keep them.....I have a very eclectic house.  

Books hold a huge role in the decorating of my house.  I have them in every room - in fairly large quantities. Most of them I have read repeatedly and love, but there are many of them that were given to me as gifts, or I found at thrift stores and bought on a whim because of the binding or the age of the book.  Since I have promised myself that I will not buy another single book until I get the "collection" that I currently have under control (meaning find more room for more books), I sat down to think about what to do with the books that are slightly damaged - maybe a few pages missing or water damaged from a flood I had in my basement a few years ago.  Some of them have a nice cover but the contents of the book were not at all interesting (to put it nicely).  What to do?  

As with most conundrums in life, I was saved by the internet.  I can make a lamp out some of them!!  How great would that be to have in my library/office??  I found a few more awesome ideas as well and I will share each of them with you here.  Now if you don't have a ton of books laying around to make these great items, then head down to your local thrift store or yard sale. Hardback books at those places can run as cheap as $.25 a book.  Always get the ones with good covers.  Even if most of the pages are missing - you can always stuff copy paper or even newspaper in there to make it even.  So let's get busy!

How to make a lamp out of books

There are approximately 9 steps to this project.  I have included pictures and instructions found at www.HGTV.com  

It might seem a bit daunting but it's really not difficult.  I like the lampshade he used.  A simple wire basket covering a bulb.  Great vintage look to top vintage books.

Materials Needed:

• old hardcover books, about 8
• lamp kit
• lamp shade
• spray paint
• drill

• 1/2" drill bit
• razor blade or box cutter
• 1-1/4" screws
• 2" screws
• screwdriver

Step 1

Paint Fittings

Spray paint lamp fittings to desired color, and allow it to dry.

Step 2

Arrange Books

Stack and arrange the old hardcover books. Place the lamp's threaded rod next to book stack and make sure there is one inch of clearance on the top for the remaining lamp assembly.

Step 3

Drill Into Base Book

Clamp down the bottom book to the table, and using a half-inch drill bit, drill a hole in the center of the book about halfway down.

Step 4

Create a Channel

Open the base book. Using a razor blade or box cutter, cut a channel where the electrical cord will be placed. Make sure it matches the width and thickness of the cord.

Step 5

Attach Rod

Use the washer and lock nut from the lamp kit to attach the threaded rod to the base book. Close the book and tighten down the top lock nut.

Step 6

Slide in Wire and Secure Base

Entering from the bottom, slide the electrical wire through the threaded rod. Leave 1-1/2 to two inches of electrical wire at the top of the threaded rod so you can attach the lamp parts. Drill 1-1/4-inch screws to secure the book to itself. Use four to six screws, making sure to avoid the electrical wire.

Step 7

Attach the Rest of the Books

Clamp down and use the half-inch drill bit to drill a hole in the center of each book. Slide the books, one by one, through the threaded rod, drilling four 2-inch screws to secure each book to the book beneath it.

Step 8

Secure Top Book

On the top book, open the cover, and secure it with four 2-inch screws.

Step 9

Assemble Kit and Attach Shade

Assemble the lamp kit parts, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Attach the lamp shade.

How to make an occasional table out of books or even a book shelf out of books

The next couple of ideas (and images) were brought to you by the following website: http://asimplemodernlife.com/2012/07/19/10-amazing-book-storage-ideas-26/

To make a really attractive occasional table all you need are hardback books with interesting covers and in varying sizes and glue....yep....that's it!  If you want to get super fancy you can always drill a hole through all of them and insert a rod or screws to make sure they never fall apart, but if it's just an occasional table and you don't have energy filled children and/or pets running around in that particular room, glue will work just fine. 

Remember to always use a book that has a water repellant cover for your top book or brush on some shellac to give it a water shield just in case someone sits a glass of iced tea on it. Water is not a friend of paper!

How about using books to hold books???  Some of us cringe at the thought of drilling holes into books or even putting glue on them, so the next project should ease your anxiety as it doesn't damage your books at all.

How did they do this???  Look below

How simple is that??

Now how about you get off the internet and head out to your local thrift store and buy up some hardback books!!!

As always, enjoy your space!!

STORAGE!!

When good renters move from one place to another within the same city, it's normally for one of 3 reasons. (1) Location.  Maybe they want to live closer to work - or farther away.  Or maybe they want a neighborhood that allows them easy access to shopping or a neighborhood park? (2) Price.  Some want a cheaper place while others want an upgrade.  And finally, (3) Storage.  

Houses/apartments can look pretty spacious when they're staged right or even when they're empty.  But once you begin bringing your stuff into it, all of a sudden the house doesn't seem to be as large as you remembered.

If you love your location and the price is good, let's look at some easily affordable ways to add storage to your space.

Cubes

Cubes are an awesome thing.  They add seating while offering extra storage.  Use them to store children's toys, sofa throws, blankets, books.  You can even keep one or two in the entryway so when you come home you can sit on the cube, take off your shoes and then put them into the cube.  This keeps your entryway neat and organized at all times.

You can buy these practically everywhere.  Some are inexpensive while others might cost as much as $250 each.  You can also make them.  Below is a link to a site that gives really easy instructions.

The next link is just another way to build the cubes and at the bottom of the page, it shows how to build a storage bench. http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/build-a-movable-storage-seat/index.html


I have included another picture to further illustrate cubes and their functions.  They can be used for seating, as a coffee table, side table, at the foot of a bed....uses are pretty endless.

Here is another site that offers another take on the cube.  This one doesn't involve fabric so it can easily be painted or stained to fit your mood/decor changes.

http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/07/rolling-storage-cube-stools.html

What if you change your design?  Cubes are perfect for that.  All you have to do is get a yard of fabric and staple it to the frame of the cube and you have an instant new look to an old cube. Same thing with spills.  Cubes are so easy and cheap to refinish, I can't imagine why anyone would ever throw them out.

Built in shelving

I have written about this before.  Note.  If you are a renter - get permission IN WRITING before you even attempt this or you can kiss your deposit (and rental reference) goodbye.

This link (http://www.familyhandyman.com/woodworking/shelves/built-in-shelves/view-all) will take you to a site that offers easy to follow instructions.  This process may seem daunting to a lot of people but it really is just building a box and adding some shelves and a little finishing touches to it.  The worst part in the process is cleaning up the dust and sheetrock once you bust through the wall.

The greatest thing about built in shelving is the fact that it takes zero floor space while adding storage.  I have done these in a bathroom, hallway and kitchen and it is wonderful.  It takes a solid wall and gives me storage while looking great at the same time.  Adds a lot of character to your space.

Walls are the largest potential storage in your house.  If you can't insert shelving, try buying a few picture hooks and use them to hang your jewelry, scarves, ties, hair accessories, etc.  No damage to the walls that a tiny bit of spackling won't fix and you've made an interesting wall feature at the same time.

Doorways

In a small room doors can take up a lot of space.  After all, you need that extra footage so your door can open fully.  But if you also need that footage to have room for your sofa or bed....well, you see the problem.  Below is a great solution to that issue.

This savvy renter took the door off their closet and replaced it with a curtain.  Great idea!  As for the door they removed, simply put it in the back of the closet or beneath a bed so you will be able to reinstall it before you move.

Baskets and old dressers

These are two of the best storage containers ever invented.  My daughter moved into a basement apartment while in law school.  Her bathroom was larger than her kitchen.  She used an old chest of drawers located against a wall between her kitchen and bathroom to store her canned goods, plastic containers and other kitchen items that simply would not fit into her small space.  The top of the chest of drawers became home for her blender and microwave.  Great solution.

Same thing can be done for the bathroom.  Everyone has items that need to be in the bathroom for convenience sake.  Toilet paper, bath salts/oils, towels, hair dryer, etc.  If space permits, why not put a chest of drawers in there to hold all that stuff?

Everyone has extra stuff in their living room that we want to keep in there but at the same time we don't want to see it.  How about putting a basket or two behind a chair or sofa to store those things until we need them?  This is a great idea for books, magazine, children's toys and anything else that we might want to quickly get out of sight when company's coming over.  

Under the bed storage

Next to walls, under your bed offers the most storage possibilities.  You can purchase the plastic containers on wheels that are specifically made for this purpose or you can get creative and build your own.  All it takes is knowing how to build a large box and a few drawers.

Here is a link to a video that will give you step by step instructions.  http://www.bhg.com/videos/m/32071732/build-handy-underbed-storage.htm

Kitchen storage

Again, utilize your walls for storage.  Floor space is a premium in all rooms but especially in kitchens.  Developing creative wall storage ideas will not only make your kitchen more convenient but it will also make it more interesting and appealing.

The first picture shows pretty empty cans nailed to an old cutting board and hung on the wall.  I love it!

I use the trick below all the time.  I don't get fancy and pay a lot of money for the rods that are specifically designed for this purpose.  Rather I use the cheapest cafe curtain rods that I can find, spray paint them to coordinate with my kitchen color pallette and hang them on the wall.  My favorite trick is to get the spring loaded cafe curtain rods and mount one at the back of my vent over the stove.  I add some "S" hooks and that is where I keep the utensils that I use most.  Right in front of me within easy reach.  This clears a ton of space in my drawers to house the utensils that I don't use all the time.

Of course, the easiest solution to not having enough storage for your things would be to get rid of most of your things.  Sounds simple and logical doesn't it?  But if you're like me, that's simply not going to happen.  So my solution is to think outside the box and make room for the things I've acquired.  Who knows?  If I am creative enough I just might be able to find room to add more???

Enjoy your space!!