A New Look

I just thought I'd give you a quick look at the new laminate flooring we installed in our living room. In case you haven't caught my earlier posts, every piece of furniture in this room has been bought used. I've repainted or reupholstered everything myself.

I still have a few finishing touches to make to the room. I always struggle with furniture placement in this large rectangular room but I think I finally found a setup that feels close and inviting.

The new floor brings in more light and looks so chic. I just can't get enough of the red with the gray floor.

I took  out some bookcases in the room and it freed up so much space. I have been brain storming and how to fit my books in the room without bringing a huge bookcase in.

Let me show you what I've come up with.  I got this buffet  free with the purchase of a dining room set. It has no doors or shelving, but with a little work and a shelf it will be the new home to my books. I even saved a place for it.

  Be Sure to check back in the next few days for the finished buffet!

Jenine

Emperors Silk Red Desk

I have a color to show off today, one I've never used before, Emperors Silk Red. I'm usually more of a barn red kind of girl but this color is striking with dark wax. It was a very bright and bold red without the dark wax.

My dad found this desk for me at a local thriftstore near his home for $25. The ironic thing is that in high school I wouldn't be caught dead at that place, I was way too self conscious for thrifstores. Funny how things change when you aren't a self conscious kid anymore. Now, I make my living off things I find at thriftstore. Ironic.

It had a lot of dents bangs and chips. This didn't scare me off in the least. The more imperfect it is the better for me. I'm into that kind of thing in case you haven't noticed. You see gigantic dents, I see a place for dark wax to settle and look awesome! I had plans for this desk to be my own so I knew I wanted a heavy dark waxed look. Sometimes dark wax can scare my clients a bit. I filled in a few chipped spots but painted over everything else.No sanding or priming, this is chalk paint after all.

When I paint knowing I want a lot of dark wax to show, I break some basic painting 101 rules you'll read in most painting furniture tutorials. What can I say I'm sort of a rebel.

I use a very cheap dollar store brush (broken rule #1), just make sure it has synthetic bristles, the hair like kind will come off in your paint. I purposely want paint stroke lines and imperfections for the wax to settle in.

I paint in all different directions. (#2)

I don't do any sanding to smooth out my painted surface and stroke lines. (#3)

I let my chalk paint be a little bit thicker, it's harder to work with but gives a good texture for the wax to stick to. (#4)

I still haven't decided if I want to keep the desk. It wont have any practical use in my home but will be just for "looks". Sometimes I break another rule, my furniture doesn't always have a function for me :) Looking pretty is important around here.

I have a quick surprise to show you, can you tell what this is?

It's new flooring for my living room and hall! Hooray!! I have had the same nasty carpet as when we bought our home as a foreclosure. It's high time for some new stuff! I love this laminate, I had it put in my kitchen a few years ago and just love it. So bright, cool and airy. I hope my hubby will find some time over spring break to install it for me.

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.kammyskorner.com

Romantic Pink Dresser

I finished a really cool dresser yesterday. I didn't take a before picture, I'm really bad at that.  It was just an old oak dresser with 90's tarnished brass hardware. This dresser had some cool lines that reminded me of an old jukebox. Can you see it? Luckily I didn't go in that direction.

I don't typically go for a normal square dresser unless it has something unique to set it apart. I recently discovered Rub n' Buff and have gone a little crazy with it. I used it to add some class to the old hardware.

I painted the dresser using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antionette. It is the perfect soft, ballet slipper pink. So feminine.

I covered the dresser in clear and dark wax. I used the real deal this time and broke out my Annie Sloan Dark Wax.

I hate to toot my own horn but this dresser is so lovely!

Jenine



Linking back to...
www.kammyskorner.com
missmustardseed.com
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
twosucculentsisters

Vintage Yellow Dresser

Here's one for all you yellow lovers out there. A 9 drawer dresser and nightstand made all all VERY heavy wood. I think this is the heaviest dresser I have ever encountered. I can't even lift the nightstand myself and I consider myself a pretty tough cookie.

I painted this set with Arles yellow chalk paint, a brown valspar glaze and wipe on polyurethane to finish it off.

My favorite part of this dresser is its uniqueness. I love the one of a kind hardware. It has some great carving and designs.

A very sweet family friend gave me this dresser and nightstand to refinish. I never saw it before sending my hubby to pick it up. When he came home he told I was going to laugh when I saw it. I thought "oh no" what could possibly be wrong with it.

I walked outside peered over the bed of the truck and there was a perfectly good bedroom set. The ironic thing was just a week or two before I had the matching armoire that I had just sold. Isn't that how things work sometimes. How cool would it have been to have the whole matching set!

This bedroom set will be for sale in my shop. If you are interested please contact my using the above button!

Jenine



Linking up to...
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
missmustardseed.com

Living Room Show Off

Here it is, as promised months ago, my living room. Every piece of furniture in here has been bought used on Craigslist or a thrift store. The couches,  I finished upholstering this summer and painted the frame. The piano I painted just this month, the stool was a pink vanity stool from a thrift store. The armoire was an orange oak color and was just $35 thrifted. The small chair in the corner I sewed my first ever slip cover in red toile. The checkered coffee table was an orange/brown oak. The only project that I am not 100 percent pleased with was painting the bookcases. The bookcases are a laminate, I tried Annie Sloan Chalk Paint first, it wouldn't stick. I've even painted plastic with this stuff but it just wasn't cutting it. I used a primer made for all surfaces and latex paint, it still scrapes off. I followed all those "painting laminate bookcase" tutorials and such, no luck. I'll have to find a replacement for the shelves at some point.

I have unintentionally started a vintage shoe collection in my living room. I have an old pair of English Riding boots on the bookcase, wooden shoes on the piano, and on the coffee table, a pair of wooden shoe inserts.

I added a boxwood wreath for the holidays but I love it so much I think I'll just keep it all year. The wood rocking "mule" my grandpa carved for my daughter as a Christmas gift. The man is very talented with wood.

I was inspired by my love of horses to do an equestrian look with a bit of Swedish spin. I love the sophisticated but country feel of it, the rustic plaids and checks, the warm red and blacks offset by the cool crisp whites.

The saddle in the corner is the one I use to ride, I thought I might as well put it to use when I'm not using it.
I took full advantage of the site Graphics Fairy and use her beautiful finds to print onto some scrapbook paper. The funky anatomical horse graphics tell a little about me and make it my home. I popped them into some cheap black walmart frames. I also used her graphics to print some vintage Christmas images for a rustic Christmas tree garland.

In the next six months my only plans to improve my living room will be to extend the laminate wood flooring from my kitchen you can see in the background. I think the whitewashed gray will be great against the red, whites and blacks.

Curious about what it looked like before? I'm embarassed to show you but I want you to realize that you are capable of changing anything with a little paint and a few DIY projects. You can see how much my style preferences have changed too.  Happy Holidays everyone!

Jenine

Linking back to...
kammyskorner.com
missmustardseed.com

Another Verdigris Dresser

In case you haven't noticed, I love a good detailed nine-drawer dresser. If I see one on Craigslist for a good deal, I must have it. I loved all the layers and detailing each drawer had on this dresser. I really love to bring out the carving of furniture but I didn't want this one to feel too busy. I've been dying to make another verdigris dresser but was waiting for the perfect piece.

I did a few things differently on this one. I hate doing the exact same thing twice, I like to explore my creativity. I used a diffferent base metallic spray paint and even used 2 different chalk paint colors than last time. I left out the gesso/Old White step to give a more vibrant color and I did much more distressing than the last piece.

If you haven't seen my last dresser or tutorial, check it out on my most popular posts in the right sidebar.

This beautiful dresser and nightstand will be for sale, so contact me if you're interested.

Jenine



Linking back to...
www.bystephanielynn.com
threemangoseeds.blogspot.com
linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
www.kammyskorner.com
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
romantichome.blogspot.com

Primitive Pie Shelf

I was given a great opportunity to give a new look to a very old piece. When I first saw a picture of the piece I didn't want to paint it. I loved the old worn look. When I saw it in person I understood why it needed a new look. It clearly had a lot of work done on it and wasn't an original. The bead board doors had been replaced,  the hardware was new and the paint job looked runny.

My client just moved to Vegas and was feeling inspired to go for a Southwestern feel. I repainted the outside with a dry brush technique using Duck Egg Blue Chalk Paint. I didn't want a solid paint finish. We both wanted to try and keep the integrity of this shelf as much as possible. I love the worn wood peeking through.

The inside of this cabinet got a special treatment. It went from cobwebs and clumps of stuck on dirt to clean, bright, and fresh. The inside was painted in an Arles yellow paint.

The old beadboard backing was removed, along with about a dozen rusty nails sure to cause tetanus. My husband put in new beadboard sure to last a very long time!

Jenine



Linking back to...
linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
missmustardseed.com
www.funkyjunkinteriors.net
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
romantichome.blogspot.com

Old Ochre Nightstand

I finished up this lovely nightstand this week. It caught my eye in a thrift store a while back. I loved the curved legs, simple but lovely. I painted it in a creamy Old Ochre for a cozy feel. This will be for sale in my shop and would make a perfect nightstand or end table.

Jenine


Linking back to...
www.funkyjunkinteriors.net
missmustardseed.com
www.kammyskorner.com