Real Home Inspiration & A Yellow Table

Happy Friday, Islanders!

I've been sharing the deets of Munchface's Big Girl Room all week.  It's been fun to catch-up and, despite the list of things left to talk about, I want to take a break from her room's design and talk about another topic (don't worry, I'll still share a small update a little later in this post).

2012 - While Hubbs prepped her old room for painting, Munch read to him. I swear, the man NEVER wears a shirt when it's time to work, lol.

Over the years on the island, I've shared my struggle with making home design decisions and I THOUGHT it was because I wanted the picture perfect home.  Of course, I still do...  I'm just trying to refine my definition of perfect.  Truthfully, when I see the home design bloggers out there -- you know, the ones who snap million dollar pictures with their million dollar cameras for their million subscribers and fans to view... yea, those.  Well, those pictures used to motivate me to try new things. 

Like Shelly's entryway renovation - from a closet to a nook?! AMAZING!

Lately, however, I've noticed that, rather than inspire me, they make me feel inadequate.  I mean, SERIOUSLY, how the HECK will I ever be able to justify spending nearly $1,000 to transform a perfectly functional closet into a cute little entryway bench?  Where would my typical closet mess (hats, scarves, purses, gloves, book bags and other stuff) go?  You mean, the WORLD would be able to see it... *like* all the time? O.  All the time or just the times when I happen to have a beautiful entry closet that I want my guests to see?  O.  You mean *like* at all times. FOR REAL?!

WHO LIVES LIKE THAT?

*Insert the internal battle where I try to understand why my coat closet isn't pretty enough for people to see... blame it on the man and kid for being slobs.  Then, mentally transition from the project to the problem of having an organization issue in my coat closet and vow to address it THAT DAY... only to realize I barely have enough time to wash my hind parts before climbing in bed let alone start a project to ensure the kid's gloves are matched and placed neatly in a basket.  Tabitha, what the heck are you thinking? You have a NORMAL perfectly functional coat closet*

What?! You don't do that when you see fabulous rooms and projects in blog land?  O, it's just me?  O.  OK.

My front closet in the old house started out pretty bad... It wasn't functioning for us at all.  We didn't hang coats in it because it was too full of random junk so I did take on that project.  I pulled everything out, painted the closet, installed some pretty organization and-- you know what, Islanders?

In the other house, I was more adventurous with color and paint techniques.

My view from the townhouse sunroom.  The man and kid were cleaning so I had to document it.

I was so sick of the townhouse that I was willing to try anything to make it function better for our lifestyle.

I loved the look of our front door after we changed the color from tan to black!

I took risks, I made investments and I reaped their rewards. Sure, I wanted granite but was the old place all that bad?

Munch was getting her doll ready for church in the old house.

Despite singing the new place's praise for just-about a year now, I feel the need to admit the old place was good to us... good for me.

Christmas 2011 set-up in the old place

I found my personal décor style in that home... even through my trials and errors.  I experimented with décor (orange horizontal stripe in the guest room, anyone?).

Munch's old room AFTER we painted it the perfect neutral

I learned what I wanted functionally in our next home.

The town house was far from perfect but it served us well for six years.

While I lived in that house, I planned for our final home.  It was during this time that I learned to appreciate the homes around me.

Part of it was because I was unhappy with my own.  At some points, I envied things about everyone else's place.  I was ashamed of the home I worked so hard to create.  I was embarrassed of the space I paid to own every month.  I didn't invite people over to my plot of land anymore... MY piece of the Earth.  At my lowest point, I would slip into a mild panic attack when my doorbell rang.

Who is here? Why are they here?  What will they think of my small house?  Does my house look as raggedy to them as it does to me? 

Thinking back, I was crazy. My home was (and is) beautiful.  Islanders, that didn't change how I felt about everyone else's home.

Sure, I didn't want to live in their home but there were aspects I loved. 

Where do I stand today?

I may not have the same house envy as before but that doesn't mean I don't still drool over the big-time bloggers with perfect homes all over Pinterest... it just means I also find inspiration in those around me.

Starting tomorrow, for those who are like me, I'm going to share what I love about my friends' homes.  Who knows, maybe you'll find inspiration in these things too... maybe you'll incorporate some of what I love about their homes into your space... my overall goal for this series is that WE will learn to look for greatness in our homes.

I need this series for me. 

I find it ironic that I wished for the home I have and now, I'm playing it super safe (almost scared to take risks).

Why is this ironic?!

  

Do I look like a play-it-safe kinda gal?  You see my Thanksgiving outfit - cheetah, plaid, red, leather - it's SO me.

I do what I want in my fashion choices.  I rock a big bushy fro. My kid dresses like a fashionista.  My man owns every funky sneaker there is (no... seriously).  We are a family that's big on style and we each possess our own unique personal style.  We march to the beats of our own drums in every aspect of our lives. 

Why, then, am I losing the best parts of US in OUR home's design?

The move-in tan walls were refreshing at first.  They offered continuity and flow that we didn't have before.  Now, I'm making plans to incorporate more of US.

So, two things:

1.  I'm going to share what I love about my friends' homes in a mini-series.

2. I've decided on the color for the game table in Munch's room.

Yellow 

Source

Yep, yellow.  The pop of color I mentioned in the original plan (here).  I've been doing a lot of soft pinks, aquas and whites... It's time for some yellow!

I'm hoping to have it done this weekend so wish me luck!

O and stay tuned for the inspirational homes in my life :)

Thrifty Thursdays - Artwork on the Cheap

I love thrifty thrills!  I've shared my adoration for clearance racks, antique shops, thrift malls/stores, yard sales, coupons and more.

Just call me…

SuperMamaBargainisticFrugalista!

Yes, it's all one word.  Yes, I made it up.  No, it's not on my resume. Yet. 

In the case of the big girl room, I've been picking up cute frames here-and-there.  While I have been able to collect quite a few, I didn't have any coordinating artwork to put inside.  Basically, I've just got frames all over the place... a tub of frames and mirrors from the old house... a few frames on top of the armoire… additional frames in the garage… I feel like they're all over the place and I justify purchasing them because I feel like frames can always find a home on a wall some where.  Who cares that I over think where and, more times than not, I regret my decision immediately after the holes are in the wall.

I told you this week that I was going to make decisions in Munch's room and I meant it.

On a recent post-Valentine's Day stroll through Target, I was excited to discover the Spring collections had arrived.  Bathing suits, towels, Easter dresses and… gift bags.

Yes, gift bags.



IDK why but this season's colors caught my eye.  They were beautiful.  The kind of beautiful that makes you wish you had a reason to buy a gift bag.  I stood there staring at the bags trying to think of a way to use them… I thought of Munch's room and it hit me.

I could totally use the bags as artwork!

I didn't think of HOW but I picked two of my favorite bags and figured if it didn't work out, I was only out *like* six bucks.



Here's how I did it:

1.  Remove the ribbon handles.  To avoid tearing the bag, cut the ribbon rather than attempting to pull it from the bag.



2. Cut the bag to size for the frame. 

3. Place your piece of bag/art in frames.

4.  Enjoy the cheapest decor *like* ever!

I can't wait to hang them in her room; they really look like frikkin' paintings! The colors coordinate perfectly and, now that I know the bags work perfect for artwork, I will be sure to head back for MORE bags.

The possibilities are endless! Think about it, there are great gift bags everywhere!

Once I finish this 3-D artwork project that I have in mind, I'll be ready to finish the collage and finalize where things will hang in her room.

Progress people, progress :)

WW: You Made Artwork From WHAT?!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAYS

 

Gift bags.

 

Big Girl Room - The Armoire is 99% Done!

Yesterday, we discussed Munch's big girl room.  I gave you a general progress update but I left out one major piece I completed but never shared - the armoire.

You may recall my mentioning that I wanted to have a large piece of furniture to store Munch's toys out of sight and off the floor.  I went with my first thought, an armoire, and I searched Craigslist for an affordable option.  I didn't want to spend a lot especially since I planned to paint it the same color as her ceiling, Benjamin Moore's Gentle Butterfly.

I searched for about two weeks with no luck.  Just when I gave up on finding something to meet my budget constraints and requirements (for the time being), I got an email that one of my church members was offering a small armoire for… wait for it… FREE!

I immediately replied and we scheduled the pick-up for the upcoming Sunday.

I piled and shoved every piece and forced my kid to hold drawers and probably broke multiple safety laws by having my kid ride in the front seat the armoire into my truck and headed home.  A few weeks later, on the day before Munch's Sunshine & Lemonade birthday party, I painted the armoire.  If you're looking for an inexpensive storage solution (it's perfect for towels in a hall or a pop of color in lieu of a dresser in a guest room), consider an armoire.  To make it your own, follow these easy step-by-step instructions  and paint it a fun color.  Enjoy!

Supplies

~ White spray paint

~ Gold spray paint

~ Sand paper

~ Paint color of choice

~ Drop cloth

~ Small paint brushes

~ Paint rollers (small and medium size)

Steps

1.  Lightly sand the armoire down.  Once the surface is sanded, use a damp towel to wipe the furniture down taking care to remove all shavings.

2.  Use the white spray paint to prime the piece for painting.

In my case, I sanded, wiped and planned to return to the garage and start priming AFTER I prepped dinner… which turned into an hour.  During this time, Hubbs came home and saw the armoire in the garage.  Calling himself helpful, he decided to prime the armoire for me and came inside feeling accomplished. I thought it was SO sweet... ya know, his willingness to be part of the room design without having to nag him...

…until I saw he primed with the hardware on the doors.

Thanks.  I removed them and I haven't decided what I want to do about the drawer pulls and handles - replace, paint or leave them as-is?

3.  Using the gold spray paint, spray the edges of the piece:

It was at this point that Hubbs wanted me to know he felt the entire armoire should be gold.  He's so helpful... and opinionated.

I think I liked it too… just not that much.

4.  Paint the drawers of the armoire.

5.  Turn the armoire upside down.  Doing so allows you to paint areas that are commonly neglected and will give your piece a more thorough paint job.

6.  Paint the armoire.  It may require multiple coats.

7.  After the piece dries for 2 hours, flip it over and repeat the painting process.

8.  Use the small brushes to paint any details.  Note, my armoire had a lot of intricate details on the doors and I found it very difficult to get the paint to fill those areas.  Small craft brushes (I purchased from the Dollar Tree) were the perfect solution to cover the details.

9.  After the paint dries, use the sand paper to gently sand the edges of the armoire (corners, doors, drawers, etc.).  This will allow the gold paint to shine through the paint.

10.  Allow the piece to dry for 4 hours.  Then, move it into position.

Can you see some pictures on top of the armoire that need to be donated or hung? I'm a mess, I know.

11. Enjoy the fruits of your labor :)

I've since replaced most of the hardware but I still need to find drawer pulls for the top drawer.  We moved her puzzles and craft supplies (jewelry making and sewing machine) into the top portion and we placed her dress-up and doll clothing in the lower drawers.  It's functional and adds subtle color to the space!

The gold really adds a touch of glam!  As it ages and gets more wear, I'm sure even more gold paint will come through and I'm SO excited about that.

I am very pleased with how it turned out!

Have you painted any furniture pieces lately?

Do you have an unconventional use for armoires?  

Feel free to share in the comments!