Decorating with Thrifted Furniture

It's been a while! I feel like I've finally gotten off the crazy train to nowhere, having moved into a new house right after Thanksgiving and hitting Christmas and New Years head-on, while tripping over boxes, and never knowing where anything was, or where all our crap stuff was going to go!

Anywho, with the start of this new year and new home, my inner DIYer has kicked into overdrive. How will we decorate? How can we turn one thing into another so we don't have to buy a new one? How can we make it unique? How can we Pinterest the crap out of this place?! Ha!

FRONT ROOM DECOR ON A BUDGET

Here is a front room sitting area before-after. This spot has changed the most since we've moved in, well, because we keep changing it!

It's an odd space because the front door opens right to it - a long rectangular entry way / front room / dining room. We're trying to figure out how to divide the space, while keeping it functional, comfortable and inviting. We love the final version and didn't have to spend much to do it.

Decorating with Thrift Store and Craigs List Finds

One of my favorite parts about decorating with thrifted furniture, is getting to go to all the thrift shops and perusing Craigs list til you find just the right thing.

I can't lie though, there have been several heart-pounding moments when someone else picked up what I wanted and I thought I was going to have a nervous break-down. Luckily, my powers of mental persuasion worked and I pounced once they put it down (on the item, not the person). Either way, I'm not proud.

Front Room Details:

Let me start out by telling you that not everything is thrifted. I try to find as many thrifted items as I can, but once in a while I splurge on a few great new items to tie it all together.

Another great tip when decorating on a budget, is to remember that you can essentially go thrift shopping in your own house! Hunt through boxes of things you've packed away, and take things from one room and put them in another! Budget Brilliance!

Bookshelf - pre-built into the wall. Filled with new and thrifted items.

Beach Scenes Picture - Ikea (purchased several years ago)

Sunburst Mirror - I made it a couple years ago

Soft Seagreen Throw - Home Goods (bought last year for our apartment front room makeover)

Faux fur Rug - New this year at Marshalls

Camel colored Couch - Craigs list (are you sitting down?) $25.00 - like new. Best post-holiday deal of my life!

White metal side table - Ikea (purchased years ago)

Solid wood lamp base - garage sale a few years ago

White textured lamp shade - thrifted recently

DIY Thrifted Coffee Table 

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THRIFTY DECORATING TRICKS WAS THE DIY COFFEE TABLE made with a base from a thrifted wooden stool and the glass top from an Ikea table we already had. Unique and lovely.

Round Glass Coffee Table - Base: an wooden stool purchased at a thrift shop / glass top from Ikea (purchased many years ago)

Round Woven Basket - Marshalls (purchased a few years ago)

Ceramic Elephant - thrifted (just got it and LOVE IT!)

Colored rocks - gift

Wooden woven Pineapple - Marshalls (bought several years ago)

Bubble glass Candle holder - estate sale (found a few years ago)

That's all for now! Feels good to finally get our home put together. I'll share more as we go along! xo

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Decorating with a cream couch: budget-friendly front room make-over

Once there lived a man and his wife who finally decided it was time to be grown-ups and buy a couch of their own.

And so the story goes, they lived happily ever after...and became a couple of lazy couch potatoes.

The End.

Decorating with a Cream Leather Couch

You may be hesitant to decorate with a cream or light-colored couch, but it has the potential to turn your drab and dreary to downright dreamy.

I was very skeptical, myself. "STAINS!" was all I could think about. And leather? "Am I even a cream leather couch person??" Enter: mini-crisis of re-discovery.

But since the day it was delivered, we can't be more in love with it. It's like butta baby!! So soft and so comfortable. It not only brightened up our room a million times over, but it brought some grown-up sophistication to our front room decor (and no, I did not tag team that off of Katherine Lowe's wedding theme "grown-up sexy"). In a nutshell? We. Love. It.

Okay, take a look (if you haven't already jumped)

Front room make-over reveal: Cream Couch

BEFORE 
(don't even say it)

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.

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AFTER

Decorating on a Budget | Front Room Make-over Details

Determine a budget

Re-decorating on a budget is definitely do-able, but the trick is taking your time and doing your research to find great deals. We wanted a new couch for a long time, but it took a while before we found the right couch at the right price. Take advantage of holiday sales, 0% for a year pay-off deals, discounted items, gift money, even thrifted items if in good condition. You can save a ton and still get what you want. Just be diligent and patient.

Creating a palate

Decorating with a cream or light-colored couch is the perfect way to bring in lots of color to compliment your neutral base. You don't want colors all over the map, so decide on what kind of feel you want in your room and what colors would compliment best. I went for Beachy Chic and splashed around colors like aquas, blues, sea greens and sandy tans, to compliment and brighten the space.

Choosing a Couch

Choosing a neutral base was important for us, so we could brighten our space and build color around it. By choosing leather, it made the space feel a little more modern with a touch of sophistication, without being stuffy.
-Couch from Macys Furniture Store, style: Alessia Leather Sofa - Pearl - *Black Friday Sale

Choosing an Area Rug

Choosing the right area rug for your room can literally transform it. It's important to make sure the size and color work for the space. Not only did the blue and cream Moroccan Trellis Rug tie everything together, it helped to anchor the couch and coffee table as a defined space, allowing the other areas of the room to be have their own space.
-Homespun Moroccan Trellis Rug - Spa Blue - from Rugs USA - *80% off 

Adding Accessories: Pillows & Throws

One of the really fun parts of decorating with a new cream sofa is adding throw pillows and blanket throws for pops of color. Each item brings in its own unique touch, while creating a sense of cohesion.

Keeping with our chosen palette, I decided on light aqua, soft, faux fur throw pillows (20"x20") which not only brought in the soft brightness of color I wanted, but also brought in a great texture. Don't forget texture is an important detail to integrate into any space!

THE SOFT FAUX FUR BLANKET THROW is a deeper color within the same color family - more along the lines of sea foam green and compliments the pillows, rug and couch perfectly to give the room that Modern Beachy feel. Plus it's so cuddly soft that it's actually something we love to use, instead of something we just look at.
-Faux Fur Pillows and Throw from HomeGoods - *holiday gift card

Bamboo Sunburst Mirror Wall Art

I made the Bamboo Sunburst Mirror a few years ago. It was easier than I thought it would be, with stunning results! See this post on how to make your own DIY Suburst Mirror

-DIY ~$14.00 total materials cost

Coffee Table

We didn't splurge on a new coffee table, (although I'd love one!), but this thrifted, 60's style coffee table is perfect for our space at the moment. I tied in accessories that brought color such as aqua glass, texture: rope tied nautical balls, woven & bamboo baskets/trays, and a touch of antique with a thrifted antique mirror used as a tray.
- Thrifted

Other Accessories to add color and texture to a room

Make your space personal with framed photos, wall pictures, candles, lamps, + don't forget to bring the outside in! Plants, rocks, sand, grass, shells, wood, flowers, etc. bring freshness and variety from nature's own textures, colors and diversity.

We still have a long way to go, but it's definitely a good start. I'd love to replace our bookshelf, side table and lamps, but a girl only has so much cash! I reeeeaaaalllly had to hold myself back.

I love how it turned out. It makes me happy every time I walk in the room!
And after almost 2 months, no stains! (knock on wood!)

Update: still no stains after 6 months and counting! Woohoo!

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Cotton Duck 101: Chevron Pillow Cases

{Image: Cotton Duck Chevron Pillows: Chartreuse/White}

I've been a sewing maniac lately! So many new things in my shop, & a few snapped up so quickly, the fabric had barely left the sewing machine. I'm on fire people!

The tricky thing about making decorative pillow cases for other people, is that I secretly want all of them for myself.

As you know, Chevron Prints, in all their bold colors, are really popular right now and can update & bring life to any room in the house.

I decided to make a couple sets for my shop, out of screen printed cotton duck fabric, and yes, I fell in love with them immediately.

Chevron Pillow Cases ~ Chartreuse & White
18" x 18" 
Envelope Back
100% Screen Printed Cotton Duck

{Image: Decorative Pillows- Chevron Chartreuse & White}

Chevron Pillow Cases ~ Black & White
20" x 20" 
Zipper Closure
100% Screen Printed Cotton Duck
Medium Weight Black 100% Cotton Back

{Decorative Pillows: Chevron Black & White}

Sigh.
I love these bold colors!!

I've found colorful chevron prints in light-weight cotton, twill and cotton duck. Light-weight cotton would work for bedroom throw pillows, but twill and cotton duck are a more durable, heavier-weight fabric, perfect for couch pillows or throw pillows for family room chairs.  I considered twill, but the colors were a little muted, so when I ran across this bold screen printed cotton duck, I knew I'd found exactly what I was looking for!

So what is 100% Cotton Duck Fabric?

Cotton Duck is a strong, durable fabric, resistant to tearing and snagging, and is often better known by its more common name, Canvas (doesn't sound nearly as fancy, does it?). Not all cotton duck is created equal, however, since it comes in a variety of weights. The cotton duck that I used for my chevron pillow covers, was medium weight (~6.5 oz); great for curtains, accent pillows, bed skirts, slipcovers, upholstery, purses & totes.

At its heaviest weight, you've probably seen cotton duck and didn't even know it - on tennis shoes, hammocks, cots, tents or sandbags. Now that's some durability!

Where does Duck Fabric Come From?

Duck fabric comes from the Dutch word, "doek", meaning “linen canvas.” In order to distinguish it from traditional duck (linen), its termed "cotton duck".

Duck Fabric + Duct Tape 

You know our old friend, Duct Tape? It's related to Duck Fabric. What? Who knew? Some people even call duct tape, duck tape, but don't do it around me. hahahaha Turns out, the original duct tape was made from duck fabric, with an added adhesive.

Now you have a little conversation starter for the dinner table!

Dip Dyed Flour Sack Towels

There's just something about Flour Sack Towels. The look and feel takes me back to an earlier era.

My mom and grandma always used this type of light-weight towel for drying dishes after a big family meal.

Now they are my first choice for drying dishes since they are lint free, light-weight and dry quickly. And since they come in white, they are the perfect craft project (paint, fabric or embroidery)!

Where did the idea of using Flour Sacks Towels come from?

More than 80 years ago, during the 1930's and 40's when times were tight due to the Great Depression, our frugal female ancestors transformed the large, plain cotton sacks in which they received their flour, sugar, cornmeal and chicken feed, into clothing, curtains, dish towels, pillow cases and toys.

But these large cotton sacks didn't stay plain for long. Seizing a great marketing opportunity, flour and feed companies began producing cotton sacks with decorative patterns, borders and colored designs. If women liked the pattern on the sack, they'd buy that brand of product, and use the fabric to sew whatever they needed. Those fabulously thrifty women!

Photos from the 1930's show people wearing up-cycled flour sack clothing. 

{photo credit}

But I digress. I'm a sucker for the history, stories and fashion from the 20's, 30's & 40's. Back to the tutorial!

To Dip Dye your White Flour Sack Towel, here's what you'll need:

(*affiliate links included)

Dip Dye supplies

• Rit Dye
• Cotton flour sack towel
• Stainless steel sink or bucket
• Disposable rubber gloves
• Stainless steel spoon or stir stick
• Rags
• Newspaper to protect surface
• Hot water
• Disposable container to mix dye
• Salt
• Fabric Detergent
• Hanger
• Source of water

Dip Dye Instructions and Tips

• Protect your working surface by laying down newspaper.
• Don't stain your porcelain sink, bathtub, counter top, or linoleum! Use a stainless steel sink or large bucket. Work outside if possible.
• Have a water supply close by.
• Read the instructions on the Rit Dye package.
• I used 3 gallons of hot water in a stainless steel sink with 1 Tbsp detergent (to evenly disperse the dye) & 1 cup salt (helps intensify dye color)
• Use disposable rubber gloves! Or your hands will be a lovely shade of whatever you're making.
• First dissolve the dye in 2 cups of hot water in a disposable container (before adding it to the rest of the water, detergent and salt in the sink). I used 1 box blue with 1/2 box green.
• Wet your towel first, wring it out, and smooth it out before immersing it in the dye
• Immerse your towel in the dye to the level you want it, swishing it back and forth so there's no distinct line mark.
• Keep dye off the white part of the towel.
• To get the color gradient effect, hold your towel in the dye for a shorter amount of time on each section from the top down, as seen in the photo. Start at the top and gradually increase the time each section is immersed in the dye as you go down. (The bottom of the towel was held in the dye much longer than the top.)
• The longer you immerse your towel in the dye, the darker it will be. *For all-over color, keep your towel immersed for about 30 minutes, stirring often to distribute the color evenly.
• When ready, lift your towel from the dye and carefully ring out the excess dye.
• Using hot water 1st, begin rinsing your towel from the dye line down (to keep the top white); then change to cold water and rinse until water runs clear.

• Hang your towel to dry OR toss it in the washing machine with detergent, on cold (like I did).
• Hang or machine dry (I threw mine in the dryer).

And it's ready to use!

It's the same batch of dye, and the same process I used for my Dip Dye T-shirt.
{WATCH} the Dip Dye T-shirt Instructional Video to see how it's done!

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Pillows for Children and Nursery Decor: Sarah Jane & Alice Kennedy Fabrics

Since one of my New Year's Resolutions was to create new items for my etsy shop, I decided to go crazy and buy some cute new fabrics.

I can't get enough of the scrumptious prints from Designer Sarah Jane! I stumbled upon her art a few years back and fell in love with it all.

I bought one of her prints for my sewing room wall, where it hangs to inspire me each day.

I was tickled pink when I saw that she had expanded her artwork into darling collections of fabric: Children at Play and Out to Sea, which perfectly captures the whimsy and playful imagination of childhood. One of each please!

Okay, so I couldn't buy everything. But I wanted to.

I still have a few pillow cases to go, but here are the ones that are fresh in the shop!

Pillows are perfect for adding a soft, colorful touch to a child's bedroom, or adding something sweet and special for a baby nursery. They make lovely, personal baby shower gifts as well.

I made a pillow for my sister's baby girl Scarlett, and she absolutely loved it.

It's special because it not only brings auntie's love to her nursery, but it will grow with her and go on her big girl bed when it's time.

And we musn't forget playful little Pirates! Perfect for an adventurous little boy's room.

I bought one other really cute fabric from Sarah Jane's Children at Play collection and will share it when I've finished the last stitches.

Sigh.
Sweet aren't they?
I told you you'd love Sarah Jane's Fabric.

Now on to the owls...

Anyone else crazy for owls? Until recently, they've been a little under-appreciated. But now? Owls are everywhere! And I LOVE this colorfully bright owl fabric from Alice Kennedy. 

It's such a feel-good fabric.  My mom instantly ordered a couple for herself! I don't blame her! I want them too!

Thanks for indulging me and sharing in my excitement for my new products!

I have many more to share, that are just waiting to be sewn. Like I said, I went a little crazy and bought a few several probably more fabric than I should have, but WOW! Don't even get me started with the number of cute fabrics out there. At least I didn't buy ALL of them. Yet. *wink*
♥

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{HUGE SALE} Great gifts for the holidays!

Hi friends! Sorry I kind of disappeared for a month. Every day I wanted to catch up, but you know how that goes...do I fill you in on the last month's happs or just call it good and start from today?! That's why my journal has been empty for hmmm....about 15 years?!

Anywho, lets jump in head first with today.

Enter HOLIDAY SHOPPING 

Yes, it's that time of year again. How'd it get here so fast??

If you're looking for some great deals on holiday gifts, check out my etsy shop. I just put the majority of my inventory on a huge 40% off sale! Woohoo! Baby bibs and burp cloth sets, Ink Blot Bibs, Onesies and T-shirts, Pillows and Pillow cases.

Happy Shopping!

Sending my love and happy thoughts to everyone on the east coast!!

P.S. In case you don't know, Nov. 1st - Dec. 16th 2012 (excludes 11/22-11/26), Target stores nationwide will price match Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BabiesRUs.com, ToysRUs.com and BestBuy.com. You have to check out at customer service and tell them which retailer you are price matching & they will look it up online right there at the counter. You don't need to print anything. PLUS, if you buy something at Target and find a cheaper price from one of these retailers later, you can take in your receipt for a price adjustment. Amazing! Great money saving tip from TheKrazyCouponLady.com.

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Thrifted Table Makeover

I've been looking for a little table to put next to the couch for many moons. Something small and simple. It's way too easy to drop mail and keys on the coffee table and in three seconds it looks like a big old mess.

As luck would have it, my manager was going to give away this little red table from our after-school program room, so he said I could take it.

Free furniture! And just the kind of table for that little empty spot next to the couch. It would be perfect! But not red.

Eeek gad! That meant another painting project. After updating my dressers and desk I thought I was done with the painting projects already. Not sooo fast.





So off to Home Depot I went for a can of moca brown spray paint.  I already had sandpaper and a tarp from my other furniture makeovers, so I was all set.

After a little elbow grease with the sanding block and a shake, shake, shake of the moca brown spray paint, it was as good as new.

It took a little finagling to spray the whole thing inside and out (I took the drawer out, knob off and was down on my knees in strange positions as I sprayed them all out on the confined space of my small deck), but was totally worth it.

I love the dark brown color. I thought about distressing it, but decided just to keep it clean and simple. It now sits perfectly by the side of the couch. And for only the cost of a can of spray paint? Fabulous!

Looking for new furniture for your house? Before you start shelling out the big bucks, check out the pieces at your local thrift stores. Fixing up thrifted furniture is a cheap alternative to buying new and as you can see, with a little love and spray paint? It can look as good as new!

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Thrifted Desk Makeover: sturdy sewing machine table

Did you check out my Thrifted Dresser Makeovers last week? Even after all of that, I was so not done painting. My mission this summer was to get all the painting done before I headed back to my school-year job, and by golly, I'd get it done if it killed me!

This desk, like my dressers, also has sentimental value. I grew up with this desk. When we moved into our new house in 2nd grade, my dad bought it at an unfinished furniture store. I remember sitting in the garage watching him transform it with bright white paint and sunny yellow nobs. Ah, the memories.

All it needed was a little TLC after all these years. So I hammered the baseboard back in place and got me some pretty paint.

I seriously lucked out when I found this Tiffany blue paint for only .50 cents in Home Depot's "Oops" Paint section! Since I didn't have enough for the whole desk, I used blue for the drawers and antique white for the rest (like the dressers).

*Be sure to refer back to the supplies you might need in the painted dressers post before you get started with your own thrifted furniture makeover.

Another quick tip? If you're removing hardware and setting it aside while you paint, make sure to screw your nuts and bolts together on the original knob. Saves time and you won't misplace any of them.

▶▶▶KIDS DESK TURNED SEWING TABLE

It turns out, this old desk works perfectly as a sewing machine table. Lucky for me, this old style craftsmanship is solid wood, and as sturdy as can be. No wobbles, which is especially important when that old sewing machine motor cranks. Plus it has deep drawers for additional storage. (A crafty girl can't have too much storage!)

Lets have one last look, shall we? I did, after all, ache like I'd just done yoga for hours after I was finished. Painting requires more squatting muscles than I knew existed. Obviously somebody's out of shape!

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Thrifted Dressers Makeover: before and after

Do you know how long fixing up these thrifted dressers has been on my summer to-do list? Well I'll tell you. Three whole years.

Finally, the weather here in Seattle has actually been good enough to get it done! Bam!





These dressers actually have a history. Can you still call them "thrifted" if you swiped them from your parents house? I say yes.

Once upon a time, the one on the left stood in my bedroom and the one on the right, in my sister's room. They were lovely back in the day.

Some time during high school I tried out my crafty skills (or lack thereof) and painted my bright white dresser with cream colored exterior house paint and changed my nobs from bright yellow to dark green with an old can of spray paint I found in the garage. Spiffy.

And there she stood, until I got my real craft on.

Painting thrifted (or in my case, swiped) furniture can completely transform it, so before you go buying new, consider stopping by a thrift shop - they're full of potential. 

Make sure you have all the right tools before you start your thrifted furniture makeover project. Home Depot is really helpful if you aren't sure what you need.

And for sure, check out the Oops Paint section at Home Depot. It's paint people bought but didn't want and it's yours at a major discount.

I got this entire gallon of antique white for only $7, marked down from $28!




Supplies you might need:
Tarp                            
Paint roller                  
Foam brush for details  
Primer
Paint
Putty to fill in dings
Sandpaper
Rags (dry and wet)
Disposable gloves
Newspaper
Old clothes and shoes to paint in (paint'll gettcha!)




Oh, and another thing? Get ready to use your muscles people! There's a lot of crouching, bending, stooping, squatting, and up and down with the paint brushes. I know, I sound like a pathetic couch potato but I was surprised at how tired and sore I was when I was done! For you athletic types, however, it'll be a breeze.

Here's another look at the before and afters. My favorite part of a makeover.

For the hardware on this one, I replaced the old green nobs with antique glass nobs I found at an estate sale last year.♥

Thrifted Dresser - BEFORE on L and AFTER on R

My husband wasn't particular on what hardware he had (as most men may not be), so we spray painted his yellow knobs white. I like the clean look.

Thrifted Dresser - BEFORE on L and AFTER on R

And here they sit on either side of our bedroom (sorry, my camera lens isn't wide-angle enough to get them both in the same photo).

I'll admit, I've probably gone a bit too far by making him have a vase full of flowers on his dresser, along with the decorative mirror hanging over it. Poor thing. I may need to get him a manly box or something so he doesn't feel like I've completely taken over. But who are we kidding?

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Decorating ideas at Ikea

Do you have an Ikea near your house? I LOVE walking around Ikea and pretending I live there. Really. So many rooms. So little time.

A few weeks ago my sis and I took an afternoon and went out to Ikea. It really is a day trip. We dread the thoughts of south-end traffic, but we were willing to brave it for the decor. And the meatballs. Don't get me started about the Swedish meatballs.

So off we went, to our home away from home, to see what we could see.

I love the writing pattern on these drapes and pillow case. It's just a bunch of numbers written out. Why is it cool? I don't know, but it is.

I fell in love with these meshy-polkadot-curtains the minute I saw them (pinned them but it's not as easy to tell what they look like). I wanted them to go over the top of my current plain khaki curtains in the bedroom, to give them some style and texture. I'm going to see if I can make something similar.

I stood and daydreamed a while in front of this amazing ocean wave canvas. I pictured myself on a white sandy beach in Maui, with the warm ocean breeze blowing sweetly through my hair...And then I remembered I was still in Ikea. Love the canvas. And would love it in my room. Even if it is in the suburbs.

I also love these white cubes for shelving. We don't have room for them in our small apartment, but I can love them anyway.

I also daydreamed about getting a new couch. Our current couch is very uncomfortable. We stuffed foam underneath the cushions to make it softer, but now the cushions look like their ready for take-off.

I like the clean look of this pseudo "leather" couch (says it's made from artificial leather parts. Sounds a little creepy). This one's about $400 and pretty uncomfortable. I like the steel legs, letting light wrap around and under the couch. I learned that trick from Nate Berkus for decorating small spaces.

These next two are similar in style and I believe they are actual leather. I like the design. This one's just over $900.

and this one's just over $1,500 and has a chaise lounge...my favorite. Makes me want to do some serious lounging.

And last but not least, this couch was about $1,500 too. Looks comfy doesn't it?

Speaking of couches, I'm going to need a big old couch to lay down on after I show you what we ate.

Enter: Death by meatballs. Wow. We look like such pigs.

You seriously order like this, "I'd like the 15 meatball plate please". a.k.a. "I'd like to eat enough meatballs to feed a family of 5 please."

15 meatballs?! Who eats 15 meatballs at one meal? Obviously me, my sister, and every other Swedish meatball addict in the place. I'm still embarrassed to say it out loud. PLUS, they give you the option of adding additional meatballs to your troff. I'm guessing families share it? Do I count as a family?

Thank goodness we only go to Ikea like 2ce a year. A girl's gotta live a little once in a while. ;)

P.S. Wanna know what I came home with, after all that browsing?

Bag closure clips (they work great & only $2.99 for 30); and a potato masher (also only $2.99). Whoopdie doo, right? We're still on a tight budget while hubby's out of work. But for $5.00 total? Not bad (exluding the meatballs of course) ;)

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