All American Style: Dresser Makeover

Looking for some inspired and LOW COST ideas for your Summer home decor?
Here's what can be done with a little bit of carpentry work and a few coats of paint

to a piece that may start out very UN-inspiring...

The mid-century (1950's) dresser shown in the 'before' photo wasn't too appealing-

except for the fact that it was found for free in the remnants of a friend's garage sale!

Combined with some old boards, new knobs and feet, a little router work, and paint treatments,

the one-of-a-kind piece in the 'after' photo is ready to be a star 

in an an entryway, guest room, family room, or even on a patio for Summertime fun!

* The long tapered legs (very dated look) were chopped off just below the case. 

Then four large ball feet purchased from the hardware store were screwed into place.

 * A new top was added over the existing dresser top, 

made from some old, peely-paint T&G siding pieces, placed side by side. 

The new top measured @ 3" larger all around, to add more dimension to the piece.

* 2" crown moulding was added to make the new top a seamless fit to the old piece.

* Up close, you can see the grooves in the drawer fronts - cut in with a thin router blade to mimic barnwood.

* The entire piece was painted white.
Then, the drawers and cabinet door were all painted dark blue, then more layers of  white and red were applied. 

A dry-brush application of white over the blue and red followed, 

then a careful sanding with fine-grit sandpaper revealed the graduations of color 

and made the grooves stand out on each section.

Best part? The paint was free at the garage sale, too!

* Simple round white ceramic knobs were added to the original drawer pull holes on the piece - 

their quirky offset placement was charming!

The finished piece has no hint of the dated, Danish-inspired design it began with. 

Instead, it displays classic country lines with charming All American Style!

[This project was completed in 2010 by my late husband and I for our business 'Retreat'.
It was purchased and lives in a beach house on Camano Island, WA ]

30 Upcycled Outdoor Decor Ideas!

Have you heard of hometalk?

Hometalk is the largest home & garden knowledge hub on the web. 

It's fueled by the firsthand experience & advice of hundreds of thousands of home enthusiasts and professionals...

a virtual 'think tank' of information about decorating, fixing up, remodeling, and maintaining a home!

I'm part of the hometalk community, and always find loads of inspiration there...

[Yes, there are lots of photos - but it's more than that! 

You'll also find info, tips, tricks, recommendations, and feedback]

hometalk has asked me to curate a clipboard of ideas and inspiration for

Upcycled Outdoor Decor

and I found 30 INCREDIBLE ideas to share with you!

You'll see amazing feats of repurposing, upcycling, and reimagining,
from furnishings and garden decor to entertaining ideas and seasonal touches 
that all make your outdoor areas a usable part of your home for the summer months...

click on image above or here 
to view my clipboard on hometalk!
(you don't have to be a member to view - 

but after you see what's there, I'll bet you'll want to become a member!)

a few of my most popular outdoor ideas are included,

along with fabulous creations by other talented and inventive hometalk members 

and they are sure to inspire your summer outdoor projects!

Serving Up Plants in Style!

 Sometimes finding the perfect centerpiece for a last-minute party or barbecue

is as simple as looking into your kitchen cabinets...

If you're like me, you'll probably find stuff that's been shoved to the back in the corner

because we all tend to think of some items in one way, for one use.
Like soup tureens.
They're for serving SOUP, right?

Well, yes... but they're not JUST for soup!

I didn't unearth these from my kitchen - I found four of them at a local thrift shop.

For two bucks a set (tureen, platter, and ladle).

They were cheap because they just don't get much use anymore... I changed that.

The white ceramic tureens now serve up color on the table!
Paired with white dinnerware, they bring  fresh, fun style

and a very unexpected & inexpensive way to dress up a tablescape.

The plants and flowers are a mix of  4" sizes from the nursery, 

planted into a plastic 6" pot that is then placed inside the soup tureen.
You could also just grab a flowering plant in a 6" pot.

[yes, you can plant directly in the tureen - just add a layer of gravel first to help drain the water]

Try these items from your kitchen to hold flowers or plants:

o
* a stainless steel stock pot or dutch oven

* a big enamelware coffeepot

* the wooden bucket from an old hand-crank ice cream maker

[and it already has a perfect metal container for cut flowers, too!]

* a set of metal canisters
* a cookie jar

This is also a great way to make use of hand-me-downs from mom & grandma...
Keep looking in those cabinets, drawers, closets and garages
for ways to create seasonal decor with everyday materials!

The Colors of Summer

This photo (that I snapped on Wisconsin's lovely Lake Geneva last spring) 

contains the bright, clear colors that make me think of summer decorating and entertaining....
Red * White * Blue

and a little bit of green, yellow, and tan.

 You know, for years, I've lived with a neutral palette... tan, white, cream, and silver...
in my home and also in the products I created and sold at vintage shows.
I loved the calm, peaceful mood they evoke,
 and the way that even the smallest details stand out in a pale palette.

Every once in awhile, though, the desire to create something colorful would come over me,

and the result would be a product line that looked like this:

Furnishings and decor created from salvaged materials in the summer color palette of 

 Red * White * Blue

.
I'd create the booth design and displays with color in mind,
and the result would look a bit like this at a show or in a store:

at our Retreat space in Poppyseeds, Stanwood, WA

 

At the BarnHouse Marketplace in Battle Ground, WA

sometimes one piece of painted furniture can be the showstopping accent
that will lift your home decor out of the blahs and into the spotlight!

Original products shown here were created in 2008 - 11 by myself and my late husband 
for our former vintage business in the Pacific Northwest, 'Retreat'.