Turning Ugly into a Swan

     Here's an example of something "ugly" made new and pretty.  This solid wood magazine rack was painted in "strange" colors: olive green with touches of magenta.  While I like the two tone aspect, I thought I could do better.  To freshen it up, I painted it with aqua colored duo paint, but it was a little bright so to soften the color, I added a few sprays of cream spray paint.  I'm not sure it's finished yet.  We'll see.

    

Fabric Inspiration and Good Bones

     This is an example of letting a print be your inspiration.  While out on one of my treasure hunting expeditions (which I'm no longer supposed to do since I no longer have a booth to sell my treasures after March 1 and my house is almost full to the ceiling), I found a "good bones" wood arm chair at a local charity thrift shop.  It had a nasty seat which was not screwed in and covered in a nasty vinyl.  I'm thinking it was the original covering because it was attached with about 500 nails instead of staples.  The "cushion" seat was also hard as the Rock of Gibraltar.  But...it was $4!  I just can't pass up deals like that.  Off to the fabric store to see whats new in cotton duck prints and I found the most amazing print with off black, pink and green elephants and florals.  

     The vinyl was so stuck on that seat and hard that I didn't feel like wasting my time trying to get it off.  Instead I just added padding right over the vinyl and then added the fabric and stapled underneath.  My next decision was to decide what would be centered on the seat.  There was a large flower in the pattern that would have worked but instead I chose to center a smaller flower and feature the elephants.  Next, what color to paint the chair.  It needed paint because the original finish wasn't special at all.  I had a Pantone color sample of Jet Black satin from Lowes (my favorite: 8 oz. of paint for $2.99).  It was the perfect compliment to the fabric.  

Before and After Retro Redoux

     Even as I get ready to close my booth at Clayton House Marketplace in Covington, I find it hard to quell my passion for finding a new life for furniture.  It's my type of recycling.  I found this little retro  '60s end table at the Habitat Restore for $10.  I really liked the line of it but it was a) dirty, b) ugly color, c) very lightweight in insubstantial.

    

     As I was looking around my garage for any last minute pieces I could bring to the store to try and liquidate before my last day, I stumbled across this little piece.  How to remedy its problems? First I sanded.  Yes, sanded with an electric sander.  No chalk paint for this piece.  Next, two coats of duo paint with primer.  I don't remember the name of the color, but it's aqua.  I bought it a long time ago to paint a bedroom but hubby didn't like it.  The next step was to sand some edges to "bling" out the shabby chic-ness.  Next was a little dark wax.  Not too much because I think the bright fresh color is what it needed to wake up.  I love the results.  Now it's not a) dirty, b) ugly, but c) the weight of it works!

Giving Old Items a New Purpose

A friend gave 2 very rust iron tables.  They were on her patio and the glass top had broken on one of them.  I think the tables had once been brass or just an iron finish.  I love rust patina so I didn't want to cover it up.  I had a Pantone sample of Emerald, the Pantone 2013 color of the year.  I dry brushed the color on so that the rust was visible in places.  Then I cut wood rounds and made seats.  

On to the table.  I picked up a coat rack out of a neighbor's trash pile.  I quickly found the reason they had trashed it.  It was in three pieces and the top piece would not stand up straight and certainly would hold the weight of anything hanging.  I finally gave up trying to fix it and threw away the top piece (after removing the hooks, I'll use those on another project).  It still had a screw on it so I picked out a wood round from Lowes, pre-drilled the hole and voila! I had a table.  I don't think anyone would ever suspect its origin.

Separately, the stools would be great as a vanity stool and an occasional table or end table. All three pieces together makes a cute bistro set.

Distressed and redone

Antique medicine cabinet, painted and distressed.

    Old medicine cabinets are all the rage in shabby chic decor and home redouxs.  I picked this one up from someone selling on a Facebook group.  It had a bare and dull finish.  I think she knew what she had there but was moving and ready to unload it.  On the inside, it still had most of the glass shelves.  To renew and redoux it, I painted it with off white chalk paint that I mixed myself.  I sanded the corners and trim to distress it and used only clear wax since I liked the bright finish.

Distressed wood

      You don't have to buy "fancy" chalk paint to redoux a dull piece of wood decor.  Flat finish paint that has been sitting in your garage and gained a little thickness works just as well or better.  Unlike chalk paint, this paint doesn't have to be sealed with wax.

Turn and old radio cabinet into a bar

I found this old Magnavox radio cabinet for $15 at the Habitat Restore.  I could see through the ugly to the beauty waiting to be revealed.

Luckily the radio was already gone, so I went to work removing the guts.  I left the Magnovox symbol on the outside and inside.  Then I sanded the top until the gorgeous wood under the dull finish was revealed.  

 My hubby got involved after he finally saw my vision.  I removed the speaker cover to make a space for wine storage at the bottom.  He made a new bottom to the top storage compartment.

This was the perfect place to fit bar glasses in the top.  The hinge still worked perfectly.

My Hubby added lights that automatically turn on when the lid is opened.  Now he wont let me sell it!!!

French print fabric!

French script is all the rage in shabby chic design. Use these examples as inspiration for sprucing up old pieces into something fresh and new.  I took a tired old bench and gave it a fresh coat of paint and French print fabric. 

A vanity stool got a quick update with a quick spray of satin finish black and a new seat in the same fabric.

An ice cream parlour chair looks adorable with only a change of fabric on the seat.  The iron on the chair frame had a lovely worn patina that was perfect.

 

Junking proved a gem this time when I found a coffee table with a fiber board top so ugly that no one else picked it up.  After adding a foam seat and French print fabric and paint, it's a fantastic bench!

A vanity stool is so cute with this makeover using duo spray paint, and new French fabric.










And last but not least, an old brass lamp that had seen better days.  The tired brass finish was just waiting for a pick me up.  This was achieved with duo satin finish spray paint which is more durable than regular paint.  The shade is covered with French print fabric and trimmed in burlap rickrack.  All you need for these projects is a little imagination, paint and fabric!

Candle Chandelier

This "candlelier" had an ugly shiny brass finish with missing crystals.  I used the crystals for another project and got new plastic crystals at hobby lobby.  After a spray of black satin spray paint, I used clear thread to string clear beads to dress up the tops.

Dog beds made from old drawers

I picked up a drawer in a neighbors garbage one day.  What I would do with it, I couldn't have foretold.  The inspiration came one day while cruising Pinterest.  I added paint and small legs from Lowes and I made a cushion with paw print fleece.  It was so cute!  I got an order for another one right away. So if you have old drawers, give them to me!

Keep throwing out old furniture so I can pick it up!

I found this black dresser down the street.  I'm sure I was a sight trying to shove it in the trunk of my Taurus (1. good thing it has a big trunk, 2. good thing it was dark so not too many neighbors saw me).  It had a weird black paint job.  In some places it peeled right off and you could see a green paint and the original finish.  At first I thought I would just fix up the black and distress it, but that one side would cooperate.  I also couldn't get the weird wood knobs off.  They must have been glued because there was no screw on the inside.  So finally I gave in and painted the darn thing with a paint color I mixed myself.

Ugly Duckling to Shabby Chic Swan

I found these two octagon shaped end tables at the Habitat Restore for $10.  I know everyone thought I was crazy but you have to look beyond the ugly.

After sanding and sanding and sanding the tops, and painting and painting and painting the spindles.  Add a little antiquing glaze, they are the ultimate in shabby chic up cycling.  

Another fab garbage redoux

Keep throwing out the old antique furniture that you don't want or better yet--drop it off at my house.  I got this chair from a "curb-alert" on Craigslist.  It had no seat but was sturdy.  This was my first up cycled redoux piece that was made to sell (I've done it for myself for a long time.)  I painted the shabby chic finish with some old paint that had Kilz in it.  These paints are the best when they are old because they tend to thicken and cover extremely well.  The finish is much more durable than chalk paint.  Next I distressed and followed with an antique glaze.  The chair was too plain by itself so I was inspired with a little hand-painting by this cute fabric remnant I picked up at Hobby Lobby.  I think it sold for $75 at Clayton House and was a steal at that price!

Garbage finds equal Cottage Charm

There is something about suburbanites that makes them too lazy to drop off discarded furniture at the local thrift shop.  That is a lucky thing for me!  These are two out of three chairs that a neighbor put out for the garbage.  After a paint job, sanding and new seats, they are perfect for a cottage kitchen or corner.  These are for sale at Clayton House Marketplace in Covington, LA at $45 each.  Contact me if you are interested in purchasing.

An unlikely chandelier

I found this old basket or maybe it was a mini birdcage.  It had these decorative loops around the top.  I immediately turned it upside down and thought what a cute chandelier if I could find a light kit.  I found a black one at World Market and got crystals from a candle holder (I'll post that redoux later).

Salvage materials--beautiful art

I had an old piece of beadboard paneling that I wanted to use for a base for a painting.  First, I cut it to fit an old frame that I had.  It took me a while to figure out a subject to use.  At first, I was going to do corbels from a nola house.  It occurred to me that the bead board had a nautical quality and the lighthouse inspiration hit me.  This is a view of the Madisonville lighthouse.  It's a view from before Katrina because most of the trees and vegetation are gone now. The frame was originally red.  A customer at Clayton House Marketplace wanted the frame in the cream color.  Too bad they never came back for it.  

What to do with old kitchen cabinets

Don't just throw out your old kitchen cabinets.  Give the doors to me!  They are the perfect base for art because the frame is built in!

Diva Pet Bed

I hate throwing anything out and I love to repurpose.  This is a perfect example.  I had an old drawer from a wardrobe that fell apart.  After painting with chalkboard paint, adding feet and a cute cushion, Voila! A Diva Pet Bed. 

Upcycled Chalk boards

I painted an old kitchen cabinet door from a junk pile with a creamy shade around the frame and painted chalkboard paint on the inset.  An upside down handle works as a chalk holder.

This chalkboard is painted and distressed with aqua color.  Hooks were added for utility and decor.  It was made from the frame of a broken mirror.

Up cycled lamp lighting

Upcycling lamps is a favorite of mine.  Sometimes all it takes is a little spray paint.  The key is to identify a diamond in the rough.  Sometimes a very ugly old lamp has a great shape if you can see past the tacky finish.

Recovering a shade adds a finishing touch to a simple lamp.

Sometimes it needs a globe instead of a shade.

I had painted this teal lamp.  I might add a different shade. I'm feeling a little burlap touch.

"Toast of Polo"

My big accomplishment!  Every year, Inside Northside Magazine in Covington launches an art competition for choose the poster art for the Junior League's annual polo match.  I entered the competition once before and the painting was printed in the polo issue in 2010.  "Toast of Polo" was chosen as the 2012 Harvest Cup Polo Classic poster art and featured in the 2012 September issue of Inside Northside Magazine.  The original painting was donated to the Junior League of Greater Covington live auction at the Polo event and sold for over $800.

  

A chalkboard for your entrance

Old cabinet doors are a great resource for me.  They usually have a built in "frame." The first one I ever repurposed was one that I picked up in a garbage pile.  I unscrewed a couple of doors on the street in front of a house that had demolished its present kitchen.  I made this chalk board by painting and distressing the "frame" and painting black chalkboard paint on the inset.  A handle and hook add a little character too.  This one is priced at $45.

Cute "eyeglasses"

I couldn't resist this adorable rhinestone "eyeglass" frame for my shop at Clayton House.  These are still available for purchase.