Decor Apartment Interior Design

Fab Friday finds

For many years, I was a garage sale junkie. Every Saturday morning, I'd wake at the crack of dawn to trawl the local sales for treasures. And what treasures there were to be found! I was constantly amazed at the things people were discarding. Think huge cedar chests of drawers, beautiful carved mirrors, picture frames, the odd chaise <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">longue</span> or two; you name it. I bought it.<br /><br />I've restored and sold many of these over the years, but one of the advantages of living on acreage is that I have a huge shed. A shed which is still full of goodies, either awaiting restoration, or inspiration, or both. So I thought I'd share a few of these with you all each week, and we can discuss what should become of them. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ok</span>, I'm starting small this week, because it's pouring with rain at the moment and they were much easier to wrangle than a marble-topped dining table! <br /><br />This chair is one that I managed to pick up for $1, and the little <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">chandy</span> for $5. The chair is painted a fetching shade of mission brown (ugh!) but the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">chandy</span> had already been given the white treatment.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkSV2OR-mY-7-e207ibOV0-Hnrbl6cJk_Vw_T55kDB-HvyyQSsZGS5le9qrMbAUmwLWXyh-ztz6tbkpLQ82wZaLlA8smCyLfSLiCT8Pz5fQJVh1K3NOFLwUFAvB-hEOyNVPYffubyTgk/s1600/chair+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkSV2OR-mY-7-e207ibOV0-Hnrbl6cJk_Vw_T55kDB-HvyyQSsZGS5le9qrMbAUmwLWXyh-ztz6tbkpLQ82wZaLlA8smCyLfSLiCT8Pz5fQJVh1K3NOFLwUFAvB-hEOyNVPYffubyTgk/s400/chair+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4el5phAS_JN0rY3HZLDuH7ZiWSPla4NygM-UVnNGN3WOUm8y8sSEMKiAoqJB-4SuZThC4WYN4TvmOvCqU9JwlV3cpfCz0OU42kp3i3u43y5VwJSohxkZuR3BuhVtOeYlAwmA7Rnlhuc/s1600/chair1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4el5phAS_JN0rY3HZLDuH7ZiWSPla4NygM-UVnNGN3WOUm8y8sSEMKiAoqJB-4SuZThC4WYN4TvmOvCqU9JwlV3cpfCz0OU42kp3i3u43y5VwJSohxkZuR3BuhVtOeYlAwmA7Rnlhuc/s400/chair1.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The chair will probably end up as my new home office chair, and I'm even considering painting it in a colour other than white (shocking I know!) All I need to decide on is a pretty fabric for the seat cushion, and I'll be done. And I'm thinking of hanging the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">chandy</span> in the corner above my desk - you know, a bit quirky and off centre? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, what do you think? I love hearing your thoughts, so any ideas you have will be welcome. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have a great weekend everyone, I'll be spending mine adding the finishing touches to the kitchen <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">reno</span>, so I promise to post all the pics next week. Stay tuned!</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CTony%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CTony%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CTony%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link>    <m:smallfrac m:val="off">    <m:dispdef>    <m:lmargin m:val="0">    <m:rmargin m:val="0">    <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup">    <m:wrapindent m:val="1440">    <m:intlim m:val="subSup">    <m:narylim m:val="undOvr">   </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><style><br /> <br /> </style>  </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">all images by me</span>

Fab Friday finds

For many years, I was a garage sale junkie. Every Saturday morning, I'd wake at the crack of dawn to trawl the local sales for treasures...

5:57 PM

Sweet little furniture makeover

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0wCrr0ezXLzbozhmxq4l5UdF2AtONmN5pN_bZeqDFKk3Iam35n6Tdc5MZ46zN8YjcqiNWkC2430JvqHg_pxIQaRBMO-GquIHW3Pond4YSnqyV7k41mYLeHILR-idtdiBUM-BPqv1K3U/s1600/stool8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0wCrr0ezXLzbozhmxq4l5UdF2AtONmN5pN_bZeqDFKk3Iam35n6Tdc5MZ46zN8YjcqiNWkC2430JvqHg_pxIQaRBMO-GquIHW3Pond4YSnqyV7k41mYLeHILR-idtdiBUM-BPqv1K3U/s400/stool8.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Right, I'm back with the little project I hinted at in yesterday's post. I've had this stool for years, and thought it was about time I gave it some attention. When I first bought it, the frame was painted the most garish gold imaginable, complete with psychedelic fabric - the mind boggles at the thought of the house this little number came from! Anyway, I wasted no time stripping the trippy fabric off the cushion and painted the frame white. But that's as far as it went, and as this was way before I even knew what a blog was, I don't have any 'before' pics to share, more's the pity - it really was quite 'special'!<br /><br />So when I was spray painting my <a href="http://driftwood-interiors.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-big-planthe-epic-part-ii.html">kitchen</a> cabinet doors, I decided to give a few other pieces the white treatment too. Here it is at frame stage:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp4fYssRe1on5708XgtGf7biGrepqjj27wsD0VDPQDgc5y4tHmSBuY8_1Xo4vQPOhHvx7jmNnv8qPPm-i1tagm64eNUgekTn4KJlbe6JMx97WAEPLqmyAoigZGs4vePfH3Du5642YR9Q/s1600/stool2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp4fYssRe1on5708XgtGf7biGrepqjj27wsD0VDPQDgc5y4tHmSBuY8_1Xo4vQPOhHvx7jmNnv8qPPm-i1tagm64eNUgekTn4KJlbe6JMx97WAEPLqmyAoigZGs4vePfH3Du5642YR9Q/s400/stool2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The seat frame is timber, with webbing and hessian to support the cushion. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwRv8tbdXoJLhMy0uwsD229xtceMlu0OMbwNfplV75jkBh1BDv5P2KS2OB8BF36ka-tbMNznEZyVKYU7P_mCPIYNb__f4kzFbKElLn170VCoShLeDUAVU8VlMOW45-iHWzneSkGE6_R0/s1600/stool3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwRv8tbdXoJLhMy0uwsD229xtceMlu0OMbwNfplV75jkBh1BDv5P2KS2OB8BF36ka-tbMNznEZyVKYU7P_mCPIYNb__f4kzFbKElLn170VCoShLeDUAVU8VlMOW45-iHWzneSkGE6_R0/s320/stool3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I could have replaced the webbing and hessian, but I didn't bother because a) it was still fine and b) the stool won't be getting much of a workout as anything other than a side table/resting spot in my daughter's bedroom. Also, by the time the hessian wears out, I'll be sick of the fabric, or the stool, or both, so then I'll replace everything and start again. I did vacuum it thoroughly and give it a wipe over with a damp cloth, to get rid of any dust. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, I made a chair pad from some wadding, covered with a double layer of batting. You could go the purist route and make a pad from coconut fibre, but I chose not to bother. It pays to do it properly if you have an antique piece, but in this case it wasn't an issue.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxn-hjn9l8cNIR_ssJG1LNLGqrOIplpEP8BP9PV2kESb3fbC22MvJtilT4-8dp5BUcAOssA8xdH1L6DOrdOne6ek1t3YlF_5UppzYrI16JLiKY_B8tUHom44pP-RnETvW-t3ZrJXKInI/s1600/stool4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxn-hjn9l8cNIR_ssJG1LNLGqrOIplpEP8BP9PV2kESb3fbC22MvJtilT4-8dp5BUcAOssA8xdH1L6DOrdOne6ek1t3YlF_5UppzYrI16JLiKY_B8tUHom44pP-RnETvW-t3ZrJXKInI/s400/stool4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once you've made your chair pad, position your fabric and start stapling each side, working from the centre out to the edges. I trimmed the fabric as I went, making sure to keep the pattern in line, and folded the edges neatly. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zKEFdmm9TLiHAacU-fHbdQCBLZez4vgzgo2KXtg2JTNtLxboNqkNtFgJU72wD8aBvA5Dw3F0HBgnChJoC3I5C4oq9ifydYY3TVIrZYsHGA9gEmlhcjW-wNUOk0OnvNyGVWGo6zgE6KY/s1600/stool7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zKEFdmm9TLiHAacU-fHbdQCBLZez4vgzgo2KXtg2JTNtLxboNqkNtFgJU72wD8aBvA5Dw3F0HBgnChJoC3I5C4oq9ifydYY3TVIrZYsHGA9gEmlhcjW-wNUOk0OnvNyGVWGo6zgE6KY/s400/stool7.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0wCrr0ezXLzbozhmxq4l5UdF2AtONmN5pN_bZeqDFKk3Iam35n6Tdc5MZ46zN8YjcqiNWkC2430JvqHg_pxIQaRBMO-GquIHW3Pond4YSnqyV7k41mYLeHILR-idtdiBUM-BPqv1K3U/s1600/stool8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0wCrr0ezXLzbozhmxq4l5UdF2AtONmN5pN_bZeqDFKk3Iam35n6Tdc5MZ46zN8YjcqiNWkC2430JvqHg_pxIQaRBMO-GquIHW3Pond4YSnqyV7k41mYLeHILR-idtdiBUM-BPqv1K3U/s400/stool8.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it! A quick and easy makeover, that really took no time at all.  There were, of course, a few things I learned along the way, and you may want to keep them in mind if you ever decided to tackle a project like this.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Choosing a geometric fabric like this one (Octagon canvas, from Spotlight ) is probably not the best idea for your first upholstery project! The reason being, any areas that aren't lined up perfectly will be glaringly obvious. I did need to unpick the fabric a few times, to make sure everything lined up properly. In hindsight, it would be easier to use an all-over pattern, without any straight lines. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. The power stapler is your friend! We did have an electric stapler, which bit the dust about five minutes into my last upholstery project - recovering a two-seater sofa. This time around, I brought in the big gun. I used the compressor and power stapler attachment, and what a difference! No problems, plenty of power, and no fabric is too thick. Love it almost as much as my spray gun!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Make sure your chair pad is completely even in size shape, otherwise you have issues (see number 1 above!)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Ok, that's about it. I'm attempting to finish one of my other projects today, and I'll try very hard not to post any more teasers! I really can't help it though - I get all excited dreaming up new makeovers. TTFN!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">all images by me </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">By the way, this makover is also over at the link party at <a href="http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/05/something-for-mister.html">The Shabby Chic Cottage</a>'s Transformation Thursday. Go check it out, there are heaps of great DIY project and makeovers.  </span>

Sweet little furniture makeover

Right, I'm back with the little project I hinted at in yesterday's post. I've had this stool for years, and thought it was about...

3:55 PM

Project: sneak peek

I seem to be meeting myself coming backwards at the moment! So much to do, and far too few hours in the day. So just thought I'd pop in to show you a little something I've been working on. I'll be back soon with the whole DIY, but for now here's a peek.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDfQ9pwjFwqhnwY6T1J3c3VIBh_9XnhL_x4MZlamdcrULEgFLDk44DbR3O-0YwNrUeJPfTFB_Yk4I7bEoGkKras6F_F7S99p91vnlK8DjZ7TKbKn0lPAyVAFHMpvzKPz6YC8lpkzJEeA/s1600/stool1.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDfQ9pwjFwqhnwY6T1J3c3VIBh_9XnhL_x4MZlamdcrULEgFLDk44DbR3O-0YwNrUeJPfTFB_Yk4I7bEoGkKras6F_F7S99p91vnlK8DjZ7TKbKn0lPAyVAFHMpvzKPz6YC8lpkzJEeA/s400/stool1.1.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">See you soon!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">image by me</span>

Project: sneak peek

I seem to be meeting myself coming backwards at the moment! So much to do, and far too few hours in the day. So just thought I'd pop in ...

9:11 PM

Decor Apartment Interior Design

Fab Friday finds

Sweet little furniture makeover

Project: sneak peek

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