Knock off Decor Feature!

Excited that my Ikea console was posted live on Knock off Decor today! and welcome to my new followers!

Knock Off Decor

xoxo
B

Retiring to Ikea Hack

One of my first blog posts was about painting an old entertainment center.

This was a big undertaking for me and a learning experience as the first time I painted a large piece of furniture- and I loved it! It was also the first time I stenciled and I loved the look.... but after several years... this beauty had put in her time and our needs had changed:( I hated to tell her, but it was time to go!
I needed STORAGE! and more specifically... HIDDEN STORAGE! I was tired of seeing all the little toys Everywhere- I wanted to have a place to hide it- and the boys weren't feeling my trash idea.

This is probably one of the longest planned out projects I have ever done.  I knew that I would not get the go ahead from my Chief Financial Officer (aka The Hubs) for anything too costly but I also knew that I wanted this to look nice and last a long time.

I had a pretty specific picture in my mind of a wall of "built ins" in the same way the old entertainment center was- but with more closed off storage beneath.  I searched Craigslist for forever- I toyed around with using unfinished cabinets from Home Depot- and with using Billy Bookcases from Ikea- but none of these options were quite right- for both cost and space planning.

So the search continued and finally one day I just went into Ikea and just walked the walk.  And those of you who have been there know exactly what I mean.  I walked through it all- taking pictures, looking at measurements, stopping to stretch, looking at every single option... I think someone even handed me a small cup of water while I was nearing the end.

And then I saw them and a little light bulb went on... and it grew into a full fledged idea and home I went (once I found the exit) to start measuring and planning.

The Burgsjo is the line of furniture I finally settled on.  It is still fairly new at Ikea but I couldn't not be happier! I bought two of the tall bookshelves and two short and then two sets of solid doors and two sets of glass doors.

After assembly (which was not as painful as I had imagined) I waited to install the top parts of the two taller bookshelves because I wanted to do a faux butcher block top to connect all the parts.
I searched around Home Depot and finally settled on a prefabricated pine butcher block that came unfinished.  I needed two of them for the lengths I wanted and had them cut to my measurements.  Then it was off to sand a little and stain in Dark Walnut.  They came out beautifully and I couldn't wait to get it all done and up!  You can see the wood I used here at Home Depot.
But don't forget... I'm a Mom:) so, a week later, when I finally had more time to work on it, I attached the wood tops and then the bookshelves with L brackets to them and I did about five different happy dances!

She was done and ready for some major staging... which always takes me forever and I will keep messing with for the next year...

I still want to add some thicker molding around the top book shelves to beef it up-  but for now I am in heaven with all of the storage and also with the over all look.

I will share how I organized the lower storage and such soon! But here she is in all of her hidden storage beauty!

This is my favorite picture of my Mom and my baby- giving Grammy a high five:)

I loved that they had the glass door option because we still needed to be able to see our TV components-

Hope you are all having a wonderful day! 

xoxo

B

Linking to:

Savvy Southern Style

Remodelaholic

Home Stories A to Z

Unskinny Boppy

A Great Time!

This post will be short and sweet... I know, you are disappointed not to hear all of my ramblings but this was a short and sweet kind of project... for once...
I had toured a model home awhile ago and they had one of those great oversized clocks in the kitchen and I was completely in love with it and searching for not only a huge clock but a place to put it.  TJ Maxx eventually gave me my opening with a great big clock (have I mentioned my obsession with clocks and the ironic fact that I am usually five minutes behind in life?) .
It was a great size but I didn't love the orangey/red accents on it- which was just an excuse to paint something yet again:)

I wanted it simple but with something a little special- so I painted the numbers and circles a black craft paint I had on hand and then went up to Hobby Lobby and got some gold Rub and Buff (have you tried this stuff? very cool and easy to use).  I used it to make the hands gold and I am absolutely in love with how it turned out!

At this point I had a spot I wanted it in, but knew it would not be so easy to get it up there.  Our entry way has vaulted ceilings and we only have a medium sized ladder... but neighbors to the rescue! We borrowed a tall ladder and because it is surprisingly light weight, we had it hung in no time!

Such a fun, cheap make-over! If you want to see a better pic and instructions for the frame wreath you see  in the pictures you can click here!

I hope y'all have a wonderful 4th of July!

xoxo

B

RIP Blogger Reader...

Well for some reason Blogger has decided to quit providing their reader so that all of us blog loving peeps can easily keep up with our faves! kinda annoying...
But instead of curling up in a ball in the fetal position, I have decided to press on and request that you either sign up with your email address so that you will get an email when I post- or head over to this wonderful blog, Hi Sugarplum, to see Cassie's step by step instructions for transferring you favorites over to other readers! Thanks Cassie!
This next week I am going to share my favorite Ikea hack that I have done thus far:)
I have also started a Windgate Lane Facebook page so that I can share posts their as well-
So check it out and give it a Like:)
https://www.facebook.com/WindgateLane

I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July!
xoxo
B

French Provincial Hutch: A Tale of Two Hutches

I know, I know... you are amazed at my word play as usual.   I mentioned in my Hot Pink Dresser Post that I was also doing a French Provincial Hutch for the same family- it just so happens that I have this very hutch sitting in my dining room- and you can see it's Redo right here.

The owner chose Paris Grey Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and wanted slight distressing but also a clean look.  So I gave this pretty girl two good coats and then lightly distressed the accents of the piece.  I then decided that instead of wax, I would do a top coat of Minwax water based poly.

It was fairly simple except for the fact that the insides of old hutches are kind of hard to paint because it's difficult to reach in.  But using small foam brushes was a lifesaver to get to those small spots.

I have to get corny for a second and mention that while I was taking out the drawers I loved that I could tell that the original owner kept some of her Christmas candles in this hutch because it still smelled like wonderful holiday scents:)

That is just one reason why I love working on older furniture- it always seems to have a story!

As for the hardware, we debated trying something new but there is just something so charming about the obvious crisp new look with the original handles.

Enough chit chat- here is this pretty lady's before:

I should admit that I am lazy when it comes to taping while painting.  On glass and mirrors I always just paint and then use a razor blade to scrape it off.  It is important to do it gently- but it always comes right off!

And after light distressing- the Minwax water based poly will protect her:)

This made me want to repaint my hutch again- but I will not due to my husbands blood pressure...

And here she is in her home!

Love how it plays off of their grey backsplash!

Hope y'all are having a great day!
xoxo
B

Linking to:
Remodelaholic

French Provincial Dresser to A Pink Lady

I seriously can do the songs and dances from Grease if you want...

The Pink Lady... I thought this day might not ever come... I mean, why would I get to paint something pink in my house full of boys?... and yet dreams do come true!

A friend with two adorable little girls and one new baby boy, inherited some furniture from her father.  Not just any furniture, but gorgeous french provincial beauties- a hutch and a dresser/mirror.  Jealousy is not flattering but I decided to go with it anyway!

She decided on hot pink with white accents.

So- enough chit chat- wanna see?! can you tell I squealed just a little bit when I said that?

Lovely before pic:

First Step- rough in the white -
There was no taping- it was all too small and delicate so yes it was freehand and there were lots of mistakes but I was using chalk paint so it is easy to go over.  I used about a 1/3 of Pure White and 2/3 of  Emperors Silk for out custom hot pink:)

I actually used a small painters brush for some of this because it was so tiny- and then a foam brush for the rest-

Time to start the pink! It took two and sometimes three coats in some places to get the coverage that I wanted-

and just kept on trucking!

Just a tip- they sell empty paint cans at Lowes and I bought a few for just this type of situation- I was able to mix the paints and then also have a nice container to give to the client for any touch ups that might need to be done.

And finally here she is in her final home! how fun!

I have got to get a guest room so I can just put all pink fun stuff in there!
xoxo
B


Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style
Remodelaholic
Home Stories A to Z
Miss Mustard Seed
Not Just a Housewife

Silence

I was on a blogging role through December.  One of the reasons I started this blog was to show my family, who is spread all over, the little projects I was working on.
In particular, I wanted to show my Mom.  Who, as any good Mom does, wants to see what her children are up to and of course compliment them on it no matter what!  Who doesn't want that kind of fan:)

We moved to Texas almost six years ago- it was a hard decision but it was a good move for my husbands career and seemed to be the right thing for our growing family.  But leaving my parents broke my heart.  They have always been my best friends- my husband jokes that I am a 50/50 split of them.
We knew it would be hard but planned on lots of visits and it was a quick, relatively cheap plane ride away so it would be ok.

About 4 months after we moved, my Mom was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.  It was hard to diagnose and there were different treatments/options/ideas that were tried and tossed around for several years before everyone (doctors/specialists) were in agreement that it was Parkinson's PSP.  It is a form of it that is fast moving and doesn't respond to meds that typically help patients.

I won't go through all the particulars but it is a devastating disease and our whole family, including my Mom, mourned the loss of the vibrant woman she was.  It took away her mobility, sight, and some cognitive abilities but she still pushed on.  She loved her family and friends more than herself and at times I know her pure generosity was thought fake by some.  But it wasn't.  She wasn't perfect and even in those imperfections she taught me by sharing her mistakes.

Our family suffered two terrible losses at the end of December.  My Mom was the second one and our only comforts were her being with precious Scarlett, and that she was at peace and her vibrant self once again.

You can not prepare for loss.  I thought I had been, I really did.  But I wasn't.  I sat staring at the wall for the next several weeks in a deafening silence- somehow getting through Christmas with my boys, both boys having tonsilectomies the week after Christmas and a New Year that came and went.

She was supposed to see it all with me.  And while I know she is watching over us- it just feels like a consolation prize.  She was not old.  She had years to see all of her precious grandbabies grow and shower them with the love I know she wanted to.  Years to travel and relax in retirement with my Dad, her husband of 30 years.

This post isn't meant to be morbid but it is meant to pay tribute.  I haven't felt creative or motivated since her passing and while I know that is fine- it also just isn't me.  So maybe one little craft at a time I can start showing her again what I am working on- but now it will all have a piece of her in it because I can't imagine a day that will pass when she won't be on my mind.

And just so you know, Mom, it wasn't just that I hated going to school, it was that I really did just love staying home and spending time with you.

So to get back in the swing of things I decided that just organizing my jewelry was not enough.  I needed to make that organizing cute!  but still cheap... gotta keep the hubs blood pressure down.
This is what I started with- a $5.99 cork board from Ikea...

I already had some (big surprise) buffalo check fabric- so using some spray adhesive- I made sure the fabric was stuck to the board and then I used some push pins from the Dollar Store to create a fake nail head look around the border and also to keep the fabric in place.  I then hot glued the extra fabric to the back and was pretty pleased!

Awww... but you know me so well! It wasn't quite done.  Just one more excuse to use my amazing Gold Leaf Pen! Those little silver pins looked pretty but wouldn't they look even prettier in gold?!



And I am pretty much obsessed with the gold and silver mixing together so I didn't try to hard to completely cover them with the gold- just put some on and was done.





I think it is a pretty way to display some of my jewelry and there aren't too many places I can make girly in my house of boys, so why not?

I love you Mom.