Trash to Treasure

The previous home owner left a lot of things in our house when we bought it--which is a really good thing in my book!  I have had so much fun going through the things in the house...and I haven't even gotten to the garage or storage shed yet.  The sun room painting room had this poor coffee table in it:

I am not sure what you would call this paint technique...but it was pretty terrible! 

The Hubbs thought we should just toss it!  My original plan was to paint it and use it as a coffee table in the sun room--if we ever stop using it to as our painting room.  But after I painted it, it looks like a completely different table!  I tried using it in our living room, but the style is just way too modern and sleek for us.  So I am going to sell it on craigslist, but I just had to share it with you guys first:

(Again, please excuse the crummy pictures, I had to take them with my cellphone)

I can't believe how much better it looks!  I love the chrome spray paint I used on the legs, and the semi gloss black paint gives it such a nice sheen.  These pictures just don't do it justice!  And the best part is that it did not cost me one single penny to do!!  I used leftover paint from other projects.  :0)  Woohoo!!

I am participating in Transformation Thursdays over at The Shabby Chic Cottage, so be sure to go check it out!  There are SO many awesome project ideas... 

My $25 Craigslist Tables

When we arranged our living room, our old end tables just didn't go.  So I have been on the lookout for some new ones on my favorite place--craigslist.  A few weeks ago, I saw these beauties:

They are solid wood, and just needed some updating to look great.  The lady selling them only wanted $25 for BOTH of them!  So Jay and I headed over to get them.  And while the lady's son helped me load these into the back of our car...Jay chased her dog around and made himself right at home.  He even found the dog's toy basket and proceeded to get out all the toys.  Ha ha the dog was very excited, and fortunately, the lady thought Jay was adorable and didn't mind!  

Anywho, after I got these home, I went through several ideas on what I wanted to do with them.  I originally planned to re stain them in a darker color, but the rounded legs just would have been waayyy more work than I was ready for.  I thought about painting the legs white, and staining the top, but it just wasn't what I really wanted. 

But then a sweet little old lady listed her round pedestal table on craigslist for FREE!  And you know I LOVE free things!  I have been on the lookout for an inexpensive pedestal table to cut down and use for a coffee table.  This pedestal table has a stained top, and the pedestal part of it is painted black.  The second I saw it, I knew it was the look I wanted for these end tables too.

So here they are in all their refinished glory:

(Ha ha and please excuse the crummy pictures, my camera is broken, so these are from my cellphone.) 

I love the little crystal knobs on them, they add just a little sparkle.  The stain color is a mix of English Chestnut and Red Mahogany.  It is actually a little darker than it looks in the pictures, and I love it!  It's kind of a chocolate/reddish brown color.  

Here is a sneak peak of another project I have going on in our living room:

So check back for that, and pictures of the pedestal coffee table are also soon to come!

I am linking up to the Under $100 Linky Party over at Beyond the Picket Fence, so be sure to go check out all the other great ideas!   

Vintage Chair Love

The previous owner of our home left all sorts of interesting things here. One of my favorite things is an old solid steel desk chair.

Isn't it fantastic!?  Well except for the red spray paint and the green Naugahyde?? 

It even has a sticker from the manufacturer, Emeco Corporation, that says it was delivered in March of 1951.  So this chair is 59 years old!

Well, I got busy with some spray paint and new fabric and here is the result:

Not too shabby for a 59 year old huh!?

Here is a closer up shot of the fabric, because I seriously LOVE it.  It has browns and blues and greens.  It is whimsical and playful...and just perfect for our home office/playroom!! 

And the wonderful thing is that this baby is seriously solid steel, so it will be around for many many years to come!  When I went to reupholster it, there were these little metal tabs that held the fabric down.  It was so neat!  I didn't have to pull out staples or anything, and I didn't need anything other than a hammer to reattach my new fabric.  Things just aren't made the way they used to be!!