End Tables Ava & Elsa Restyled by P&O Inspiration Collection 2017

#sponsored post The Story of Ava & Elsa Ava & Elsa were not wanted. Ava & Elsa sat out in a driveway thinking there was no hope. Ava & Elsa were wobbly and scratched up pieces with a $10 tag for BOTH of them. Ava & Elsa though they were worth more but needed someone to find them and make them beautiful again. I was that someone… AVA “BEFORE” Finding Your Inner Artist It does take practice, but the more you hunt and take home projects, the more you practice different techniques and experiment with different paints, the more you will gain a new perspective on our craft and gain your own style and develop a vision for redesign. Don’t tell yourself you don’t have the talent or tell me that you could never do what I do.  I learned how to transform old unwanted out-dated pieces of furniture and … Read more

Refinished End Tables Pair Up to Become Cora & Nora

#sponsored Estate sales are a great way to find matched sets. Twin end tables are rare and are highly sought after in the furniture rehab world. We found Cora & Nora, along with their matching coffee table, last summer at an estate sale in Stevens Point. The finish was “OK” but I like my furniture to be more than “OK”. “OK” is good enough for boring people. True that? So how do we “un-boring” it? Stuck on the Old-World Look. You could call it shabby chic, distressed, farmstyle, etc. but basically the “imperfect” has become the new “perfect.” Smooth, consistent, and coordinating have been replaced with chipped, shaded and contrasting. It is what it is, and most like it. There’s something about the worn, aged look that is appealing and millions around the world are in agreement. The Process and The Fail I first planned to use a new product, … Read more

Coffee Table Update OFMP {Love My DIY Home}

Coffee Table Comes Alive – An OFMP Update

Since I wanted to try out the two OFMP greens, Lexington and Tavern, layering seemed the best way to go. The first layer was Lexington. I added Extra Bond after a bit of research, since stain came off onto my sponge when I was cleaning in preparation for painting and I didn’t want to use shellac. The supposition is that the Extra Bond would seal in the stain if I mixed it into my first layer of OFMP. It covered well with not a hint on the dark stain bleeding through. So far so good.

Furniture Staging {Love My DIY Home}

Background Options for DIY Indoor Photography

Photography Backgrounds – Are They Really Necessary? Whether you are into still photography or portraiture, you have known the pain of trying to get it just right while shooting indoor. Lighting, backgrounds and flooring options can improve or limit your outcome. Some of my most frustrating moments has been trying to make due with what I have to get a good shot. But shooting outdoor isn’t the safest or easiest scenario. If it’s: too cold too hot windy  too bright intermittent shade It can be challenging or even impossible to get a good shot. But then if you take it indoors you have other issues. Background, flooring, lighting, and available space all play a part in good staging. It is challenging to find a good day for outdoor photography. A good day was overcast, warm, and not windy. If it wasn’t overcast, you’d have to run around trying to find … Read more

7 Tips for Pricing Flipped Furniture Without Stress

As you finish your flipped furniture and put it up for sale, do your research on pricing and then stick to your advertised price. Every piece I’ve sold has had low-ball offers thrown at me. Here is a bit of advice drawn from experience on how to lessen the stress associated with selling your creations: 1. Don’t be offended – most people are looking for a deal and don’t think of it is offensive to low-ball or to ask for a discount. I usually just respond with, “Thanks for the offer, but my price is firm.” It never pays to be rude. Within a few minutes of posting “Katherine”, I received an offer of $100 – I had it priced at $175, a special price since it was so close to Christmas. Here is the actual PM: . She came and bought it at full price. She was a very … Read more

China Cabinet turned Buffet {Love My DIY Home}

An Old China Cabinet Gets a Split Personality – with Country Chic Paint

We picked up this china cabinet at an estate sale in town. Everyone wondered why I would buy ANOTHER china cabinet. I already have three. I had plans for this one – but not for china. Nor am I keeping it. As I said last week, nobody collects or wants china anymore. But they do want buffets AND book shelves. Yep, a buffet and book shelf out of one china cabinet. One unwanted, outdated china cabinet into two highly desirable pieces. Because the china cabinet was all wood with dovetailed drawers plus a top of the line name brand piece from the 60’s made by ETHAN ALLEN by BAUMRITTER (a VERY big name back in my mom’s day), I knew right away I wanted it and what I would do with it. Ethan Allen by Baumritter People may not have china, but most could use additional storage for kitchen ware … Read more

Love My DIY Home