before and after pictures

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 One unwanted, outdated china cabinet into two highly desirable pieces.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

Using Java Gel on a Table Top

Java Gel for the top of an antique parlor table that we got at an estate auction.. I heard all the hype about General Finishes (aff link) Java Gel. People kept saying it’s the best thing since sliced bread. I had to try it. And now I’m in love. I fell hard and I fell fast. I’m not the type of DIY’er that jumps in with both feet and throws caution to the wind. I walk around a project sometimes for weeks before I attempt it. I need to know exactly how and what – I don’t want to mess my piece up. I won’t proceed until I’m fairly sure how to do it and do it right. So, to help you with your first attempt at using a new product, this new product, I’ll give you a line by line tutorial that will allow you to jump in where … Read more

Side Table Given New Life – Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company

#Sponsored Post Salvaging the Past We found an antique parlor table at an auction in Stevens Point. It was one of those days that turned out to be very profitable. We got good prices and I fed my furniture flipping addiction. Many things didn’t sell that day, and we watched as the auctioneer helpers tossed dozens of unpurchased items in the dumpster. It was sad to watch. We left with a van full of great furniture for our new FB store The Red Shed. My SIL and DH had the privilege of loading the van while my DD and I stood and watched. Supplies (most are affiliate links for your convenience) Krud Kutter Java Gel Old Fashioned Milk Paint Extra Bond Acriglaze This table needed help. Not only was it old and in need of repair, but it was just plain messed up. I could easily see its potential so … Read more

DIY Pot Rack – Pendant Lights or Industrial Wood?

Caution: This is a really looonnng post – first the background story of a win/loss/win, 2 sets of before and afters and a detailed description of the final DIY project! It all started with a giveaway… I Won a Pendant Light! Back in January C.D. Loken at CD’s Country Living had a giveaway and I won: “In honor of CD’s Country Living’s blogging anniversary, Parrot Uncle generously agreed to send one lucky winner this LARGE (18.11 x 9.06) Retro-Industrial Light with Pot cover shade ($45 value)!” Best Laid Plans Today I can finally tell you about it. It was a long time in coming… Parrot Uncle asked me if I’d like to have a second pendant light for my kitchen to go along with the one I won in CD’s giveaway. After a few back and forth emails, we settled on the pair of lights that were just like C.D.s … Read more

Leslie Stocker Fireplace {Love My DIY Home}

Brick Fireplace Update by Leslie Stocker

  Does no one know what bricks are? We were looking for bricks at the local home improvement stores and none of the clerks knew what bricks were. They kept sending me to their pile of pavers. Apparently the newest generation of home improvers doesn’t use brick any more. As a matter of fact, if you do an online search for bricks, this is what you come up with: pavers, concrete blocks, bullnoses…Bullnoses? What’s bullnose? I finally found a clerk at Home Depot that knew what an actual brick was (without me having to describe them and getting the blank deer caught in your headlights kind of look). She said you have to order them because no one carries them anymore. Um, OK. I guess the world is changing in many ways, including the most basic ways. A brick? I just can’t believe someone wouldn’t know what a brick is. … Read more

Twin End Tables & Wise Owl Chalk Synthesis Paint

Sponsored Post: I found a pair of end tables at a garage sale – outdated and in need of repair. You see it everywhere. Furniture that is chipped, stained, damaged with water rings, cracks, or maybe they are just plain outdated. Too often folks just go out and buy new when there is a better, cheaper, and easier fix. We can save money and save the the landfill by taking them home and flipping them… BEFORE In this case all they needed was a bit of glue (the center piece had come apart), a bit of patching, and a new finish. Karen at Wise Owl Paint offered to give me paint and glaze for a project to try out and review. The paint is free of harsh chemicals and solvents and is zero VOC – a great way to paint without compromising health or the environment. She also carries other … Read more

Subsciber Furniture Flip {Love My DIY Home}

More Furniture Flips by LMDH Subscriber Sandra Amigo

Not long ago I showed you some Furniture Flips by Sandra Amigo and now I have a couple more for you… Sometimes you like the “before” but then you see the “after” and you’re like… “WHOA!” This is that time. Sandra is a FAB FLIPPER! Here is the before: Sandra told me, “I also made my own version of the various brands of waxes I’ve seen displayed on blogs: wood wax (the one used on floors) with my beloved walnut wood stain. I recently bought metallic wax patinas: gold, silver, and copper for finishing touches.” Here are the afters: “I have transferred images in quite a number of projects with the mod podge method and with the freezer paper method (I also used the shiny paper that’s left when you peel stickers) It’s so fun!” The embellishment on the top makes this piece extraordinary. There is painting furniture, and then … Read more

DIY Enhancing of a Side Table {Love My DIY Home}

DIY Enhancing of a Chippy Side Table

You can find the most amazing things in the least interesting places… Some guy had a cabinet from a storage auction advertised on Facebook – while my DH and I looking at it in his garage full of “junk” with my DD and SIL, I meandered around and started asking him, “How much for that…how much for that?” We left with 5 pieces of furniture. One was a beat up paint chipped, lonely, begging to be found and fixed, side table. At first we thought to paint and antique it, but after cleaning it up there was no doubt that it already had character. It just needed a little help expressing itself. Ya know…you could go out to Hobby Lobby (I heart Hobby Lobby) and just buy a chippy side table (for a ton of money). They have lots of shabby chic pieces available. But how cool would it be … Read more

Blanket Chest Flip using L'Essentiels Botanics {Love My DIY Home}

Cedar Chest Flip – L’Essentiel Botanics Furniture Paint

I was offered a chance to try out L’Essentiel Botanics furniture paint by Michelle at Serendipity House in New Hampshire. Since I’ve been doing a series on chalk paint products, I was anxious to give it a try in my cedar chest flip. If you are looking to remove the chemicals from your home, look into L’Essentiels Botanics. My family is working on it as well and I was pleasantly surprised to hear of L’Essentiel. I’m no vegan, but I am concerned about the chemicals in EVERYTHING we use and eat! Their furniture paint line is vegan (other than beeswax), all natural, and in biodegradable containers with no masking agents. The chalks, clays, minerals, pigments are made by a small company in Australia in small batches. The wax has no solvents (i.e. drying agents) and is smooth with great coverage. The clear wax, which has no solvents, can be used … Read more

A Family Dresser Rescue – April FFFC

Fab Flippin’ Furniture Contest “Pure Colors, Original Elegance” Preserving Family Memories is a Comfort to the Soul Back in 1978 we bought a set of dressers from my parents for $50 just after we were married. Years later my mom wanted them back so we traded for the set she had at the time. I’ve since given the upright dresser to my DD and kept the other for my walk in closet: Do you have reminders of your parents around the house? Have you considered the FACT that one day your loved ones will move on? Are you preparing to have a piece of them close by for memory sake? My dad passed away when I was 26 (30 years ago) and my mom a year ago.     This is the piece I chose to paint using Pure & Original paint in April’s Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest.   Because … Read more

Love My DIY Home