DIY

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

2 Candle Holders Upcycled = A DIY Bird Feeder

Do you have an eye? Do you have an eye for upcycling? The craziest Goodwill finds can be combined to make useful and trendy home decor. Ya just gotta see it – imagine possibilities and be willing to experiment. That’s the case with these two candle holders – 1+1=1 For this tutorial, I’m going to be very specific and detailed – not because it’s a difficult or very detailed project, but because I want you to see the process for how a project comes together. Simple or complex, each project requires planning and contemplation for it to come together. Do you see how they can combine to make a one-of-a-kind bird feeder? 1. Turn the candle holder into a cup by creating a larger area to hold the bird seed. This is what it looked like “before.” DH called in the big guns for this job – it’s called a … Read more

Studio Art Rack {Love My DIY Home}

Bakers Rack Repurposed as Paint Studio Storage

Sometimes You Don’t Want to Paint Did I just say that out loud? Most of the time we look for projects to paint but occasionally we decide to keep it as is, just spiff it up a bit by adding detail or simply cleaning it up. We found this bakers rack on a weekend getaway to Door County at a sweet little consignment shop for just $35. It may have been an impulse buy, but it was one of the best so far. I Dragged it Out of Our Barn to Paint it for My New Studio I decided I liked it as is and cleaned it with water, a scrubbie and (afflinks) Krud Kutter. Sometimes Krud Kutter works better than you want and it took off a bit of the grunge that I thought was part of its charm, mainly, the water ring. BUT, sometimes a snafu can lead … Read more

DIY Duck Cloth Canvases {Love My DIY Home}

DIY Kid’s Room Canvases – Using Duck Cloth

Duck Cloth and Artist Canvases I have a nice and easy project for you – using (aff link) duck cloth canvas material, wood letters and artists canvases from (aff link) Hobby Lobby. Here is a coupon for you if you plan to shop there for your supplies (just click the coupon banner below and then look for “get coupon” in the right hand corner of the (aff link) Hobby Lobby web page): Supply List You will need (aff links): duck cloth 12 x 12 artist canvases (Search for: 12″ x 12″ Canvas Panel 5-Pack) heavy duty staple gun & staples scissors large letters (Search for: 9 1/2″ Wood Letter or the size appropriate for your canvas) paint for the letters (Search for: your fave acrylic paint color) bling STEP #1 Measure or just lay your canvas on your (aff link) duck cloth and cut it a few inches larger, just … Read more

Old Tissue Box Revived – Spray Paint Season is Here!

  I first wrote this in the beginning of 2015, and the technique has become quite popular, so I’m playing it again, Sam…     Another consignment shop find has found itself at the end of my spray paint can. I do enjoy spray painting – it’s quick and requires no top coat. It doesn’t fit every scenario, but once in a while it’s the best choice.   Spray paint season is once upon us and so let the games begin…   While dropping off STUFF…you know that STUFF that sat in your basement for years wondering if they’d ever turn into a “real piece of decor,” I found this cool little tissue box holder slathered in hand painted foofy flowers. Not really my style, but I could picture it painted. E.A.S.I.L.Y. I had done something similar to what was floating around in my head on an antique table for … Read more

80s Bookshelf Redesigned {Love My DIY Home}

1980s Style Bookshelf Redesigned

I’ve been tooting the “flip it don’t toss it” horn for quite a while now – have you heard it? Look around your house. Do you own any furniture that is the same ol’ same ol’ from the 80s? Are you tired of hum drum? Let’s look at a bookshelf re-designed out of the 80s and into the present. This old thing has been sitting in my hallways for a dozen years. It was time for a change and I’m not willing to go out and spend $100, but I will pick up a brush. Since (aff link) The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company provided products for this project, I was able to experiment a bit and come up with an original piece of art. Yep. I said “art.” Art isn’t always a framed picture on a wall. Art can be anything that an artist creates. What makes an artist? They … Read more

It’s About TIME – The Skinny on a Little Side Table

Last week when I tried out the (aff link) HomeRight Finish Max on a rolling storage cabinet, I threw in a little skinny side table. Two for the price of one, so to speak. It was green, then dark brown, and now it’s a light tan, with decorative stenciling. It’s a bore no more. Super easy, 1,2,3,4 1. Spray one coat with Benjamin Moore Advance using a (aff link) HomeRight Finish Max. I only did one coat for easy distressing. 2. Distress, lightly. 3. (aff link) Stencil clocks and some French script. Get some paint in your brush and wipe most of it away on a paper towel or paper plate. I use acrylic paint. This is a dry brushing technique. Tape your stencil in place and do a quick up and down movement with the brush to get the paint onto your surface without it bleeding under. It’s easier … Read more

Rolling Cabinet Makeover with HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer

“Spray it Pretty” #sponsored post This month The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest®,  “Spray it Pretty” is sponsored by (aff link) HomeRight. They sent us all a Finish Max sprayer to complete our projects, something I’ve been hearing a lot about from other furniture flippers, so I was glad to give it a try. Along with the sprayer gift, HomeRight is giving prizes to one winner – one being this (aff links) spray shelter. We bought “Ellie” at an estate sale – the same one where we got the Ethan Allen China Cabinet that I turned into a buffet a few months ago.  She was one of the last pieces remaining at the estate sale on the last day. I hadn’t even noticed her the two times I had looked through the sale and only saw her when we were finished loading all of our purchases into our truck. She was … 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

OFMP Ethan Allen Coffee Table Updated {Love My DIY Home}

Ethan Allen Coffee Table Stars in “The Taming of the Shrew”

#sponsored post It looked like an easy flip… Have you ever had a DIY project that you just wanted to throw out the window, chop it up with an ax and then burn it to make sure it was totally eradicated from your memory?   Beware of the “easy” ones… There’s a little consignment shop about 45 minutes from us that we go to occasionally to look for furniture to flip. The prices are reasonable, usually, so it’s worth the trip. Of course visiting their other little shops and burger joint doesn’t hurt the experience either. We found an Ethan Allen coffee table that looked like an easy flip, so we grabbed it and brought it home. (It’s the “EASY” ones you need to watch out for.)   DH found one similar online at Etsy – ZBrothers Furniture, so I’m guessing the added white was either special order or just … Read more

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