New Dining Room Table

Roommate and I needed a dining room table.  We each eat in our respective comfort spaces in the living room, but we wanted to have a large space in which to work on big craft projects that don't fit in the available space in the craft room.   It took a couple of weeks of searching for the right one;  but let me to introduce you to my new $40 Craigslist special:

It's a brown-stained, bar-height table with a built-in retractable leaf which extends the tabletop out into a full square.  I've actually had three tables exactly like this in my life, so when I saw this I was like, "Hello, old friend!"  The finish isn't in the greatest shape, but I was planning on painting it anyway.

Primer

The first thing I did was cut 6” off the legs to make this a normal-height dining room table (30").  Next I gave the entire table a thorough sanding - not to remove the finish entirely, just to eliminate any protective topcoat that would keep paint from adhering, and to smooth out dings and scratches in the top surface.

For the priming coat (above) I mixed half and half Killz primer with some of the gray paint leftover from the paint job in Roommate's bedroom (done before we moved in - Previous Tenant left us all her old paint).  This gave me a tinted half-primer to use that was dark enough for the black to go over with no problem, and it used up some paint I didn't want.

Next, the entire thing got two coats of black paint (leftover from last year's Hemnes cabinet project), which is a 50% mix of semi-gloss and chalkboard paint.  Once the black was dry, the top surface and leaf got a coat of Minwax Polycrylic to give it a little extra protection.  Last but not least, I put some little felt feet onto the legs to keep them from scraping loudly across the tile.

For $40 and a little elbow grease, we now have a place to work on craft projects, cut out fabric, and serve guests at our annual Halloween party.  I suppose we could even eat at it, like normal people, if we wanted (wait what?)

You know what you don't see in any of these pictures?  Chairs.  I've got one old Ikea Kaustby (discontinued), but a dining room table needs more than one chair.  Fortunately, I found one on bulk day this year that just needs to be fixed up.  I'm on the hunt for a couple more.

A Very Late Update

Earlier this month I promised you a cool living room thing, and I admit, the reason I haven't posted is that I just CANNOT get a decent frikking picture of it.  I've tried and tried, but I'm back to my phone cam again (new phone, at least), and it just can't handle the weird light in the living room.

But here goes, anyway...

Before stuff:

Living room, almost just like it is now. We're looking at the space behind
the couch, this time.  Ignore the blankets on the couch, we're working on it. 

Brown shoe shelf in the front hallway. 

A gigantonormous wood-framed mirror (40") I picked up
via Craigslist for FORTY DOLLARS. 

 After stuff: 

Yay, the shelf is painted!  And also behind the couch! 

Yay! 

A couple of notes: 

• craigslist is da bomb
• yes, these were both painted with the same black-ish paint that I used on the hallway doors, the little Ikea candlestick table, and the dressing table in my bedroom
• I cleaned the mirror glass before taking these pics (you're welcome), and while I was at it, I went ahead and cleaned all the other mirrors, too, and I counted as I went.  Turns out I have nine mirrors in the house, and that's just mounted on the walls (not counting jewelry boxes and makeup mirrors).  Weird.  

Next post:  who the heck knows?!

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A Craigslist Dresser Facelift

I did two things over the holiday weekend break!  (I mean, aside from sleep all day Sunday, because I could).  The first was a quick furniture re-finish:

Before

I found this baby on Craigslist for $40 last week.  It's just a little MDF jobber by Sauder, but brand-spanking new, and pretty nice.  And certainly better than the thing it was replacing (which I'll get to tomorrow).

The first thing I did was remove the drawers, and dismantle the child-proof hardware that was attached to each one, which prevented (a) more than one drawer from being open at a time, and (b) any drawer from being opened without being pushed in and pulled up or some weird combination, in order to release the child-lock before the drawer would open.  I don't have kids.  And now I don't have a dresser that's a PAIN IN THE ASS, either.

The second step was to degloss the entire thing with my trusty Liquid Sander, and hit it with a bit of fine sandpaper to muck up the finish enough to take a coat of paint.

Then I wrapped the entire thing in plastic (yay, planning!) and spray-primed the top.

After

I streaked the body of the dresser, and the drawer fronts, with black paint, to darken the finish and give this thing some actual texture (rather than just the ultra-smooth Picture-of-Wood finish).

I also replaced the wooden knobs that came with this dresser.

A better shot of both the paint
finish and new hardware.

The bottom drawer sports a pair of these guys.  Yes, I adore maps, but actually this was because I only purchased enough handles for the top three drawers the first pass through Hobby Lobby, and when I went back for one more pair, they were out of the flat key-shaped handles I bought before.  I got these instead, because they're adorable.  And I kind of like the mish-mash of hardware on this thing, actually.

The top got another faux-marble paint treatment (whites and grays this time, in stead of the alabaster-y cream and brown like I did on that little nightstand), and I'm sorry to say that most of the picture I took of it just didn't want to come out right.

But this dresser makeover is actually a part of a much larger ordeal - I finally fixed up my bedroom closet!  More on that, and better pics of the dresser top, tomorrow.  :)






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Impending Closet Makeover

Next on the list of Thing I Keep Meaning To Do But Haven't Yet is, apparently, my bedroom closet.   You guys have seen it...

Exhibit A: nasty shelf, piles of crap (and dinosaurs)

Exhibit B:  tiny practically worthless dresser (that is now a
nightstand anyway) and not much room for hangity clothes,
on the right side there. 

Those are both photos of the long (east) wall of my closet.  Here's the floorplan:

(Icovia Room Planner)

It's the same blue as my bathroom and bedroom, which I thought would be soothing and contiguous, but instead is just too cotton-candy cute for my level of concentration first thing in the morning when I'm trying to figure out what to wear without getting pissed off.

On the left (north) are some shelves, floor-to-ceiling, white MDF.  On the long wall are crappy, picture-of-wood stackable Cube-It cubbies and rickety shelves holding neat, organized baskets piles of crap (and dinosaurs). On the right is the clothing rod, attached to a wire shelf which supports more piles of crap.   There isn't enough room for ANYTHING.  I don't even have my shoes in there - most of them are on a shelf in the living room hallway.  Basically it looks kinda like this:

Blehhhhh.   (Olioboard)

Enter:

Ikea STOLMEN post, $30, mounting
hardware included, ivory finish.   (Picture
from Pinterest via Ikea 2011 catalog)

Dresser from Target:  $40 on craigslist

The idea:  

I love Olioboard. 

Brighter, less light-sucking and color-confusing walls!  A dresser to keep things in and put things on!  The main idea here, though, is that STOLMEN post across the long back wall, for my hanging clothes:  I can hang everything that's folded neatly piled on and stuffed into the shelves, which frees up space on the left side for shoes and linens, and space on the right side for that dresser (and some dinosaurs).  Yay!

Just kidding about the rug.  And the chandelier.  Maybe.

more room to throw shit on the floor move around, too. 

The question, Raymond:

Will I actually get around to doing this any time soon?

The world may never know. 

Surfing Craigslist

I have no real updates today, since I'm in the middle of like fourteen different things and none of them are truly finished yet (story of my life).  I very nearly posted an old coffee table on Craigslist this morning that I've been moving around the house for like 8 years, unable to use it, but unable to part with it...until it dawned on me that I could take it apart and make it into something new!  I'm sketching out plans today; and meanwhile, I got sucked into Craigslist, and since misery loves company, I thought I'd share some nifty finds...

Here's a nifty little bookshelf with great refinishing potential.  It's solid wood, about four feet high, and only $20!  It would make a great hutch on top of a desk or dresser, or a media cabinet for a living room or office. 

The existing finish isn't in terrible shape, and could easily be cleaned, patched with a stain pen, and re-sealed - or it could be buffed down and painted.  Maybe some cute little feet for the bottom?

Glass-n-brass ceiling fan light sconces, 1984.  Reminds me of the old lights they had at Pizza Huts back then, over the tables.  You could put them on a ceiling fan, or use them in porch lights, small hanging fixtures;  or flip them over, cap off the bottoms, and use them to make sparkly little tabletop terrariums in the garden.

A fantastic little Louis  chair with a wide seat.  GREAT upholstery practice piece!  I'm thinking a deep cherry finish, maybe a tufted teal velvet? Yum. Not bad at $125.

Oh. My. God.  Have I ever mentioned that I ADORE barrister bookcases?  Only $120! Solid oak, functional doors and the glass looks to be in great shape.  This one's all one piece - originally these were designed to be moved while full of lawbooks and documents, one section at a time, if need be, and several would be stacked on top of one another. The glass doors on this one flip up and slide back on top of each shelf, out of the way.

This is exactly why I don't look at Craigslist when I have a fresh paycheck in my hot little hands.  I don't need food this week, right?? 

 

Brass + glass, and 36" wide.  This HUGE chandelier is only $95.  I'm not a fan of bright, gold-toned brass myself;  it would look great antiqued a bit to darken the tone, or done in an old, tarnished-silver color.

One of several cute, cheap little room dividers.  I love this one just as it is.  I can totally see this in the guest room I haven't fixed up yet, or out in the lush, green, secluded garden retreat I don't have in my backyard.

Good bones on this fan.  All-black is a bit much for my purposes (craft room, office, bedroom), but it's much easier (and safer) to start with a base in a metal color you like and change the blades and sconces, rather than the other way around. (You can spray-paint the motor housing, but good luck making sure the overspray doesn't get in there and screw up the motor).  $50







Everyone have a fun, safe weekend!

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Oooh.

I freaking love this chair:

craigslist

I can't help it, I just freaking love this chair.  And it's only $25.

+

Yes? 

_ _ _ _ _

Update:  they sold it to someone else and didn't take the listing down!  Booo!!  :[




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Craigslist Lingo Primer

Orig. posted on my private online journal today (public version avail. here), and was encouraged by friends to post it here.  Hope you enjoyed it :)



1.  Grammar/spelling optional.
2.  Understanding of actual furniture history/style trends optional.  Gross misunderstanding of same preferred.


Quaint:  Small.  Old, or so ugly and/or beat-up as to look that way.

Great (also Beautiful, Fantastic, Awesome, etc.):  FUGLY.

Pet-free/smoke free home:  I'm better than you. 

Vintage:  old and beat-up;  usually acquired via either pity hand-me-down or dumpster diving.

Detailed description of how YOU! might use the item: item is a piece of crap and requires a sales pitch.

Unique:  WTF.  (also often indicates item is handcrafted (see below) or "art"). 

Disclosure of how much seller originally paid for item:  failure to understand concept behind Craigslist and/or target market motivation.

Elegant:  nursing home/gynecologist's office salvage.

Funky:  see "unique"

Second item included for free:  oh please god get this nasty crap out of my house.

In great/good/excellent condition:   + "...for it's age/abuse endured."

Shabby Chic:  fucked up white paint job

OBO (or best offer):  see "second item included"
LISTING TITLE IN  ALL CAPS:  maybe someone will buy it this time.

Item is a hospital bed or other hospital equipment:  someone died in it recently.

Handcrafted:  1.  built incorrectly by an amateur carpenter   2.  see "great"

Emphasis on color of item (e.g. "BLUE!!! chair"):  this is the only thing the item has going for it.

Must sell soon/now/etc.:   1.  seller is moving out of state and is completely disorganized/unprepared     2.  see "second item"

Antique:  1.  Mass-produced cheap crap from the 60s    2. purchased at World Market 2 years ago

Rant against a seller disguised as item listing:   troll

Only, reduced price, etc.: seller is asking twice what the item is actually worth and doesn't understand why it hasn't sold yet.

Still/new in box:  2oz of cardboard and plastic is worth three times the value of the actual item being sold.

~*~!!!!!{{{{OMG}}}}*** etc.:  seller has not has his/her meds today.






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Regret and Woe

"I'll use this for something someday" gets me into a lot of pack-ratty trouble, as does "I bet I can make this into something cool" at garage sales and thrift stores.  I try to purge and make trips to Goodwill, SafePlace, and other charities on a regular basis (usually quarterly) to offset the damage, but sometimes, I'm a little too hasty.

Exhibit A:   my dad's old 2.5'-high wooden cabinet speakers from the 60s. WOW those are ugly!  They were broken, too - the heads were popped on both, and one had ratty, fuzzy wiring that needed to be replaced.  In the days before Craigslist, before I had a vehicle with which to cart them to the Goodwill, I gave these away for free to the first person I could find who would come pick them up and get them the hell out of my apartment.  (I found the picture above on Craigslist, actually... in San Fransciso. That's a bit far).


Oh, how I wish I hadn't.  End tables! Plant stands! Nightstands in the bedroom!  Remove the guts and the tops and use them as very large cachepots for enormous houseplants! Paint them!  Throw scarves over them! 

Oh, well. 

If I ever see these in person again, I'm getting a pair.


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Sadface.

No sofa fabric for me this month, sale or no sale.  Stupid money. :( 
I am, however, in the next six months, going to be winning:

• $5K shopping spree from Target 
• $5K shopping spree from Home Depot 
• $10K World Market/HGTV "Antonio Treatment" sweepstakes 

;)

*    *    *    *    * 

OTOH, I'm ready to get going on the paint job in the living room.  I hope I have enough paint left to do what I want to do - I'll take a look at it all this week, and hopefully get painting over the weekend.

And I'm feeling good about my house, having received a few shining compliments this week from friends.  One woman recently told me that my house is exciting - everywhere you look, there's layer upon layer, and little surprises hidden behind things, and that it's fun to just sit and look around, discovering things that don't show on first look.  Yay!  Best compliment ever. :)

I've also recently realized that I have too much freaking furniture!  I think that's the first time in my entire life I've ever caught myself saying that!  I've currently got that desk I was talking about posted on craigslist;  there's a set of nesting tables and a pair of old P-Barn end tables that I think I'm going to post tonight.  Both sets of tables I purchased on the cheap (garage sales) about ten years ago, and have been carting around since, and I'm kind of tired of the style.  They're lovely - nice wood tops and metal legs - but that's just not the style I'm into anymore.

(It might surprise you to know that ten years ago I was VERY into everything modern and contemporary, but with a softer, natural feel - lots of simple shapes and angles, metal accents, warm wood and plants.  Kind of greenhouse-y. But ME?  MODERN?  I know, right?)

So, I'm hoping to pick up some cash this week on craigslist;  and meanwhile, there are a couple of cute side tables taking up floor space in my living room that will become nightstands as soon as the old P-Barn end tables are out of the bedroom.  I love my layers, but there can  be too many, you know?

So here's to simplifying, and shedding unneeded extras.  And here's to that being FREE.  :)

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The Best Part of Redecorating

...that would be the planning stages, in case you're wondering.  Don't get me wrong, the shopping and the execution are pretty freakin' awesome - but I'm a die-hard list-maker.  I write instructions for myself when I build things, I draw pictures for weeks, even months before I actually begin to work on a room, and I can't function without a to-do list to work from, most of the time.


Yeah, I'm a big dork.  But I'm an organized dork, so :P 

Dining Room Redesign, Part the First: The Table

After hemming and hawing and trying to figure out what to do with my dining room for a couple of years, I finally realized that the main problem was the table.   It was the Wexford table from The Roomstore, which you see here on the right (although mine wasn't counter-height, it was standard dining table height).


I had two of them, actually - the second was used for a while as a coffee table, after I'd taken the legs to Home Depot and had them cut them in half for me (this was years ago, before my adventures with Serious Power Tools began).  Both tables were 2x4' and open up to 4' square, with a built-in leaf that slides under the tabletop when not in use.  Pretty nifty.

And don't get me wrong, I loved my dining room table.  But it was WAY too big for the space that I have now, which is only about 10x11'.  Last week I sold both tables on Craigslist to make room - and money -  for a new one.

 The original plan was to build a copy of this one, which is the "Hemnes" side table from Ikea.  Clean and simple, with a nod to and twist on the traditional - and easy to make out of plywood.  I figured I'd double the thickness of the base pieces for stability, and enlarge the top (the original Ikea piece is only about 27" across). 






Paging through Craigslist ads, however, I managed to find a little round table that was perfect.  It's almost identical to this one (which is World Market's "Charlotte"), but it's black.  It's solid wood, 40" across, which fits my space better.  It's also practically brand-new, as the woman who sold it to me had never actually used it.  Best part?  Fifty bucks!






 

Part the Second:  The Plan

So where does this fit in?

This is what my dining room, up until this week, has looked like:

 
Made with Icovia's Space Planner, found on the website of Lane Furniture.  

I love playing with this thing. 

You can see here what that large, rectangular table was doing to the dining room space:  there's barely enough room to walk around it, to say nothing of actually seating people at it  Almost nothing else fits into the room except for my china hutch (the cabinet-y looking thing at the top next to the dog food bin). 

(Part of the reason the dining room is so small is that it isn't actually a dining room.  According to the people who built my house, this is supposed to be a "breakfast nook", and they intended for me to put my dining room table in my very long living room.  I've never liked that idea, and since I usually eat in the living room in front of a movie or with a craft project spread out on the coffee table, I decided to use the "breakfast nook" as a dining space, since it wouldn't get used much.  I use the "dining room" portion of my living room as an office).

Here it is with the round table I've just purchased - as well as another new addition that I plan to begin working on in the next few weeks: a window seat.  I haven't decided yet whether I'll build one in permanently, or if I'd rather just stick a pretty bench under the bay window.

This is a sketch I did a few weeks ago when I was just sure I'd be building the Ikea table and a full-on window seat.  Here you can see the idea for the rest of the bay window space - ultra-sheer curtains hung across the entire bay, making the bench a little secret place behind the room.  The curtains can be pulled back to use the bench as seating at the back of the dining room table.

I probably should have drawn several cats on the bench, since that's probably who will likely be sitting there more often than not.  Hee.

I'm not entirely sure what that big rectangular thing on the west (left) wall is - a mirror? Large piece of art? At the moment I have a pretty Indian-looking paisley scarf up there on a carved wooden tapestry hanger.  It may or may not stay. 

I'm not sure how quickly this will all take shape.  I'm busy preparing for a six-day camping trip that I'll be going on next week, so I'm certainly not working on it before then.  I have some tweaking to do with my dining room chairs and that big china cabinet; and then there's the window seat and sheer curtains to deal with.  I'll post photos as I go, though, so you can see the progress and final result.  :)