Bedroom Makeover (and Guest Blooger!)

Happy Monday friends! I have a special treat for you today. My friend Laura from We Heart (Most) Art is here today with a guest post. Just so you know, Daffodil's is really Laura's fault. We were both venturing into the world of DIY and she introduced me 'these great home decor blogs'... And the rest is history. She is talented and lovely, so I am sure you will enjoy her easy bedroom make-over. Afterwards, head over to We Heart (Most) Art and vist her and Jenny!

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Hey y'all. I'm Laura, Katie's neighbor. I usually write about art over at my blog so I am excited to be trying something new here at Daffodils!

Katie has been a pretty good sport over the past year, accompanying me to and from the fabric store to mull over (and over) fabric for my bedroom make-over/ DIY upholstered headboard project.

I am excited to announce that, as of last week, the headboard is done and my master bedroom is almost complete. It only took 369 days! Yeah, it was a procrastination thing... the whole project was actually very easy. All you need is:

1) a husband or easily bribed man with a jig saw

2) plywood (and two 2 x 4 for the legs)

3) two double sized egg crate mattress pads (spiky side down)

4) quilt batting

5) fabric (if your headboard has angles like mine, use a pliable fabric. I went with linen)

6) a staple gun

Draw out your design on butcher paper just in case. Before you cut, make sure the headboard is about 2 inches wider than your mattress. Assemble the first two layers of egg crate followed by batting wrapping both around the back of the board and securing with staples. Add fabric layer and staple again. You can mount the headboard directly to your wall if you have stud behind your bed. If you don't, or you have a weird room layout like me, go with legs.

A normal person should be able to complete the project in under 6 hours. Obviously, I am totally not normal.

Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of the process. So, I can't show you exactly how it was done. All I can show you is the room pre-headboard.

The ugly duckling table at the end of the bed was found by my mom on recent "curb shopping" expedition. I thought that after a little work it would look great at the foot of the newly head-board bed. (Painting and recovering the Hollywood Regency chair there in the corner is my next project.)

The table was encrusted in mud and the mirror in the middle was peeling. So Katie, C$ and I ventured over to Lowes for an 8-ounce sample can of orange-sorbet-ish colored paint for my new Preval Spray Gun. Two hours later, I returned to Lowes alone, covered in orange sorbet and reeking of turpentine for more paint and mini foam roller.

While I have no doubt there was some small operator error involved, I am going to have to give the spray gun two thumbs down. It sputtered... it clogged... it dripped... it leaked... but it did not come even remotely close to spraying!

Two coats of paint, one coat of Minwax Wipe-on Poly and some strategic mirror distressing with a razor blade and ta-da!

The orange is not overpowering and I think it works well with my walls which are a beachy Lido Green by Benjamin Moore.

So, without further adieu...

And check out that headboard! I feel like it was worth the 369 day wait.

Thanks for letting me guest blog Katie!

The FINAL Happy Yellow Bench

Remember Happy Yellow Bench? It started here. Then moved into my dining room. Then was bought by my friend Cate. As a result of that, it got a fabric makeover in order to go with her bedroom. Here is the final product:





Pretty hunh?

More White

I'd like to write thank you notes here



And sit in here



And put my china in here



And wear this dress



Or this one:



*Images from Southern Accents, Traditional Home, Macy's and New York and Co.

SOLD!

You may remember my very first post, in which I informed you dear readers that my intention was to buy, refurbish and sell furniture. Since then I have made the pink chair, the happy yellow bench and the cheery blue chairs. The pink chair is now at Elizabeth's, an antique/consignment store in Winston and has not been sold. Happy yellow bench was bought by my dear friend Cate and will soon by residing in DC. And the cheery blue chairs were cause of some frustration earlier this week.

However, today, I received that sense of validation I have so been seeking, when after a craigslist post Saturday morning, someone called about those cheery blue chairs that were starting to make me sad. The caller was incredibly excited and drove 30 minutes into town to pick them up. When she arrived she said "they are prettier than in the pictures" and "just perfect for my new farmer's table!" She asked if she could have the name of the paint color (and of course I obliged) and thanked me repeatedly for posting them. Her daughter then informed me she saw them earlier that day on CL and printed the page out because she knew they were just what "Momma" was looking for. And as my husband carried the chairs out our front door, something occurred to me, something that had escaped me during this entire endeavor: this woman was happy- truly, genuinely, happy that she was able to take my chairs home.

How could I have missed this side of the project? The side that put a huge smile on someone else's face? Why did it not occur to me that this wasn't just about my own happiness and self worth, but that it would make other people's day? I was so excited that someone wanted to buy my chairs, that I didn't stop to think that it was making their day too. And as I watched the woman and her daughter load the chairs into their car,looking over the details once again and smiling as big as I was, I realized that this might be the real reason why I find some much pleasure in re-doing furniture: I really, really love to see other people smile. Because of that moment, when I saw her loving the chairs that I made with so much love, I smiled all day.

Thanks world, for coming through for me once again.

New Chairs!

Remember these chairs I scored at a garage sale about a month ago?

Well, they have finally been re-done.

Here they were, not bad looking, hanging out in my foyer:





And here is my workspace that was crowded on the patio since of course it decided to rain during the one morning I had to myself:



I was working on a side table too, but I don't like the way it turned out, so you don't get to see the finished product...it happens!

I used this awesome $2 sample size paint from Lowe's (plus they give a military discount- double score!) and a little trim-roller. It was the prefect size and gave great coverage.



Then, I finished them with this great wipe on poly:



Annnnnnnd viola! How happy is my entryway now? Of course, they will be up for sale, but in the meantime, I have no issues letting them hang next to the West Point trunks. Love when a project goes my way!

Stylish and Child-Proof

I love to look at design magazines, but every so often, I have to wonder..do any of their reader's have kids?? But I suppose, a pretty, sane and put-together living room is way more appeasing than a room full of blocks, balls and books. Our little guy is just shy of a year and I am quickly learning that my design aesthetic is going to need to reflect the fact that I have a small child. It is just that I would rather do it through good look furniture than covering everything in plastic.

Our biggest problem is currently a square coffee table with extra triangular points on each corner...great when we had two couches that were in an L shape...horrible when we have a child who is consistently bumping his head. So what do you do to remain stylish and kid friendly? I found two answers: upholstered ottoman or oval coffee table.

Something lke this would be ideal- a bonus if it were a washable slipcover!


Ok, ok so maybe the leg of this table isn't child proof, but my little boy is quite the little boy and would probably love the fact that the 'sticks' could come inside.


No finger prints showing up on this guy!


Perfect little oval- big enough for guests to put their drinks on, just the right shape for a little one learning to walk.



Images from Coastal Living, Souther Accents and Southern Living

As Promised

As you can see from yesterday's post, my family and I took off on a little improptu beach trip. We are big suckers for the beach and were happy that our son seemed to love it just as much! We were able to spend some time in downtown Wilmington and had some wonderful seafood while overlooking the water. Then, we then headed into Wrightville Beach for some fun in the sun. It was a much needed two days of R and R!

However, in the beginning of the week I promised to share a few things, so here are least some of them.

The Happy Yellow Bench's temporary home in my house. I know my intention is to make this furniture to sell it, but with all my company over Easter, the extra seating really came in handy! I still haven't had time to work on the cushion, but I am hoping the Husband and Baby Boy will have a little man-date tomorrow so I can get some work done.



My Easter centerpiece. I was inspired by all of these, but opted on the cheapest version: the backyard! I can't claim MY backyard because it was actually a little help from my friend Laura and her backyard, as well as my neighbor's. I was SO happy about the pink branches with the Daffodil's sticking out, I thought it was just so pretty. And of course, you can never go wrong with a bouquet of Daffodil's this time of year. I wish I had remembered to take a picture when the table was all set; I used my china and crystal and it looked o-so-nice, but unfortunately, it escaped my mind in the midst of the chaos!



And lastly, the chairs I got at a yard sale last week. They are in great condition and are actually kind of cute as is. You can see on the bottom that they actually used to be caned too (and were a Valentine's day present...). But since I love painted furniture, they will be transforming into a bright piece. I am hoping to find some fabric inspiration over the weekend and I will go from there.





So there it is. I still may get the lamp up today, but if not, I promise to have it to you early next week. Have a great weekend!

I want...

This chaise.



It's like Gatbsy goes to a South Carolina beach. I'm in love.

The Bench Progress

Sad Bench



Sanded Bench



Happy Yellow Bench!



Bench awaiting its pretty cushion...

Art Imitating Life...

Every day on my way to work, I see this group of flowering trees,



and the color combination has really hit a cord with me. I love the way the white, pink and yellow work together, as well as the soft grayness of the trunks and unblossomed trees around them. Often, when I am inspired by nature, I want to dress like it (think pretty blues at the beach and black on a rainy day...) and it got me thinking, is anyone else feeling this spring color combo?

A short while later, and a few visits to my favorite stores on-line, I found out that I am not alone. Check out the similiarities between my trees and these pieces. What a hapy spring wardrobe!

Anthropologie


Ann Taylor Loft


J. Crew


Bannana Republic


As I began collecting this pictures, I noticed they all had a watercolor type detail. I was never much for watercolors, I am more of an oil paiting girl, but in these early weeks of spring, it really works. And if we can wear it on our backs, why not bring it in the home? Thanks to Etsy, where people post and sell handmade goods, I found 3 beautiful and affordable original watercolors in my color palate.

Pink Orchids on Green $20
(Wouldn't this look beautiful hanging over my bamboo chair from a few posts ago?)


Rose Watercolor: $25


Daffodils Print: $25


Lastly, out of mere coincidence, I bought this fabric from Karen Gray a few days ago.



I had no idea what to do with it, but I knew I needed it. After this post it is clear that it will become the cushion on my recently purchased sad little wooden bench and become this week's project.



Stay tuned...