It's a Before & After Friday with a little repurposing Bonus!

You're asking, "Wait - isn't this the After?"  Well, in a way, it is the After but this
After was a while ago. (?) It's actually the nursery of Kathleen Hertzler's son, Ryder.
But Ryder now needs a BBR (Big Boy Room) so Kathleen, of Maple Leaves and Sycamore Trees, decided to go with a rustic, vintage theme:

How much do you love the fan and that fabulous barn wood ceiling?! 

Ryder's accessories are darling.

Who would have thought of using an outdoor light fixture?  Kathleen!

Notice the barn wood on the back of the bookcase?

Attention to detail is the sign of a make-over master.

What a great repurposing idea - a tool box to hold books.

                                               

 

You can view the charming transformation here.  Enjoy! 

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How sad is this 1940's bungalow?  Yea, pretty sad.

But now it's happy:

This darling house also has a HUGE secret:  it was featured in the May issue of 

This Old House magazine!  Not only was it restored on the outside,

it had a complete re-do on the inside, too.  Visit Bella Rustica Cottage

for more photos.

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Kristi of The Speckled Dog created a hutch
out of two pieces she picked up at a thrift shop:




Then she worked her magic and created this incredible nautical set:

LOVE the light blue accent paint.  Great job.


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Do you ever run across French-style nesting tables that were popular in the 80s?

     Before:                                                                                  After:

flea market makeovers
Such a touch of elegance.  I would be tempted to separate
them and use them throughout the house.  


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What can you do with a (sort-of ordinary) vintage
dresser that someone else tried to make-over?

Make it into a great bar/entertaining station: 

better after
LOVE the wood cutting board finish on top and the slanted stripes are fab.
Plenty of room to store supplies and aren't those glass pulls great?


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How can one of the smallest rooms in a
house be the biggest challenge to renovate?!
Jennifer Rizzo shared her amazing "lou re-do"
photos and the results are inspiring: 


Before:

After:

           

The tile floor, the glass shelf, the paneling - what a difference.


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You know that I'm partial to restoring furniture to its original state whenever possible:

                    Before:                                                  After:

This little beauty received the full TLC treatment at Dumped & Discovered.  


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Lastly, this week's What A Difference Award goes to Brooke of Inside-Out Design:
Before:

After:

You're probably thinking, "That can't possibly be the same coffee table."
Well, it is and it's darling.  Give Brooke a hammer, a saw and a glue gun
then turn her loose.  The results will be outstanding.


Thanks for stopping by and remember -
whatever you do this weekend, be amazing at it!

When I view interesting and beautiful decorating schemes one of the first things
that goes through my mind is, "Could I do that?"   The second thing is, "Can
Lynn come over and help me move the furniture?"


One thing I know from years of obsessing (there really is no other word) about
decor: always have a partner in crime, a girlfriend you can bounce ideas off of
and who usually goes along with your crazy great ideas.

Belclaire House

What I love about this room:  the totally unexpected Hepplewhite dresser.

It balances out the bookcase and, painted the same color as the wall,
seamlessly blends into the overall decor.  Stunning.

houzz

This ensemble is eye catching mainly due to the backdrop of eclectic

prints and photographs.  The neutral palate emphasizes the ochre and

umber accessories and the organization is stellar (as is that incredible table). 

Cosmopolitan Homes
I have to say - this design is my favorite.  Because?  I, too, have a
grand piano (which can be a beast to decorate around) and I'm
completely entranced by the painting and the mixture of styles.

beau lifestyle
An ordinary enclosed porch?  I think not.  The aged leather and fabric sofa,

the antique chest used as a coffee table, the slip covered chairs - manly, yet

charming.  Plus I'm a fool for painted paneling.  The only change I would

make is to add a muted fabric valance to 'soften' up the room a teeny bit.

Again, a beautiful piano.  IF I had one improvement (at least for

my house) it would be to use a print on the two fabric sofas.  It's
a little monochromatic for my taste but the coffered ceiling is fabulous.

I am a HUGE fan of Phoebe Howard.  Her designs are flawless, realistic,

and inviting.  These two photos are trademarks of her sense of balance and calm,

uncluttered approach to decorating.  Everything item in this room is necessary.

Phoebe Howard


Not many of us would consider the color brown in a nautical theme.
The sepia tones are unexpected and thoroughly charming:

IF when I ever win the Lottery, the first call I'm going to make is to

Donna Gillespie who tormented me in 5th grade ("ha, ha, *itch!") then

to Phoebe Howard.  Seriously.

Room Service

Here's another neutral palate but one that packs a quiet

punch.  The gold mirrors and print frames are the perfect
compliment to the overall scheme.  Though a myriad of
shapes dominate this room, it's harmonious and charming.

Verdigris Vie
Crisp, cool, and sophisticated - this reading corner is
subtle and serene, the perfect setting to curl up with  
your favorite book.  The surprising contemporary floor
lamps are unobtrusive and functional.

timzou
Vintage accessories set the tone of this quiet, yet
eclectic, setting.  Simple, rustic elegance.


How would I describe the room below?  Handsome.
This photo shows us that older, low-ceiling homes can be
beautiful, too.  (The only person I know who doesn't covet
high ceilings is my Mother - she's 4'10" so every ceiling
seems high to her.)

heartbeat oz

Is that another grand piano I spy in the bay window?!
The angle of this photograph makes me feel as
if I'm actually inside this beautiful home, not just
looking at a picture.

eclectic revisited
Sparse, understated refinement.  (Sigh.)

A Visual Vacation

Do you need an escape, a break in your routine, a Visual Vacation?  

These are just a few of the stunning images at
The Paris Traveler.
It's a great place to visit.