It's Before and After Wednesday!

There really are very few things as motivating as Before and After photos:

 Possibly one of the saddest, most forelorn

dressers I've seen in a long time.

Oh, Hail, yeah, to the Queen!!!!  Amazing transformation -

just a little sandpaper, tape, and paint.  

What can you do with a funky
70's octagon end table?

Just get tons of storage out of it!

 



 

                                                                                  
It's hard to believe that this is the same bedroom, isn't it?  The little bamboo end tables were $5 each (Salvation Army Thrift Store) accented by complimentary unframed prints from Ross's ($12 for the set.)  Wow. 

                                         
Before - pitiful, outdated credenza . . . . . .

After - by painting and flipping the position of the cabinet doors and drawers, the credenza is now a compliment to any home.



I can't remember which famous designer said this but I totally agree: Your home MUST have at least one black statement piece in every room."

Got an old, empty sewing cabinet
hanging around in your garage 
or basement?

                       Break out the paint brush!


                                        
          

 Who says vintage cedar chests are

unattractive and outdated?

I'm prepared to bestow The Ugly Duckling of the Year Award 
on the following Before 'n After:



An abandoned gun cabinet found on the side of the road and a dresser waiting for the garbage man . . . . . .

The dresser was

used as a base

for the cabinet

and the drawer pulls were replaced. 

Simply unbelivable

what you can accommplish

with imagination

and elbow grease!

Here is a darling idea for turning a less-than-attractive credenza
into a sophisticated changing table for the nursery:

Yes, even a nursery can have a black statement piece!

Sources:  Sweet Pickins'; Better After; Dwelling and Decor

Apparently I'm obsessed with 60's credenzas today.  If you haven't noticed TONS of them loitering at thrift stores and flea markets then you simply just aren't looking.  Here are a few photos that will inspire you to take a second glance at those mid-Century treasures:

  Sources:  Walls and A Roof; Diego LaDino Designs; House Beautiful; Steven Gambrel Interiors; Wood Love

 Unused space in any home is completely unacceptable.  After viewing these photos you'll be looking around your house for cubbies that can be transformed!

1.  An ordinary hallway

2.  Ugly 'innards' under the stairs

3.  Trimmed out cubby entrance

One of the most clever uses of under-the-stairs space I've

ever seen and a wonderful place to store toys. 

NOTE:  definitely not to be used for time-out.  It's way too much fun! 

Source:  Little Green Notebook

If you enjoy my ramblings and postings, spread the word

to your friends.  I won't be offended at all!

Today in History

Georgia O'Keeffe,
an American Legend

Famed American artist Georgia O'Keeffe was born on November 15, 1887, on a farm outside Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.  The second of seven children, her artistic abilities were recognized at an early age and were encouraged by her family and teachers.  By the age of 18, Georgia O'Keeffe knew that she wanted to be a professional artist.

My fascination with Georgia O'Keeffe is based on the fact that she strikes a remarkable  resemblance to my late grandmother, Georgia Parkhill.  O'Keeffe's independent spirit and daring to be a woman ahead of her time are traits that 'Mamaw' had in common with the talented artist.


From 1905 to 1908 O'Keeffe studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League, New York.  She quickly mastered the curriculum - imitative realism - but realized that she couldn't achieve distinction in such a narrow field and quit painting for four years.

Black Hollyhock, Blue Larkspur, 1930

When Georgia O'Keeffe resumed painting she devoted herself to defining her own specific style and is credited as an early leader in American Modernism. 

In 1916, she accepted a temporary teaching job at West Texas A&M University, south of Armillo, and was introduced to the beauty of the American Southwest.  O'Keeffe later traveled to Santa Fe in 1929, a trip which ultimately fulfilled her lifelong search for inspiration. 

Bottom: Above the Clouds, 1962

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Photographer and New York City art gallery owner Alfred Stieglitz is credited with introducing O'Keeffe's work to the public.  In 1928 he brokered the sale of a set of 6 of O'Keeffe's The Calla Lily series for $25,000 - the most ever paid for a living American artist's work at that time.

O'Keeffe married Stieglitz in 1924 and remained his photogrphic muse until his death in 1946.  

In 1948 O'Keeffe permanently relocated to New Mexico where she restored a 5,000 sq. ft. run-down adobe in Abiquiu.  Georgia O'Keeffe lived there, painting and creativing, until her death at the age of 98 in 1987.  

 

    Spring, 1948

               Jimson Weed, 1932

American icon Georgia O'Keeffe

November 15, 1887 - March 6, 1986

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum online can be viewed here.

People, meet Recyclart



What could be more charming than
 a bouquet made of vintage buttons?!

 
Yes, that scraping sound you hear is me dragging out my soap box.  If you've read many of my posts you know that fleaChic is all about recycling, reusing, and repurposefulness.  And so are the folks at Recyclart, a portfolio-based website dedicated to encouraging people to "brainstorm your sustainability creativity."

                            

Think of all of the broken chairs that could be given a second life by simply cutting off the seat and mounting them on the wall.  If you're trying to reduce your dependence on paper towels and use more tea towels, this idea would work great in the kitchen, too.

Converting an old buggy or pram into a

planter honestly makes me cringe as

I would prefer to see it cleaned and used

in a nursery to hold stuffed animals. 

An old wooden crate is
excellent for holding potted plants, especially herbs.

Not many of us would ever be lucky enough to come across an old firehouse hose reel but if we did, it would make an excellent coffee table.  The original instruction sticker is still adhered to this one.

Again, using an antique wrought iron bed as a flower bed would not be my first choice but you have to love the irony!


Who knew that a vintage telephone could be converted to a cell phone docking station or a clock?




Someone cleverly rewired
this phone to be used
as an mp3 speaker!

 

 What a clever idea for reusing chipped teapots or ones that have lost their lids.  Turning them into miniature planters is so fleaChic!

Remember my posting on Industrical Chic?  This lamp was made from car engine parts found in a scrapyard.

LOVE the idea of using an old door as a chalk board.  This photo looks as if it's being used at a wedding reception to post the menu but how great would this look in a kitchen?

To view over a thousand inspirational photos and recycling ideas check out Recyclart - inspiration to feed your recycling mind!