Before & Afters of 2009
December 17, 2009
Hiya friends. I was just looking back through the archives doing a little blog housekeeping. In looking back to February to the beginning of this little online adventure of mine, it seems I’ve been a teensy bit busy. In hindsight, all I can say is I should have bought stock in some home improvement and fabric stores, cause I sure spent a few cents throughout the year sprucing up some stuff.
A few folks have been asking for a roundup, and perhaps a few of you who are new around here may have missed some of these crazy schemes eager projects.
So here’s a look back at thirty of my Before and Afters from this past year. These were all completed by yours truly and include a range of projects, from the smaller afternoon paint transformations to some totally overhauled spaces. They’re in no special order of importance.
For the full articles, just click on the titles . .
. . . and away we go !
# 30 – Garage Sale Benches
This pair of mismatched benches were forced to coordinate with some gel stain, and then recovered with some bright fabric and pom pom trim to create tea party perches in my daughter’s room.
#29 – Balcony Upgrades in One Afternoon
Mr. CG’s office mates had a plain balcony until I upgraded it in an afternoon as a birthday present.
Before:
After:
This use of river rocks was featured by Apartment Therapy as a great way to mulch plants.
For the full tour of the entire balcony space, click here.
#28 – Painted Cabinet
This paneled cabinet was the perfect size, but had less than a perfect finish for my daughter’s room. I sanded, primed and painted it, then “wallpapered” the back.
Detail inside:
#27 – Footboard turned Message Center
This lost and lonely footboard was revamped into a message center with some primer, white and chalkboard paint.
I added knobs and use it indoors as a coat rack in the mud room hallway.
My friends over at Luv In The Mommyhood really liked this one.
#26 – Salvaged Dresser
I brought home this $15 dollar beat up dresser from the Goodwill and restained it in ‘Antique Red’ for my nephews shared bedroom.
Before:
After:
And how cool is it that Minwax Corporation named this dresser their Showcase Project back in April ?
#25 – Thrift Store Chairs
I repainted the frames and recovered the seats on a pair of tattered chairs from the local thrift store to sit outside under our covered balcony.
#24 – Bleak to Très Chic
Yet another thrift store chair that also got a new fabric seat and some delicious nailhead trim.
I also painted it using my easiest technique in the world for achieving a distressed antiqued look with a can of white spray paint.
#23 Bathtub Bliss
One of my favorite spaces in the universe is right here in the master bathroom. Here’s the bathtub Before (or halfway):
Bathtub After:
The entire master bathroom was finally finished this year. Want the tour? Click here.
#22 – Disappearing Brass
A simple project with big impact – the dated brass surround of our fireplace was painted with some high temperature black paint for a fresher look.
#21 Stripped Down Dressers
These chipped pistachio green thrift store finds were stripped and repainted in a muted gray with pewter hand painted detail and pulls for my brother’s bachelor pad.
Before:
After:
My daughter’s closet got the royal treatment with a fresh striped paint treatment on the wall and then I added some swaged beaded velvet curtains to replace the old closet doors.
#19 Repainted Buffet and Hutch
The finish on this classic French style piece was chipping and in need of repair. I chose to refinish it with some oil based white primer and paint and I added a ‘Tiffany Blue’ hue paint treatment to the back.
#18 Cinderella Chair
This Goodwill chair was refurbished for my office with a fresh coat of paint. It was recovered in a stylish chocolate and spa blue fabric and finished off with some nailhead trim
This spindly old thrift store shelving unit was primed and refinished with outdoor paint and given new life as an étagère for outdoor dining all summer long.
#16 Tufted Bench Transformation
I tore apart this dowdy looking bench, repainted it, and recovered it in lemongrass silk, and I also re-tufted the seat cushion too. It now sits under the window in my daughter’s room.
Detail up close:
This storage bench I ordered years ago and arrived with an unexpected saturated cherry finish. It was given a fresh coat of white paint and a custom seat cushion.
#14 Goodbye Brass, Hello Class
This grouping of random dollar brass items from the Goodwill was given new life with a can of spray paint (imagine that . . .) and transformed into a spa bath shelf for my master bathroom.
A pair of Pier One barstools get a custom look seat cushion for the kitchen with some foam, fabric and one afternoon’s worth of work.
#12 Headboard turned Coat Rack
An old headboard gets a new look, transformed with some white paint and bronze hooks into a one-of-a kind statement coat rack.
#11 One Fair Chair
An old Heritage chair gets a fresh coat of paint, some silver handpainted detail, and a new aqua velvet seat cushion.
This Dorothy Draper knock off I picked up at the Goodwill. I was not a fan of it’s classic spotty black paint job, I gave it a fresh coat of blue and white paint. (OMG – she painted a Draper ! … well as you’ll see, so are many other designers these days.)
Before:
After:
This old mirror set used to belong to a dresser but had been long abandoned, so I spruced it up with some fresh white paint and a new mirror for the arch.
Before:
After:
I needed a writing surface in my girl’s room, but the scratched honey tone finish on this thrift store desk wouldn’t do, so I painted it with my own custom blended paint.
This table I picked up for $40 dollars at a store closing its doors. I painted it white, stenciled the top, then added a glass top surface for a unique writer’s desk for my home office.
Before:
After:
#6 Thrift Store Highboy Restained
A thrift store highboy was restained and an entry mirror repainted to upgrade our foyer to a more elegant look.
Our friend in a downtown restaurant asked that I give his front window a rustic Italian landscape, so I upgraded his display of simple succulents with some deep red colored urns, iron work, olive trees, and textile patterned pillows.
Before:
After:
PlaySkool ruled the roost in our kids playroom space until I reclaimed it with some organization and a spectacular wall map focal point.
Before:
After:
Both Young House Love and Oh Dee Doh featured this space !
My daughter’s old nursery went from baby blue room filled with clutter to sweet as a candy soft green and pink – perfect for a five year old girl.
Before:
After:
#2 Staircase Transformation, Part One and Part Two
Our plain oak contractor staircase gets a new stain and paint/glaze treatment, and the walls get a dramatic wallpaper treatment with molding and a chair rail.
Before:
After:
#1 Home Office Remodel
My home office is transformed from an overdose of brown into a fresh new space in a palate of white, aqua blue, and brown.
Before:
After:
That’s the year in review, featuring most of my Before and Afters. Stay tuned for another roundup of original creative projects I’ve featured throughout the year !!!
So inspirational…like a feast for my eyes. Now I hope you run yourself a wonderful bath in that tub…soak…and take a nap. Boy oh boy do you deserve it! Holly
I don’t even know how I stumbled upon your website but I am such a convert! I LOVE all the wood refinishing projects you include, and I agree with your love of paint in general and spray paint in particular. My best friends say there is nothing I will not paint, and they’re (almost) right! My husband and I are in the middle of refinishing our dining room woodwork and our stairs – yes at the same time, and yes we are a bit crazy! Anywho, thanks to your staircase transformation we have decided to go dark with the wood, and I can’t wait until it’s all done to see the final take. Thank you so much for all your inspiration and keep those projects coming!
Wow….. I don’t even know what to say… Fabulous! Don’t EVER EVER move ( LOL ). Your house is absolutely gorgeous… the girls room omg FAB… Can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2010!
You are amazing!
WOW – you are amazing AND busy. I’ve read all those posts, but I think I’m going to re-read them!
Wow. Just WOW! These are all amazing projects.
Kate bravo~well done to you! You provide such wonderful inspiration. Thank you ever so much.
May your family have a wonderful holiday season and blessings to you you for a happy, healthy, creative new year!
MY MOUTH IS DROPPED! I remember all of these posts, but can’t believe it when I see them all together. WOW! You WERE busy…do you know how many things a month you did? You are totally done with your house and now I need you to come do mine. I have four rooms that I haven’t even touched…big rooms just waiting for you.
Wow, You are amazing. Your home office is my absolute favorite !
every one is so very inspiring! I have only made over a few pieces myself but your long list and all the great results really wants me to try a lot more, thanks for all the great things you share on your blog!
Your stuff is Fab!!! My favs are the chalkboard headboard and your office. wow!
This is great – I just found you a few months ago so this helps me catch up. I’m so inspired that I have several projects lined up. The problem is I’m in a small condo so I will have to wait til spring so I can do all that spray painting outdoors. I don’t know if I will have the patience to wait that long. Does spray paint freeze??? (OK, I’m kidding.)
Those are such great makeovers and inspiring also!
Hi,
I must say that I’m happy to have found your site! I love your makeovers and can’t get enough of your before and after shots!
You’ve imspired me to shop at thift stores just so I can find those special pieces to makeover. Keep up the great work!
WOW! You were busy this year. Awesome work. I can’t wait to see what you have planned for 2010.
Oh, what an impressive lineup of projects. All so tasteful and truly inspiring. I’ve being reading your posts for just a few days only, but I am not going away now. So much inspiration here. Thank you for sharing and best Christmas wishes to you and your family.
I love Picasa too! I’ve also recently discovered Picnik (http://www.picnik.com) and it is just as simple and fabulous!
I love #26, I’m thinking of restoring a buffet to look like your finished product. How did you get such a great color and finish?
Wonderful transformations
thanks for sharing them all
blessings
barbara jean
Love your office. I’m going to get started on mine now.
You did some amazing work this year! I love all of your furniture makeovers and that girl’s bedroom is gorgeous. Well done!
Your makeovers are truly amazing. I really love that highboy you restored. I can’t believe I just found your blog… where have I been? LOL
rue
Your (crazy) amazing!! I just found your blog today and I cant believe how much you have done…How inspiring!! You make me wanna go to the Goodwill..lol
Those projects are soooo much fun! Love them all, especially the office! My husband is all about shiny and new but not me. How can I resist the thrill of an amazing transformation, from junk to glam?! ooh la la. =)
P.S.
Which Goodwill do you shop at because the one here in Vacaville usually bites and that lovely $15 dresser you picked up would be more like $65 here. I love that you are west coast too! It seems like all the good design blogs are east coast and I was started to feel left out. lol
I’ve been viewing your site all evening, as I’m sure you’ll see, and I have to say my jaw was just dropping over and over again on this post. It’s UNREAL how many incredible fixes and changes you have done in 2009! WOW! Can’t wait to follow you as one of my “daily reads” from now on. Fantastic stuff!
I just lope lope lope all of them…
Speechless >.<
so glad tat i find ur web ^^
I just bought an old headboard from the thrift store for $2.00. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it but after seeing your headboard transformation I know exactly what I want to do . Thank you!
Geesh! I just love everything! I can’t believe the eye you have and that this is your house! Gorgeous!
You have proven good design does not have to cost an arm and leg, just time, effort and thinking outside the box.
I actually LOVE that you use heirloom white for most of your transformations! I wouldn’t have it any other way or else I wouldn’t read your site every single day for a clean, fresh, and elegant source of inspiration. I say long live heirloom white!
Genius! I would love to sell some of your great vintage designs on our upcoming website http://www.livelikeyou.com. Everyone should learn from you and reuse and re-invent old furniture!
[...] Centsational Girls 2009 Before and Afters [...]
HI,
Love your site! Can you tell me how you did the map on your playroom wall? Do you have any hints for diy framing? Thanks!!!
J
hi! i love your diy before and after pics. inspirations galore!!! i look forward to reading your blog everyday. thank you.