One Room Challenge-Week 4 {4 Ideas and 1 Dresser}

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

It's Week 4 of the One Room Challenge!  Where has the time gone?  This week I feel like I haven't really gotten a lot done.  I was still adding polyurethane to the chests over the weekend and adding hardware on Monday.  It was more so a week of moving things in and out of the room and testing out ideas.   The only one I feel for sure I am keeping as is would be the new/old dresser.  I originally used it as a sofa table in my family room, but love it in this space.  




I added some frames around the TV to see if they would work.  I LOVE these frames, but definitely feel like black would be more cohesive.  So I will probably swap those out with Ribba frames from Ikea. I have a fun project planned for what I want to use for artwork!


I also moved in this chair from the front playroom to test out seating in the bay window.  It's interesting how much more space I have with the new bed and changing its location.  Now that it's centered on a longer wall, I have more space on the side near the bay window.  Plus, without the sleigh, there's almost a foot more space at the end of the bed.  Loving this chair here, and I probably have room for its big sister-the original Ektorp chair.


Next is the 'new' artwork over the bed.  I like the height and presence they have on this side of the room.  The ceilings go up to 13' tall, so these take advantage of that height.  These were the seafan artwork that I talked about doing a DIY on.  I made them several years ago and they hung for years in the playroom.  I took them down recently to add a gallery wall in the playroom, so they were stashed in the guest room waiting for a place to hang.  I plan to write up DIY instructions.  I was considering keeping them in these dark frames, but now feel like they are too heavy for this side of the room.  I am thinking of painting them gold, and reframing them on a linen mat board with gold frames.  What do you think?


My final 'steal' was taking these drapes out of my dining room to test out.  I am thinking of moving them into the bay and using four panels.  I do like the height they add and how they frame the bay window, but I have become accustomed to having the full view out of these windows, and they block it a bit.


I feel like this has been a 'try it and see if you like' it week.  The final big project is still adding the bookcases.  This is what that fourth wall is looking like. 


Blah.  

The good news is that The Beast has a buyer that should be coming on Saturday, so it will be gone soon!  I took some time to clean up that corner today as well, both of which will make room for the bookcases I want to build.  I still need to flesh out all of the other ideas above too.  Can I do that in two weeks?  I've got a couple of orders in The Shop that I need to get out too. (Forgot about that!)  So we will see!  


{Just a side note, I just heard that the Auvi-Q auto-injectors for severe, life-threatening allergies have been recalled.  So if you happen to carry one, or know someone who does, please pass on the information. We have someone in our family that has a severe food allergy, but happen to carry the EpiPen.   I know we would want to know if we carried that brand.}
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The New Nightstands-An Ikea Tarva Hack

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

I promised I would come back and share more details about the nightstands.  It has taken me until today to finish getting the hardware on them.  I think that proved to be the most challenging part.  I think I shared last week that I was inspired by the hack done by Dear Lillie.  I loved the trim work, the feet she added, and her hardware.  You can see a few other hacks I was inspired by on my Pinterest Master Bedroom Board.  I picked different finishes and ended up not using any feet so far.  But I did use the same trim and style of hardware.  I wanted to share a few more details about my tweaks and how I hacked the Tarva chest.


You see it starts off with unfinished wood and super-tall legs.  When I put together the first one, I was so anxious to get a look at the scale that I put it partially together before staining and glazing it.  I followed the steps below on the second one, which prevents you having to wipe and tape off the drawer liners and rails for staining and glazing.

Ikea Tarva Hack

After opening the box, and taking out all of the pieces, I started with lattice trim which is about 1/4" thick.  (I tried to use a more decorative trim, but it stuck our further than the top of the cabinet.)  I cut it to the size of the drawer.


I didn't have many clamps, so I used 3/4" brad nails to help secure the boards in place while the glue dried.

Next, I added decorative liner to each drawer base.  I got mine from Lowes, but I liked this option I found on Amazon as well.
via

Cut it slightly larger than the drawer bottom, attach it, then flip it over and trim the excess with an exacto knife or box cutter.


 

Next up was the stain coat.  I used Minwax Stain in the Provincial color.


via


The glaze was something I already had on hand, and couldn't find for sale anymore.  But it was just a basic cream glaze.  You could mix 1 part cream paint to 4 parts glaze like the one below to create the same effect.

via




After glazing the wood, it was time to put it together and conquer the 554 kajillion bits and screws.




Before adding the legs, I marked and cut them down flush to the apron of the chest.  Make sure to stain and glaze these too!

After assembling the chest, I sealed the stain and glaze with a matte polyurethane.  I loved this one because it's water-based!





Here's where I left off last week:


I was almost in the homestretch, but the hardware I ordered required that you countersink the back of the handle, which would have added a lot more work.  I ended up switching out to this cup pull I have used before from Lowes in a bronze finish.  But then it's screws were too long, so it was back to the store AGAIN for shorter screws.   I finally got them on, and patched up the 2 holes I made for the first set of hardware.  You see?  I'm telling you this, so you don't make these same mistakes!  i;ve linked a similar one below.




In the end, it was worth all of the headache, because I am loving our new nightstands!





I've been playing musical furniture this week, moving things all around the house.  I can't wait to show you what I've come up with this Thursday for the One Room Challenge!
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One Room Challenge-Week 3 {The Master Bedroom Redo}

Thursday, October 22, 2015

It's week three of the One Room Challenge, and time is flying by!  I feel like I can never get as much done as I want to.  Remember last week, when I couldn't decide what project to move forward on?  The nightstands won out!



I went back and forth over whether to order the one on the design board, but ultimately decided to do my first hack.  I had seen this nightstand hacked over on Dear Lillie as was really drawn to it.  Also, the base piece was one-third the cost of the the one from World Market.  And the shipping alone on the one from World Market was almost the cost of this one, and if I for some reason didn't like it, I would have been out of pocket for the shipping.  

So I went with the Tarva chest from Ikea.  I like that it is solid wood, the scale, and the drawers.  I haven't added hardware yet.  I was literally working in the 11th hour last night!  But I ordered antiqued brass cup pulls, and I've just got to get them attached.  But enough words, let me show you the space and the chests!



You may have noticed I did flip the floorplan.  The nightstands fit so well on this wall.



So this was the starting point for the nightstand.



It is a solid pine and I gave it a stain and glaze coat so that it would have a gray/aged finish.   I also cut the legs down flush with the apron and lined the drawers with paper for a nice surprise on the inside.  I am thinking of adding tulip feet, but may keep them as is.







I am loving the progress made so far!  Let's take a look back to see where it started.


And the plans:



And now with the new bed and new nightstands:





Ok, are you all tired of looking at pictures of this space?  I'm just excited y'all!  I have never had matching nightstands!  I will share more details about the nightstand hack later, plus pictures of them with the hardware.  Time to get cracking for next week!
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Best of Craigslist in the ATL

Friday, October 16, 2015

Every now and then, I am on the hunt for a nice piece of furniture, and my friend "Craig" can be helpful.   I've been hunting for a dresser recently, but have come across some other great pieces.  I thought I would post some of my recent finds that I would go check out if I had a need for them.

Thomas Twin Bed with Trundle-$250








This next one isn't necessarily a steal, but perhaps you could negotiate!  It looks like a beautiful table, and with the leaves it would be huge.  And the scallop details on the side are gorgeous!



Are you a Craigslist seller, buyer, or are you afraid of running into crazy people?  Haha, I know I'm a bit of all three!  Have a great weekend!


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