Butler's Table Before & After

I made a coffee / beverage bar!

We were in desperate need for more counter space.  You know, the coffee maker & all the fixin's are always so messy.  I have a back entrance off of the kitchen that is hidden and never used by company, so it is the perfect spot.  I used an antique dresser, an old record player, a cupboard & a shelf. 

 I had everything except the fridge & the record player. (which I purchased at the restore)

 I gutted it & gave it a coat of paint.

 This shelf had wallpaper border on the back, which I painted over with chalkboard paint.

 The dresser top was in bad shape, but the drawer fronts were fine, so I left them original.

 The drawer of the record player is now used for the condiments for coffee. 

& below right I now have storage for my Instant Pot.

 The radio area is for the empty K-cups

The black cupboard is full of loose teas.

Remember the "Advent Ironing Board"?

After Christmas I was trying to figure out what to do with the Ironing Board.  

So I decided to use red & white bakers twine & mini clothes pins to make a photo display!

Butcher Block Table Island ReDo

$5.00 Yard Sale find!  It is now my kitchen island :)

Before

Before

After paint & "FAT" dark wax

Some antique bowls.  The one with the handle is a berry bowl.  

Added some western iron hooks & a towel bar

Antique ironstone bowl with vintage utensils

The "Becki"

I am so excited about this one!!  This China cupboard was destined to be mine.  There was an ad poster for tile at my place of work, that I had always admired.  Not only for the tile, but the cupboard in the picture. 

 

 

One of my favourite places to get projects is a local Facebook auction site.  When I saw this on the site, I HAD to bid on it.

Needs some TLC...but that is OK with me!

 

I ended up paying $120 for it, but I think it was totally worth it!

 

I love the after.  The inside & the fretwork is an awesome green  The outside is homemade white chalk paint & slightly distressed.  I left the shelves original but restained them walnut to just clean them up.  I was planning on using it in my new bathroom for linens when it is done, but at the moment it is my craft cupboard in a corner of my dining room.

 

Opening the Door to Communication

In a former post I showed how I painted my fridge with chalkboard paint - It was old, scratched & I kinda wanted a black fridge anyways.  It was a GREAT idea, and worked really well for communicating with my family.  Recently the old fridge died :( & I am NOT allowed to paint my new fridge...lol...not that I would!  So, our family lost that communication.  Right around the corner from the fridge is the door to my basement.  It is a 5 panel wooden door.  This is what I did:

 

Chalkboard Paint + Vinyl + Cricut & various Font Cartridges

 

 

 

 

 

Clearly this is new, and this space is obviously going to be too small  ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tile Backsplash

I have been meaning to procrastinating my kitchen backsplash project for a little while quite some time now.  You see, I work in a tile store...and can't seem to find a tile guy with 10 seconds in his schedule to help us!  My DH & I are quite handy people, but have never tiled.  That is something very new for us.  My DH was a little  very intimidated by the whole thing.  Part of the problem is everyone knows I work in a tile place, and if WE do a crappy job, it might reflect on our place of business.  Also, when my co-workers come to our house, it could end up quite embarrasing!  Anywho...we tackled the job, and with a little help & some lessons form an installer, it is complete!  There are some mistakes...some imperfections...but all in all the wall that the installer did looks fantastic...and the walls we did after he left look acceptable.  :)



BEFORE




AFTER

BEFORE



AFTER

The little insert is "Aged Nickel"



We wanted to choose a tile that suited our 100 year old house.  We didn't want the modern glass or stainless steel that a lot of people go for.  It just doesn't suit our house.  It was because of that fact, it took me a long time to decide.  Also, our counter top & our cupboards are a little monotone, so we needed a contrast.  A focal point.  So, this is what we came up with...

AFTER

 The only issue we have with it now is we both feel we need to repaint the kitchen!! uggg, picking paint colours can be so hard!

Here is the realistic view after we "moved" back in!  I often wonder how some people exist without any clutter on their countertop?  They must not use their kitchen other than to order dinner & open the boxes.