Posts from the ‘Interior Design – DIY’ Category

Jun 5

Update: A new coffee table

As promised in yesterday’s post, “A new coffee table! Sort of…” my new-ish coffee table is upright, in place and the glass seems really secure. The beauty of designing this little space is that the display case opens and closes easily, the contents within are by no means permanent, which is sort of liberating. I love creating vignettes throughout the house, but I sometimes agonize over decisions because I once I design a space I feel like should stay that way, at least for a little while. But, the display case can be ever-evolving – like a mini-gallery, and I like that.

I used some really neat graphic art supplies and drafting sets that my Dad and Granddad used when they worked at the Newport News shipyard. This arts and design theme is a great reminder to stay creative.

{Off to a good start, but instead of covering the wood bottom with fabric, I’m looking for some antique blueprints.}

Jun 4

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A new coffee table! Sort of…

I have been looking for a new coffee table for the past nine months. I took two months off due to the wedding, but started looking this week, and wouldn’t you know that after a little time away, I found exactly what I was looking for on the very first Craigslist click! I had been hunting for a display coffee table, mainly because I think they’re cool, but also because I like the idea of being able to change my table to suit the room as it changes and because I thought I could get away with having a larger coffee table if it was all glass and didn’t take up as much visual space.

Here she is!

Okay, so it doesn’t look incredibly awesome in that picture. But, it will soon, after a little work. Read more

Jun 2

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Reupholstery – a little fabric goes a long way

My dining room chairs are in great condition and as far as hand-me-downs go, pretty attractive. I knew I wanted to integrate them into my new dining room design (posts about that in the very near future) instead of buying something new, but the fabric really didn’t mesh with my design plans. So, I went to my local discount fabric store and got the three yards of fabric I needed for $1.50. Armed with a pair of scissors and a heavy-duty staple gun, I was able to reupholster four chairs in under two hours.

– before –

– after –

The bright turquoise seat really makes this chair look more youthful and now the metal finish actually looks less bronze and more silver. It’s amazing what $1.50 can do.

Jun 1

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Latest lighting endeavor

When we moved into our house a year and a half ago, we realized that most of the charm of a bungalow two years from its centurion mark was missing. The decorative trim was gone, the floors were covered in carpeting, and most everything that can be replaced was replaced with builder-grade items. So, we’ve been on a mission to bring back some of the charm to this house. We’re trying to stay true to the period for more permanent things like trim and moulding, but with other less permanent things, like chandeliers, we’re having some fun. My newest project is this bubble chandelier:

You can find the instructions for the entire project here, Ready Made’s Glass Act. I think it’s going to work well in my smallish dining room, where I didn’t want something big and visually heavy, but I still wanted a chandelier. Plus, it reminds me of champagne, and that can’t be a bad thing!