Estate Sale Finds . Amazing . Everyday

Estate Sale Purchase $40

Starting to scare myself with the hoard of vintage furniture I have collected. Heading out this morning to rent a storage unit to house the collection. I can only work on one piece at at time and the hoard is crowding my creative energy. 

I frequently remind myself....re-purposing is a true form of "green living". My hoard would otherwise end up in a land fill. The furniture was made by Americans! How patriotic is that...

Creating mood boards for my pieces on Olioboard helps me to visualize the end result and this chair screams Vintage Beach House.

Now I can see my vision come to life...wood trim will be painted with Benjamin Moore Sea Salt and slightly distressed. Fabric selection is from Robert Allen's Tropical Collection. Skipping the buttons on back cushion. Can you see it now....sitting in the chair watching the surf roll in from the huge window. Of course there is a cup of coffee in your hand.

Being a female I have the right to change my mind a few times. What would it look like in a city finish or suburbia look?

Right? Same chair refinished in Benjamin Moore Black Beauty in a high gloss finish and Marrekesh Ikat Dusk fabric. Sans the buttons.  Fabulous!!!!  Serve me a martini now!

Before I tackle this project...I am off to rent a storage space! Then a few decisions! 

Which look is your favorite? City or Beach? I would love to hear.

One this I am sure of is.....

I will make my upholsterer very happy!

Brimfield Tweet Up . Amazing . Everyday

Whew...I am exhausted after an exciting trip to Brimfield, Massachusetts to attend the Brimfield Antique Show. It is one of the largest antique and vintage shows in the Northeast and easily hosts thousands of vendors. I have blogged about my love for finding vintage furniture and putting my mark on it. But I had another reason for taking the 4 1/2 hour drive.

YEP! The Brimfield Tweet Up! The brain child of Gretchen Aubuchon, Fashion and Decor, and Cynthia Bogart, The Daily Basics. They bring together interior designers. bloggers, design enthusiasts and vintage hounds  with sponsors such as Benjamin Moore Paint, Aubuchon Hardware, Kathryn Markel Fine Art, Company C and media partner Style at Home. It is a three day networking event with shopping involved. The ultimate! Introduce yourself by your twitter handle and more than likely you end up in an embrace because these are the tweet friends you talk to most days but never met in real life.

Most attendees are women who own and manage their own business. It was refreshing to listen to women exchange ideas on how to attract clients, readers and how they could help each other grow their businesses. What kept running through my mind was...this is the 2012 version of "the good old boy's club" and we are brain storming in our own unique way. One thing I learned is...large retail companies ask bloggers to blog about a product or service but are not always paying the bloggers. As women and business owners we should not give our work away. This is just my casual business observation and not intended to hurt anyone's feelings. I will admit to being a little bit of rebel and my "protesting days from the 70's" surface every now and then...but all companies regardless of their size have budgets for advertising.

Business getting done! Look at the happy faces of these women....I think a lamp just found a shade but you will have to visit @Casualinterior  or @Doovah to find out. 

I met some wonderful vendors like Rebecca Brawn  who strips antique chairs down to the frames...

and works her magic. After chatting with her I learned she started her business after raising 5 children. She wanted to do something for herself and never expected she would grow large enough to employee a staff.  Most of her clients are designers and she now buys the chairs in bulk to keep up with the demand. I am a sucker for this type of success story. She is working on getting a website and did not know anything about social media. So I made an introduction to a social media expert and finger's crossed maybe business will get done.

Gotta love Randy! One of the few vendors I met at Brimfield who uses social media. If you look at the bottom of the sign you will see his blog address jerseypicker.tumblr.com.  Brilliant tactic!

The message on this sign says it all....because if you read my bio I said I might slip in a blog about sales. 

At the end of my two days at Brimfield, I was tired from walking miles but left with a huge smile on my face. I made new friends, built new relationships and had an amazing experience. Sign Me Up for September!

Betty

Bedding . Amazing . Everyday

Oh! Does this bed make me want to hop under the covers and lay in the lap of luxury. The whole room screams serenity, romance and "Do I really have to get up to go to work".

If you notice the star of the show is the bed and the bedding! White on white and the texture on the comforter is the kicker. How you dress your bed creates ambiance and can change your mood just by walking into it.

Dressing the perfect bed is easy and can fit everyone's price range. Color choice is personal but I love white on white bedding. Love the serene, romantic and timeless look. You can add additional pieces to a white linen collection over time. Not necessary to have each piece matchy matchy. White is the easy color to remove stains so don't shy away!

Making a Bed

If you have an older mattress add a feather top mattress...you will not be sorry.

Sheets -I like cotton sheets and purchase the highest thread count I can afford but the feel is also important. So yes, I am the person who opens the pack of sheets for a feel test. If you try this be discreet. My favorite are Royal Velvet Antique Sheets from Bed Bath and Beyond.

• Place a fitted sheet on the box spring and mattress
• Lay the top sheet with the decorative side facing down. 
• Add a blanket perfect for the season and then fold the decorative part of the sheet over the top.
• Add the comforter you love and a throw blanket on the foot of the bed.

Pillows! How many are too many? I am sure you have had a few complaints about the number of pillows on the bed. Experts recommend a Euro Sham, Standard Sham, Bed Pillow and a accent pillow not only for look but each has a purpose. Euro Sham is perfect for people who like to prop a pillow and read in bed. 

Now to finish off the spa treatment there is a few tricks. Wrinkles on pillow cases can be smoothed out with a spray bottle of water. Simply spritz and smooth. Add a few sprigs of lavender to the bottle and spritz the sheets...the scent will lull you to sleep.

And now a peek at a few inspiration rooms...

Adore the blue throw blanket...

Chandelier and gray walls....

I see a young girl feeling special while she dreams...

Love the doors and tile but would change the comforter...

Rustic and beachy at the same time...

When I grow up...

Thinking of painting the floors in my guest bedroom white....

Buying linens is not an everyday purchase and usually we only buy them when we redecorate our bedrooms. But for my money...just updating and making your bed special with the right linens and pillows will change your room...

Sleep Tight...

Inspiration and photos from Pottery Barn, Pinterest, Google Images and BHG

Paint it Black . Amazing . Everyday

I See A Red Door and I want it Painted Black No Colors Anymore I want them to turn Black"

Rolling Stones 1966

Just like the Stones rocked it out..."Paint it Black" is my standard answer whenever my daughter, sisters and I are chatting about refinishing a piece of furniture. It is has become a family joke with only my daughter agreeing with me. My sisters roll their eyes...knowing full well I will paint it black and eventually they will like the finished piece. But come to think of it they have never asked me to finish a piece for them...hmm! 

My preference in decor and decorating is casual elegance. Shabby chic, while popular, isn't the look I want when refinishing a piece of furniture. Maybe why I have an addiction to black paint. Black is a strong color and makes a statement. More my style! No one would every describe me as a sunshine yellow or feminine pink.

I am always on the look out for my "next score" at flea markets and the local Goodwill Store. Over the winter I purchased several pieces and was forced to wait for warmer weather. Living in a townhouse has it advantages but not having a garage to work in is not one of them. 

Warmer weather arrived and I could not wait to start this bench i picked up a Goodwill for $5.00.  It quickly became my Saturday project.

Any sign of varnish was worn off long before purchasing the bench so only a light sanding was necessary. The seat had two layers of fabric to remove. Here is were I day dream wondering who owned the piece? Was it part of a vanity set where a young girl watched herself grow into a lovely young women?  Did the owner pass away and no one in the family saw the beauty? 

Once down to the batting...EEK! It was in pretty bad shape and imagine full of dust mites. So, I replaced with 4 layers of new batting. 

Since working with a small piece, I decided to go with Valspar Spray Paint Satin Finish in black, of course.This is were my project move outdoors.  I sprayed the base of the bench with 2 light coats of paint to avoid dripping. While it goes against my nature ,I have learned not to hurry this step. Several light coats gives the piece a beautiful finish.

While the paint was drying I quickly covered the seat with a cream and beige silk fabric, I had used on another project. Covering a seat is just like wrapping a package. Only...use a staple gun instead of tape to secure the fabric to the wood. Bing, Bang, Done! 

Close up of the finished bench...

And where it will live.

 My passion for re-finishing furniture is not about saving money or decorating on a budget. I like the romance of it all! The story behind the piece and transforming something old into beauty again.

I hope I inspired you to take a trip to your local Goodwill Store or flea market and find the piece just waiting to be Painted Black.

Betty