PROGRESS IN THE GUESTROOM: A FEW UPDATES

After too much time has passed to say out loud, the guest room is finally coming together. I've been making decisions, ordering online, and picking up things here and there for the room for almost two years. Working full-time and decorating a home don't always go hand-in-hand. However, our latest addition, our first grandchild, spurred me along and lit a fire under my decorating feet because one little corner of the room is devoted to her. We are affectionately calling it Kate's Corner (until the next one comes along, anyway). 

Here are eight updates in no particular order. 

1. PAINT! The room went from Shaker Beige to Swiss Coffee. Both colors are Benjamin Moore. Paint, in case you didn't know, is a miracle worker! 

2. STORAGE. Sometime after Christmas, we found this small table at Home Goods. It's the perfect size for a few basics for Kate, and I had gift cards-always a plus!

3.  NIGHT STANDS. Last summer I ordered two small chest from Wayfair to use as night stands. They are actually children's dressers, so the size is perfect if you like a bigger night stand. 

4. PILLOW COVERS. I'm not sure when I decided to use red, white, and blue, but I'm loving it. I found these on Amazon. I was able to use inserts from other pillows I had. 

5. CURTAINS. I absolutely love these navy velvet panels from Amazon. Can't wait to get them up! Two panels for less than 50$. 

6. BASKET. Picked this basket up for blankets or toys for the grandbaby side of the room. 

7. ROCKING CHAIR. It took me FOREVER to bite the bullet on this smallish rocking chair. But luckily, it is the perfect size for this space. 

8. BENCH. Well over a year ago, I came across the perfect bench for the end of the bed while thrifting. It's headed to be reupholstered this week! I'll be using some fabric I've been holding on to forever that fits nicely into the color scheme. 

Links to a few of the products:

(affiliate links)

LEOPARD PILLOW COVER  //  RED FLORAL PILLOW COVER 

CURTAINS  //  ROCKING CHAIR  //  SIMILIAR TULIPS

CHESTS USED AS NIGHTSTANDS

(Looks like the white is sold out, but they have many other options.)

Still so much to do, but we're getting there!

A NEW LOOK FOR AN ANTIQUE MIRROR

Remember last summer when I brought this mirror home from the thrift store? If you're new to Woodbank Lane or you missed that post, catch up on the details here. 

It wasn't in the best shape. It had a few bangs and bruises, and the patina was really uneven.

Originally I had planned to spray paint the mirror, but I wanted it to retain its vintage look. Luckily, when I shared a picture of my new "thrift score" on Instagram, many friends suggested I use Rub 'N Buff to spruce it up.

Rub 'n Buff

I had heard of Rub 'n Buff but had never used it. It worked great, and it only took the tiniest amount to cover the mirror. I still have plenty left for another project that might come my way. It would be perfect for touching up picture frames or just adding another color to any object.

I used antique gold, but it comes in many other shades. I ordered mine from Amazon, and it looks like the price has gone up slightly. Boo!

It was so simple to apply. I used an old t-shirt and just a little paint at a time. It was easy to spread on, and it looked just as I had hoped--vintage, just cleaner and with a bit more shine.

Ideas from this post

Rub 'n Buff Antique Gold  //  Grecian Gold  //  White lamps 

  Ginger jar  //  Planter  //  Vase  //  Mirror  //  White bowl

Mission accomplished! Have you used Rub 'n Buff? 

On to the next project... :-)

MIRROR INSPIRATION

I can't tell you how many screen shots I've taken of wonderful, colorful, neutral, holiday, summer, fall, gorgeous, and I-want-to-copy-that ideas from Instagram.

Here's a recent one.

Dana Wolter Interiors

I have a mirror in our bedroom that I have never been too fond of. It came with the dresser as a "set" and at the time, it didn't occur to me to buy a separate mirror so the look wouldn't be so matchy-matchy. It's similar in shape to the one in this picture from Dana Wolter, a designer in Birmingham, Alabama, who happens to be from my home town. Her work is elegant, but livable and always inspiring.

One of my goals this holiday weekend is to paint my mirror and try to recreate the look.

Trying it out in the dining room a few months back.

I have the paint left over from another project, and hopefully I'll have the time as well. I hope to share a successful before and after look next week. Wish me luck!

Enjoy your holiday weekend...

Kathryn

A NEW JOB FOR AN OLD DRESSER - FOLLOW UP

A few weeks ago, I shared a spot in our bedroom that was getting a refresh. Read that post here. We had a dark, older piece of furniture housing our television in the master bedroom, and we swapped it out with the dresser our daughter didn't take to college.

I had this medallion that I wanted to use, but I didn't want it to be black hanging over a black television. Spray paint to the rescue.

A new job for an old dresser...

I haven't done much of anything in my daughter's room since we moved her out last August. I shared her room before it was dismantled in a blog series called "Inspiration for the Girls." You can see all three of those rooms here, here, and here. Sadly, her cute room has become kind of a catch-all. She took her bed, but the majority of the furniture she grew up with stayed here. I decided to use her dresser as a television stand in our room.

Living room corner refresh...

Last week I mentioned I was getting ready to freshen up a corner in my living room. Part of the plan was to use the prints called 12 Months of Flowers that belonged to my grandparents. I started and finished the corner refresh in a rather timely manner--surprisingly.

Step 1: Spray paint the frames.

The inside of the frames was black, and the outer part of the frames was speckled with black spots. The spray paint greatly improved their look and covered up some of the blemishes. The paint I used is here.

Fancy drying stand

Here is the living room corner before. . .

And here it is after. . .

The space feels much lighter, and I love having something of my grandparents on my walls. I topped them off with a tiny sunburst mirror I spotted at Ross.

I swapped out the blanket and cream pillow for these. It's probably hard to tell in the picture, but the blue pattern of the pillow blends perfectly with the blue in the prints.

The baskets underneath the bench are a thrift store score I told you about months ago.

They're holding throw blankets and storing books at the moment.

12 Months of Flowers

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a special, sentimental something you're using in your home? You can always share on the comment link below.

Hope your week is off to a great start!!
Kathryn

New life for old flower of the month prints...

Do these look familiar to you? Do you recall seeing them at your grandparents' house?

They are from a collection of prints called Twelve Months of Flowers originally painted by Robert Furber circa 1700. He was a British author and horticulturist. (Wikipedia)

Years ago my grandparents were doing some cleaning and these were in the to-go pile. I snagged them, and for probably ten years they've been taking up space in a closet. I tried to get rid of them multiple times, but I just didn't want to say goodbye--perhaps I really did like them enough to one day use them or maybe it was because they belonged to my grandparents, Momma Bea and Granddaddy.

I decided to get them out and add them to a corner of my living room that needed some new life. Not too many posts back, I mentioned I had two new cans of spray paint. One can was for this project.

The frames have a few small age spots on them (don't we all :-) ), and the inside of the frames is black. The spray paint will hopefully fix both.

I'll let you know soon how the corner turns out!

Kathryn

Want a fresh look? Shop your house...

Saturdays around here are probably a lot like other working mother's Saturdays. Coffee, laundry, cooking, (Kathryn's Cafe opens about 9:00), cleaning, and college football. And, if you're a teacher, you have to throw in grading papers.

In the midst of all that, it never fails - I get side tracked. I find myself rearranging - something. Last Saturday a spot on my kitchen counter top got a refresh. I really didn't mean to deviate from the cleaning and cooking plan, but it's much more fun to try things in different groupings for completely new looks. And, who doesn't appreciate a new look that's free! (My husband, that's who. He often asks me if I'll ever get things situated and leave them be. Of course the answer is NO.)

I've had this tray on my kitchen counter full of things like creamer and vitamins, but sometimes pretty wins over functional. So, I went "shopping" in my house. I had apples from a previous arrangement waiting to come back out and this rarely used vegetable serving bowl resting high up in a cabinet. I went to work.

Here's my kitchen counter top refresh...

The red adds a hint of fall and white's good any time.
Go look in your cabinets. No telling what you'll find to freshen up your space :-)

Kathryn