On Saturday it rained most of the day, so it was ideal to do an indoor project.
I wanted to get a small bedside table for the guest room and then after yet again rearranging a few things in our living room I had this table that I could re-use.
It was previously one of those under-desk tables that hold the paper and computer tower, so one more use for it now!
Because it was dark wood, I first primed it with 3 coats of white primer, then painted with 2 coats of white paint.
After that I painted some stripes in blue and gray to make it more interesting.
It's a pity I no longer had the turquoise colour I had used on the stripes on the bedroom wall and the chest of drawers. I might still add a darker gray stripe matching one of the drawers though...
It started like this...
 |
| Before - sorry didn't take the photo of the raw product when it was dark wood... |
 |
| The sidetable in place in the spare bedroom. |
 |
| Stripes in blue and gray |
 |
 |
| Because it's a deep table it could also be put sideways with access from the bed |
 |
| Finally the picture above the Ombre chest of drawers was also hung on the wall! |
In our small en-suite, the washstand was always crowded with the electric toothbrush machine, so I bought a small square shelf from Ikea, and my husband put it up above the power point. Now it looks so much better!
 |
| The electric toothbrush machine crowded the washstand |
 |
| Much better and easier to clean now! |
 |
| The end product - I have now painted the screws in white so they blend in. |
Sunday's weather was sunny and warmer and it was time to paint the clothes line on the side of the house. Even though it's probably only about 3 years old it was getting rusty.
I used a special paint that inhibits rust so hopefully it will last a few more years now!
 |
| The rusty cream clothes line |
 |
| Painted in silver rust-proof paint
Around the garden, it's all happily blooming - two more poppies have bloomed and a few more buds can be seen (the previous one from last week flew away with the wind), the Hibiscus tree got the first yellow bloom too.
The Loquot tree (Eriobotrya japonica) is full of fruit, but my husband is the only one that eats it, and the birds like it too. I have previously made liqueur with the fruit.
It attracts too many fruit flies though...
|
The fig tree is suddenly covered in new leaves and a few tiny figs too, probably due to all the rain of the last couple of days. It's such a good tree and we get loads of figs - come on January!
 |
| A few tiny figs are coming up |
Ah, you are so crafty and productive! Sounds like me when the kids were smaller and I poured all my energy into house and yard. I've since lost that energy and now put it in tennis and writing, much to my husband's chagrin, but am thinking maybe it returns somewhat when the kids are out the house like yours? I have one at university now, for the last month, and the first thing I did was repaint his bathroom (his loooooong showers had taken a toll on the ceiling and walls, mold everywhere). So I guess I still have it in me - am wondering if it'll only get stronger with each child leaving:-)
ReplyDeleteHI Sine, both my kids are out of the house already, so I do have a lot more time to devote to the house. I also enjoy DIY and I love decorating the house! I bet once the kids are grown up you will have more energy!
DeleteThe bedroom with blue strips, look amazing! I love it! May it will be for me and daddy when we get there in December? The side table is looks so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe bed was in other position in 2007 when we were there. But I believe it's nicer now, the room looks bigger. Congratulations my dear daughter.
Thank you Mom. Yes, it will be your bedroom when you come in December!
DeleteOh I love what you have done with that side table and also with the chest of drawers. I got excited to get 7 figs off my tree. Lucky you to get loads!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gill. Yes we get about 3 to 4 months of figs - we eat, friends come and take some and I still make fig jam! We have a great tree that came with the house and we don't even water it, it just gets rain water... We just noticed that there are 2 extra branches coming up so my husband said he will dig them out and plant them somewhere else, hopefully they will be as plentiful!
DeleteYou had a very succesful weekend, it all looks so beautiful matching together, the sidetable is amazing fitting into the room.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marianne, a very busy weekend, but I love to be entertained with projects for the home!
DeleteGoodness you were busy Sami. Love how you created the bedside table, creative use of paint. It's so fun sprucing things up. I went to work on my walk in robe, pruned out clothes I hadn't used for years, so much room in there now! I have an antique chest of drawers I want to do something with, any ideas?
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace. Try "pintrest" for ideas Grace. Nowadays antique furniture is being painted in all sorts of colours and things look so much better and fresher. I'm toying with the idea of spray painting our dining room in white paint (now solid Cherry wood) but I have to convince my husband...
DeleteGolly Sami. I thought I was busy. Your redo looks SO much better than the one I performed. I wish YOU were my client, because I wouldn't have to fight you to organize. I love what you did with the toothbrush and holder. Of course, the guest bedroom with the new bedside table. Ok, not new, but newly refurbished.
ReplyDeleteYour weekend was far more productive than mine. I like the fresh paint outside and the lovely scenes for the garden. Thanks for visiting even when I was too busy to reciprocate.
Thanks Elizabeth for your visit, glad you could make it! I know how busy you've been with your friend's clear out!!
DeleteJust read your comment about the doily, Sami. I got mine at the thrift store. I hunted long and hard for it, because I've tried using the paper ones, but they just don't work!
ReplyDeleteThanks Elizabeth, I've tried the paper ones and I agree they didn't work for the purpose I wanted.
DeleteYou are really creative indeed, wonderful work! Also the bathroom. Here they call it "shabby chic", though I see nothing shabby at all.
ReplyDeleteHehe, yes, Christmas is just around the corner! You get all the Christmas sweets since weeks already.
Fruit flies are a real pest, we have some in the kitchen and I fail to find out why!
13C, rain. My flowers are dying off now... Nice to see yours! :-)
Thanks Iris. The fruit flies will be in your kitchen because of the fruit. I find that if I have some fruit going slightly off the flies will appear in the kitchen. A pest!! I haven't been to the big shopping centres, but a friend of mine was telling me this week she already saw Christmas decorations and mince pies in her shopping centre!
ReplyDelete