Monday, February 16, 2015

Buffet to Coffee Bar


When we moved into our new house there were several pieces of furniture that we had to find a new use for.  One of them was this console table. 


We bought it when Oliver, our first son, was born and kept it in our Family Room.  All of our bedrooms were upstairs and as previously stated in my last post we did not have any storage downstairs so we needed something to put diapers and wipes, blankets and baby toys in.

In the new house it became a buffet in our Breakfast Room.  It held the usual items...table linens, napkin rings, silverware and other small accessories.

One day my husband decided he wanted a new, fancy coffee maker.  Works for me!  I put him in charge of shopping and purchasing the new machine.  You all know how that goes...he picks out the one he likes and that's it.  That's the one we are getting.  Well, he didn't look at any dimensions and of course once he gets it home and set everything up we realize it doesn't fit on the Kitchen countertops.  YIKES!!  What do we do?  I guess our buffet is going to be our new coffee bar!

Since we were changing the use of the table I wanted to give it a face lift!  I had only painted a small nightstand before but figured this couldn't be too bad.  It definitely worked within my budget...some paint, glaze and new hardware.  And other than painting outside in the heat of the Texas summer it wasn't too bad of a project!

Here is how it all started...by removing the hardware and doors.


Next step is to bring out the primer!  I use Kilz Primer for all of my painting projects that need priming.  For me, this is the worst part of the project because I always think, "Ohhhhhh no!!  What did I do?"  I am afraid it will end up looking like this after it is painted as well.  Thank goodness I am always wrong.


Time for paint!  I knew I wanted something dark and I decided on a charcoal gray.  Here it is with the first coat of paint.



I knew it needed at least two more coats of paint but something about it just wasn't doing it for me.  Maybe because the lines of the buffet were so simple and clean it just needed some more pizazz!  So I decided to add a black glaze to it and that did the trick!  I had never used glaze before so I was a little nervous but it really was easy.  It added depth and texture to this piece of furniture.



After the final coat of varnish was dry I reinstalled the doors and moved it back into the house.  Now all it needed was a little sparkle...so I bought some new crystal cabinet knobs from Anthropologie for the doors and drawers.  These were perfect because the tied in the crystal and style of the chandelier in the Breakfast Room.



It definitely adds the weight and substance that was needed to the Breakfast Room.  And I really love having a coffee bar!  Everything is right there and easy to access for all of our coffee needs.  It still houses table linens but also all of our coffee mugs and cups and I added a tray with some hand towels, small basket for Keurig cups and sugar dish.




So there you have it!  My Breakfast Room DIY project changing a buffet for baby stuff into a coffee bar!  It was not a painful project and I am happy with how it turned out...especially the price!




Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Breakfast Room: Before & After


When my first son was born I remember asking my husband, "How long do you think it will be until we are ready to move?"  "Anywhere from one to five more years," was his response.  Well, the floor plan was not very functional for a growing family; there was no yard space and absolutely NO place to put anything.  Now I know every woman complains about not having enough storage space but in addition to small closets upstairs there was not one single linen or coat closet or even a pantry.  Needless to say, eleven months later we were on the move.  And for us, we hope it is the last move for us for a long time!

The new house was built about 20 years ago so there is a lot we want to do to it to make it ours and since we doubled the square footage of our previous home we were lacking a lot of furniture and decorative accessories.  And as much as I would love to have everything completed at once it just is not feasible for us.  The good news about this is that most everything in my house is budget friendly and I have a LOT of before and after pictures to share with you!

Today I am going to give you a glimpse into our breakfast room since this was the first room to be completely finished.  Here is how it started...green walls and a tiny white light fixture that screamed 1990!


Let the changes begin!  I started by having the walls painted Worldly Gray by Sherwin Williams and purchased some new furniture.  I also removed the light fixture and replaced it with a bronzed, crystal beauty!


Whew!  Now it's starting to look more like me!  Even just those few changes made a world of difference.  Next on the list to get were a rug and some draperies.  I love the texture and additional color the round, seagrass rug brings into this space.  For the draperies I knew that I wanted AND needed some pattern because although I am a sucker for soft neutrals, it sure can get washed out.  I did want to keep the tone on tone feel so I used a taupe and off-white Greek key fabric.  I was a little worried I would get tired of the pattern after some time but I still LOVE them!  I truly believe drapes can transform a room.


  
What do you think?  Is it a change for the better?  I have to admit the table is never set like this but I am so happy with how it all came together!  Such a change from when we originally moved in.  The last item on my checklist for this space is replacing the tile with some beautiful wood floors but that will be a ways down the road.  Believe me I will let you know when that happens!

Monday, February 9, 2015

MY GLASS SLIPPER

Can you remember a year that has drastically changed your life?  I’ve had quite a few years that stick out in my mind but this last year has been a complete game changer for me.  I’ve had a second child (officially making me a crazy boy mom!), quit my job of almost 11 years and most importantly started my own interior design business.


Having my own business has been a dream of mine for a while now and that’s what I thought it would always be…just a dream.  Well, I’m here to say my fairy tale is in the works and I feel like someone just put on my glass slipper!  


Being at a job for over ten years comes with a feeling of comfort and knowledge.  Sure there were days that would throw me a monkey wrench but for the most part I felt confident in the fact that my day to day life at work would be consistent.  But, you know that feeling of excitement that comes along with new challenges?  That is exactly how I feel now, even the days where the nervous anxiety of starting something new comes into play.  My brain is constantly on the move and I am learning new things every single day.  Things about interior design and business and especially myself as a professional woman! 


So why start a blog?  Like many people, when a thought jumps into my head I am afraid if I don’t write it down that very moment I will forget about it forever.  So, I am constantly making notes and jotting things down.  In fact, I have notepads all over my house and am always making notes on my iPhone.  Everything from grocery items to things my boys need but most of the thoughts that run through my head are about designing and decorating!  So here I am, starting my own small business and documenting all of it as I go!  I am going to use this blog as a place to share my design ideas and inspiration, my thoughts on new and old trends, client projects and my own DIY projects.

So a BIG welcome and thank you to all who come along with me during this new chapter of my story!  I already appreciate you so much!