Paint-Dipped Furniture.

I'm sure my last post left you guys wanting a whole lot more.  I shared half of my furniture makeover for our new-to-us nightstands, and then stopped right before I got to the good part.  My sincere apologies!  I'm here to make up for it by revealing it all! ;)

After I chopped all the legs down, I started taping off different proportions on the bottom of the desk and dresser to lay out the "paint-dipped" sections of the pieces.  Once I found the look I liked, I continued taping and covering the furniture so that anything I didn't want paint on was covered.  I also made sure the "dipping" would be even on both the desk and dresser.

Then the pieces were taken to my spray paint workshop {aka - the garage}, where I covered the exposed areas in a few light coats of gold spray paint.

I removed the tape carefully while the paint was still wet because I didn't want to risk peeling any paint off.

Then I stood back and melted into a puddle on the floor because I loved the pieces so darn much.

After they dried for about 24 hours, I brought them inside and poly'ed the tops {since they'll get the most wear and tear} with Polycrylic and a quality brush.  For anyone poly'ing over white paint...use polycrylic since it will not yellow your paint over time!!!

Once my first coat of poly was dry {about 2 hours}, I sanded the tops lightly with fine sandpaper, wiped away the dust and applied another coat.  {Do not sand your final coat of poly. :) }

While all these steps were happening, I was on the hunt for hardware that would finish the piece perfectly.  I needed to find hardware that fit the original holes {since I didn't feel like filling and drilling new ones}...so 6" centers it was!  I had a rough time in the beginning...I just couldn't find anything that really spoke to me.  But finally, I laid eyes on this collection...the Lewis Dolin Hardware Inc. Barrel Collection.  The pieces in the brushed brass...oh. my. goodness.  They were EXACTLY what I wanted for my mid-century lined pieces!! I chose the knob for the top drawers and the 10.5" long pulls for all the other drawers.

When they arrived in the mail I was giddy.  The weight of the hardware is fantastic, and I loved them even more in person.  It was like they were made for my project! :)

Are you guys as in love as I am?!?!  Probably not, but that's okay. ;)

And yes, you may have noticed a dark charcoal gray wall making an appearance in one of the last photos.  I may have repainted our master bedroom, again.  We have gone over to the dark side!!!!

Before It All Goes Down...

Hey...remember me?  I used to blog here every once in a while.  Yup, that's me! ;)

I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus, but not by my choosing.  That pesky thing called life got in the way.  I won’t bore you with all of the details, but a couple little things like a merger, a year end, budget deadlines, my birthday, my parent’s coming up to visit for two weekends and my beautiful neighbor’s baby shower has had me quite busy and unmotivated to crack the laptop open in my spare time.

But my longing for blogland has crept back in and forced me to find time to blog even though my work schedule hasn’t calmed down yet.  What can I say...I’ve missed you guys!! :)

Last time we chatted {ya know, via the interwebs} I was gushing over two pieces of mid-century modern furniture that I was dying to pick up from a Craigslist ad I saw. 

Okay, so maybe I wasn’t dyingggg for the actual transaction, but rather having those beauties in my possession.  Is it just me, or does anyone else feel a twinge of anxiety before buying or selling on Craigslist?  I’m always so excited for whatever treasure I’m about to own, but then the reality sets in that I’m about to have an awkward exchange with a complete stranger.  I get super nervous and uncomfortable.  Thankfully, I’ve never dealt with a really bad transaction before, but that doesn't keep me from breaking into a sweat before each one goes down.

Thankfully, this was the most enjoyable meeting to date!  Hubs and I rented a U-haul van to pick the furniture up.

 

{Unfortunately, we own two sedans, so there is no way we’d be fitting a dresser/mirror or chest of drawers in either car...let alone both!  So for an extra $60...$19.99 for the rental, $10 insurance coverage, $.99/mile and topping off the gas...we were able to comfortably transport two larger pieces of furniture.  I had no problem paying an extra $60 for the furniture since we were getting both pieces for $100.} 

Once we arrived at the house we were greeted by the sweetest elderly couple we have ever met!  We thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them while we brought everything outside and loaded it up in the van.

We even hung out in their driveway and talked some more before the wife insisted they stop talking our ear off so we could get home and on with our day.

It’s transactions like that that keep me going back to Craigslist for more.  I mean, what is better than getting gorgeous furniture, for an amazing price, from such kind people?!?

Anyone else have terrific CL transactions like that?  I’d ask about awful experiences, but I’m too afraid that you’ll scar me for forever. ;)

Thrifty Finds.

Everyone here knows I'm a sucker for making over thrifty Craigslist finds.  I've prettied up a buffet, painted/reupholstered some dining chairs, painted bedroom furniture, painted a dresser-turned-console-table, made-over a pair of nightstands, reupholstered a bench and spiffed up a file cabinet.

Occassionally I find myself browsing through listings, even when I'm not looking for something specific.  If I come across a well-priced item, it will most likely come to live with us...in our basement...until I find a "home" for it. ;)

You guys might remember that scenario happened with the campaign furniture I stumbled upon {yup, still untouched in our basement}...and now, it's happened again.

These two mid-century beauties will be alllll mine {for only $100} come Saturday!  I cannot wait.  LOOK AT THOSE LEGS!

CANNOT RESIST.  Anyone else a sucker for a great piece of Craigslist furniture?!?!