This week of the One Room Challenge, we tackled one of my favorite parts of any room refresh: giving new life to tired pieces. What is better than repurposing unloved items???
Linda has a little alcove in her living room that fit her old dining room sideboard perfectly when they renovated their kitchen and dining room spaces into one.
They were already storing their liquor in this cabinet; the area just needed a little styling to bring it to life. I really wanted to bring a little bit of black and something shiny to this area.
Linda had a large framed picture in the room that she had for many years – it had paid it’s dues and now she was ready to part with it.
Since it wasn’t an expensive piece, and has a great frame on it, I tried to talk her into painting over the glass with chalkboard paint.
We also shopped Linda’s house for a slim side table for next to the couch, which sits between two doorways. We went through the Goldilocks scenario – too big, too small – with no luck. Then I stumbled upon this diamond in the rough in a thrift store for $25. It was just right.
It’s the perfect size for a lamp and a cup of coffee.
I found some Reader’s Digest condensed books at the thrift store too, I always look for them because underneath their ugly dust jackets they are all encased in various pretty covers, and they have these colorful spines.
Let’s talk pillows. If you are looking to refresh a space there is no easier way to impact a space than with fresh new pillows. If your old pillows are foam – toss them, but if they are down, then keep them and get new covers for them!
Talk about trash to treasure!! – the day I came by Linda’s with some Ikea pillow covers from my stash, Linda had just tossed these old pillows in her garage to put out with the trash! They are down-filled and the perfect size to stuff in the linen covers. I wasn’t planning on using them in this room, but we tried them out and they are a great neutral to pair with some other patterned pillows.
For $7 each these old pillows have a whole new life so reconsider the pillows you have grown tired of….maybe they can be salvaged!
(I need to poke in those Doberman Pinscher ears on the pillows – too pointy!)
We also repurposed a whole pile of black frames Linda had around her house and created two gallery walls. It’s amazing how matting a picture can give it so much more presence.
I’ll save those for next week, in the meantime check out what the other ORC bloggers have been up to at Calling It Home!
Giving new life to old or unloved items is so gratifying to me – it is definitely one of my favorite parts of helping clients refresh their spaces!
Don’t forget – tomorrow is April’s Best of the Nest!! What have you been up to this month?
Come share your best project from the month with us!
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
love how this is progressing and love the glimpse of the mirror!
Calypso In The Country says
Looking great Lisa!
Shelley
Sam @ Away She Went says
I still love chalkboards, but agree that keeping the message updated can be a pain. I finally just wrote Home Sweet Home on ours in the living room. I figured that can stay up indefinitely. I love the updates you've made so far and I can't wait to see the reveal in a couple weeks!
sarah sofia knepp says
Lisa, I'm loving how much progress you've made! That side table is stunning, what a score! Can't wait to see what it will look like in two weeks. Let's do this! Sarah, Sarah Sofia Productions
pam {simple details} says
Oh, one of my favorite things to do too, along with styling a bar! 🙂 That mirror looks fabulous with the black and gold, the two colors were a perfect choice to spiff up that area! Can't wait to see what else you've been up to!
Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says
Oh my goodness, that mirror is PERFECT and such a pretty makeover! Looks brand new! Love the cute little table you found, too, and I love picking up RD books as well. I just added a second shelf full of them in my living room shelves. Some day I need to actually READ out of one! 😉
Kris Jarrett says
You did some pretty miraculous things with paint this week girl. That mirror looks awesome now and love that little table – that size is so hard to find. And I didn't know about the Reader's Digest books. Now I do and will start hunting…
Traci Hutton says
Love the mirror and the curtains!!
Julie Reinwald says
That mirror looks fantastic! I love those old Readers Digest books, too 🙂
kate@willowinteriors says
How you transformed that little table is magical!! It looks gorgeous! And the same with the mirror. Well done! 🙂
Brenna Morgan says
This is looking amazing! I love old Readers Digest books for decor. Get it, girl!!!!!
Kim says
Love what you are doing and now so excited because I have several frames with pictures I no longer like … you have inspired me to make something out of them!
Mary Goodwin says
Where are the curtains from? Beautiful!
Erin @ the-organized-life says
All of that looks beautiful!!! Love the re-purposed frame and bedside table! And those pillows are adorable. Great work this week!!!