New Acquisitions!!

Ok- so it's been a quiet February- I've been working hard on some new furniture projects, but nothing exciting. I thought I would show you some of my recent purchases though, because the tagsale season has finally started!! I went to my first one last Saturday, and it was really good. Here are some of the items I snatched up, as well as some projects I've picked up off craigslist. I should have some really awesome before and afters in the next few days I finish pieces up. And the final post is a blossoming crocus I found in my garden when I came home from work today. Take that winter!! Spring is just around the corner now!
Or do blossoming flowers mean it's here already?
Cheers!

I picked this cute little table up at a tagsale last fall. The center leaf folds into the table- super clever!

This was a hand built utility cabinet from a pantry. I found it at an estate sale (have I mentioned I hate estate sales?) a few weeks ago. I managed to get it for a fairly reasonable price. Look at those original enamel drawer pulls! I think it dates to the 1940s. With some new paint, feet, and a new top, it will make an AWESOME kitchen island.

It even has handy shelving on the inside already!

This is a wonderful, WONDERFUL wonderful c. 1830 chest of drawers from the same estate sale. I know, it looks a bit rough but in person it's breathtaking. The drawers are all dovetailed, the top is wood pegged on. It would have had turned feet originally, and I intend to find some and re-attach them. I'm going to keep it and put our tv on it once our bedroom is finished being renovated. I'll show you the after soon, and you'll see how beautiful this dresser can be!

Finally from the same estate sale is this sweet two and a half foot tall chest. It must have been made for a child and dates to 1900-1920. It still has early floral wallpaper on the back, and it's original cut glass knobs. With a little white paint it will be knock your socks off cute.

Mission desk before and after

My mom picked this desk up for me off craigslist. It's solid oak, mission, and probably dates to 1900-1920. We used it as our flat screen tv stand for about two years. It's perfect for that purpose- the shelf in the middle can hold the cable box etc, the side sections are perfect for dvds and the like. I think it's important to corral all the tv paraphernalia as much as possible. Nothing clutters a space up like a bunch of wires and cords. I decided to switch the desk out for a scrolled white pier table, and so the desk needed a new home. But first, a little refinishing to make it shiny and fresh again.
There is nothing quite like working on beautiful old oak. Look at the top! drool worthy.

Bedroom inspiration: Mint Green and White

This past fall, at one of the last tagsales of the season, I picked up the most adorable vintage bedspread for $12. It probably dates to the 1940s-50s and is somewhere between a powder blue and a mint green, the most perfect aqua shade. I intend to use this bedspread as the starting point for the new upstairs guest room. Here are the rest of the ingredients I'm hunting for:

(the x's represent pieces I already have)

1. Vintage or vintage style bedside lamp x

2. Jute 5x8 area rug

3. White cotton blanket

4. Crisp white cotton sheets

5. Vintage bookshelf to be painted white x

6. Vintage armoire to be painted mint green

7. At least 3 pieces of original artwork that coordinate color scheme x

8. Vintage armchair newly upholstered in bright vintagey floral fabric (I may have to learn to upholster...)

9. Vintage double sleigh bed painted white x

10. Small bedside table painted light green x

11. Small side table for next to armchair painted white x

12. Hanging light fixture/small chandelier for high ceilinged dormer space/reading nook.

13. Vintage light blue/green bedspread x

14. Small bench for foot of the bed

And here are some inspiration rooms!

Sometimes all it takes is paint

I picked this dresser up just a while ago off of craigslist. It was painted with enough bright colors to startle a clown. I mean really really awful. I had just the remedy, a new creamy mocha paint color I'd been waiting to use on just the right piece of furniture. It took four coats to finally completely cover that mess of pastel- and then I put on a coat of furniture wax and buffed it to give the dresser a soft sheen and a layer of protection. I was really tempted to keep this one for myself.