Transformed: Vintage Dresser to Kitchen Island

Here it is! Here it is! I'm so excited to share this with you...because it's been my favorite part of the kitchen remodeling process. We are in love with our cheery turquoise island and the dreamy yellow globe light. It instantly turned our kitchen into a more finished space, and we're thrilled at how it turned out. It's one more piece in the puzzle...many more things to finish in this space, but for now...we rest. And sit back in awe of this blue beauty. 

How sweet is the gold hardware and barnwood? My husband makes dreams come true!

So how did we do it? It all started one sunny afternoon when I walked into a local thrift store. I knew in an instant that this was IT. The one I had been searching for. And oh there was searching. Craigslisting. Antique shop browsing. We even considered just getting the stock IKEA island to match our cabinets. But there it was. Just sitting there. FOR THIRTY DOLLARS! The best part is that it's a 1960's vintage piece, just like our house :) Dovetailed corners and solid wood. I couldn't have asked for anything better in my dreams. It measured 72 inches long. Exactly the size we needed. *sigh* It was all coming together!

Next up was the paint color process. I was still feeling a bit traumatized by the white paint episode...and I was undecided on what color this most important piece should be. I considered green. And yellow. And then I realized that I LOVED this blue color on my vintage Pyrex bowl. I searched Pinterest for some examples, and found this. I totally fell in love and then set out to make it so. 

I took my bowl down to the Unfinished Furniture Store in Boulder and low and behold, there was a new color in the General Finishes paint that matched almost perfectly.

I knew it needed to be a bit lighter, so we cut the can of "Patina Green" (which is actually blue)...with a full can of "Snow White". Yes. It was good. So good. 

We needed to raise the island about 6 inches to match our countertop height. Matt had salvaged some legs off of a table that was in the trash and he cut them down and reattached them.

He created the top from pieces of wood that he screwed together and then painted it the same color as our cabinets and distressed it. Eventually, we would love to get a piece of white quartz to replace the top...but for now, it's working great!

He did 3 coats of paint and 2 coats of Vermont Naturals PolyWhey for furniture (the same company we used for our floor).  

And lastly...the hardware! I kept the original hardware because it was cute and I hate buying new when I can re-use the old! I tend to ALWAYS gravitate toward silver. But this time, my heart said GOLD GOLD! There are sooooo many different shades of gold spray paint...but grabbed the first one that looked right. Rustoleum Pure Gold. Perfect. 

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And there you have it! For a total cost of $110 with the paint and poly. True love in the form of a kitchen island. 

If you love it...would you PIN IT? I would be forever grateful :-)
Have an amazing weekend!

*none of the products used were sponsored...we just love all of them and wanted to share!

Colorful Kitchen Corner + House Snapshots

We have a kitchen! We have a kitchen! It's all very exciting. And exhausting. And exciting. I've been a bit quiet here for awhile. The days are flying by and blending together and I didn't even know where my computer was for a few days! I finally found it buried under a mountain of clothes in my bedroom.

 We have moved lots of furniture and lovely things up into our main living space, but at the same time, we aren't quite fully set up with storage. That makes for a bit of chaos. It's slowly coming together. We have gone from being overwhelmed with the "big" projects to being overwhelmed with a million "little" projects. When I start to think about all that still have to be completed, it makes me hyperventilate a little. ;-) We are so used to remodeling RVs and small spaces...it takes some time to get used to the fact that we probably won't be "done" improving the house for YEARS. 

BUT...isn't this sweet corner of my kitchen just dreamy? I could stand there all day long. And just a few minutes ago, Matt removed that large trailer from my view. Now it's extra dreamy. 

I have tons of photos and thoughts to share on the kitchen remodel that is still in progress. But that will come on another day. I just wanted to check in with you all and let you know I'm still here :) I post updates on Instragram pretty regularly, so if you don't see me here for a bit, check there.

Our current focus is getting our kitchen island finished and brought up to the house. Matt has been building it and painting it at his shop. I'm SO excited to install it...it's a thrifted dresser that we added new legs and a countertop to...and painted. It's our first real furniture refinishing that wasn't spray painted. ;-) My color inspiration was a treasured vintage Pyrex bowl. I'm in LOVE with it!

Other things on deck:

• Choosing wallpaper for a half-wall and closet in the entry.
• Buying pendant lights for over the island. I have some in mind. Ok, they are ALWAYS on my mind. 
• Refinishing our dining table and painting chairs.
• Finding/building a chicken coop...I'm missing having chickens so much!
• Building planters on the deck for a garden or building raised beds and deer-proof fencing. 
• Deck pretty-ing.
• Choosing backsplash tile and installing

And lastly...here are some snapshots that I've taken of our house lately. They are totally not "staged" and I would normally not be sharing photos of unfinished/in process things. Because I'm weird like that. BUT...because I have decided to bring you along on the journey instead of just show you the finished deal...

I give you: PROGRESS. Woohoo!

A light remodel on our main bathroom! Paint, stick-on tile, a new shower curtain, and a towel rack. Much better than before, no? We'll be remodeling it fully someday.

Furniture! So fun to have our living space upstairs again. Needs a bigger rug, different TV stand, and smaller lamps...but we love our cozy little snuggle nest. It's ever-changing.

Our toy/art/office space. This room is a little different now, because we found an art table and made a desk for me, but it's still a colorful happy place. I thrifted that Crate & Barrel rug for $8. Yes I did. 

Our resting place. The yellow bedspread on the end is my 1940's vintage find. I love it, but I may keep my colorful bedspread as well. We shall see. Lots of ideas for our room.

And lastly, my newest grandma chair. Velour avocado green. Yum. It sits next to it's mustard sister in the living room...and swivels to face the fire or the couches. I found this gem at a salvage store...on a busy Saturday afternoon. I couldn't BELIEVE no one had scooped it up. I practically ran to the checkout to buy it...constantly checking over my shoulder to make sure no one else had grabbed it. Ha!

So there you have it! We're having fun and only going half-crazy instead of totally crazy. Have a fun Wednesday everyone!

Creating a Nest : 5 Sources of Inspiration

The word "nest" makes me feel all happy inside. Beyond the beautiful imagery of a bird carefully and instinctually creating a home for her littles...I found a lovely definition that describes a nest as "...a place that is warm, safe, and comfortable".  I want my home to be all of those things!  But I have to continually remind myself that it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and dedication. It is applied in layers...over the years. Building a nest for your family is an ACTIVE PROCESS. One that requires you to be IN your home...spending time there. Showing it love daily. 

I often get emails from friends who tell me they wish they had the creative "eye" for decorating. And while I don't think it's something that comes naturally to all, it can be developed like any skill  and it takes practice! And if you desire to create a nest that is welcoming and beautiful, YOU CAN! If you have $5 or $50,000...you can! 

I want to share some of my favorite sources of inspiration for design and decor...because that's where it begins. If you aren't filled with inspiration to create, nothing much is going to happen. When your heart and mind are inspired, it spills out into everything you do...and that includes your home.

LET'S GO TO THE LIBRARY

The library is like hitting the inspiration jackpot. I always leave with a  HUGE pile of books. And they are FREE! Mind boggling! :-) Home design books are often large, and only come in hardback. They aren't something that I like to purchase on a regular basis unless I know I will refer to it again and again. So checking them out makes way more sense. 

We have a new library branch in our neighborhood (yay!) and during the grand opening, I picked up a stack of new design books.  I thought I had seen every book out there...but these blew my mind! So delightful. Full of color and whimsy. I especially loved this one called "Happy Home: Everyday Magic for a Colorful Life". Any book that has the words happy, magic, and colorful...ummmmm yes!

How great is this photo?!  Lots of inspiration there for our own white kitchen. I love to pour over every detail and every color combo. Swoon.

My favorites from the stack above:
I own this one: Decorate (amazing.)
I own this one: Decorate Workshop (double amazing.)
Happy Home: Everyday Magic for a Colorful Life
The Little Book of Big Decorating Ideas

YOU SHOULD PIN THAT

Of course, there is Pinterest. I resisted for a long time...thinking, "why in the world would I need to do something like that?". I laugh at that now, because it brings so much joy! Yes, it's easy to be sucked in (as with any social media)...but it's an incredible way to organize ideas for a project. Pinterest has taken the place of binders bursting with torn out magazine pages and mood boards glued together with Elmer's. I have public boards to share the goodies I've found, and lots of private boards for stuff I obsess about but don't want to blow up my feed with. Like walk-in mountain chicken coops and hairstyle ideas. Pinterest is also the first place I search for tutorials on things like "how to refinish furniture with milk paint" and "gardening in the mountains". I'm constantly pulling up a Pinterest board on my phone when talking to friends (and random strangers) about this or that. What? Doesn't everyone do that?! ;-)

I've heard people complain that they pin stuff but never do any of it...and I think that's OK! You are still looking at beautiful things. Filling your mind with ideas and good quotes and colorful genius. So pin away! Even if it's just to make your heart happy.

Here are some of my personal home inspiration boards:

Home Inspiration 
Lovely Spaces
Outdoor Spaces and Gardens

MAGAZINE LOVE

And then...my personal favorite: MAGAZINES! Pinterest is awesome, but there is just something about holding pretty pictures on glossy pages IN MY HANDS. I have a bit of a magazine obsession. I've overcome it somewhat, but oh...it's so hard to resist! There are definitely some magazines that just WOW me every time I open them. Here are my TOP THREE favorite home decorating magazines:

1. Domino (back in print! yesssssss! ...before it came back into print, I actually bought an entire year of back issues on eBay. it's that good.)
2. Country Living (chippy paint heaven!)
3. Better Homes & Gardens (not just for your Grandma!)

RUGS & TEXTILES = HAPPY

This is me with all my rug samples piled on my lap...driving them back to the store. I couldn't stop petting them...."my preciousssssss". Oh they were pretty. The one on the bottom right has been my dream rug for so long...but it's a flat weave and Matt doesn't love flat weave. Hmmmmm....can anyone help me make a case that it won't slip and slide all over?! Even with a pad? He's not convinced :)

I love local stores! There is nothing like seeing colors and textures in person...so different than just looking online. This particular trip was to the Unfinished Furniture Store in Boulder...where they carry my favorite rug company...Dash & Albert. Area rugs and textiles are a huge source of inspiration for me. When designing a room, that's my starting point. A fantastic pattern. A color combo that makes me giddy. I begin there and work everything around it. 

These pieces don't have to be expensive...but in my experience, spending a little more on these pieces is worth it. I purchased one of my favorite rugs of all time 5 years ago. It's been used in 3 RVs and 4 houses and it's still going strong! It's wool. I adore wool. Once you have wool rugs, it's hard to go back...they clean easily and wear like a dream!

I'm on high alert for the perfect rug for our great room right now. I'm pretty sure I have seen every rug that has ever been manufactured and I still haven't made up my mind. But it sure is fun looking!

Some of my favorite rug sources:

Dash & Albert
Joss & Main 
Crate & Barrel
CB2
World Market
Pottery Barn Teen
Company C

Curtains are another favorite source of inspiration. I love the patterns and color!  The right curtains can radically change the feel of a room. 

Some of my favorite curtain sources:

Urban Outfitters
IKEA
World Market
Thrift Stores (vintage twin sheets!)

THRIFT IT UP

Saving the best for last...my true love...THRIFTING! There is nothing better than finding exactly what you are looking for at a fraction of the cost. It takes time and foresight and dedication...but the rewards are huge. The majority of my house decor and nearly all of my clothes are found second-hand. The trunk-full of vintage goodness above was found last week at an estate sale in Boulder. It was like taking a time machine back to the 70's...but everything in the house had a price tag. Not pictured...vintage Muppet, Little People, and pristine Strawberry Shortcake dolls. We were in heaven! 

It's garage sale season now too...and that is my ultimate favorite because those prices are usually half of the thrift store! Gleeeeeeee!

Other Online Inspiration:

Apartment Therapy (so much to see! love it. we've been featured several times for their tours…here is one of them)
Flickr group: Corners of my Home

I like to go back and see colors and arrangements I've used in the past. You can see all of the homes we have lived in and loved here.

So there you have it...
a whole bunch of my favorite sources of happy!
Where do you go to find design inspiration?