I’m not known for having the most incredible sense of style.
Y’all know I live in a sleeping bag coat for most of the year.
When we bought The Happy House and the task of decorating a second home fell to me, I kind of vomited in my mouth a little.
Luckily, our place in Florida is situated near two HomeGoods Stores.
{If you’re scratching your head going, What is HomeGoods?, it’s like Marshall’s with a delicious TJ Maxx filling.}
After we bought mattresses and basic bedding, we decided to tackle the foyer.
Because, you know, that’s the first thing people see when they walk in your house.
And we all know first impressions stick!
Anyway, I was adamant that The Happy House needed to be filled with joy, which for me means lots of bright colors and lots of whimsy.
One day while shopping, my friend Jan pointed at this awful table.
“That’s a cute table,” she said.
I looked at it, nonplussed.
Because it was gray.
Where was my color? Where was my whimsy?
But it was made well enough, and it was cheap the price was right.
So we jammed that sad, gray table into my rental car.
I figured it could always be returned.
That afternoon, Hubby bought a couple cans of spray paint.
Everyone knows a fresh coat of paint can transform a room.
Why not a drab piece of furniture, right?
Duh.
Thirty minutes later, Hubby killed the can of spray paint.
And I was dancing in the middle of the road.
(Sorry, new neighbors.)
But that table?
Totally awesome sauce.
Inspired, I forced Hubby to take me to Sarasota Architectural Salvage: nine jazillion square feet of crap treasures like old lobster traps and wooden oars, brass ship lamps and carved wooden mermaids, concrete urns and gargoyles. I could go on. The place is huge. We picked up a couple of knick-knacks, and voila.
Our foyer is on its way.
Now, if only we had some window treatments so the gators out back don’t see us walking around naked.
What Do-It-Yourself Project have you done where you got it right?
tweet me @rasjacobson
OMG, spray paint is my best friend, I swear, for reasons just like this.
My best home project was my bathroom, which I sort of remodeled — is “refreshed” a better word? — for under $500. You’d better believe I blogged about it. http://blog.jimgrey.net/2011/02/28/operation-lipstick-on-the-pig-or-how-i-refreshed-my-bathroom-for-under-500/
Hi Jim: I love your bathroom project so much. Thanks for sharing your link!
MAN! I never thought of spray painting furniture! This changes EVERYTHING! For reals.
I’ve got big plans!
Hugs!
Valerie
renee, who said you had no style? that was so inspiring as I don’t know where to begin in my new house. the walls are mostly beige and mauve and beigemauve and my master bathroom tiles are PINK. Please decorate more and post. And I vow that I am going to a similar place called reclaim Detroit and will report back.
Stacy! Starting over in a new house takes time. Sometimes you have to live there a while to figure out what the house needs. Be gentle with yourself during this transition. When you start blogging again, will you toss me a tweet? @rasjacobson — yes?
I sure did start blogging and I’ll tweet it to you. When did you get a house in Florida, how exciting! Oh yeah, so so MUCH I want to do! some rooms I love and others I feel like I’ve moved into my grandma’s apartment. Certainly a process.
My house from the inside needed a new lick of paint. My husband refused to see the drabness. To him everything looked just fine. I roller painted the Living Room,Dinning, Den and Bedroom plus Bath. It was tiring but I felt Happy with the house.
Nothing like that new lick of paint. And I think, for the post part, men are satisfied with status quo when it comes to decorating. 😉
made me smile – glad it worked out… I am currently in the middle or should i say muddle of basement remodel. Old walls ripped down and revealing all sorts of things including a new crack and a wall with a slight lean – a 5K lean…. arrrgghhhh. Got a smile, cuz if I don’t. Postcards and a letter on way! Woohoo!
Got your postcards today, Clay! Omigoodness! You really outdid yourself! Can’t wait for Tech to get them! Thank you eleventy-five million times.
That looks marvelous Renee! I think you have the knack for making knick-knacks FABULOUS!
What Do-It-Yourself project? Most certainly my massive “mountain-bike repair/maintenance monster”…that was a contraption that really wasn’t a “mountain-bike repair/maintenance” contraption in function. Only a select few knew about its real purpose. 🙂
Of course you know you’ve piqued my interest. So what was the mountain bike contraption that wasn’t really a mountain bike. Whaaaaaaat? Do you do this on purpose?
I was purposely answering your blog question, yes. Do you have something against mountain-bikes and riding throughout nature!? *evil grin* 😉
That’s beautiful. Can’t wait to visit! 😉
I am a designing nightmare. I would have broken out into cold sweats had I bought a new house I needed to decorate. I always see these brilliant decorating techniques and think, “that’s so awesome!” but never end up implementing said awesome tricks into my own home design. I am just useless when it comes to that type of thing. Oh well.
Misty, it’s going to take me a long time to turn this house into a home. I really like to surround myself with special pieces, so it takes me a long time to create a nest. It’ll happen. Eventually. (Right?)
Ask me again in a few weeks! Right now, our kitchen is past the “totally torn apart” stage and starting to resemble something that looks like a kitchen. But here’s where things get hairy: what kind of curtains? Will a stainless steel fridge “go” with wrought iron pendant lights? Does Martha Stewart make house calls now that she’s out of the slammer? Stay tuned! 🙂
Oooooh! A new kitchen! The devil is always in the details. I hope you write about your kitchen improvement! And I hope you took some BEFORE photos so you can enjoy the AFTER reality!
Love that color and table! Good job on the decorating.
Hi RFL: If spray paint and a few knick-knacks makes me a decorator, then I’m on my way!
Oh, the new color is delightful!
🙂
Spray paint is a “staple” at our house!
I’d have to say my kitchen is my favorite DIY project recently completed. Our total cost was just over $5000. To me, it looks like a million bucks. I wouldn’t trade my kitchen for anything. It’s got all the elements I could want. Stainless appliances, butcher block counters, subway tile, and oil rubbed bronze (read: black) handles and pulls.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/case_sensitive/8285486202/
Not the best shot… The tile backsplash wasn’t up at that point either.
This one shows the backside of the bar featuring 150 year old flooring from a local mil:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/case_sensitive/8285491902/
Eric! I’m so excited that your DIY kitchen came out as well as it did. It really does look like a million bucks in there. Your life is a lucky woman. 😉
The new color is awesome! I’ve been watching “Restaurant Impossible” lately and your table reminded me of that. Style on a budget with creative fixes rather than extravagant ones.
I’ll have to Google “Restaurant Impossible” now. But I’m with you that creative touches are all about what make a house a home. I’m a firm believer in a little bit of whimsy.
Oh, Renee – this is great!!! I die and end up in heaven when I visit HomeGoods!!! That store is intoxicating. Once you go in, you NEVER come out (unless your husband drags you by the hair). 🙂 I LOVE LOVE LOVE what you did to the table!! Great funky color and the accessories are perfect! Can you come to my house and decorate? 🙂
I hope there is a HomeGoods in heaven. If there isn’t, I think I’d rather go to the other place. And Maria, I’m guessing you know just how to make your house feel like home. Something tells me your home is infused with color and light and life! 😉
Renee! Love what you guys did to the table. You’ve managed to give it a new life. As a big HGTV connoisseur I can tell you that they’d be thrilled with how you improvised. Heck, they get paid tons of money to do what you did.
As for projects, I just updated my front yard landscaping…and it cost me nothing, really…except the promise of home made ice-cream. Mom paid for the mulch, we repurposed some of the things I’d already had, and a friend and my mom came over to help me do the hard labor. Seriously, all they wanted in return was cold water and ice cream. Score!
I decided that HGTV is the enemy. In fact, I started to call it “CovetTV” because I think all those extravagant homes and super decorated interiors make people feel crappy about what they have. I’m happy to tell people that I took an ugly table and transformed it with one can of spray paint! (All for under $50!)
Meanwhile, how much do I wish I had a crew of friends who wanted to be paid in water and ice cream. Hello? You’re a lucky woman, Kitt.
I love DIY! Can’t think of a single project at the moment because i have a sudden hankering to be browsing the back aisles of TJ Maxx, oh and Home Goods. You want to come, Renee???
Coleen! How much damage could we do at a TJ Maxx or a HomeGoods?
Very well styled! Currently I’m making a table top of all my shells that I found all over the world and resin. It is supercool and I love doing it. Maybe an idea for your Happy House 😉
I love the idea of collecting shells and turning them into somethig functional. My friend did something similar with rocks she’s been hauling around for years. When you finish the project be sure to take a photograph and blog about it!
Love the selected color for the table. It is a very Happy table.
I love it! I am just about to move and want to redecorate like crazy. You have inspired me to embrace the spray paint. We shall see if there are any disasters ahead (knowing me, there are sure to be!)
Hi Daile from Austrail…lia. Got your letter yesterday! I think it’s going to link to you on 7/31 so be on the lookout! Meanwhile, did I know you were going to move? You didn’t mention that in your letter to The Boy. Happy packing.
I may not have mentioned moving to Tech. I did feel like I was babbling after 3 pages of cursive 😉
It’s so much better in your happy blue! I do that all the time. In fact, I go looking for old pieces of furniture to make pretty again. I guess I should blog about them. I have several projects in the works. Most I’ve found at the side of the road. Lots of chairs, small tables…I’ll do anything that’s paintable. I love having this in common with you, Renee!
I love shopping the curb. I think I’m going to start to post some photos of some of the trash I’ve transformed into treasure. I have a dear friend who’s just incredible when it comes to salvaging old stuff and repurposing it.Talk about an eye for decorating! Maybe I should just go to her house. 😉
You are one talented woman! I love the new color and the accessories! I have no skills in this area whatsoever so I’ll call you when I get around to my list of decorating projects! Happy!
The table in your entry way is fantastic! Admittedly, I am not so godly gifted in the area of styling a home creatively. I have to cheat and I cheat with pinterest. My friend refers to my home as the “Home pinterest built” lol..yeah..but it looks good..while she goes out and spends her retirement (we’re 32) at ikea because she needs “storage space”, I count my pennies and use my pinterest resources. Guess she’ll be living with me in my pinterest house when we’re old..LOL!!
Great color! My new favorite is Annie Sloan chalk paint – I’ve painted benches & chairs so far.
Gorgeous table. Love the way that color pops.
Nicely done, Renee! What DIY project have I gotten right? Hmm…. Does a bookcase that was supposed to be a chest count?
I didn’t mind the gray but you’re right–the blue is FABULOUS!! Color me impressed. Get it? 😉
I love love love it! I love the table, the color, the way you set it all up. I’m gonna have you come up and do my foyer!!
That looks awesome! I agree – spray paint is TOTALLy a girl’s (or hubbie’s) best friend.