Fixed: Because I'm Just that into Spoons

Yeah, spoons aren't really my thing. Here's an easy way to adapt this week's fixer to display your jewelry collection:

• Paint or paper the interior.
• Select a wire mesh, perforated metal, or piece of caning (simple mesh at your local hardware store, neat designs from McNichols or other online specialists), and have it cut to size.
• Use small brass tacks or nails to secure it to the front of the spoon rack.
• Hang up your favorite jewelry- using little brass s-hooks if necessary.

Like so...

Utility... but not for utensils.

This will work well for earrings, bracelets, pins, necklaces, hair accessories, scarves, you name it. A cheap way to showcase your expensive gems (like the sparkly things from Anthropologie that caught my eye- especially the Beams & Sparks bracelet and the Stormy Night earrings, *sigh*).

Fixer: Collector's Edition

This week's Craig's List Fixer is dedicated to all you spoon fanatics out there (or spork fanatics, I don't judge).

A lovely Spoon Rack

Just the thing for displaying prized utensils, only $20, spoons not included.

For those of you not scouring the world eBay for commemorative gems like the 1920 Slesvig Lion & Castle Finial spoon or the (be still my heart!) Toronto Zoo Largemouth Bass spoon... how about we shake this thing up a bit, eh?

PS: To learn more about spoons, this guide is an excellent resource. Were you aware that a spoon's "main purposes are for conveying food to the mouth and for stirring, though it has a number of other uses?" The more you know...

Painless Project!

Okay!  Y'all ready for a quick project on your long weekend?

The hardest part of this DIY is the window washing!  The $10 old window that I picked appears to be coated in antique grime, and that certainly won't do.  It also has one broken pane, which will need to be carefully removed so that no sharp edges remain.

When you can actually see through it again, let the fun begin!

Option #1...

A Picture Window

Because the panes of this window are roughly 9" x 6", it's just right for framing photos.  Easy, interchangeable, and vastly more attractive than most "grouped" frames you see in stores.  I'd set it atop a modern Ribba picture ledge from Ikea to keep the presentation streamlined.

Option #2...

Mirror Mirror

When I first saw this window, the first concept that sprang to mind was a calendar.  How about 5 days of to-dos? To add some sparkle, I'd suggest painting the back of the panes with mirrored finish spray paint (read my review of this product tomorrow!).  The window won't function as a real mirror, but the reflective surface would be lovely behind your notes-to-self written in dry-erase marker.  (Design*Sponge recently featured a similar idea.)

  

  

Hang it from a doorknob hook with a metal chain, and stash your markers in an ornate wall-mount cup.

Option #3...

Old-Fashioned Charm

The third and final option works on the same principal- but uses chalkboard paint.  I think this brings out the best in the rustic, flaking paint.  Sort of a schoolhouse feel, eh?

Choose a "handy" hook to hold on to your chalk- and maybe your keys as well!

This last idea reminds me of my very own vintage window...

A chalkboard for lists galore in my closet craft nook.

I used stained glass paint to add some color.  I don't recommend this product, by the way- thank goodness it's completely removable. 

Has anyone else used an old window as decor?

Fixer: Window Pain

There's nothing better than wandering through a hardware store or the "Materials" section of Craig's List.  I can hardly stop myself from skipping down the isles (or from post to post), filling my basket with shiny stuff.  Show me a handy doodad, a barrel of nails, a bucket of paint... my little DIY heart starts beating wildly and visions of home improvements dance in my brain.  I'll make this!  I'll fix that!!  

I get that this is abnormal, and that some of the projects that I dream up (and feature here) are a little far-fetched for the more casual do-it-yourselfer.  What, you don't enjoy painstakingly sanding and priming large pieces of furniture?

Today, a project that you could accomplish in just a few hours.  If you want to follow along, go pick up your own fixer...

A not-so salvageable $10 window.  No, that's not frosted glass, it's just filthy.

This clearly needs our help.  Come back tomorrow and I'll show you not one, not two, but three ways to make it shine!

A Marvel in Marble

A little worse for wear.

This $30 table has got a lot of character and charm, but here's the thing- it's only as good as its top.  A cracked or warped surface is useless for writing, frustrating for eating, and terribly impractical for food preparation (the germs!).

So, I'd replace the top with something as good as it gets... polished granite slab.  

Oooh, that gives me chills.

Stone countertop slabs show up all the time on Craig's List, and the prices are amazing.  The piece pictured above is being sold for only $100.  Though this particular slab is too big for the table, you could easily have it cut to size.  I just think the honed white stone would be brilliant with the antiqued wood...

See what I mean?

The stone top would make this table a wonderful addition to an apartment chef's kitchen.  When counter space is minimal, a small island prep station is just the thing.  Here's how I'd outfit it for a miniature version of my dream kitchen:

A patinated pull would make a nice ornament on the drawer, and a long bar pull on one side would be a handy place to stash dishtowels.

Can you believe I found these baskets at Fred Meyer for under $15 a piece?  Quite the catch, and quite the catch-all.  

I'd line up a few on the lower shelf to store potatoes and what-not (preferably sans feline).

Of course, I can't let any surface go undecorated, so I might add one of my favorite things...

 

Adam's antique milk truck, or an old aluminum pitcher from my collection.

And I definitely wouldn't toss that gorgeous old tabletop- it's got such an excellent raw texture.  I'd mount it on the wall and use decorative nails to display an assortment of cookie cutters.  

Very sweet!

Warped!

We're doing an easy project this week, since I've got a much more important fixer at home- my poor recovering boyfriend!

This week's Craig's List Fixer is... 

A Well-Worn Wooden Table

Hmmm... "Rustic"

The seller advertises it as a candidate for refinishing... but check out that crooked & cracked tabletop.  

Tomorrow night we'll discuss how to invest in this table and put it back to work!

Using the Term "Fixer" Rather Loosely Today...

Every once in a while I do a total double-take at a Craig's List item. 

A solid cherry armoire for $25?  A-wha???  There must be something wrong with it...

 

Wow, what needs fixing?

 

It's handsome inside and out.

I think it's hard to go wrong with a piece of furniture like this.  It's massive- 7 feet tall and obviously quite heavy. Talk about adding some weight to your decor.  This thing has presence, that's for sure.

So, what needs fixing?  Perhaps we need to work on our perception of furniture like this.  Solid needn't mean stodgy and boring.  You might be surprised by how you can adapt such a large piece to exemplify your personal style.

I'll show you how it can make a big impact... tomorrow!

Curiouser and Curiouser!

Lately my favorite design blogs have been piqued by cabinets of curiosity (here, here, and here, for instance).  This intrigue is all too familiar to me...  I've been treasuring this image from the late Domino Magazine for ages.

Perfection.

But, alas, every inch of my shelving is claimed by my library, leaving no room for other collections!  Perhaps that's why this week's fixer caught my eye.  Could we make it into a miniature trove of treasures?

The first step is to make it more classic than country kitsch.  This month's Martha Stewart Living magazine has an excellent segment on special finish painting.  While some of the techniques she featured were a little out there for me (gingham?  what?), I loved the subtle look of "raw silk."  To mimic the multi-layered finish of the bookcase in my inspiration photo, I'd suggest following her excellent instructions using a base coat of a matte medium gray and a pearlized cream glaze rubbed through with steel wool.

Luminous!

Now that it's polished up, where do you put it?  Because it's a petite two feet tall, it's just the right scale for a tiny bathroom like mine.  It would be both pretty and practical displaying curiosities and toiletries alike.  

 

Fool's Gold glitters among other fool's gems: the Amethysts and Turquoise are soaps!

Antique bottles can make bathroom necessities beautiful.  

I'd fill these with bath salts, cleansers, lotions, potions... you name it.

  Go with a natural green theme.  Bath & Body Works aromatherapy lotions come in shapely glass bottles (with equally attractive price tags).  Inexpensive bath sponges have an interesting shape- almost like a clump of moss or an aquatic plant.  I'd use several!  I'm also rather tickled by this ostrich feather in brilliant green.  It would be a sweet accent in a glass bottle.

These framed butterflies are a natural choice, and I love their neutral coloring.  I'd let them flutter behind bottles on the back of the cabinet.

  

And a few sentimental pieces of my own... a sweet-as-can-be mouse figurine, a bit of real gold, and the weird brass fly that always makes me smile.

So, what say you?  Curiosity Satisfied?

A Curious Case

This week's fixer has been languishing on Craig's List for quite some time now.  It keeps popping up in my searches day after day, and I'm beginning to feel a bit sorry for it.

It's a Little Old Curio Cabinet

It feels so empty without you!

I can't look at this thing without imagining it filled with cherub figurines and other horrid porcelain tchotchkes (and I can't believe I spelled that correctly on the first try!).  I'm picturing it in the cluttered house of some 96-year-old spinster, covered in a layer of dust and cat hair.  It screams, "I died alone and was eaten by my own 12 cats."

That's... not really the vibe I'm going for with my decor.

But let's pretend I'm a real do-gooder, that I dished out the $40 and brought it home.  Let's just see what I can do.

Voila!

I have a special fondness for accent tables.  They are naturally suited for being "design ambassadors"- their small size allows them to represent a foreign style in your home without causing a major clash.  (Just last week we explored introducing a MCM side table into a traditional setting!)

However, due to overcrowding, I have solemnly sworn not to exceed the current population of accent tables- I shalt not add, only replace.  

Good thing I found a loophole.  If you don't have room for a table... call it an ottoman.

Representing ze Provincial French, Monsieur Ottoman

Did you recognize it?  The frame of this side table had a very elegant shape, but wasn't really a table at all without the top!  Rather than simply replacing, why not repurpose?  You'll only need a circular piece of plywood (cut to fit), your choice of fabric (I'd go with a bright green velvet or damask), a handful of buttons and thread, and a staple gun!  Because the finish was "shabby" (read: really really ugly), I also opted to give it a coat of always lovely black glossy paint.

What a practical piece of furniture this would be!  If you chose to put it in a living area, it could serve triple duty. It has a plush seat, a shelf for storage, and, with the addition of a cute serving tray (like so), it could get back to its roots as a table!

Personally, I'd love to see it in my bedroom, where it would mingle quite nicely with its compatriot vanity desk. $15?  C'est possible...

Oooh La La...

This week's Craig's List Temptation is...

The Remains of a French Provincial Side Table

It's definitely missing something.

It's broke, and you should fix it.  And if you're broke... it doesn't even matter, because it's a mere $15.  Deprive yourself of Starbucks grande-soy-cinnamon-dolce-lattes for three days and you're good to go.  This table is equally sweet, and much less fattening.  Mmmmm, French Provincial.  

Check back tomorrow, I'll show you how I'd top it off.

Finally Fixed

I often find myself admiring the inventive shapes of Mid-Century Modern furniture- but I struggle with ways to integrate it into my traditional household.  I typically favor deep blacks and weathered grays, but MCM is typically yellow and orange.  I think the best way to create an eclectic style is to maintain a consistent finish.

The orangey color of this table would clash terribly.

The solution is quite simple.  Since this table has little of its original finish left, sand the rest off and use a purple-gray milk paint as a glaze.  Thin milk paint allows some of the original wood to show through, giving the table warmth while tempering the gold tones.  Allowing the paint to settle more thickly in the tabletop's grooves will give it more depth and character. 

Decorating with quirky traditional pieces will help this modern table acclimate.  A stack of books always makes a house looked lived-in.  Bright flowers are sweet when clustered in a patisserie tea-cup (image courtesy of the late Domino Magazine), and the bird's nest lamp is a charming Craig's List discovery for only $39.

I've subdued the color... but not the style!

Do it Yourself: Side Table

I'll admit, I'm feeling a little worn down this week.  I was doing great with my Spring Cleaning, but now I'm cleaning on a deadline.  Apparently I have a guest arriving this weekend (and they may be a bit weirded out by the DONATE and SELL boxes currently dominating the living room).  Talk about motivation!  Ack!

Since I'm thoroughly Type A, this unexpected change of plans threw me into a funk and cost me a little bit of sleep (because clearly the laundry needed to be put away at midnight!)  

Even worse, I couldn't find the right fixer this morning.  I clicked on listing after listing without finding anything that was... not hideous.  I was quickly sinking into pathetic self-pity (OMG, my blog is a failure!).

And then...

A ray of light.

This funky $30 Mid-Century side table has a fantastic shape... but it's not in the best shape.  Looks like it's been moping around outside for quite some time, and it's a bit rough around the edges.  I have a feeling it would clean up nicely.  Meet me back here tomorrow, and we'll see if you agree!

Also, check back tonight for the latest installment of my SPRING CLEANING guide.  This time, you might want to arm yourself with a bucket and a mop... things could get messy.