Designer Tobi Fairley has performed a minor miracle in her makeover of this kitchen for a busy Little Rock family. We’ve put together a video how-to showing the incredible before and after transformation of this kitchen and the homeowners’ master bath. Click here to see the video, or here to read the story. Enjoy the makeover magic!
Our makeover maven Cara Wilkerson of Live the Home Life is back, and this time she has a furniture transformation that you can actually bring home with you! Read on for all the details…
Here we go again! Who’s up for a little furniture flipping fun? My hand is raised high and I have my fingers double crossed that yours is too. One of my favorite parts of any furniture rehab is the creative outlet it allows. However, truth be told, many times I crack open a can of paint without a plan in sight for the piece of furniture at hand. But over the course of a few days of adding a little of this here and a little of that there, I’m always surprised at the result. Sometimes I absolutely love the outcome, and other times, not so much. Regardless, the creative process gets my juices flowing and keeps me coming back for more. I tackled this month’s rehab with the exact same don’t-know-where-this-is-going-but-let’s-get-started-anyway gusto, and found myself dishing up a simple rehab with a twist. So let’s get the ball rolling by checking in with the before shots: a dusty little table in need of some creative intervention.
Once wiped clean, a quick round of primer and a couple coats of white paint on the legs and center top plank came into play. Simple enough. If you’ve seen one primed & painted furniture flip, you’ve seem them all, right? Time for that aforementioned twist…in the form of a dress pattern.
For some reason, mid-rehab, my mind decided the center plank of this piece needed a little spice, so my next step called for a bit of Mod Podge to adhere a strip of dressmaker’s pattern. Once dry, I used a razorblade to cut the excess pattern paper from the center plank.
Charcoal paint on the legs, guided with the help of a little painters tape, gave the sides a much needed punch.
The same gray paint made another appearance on the pattern paper in the form of one of my most favorite words and the theme for any furniture flip.
Another furniture flip for the Before & After with Cara Wilkerson vault completed and my creative craving satisfied.
Good news, friends! This furniture rehab will be up for auction at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore & After fundraiser this September 29. Even better news? Tickets to the event are still available and you can snag a few of your own by visiting habitatpulaski.org. See you there!
This week, we’re introducing you to our new columnists! Last week you met Tracy Porter and Chris Olsen. Today, meet Jerusalem Greer, the talented and creative craft artist and self-professed “nest fluffer” behind Jolly Goode Gal! For a sample of her unique style, check out her home featured in our July 2010 issue. As a mom, she’s perfected DIY projects on a budget, and we knew she would be a great fit for the At Home in Arkansas blog.
Jerusalem’s monthly column on crafting begins today with tips on creating your ideal craft space.
Everyone loves a great make-over story! A fun, and often inexpensive, makeover is to create a craft space in your home.
Whether you have a whole room to dedicate, a closet or perhaps a small corner of an existing room (dining room, family room, kids room,) you can achieve an adorable and inspiriting craft zone that will fit your personality and your pocket book, and bring some order to your crafty chaos.
So, how do you go about creating the perfect craft space for your needs, space and budget?
Here are a few easy steps to get you started:
1) Decide where your craft space is going to be based both on what space is available in your home, and what kind of crafting you do there. Reflect on what type of crafting you enjoy most. If you enjoy machine sewing your space will need to access to a table surface and an outlet. However, if knitting is your forte then perhaps you just need easy access to ample storage for your yarn and needles and a portable craft bag or box that can travel with you from room to room as you work.
2) Once you have decided on the type of space you need and the location, you can begin the fun task of gathering and collecting inspiration pictures. The Internet, catalogs and magazines are full of inspiring ideas. One tip: don’t just look at “craft rooms†and storage pictures per se; look at everything that inspires you, from floor to ceiling. I have found great inspiration for craft storage in farm & feed stores, education supply catalogs and many other unlikely places.
Here are some of my all-time favorite craft areas:
Photo via here
Photo via here
Photo via here
Photo via here
3) After you’ve chosen your inspiration pictures, you can begin narrowing down the exact items you will need to purchase, re-purpose or re-store for the project, and those that even thought you love them, maybe are not the best choice for this project.
4) After you have narrowed down your choices. you can create an inspiration board (like the one above, featuring a patchwork theme) to help keep you on track as you forge ahead. Having an inspiration board can help motivate you to take the steps necessary to accomplish your project goal, such as saving those pennies, only purchasing what will fit your space, and staying true to your design.
So, regardless of how big or how small your craft space is, now is the perfect time to jump in and give it a make-over that both inspires and encourages you, turning your craft dreams into craft realities!
Welcome designer Stephen Saint-Onge, a master at room makeovers whose work graces the pages of many home design magazines, including a column for Better Homes & Gardens. Stephen has offered one lucky At Home reader a free copy of his new book, detailing his “make your home special” design ideas.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
* Simply leave a comment on this post, and be sure to include your email address so we can contact you if you’re chosen. One winner will be selected at random. Visit our Facebook page on September 26, when we’ll announce who won!
Check out one of the room makeovers for which Stephen is known:
(Photos courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens)
We fully agree with his design philosophy!
Let us know what catches your eye, and your own design philosophy. Leave a comment and you’ll be entered in the drawing for this wonderful book.
At Home in Arkansas offers you a look inside the state's most inspiring homes. The magazine features monthly advice from the experts to help you plan your next remodel or redesign, entertain at home, or find Arkansas's best kept secrets. It is your definitive guide to the state's finest homes and gardens, design professionals, fashion and entertaining essentials, and premier shops and showrooms.