Magazine Rack and Candlesticks

So in my last post about thrifting, I showed you some of the items I found while out shopping last Thursday.  After a busy week, I finally had time to finish up the two projects that came out of that trip to the local thrift stores.  At Goodwill, I spotted this old magazine rack that was not in great condition, to say the least.  The wood was chipped and there were lots of scratches and dents, but I saw potential.     

Mark and I's magazine situation is out of control.  He is a hoarder (don't tell him I said that) of magazines among other things.  Right now we have stacks of them piled on our end tables, in closets, and on the floor in the spare bedroom.  So I figured we should have a better way of organizing the ones we actually look at in our living room.  First, I sanded the piece as best I could, spray painted the primer on and painted it with left over paint from this dresser.  



I wasn't happy with the way the color looked on this piece, so I mixed some of that peacock blue paint I picked up at ReStore last week, and to my surprise it turned into a really pretty periwinkle blue.  I loved it!  After another 2 coats of paint, this is the final product.  I am feeling inspired to redo my living room in greys, periwinkle, mint green or aqua and pale yellow.  First step, a new sofa and area rug! 

The other items I picked up that day were a pair of candlesticks.  I have some candles that I have been wanting to use in my bedroom, but haven't been able to find any candlesticks I like for a reasonable price.  Even at TJ Maxx (which is one of my favorite stores for home decor) they were about $12 each, and for someone on a budget, $24 is a lot of money for candlesticks.  I came across these at a thrift store for $2.50 for the pair...perfect!

New life was given with a little primer and 2 coats of metallic spray paint left over from the hardware on my dresser!

 

Treasure Hunting

A few days ago I had a couple of hours to myself so I took to one of my favorite activities...thrift shopping!  I went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore first where I like to look at both furniture pieces and the leftover paints.  I didn't know this until a few months ago, but you can buy gallon containers (sometimes almost full or never opened) for $3 and quarts for even less!  This trip I scored a gallon of Ralph Lauren Peacock Blue interior paint that I have yet to decide what to do with, but it was such a pretty color, I couldn't resist.

The next stop was a consignment store in town called The Arc.  I found several small tables that were definite prospects for revamping, but didn't end up getting any that day.  Maybe I will go back and see if they've been marked down at all next week.  This one has some Moroccan inspired lines, so I can totally see it in that high gloss Peacock Blue paint, can't you?!




 
And this one I just love but it is a little vertically challenged, so unless I can figure out a way to make those legs longer, it may not work for me.  I could definitely use it as a piece to sell (I would pull off those leafy embellishments and paint it), but I'm trying to mainly work on pieces that I can use in my own home for now. 



 

Next I spotted this table and chairs set.  I can see maybe painting it cream, leaving the top wood and staining that a darker color.  I could easily reupholster the chairs, but I think painting the whole set may be a bigger project than I'm willing to take on right now.  Especially in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment with very little outdoor working space.  Someday... 


Anyway, my next post will highlight the pieces I DID purchase that day and their transformations!

Cream Coffee Table

Flexsteel Industries, Inc.

 Some of you may know that I work at a furniture store here in town, so I get inspired on a daily basis by new pieces that come in.  I immediately fell in love with this coffee table from Flexsteel.  It is a cream distressed table with a glass top from their Garden Walk Collection.  When I came across the table below for free, I thought it the perfect candidate to attempt my own version of this table.
  

While I did like the original color of the wood, the table did have some damage to the surface so I decided to go ahead and paint it.  The Flexsteel table has a brown glaze over the distressed cream paint, but when I attempted that, my table turned pink. I think I needed a darker brown paint to create the glaze.  At this point though, after having to repaint the entire table cream, I decided to just distress the table and not apply a glaze. 

 

 
Can you see evidence of kitties anywhere in this picture?  Apparently I didn't keep them out of the room long enough to let the paint cure.  Oh well, nothing a little sanding and another coat of paint can't fix! 


I wish the glaze would have turned out, but this will have to do for now...

 

First Big Project

Several months ago I discovered Pinterest.  My life will forever be changed!  I get so inspired by all of the beautiful furniture and interiors that are posted.  This discovery also opened me up to the world of blogging.  I have to admit, I've never really been a blog reader but the past few months I've been following Kate at centsationalgirl.com and Shaunna at perfectlyimperfectblog.com in particular.  They both create beautiful pieces and inspired me to try my hand at painting furniture.  

So I set out to the local thrift stores!  I've been needing a new dresser for my bedroom and came across this piece at the ReStore in town.  I loved the size and the fact that it still had all of the original hardware.  It isn't solid wood, but for my first project I was ok with that fact. It was originally $80 but was on sale for 25% off so I decided to take it!  You can see that it was pretty scratched up and the handles were varnished brass when I brought it home. 

  I followed these steps with a few modifications.  I am absolutely obsessed with the colors teal and aqua and any variation of the two. I had a hard time deciding on the exact color, but I am happy with the way it turned out!  After 2 coats of the blue paint, I applied a glaze made from black paint and a product called Floetrol to give the piece an aged look.  I also spray painted the original handles a nickel color and glazed over them as well.  Here's the finished piece...