Blog

Thrift Score Thursday #84 #swapitlikeitshot

October 8, 2015 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Hey Guys!

Today is an extra special thrift centered Thursday because it falls during the week of #SwapItLikeItsHot! It’s a really cool series coordinated and hosted by Charlotte of Ciburbanity where one blogger thrifts for another blogger and the receiving blogger has to repurpose the items given to them and it works round robin for 5 days. My day to share my project is tomorrow but I wanted to pop in a sneak peek with shots of the items I received in my package from Charlotte herself (how lucky am I that the host is my sender my first round!). She picked out a couple really interesting and challenging pieces to work with. Thankfully that left me to get creative!

I received 2 hanging chalkboard stars, a paisley print bag and a coaster set with their own case. If I had more time I would’ve done more but the only pieces I’ve been able to work with amidst the bathroom remodel starting are the chalkboard stars. I hope you think I did a good job with them. Make sure to pop back in tomorrow to see their after!

The features were to die for yet again this week. With the weather getting cooler, I had hoped you thrifting prodigies would give my jealous heart a break, but alas, the feed is gorgeous as usual.

@watassa Who ever said you can't find anything good at the last day of an estate sale? Welcome home, friend. #plycraft #mcm #thriftscorethursday #colddeadfingers #leland #upnorth #selig #midcentury #darling #thrifting #thatsdarling #liveauthentic #livefolk — @watassa Who ever said you can’t find anything good at the last day of an estate sale? Welcome home, friend. #plycraft #mcm #thriftscorethursday #colddeadfingers #leland #upnorth #selig #midcentury #darling #thrifting #thatsdarling #liveauthentic #livefolk

@doug_fritock Peacock chairs seem quite common here in the Midwest, but I hadn't come across a nice diminutive one like this before. So versatile, I had to bring it home from @savers_thrift last night. The art print is from @urbanoutfitters. #thrifting #vintage #thriftscorethursday — @doug_fritock Peacock chairs seem quite common here in the Midwest, but I hadn’t come across a nice diminutive one like this before. So versatile, I had to bring it home from @savers_thrift last night. The art print is from @urbanoutfitters. #thrifting #vintage #thriftscorethursday

@mariaski63 You bet your brass, it's #thriftscorethursday!!! #brass #brassdecor #vintagebrass #decoratewithbrass #thrift #thrifter #thrifting #thriftshop #thriftstore #thriftstorefinds #thriftstorescore #goodwill #goodwillhunting #asiandecor #chinese #chinoiserie #hollywoodregency #turkish #tray #teatray #bookends #vintage — @mariaski63 You bet your brass, it’s #thriftscorethursday!!! #brass #brassdecor #vintagebrass #decoratewithbrass #thrift #thrifter #thrifting #thriftshop #thriftstore #thriftstorefinds #thriftstorescore #goodwill #goodwillhunting #asiandecor #chinese #chinoiserie #hollywoodregency #turkish #tray #teatray #bookends #vintage

And that wraps up my “finds” and features for this week. I hope to see you back here tomorrow for #SwapItLikeItsHot. Until then, don’t forget to hop on over to this party’s other fab hosts and this week’s guest cohost because they’re epic thrifters and they know how to pick some fantastic features!

Want To Join In? Here’s The Rules!

We want you to participate! Hit up your local thrift stores, craigslist, yard sales, estate sales, side of the road, anything! Thrifty doesn’t necessarily mean from a thrift store. We want to see your good deals, wacky finds and treasures.
Don’t feel like you need to save those finds for Thursdays! Yes, features are shared on our blogs and Instagram on Thursdays, but we’re all checking in on (and using!) the hashtag all week long. So, when you see/find it, feel free to share it!
Each week, Trisha from Black and White Obsession, Cassie from Primitive and Proper, Brynne from The Gathered Home, Myself (A Designer At Home) and occassionally a guest co-host will pick a favorite thrift score or two to feature! So please note that by linking up with #thriftscorethursday,you are giving us permission to share your finds via social media or on our blogs.
Please remember that we can only share love for photos shared on public accounts. If your profile is private, we can’t see your finds.

Interested in hosting with us for a week? Want to see your face on this fabulous little graphic? You know you want to, it’s so much fun! Shoot me an email, and we’ll get you coordinated to guest host!

Global + Craftsman + Boho Bathroom in 6 Weeks

October 7, 2015 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Hey Guys!

I can’t beleive it’s that time of year! One Room Challenge is back and it just so happens to be starting at the same time we’re tackling this bathroom remodel. So naturally we have to try to get this done in 6 weeks now, right?!

If you don’t already know, One Room Challenge (or ORC for short) is a 6 week long challenge hosted by Calling It Home. Essentially you start with a room and completely make it over in 6 weeks. Check in is Thursdays but because I cohost #ThriftScoreThursday and we post on Thursdays, I will be posting my updates on Wednesdays!

We are taking on a pretty massive bathroom renovation, so I’m taking it easy on myself. 6 weeks is the “goal,” but I’m not certain that will be a reality.

I cheated a bit an already announced some what we planned on doing in the space last week. Here’s a refresher in case you missed it.

And the part we all want to know, here’s the current… just, be kind.

And just in case you’re missing any horrifying details from that terribly blurry picture, here are the key points:

So far the most important part of the process was just completed yesterday evening. Our lead test. We tested negative for lead! YES! Our home was built 1955 so this was a really big scare for us. We had our test completed through Environmental Engineering & Technology, Inc. She used a gun that measures into the wall and checked several surfaces to ensure there was none present anywhere. She was also incredibly friendly and made the whole experience easy for my anxious self.

We also met with a third contractor to get an idea of pricing for the work we are not going to be taking on ouselves. I feel like we are way behind in making this decision. So far we’ve had two quotes. One included the work to rework piping to bring the hot water heater that is currently located in our detached unfinished garage into the house and that estimate was $6,650. The second quote we received did not include the hot water heater work and that was $7-8,000. That’s a huge difference so I’m hoping to hear better news with the third contractor.

So what do you think? Do you think we can do it? Are we nuts? Do you like the initial design? We still have a ton of decisions to make (and a lot of work ahead!? So be sure to stay tuned!

Thrift Score Thursday #83 A Basket & Teacup

October 1, 2015 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Hey There!

So today is Thursday, which means there’s a whole lot of thriftiness going on on a couple of fabulous blogs and Instagram. You know the drill, it’s #ThriftScoreThursday. Did you tag your finds this past week? I hope you did! Let’s jump into what I’ve scored and then let’s check out a few awesome thrift scores from the #ThriftScoreThursday Instagram feed.

I’ve got 2 small scores to share with you this week. An adorable bright and floral tea cup and the basket it’s resting in.

I love baskets, who doesn’t?! I was really drawn to the interesting weave this one had and the oval shape. Right now I’m using it as a catch all atop my elephant plant stand. I never use the plant stand for plants because the platform is so tiny. It’s hard to find a planter the right size that doesn’t look dinky.

And the teacup I found to be charming so it had to come home with me. I see other bloggers collect coffee mugs and teacups and I always asked myself what the point was. And then I started to find mugs and teacups that were totally my style and I realized this could be a new thing for me. *Fellow mug/teacup hoarders- If you like graphic patterned mugs, the dollar store near my house has really cool ones so make sure you’re checking yours, too.

The features:

Features were especially hard to sift through again this week. I tried to pare it down to a few eccentric pieces. Like a glass rooster. I have a friend who works with glass in downtown Norfolk at D’Art center (tell her I sent you if you go visit her! Her name is Cathey :)) and seeing her work gives me such a fascinated appreciation for the art form. You must see a demonstration if you’ve never seen one.

@miriams_memoriesGorgeous vintage hand-blown glass rooster that I found at Goodwill...in perfect condition! Similar online listings have it as Murano from the 50s? #thriftscorethursday #thrifting #goodwill #muranoglass #blownglass #vintageroosters #vintagedecor — @miriams_memories Gorgeous vintage hand-blown glass rooster that I found at Goodwill…in perfect condition! Similar online listings have it as Murano from the 50s? #thriftscorethursday #thrifting #goodwill #muranoglass #blownglass #vintageroosters #vintagedecor

Corinna chose a rattan chair to feature? #whatsnew. I found this piece to be really cool and unique though with the rounded arms. You simply cannot lose when you score a rattan chair. #ipromise.

@maggieoverbystudios Ahhh this #chair. Had it been a bigger bargain it would have gone home with me because I am a total #moschairjunkie. Of course my husband would have asked "have you seen our garage lately?" And I would have looked at him completely innocent and said " I have no idea how all those chairs got in there!" #chairhoardersanonymous #rattan #vintage #thriftscorethursday — @maggieoverbystudios Ahhh this #chair. Had it been a bigger bargain it would have gone home with me because I am a total #moschairjunkie. Of course my husband would have asked “have you seen our garage lately?” And I would have looked at him completely innocent and said ” I have no idea how all those chairs got in there!” #chairhoardersanonymous #rattan #vintage #thriftscorethursday

And finally this incredible placemat. Erica is hilarious, so definitely click over and just read some of her captions. Can you beleive this is 6 times the size of her head? Hello massive wall art (because they wouldn’t last a day as a placemat in my house).

@ericareitmanThis kinda looks like a rug, but no siree Justin Bobby. It's a placemat! True this placemat is 6x the size of my head, but that's how we like things around here...large-n-in-charge. I have 3 of these bbs, and I got them at the #rosebowlfleamarket with @mericherryla Actually, they were a gift from Meri cause she never let me pay her back for them. I know what you're thinking: "Hey, Erica. It's SOOOOO weird that you bought some vintage crap at the flea made out of [wicker/straw/rattan]!!! That's so unlike you!" And to that I say: whatevs, folks. I am clearly a woman of great mystery ??(for anyone who gets the Spencer Pratt crystal reference here too, let me know immeds so we can be BFF's). — @ericareitman This kinda looks like a rug, but no siree Justin Bobby. It’s a placemat! True this placemat is 6x the size of my head, but that’s how we like things around here…large-n-in-charge. I have 3 of these bbs, and I got them at the #rosebowlfleamarket with @mericherryla Actually, they were a gift from Meri cause she never let me pay her back for them. I know what you’re thinking: “Hey, Erica. It’s SOOOOO weird that you bought some vintage crap at the flea made out of [wicker/straw/rattan]!!! That’s so unlike you!” And to that I say: whatevs, folks. I am clearly a woman of great mystery ??(for anyone who gets the Spencer Pratt crystal reference here too, let me know immeds so we can be BFF’s).

And that’s it for me today! I hope you’ve enjoyed these finds and features. Do you collect basksts and mugs? Deinitely leave me a comment letting me know so I can stalk you. just kidding! Before you go, be sure to stop by and visit my fabulous co-hosts, and special guest co host!

Want To Join In? Here’s The Rules!

We want you to participate! Hit up your local thrift stores, craigslist, yard sales, estate sales, side of the road, anything! Thrifty doesn’t necessarily mean from a thrift store. We want to see your good deals, wacky finds and treasures.
Don’t feel like you need to save those finds for Thursdays! Yes, features are shared on our blogs and Instagram on Thursdays, but we’re all checking in on (and using!) the hashtag all week long. So, when you see/find it, feel free to share it!
Each week, Trisha from Black and White Obsession, Cassie from Primitive and Proper, Brynne from The Gathered Home, Myself (A Designer At Home) and occassionally a guest co-host will pick a favorite thrift score or two to feature! So please note that by linking up with #thriftscorethursday, you are giving us permission to share your finds via social media or on our blogs.
Please remember that we can only share love for photos shared on public accounts. If your profile is private, we can’t see your finds.

Interested in hosting with us for a week? Want to see your face on this fabulous little graphic? You know you want to, it’s so much fun! Shoot me an email, and we’ll get you coordinated to guest host!

1950’s Bathroom Remodel: Before & Plans

September 28, 2015 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Hey Guys!

This is going to be the first post of probably too many regarding our bathroom renovation. *jaw drops*

I cannot believe we are really starting this. I’m super excited and I have so much to say about it.

I guess the best way to start on all this is to start with where we started and where we want to go (with some explanation as to why).

Our house has 1 single full bath. How totally non-2015, right? For a lot of reasons we settled on this house. But we always knew there were things we needed to budget for/borrow money for/DIY to update and make the house better for us and better for resale. Fixing up the bathroom was a major point for us.

The bathroom came with almond tile covering every wall, original bath fixtures and tub, floors that were newly tiles (with the cheapest ceramic tile available- it was disgusting and raised more than an inch and a half higher than our hallway floors, guests were constantly stubbing their toes or tripping), a new vanity (that was about 10 times too big for the space), old bathroom vanity lighting and a new (but not really stylish) medicine cabinet. None of it my style, all of it pretty bad.

We completely anticipated giving the space a facelift. I wanted to tear out the ugly floors and put in something nicer, paint over all the almond tile just like Pinterest told me to do, and replace the vanity. Add a few cute accessories and call it a day. I’ll talk more about what happened when we tried to start all that next week, but it went bad fast and we had to step back.

We are not tilers, we have no experience or knowledge how to replace drywall or plywood and as much as the internet makes all that stuff sound easy and fun- I tried tiling. It. Was. Bad. If/when we ever add a second bathroom, I’ll plan to give myself time to take a class or two before actually trying to tile by following a Youtube video. (And maybe pay someone to babysit myself through part of it).

11539626_868520079908497_6918776118530517966_n

That thumbs up disappeared quickly…

So we’ve hired out a lot of help. We will still be doing things in the space, but we’re letting our contractor take lead on caring for the bones of the space. I was thinking about doing a post to share how we found our contractor, would you find that helpful? If you would, let me know and I’ll definitely get it together.

So that’s pretty much all of the “before.” My goal for this space is for it to have a global feel, specifically with Mediterranean/Spanish/Middle Eastern influence. Mixed with that I want the space to have a craftsman feel to it and, of course, some boho flair (boho may take over… it’s the nature of my ways).

What do you think? Naturally, I’m smitten. Emily Henderson is a huge inspiration in the space, but I’m not out to replicate the space you’ll see above in my mood board. White I like the all white palette, brown is my go-to. I love brown as a base for a room because of the warmth is adds. So I will definitely have more brown in the space- like baskets, floor tile possibly, art and accessories, and oil rubbed bronze towel bars/faucets/etc.

Essentially none of the decisions are made, so I’ll be taking you along on that journey. I hope you’ll want to help me make some decisions. It’s been so helpful when you guys speak up with your thoughts on Facebook. So, what do you think? Got any favorite places to shop for bathroom stuff? Any tutorials or inspiration pics? Leave them in the comments below!

Boho Vintage Eclectic Bedroom Sources

September 25, 2015 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Hey Guys!

I don’t know how I’m just getting around to getting this post up. I’ve been flying through all the tutorials because *gulp* I’m going to start posting about our bathroom remodel next week! I’m seriously a nervous wreck with all the things we’re undertaking and have already begun to undertake. It’s quite an adventure!

But back to today’s post- I’m going to share sources for everything that went into our bedroom makeover! In case you never had the pleasure of seeing the before of this space I’ll just shamefully leave this picture here…

But now the space is a wonderful one that I love being in.

So where did I get all of the stuff you see here? How can you recreate the DIYed pieces? What about the vintage and second hand pieces? Everything you could want to know that I can provide the answers to are below.

Boho Vintage Eclectic Bedroom Sources

Table Lamp on dresser– Was bought at Target ages ago but has since been discontinued but they do have a very similar one still available online. The color is less brass and more silver but has a very similar shape!

Geometric Bowl with Gold detail– Also purchased from Target. It’s from the Nate Berkus line and is unfortunately recently discontinued (likely to make room for the new fall line). It’s a rather large bowl, I use it to store rolled up belts, makeup and a spray bottle for the plants in this room.

Tapered Cacti Candles– Scored these candles on eBay, though they seem to be fairly easy to get a hold of. Like this listing on eBay.

Woven Wall Hanging– It’s from @KentHeartStrings_Shop on Instagram. (Don’t quote me on this, but I believe she’s moved to an Etsy shop).

Brass Candlestick Holders– I scored these on different trips to different thrift stores. You can buy them on Etsy but I’d practice persistence and just check your local thrift stores. They’re usually cheap and plentiful.

The Dresser– Scored this and it’s pair on Craigslist. Keep an eye on craigslist. I’ve found them to be reasonably priced and in better condition than the ones that show up in our local thrift stores. You can buy new dressers like the Mid Century 6 Drawer Dresser from West Elm and Mid Century Modern 6 Drawer Dresser from Target and many other retailers, too. Mid Century is still hot right now so it wouldn’t be hard to find one second hand or brand new.

The Rug– I love this rug! I actually moved it in from the living room and think it suits this space so much better. It’s a Target find, clearly the retailer of choice in the space (it helps when you can combine things like 5% discount when using the RedCard and Cash Back from Ebates! Oh an *TIP: Sometimes I shop online and there’s almost always a discount code for what I’m buying, other times I bribe my 3 year old with toys while I peruse the clearance endcaps. That’s why so much of the decor in this space is Target!).

Basket beside Dresser– Sadly another discontinued item, but Target still has many other lovely Nate Berkus baskets. The pillow inside was picked up from an online “handmade in India” shop that has vanished. These ones on Amazon are very similar.

The Bed– It’s an IKEA Tarva Bed hacked to be a bit more my style (Here’s the tutorial– very easy!)

The Nightstands– They’re IKEA Rast Hacks made to look like the West Elm Stria nightstands and made more my style with DIY crystal drawer knobs.

The Bedding– The pillow shams are West Elm, The accent pillow is Target (sadly clearanced out long ago, but this pretty fringe and floral pillow would be beautiful or this African Mudcloth with fringe pillow would be stunning, too), and the coverlet is by Country Living and I picked it up for a great price ($20!) at Burlington Coat Factory.

The Bedside Lamps– They’re an awesome DIY and they debuted as my first contributor post for Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body. I’ve since updated them (as a lady with very little time on my hands, I spend much too much time “perfecting” projects) and I’ve got details about their update in this hanging macrame bedside sconce post.

Picture Frames– Are from the dollar store and are outfitted with candid cake smash in the face shots from my husband’s and my wedding. I’m so happy so many family members had cameras on them and that they were able to collaboratively bestow us with the gift of that memory.

Decorative Box on Nightstand– DIY, here’s the tutorial!

Pothos in Planter– The planter was a gift from my mom and the Pothos is from Lowes.

Curtains– Once again, a Target find! I really wanted to use the Urban Outfitters’ Magical Thinking Macrame Wall Hanging but they would’ve WAY over blown the budget.

Closet Door Paint Color– Clark+Kensington from Ace Hardware, BUT I had the sample made up nearly a year ago and they forgot to mark it. I think it’s Vivid Blooms o9C-6.

Bentwood Stool– Another Craigslist score. Though you can pick one up on Etsy if you can’t find one thriftily.

Pillow atop Stool– Burlington Coat Factory, in store. I think the in store selection varies from store to store but the pillow selection at my store is massive and beautiful (and priced really well!)

Wall Mounted Clothes Organizer– DIY. Come see that tutorial, here.

Hanging Planter– DIY. I love this thing, a lot!

Boho Hand Print– From Minted! I love the expansive collection of Wall Art available through Minted.

Tapestry Curtain– I picked this one up from Amazon. It’s supposed to bring Good Luck (fingers crossed!).

Painting– Thrift Store. Thrift stores are a really great place to pick up original art!

The small chests on the floor were from WalMart and Pier 1, many years ago! You can find similar chests from all the usual big stores. Just check the home accessories and jewelry storage sections.

Many of the stores I purchased items from are Ebates cash back stores. Whenever I shop online, I shop through Ebates (and even have the browser add on to remind me to activate cash back when I’ve skipped ahead to a retailer’s store). I can’t recommend it enough. I’ve used it for years now to save pennies here and there and I think you should, too!

Did I miss anything? Let me know and I’ll fill in any gaps! I hope the list is comprehensive enough and that you’ve enjoyed the transformation. Check out the whole series from the beginning here.

How To Paint A Door Without Removing It From The Frame

September 23, 2015 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Does anyone else do that? You look at something and think, “there’s gotta be a way of doing this without pulling it apart/ sanding it/ or any other normal procedures the rest of the world is telling needs to be done for this process.”

Yeah, I think that about EVERYTHING.

I’m just not a prep work kind of person. I see a door and think, “you would look great in coral, but I don’t wanna pull you off those decrepit hinges or anything.”

So I don’t pull it off the hinges because I’ve already got paint laid out and I’m ready to go. But I realize that getting paint all over the doorknob and frame would be regrettable.

Can you guess what I did? Surely, you’ve figured out what I’ve done.

Painter’s tape! This stuff can keep paint off my ceiling and baseboards, of course it could work to keep paint off of hinges and a doorframe. So I taped around the entire door, even the floor below it. This was relatively easy. I did have to pull off a few extra lengths to be sure everything was secure around the hinges.

The other thing I did to make this the easiest paint job ever was to remove the doorknob. I’ve seen plenty o pinterest posts where people taped around their door handles but I’m not buying it. I’m convinced from other taping endeavors that taping around a round surface is not the easiest way of doing this. Removing the knob is easy.

And the only other thing I had to do was paint the door, taking care along the painter’s tape as I would baseboards or the ceiling.

Here’s how it turned out:

About The Supplies: I use the Frog Tape brand of Painter’s Tape because the first time I painted anything I used the cheapest I could find and still haven’t finished cleaning the mess that made. I’ve also heard really great things about 3M Blue Painter’s Tape, but I haven’t tried it myself. The paint I used here is from the Clark + Kensington line at Ace Hardware. Unfortunately the can wasn’t labeled with the color name but it’s a pretty pink based coral from that line if you think you can find it.

This is definitely a process I will repeat the next time I must paint a door. I’m thinking about painting my front door. I’ve gathered tons of inspiration in a 2 part series and I think it’s left me more unsure of the color I’d choose than anything. But if it weren’t for layers of old cracking paint, I’d definitely tape it off and paint- because seriously guys, so easy! Seriously, go paint a door right now!

As always, I really appreciate you for reading here and I hope you’ve found this post interesting and helpful. Please give it a share and let me know what you think and what color you’ll be painting your next door by filling out the comment form below!