how i paint my furniture part one.

sharing one of my favorite hobbies with you today...painting and antiquing furniture! almost any old, ugly or well worn furniture can be transformed with a little paint and a little labor. i know there are so many  great blogs out there on how to paint furniture, but i have had many friends ask me to teach them how i have done mine, so i'd thought i share! 

back in my junior year of college my parents let me take a lot of their old living room furniture with me, as well as a dresser that i used growing up.  i also found an old, junkie desk in a family friends garage that i stripped, sanded and painted....with my dads help of course. i'm blessed to have been raised by the most handy man of dads who has taught me how to do many furniture rehabs.  

and what's the greatest thing about painting old furniture? saving lots of money. my coffee table, two living room side tables, dining room hutch, bedroom dresser and desk were all given to me for free! my antique dresser that is in my living room, which i use as a tv stand, my sister bought for only $25 at a garage sale! it's my favorite piece of furniture which i never plan to get rid of!

if you're wanting to give it a try i recommend you hop around to some garage sales or frequent your local goodwill or consignment shopt to find a fun piece to start out with.  that's half the fun. i get giddy when i find a neat piece of furniture that i know can be made pretty with some paint! like my now, custom french arm chair and ottoman. my sister found the pair for me at a resale/consignment shop in Tyler for around $90. i painted and antiqued it myself and then sent it off to get it reupholstered (that i haven't learned how to do yet, nor do i have all the tools needed for re-upholstery...one day). fabric and upholstery is not always the cheapest route to go, but i now have a one of a kind chair and ottoman that i will forever love and it's neutral and small enough to go in just about any space...like my master bedroom one day!

okay, so onto the pictures, paint colors and techniques.....

i prefer to use all sherwin williams paint (because that's what daddy does). oil based with a satin finish. if sherwin williams doesn't have your perfect color then you can bring them a paint swatch of any different brand of paint and they'll match it for you. that's what i had to do for my coral hutch and the color turned out perfect.

this oval coffee table was plain, oak wood.  i first painted it red for my house in college station. when i moved to my first apartment in the woodlands i gave it a new look. i primed over the red, painted it this lovely turquoise color and applied an antique stain on top (i'll explain how to antique furniture later) i finished it off with a clear polyurethane coat to protect it and make it look polished and clean. with the black and white striped rug underneath, this table is the perfect pop of color in my living room! love the statement it makes.

(please excuse these not so great iphone pictures)

 these two black living room side tables were also the same oak color as the coffee table when my parents used to have them...from the 80's i'm sure.  the oak furniture needed a good sanding first to prep it for the paint.  also i didn't want to prime these two black side tables because i wanted to give them a distressed look.  after the two coats of black paint dried i used a fine piece of sand paper to rough up the edges and let the natural wood show through. to finish these two tables off i added a clear coat of polyurethane. when working with polyurethane, be careful not to shake around the can.  it will cause bubbles and will not apply smoothly. i use an angle flat brush to apply the polyurethane.

let me add that this tufted, velvet ivory sofa i bought brand new for $300 on woodlands online. score! sprayed a couple layers of scotch guard on it and it has remained clean and new looking.

this is the beautiful, antique dresser that my sister found at a garage sale for $25. so grateful she decided to pass it on to me. this piece i know will be used in many of my homes for all different purposes. that's why i decided to keep it a neutral color. i used dover white from sherwin williams on this dresser as well as some of the furniture in my bedroom. i started with a white primer first, then two coats of dover white and lastly one coat of espresso colored antique glaze. the antique glaze is valspar brand and i bought it at home depot. you apply it with a hand brush and then wipe it off with a clean, damp, *lint free rag. apply it light or heavy, just depends on how "antiqued" you want it to look. 

i had planned to buy all new hardware from anthropologie or world market to give it an update, but couldn't find the correct size...anywhere!  so i just decided to spray paint the original brass hardware with a venetian bronze color. i was pleased with how it turned out!

these two arm chairs i bought from my sister for $50!  one day they will probably get some paint and will be reupholstered but for now they're fine. i really like symmetry in a room, so they work perfectly beside the antique dresser.

 before

after

here's a before and after of my $90 consignment store, french arm chair and ottoman. totally transformed and now one of a kind.  the fabric i bought at calico corners in dallas. i saved some money by getting it reupholstered from a guy in tyler instead of here in the houston area. i spray painted the chair first, leaving the old fabric on it, then applied an antique glaze.  the chair and ottoman were NOT easy to glaze.  notice the tiny details and cracks.  i had to use a q-tip to apply the antique glaze in the small detailing. it was worth it...i think.

i sometimes choose to sit on the sofa across the room just so i can stare at this pretty chair...just kidding. :) but it does remind me of one i saw in the ballard designs catalog which cost around $1200.  in the end my total came to about $500 including purchase of furniture, fabric, paint and upholstery. it helped that i completed the project a little at a time so i didn't "break the bank". one day it'll probably end up in a reading nook in my master bedroom. i finished the chair and ottoman off with some scotch guard as well. i swear by that stuff. 

stay tuned for part two of how i paint my furniture.  i'll also include paint colors and show you a pic of what brushes i used.
xoxo,
elizabeth

supper club tablescapes.

i love hosting and having friends over.  supper club has been something i look forward to each month and gives me a reason to fancy up the table.  decorating is one of my joys and a creative outlet. and who doesn't enjoy gathering around a lovely table; laughing, talking, sharing and enjoying life together! 

mexican themed. my fav. to celebrate my 27th birthday.

complete with margaritas and enchiladas. yum.

christmas party. cookie and ornament exchange.

hot cocoa bar. milk with cookies. poinsettias (champagne & cranberry juice)

 joy. christmas cookies.

friendsgiving inspiration.

found these pretty paper goods at home goods which inspired me to spray paint gold leaves and add gold glitter to white pumpkins. added some mercury glass votives and it all came together beautifully!

this is my favorite tablescape so far.

friendsgiving::gather together and give thanks.

white and gold pumpkins, pine cones and acorns.

our thankful tree. little notes hung to remember all we are thankful for.

october supper club.  i love pumpkins.

 i found the neatest real pumpkins grown on a stem at trader joes. they were so pretty.

next months supper club will include everything spring-y. i've been eyeing the Oh Joy collection at Target each time I go...stay tuned for how I incorporate it into my next supper club tablescape.

thanks for stopping by.

xoxo,

elizabeth

easter and a recipe.

I sure hope you all had a blessed Easter weekend with friends and family. Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  How forever grateful I am for the gift of Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate sacrifice and laid down His life so that we may be set free! He is RISEN. Hallelujah and thank you Jesus! 

How adorable is this Easter bunting banner?  Me and my sister found it at Target for $6 and the letters are embroidered! So cute.

I spent Easter with my sweet baby nephew, Grant Ryan who is four weeks old.  He's perfection. 

Love him so much!  

 I did some Easter baking this weekend and found a new recipe for the most delicious homemade buttercream frosting!  These Easter cupcakes turned out so pretty and were super easy to make! To save time I used box mixes that included pudding which made the cupcakes moist. The buttercream frosting was what made these cupcakes irresistible! I topped them off with some coconut and Cadbury milk chocolate eggs. Yum!

 Blake loved the cupcakes too!

Recipe for the most amazing Buttercream Frosting!

Yields 4 cups

Ingredients: 

1 stick salted butter-room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter-room temperature

1 cup shortening

1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract

2 pounds confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)

4-6 tablespoons cold milk

Directions:

Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl. Add the clear vanilla extract and combine well.  Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition.  After all of the sugar has been added, begin adding the milk...one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition. Enjoy!

On Sunday afternoon we went over to a close family friends house for Easter dinner and an egg hunt for the kids!  My dad is so funny and creative and is always thinking of fun ways to make new memories.  This year he dressed up like the Easter bunny and surprised the kids with money eggs during their egg hunt! He even made his own bunny ears and costume! 

Our Grampy is the best!!

Two of my favorite Easter traditions that we always did growing up are dyeing Easter Eggs and decorating Easter cookies. It was a sweet and fun time doing these two traditions with Blake and Luke! 

My beautiful sister Ame is such a wonderful and loving mom.  I have learned so much from her by how she cares for her three boys and serves her family. Sweet baby Grant is now four weeks old! 

xoxo,

Elizabeth

supper club.

Supper Club:: the idea to get all my best friends together in one place:: a great excuse to decorate and set a pretty table:: delicious food, dessert and wine:: and the best part, lots of laughing and sharing!!

Thanks for coming friends!  Already looking forward to next month's "Friends-giving"!

sneak peek of our new townhome.

At the end of June I moved into a new townhome with two new roommates, Katie B. and Katie C.! They are a blessing to live with and I'm excited for all the new memories we will share in our new place!! It has been fun to decorate a new space and I have enjoyed using decor I already had in a new way, as well as finding some new things to complete each room!  I found the coolest sunburst mirror (trend right now) on sale at Target for the living room, as well as two new mercury glass lamps for each side of the sofa!!! I also repainted and antiqued an old teakwood hutch that my mom passed on to me!  It is coral, girly and fabulous!  I styled it will a lot of my fun Anthropologie dishes and coffee mugs, cake stands and platters! Here are a few sneak peek pictures of our new home....

Welcome!!!

New Nate Berkus rug from Target

New Pottery Barn duvet cover for my bedroom...I bought the PB picstich quilt last year with the hopes of investing in a new duvet cover later on.  PB was having a sale a few weeks ago and I got the duvet for $70 and shams for $25 each!! I love a good sale! Soon me and my father are going to make a DIY upholstered headboard! Can't wait!!

I found this small bench (pictured above) for $47 since it was missing some bolts.  You can't see the legs of it but they are wrought iron and compliment my hardware on my desk and dresser as well as the L-brackets on the shelf above my dresser.  The bench looks a little Restoration Hardware and I'm on the hunt for a charming chair to place beside it on the foot of my bed. 

Love this new chevron print I found at Home Goods to add color to the shelf above my TV in my bedroom!

Old teakwood hutch that my mother passed on to me.  It required A LOT of primer!

Before::

After:: Color is Behr "Youthful Coral" paint, but I like Sherwin Williams so I had them match the color and used a duration paint with satin finish.  Then I put an antique glaze on the hutch to tone down the bright coral.  I'm happy with how it turned out!  It's fun and girly for now and one day I can use it in my little girl's bedroom for books and toys!

This is probably one of my favorite things about our new house! I also had fun making that chalkboard on the right side of the hutch!  The perfect place to write menus, greetings or memory verses/quotes! 

My favorite french arm chair that I painted and got reupholstered last summer.  Looks great beside the secretary desk my mom gave me. The pillow cover is from World Market ($13 on sale) and the coral ombre throw blanket is from Target and my sister bought it for me as a house warming gift!

Sunburst mirror from Target.  Lamp and coral lamp shade from World Market. I switched out the black knobs for new mercury glass knobs from Hobby Lobby. (One is missing in this picture bc I dropped it and it shattered, it's been replaced since.)

Beautiful mercury glass lamps from Target.

The lamps complete the living room!! Love how the textured shades match my ivory sofa. I love me some mercury glass!

Upstairs nook before and after....

Bookshelf styled.  This was fun to do and I love how it turned out. The bookshelf is actually Katie's and she wants me to help her repaint it ivory!

Cute little reading nook that is near mine and Katie's bedrooms!  Katie bought the chair from Home Goods. We still need to decorate the walls...I'm thinking about framing a world map.  I also recently added a lamp to the side table which brightens up the space. Take a look at Katie's new Anthropologie desk chair....so fun! 

Hope you feel inspired to decorate!  I'll post the rest of the pictures of our new house soon!! 

Love,

Elizabeth