The Retail DiYet was Featured!!

My Aqua hutch was featured on the Elizabeth & Co. Blog!

Check out the feature HERE!!

I am so excited and thankful!!

Danielle

Nashville Flea Market

I hope everyone had an amazing weekend.  The weather here in middle Tennessee was amazing!  We definitely got out to enjoy the weather.  On Sunday we met friends and went to the Nashville Flea Market.  It is every 4th weekend (except December when its the 3rd weekend) of the month.  It is a huge flea market and I usually have a few great finds here.  I didn't find any furniture this weekend, which was a disappointment.  Here is E ready to go--she is just too cute!

 Like I said, the Nashville Flea Market is huge! I wish I took more photos.  Next month! 

 I love these old soda crates.  I am thinking of planting flowers/veggies/something in them in my yard.

 I scored these awesome books from the 60's.  I must have 8 copies of Paradise Lost and 2 or 3 each of Keates and EBB, but I couldn't resist.  My book collection is still in Philadelphia.  Don't judge, but almost every time I go home I "visit" my books.  I love being surrounded by them.  One day I will move them down here.  It's a massive collection, and there is no way I can fit them and my family in the car, but maybe every time I visit I can bring one container back with me. 

 The hubs found this lamp.  I love it, but was being practical when he first saw it and was like "Where the heck will that go", but he convinced me we could find a place for it once I clean it up and fix a few parts and get a shade.  It didn't take much...she is quite the beauty don' t you think?  People were passing us and remarking on how cool of a lamp it was.  I am sure my hubs was smiling to himself because he found it and not me!

It's not much for a whole day worth of shopping, but maybe next month.

I hope you all enjoy your day.

Dani

Trying out CeCe Caldwell's Paints

I love painting furniture.  I love design.  I love being creative.  I can't remember a time when I didn't.  When I was young, I was always trying to make my room look different by changing it around.  I  get that from my mother--every single time I go to her house the furniture in at least one room is different.  I remember lobbying for my own room in the attic when I was a teenager.  I sketched a whole layout including where the outlets should be, the color of the rug, what I'd put on the walls and where I'd put my furniture.  I begged for dark green rugs, white bedding and ivy stenciled on the walls.  After a while of submitting proposal after proposal to my parents, my bid was accepted.  My dad dry walled the walls, had carpet installed and my mom stenciled the ivy along the walls.  I had my own retreat and I loved it!

Thankfully I've come a long way in my design aesthetic!  I strive personally and professionally when I am in an environment that fits me and makes me comfortable.  Since leaving Los Angeles and moving to Nashville I have been incredibly happy.  I love decorating our cabin in the woods (technically we live in the city, but to me a creek on one side, river on the other and 2 neighbors I can see constitutes living in the woods!).  The hubs and I have been working on our master bedroom for a little while trying to decide what to do with it.  Our house was built in the 30's and is part of the Arts and Crafts Movement.  It really is cozy and wonderful, but there is wood everywhere.  The floors, the walls, the doors, the windows...good, solid wood...not cheesy paneling.  Its gorgeous, but we really have to bring in some light colors to brighten the space.

I found this dresser at goodwill for $49.00.  It's more than I usually spend on furniture at the thrift store, but I went for it.  In comparison to what you'd find in the stores, its a steal.  And its wood--solid--not some wobbly, falling apart piece of particle board.  Sturdy and HEAVY! Trust me on that one.  We had to carry it from our basement out and around our house in through the front door because the stairwell in my basement was to tight to fit this.  Here she is before...

And here she is after...

For this project I used CeCe Caldwell's paint in Vintage White.  I recently heard of this paint from Mr. Smith @ TheSmithGarage.  He does a lot of great stuff--check him and his lovely wifey @ The Smith Hotel..
I love trying new paints and I liked this one. It was a little watery at first, but once had it open for a while it got a little thicker.  Cece Caldwell's has no VOC's, no odor and is non-toxic.  It is naturally GREEN and seriously has no smell.  Have any of you used it?  For the handles I sprayed them with Rutsoleum Spray Paint in Copper.  I really wanted to replace them but they are 6 inch handles and I couldn't find any I liked, but its still a possibility. 
Danielle
Linking up to these fabulous parties!

Frugal Firday @ The Shabby Nest
Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed
Frugalicious Friday @ Finding Fabulous
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Show & Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Weekend Wrap Party @ Tatertots & Jello
Fab Not Drab @ Our DIY Diaries
Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Free for All @ Young & Crafty
Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane
Cheap Finds & Transformations @ The Scott's Crib
Just Something I Whipped up @ The Girl Creative
Manic Monday @ Serendipidity & Spice
Nifty Thrifty Sunday @ Nifty Thrifty Things
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Piece of Work Wednesday @ Primitive & Proper
Wow Us Wednesday's @ Savvy Southern Style
Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Client Pieces

We were so excited to receive our newest commissioned furniture refinish project.  Here are a pic of the two dressers before.  Once I saw them I got a little nostalgic.  Doesn't every child who grew up in the late 70's/early 80's have memories of this type of dresser?  I had a hand-me-down set from my cousin and when we got them I though it was the coolest thing ever!  My parents still have the tall dresser, which is similar to this one, in their attic.  Once my mom saw these two pieces refinished she decided to pull that old dresser down from the attic and try a little magic of her own.  I'll post pics when she is finished.
Here is the before of the tall dresser...

 Our friend and client, Kara, picked her two colors from the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint line.  For the chest of drawers she picked the lovely Duck Egg Blue.  This was the first time I used the Duck Egg and I loved it.  I really wish these pictures did these pieces justice, but the basement isn't the ideal place for a staged photo shoot!  K said she would send pics once they are all set in their new home. 

 Here is a close up of the detail.  We did a gentle distress and added new hardware. 

 The picture below doesn't quite capture the color right--it looks a little light, but the above one is right on!  Such a serene color and perfect for the Master Bedroom at a Beach House!

 The hardware adds just a little bit of softness. 

Below is the long and low dresser before...

 We used Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Versailles for this one.  This is such a great color for a children's room...and an even better color for a children's room at a beach house.  I think K picked the absolute best colors for these two pieces.  The color in the below pic is more true than the one of the actual dresser, but again, lighting in a workshop basement...not ideal!

 And here is the finished dresser.  We used a more modern, clean pull and I think they turned out great! 

I'll be sure to post pictures of these two beauties once they land at their beach retreat this summer!

Danielle

Hutch in my FAVORITE color!

Once you've been around here for a while you will see a pattern.  I love the color blue....all shades--I don't discriminate!  Light aqua all the way to dark teal...you will see many pieces in this color.  I'm warning you now. 

I found this piece at one of my favorite places--Goodwill!  It was a "Blue Tag Special"-50% off!  I ended up paying $19.00 for this solid wood hutch.  It had 3 different types of handles--Three of them were eagles--yes, like the bird.  Who does that??? 

A steal at $19.00!

Love the detail

I gave her a light sand and then primed her.  She received two coats of Rustoleum Spray Paint in Aqua.  The same color as my sisters side tables and dressers .  I love the coverage that spray paint gives.  If you haven't tried spray paint dont be afraid!  Just keep spraying in a continuous motion side to side.  Start and end OFF of the piece. 

Sometimes I just paint the old hardware to give it a new life, but these needed to be changed.  I opted for these crystal knobs from Home Depot.

 The square white plates are from Crate & Barrel and the awesome funky plates were a wedding gift from a great friend.  They are Villeroy & Boch and I adore them!!  I love the color, shape and everything about them.  I picked up the blue plate at a student pottery sale at Penn. 

 Those beautiful hydrangea's are my valentines flowers.  Simple and beautiful!  Love it!

 My lovely neighbor gave us this beautiful handmade bowl as a wedding gift.  I absolutely love it and its one of our favorite gifts. 

My hubs picked up this deer skull at an antique store.  I like the look, but I still won't pick it up...I make him move it and clean it.


Danielle
Linking up to these fabulous parties!