My Laundry Room Makeover

I am so pleased to finally reveal my Laundry Room Project....

My Resources are listed at the bottom of this post.

I started off by tearing out all of the shelves using a hammer and crow bar so I can get a clean slate.

 My design process varies. 

I can start with a paint color, a swatch of fabric, an inspiration room or a decor item. In this case I had a picture from pinterest from 

www.cityfarmhouse.com 

which originally came from

http://thefancyshack.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-laundry-room-makeover.html

I love everything about this room. I seriously tried to duplicate this but my ceiling was much higher and it didn't look right when I hung my curtain all the way to the top. So I studied the photo to get an idea of how to duplicate the feel of the room.

I knew I wanted a curtain, shelves and space in the center for decorative items. So I started there.

My process continued in this order.....

1. I Painted the walls

2. I bought and hung white shelving and metal brackets 

3. I shopped for fabric which I found a shower curtain that I cut and hemmed to fit the space. I installed the curtains using a tension rod that was thin enough to hide along the edge of the white shelf.

4. Then I started decorating. The walls looked really bare once the shelves where hung up so I decided to add an architectural element to the space by using old ceiling tins. I spray painted them silver but that didn't look right so I repainted them off white and distressed them a little.... 

5. I hung up an old window that was given to me by my cousin who also gave me the barn door that I built my porch hutch out of. The window size was perfect for the right wall but it looked really plain when I hung it up so I decided to add a cotton field picture to the back of it. The print was a little too narrow for the window so I cut it down to fit in each square then taped them in using duct tape.

6. I attached a metal hook to the bottom of the window for hanging wet clothes on. I spray painted it yellow to make it stand out. Then I added the metal letters on top of the window that I also spray painted yellow.

7. I already had the metal bucket with the flowers and the attached graphic on it in my entry so I just moved it to the top shelf. 

8. I continued looking around for things in my attic and my garage that I had collected from yard sales and estate sales over the years that I could use as decorations for the top shelf.

9. I found the washboard, wood cutting board, cross, metal bird and the "color outside the lines" sign. I just started setting things on the shelf until it looked right. I could see that I didn't have anything yellow on the shelf so I painted the wood cutting board, glued the metal cross to the center and attached an old metal face plate to the top. I used a coupon to purchase the "Laundry" sign and I made the hydrangea arrangement. I used a mason jar dispenser to store my fabric softener in.

The clock on the right side I found for $3.00 at a garage sale!!

I have to say I really enjoy how it turned out. This space makes me smile every time I see it.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my Laundry Room Project.

Stay tuned for another room reveal coming soon....

My Resources

Paint Color: Valspar - Carolina Inn Club Aqua

White shelves and metal brackets: Lowes

Curtains: World Market 

Antique Tiles: Old Home Supply in downtown Fort Worth

www.oldhomesupply.net

Cotton field photo:

 http://www.canstockphoto.com/landmannalaugar-12291023.html 

Metal hook: Lowes 

WASH letters: Hobby Lobby 

Metal bucket graphic: www.thegraphicsfairy.com

LAUNDRY sign: World Market

Hydrangea arrangement: flowers and container from Michael's

Mason Jar dispenser: Walmart

Rug: Burke's Outlet 

Front Porch Project

Custom Built Entry Hutch

This is one of my favorite projects!

My cousin gave me an old horse barn door a while back and I held on to it until I knew what to do with it. Then one day I came across 2 pillars at an estate sale and the idea came to me to somehow build a hutch with the door and the pillars. 

So I first attached the door in between the pillars using L brackets. Next I built the top by doing what made sense to me. I attached a 2 x 4 to the back at the height I wanted the top to be. Then I laid the whole piece down with the front facing up. I made a rectangle attaching 2 x 4's to the sides and the front using wood screws. After I got the top rectangle made I repeated this process on the bottom. Then I attached more 2 x 4's as legs to support the top. 

Before moving to the next step I lifted the whole piece up. To create the bottom shelf I added more 2 x 4's on top of the rectangle. To create the table top I added 2 larger pieces of 1 x 2's. I finished it off by adding wood trim and paint. 

I am not a carpenter but I sure think I am! I really had no idea how I was going to put this all together but somehow with the help of L brackets and screws it all came together and it is quite sturdy. 

You don't have to know how to do something in order to do it, just go for it and when you get stuck watch a YouTube video or ask for a little help. That's my motto!

After I got it painted I liked it for the fall because it matched my fall wreath but this spring I didn't like how the colors looked with the brick, so Deanna (my sister-in-law) showed me a new product of gel stain by General Finishes.

I'm not much of a gel stain fan, but after using it to re-stain my coffee table I decided to try it over painted wood. I figured if it didn't work I would just replace the wood on the top. 

To my amazement it really turned out looking like stained wood. I just wiped a large amount on with a rag, dragging the rag from right to left until I got the desired look.

 

This metal door mounted on the top of the hutch is from an old oven Russ found at a garage sale for $3!!!!!

I managed to attach it using hooks, I screwed 3 into the wood, then placed the door within the hooks and added the 4th hook by using E6000 glue. It's not going anywhere, I'm not sure what I would do if I needed to remove it...

 I found this adorable metal table at a garage sale, thank you Dena! The white bucket came from an estate sale the same weekend we worked on this project. I added other items I've collected over the years including an antique porcelain insulator from New York, thank you Lisa, and a black pump thank you Mom! 

 Since watching Joanna Gaines on the Fixer Upper paint just about every brick house they redo, I'm just about ready to do the same to my house. 

I am not one of those people who think " O you should never do that "... if it isn't the right shape, color, or style I am willing to redo it any way necessary to make it look just right.

I never liked our brick color but I picked an accent color that gave enough contrast and interest to this space. My front door is a mixture of colors. I used a turquoise base color then white washed it and added touches of gold paint to the edges.

I decided to paint the inside of the barn door the same base color as the front door and keep the metal table the same color it was when I bought it. I love how it all goes together.

These are a couple of homes I'm looking at for inspiration... 

This one is from the Fixer Upper Labeled--The Chicken House

This next one is from Beneath my heart.net

I love the light main color with a pop of color as an accent. 

Thank you for stopping by to view my front porch project. I hope you find something here to inspire you with yours....

Antique Alley and Magnolia Market trip

In April my sister-in-law and fellow project buddy came to Texas for a visit. We took her to Antique Alley for some much needed, well junk...

 If you have never been I highly recommend going. It's a LOOOONG garage sale along Hwy 4 outside of Cleburne, TX. Numerous dealers pile up in various fields along the road.

Click on the link for more details.

 http://antiquealleytexas.com/

This is me styling in my rain boats, they are the BEST shoes ever if you are going to do a lot of walking. I can't say that enough. My feet weren't even sore after walking ALL DAY....

This is Russ enjoying his seat in the back listening to his favorite tunes. He enjoys going junk'in with me but his purpose is to find a gem he can sell on ebay which he usually does.... 

Here is Deanna waiting for me to catch up....I don't know where she gets her energy, she can outlast me any day....

I  found a few great things. It looks like they are kitty approved...

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my treasures yet but that just means another project for the future.

After spending the day here we spent the night in Waco to visit Magnolia Market the next day.

I was very excited to see their new Garden center. It's wasn't open yet but the yard sure looked complete.

They have Goats there too!!!

What a great weekend. After getting back home Deanna helped me do many projects at home. We re-stained my coffee table, replaced the front door hardware, repaired a crack in my walls and ceiling, cleaned on my attic and garage, and gave my front porch hutch a makeover. Those were just my projects, on top of all that she made a sign and decoupaged a case she bought at Antique Alley.

Wow I'm tired just typing all of that....

Thanks Again Deanna! I couldn't have done it all without you.

Wash tub Herb Garden

Garage Sale Find Wash Tub

 turned into an Herb Garden

This is my first attempt to grow an herb garden outside. Years ago I tried to grow an herb in my kitchen and the pot filled with ants so I hung up my green thumb for a while, hopefully this time will be more successful. 

I lined each bottom with trash bags after poking holes in them. I added 3 empty gallon water containers to the bottom of each bin. I then added organic garden soil and planted my herbs. I put 4 per bin after reading up on the amount of space they will need.

I first planned to put this in my back yard but Russ (my husband) thought it needed to be seen more. After much thought I decided to go for it. I had to remove 2 large boxwoods from this space in my flower bed which was quite a big job. Thanks to my chainsaw and a lot of elbow grease out they came....

I've been collecting metal tubs and water cans but haven't know just what to do with them. After placing the wash tub here I had a great space for the large bin to fill with flowers. I love geraniums they add the right texture and color to this hard metal background.

I still want to add a few other things to the space, maybe a sign to the front of the wash tub and a growing vine to the brick wall behind it. 

Once you start decorating even outside there is always room for more. Keep layering until it feels just right for your space. Yards and porches are no different.

My next post will be of my front porch....

Room Makeover for a Women's Shelter.....Center for Transforming Lives

www.transforminglives.org

I have been very busy this past year, really too busy doing projects that I didn't have much time to write about them.

My first project to share with you took place last fall. I had the privilege of doing a room makeover for this very incredible organization called Center for Transforming Lives (formally the YWCA). They provide so many different programs for homeless families. Their motto is to move women, children and families from poverty to independence through housing stability, affordable high-quality child care and financial empowerment coaching.
They have 3 businesses that help support their organization. The Resale shop, a catering company and a wedding venue called Historic YWCA.

I first found out about this organization a few years ago. I was working on a project in my garage, as I grabbed for a newspaper to use I noticed the front page had a story about how a women's bible study did a room makeover for this organization. My heart leapt for joy when I saw this. I had to find out more about this so I called them immediately. Come to find out in my excitement I didn't notice that the paper was several years old. The woman I spoke with said they now have tours of the facility so I found out when the next tour was and went.
I knew when I was there that I needed to do something to help but at the time I wasn't in a position to do a room makeover so instead the women in my bible study made up a large gift basket for incoming women. It was filled with toothpaste, women's products, laundry detergent, etc.
In January 2015 I felt lead to start working on a room makeover. So I started asking for donations and started searching garage sales and estate sales looking for decor items.
Some people may think this isn't a necessity for homeless abused women but when you come into a safe serene environment it starts to melt the anxiety away making room for their personal transformation to begin.
I have never been in a situation like this. I can't imagine how it must feel to have no family or home and to live on the streets exposed to all kinds of harm. If all I can do to help is create a nice room that will help to restore their dignity and give them a comfort they haven't experienced in a while maybe never, then that's what I want to do......

So to get started I prayed and asked God to direct my steps and bring all the items together. Boy did he! I want to give a very special THANKS to the staff there, my husband, my mom/her boyfriend, my Aunt Deloris, and my friend Nancy. Without all of you I would not have been able to pull it off!!!

The neatest part was the color scheme. I didn't know at the time that they were changing their name and logo which happened to be the exact colors I used in the room....but God sure did.
That's what is so fun about letting Him lead your life. He really knows how to take what we have to offer to bless others around us.
I was so excited to see it all come together, I couldn't have done it without everyone's help. Thank you all so much!!

When I got started I was so excited I forgot to take before pictures so this is a picture of the room next door.

This chair just appeared on my door step during my gathering stage of this project, maybe by a neighbor who knows I redo furniture. Thank you so much to whoever left it! It sure made a great impact on this space.  All it needed was a little spray paint and removal of a blanket stapled over the fabric. 

Helping me here is Alisha.

I love her story how she came to work here. After graduating college she wasn't sure what she really wanted to do. She found out they were looking for volunteers so she reached out to them for an opportunity to help out where she could. This turned into a full time job as the volunteer outreach coordinator. She does a great job! She really helped me so much in the project. Thank you Alisha....

Her story is inspiring. When you first leave college, trade school, or high school it can be difficult to find your way in this world. All of us are made for different things, just start somewhere and see where it leads.....

 If you are looking for a place to donate items or money please consider the Center for Transforming lives.