REPURPOSING...DECORATING IDEAS HERE!

[username]

I am in full soup chicken mode with this redecorating shit...

Anyway, I'm kind of trying to be a little eclectic in my daughter's room (half shabby chic/half eclectic fun) so I was looking for "stuff" (God knows what) and I came across this blog/website. We keep our cleaning stuff in the garage but who woulda' thunk a tension rod inside a cabinet...I must use that idea. Maybe I could put one in somehow in our regular closet so my husband could hang his ties from it. Hmmmm.....



Or a dish drainer as file/pencil holder...



Here's the link... Got any other clever ideas? Some of this stuff wouldn't work in the rest of my house (except God knows I could use all the practical storage ideas I can get). Most of my house is somewhere between Tuscan, ugly and practical. I'm not sure I can add re-purposing to that mix but I'm going to have fun with it in my kids' rooms.

http://www.bobvila.com/creative-storage-...deshows#!9

[Maggot]

Cluck,cluck....

[HairOfTheDog]

Sounds like you're having fun with the projects. Always found it satisfying and therapeutic to transform things.

You asked for it!

There are as many things in my house that are not used for their original purpose as there are otherwise. I don't have much money to spend after mortgage, taxes and living expenses in this city, so it's more out of practicality than style for me.

Once we shake our tail feathers and get the nest in order here, I'll post some pics.

[username]

Sounds like you're having fun with the projects. Always found it satisfying and therapeutic to transform things.

You asked for it!

There are as many things in my house that are not used for their original purpose as there are otherwise. I don't have much money to spend after mortgage, taxes and living expenses in this city, so it's more out of practicality than style for me.

Once we shake our tail feathers and get the nest in order here, I'll post some pics.

Yes, yes!!!

I think I did some light remodeling last fall too. Somehow it doesn't "call" to me in the spring but fall is clean out the closets and fresh paint time. It makes sense. You're heading in to winter and you're going to be spending more time indoors than out. Whoever thought of "spring cleaning" is an idiot.

I've fucked up the top of my daughter's white dresser. I sanded it and painted it and the first coat went on pretty smooth but the second coat of paint went on like shit and I have rough patches. I'm thinking about taking some fine sand paper to the rough patches and hoping to hell it just looks mildly distressed. That could be kind of cool. I really don't want to sand the entire top again and start over. In fact, that's not even an option. Buying her a new dresser sounds more appealing.

[username]

Cluck,cluck....

Hurry!!!! This way everybody!!! One day sale!!!!

[Duchess]

Well, since I'm not the first to say it - I love this kind of thing! Repurposing is so much fun! I have an old Prime Star satellite dish on a pole inserted into the ground and it's now a bird bath/ deer drinking station. You'd never know it is an old satellite dish, it just looks like a bigger than average bird bath. It's probably a 4 ft. circle.

I really love spray paint too. Pinterest has many repurposing ideas. I'm inspired every time I go there.

Cluck Cluck

[Duchess]

Hurry!!!! This way everybody!!! One day sale!!!!

[username]

Granted, I bought it, but I just picked up the perfect, little 1940's hanging chalkboard to put above my daughter's desk. It's outlined in a thin beat up steel with a tiny chalk board tray on the bottom.

[Donovan]

I do all kinds of repurposing, learned it from my parents. I actually have to guard against becoming a hoarder for all the stuff I save because I might need it later for something. Shelves and boxes and baskets especially. Coolest repurposed item I ever had was a functional gaming sofa built out of scrap fabric and a stack of one-by-two wood given to us for free. We made that sucker work and it was one of the most comfortable pieces of furniture I ever owned at the time, and all my friends wanted it when I left town.

Right now I have a bit of deer skull with a couple little antlers on it repurposed as a coathook in the boys' room. And a couple of old wrought iron bookshelves got repurposed as entryway shoe holders that work great for melty muddy frozen months and avoiding big ol piles of shoes by the door. Don't even ask about my workshop lol...

[cannongal]

I do a lot of repurposing in my garden. I use things like fireplace grates and open headboards for trellises. I've even used the old fashion baby gates (the accordion kind) to let my beans climb on. I used an old toilet & sink as planters for a season. Tourists actually stopped and took pictures for some reason.

I have a retaining wall that's all tires filled with rock and sand. Vines cover it from the spring to the fall.

[sally]

I don't have a damn thing in my house to repurpose except for my mom's wheel chair in the garage. I cant bring myself to get rid of it. I don't like a bunch of stuff, it almost gives me anxiety.

[username]

Dumbest thing ever but it occurred to me I need to get a plant for my daughter's room. If I really decide to go crazy ( and I don't think I'll have time this go around), I could have white (or other color) washed the chest my dad made her.

I can't plan a kitchen remodel for anything but I think I do okay in teenage bedrooms. We'll see when I post the final pics.

[Duchess]

I can't plan a kitchen remodel for anything

Yes, you can.

If you don't want to tear pix out of magazines then print them off the computer. List what you want in your kitchen. You say you rarely use your dining room so knock that wall out and open up the space. Do you want french doors leading to the backyard? What color do you want your appliances, stainless, basic white, black, etc.? Pick a color scheme.

[sally]

Dumbest thing ever but it occurred to me I need to get a plant for my daughter's room.

Orchids are pretty. I bought a purple one for my bathroom and a white one for the kitchen table from Target and amazingly they're still alive. If you keep them out of direct sun light and water them with three ice cubes once a week they'll thrive inside.

[username]

I am a serial orchid killer. They never survive under my care.

I NEED HELP!!

This picture is my favorite for my daughter's room but I think it's too tall to go over her bed once I put all the linens on. I could put it above the chest (that I haven't white washed yet and may not get to) which is sort of at the foot of the bed so it's to the left of the door. You just won't see it right away when you walk in. What do you think? I have another pic that's smaller and wider I could use above her bed; I just don't like it as much.

Notice the new plant?

[username]

I think I'd have to put it up too high once I get pillows on there. Bummer.

[HairOfTheDog]

If you really want that painting (it's nice) over the bed, I'd hang is landscape with the girl looking up to the ceiling - it would be wide enough and could be hung higher. I don't think there are any rules with art - your daughter my think it's weird though.

But, personally, I like her over the chest - the light and dark colors in the painting tie the warm wood in with the cool walls.

Nice plant - don't neglect and kill it!!

[username]

If you really want that painting (it's nice) over the bed, I'd hang is landscape with the girl looking up to the ceiling - it would be wide enough and could be hung higher. I don't think there are any rules with art - your daughter my think it's weird though.

I think that's really weird.

I'm going to hang it above the chest. It might not be the first thing you see when you walk in the door but she can admire it while she's laying in bed.

Thanks!

[Cynical Ninja]

I do all kinds of repurposing, learned it from my parents. I actually have to guard against becoming a hoarder for all the stuff I save because I might need it later for something. Shelves and boxes and baskets especially. Coolest repurposed item I ever had was a functional gaming sofa built out of scrap fabric and a stack of one-by-two wood given to us for free. We made that sucker work and it was one of the most comfortable pieces of furniture I ever owned at the time, and all my friends wanted it when I left town.

Right now I have a bit of deer skull with a couple little antlers on it repurposed as a coathook in the boys' room. And a couple of old wrought iron bookshelves got repurposed as entryway shoe holders that work great for melty muddy frozen months and avoiding big ol piles of shoes by the door. Don't even ask about my workshop lol...

Undergound overground wandering free, the Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we!

I think the last time Stig of the dump here bought a new item was the first LP by Supertramp.

I had a chair that I turned into a stool which I then turned into tv tray which I then turned into a kind of ethnic hat!

When you are in a thrift store do you only buy things that you can turn into something else “excuse me old lady who works here could this second hand 1970s hi fi with no electric cable or turntable by turned into a laptop if the need should arise?”

[Cynical Ninja]

My top decorating tip is don't do it, hire a painter and decorator chimp like esad to do it for you instead.

Make sure you hide the family silver first though he was a bit of a klepto when he was a kid.