Makeover Inspiration for Found/Thrifted Pieces
Hey, remember me?I'm that girl, with this blog, who hasn't written in what feels like weeks?Yep... that's me! Apparently going on vacation takes a lot out of a girl, you know? That reminds me - thank you all for the sweet feedback on my obscene and excessive pictures of the trip, which was AAAAAAMAZING, BTW. Posts will be coming to blog near you soon.Let's get to the matter at hand today. I have been thinking a lot about what to do with my office and the spare bedroom and I recently cleared some of the clutter and moved a few things around, so the rooms are starting to take shape... but there's just one problem: every single piece needs a makeover! With the warm weather coming, I'll soon be able to take these outside and throw some paint on them, which is super exciting!! Here are the pieces and some ideas of what I want to do with them.
In the office
Follow The Learner Observer | Thalita Murray's board Office on Pinterest.
There is no shortage of inspiration on Pinterest, and my "Office" board is by far one of my faves! I'm specifically interested in making this space girly because it's the only room in the house where I'll be able to unleash pink and gold and white... and I can't wait!
I found this desk on the side of the road once while out for a walk around our neighbourhood and naturally I asked Alex if we could have it. He loves free stuff as much as I do, so we got into/onto our car and drove home.... very slowly! It's solid, huge, and I love it! But it can't stay this brown and nasty forever!
I've debated painting it white (duh... my instinct is to do that to EVERYTHING). I've also debated painting it a fun colour, but now that I have actually been sitting at it for a while and put some pretties on it, I do sort of like the idea of a wood top for it, so here is where I'm currently at:
The first photo was one of the originals to inspire me to go for white, and I love the gold-dipped legs! It would certainly make sense for a girly space. Number two is totally on the opposite side of the spectrum, but what I love here isn't so much the styling (though it is beautiful, it wouldn't be the right look for my office). I do love the drawers in a different colour as a pop of colour, so that might be an option for my own desk. The third photo is definitely light and airy, and yet the wooden desk grounds the space. I love the natural wood tone and that other pieces are white around it. The last one is a recent pick and I am obsessed with that white top! I could see this mix working well for me because I like the thought of the wood to warm up the space, and the clean white top is ideal for me since I am so keen on white surfaces.
A filing cabinet was always a must for us because as many of you know, homeownership comes with a boat load of paperwork that you just have to keep, and then silly things like filing taxes and blah blah blah... Anyway, there's a lot of paper to organize! I was on the lookout for a second-hand filing cabinet for a while - preferably not just a flimsy metal one - when I saw this one at Value Village! I knew it was a keeper, and for $20, I couldn't leave it behind!
Sorry about the super grainy iPhone photo! You can see that this thing could use a little sprucing up, right? They grey is a little warmer and darker than it looks in the photo, and I think I'd prefer it not to be 3 separate colours. Off to find inspiration again...
Can you tell I'm going for white? I love the mix of white and gold in the first two images, and the added details as well. The third option is not a DIY, but it makes me think that adding some trim around the drawers could make this filing cabinet a little prettier! The stenciled look is gorgeous! I'm not sure it would work with my cabinet, but it's definitely on my mind. One thing I know for sure: I need to add either legs or wheels to the cabinet. The added lift and not having a solid piece directly on the ground makes it feel lighter, plus the wheels would make it super easy to move around.
Spare bedroom
This dresser was another free find! Alex found this one all on his own and brought it home for me as a surprise. Isn't he just the best? I know, right? This piece is currently in the office, but I think it will go in the spare bedroom once it's done.
I do like it white and gold (I know, shocker), but I might make a few small changes to it since it definitely NEEDS some love. It's either colour, or keep it white. I really have no idea where to go with this one, to be honest! Here's what's catching my eye:
Stair landing
As we're finishing our stairs, I can't help but think of the details, like lighting. II have had this chandelier for months now, but I can't decide what to do with it! It was a $15 purchase at our local ReStore and I luuuuuuuuuurrrrve it!!!
It's REALLY hard to find a photo of exactly what I want with this chandelier, but basically the just of it is I either want to paint it black or paint it gold and I definitely want some cooler bulbs for it.
The initial plan with this bad boy was to paint it black, but the longer it sits in my office, the more I love the brass. Plus, I might as well take advantage of the fact that it's in right now, right? The mercury glass treatment isn't something I've fully considered, but I like that it would make the light softer in the upstairs landing and the stairs. The globe light bulbs in the third photo are perfection! I have wanted those for this chandelier since day 1!! The last photo is a great example of what this fixture would look like if I did... absolutely nothing to it! I;m also considering adding in the pieces that make it look like the lights are candlesticks. That's a thing you can do, apparently, and I think it would be awesome!
Alright, I have no more makeovers. That's it for now. Here's my request from you - please do weigh in on what you think the best choices are! I'm a little lost with some of this stuff, as you can see!
Hope you're having a great Monday, lovelies!
