Furniture makeover inspiration.

I just came across this desk makeover on Design*Sponge. I was planning on doing a bit of thrift shopping for a dresser for the baby's room tomorrow, and this before and after has me even more excited to find something I can really fix up.

Whatever I find, I want to use a punchy color, as the walls in our house are all white. Cross your fingers that I'll find something wonderful I can work with for a great price!

Making a table pretty.

{After}

The boys who lived in our new Ohio digs before us left lots of stuff behind. Including, but not limited to, a nasty sofa, a box of old records, and this (formerly) gross side table in the basement. After being reminded of it's existence in our home, I decided to clean it up and give it a new life.

Before being wiped down, (above and below).

I thought that the brown streaks were results of years of built up grime. However, after scrubbing it down, I realized that someone tried to antique the thing using brown on white. Who would do that? It just looks dirty!

After two coats of paint it looked great! The first photo is in it's new home in our bedroom. Now it needs a nice comfy chair to be its friend.

The best part is that I spent no money at all!

Making the pantry pretty.

(after)

Yesterday I decided that I could not and would not live with the scary and mouse poop infested pantry in our new home any longer. So I put on some gloves and got to work. Here are some photos of my progress.
(before)
I started by peeling away layers of paint and old wallpaper. I really just focused on the parts that were already peeling or chipped.

Next I peeled off the three layers of ancient contact paper that lined the shelves. Here is what was beneath all of the sticky stuff. ECK.

First coat of paint. I did two coats total.

I got two sheets of this colorful citrus wrapping paper made by Iota when we first got to Columbus, not really knowing where it would be used. I think this is the perfect place for it.

Guided by the natural line of the pattern in the paper, I cut out strips to use for each shelf.

After the second coat of paint dried, I applied the cut out paper using spray adhesive. It worked beautifully!

Here is my happy and welcoming new pantry! Free of mouse poop!