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Announcements and Entertainment Center Remake

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Amy

Hello! First of all, what a week last week. Christy completely surprised me with her sweet post on my birthday. I was at Terry’s enjoying the champagne breakfast she hosted for me when I saw a facebook comment about it on my phone. My husband and I read it together a bit later, I was definitely crying and he was, well, happy to be included in the love fest! What a birthday it was, I am the luckiest girl to have these friends :) and your sweet comments made my day!

Well today I am going to get back to what we try to do best, talking about furniture and home stuff. Before I do that though I have a few quick things to mention. First, upon hearing that Google Reader was ending, I started using BlogLovin’ and I LOVE it. I just wanted to throw it out there, and I know that there are many ways to keep in touch with your favorite blogs but if you haven’t tried it, click HERE. You can search by blog name and add it to your feed, then when you visit the site you have a nice list of all recent posts. They also send you a nice neat email everyday with everything. It just makes my life easier (and more inspired!) so I wanted to share it with you all. Thoughts?

Second, we are CRAZY excited to be a part of BlogHer’s review team for Mary Kay Andrews new book–she just writes such fun ‘chick lit’–and this book is written about a DIY/Home Blogger! { you can pre-order it HERE if you are interested} Without giving anything away just yet, the book is called “Ladies Night” and so, of course, Terry and I decided we needed to host another Ladies Night in the book’s honor. Our fabulous friend Janet offered to have it at her lovely store The Empty Nest so we hope anyone in the area will come out and share in the fun. We’ll have lots of drinks, yummy eats and a super creative craft project, all essentials for a Ladies Night, right? Its scheduled soon at The Empty Nest in Warrenton. Stay tuned for more details via our facebook page or email us at 11magnolialane@gmail.com and we’ll put you on the VIP invitation list {just kidding, no list, all welcome!}.

OK, NOW back to our regularly scheduled programming! I am slowing making some changes around my new house, because we are still “renters” here I am taking my time about making many changes to the house. So, in order to make my home feel more like me, I figured it was a good time to work on some of our current furniture.

The “Before”…

Even though the colors in our family room here are very different then our last very white, house, my furniture seems to still work OK with the darker walls in this house. Since this is a two-story room, so we won’t be painting it anytime soon even if we buy it. I had planned to refinish our TV entertainment center to a Restoration-like gray in our last home, but never did and once we got here the obvious color choice was cream. So, I picked up some Annie Sloan Old White from Janet last week and got to painting.

The internet doesn’t need another “I painted with chalk paint” so I will skip right to the “Afters”…I still haven’t waxed it, but it brightens up the whole room. Its amazing what a bit of paint and a few hours of time does, isn’t it?

Here is the real reason the room works better now, not to give you vertigo, but this is the shot from our open hallway above. The room is now balanced with the cream colored couch and directly across the cream colored console. I feel much better and as with most projects, I wonder why I didn’t do it sooner?

Have you painted anything recently?

Thanks for stopping by~

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Posted in DIY, Furniture, Home Inspiration, Projects & Printables | Tagged chalk paint makeover, console makeover, cream, diy, entertainment center, furniture makeover, paint, white | 1 Comment

The Paint Colors at 11 Magnolia Lane

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Amy

We frequently get emails asking what paint colors we’ve used in various rooms in our homes so I thought I would pull them together in one post for everyone’s reference. Choosing paint colors is tricky, and it’s always helpful to see how the colors look in someone’s home first. We haven’t always gotten it right {like I wrote about here, though this color has grown on me and I don’t plan to repaint} but we’ve nailed down a few of our rooms with paint success stories for your reference.

So here they are, in no particular order, and I have linked the post on the room for more information on sources, etc.

Craft Room Makeover, {Post HERE.}

Color: Apple Blossom by Benjamin Moore {Natura}

Christy’s Dining Room, {Post HERE}

Color: Sherwin Williams Fawn Brindle {half strength}

Christy’s Kitchen Makeover {Post HERE}

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Waynesboro Taupe

Cabinets: White Dove

Amy’s Master Bedroom {Post HERE}

Wall Color: Dutch Boy Driftwood Gray {Refresh Line}

Terry’s Dining Room {post HERE}

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter {Dining Room}

Terry’s Baby Nursery {Post HERE}

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Moonshine

Amy’s Dining Room Ceiling {Post HERE}

Ceiling Color: Martha Stewart {Behr} Salt Water

Christy’s Bedroom {Post HERE}

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Pebble Beach

Amy’s Laundry Room {Post HERE}

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Windy Sky

Christy’s Daughter’s Room {Post HERE and update HERE}

Wall Color: Behr Iconic Sky

I am realizing we paint quite a bit and may need a Part 2 post! But that’s a start. If I forgot a room you are curious about just let me know.

Do you have a favorite “can’t miss” paint color? I’d love some suggestions!

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Posted in DIY, Real Spaces | Tagged favorite paint colors, paint, paint colors, room makeovers | 1 Comment

DIY Vintage Sign

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Amy

I have wanted a vintage “Groceries” sign to hang over my pantry just like Christy had over her wall calendar but haven’t been able to find one. So, I decided to make one. This actually was a part of the chalkboard paint projects we recently posted about on Tatertots and Jello, but I never actually included it in that post so the project debuts here today!

This is a very easy way to make a sign, I know there are lots of other ways–stencils, vinyl etc. but this is a way I came up with since I don’t have a vinyl machine nor did I have the right size stencil.

I used this exact same technique to make this “Easter” sign last year for my mantel.

My technique is SO simple. First, I used either a ready made plaque (from Michael’s) or just a scrap board (from Home Depot) and painted it. The black paint on the groceries sign is actually black chalkboard paint, my daughter painted this scrap piece of wood while I painted the board for my DIY Huge Giant Chalkboard last summer as her keep-her-occupied “project” so it just needed lettering.

I used these simple paper die-cut letters, I got these at Michael’s several years ago and have used them for tons of projects and they are the perfect size for a 3 to 4″ board. You just place them on the board, spacing as equally as you can.

Then just trace around each letter with a pencil.

After that, I just painted the letters using a small paint brush. Even though I used chalkboard paint, I used regular white craft paint to fill in the letters on the “groceries” sign. I did two coats of paint for this one because the white looked a little thin.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, if you go slowly its not too difficult to stay in the lines. As you can see, I used a very fancy paintbrush–I think this one came out of my daughter’s $1 watercolor set?

I would like to finish this sign off to make it look more “vintage”, maybe with some light stain or some dark wax to tone down the white letters a bit, but that won’t happen until the boxes with those items are unearthed. If I do, I will be sure to update and let you all know if it worked.

In the meantime, this little sign is now just hanging there over my pantry. Easy!

Is anyone doing anything fun this weekend? I have more painting to do in our new home but can’t seem to motivate!

XO,

Sharing this at Serenity Now.

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Posted in Crafts, DIY, Projects & Printables | Tagged diy vintage sign, groceries sign, kitchen, make a sign, no vinyl sign, painted sign, pantry | 2 Comments

How to Remove Vinyl from Walls and Doors

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Christy

Remember for awhile there, when everyone was putting big, long sayings on their walls? Bible verses and cute phrases like “Always Kiss Me Goodnight,” and “Happily Ever After?” I had one on my kids’ bathroom wall reminding them to Brush, Rinse, Flush, Floss, and a few other things–now THAT was useful! Anyway, I think there’s still a place for vinyl in the home, and trust me, I use lots of it still (there’s an enormous three-initial monogram on the wall above my bed, for example), but if you’re wanting to take your vinyl down in some areas to keep your decor cutting-edge , then you may be wondering if it’s really as removable as we were promised that it is!

I’ve been waiting for warm enough weather to paint our front door. Our house is on the rental market, as most of you guys know, and an immaculate front entry is key to curb appeal. First step, though, was to remove my cute vinyl house numbers from the door:

Sadly, vinyl is removable, but not reusable, so don’t think you’re going to be able to move it somewhere else or put it back up later.

Using a hair dryer set to medium heat, warm the edge of the vinyl until a plastic spatula or putty knife can lift up the edge. If you don’t have a putty knife, maybe a credit card, or even a razor blade? Be careful that you don’t scratch the wall with the razor blade, though!

Working SLOWLY, peel the vinyl away. If it starts to resist, just shoot it with the hair dryer! Be patient and remember that it’s better to go slowly than to have to spackle a wall!

I was favorably impressed with how my door looked when the vinyl was off. You can barely see the outline of the numbers on the right side of the door, but after I wiped it down, I realized that was dirt and/or pollen, and not adhesive residue. I had planned to lightly sand any glue away before I painted, but it wasn’t necessary.

I forgot to snap a picture of the door after I painted and before I reapplied the vinyl, but it looked perfect. I could easily have left the door vinyl-free, and no trace would have remained. But, since I loved those door numbers, I cut a new set and reapplied them. Just a side note; the font is different. I bought the original set before I got my vinyl cutter and while I like the original font better, this one is just fine for now!

The bottom line is that the vinyl held up perfectly for almost two years, and then was easily removed without leaving a trace behind. And while removal was slow and steady, it was also easy. Two thumbs up!

Thanks for stopping by.

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Posted in Before and After, DIY | Tagged how to, remove, vinyl | 4 Comments

How to build a {DIY} Giant \ Huge \ Wall Chalkboard

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Amy

This is hands down my most favorite project in my house.

Maybe ever.

It wasn’t hard, nor expensive and it provides not only organization for me but fun for my kids. And it’s most certainly a “conversation” piece.

Last summer I built this giant chalkboard for my wall between my dining room and kitchen, across from my butler’s pantry. I had to hold off showing it on this blog thanks to the interest of a lovely magazine scout, but since our house will likely sell before we could fit in a photoshoot {sniff sniff}, today I am revealing it in all its glory!

I think the hardest thing about this project is finding a large empty wall to use.

This space wasn’t large enough for any shelving so putting up a giant chalkboard was the next logical choice, right?

{Maybe not if you had asked my husband!?}

Obviously there are easier ways to do this project then the route I went. If you are lucky enough to have flat walls, you could tape, prime and paint chalkboard paint on the walls and then just trim the space out. I had to go the extra step and prime, paint and tack up a smooth chalkboard-painted piece of wood thanks to my ultra-textured walls which there is no way you could write on. It’s also good in that I can pull it down in case the next owners of my house don’t want a giant, huge chalkboard. I don’t really know why they wouldn’t though?

So, I used a very thin, lightweight plywood board {cut to size at Home Depot}, primed with spray primer then covered it using a foam roller with multiple coats of chalkboard paint.

There was one obvious issue with the space I had in mind. The lovely thermostat right in the middle of the wall.

I used a jigsaw to cut the hole in the board, I measured several times to make sure everything would line up correctly. School was out, so I had a great helper.

I then primed and cut to size some lightweight molding to trim around it. If you are intimidated by a power saw I can tell you that I used a miter box to cut the trim. Its a bit of an arm workout, but anyone can do this, no power tools (or gym trips that day) necessary.

My plan was to cut trim to build a frame around the thermostat, but in an effort to save myself anymore sawing, I decided to search my attic for a frame that might fit instead. Luckily, I had one that worked perfectly–it fit like a glove, it’s not even glued on–and it probably looks more polished than one I would have built.

We make great use of this space: for coloring, for lists of things to do, or inspirational quotes. I am refining my “chalk art” skills and while, of course, I aspire to have lovely works of pinterest-inspired chalk art on it, in actuality, it’s a great space for the kids to color and receive gentle reminders for them from me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharing this post at~

Tutorials & Tips at Home Stories A to Z, Tuesday’s Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Wow Us Wednesdays at Saavy Southern Style.

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Posted in Children's Activities, DIY, Home Inspiration, Organization, Projects & Printables, Real Spaces | Tagged chalk paint, chalkboard for textured walls, diy, diy chalkboard, frame a thermostat, giant chalkboard, hallway decor | 12 Comments

Ruler Growth Chart

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Amy

While I am slowly starting the purging, organizing and packing process that proceeds a move, one project I had to complete prior to leaving our home was to make a portable growth chart.

Soon after we moved in–it must have been all these plain white walls just calling out to me–we started marking our kids height on the wall next to our refrigerator. They have grown a TON this year, we’ve really gotten a kick out of looking back on how little they were when we first moved in this house not even two years ago.

So, not wanting to leave that precious little snapshot of their childhood behind, I had to move making a ruler growth chart from the “when I get to it” pile to the “today” pile. These abound on the internet, I think Pottery Barn might have originally introduced them but who can keep track these days?

My neighbor Ani has the most fabulous one. I pretty much knocked her version off because it already seemed perfect. Though when I went by to photograph it I realized hers is all cool and muted and distressed…of course it is, she is cool like that! This is hers below…

But for my version, I did this project fast, cheap and easy–the best kind, right? After all, I have boxes to get to packin’! Home Depot sells these boards already cut to size. I went with a 6′ board since my son is already the tallest kid in 2nd grade, so better to be safe then sorry, right?

I spray painted the board with heirloom white, giving it just a few quick coats so a little of the wood grain would still show through. Then, after measuring out the numbers, I used stencils to mark the numbers along the edge. I just used a black sharpie to color inside the stencil, and it worked perfectly.

Because my baseboards take up about the first 4 to 5 inches, I started my 1 foot closer then 12″ from the bottom, that way I could hang it slightly above the baseboard and be 12″ off the ground.

I just marked in pencil my kid’s height and age, matching what is on my {soon to be former} wall and I know we’ll keep going with it once we’re in our new home. They grow so fast, don’t they?

Thanks for stopping by!

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Posted in Children's Activities, DIY, Projects & Printables | Tagged diy, Kids, Kids crafts, project, ruler growth chart, spray paint | 1 Comment

Painted Tile Backsplash in My Kitchen–A Year Later

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Christy

First of all, we have a giveaway winner. Thanks to all who entered the giveaway for the vinyl house numbers, and congratulations to Kathy S., who said, ”Love following you on Pinterest..such a neat idea!!!!! Would love a set of these house numbers!” Well, girl, it’s your lucky day. Check your inbox because I just messaged you. To everyone else, thanks for playing. We’ll do another one soon, okay?

*******

If you’re like me, sometimes you wonder how projects hold up over time. Remember in late 2011, when I decided to paint my ceramic tile kitchen backsplash on a whim? My reasoning was that it was going to be torn down and replaced anyway, so why not try to paint it first? I had nothing to lose, after all. It’s been almost 18 months since then, and I’m happy to report that it still looks great and I still love the look. The photos above and below were taken today, and the backsplash still looks terrific.

If you haven’t read the saga of my kitchen redo, Part 1 is {here} and Part 2 is {here}. If you’ve been following for awhile, then you know that the finished product caught the eye of Bonnie Broten, editor at Better Homes & Gardens Kitchen + Bath Makeovers, and the kitchen was photographed for the Spring 2013 issue. I announced that big news when I showed you my pantry redo {here}. By the way, the magazine is due out on newsstands literally any day now, so keep an eye open for it!

When I finished part 1 of my kitchen redo, the tile backsplash was its original brown/tan color. Here’s how it looked:

It was okay, but not great. Our previous home, in North Carolina {here}, had white subway tile in the kitchen, which I loved. I planned to take this tile down and put that up, but then I decided to paint it first, just in case I liked it and could save myself some time. I’m so glad I decided to give it a try!

Here’s the after, part 2!

I talked about the process in Part 2 of my kitchen post, and here’s the section about painting the tile:

“After I painted the walls, I turned to the backsplash. I read up on painting tile, and decided that I really had nothing to lose, because I was already planning on taking the backsplash down. Why not try to paint it first and see if I could save time and money? The brown of the tile really clashed with my countertops–they have some brown in them but they’re really more gray. The warm and the cool tones right next to each other really bothered me (my husband thought I was nuts about that, although he admits that he likes the result).

First, I scrubbed the tiles really well. TSP works great, and I also used rubbing alcohol to degrease the tiles. Next, I had to wait a day or two before priming to let the grout dry (I HATE to wait to start a project!). I tried to sand the tiles but they were too hard to really get roughed up by the sandpaper, so I was sure to use a primer for glossy surfaces that specifically mentioned ceramic tile (Zinsser Bulls-Eye 123; although sometimes I use their oil based primer in the gold can, too). I primed with one coat, and then applied two coats of oil-based paint. I bought a quart of Behr from Home Depot, tinted to match White Dove at half strength. I used a brush to prime and paint–you really have to work a bit to get the paint into the grout and a roller just wasn’t cutting it. Plus, I have some decorative tiles that needed extra attention. While I think I should add a clear coat at some point, I’m really happy with how it’s turned out, and I’ve been able to wipe splatters off without removing any paint.”

Here are a few more “after” shots, taken today.

I have NOT put a clear coat on top of the oil-based paint, and I haven’t needed to. I chipped a tiny piece of paint away when a silver platter hit it, but I filled that in with some extra paint and it covered it beautifully. To clean it, I just used a damp sponge, although if I have a lot of splatters I use a spray cleaner (I make my own or use Method ones) and the abrasive side of the sponge. Splatters and grease wipe away easily and the oil-based paint is incredible durable.

The bottom line is that if you want to paint your tile, then I think it’s an incredibly fast, easy, and inexpensive way to change things up a bit. Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for stopping by!

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Posted in Before and After, DIY, Kitchens | Tagged backsplash, ceramic, durability, kitchen, painted, tile | 7 Comments

Spring Front Porch in Greens and Burlap

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Christy

At some point, I should publish a list of all my front porch posts, because there are quite a few. I LOVE to change things up on the porch for different holidays and seasons. After taking down my Valentine’s wreath after that holiday, it was time to decorate a porch in a way that would take me through until spring. Since we’re putting the house on the rental market in just a couple of weeks, I wanted things to look clean, crisp, and welcoming. Here’s what I came up with:

Last spring, I also used a combination of bright green and burlap; and you can read about that HERE. The green cushions I used last year were Goodwill purchases and did not survive the summer (too much sun fade), so that’s why you don’t see them again. This year, the green comes from florist’s moss, in the “B” on my door, and in the moss sphere in the urn. The “B” was SO easy to make–the tutorial is HERE–I just posted it last week. Amy posted the tutorial on the moss ball HERE and it was a little trickier because of the shape, but not by much.

The white urn was a Goodwill find, although the tag on the bottom says it was originally from Kirkland’s. I’ve been toying with spray painting it black. Any thoughts?

The house number porch pillows are an easy project–I just slipcovered existing pillows using the tutorial I posted HERE. The polka dot cushion is from one of my favorite Ebay stores–I buy all my outdoor pillows there, and the old window is from the Nashville flea market. The chandelier is from a yard sale.

I also planted some white violas in my two black urns–it’s still cold out, but it’s warm enough for them! I added sphagnum moss and tiny grapevine balls for visual interest.

The black wicker chairs are from a yard sale. I scored both of them for $5. They just got a new coat of black spray paint (I respray them pretty much every year) and they’re good to go for another season.

The plant stand is from Hobby Lobby, a few years ago. My little old wicker table finally died this winter, so I spray painted this guy black and put him out there to take its place. I need a little table to hold my coffee or wine (depending on the time of day while I watch the kids playing out front.

In the end, probably what made the biggest difference was that we trimmed all the bushes in the front and spread new black mulch. Well, my husband trimmed the bushes and spread new black mulch. I was busy doing something else (maybe hiding in my closet?).

Anyone need to rent a house in Nashville with a sweet front porch and a whole lot of chandeliers inside? Just give me a yell!

Happy-almost-spring, and thanks for stopping by.

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Posted in DIY, Home Tours, Porches, Real Spaces, Spring, Yards and Landscaping | Tagged Burlap, Monogram, moss, Porch, topiary | 8 Comments

DIY Moss Letters–Bring a Burst of Spring to your Front Door!

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Christy

I don’t know about you, but I have an almost pathological obsession with taking down my holiday decor. Today is February 15th, and the few red and pink Valentine’s Day items in my house go away TODAY! Yes, I have a hard time leaving my Christmas decorations up until New Year’s, but I force myself.

Since I’m taking down my decoupaged hugs and kisses XO wreath today (read about that HERE for next year), I needed something to replace it on my front door. And since it’s mid-February, for those of us here in Tennessee, it’s almost Spring. So, what better color than green for the front door?

Pottery Barn sells their moss letters for $79 a pop. Of course, theirs are LIVE moss, but even so, that’s a little steep for me. I completed this project for about $17, and that’s including the cost of a glue gun and hot glue sticks, which I already had on hand.

Here’s what I bought at Hobby Lobby:

The big wood letters are $12.99 at Hobby Lobby; I bought mine on a 50% off week. It’s 18″ high. The sheets of moss are $7.99, and I used my 40% off coupon. I also bought a roll of burlap ribbon there for $2.50, since I had just cut up the last of my old grain sack from the flea market.

Amy talks about covering a sphere with moss HERE, and I just followed her directions, which are basically cut the moss to fit, glue it to the form, and cut slits to make it lay flat. I copy all of her ideas eventually, anyway. Did y’all know we were college roommates? Sometimes I think we’re twins separated at birth because our taste is pretty much identical, but I digress…back to the moss! I think the moss is very easy to work with–it’s so forgiving since it doesn’t show the seams when you glue in a small scrap to fill in a spot. However, mark my words, it makes an absolutely gigantic mess! Be prepared to vacuum your counter, your floor, and yourself when you’re done! I only had half a package of moss when I started this project, and I ran out part way through. I hate when that happens!

Um, yes, I covered a sphere with moss and stuck it in an urn. Amy told me to! And doesn’t it look great?!

After an emergency stop at Hobby Lobby, where the manager knows me by name (it’s like when Norm used to walk into Cheers, if you’re old enough to remember that), I plugged in the glue gun again and finished up the project. Here’s what I wound up with:

Here are a couple of tips:

Run the moss around the edges of the letter. Mine covered all the unfinished wood. I guess to save a little on moss/glue/work, you could also spray paint your edges dark green, but I think this looks better.
Save all the tiny pieces you have left over from trimming the moss; you can glue that on your letter in any gaps you see and no one will be able to tell. Or, use it on the next project.
I used the burlap ribbon to dress things up a bit; however, the letter is actually hanging on a metal wreath hanger. The burlap hides it, though. I formed a bow through trial and error (there is NO method to my madness when it comes to bow-making) and secured it with florist wire). As an aside, I really, really like the burlap ribbon I bought at HobLob!

That’s it–easy! I’m probably going to put this letter on the front door and take the moss sphere and the urn out there, too. I already have a big wooden “B” on the old window hanging on my porch, and that would be redundant, so that’s going to go on the screened porch for awhile, and I’m going to hang a grapevine wreath in its place. I’ll let you see a few pictures when I’m done, either in a post or on our Facebook page.

What do you guys have on your front porches these days?

Thanks for stopping by!

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Posted in Before and After, Crafts, DIY, Porches, Spring | Tagged diy, initial, letter, Monogram, moss, tutorial | 21 Comments

Dining Room Update–Painted Curtains

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Christy

I posted on my dining room back in October {read that post HERE}. It’s the first room you see when you walk into my house, and it was my least favorite. I couldn’t allow that to happen! So, I sold the rug and window treatments on Craigslist, painted, hung open shelving, turned two art prints into chalkboards, recovered my piano bench with gray chevron fabric, painted an old metal stool metallic silver, and stuck shelf paper on the door panels of the serving buffet. Phew!

The lady who bought my window treatments through Craigslist was super-nice. She liked the way I had decorated my house, and wound up being my very first decorating client. Hi, Tina!

As a random aside, the stuff I sold on Craigslist more than covered the cost of the paint and supplies I bought to redo the room. This is a very important point, and I’m throwing it in here specifically for the benefit of my dear husband (who reads all of my posts) and who probably wonders why I have to redecorate rooms more than once. See, honey, it didn’t cost a thing!

Here was what I started with:

Dining room “before” at 11 Magnolia Lane

And here is how it looked when I was done with it. Harley is sorry he ripped the antique hooked wool rug.!

Dining Room “after” at 11 Magnolia Lane

The only thing that was left was window treatments, but as Christmas was coming at me like a speeding bullet train, I had to put them on the back burner for awhile. Here was what we stared at for a couple of months:

Window area in dining room at 11 Magnolia Lane

Part of my goal for this room was to make it look more casual. Dining rooms are rarely used anymore for very formal dinners–the way we eat and entertain has certainly changed over the last few years, hasn’t it? I decided that the horizontally striped painted curtains that I’ve seen all over Pinterest would be a great, inexpensive way to add visual interest and tie the room together.

I bought the cheapest white panels at Target that I could find ($15 for two panels). In hindsight, I should have spent $30 on the fabric that was a smooth cotton duck because it’s easier to maintain a line that doesn’t bleed, but that’s okay. I was after quick and cheap here, not perfect!

Using painter’s tape and a level, I taped stripes that would be approximately 9″ thick. I wanted a gray stripe at the top and the bottom, to ground the drapes, so I did the math accordingly. I also put a big “X” in the middle of the stripes that I needed to paint so I wouldn’t get mixed up (this has been known to happen on rare occasion). Note that the stripes don’t look even, because the tape goes inside the line on the stripes that stay white and makes those stripes look smaller. Does that make sense?

Dining room drapes taped for painting

Then my daughter and I painted for awhile (!). I used Fawn Brindle by Sherwin Williams–remember, I used half-strength Fawn Brindle on the dining room walls, so this was slightly darker. A contrasting color stripe would have been cute, too, if I was using an accent color in this room. Yellow, anyone?

Dining room curtains--painted in stripes

It took those suckers awhile to dry, and when they did the dried paint was stiff! I used the wire drapery hangers (Hobby Lobby, $2) to hang them onto the curtain rings. You’ll see that I kept my heavy black rods and rings when I sold the original drapes on Craigslist–oftentimes the drapery hardware is more expensive than the window treatments themselves!

Even though the stripes aren’t quite perfect and there’s some bleed-through, I love them. A $30 fix was exactly what I was after. Since we’ll be renting this house when we move this summer, I won’t feel bad leaving $30 window treatments behind if the tenants want to keep them.

Here are the after shots. I actually really like the way the sun shines through the stripes.

Striped painted window treatments at 11 Magnolia Lane

Dining room at 11 Magnolia Lane

If we were going to be here longer, I’d buy a new rug–maybe jute or seagrass–and paint the table and chairs, but for now I’ll wait until we’re in our next house. The movers always mess up my furniture, anyway, and the dining table might not even survive the next move.

That’s it–what do you think? I’m always amazed and you can really, truly, paint almost anything.

Thanks for stopping by!

christy name pic

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