Kitchen Island re-do

It's all done and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. 

This is what I started with - it was fine white but my cabinets are a glazed cream color and the white just wasn't doing it for me. And it just seemed...a bit too...old school maybe. But you know - for something I bought at a garage sale 10 years ago - it's been great. It just needed a make-over!

I wanted a very dark brown - almost black - but I couldn't find that exact color. SO what's a girl to do? Improvise!

Here's what I did. I lightly sanded it down to "rough" it up a bit. 

After that I went over it in spots with a brick red color so that later when I sanded the edges I would get a hint of the red and the white. I like layers!

so then I went over the whole thing in a flat black

And then I went over all of it in a dark, chocolate brown - and got this.

It is the exact color I wanted. I also sprayed some brushed nickel on the knobs and voila - new, old kitchen island that cost me NADA. I already owned everything I used. 

I like that it is a darker color compared to my cabinets. And I feel like it grounds the space more too.

To review - front side

before

and

after

from the side - before

before

and

after

From behind 

before

and

after - I added a chalkboard :) 

I love that too. And so does the 3 yr old!

Thanks for looking!

I'm linkin up!

AND

Letter and Picture Wall

For some time now I've been working on the large wall in our hallway. I had several pictures of our family hung up there but it just wasn't right. You know that feeling - right? It's ok...but just not quite right - yet. 

Well, I saw this post over at Finesse Your Nest and I loved what she did with the letters on the wall of her staircase. I thought it was unique and inspired. So, as all fans will do, I copied the idea drew inspiration from her wall and added the letters in with our family photos. The pictures on that wall were already only in black and white. All the frames are black and at least half were purchased at Goodwill or a thrift store and started out life another color all together - so I spray painted them black. 

I tried to take the pictures without a flash but...there is just not enough light in the hallway because we have an old house and the husband is rewiring the hallway right now. 

See...

That is where the hall light is supposed to be and will be...hopefully...soon.

Anyway - then I picked up the different letters of our names when I saw them on clearance and such and spray painted most of them black and a couple of them Heirloom White - just to break up all the black.

Pics with the flash on

And yes...the dog crate is in the hallway because we don't have any other place to put it just yet....so I incorporated it into the decorating...

And I put a Family sign on it. heehee...you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes - right?

So the next project I'm working on starting today is the kitchen island. It is really a microwave cart and I've been using it as an island. I bought it 10 years ago at a garage sale for $25 and it is by Ethan Allen. It's worked really well but it's stark white. And it needs to be a different color. So I'm thinking I'm gonna paint it black...or maybe a dark espresso color and then sand the edges...

here is a quick before pic....

more to come on this later in the week...hopefully!

I'm linking up with the Talented Tuesday blog party over at My Frugal Family!