More Play Space

Another way to refresh a space is by changing up your pillows. They don't have to be elaborate or fancy just because they are custom. I love making pillows. Maybe because I love fabric and this is the only way I can use all kinds of patterns and textures and prints together. I love the way they can change the look and feel of a room within a matter of minutes.

Here are the custom pillows in our play room. All I had to do was find black, white and lime green fabric!


Another easy refresh on an old stool.

We made the news...

Well we made a newsletter!
One of Raleighs best real estate agents (for legal purposes I guess this is where I have to state that it is my opinion), Jennifer Perkins listed us (with a link!) as one of her trusted resources in her monthly newsletter!

She turns to us, when looking to Refresh & Repurpose her own home! Nice to know because we turn to her when looking for "all things Raleigh"!

You can check out her Raleigh blog Home in the Triangle! Oh look, she blogged about us too! She has a great eye for good things...including houses! So if you are looking to buy she's your girl!

Functional Storage

I love storage. I love pieces that are functional. So when I find a piece that does both it's a no brainer! It's coming home with me!

Living in Boston provided many great things. However tons of square footage was not one of them. So, everything had to function.

My roommate went and bought a blanket chest like this one & I stained it.

Picture from Sanford Unfinished Furniture


Since our days there it has been around the block. Literally. As well as Chicago, back to Boston, Raleigh, and now Denver.

It has been re purposed many times over. A footrest, blanket storage, Christmas storage, a coffee table, an end table, clothing storage. Most of all it has been loved.

What's your favorite (non kitchen) functional piece?

In love with Young House Love

I came across the blog of some fellow DIYers John & Sherry awhile ago. It's phenomenal! I read it every day. And since they mostly post twice a day...I find myself reading twice a day.
I am not sure what it is about their blog. The way they write makes it feel like you know them and are having a conversation with them. They have been in their home a few years now and have added a baby girl. Somehow they still find the time to complete projects AND blog about them! Their sponsors have some great discounts available to YHL readers!
It only makes me wish Chad and I had started a blog about our home! Oh the things people would learn about us!

Outdoor Cushions

My friend Jessica had these great outdoor chairs that she got for a great price. Problem was she couldn't find a cushion ANYWHERE that fit. The chair was straight across the back and curved up front. It also had a slight flair.

This is where I come in! I find out what exactly you want. I can find your fabric, give you places to find fabric or you can bring me the furniture and fabric!

Below is what you will get in return:

Fabric you like

The exact size you need, no settling

Custom design & Quality work

Will work with your budget

Handsome design assistant price varies by day not for sale!!

Potato Sack Pillows

I'm working on a "farm" room. It's coming together pretty nicely and I can't wait to share the final look! Hopefully after Thanksgiving.

I went out to investigate a new (to me) antiques place here in Raleigh. I fell in love with it. They had a ton of great stuff. They redo furniture as well. You could buy pieces as is or finished.

One thing I found was a bin of potato sacks. Immediately I knew what I was going to do with it! Pillows! What else?

Here they are cut and ready to sew

Sewn & Stuffed



For whatever reason, I felt compelled to do a little whip stitch at the top. I think it add a little cuteness. I wish that it was a little more noticeable!

That, my friends, is how you refresh a potato sack!

Dreamy...

Anyone else receive this dreamy piece of mail recently?

As usual it is filled with amazing things that get me excited about decorating and the magic that is Christmas!

I always do a quick flip through and then a detailed scan of every page. The mantels, the walls, the linens, the table decorations. Everything is bright and cheery and red and has glitter!

I am ready to go upstairs and take out our elf. One becuase how exciting is the Christmas season and Two, it's never too early to remind the boys that Santa is watching!

(Picture from PBK.com)

What pieces will you be refreshing your mantle with?

Let there be light!

Our play room needed some light. Again, I wanted it to be fun and of course cheap!
I found these lamps at the thrift store. I love the roundess of them. They are exactly what I was looking for!

Of course, keeping them brass was not even an option. It had to be green, it just had to be!
Then it needed a shade. Since I didn't want to carry it around, I came home with a few options. Now it has the shade, but is it too plain? I was thinking some green pom poms grosgrain ribbon or ric rac. What do you think?

I am loving this green refresh!
The sister lamp you will see in a room refresh that is coming much later!

Just Frame It

Our house was a DIY dream. Slowly but surely we have worked our way through a list of projects! We have learned many things, sometimes too late.

One of our first was replacing a vanity in a guest bathroom. It was much higher than the one we took out. Which means the mirror that was above it, no longer fit. Oops! We called and called. No one would cut the mirror for us. And no one, including the habitat restore would take it!

(Side note: I am an expert at wallpaper removal, email me if you need tips!)

It sat in our garage. Like a lot of projects it sat there for quite awhile. Until I decided that we needed it in our dining room!

With some help from my trusted carpenter husband and a miter saw we had a new dining room mirror!

Dining Room Chairs

A girlfriend of mine fell in love. With some chairs. Or I should say, their potential.

I was so excited that she asked me to do their refresh! I was also thrilled to use this fabric! Since this project it has been spotted everywhere (including Coastal Living magazine)!

The fabric on these was actually thumbtacked on?! And the seats were actually vinyl at somepoint!

Now they are updated & refreshed!

Fun Fabric!

A friend gave me this fun fabric....

Now what should I create with it? It's got a great hand and it's heavy! I would even dare to call it reversible!!
Pillows would be fun, but predictable.

What would you like to see refreshed?