Office Makeover Part I

For the last couple of weeks I've been trying to help my latest client makeover a family office. Erica's project started with one oak desk but it quickly turned into a complete floor to ceiling job. Lol! An entire room transformation doesn't happen over night or without a cost, so we've really tried to incorporate a lot of her belongs. In today's post I'm going to give you a sneak peak of a few of the pieces I've created or tried to reinvent for Erica's space in this makeover process.

Their office is a fairly good size space off the dining room. Other than Paris Grey desk I'm redoing... the main focal point of the room is going to be a wall collage. Fun, right? My client's husband happens to be an avid hunter. Luckily, we found a rack of antlers in their attic and plan to make a collage around them. (Note:  It's always good to get your spouse on board when it comes to redecorating. #bribery/brownnosing.)

Every modern day office space needs a chalk board so that's where I started.

Erica already had a square frame that was the perfect size for the project.

I used a gold Rub'n Buff to give the frame a completely new look. 

 Then I spray painted the insert with Valspar Chalk Board Paint and seasoned it 

(as they say).

I gotta tell ya, I'm not thrilled with this brand of chalk board paint. 

Well, I was... until I drew a wreath on it with a Chalk Board Marker and it would NOT come off. UGH! What a crock! 

I've never had that happen before. 

Back to the starting board
(no pun intended).

The next piece I made for the Erica's office was a burlap cork board.

 For this project I bought a standard cork board at Walmart, 

wrapped it in burlap fabric...

and gave it a custom finish with nail head trim.

Every modern office needs a cork board!

 

I absolutely love the look of the nail head trim. Don't you?

One of my favorite elements of the collage wall will be the custom art work. 

Erica is a mother of five beautiful children who will use this office on a daily basis. 

The space has to be kid friendly. 

We're in the process of scanning and framing 

artwork from each of her children for the collage wall. 

 

 Of course the wall will also have those extra little touches

that will make the space unique...

and bring it all together.

 I'm just so excited for Erica!
I know it's going to be awesome.

She deserves a space that is a reflection of her family's style, 

their interests, and unique personalities.

Now on a side note,
I have to tell ya this photo shoot almost cost me my LIFE tonight.
(At a minimum it damaged my vocal cords.) 

You guys know I always take my blog pictures outside, right?
Yeah...it's a lighting thing.
Anyways, there I was
 pounding nails into the old barn wall
and I look down to see a blessed mouse at my feet!
#!*#$#
 

If you know anything about Wendy Sudbeck,
 you know that I am deathly scared of mice.

 I tell ya I screamed loud enough to be heard in the next county. 

Ugh!
I hate, hate, hate mice.

As Kelli Grube would say, 

"I was pick'n em up and put'n em down, folks!" 

 Needless to say,

I'll be self medicating tonight.  

LOL!

As always thanks for reading 13CCF. Stop back next week to see Part II of Erica's office reveal.

~Wendy

Rescued Victorian Dresser Refinished in ASCP Arles

As a school based SLP, I often help students grasp the meaning of figurative language. "One man's trash is another man's treasure" is certainly a fitting idiom for this week's post on 13CCF.  My latest client, Nancy, had the good fortune and foresight to rescue a handkerchief dresser from the dump recently. What a lucky find! The dresser's finish was marred with age but drawers were in fairly good shape. The piece just needed some new hardware, a little wood to balance the legs, and of course, a fresh coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Wax to bring back its beauty.

Here's a BEFORE picture of the piece:

Here's the FINAL product after a coat of Arles chalk paint:

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So what'cha think?

IKR!
I love it!

The dresser looks so fresh and alive again.

Arles is one of my favorite ASCP colors.
It truly works miracles on old and tired pieces of furniture, 

I love it when my clients say,
"Just do whatever you think is best. I trust you."

For this piece I thought it was important to highlight the aged wood and detailed carvings.

I didn't want this piece to look NEW.

And I certainly didn't want it to look like it had a fresh coat of latex paint on it.

The goal was to make it look like it had been painted
a sunshine yellow 80 plus years ago by someone's great-grandmother.

(Less the lead...Ha!)

You can make that happen with chalk paint and waxes.
You can't with latex. At least I never could.

Whether this dresser is from the Victorian era of the 1800s
or a reproduction from the 1930s,
it has obviously survived the

40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and the start of a new millennium.

It's an antique now and

it'll never going to go out of style again.

Ever!

How cool is that????????

Awesome save, Nancy!

As always, thanks for reading 13CCF. If you want to bring a little sunshine to a piece of furniture in your home let me know. I'd love to help you make that happen!

~Wendy

Chicken Wire Lamp

What's your design style? Our house is basically mixture of styles. The exterior of our home is a traditional ranch style (low profile, big windows, etc.). The basement pretty much looks like a log cabin (stone fireplace, pine siding, etc.) and the main floor has that "modern farmhouse" appeal.

It's definitely NOT country (i.e. decorated with wallpaper boarders, apples, quilts, and wooden cut-outs) and it's NOT French country (i.e. decorated with ornate furniture, vibrant wall colors, patterned fabrics such as toile, gingham checks, stripes, and whimsical folk art). The modern farmhouse design is simply more... modern. It's basically a balanced hodgepodge of traditional and antique furnishings paired with white walls, a mixture of open, wood, painted, and glass cabinetry, and a lot of rescued junk. Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

Why the big explanation? Because today I'm going to show a lamp I made out of chicken wire for my daughter's bedroom. Chicken Wire? Yes, and don't cringe! I absolutely love it. I admit it sounds corny country but it's not. Trust me.

To make the lamp I started with:  a roll of chicken wire; some 22 gauge wire; a hanging light kit I purchased online; a couple of large embroidery hoops I found in my "someday storage room"; and a pair of wire cutters. I threw everything on the floor of my parents' house Saturday night and put it together while dad and I watched the Husker's play MSU. It took me about 3 hours to make but ONLY because I was so distracted watching the football game. (GOOO BIGGGGGG REDDDDDDDDDDDDD!)

Here's the finished product:

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Well, what'cha think?

I absolutely LOVE it and my daughter does, too!

See, it's not too country!

Surrounded by the right furnishings

chicken wire will add a very modern element to any room.

I could have easily used a pre-made wire basket for this project. 

That route would have been much easier than 

snipping all those little wires
but I opted against it. 

I really wanted the organic/industrial/whimsical 

feel of the handmade project for daughter's room.

Plus I already had the wire on hand for a different furniture project.

(Ha...Stay tuned!)

As soon as I get Emersyn's chair and ottoman reupholstered for her new reading nook, 

I'll show you the lamp in it's intended space. 

I'm so excited!

As always thanks for following 13CCF. If all goes as planned, I'll have a handkerchief dresser refinished and ready to post by next week! Wish me luck!

~Wendy