Tree Rings Media Cabinet (DIY)

Guys!  Ugh.  I am walking proof that New Year's resolutions DON'T WORK.  No weekly updates here.  Would you settle for an every (other) month one?

Back in August me and Shane both agreed that we needed to kick back, relax, and shelf our projects for a bit after non-stop work and broken budgets.  Remodeling is not for the faint of heart, so kudos to all of you bad-ass renovators for sticking with it.  Our "break" turned into months of project-free days.  Then I realized we never stopped the projects.  Just blog updates.  So.  No more promises.  It will happen when it happens.

Did I mention how grateful we are for all of you who check out our site?  No?  Über grateful. :^)

Alright boys and girls.  Today we are going to be talking about the custom media cabinet we put together to fit in a rather askew space.  For years the corner has been adorned with electric cords... something I truly dislike.  A lot.  Like a lot, a lot.

Here is what our 29 inches of  "space" looked like before:

For years we strategically angled a chair to cover the mess in the corner.  Throughout those years, I browsed every possible online furniture site, checked out every imaginable thrift store and explored every (no joke) corner media cabinet on Pinterest.  Nothing stood out, and NOTHING would fit. Until one day....

Tree Rings Media Cabinet

I saw this.  This gorgeous Tree Rings Media Cabinet at Anthropologie.  For... $450.00.  After reading the (not so great) reviews, I thought it was best to use this piece as an inspiration.  I did some quick measurements and drew a sketch.  Pinned it to our fridge... and there is sat for awhile.  But then!!! One fateful day, Shane came home with wood up the azz and started building.

We ended up purchasing a few woodworking must-haves.  If you want your top, sides, and bottom to fit together, we would recommend you check out a Kreg Jig.  Pretty inexpensive product for how much it does.  You can get one as low as $19.00.  What a steal and gain!

I checked with Shane to see if he had been documenting the process... and no.  No he wasn't.  So unfortunately, no in-progress photos to share.  He said he would do it the next time...

But here are photos of the completed piece--

Shane built shelves and cubbies for the inside to house his precious electronics.

Basically, you make a box with some doors.  We wanted our doors to set-in, not rest on top of the unit, so we ended up picking up special hinges to accomplish this.  The unit itself is made up of poplar wood-- for the most part, and stained in Minwax Puritan Pine.  The wood rounds are birch, and were fixed to the doors using wood glue and clamps.  Going into it, we were going to cover the doors with wood rounds, but after getting a few up, we opted for a design instead.  Initially we added some heavy-duty top plates on the bottom to support the wood legs.  Once we put it in the corner, we both agreed the wood legs made it look too top heavy next to our anchored faux fireplace.  So those came off.  Bow-chica-wow-wow.

So there you have it friends.  Our version of the Tree Rings Media Cabinet.  I know this shit can be subjective, but I like our version waaaaay better.  There are always bonuses when you can DIY something.  You end up with something you worked hard at.  Your piece is as unique and special as you are, and you end up with extra money in your pocket that you would have spent in the big box store.

Thanks for stopping by!  See you in a week or two!  Just kidding.  No promises.

XO 

Jenna

Locker (DIY)

Life really gets in the way of extracurricular activities sometimes.  Not only that, but I was hoping to reach my goal of not posting anything on here for 3 months.  That excuse works, so I'm going with it.

Lockers have been all the rage in home interior as of late.  I was lucky enough to get my hands on a stack thanks to dads handy trade-work.  There is no shortage of lockers in this world (gyms, schools, offices, stores, I mean like everywhere guys).  Even with the abundance of lockers, these suckers come with a hefty price tag.  On average, a single unit "Craigslist" locker will cost you around 250. The possibilities are obviously endless, so owning a few of these is equivalent to owning gold... except your gold has storage.

My locker was pretty well loved, or hated.  Guaranteed the dents are evidence of round-house kicks (retail workers).

When I started, the locker was tan and the doors were held shut with blue painters tape.  I liked the color of the tape and didn't want to put too much effort into thinking about the color... so I just went with it.  After all, blue is so inspirational...

The locker was cleaned and buffed with some Noxon polish and rags.  Once that was done, I grabbed some fast drying -- talking 15 minutes here -- heavy duty 2 in 1 Safety Blue Rust-oleum spray paint. Three cans later, the locker looked cerulean.  

 

This locker now serves as being the catch-all for thirty decades of video games.  Can't say it's complaining.

If you can't find me, I'll be hanging out by my locker taping up pictures of Leo DiCaprio and Norman Reedus.  OMG.  TTYL.

DIY String Art

My take on home decor goes a little something like this... ample storage meets minimalism.  I love mid-century and Scandinavian designs, especially when it comes to their take on clean lines, while still giving you that oh so familiar welcome home feeling.  Black, white, grays, and wood accents? Totally my go-to color palette.  It wasn't always this way, however.  It took a lot of stuff to get it right.  Finding your personal taste and style comes with practice and patience.  When we started this (slow and steady) home renovation journey, a lot of our pieces were hand-me-downs.  We went from shopping at Goodwill for couches and everything else used-- because it was what we could afford-- to only wanting new things to fill our home-- to finally marrying the two together.  We have been fortunate enough to afford some luxurious pieces, but at the same time, DIYing our way to making things more affordable for us.  The whole experience has been quite humbling, and it has also been great for character building.  Now, there are certainly stores that I could easily drop ten grand in without batting an eye, but with that non-existent budget to pull from, I can't imagine a day when that would happen.  Maybe after student loans?  Nah.  It took a few birthday's to wise up and realize that it is okay if a $2,500 couch isn't in your budget.  Maybe it will be someday, maybe it won't.  The point is, your space is yours and only yours.  No one but you will know how much you paid for your sofa table.  No one.  Probably a good idea if it stays that way too.  Seriously though, living within your means is an awesome thing.

I've also learned to be very picky, making a point to start purchasing certain pieces that I am in no way settling for. I've also mastered the art of discounts.  I never have, and probably never will pay full price for something, because why? Those extra bucks, whether it's $5.00 or $500.00 can go towards something much more important, like food. 

Lately, West Elm has been capturing my heart with their unique and clean designs.  I was browsing the artwork a few months back and came across this geo string wall art.  West Elm works closely with global artisans (pick me) to display their work in stores nationwide... so having the added perk of owning something pretty limited is kinda neat.

Credit: West Elm

I really like the look of it, don't you?  Now would be the perfect time to make my point after all of the rambling you read through.  There are certain things in life that a lot of people can do.  I am not trying to take credit away from the artist of this image, because frankly, this artist did something very motivating and inspiring for me.  They inspired me to dust off my art table and get to work.  I think this is a great jump off point that would allow anyone- artist or not- to experiment with some DIY art action, all the while maintaining a fixed budget.

What you will need:

• Paper (I like Bristol) or a sheet of canvas
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Thumb Tack
• String of any kind (I like cross-stitch thread because of the colors and cost)
• Needle
• Frame

I think a big reason why this artwork is suitable for all ages and creative levels is because at some point during middle/high school, we learned how to cross-stitch.  This is really no different.  Except maybe cooler?  I don't know, my lady bug was pretty sweet though.

First, make a geometric design on your paper using your ruler.  If you choose circles, find something round your can trace.  

Once you have your outline done, it's time to make lines.  Lots of lines.  It's okay if you make a mistake, and your line isn't perfect.  Just re-draw it.  No need to erase either... you'll see.

Play around with geometric sizes too.  No, your triangles do not need to be the same size.

Once your lines have been created, grab your thumb take (or needle) and start poking small holes where your lines meet.

Now, the lines you created are going to serve as your guide.  You won't be seeing your pencil lines in the final product because you'll be flipping the image over.  When I first put my string through the hole, I like to make a little knot at the end of the string before it passes through the paper.  We all need a little security, right?  Start threading your picture starting on the back side (your line side). When you find your string getting a little short, tie off and tape, re-thread, and start again.

If you mess the pattern of your string up, there are two things you can do.  A. Go with the flow and keep on keeping on.  B. You can easily pull your threaded string through the holes without cutting it, and pick up where you left off before things got tangled.

Before long, you'll end up with something pretty cool.  Play around with shapes and colors.  Make as many or as few as you want.  I've been doing these little images as wedding gifts, using their wedding colors.  There is something about geometric shapes stitched together that is just so... unifying, similar to a marriage.

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy threading!

*J

DIY Portable Wood Pallet Table

Making a portable ottoman/coffee table for the outdoors is as easy as 1-2-3... and 4.  Literally, four steps.

1. First, get one of these-

2. Add some of these-

I used locking rubber casters.  You never know when that guy is going to come over.  The rubber wheel is a good way to protect your deck.  You can snag these locking casters from any home improvement store.  I picked mine up from Menards for $4.47 a piece, along with some double coated 2" deck screws.

3. Attach the casters.  *Tip, make sure your locking flap extends beyond your pallet so you can easy stomp your foot down to secure the wheel, you know, for when that guy comes around.

 

4. Flip over, stain it-- or don't; add some decor or a cushion on top and enjoy!

Beers anyone?

XO
Jenna

DIY Patchwork Dresser

In the basement of WFMC you'll find me.  You'll also find some other crazy shit like dressers.

Man, did I feel for this dresser who was totally hating life.  They need loving homes too, so, I took him home.

First off, I scored big.  This dresser needed serious help, but it was made of solid wood.  I'm going to guess pine...?  It made the whole sanding off paint-stain-combo really easy.  In 30 minutes I had the dresser down to bare bones.  Secondly, this dresser has ten drawers.  Enough said.

After taking one look at this dresser I knew what I was going to do.  West Elm is one of my favorites, as I'm sure it is for a lot of people, but sometimes the prices are not so much.  I like the humor of their 'patchwork' furniture, but I'm all over here being cheap.  So, I would do what any cheap person would do and that is to make the dresser different, but same same.

After getting the sanding bit done, I primed and painted the frame of the dresser, letting the drawers free ball it for a bit.  My go-to white for a lot of furniture projects is White Dove by BM.  The white is pure enough, but it also gives off this milky appearance, making it look rich and creamy.

One thing that makes these patchwork dressers so unique is the variance of stains that are used.  As hard as I tried, the lightness of the wood could not illuminate a brighter shade as much as I sanded it. This meant some stain choices were totally out of the picture.  However, I was able to use this helpful guide from Panyl to come up with additional options.

If you're bored, I would totally recommend that you check out their site too.  Lots of valuable information in there, especially when it comes to modifying Ikea furniture.

Ten drawers should equal ten stains, right?  When you are dealing with so many shades, keep in mind that similar shades should stay far away from one another, therefore considering the placement of your drawers before proceeding is a must.

As you can see above, Panyl does something really awesome.  They have a color selector so you can visualize what the stains will look like when they are put together.  No more ah shit moments.

I choose Ebony (a clear favorite in our house), Driftwood, Gray, Puritan Pine, Gunstock, Red Chestnut, Dark Walnut and Jacobean by Minwax.  I ended up pairing certain drawers and used the same stain, just to give that "Patchwork" oddball feel.  To preserve the wood, I would recommend using a finishing wax to buff on your drawers.  Kids?  Dogs? Husbands?  No problem.  

The knobs and pulls make all the difference with patchwork dressers.  I've seen a lot of diversity when it comes to knobs on other DIY patchwork dressers.  What I have come to realize is I like things to be slightly off, but cohesive.  The price range of knobs and pulls can also make or break your budget.  I personally am a huge fan of brass.  You either love it, or leave it.  I think when it is done tastefully, it looks ah-may-zing.  My husband on the other hand is a leave it--get that crap outta here kind of guy.  He enjoys a good brushed nickel.  It's a classic, but not for this project, guys. 

I checked Myknobs.com, which is a great resource, if you know what you are looking for.  If you are unclear in anyway, the site can be really overwhelming with their 4,000 brass choices.  Lews/Lewis Dolin knobs are a favorite of many fellow bloggers out there.  Needless to say I was curious.

These Lewis Barrel Collection knobs will run you about $7.00 a piece.  I had a talking to my cheap ass and told myself to suck it up.  This dresser was worth it, dammit.  But I did what any thrifty gal would do-- I let them hang out in my shopping cart for a few weeks.  Today, after checking out the Lowes website, it turns out they have the exact same knobs for a fraction of the cost.  Purchased and done.  Awesome.

I was also in the market for a set of vintage tapered legs to add to the base of the dresser.  I checked out Etsy, and found that their prices for such things were a heck of a lot cheaper then going through some big box table leg store. I found a set of vintage 4" tapered legs to attach to the dresser, and paid under $35.00 with shipping.

I wanted the legs to match the dresser, so I primed and painted them using White Dove by BM.

Next up was attaching the legs.  I picked up four straight top leg plates and some steel hanger bolts from Menards for a few bucks.  Word to the wise- to avoid attaching hanger bolts to your legs, it isn't a bad idea to purchase ones that already have them.  If you really like a set of legs that do require bolts, it isn't hard to do, just not a lot of room for error.

To ensure that the legs would stay on, I had to build a frame on the bottom of the dresser and used 1 inch primed PDF boards to create the trim on the bottom for a bit more substance.

I filled the cracks in using my favorite, vinyl filler, and painted the trim to match the rest of the dresser. 

Cost Breakdown:

• Seven Various Stains- $25.00
• Four Legs- $34.00
• Trim- Salvaged
• Leg Plates and Bolts- $4.00
• Dresser- Salvaged
• Knobs- $45.00

___________________________

Total: $108.00 (give or take)

Here is the best part.  I saved $1191.00 not buying the West Elm version and... I have more drawers. Boom.  The end.

Bathroom Renovation Progress

Last night I lingered in the bathroom a bit longer then usual.  It's taken awhile, but the bathroom reno is nearing it's final stages and I can't help but be excited.

A few years back we replaced our less than desirable appearing linoleum sheet with a band-aid... more linoleum flooring but in tile form.  A couple years and several bathroom paint colors later we replaced our bathtub and bathroom vanity.  That brings me to this:

 

Not the worst but not the best either.  When we took on this bathroom "remodel," we burned through our budget pretty quick and couldn't go much further.  There it sat, like this, for the past two years, and because this was our first for a lot of things, particularly the tiling, the bathroom surround got a little wonky.  The tile stickers lasted us longer then it needed to, and looked better than it did, but it was time to move on to real-adulthood flooring.  Lessons learned, time to fix them.  

After doing a lot of research on resale value, I found that natural stone tile is the way to go. It is clean, neutral, and goes with pretty much anything.  I was really impressed with the tavertine tile that Lowes carried.  Our bathroom space called for fourteen 18x18 tiles (about 20 square feet).  I don't care to admit how much time I spent in Lowes painstakingly hand-picking and naming each sheet of tile... but... 3 hours.

Before the tile is laid, make sure to purchase and install a backer board for the tile to rest on.  It's the proper thing to do, and coming from the Queen of Half-Assing, this is one step you shouldn't be missing.

After removing the toilet and sink, we laid the tile, using roughly 2.5 gallons of mortar for a 20 square foot space.  Let the tile cure for 48 hours or so before filling it in with the grout color of your choosing.  *Tip: Work fast, efficiently and clean your water and sponge often.

We also wanted to clean up the tub surround a bit more.  By doing this, we installed two 2x4 boards to run down the side of the tub and surround, covering them with sheet-rock. It hid the first-timer tile job pretty well.

But why stop there?  Back in 1991, the sheet-rock installer guy was like, "Eh, I don't really feel like working today, so I'll just put up this wall and make the tape all squiggly before mudding.  Good enough." No I say.  Not good enough.  To fix this problem I decided to install simple faux wainscoting out of primed MDF boards to cover their despicable tape job.  Sad face.

I used my favorite-- vinyl filler to patch any holes and cracks, disguising the fact that their are MDF boards attached directly to the wall, and not in fact 'real' wainscoting.  I prefer my faux method in smaller spaces as it takes up less room.

The wainscoting was painted with White Dove by Benjamin Moore, and the top portion of the bathroom was done in Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore.

There is obviously a lot of perfecting that still needs to take place, but I think we finally crossed the halfway point.  All that is left is the fun stuff-- accessorizing!  Ya boi!

I've been keeping my eye out for a vintage light fixture and mirror.  More recently I was introduced to a lighting and decor site called Schoolhouse Electric.  I can't tell you how many times I've filled my cart with things.  It's pressing the purchase part I can't get past. Maybe soon I'll cave.  As of right now, I have my heart set on this Grant Mirror in Marigold--

I'm also really loving this light fixture, but once again, I can't get over the fact that the fixture (excluding the shades) is pushing $200.00!!!  At this moment I am happily searching for alternatives.

Abrams Double Sconce - School House Electric

I am very much looking forward to sharing the great reveal.  Even I don't know what to expect.  If you have any ideas you'd like to pass this way when it comes to various lighting companies, cool mirrors you've seen, or whatever else, you've got my attention.  Until then!

XO
Jenna

UPDATE:  Check out our latest snapshot of our bathroom progress.  We are always revamping things around these parts, so check back again for more updates.