Canvas Rugs

Woo Hoo! A rug that can be swept and mopped! Seriously. I love rugs in general, especially the way a cute rug looks under a table. It defines the space and is a chance to add some more color, pattern and texture. However, after many years of living with a cute rug under the table where we do most of our eating, I have developed some issues. Such as my family tends to spill. A lot. The last rug I had was chocolate brown sisal. Very cute. But it had to be vacuumed to get the crumbs (yes, I am that lazy-I hate to pull out all of the chairs and vacuum everyday) and things like mashed potatoes were really good at getting ground in permanently. Plus it completely stretched out of shape. So I made a canvas rug for cheap cheap cheap. This turned out so great! I used a $10 9'x6' canvas drop cloth from Walmart and painted and sealed it with stuff I already had. It can be swept with a broom and spills can be wiped up with a damp cloth. And because I used a drop cloth it was even hemmed already! I really like the light colored stripes for spring and summer. The great thing about a rug like this is the possibilities are endless. Any color, any pattern would work. I've already been thinking about zebra stripes, diamonds, big graphic florals, random typography, damask, monograms...anything I could either tape off or trace:) And I definitely want to make a couple smaller, coordinating monogrammed ones for my kitchen sink area and maybe my laundry. This would also be a great solution for tables that must live on carpeted areas-I've had a house like that before -not really that fun.


Like it? Are you loving all the possibilities like me?

Bedroom Set

I got the chance to refinish a beautiful bedroom set for a client. It was a little bit of a mess when I got it, but it turned out gorgeous. Here are a few of the befores:

It was originally a stained wood finish, then it had all been painted black. The headboard and part of the dresser had stripper applied but never scraped off.

The client wanted creamy white with lots of dark glaze and distressing.

The results:

Headboard

Footboard

Dresser (yes, I know some hardware is missing, they had it at home)

Two nightstands

The project also included the side rails for the bed.

I am not a photographer and I wish I knew how to get all the detail to show up in the picture. The glaze on these was rubbed in and really created some beautiful dimension and gave them a nice time-worn look. The client is in the process of moving, but promised to send some pictures when she is settled and has everything all set up and put together. I can't wait!

Thanks Ashley! I hope you loved the result as much as I did:)