Craigslist Find - Chair Reveal

I finally finished my chair makeover and I am in LOVE with it!
Read from the beginning here.

I started sanding the chair to try to rough up the super glossy green paint.  It was not going well and barely making a difference, so I jumped ship.  I have read about chemical sanding, which I think I will look into trying on future products.  Since I did not end up sanding, I decided to use Rust-Oleum primer and paint.  I used one coat of primer and then two thin coats of white spray paint with a satin finish. I am not sure whether or not I will put a clear coat on or not but for now we are going to test the durability as is.

I reupholstered the chair cushion in Ash and White Zig Zag that I found on etsy.  I would highly recommend Hodi and Poppi Fabrics...super fast shipping!  The total for the fabric with shipping was $13.75.

I simply stretched the fabric around the existing cushion and used a staple gun to secure it to the back.  After the chair was dry, I screwed the seat back onto the frame and recovered the bottom, using the staple gun, with the same black fabric for a finished look.

A reminder of what the chair looked like before.

TA DA!

Cost Breakdown:

Chair - $10

Primer & Paint - Less than $15

Fabric - $13.75

Total Cost - Under $30 for a custom chair!

New Kitchen Details

We have decided to deal with Lowe's for our cabinets, countertop and installation.  We went with Kraftmaid cabinetry due to the quality.  They offer a much greater selection of sizes and options.  Due to a promotion, it actually ended up costing less than the other brand we had originally selected based on price point!

The door style is Hanover Square in Maple.  We chose the canvas finish to keep the kitchen light, as the only window looks out into the three season room.

Kraftmaid Canvas

Hardware in Antique Nickel

Kraftmaid Empire Square Knob

Kraftmaid Empire 4" Pull

We wanted a solid surface countertop that was budget friendly and still looked great.  We went with Formica's River Rock Mosaic.

Photos to come of the finished project soon!

See ya never 1960's!

When we walked through our house as potential buyers, the first thing James noticed was how much he hated the kitchen.  I agreed, it was definitely outdated but it was a good size, open and it had a great flow with the rest of the house...the visions had already started.    

Previous Owner's Kitchen

I have been obsessing over a new kitchen for months, maybe longer.  I could not get it out of my head.  I looked into brand new cabinets, then just replacing the doors on the existing cabinets and finally just adding molding to the current doors...ANYTHING to update the kitchen.  I finally came to terms that it just was not going to happen.  I did not want to do it unless it was a total gut because the layout was terrible.  It was not rational to put any money into the existing cabinets only to still want to take them out later.  I swear as soon as I let go of the idea of a gorgeous new kitchen, James started talking about it!  

Kitchen being painted by my grandparents before we moved in!

So we are redoing the kitchen!  Our budget is $10,000 and we will be keeping the existing flooring and appliances...everything else is fair game.  Stay tuned for the details of our new kitchen, budget breakdown and how we saved money!

Starting to clear out for demo day!

Craigslist Find - Chair Part 1

I am so excited to share my first project and first Craigslist find with you!  I always read about these awesome things people find but it always seemed too good to be true.  I am in awe when they take what appears to be junk and transform it into an amazing custom piece for far less than they could ever buy it for.  Well, I think this is one of those pieces and I am lucky enough to have snatched it up!

Introducing my $10 Craigslist chair!!

It did not exactly look like junk prior to coming to Lilac Drive but it was begging to meet it's full potential!  I started by using a flat head screwdriver and pliers to remove the ridiculous amount of staples in the fabric covering the bottom.

Next, I removed the four screws holding the seat to the frame with the help of a drill.



By now, I was feeling pretty accomplished.  See that little orange tag?  Well, that told me that my chair was sold in 1984 by Century Chair in Hickory, North Carolina.  I love that this chair has a story.  After some more staple removal (I am quite a pro now!), I had the fabric off the cushion.  It had been reupholstered once but I decided to leave the light gold fabric on the cushion since you couldn't see it through the new upholstery.  I placed the old fabric on the new fabric (yes, it's chevron!!!) and cut around it to get the same size and shape.

I will iron the new fabric and staple gun it back to the cushion for the finished seat!

Stay tuned for the reveal. 

I think Miss Gabriella likes the new fabric as much as I do.

See the finished product here!

Congratulations, It's a Blog!

Hi!  My name is Megan.  I live in beautiful Upstate New York with my husband and my cockapoo, Gabby.  When James and I became homeowners just a little over a year ago, I became obsessed with our house.  I delved into buying furniture, decorating and remodeling!  I stalked home design, decor and DIY blogs as I craved more and more inspiration to feed my growing hunger.  After completing a couple of my own projects and having a home improvement to do list that never seems to end, I decided that I would share my experiences...the good, bad, ugly and often quite humorous!  So here it is my baby blog! 

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