Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mish Mash

I apologize in advance for the roaming and rambling this post may take. Instead of dividing it up into 2 or 3 seperate entries I think it will be easier (and faster) to combine it all here.

Our journey starts at HomeSense (aka Canadian HomeGoods), looking for a cement planter. Of course that means you have to perceptively browse every other aisle as well, and as usual I strike gold (reason #180034 I try and avoid that place unless absolutely necessary, it is a black hole for my money). I am usually underwhelmed with their mirror selection, not to mention I truly have no immediate need for yet another mirror but I saw this clearance cutie and my heart started pounding! It is perfection in so many ways.

So long story short, I found a planter but the mirror also came home with Wren and I. I think I may hang it over the mantle temporarily because I love the shape, but I have a feeling it's destiny is to be the mirror over the vanity in Wren's bathroom in the not too distant future.


Which brings us to the second chapter of this post.

I have been working on this dresser, along with it's matching nightstand, for about 2 weeks now. It just kind of kept getting put to the side after each step as client orders take priority. The first step actually being the longest: cleaning!


Ewww, right? Yes, there was an expertly applied layer of 7UP over the ENTIRE thing. Many hours of patching holes, scrubbing crevices multiple times and vaccuuming hair balls out of the insides were the brunt of the work. But even afterwards this was not what I would call a "showroom" piece. The drawer tracks are old and worn, some drawer corners have been chipped right off and you have really appreciate shabby chic to accomodate the fact that it will never feel "new" again.


But since I am one of those people that quite honestly loves furniture more for it's looks than functionality I will happily hold on to her until someone else sees it too~



And now the final chapter: My marine plates!

If you recall, these 1857 book plates were an exceptional deal at only $45 for 16. My hunt for the frames really focused on much heavier and chunkier looking frames, but fate dealt me a wonderful hand because due to the sheer quantity of plates I think a chunkier look would have detracted from the real art. I was also unsure of using white frames on a creamy-white wall.
Would the just blend in? Would it not make a statement?

So I decided to use a greyish-blue matte behind each plate to create a little interest. I also decided that I liked the look of 3 rows of 5 frames over 4 rows of 4 frames so I do have one poor plate left over that didn't join his old friends. Maybe I will do a giveaway or something with it in the future~



I chose to use the books title page in the very center to show the theme of the prints, date of printing and author. I like that it kind of fans out from that point.


For a close up of all the plates look here.



The End.

52 comments:

Erin said...

i love what you did with that piece!
the book plates turned out beautifully & that mirror is awesome! great job :)

Anonymous said...

Good Luck cleaning that small night stand. I've been in that same situation... really all I wanted to do was start with the painting!!

As for the frames... I LOVE how you but the first page of the book (with the title and author) in the middle of all the frames! Gooooood Thinking!!

Bree (www.simplyelegance.org)

Unknown said...

I am thankfully already done Breeanna, but it was a NIGHTMARE!!! It looks the exact same as the dresser, but I'll still take a picture tomorrow~

robyncal said...

beautiful Holly and your scored on the price of the frames!

Jacquelyn said...

I have a very similar dresser (actually 2) and nightstand... your transformation has inspired me!

Jen@Notes From the Heartland said...

Holly...you will never ever in a million bagillion years believe this but I have that EXACT dresser!!! I redid it as the side buffet for our dining room! And this is what I did with the monster of a mirror that used to sit on top of it! http://jvanoort.blogspot.com/2009/12/you-say-fireplace-i-say-mirrorplace.html

Poindexter said...

splendid results! I like the rows of 5 too.

Kelly | Fabulous K said...

I love the book plates! Beautiful! And the dresser is amazing...love the charm!

Where did you get your silver ottomans?

Sassy said...

Beautiful work. I just found your blog this week and I am enjoying it immensely. But I have to ask: 7UP? As in the soda? Does it clean old furniture? I'm curious as I have some wood pieces that have seen better days and I"m trying to figure out the best way to work on them. Thanks.

Anne said...

Gorgeous! The furniture piece, the new mirror and the book plates ... all wonderful!

Unknown said...

Glad to hear this ugly ducking has some beautiful swan relatives out there!

Kelly the poufs were from HomeGoods about a year ago~

Sassy, yes it was covered in pop. The previous owners has spilt it all over and never cleaned so all sorts of grime stuck to it over time.

Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence said...

Wow, this is so super wonderful! Please link it up to my blog tomorrow, I would be thrilled.

Melissa said...

Oh, I really like that. And the mirror-- you could NOT have left it at the store!

Sassy said...

Thanks!

lisa said...

holly another job well done and the bookplates look amazing! Smart move on the greyish background.

BTW I have looked thru your q&A and I cannot find what color of paint you used on your walls? please don't tell me it was mistint because then I will never find it ;P thanks a bunch!

Unknown said...

Lisa, it is a little hidden under our reno links (sorry!). But it is Seed Pearl by Pratt and Lambert paint.

white flower farmhouse said...

wow - you sure made a beauty out of that beast! The framed book plates came out perfect and look great above the chest. I am impressed! Lori

alee said...

you are really talented :)
I am sooo impressed!

Heather Gibb said...

Love it!! Can you please tell me your favorite sources for light fixtures or where you found you master one and this one? I love them!

Unknown said...

Thanks again everyone! The light fixture was actually another makeover I did in October:
http://www.inthefunlane.com/2009/10/new-old-chandelier.html

And our master bedroom fixture is now discontinued, but was from Urban Outfitters. Keep your eyes peeled at places like Target and HomeGoods though because they are usually really affordable~

Angelica said...

The dresser and prints look fantastic Holly! Well done as usual.

HomeSense was a total gold mine the other day when I was there. I could have easily spent a bundle. The mirror is a fantastic find! I've been keeping my eye out for a bigger mirror for over our fireplace too.

Hamptontoes said...

Holly,

I mentioned it a day or two ago, but it's worth repeating...you have an amazing ability to see things for what they can be and not for what they are...proof with that dresser! Thanks for sharing.

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

If you and I were shopping together at Home Goods, I would have to fight you over that mirror!
I love it!!
The makeover of that ugly dresser is amazing. You turned it into the most beautiful piece and the photos are so dramatic.
I love it all.

DustyLu said...

looks great! love the grouping on the wall. lulu

flower power momma said...

I have that dresser. We bought it new in 1977. Ours has the hutch mirror and we also bought the cannon ball 4 poster bed.

I've wanted to paint it white for years..so ur post is great inspiration.

Keep up the great work and thanks.

Anonymous said...

You do such amazing work...the new piece and the book plates are simply beautiful.

beachvintage.com said...

Wow, however did you hang them all so straight and neat? Fab.

Chelsea said...

LOVE. it. all.

Can you pllllleeeease tell me where you got those gorgeous sconces?

I accidentally broke one of mine while I was sweeping and now I HAVE to go buy a new set, oh darn!! ;)

Jen said...

That dresser is drop dead gorgeous. It is hard to imagine that it had any life left in it. Absolutely beautiful with the marine plates above. Another Home Run!

Stephanie said...

Now you've got me thinking about all the pretty books I want to ri apart and FRAME! haha

Amanda said...

That mirror is amazing! And I'm always envious of the sconces you found at HomeSense as well. I never have THAT much luck at our HomeGoods. :) Your silver poufs inspired me to buy silver pillows from Target on clearance a few months back and I've been hanging onto them waiting to put them in a madeover guest room.

That dresser... I'd take it. You did a fabulous job as always. I love love love that it has alot of hardware.

As for your book plates, I'll admit I didn't quite know how you were going to make those something as fabulous as they are now when you first blogged about them. But seeing them all lined up on that wall (I love 3 rows of 5 by the way) with the grayish blue mats in simple white frames... they look stunning.

Always inspiring you are lovely. Thanks for sharing. :)

Nobody Asked Them said...

Are you sure it was 7UP?
Now, I hate to admit this, but back in the 80's my girlfriends and I had very very big hair and if you saw the tops of our dressing tables you would laugh at all the random objects glued to the top from all the hair spray... hair pins, money, subway tokens. YUCK!
7 up or hairspray, you did a great job...as always

Beth

Seagrass Interiors said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE those book plates! I think someone may have already mentioned this but - hats off to you for hanging all 15 of those perfectly straight!

Melissa

Unknown said...

Haha Beth, good thought!! You are probably right, the murky finish on the wood was very reminiscent of hairspray.

Chelsea, the sconces are from HomeSense as well (no shock there!). That sucks that you only have half a pair now :(

Amber said...

wow holly!!! I love those pictures over the the hutch!!!!! you are amazing!

Miss Obara said...

I love how it ALL turned out! You did a great job! As for your 'mish mash'.I made it through your entire post...and loved every second. Thanks for posting!

Gina said...

I just love your transformations, great job once again! I have a garage filled with a couple of pieces that have great potential (ok, you were the inspiration for those finds lol). One day I'll get to it :)

Homegoods is addicting! There's always a fabulous find to be had that's usually not so obvious right?

Annie said...

I love furniture that is all beat up - it adds to the character so much! I also love your new plate wall - it looks fabulous!

FYI - Home Goods/TJ Maxx - all those home stores are a black hole for me too! I can never leave without something!

MrsKBJ said...

The mirror would look cute in Wren's room, but I LOVE it over your fireplace! I say keep it there!

The dresser and your wall art looks fab too!!

Kelly

Lovely Little Nest said...

Love love love that mirror!

The Brick Cottage said...

Absolute perfection! I love the composition of the frames with the dresser with the topiaries. And above all that. I love the blue mats.

Krystal Wight Armstrong said...

The shape does look really nice there, very fluid like one complete shape from the hearth to the mirror top. (PS- did it come that way, or did you paint it?)

I know you've got a million other things going, but I'm sure we'd love to see what Wren's bathroom looks like. I was trying to picture that mirror over a bathroom vanity, and couldn't quite figure it out.

That newest transformation is really cool! I didn't even notice the beautiful curvy shapes on either end till the 'after' shot...it's quite amazing! And you make it sound so glamourous I hadn't that about all the cleaning work you'd have to do before the fun stuff. But now I appreciate your work even more! (I'm still curious where you find such a peice in that condition!)

Nice choice with the 3 rows of 5, and I love the informational title page in the center, makes them all the more authentic.
Thanks for sharing the beauty :)

Alison said...

I love the marine plates! I have done something similar with old pages from a hymn book. Loved the aged look of them!

bethchien said...

gorgeousness!

angela said...

So beautiful. I would buy that dresser if I could! The mirror is a treasure too. I LOVE your blog.

indie icing said...

Wow! Just found your blog and I was greeted by this post. Such a delight... and amazing work. You have such a talent.

Kerry said...

I LOVE the way that dresser turned out - it looks absolutely gorgeous! :) I always enjoy your before and after shots of your pieces!

Vee said...

LOVE that piece of furniture - gorgeous! I wish I had room for it in my house, I'd gladly take it off your hands! =]

susan said so said...

Are you effing kidding me? That "before" dresser is the kind of crap furniture I see in back alleys and DAV thrift stores every day of the week.

That "after" buffet? Covet-worthy! Jaw dropping, "NO WAY!" worthy.

I never would have pegged them as the same piece. Quite impressive, you!!

xox,
Susan

Southern Mom said...

Fabulous! Did you make the mats or purchase them? Wow!

Linda said...

Awesome dresser!

gina said...

I love the idea of placing the title page in the middle- a clever thought.

 
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