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DIY Projects

Salvaged Wood Headboard DIY

It’s been a few weeks since we updated our bedroom and I am still living in a fairy-dream world because of it. I showed you guys the full result a week or so ago, and you guys have been so sweet about how it turned out. If you didn’t get a chance to check that post out, you can read all about it here. Today what I wanted to do was show you guys with a little more detail the headboard that I made for this space.

When I bought all the new pillows for the bed, I knew something was still missing. Our old headboard was a pre-blog DIY that was imperfect but served us well for the time that it did. I made it back when I was still unsure about the style direction I was heading in with our house, so it just didn’t quite work. And let’s be honest. I still don’t think I know the style I’m headed toward. Live and learn.

I wanted to make something, but I didn’t want to spend any money. Yes, you read that correctly. I wanted to spend zero dollars. Story of my life, right? I knew that I could only justify to Ethan building a new headboard if I could do it for free since I had just built one a year prior. Now that I think about it, I think Ethan has learned not to question my unreasonable antics. The other stipulation for this project was that I had to do it completely by myself. Normally our DIY projects are a team effort (and by that I mean Ethan does the work and I make it pretty). This time, before I knew what I was thinking, I told him that I was going to make this project for free, and I was going to do it completely on my own. Cue “On My Own” from Les Mis as I head to the garage to work on this project.

So here’s how it went down. A few months back, our neighbors were replacing a portion of their wood fence. I ~~hoarded~~ rescued some of the pieces and they have been sitting in my garage, safe from harm. I headed to my stash and chose the best looking pieces for the job. I (and when I say I, I do mean me myself and I. All by my lonesome) cut the pieces using a circular saw to 60″. We have a queen size bed, so that was the size we needed. If you were to do something similar, be sure to measure the size of your bed. I did wash these with warm water and soap, and lightly sanded them, just to make sure they were clean. And not going to give me splinters. Because those things are important, I guess.

So I laid out all the pieces on the garage floor to make sure I liked to order of them, since all the pieces were slightly different.

Then I used two cross pieces to screw onto the backside of my headboard. These pieces were vertical, and were 54″ tall. Our old headboard was a bit taller than this, but I always thought it looked kind of weird, so I was very mindful of how tall this one was going to be. I don’t know if there are official rules about how tall a headboard should be, but I think y’all all know that I make up my rules as I go when it comes to home decor. I wish I could show you the pictures of me screwing this together just to show off my brute strength, but alas, I did this one on my own. And I don’t have enough hands to photograph myself building a headboard. You’ll just have to trust me in the fact that I did make this.

After I screwed the back pieces together, I turned it around to paint it. It looked like this:

Technically, it didn’t need to be painted, I did like the way it looked like this, I just love lighter colors, so it didn’t really stand a chance. I used my dry-brushing technique, which you can read about here. It took about ten minutes total to paint. Have I mentioned that’s my favorite way to paint things?

The color is Mourning Dove by Behr, and I use that for tons of projects around the house.

After I let it dry (which didn’t take long with the amount of paint I used), Ethan helped me carry it into the house to put it behind the bed. So I guess he did help. BUT OTHER THAN THAT I did this one on my own, and I am so proud of myself. Picture me pridefully kissing my biceps.

You can see more after photos in the original reveal post. I cannot tell you guys how much this little project changed the feel of our bedroom. And it was 100% free! This cheap-loving girl is jumping up and down with excitement over this one! I promise you, I am super wimpy, and I did this in an afternoon, so I know you can too!

All the sources for the items you see here are in my original reveal post, which you’re welcome to check out! I’d love to hear what you think about this project in the comments below, or you can find more on my Instagram. That’s all for today, friends! Have a fabulous day!

November 25, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Tutorials

Dry Brushing – The Easiest Painting Experience

Hey y’all! I hope you’re doing well! It’s been dark and rainy here, so the weather is perfect for Halloween tomorrow! (Let’s not talk about the fact that I am going to be ~~running~~ walking a 5k on Halloween morning. Why do I do these things to myself?!) Hopefully the rain won’t deter Trick-or-Treaters though because Ethan and I love sitting on the front porch passing out candy.

Anyway, before the rain set in, I completed a quick little project that is quickly becoming my favorite way to do things! I wanted to share this painting trick with you that really does save time, materials, and requires minimal experience (I always say that, but this time I mean it). Have you ever heard of dry brushing? It’s new to me, but I’m already obsessed with it, and I want to dry brush everything in sight! Here are the steps:

First, you need to choose your victim (or in this little basket’s case, its lucky day because this thing about to get a serious makeover). I chose this basket because well, just look at it, and you can tell it needs a little help. It’s a vintage picnic basket that I found while junkin this summer, and although it has some damage, I think it just adds some character. What I don’t like about it is the orangey color it has. Plus the top has a weird uncleanable dusty look. But for six bucks, you can’t ask much.

You can also see the brush and paint I used in this picture. These little brushes are available at Home Depot, and they are awesome! The handle is rubber and so it’s really comfortable to handle while painting.

Dry brushing is a technique that uses a very minimal amount of paint and a dry brush (cleverly named technique, don’t you think?). When I do this, I find the stiffest brush I can find and I don’t dip the brush in the can. Instead, I just use the lid and dab a small amount on the brush. I try to keep the paint limited to the top part of the bristles and not the sides. Does that make sense? (I also apologize for the lack of clarity on some of these photos, I haven’t yet mastered the photography-while-painting technique).

I then blot the top of the brush on my dropcloth to take off any excess paint. You can see in the above photo just how little paint there is on the brush. If you don’t use dropcloths, a paper towel will do. Before you put the brush on your object, it should look something like this:

The trick is not to use too much paint. You can always add more, but once you have too much, it’s hard to get the desired effect.

When you’re ready to paint, you’ll want to use a short, side-to-side stroke. You’ll want to move quickly and paint lightly, as you don’t want too much coverage in one area. The look really lends itself more to a vintage, weathered look. Once you have too much coverage in one area, it becomes hard to fix it, so move fast! The awesome thing about it is that it uses practically no paint (I covered this basket just with what was on the lid of the can), and it dries super fast because it’s such a thin layer of paint.

Here is the finished product! I think this project took maybe thirty minutes (including dry time). It saves so much time, and also money because it’s such an effective use of materials. What more can you ask for than quick and cheap?

I placed this basket in the corner of my living room where I keep the coatrack and store blankets. This basket is pretty roomy, so it’s a good place to store odds and ends. I also really like how the white lightens up this space. The orange look definitely wasn’t doing itself any favors. She looks so much better now, don’t you think?

What do you think of this technique? Have you tried it before? I promise it really is easy – I’m not lying! I am thinking about dry brushing everything now…nothing is safe! Let me know what you think, and if you plan to try it!

I hope y’all have a great weekend and that you have some fun Halloween activities planned (hopefully not completing a 5k like myself)! That’s it for today friends, have a fabulous day!

October 30, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Holidays

How to Make Your Home Feel Super Cozy

Hey y’all! I hope your week is going well! Fall has still not arrived here in North Texas, but we’re pretending. My students are busy making pumpkin crafts, and I’ve been drinking tea nonstop at the house. Even though it’s in the eighties every day still, I’ve broken out the boots for work. Call me crazy, but I’m not wasting my time when it comes to all things fall. #sorry #notsorry

Anyway, today I want to share with you something I like to do at home during the fall. And all the time, really, but during the fall it seems especially appropriate. I don’t know what it is about the month of October, but it makes me want to cozy up EVERYTHING. For me, cozy equals good smells. There’s nothing like a warm home that smells heavenly.

So here’s what I do. This isn’t even a DIY because it’s the easiest thing possible.

I like to take a few lemon slices, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and some cranberries (or in my case, dried cranberries, because that’s all I had on hand), and put them on the stove with just enough water to cover the fruit. I put them on a low heat and simmer alllllllll day long. Seriously, it is ah-mazing. I have to check and refill the water every once in a while, because the water will evaporate over time. Other than checking on it every now and then, there’s nothing else to it. It makes the house SO COZY. I kid you not. It puts me in a great mood, and the house just feels homey. Does that make sense? It might sound weird, but a house that smells good feels like home to me.

Fall makes me go into major nesting mode, and start doing lots of things around the house. This ‘recipe’ makes everything better. It just feels like fall. If fall is a feeling, this is it. If you try it out, I promise you won’t be disappointed. There are also other things that you can simmer in the pot like vanilla, oranges, lavender, pine needles, etc. Cranberries + lemon + cinnamon just happens to be my favorite combination. Find a combination that works for you, and run with it! I do this all the time and I cannot recommend it more. It’s the simplest of things and it totally makes me feel like Martha Stewart (even though there zero skills involved).

I hope you do try this out at home, it’s super easy. Have you already done something similar? I’d love to hear about it. Do you have a better recipe? I’d love to hear about that as well. Thanks for reading along. That’s all for today, friends. Have a fabulous night!

October 20, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Home Decor

DIY Console Table

Guys. School has started and this first grade teacher is T-I-R-E-D. #isitsummeryet? Despite my tiredness and all my extra beginning of the year school year work, I managed this super quick project.

Our house doesn’t have a formal entry way, so we’ve been living with a makeshift chair-and-coatrack-in-the-corner deal. I wanted to add a console table in our living room to fake a bit of an entry. This project was so easy, it took mayyyybe 45 minutes in total. I used an antique sewing machine base as the base for my new table. I found it at a flea market and I love it! I then added a wooden planked top, and BOOM! Project done. (Well not quite, but keep reading for the details.)

We had a bunch of salvaged wood from a home in our neighborhood. It’s probably about 80 years old and LOOK AT ALL THAT CHIPPY GOODNESS. I didn’t do a thing to the wood. I wanted it to be all chippy-rustic-like.

I laid the planks on top of my workspace and placed boards across them. I just used a hammer and nails because the wood is a bit fragile, and because it’s really a simple project.

After securing the boards together, I placed them on top of my base. (Total nonprofessional here): I didn’t secure the top to the base because I think I may change things up a bit in the future. I figured it wasn’t a big deal because this table won’t be getting a lot of wear-and-tear. But don’t trust me. I’m not a professional.

And here is the finished product:

I love the rustic element it has! This was a super simple project, I almost feel like it’s too simple to share, but whatevs.

Here’s a closer look at all that paint texture. And sidenote, a super cheap art trick I use is displaying handwritten phrases on clipboards.

I’m still having to re-adjust my habits when I walk in the door, since this is where our coatrack was. Other than that, I am obsessed with this little table! It was so easy! It’s one of those “why didn’t I do this earlier?” things.

Have you ever made something like this? I’d love to hear about!

That’s all for today, friends. Have a fabulous day!

August 18, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Home Decor, Tutorials

DIY artwork for cheap

Hey y’all! I hope you’re doing well! Summer is winding down over here, and I’ve been super busy with preparing things for my classroom this year. I will pick up the keys to my classroom next week to begin setting up for the school year. I’m excited for this school year, but I’m sad to see summer go! Since I’ve been so busy with classroom projects I haven’t been working on house projects too much lately. I did however, whip up a couple of these easy “art pieces” to use in the house.

I can’t even call this a tutorial because it’s so easy! More like an idea you may not have thought of. I have done this several times throughout my house, because it’s SO easy and SO cheap. I think for this project it cost me a total of $4. Whoop-de-do!

I found these old frames at a thrift store for $1.

Those ducks are so cute, aren’t they? Kind if a 90’s chic, if you will.

Literally all I did was spray paint the mattes and frames and replace the duck print with a cute printed paper. I got mine from Paper Source. I like to get papers from there because they come in 20×30 inch sheets, which is convenient for many different projects. They also have so many pretty papers! You could also do this with any gift wrap or scrapbook paper.

I used this spray paint because it’s what I had on hand. I spray painted them, and once they were dry, I added the new paper, and done. That’s it!

I realize this is kind of an obvious DIY. But it’s so so easy, you have to give it a try! That’s it for today friends, have a fabulous day!

July 16, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Furniture Makeover, Home Decor, Tutorials

Cane Chair Makeover…again

Have you ever done a project and just hated the results? You work hard on something, and when it’s finished, it’s just not what you thought it would be? This is what I’m sharing today. About two years ago I bought a pair of cane chairs from a thrift store for $20. I was so excited to work on them. Like, SO excited. Unfortunately, I don’t have the original picture anymore, but they were dark wood, with a gross blue fabric. I knew I wanted to make them over, but I had no idea how.

I picked some fabric out for the chairs with no thought to how it might lay on the chair. I learned a lot from this first makeover, but they just weren’t doing it for me. Here’s how they looked after makeover number one (and don’t judge me):

First of all, if you look close enough, you can see that the back legs aren’t even painted. How did I miss that?! I don’t know. I also don’t know how I lived with this for so long. Ugh.

This is a wider shot of the chairs. They are convenient, really. Ethan puts his shoes on here, and they are pretty comfortable. I like to sit here and read on occasion as well. Sidenote, our dresser is my husband’s childhood dresser (a family heirloom), deemed untouchable by the paintbrush. Anyway, looking at these chairs just makes me cringe. I’ve wanted to do something about them for so long, but the amount of work I did the first time around was torturous, and I couldn’t imagine going through that again. So I put it off for a while, thinking that since I had done it, I’d have to live with it.

But that’s just not true. I did these chairs before I got married, before I was making a home, and WAY before I started figuring out what my style was. There’s no rule out there saying you have to live with your DIY mistakes. So, I decided to take the plunge. This time, with a few ground rules. I had to do this the easiest way possible. Because last time was awful.

So let’s go through it, step by step.

I didn’t want to go through the hassle of all the buttons, so I stuffed them with stuffing. A little hot glue on top of the button, and some stuffing. Easy peasy.

I bought a $4 drop cloth and placed the seat bottom face down on the fabric.

Then I carefully pulled the corners over and stapled the dropcloth material to the bottom. The key here is to pull as tight as you can, and keep everything as neat as possible.

The seat bottom took probably a total of ten minutes, but the top section was a bit more involved.

I cut a piece of material the size of the chair back and stapled starting at the top. I found that the best way to keep it tight and even is to start at the top, then staple the bottom, and finish with the sides.

I then wrapped the chair back in quilting batting. I did this to make it a bit more comfy, and to conceal the buttons.

I then wrapped the seat back in the material, and hotglued the extra material to the backside.

I then put the seat back up against the frame, and stapled as closely to the top as possible. This is tricky, and my staple gun was not kind to my hands.

I then covered the staples with trim. I make the trim by wrapping the existing trim in the material and hotgluing it. Hot glue for the win.

The new chairs are still not perfect, but they’re much simpler, and I can live with them now. This was only my second time with reupholstery (on the same set of chairs). I still don’t have it down, but I definitely appreciate these chairs a bit more now.

Overall, they just look cleaner, smoother, and more natural.

The neutral look will allow them to be moved anywhere around our home and work.

So the moral of this story is: if you don’t like something, change it! And if you still don’t like it, change it again! I can’t say that these are perfect, but they’re working SO MUCH BETTER than before.

Have you ever done something you hated? What did you do? I’d love to hear about it! That’s all for today, friends. Have a fabulous day!

July 2, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Furniture Makeover

Coffee Table Makeover

Hello all! Happy Monday from me to you! I hope you’re having a fantastic morning. Are you drinking your coffee as you’re reading this? I hope so!

Summer is in full swing for me here. I’m a teacher, and even though my summer break started a few weeks back, I spent the first bit of that away from home visiting different family members. I didn’t feel like my summer break had fully begun until this last week. I don’t have any kiddos to keep me busy (that is definitely not a complaint), so my days range between mindlessly watching Netflix for an embarrassing number of hours and finding odd projects around the house to keep me busy.

This week these old tables we have in our living room became the object of choice (I swear, nothing is safe from the paintbrush in this house. Except for the walls, because, landlords). These two tables were my husband, Ethan’s from his bachelor days. Who knows how old they are or where in the world they came from. Classic newlyweds, amiright?

I painted the bases white when we first got married, and that was good for a while. But you can see how scratched and janky (I can use that word right?) they are. They weren’t looking so hot.

So obviously I had to do something about it (which if you’re reading this and you still haven’t figured out that I am about to paint this table, then I’m sorry I ruined the surprise for you).

The first thing I did was put a fresh coat of Annie Sloan Old White over both tables. I’ve written previously more details about using this paint, which you can find here.

Don’t mind this background of this picture. It’s our totally-unfinished-not-fully-furnished-guestroom/paint studio. We all have that one room we don’t want anyone to see. Except you just saw mine. Don’t judge me, please keep reading.

I wanted to go for a “farmhouse style” look, so I wanted to paint a grainsack stripe on each of the tables. I spaced a four inch wide line in the center, and a one inch wide line on either side.

I then painted in the areas I had taped off. The color is Pencil Sketch by Behr. I bought a sample jar of it at Home Depot in a flat finish and had plenty left over. The paintbrush is the 2″ Wooster Shortcut. This is the first time using this brush and I can tell you that I absolutely loved it! It’s inexpensive and easy to use.

After painting my stripes, I got around to distressing lightly the edges of my table. I also sanded down over the gray stripes so that a bit of the white would show through. I wanted to give the stripes a bit of a worn look.

After distressing, removing tape, adding a finishing wax, and making a huge mess, my tables were done!

They make the room so much brighter, which I absolutely love. I also am really digging the rustic vibe they have. The best part about this project is that I had everything on hand except for the $3 paint sample I bought. That’s what I call a thrifty project! My favorite kind! That’s all for today. Have a fabulous day, friends!

June 15, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Tutorials

My Experience with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Hello everyone! I hope you’ve had a marvelous weekend, I know I have! I am in New York visiting some family, but I wanted to take a few minutes and make sure I wasn’t neglecting the old blog. 🙂

So last week I blogged about my new dining room table. If you haven’t checked that out, go ahead and do so. It’s cool, I’ll wait. I want you to have a frame of reference when reading this post. Okay, you read it? Cool, let’s continue.

I painted the table and chairs using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. If you haven’t heard of this paint before, you are really missing out. Seriously, this stuff is awesome! It’s called chalk paint not because it creates a chalkboard finish, but because of its matte look. It has a “chalky” feel to it when the paint dries. There is no sanding or prep work required with this paint (can I get an amen?!), and it will adhere to most any surface. Did I mention it has no VOCs? Pretty cool stuff.

Annie Sloan is a company based in Britain, so while you can order online, there are only limited stockists in the United States. You can click here to find a stockist near you. I got mine from Nest, a cute little store in Mansfield, TX. It is suggested that you take a workshop to learn about the paint before tackling any big projects, but being the rebel that I am (mostly I’m just cheap), I opted to just try it for myself. I did do some internet research, and Lauren over at The Thinking Closet has a great tutorial on this topic as well. I referenced her post several times during my project.

So let’s get down to it, shall we? First off, I chose my color, Old White.

This color is a not-quite-cream-not-quite-pure-white color that’s perfect for my space, so I went with it. The actual application of the paint is easy-peasy. I’m assuming you know how to dip a paintbrush in a can and slap it on something. I won’t insult your intelligence.

While the can states that one coat will be sufficient, I found this not to be true. Pardon the HORRIBLE lighting, but you can see here with just one coat, there were still visible areas. Now, these chairs are not solid wood, so that may be why it took more paint, I’m not sure.

Overall, I did two complete coats, with a third coat over some small areas. If you look closely in this picture, you can see the defining line between one coat and two coats of paint.

This paint dries quickly and is very easy to distress, if that’s the look you’re going for. If so, you would simply sand down the edges you want distressed and be done with it.

After your paint is fully dry and distressed, it’s time for the wax. I applied the wax the next day. This is the part that is unique to this type of paint, and the main reason a workshop is suggested. I however, did not attend a workshop and didn’t have any problems.

There are suggested brushes for applying the wax. I used a regular old cheap brush from Home Depot. You will want to make sure the paintbrush you use will be solely for wax. You won’t want to mix your brushes used for paint with your brushes used for wax.

You will want to apply a small amount of wax to your brush, brush it onto your piece, and then immediately rub the wax into the piece using a dry cloth. This allows the piece to have the wax fully worked in. It also removes any excess wax. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. If you have too much wax, it will leave a tacky residue on your finished project and that’s just no good.

It didn’t take me long to completely abandon the paint brush (this is not the professional way to do this, but it worked for me). I would dip the cloth into the wax, and apply directly from the cloth.

In my opinion, this was much easier than using a brush, since I applied and worked in the wax in one cohesive step. It also eliminated brush strokes in the wax.

By the time I was done, my cloth was pretty oily, so I took a clena cloth and wiped down the entire surface once more. I did not have any issues with tacky wax after drying. I waited another day after applying the wax to place my furniture back in my dining room.

I am totally a novice with this product, but I’d say I had a pretty easy experience with great results. I would definitely recommend doing a little research, but if you’ve been hesitant to try it, DON’T BE! I had a really good experience with it, and I know you can too!

That’s all for today! If you have any questions, please let me know, and I’ll try to answer them as best I can. Have a fabulous day, friends!

June 1, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects, Furniture Makeover

Dining Room Table Makeover

Hey Y’all! Today I’m sharing what is hands down my favorite project to date. This is definitely the biggest impact project I have done, and I am IN LOVE with the result.

So, cue the before picture:

This dining set has seen better days. I believe it’s from Target, but I’m honestly not even sure. My husband bought it for $50 long before we were married from a couple who was moving. It had been their newlywed table, and we inherited it as our newlywed table. It’s not awful, but it’s a dark, basic, “starter” table in all its MDF glory. Clearly not my favorite thing. You can see why I needed to update this baby.

I got my first supply of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for my birthday, and I decided to give it a try.

This labor of love took several days, but it was so worth it. As you can see, I started with a coat of Annie Sloan’s Old White. What’s shown here is the very first coat. I ended up doing two full coats and a third coat just in certain areas.

This is the end result of my hard work. I wanted to go for a bit of a distressed look (not too much), so I lightly sanded around the natural edges of the chairs and tables.

That messy porch workshop of mine. Sorry, y’all. In the photo of the table, you can see that I painted about an inch onto the tabletop. I didn’t paint the whole thing, because I felt like that would just be a waste. I didn’t want any unpainted parts to show through when I added the top though, so I just painted around the edges.

Next comes the wax. Chalk paint needs an application of wax after the paint is dry. It’s a tricky process, but I seemed to manage. I think I’m going to do a separate post on my experience using this paint. Anyway, once the wax was applied, it was time to work on the tabletop.

First thing I did was sand the sharp edges of each board. We used 8 1×6 cedar planks cut to 42 inches (the width of our table). I wanted a rustic look, but not a give-you-splinters-while-you’re-eating-dinner look.

Then I stained each of the boards. I have learned by now that gloves are a must while staining. Just…don’t go to school with stain all over your hands and knees. Your students will not appreciate it.

This is the stain I used:

As you can see in the above photo, the color on the can isn’t quite how it turned out, but that’s alright. Up until this point, this project had been completely mine. I did have to enlist my husband to help with the next step, though.

We lined the tabletop with the newly stained boards, and nailed them in place.

Can I also just say that nail guns are really awesome? Okay, that’s all.

I added a coat of Polyurethane to the top to protect the finish. The poly brought out the wood grain even more and made the top look SO GOOD.

This photo shows how much the poly enhanced the wood grain. Hello, beautiful. After this, we waited for it to dry so we could move it back into the dining room. Never mind the fact that the dining room had been awkwardly empty for a week at this point.

Here she is, my new table! She doesn’t look quite so newlywed basic anymore!

We decided to leave about an inch of overhang on either side to create just a little bit more surface area.

We can’t do anything about the dark carpet or paneling, or wall color, so this table makes a big impact. It lightens up the space so much!

Remember how dark it was before? The before/after pictures were taken at the same time of day! I am loving this table now, and definitely won’t be parting with it for a LONG time.

Like I mentioned earlier, I’m going to do a more in depth post on my experience with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, so stay tuned for that! That’s all for today. Have a fabulous day, friends!

May 26, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

DIY Projects

Shutter Styling

Hey y’all! Thanks for stopping by! Today I’m sharing a super quick update we made in our master bedroom. A quick and easy thing that I am loving!

Last weekend, my husband and I traveled to Canton, TX to visit First Monday Trade Days. It’s just over an hour from where we live, and it’s one of the largest and oldest flea markets in the United States. This place is seriously AMAZING. If you live in the area (or even if you don’t) I would definitely recommend checking it out. We saw antiques, collectibles, handmade items, junk, and everything in between. Definitely one of the coolest places if you’re looking for unique items. PLUS it’s free admission, so you really can’t go wrong.

While we were there, I picked up some old window shutters. The seller was very confused about why I only wanted one pair, and even when I tried to explain that I wouldn’t be using them on the outside of a window, he was still confused. Sir, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry! I paid $15 for this beauty:

Ignore the water spigot. And the weeds in my yard. Whatevs. Anyway, super dirty and gross, I know. I hosed them down and had the intention of sanding and repainting them. Keyword being intention.

After days of sanding this thing, I was over it. I mean OVER IT. My sander couldn’t reach in all the slats, and I’m pretty sure my hand is still shaking from using it. Now before you judge me, this is not my first go-around using a power sander, just my first go-around sanding shutters. Sanding flat surfaces > sanding EIGHT MILLION nooks and crannies.

So I left them half sanded and left some of the primer exposed. I’m a half quitter. But I’m kind of glad I’m a half quitter because I love the way they are, even without a fresh coat of paint.

We hung them on either side of our bed, just above our nightstands.

I love the rustic feel they bring to the room now.

The woven basket piece is from Target, and the headboard was a DIY project.

And this little print was one I whipped up quickly just to fill space on my nightstand. Whatever works. Overall, I think the shutters add a much needed texture to the room, and I love the warm tone of the wood and the coziness it brings.

I think decorating with shutters might quickly become an addiction. I need more, more, MORE! I’m also thinking a full room tour of this room might be in order soon, so we’ll have to see about that (I have a few more projects up my sleeve first). What about you? Have you used shutters in your home? I’d love to hear about it!

That’s all for today. Have a fabulous day, friends!

May 11, 2015 by Fawn Rumfield

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