First up, old and tired becomes new again with a little TLC and some new accessories. Emma at The Marion House Book shares a great example of how a little elbow grease and the addition of a few inexpensive details can go a long way toward making your garden a more pleasant place to work, eat or day dream in. Visit Emma's blog to find out how she created this pretty white look.
Next, taking a tired and broken (but free) dresser and converting it into a stylish garden hold-all is a clever idea, especially if you have a nice place to put it. Perhaps a covered porch, a shed or a sheltered patio could get a little design treatment like this? The Feminist housewife made this relatively easy conversion with a coat of paint, some knobs and handles, and a few accessories.
I love the ingenuity behind the third makeover, found via Better After. The idea of adding finials to objects with good shape and giving them a spray paint makeover is definitely a good one. If I were to give it a try, I might try using an object with lots of drama (fatter, bigger, more strange…something) in an antique bronze spray (I have used that in the past to great success!). For more details about this project visit Nine is Fine.
And finally — a super simple and easy little makeover from Metal and Mud! These white tables with the tempered glass are pretty ubiquitous and inexpensive, but I love how with a coat of paint, and the addition of a cut to size piece of oilcloth (over the glass) the whole thing is much more interesting and unique. Make a visit to Metal and Mud for more details and images.
Images: Better After, the Marion House, Nine is Fine, Metal and Mud
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I'm sprucing up my screen porch just in time for fall/winter in the midwest.
Why didn't I do this in the spring?
I'm loving what you did with the dresser and the last table! Definitely gives me some ideas for some unused furniture at my mom's!
These are all great transformations. It really inspires me to want to redo something.
Seems almost every makeover posted in the past year has involved simply painting the item white (with a few exceptions). Kitchen makeover? White cabinets. Table makeover. White. Dresser makeover? White. Paneling makeover? White. Beginning to think a whitewash is not a makeover at all.
@ Riccardo, you must have been relieved to see the brass lamp painted with grey fleck.
I'm surrounded by antiques at my step-grandmother's house. The motto is slowly becoming... "eh, just paint it white!"... which is reaching laughable proportions. I love this "new" table... and I'm sure there was much more than just a coat of paint used to finish it.
Reminds me that I have a can of paint to pick up!
Nicely done :)
Your headline is an understatement to the first three. These are great before and afters of indoor furniture to outdoor furniture.
I'm gonna steal the lamp stand idea. Thanks!
i really love painted furniture, but i think i preferred the first table before.
Love the last photo! Great idea for a folks with a shoe-string budget. My Mommy will think this is super cute for her sun room. :)
I recently re-did mine, too.
Before: http://www.flickr.com/photos/headshake/5640609823/in/photostream
After: http://www.flickr.com/photos/headshake/5641014707/in/photostream
As a logistical question from someone who loved this post and would like to implement this: Is there amy special treatment you should give the furniture to make it laswt longer outside? Or is it more of a "since it was so cheap to start we don't need it for the long hall" thing?
I like all the transformations, except the lamp, but that's just my personal taste.