Sunday, May 23, 2010

The sincerest form of flattery

Interior design/home decorating was never an interest of mine until we moved to our house - suddenly I was all over the internet, looking at design blogs, brainstorming what would work in our house and stopping at nearly every thrift store and garage sale I saw.  I've gone from being insanely intimidated to shrugging my shoulders and plunging right in - sometimes with great results, and sometimes with decent results and much cursing.


Hands down, the website I turn to again and again is Young House Love.  John and Sherry (see how I talk like I know them?  It's an act.  I would probably dissolve into a pile of rainbows and glitter if I ever met them) have an older house somewhat similar to ours.  Because of them, I've learned how to paint furniture, I've made a gift-wrapping station, I got boxes for our desk, I frosted our windows and I'm about to tackle the clog in our bathroom.  My name is Desiree, and I am a Young House-aholic.


The latest in my Young House adulation is the dresser in our guest bedroom.  The first time I cleaned it out was in preparation for Drew's parents to visit.  Prior to that, it was a catch-all room for all junk and leftover boxes that I hadn't gotten around to unpacking and sorting.  Whenever we had guests, that door stayed closed.  


Having his parents over was a great motivation to straighten and finally decorate it, because once I cleaned it out the only thing in the room was a bed and my office cabinet.  It looked so bare and sad, so I jumped on craigslist to find a dresser.  Imagine my giddiness when I found a dresser identical to the one John and Sherry redid for their nursery!  I contacted the guy and rushed out to buy it because thanks to them, I already knew the dimensions and knew it would fit perfectly in our guest bedroom.
I paid more for mine than they did - even on craigslist,
things are more expensive in the big city.
I wanted to stain the dresser to match our
 cherry-colored platform bed .

I'd never worked with stain before, but I had no fear because they do such detailed tutorials that it's really hard to mess up.  Drew and I hauled it out to the garage and I got to work.
Sanded to within an inch of its life.  
By hand - I want an electric sander next time.
Staining the drawers - it's a pretty good match!
I used Cabot stain - Minwax's cherry wasn't the right color.

I also decided to paint the top of the dresser white, like they did.  When Drew is in town he works from home, using the white desk in the sitting room.  However, he really needed to be able to shut the door when he was on calls so we moved it to the guest bedroom.  With the white desk and the cherry bed, I figured a cherry dresser with a white top would tie the two together nicely.  I was right!  Check it out!
I love the three stripes on the side.  
They didn't show up until I stained it and it was such a cool bonus!
The plant was a housewarming gift from Kristina and I haven't killed it!  Yea me!
Detail
Standing in the doorway.  
Maya came in and hopped on the bed
but she was too much of a diva to look at the camera.
I would love to hide the cords and have a home for our printer 
like they do, but I'm too OCD to sit off to one side of the desk.
I'm also going to recover the seat of the chair since the black
and white fabric doesn't go with the warm tones of the wood.
This corner needs something.

Now that the dresser is the only thing on this wall, you can really tell that it needs accesorizing.  I'd like to find a chair to put in that corner - maybe a floor lamp as well?  My new favorite blog, Better After did a post on chairs today that has me itching to hit the thrift stores!  I want something like this.
Image source
I love the lines of this chair - I would paint it white
and do a neutral fabric with some blue in it. 
I feel like the picture above the dresser needs to be a little lower. 
What do y'all think?

I'm so happy that the guest bedroom is finished, and by finished I mean we can actually show this room as part of our house tour when we have company.  I still have to get a small accent table for the side of the bed and I'm now on the hunt for a chair!  

Most importantly, Maya has another throne to claim.
She likes every bed but the one we bought especially for her.
Go figure.

PS - Check out how I finished the room!  

35 comments:

  1. Desiree! This looks AH-mazing (and I don't throw AH-mazing aroud lightly like some folks)I saw the post on YHL and admired it! WTG you! This looks great!

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  2. This room is amazing!!!!

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  3. i love how retro that dresser is! and with the white top you let it keep its vintage feel without being 1970s tacky. tres nice :)

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  4. This is a gorgeous room! Well done, and SOOOO inspiring...

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  5. That room is SO cute! I love the wall color! That chair would be awesome in there! In fact, that chair would be awesome anywhere!!! Do I see a chandelier in there too?!

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  6. You've done a brilliant job. Well done! I particularly love the dresser. I done quite a bit of restoring and staining wooden furniture so I can appreciate how much effort you have put in. Love the white top too! I don't think the picture above the dresser needs to be moved - it is in a good spot. You could go for a bit more color on your bed though!

    Alan Riley, publisher
    www.beautifulbeddingsets.com

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  7. LOVE it! I am blown away by your creativity & talent ;) You did an awesome job on not just the dresser but the room as well!

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  8. I'm also a YHL-aholic!!! :) You made it on their site-wooohooo!!! :) Great job on the dresser; beautiful room. Keep up the great work!!!

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  9. I came here from the link John and Sherry posted on YHL. Your dresser looks great! :)

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  10. I also got here from YHL (and yes, of course, I'm addicted). I had to leave you a comment after I read you sanded it by hand...I did the same thing not too long ago. I was working on a dining room table (with lots of details and spindles). I must not have your perseverence because I quit halfway through to go by an electric sander! Get the electric tools--they're easier and make you feel like an empowered woman!

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  11. I reached your blog through YHL - and I think you did a beautiful job on the dresser.

    I also love love love the color on your walls. :) The whole room is just lovely!

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  12. Found you from YHL. Love your blog! :) Quick/odd/random question...My favorite painting of all time is the one that you have a print of directly over your desk. I have never been able to find who the artist is. Do you know??

    On another note, I just love the tone of your blog. I have stressful days here and your blog is like a bit of fresh air. Thank you!

    Check out my blog, if you like:
    lifeofcassie.blogspot.com

    Have a fabulous day!

    Cassie Allen
    St. Charles, MO

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  13. I don't know that the picture is too high...maybe you just need a few things VERTICAL on the dresser...like a taller vase...to tie it all in. Either way it looks amazing and kudos to you for tackling stain. I haven't yet! Excellent!

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  14. Love it! It looks wonderful. From one YHL addict to other you did a great job! I may like it better than theirs (we love our cherry wood!)!

    Manda

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  15. What a beautiful and airy looking room! Need a guest? I cook and clean, and walk dogs :)

    I am dying of envy that both you and YHL scored such gorgeous dressers. I am obsessed with mid-century modern furniture, and am dying to do this project!!

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  16. Super cool. Nice job on the dresser!!

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  17. So nicely done--I'm a YHL follower, too! Way to go with the can-do attitude!

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  18. EEK! Just saw this dresser transformation on YOUNG HOUSE LOVE! Congrats! :)

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  19. Wow! You did a GREAT job and the room looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing!

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  20. Hi, I got here from YHL like lots of other posters. Your room looks great! I love the windows...all the blue and white together looks very light and airy. Great job on the dresser!

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  21. Your blog looks lovely. I am brand new to it, but I plan to curl up in bed tonight and read through as much as I can...Is that creepy? lol

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  22. Got your blog through YHL - looks amazing! I was just crazy about it when I saw the two toned effect!

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  23. I'm a bit hesitant to comment now I see your phone chimes when you get a comment. You see, I'm in New Zealand so depending on where you live, your phone may be chiming at 3 in the morning :-/

    However, I have to tell you how beautiful the room looks, both with the colours and the furnishings you have chosen. The two tone effect of the stain on the woodgrain of the dresser gives it the look of mahogany. It looks fantastic.

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  24. My name is Anna and I too am a Young House-aholic. Literally, I check it every day! Hence why I'm over here looking at your brilliant dresser transformation. It all ties together so well in that room. Well done.

    Nice to meet you.... Anna x

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  25. This is a super cute dresser, I read Young House Love everyday too, you guys are amazing for things you do, way to go for me! BTW, love your dog!

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  26. I adore that dresser and YHL. Hoping there's a 3rd look-alike out here in the midwest.

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  27. can you tell me what they called this dresser when you found it on craigslist? I am looking for something similar and having trouble

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  28. Thanks for the awesome compliments you guys! I'm totally blown away by the positive response and I'm doing a happy dance right now, you just can't see me. Trust me though, it's hot!

    I just searched 'dresser' on craigslist - nothing more specific than that. Good luck to you!

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  29. I adore that dresser and YHL. Hoping there's a 3rd look-alike out here in the midwest.

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  30. Got your blog through YHL - looks amazing! I was just crazy about it when I saw the two toned effect!

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  31. So nicely done--I'm a YHL follower, too! Way to go with the can-do attitude!

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  32. I don't know that the picture is too high...maybe you just need a few things VERTICAL on the dresser...like a taller vase...to tie it all in. Either way it looks amazing and kudos to you for tackling stain. I haven't yet! Excellent!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a beautiful and airy looking room! Need a guest? I cook and clean, and walk dogs :)

    I am dying of envy that both you and YHL scored such gorgeous dressers. I am obsessed with mid-century modern furniture, and am dying to do this project!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. You've done a brilliant job. Well done! I particularly love the dresser. I done quite a bit of restoring and staining wooden furniture so I can appreciate how much effort you have put in. Love the white top too! I don't think the picture above the dresser needs to be moved - it is in a good spot. You could go for a bit more color on your bed though!

    Alan Riley, publisher
    www.beautifulbeddingsets.com

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  35. such beautiful work! I think you just gave me the courage to tackle staining the dresser that's been sitting in our garage :)

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When you leave me a comment, my phone chimes. I run to it from across the house, anxious to read what you've said. I save them in my email and read them multiple times a day, which is why you may not get an immediate response but I promise I eventually respond to every comment that has an email address.

You make me smile - I just thought you should know.

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