Fantastic Furniture Find!

Long time followers of RDH know that when it comes to bargains and freebies I have been very fortunate. Much of my house is furnished with roadside finds, hand-me-downs and thrift store purchases. Needless to say, my house definitely has a “collected over time” look. My luck continued last weekend when I came across this buffet / sideboard at my local Salvation Army thrift store.

I looked it over quickly but did not even ask the price the first time I saw it. When I called back the next day, I was told the buffet was part of a set and could not be purchased separately. If I wanted the buffet I would need to also buy the table and six chairs which had been donated at the same time. My other option was to pay for the set and then donate what I did not want back to the store.

At first I was not sure about the table and chairs. After some thought, however, I realized keeping all the pieces was a good thing. You see my dining room craigslist table only came with four chairs. I also am partial to having a mix of chairs rather than a completely matched set. The table will most likely find a home in my basement and be used for crafts and playing games. So yes, I kept everything!

From the pictures above, you can see I took advantage of the warmer than normal weather to already begin the refinishing process. The sideboard and table legs will be painted and glazed. The chairs and table top will be sanded and varnished. I will be posting the after pictures soon.

So how much did I spend? I spent a total of $150 for everything – less than $20 per piece! I was thrilled to say the least. Other than the freebies on the side of the road, I think this may have been my best furniture find ever.

Do you have a favorite furniture bargain story? I would love to hear it!

Paperwhites – Step Number One in My Holiday Preparations

Creative Home / Photographer – Michael Partenio
Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications 

The official start of the holiday season begins for me when I plant my paperwhites. I head to my local garden center where the bulbs can be purchased individually instead of pre-packaged. They are less expensive this way and I can choose the best ones. It seems every year I buy more bulbs than the previous year. I guess I just can’t seem to get enough of these pretty white flowers during the holidays!

You may remember last year I wrote about one of my favorite holiday hostess gifts – a single paperwhite in a vintage tea cup. This year I did more of the same as well as add some new pots to my repertoire for my own house.

For several months I have been collecting milk glass vessels in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each one cost between twenty-nine and ninety-nine cents. Many of these will undoubtedly end up in the hands of friends as well.

At the moment the containers are all housed on my kitchen table. I am always amazed at how even the simplest items become more important and beautiful when placed together. Although I do love how this grouping looks, I am sure they will be moved once I begin decorating in earnest.

You may also have noticed I have mixed in some simple baby tear plants with the paperwhites. My only holiday decorating plan this year is to simplify and use natural elements. We’ll see how it all turns out!

So, how do you begin your holiday decorating? Is there a tradition in your family which signals the beginning of the holidays?

Linking to a few of my favorite parties HERE

Your Basement Bookcase and Bench Questions Answered

Better Homes and Gardens / Photographer – John Bessler 

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

As part of our basement remodel, our contractor constructed this pretty bookcase (above) and bench (below). It was originally shown in the July 2009 edition of Better Homes and Gardens and has since been republished in several BH&G publications including 100 Decorating Ideas – Big Style for Small Rooms, Remodel, and 100 Ideas – Real Rooms.

100 Decorating Ideas Big Style for Small Rooms / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

It has now reappeared in the January 2011 edition of BH&G’s Remodel.

Better Homes and Gardens Remodel / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

As a result, I have received many emails and phone calls asking for additional information. Many of you asked if we built it ourselves and what are the overall dimensions of the entire unit. I am very flattered by all the interest and am so happy to help.

No, we did not build the bookcase and bench. We worked closely with our contractor to design something which would fit the space visually, add storage and display areas, and make the basement entrance more functional. Needless to say, we are thrilled with how it turned out.

As far as the measurements are concerned, much of what we did was dictated by the height of the adjoining wall. You will notice from the pictures this built-in unit is attached to a half wall with windows. The length was determined by the placement of the columns. Here are the dimensions we used:

100 Decorating Ideas Real Rooms / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

100 Decorating Ideas Big Style for Small Rooms / Photographer – John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications 

If you have any other questions please let me know. Also, if you have used these pictures as inspiration for your own project I would love to see photos and hear from you!

Bedroom Makeover on Ohdeedoh!

I was thrilled to learn today my daughter’s bedroom makeover is included in Ohdeedoh’s annual celebration contest of colorful kids' rooms called “Small Kids, Big Color.”

They are featuring a wonderful array of submissions – full of great ideas for kids’ rooms of all ages. My daughter’s room will only be up for 48 hours. I hope you will take a peak and vote for your favorites!