An IKEA Refresh

February 16, 2015 Sherri Rice

It's fun when the friend of a client contacts me and says "I want to get on your list!" So, I was excited to get to this project - an IKEA couch and chair. And the fabric would be dropcloth. Here are the pieces before, with their original IKEA slipcovers...

I haven't looked at IKEA slipcovers lately, but these ones had no extra opening to make them easier to take on and off, and, over time, they had shrunk a little. My client was very excited to have covers that she wouldn't have to fight to get on and off! She provided the 10 oz dropcloth and specified a pleated skirt. Lots and lots of pleats later, here they are...

Hard to believe those are IKEA pieces! And, by the way, she has the cutest house :)

She requested piping only around the skirt, so the rest of the seams were left clean and simple.

The furry member of the family was eager to try them out...

Lots and lots of box pleats (with a 2" turned hem)...

And then, because these pieces float in the room, we had to dress up the back...

I know I said in an earlier post something about buttons needing to be functional, well, I'm eating my words now ;) My client wanted the button look, but wanted the security and streamlined look of a zipper. So, did both - underneath the button placket is a functioning zipper. And now the slipcovers go on and off with ease!

And aren't her pillows gorgeous?

These pieces are destined for a keeping room in Tennessee (I so love the idea of a keeping room!), so my client is playing with different ideas for accessories - I can't wait to see them in their new home!

Do you have IKEA slipcovered pieces? What do you think of how they work for you?

Sherri

Builder Basic to Personality Filled - A Kitchen Update

January 16, 2015 Sherri Rice

We purchased our then-5-year-old builder-basic house 9 years ago, with the intention of adding personality and character over time. Well, SLOWLY we are getting there, so I am very excited to show you our {mostly, for now} finished kitchen! I seem to spend a lot of time in this room (go figure!), so it has always been a priority to have it functioning as best as it can, and looking good in the process. It is a fairly generous size, as kitchens go, and has large windows that face east - I love morning sunshine! But, the cupboards and finishes are very basic, and as a result, have been showing their age quickly. A full remodel isn't in the budget, so we have been looking for ways to make it "us" on a VERY tiny budget.

This is what we started with (this picture was taken a year after we moved in)...

And this is what it looks like now...

Much better! It's really been lots of smaller projects that have added up to a completely different look. We started by changing the lighting, replacing some of the cabinets with open shelves, painting the cabinets that were left, and putting new flooring in. I talked about our breakfast bar here- it's been one of my most viewed posts! And I shared our kitchen table journey here. I won't talk about all of the rest of the changes here, but if you want to know more about any of the details, let me know in the comments.

The biggest change we have made since the breakfast bar project is raising the cabinets and installing a shelf underneath. I first saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it could work because it could give us more closed storage and enable us to move some of our everyday things off the counters. It worked and I love it! I won't give you step-by-step instructions, as others have already done that, but I thought I would show you how it works for us. And maybe it will inspire your own kitchen makeover!

Our adventure in cupboard rearranging started with the "hutch" we made that is located on the other side of our fridge...

We removed the upper cabinet and the lower cabinet doors. Then we installed shelves from Ikea (here) and I made curtains out of ticking for the lower cabinet. We also painted it a slightly different shade of white and used different drawer pulls, so that it looked distinct from the rest of the kitchen cabinetry.

The day we took those cabinets down, I REALLY just wanted to take them all out! But, I know myself and know that a little closed storage is a good thing :) This hutch is one of my favorite parts of the kitchen! It holds all our everyday dishes and has become our breakfast center...

Taking the cabinets down, and then putting them back up, was definitely a two-person job. We didn't put them all the way to the ceiling because we needed to get a hand (and a drill) in that space to screw the cabinets back to the wall (and if they were any higher, I wouldn't be able to reach anything!). The new small-scale crown molding around the top finishes them off. The cabinet over the microwave needed to stay in place, so we made a little niche area. I think it makes the cabinets more interesting.

We put up beadboard wallpaper for a backsplash and installed the shelves. We used 10" boards since I didn't want the shelves to be as deep as the cupboards. The brackets were unfinished wood and came from Home Depot.

It was fun to organize the shelves with our often-used (and pretty) things - the baskets hold spices, tea fixings, and dog paraphernalia).

We initially painted the shelves and backsplash a different white (Benjamin Moore Cloud White) than the cupboards (a mystery color). But, then I tried to touch up the finish on the upper cupboards and realized that my touch-up color was not the same as the initial color (has anyone else done that?). Since I wasn't certain we could match the original color, we ended up painting the upper cupboards (again!) in the same color as the shelves and backspash. And I like it better :)

If you are wondering about our "island," it is a vintage table I found at a local re-sale shop. It was originally intended to be a desk, but then we had to do a furniture shuffle and it ended up being our island. The "garbage" cans (also from Ikea) hold our dog food a little more stylishly than the plastic bins we were using.

And if you were wondering where our kitchen table is, this is why it didn't make it into any pictures (warning: full disclosure ahead)...

The projects never end! We are in the process of putting up crown molding in our family room and this has become our worktable. At least the breakfast bar gives us somewhere to eat ;)

One more look...

August Blues - Kitchen Before and After2

Have you done any low-budget kitchen upgrades?

Sherri

P.S. Many thanks to the Professor for entertaining and then following through with my hair-brained ideas for our kitchen and to my dad for painting many of the cabinets, not once, but twice!

A Little Bit of Everything :)

November 25, 2013 Sherri Rice

Thanksgiving break is here and I have a little break between projects, so I thought it might be a good day to check in here, 'cause it's been awhile (and I know I still owe you an office reveal post)! It's been a busy few weeks since I last wrote. So here is a little update...

1. These cushions are finally finished!

It was a great opportunity to put my new machine to the test and to work with Sunbrella Canvas. Machine works great; the fabric is a little tricky since it doesn't have much "give." But, it does feel better than just printed polyester versions of outdoor fabric.

Yep, they are for a boat :)

2. We have continued working on the playroom - a trip to IKEA yielded these shelves, which fit perfectly (you can see the rest of the room here).

The toys have been sorted, so I am just waiting to get the bins that will go on the shelves. I'm thinking of these.

3. If you have been following on Facebook you may have seen a few updates on this project...

These are 4 dining room chair covers that I did long distance - the chairs are in Alabama! Hopefully I'll be able to share pictures of them in place when my client gets them.

4. Speaking of projects, I am now booked into March of 2014!!! Looking forward to some great projects :)

5. The boys are off for Thanksgiving this week, so I am looking forward to this down time, before my next project comes in. Maybe I'll even take a little time to get some of my own projects done (I have my eye on a Craigslist wing chair...)

So, in case I don't make it back here before then, Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

And a challenge: if you need a book to read while you travel or hang out with your family, read One Thousand Gifts. Ann writes:

"...in this counting gifts, to one thousand, more, I discover that slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life... life-changing gratitude does not fasten to a life unless unless nailed through with one very specific nail at a time."

Consider starting your own list of specific gifts - can you make it to 1000 before next Thanksgiving?

With thanks,

Sherri

Buffet Make-Over

November 1, 2013 Sherri Rice

Happy day-after-Halloween Friday! I wanted to give you a quick peak at what I have been up to this week (besides single-parenting - the Professor has been out of town at a conference).

Mostly I have been working on this...

... a pile of cushions for a boat. 8 cushions, to be exact, all different! This picture doesn't really look like progress, but, trust me, it is! This project was the push I needed to get my new machine and I think we have finally worked out some kinks and (knock on wood!) it's working well :) I'm not quite dreaming in "Pacific Blue" yet, but if I don't wrap up this project soon, I will be ;)

And this is what I have been working on in between...

Before, and now after...

Remember this? That was practice for this project. The color is Screen Door from Vintage Farmhouse Paints. And this is an old IKEA buffet that we got in the As-Is room YEARS ago (yes, it too, has lived in all of our houses). So, it was a fun piece to try this look out on.

A little distressing and a finishing coat of MMS Furniture Wax and some bling. The knobs are from Hobby Lobby - I love that they are a little bit sparkly, but still substantial, with just a little bit of patina.

It's not styled yet (and I was working with a different camera, so I couldn't quite capture what I wanted to), but it's part of my new office space that, hopefully, I can show you next week.

So, what have you been up to this week?

Sherri

Workroom Reveal

October 16, 2013 Sherri Rice

Finally done (mostly :) ) - my new workroom! Remember the "before"?

This upstairs room has been the boys' playroom. It has undergone a bit of a transformation and here it is now...

It needs a few finishing touches, but it's functional and working here is definitely a pleasure :) Let me show you around (I'm in the middle of a project, but I tidied up just for you)...

This table is actually the Norden dining table from IKEA. We purchased it for our last house which had a large dining room. Until we have another dining space that is suitable, it makes a great cutting table! The skirt is just stapled to the bottom of the table top. It makes for great (hidden!) storage underneath.

These are the two machines I have had for years, since August Blues 1.0 with my mom. And the bench works really well for moving between them (the table and bench were both Craigslist finds). I think the pegboard needs a little something...

See the trees out the window? Almost like working in a tree house :) These curtains have found a home in all of the houses we have owned - first they covered closets in our bedroom, then they curtained the front window in our front porch. I was so excited when I remembered I still had them - they are perfect for this space!

On the other side of the window I created this little storage area. We have had the shelf forever, but the bins are new (from Lowes). They hold fabrics. The hat boxes and clock are also from IKEA. The curtain to the right conceals a yet-to-be-organized storage area for my personal fabric and craft supplies.

Here she is - I'm still getting used to her, but she is a hard worker :) The table on the right is where homework happens in the evenings. It will be replaced with a smaller, rectangular table that fits the space a little better. And just for a dose of reality...

Yes, this is the sad state of the rest of the room. I did take over half of the boys' playroom - my youngest watched me measure the space out and then reported to Grandma that he now only had 9' of space to play in! Never fear, I have a plan for this space, too, and it does include the toys and space to play ;) I will share it as soon as we get it finished (and you can hold me to that!). I think the boys will be quite excited when they rediscover their toys :)

One last view...

MANY thanks to the boys for agreeing to share their space with me and to the Professor for all the help and heavy lifting he provided (do you know how much that Juki weighs?)! And now I need to top up my coffee and get back to work (I am now booking projects for January)!

Have you made a workspace just for you?

Sherri

P.S. I linked up here :) Check out all the other great projects!

A Little Retail Therapy

July 7, 2013 Sherri Rice

I hope you have been enjoying your July 4th weekend! We have some actual vacation time planned in the next few weeks, so I needed to finish one more slipcover project. It had it's challenges, but I am happy with how it turned out:). I will post about it later in the week.

We delivered the chair and took the opportunity to make a quick stop at IKEA. It was a win-win for everyone - I got to do a little shopping, the boys got to eat lunch out, and the Professor was happy to take advantage of the kids-eat-free deal this weekend :)

It's so hard to stick to a list at IKEA - anyone else have that problem? I did pretty well, only picking up a couple of things that weren't on my list.

I ended up with a decidedly modern country collection.

I had seen the set of two metal vases (Socker here) highlighted somewhere else earlier in the spring. Our store only had the cream color, but other colors looks like they would be great, too.

I was so happy to find the glass canister (Burken here)!! I have a couple of the them in my pantry and have been looking for another one; the last time I was at the store they didn't have any, but this time they did!

August Blues - Basket, Hooks, Vase, and Napkins

Also on my list was another basket for the shelf here (Byholma, but this one is not on the website).

And anyone else have trouble resisting the napkins? I wasn't going to get any this time, but this pattern in these colors? Well, they went into my bag :)

And finally, we have the Leksvik hooks up all over the house - I just needed one more set for one of the boys' bedrooms. Great look and so functional!

Do you have favorite IKEA products?

As I mentioned at the beginning, I will be taking a little vacation time over the next few weeks. I have a couple of slipcover projects to show you and will be starting new projects in August. I am booked into September, so if you want to get on my wait list, let me know (I will continue to check my e-mail).

Hope your summer is going well!

Sherri

Welcome to August Blues - I'm so glad
you're here! August Blues Slipcover Studio strives to enable your home to better serve its purpose, by providing you with quality custom slipcovers that enhance the appearance and functionality of your furniture pieces. Established in 2011 and located in Denton, TX...Read More

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