DIY Décor for the new master bedroom bookcase

In my last post I shared our new DIY Custom Bookcase and Window Seat in the master bedroom. It was looking a little sparse when I went to style it for the photos. Instead of making a trip to Homesense, my go to home décor store, I decided to create some made-by-me Custom DIY Décor.

With a little paint and a graphic I transformed this yellow jug that I've had for many years collecting dust in the storage room.

Into this...

Instructions:

1. Clean the jug first with rubbing alcohol and let it sit for a few days (this removes any grease or residue).
2. Paint the jug with Americana Multi-Surface Paint (I used the color Cottonball). 
3. After letting the paint dry for 4 days bake the jug in a non-preheated oven at 350° for 30 minutes.
4. Let it cool with the oven door open.  This gives glazed ceramics a durable dishwasher safe finish.
5. On the computer in Word create a graphic (I used a wreath I uploaded from The Graphics Fairy).  I added "1987" inside the wreath, the year we were married.
6. Tape wax paper (wax side up) onto a sheet of bond paper (secure it well on all four corners to avoid a paper jam) and print the graphic in reverse.  
7. Cut around the graphic so it's easier to handle.
8. Tape the graphic wax side (printed side) facing towards the jug and gently rub the graphic off. When you no longer see the graphic on the wax paper you have a good transfer.
9. Mine transferred too light because I have a laser rather than inkjet printer.
10. If your transfer is too light like mine, simply trace over it using a Sharpie.  I used both a grey and black Sharpie.

A few years ago I fell in love with a pillow I saw at Homesense. When I brought it home it didn't work in my living room and eventually ended up in a tub in the basement storage room. While rummaging through that tub looking for pillow forms I decided it would be perfect for our new window seat.

Using letter stencils I created the words "Le Jardin", fitting considering it had a butterfly motif and the window seat overlooks our back yard garden.

I placed my letters individually onto the pillow cover in the direction I wanted them and simply traced through the stencil with white chalk.  I continued this process for each letter.  They started to go a little wonky at one point and using a damp cloth I simply erased the ooops and continued on my merry way.  Once I had the words placed the way I wanted them I inserted a piece of cardboard inside the pillow cover to avoid bleed through to the back side.  Then I painted over each letter with Americana Multi-Surface Paint, again in the Cottonball color, using an art brush.

I like the pillow much better with the French script added!

You can see the wooden jewelry box I transformed for the bookcase HERE.

To see how we made the Custom Bookcase and Window Seat click HERE.

I'll be sharing how I made the bench cushion and the rest of the throw pillows in an upcoming post.

So if you have some glazed ceramics around the house that you're not using because you dislike the color, paint them like I did! 

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A Custom DIY Window Seat And Bookcase In The Master Bedroom

I've been hinting to you guys long enough about an ambitious project going on in the master bedroom.  Get your mind out of the gutter...I know you went there!  Today I am finally sharing the reveal of our Custom DIY Bookcase and Window Seat Built-Ins.

Last summer when we had the windows replaced on our humble abode we also had the window in the master bedroom enlarged.  Pictured below is our old window and how the room was decorated several years ago.  I actually thought it was a nicely decorated at the time, what was I thinking!

What a difference after the new window was installed!  I absolutely love it and all the light that it lets in.  You can see by the painter's tape that we were deep into the planning stages of our future built-in.

Since buying this house almost two decades ago I had envisioned a window seat overlooking our back yard.  We are fortunate to have a private yard with mature trees that backs onto a green belt.  I love watching the flocks of birds that visit our feeders, the squirrels leaping from tree to tree gathering pine cones and peanuts, and the rabbits hopping around in the field.

Well I finally got that window seat and it all started with a trip to Home Depot to get these...

First using the two tall pre-cut pieces of pine pictured above we built a bookcase.  Basically a rectangle 80" high by 12" deep.

To accommodate adjustable shelves we used this handy Kreg Shelf Pin Jig that we ordered online. You basically work in sections starting at the top by drilling holes using the template and working your way down.  You can see how it works here.  Using a router with a half round bit the front of each shelf was given a bull nose edge.

Next we built a 60" x 18" bench seat. The carcass was built with 2 x 3 lumber which was suitable for strength but not as heavy or bulky as 2 x 4's. The exterior is lined with pre-cut pieces of pine and the interior with 1/8" thick hardboard, which has a smooth surface for storing blankets.

You'll notice we didn't move the electrical plug because it is one we rarely use. Instead we made a cut out so it can be accessed on the rare occasions when we need it.  The back of the bench is mounted onto the wall and three legs, also purchased at Home Depot, support the front. Not only did we do this for decorative purposes but there is a heat register on the floor under the bench and so being raised allows for unobstructed heat flow.

The lid is pre-cut pine cut deeper than the seat to allow for a 2" over hang. Using a router with a half round bit the front was given a bull nose edge. A pine plate was installed in the back to accommodate the piano hinge and allow the lid to open fully. To add some detail to the front we mitered thin pieces of trim and attached them with construction adhesive taped to secure in place while curing.

Rather than have a super long bench we decided to build a short bookcase on the end.  Can never have enough storage, right! 

We added small crown molding along the top to dress it up.

Then we added crown molding to the top of the tall bookcase.  The base of both units were trimmed with baseboard for a custom finish.

Pictured below is the 3" thick foam I cut to size using a serrated bread knife for the bench.

The entire unit was primed first with Zinsser Bullseye 123 Primer followed by two coats of white satin latex paint.

 The results are even better than I had envisioned and I couldn't be happier.

I'll be sharing how I made the upholstered seat and toss cushions soon.

I was concerned adding a built in was going to make the bedroom appear smaller but what ended up happening is that it made it look much larger. Don't you agree?

I'll be sharing how I turned our old curtain panels into a faux roman shade in an upcoming post.

It may have taken over a decade but it was sure worth the wait!

UPDATE: January 31, 2015
I've had several questions about the wall behind the bed and the room color.  The wall is a Chelsea Allover Stencil.  The paint color is Benjamin Moore "Wedgewood Gray" HC-146. 

This is the second ambitious project in this room.  The first was adding another closet by stealing a small piece of real estate beside the existing closet. 

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Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind The Blogger Feature

I'm so excited to be featured today at the Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind The Blogger series hosted by Kris at Junk Chic Cottage.  So many bloggers that I admire and look up to are on this list and so I feel honored to have been added.

The Interior Frugalista

I invite you to pop over to Junk Chic Cottage and check out my feature. Stay awhile and visit Kris and her beautiful blog. She definitely lives up to Cottage in Junk Chic Cottage! She and her husband share a beautiful lake cottage home and their skills at turning junk'n objects into beautiful home décor are fabulous. Like her amazing Kitchen Coffee Bar.  You've got to see what she used to carve out some space in her dining room for an office!

You will quickly learn that Kris has such a friendly and warm personality and she has a Huge heart. Thank you so much Kris for introducing me to your readers. I'm honored to be a part of your series Life Behind The Blogger!

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Another Thrift Store Jewelry Box Makeover

Besides refinishing furniture I love finding wooden jewelry boxes at our local thrift stores and giving them a fresh new life. It's hit and miss finding decent ones but occasionally I'll find several in one fell swoop. That's what happened just before Christmas when Mr. Frugalista discovered four beauties on one shelf.

I was thrilled when he brought this one home because it's a style you don't see often.  A great score at $5.00!

Here's what it looked like before the makeover.

Originally the plan was to paint it metallic silver or black and sell it.  But there's a lot going on in the master bedroom these days (get your mind out of the gutter) and I decided it would fit nicely.

While working on my Birds of Paradise Side Table I moved my can of paint and brush over to this for the same Pebble Beach and White Wax goodness.

Being a more masculine style I made room for Mr. Frugalista's watches, tie bars and cuff links. For the entire 27 years of our marriage he's been keeping them in a small cardboard box.  Don't hate on me!

I gave it a little Parisian vibe on the top with a Fleur-De-Lis stencil.

Another jewelry box score from that trip was the popular 4-drawer with glass front and brass turnstile.  I apologize for the poor image quality.  The photo was taken in haste with my iPhone.  It was a Christmas gift for my son's girlfriend and there was no time to stage, wait for decent light, or a proper photo shoot.

I painted it with chalk paint in the colors Rustic Charm and Vanilla Frosting.  Then I lightly distressed it with sandpaper and applied dark wax. I Mod Podged scrapbook paper onto a piece of hard board that I cut to fit the opening where normally there would be glass.  I kept the glass in case she preferred it that way (which she did).

To see a Queen Anne Jewelry Box I donated to a silent auction last year for the Children's Make A Wish Foundation press HERE.

Or a Vintage Men's Valet Roll Top Jewelry Box HERE.

I have this one collecting dust in the workshop.

I'd be happy to do a custom makeover if anyone is interested.

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Birds of Paradise (A French Provincial Table Makeover)

I've been on a side table binge over the last week. They have started collecting in the workshop and taking up valuable real estate. I needed to clear the deck to make room for some larger pieces that I'll be starting soon. So here is table #2.

When I pulled out the paint brushes, other than being white, I had no preconceived notion of how it would be transformed.  Guided by my gut and stepping out of my comfort zone, it morphed into a Birds of Paradise French Provincial Table.

I started by painting the entire table with a mixture of old white and pure white chalk paint leftover from the Swan Table Makeover.  When I distress pieces I always sand before waxing.  It's messy but I feel I have more control that way.

There was nothing wrong with the table in white and the distressing was lovely too but I still wasn't feeling it.  That bottom shelf was begging for a graphic and that's when this baby started taking on a life of it's own.

I thought about doing an image transfer but then decided to go big or go home with a large Birds of Paradise stencil.  The scale is big for this piece but I went with it anyway.

I had an unopened can of Pebble Beach chalk paint and fell in love with the color from the first brush stroke!  On the birds I used Duck Egg Blue.

I still wasn't feeling it and so I dry brushed the top with Pebble Beach.  Then I tried a sanding technique I'd never used before.  I filled a small spray bottle with one part white vinegar to one part warm water.  When the paint was dry to the touch I sprayed it with the vinegar solution and using a kitchen sponge wet sanded it, moving both with and against the grain.  I loved the look I was getting and went over it a few times until it was a washed out gray.

Now I was feeling this table!  Instead of using clear wax I applied white wax over the entire table.  I loved the white washed effect I was getting and it softened the distressing as well.

In the end I'm quite pleased with how this table turned out.  Hopefully there is someone else out there who feels the same way because this baby needs to find a new home!

You may recognize that stencil from a few months ago when I used it on a coffee table.  If not you can see that makeover at Birds of Paradise Coffee Table.

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A Swan Table Makeover

I have a quick furniture makeover to share with you today, the third incarnation of our Indonesian Swan Wine Table.

Before I get into the details of this makeover I have to apologize yet again for the crappy photos. As I mentioned in my previous post I got a fancy Nikon DSLR camera for Christmas. I thought I was making great strides in learning the bells and whistles of how it worked. When I previewed the pictures in my photo editing software they looked pretty darn good and I was proud of myself. But when I uploaded them onto the blog they got all funky on me. I haven't a clue why this is happening. My last post using this camera didn't do this, H.E.L.P!  If  any of you know what the issue might be I'd love to hear from you!
UPDATE January 26, 2015:
I finally figured out the problem and have since replaced the original photos in this post.  I had to turn off the "photo enhance" function in my Google+ settings!

Back to the makeover...
I bought this table several years ago at a furniture liquidation store for under $40.00.  Originally it was a dark walnut color.  In the 90's, long before I knew anything about milk or chalk paint, I gave it a makeover using white latex paint and Antique Gold Rub 'n Buff.

I love this table but the semi-gloss sheen and the gold antiquing had to go. So I mixed up a 50/50 ratio of Pure White and Old White chalk paint and gave it two coats. Using sanding blocks and a lot of elbow grease I distressed it back to the original stain. Then I added a coat of clear wax followed by dark wax only in the crevices to bring out all those details.

Much better now! I adore the swan legs and three-footed base, don't you? I've never seen another like it until a couple of years ago when one was featured in I believe Style at Home Magazine.

Even though it is categorized as a wine table, the scale is perfect for a bedside table in our master bedroom.

We have an ambitious project going on in the master bedroom at the moment and so I was going to switch it up a bit and move this table to our living room.

But then realized it would fit perfectly on the opposite side of the bed adjacent to our new...

...can't tell you yet but here's a little sneak peak.

If you want to see how we made the headboard you can see it here From Old 5-Panel Door To Headboard.

THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN FEATURED AT:

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