I’m excited about this link party today for several reasons. I know from experience that after looking at the things that bother you about your own home for so long, the only option sometimes seems to be to buy something new or to rip something out and start fresh. I also know from experience that when those options aren’t feasible, it can leave us always in that “wanting mode” and just dissatisfied with our home, in general. And, that’s not a fun place to be. . .
So, I’m hoping that by sharing your “working with what you have” projects, we’ll all be inspired to see our homes—and the things that bug us about them—in a new light. Or, maybe we’ll save a little money by seeing potential in something we already own.
Case in point, I’ve been shopping for the right side table for our living room for the last few months. The silver pedestal table wasn’t mixing in well, and I was basically just over it. But, in a last ditch effort, I grabbed some flat black spray paint and the same metallic paint I posted about here.
And, yes, I fixed my bad tape job with a Sharpie. (It’s not the first time.)
The black and gold works so much better now, and I love how it looks with the reading lamp that I “borrowed” from my son’s room:
I’m looking forward to seeing how you’ve been working with what you have. It’s a pretty broad topic so be as creative as you want! This will be good :)
I would really appreciate it if you would include this button in your post and link back to my blog:
Emily, I've really found the "working with" series so practical and helpful and I really appreciate the info and ideas. I need to track down the floor product posted about this week! Thanks for giving us all an opportunity to share our "working with" ideas. Robin
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ReplyDeleteEmily, the table looks great! And, thanks for showing your Sharpie technique:) I actually never would have thought of that :)
ReplyDeleteThat little table makeover is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLoving this series you've been doing :)
hehe. I use black and brown sharpies all the time to fix paint issues lady! Best kept secret ever. Loving the blog and so gonna try this link up. Good stuff. And Happy Hump Day!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting, Emily! I can't wait to see all the ideas that are linked up.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
Hi, Emily! I just found your blog via twitter, and I'm so glad I did! It's beautiful! I love the concept of this link up, too. I just finished my self-imposed "Frugal February" challenge on my blog where I did projects using only what I had at home. It really forces you to get creative! Anyway, thank you for your inspiring blog and for hosting this link party!!
ReplyDelete~Abby =)
#3, $0 Floating Shelves Makeover
Your table turned out great. I love the gold edge! Thanks for the sharpie tip.
ReplyDeleteGreat series Emily, and a great linky party idea! Looking forward to seeing what your readers share and I linked up my kitchen refresh as well. :-)
ReplyDeleteI've used the sharpie to touch up furniture myself. It works and no one is the wiser.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great series with working what you have. No one has unlimited budgets and the key to making change is being somewhat creative. Looking forward to seeing what everyone posts.
Love this series, Emily! I linked up my kitchen. I look forward to catching up on the other links after hauling kids to school. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so fun, Emily! I've been looking forward to this link party. Thanks for hosting. I'm all about using what you have - for big projects or small. I've found that it's not always necessary to go out and buy new or renovate, plus, you get to show off your creativity!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this fun party...have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting Emily. Love your table so much...and I, too am a HUGE sharpie fan! XO, Aimee
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for a party, Emily! Thanks so much for hosting! Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Nici
Thanks so much for hosting this link up party, Emily! I just added the button on my post You weren't supposed to read it before I got to add the link! :)
ReplyDeleteLove your table! What a great save.
Best,
Sue from Sue at Home
The table is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteSharpie's are magic!
Such a clever way to transform the silver. Love it.
I am working on my post for you. Might take until later today?
Patty
That's great. The link up is open until next week :)
DeleteThanks for that info.
DeleteI am on and #102! Titled "Working With What You Have..Builder Cabinetry".
DeleteThanks for the Party!
Thanks for hosting this party. I am excited to link up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for helping us think outside of the box, Emily! Just tweeted your party. Excited to look through everyone's projects.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea for a link up!! Thanks so much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHey Emily, my post is up.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to be doing my first link up party: http://www.livelaughdecorate.com/2013/03/link-up-paaarty-working-with-what-you.html
Excited to see what everyone else linked to. Off now to explore
Beautiful update, Emily! Thanks for hosting. I just added something at #66.
ReplyDeleteI love your little black and gold table! You always have the best eye, for what a room or piece of furniture needs to turn it up a notch.
ReplyDeleteI linked up our homes feature wall today. Thank you so much for hosting this kind of link party!
Thanks to the inspiration you are always giving, we werent totally discouraged by our new homes BAD lay out.
Thank you for the constant inspiration, budget friendly and family friendly home upgrades. keep it coming Mama!
Ha! Now I don't feel so bad about using a sharpie! :) Love the table now.
ReplyDeleteSuper fun post Emily! Thanks for hosting! I'm not sure how I missed your table posting but I loved it before but it looks perfect in the living room now! Oh and I'm a total black marker gal too!! Honestly though I feel like using what I have through the years makes me come up with more creative ideas then if I had all the money in the world to just go out and buy whatever!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting this party, Emily. It's my first link up party, so I hope I did it all right. I wrote a post about an odd empty wall in my front hallway. Trying to make the most of what I've got while still adding some "style."
ReplyDeletehttp://kindredstyle.blogspot.com/2013/03/empty-frames-for-blank-wall.html
Can't wait to see all the links!
I am LOVING your series on "working with what you've got" - this seems to be the theme of my life! We rent an apartment in San Francisco, so without being able to rip things out, or make any permanent changes, my goal is to distract the eye from all the imperfections and try to love all the "history" our little place has :-)
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, I LOVE the little side table makeover! Genius!
xo
Becky
http://cuphalffull-sf.blogspot.com/
You have inspired me to do this with 2 end tables in my living room. Love the look
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This is such a great idea--I got almost all of my furniture from my parents and its too nice to replace, but not what I would have picked. Crossing my fingers for some great ideas for my fancy (dark) bedroom furniture!
ReplyDeleteAs long as you're not going to get struck down by lightening (and I promise you won't) paint it! It can be any color your heart desires and what you want to fit into your design scheme. Go for it :-)
DeleteWonderful table makeover! Your family room is looking so rich and beautiful - traditional with a modern pop!
ReplyDeleteWorking with what I have? Oh gosh, where do I start! Haha! That's my entire home and has been for the 35 years we've been married.
ReplyDeleteThe newest 'newly' purchased things we have are our couch, love seat and two occasional chairs...and they were bought 26 years ago! We've revamped them a little with some fabric and new foam seat cushions but they still look basically the same as the day we purchased them.
As for just about everything else in our home, it's all either thrift store, local online classifieds (it's like CL)and/or garage sale finds or we made it ourselves. We were 'upcycling' before there was even a term for it. Yeah....we're older than dirt! Haha!
Not only is this how we do our own home but I also use this 'method' for almost all my clients since I sort of specialize in small budget redesign. I always say "never underestimate the power of a can of spray paint". And often my work method is "it's done with paint and a prayer". :-)
BTW, I do LOVE the way you painted your silver side table. Looks very rich now!
Your table looks amazing! It has also been fun looking through everyone else's projects. Great link party!
ReplyDeleteI love the table, it looks fabulous with the gold lamp. It is amazing what you can transform or renew when working with what you already have. Thanks for hosting!
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ReplyDeleteOK Emily, I'm going to rise to the challenge and see if I can accomplish this link party extravaganza. I'm tackling a project today, it make take some time, but I feel equal to the task. Stay tuned... fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteEmily, we love this series! Thank you so much for your posts. It makes everyone out here in Normal Land with a budget, feel way better. Also, love that you used a Sharpie to cover your paint imperfections. So real!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful transformation! What wonderful projects to inspire creativity.
ReplyDeleteThe table looks great! Fits with the rest of the room a lot better than the silver. Thank you for hosting the link-up. We are so happy to be part of it. We LOVE your blog and reference you all the time. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteLove how your table turned out. Thank you for the link party !
ReplyDeleteLove the black and gold combo. Looks so great! Love this series so much!
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ReplyDeleteSometimes I hesitate to change something that is perfectly fine as-is, but doesn't fit with my decor. Case in point, our very nice cherry kitchen cabinets at our old house drove me nuts because they were totally not me. But I hated to paint them because they were practically new (we bought a spec house at the time). We ended up moving because nothing about that house was "us" even though it was all perfectly fine by most people's starndards!
ReplyDeleteYour pedestal table makeover reminded me of a project I did about a year ago. I repainted a black pedestal table into a glossy lipstick red. Now it suits the space much better and makes me happy. Hooray for working with what you have!
I have been making updates to my living room, and am now inspired to paint a vintage lamp that I've been holding onto. I want to bring more black into the room. Adding that to my to-do list for today!
Thanks for hosting the party! I checked out a bunch of links a few days & finally decided to add some of my own links! It looks like a lot more great links have been added, so I'll have to check them out! FYI- I love your blog & can't wait to see the transformation of your garage turned playroom!
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ReplyDeleteOh I'm a little late to the party! I recently discovered your blog Emily, and I just love it! Thanks for hosting this! =)
ReplyDeleteLoving this series, and though I'm late to the party, finally had something to add!
ReplyDeleteMine is about our awkward, under the stairs, basement bathroom. We can't afford to change the size/layout/etc. so had to work with a doozy of a bathroom. I posted one link but it is really in two parts right now:
http://simcoestreet.blogspot.ca/2013/03/basement-bathroom-before-or-ugliest.html
http://simcoestreet.blogspot.ca/2013/03/basement-bathroom-mood-board-design.html
Thanks so much, Emily!
Jenny
Moral of the story is that nothing in your home is safe from a can of paint. Or.....gold.....silver....what am I in the mood for today? Hee Haw! I kind of like how you dressed it up with the gold and black!
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