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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Finding Spring

and an Update
I went for a drive today and found Spring.
This yard is always full of tulips and pansies each spring.
No flowers here but I love that window and the topiaries on either side.

And now a peek at my dining room project.
Chairs waiting for their seats. I haven't decided on fabric yet.
Table is still a work in progress.
Don't worry about those paint drips on the floor. They pop right off the floor's finish.
Back in the corner are projects waiting.
See that chair? A friend gave it to me and it was never intended to be in my dining room.
But it's too big to get through any of my doorways so here is where it has sat.
My Mom says she wants it. I love it. 
Its from the 1930's and I can imagine redoing it and making it great.
Mom says she likes it as is. (no, no, no)
When Mom and I go on home tours and we see a house that was last decorated in the 70's or 80's, 
she always says..."Oh, it's perfect just as is! Not a thing needs to be done to this one."
When in my opinion, everything needs to be redone. (and everyone else's opinion)
I was able to scoot the buffet back in it's spot. All done, it's just waiting it's knobs and distressing.
This is how it looked before I painted.
I'm waiting till I finish painting the table and then I'll distress all.
I'm making myself wait till after it's distressed till I put the knobs on.
Like putting earrings on last when getting dressed up.
I did such a nice job on this paint, I kind of hate to shabby chic it all up.
But I will.

sharing at

70 comments:

Bohemian said...

That first Home looks like a Fairy Tale Cottage... just beautiful! I can only imagine how enchanting the interior must be!?!?!?!?!?! I wonder if the Owner has a Blog and we could get a tour? *winks*

Dawn... The Bohemian

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Beautiful greens and blooms -- things we don't see in the desert country. :/ Succulents is about the only thing that will survive the summer temps in Kuwait and the daytime is already up to the mid-80's. In a few weeks it will be hot, hot, hot. Lovely redo on the buffet! Best wises for a wonderful Wednesday! :) Tammy

Unknown said...

Oh, your dinning room furniture is looking fabulous! Part of me hates to paint over old wood pieces but the other part loves the fresh look of paint. And it makes all the details stand out.
Are you going to glaze after you distress?
Thanks for the spring pictures I have been sick for the last 10 days and I am missing some of the spring bloom.
Traci

Allison said...

The tulips are delightful! I can't wait for mine to bloom. Your buffet is beautiful, Nita. You did a wonderful job.

Meadowsweet Cottage said...

I love how your project is progressing, Nita! I get a little "distressed" myself when I add some age to freshly painted pieces, lol. I can't wait to see the finished room.

Diane Writes said...

Hi Nita! Greetings from the Philippines! I am a Wow Wednesday participant too. I love the first house. The tulips just said it all. Beautiful! I love your dining room project too. I can't wait to see your final output.

I love your blog and I hope we develop a connection by following each others blogs.

Wishing you more "wow wednesday"

diane

Painting workshop said...

This is a great site! I like the pictures!...Daniel

Ricki Treleaven said...

Nita, I am so excited about your dining room! It is going to be gorgeous. :D

Dropped Stitch Knitter said...

It's turning out great! I'm re-doing a dining set myself....

And as for spring... I'm still waiting to find it. It snowed an inch last night and is still coming down... Which is seriously impeding my ability to work on this table/chairs...

janette@ The2Seasons said...

Love your buffet. The first house looks like a lot of the houses we saw last fall when we bicycled from the bottom of England to the top of Scotland.

Amy Chalmers said...

Nita that was so fun to look at the dining room set. The sideboard looks incredible!! Of course it all is going to look totally amazing. I just do not get why people resist painting old furniture!!! Shabby it up sister and show it off! Laughed at your commentary about mom loving the 70s stuff. Ha ha!

Cindi Myers said...

I love seeing all the flowers!
They are forecasting snow again here! Arrgghhh!!!!
I always plan on planting bulbs and then forget, darn it! Now seeing theses photos, I'm wishing I had again!
Your furniture is looking so GREAT! I hope you tell us how you shabby it up!
I laughed at your "Mom" comment. I'm that way when I see homes decorated from the 50's and early 60's....I'm like "Oh! Don't change it!" but when you get to the orange and greens of the 70's....gross! Ha! Oh, well, we can't all like the same things!
:) - Cindi

Lakeshore Cottage Living said...

Ok...first of all...the tulips and pansies have overwhelmed me! They are so amazing...

and then I scrolled down to your buffet! What a beauty. The white paint makes it look so fresh and new...just perfect. You can see all of the details now. It looks like Cinderella headed to the ball. ;)

Oh, I checked into the succulent thing...I think it is more work than I am willing to put forth on a gardening project I am sorry to say. I did find some at TJ MAXX that looked pretty close to real, but didn't do it. Succulents need a lot of startup to be successful I think (per my research), and I need instant gratification right now as I am ripping out old stuff in this "new" house and putting in new or newer. Maybe next spring...

Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com said...

Your dining room set is very similar to the one my grandmother had. My brother has it now. It looks so fresh and updated in white. Can't wait to see the full reveal because you are SO talented!

"Create Beauty" said...

What a beautiful table, and oh that buffet is so pretty in white, amazing how the details show up better. If I buy vintage furniture that has been painted white and distressed, I love it, but after I paint something white it is so hard for me to get up the nerve to distress it, it is quite distressing! I want to see yours, as you do not distress in fear!!!

YOur dining room is going to be FABULOUS! ANd wow, I love that brick home with the spring flowers.

Thank you for the delight for the eyes this morning!
~ Violet

foreverdecorating said...

OMG my absolute favorite is the buffet. I would so love to find one with the same curves as yours! Hear that envy?

Gloria said...

I am so glad I'm not the only one who lets paint drip on the floors. It DOES pop right off!

You're dining chairs have a VERY similar style to mine. I painted and reupholstered mine too! Whenever I get used to the whole blogging thing, I'll make a post about it.
I love everything you do to your house!It looks incredible.

Scribbler said...

I enjoyed your Spring tour -- reminds me I need to plant something!

Your DR furniture looks fantastic. Lately I am liking the pristine look -- not distressed or glazed. I think the buffet looks fabulous as is (at the risk of sounding like your mother!). ;-D

the gardener's cottage said...

looking good nita. all your hard work is inspiring. i think i'm going to get cracking around here. either in the garden or inside. i was thinking about you yesterday on my walk and all the energy you exude. love those homes and tulips.

xo
janet

A Whole Lotta Magic said...

Your dining room is going to be soooo amazing. Can't wait to see the finished product!!!!!

S
xo

Trisha Brink Design said...

Oh my Hun, this is delightful! You've been busy! I am in awe and jelous that you've been able to accomplish all of this...I have a sideboard I want to do this to too. You've given me inspiration to plug on. :) I can't wait to see the finished project!!!! :D

Debra@CommonGround said...

Girlfriend, you paint just like I paint! LOL!! The first thing I saw were those drips. Hmmmmm... I've had to deal with those guys myself!
xoxo,
Debra

Robyn said...

Nita, your dining room is going to look awesome! I wish I was brave enough to paint our cherry set white! It was my husbands grandmothers so I'm very afraid I'd cause a family feud if I painted it!

Lesley said...

I'm not usually a fan of painted wood (being that I spent over a year of my life stripping every last drop of painted wood in my house), but I love the paint on this piece. Looks great!

BTW, my mom's name is Nita...I rarely hear the name anywhere else!

Teresa said...

Love the pops of spring today on your blog....we are in a cold raining week so it nice to see that it is spring somewhere.
Love what you are doing to your dinning room furniture

Anonymous said...

I like what your doing so far.

As far as Bailey in Rue...be honest because it wasn't good design at all. In fact it was a hot mess.

Connie said...

Oh Nita, the buffet is so fabulous. I know this is going to sound like your Mom but maybe it doesn't need any distressing. That paint job is perfection and the details are beautiful. You know how to do it!

Childfree Chic said...

In the heat of a Southern summer, I really do love and appreciate the deep shade in my yard. However, gorgeous pictures of flowers and plants which require full sun make me a tad bit envious. I <3 those tulips!

Modern Country Lady said...

Hi Nita,
Thanks for sharing your projects- the chairs are going to be fabulous- and I can't wait to see everything when it's finished.
What a lovely house by the way with the tulips and the primroses- it really looks like Spring with the garden display.
By the way, I read your very moving and interesting blogpost about how you met your house- I really loved that.

Have a great rest of the week.

Tammy@Beatrice Banks said...

I knew the dining set was going to be fab with all that hard work you've been putting in. It has really paid off. Beautiful! I don't know why I'm one of the resistant ones when it comes to painting old furniture. Probably b/c I don't want to do the work. But I'm sure we'll be having to do some of that when I get my girl's decor together. Can't afford to go out and buy all new stuff.
Pretty yards and flowers too! ahh..it's spring!
Have a happy one!
Tammy

Unknown said...

Such pretty yards!!!! Our wisteria is blooming like crazy and it smells SO good! I also like your paint project. I have a piece of furniture that's similar and I'm really thinking about painting it. I SHOULD...I usually paint EVERYTHING! Happy Spring Ya'll from Houston, TX!

The enchanted home said...

The tulip filled yard is just magnificent! Wow....love tulips. I am so impressed and wowed by your furniture ambitions..can't believe the transformation of the chest, amazing how it came out! Great job....can't wait to see the chairs and the transformation that they will take on...impressive!

Tanna said...

You have done a beautiful job on your dining room furniture and I know you are not even finished yet! Look forward to seeing the final reveal!

We do share a common love of these old neighborhoods!! ;)

Shanon at Vintage Sparkle Chic said...

I love what you did with your painting! I can't wait to see the finished projects. Love those tulips and flowers, so pretty, I can't wait for spring!

~Shanon

Olive said...

I love, love the buffet. It is gorgeous and I am going to show it to Joe and convince him we do the same with ours. He is not wanting to paint ours but you are helping bunches dear Nita!

Stephanie Suzanne Designs said...

This is so lovely. I can already see it completely with beautiful flowers as a centerpiece. White really does justice to these time worn pieces. I'm visiting for White Wednesday.

Hugs,
Stephanie ♥

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Sigh...that buffet is gorgeous! So happy I stopped by!

Anonymous said...

I am so impressed.

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Oh my, how gorgeus! I love white and you're doing a wonderful job! Thanks for sharing.

Blessings,
Sandi

Debra@CommonGround said...

Thanks for linking up Nita!!!

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Nita, What beautiful homes and the yard of the first one is gorgeous. I love your sideboard! The chairs and table will be fabulous when you finish. Thanks for joining my party.
Hugs,
Sherry

Ann-Marie ~ Brambly said...

I am about to paint a table almost identical to yours. I'm thinking of painting it a light,mossy green. Your project has me excited to start mine. Your home is wonderful! I adore storybook homes-my husband and I have tried to add some enchanted elements to the exterior of our home. I'm a new follower-I can't wait to see more of your projects. Visit me at Brambly, I would love to hear from you. Have a wonderful evening!

Ann-Marie

Blue Ridge Altered Art said...

Thank you for the spring gardens tour. I think it will be a while before we see that much blooming in the blue ridge mts. They are calling for possible snow this weekend!!! Looking forward to seeing your finished dining room. I love that buffet. ~~Sherry~~

ℳartina @ Northern Nesting said...

Nita your dining room is going to look gorgeous I just love your sideboard!! Thanks for sharing those pretty spring pictures with us. Martina

Rhonda said...

I love everything about your blog! I love all the spring photos you have posted! The white furniture looks GREAT!!! I just did the same thing to my guest room furniture. I need to post pictures on my blog!
I am your newest follower! I am a brand new blogger! I hope you will drop by to visit me sometime! I have lots of before & after pictures of my "old farm house"
~~~rhonda~~~

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

AHHH, those tulips looked SO BEAUTIFUL! Your projects are GORGEOUS! I am "IN LOVE" with your table! and the buffet is so beautiful too. When you distress them together it will make everything flow so perfectly as a set! I would LOVE a better view of your chair!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I'm looking forward to seeing it ALL FINISHED!!!
Hugs to you,
Donna

Renee from CreatingCottage said...

I'm am working on getting everything painted white in my house. I'm addicted to the cottage look. Your piece seems to have some built-in appliques, which add such a great touch. Very nice - great job!

Barb@curlywillowdiy said...

Hate the "before", love the "after". Funny how that happens! Nicely done!!

Anonymous said...

Loving that house with the tulips. They seem quite fitting for the style of the home too. I like your buffet as is too. I'd think about distressing it until you get the room set up. It's so pretty you might not need to fix it.

I agree with you about the chair. Wonderful shape, but it needs a makeover!

Kacey said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous buffet. And those chairs! So fabulous. Great job!

Kacey

Decor To Adore said...

Oh I adore the fairytale cottage and your chairs~ swoon!

I am currently hosting an auction of vintage and antique linen treasures. Stop by and take a peek.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Anonymous said...

What beautiful pieces. You're making them even more beautiful with your hard work!

The Charm of Home said...

Your home is just beautiful with the flowers in bloom. I also love your wonderful furniture you have been working on. It is really pretty all white. Show us again when you finish it all. Thanks for linking up!
Sherry

Jane @ Jane's Junk and Treasures said...

Look at all the flowers!!!
Still brown and ugly in Colorado!!

I love the white!!
Great job!!!

Jori said...

You are killing me with the tulips! Gorgeous! Love white furniture. I have a couple of tables I need to tackle. Thank you for the inspiration. I am following you!!

Belinda said...

Your buffet looks wonderful!

I love the tulips too! Every spring when I see them blooming, I wish I had planted some and then every fall I forget to do it! :(

leah mari said...

love all the white!

Patricia said...

Your buffet looks awesome! The tulips bring such hope of spring. Here in Indiana we have to wait a bit longer for them. Looking forward to following your table and chairs project ~ they look great, too!

Dee ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️ said...

Nita,

It’s an adorable looking home all decorated for spring. I have the same front door. I live in an English Tudor.
I love the look of painted furniture. Your furniture is looking so good!

Dee

Courtney ~ French Country Cottage said...

Hi Nita~ What charming homes you shared!! Absolutely beautiful- and your furniture!! Goodness it is looking fantastic already! I love the sideboard in white and your table and chairs are going to be gorgeous when finished! Thanks for sharing at FNF this week- can't wait to see the finished product! :)

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

looking good all in WHITE!!!

Blessings,
Linda

Anonymous said...

What lovely homes and springness you've snapped! I love the white you're putting on your funiture. The sideboard looks so dreamy.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Nita, what a beautiful neighborhood with all those tulips. Love your white furniture and can't wait to see the room finished. Thanks for joining WUW last week.

Patti @ Pandoras Box said...

Thanks for the "touch of spring", we still have a few traces of snow here! Love the furniture painted white - you go girl!
Stop by Pandora's Box for a chance to win some vintage linens

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

Oh, Nita, that dining set is going to be gorgeous! I can't wait to see the end product. The white shows off the detail in your buffet sooo much better.

Thanks for linking your lovelies to the party. I've missed seeing you. ;)

Blessings,
Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Mariaelena said...

so beautiful. just did my dining room set before xmas and so I can relate to your in progress pics...I love how mine turned out. please visit my blog and enter in my giveaway...stay a while and scroll through. I think you will like it...
Mariaelena

very merry vintage style said...

Love it all. That buffet is even more fabulous in white! I have wood floors too and it is great how the paint pops off--makes projects so much easier. This room is going to be amazing! Thanks for linking to my Share the Love party!
Mary

Pamela said...

Nita, I can't wait to see it all finished! It will be amazing I am sure!

Kathy said...

It is so much fun redoing an older home room by room - your furniture is quite lovely - I am sure you can make that chair something spectacular!
Kathy

Rose Garden Romantic said...

I just adore white painted furniture! The table and chairs looks so pretty and the buffet is just gorgeous!!! I would love to find one like it someday!
Michelle