Makeover

While out running errands the other day, I popped into Homegoods since I had not been in quite some time. During a drive-by of the home section, a little table caught my eye. Specifically, its shape.

I was not a fan of the leopard-printed surface (now, don't get me wrong, I love leopard, but not in this context. I'd much rather have it on a pillow). But, at $20 the price was right, and I had some ideas of how I could transform it. So, home it went. Here it is in my driveway.

Some of my inspirations. These are a little bit smaller and are called "cigar tables" but I can't see anyone using these to hold their tobacco products. 

Worlds Away

Studiolo

So, I got out my black lacquer spray paint and my gold leaf, and several hours later I came up with this . . . 

I love the look. I've been digging black and gold together lately. Pretty good for a $20 table. I already had the supplies, so just my labor was involved. Gold leafing is not an easy process but I alternately love it and hate it. Being covered in gold flakes is not fun, and the process is messy and time-consuming. But, there's something satisfying about rubbing the gold onto the surface and seeing the furniture transform. I would probably be smart to get a piece of glass cut to fit the top, but I'm not sure I'm feeling that ambitious right now.

Also, in the makeover vein, I recently recovered my Frances Elkins knock-off loop chair in Braemore's Flowering Branch fabric.

Don't mind the junk on the chest in the background. Or the messy shoe basket. I did not style this.

Here's what the chair looked like when I bought it over a year ago. Plain cream chenille. Kind of blah.

It will reside in the front entry adjacent to the dining room.

I must have thrown a dozen fabric samples on this chair over the past year, but could never find one that I loved until now. It was a very basic upholstery job (tear off the old fabric, staple on the new and cover the staples with trim), otherwise I would not have attempted it. I'm liking the way it turned out.

Have you done any makeovers recently?