Thursday, June 3, 2010

Out With the Dark...In With with the Light



It all started with this gorgeous piece of linen I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby. We all know I am a sucker for anything aqua/seafoam related, and this beautiful damask print was no exception. It was marked down from $30 a yard to just $10 a yard. I could not pass that deal up...it was perfect timing. Remember those toast colored lampshades that blended right into the toast colored walls in my kitchen? Well.....this fabulous fabric was the perfect solution for my drab to fab lamp makeover.


I started by tracing one of the side panels of the lampshade onto the back of the fabric. I did this 8 times. Then I cut them all out and applied fray check to the edges to keep them from looking messy with stray threads. Once the fray check was dry, I used spray adhesive to apply the fabric panels I'd cut out to each side of the lamp. To cover the seam where each piece of fabric met, I hot glued a strip of bias tape down each side.





Here are my toast colored walls with my toast colored lampshades. And my $1 shutters.
BORING!




And here they are now......boring no more! The damask linen on the shades and a fresh coat of spray paint on the shutters have transformed this space from dark and boring to light, fresh, and airy. If you want to know more about the sunburst mirror off to the side, you can read about it here. It's made out of free paint sticks from the hardware store!





Add some glassware into the mix with a bit of shine from the silver tray....and it's good to go. I feel my mood brightening as we speak. All that dark mixed with too many neutrals was totally bringing me down. I shopped my house for everything on this sideboard. The only thing I purchased was 1 yard of $10 fabric. I feel like I have all new stuff now. THAT is why I love shopping the house!





Soft and pretty with the lamps on.








Light and bright and cheery with the lamps off!




One more thing.....I want opinions on this. Should I paint the shutters and sideboard a creamy distressed white or leave them like they are???



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52 comments:

  1. The lamps look GORGEOUS. Love the fabric.

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  2. Wow! Speechless here! That looks amazing. Totally different. I am so inspired. What color did you paintvthe shutters? Is it spray paint? Can you come to my house please? Love, love, love it!

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  3. The shades look so beautiful now! Thanks for showing us how to recover them. My opinion on the shutters & sideboard...leave the shutters the aqua color{maybe distress them a bit} & paint the sideboard the creamy distressed white.

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  4. Wow what a differance,I really like it. I feel the same way going from dark to light and bright fresh and clean...As for the sideboard and shutters leave the shutters the color thay are and paint the side board...Just my opinion or leave it it looks good.

    Jolyn

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  5. I LOVE IT!

    I'd paint the dresser a creamy white but leave the shutters, I love that color..So yummy! I could lick it.

    :-P

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  6. That is the prettiest tablescape I have seen!

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  7. What a great Idea!!! I absolutely love it!

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  8. The lamps are gorgeous! Love them!! I say leave the shutters and paint the dresser is you are motivated, it is gorgeous either way! And leave the shutters, love the color!

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  9. Apparently I agree with everyone else. Leave the shutters that awesome color, maybe distress them a little and paint the sideboard. Everything looks so gorgeous. You're amazing!

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  10. Love that fabric, Amanda! I love the shutters aqua and I think you could go either leaving the chest or painting it white. I think as it is, it helps to ground the lighter colors.

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  11. I think I would leave the sideboard alone, it kinda grounds everything but, I would do something to the shutters to make them more interesting, age them up a bit and tone them down and maybe add a word or something to them. I love the way you hung them tho. It all looks so fresh and clean, maybe a little greenery in the one glass jar that is empty. House shopping is the best! I need to blog on my shopping closet one of these days!

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  12. I love the lamp shades! The color of the shutters is beautiful. I would paint the sideboard cream maybe. Looks beautiful!

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  13. Too cute! love all the colors. i do think painting the sideboard would be darling. Where do you have the sideboard in your home?

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  14. Ahhh it all looks beautiful! Well done with the lampshades. I'm with everyone else...leave the shutters the aqua color. I think the sideboard would look so pretty painted white but I kind of like the dark wood. It's a nice contrast to everything else.

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  15. I gasped when I saw the AFTER picture and Ernie thought there was something wrong with me! Those lamps are perfect!!!

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  16. Such a fabulous improvement. So beautiful!

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  17. Looks great!!! So pretty.

    I would leave the shutters and paint the sideboard, if it was me.

    Great job!

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  18. Looks great, you should paint the sideboard cream or distressed white and leave the shutters aqua.

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  19. So cute! You have been a busy girl! I love the new aqua shutters and your sunburst mirror is absolutely fab!

    XOOx
    Jen

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  20. Looks like you have been mighty busy lady! I've been playing catch up on all your posts and love all of 'em! (I'm trying to get my mojo back up and running!) I've missed reading your blog!

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  21. LOVE that fabric! Love that vignette too! So perfect for welcoming Summer!!

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  22. I love it just the way it is! Amazing transformation and I love the mirror...with paint sticks...you truly are amazing! Thanks for the ideas too!

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  23. Oh girl, I love it just the way it is!!! I sure wouldn't change those yummy colored shutters! I'm saving this in my inspiration file.

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  24. I love those lampshades! I've been trying to figure out what the lamps in my bedroom need and I think this is just the thing!

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  25. Oh my, those lampshades are beautiful. I love those colors and have yet to use them in my house. I love looking at yours though. I like the shutters aqua and I would have a hard time painting that piece but I'm sure it would look nice that way also.
    Brooke

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  26. The whole area is just gorgeous!!!

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  27. wow - talk about major impact!! it looks so amazing and perfectly summery :)

    the shutters look perfect just as they are, but i think you are onto something with painting the sideboard cream.

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  28. I would do the shutters creamy; would make the bluse accents more dominant. Just my 2 cents... www.satisfiedsole.com

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  29. Oooh I love the shutters! I love your blog; we have a lot in common. We're crazy for the same blue/green color, we both have Etsy shops that do personalizing (different kinds, but still...) and our we have way too many Legos. You've gotta build a Lego wall. Ours is a dream and very easy for the kids to keep up with! I'm subscribing to your blog. Lisa~

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  30. I like the shutters in the color they are. I think they might blend into the wall too much if they were white, AND the black metal bracket would be too much of a contrast! :) Nice job!

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  31. I came on over from new friend Friday, you are so creative! I admire people like you! I wish I had the time or creativity to pull of something like this!

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  32. What color spray paint did you use on those shutters? I love it!

    Thanks for linking up to the Mad Skills party!

    madincrafts.blogspot.com

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  33. You did a great job on those lampshades and you are right, this is anything but boring! Love the combo of colors and wood tones. I think painting the chest a creamy white with distressing and glaze would be beautiful, but it's your call! The shutters look wonderful as is.

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  34. It's so beautiful!! I love the shutters! I think the sideboard looks great as is...if you did it white it might kind of blend in with the wall color? I think it looks just perfect now and I love all your accessories. :)

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  35. So nice & light. I say leave the shutters & sideboard as they are!

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  36. im lovin this!!! come on over and link up to MMM!!!

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  37. The lamp shades are BEAUTIFUL!! Thanks for joining us for another great Anything Related! ~Bridgette

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  38. Okay, I'm totally following you now. This is the third time in a couple of weeks that some totally beautiful project has led me to your blog. This looks beautiful! I adore anything avian inspired and the colors are so refreshing! I added your button to my sidebar also. Have a great day!

    Jami

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  39. I would leave the shutters and paint the sideboard. I think it would really make it pop.

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  40. I LOVE IT! It looks perfect! I would leave those shutters alone if I were you!

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  41. WOW! This turned out so beautiful. I am visiting by way of Strut your stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple. MakazHome.com

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  42. LOVE this whole thing! I would paint the side board, mainly because I like a creamy look.

    I love the transformation to the soothing blues. I love the shutters in the blue as well.

    Great job.

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  43. It is awesomesauce! Love it! I vote for painting the sideboard!

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  44. Love it just beautiful !
    Happy 4th to you & yours
    hugs from Savannah, Cherry

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  45. I'm in LOVE with aqua, and it just made that space pop!

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  46. I featured you this week!

    http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2010/07/07/hookin-up-with-hoh-11/

    Thanks for sharing your project!!!

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  47. ugh! love love love the colors!!! this is my first time here and i love what i see! did you use plate holders for the shutters?

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  48. This tutorial got the most views at the Mad Skills party (three weeks ago,... *coughcough), so I will be featuring your blog as part of my Feature Friday tomorrow. Go ahead and grab a brag button for your sidebar!

    madincrafts.blogspot.com

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  49. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I say you keep the shutters the color they are (GORGEOUS) and distress the dresser :)

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  50. that looks amazing! I love the colors!!
    ~tana

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  51. I love shutters and these are a couple of beauties. Thanks for the ideas. It's always great to see new uses.
    shutters houston
    window shade houston

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