DIY: On Fixing Up Chipped Veneer

<center></center><center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S19.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S19.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />A few weeks ago I found a desk at Goodwill that was in not-so-great shape. The veneer on the table top was badly chipped and what was still there had pretty intense water rings and discoloration. The table base though, which is what really caught my eye in the first place, was in pretty decent shape, so I decided to buy the desk and cross my fingers that I could salvage the top.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_6642.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/cIMG_6642.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I took a closer look at the veneer when I got the desk home and quickly realized the only real choice I had was to remove the worst of the veneer and paint the top.<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_6639.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/cIMG_6639.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_6652.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/cIMG_6652.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />To make the surface as smooth and even as possible, I whipped up a couple batches of Bondo that I applied in thin coats.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6751.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/IMG_6751.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Bondo feels a little hardcore the first time you work with it (so, you know, maybe don't try <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-i-painted-my-stairs.html" target="_blank">Bondo-ing an entire staircase</a> like I did). It's like epoxy in that you have to mix in a hardening cream and that you have only a few short minutes to apply the mixture before it starts to harden (also it has a very... distinctive smell). But, truly, it's not that scary once you have a batch or two under your belt - and it repairs and seals like nothing out there.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_6766.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/cIMG_6766.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bondo's finish is so smooth, unlike wood filler, and so strong, unlike plaster or putty. It sands beautifully so it's not that hard to just get a rough coat down and then sand away the extra until you have a smooth surface. Just remember it's easier to sand down the Bondo than to try and apply a perfectly-perfect surface with a spatula in the first place.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6768.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/IMG_6768.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I Bondo-ed over the center seam (since the table didn't come with a leaf) and around all the rough spots, waited a good 30 minutes or an hour before sanding and then wiped everything down. There were a few places I missed the first go-round, so I made one more quick batch of Bondo and did some touch ups before painting the top.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6773.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/IMG_6773.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I just used my trusty standby of Rustoleum's pre-mixed enamel line. I wanted a creamy white this time so I made my own color - about half of their white with half of their Almond color. It's so easy to get a pretty finish brushing on oil-based paints when most of the surface is horizontal. The paint spreads and smooths out so beautifully. I put on a pretty thick coat on the table top and applied two or three lighter coats on the vertical edges, to help avoid drips.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6781.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda040/IMG_6781.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Oil-based paint takes a long time to dry, but the hard-wearing (and water-repellent!), extra beautiful finish is worth all the effort to me. </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S27.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S27.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The wood base is still in "vintage condition" but it cleaned up pretty well with a quick wipe down of Restor-A-Finish on a rag and that was pretty much it! It's so fun to have a new, super unique desk in my studio for almost no money!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S17.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S17.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div>

DIY: On Fixing Up Chipped Veneer

A few weeks ago I found a desk at Goodwill that was in not-so-great shape. The veneer on the table top was badly chipped and what was still ...

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DIY Folding Screen from Bifold Doors

<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I've always loved a good folding screen! They are super useful and versatile for large homes and tiny apartments alike. And the best part is they are a cinch to make yourself using inexpensive hardware store bifold doors! </div><br /><img alt=" photo S17.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S17.jpg" /></div><br />I got these flat masonite doors at Home Depot for $40, which was cheap enough, but looking back I probably should have checked Habit ReStore before buying new. They sell a ton of closet doors just like these for just a couple bucks usually.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S1.jpg" /></div><br />The masonite was pre-primed, so we rolled on a good coat of my forever-favorite Safety Red enamel paint as a first step.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S2.jpg" /></div><br /><a name="more"></a><br />We rolled on the backs first and then all the edges. We left the fronts white for the floral fabric application.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S3.jpg" /></div><br />I had yards and yards of this pretty Brunschwig and Fils floral that was the perfect candidate for the decorative fronts of the screens. I should have taken a photo of the full width of the uncut fabric, but it's basically a thick wall of florals in the center of the pattern, with lots of black negative space on the edges. Since each door panel is only 15" wide, we were able to make the most of the black space (which felt a little more modern to me) and then create a new pattern with placement of the fabric repeats.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S13.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S13.jpg" /></div><br />I wanted the fabric to look almost wallpapered, so we cut two sets of each pattern repeat, so there would be two sets of two matching doors.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S4.jpg" /></div><br />The <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/09/diy-fabric-decoupaged-office-chair.html" target="_blank">fabric decoupaged chair project</a> worked out so well that I was quick to pull out the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IKES5O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001IKES5O&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20&linkId=XJDCUOORN32AHVPO" target="_blank">Mod Podge</a> again on this project.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S7.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S7.jpg" /></div><br />I brushed on an even, thick coat on the unpainted side of the doors, about two feet at a time.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S5.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S5.jpg" /></div><br />I used the black edge as my guide and smoothed out the fabric as I went. It's really important to get out all the air bubbles before the Mod Podge dries.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S6.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S6.jpg" /></div><br />Once the fabric had dried a bit, I cleaned up the edges with an X-acto knife, just like with the chair project.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S8.jpg" /></div><br />Then we brushed on a top coat of Mod Podge, to even out and seal the fabric, especially around the edges.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S9.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S9.jpg" /></div><br />After the top coat had dried, we flipped the doors over and screwed in new brass hinges. Each pair got three hinges installed on the backs, just like this, with the spine of the hinge facing down:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S14.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S14.jpg" /></div><br />And then the two pairs were connected with three hinges installed inside the inner lip of the doors, so that the doors would zig and zag and fold correctly. Again, the hinge spine was facing down here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S15.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S15.jpg" /></div><br />Isn't the brass so pretty against the glossy red of the door backs?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S28.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S28.jpg" /></div><br />And the pop of red peeking out from behind the black floral is so striking!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S25.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S25.jpg" /></div><br />It's hard to tell in these photos, but the top coat of Mod Podge made for a really dreamy, matte wash over the pattern. It is SO pretty.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S21.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S21.jpg" /></div><br />I really love the folding screen application, but I'm also thinking this would be a great way to dress up boring old bifold doors for a closet space! It's a really cheap way to get a wallpaper look in a room without the cost, hassle and commitment.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S20.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S20.jpg" /></div><br />Have you seen any other folding screen projects around lately? I'm looking around my house thinking of all the places that could use one. They're so easy to make and so pretty! :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo S18.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda038/S18.jpg" /></div>

DIY Folding Screen from Bifold Doors

I've always loved a good folding screen! They are super useful and versatile for large homes and tiny apartments alike. And the best par...

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11 Bed Furniture For Your Room

<br/><p><span>Contemporary Tropical Villa Bedroom</span><br/><img alt="modern tropical villa bedroom 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/modern-tropical-villa-bedroom.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Cottage Interiors With Stone Walls Beds</span><br/><img alt="cottage interiors stone walls beds 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cottage-interiors-stone-walls-beds.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Modernist Style Suit Bed by Autoban For Witt Istanbul Hotel Interior Project</span><br/><img alt="modernist style suit bed autoban witt istanbul hotel interior project 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/modernist-style-suit-bed-autoban-witt-istanbul-hotel-interior-project.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Sleeping Beauty Bedroom</span><br/><img alt="sleeping beauty bedroom 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sleeping-beauty-bedroom.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Conventional Bedroom by Janie K Hirsch Asid</span><br/><img alt="traditional bedroom janie k hirsch asid 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/traditional-bedroom-janie-k-hirsch-asid.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Fresh Green Bed Space Interiors</span><br/><img alt="fresh green bed room interiors 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fresh-green-bed-room-interiors.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Bedroom At Power Effective Homes Tiburon Bay House</span><br/><img alt="bedroom energy efficient houses tiburon bay house 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bedroom-energy-efficient-houses-tiburon-bay-house.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Sleep Effectively in Comfy Bedroom</span><br/><img alt="sleep well comfortable bedroom 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sleep-well-comfortable-bedroom.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Classic Royal Bed Room</span><br/><img alt="classic royal bed room 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/classic-royal-bed-room.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Bedroom At Contemporary Dugout by Calvin Tsao And Zack Mckown</span><br/><img alt="bedroom contemporary dugout calvin tsao zack mckown 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bedroom-contemporary-dugout-calvin-tsao-zack-mckown.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><p><span>Bl House Bedroom Contemporary</span><br/><img alt="bl house bedroom contemporary 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bl-house-bedroom-contemporary.jpg" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " /></p><br/><img alt="p 11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " border="" height="1" src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/p_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.gif" title="11 Bed Furniture For Your Room others " width="1" />

11 Bed Furniture For Your Room

Contemporary Tropical Villa Bedroom Cottage Interiors With Stone Walls Beds Modernist Style Suit Bed by Autoban For Witt Istanbul Hotel Inte...

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Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears

<br/><img alt=" Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears amazing ideas " height="800" src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/aeon-rocket-ag-install." title="Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears amazing ideas " width="600" />Among the a lot more illuminating items at the current Stockholm Furnishings & Light Fair was a new suite of lights presented by Danish brand Lightyears. Included amongst them, and pictured right here, the Aeon Rocket pendant lamp, an aluminum and woven polypropylene creation by designer Morten Voss and the LED-powered Volume table lamp, a petite die-cast aluminum and acrylic piece from Danish design and style studio GamFratesi. Each products will be accessible for sale later this year.<br/><img alt=" Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears amazing ideas " height="569" src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/aeon-rocket-ag-install_." title="Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears amazing ideas " width="600" /><br/><img alt=" Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears amazing ideas " height="780" src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/volume-t-evergreen-install." title="Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears amazing ideas " width="600" /></p><br/><p>Pictures: Ollie & Seb’s Home</p><br/><p>

Stockholm Furniture Fair: New Illumination From Lightyears

Among the a lot more illuminating items at the current Stockholm Furnishings & Light Fair was a new suite of lights presented by Danish ...

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Lean On Me: Wall-supported Furniture And Lighting

<br/><img alt="lean on me wall supported furniture and lighting Lean On Me: Wall supported Furniture And Lighting architecture " height="470" src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/lean-on-me-wall-supported-furniture-and-lighting.jpg" title="Lean On Me: Wall supported Furniture And Lighting architecture " width="560" /><br/><p>Daphna Laurens’s ‘Cirkel’ floor lamp is portion of an eponymous collection designed for Paris’s Galerie Gosserez. Laurens imagines it, in anthropomorphic terms, penetrating the wall and hunting on to the other side</p><br/><p>We all want a small support sometimes. Behind the increasing trend in furniture and lighting for wall-leaning or wall-mounted styles is a diversity of aspects, among them the sensible, the social and the aesthetic. Architonic gets up close and private. (by Dominic Lutyens)</p><br/><p>read this article in full on Architonic</p><br/><img alt="p Lean On Me: Wall supported Furniture And Lighting architecture " border="" height="1" src="http://www.decoradvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/p___________________________________________________________________________________________.gif" title="Lean On Me: Wall supported Furniture And Lighting architecture " width="1" />

Lean On Me: Wall-supported Furniture And Lighting

Daphna Laurens’s ‘Cirkel’ floor lamp is portion of an eponymous collection designed for Paris’s Galerie Gosserez. Laurens imagines it, in an...

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Rust Mohair Slipper Chair

<center></center><center></center>A long time ago, I fell in love with a rust-colored velvet slipper chair I saw at Lillian August. I loved the cream contrasting welt. It felt so pretty and fresh to me!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo bIMG_3785.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/bIMG_3785.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_3788.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/vIMG_3788.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />A year or two later, I found this tight-backed slipper chair at the Restoration Hardware outlet from their deconstructed line.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo ccIMG_8972.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/ccIMG_8972.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_8971.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/vIMG_8971.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I think it was about $100. We kept it in our living room in the brownstone while I was trying to figure out what fabric to cover it in (or really, just trying to find the time to do it).<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0111.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/aDSC_0111.jpg" /></div><br />Then after we moved to Phoenix and while I was rushing to get the house ready for the Domino shoot, I popped into one of my favorite local fabric stores called SAS Fabrics (the one on Indian School is the best) and I found a few yards of the prettiest deep rust, almost oxblood, mohair fabric there for only $3.99 a yard! I used a lot of dusty mint colors in our library and music room area and I loved how these colors looked together.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><center></center></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_4687.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/vIMG_4687.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />I had my upholsterer follow the curve of the back and sides with a cream piping, inspired by the Lillian August chair that I saw so many years ago.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo LR4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/LR4.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo LR2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/LR2.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Isn't it funny how some things just sort of stay with you? I'm so glad I finally got my rust slipper chair. I feel like it was a long time coming! :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo LR1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda022/LR1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div>

Rust Mohair Slipper Chair

A long time ago, I fell in love with a rust-colored velvet slipper chair I saw at Lillian August. I loved the cream contrasting welt. It fel...

Read more »