DIY Home Projects

[mrs.b]

This weekend's project is started with delivery of a built-in my father-in-law reclaimed for us to go in our dining room. It was an old dresser or cabinet - I'm honestly not sure what it was before he got his hands on it - and refinished (costs were a gallon of paint, elbow grease, and a promise of dinner for the former owners - we always ask if we can collect curbed furniture in case someone is putting it there for someone else, and the old owners did not believe FIL could make the thing look nice again and want to see it once it's done). It's pictured below in what will be its new home. I have ratan baskets ordered that will go in the openings for storage; this is right beside our main entryway and is prone to clutter, so a basket will be for mail collection and I'm sorting the mess that tended to collect there to make a "home" for the junk we like to put in that area. Hunting for a good piece of art or something to put on the wall above.

We pulled the moulding off the attached walls, but will put that back on soon after I paint and put in bead board in the next few weeks. There is an outlet half-hidden by the cabinet, but when I do beadboard I'm going to move it over a couple inches so it is still accessible and looks finished, then we'll attach the cabinet for its permanent placement. You can sort of see the bay window that is also an upcoming project, with a window seat planned for additional table banquette seating at the table.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]971[/ATTACH]

Deciding if I want to start the beadboarding this weekend, or if I'll go back to finishing last week's bathroom project (I got sidetracked and did not do the mirrors and painting yet).


So...I'm also hunting for inexpensive countertop options that are not laminate or butcherblock. Laminate came with the place when we bought, and I can't stand them but budget is limited (free and/or reclaimed is ideal).

[merolpn]

Mrs. B, I have a few suggestions for your counter top. If you do not have an aversion to wood, I know someone that found reclaimed bowling alley floor. Occasionally bowling alleys have to lay new floors. Refinished it looks really good. Another friend used old bar tops. It may take a while to accumulate enough in similar shades but with new sealant they look good. If you are not into the wood look, use the thickest floor tile you can find. Installing the floor tile on a solid backer board with very small grout lines will be strong enough. If by chance you crack it, replacing the tiles are not hard at all. With small grout lines you will not really notice the difference in shades even years down the road.

Good luck

[LaterBloomer]

Mrs. B, Loooooved your cabinet. Attractive and practical. Do you have a... sorry, blanking on the name. One of the Habitat for Humanity stores? Maybe they have something that you could use for your countertop. Good luck.

[mrs.b]

There is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore I found one street over from one of the routes I take to/from work when merolpn suggested it last week I was shocked! It's on a side street I never take, and had no idea it was hidden back there. Took a look this week on my lunch break and they did not have a lot of option right now, but plan on stopping in once a week or so to see what else comes in; like all resale stores, it depends on what is donated as to what they'll have. Keeping an eye out, though.

I'm hesitant to do tile for the bathroom counters. We have tile throughout the main living space - another decor choice that came with the place that I'd like to someday replace with hardwood (it's well-done and doesn't look bad, it's just a LOT of tile and cleaning even sealed grout is not always easy) - and I think it would be tile overload unless/until we have the budget to do what I'd like to do with the floors. What I'd really like to do is engineered stone counters (granite is pretty but requires sealant maintenance and I'd prefer something maintenance-free, and from what I've seen, engineered versions are more durable) and may just budget for and do that eventually.

Thanks LaterBloomer! Father-in-law's handiwork is much better than mine; I stick to the simple stuff and beg his help for anything more complex, and that cabinet when he brought it in was a BIG project...it was a mess. I couldn't tell what it used to be, and while I can usually see the life still in things - husband isn't into it and laughs when his dad and I get excited over a piece of junky furniture that needs a new home - but that one was something only FIL thought was redeemable. Glad to see it get some life back and a permanent spot. It'll give us a lot of much-needed storage and organization in a spot in the house that was a clutter magnet.