Hello there!
I cannot tell you how over the moon I am about this week's Romancing the Home theme. Upcycling! It's what I do...It's who I am!
If you've been following me on Instagram, or have checked out my site, you'd ahve seen that I am all about Upcycling! What does it mean? Well, to different people it means different things. Either you're one for those who doesn't believe in throwing things away, (my childhood flashes before my eyes) or you can't afford the high end decor pieces but want the look in your own home and need to make do with what you've got.
I am kind of both. I don't believe in throwing away. I do donate, if it's something of value, I try to sell to make up for the purchase of a new item or maybe we need the space, or have grown past the use of an item (like baby stuff). I love beautiful things but can't afford what's in stores. Sometimes you see something for a really good price and even though you really can't afford it, it speaks to your soul and you know you need to have it and will use it somewhere, somehow!
I had already bought Bella's bed and we have a queen size, so I couldn't use it for it's purpose of a headboard. But, I'd seen an upcycle on Pinterest a while back and thought I'd give it a whirl; transforming a headboard into a bench!
Here's what we did:
First we looked at depth of the seat and cut the bottom of the bed in two to make 'armrests'.
We built a pin box frame and attached a piece of wood for the seat and inserted it into the area used for seating.
The fun part is always painting! I started with Fired Earth's Chateau which I painted with a brush and then painted over again with Arc White.
The layering gives it a lovely aged look, as you can see above in the close up.
Yes, those are my painting jeans!
Once I was done with the Delft flowers, which my dad suggested I add to the sides as well, I took my little Black & Decker mouse to the bench with a very fine sandpaper to distress it.
Then I coated the whole thing with water based Clear Varnish.
You've seen my home, you have
probably gather that I love blue. And white.
To me, Delft is the perfect blend of two
of my favorite colors! It's in my blood,
we are after all, of Dutch descent predominantly (with a little French).
I'd love to have more Delft in my
home, but what's I've got my hands
on (with my Rand-pinching ways) is
more Asian than European. Ah well,
I'm still young yet, I have many years
of collecting ahead of me!
The bench cushion is not yet what I intended it to be, but I think that a DIY for another day! I want to make a proper french ticking mattress! I've watched the tutorial, but with the painting that was going on with this project, I just didn't get to the seat!
Please do mosey on over to see some more gorgeous Upcycling with my fellow Romancing the Home ladies!
Liz from Keep It French will take you on a tour of one of my favorite tourist towns in the northern parts of Southern Africa!
Kylie from Our Unique Home shows you how to turn an antique chest of drawers into a bathroom vanity!
Ramona from Ruffles and Rust graces us with awesome mercury mirror tutorial whish she used in her stunning cabinet makeover!
Stacy of Sawdust and Highheels shows off her lovely courtyard with not just one upcycle idea, but a few!
Happy viewing all! 'till next time!