Before and after: Console

Last week, my friend Colleen was in town. Lucky for me, she enjoys scouring Craigslist for good finds. Even luckier for me, she has a really good eye. I can pick out things that I like, but I never quite know what to do with them once they're in my possession. When Colleen is around, she works her magic and even the smallest surfaces are artfully arranged.

My very favorite surface that emerged from the week is a Craigslist find - a console turned bar.

You can see my front door just to the right of the bar. There used to be a small bench in this spot, but no one ever sat on it and it wasn't worth anything storage-wise. As soon as I brought the console home, I knew the bench had to go.

I painted it in a glossy white, and put a coat of gold on the hardware. Not only does the console have lots of storage, it also has room on top to display pretty things. Thanks, Colleen!

(The green and white striped dishes have since been moved, but I haven't had a chance to take more pictures.)

We also ventured to Ikea last week, and I was very excited to see their new textiles. Marc and I don't have a coat closet in our apartment, so we hang curtains in front of an odd shaped corner to block off our designated coat area. The new blue and white Ikea Henny curtains really brighten things up in the room. Plus, I love the way they look next to the old painting I found at a local consignment store. It used to be in an old, beat-up driftwood frame, but I like the look of the canvas hanging on its own - so fresh and crisp.

I don't stop to pour myself a drink every time I walk through the room, but I do stop to admire the new entryway. There's another little project to the left of the curtains, but it's not ready for a reveal yet. It's coming soon, though!

A cottage kitchen before and after

Nothing is quite as inspiring as a good before and after picture. This one is from Sunset Magazine. It's hard to imagine that the kitchen below

would grow up to become this:

The cottage was built in the 1920's. Its owner, Caroline Willis, made minimal changes, but each one had a huge impact. A fresh coat of paint in soft, neutral tones and baskets on shelves instead of cupboard doors make the biggest difference in the small room.

I couldn't believe it when I read that the new kitchen uses the old countertops. I didn't even recognize them! The tile trim around the island looks 1,000 times more updated in the white kitchen.

The rest of the house is just as cozy. The den is filled with a sea grass rug and the cutest little pair of checkered chairs.

And in the living room, Caroline painted the insides of her bookshelves darker than the walls to help her creamware collection stand out. I'm also admiring the dark wooden fireplace with the tile trim. A very small addition of color, and it's just perfect for the room.