I tend to categorize my favorite thrift stores by items: one has a wonderful book section, another has awesome clothes and so forth. The CHKD in Churchland has great linen and housewares. I mean really great.
I walked in one Saturday and found this.....
and this....
The floral pattern was a standard 84 inch panel and cost $3.99. The three or four yards of navy check was $2.99
When I saw it, a new project formed in my mind: my entryway.
I didn't take a before picture, but the downstairs walls were brown uppers with a white modified board and batten treatment below. Here's a pic I snapped as a sneak peak a while back.
The wall leading upstairs was beige, as that wall covered in brown paint would be too overpowering. Each window had a cornice board and swagged panel in burgundy.
I got the wall hanging from the same thrift store a few years ago.
I used the checked material on the cornice board and swagged the print panel. I bought a pair of lace café panels at another thrift store for a buck.
The cornice board is a thrift store find from 5 or 6 years ago. It had a blue and yellow checked material before I recovered it in the burgundy cloth. For a millisecond I considered leaving it as it was, but these pastel shades didn't match the darker floral panel.
A few minutes with a glue gun and we were done. Umm, after I got Max out of the way.
There was only one of the patterned panels for the swag, so I used a light green sheer that I already owned to swag the window at the top of the stairs. I'm not bothered that they don't match. The cornice board is the same for both and that ties them together. The green swag better fits the décor in the upstairs landing.
The walls needed to change as the downstairs walls were too dark. I also wanted the downstairs walls and the wall leading upstairs to be the same (lighter) color.
Not a problem. I'm a big fan of 'oops' paint--paint that has been returned to stores because shoppers changed their mind about the tint. Stores like Sears, WalMart, Lowe's and Home Depot resell this returned paint at drastic mark-downs.
I love, love, love Behr paint, especially the formula with the primer mixed in. You could easily pay $30 for their Signature line. I went to Lowe's in hopes that I'd find a lighter beige paint and looky here:
Next issue: the former wall hanging between the two windows, while perfect for the former space, not longer worked with this changeover. I didn't see it as a problem. I wanted another wall hanging, but didn't expect lighting to strike twice, so I put it out of my mind, expecting to find the right thing at the right time.
I no longer work myself into a torrent during my home projects, convinced that if I don't locate the perfect item, my transformation will be a failure. I've now adopted the policy that the right thing will eventually show up.
If I dare to shine a spiritual light on the issue, I've determined that if my work at home is a service to my family that I do unto God, then whatever I need to complete that service will be provided.
Case in point: a few weeks after the mini-makeover, I dropped by that same thrift store and found another wall hanging that fit the new décor perfectly. It's beige, nearly the same tone as the wall. When I get the time, I plan to add ribbon to the edges to help it stand out. Dark red probably, but green may also work.
Here she is.
The following pictures show the staircase with two coats of primer. I'd planned to paint this weekend, but we're going out of town, so I'll get to it when we return. Even with the primer, the space already looks brighter.
Here's my entryway now.
Total cost for this project: 22 smacks plus tax. Can't beat that!
Fabric one: 3.99
Fabric two: 2.99
Wall hanging: 3.99
Lace curtains: 1.00
Paint (beige) 10.00
White paint for stairs: already had
Primer for steps: already had
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