Project De-Ugly Your House

[Shipster0958]

The hubby and I bought a foreclosure home. It's big and wonderful...problem is, the inside was super tacky. And quite the fixer upper. For the deal though, we had to jump. After tons of patch work, paint, and bloodsweattears, we got the bones of the house fixed up. Now onto the fun decorating.

Problem is, we're broke. We only buy things at little to no money. So I'm getting creative.

I wanted to have a thread where I can post projects and tips here. If anyone has done any cool crafts or home improvements thrifty...please post!



My first transformation....I wanted a chandelier in my bedroom. Romantic right? Many of the large ones I liked were at least $1k. Ouch. So instead of $1,000...I transformed one for $37.

We found one on Craigslist. It was $50, I offered $30. We got it, but it was so tacky. So brassy and 90's. I wanted something dark and shiny and classy. This was the original. They said they paid $4k back in the day.

I disassembled it, sanded it with steel wool

Bought the spray paint in the color I wanted

Spray paint, and really scrub the glass to make it shine.

Final product...

 

[MissGuided]

Good job, looks great!

 

[Shipster0958]

Thanks! It was really easy to do. Spray paint is my go to fix for a lot of things.

 

[EveWasFramed]

That's amazing, Shippy!

 

[VanillaCreme]

I really like that. You did a great job. Personally, I would have changed the glass, but it does look pretty. And the color on the wall is beautiful too.

 

[Shipster0958]

That's amazing, Shippy!

Thanks Evey!

I really like that. You did a great job. Personally, I would have changed the glass, but it does look pretty. And the color on the wall is beautiful too.

Thanks! I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the glass, but I got it nice and cleaned, and kinda liked how it sparkled. I have the back wall like a chocolate brown with those dark cream on the other three walls. Thank you for noticing!!!!! I spent days picking those colors lol.

 

[ladyforsaken]

Shippy, that's amazing! I gotta admit, I like your wall colours too. That's about the same colour as my apartment's but a little lighter. Love that chandelier and what you've done to it!

You should show us more of what you're doing. It's motivating.

 

[lonelyfairy]

That's really creative! Cool.

 

[VanillaCreme]

I really like that. You did a great job. Personally, I would have changed the glass, but it does look pretty. And the color on the wall is beautiful too.

Thanks! I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the glass, but I got it nice and cleaned, and kinda liked how it sparkled. I have the back wall like a chocolate brown with those dark cream on the other three walls. Thank you for noticing!!!!! I spent days picking those colors lol.

I actually want to be an interior designer. I love houses and I love decorating them. I think you did a fantastic job, and I honestly would love to see more projects you've completed or fixed up.

 

[Shipster0958]

Shippy, that's amazing! I gotta admit, I like your wall colours too. That's about the same colour as my apartment's but a little lighter. Love that chandelier and what you've done to it!

You should show us more of what you're doing. It's motivating.

Thanks lady! You're so sweet!

That's really creative! Cool.

Thanks!

I really like that. You did a great job. Personally, I would have changed the glass, but it does look pretty. And the color on the wall is beautiful too.

Thanks! I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the glass, but I got it nice and cleaned, and kinda liked how it sparkled. I have the back wall like a chocolate brown with those dark cream on the other three walls. Thank you for noticing!!!!! I spent days picking those colors lol.

I actually want to be an interior designer. I love houses and I love decorating them. I think you did a fantastic job, and I honestly would love to see more projects you've completed or fixed up.

Thank you! I plan on posting some more. I have redone my 2 fireplaces, redone my cabinets in my kitchen, did a backsplash, changing my counter tops, done some repurposing furniture, and soon, I'll be painting some doors and such. I think I'll post a fireplace one next.

 

[Shipster0958]

Well, here some examples of my repurposing old, thrown out things from older houses.

My house has a very unique theme I think. I'm going for something cozy, homey, and a bit on the antique side. I got a beautiful couch and love seat for a song, and I couldn't find a coffee table that I liked to match. So I set out to make one of my own.

I had an idea to make it out of an old front door. I know, I'm totally insane.

The door came from Craiglist, not much money spent. Hubby and I went and picked it up.

After that, we measured the best fit for the living room, and decided to cut off that half moon window at the top to give it more of a table feeling.

We distressed it, added the base and legs, and coated it with a couple of layers of stain. I think it turned out pretty well.

Someone was also getting rid of their old windows that they were having replaced, so I decided to fill a large space in our entrance way with pics of our new little bundle of joy.

Sorry, I don't know why those two are sideways. :/

And, going into the kitchen, I used a small one and filled them with old newspaper ads from the 40's and 50's. We had gotten a collection from an old estate sale.

Just keep turning your head sideways.

 

[MissGuided]

Wow - just, wow. You have really missed your calling, Shipster. How imaginative!

 

[ladyforsaken]

Shippy, I love your home. What a beautiful door/table piece! Totally love how you transformed those windows into frames!

And totally loving that "Family" banner and floral piece behind it on the wall!

 

[VanillaCreme]

Love it, Ship! Keep at it! Don't know if you do watch or go to the site, but the DIY network has lots of helpful tips. I learned a few which I passed on to Jeremy about staining wood when he was building his gun cabinet.

 

[Shipster0958]

Wow - just, wow. You have really missed your calling, Shipster. How imaginative!

Thanks! It's cool to see people like it. I thought it was always kind of weird and different and just what I liked.

Shippy, I love your home. What a beautiful door/table piece! Totally love how you transformed those windows into frames!

And totally loving that "Family" banner and floral piece behind it on the wall!

Thank you lady! The family and flowers on the wall are all iron decorations from a sale at hobby lobby. I'm a big fan, I have a large iron piece over my bed too.

Love it, Ship! Keep at it! Don't know if you do watch or go to the site, but the DIY network has lots of helpful tips. I learned a few which I passed on to Jeremy about staining wood when he was building his gun cabinet.

I haven't really been on there surprisingly enough. I usually get a lot of my inspirations from Pinterest or seeing random discarded junk on the street.

I need my own show where I just raid people's garbage cans for coupons and used pieces of their house.

 

[EveWasFramed]

I hate you creative people. lol

Just kidding. When I saw that door, I actually envisioned the top of the "table" just how you guys had cut it.
That's absolutely amazing.
Also, is your hubby military? (hmm)
Also, I hate people who own power tools and know how to USE them.
Im so jealous, lol.

 

[Shipster0958]

Eve...thanks...I think?? Lol

My husband actually is in the military. How did you know?

 

[EveWasFramed]

Eve...thanks...I think?? Lol

My husband actually is in the military. How did you know?

Are you kidding? SHIPster? And his haircut. REEKS of military, lmao.
Takes a (ex) military wife to know one?

And you're welcome, those were complements. lol

 

[Shipster0958]

Haha oh yes. I have gotten proficient at the military haircut.

If it makes you feel better, he's the better one at the power tools. I tend to just tell him what I want, and he's got to come up with how. I'm more the creative, gatherer, ideas, painting, standings, etc.

 

[lonelyfairy]

Loving the table! Very creative, again. I like it when people kind of ''recycle'' something old to new.