Sunday, October 30, 2011

The weekend after!

It’s been a long hard weekend, it turns out that painting bent wood chairs presents its own challenges. With everything being curve and cylindrical it becomes an issue to make sure that you get every nook and cranny of every space. It took a frustrating hour per coat per chair (compared to the 20 min for two night stands per coat it was taking me before). So needless to say, between working 16 hour days, and dealing with some personal issues, the entire painting event was a little more stressful than I had planned... I guess this brings a new meaning to blood sweat and tears. Not to worry though, I put my nose once again to the grind stone, and completed the long hard task of painting the chairs.
I originally decided on a bright green, although, as I stood there (paint sample in tow) I had a shocking thought, I might not like green for an extended period of time... thus I concluded to stay with shades, and accent with bolds (it also gave it more of a Paris meets Edmonton kind of look).
The happily before pictures of the chairs/room/space:

If you follow along with the steps, or are trying this at home, sanding down the pieces is a must, then after that you want to apply an oil based primer to seal the wood.

After you have completed that, it’s best to apply a water based paint (it comes out of floors better I promise!) and to take a deep breath! You have 2-4 coats to finish ahead of you.

Lastly, it’s time to let it set (and apply a poly coat if you want for that added wipe-able protection)

For those of you who are just joining us guyonthe-move is updated every monday, wednesday and friday with fantastic tips and cool tricks to keeping your home modern at a frugal price!
Now time to accent! Off to HomeSence! Make sure to check out Wednesday’s blog for some amazing before and after pictures!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Relax... it's here

To be honest most of the beginning of this blog was me running aimlessly with my boyfriend Rhys patiently reminding me to relax. I’d run to homescense, freak out when they had 4 picture frames and I needed 12, or I’d run to the other homescense and freak out when the only had 1 lamp and I needed 2... and the list goes on and on... and somewhere along the way (please add a cup of coffee to my hand while I panic) I’ve adapted the song “relax” as a constant song that plays over and over while I shop. Does it provide therapy to my shopping experiences? No... not really... but it is a nice background theme song. Regardless... that’s not why I am typing at this exact moment.... oh no. Because right at the moment that I had given up, to hang up my hate an pay 300 large for 2 replica eames chairs something beautiful happened.

The Thonet Bentwood Chair


A designer by the named or Michael Thonet designed these bad boys in the mid 1800’s (which I guess makes this the oldest style in my room as of yet), it is said that this chair represents modern economy at it’s best with a simple and humble design. These chairs are said to have some of the most influential design in furniture to date. And here I am with two.
So if you haven’t guessed by this time, I have no intention of keeping them the wood colour they are, in fact I have every intention of painting them... to what colour is still unclear but one thing can be certain, at 10$ a pop... they are by far my thriftiest investment yet (investment pieces to you Karen).

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The Epic Fail!

60 days and 60 nights... and the verdict is in. I’m still not done (insert sad face here) if some things would have went more smoothly there is a good chance that the room would have been done on time with budget, but the truth is that some of my “master plan” ideas did in fact fall through. A better (but less known) was when I was waiting to pick up a thrifty set of chairs (via 1950’s) for a crazy low price... however the owner had sold them before I got there.
The good news (or should I say great news) is that now I get to be thrifty while still looking (perhaps even outside of the budget) still not paying full price! But focusing more on the completion of the room rather than the 320$ budget (which thankfully I still have 100$ left of!)
So after a long distinctive conversation with myself (yes I am that crazy person you see in the supermarket talking to myself) so rather than sit here and talk about it I’ll show you what you’re really waiting for!

So in the words of starbucks: some things are best enjoyed with a great cup of coffee...

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

One day left!

Good morning everyone! Sorry for the delay, it seems that with long awesome road trips comes the relapse forget about everything days. So I’ve been laying in bed, looking at my room thinking “holy crap, I have 4 days left” and this morning when I woke up and though “holy crap I have one day left” I knew I had to post you the sad news! The room will not be completed on time ->insert sad face here<- so that was the bad news! The good news is that everything is free flowing... because as of tomorrow I can loosen up my budget pants a bit and let the real thrifty interior decorate have a go!
Not all is lost my little ones! (did I not just sound like some Disney character?) because even while I was on holidays I was searching for our room! So in that picture that I love with all of those amazing frames it has ... let’s take a look... 17 picture frames, and I now thanks to some thrifty finds have a few less to get right now! So as of late I’ve been focusing all of my energy on finding some picture frames to complete the mural:

All for such low prices I’m sure you are all as impressed with me as I am with myself! So tonight I plan on once again going to risk my life against other discount shoppers to find some great bargain deals and completing what I have now dubbed the almost complete but not quite room.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

A simle change

Waking up late does not give you much time to write a blog, actually it gives you less than ten minutes to write a blog! So here we go!
Still with no luck finding any new chairs for the bedroom, and even less luck trying to sort out the wall to the right (or as I like to call it the naked wall – which I am far to embarrassed to show you till I do in fact have a plan) I have decided to focus a bit of my energy on the mural wall. With only a total of 8 days left till the room is expected to be completed (which just happens to be Kelly’s birthday) I need to spread myself out a bit more.
My roommate had given me several old frames that she had, I then removed the old pictures by ripping through the paper in the back and removing the foam, adding my own black and white pictures that I created at wal mart for 33 cents a piece.

Not the most labour intense job, but a step to completing what is to be a pretty detailed design project. As for chairs, I’ve got my eyes set on a set of replicas if we cannot make the due date. Alas they themselves go over the budget alone... but that brings me to wonder... should I get them, but my inner teenager screems “But they’re so cool!”


Some fond memories of growing up. At the end of the project (with a few more free/discount picture frames... I'm hopeing that it looks something like this in the end (except with a table and chairs).



Sunday, October 16, 2011

A War Photo

It’s been a long weekend! Although my shopping to decorate the room (especially as of late with my busy work schedule) has caused me to only have time to do a large amount of work. What I did manage to get done (as little as it may seem) is I did manage to fill in the picture beside my bed, that seems to be the rout that I am going this week, what pictures I want to have displayed and in what fashion. For me, especially now that I am million miles away from home, I like to be able to wake up and see the people I love the most. So beside my bed (in regular war veteran fashion) I have my boyfriend sporting a war hat in an attempt to make it look as though I am dating someone from the war (romantic chic flick much?).
Before table, sad and empty...

After full and romantic!

Not a large change :) But every change so far makes a big diffrence! Only about ten days left till the end of the project! Only a few things left to find! Here's to hopeing, now with the chairs, and the rest of the fabric, the game is left to chance.... I hope the discount gods are on my side this week.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The table is done! I repeat the table is done!

Last night as I was doing up the finishing layer of paint on the table (this was a secret) but I had found the perfect chairs. Vintage 1960’s with straight lines and curved backs, the perfect chair for this room in every way. We had secured the chairs, with an agreement to pick them up tomorrow that was until... my boyfriend called me as I waited for the last finishing layer to dry to tell me the most depressing of news “he sold them to someone else... someone who could pick them up sooner” and with a mixture of paint fumes and moist air I hung up the phone and began to cry. Yes. CRY. I sat there on the corner of my bed like a 5 year old school girl an sobbed into my hands... one can only assume that I caught PMS at work, or perhaps was over tired. Even now as I look back on what had happened I wonder – did the chairs mean that much?
We are now approaching the last 15 days of this event (time flys when you’re crying on the corner of your bed I tell ya!) I feel a little bit of a pinch here, still within the 320 budget I still have 2 chairs, a possible area rug and a cozy stool to get for the end of the bed. So lets all cross our fingers and hope that something better than those chairs come up.
Today’s blog is a simple one at that lets take a look at the before table:


And the after:







Turns out with a little elbow grease and some dedication you can turn even the oldest of bar tables into a shabby sheek bedroom table (chairs not included).

Monday, October 10, 2011

Turkeys and Tables

They say that this is the best time to reflect, a time to remind ourselves of the great things in our lives. So what is it that you are truly thankful for this year? It’s a great time of year to remind the people that you love why you love them. That being said, I’m throwing a little gathering for some close friends for a home cooked meal... a true tradition.
Other things (more materialistic things) that I am happy for is this old table which we had located at a local garage sale. From an old pub in the 60’s it’s cool and soft curves are perfect. However, I wasn’t overly in love with the idea of a square table top (I tend to hurt myself on pointy edges) so off to Lowes we went searching for a round table top to complete this table:

(yes... thats right. More STARBUCKS)


Et Voila! We found one (which I wasn’t sure would fit the table at all... but turns out it’s slightly bigger than the square table top that was on it previously.

So now the fun of painting begins... one coat, three coat, ten! Hopefully it doesn’t take quiet that long as this has been an event in itself! Keep looking to see the completed look!
Happy thanksgiving!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Free Art!

So my last post this week before we hit a wonderful time of year (Canada’s thanksgiving) has been dedicated to the photos that I’ve been trying to create all week. Ever since the “keep calm and carry on” posters began to be popular I’ve liked the idea of nostalgic feelings related to signs... I remember growing up and passing this one sign every year (it marked the halfway mark between our destinations). Being on a thrifty budget I decided to make my own art... I drew inspiration from two parts a regular street sign:

As well as the original “Keep Calm and Carry On” signs of the Second World War:
Too me, I wanted the signs to be where I had been, and where I was... a beautiful mesh of old and new, I took the street name of my very first apartment as well as the street intersection of my new spacious home. Creating the perfect feeling of home, Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself here:

I used a simple Microsoft Power Point format and then transferred it to a different spread sheet while making it more narrow (which I feel gave it more of a clean look) all in all... not too bad for some free art!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Picture Perfect!

There is nothing quite like a late night blog, for all you late night readers--- or all you early morning people! We’ve past the halfway mark in the decorating scheme of things (actually a bit more than halfway now). We have come a long way from finding the perfect bed set, to the remake of the vintage night stands. But all in all things seem to be coming together in a nice calm manor in the end.
It’s been a series of “What’s next” questions filled my mind as I began to post this next section but I think it fits quiet perfectly. The hanging of the art:

Now you’ll notice that I’ve added them to the sides rather than centering them over top of the bedroom in a simple effort to keep things simple (maybe even traditional).

Eventually I would like to have another set of smaller... possibly more thick photo frames underneath (here’s to hoping... SALES!)

Sunday, October 2, 2011

On The Brighter Side Of Things

With the new night stands refinished and a hunger to complete... well everything in the bedroom I went out with Rhys for a good dose of “nose to the grind stone” shopping. Of course, after going to everyplace I could possibly think of for lamps, and pictures I started to list off the places that I hadn’t been too... Home depot.... Rona... Wal-Mart... And right before I even had time to say “let’s go” there we were off to the nearest Wal-Mart. When you think of frugality what other blue dynamo comes to mind?

Isle after Isle we searched for the perfect throw pillows, the perfect picture frames, the perfect lamps... and just as I had almost given up hope (similarly “these are a few of my favourite things plays”) I had found the jackpot.



Two, retro-esc cast iron lamps (that’s right, real quality ladies and gents! Who would have thought it). With perfect large lamp shades to match, but that wasn’t all we had found at the blue tycoon... we also were able to find some semi reasonably priced picture frames at half the cost of normal frames from both Michaels and Urban Barn!

So perfection! Now it’s just off to hang up the picture! Then to locate the perfect art to put inside these lovelies.