Tuesday, October 27, 2009

A Procrastinator's Progress






Finally, I have a "before and after" to show. I have been putting these chairs off since April, believe it or not. The past few days have been so stressful (nothing horrible--just STRESSFUL!) I had to do something creative and artsy today. It relaxes me. So--the chairs finally got done. Hooray!


Unfortunately, I'm not thrilled with them. I do think they are cute, but the zebra print fabric was an instant buyer's remorse item, or more accurately could be described as a buyer's REGRET item. It is just a bit much...but it's what I bought (back in April) and you can't return fabric. SO--I used it. Now I will spend however long it takes changing everything around the zebra chairs to make them fit in.


Take a look at this wall. It drives me INSANE. I left it blank for 2 years because I couldn't figure out what to do. I finally started hanging stuff at random one day and now I just sit in the living room and stare at this wall. It bugs me like a splinter in my finger!

Can I ask you a question? Or two?

What is the PROBLEM? (You may suggest anything other than changing the blue paint or the zebra print because that is pretty much a done deal and I am already self-conscious about it.)

What COLOR should I paint this table? ( I am going to paint a black and white checker gameboard on top but what about the rest of it? Will painting the table solve my problem?)

Help me! Ya'll know how annoying a splinter can be!

18 comments:

  1. mercy me - i am not the one to ask!

    i love the zebra chairs :D

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  2. The chairs are very pretty and fun, but the zebra print could be too bold if that is not your style. You could leave the blue paint on the chairs and just change the fabric.

    What about painting the table a deep red with a darker black distressing glaze on it? You could also go white to keep it more neutral so it doesn't compete with the chairs.

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  3. I think the chairs look fun. I think when you paint the table you might like it more too. I'd go with black for the table too. I think the checkerboard top with be so cute. You could always put a pillow to the back of the chair to tone down the print too.

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  4. Love the chair! And I agree, black on the table. The checkerboard top will tie in with the chair.

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  5. Looking at it (I'm being honest here since you asked) it's not at all cohesive.

    You mentioned you started hanging stuff at random and that's where I would start because it does look that way, taking it all off but the mirror and rebuild it with items that fit.

    The star, the picture/art below it and the two items on the other side float as well. You have float. There's no sense of purpose to it.

    I mean, if you have a fun set of family pictures, I would go with layering them in similar frames but different sizes and mat some while not matting others, both black and in the blue (perhaps antique blue frames to pull out the browns of the floor?) - another interesting way to do that is have the photos copied to black and white.

    Place a couple of tall candle holders w/ candles of course (not the same hieght) with a decorative finial (I think that's what they are called).

    Replace the pretty table runner with a soft flowing fabric (table cloth style) to tie in the zebra print.

    Move the sconce up and put a nice vase with either some nice silk flowers or some dried florals. Or use the vase you currently have on the table.

    Not exactly sure what to do about the star or the red wall art but maybe that red wall art is placed on a small picture easel to go with the family photos to add a dash of color. Then perhaps the star can fit on center (from top to bottom) on the left side of the frame.

    I hope I am not overstepping any boundries here. I've been on a roll of making people a bit uncomfortable this week so if I have made you feel that way since I am a stranger, I apologize in advance.

    I'm digging the chairs!

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  6. In my completely unprofessional opinion, I think the items on the left side of the mirror are visually "heavier" than the items on the right side of the mirror. And there's no color on the right side. So maybe move the blue frame that is sitting on the table to the right side? (might help balance out colors and proportions, just my thoughts) And I think that table would look fab with a new layer of BLACK paint. I think it would tie in well with the zebra print (which I think you can totally work with and make it something you like.seriously.) I think the zebra print and blue is bothering you b/c they are more modern styled and not as countryish as the other items. Just different styles. I think the blue and zebra are awesome together, just need the setting to be more sleek to fit in.

    But this is all my piddily opinion. Take it as a grain of salt! :)

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  7. WHOA! This is AWWWWWESOME! Keep the ideas/critiques coming! I can take it!

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  8. You said I couldn't tell you to paint the chairs, but what if I said that a friend of a friend said to "paint the chairs" a red, for example. : ) Checkerboard, right on. Pillow on back of chair to tame the wild animal print, right on. Taking all but the mirror down and re-build, right on. Sconces, right on. All great ideas including my "friend of a friend"'s idea to paint the chairs a different color. Blessings Keelie. It's fun to watch you take off and do fun stuff-seemingly a daily occurance! : )

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  9. I vote Red with a brown or black wash over it...distressed.

    OR, if you are digging teal, do that.

    BTW, I am really enjoying your blog. I found it about a month ago, I swear we could be related or really, really good friends as we have lots in common according to your "Dear Santa" post. ;)

    I would pull everything off the walls but the mirror and re-work it all. Maybe spray paint your star too? I love the black/white photo collage idea. What about some vinyl wall words?

    Looking forward to your next post!

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  10. I love the chairs! Super cute! As far as what else to do, listen to these other people. I have NO CLUE! :)

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  11. You could try toning the zebra print down by tea dying it heavily. Maybe it's just too stark for you. Love the lyre back on the chairs. As for the table, I might just leave the underlying color the natural wood...crackle paint or further distress the sides and then put the black and white top in a high gloss area. But you look like you know what you're doing already! That's just me. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. You know what I forgot? If you decide to tea or coffee dye the fabric test it first on the bottom of the chair or on a scrap of fabric.

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  13. Personally I would paint the chairs a different color but if that is not an option I would distress them and go over with a reddish brown glaze. I would paint the table black and I would do the check board in the blue color and an off white.
    The other option would be to keep the bright blue with zebra. Paint the table a fun yellow color and add in black accents and maybe a little reddish orange. So mnay options it just depends on the direction you want to go.

    You just got "BOO'd" by my blog--hurry go check it out

    Cheri

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  14. Keelie,

    The first thing you have to consider is how much would you have to spend painting everything else to make it compatible with the zebra fabric or like another reader posted just change the fabric on the chairs. You could save the zebra fabric for a quilt option at a later date.

    Visiting your fabric store you could by remnants on sale for hardly anything or stop by a garage or yard sale.

    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

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  15. Are you tired of recommendations yet?

    I like everything to have a bit of a purpose.

    If this is an extra table that will be the game table then I would paint over the mirror with chalkboard paint and make it a way to keep score.

    Or you could put a vinyl decal on that said something clever.

    Or I would probably yank out the mirror and do an iron on transfer to burlap and frame it.

    Everything else on the wall would go somewhere else.

    I like the idea of the table becoming black.

    At that point the blue on the chairs could stay.

    Less is more...that is what I constantly tell myself and I still tend to overdecorate!

    I think we are supposed to call it modern or urban country. Something like that.

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  16. I have been asking for decorating help wiht my livingroom so Im not big on decorating advice but I do think the table should be black to match the zebra stripes. My daughter just had a zebra striped theme for her 16th birthday party, I will post soon on my blog about it. Ruby Red Slippers had great advice for me when i was redecorating my wall!!!!!

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