Anneli's Restorations

Industrial Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:44:00 +0000

I have loved these walls for over 10 years now, since they started popping up in interior magazines. Better late then never, I thought, and decided to "invent a bicycle" since there is not a single tutorial on the Internet on how to achieve the same results. Unless I order fake paneling from Europe.

We got a sheet of Drywall. Cut it to the blocks according to our design. Then measured the holes and used a circular drill bit to pre-cut the holes. Then we glued and screwed the pieces of drywall on the wall.

I used Gray Concrete Patch (It doesn't shrink!) and spackled the whole wall. The holes needed to be done twice since it cracked overnight. Basically, a good steady hand is needed for applying the top coat. Especially on the corners. For the ridges we used a grooving tool.

"Before"

"After"

Second Bathroom Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:51:00 +0000

We haven’t completely moved into our newly finished bathroom. But finished it finally is After 3 years! All the work – Me and Brian (mostly Brian) and my uncle Uno helped with sheetrock and friend Karel helped gutting. We only hired a plumber to do the pipes.

Before & After

So we totally gutted the place..

We gained extra space by using a built-in cabinet from the room next to the bathroom. We insulated the walls, covered with plastic, sheetrocked, spackled, painted, installed tile on the floor, installed a tub, Brian built a box around the tub, also a drawer on wheels for storage. Brian did all electric wiring and built “floating shelves”. We tiled the box and the walls, new sink from Ikea.

Before

After

Mirror from the Thrift Store $2.99

After

Our Kitchen Makeover - Before and After

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:40:00 +0000

Kitchen was one of the first rooms we remodeled since we moved to the house. We knocked down the wall that separated the kitchen and the living room and built a bar instead. We installed a large sliding door. We gutted the rooms completely and my poor husband removed 5 layers of plastic tile and linoleum from the floor. We installed tile, insulated and sheetrocked the walls. Ikea cabinets came in (we were on the budget). Behind the stove got tiled. And here we are now,, Im already thinking of a new makeover :)
Before

After

During..

Tile and grout

Little Bag that Needed Help

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:48:00 +0000

My girlfriend asked me to replace the front of her favorite bag, I think it came out pretty awesome!
"After" and "Before"

Bullseye Tables

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:57:00 +0000

This weekend I came across two plain round tables and I was able to execute my long-lingering idea.
Before

After

Another Lucky Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:54:00 +0000

On our way back from the rafting trip by Delaware, we stopped by at the antique shop on the way as usual. This is where I purchased the chair. Later that week I found a stamp underneath and did some research on it. This chair might be over 100 years old actually!

After applying the stain I was amazed at the contrasty pattern that formed due to a very old dense wood. I used a simple reinforced burlap to cover the new seat veneer.
"Before"

"After"

Vintage Corner Table

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:36:00 +0000

With this one I got off with a rough start. Originally I wanted to glue wooden cookies all along the curved edge, making it look like a welded bolts. But the ones I ordered online (Awesome source by the way http://www.americanwoodcrafterssupply.com), were too big, soo I changed my plan and glued them to the feet. Even better? Then I had trouble get the paint stick to the laminated top. Had to sand everything off again and start over with a right primer! If anyone ever wants to paint laminate, this is your product! make sure to sand it first and clear coat at the end.

"Before"

"After"

Little Rustic Fantastic Ottoman

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:27:00 +0000

We have a street fair coming up in October and I have been sewing pillows and making all kinds of nick-knacks like a beaver. I wanted to finish off all my coffee sacks and this was the last of them. The look goes awesomely with my rustic glam theme.

Hallway Bench

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:48:00 +0000

Small benches are fun to re-do, altho it took me forever to sand. Too many curved details. I had some burlap coffee sacks left that I used to cover the cushion. Might be a keeper!
Sold.
Before

After

Vintage Chairs - New Face

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:57:00 +0000

Those vintage chairs were in bad shape. Paint stained, scratched, vinyl cushioned.. I sanded the damn things for two weekends and they turned out pretty cute. Currently for sale.
Before

After

IKEA Bench

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:52:00 +0000

I don't remember since when we had this IKEA bench sitting and rotting outside. The top was completely gone and just when I was about to throw it for firewood, we decided to salvage the poor thing. Brian made a box for tile for it and painted the legs black. It could serve as a flower stand over the winter or an extra table to rest your glass on the porch :)
Before

After

Juta's Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:56:00 +0000

I know this older Estonian lady here, Juta. She moved from her house to a nursing home and gave me her dining room furniture a few years ago. I started to restore the chairs first to sell them but then they came out so neat that I decided to keep the chairs. Where else will I get a set of 6 vintage dining chairs for free?
before

after

Another Table-to-Ottoman Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:41:00 +0000

This was a side table with a glass top and it's quite heavy too. It looked like a good base for an ottoman. SOLD!
before

after

Single Arm Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0000

This chair caught my eye at the Thrift Store this weekend since it was really weird. My GF thought it might've had a mate and probably belonged to a waiting room somewhere. Anyhow I stripped the arm bar, clear coated it and reupholstered the chair.
Sold.
before

after

Making Over Ikea Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:37:00 +0000

Those used to be our kitchen chairs when we lived in the apt. Ever since we moved to the house, they have been sitting in the basement and after many failed attempts to get rid of them on a garage sale, I decided to make them over.

I covered CD-s with a fabric for the detail on the back.

Before

After

Another Coffee Sack Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:14:00 +0000

Im becoming a coffe-sack-anator. Since I bought a bunch of those sacks and I love the rustic look and interior typography. Here's another one.
Before

After

80's Want Their Lamp Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:34:00 +0000

This one was a freebie from our friendly neighbors. I can never resist a good challenge.
Before

After

Lamp with Ram Head Handles

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:30:00 +0000

This makeover I did three years ago and back then I was stupid enough not to take a "before" picture. I tried to find something similar online and found this one. Imagine now, burgundy base and gold ram heads on both sides... A-style pleaded shade, covered with plastic..
"Before" (not actual but similar)

After

How to make the A/C disappear?

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:50:00 +0000

We decided to build a cubby around it. It came out pretty sweet I gotta say. Definitely serves a purpose. Used 2x3-s, 1x2-s, Aluminum vent sheet and pickled oak stain. It opens up and is wide enough to hide the electrical outlet.
Before

After

Lucky Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:38:00 +0000

We got quite lucky last weekend at the thrift store as we stumbled upon many potential little pieces that screamed for a makeover. This chair was one of them. Good quality red oak, made by union workers back in the 50-s. SOLD!
Before

After

Felt Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:18:00 +0000

I bought a roll of natural felt from Estonia last time I went. So I made these rustic looking candle cozy's

Anneli in Design Sponge

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:03:00 +0000

My knitted pillows were finally featured in the Design Sponge (my bible!) in March. Check it out here !

Little Garden Project

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:09:00 +0000

This chair came with the house, we found it in the basement. I gave it a new coat of paint to prevent rusting and, removed the bottom and planted the ever happy Purple Heart.

Got Fork?

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:29:00 +0000

Yesterday I decided to paint a giant fork on my kitchen wall. Our cat freaked out when she saw it for the first time. I should've filmed that encounter :)

Scrap Wood/Coffee Sack Bench

noreply@blogger.com (Anneli Martin) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:52:00 +0000

Construction on the second floor is on hold for now. It's literally like a sauna up there now in the summer. But we can salvage a lot of scrap wood from that room and make new cool things out of it. Like that chest. I think that came out so awesome.
I posted on FB that I started collecting vintage grain sacks. Some friends brought me the Basmati bags, the other friend got me this large coffee bag from Netherlands. She does a lot of traveling there buying old furniture for her store (www.mooblisahver.com). Thanks Piret!
So first we made a box using 2x4-s and 1x2-s from the construction room.

The coffee sack material is sturdy but very sheer and wimpy, I sewed a different fabric under it to make it sturdier by sewing a grid all across the material.
I get foam from work, we pack heavy stuff there so foam is free. It was a pain to make the trim. It sheared like crazy. But in the end it looks pretty neat I think. If the cats start scratching that I will be very very mad.