Shabby Chic; Volume III

tugrin

Hi
I probably should have started a new thread but here goes....
I have access to good solid wooden wine boxes and some vintage eastern european wooden crates -could I make some alternative kitchen shelving with these that looks 'chic-er' than the really naff and badly made melamine tyoe cupboards I currently have in my Victoian cottage - any ideas or opinions (ie this would look even naffer than what I've already got)- kitchen is small and rather dark and gloomy - also cold 3 different types of ceramic tiles - wall/floor/worktop - worktop is rapidly cracking and disintegrating before my eyes .. need chic ideas rather than blokey diy ones please.

danemi1

think the wooden boxes ideas sounds fab - saw some recently at hemswell antique place and they looked lush - real country style - bit reminiscent for me of france?! let us know how you get on with that

SHirlgirl the cabinet sounds fab - remember to post piccies

Dont know if any of you remember me posting about the duvet set by Kirstie Alsopp - Lydia - well I loved loved loved the picture but when I went to see it - it as on a display bed and from a distance I thought yes yes yes but up close and personal - No NO NOOO - for me it didnt cut it - it had a bit of a sheen and the pattern was printed onto it or so it seemed and I just didnt like it anywhere near as much - so the bedroom didnt get decorated and I spent ages trawling tinternet and hours lookiing around next, tk maxx and bedding shops - to no avail - then I remembered another one I liked right at the start of the search - went back for another look - anyway there were two pillow cases showing with it but only one to buy and I didnt know which one it was so I rang the company - SHERIDAN - my goodness the lady was absolutely fantastic - really good old fashioned customer service - she explained that the under one was not available in UK even though the piccie showing the set still had it on - said if often happens - anyway we got chatting they didnt have the kingsize which is what I wanted but she said there would be various stores that would still have some instock - I mentioned it was a lot of money - and wow get this - she then told me that various stores had just bulk ordered some and it would be going into home sales in next couple of weeks - she then proceeded to give me their contact numbers
I phoned the first one - March 10th their sale starts - something made me phone the second one and even though their sale doesnt start until 3rd she let me have it today at sale price and is posting it out to me today - how absolutely brill is that

anyway here is the link to a piccie

http://www.justlinen.co.uk/justlinen/product.asp?design=936&dept=3

I got it from Fentons at Canterbury - king size for £49.50 and Pillow cases for £14.50 per pair - DELIGHTED!!!

Thrifty_Sister

Gorgeous bedding danemi. Another company which I have found great to deal with is Dawsons - google them and they should come up in the search. There is usually a discount code on the relevant board as well. HTH

Ellidee

tugrin wrote: »

Hi
I probably should have started a new thread but here goes....
I have access to good solid wooden wine boxes and some vintage eastern european wooden crates -could I make some alternative kitchen shelving with these that looks 'chic-er' than the really naff and badly made melamine tyoe cupboards I currently have in my Victoian cottage - any ideas or opinions (ie this would look even naffer than what I've already got)- kitchen is small and rather dark and gloomy - also cold 3 different types of ceramic tiles - wall/floor/worktop - worktop is rapidly cracking and disintegrating before my eyes .. need chic ideas rather than blokey diy ones please.

Have a look at this blog tugrin - post on 23 Feb - you have to scroll down a bit but it shows wine boxes used as shelving in a bathroom and I think they look fab ! http://betterafter.blogspot.com/2011/02/better-bano.html

mrs_baggins

For some bizarre reason I have never seen this thread before!! I have so much catching up to do!!

quick question re pine bed frame. How fiddly would this be to paint? its a double size with a few newel post type rails on it? presume I paint it first with a melamine primer? At the mo its all pine coloured but really want it black!

positivelymummy

i read on a blog that instead of sanding furniture first you can get some kind of paint called a "gripper"? has anyone used this/how good is it and does it go by any other name?

hmo

mrs_baggins wrote: »

For some bizarre reason I have never seen this thread before!! I have so much catching up to do!!

quick question re pine bed frame. How fiddly would this be to paint? its a double size with a few newel post type rails on it? presume I paint it first with a melamine primer? At the mo its all pine coloured but really want it black!

give it a quick sand if you can and then prime, it may need several coates, more thin coates are better than few thick ones.

then top coat it, ive just done a pine table and chairs white i did about 6 coats of primer and about 6 top coates but it looks great.

also the desk a did a few weeks ago in this thread somewhere but on my blog had about 5/6 coates too that was yew when it started

with black you may not need as many coates i dont know i am new to all this myself

hmo

positivelymummy wrote: »

i read on a blog that instead of sanding furniture first you can get some kind of paint called a "gripper"? has anyone used this/how good is it and does it go by any other name?

ive used something called liquid sand from b&q you just rub it on wipe off and paint.

i tend to do lots of priming coates before i apply my top coates i think you get a better finish, but its my personal opinion

dizzy_lizzie

Ellidee wrote: »

Have a look at this blog tugrin - post on 23 Feb - you have to scroll down a bit but it shows wine boxes used as shelving in a bathroom and I think they look fab ! http://betterafter.blogspot.com/2011/02/better-bano.html

Thank you sooooooo much for posting this. Have just had a quick look on the 'better after' site and it is so inspirational :T I'm going to have a proper look later on, with a cup of tea.
Luv Dizzy x

hart44

Kandipandi wrote: »

Hi ladies, just checking in on you all. Hope the hand is better soon Hart, thinking of you. Vikki ~ love your recent makes. I've just bought a second hand coffee table I want to shabby up so just checking here for some inspiration before I set to!

Hi Kandi I can't wait to see you bargain find table when its done . My hand is comming on ok, its just frustrating not being able to do anything stitches out Thursday :j
I have been collecting bits ready for when I can do my little shelf unit I got for 99p like this but white http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6093358/Trail/searchtext%3EWOODEN+STORAGE.htm

I have been to the DIY store and got a nice sample of paper to put on the back of the cubes.

Im still able to go CS shopping (when OH takes me lol) so hopeing to find more to do up then this spring/summer Im going to go through the house and paint as it needs it (including finishing my kitchen :rotfl:)