Projects Update! Two down. 500,989,938, to go....

Remember the dreary ottoman?  And the lovely hide I got for $70 at the flea market? Let me refresh your memory.. When I went to a local little shop, they said I would need two hides ($200 each) and it would cost me around $200-$300 to reupholster. Since that was pushing the $600-700 range in which I could purchase a NEW ottoman, I drug my feet until I was out at the Raleigh Fairgrounds at the weekend Flea Market and found this one HUGE hide, caramel colored, for $70.  The upholstery work cost me about $225.  Total cost: less than $300. Total savings? around $300. So, why don't husbands understand this simple mathematical concept of savings?  Elementary.

"Before".. aging chenille fabric

This is the "after" photo..
Notice the nice little nailhead detail?

Bench with storage .. this is the "after" in case you are confused..

I have searched my computer for the "before" photo of this bench, and cannot seem to find it.  It was custom painted by the manufacturer back when we first moved to this house in the early 90's.  A. remembers sitting on it to learn to tie her shoes.  It was a merlot/burgundy shade with edging in the panels of deep green, to work with the deep teal color our kitchen was then painted.  Well, needless to say, when we renovated our kitchen several years ago, there was no place for burgundy and green, much less the bench since we eliminated the wall against which it was placed.  So, off to the storage house it went.  I asked A and her roomie M if they could use it at the apartment. Both said yes, and now A is looking at it going, sheesh, it's kind of big.  Good grief.  So M, if you see this, what do you think?  It would sit right where you take the right turn to head to A's room and the bath.. 

Aside from want/don't want issues, (boo hoo) it is painted in an eggshell finish (to make it look older than the glossy finish would) in a very creamy yummy color called Mascarpone,  and the three panels are painted with chalkboard paint.  The color of the chalkboard is such a rich deep gray.  I love chalkboard paint, whether it is written on with chalk or not. Now.. if I can just get this out of my dining room..