My cousin
Amy and her husband Andrew are expecting baby #1, Layla Phoenix Dale, in December. This is the first baby of our side of the family for this generation and we're overjoyed! Amy and Andrew are going to make great parents and it has been fun watching them go through the process of preparing for Layla.
Amy has a very cool modern style for her downtown condo. Cutesy baby stuff just wasn't going to do for her so she's been on the look for a changing table that would mesh with her style. The other limiting factor was that the wall for the changing table is on the smaller side, meaning they needed something less than 33 inches (the room will remain a guest room so space is at a premium).
Always down for the "hunt," I joined Amy a few months ago to run around Summer Avenue in the hopes of finding something we could rehab. We had no such luck that weekend (but had a lot of fun!) and so since I was in on the quest, I kept the vision in the back of my head for when I was out antiquing. Goodness knows I love a good find.
So a few weekends ago my mom and I went to the
Les Passes Stock Exchange (it runs every year from September to November and is a consignment sale to benefit charity) and hadn't found much. I was standing waiting for my mom and was checking out mirrors when I realized that the mirrors were leaning against an entertainment cabinet from the 60's:
You couldn't even really tell what it was - it was facing the wall and had mirrors propped up against it. But once I got it out in the open I could tell it was going to be a winner. And best part? $40 for this baby! It was scuffed up on the top and the back isn't wood (it is some sort of board with holes for cords) but I texted this picture to Amy to see if she liked it:
She said she did and we were off! The doors slide open and closed, which is good because Amy says she's putting diapers and other "not cute" (her words) things in it and she can just close the doors and let it be!
After a false start due to rain, Amy and Andrew came over to our place to paint it. Her nursery colors are based on this inspiration from Apartment Therapy:
(entire nursery from Apartment Therapy found here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/post-140-155697)
So when it came to picking what color to paint the changing table, she looked to that inspiration and chose turquoise! With their spray paint clothes on (it is worth mentioning that Amy usually does not dress in monotone grey sweat attire - she is very cute!), they got down to business. First they sanded the changing table and took the doors and top off of it.
Then it was time to spray paint. They primed the piece inside and out:
Then gave the first coat of blue. It is important to do thin, even coats when spray painting. And patience is a virtue in life but is especially a virtue in spray painting. Wait for the coat to dry before putting on the next coat. And sand between coats. It really does help even though you feel like you're moving backwards.
As you can tell from the picture above, Andrew had the idea of putting the doors into a circle standing up to get into the groves of the doors.
Time for coat two! (or was it three? or four? we lost count...)
Then once the last coat of the outside was on, it was time to roll paint the inside with white. Andrew wants you to know it was his idea to do the inside white. And what a good idea!
Time for a photo opp! While waiting for the inside first coat to dry, getting a little silly... A good shot of Layla in the belly there!
And all done and ready to go home to the condo... sent it home disassembled for ease of transportation.
And for the final product! Amy texted me this picture of the changing table sans changing pad in its new spot. Amy's mom (my cousin Beth!) gave her the print above it - isn't it the sweetest?
Once the nursery is fully done, Amy (being the photographer that she is) is going to set up lights and do a shoot of the space to document so I'll definitely link y'all to her site once that happens.
Makeover projects are always fun, but they are even more fun when you're doing them with family for a little baby on the way! Proves that if you are patient and creative, nurseries don't have to be cheesy or break the bank.
Now for a little before and after...
In family and fun,