G'day beach living lovers.
When I started this blog nearly a year ago now I had not long moved into the Beach Cottage. There was a lot of work to do. But there was lots of potential. I knew that my unique combination of love of vintage furniture, the shabby old pieces that no-one else seemed to have a love for and the simple coastal decorating palette of white and neutrals would mean that I could have a quite nice, but still a bit tatty round the edges cottage, fairly near to the sea, on a budget.
I set about scouring the beachside suburbs to add to my already collected shabby old furniture, my mounds of vintage linen and tablecloths, my lovely old faded floral sheets and battered old suitcases, a lot of which I had brought with us from England.
I've always loved to search for old things and fixing up this old place on a budget was nothing more than a pleasure for me, inspiring me to find new ways to get the vintage beach look, the joy of hunting for time worn things that money certainly cannot just buy and a calculated move away from the incessant consumerism that can easily swallow us up.
Which leads me to this old table. A true trash to treasure story for sure.
I found her on the way for a paddle, my boys in the back of the car, Mr BC driving happily along, radio on. Get the picture? When suddenly I spy this old coffee table out on the road.
Me: Stop, I'm want that.
Boys: Muuuuuum!
Me: Look at the top it's been naturally weathered by errrm weather and time.
Boys: Don't we have enough shabby old furniture?
Me: Yeah but not that size, with those faded old planks to the top
Boys: The kayak is on top of the car.
Mr BC: I can get it on top
Me: It's sooooo perfect, I am soooo excited
Boys: not again purrrleeeaaase!
Mr BC: boys you need to learn a lesson about keeping women happy
So we strapped that baby on, Mr Teenage Beach Cottage, Mr BC and I struggled to get it on next to the kayak, the little one standing below just waiting for a paddle…
I painted the legs white and haven't yet gotten around to shabbying them up with a sandpaper attack but I am loving how it looks with my wish-I-hadn't-bought leather sofas, this room is certainly a work in progress, I wish a lot of things about it were different, the big old numero uno being those hideous patio doors, whoever invented them should be shot…and I'd love a bit of errrm character in here, my plan is to tongue and groove it, sometime very soon….here are the doors from the outside before, you can see what I was working with, hmm…
Today I added these hessian/burlap covered votive holders to add a bit of natural texture against the wood and to contrast with the white leather and walls and of course so that I could play along with Rhodas, burlap partay and Susan's Tablescape Event, make sure you go over and start clicking on the linkies.
Whaddya think? Ya like?
And just in case you might be needing a few more ideas for what to do with a burlap sack, hmmm, I think I can give you a few starters, being the hessian-queen lately *wink
there was the cushion cover, the lanterns, and then of course the tablescape which proved to be a tad popular on my blog that day…
and then there was the bucket bag, I made to hold my tiny collection of magazines and home books…and if you like the look of it I did a tutorial for it, too easy and too addictive, just click here
So that's it, I'm thinking my hessian phase may be over but yeah I said that last week …oh I just added a heap of new inpspirational pics to the beach decorating portal at Beachcottageinspiration.com, – no adverts, horrid little pop ups or anything just loaded with ideas tumbling out at ya – come surf on over with a pina colada!
I just want to put my name at the top of your inspiration photo blog, and move it over to my space. I love everything in your inspiration folder (almost as much as I love evrything in your cottage). laurie
love love love this room! :)
oh and loovved the “keep women happy” lesson!!! love your inspiration board effort!!!
Hello from Driftwood & Chandelier! I have just stumbled across your blog and love all your very white pictures. So beautiful. I’m adding you to my favourites.
Helenna
As always, it’s ALL gorgeous! I particularly LOVE the “No Smoking” sticker! LOL!!!!!
He’s a smart one, your husband. :)
I love it all! You have me so inspired to do some curbside antiquing. We always say that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure and somehow you turn everything into something beautiful.
LOVIN’ the “free” table. Simply gorgeous!!! You are so talented and your home is soooooo beautiful!! Everytime I visit, I just daydream about having a beautiful cottage to decorate (sigh). You mentioned your patio doors, I have the same ones and I agree, who ever invented them should be shot. I want to put in french doors opening to my patio.
Toni
Love it! The room looks divine and the burlap was a true inspiration.
Sorry,I posted with my website instead of my blog!
Can I borrow the picture of your burlap table runner to put on my post?
You have to read it…you are a bad no good influence!!!
Your home is gorgeous!
Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard…
:-)
Of course I love it ALL! You are a trash to treasure (and burlap) roack star.