2010 February | Real Life Beach Decor, Coastal Living & Nautical Decorating Ideas

A Beach Cottage Before/After Special!

1:28 am Byabeachcottage

Updated Post for Holly

Hello lovelies.

Oh thank goodness it is Friday, it’s been a funny week, I’ve considerably stepped up my fitness campaign..moved the squats to 350 this morning, on top of that rock looking out to the Australian sea and ran a bit longer than I normally do on my ‘walk’ by the shore…

So now, rolling round to Friday Arvo (I love how that delightful Aussie term just rolls off my tongue now like I am a native) I feel exhausted, but nicely exhausted, you know?

The best thing is, I have the whole, yes whole afternoon to myself, Mr Beach Cottage is doing the school run and taking little Mr BC for a surf lesson, to be met at the beach by the others for some boarding.

Now, I bet you think that oh-so-delightful tool box up there is of my fair hands? Well I would sure like to say yes, affirmative, but nope that my dear friends is by one of my talented readers, Holly.

I get quite a few emails from people saying I’ve inspired them to paint things (and please keep them coming, I just love before/afters in the real world) and this one was not only a great job, the raw materials were stolen from the neighbour’s trash Which really made me chuckle, the sort of nutcase thing that I would do if I saw a rusty old toolbox outside my neighbour’s…for sure I would creep out in the dead of night and abscond anything vintage or weathered (or both for that matter) worth having

I opened the before first and found a lovely rusty, distressed, white tool box, complete with stenciled, industrial letters and wondered really how this could look that much better? And then I opened the after. Phew.

Guess what new term I used?

ROCKING!!

I just love what Holly did, even down to the numbers she chose and so I emailed her… I mighta provided the inspiration but boy did I want the directions on those numbers…here’s what she said

I’m afraid my method is rather primitive.

* I printed off the numbers in Engavers Mt font, bold, blown up to 200 points.

*Then I scribbled pencil all over the back of the paper. (we’ll call it poor woman’s carbon paper)

* Then I lined it up where I wanted it on the box, held it in place with tape, and traced the outline of the numbers with a sharp pencil.

*When I took the paper off, there was a pencil outline on the box.

*Then I just filled it in with paint using a small artist’s brush.

*I mixed some black paint (left over from my exterior shutters) with some chocolate brown paint (left over from my dining room)! Fancy, huh?

Fancy??? Errm, yes I do think so Holly

.

Now I think we must commend Holly, do you not? Let’s see just how many lurkers we can pull outta Lurkdom to give Holly a big old round of blogland applause (c’mon you know you want to)

Personally, Holly, it seems, is right up my alley and she is needing serious appreciation for many things about this project…I am lovin’ her -

neighbour trash picking for materials (are there other ways to source old toolboxes?)

primitive method (is there another way?)

her poor woman tricks (are there other tricks?)

her leftover paint resources (are there other resources?)

And so, now here I am with a very long to-do list but a very free of interruptions Arvo and I am now champing at the bit to get my own rusty toolbox (remember the one I used to show you the bead board?) and wave a magic wand of all encompassing Beach Cottage White allover it and then paint on a few little poor womans numbers right there on the side….

With that I will leave you to your own Friday, I hope it is filled with pleasure for you, whether that be Beach Cottage white painting pleasure, 350 squat sore muscles pleasure or simply TGI Friday pleasure.

I will see you gals tomorrow, I have something *very *very exciting to show you, also sent to me by a reader, oh and next week I’m having a ROCKING giveaway…it involves the lovely people at Australian Country Style Magazine,..it is Pure unadulterated Australian country style Eye Candy…yep the Aussies do it really really well and this’ll be your chance to get your hands on it…

Sarah

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Filed Underbeach cottage makeovers, vintage furniture 53 Comments

Postcards from Beach Cottage Treasure Hunting & My Friend Fran

5:23 pm Byabeachcottage

G'day, how you doing?

All good here, though I seem to be chasing my tail a whole lot at the moment. This is not helped by

1. spending all day in IKEA and Bunnings

2. buying stuff to start more projects

3. going Treasure Hunting and buying more stuff today

4. forgetting I have 4 kids oops I mean 3 kids + a husband and a home to run.

I don't know what the answer is to chasing one's tail, Mr BC says one should prioritize…errm I find that quite tricky when I *must compete in power sports such as Anthropologie Stalking and blog loving.

Anyway, weeks ago I came back with such a treasure haul and I have not had a chance to photograph anything, let alone blog about it, so today at last I get to blog about my new oh-so-very-much-favourite new Beach Cottage Friend, Fran.

You see, I came across this old fan at a local sale, it was high up on a shelf and no-one was not only not-interested in it but secondly even looking at it.

I didn't like the green and I certainly didn't like the Retro-ness. In fact I stood there head to side and wondered about it totally. But I picked it up and boy, it is heavy, chunky and really quite lovely.

I ummed and ahhed, quite pathetic really how one can muse as if it is a huge life changing investment rather than a piece of old toot for not much.

After much head-to-side pondering, I concluded in the end that

1. it might provide a fairly nice juxtaposition against the white, the vintage, the pure and shabby

2. I liked the rust and general kookiness

3. the buttons clunked as you clicked and I am so rocking a little bit of clunking

So she came home with me and was in the study, dejected on the floor until the humidity the other night was so high and the other fans were all in use.

I set her on the side of my dressing table and clicked the clunkers.

Oooh yeah she rocks it!

she purrs, she whirrs,

she hums oh-so-very-quietly to herself while she kicks up a perfect storm.

She is soooooo staying 'round here baby.

My new friend Fran.

(no I haven't been drinking)

I will see you guys later

What do you think of the new addition to the Beach Cottage clan?

Sarah

wanna be part of ABeachCottage?

(it's open to blogger's buttons) send me an email or go here

oh and go see Cindy for lots of lovely Show & Tell things…

hope you enjoyed the fan inspiration, blogged for Melissa's weekly event

The Beach Cottage IKEA Pilgrimage

8:10 pm Byabeachcottage

'ello, 'ello, 'ello, guess where I've been?

Yes Sirree Mr President, I, peruser of all things vintage, lover of thrifting, saver of battered furniture, have braved the new and spent a whole, very nice morning ambling around IKEA.

Now c'mon there is a conundrum about IKEA is there not? It must be the marketing success of this century.

How on earth did they turn what amounts to a humongous warehouse full of house things which make you just about squeal in delight, get a meal for virtually nothing and wow about the prices and then when you hit the checkout (of which is not staffed), how does it seem that the bill magically comes to over 250 bucks? For a few pillows, a few hooks, a few mugs. Or so it seems.

But not to worry, I get to stuff myself with a plate full of Swedish meatballs…;-)

So, I have to say, as ever, on this trip I thought, first of all, I would like to come here and fiddle with room settings as a day job and second to that, perhaps they'd rent out the odd bed or two for the night for accessory-loving, peace-needing mothers? Stuff the kiddos creche, there is a gap in the market for an overnight creche for mums…don't you think girls? You must be with me on this?

What I cannot fathom about IKEA, is how come every single time *the one and only thing I went for is out of stock but everything else is well and truly packed to the rafters ?

How is it that one lamp I drove over there for turned into…precisely…

one pair of curtains

4 pillows,

6 drawer pulls

4 *delicious Anthro style hooks

1 candle

4 packs white candles

3 white flower pots

I door mat

2 packs hooks

2 wire baskets

3 storage jars

4 white plates

4 rails

and more for a mini-kitchen makeover coming soon (in dire need of streamlining)

OK, so here's what I liked the look of…

these shelves for a study makeover I am attempting to attempt

This setting…the window dressing, the desk, LOVE the chair and the lamp…umm but there's one thing missing…the mess lol!

loved this chandelier, mused it, but even for my tiny cottage, too small I thought…

yep those stylists have been in blogland baby, gotta love chalkboard paint right on the wall

see?

wouldn't you rent this bed for a Beach Cottage Convention?

hmm actually a BC Convention whatever, sounds not a bad idea…

errm, you're kidding me right? a tub like this from IKEA?

a leaning mirror? always a Beach Cottage winner

Anyway now at home this evening I am pleased to say I did not turn into the IKEA Witch and I have these bags filled with IKEA things, that lovely feeling of accessory-overload but not wallet-overload…gotta love that right?

I love that feeling, I AM ROCKIN' IT

and not only that I stopped at Bunnings on the way and have some goodies for the Sitting Room…but I will possibly have to promise favours to get these in place before I can show you…it's a tough old world…

Righto, I've been on the phone to England for hours so now off for pasta, parmesan and lots of butter and a beer and getting my squat-enhanced posterior into my white layered puffy bed

See ya kiddos

Sarah

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Filed Underjust a beach cottage life 51 Comments

Beach Cottage Superwoman, Pick a Job and Chalkboard Doors

9:29 pm Byabeachcottage

G'day cherry pies. How ya cookin'? All is well here, though my legs are sore, nothing like 250 squats, overlooking the sea, perched on top a dirty great Australian rock to get one's muscles working.

Now, before we start, let me issue a Beach Cottage Warning, this sure is one of those posts, where I ramble, type, ramble, type…you may like to skip right on through

So, I often get messages from people asking me how I 'do it all', how I keep up with everything *and spend copious amounts of time painting things white…and comments along the lines of where does my motivation come from.

And I've been musing these comments recently on my morning walks on the beach, headphones in, head down, legs pumping, brain ticking…or not.

You know, I sat down to write this post with an answer, but it didn't happen, because I don't know what the answer is.

It's just, for me, that painting, nesting in this home, making the best of things and trying to take time to smell the roses is the way to keep me outta trouble.

And that is how this started - that night a few years ago now, in the study I surfed a few homey blogs… and there and then decided to quit whining (about the cottage on Sydney's Beaches, hello!)and start doing with a place that mighn't be totally what I wanted but had the potential for us to live a pretty good life right here and now.

What remains constant with me, it seems, is not the latest fad or fashion in homes but what links my projects, scheming, blogging and treasure hunting is purely and simply, at the bottom line, about me creating the best comfy, simple place that I can, out of what I have now.

I think, there is though, if you look at blogs and wonder about things such as motivation, an undeniably Superwoman-Who-Decorates feel to things that can make one feel somewhat inferior…and I think the only answer to that is, all images aside, to unwittingly acknowledge that we are all beating to the same drum, with messy kids rooms behind the scenes, overflowing laundry, bathrooms to clean and dinner to cook.

But even with all those life things floating around threatening to stop me from getting on with it, what keeps *me doing this is it makes me happy and fulfilled…most of the time…I love decorating, I am more than addicted to the thrill of the Vintage Thrifting Chase and I am moved by the soothing power of white paint.

And so as I sit here, towels on the floor, washing to hang, dinner to think about, kids to collect, I will not think about Superwomen, but rather I will share with you a little nugget that, in all probability, you may well have already seen from Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick whose Investment Post inspired me to write this in the first place and I hope that if you want to get started on a project you've seen on a blog, in a magazine or heaven forbid on one of those TV makeover shows, these few words from the famous Thrifty Decor Gal, (which are right up my alley), may give you the oomph you perhaps need to get it started baby…

'I am woman.

Hear me roar.

I am ROCKIN� it.

I LOVE what I just did.

PROUD'

(I mean, c'mon, 'I am rocking it'? This is so *my new phrase !)

Oh and if all else fails, you, most powerful Superwoman, leader of your domain, creator of comfortable Beach Cottages, must get yourself a dirty great vintage door, paint it with chalkboard paint, attack it with sandpaper and swiftly command your troops to set to work

I'm outta here

Aaaasarah

and take a look at Kate at Centsational Girl's take on how she doesn't always do it all here and Beach Cottage Inspiration here, where you'll find Superwoman very much in residence )

see, told ya I'd ramble and leave you at cherry pies

blogged for Transformation Thursday

Filed Underbreakfast room, just a beach cottage life, vintage furniture 45 Comments

The New Old Beach Cottage Deck Table

9:51 pm Byabeachcottage

Hello, lovely Beach Cottage-ers, how the devil are you? I've had a busy, interesting, fun and good weekend. Hope you did too?

Anyway, just when I thought it was safe to go out and copiously buy up every can of grey paint I can find in New South Wales, I decide to transform an old deck table. With bright and beachy white…

I've had this old beauty for, like, ever.

I had been on the lookout for a Farmhouse Style table for the deck. For, like, ever.

Then, one day, I happened right upon what I was after, not only were the legs delish, the top was not too wide but kinda skinny. I liked that. I wanted skinny and not too wide, a bit like how I like my bottoms.

Sooo, anyway, that was months and months ago and from that day, after bribing Mr BC to go pick it up and strap it to the roof of the car and doing some serious sucking up to those males in this tatty old place to get it settled in the garage waiting for some love, it stayed there.

Until, happily minding my own business a week or so ago, Layla's new old Farmhouse Table transformation popped up. Talk about speak to me across the miles. It was, people, an epiphany of the decorating blogworld kind.

OMG, I needed to get that table up from downstairs and on the deck. How quickly did I run to the garage? Let's just say it was double quick shall we?

photo : The Lettered Cottage

And I will elaborate here You see, for a very long time, I have had this nagging at the back of my head about the deck table. I bought it at Target, in, I think, the third week of living in Australia. We had just arrived and had rented a hideous modern house on one of those horrid divided blocks where a house has been plonked right slap bang in the front garden of another house, meaning neighbours not only literally overlook you, they walk past at all hours of the night making, ahem, a bit too much noise.

It was 6 days 'til Christmas and not only were we oh-so-fresh off the boat, it was stinking hot, we had, no beds, no furniture, no fridge, no car and more importantly no table. Hence a hasty buying trip. An all purpose, all weather, all very 'nice modern', all mass produced, all mall-style anonymity.

It isn't that actually that table hasn't served us well, we've sat outside on it most of the year, and though not aesthetically pleasing the whole setting worked for us…but I have to tell you, dear Beach Cottage Readers, dear lovely happy-to-lurking Lurkers, dear white-loving aficionados, that table has done remarkably well to take it's place in this old beach cottage for all this time…

The new old Beach Cottage Farmhouse table is probably half completed, I've been musing whether or not to distress the edges a la Layla but couldn't quite decide and so thought I'd ask, as every, you guys whatchya think? But then, actually, I'm probably almost there with a full on sandpaper attack to get this baby up there in the Top Ten of Vintage Farmhouse Delights.

I grabbed various chairs from the garage and stole ones from the breakfast table for that ole mis-matched look we all are lovin' but hopefully soon I'll be come across some chairs that I can paint that are just right for this area…

And that is how I will leave you, with a white table that is nowhere near finished, that is dressed with my fallback-of-the-moment Dahlias, but one which when the season allows and I first see Layla-Style-Tulips, will be swiftly dressed in white Spring delights, a touch of apple green and if I'm really really lucky with my treasure hunting, the odd egg or two .