The Dresser Project

BEFORE:

About a month ago my Mum picked up this dresser off of Craig's List for aroun $30.

At the time, I was using a bookcase to store all of my clothing in clear plastic buckets I purchased from Ikea when I was probably in the fourth grade.  The whole get-up was functional--and verging on "Scandinavian modern" or "childproof" or "tacky" depending on how one looked at my storage system.  Nevertheless, me thinks I was tragically in the need for an upgrade...  


Multiple coats of the beloved Citristrip later revealed layers upon layers of prehistoric paint. Under all that blue and yellow was red, white and an oakey stain. Yuck. Not a pretty combination when mixed together. Then came days weeks of sanding to grind off the last paint remnants and prep the wood's surface for a new coat of paint/stain.

With a coat of off-white paint, some Jacobean stain, a few layers of wipe-on poly and new hardware, I present my overhauled dresser!

AFTER:

A little bit of unexpected apple green inside the drawers ^_^

I chose to line the drawers with some heavy printed paper from Paper Source.  The pattern is "Flora & Fauna".

I found my hardware at World Market on inspiration from the "Villa Capri Knob" I saw at Anthropologie.

More projects to come soon. 


Cheers,
kaite ;]

A Little Homesick for the Port

I woke up today feeling a little in a funk and homesick.  But, while eating my oatmeal and poking around on my blogroll this morning I found these words of inspiration over on Orchid Grey.  It's comforting to be reminded that adventures or significant experiences only happen once one leaves home.  Nevertheless, I still like to receive telegrams from port in-between my return journeys. 

Hope everyone else is having a happy Monday!

Cheers, kaite ;]

A dormitory done right

A week ago on Apartment Therapy I ran across a post on how two girls overhauled their industrial-blah dormitory room into a rather functional and creative place to live.  And now I am all inspired.  My head is bubbling over with imaginative ways to enhance my small space.  A few more wall hangings here.  A strand of twinkle lights up under the bed.   Clusters of old jars for pens, jewelry, thumbtacks and random accumulative office supplies.  A curtain or trellis-like divider to add shape + structure.  My day-dreams are now consumed with interior-closet-like-space-design. 


My current space looks a bit like this (I apologize for the poor lighting! The snow outside makes my room painfully bright by 11.00am):

 {little glimpse of my bicycle and creative organization/stacking here}

{I figured a sleep picture might induce the right aura to subdue my pitiful insomnia.  Also, its a pretty image.  There's a Hamlet quote printed on top}

One day (or maybe in the next few months) I can incorporate a few elements of these inspirations into my cramped and cozy living space:


Oh the lights. The frames. The shelving. The dividers.  How can I possibly transplant half of this room to Missoula?  

I love the use of curtains, draped fabric and short bookshelves to divide the small room into "sections".  It adds a certain rabbit warren effect to the place. The white colors also open up of the room nicely.  Mmmmmmmmm cozy.  Now if I can just sneak in my own kitty ^_^

This one is just flat out hodge-podge.  But I still love the mixture of half-complete art projects, potted plants (that can survive my dormitory's weather), a frosting-blue desk chair, books proudly stacked/displayed to the point they are furniture themselves.  Currently, my chemistry textbooks have become a sort of coffee table for me while I read in bed.

Any comments?  Does anyone else have room design inspirations they have fallen in love with recently?


Cheers, kaite ;]

Yearning for shorter hair

I have had my moments where I lusted for longer hair.  To have locks that tumble down my back.  Those ever coveted beachy, romantic waves that could be plaited into mermaid-esc braid.


BUT for the past few months, I have more than flirted with the idea of hacking off my mid-length hair into a scruffy, shorter cut.  There is something edgy, sophisticated and chic about short hair.  It walks the line between practicality and frivolousness with a touch of confidence.  (I'm reading waaaayyy too much into the symbolism of hair length).


Nevertheless, here are a few of my inspirations that keep feeding the craving for shorter hair....

{Kristin Stewart} 

{Alexa Chung}

{Scarlett Johansson}

{Keira Knightley}

Any opinions?  How short should I go?  Is there a particular muse with short hair I should go photo-stalk?  Let me know if you have any commentary or suggestions.  Lately, I have been perusing the archives of For the Girls who Yearn for Short Hair for more short-hair inspiration.  Until I can manage to get myself over to my hair-dresser, I shall live vicariously through images.

Cheers, kaite ;]