Marvelous Makeovers

Photo "Cottage Garden" by Urban Combing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paradisecircus/1444040228/in/pool-1110228@N21/ Some Rights Reserved

Are you all geared up for Memorial Day weekend? I'm thinking I'd like to spend it in this lovely cottage garden. Maybe have a few friends over for a cook out. I'm sure there must be a welcoming dining area somewhere in this colorful retreat. If not, we could arrange one don't you think?

French-inspired Garden Dining Photo By: Amy Neusinger for House Beautiful

How about this? 

(Maybe with a touch of red to celebrate 

this patriotic holiday. )

Blue and white is one of my favorite color combinations. It always looks fresh and crisp. Do you have a favorite color combination?


Speaking of combinations, Dennis and I make a pretty good combo when it comes to furniture finds. We've been bargain hunting for storage pieces to use in the back room of our shop and managed to score some pretty good deals. And while we were at it, we snagged a "free" (yes. . . free) coffee table. Mr. Eagle Eye saw it first, just sitting all by itself in somebody's front yard with a "FREE" sign. It's got good bones and is made of solid wood, but needs some refinishing. Photos and project blog will be forthcoming. 

This week I participated in a blog hop and met two bloggers who do remarkable furniture makeovers. They gave me permission to share their project photos with you.

First up is the repurposing of a plain mirror by Tracy at Soulstyle. 

She took this Ikea Mongstad mirror

 and created this "old door" mirror

Fabulous, right? (Frankly, I also like everything reflected in that gorgeous mirror.)


See how Tracy -- an interior decorator and home stager -- did it at her post "Mirror, Mirror (or Door) on the Wall". 


When I hopped over to "Simply Chic Treasures"  and saw this table that Cynthia picked up "for a steal at a local auction" 

I thought, "Oh my, that veneer is shot. What in the world can she do with that?" Well, let me show you what this clever girl accomplished.

Yeah. Uh-huh. That's the previously beat-up table now looking adorable. Pretty amazing. And that's exactly what I told Cynthia. "That is truly an amazing transformation." I will never again walk by a ripped up veneer furniture piece in the thrift store and shake my head in denial of its potential. Cynthia's project has inspired me to give it a chance, for goodness sake. You can see how she did it at her post "French Script Coffee Table".


Both of these projects are totally doable. Check them out and go make some fabulous redos of your own. 


A big "thank you" to Tracy and Cynthia for letting me share their photos and projects on A Joyful Cottage.


Hope you all have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

Blessings,