Happy Chair

Today's project: bring new life to an old chair. Last year when I started getting pieces together for my space/studio/office here in the basement, I found a stool at the D.I. that I brought home, sanded, and made mobile with casters. As much as I love my stool, and even though the super-soft cushion is the perfect color of green vinyl to go with my space, I'm going to have to retire it. (By retire, I mean I'll probably just pull out the casters that make it the perfect height and use it as a spare chair...because I just can't part with it.) Mike has told me since the beginning that my stool is unsafe and that I'm going to fall off it and hurt myself, and although I personally haven't fallen off it, I've witnessed just about every other person who has sat on it either tip and almost fall, or completely fall off the stool. I won't name names, but you know who you are! Here's the stool:

As much as I love it, I love my new chair even more. I was browsing Craig's List the other day and spotted the chair I've been looking for: an old school adjustable counter- or bar-height chair with a footrest and back. Kinda looks like a lab chair or something. Here's the before:

Sorry for the tiny pic. I always forget to take the before pic before I start working. So you have the Craig's List pic followed by a pic after I disassembled the chair. It was an icky brown colored vinyl for the cushion and the back, and the metal was a creamy tan/beige color. Not the best. Mike thought I made him stop to pick up a piece of junk, but took it back when he saw what a couple cans of spray paint, a yard of fabric, and a couple of hours can do. Let me just say that Rustoleum spray paint is super awesome. I LOVE this fabric! Matches my decor of white, green, stainless steel, and light wood to a tee, not to mention my retro-ish details I've added around the room. Green makes me happy!

Happy Little Dishes

I was at the D.I. a few weeks ago (the main thrift store here in Utah), looking for something else, of course, but came across a great find at the bargain price of $2.00 total. These four little bowls make me so happy! I know, three pictures of four bowls is a little excessive, but I can't help myself. I LOVE them! I've decided to keep the goodies for my inspiration wall/note board in them.

• #1 contains white chalk (yes, it's invisible at the moment)
• #2 contains my happy little magnets
• #3 contains push pins
• and #4 contains graphite shavings from my drafting pencil (no, not for the wall)

They now live lined up along the wall in the middle of my desk. The perfect color and the perfect size. Quite useful and visually pleasing at the same time. They look great stacked inside each other too. Sigh. Why do I find such small and simple things so wonderful?