And then there was (a pretty) light.

Our guest bedroom had not bedside lamps. This is not the end of the world, nor anything close to it. However, should my guests need to get up in the middle of the night, it would be nice/convenient to be able to turn on a bedside light instead of stumbling through the room and turning on the main light, especially if there might be a sleeping ( and wanting to stay asleep) spouse next them. 

I wanted to put our "old" bedside lamps with the guest bed, but that would have left us lampless, and I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for decent looking lamps. Now I know I'm sure many people have had this idea, and have done this re-make, but I thought I will share it either way. Anyways, it's my blog, I can share what I want. 

So I bought these two very shiny faux gold lamp stands (shades not included) at Value Village (aka Savers for those in the States). I really dislike extremely glossy things and I dislike gold lamp stands. But I liked the shape and the fact that they were matching and the fact that I got both for a total of $9. 

Keep in mind, for this type of project, the lamp stands don't need to be the same shape, they should looks similar and be of similar height, but I think if they were slightly different, that would give it a really cool character! I also picked up two lampshades for 6 dollars (though I could have gotten them for $4 but that's another storey)

I went to Home Depot and bought a can of spray paint in anodized bronze, which is this amazing flat purple-bronzey-grey. I applied several coats to the base and set those out to dry. I then created  ribbon out of some leftover fabric by folding a strip into thirds, ironing it flat, sewing it and then hot gluing a strip at the top and bottom of each shade. 

I was thinking about attaching a fabric flower of two...but it was too much. sometimes simple is just better. Now all I need are night stands to replace the stools that my beautiful lamps are standing on. that will have to be another project. 

Beauty doesn't have to hurt all the time....

Our new house has a very tiny bathroom. That is something that I definitely miss about our old house...the immaculate floor to ceiling ceramic bathroom with a deep bathtub and room for all my girly beauty products and other junk. 

Our new place has a very tiny vanity with wee little drawers and only enough space under the sink for the pipes. And our bathtub...well it's no more than a foot tub. 

So I decided to start looking around for a small beauty vanity to put up in our loft bedroom. That way I can keep all my hair and makeup products and accessories out of the bathroom . 

The real things are quite expensive and fancy looking tables cost a lot even used. So I searched good old Kijiji for a desk or a table or something that can be converted into the very thing I needed. Now silly me forgot to take the before picture and my husband is slightly irritated with me for forgetting that ( he made sure I would tell everyone about that)  so I found this picture of a desk that looked very similar to the "before" desk:

basically the legs and knobs are different but everything else is pretty much the same. You get the point. 

Funny side story. I bought this item from a young woman no older than myself. ( I always need to remind my self to write woman and not girl) and she gave me her address which is 10 minutes from my place. and about half way to the town I turn on the GPS to help me get to the exact location and surprise surprise the GPS does not recognize the street. Good thing I'm a woman and willing to ask for directions! I go to a chocolate shop and ask the young girls where this street is and neither of them have ever heard of it. Now having the fairly intelligent mind that I have, I ask the girl if there are any new subdivisions built in the town and low and behold there was and after some extra phone calls and guidance from home, we found the new subdivision and the street. 

So I took the desk home, painted it antique white, did some sanding and what not, spray painted the handles black and voila: I have a beauty hutch/vanity thing

Of course I accessorized it too: mirror ( refinished to a glossy black), old rotary phone, hand held mirror and a black storage ottoman with fancy feet, all found at the same flea market, an old soap dish for some bobby pins, rings, etc., my mannequin refurbished (see post from the past) and a lamp...probably from Walmart but I will most likely replace it with something else seeing that this lamp belongs beside my bedside

Now I just need to make a little spot for some necklaces and earrings and such. but that will have to be another project.