Well, hello there. My name is Lori and I. am. a. bad. blogger! I apologize for the blogging hiatus. Mr H and I have had an extremely busy summer working on some personal "projects" that I promise to divulge when the timing is right (no mom, we are not pregnant :) ). With that being said, I've luckily had some time to get a few DIY projects completed which I promise to share with you in the next few days/weeks.
Today's project evolved from Mr H and I not having anywhere to store and display our lovely wedding china and other dishes. I had specific dimensions and desires for a piece of furniture to house these dishes that I could not find after weeks of searching and scouring Craigslist. I became inpatient and really anxious to get our china out of their boxes, so I employed my secret little weapon I keep in my pocket . . .my dad!
My dad is an amazing craftsman and carpenter. He has designed and built so many decorative and furniture pieces for me over the years. After giving him the specific dimensions that I envisioned for the piece, he went to work and created and built a china cabinet that is more beautiful than I ever envisioned. I wasn't with him when he constructed the piece so I can't show you the specifics and details of how he built it. But Lord have mercy, he has done it again:
I decided early on that I wanted the shelves of the cabinet to be glass. IKEA is a great source for glass shelves of different sizes. Mr H and I made a trip to IKEA and picked up 3 of the Billy 30" x 10" glass shelves at $10 each. Dad built the reinforced ledge for the glass shelf around the 2 sides and back of the cabinet.
Just look at the detail around the top:
I also knew that I wanted to paint the piece a darkish, moody gray. After looking at lots and lots of images on the internet, I finally decided on "Down Pipe" by Farrow & Ball. Here are some images of the paint color:
We hopped on over to Home Depot and had them color match the paint into Behr's primer + paint in one (such a great product!). After 1 coat and some touch-ups I allowed the cabinet to dry for about 24 hours before inserting the glass shelves.
I absolutely love the paint color and the way it turned out. Farrow & Ball carry many beautiful colors if you're in the market for paint. If you order a paint fan from F&B you can have Home Depot or Lowes color match any hue for a lot less. Here are some more photos of the styled cabinet:
The gold accents on the china look divine with the paint color.
The green, floral, cream and sugar containers in the photo above are part of my grandmother's china set.
Here are some more shots from our dining room. The chandelier over the dining table is actually a DIY project from our wedding. For months, I stalked Craigslist for old brass chandeliers. These chandeliers were very popular in the 90's and as people have renovated and updated their homes, they have listed them on Craigslist for $10-$15 each. I picked up 6 brass chandeliers of similar shapes and sizes and my dad and I painted them white, and adorned them with crystals. At the wedding reception, we had a chandelier hanging above each reception table.
Photo by Kelli Baker of Simply Unique Photography
And the cake table:
Photo by Kelli Baker of Simply Unique Photography
I believe in filling your home with sentimental and meaningful things. I love looking at the chandelier and remembering all of the time and effort we put into transforming each one and the emotion I felt when I saw them hanging in the reception tent for the first time.
Anyway, back to the dining room:
If you are ever in need of a very experienced and meticulous craftsman, don't hesitate to contact me at lori.craighazelwood@gmail.com. My dad does professional quality at a reasonable price.
Hope everyone has had a restful and relaxing summer. I am very excited for Fall and the new journey Mr H and I will be embarking on.
