Living room/dining room switcheroo re-vamp. Using IKEA picture rails

The other day I completely rearranged the ground floor of my house. There were a few reasons that prompted me to do this 1. We never used the kitchen table as it was down at the end of the kitchen. Its a bit cold down there and far away from whats going on. 2. The middle room was getting no use, it was just a walkway through from the kitchen to the living room. So I put the kitchen table all the way to the front of the house and started using the room as a proper dining room. Its much nicer, it gets the sun all day and we have been getting tons more use out of it!

now the middle room that was a walkway is the living room with the couch and television. Which is great! but I was left with a bunch of empty wall space.

I knew i wanted to show some images from my favourite photographers and artists but could not decide which ones to put where. I am just not the kind of person who can stand with a ruler and mark out exactly where I want stuff. If it involves numbers and measurements I have to admit I shy away from it. So I decided to go for this idea I've had for a long time using the Ikea RIBBA Picture ledges on the walls to lean artwork on that we love.

We bought 4 of the long picture rails and a bunch of miscellaneous picture frames in black and white.I decided to go on a black and white theme with pops of bright colours. Probably because it was in my mind from the last ATC I did? 

I used an old out of date diary with pictures from one of my favourite photographer Robert Douisneaux. I cut out a bunch of different images that inspire me. His street photos from France in the 40's are some of my favourites of his. After I was done was that most of the little frames were filled.

 For some of the larger images I cropped down a Norman Rockwell print I had, and printed some large images of black and white graphics in a google image search.  I also used photographs of my own, mostly of Scarlett. There are a few other random bits and pieces, and some empty frames still. I want to leave room to add to it.

So here it is finished for now:

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Now Scarlett and I are working on adding those "pops" of colour. We are using bleeding tissue paper on canvas to get great bright, marbling effects. Will be doing a tutorial for you guys on that very soon. So check back again. Thanks for stopping by.x

                                         Always , -Kass

Upcycle project: IKEA chest of drawers

Steve had this chest of drawers when I met him. Finally at year 6 of our marriage he finally gave me permission to alter it


                                                

  I found this venetian cityscape wallpaper at B+Q. I knew I wanted to use it but was not sure how.

 So I let steve work on it in the shed. He painted it an almond white colour, wallpapered the fronts of the drawers, and changed the handles from wood to antique brass. He did a great job..but it still needed feet.

We decided on feet from B+Q that are round, brushed silver, and completely modern. It was a statement choice but why not go for it, right?

 This project wasnt very expensive. If your cheeky, some stores dont mind if you take a sample of wallpaper home. You dont need a lot to do the drawer fronts.

                                                                 
                                                                    BEFORE

                                                   


                                                                     AFTER:

    Im really happy with how it turned out. It looks completely different then when it started! So there ya go, a relatively cheap, easy, IKEA hack.x

                                                                        Thanks for stopping by!     -Kass