Sometimes you just need a little rearranging

In my effort to get rid of non-essential "stuff", I did a little rearranging in my foyer yesterday.  

Here's what it looked like BEFORE...

I look at this now and think "dustbunnies".  There's a LOT going on with this arrangement and it hurts. my. eyes...

Here is the simple, elegant AFTER...

This chest used to be in my dining room but it was hidden by the massive dining table.  Now it's the first thing you see when you walk in the door.  All items in the tablescape were things I already had, so this was a FREE makeover!

I need your opinion.  I had to put the turquoise garden stool in front of the left side of the chest. Why?  There is a crack in the glass and I have no idea how to fix it since the mirror is made of antiqued glass instead of regular.  

So, do you like the lantern on top of the stool?

Or the big ball?

This mirror was on the wall the chest is on now.  I like it here in the nook under the stairs.  I took all the driftwood off the tops of my kitchen cabinets.  This is just part of my driftwood collection in a tall basket.  I like the "sculptural" effect.  See that air vent peaking out from behind the arrangement?  Why oh why would a builder put a return air vent in a spot where EVERYONE can see it?!  This arrangement covers it pretty nicely.

I used another piece of driftwood on top of the dining room table...

So that's my little makeover.  It took me about an hour using items I already had, which makes me a happy girl and my husband pleased as punch that I didn't spend any money!

I'm linking up to:

The Penny Pinching Party at Thrifty Home!
Spotlight Yourself at Its So Very Cheri!
Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch!
Show Off Your Stuff at Fireflies & Jellybeans!

Trash to Treasure!

I love refurbishing old furniture!  I have about 4 projects sitting in my garage right now, waiting for some magic.   I don't know if it was the nice weather today, but I finally completed a furniture project.

This is an old piano bench that I picked up at Goodwill about 4 months ago...

Isn't she a beauty?  I love the carved detail on the legs and the fact that it could be a really neat storage piece...

 

Oh, what sorts of treasures could I put in here?

It was covered in this lovely burnt orange (really more the color of baby poop!) crushed velvet...

 

So with a little Rustoleum White Spray Paint and striped fabric I found in the clearance bin for $4 a yard at Hancock's, the bench now looks like this...

 

 

I apologize for the "shadowy" pics.  I was taking them at night and trying not to use the flash.

Total cost of this little 30 minute project?  $22 ($15 for the bench, $4 for fabric, $3 spray paint)

I don't know exactly where I will put it yet, but for now, it's in front of the tall mirror in my foyer.  Maybe I will put umbrellas in the storage compartment!