The Craft Room Redesign Project: Advice for My Thrifty Finds?

This craft room redesign project has been crazy fun so far, much less daunting then expected, thanks to all of your help here and on facebook. I’ve been scouring craigslist, ebay, local thrift shops, goodwill, and a nearby stored called TINI (stands for This is Not Ikea) for vintage and inexpensive stuff to outfit the new room. One piece I actually found just sitting on the street. Here’s what I’ve found so far!




Any advice on what to do with it all? Leave me a comment, you could win some of Jacinda’s pom pom trim in the color of you choice! Check out some more finds and questions after the jump…

Advice for my Thrifty Finds?

This pink typewriter table is totally busted but I kind of love it like this.

Should I repaint it? This is going to be Scarlet’s crafting table, but I can also use it to throw a sewing machine on when I need to get it away from the wall, since it’s on wheels…

This coffee table is amazing, but it’s brass finished.

I think I might have to repaint? But what color to pop off the new flooring I just installed of yellow Flor tiles? The coolest part about it is that it swivels to save space when we need to fold the couch out into a bed! And it was $44 on ebay!

Check out this chair I found sitting on the street. It definitely needs some work but it was FREE.

Because it was free, does that mean I can pay to have it recovered or should I do it myself?

Looks like a pretty difficult upholstery project. Maybe just a slipcover? Thoughts?

Love this vintage file holder organizer thing. I wanted to hang it on the wall but it weighs a ton. Oh, and it doesn’t actually fit a file folder, it’s a bit too small. What to do with it? Should I paint it or does it have shabby charm?

That’s what I’ve found so far! Still trying to hunt down a vintage bar cart or garden cart to hold my machines on, and some sort of tv stand so guests will have some entertainment. I refuse to buy new furniture. Can’t wait for your tips!

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44 Comments

Catherine

If you paint the typewriter table, I may die. {okay, so it's a little dramatic…but I love the chippy paint and color}

Otherwise, I think all the other pieces could be painted…maybe a turquoise.

And since you're saving so much by buying {and finding} used furniture, I say let someone else upholster your chair…probably in a fabric that pulls together all of your final color choices.

So fun! Thanks for sharing.

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Tracey :)

If you go to a school that teaches upholstery they might do it cheaper for you. (you might just have to buy the fabric) The table I would leave as is maybe do a clear coat on it to seal the paint that is on it so it won't chip anymore. đŸ™‚ Does the glass come out of the coffee table easy? if so then spray paint it a nice silver đŸ™‚ lol that is my two bits. good luck with it! and post pictures of the finished work đŸ™‚

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Cath

The chair is incredible!!! Im partial to drop cloth upholstery. A slip cover may be tricky over the FAB blue vinyl. Accent colors for the other pieces for sure.

The typewritter table is darling in the pink, unless the color clashes I'm in agreement with the other comment to leave it as is.

Anxious to see what you decide.

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AmAzOn

I received a craft book yesterday that has a how-to sponge paint a table. It looks similar to your typewriter table. They painted the table with a yellow tinted primer and let it dry. Then, using a small square sponge and an orange acrylic glazing paint, they make a checkerboard pattern on the top. They left a yellow border and you can still see a lot of the yellow through the orange glaze. The checkerboard pattern is applied by alternately placing a dry sponge next to one dipped in the glaze. Maybe Scarlet could even help you do this. It looks adorable in my book and I think it would look GREAT on your table/in your room!!

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Lotte Lu and Brother Too

i LOVE the swivel circle coffee table! I would do a neat stencil pattern with frosted glass spray paint on all the glass tops. maybe an awesome quatrafoil design! and definitely paint the brass a bright color.

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:Brittany:

ooo I think the coffee table would be awesome with black trim and the glass etched. And I think the desk would be awesome to have it painted yellow and paint a garden of flowers on it!

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arg

what great finds!! I love all of these.

please don't slipcover the chair! it's better ripped as it is than just draped in fabric that will hide all its lovely goodness! you could reupholster it with cording to keep the nice shape (even pay for reupholstery if you want, since you saved so much money with everything else!) If I reupholstered it, I would keep the old upholstery and use it for a pillow or something, because i just love that color.

the file thing would be cute spraypainted. i love that you can put labels on the front of those.

the little pink table is fabulous as it is, i wouldn't paint it. if scarlett wants it to be fancier you could decoupage something on top. if it's her crafting table, it's going to get "messed up" anyway, and I think the shabby look is so adorable with that bright pink.

i'm not sure what color to spraypaint your brass table thing, i always gravitate towards silver, but maybe you could try black to stand out against the carpet? you could even paint a cute design on the underside of the glass if you wanted.

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jessecreations

I say paint, paint, paint! I love the hot pink of the wheeled table, but if the paint is chipping that could be bad for your little lady's crafting purposes. I'd keep it pink whatever you do!
For the cofee table I love the idea of a bright blue or aqua. I'd do a slipcover on the chair yourself so you can pick out some awesome printed fabric! Something geometric would be cool.
I'd also paint the shelf thing – use it to hold piles of fabric or smaller knick-knack style items, framed photos, etc.!
Have fun, it looks great!!

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Jacinda

Love the blue chair. Looks like it's in good shape other than the seat and the back. Could you just add fabric panels to those 2 areas and leave the rest?
Torn on the sewing table.
Paint the end table, def.
I like the 80's-ness of the shelf in white. Maybe with jars of buttons n such.

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SunShineyRain

don't paint that table! i love chipped pink paint! paint the file organizer, it's not quite shabby enough. Go ahead pay someone to recover the chair you'll love it even more if its some one elses headack. The circle table it awesome, function and style, perefect! PAINT IT but dont make it match anything in the room give it a life of it's own. I came across these great metallic paints at lowes, they have matallic sparklis in them (sound cheesy but their not) and are completly retro, they completly stick to metal( or glass..i painted a vase with it) and have a beautiful lasting finish.

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Kelsey

Omigosh if you paint the pink chippy table I will seriously keel over dead! I would scrub it with steel wool to make it smooth and then put a clear laquer over it to protect the paint and make sure no possible lead paint gets in your house. I would paint that amazing coffee table orange or bright yellow…leave the glass in tact…I would reupholster the chair yourself and paint the legs to match either the typewriter table or the coffee table…I would keep the file holder thing the way it is…its super cool! GREAT finds!!!

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Stephanie

I love the pink table too, but it might become a nuisance to leave it that way. You could always put a oil cloth fabric on just the top in a pink and yellow coordinating fabric and leave the legs as is. Also, why not put wheels on that shelf since it is so heavy to hang? I would go white on the table against the yellow rug. The chair HAS to be reupholstered, and I would pay someone to do it. I like the idea of a vibrant velvet with a cute Amy Butler fabric pillow.

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Rebecca@This Present Life

Awesome finds! Here's my 2 cents: Clean up the pink typewriter table and then seal it as is. Love the shabby chic pink color! Spray paint the coffee table in a turquoise (or pink to match typewriter table). Also the tinted glass makes it look dated. What about adding some vinyl cutouts or frosting the glass? Something to bring it out of the 80's. I think you should have the chair recovered because even with a slipcover you'll probably still feel the big split in the seat. And finally, the "file" tray would be awesome for fabric! I'd definitely spray paint it. Maybe paint it the same color as the coffee table. I kind of like the idea of all 3 of those pieces being the same color. They'd all look cute in pink! Ok, those are my thoughts. Can't wait to see what you do with them!

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Stephanie

Oh I just got an email that Calico Corners is having 20% off their fabrics. They would have some fun fabrics for your chair. Not affiliated with them in anyway, just a shopper with them.

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b

okay i'm loving this … because I have almost that same typewriter table that i bought for $10 about 2 years ago and haven't done what i wanted to it but planned to put a glossy black or silver paint on it for a guest room side table.

and the swivel coffee table … did you steal that from my parents basement?? i grew up with that table so no advice on that but to maybe return it!

on the chair … awesome find for sure reupholster it! you have fabulous taste so i'm sure what ever you do it will look great!

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Woman of Many Thoughts

Oh my goodness! My grandmother had that coffee table! I'm in love. You know there's a bunch of ways to patina brass to give it a really cool finish. Just google "How to patina brass". I think that would be more fun to experiment with than just plain ole' paint đŸ™‚ Good luck! I love the style you're going for with your craft room!

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Jessica

I think I'd have to reward myself for DIY-ing the rest of it with getting the chair done by someone else. That chair is fantastic though. And I kind of love the file-holder thing unpainted. I think I'd paint the brass thing gray.

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HarmlessColor

I don't even like pink as much as the next person, but that little table is perfect just the way it is. I would paint the other pieces to set it off. The shelves yellow, the rim of the swivel table teal and have the chair covered in something durable and bold.

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Jan

Love the chair. You are so lucky to have such a nice following with great ideas. Can't wait to see what you do.

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StephanieLVT

I think that coffee table needs to be spray painted a trendy turquoise or bright yellow. If you tape off the glass, you should be fine. If you really wanted to get crazy, maybe you could emboss the glass? And please, don't paint that pink table. Seal that puppy up and enjoy. I'm madly in love with it. And you could get that chair covered in a snappy lime green with nickel tacks. OOOOoo!! yes. p.s. i love you're flooring that you installed!

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Joanna

My mom has the same exact gold table. I am dying to find out what you do with it so I can convince my mom to give me hers!

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Angela

I don't have any advice for you but I love this post! So often folks post their thrifted finds and they look pretty great to begin with, and I think that it wasn't that hard to make that look great. But you…you have posted the junky stuff that I usually find on the cheap. I can't wait to see what you do with it.

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Lil' Bit and Nan

Jamie, i am simply and hopelessly in love with that little pink desk and blue chair! Right now I am experimenting with bright complimenting colors. The little pink desk, I would re-paint it another shade of pink and stencil a lovely design on top in a lemon yellow. That chair is amazing! Don't bother with an annoying slipcover! Cover it in a turquoise and cream damask home fabric and paint it's little feet poppy red! And when you are done, I want you to sit and relax with a cold glass of mint julep.
I can't wait to see the transformations!
-Bethany

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SewSuzie

The chair – great style. I suggest having a go at covering it yourself. I think the style lends itself to using different fabrics on each major element – the back , front , seat, sides and base could all be different fabrics. Stylish and fun.

The file holder does have a certain shabby charm but maybe it is not quite shabby enough.

The typewriter table is maybe a little bright even though I do like its shabbiness. It would however look great if painted in a colour to suit the fabric the chair is covered in.

Have fun – there is nothing better than recycling used furniture to turn int a treasure and footpath finds are the best.

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michel lough

oh man. i just found your blog and i feel as if i need another day in the week just to make all the wonderful crafts on here. i am truly overwhelmed with awesomeness.

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mjwright

I love your finds, I'd paint the rolling cart mabe adda print this will be a great sewing or craft table. those round rings I would figure ot a way to hang on wall maybe a funky round storage wall?? I'd recover the chair and trim with Jacinda's trim. The file folder looks like thread storage to me. Good luck with your project. J.

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Tiffany

Woah, great finds! I would definitely paint the first two pieces. Maybe even do some kind of fun stenciling work on the typewriter table. As for the coffee table, what if you painted the brass and then wrapped the glass pieces in an interesting fabric?

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DomesticGoddessVM

That brass table is pretty cool. Depending on your style I would pain it white or a bright blue and then mod podge the glass with a couple funky fabrics….

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nlmorgen

Buy great paper from paper-source and spray adhesive it to the bottom of each glass on that table you have. You could even use different papers for each circle. Super cool piece! I want it!

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jules

For the circle table..I would have mirrors fit for it. Spray paint it a metallic silver for some extra shine.

imisstx at comcast dot net

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Lesley

I love the pink table, chipped paint and all. Maybe add a little fabric around the bottom edge to hid a little storage.
The swivel table you should use spray adhesive and put pictures of family or crafts to the other side of the glass and paint the gold a fun color.

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Meesh1957

OMGosh! I love the comment for the pink table, skirt it perhaps hold it on with velcro or magnets. The table rocks! You could spray it with nickle silver paint and I loved the idea of mirror, maybe alternate mirror with glass? Mirror on top and bottom, glass in the middle.
The chair, make sure there are no critters. Re-upholster it!! You have to remove the vinyl? anyway use that for a pattern have a new cushion cut out of foam, wrap with batting and you are good to go! Sand and paint the wood legs what fun!

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Sara

Everyone is saying "don't paint the pink table" but I say paint it!, or at least decoupage the top. As for the round table I would spray paint it the red or green accent color from your inspirational fabric stack in the FLOR post. Re-upholster the chair. That's my two cents.

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Amy Woodruff

Along with all the other comments, DON"T TOUCH THE TABLE! I'm dying over that color!!! In fact, I'm going to hit the hardware store and get some paint to match because I'm finally inspired! My big ugly brown sofa table is getting a make over! Oh hot hot love!

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Aleyta

I think you should paint the organizer some bright colors, red, teal, etc…I love it!! That pink table on the top is SO rad. Sewing table maybe??

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