Since I tend to put a lot of projects on my plate every year, it isn’t too hard for me to come up with 10 things that I accomplished in 2009. And I bet you have a lot too, when you went back through the months and looked at everything, didn’t you? It’s fun to look back, pat yourself on the back and feel good about the rewards of DIY.
In January, I recovered the bulletin board that I originally made from a huge old frame that I found yardsaling. I finally got around to changing out the fabric to a snazzy zebra that I had picked up and it made all the difference in my cozy office nook.
BEFORE: In the red fabric from my kitchen…..
AFTER: Fun and funky zebra
That cute light fixture was a 2009 addition to the office nook, an $8 yardsale find.
BEFORE: Many of you were with me in February when I debated back and forth on whether to lighten up my dining room or not. I went for it, along with adding picture frame molding below the chair rail and it went from pretty in red to….
AFTER: WOW and classic in Antique White! I got a lot of comments on this change and never regretted for a minute painting over the red. I loved red for a long time, but I really love the lighter and airier feel of the Antique White.
I did a complete tutorial on how I did these picture frame moldings all by myself with my handy-dandy miter box and many of you tried it too. If I can do it, so can you!
Look at it with me again…BEFORE in RED. And you can really see some of the other major changes in here from when I first did this room. Got rid of some of my dried flower arrangements, as well as the brass light fixture. And I darkened that mirror too.
AFTER: Antique White. I think you’ll all agree that this was a majorly huge improvement to the dining room. I love this space completely now.
BEFORE: Moving on, again in February, I finally tackled my guest bathroom mirrors and once and for all framed them out and painted the frames. One bathroom got chocolate brown and the other black. This is the downstairs guestbath with the black mirror.
AFTER: And see what a difference this makes, with the addition of the molding. This tutorial post got a HUGE amount of comments too and many of you tried this one at home. An easy project with a lot of bang for the buck.
This bathroom also got the addition of the shabby cabinet that was found for $25 at a yardsale and it was love at first sight. Click that link for all the details on it and installation process.
BEFORE: In March, I decided to go on the hunt for a corner cabinet for my kitchen, so out to the antique malls I went and it wasn’t far from home that I found this beauty. NOT really beautiful, you say! Well, wait til you see her after I took her home and gave her some TLC…..
AFTER: With a new coat of Antique White paint, some burlap with stencils on the back walls and new knobs, this ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan and now is one of the stars in my kitchen. I showed all of the how-to’s here.
I can’t forget to mention the fun we had with the burlap party in May and many of you joined in and shared your projects for that. Burlap was definitely the FUN fabric of 2009!
BEFORE: After a couple of months of deciding, looking and pondering some more, I finally got new granite countertops for our kitchen in May. Out with the tumbled marble, which was looking pretty shabby.
AFTER: And in with the new Napoli granite counters, which I dearly love. New hardware completed the transformation.
With a new granite sink and stainless steel faucet, I’m a happy cook now. 🙂 This wasn’t a DIY project, but it was a huge project at our house last year, so it makes the list.
BEFORE: Lighting in the newly up updated beachy guestroom got upgraded too in May of 2009, with the addition of a new chandelier. Click on the above link if you’d like to see the true Before pics of this room and how I transformed it last year for under $500.
The chandelier that looked like this when I found it at a thriftstore for $5. But, it didn’t stay that way long.
AFTER: Here it is with a new black paint job and hanging in its new room. This is one of my most favorite fixtures yet.
This wonderful beadboard wallpaper really got blogland talking back in June, when I tried it out on my kitchen and bathroom cabinets and loved it so much. Many of you ran out and bought it too and tried your own projects.
BEFORE: Just as a reminder of how great it looks, this is my plain Jane kitchen cabinet ends before I got ahold of them with the beadboard wallpaper.
AFTER: In the master bathroom, it really improved those too.
AFTER: In the kitchen. No one who sees this in person can believe it is wallpaper. It really looks that real.
And later on, I did a single accent wall in one of my guest baths, when I did a redo in there too. Blogland was buzzing over beadboard wallpaper, so we had a Beadboard Wallpaper party to celebrate and several of you showed off your projects too. That was SO much fun!
In fact, I have my own online shop selling this wonderful Graham Brown beadboard wallpaper. So, please…if you’re getting ready to buy some of this wonderful product, please shop with me. (I will make a commission off each sale, but prices are comparable to the other online sources for it also.)
BEFORE: Speaking of that bathroom, it got a huge makeover in September, when I was blessed to get to do a shopping spree from Homegoods and chose this room to make over.
AFTER: And that was a lot of fun, as I repainted with Antique White, added new rugs in olive and chocolate brown and added several new pieces of artwork and accessories.
It got a whole new look! You can see the whole transformation here.
BEORE: In July, I found this cute old mirror at a rummage sale and brought it home for $3, but you know it didn’t stay like that. As cute as it was, it just got better…
AFTER: When I painted it white and sprayed it with chalkboard paint, it became a great meal planning board for the kitchen. Now I use it every week for our Monday – Friday meals at a glance. It really has helped me SO much with meal planning, a simple chalkboard.
BEFORE: Back to the beachy guestroom, in September, Grandma Eleanor helped me with this sewing project and the chair with fabric thrown on it for almost a year, finally got a real slipcover.
AFTER: I couldn’t have done this without Grandma’s help and you all shared in that project by watching her sewing videos, which were complete hilarity. You’ll also notice the little aqua side table changed from the Before to After pics. I found the new one at a yardsale for $5 and painted it the same aqua color, since it was all wood and nicer than the first one.
So, that’s a wrap up of MY Top 10 Projects of 2009. I had many more smaller DIY projects that I completed, but considered these the cream of the crop. I can’t wait to see what all of YOU have been up to last year too.
Share away! Please add a link back to the party on your post and only add your party post URL, please, not just a link to your blog!
I’m heading over to Atlanta on Thursday and will be going to the Gift Mart on Friday with my friend, Renae, and my sister, Renee. Should be a LOT of fun and we’ll we walking our little feet off trying to take it all in. And on Saturday, Renae and I will be hanging out with Eddie Ross and my sweet friend, Layla, too at the Tea at Two and framing workshop that Eddie is presenting, so if any of you are planning to be there, I can’t wait to meet you also! Fun, fast and furious weekend, but I’ll share it all when I return!
Meanwhile, have fun looking at all these links (go, visit and comment, everyone likes a pat on the back!) and come back on Friday for a fun giveaway!
- Christi @ A SOUTHERN LIFE
- The Good the Bad the (Formerly) Ugly @ Songbird
- Back Porch Musings – Top Projects 2009
- Top projects at PB & J Cottage~ rue
- Hooked on Houses~Top 5 Before & Afters
- Kammy – Small Home In The Country
- Richella at Imparting Grace
- bj @SWEET NOTHINGS
- HoosierHomemade (Office Organization)
- Annie @ Birdcages & Butterflies Some makes of 2009
- Manuela@The Pleasures of Homemaking
- Lisa@Pickles and Cheese Laundry Room Re – Do
- A BEACH COTTAGE Garage Sale Vintage Trunk Makeove
- melissa * 320 Sycamore
- Judy@Gracious Southern Living
- Jamie @ Jamies Creative Corner
- (remodelingthisl ife) A year of DIY 2009
- My One And Only @ Completely Coastal
- Roeshel@The DIY Show Off
- Marys paint flooring beadboard crafts & MORE!
- Beth@The Stories of A to Z
- $119 Kitchen Makeover and more!
- End of the year review! : )
- Barb @ Grits and Glamour : Top 5 Projects
- Stephanie @ Bona Fide
- Ashley @ The Happy Little Home – – Lots of re – dos
- Debra from Bungalow
- Cat Tunnel to Litter Box (Kristen@TheTomatoVine )
- MyRepurposedLife Photo gallery (2009)
- Happy Nester / Top Projects 2009
- Angie @ Baseball and Ballet
- Loulous faves of 2009
- Heidi – HEART AND HOME
- Toy Box & Wall Makeover
- Our Creative Life
- Posh Pieces Top 2009 – Bench Window seat toybox
- Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions
- Holly@Homebody
- Trish @TheOldPostRoad – 2009 DIY Year in Review
- Just a Girl 09 Review!
- Signs of Obsession Favorite Furniture makeovers
- Robyn@mysouthern cottage.com Kitchen paint / lights
- Melissa Miller~Garage Floor Paint Treatment
- Kendall@Finesse Your Nest
- Funky Junk – top 10 2009 furniture projects
- Kendra@My Insanity
- Laurel @ Ducks in a Row
- Centsational Girls 2009 Before and Afters
- Furniture Before & Afters @ Mustard Seed Creations
- A Look Back @ Domestically Speaking
- TidyMom (Top 2009 TidyMom Projects)
- Organize & Decorate (top 10 organizing projects)
- ThriftyAnnabella – 2010 Projects
- Kitchen Remodel @ The Yellow Front Door
- Puna – My kitchen makeover
- Becs Traditional Fireplace Transformation !!
- My Top 10 DIY Projects of 2009 – Room to Inspire
- Sisters Christina & Victoria @ As Time Goes By
- Carolyn @ My Backyard Eden ~Favorite posts of 2009
- Life at our House (Befores and Afters of 2009)
- Coffee table re – do at No Stinky Cheese
- Kate @ Twenty – Six 2 Life : Top Projects of 2009
- Cindy @ Applestone Cottage.
- DIY Staircase Makeover (The Red Chair Blog)
- : : cottage instincts : : 4.5 months of review
- Cynthia @ An Accomplished Woman
- Shannon @ Coopers Corner – thanks for inspiration
- Coastal Charm – Recap 2009
- Casa Haus : Best of 2009
- junkblossoms Favorite Project of 2009
- $350 Chelsea Apt RE – DO
- Diningroom Remodel @ childmade
- Mini Mitten Tutorial @ childmade
- Pamela @ My Cozy Cubby – China Cabinet Redo
- Creative Little Daisy A look back at 09
- Year in Review @ Creating ME Now!
- Destination Seaborn~2009 Projects
- Amongst The Oaks 2009 Projects
- the Redneck Junkers
- Karla @ Its The Little Things…Top 12 Of 2009
The Pleasures of Homemaking says
Hi Rhoda!
It’s fun to have a look back isn’t it. I thought I hadn’t done much until I started getting my post ready for this party and was surprised that I actually had done quite a bit.
I think my favorite projects of yours was your dining room. I loved the red and wasn’t sure I would like a different color in there but it looks so great!
Thanks for hosting this fun look back.
Manuela
Lianna Knight says
Where did you get the beadboard wall paper…I MUST have some of that?????
melissa * 320 sycamore says
Hi Rhoda! So fun looking back at all of your projects~what a year! Have a ton of fun in Atlanta this weekend!! 🙂
Christi at A Southern Life says
You have done some fabulous projects. It is amazing how much difference the light fixtures can make. Happy New Year!
Christi @ A Southern Life
Marianne@songbird says
Ha McLinky is up!
Rhoda you outdid yourself in 2009! I love your projects. I wish I could get my hands on the beadbord wallpaper over here, because I would so follow in your footsteps!
I added a link to your blog in my post. I’ll edit it to your permalink when I get back from work (on my lunch break now, talk about timing).
Here’s to lots of great projects in 2010!
Pat@Back Porch Musings says
I enjoyed seeing these again, Rhoda! All fabulous projects.
I am about to take the plunge with beadboard wallpaper, I think. I’ve been mulling an idea over, for the condo. I think it will look great in the bathroom there. I’m also thinking about using it under the cabinets.
Sallie says
It was so fun to go back and read about your Grama Eleanor! My husbands grandmother will be 95 in April and sharp as a tack still, too. We don’t live close by but we call her on the phone almost weekly. I miss when I can’t talk with her often!!
Loved the year in review! Mine isn’t anywhere nearly as spectacular 🙂
Richella at Imparting Grace says
Rhoda, your 2009 projects are just wonderful! I’d read about all of them during the year. . . yours was one of the first blogs I started reading regularly! . . . but it’s fun to see them recapped here. And it was fun to look back at a few things I’d done through the year, too. Thanks for a fun party!
rue says
Good morning Rhoda 🙂
I loved looking back through all your past projects! I think my very favorite is your dining room makeover, but all of them were fantastic 🙂
xoxo,
rue
rue says
Oh! I forgot to ask…. What did you use on the dining room mirror? I need to darken a very gold looking one I found in our attic.
xo
Liz@HoosierHomemade says
Everything looks great! I have a corner cabinet like yours in the garage that I might just have to salvage!
Thanks for hosting!
~Liz
Cherish says
You’ve been one busy lady! Love the beadboard and can’t wait to use it. Happy New Year!
Julia @ Hooked on Houses says
Wow, Rhoda! I wish I had been half as productive in 2009 as you were! You’re amazing. I’ve been meaning to frame out our bathroom mirror for two years now, and your makeover reminded me that I still haven’t done it. It really does make a difference.
Do you have anything left to make over in 2010? Every room of your house looks beautiful! 🙂
Thanks for hosting this fun party!
Roeshel@ The DIY Show Off says
You certainly were busy Rhoda! I can’t decide which project I love most. I just love your style! Thanks for hosting such a fun party! I can’t wait to check out the links!
Have a great time this weekend. Sounds like a blast!
Sherry says
Your projects are fantastic. I will bookmark you for that wallpaper. Really great job!
Beth@The Stories of A to Z says
I have loved watching each and every one of these transformations happen this year and I look forward to seeing all of your projects in 2010! Sounds like you have a fun weekend ahead of you girlfriend. Enjoy!
pj says
rhoda I cannot even begin to tell you how much you have inspired me to look beyond the obvious and just go for it! I am constantly in awe of your style and your grace
many blessings for a wonderful 2010
patricia
Angela says
Rhoda, I’ve always thought it was cute that we are both bunny lovers but looking through your latest post something caught my eye. In the picture of your slip-covered chair, I noticed a bunny with babies on your window seal, I have the exact one. lol I got it at Big Lots about 10 yrs ago and I still love it.