Outdoors inside?

I know it does sound a little backwards.

Sorry, no plants here...

I am again linking to SNS on Funky Junk Interiors blog.

I thought I would show you how a small closet like room was transformed with a few rusty rails,

 (and a few broken skateboards are coming soon.)

What is cool for a teenager?

Now that is an interesting question.

We have many teens that skate at our church and this was a storage closet at one point,

 why not jazz it up and make it a fun cafe-like place to hang out.

here is what we did.

Painted it Black, yes, black. It is just paint Don't be afraid! If you don't like it... repaint it!

Added the name of the new cafe in graffiti. How cool is graffiti, it shouldn't be anywhere, but it is usually found outside.

Then we hung some small rails on the walls and are currently waiting to collect broken skateboards to hang up too. the cones are also a part of the decor, as well as the mini/ fingerboard ramp below the microwave.

The kids love the new room and hangout here often.

How is that for bringing in the outside!

How will you decorate your teens room??

SNS Benches

Funky Junk has a "Saturday Night Special" Link up and I am going to try to do this at least a few times a month. We will see how good I am with keeping up!

I was too excited when Donna at Funky Junk announced that this Saturday nt. Special would be benches. On Saturday my husband was banished from cleaning the house and he went to the garage and came back up a very short bit later with this! 

I knew I was going to be able to link to the party! I was so excited.
Here is a picture taken from my phone, Sorry I did not run upstairs to grab the good camera. Look who built most of this! My 12 year old son. (who also has an aversion to cleaning.)

We started (I say we, I really mean my husband, hey at least I am giving him the credit! I was up stairs cleaning up with vinegar, he hates vinegar, so he stays where he cannot smell it) it was time for a dark stain.

He took a candle and rubbed the edges and places that would be most distressed.

 

Next to decide on a color. My first choice was mint green, because there is a can in the garage that has never been touched, it was $5 a mess up can of paint, surely I could find something to paint mint green...

I asked for mint green, he picked up the bright turquoise and started painting. So bright turquoise it was.

I think he actually dry brushed it on, not slathering it with paint, just a light coat, with a few streaks.

Next to sand that baby!  When sanded the paint on top of the wax on the edges will just come right off showing the stain underneath.

Isn't she a beauty?

I love her, all though I might need to dry brush a little of that mint green on there just to say I was able to use it for something.

What color would you have painted your bench?
Now that's shop class!
I am thinking the boys need another shop class very soon!
What should they build next?

Don't be afraid Paint it up!

Since I am in the top 5 at funky Junk for my table, I thought I would show you one of my other favorite pieces of furniture.

On Funky Junk's blog she is always saying to Just do it.

 If people tell you that you are crazy, and you love what you have who cares.

I wanted to share one of these pieces with you.

About 6 years ago I was looking for a "china cabinet"

I informed all of my family that they should keep their eyes peeled.

So I was taken to every little thrift shop to view these vintage antique pieces for big bucks.

I knew I wanted to "White Wash" this piece, and did not want to take "Granny Teacups" cabinet that I would'vee paid $500 for. (not to mention I did not have $500 to spend)

No one really understood what my vision was...

Until one day we were driving along and saw a man with a trailer full of "fence post furniture"

I LOVED it!

It was perfect!

Here is the little china cabinet I got.

It was made of old fence posts!

Pure fabulousness, except it wasn't the color I saw it in my head...

We even explained to the man who made it we were going to "white wash" it in green and purple.

Yes, EVERYONE said I was crazy.

These colors were the colors in  my daughters room at the time.

(We have moved 5 times since that house with the blissfully cute walls that are now a plain old boring light gray. Blek! If I find a pic. of the cute walls, without my cute little daughter taking up most of the picture, 

 I will post them)

So here it is...

 One of my favorite pieces to this very day.

Yes, I purchased it for some crazy amount of $$, 

(it was about $200, but EXACTLY what I wanted)

and I Green & Purple washed it.

According to family and friends I was going to "ruin it."

I Still Love it! to this day!

This is a picture of how it is used today in my Daughters room, with paper covered drawers to help organize a 6 year old girl as much as a 6 year old girl can be "organized."

 I might, being 6 years wiser try to build one of these,

but am still happy with this super "ruined" cabinet that was a great changing table and "grow with me piece."

What have you done in your decor that people thought you were ruining and you love it?

Be creative, don't be put in a box!