Antique Drawers.

So I saw an awesome idea on Pinterest to use antique drawers, usually separated from their homes somewhere along their life, and use them to organize your bath toiletries!

I had seen these antique drawers a few weeks prior at a local antique store and knew I had to have them! So, I took my sister on my search and we came across several different drawers! I couldn't decide on how many to buy so I decided to buy all of them all!

I figured I could use these sweet pieces to organize more than just my bath toiletries! Check them out below!

The Name Change

As some as you may have noticed, Loulabell Interiors has gone through a name change! After much discussion, I decided to change the name of my furniture business!

I wanted to make sure that the name best described and related to what it is that I do and love. While Loulabell will always be close to my heart, it was the name that my aunt use to call me when I was a kid, I didn't feel that it was the best fit. So I enlisted my mom for a little creative help and thus we came up with The Rustic Coop.

The Rustic Coop better fits what I do, create unique pieces from merging old with new style at an affordable price, usually with a touch of distress!!

I hope you love the name change as much as I do!

Check back for updates on what we're doing & be sure to look at our Facebook page!!

Asparagus Nighstand

Hey Everyone!

I know it's been a little while since I've posted, but believe me, I've been working away on some furniture projects! Since everyone in my family knows I'm always on the hunt for inexpensive furniture pieces to give a little love to, it was no surprise when my boyfriends mom bought me a few new items from a garage sale. I love finding pieces that others don't see the beauty in anymore and turning it into something new.

So when I received this old night stand, my biggest obstacle wasn't if I wanted to refinish it, but what color I wanted to do! So after looking at the many paint colors I had, I landed on this Asparagus green!

I couldn't be more excited about the outcome of this pieces!

Bedroom Furniture

My latest project finished up about two weeks ago completing my room design. I decided that I needed to re-purpose my current bedroom furniture to be more elegant and match my current age rather than the age of the last time it was painted - I was probably in middle or high school! 

So I decided that I wanted something more mature and what more mature and elegant than enamel gloss black? It took a total of 6 hours to sand, clean, and paint two dressers, a night stand, and a make up vanity. Below you can see the before and afters! I am extremely excited for how they have turned out - they look like a new bedroom furniture set!

*litte story - this chair was pulled out of an old building in a small down of MO. My grandparents kept it in hopes of turning it into something someday. Well here it is, getting it's second chance at life. Makes me think of the person who once made it had no idea that all these years later I would fall in love it with & keep it!

Before&AFTER.

Before. 

                                                                             AFTER.

Dresser AFTER. 

Night Stand AFTER. 

                                                                           Vanity Before.

                                                                  Country Chair Before.

                                                                 Country Chair AFTER.

                                                   Painted Mirror, Vanity, &  Country Chair.

Distressed Easter Mirror

For Easter, my grandma bought me an old mirror. I had mentioned a new obsession with mirrors and upon one of her MANY thrift store runs, she found me a beautiful organic mirror. At first I wasn't positive how I wanted to paint it but quickly decided upon elegant black.

See below on how I accomplished this beautiful mirror!

 Take small pieces of tape & "roll" them so that both sides are sticky. This makes it easier to stick to both the mirror and the plastic bag and to peel off when you're finished.

 Place the tape up against the edge of the mirror.

Take plastic bags and place them around the end of the mirror so that they stick to the rolled tape. This ensures that the spray paint doesn't get onto the mirror.

This is what the mirror looked like with the glass being completely covered with the plastic bags.

I chose to paint outside and to make sure that the blades of grass don't get in the way of the paint, I placed the mirror on top of two paint cans.

The mirror after being spray painted.

Hanging on the wall after sanding to get the distressed affect!

Up close of the black, gold, and red distressed colors.

As what happens with most of my project, I come across some bumps in the road that ultimately end up changing the idea I had for the project. I purchased black spray paint and began spraying when the paint began to bubble. After doing some research, I should have used an oil-based primer before painting. So, I decided I would sand in the places where the paint had bubbled, prime, and re-paint. However, once I began to sand, I could see that under the gold paint, there was red paint. With the three colors (black, gold, and red) the mirror looked beautiful distressed. I decided that it wasn't necessary to prime and repaint with the beautiful colors coming through. So I left it as you can see!

<3, Heather

Red Apron Vendor!!

Loulabell Interiors is proud to OFFICIALLY announce that I will be a vendor at Red Apron ~ Liberty, MO! I am very excited to be able to get the merchandise out for others to see and purchase!

Red Apron is located in Liberty, MO at 1090 H Highway. They are open the third weekend of every month on Friday and Saturday from 9-5!

Be sure to check out all the other vendors as well!

Elegant Desk

    I recently picked up a used desk from a friend not entirely knowing what I was planning on doing it with. I knew a friend was in need of a new desk but it was in such great shape I thought I could use it for myself! However, I really didn't need the desk so I decided to pass on the great furniture piece. My friend wanted a different color than the original so below you can see the below and after!

 BEFORE

 AFTER.

The desk with the distressed Teal Chair.

This was a really fun project! I love when I have pieces that I can just paint without having to fix first!

The Church Pew

     A few months ago my grandma and I pulled an old church pew out of a neighbors trash. It was my newest treasure. This old piece of furniture told story with the many dings and dents it contained giving this  great piece amazing character. Character. What made this piece so unique and fascinating. I still don't believe the original owners new what they had. Here's a few sneak peek pictures of the church pew! I'll be sure to post the finished product once it is done!!

Here is the bench shortly after I saved it!

Here's a little sneak peek of the process I am doing on the bench!

Be sure to check back to see the finished product!! 

Heather 

Loulabell Interiors

Sneak Peek!

I am working on a new Loulabell project, and it's NOT an interiors project! I've posted a sneak peek picture below to get y'all excited! Can anyone guess from the photo what the project is?!

Stones In Sink

    I was recently at a local cafe in their restroom when I discovered a very interesting and neat design. When I went to wash my hands, there were stones in the sink. At first I was confused but once I began washing my hands, I could hear the stones moving. The sound was soft and very relaxing, like something you would hear on one of those nature tapes meant to put you to sleep. I found this small design idea so appealing that I had to share with you all!! Below is what the stones looked like in the sink!

                           If you try this design tip out, let us all know what you think!

Dumpster Diving

     When I began Loulabell Interiors, it started with neighborhood finds. Pieces of furniture that my neighbors no longer wanted so they set out on the curb. I would sneak over, take a peek, and whatever caught my eye I would take and give a little love to. So today's episode of The Nate Berkus show definitely got me excited! Why? BECAUSE THEY WENT DUMPSTER DIVING!!
     Below you will find the link to the dining room that they found and then refinished. It turned into a beautiful dining room that costs hardly anything. Check it out!!

The Nate Burkus Show : Dumpster Diving

This is my dream for Loulabell Interiors. Finding antique items that need a little love that look beautiful!! Hope you enjoy the video!!

Neighborhood Steal

     One morning after a nice workout, my grandparents were over and my grandmother, who can be a bit of a pack rack, told me she saw some furniture someone had set out down the street. Of course, she wanted to walk down and look at it so I agreed. To my surprise, there were actually a few pieces that could be turned into something beautiful!
     Of the pieces we found, I came across this old wooden kitchen chair. Of course, I drug it home and hid it so that my dad wouldn't tell me I was just bringing more junk home! So after hiding and sanding it, I decided I would paint it! Something bright and slightly distressed! And here it is! (Sorry I didn't take any before pictures!)

                                                                                 Front.

                                                                                 Side.

                                                                                  Side.

                                                                                  Back.

                                                                                  Distressed Seat.

                                                                                  Seat Back.

                                                                                  Seat Back.

                                                                         Dotti the Model.

                                                                         Dotti the Model.

TIPS if you want to recreate:

*Be sure to sand the chair before panting - the lacquer that is on the chair won't let the paint stick as well.

*Be sure to fix any defects of the chair before painting. Ex: if the legs are shaky or loose. 

*Be sure to do several coats of paint. This ensures that the wood is covered up.

*If the distressed look is what you're going for you'll need to sand spots down after you've painted them. I added a wood stain to give a depth of color. You don't have to do this. 

Of course there was another piece of lovely neighborhood steal that I found! I'm going to begin working on it soon and will be sure to share with all of you!!

Start of "Loulabell Interiors, LLC."

     As some of you may know, I have had the luxury of being unemployed for the past 27 days, but whose counting? With my new found extra time, I have found a new love for furniture. Now don't get me wrong, I've always loved furniture, however the transformation of furniture is what excites me. 

    With my new type of love for furniture and the transformations I have been making of fun finds, I was encouraged by my friends and family to start my own business. At first, I was excited and nervous at the same time. I was excited because I have always wanted to own my own business and to have a job doing what I love. The quote, "if you do what you love then you'll never work a day in your life," comes to mine. But I was also nervous because of the many obstacles that come with  running your own business. To make sure I was doing the right thing, I spoke with those who have ran their own business. I even contacted another interior designer who began her own business right after college. Her words of wisdom and advice have been extremely helpful and let me know that I'm not alone in this journey. 

     So here I am, beginning this journey with all the passion in the world. The passion to be my own boss. The passion to do what I love. The passion to see the transformations of furniture. The passion of interior design. The passion to succeed. 

So here we go... please join in this journey with me. Loulabell Interiors.

Heather