A few months ago I fell in love.
In a vintage homeware shop.
With a laundry basket.
Yes, I know I'm weird. It was so pretty though!
Hmmm, look closer. It was undoubtedly pretty but rather than being shabby chic, it was just shabby. And dirty! Ick. There was a lot of dust and crap tucked in the crevices.
That's ok though: I like a good project. As soon as I had a free weekend and some dry weather (both of which have been scarce recently) I set about transforming it.
Firstly, I took the hose to it to remove most of the fluff, dirt and associated gack:
Then I bought some paint. Oh, how grown up and boring that made me feel. Naturally I chose the most expensive flipping paint in the whole of B&Q. What can I say? I am a woman of expensive painty tastes. Cheap green paint is mostly mushy pea or snot coloured. Yack.
Just call me Painty McPainterson. Turns out I'm not bad with a brush!
Helpful note to anyone thinking of tackling a DIY project. Even if it is an excessively hot, sunny day and the paint is drying tons quicker than you think it will, it isn't magic. Not a good idea to lean on the lid two seconds after you've painted it...
Voila! One freshly painted bedside table.
It looks a lot more neatly painted in real life than it does here. I blame light levels.
I hauled it upstairs and it's now nestled in between my bed and a bookcase. I don't know if it was originally a laundry basket and some clever previous owner had the bright idea of adding the glass top or if it was made that way in the first place but either way, it's brilliant. The perfect bedside table as far as I'm concerned!
It's all part of the masterplan to declutter my life and try (probably in vain) to be a bit tidier. There's room inside it to store loads of winter clothing and room on top of it for a lamp, my current book and my specs. Nothing more. It will remain tidy.
Speaking of lamps, do you like this beauty? I do already have a cute little Ikea lamp in my room but it's very happy where it is and I was looking for something a little bit bigger to go on the shiny new bedside table. Out There Interiors, purveyors of a delicious array of modern and French style furniture as well as a whole lot of other beautiful things, got in touch at a very opportune time and asked if I'd like to review a product from their site.
Well, I'm pleased to report that I am delighted with the fab alphabet light I chose. It's porcelain but quite tough and sturdy, which is good, because I am fairly clumsy and bound to drop something on it at some point. It comes with an excellent length of cable too. Does that sound odd? It just makes my life a lot easier! This house is appallingly badly set up with plug points - seriously, I have one plug socket in my whole bedroom - and I was having the horrors about potentially having to run an extension lead off another extension lead in order to plug a lamp in. Worries over. If only all manufacturers thought this way.
Alphabet light c/o Outthere Interiors, book is from Persephone and my specs are from Specsavers.
In a vintage homeware shop.
With a laundry basket.
Yes, I know I'm weird. It was so pretty though!
Hmmm, look closer. It was undoubtedly pretty but rather than being shabby chic, it was just shabby. And dirty! Ick. There was a lot of dust and crap tucked in the crevices.
That's ok though: I like a good project. As soon as I had a free weekend and some dry weather (both of which have been scarce recently) I set about transforming it.
Firstly, I took the hose to it to remove most of the fluff, dirt and associated gack:
Then I bought some paint. Oh, how grown up and boring that made me feel. Naturally I chose the most expensive flipping paint in the whole of B&Q. What can I say? I am a woman of expensive painty tastes. Cheap green paint is mostly mushy pea or snot coloured. Yack.
Just call me Painty McPainterson. Turns out I'm not bad with a brush!
Helpful note to anyone thinking of tackling a DIY project. Even if it is an excessively hot, sunny day and the paint is drying tons quicker than you think it will, it isn't magic. Not a good idea to lean on the lid two seconds after you've painted it...
Voila! One freshly painted bedside table.
It looks a lot more neatly painted in real life than it does here. I blame light levels.
I hauled it upstairs and it's now nestled in between my bed and a bookcase. I don't know if it was originally a laundry basket and some clever previous owner had the bright idea of adding the glass top or if it was made that way in the first place but either way, it's brilliant. The perfect bedside table as far as I'm concerned!
It's all part of the masterplan to declutter my life and try (probably in vain) to be a bit tidier. There's room inside it to store loads of winter clothing and room on top of it for a lamp, my current book and my specs. Nothing more. It will remain tidy.
Speaking of lamps, do you like this beauty? I do already have a cute little Ikea lamp in my room but it's very happy where it is and I was looking for something a little bit bigger to go on the shiny new bedside table. Out There Interiors, purveyors of a delicious array of modern and French style furniture as well as a whole lot of other beautiful things, got in touch at a very opportune time and asked if I'd like to review a product from their site.
Well, I'm pleased to report that I am delighted with the fab alphabet light I chose. It's porcelain but quite tough and sturdy, which is good, because I am fairly clumsy and bound to drop something on it at some point. It comes with an excellent length of cable too. Does that sound odd? It just makes my life a lot easier! This house is appallingly badly set up with plug points - seriously, I have one plug socket in my whole bedroom - and I was having the horrors about potentially having to run an extension lead off another extension lead in order to plug a lamp in. Worries over. If only all manufacturers thought this way.
This looks so lovely :) I love the colour you painted the table and the lamp is really awesome!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rebelangel.co.uk/
Wow, they are both so lovely! I must have that lamp!x
ReplyDeleteThat lamp is amazing! I must get one!!
ReplyDeleteXO Amie
www.creditcrunchchic.com
Love the bedside table, I adore Lloyd Loom. When I was a child (too many years ago to mention!) my auntie had one just like that only in pink. She had it from new and it came with the glass top. I think they were designed to be dual purpose, i.e a washing/storage basket and a bedside table. As I said, I adore Lloyd Loom, unfortunately not a sentiment shared by my hubby, though a couple of year ago I managed to sneak in a similar laundry basket (though not one topped with glass)from a car booty. Well at only a fiver I couldn't let it go! It resides in the spare room we keep for when my granddaughter comes to stay and is used as ... Yes, a bedside table.
ReplyDeleteYou've done such a good job on the bedside table, it looks great now.
ReplyDeleteThat lamp is gorgeous. x
that light is fab, I wouldn't mind an "R" one. Love the bedside table, I have a similar second hand laundry basket but sadly it didn't come with a glass top! x
ReplyDeleteOh this is lovely!I love the colour you chose and yay for alphabet lamps!
ReplyDeleteMaria xxx
Love the lamp :) my grandparents had a laundry basket similar to this but without the glass.
ReplyDeleteGood job on the ick removal - I need to re-de-ick my picnic basket as it's been living in the garage since the move. ADORE the alphabet light - want!
ReplyDeleteThat's such a good idea to turn it into a bedside table.
ReplyDeleteI have a similar problem with plug sockets in my house, the only one in the bedroom is right in the centre of the only wall you can put a bed against, so I have to run an extension cable along the back of the bed!
Can't beat a bit of Lloyd Loom!
ReplyDeleteYou've done an amazing job on the re-vamp; it's so easy to get gunky paint stuck in the weave. Yours looks great.
And that lamp! Wowsers, it's fab!
Z xx
My mother took one look at that first picture and nearly asphyxiated, "She found it in a vintage shop, Lloyd Loom are on my list of furniture stockists when I win the lottery, I was looking at them the other day!" I don't think I helped when I wondered aloud if you'd possibly paid more the paint than the basket (did you?)
ReplyDeleteIf you fancy one for the other side, or keeping a spare one around in case of accidents, you could pick one up here http://www.thefurniturestudio.com/products/classic-linen-basket/294/
I flippin LOVE that lamp. I'm just about to turn my spare room into an office and a lamp like that would be amazing! I haven't looked yet, please tell me it's not mega expensive!
ReplyDeleteAnd well done on the bedside table revamp, it looks fab (I seem to be the same with paint colours)
Indeed it is outstanding work you are doing on this blog. This lamp is fantastic. i think you should give it to me so that i can use it. as the design really match with my name.
ReplyDeleteUK Leading Bed Manufacturers