BEFORE & AFTER: CABINET

Back when I was working on CBC TV doing a regular segment called Deb on a Dime, I was always looking for inexpensive furniture. I'd often go by Value Village and check out the second hand furniture, and this is where I found this cabinet. I wanted to show this makeover because you really can decorate on any budget. Sometimes it means you'll have to get your hands dirty and Do-It-Yourself but you can find some great treasures. The things I always look for are the size and shape of a piece of furniture, everything else can be changed. For this project I needed a narrow cabinet and this one fit the bill. It also provided a pretty good amount of storage inside the unit. I picked it up for $9.99, here it is before:

It definitely wasn't pretty but I could see the potential. I spray painted it white and I covered the glass doors with frosted vinyl. It didn't take a lot of time, or cost much in materials, to totally transform the cabinet. Here it is after:

ASK DEB NELSON: TV SOLUTION FOR FAMILY ROOM

In my column, Ask Deb Nelson, a reader wrote in asking about where to place a TV in her open kitchen/family room – she didn't want to put it above her fireplace mantel. Obviously people need to go with a TV solution that works for them – it's a common question – where to put the TV?! But the reality is, for people with kids and an open concept family room, there is probably going to be a large TV in the room. At least the size of TV's has improved, these days most people have a thin plasma screen TV, so it can easily be wall mounted. One way to deal with the TV is to just put it out there on a stylish console (above image shows one from Westelm). I like the style of this console and depending on the room layout it would add some balance and symmetry to have two matching consoles on either side of the fireplace. The TV can be placed on the console and you can add a stack of books, or a few other items beside the TV. On the other side you could have a lamp and artwork behind it to balance out the room. The great thing about a closed door cabinet like this is that is also provides you with quite a bit of storage. It also is made for TV equipment, so the components can go inside and there are holes in the back for the wires. This can help cut down on the unsightly mass of cords.

Here are a few other ideas of great consoles for a TV. From Westelm:

From Restoration Hardware:

From Ikea:

From Westelm:

NARROW CONSOLE TABLE

Often people have small areas, like an entry, where they need a narrow piece of furniture. I find a narrow console table can work well in an entry, by a back door, or in unusual spaces where you can't fit an overly large table. I've had this white console table in my own home/s for about 8 years and I've used it in an entry, bedroom and now by the back door. Originally I painted it white, and it works well in many different areas because of the size – it's a very versatile piece of furniture. From time to time I think about selling it but then I realize how often I use it. Here it is now:

And here it is years ago in my house in Toronto:

A painted white console has a very specific look. I also really like the look of these two wooden consoles, both with a mid century modern vibe!

Teak chair

The teak chair in the image above is one that I've owned for many years. I was fortunate enough to find a pair of these vintage teak chairs about 10 years ago and had them re-finished and re-upholstered. They are comfortable and work well with many different styles. Here is a picture of how they looked when I got my hands on them (and I can't believe I actually found this old picture):

Over the years numerous people have asked to buy them, and have asked me where to get them. You can search online shops, like ebay, to see what you can find in vintage teak chairs. The other option is buying new, often Design Within Reach has versions of these chairs, and a place I love in NYC, called 'Sit Down NY' also sells some great replicas.

Before & After: a table gets a makeover

Back in 2007, or maybe even 2006, I bought an antique table and two benches at great shop outside Toronto.  What I loved was the size, this was a suitable size for a dining room and could fit 6 chairs around it, but it wasn't overly wide.  At the time it was just what I needed for my loft.  Here is how it looked when I got it.

Another great aspect of it was that the legs on the table fold in underneath, so with a hatchback it's quite easy to move.  The benches also had metal legs that could fold in, making the entire 3 pieces very compact.  What's funny is that the table was coated with old plastic mac tac in the image of wood - so it a wooden table covered with vinyl wallpaper!  I was easily able to strip that layer off and found it was previously painted green and purple underneath that.  With a hot air stripper I was able to get it back to the original surface.  I touched up the benches and table with some minwax stain, over the years it has faded, but here are some places I've used it.  It's definitely been a piece of furniture that has been versatile and well used over the years.

In my Toronto dining room, table paired with chairs:

The dining table in Chester and the two benches pushed together as a coffee table:

Today in my office: