Neon || 2018 Flip List Item No.7

Guys!  I made a thing.  Well technically I made two.  Besides a new dresser, I've got another 2018 Flip List item to reveal:

Item No.7: Experiment with Neon

You were expecting me to do a neon paint treatment werentcha?  Well I'm not ruling that out just yet, but when I set this goal in mind I actually really wanted to DIY a neon sign.

I started researching my options and I found out there are actual kits for the stuff!  I decided to order this super affordable one from Urban Outfitters.

The kit instruction were very easy to follow and basically just involved lashing the neon rope to wire which I twisted into the word "Mutt" for obvious reasons.  It does have a very subtle hum when it's turned on (like the kind you can only hear if you're under 30 years) so it's a good thing I'm creeping up on the big 3-0.  HA!

Switch gears with me really quick and let's talk about the other new kid in the room: this white and walnut dresser.

The drawer fronts were in great shape so I really did debate highlighting the wood grain, but I was seeing a very specific vision for it in my mind so everything but the legs got painted a glassy white.

The original dresser did have some damage to fix - the big undertaking being the mystery gnaw marks in the left front leg.  Normally, I would putty that in and slap on some paint but I really reeeeeeeeally wanted to keep the base wood so I had to hand paint the filler with some acrylic paint to match the rest of the wood grain in the leg.

Can you tell?

I love the contrast of the dark legs against the white enameled body - a luxury finish!

You might actually recognize the unusual pulls on this piece from another StyleMutt refinishing project.  That's because this long-and-low is actually from the same line as that tallboy I did last spring.  Just like I did with that piece, I kept the original brass pulls as is 'cuz I mean, they are just. that. yummy.

As for the styling, I wanted to punctuate the bright neon sign with some bright-colored art like that enchanting Laura Gunn gallery-wrapped canvas print (cue all the heart eyes!).  Accenting with my usual quirky décor also seemed like a natural fit.

And if you're looking for a beautiful dresser to anchor your space, drop me a line (aka just shoot me an email) to discuss our pick-up or shipping options. 

White + Walnut Sideboard
Now Available for Sale
60"W x 18"D x 30.5"H
$595

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com to ask about availability and our shipping policy.

Two down, five to go.  Catch up on the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List:

Pendleton Slipper Chairs || 2018 Flip List Item No.3

First Flip List item of the year is a wrap!  Wait... what’s a Flip List you ask?  Well every year I set out to do seven new diy projects. Usually they’re a combination of things (both furniture and decor related) that scare me and things I’ve always wanted to try.

So this year’s list is as follows:

Now let’s meet the slipper chairs:

It was actually that citridelic yellow that drew me to them in the first place, but up-close, the fabric was sad and scratchy.  I loved the beautiful wood and cane frame so that had to stay, but the seat fabric was another animal.  I decided to do two things I’ve long wanted to do: 

1) Restore these beautiful chairs
2) Use a Pendleton Wool Blanket pattern to do it: 

Pendleton wool comes from a family owned company that's been weaving wool blankets for over 150 years.  They have a myriad of blanket patterns - mostly Native American inspired designs but they also produce a series of blankets unique to several National Parks.  It is these blankets that inspired my latest reupholstery project - specifically the Glacier National Park pattern.

Rainier National Park

Glacier National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

To me, the bright-colored stripes on the upholstery are a young twist on a classic design.  

To keep it fresh, I cut the patterns to be mirror images of each other instead of centering the design the keep it symmetrical.

I would have loved to use the real blanket on this project but they are admittedly priiiiiiiicey.  Plus let's be real... I don’t think I could bear to cut one up.  So instead I had a suede replica made by Spoonflower - something soft for the tushy (and less itchy than wool).  

The handy thing about the pattern was I could use the lines in the design to help create pleats at the corners. 

There is something somewhat traditional about cane-backed chairs.  So to me, pairing them with the primary colors of the classic Pendleton pattern makes them tres Ralph Lauren (as Chelsea puts it).

That gorgeous cane just needed a little oil to bring it back.

And this time, I moved the entire Matisse grid wall from our kitchen just to style this shoot.  

Pendleton Slipper Chairs
Now Available for Sale
$345 for the pair

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com for availability or to ask about our third-party shipping policy.

One down, six to go.  Catch up on the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List:

Geometric Tallboy

In all my furniture hunting, I have not seen a piece with that geometric detailing down the drawer fronts.  When I saw it on the Facebook marketplace, I just had to get my hands on it! 

Now I have a rather strict price-to-distance ratio where I am more willing to buy a piece if the pick-up is local.  This hit my price point just fine but was waaaay outside of my usual driving radius.  I decided to reach out to the seller anyway only to find out there was already a lot of interest (I figured as much) so I was ready to let it go and keep hunting.  A few weeks before the holidays I ran across the listing again.  It turns out the seller was preoccupied with selling a house and hadn't locked in a buyer yet.  I blew on my fingers, rubbed my hands together, and went to work... 

Despite her slow response rate, my persistence paid off and paid off big!  Turns out it was already loaded in the family van and her husband was going to be traveling my way for work.  Score!  Over a month of begging the seller for updates while weighing the logistics of driving deep into Maryland and her husband literally dropped it off at my garage door at no extra expense!

Once I had it in the workshop, I realized I had to do some serious repairs to the veneer on the sides - repairs which I could not mask without the help of paint.  And so I turned to my new favorite "Black Boudoir" by Behr Paint. 

But I wanted to save as much of the wood grain as possible (just look at it!!!) so I settled on a two-tone look:

While he was dropping it off, the husband told me it was his mother's dresser.  I tried to do her justice by bringing it back to life.

The original knobs got a quick refresh.

The exposed wood on the drawer front got some serious conditioning.

Because of the repaired damage, the top, sides, and geometric detailing got a coat of paint and sealed in a wax which I buffed to a satiny sheen. 

For styling, I decided to play with faces - literally.  I hung a few of my favorite Matisse portraits above an offset it with my new favorite home décor accessory: a Jonathan Adler-esque Dora Maar-inspired vase.

Geometric Tallboy
Now Available for Sale
36"W x 18"D x 42"H
$495

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com to ask about availability and our shipping policy.