Just Spray Paint It: Light Fixtures Go from Drab to Fab

A free ceiling light fixture scored off a local free-share group looks like new after a couple quick coats of Rustoleum 2-in-1 spray paint in 'Oil Rubbed Bronze'. Save a ton of cash by spending a few minutes refinishing an old accessory!

BEFORE: Dated shiny brass & bamboo ceiling fans are the worst. Updated replacements can be EXPENSIVE!! To get a few more miles out of that ugly relic, put it out of it's misery with some good ole spray paint! 

AFTER: I used my favorite home decor basic, Rustoleum's 'Oil Rubbed Bronze'. It's a great all-around shade with a luxurious result. I guarantee no one will know the difference, Simply flip the wicker blades over to reveal it's smooth side and VOILA! Spend your money on more pressing projects and buy a pricey fan down the road.

Just Spray Paint It: Brass Ceiling Fan Flip

Got an old brass ceiling fan aka home decor eye-sore? Instead of dropping $100+ to replace it, give it a $7 face lift. The difference is amazing!  Ideally, we'd like to replace every ceiling fixture in the house. But this serves as the perfect temporary fix until we can purchase our dream fixtures. Now we can concentrate on more pressing projects without having to live with the ugly brass fan in the meantime.

BEFORE: dated brass ceiling fan with wicker cross-hatch fan blades

AFTER: spray-painted with Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze & flipped the wicker blades over.

AFTER: simple jute twin on a small spray painted pulley makes a cool pull-chord.

Refinished Outdated Ceramic Bird Decor

BEFORE: ordinary, boring & forgettable street pigeons

AFTER: two unique, chic blackbirds with a bit of industrial flare

I'm not sure how I came up with their odd, Gothic bindings, but I knew I had the supplies on hand in the craft closet and decided to play around with it. I'm pretty happy with the result!

I wanted to set them apart and give them a little originality. After a couple coats of Rustoleum flat black spray paint and some tinkering with the adornments, they ended up looking like dark & mysterious ravens instead of TJ Max Clearance Decor.

DIY Painted Deer Antlers - Cheap Chic!

I have no idea why or how I recently became obsessed with the look of vintage, monochromatic antler racks and art...but the bottom line is that I am.  I fully admit that this look will likely become like my mothers black, red and yellow shag carpeting from the late '70s -- nothing more than a source of belly-laughter and eye-rolling from my son in about 15 years, followed by, "OH MY GOD, mom...that looks HIDEOUS!! You're SO OLD!!"  But, for the moment I'm willing to take my chances and mount this baby smack dab in the middle of my gallery wall and await the compliments and envy from anyone entering the foyer. Can I get a, "nice rack"?!?!?

When starting this project out, I did some extensive searching for affordable fake antler decor. I underestimated how difficult it would be to find said antlers. Who knew?  I did, however, find other DIY'ers selling finished antler racks -- only they were charging $60-$130. Really? It's resin & paint. Oh, and skipping ahead...it took me all of two coats of spray paint and they were done. I'm in the wrong business!!

So - here's all the info on how to create your very own West Elm/Pottery Barn/Restoration Hardware knock-off antler rack for $30 plus shipping. Yep. You heard right. They go perfectly with my DIY hand-painted deer head silhouettes. (I know, something's wrong with me.)

Supplies

• Resin Deer Antler Wall Mounted Plaque (bought on Amazon $29.99)**
• spray paint (I used Rustoleum flat black)
• fine grit sand paper

** There are various options when it comes to the antlers. Try using the search words, "Faux Deer Antlers, Resin Deer Antlers, Faux or Resin Deer Bust". Here's a few links on Amazon to help you get started:  Antler Plaque 17" tall for $30, 8-Point Faux Buck Deer Bust 23" tall for $57, 10-point Faux Deer Skull Bust for $50 and a Deer Antler Wall Coat Rack 17" wide for $27 -- an exact same coat rack (painted) sold for $55!!

Printable Vintage Apothecary Labels