paint technique to make Ikea Hemnes mirror look like Restoration Hardware finish

  i picked up this Ikea Hemnes mirror for a property in Mammoth Lakes.  i wanted a rustic look to match the gorgeous and majestic Sherwin Mountain Range that is viewable from the house.  i started with a light dry-brushing of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint’s Paris Grey.  after brushing in the direction of the grain, […]

painting an Ikea Malm dresser w/ASCP to get a Restoration Hardware finish

    when one of your closest friends decides to move to another state, first you cry.  then you dry your tears, get out the paint brush and start painting everything she’s got stashed in her garage.   my buddy had these two Ikea Malm dressers that she picked up at Goodwill for $5.  i […]

shabby metal urns

  i had these laying around the garage for a while. and as you know by now, nothing is safe from my paint brush! i’m racing out to Palm Springs for a photo shoot at this hip mid century modern Villa with the ever talented Jimmy Cheng.  what are your weekend plans? have a great […]

Duncan Phyfe drum table gets a Gustavian makeover

my latest obsession is Gustavian furniture.  whites and pale grays all inspired by the bright cheery homes found in Sweden.  makes sense given they have very limited light during the winter months. this Duncan Phyfe drum table was one of the very first furniture pieces i refinished…all prior to discovering Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. you […]

MMSMP kids’ dining table redo and halloween DIY

  i don’t get out much.  so when i walked into Pottery Barn Kids last week and saw adorable Christmas chair backers, i thought, “i should make these for Halloween!” figuring i don’t have enough time to make Christmas chair backers, i bought them at $20 a piece and said “Self, you can make these […]

painting oak to look like Restoration Hardware :: mud room diy

let me start by saying that i’ve absolutely saved no money by doing this project myself! if i account for the time spent, mistakes made, injuries sustained, and my hourly billing rate, i’d be better off having purchased the Restoration Hardware version. BUT, this has been a great project and i feel that my painting […]

sand room mishaps :: my attempt at wood working with a steak knife

sometimes i get hair-brained ideas in the middle of the night that keep me awake.  my husband and i call this swirling. several months ago, i got this idea that i’d build a sand room.  it’s like a mud room, but is really more for sand, since our family tracks more beach sand than mud. […]

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint tutorial

i’m always blabbing about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  many of you ask if i’m sponsored. i wish! but i’m broadening my horizons and wanted to try Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint.  i absolutely love Marian (of missmustardseed.com) and her work.  she’s an inspiration. her work is chippy.  and that’s a compliment…cuz y’all know how much […]

mud room plans!

ok gang.  i’ve mocked up the mud room plans. taking inspiration from this: now i’ve just got to figure out how to make it.  i can paint it, but when you ask your bestie the name of the saw that has the round spinny blade thingy, you know you’ve got a long way to go! […]

beachy chic shutter headboards :: annie sloan tutorial

my friends just moved back from Panama after a 6 month missionary trip with their entire family.  they’re the most precious girls you’ve ever met. and sadly for me, at ages 10 and 13, they’re both already taller than i am. how cute are these girls? so i set out to make them some shutter […]

how to refinish an antique french door

hi, i’m meesh and i’m addicted to craigslist cheap/free stuff. is it weird that i want to buy an old truck so that i can pick up late night curb alerts? i picked up this door for $10 on craigslist. a very nice young man was remodeling his house in costa mesa and tore out […]

how i hacked an Ikea Tarva dresser :: tutorial

i’ll always have fond memories of Ikea.  i used to bring my kids there when they had trouble sleeping…. it always went something like this: “they’ll fall asleep in the stroller while i shop.” yup, i’m THAT mom with stuff stacked in the stroller, balanced on the kids’ heads, crammed into the small storage bin […]

Restoration Hardware-inspired big boy room reveal

as i listen to Big A trying to ‘soothe’ himself to sleep in his new big boy room, i feel guilty. poor little guy. sometimes he goes down quickly, and sometimes, he’s over-tied, i think…and he fights it. so i’m distracting myself with this post as i obsessively check the monitor… we got him into […]

Ikea hack :: using the DIGNITET curtain clips to hang your kids’ artwork

raise your hand if you love ikea. i was wracking my brain on ways to display the kids’ artwork in the loft.  they’re always creating new stuff, and with the seasons, taping it to the wall was becoming a bit aggressive. i even bought two quarts of magnetic paint, but then thought there’s no chance […]

big reveal :: vintage door refinished with Annie Sloan chalk paint

the door restoration is DONE! here’s the tutorial post of the first half of this restoration. this is where i started….a stack of FREE doors found on craigslist! here i was sitting on my laptop after the kids were tucked in….la la la….cruising free stuff on craigslist….when i saw a post for 12 FREE vintage […]