I Spent $100 at an Antique Market and Completely Transformed My Space
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No matter the size of your space, you probably have one corner or nook that isn't working. For me, it's the back corner of my living room that doubles as a random plant nursery and cookbook storage space. Every weekend I try to convince myself to do something about it, but come Monday, the mess is still there. One of my favorite things to do is hit a big antique market or fair and transform what I find into new decor. I challenged myself to fix up that neglected corner for under $100 and am beyond happy with the result. Plus, I learned some amazing things about spray paint and how truly versatile it is.
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Before
I'm a bit of a cookbook hoarder, and they are always overflowing from the kitchen to this corner. I often find myself sitting on the floor scanning through pages looking for dinner inspiration (not comfy). My focus was on finding items that would be inviting while being organized and helpful.
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The Haul
What's so fun about hitting an antique fair or mart is you never know what you're going to find. I happened upon a mix of old and not-so-old items for under $100. The two bar stools were a steal at $20, and I got a cool vintage light for $15, a funky piece of art for $10, a unique side table for $20, a couple of neat pots (free!), and a metal shelving unit for $25. I still had enough left over for a couple cans of spray paint.
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Clean It Up
After you've done all the haggling over prices and get your new finds home, it's smart to give everything a good cleaning, mainly because you're not sure where everything has come from. Since I was going to use spray paint for this DIY, using a slightly damp scrub brush and mineral spirits got rid of icky grime.
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Decor Bling
The metal shelving unit was basically new, but the silver tone left it feeling pretty kitchen industrial. Using a KRYLON® Premium Metallic Copper Brilliance spray paint instantly kicked it up into something so pretty and the perfect base for storing anything. Check the can label for proper application and dry time instructions.
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Beautiful Seating For Two
Simply coating the outdated stools with Krylon® SUPERMAXX® All-In-One in Satin Black completely changed how they looked. And I couldn't believe how easy the room-changing project was to pull off and that everything was in place and looking gorgeous after a day of cleaning and painting.
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The Little Touches
Although the orange color of the cute pots was fun, giving it a spritz of KRYLON® Premium Metallic Sterling Silver spray paint completely changed how it looks. Once dry, filling it with soil and some herbs created an indoor garnish garden for cocktails.
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Finished!
I absolutely love my updated corner that's filled with shiny new stuff. The soft, glowing lamp gives just the right amount of mood lighting to look through cookbooks while sipping a glass of wine. And a little gold spray paint helped transform the side table into a fun decor item.
