Comments on: before & after: erin’s sink + tanya’s room + allison’s crib

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:18:11 +0000

Wow, what a make over , i couldn’t even recognize second image !!!!

By: meg

meg — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:06:34 +0000

Best bassinet ever. I wish I had that for my kids.

To all the people concerned about the health and welfare of children: all of the information on crib safety, lead paint and product recalls is readily available on the internet. Please don’t assume parents are negligent because they have chosen second-hand or to diy for their children.

Remember, most of us grew up without outlet covers, with a play telephone with a cord longer than six inches and a ton of Playschool choking hazards, and we made it to adulthood.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:51:43 +0000

I think the whole black and white room, kitchen, or anyroom fad needs to go away.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01:54 +0000

I love the Laundry room makeover! :-) It seems do-able for most DIY’ers out there.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:41:00 +0000

Thank you so much Erin!!! I was looking at some tutorials online, and most suggest several layers of a high-gloss water-based polyurethane top coat, so I will probably do that. I don’t think a glossy counter would be strange… granite is glossy and so are some other materials. Doing a google image search just now convinced me.

By: Erin R.

Erin R. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:24:12 +0000

Thank you all for such supportive comments about my laundry room. The rug is the cheapie from Ikea. The melamine paint is from Benjamin Moore. We painted the counter with sponge rollers, but then tried to touch up some spots with a paintbrush – bad idea, as it left streaks. Other than that, we just try to wipe up any water splashes, as they seem to leave behind marks. It is not a permanent solution, and we’ll need to paint it again if we ever move, however it was really a cost issue – a new countertop was just beyond the budget. Since it’s in my basement, it doesn’t get too much wear and tear. BTW: We used the matte version of the melamine. It might be worth using the glossy instead since I’m guessing it is more scrubbable (the glossy, I think, is sold as the Porch and Floor paint – you’d have to ask Benjamin Moore :) Would a glossy counter be strange?

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:38:07 +0000

The laundry room is amazing! If Erin sees this, please tell where you were able to purchase the melamine paint and how it is working out for you. I desperately want to do something about the old formica in my kitchen, and replacing it is not an option right now.

By: julie

julie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:25:24 +0000

gorgeous, lovely laundry/livingroom/crib makeovers. x

By: kimberly

kimberly — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:42:38 +0000

i love before and afters! how inspiring!

By: Allison C.

Allison C. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:12:17 +0000

I was able to find the name of the bassinet fabric; it is “cinzia” by Alexander Henry from 2008.

I thoughtfully considered safety when recovering this bassinet. We sanitized each piece and did a bit of our own “crash testing” before deciding to use it. We even had a “no rolling” rule while Garrett was in it.

I was comfortable placing my son in it as a newborn. He outgrew it in 2 months, which, for me, is all the more reason to buy second hand.

As with anything, new or used, we make a decision that feels right for our family and are pleased with the outcome of this piece. I hope the criticism doesn’t stop creative parents from reusing and repurposing items that have lots of life left in them. I was able to make exactly what I wanted for a fraction of what this would have cost retail. Not to mention the fact that I couldn’t find anything this simple and modern anywhere else!