lifecycle building center

Five months ago we closed on our current home and have pretty much been in mid project the entire time since.  When you buy a circa 1950s home whose previous owners are 40 years your senior there are some slight differences in taste and style.  As of yet we've only had one really extensive renovation project with only one or two more on the list, but there are lots of little things I want to do to make this our home and have it reflect the comfortable, inviting place I imagine sharing with friends and family.  

Right now my current job pays me in hugs, kisses, thank yous and whining which means there's not a ton of money to purchase all the items one might drool over on various home store sites like restoration hardware, pottery barn, and joss and main to name a few of my frequently visited spaces.  It's a good thing that one of my absolutely favorite past times is shopping antique stores, flea markets, thrift stores, etc for furniture, decor and other raw materials that can be refurbished into useful and beautiful decor items.  

I was recently searching for a rug to cover the cold tile floor of a downstairs room currently being used as a playroom.  The only problem was that the room is a looonnnggg room and a rug that would fit the scale of the room was going to cost a ridiculous amount!  Even looking through all my usual stores and sites for discounted or low cost options would have still resulted in spending more than I would want on a rug where numerous children will be playing, coloring, eating and basically just mess making.   During one of my middle of the night can't sleep times, I decided to look on Craigslist in search of carpet remnants.  A short search later revealed a place that sold 10x20 remnants in various colors for $10.  Pretty much the best deal I would have ever found anywhere and I can't say I didn't at first assume it was a too good to be true situation, at least decorating wise.  A little more research led me to a lot more craigslist posts and to a website which caused excitement to abound and a shopping date being placed on the calendar.

After one rescheduled date day due to a feverish little boy, Zach and I were able to drive into the Atl to visit the Lifecycle Building Center and it took less than half a second to discover the too good to be true was actually a better than imagined.  We spent a good two hours slowly searching through piles of old windows, shutters, doors, reclaimed wood, lighting, flooring options all the while walking through a visually awesome old warehouse and wishing we weren't on a time crunch.

Before we left we were able to meet Adam the director of operations and creator/dreamer of the LBC.  He and Zach briefly chatted about how they got started, their current workings and a couple places they want to go in the future.  Packed in our car as we drove off was the 'rug' we came for, some lights for our house, two reclaimed wood pieces to be repurposed as a buffet table in the dining room and a piece of old pine wood floor that I will turn into a sign of some sort to either keep or sell.  We also left with tons of ideas, inspiration and a first experience of a place that will get frequent visits.  Thanks LBC!

table love

We are in the midst of a little sprucing of our rental backyard which is being mostly paid for financially by our landlords and with the sweat of my sweet hubs.

Zach and Eric built our fence and now this new table for the patio.  It is GORGEOUS!!  I am planning on painting the bottom white and staining the top dark.  Zach still has the benches to do and I still need to find some vintage lawn chair for the heads of the table but it's going to be worth the wait. 

red desk

I recently painted a new desk for Micah. The desk and hutch belonged to my brothers' when we were growing up and had been sitting at my parents since then. We have the dresser and hutch from the set as well and they look great next to each other! I still need to get a desk chair because right now he's using one from our kitchen table. I also want to get some new storage for his art supplies but won't be doing that until next month when the Great Room Switch begins.

Before:

During: (after I primed it Micah was disgusted

and informed me that He did NOT want a pink desk!)

train table

Two Christmases ago my mother-in-law and I both spotted a train table sitting on the side of the road down the street from their house. I had wanted a train table for Micah for awhile but wasn't crazy about the expense because they are ridiculous! Zach and I had figured out an ok version to create from a coffee table at IKEA but it still wouldnt have been as large or low to the ground as this. The only problem I saw was that it was FILTHY so we packed in the back of the van to bring home and there it has sat since waiting for a new house.

Well let's face it, a new house could still be who knows how much longer away and in the mean time there are trains in the living room! Last week I got the urge to get it done so I got down to business. Step one was clean, clean, clean. I scrubbed the whole thing with Murphy's Oil Soap and rinsed well with water. Steph had some leftover brown oops paint from Lowes that she graciously let me borrow and in two days it was done. We moved it into the boys room last weekend and with some rearranging (train tables are bigger than you'd think!) it is finally in Micah's room and looks and works great!