While he works, I create! | Part 2

Following the Washi taped walls came the ‘upcycling’ phase.

Looking at the photos it would appear that I have a thing for geometric patterns, and the colour yellow.

The upcycling phase involved buying a myriad of furniture, sanding and painting it to look creatively new. From this experience I learnt that opinions are an individual thing, and sometimes people wouldn’t agree with my creative awesomeness. Yes, this upcycling phase was done while my husband was at work, but this time they were completed during the day and did not involve night missions.

Old school, ‘school’ stools. This one was easy, a little bit of sanding (with my newly purchased orbital sander), some paint, masking tape and polyurethane - nothing that a trip to Bunnings couldn’t fix. These didn’t turn out too bad. One still sits beside my side of the bed as a bedside table, while the other is in a corner of the office. Maybe not the most used upcycled furniture, but at least these were not banished from the house - you might be surprised what was.

Moving into the bedroom, and before you get too carried away, we are talking about the furniture, namely the bedroom drawers. Both my husband and I needed new ones. I really didn’t want to buy new ones, I wanted to upcycle my own. Turn something old into something new. Reduce, reuse, recycle and all of that. I managed to find two amazing sets of drawers on TradeMe for an absolute steal - only to find one was full of borer (which has since been rectified). I am not sure why, but I wanted chevron patterns on both, plain black on my husband’s and coloured on mine - clearly needing to include the colour yellow. This was another project, not unlike the old school ‘school’ stools, that required a minimal amount of equipment. Done, finished and placed in the bedroom for ready for the husband to arrive home from work. These got his seal of approval. He liked the designs and the colours. It was here I thought that I was onto a good thing; he liked the chevron pattern, and the colour yellow as both of these had been incorporated into the drawers. This would prove to be my undoing.

So let’s recap: How many of these creative ideas are still in the house and used?

Japanese cranes ✅

The Hall Bear ✅

The old school ‘school’ stools ✅

Bedroom drawers ✅

So you may be wondering, what were these creative ideas that were banished from the house? Well, that’s up next. The final resting place - the lounge.

You see, we had both of these pieces of furniture in our old house, they weren’t painted or upcycled then. My husband seemed to like them like that. But something happened when we moved into the new house. The wooden floors, with the wooden coffee table, and the wooden TV cabinet and the gigantic white wall. It was enough to make anyone go a little crazy. Something needed to be done, and quickly! As you know the first step was the Japanese cranes, which did manage to stay on the walls after much persuasion and encouragement. The TV cabinet and coffee table were next. I tried to have a creative discussion with my husband about this, explaining that wood on wood on wood was so drab. He didn’t seem to mind it, but I did.

Cue husband leaving for work - day shift. I spring into action, knowing that I have 10 hours to complete my masterpiece and have it back in the lounge for my husband to walk in and see the new and improved addition to the lounge. I knew I didn’t have too much time and had the forethought to preplan, and had bought the paint required days prior.

There I began, taking the drawers and the coffee table down to “The Design Room” and getting organised. The TV cabinet did take a bit of planning work to ensure the chevron pattern (yes, here we go with the geometric patterns again) lined up perfectly along the 4 drawers. In the colour - turquoise, to match the Japanese cranes. And what did I decide to do on the coffee table, the teak coffee table with the fantastic turned legs. What else was there to do than paint those legs yellow!

I was super happy with my design, my painting and the colours, and I managed to get them dry and back into the lounge before my husband finished work. Sitting down admiring my handiwork, I knew that my husband would love the new colour scheme and the ‘life’ that had been brought into the lounge. I had already experienced his ‘like’ towards the chevron patterns and colours used within the bedroom so I knew that I was onto a winner.

Cue 4:10pm when the husband walks through the door. His reaction - not one I expected, but describing my creative awesomeness as trying to turn the lounge into a kids’ playroom. I am not sure how I was doing that? The colours blue and yellow are not common in ‘kids’ playrooms’ are they? I was just trying to add a bit of life into a boring wood, on wood, on wood lounge. And I loved them. I think they looked awesome. My friends also liked them. My husband, he did not. At all. As in, he wanted me to fix them. To fix the lounge that now reminded him of a place where kids would play.

I did manage to keep them in the lounge for a while. It wasn’t until I wanted a new couch that my husband brought up an ultimatum. I was allowed a new couch, if he was allowed to get rid of the coffee table and TV cabinet and get new ones. Due to the fact that I wanted a new couch rather badly, I agreed.

The coffee table, and the TV cabinet were listed on Trademe and subsequently sold. Though, they did fetch a nice little price which did bring a smile to my face.

So let’s recap: How many of these creative ideas are still in the house and used?

Japanese cranes ✅

The Hall Bear ✅

The old school ‘school’ stools ✅

Bedroom drawers ✅

TV Cabinet ❌

Coffee table ❌

I guess that 4 out of 6 isn’t too bad in the grand scheme of things. I do wonder though, does my husband worry what he will come home to after a day, or a night at work?