home updates: kitchen sink and coffee table edition

We finally got rid of our old constantly stained sink. No matter how hard I scrubbed, or how long the bleaching comet sat in there overnight, it remained stained.

ew

At the same time we did this we decided to put in a reverse osmosis system. I had one at my parents and I've always thought they were the "gold standard" of water purification. Then later we were talking to a neighbor who told us that our city has the best water in several local counties.... whoops... well, can't hurt! The system was $200 on amazon and it's installed now so it's staying.

new sink from Lowes

It took Doug a couple hours to install it. I think a couple frustrating hours actually. He had issues with the sink strainers leaking and the instructions on the part said only apply a bit of silicone and the guys at Lowes were like "oh no, you have to load it on". So he had a few trips back and forth, but eventually the leaks stopped.

Ta-da! The new sink is a little deeper and quite nice. We don't have an 'after' of the under the sink area. But the reverse osmosis system takes up almost the entire right hand side with just a little room for the container of trash bags. Surprisingly we still have enough room on the other side for everything else. There was a roaster pan that went out to the shed, but other than that, everything fits. And since I've used that pan once since getting it at my 2010 wedding, I figured it didn't matter too much being stored in the shed. I do miss that little ridge around the old sink for holding the sponge, but oh well.

The other new thing lately is a lovely new coffee table my dad built for us.

In the summer my dad said he had a piece of walnut wood that he was wondering if I wanted him to make anything. He had just finished making a table for my brother, and had a lull in his work, so I think he was getting crafty. I can't remember if it's from a tree he actually cut, I think so.

We had been using the coffee table I got for a previous wedding gift, and it was just laminated wood and getting chipped and peeling and the edges were sharp for a soon-to-be little walker. So I suggested a replacement coffee table. And Dad got right to work!

Pretty soon he had made it into boards, sanded it down, and put the pieces together to see how I liked the order.

I don't have more of his 'progress' pictures, but pretty soon he had it all built, then we chose a stain, and he stained it, varnished, and applied a wax topcoat. And then delivered it.

I love how he followed the natural pattern of the bark to make the rounded edges, it's so unique.

Our last table had this handy feature that the top lifted up, so I definitely wanted this one to do it too. And actually this one brings the top to a more appropriate level for working on the laptop or eating dinner, so that's awesome.

It's so beautiful. My dad is so talented!

another project

Also on my days off I have been slowly working on my dresser project. I followed this blog post from YHL to make my CraigsList wood dresser a bright white.

hauled this beast to the garage

took off all the old hardware

sanded it down

started painting the oil-based primer

all primed!

I filled the top smaller dresser screw holes so I could have one drawer pull instead of multiple handles. The next step was 2-3 very thin coats of latex based paint. My roller kept making tiny little peaks of paint so I had to brush the whole thing

and of course mine ended up needing 3 coats. Oh my gosh I was getting so bored painting the same thing over and over again. But I set my phone on the Brian Regan Pandora station and that really helped

the last step was applying an optional protective coating. I got so excited because I thought I had the product already so I grabbed what I had and painted on a coat of oil based polycrylic. Turns out that was only for stained wood and it left a slight yellow tinge to my dresser. Noooo!!! I talked to dad who said, yes, I needed the water-based polycrylic product (like the blog said) but it was too late now. So I was bummed. Always read the directions!!! They said they didn't notice it, but I do. Alas.

The last step was screwing on my updated hardware and now it's good to go! Well besides still missing the door, I couldn't find a new matching brushed nickle hinge so I have to somehow paint the old one to match, but other than that, done. I hope it holds up!

New Chair

I had been searching for a 'reading nook' chair for our bedroom for awhile. Well, not really actively searching, but wanting one. I was originally thinking about a white overstuffed chair.. they were just so expensive though. And then after seeing a nice leather chair on pinterest, I starting thinking about leather. (except not for $4k... who the heck?!?!)

I'm afraid of getting cloth things off craigslist. Unless it can be completely washed- I don't want whatever cat hair, cigarette smoke, or bed bugs could be lurking inside. But leather I felt could be 'washed' and isn't really as penetrable (read stainable) as other fabric. So I started looking and then found this beauty.

It was a good arm/back/quads workout to haul it up into our apartment, but now there is is.

Geez, our room looks so blah... someday I'd like a Pottery Barn looking bedroom, but until then, it is what it is.

I'm not sure if I love how it looks in our room yet. Maybe the cream would have been better. But it's a quality chair (so what if there are some scratches on it and the craigslist lady didn't tell me that the reclining foot part doesn't quite go all the way back in!), I felt like it was a good deal for the money and maybe if we didn't want it in the bedroom someday it would be a nice extra living room chair for our future house. It'd even match our brown couch.

But for now I have a reading chair :)