The Red Chest

Happy Sunday! Today I thought I'd share some changes I made in our Mud Room over the weekend. On Friday, Mr. Bliss took the day off from work and surprised me by taking me out to breakfast, Jersey Diner style. Afterwards we stopped at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore and I immediately spied with my little eye a set of three French Country pillows nestled on an old Victorian couch.

I got a closer look at the tag and realized the pillows were being sold with the couch. Of course I asked if I could just have the pillows, to which the mean old crotchety manager said no. I thought explaining that French Country pillows on an old Victorian couch doesn't make a lick of design sense wouldn't exactly get me on his good side. So instead I begged sweet-talked him into selling me just one. For two bucks.

Don't you know when I went to pay for that pillow another employee tried to take it! Fortunately the sweet lady at the register explained that I had already claimed it. You know what happened next??? Yep. She scooped up the other two!!! Whatev. I was happy with my one totally awesome, totally French Country, totally almost FREE pillow.


While in French Country mode, I came across The Red Chest. 

This beat-up, old, worn-out, chippy four-drawer chest missing a piece of hardware had seen better days for sure. But it had tons of character,

lots of storage space,

fabulous detailed mouldings and hardware AND it had wheels.

Let me just tell you that I love anything on wheels. Not because I'm lazy and don't like to lift heavy pieces of furniture from room to room. I do that every day without complaining. TIP: Whenever you see an antique on wheels, it is valuable. It is worth more money. I'm not talking about big fat castors. I mean little old rusty wheels. The Red Chest had perfectly rusted wheels, was only $25 and was coming home with me on the spot.

And unlike most times when I fall in love with a piece of furniture and worry about where to put it later, I knew exactly where The Red Chest was going to go. In my French Country Mud Room.

This used to be our laundry room.  Go here to read about the transformation.

I've always lusted for wanted a Butler's Pantry. I just love the idea of having that extra nook for storage of linens, dishes, glasses, etc. My Mud Room is directly off of the kitchen and with The Red Chest in there now, it sort of feels like a Butler's Pantry.

 Maybe not the fancy kind, but a more humble old farm house kind.

Here's The Red Chest all gussied up.

Rooster tray from a flea market.

Wire basket from a yardsale this weekend.

Things I stole moved from the Kitchen.

That's me in the picture.

Remember these billiard balls?

I decided I just couldn't part with them......

Thanks so much for visiting, I hope you're glad you did.  Stop by again!

xoxo,
Kim