8.03.2010

Just some paint

Yesterday I showed you the free tea box I got from my office. It was a DIY project just waiting to happen from the moment I saw it.


First step, outside to the back alley for a few coats of gray paint


The top was too plain so I took some scrap paper and a ruler and came up with this pattern


In order to get the pattern on the box I colored the back in with my pencil


Then I taped my pattern on the box top and just traced over the lines, kinda like a poor man's tracing paper. It left me with light pencil lines on the box to guide me when painting.

I didn't take any other pictures of the process, so here is the final outcome



The inside was filled with glue and would have been a pain to get off, so I covered some cardboard with orange fabric and it went from looking like this


to looking like this



The new box will be for my desk area and will hold the odds and ends that normally would make my drawerless desk look cluttered.  But now it looks neat and organized just how I like it.


Since the box was free and I already had all the supplies at home,  this was a $0 DIY makeover. 

63 comments:

Stephanie Sabbe said...

love it. I won't tell.

Julie said...

Amazing how something so simple can look so chic. Great work :)

Jade @ Flip Flops + Pearls Design said...

It looks great! What a simple project but produces big results!

Heather J said...

I like! Love the fact that it cost zero dollars. Even better!

Chedva @Rooms and Words said...

Beautiful. Love the color combination and the pattern.

Anonymous said...

Fabs! You're so crafty!

Rachel
xoxo

pve design said...

The best things in life a FREE!
love to see LEB monogram in the center-
pve

Kate said...

Too cute. And I love that little tracing trick -- I'll have to remember that!

Kate said...

Too cute. And I love that little tracing trick -- I'll have to remember that!

Jaime @ laviejaime said...

Looks fabulous! Bravo! :)

Saara {www.varv.ca} said...

we learned that tracing trick in color theory class when we had to copy a famous painting! such a good one! the box is cute...need one of those for my keys!

yvonne@designvignettes said...

I love the colors that you chose! Very nice!

Design Esquire said...

It looks awesome! Great job.

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

Fabulous!! Love the tracing technique, I used this method when painting a pattern on my fireplace and a tray I recently made. This box is beyond adorable and chic, love the orange interior!!
Janell

LindsB said...

Patricia, that is a great idea!! I might just have to add a little LEB in there :)

alison giese Interiors said...

Ooooh, can you make me one, too?!
ABsolutely love it!

Unknown said...

It is so gorgeous! Love the design on top! I am all about boxes, use them for everything, because I can't stand clutter! XO!

Leah said...

so pretty! it really does look amazing. i need to work on my organization skills so something like this might work for me too!

bluehydrangea said...

Love, love, love it!!

MFAMB said...

ass kicking.

Brooke @ Blueprint Bliss said...

LOVE it. I need one for my drawerless desk!!

liz @ bon temps beignet said...

love this! I just used the same "poor man's tracing paper" method on a plate...

http://bontempsbeignet.blogspot.com/2010/07/bye-bye-cherry-pie.html

And I'm painting a box right now that's your box's hippy twin. There are flowers carved into it but I'm painting over it and stenciling a quatrefoil design.

liz @ bon temps beignet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

love it! you are too creative. now i feel lik ei have things lying around I need to work on. hmmmm

René said...

You have inspired me! It is beautiful!

-Rene

Teresa Hatfield ~ Splendid Sass said...

So beautiful, and such a great idea!esa (Splendid Sass)
Ter

Aja said...

Very cute! I love that you made your own stencil!

Anonymous said...

I love it! Can you share the type and color of the paint??

alison (semi-fab lane) said...

wow, you rock! i love it!

Kelly Green said...

Excellent work my friend! KG

That Girl in Pearls said...

Wow! That came out fabulous! Way to go! So much more special too.

PS I'm doing a giveaway to promote charity. Come check it out!
B.

Oona Johnson said...

Super awesome! Gotta love free fabulous-ness, no?

Mary said...

This is genius! I love the contrast of the gray and orange - so cute!

Jessica O'Brien said...

love the orange + gray combo. great job! thanks for sharing w/ us!

xo, jessica
http://www.jessicafulkerson.blogspot.com

Amy Meier said...

The color, pattern and size are just perfect! Fabulous execution. You have to love a $0 DIY project.
Best,
Amy Meier

L.Duncan@Home23DuncanBoys said...

OMG OMG OMG!!!! that is too cool! I agre with patricia, add LEB in the middle!

LOVE IT!

justagirlLaura said...

This is amazing! I love it so much!!

Full House said...

Super duper pretty. You should take great pride in your nre handy dandy box because noy only did you make it but it s pretty and very stylish...and YOU love orange.

Jen of MadeByGirl said...

soo PRETTY! well done. :))))

Emily A. Clark said...

I have to say I wasn't sure what you were going to do with that box :) But, this looks really beautiful. I'm not sure my stencil design would look so straight and nice if I did this myself. Love it.

LindsB said...

Anon @ 4:41- I just used light gray spray paint for the whole thing and the white was done with some left over Ben Moore paint I had from a chair project. The whole thing got a coat of clear lacquer spray at the end. Hope that helps

LindsB said...

Emily, I actually used my drawing board to sketch up the pattern, it was much easier this way because I knew all the lines would be straight :)

paula said...

No way! Its gorgeous!

designstiles said...

Oh wow, love it. Maybe you could make more and sell them. : )
I'd buy one.

an old fashioned girl said...

awesome!!

Unknown said...

That is incredibly creative. And it looks so nice now! Good job...you're inspiring me to do more with the things I keep wanting to make over.
Thanks!

kayce hughes said...

Beautiful!

liz @ bon temps beignet said...

just finished...
http://bontempsbeignet.blogspot.com/2010/08/quatrefoiled-plans.html

deliciously organized said...

LOVE IT

Lindsay said...

So impressed Lindsay! Free DIY projects are the best kinds aren't they?

P.S thanks for the early b-day wishes, it's on saturday :)

Fargerike Dagny said...

WOW! I love it!!!

Send it here! lol...

xx
dagny

North of 25A said...

That is amazing. Tracing the lines scares me though... Silly I know, but I am really artistically challenged.
Beautiful work.
Best,
Colleen

North of 25A said...

That is amazing. Tracing the lines scares me though... Silly I know, but I am really artistically challenged.
Beautiful work.
Best,
Colleen

Naomi@DesignManifest said...

Lurves it! The geometric pattern, the subdued color and the pop! inside.

great job.

Karyn said...

completely inspired. i have a box that has outlived my interest in it, a can of spray paint and some fabric. i think i'll round them up!

Cristin // Simplified Bee said...

wow, beautiful transformation. such a classic look too!

Karen said...

You are so crafty and resourceful! I love this.

Unknown said...

Best DIY project I've seen!
xo Elizabeth

Rachel said...

Wow!! It looks like a million bucks - it turned out really well!! And the orange fabric over some cardboard is a great trick.

SHERRY HART said...

Whoa...Shut The Front Door....you rocked that little box! It is now a gem.
Sherry

Fran said...

Where have I been? Am I the last one to see this?? Gorgeous!! Love it!!!

Jay said...

love love love the color combo!

Unknown said...

I love the bright orange painton the interior of the box!

Rachel