Monday Jackpot: Craigslist Booty, Before and After, and a New DIY.

I spent the first few days of this year reading blogs that were new to me. First, I stumbled upon Brooklyn Limestone and read every post in her blog detailing the amazing transformation of her house from haunted to hubba-hubba.

If that didn't make me feel like a founding member of Underachievers Anonymous, I started reading Little Green Notebook. This young designer mom with two toddlers and a newborn kicks DIY ass and takes designer names on a weekly basis. Talk about feeling the need to step up your game.

My first project of the year was a small DIY of recovering the kitchen chairs with faux croc from JoAnn fabrics. Then I moved onto the project of making roman shades from mini-blinds as found on Little Green Notebook combined with a real roman shades project from Martha Stewart. I never realized how simple (if time-consuming) it is to make roman shades.

But when I saw the photo above on isuwanee and the project below from High Street Market, I fell in love and knew I had to get me some faux bamboo.


Here's how she found it:


Then when I saw this black version on 1st Dibs for $4500, I began my frenetic search.

So, I scoured Craigslist until I found this in Boston - a full set of Henry Link Bali Hai circa 1972 or so:


After weeks of waiting for its delivery, it is now mine. I really only needed the dresser or chest for our bedroom but I can use the rest around the house or at the beach. I also found a shipping company that will ship items up and down the eastern seaboard for reasonable prices. Email me if you'd like the info because I just noticed a dresser and chest on Craigslist in High Point, NC (apologies to MFAMB for getting dangerously close to her territory).

So, now I just need to get a power sander and get to town on this project. Either the dresser or chest is going to go in the Imperial Trellis project bedroom. What do you think: Dresser or chest? Black or white?