I’ve been working on making over my family room for weeks.
The new couch I sold a kidney to buy finally came and, contrary to my normal behavior, I’ve really gotten into redoing the whole room.
We don’t have a lot of rooms in our home that feel like mine. Every room just seems to be taken over by The Dudes, including my own. But, when the couch showed up I got inspired to create a space I could relax in and enjoy looking at too.
Sure, sure, I let them in here, I just make them stay out of my seat and keep their cruddy stuff offa my couch.
And I get to control the TV in here (they have TVs in other rooms they can be the boss of), which means if I want to watch Austin & Ally Fantasy Island American Idol, then that’s what we watch.
My overall goal is mine cozy. Soothing, and soft, and warm (I guess those are all part of being cozy, right?).
Naturally, I started with a soft throw, the most important element in any self respecting family room.
I also added some new frames, and I overhauled an old floor mirror (will show you soon!) to hang on the wall. I ordered new pillow covers (the ones that came on the couch scream elderly living center), and I got rid of the toy box, and I redid this old basket that they were using to put junk in.
Everything was coming together nicely and then I realized I need somewhere to set my warm drinks in the morning. But, we’d never been coffee and end table owners (they are Dude head magnets and take up too much space besides) choosing to get by instead exclusively on a TV tray I’ve had since college.
But that no longer felt quite right. Because it was wobbly, and dirty (is that spaghetti sauce? Maaaaybe?), and it had a sticker on it, and a cheapness about it that made me hide it in shame.
I wanted something more intentional and less hey-I’m-too-tired-to-care-or-try.
In an effort to complete my new happy space, I nearly dropped a ridiculous amount of cash on a grown up lady table , but then I realized that would be silly. There’s hardly any space as it is (what, with the new luxury minivan sectional we ordered), and there wasn’t really anything structurally wrong with the tray I had, it just needed a refreshment.
So, yep…
And, I love it so, so much!
Best part, it was just super simple to make.
Sanded it down a bit, taped it off and painted the bottom parts of the legs gold (to match my mirror and the lamp I ordered). I painted the top section with the $3 sample paint I snagged at Lowes.
Then, I removed the tape and painted a gray stripe around the legs, for contrast and intrigue. And just because I had some extra paint I’ve been wanting to use. I finished it off with a light seal so my ice cold beverages won’t mess it up.
Put my flowers in my favorite DIY’d vase (it’s just glittery tape, but it looks so fancy), and voila, grown up lady table! For a whopping $7.
It’s a TV tray, but man is it pretty.