Friday

I See Benches

You know we own an old building right?  It was once a barber shop with an upstairs apartment where the owners lived.

Forever and ever they lived there.  And nothing changed, they lived very simply.

Their two sons had one small room with a bunk bed.  The bed was stained in a 1950's blonde wood color, old but in pristine condition.


For a brief time the bunk bed went to live at our oldest sons house where he painted it black.  When he was done with it (because he made two new beds for two exceptionally adorable kids) the beds came back to our garage.

There were two head boards, and two foot boards.  When it returned to us I no longer saw old head and foot boards, I saw four benches.

I blame Gail at MyRepurposedLife for what I saw, because seriously she can make a bench out of any headboard ever made.  I take that back, she can make a bench out of anything, period.


The first bench was sized for an open spot on our front porch.  Old wood was used from the junk wood pile, making this redo cost zero.... unless you count the price of the building that came with the bunk bed.

I painted it outside instead of in my entry way, and I was as surprised by this fact as anyone.  Yes I was in my jammies and had one ear tuned to the South in case the UPS man were to drive in.

I stained/and/or/painted every slat slightly different shades of whatever we had around, then I did a wash of dark stain, wiped it off and varnished it.  If you look to the right in the above photo you will see two sample pots of paint.


Let me say right now I don't like waiting for varnish to dry.



Until I get to the nursery for some porch flowers there is one outdoor pillow to keep the bench company.  The weatherman says only 38* tonight.   Geeze!


The camera caught an apparition on the right.  See it?  The hazy smokey white shape?  Or are you like me and see benches?

Now the UPS man has a place to set my packages.

Vintage Headboard bench is linking on up at:


It's Party Time @Three Mango Seeds 
Wow Us Wednesdys @Savvy Southern Style 
Budget Decorating Ideas @Creative Cain Cabin 
Time to Sparkle @The Gunny Sack 
Project Inspired @Cupcakes and Crinoline 
Creatively Tuesday @The Rustic Pig 
Show and Share @Southern Lovely 

Proud to have the headboard bench featured at:
The Rustic Pig



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48 comments :

  1. Beautiful pieces! I'd open some sort of shop downstairs and live upstairs. A dream of mine.
    Brenda

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  2. Love! We have building benches and stools like crazy...we've sold some in less than 24 hours. I like the different stains.

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  3. That looks so good, what a great idea.

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  4. I love it and so glad I am not the only fool painting in my jammies.

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  5. Cute, cute! I like how you left some of the slats natural. That gives it a more eclectic look.

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  6. Cute! and I'm another one with paint on every pair of pjs I own.

    We should start a support group.

    xox

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  7. Nice Bliss! I like it....and the ghost... a friend of yours stopping by to check out the bench???
    Nice job, Gail would be proud!
    Susan

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  8. What a great bench. I really like all the different colors.

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  9. Oh my gosh Bliss!!! I LOVE, love, love this bench! I love the curved end pieces on the seat, the colors, everything about it. I want to go make a bench just like this right now! I have tons of headboards, and lots of spare wood. love it I tell you! must.make.one.now!
    sharing on fb, pinning, so I don't forget how much I love it! lol

    great job girl!!!

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  10. Might be the ghost of an original building owner checking out their bed/bench. Great job and glad you didn't flash the UPS driver!

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  11. What a great project, Bliss...I love the styling and colors...really great!

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  12. Your bench is wonderful. The perfect spot for it too! Great job!

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  13. Haha, I caught painting moulding last week in my mammies by an electric company sales guy. I love the bench, great idea to use all the different colours.

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  14. Wow, I really love the colors and style of your bench. What a great way to repurpose those pieces! So glad you varied the color on the seat. Makes it so much more interesting!

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  15. Oh that is just lovely! I have 2 headboards in my shed (left by some of our renters)...now I know what to do with them! Thanks for the inspiration. Do you have apparitions often??!!

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  16. This is amazing, Bliss! I love the different shades of varnish. We are trying to do something similar with an old slatted coffee table. But it's still sitting in my garage in the "stripped" stage. I see procrastinators. ;)
    Love this!

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  17. Is this like seeing dead people but less creepy??? I LOVE this bench. I really like how you finished it!!

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  18. Love it, the history, the colors (it's not white!)...perfect. I believe that is a ghost coming to sit on your bench to reminisce the barber shop...back in the day.

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  19. A perfect piece for that spot! I love how you stained each slat differently!! You are the queen!!

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  20. We have ghosts...I think everyone does.
    Your bench is beautiful...have you checked for ghostly images in your varnish?
    Maybe they left you a message.

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  21. Great work, Bliss! I'm sure it's a *nice* ghost ;-)

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  22. You did it again. What a beautiful transformation. I am a little disappointed...this would have been a perfect opportunity for you to do a self portrait, wearing your jammies painting this bench :). Are you worried, now that it's done, that it might make its way back home with one of the kids?

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  23. Perfect for that spot! I've been on the hunt for a tiny pew for a small spot in our entry and they are not easy to find like this. Love the multicolored slats!

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  24. Bliss, I'd rather be seen in my pj's. My paint clothes are tragic! That bench is such a perfect fit!! What did you end up using? I sure would love to share, and I know they will ask ;) Happy, Happy Mother's Day weekend lady.

    Oh... and yeah, you need a trailer :)))

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  25. Love the bench and what you did to the top. I am running out to my shop right now to figure out what I can make and do that top treatment to ;) Always inspiring!

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  26. I love the every other slat colors. Super idea! Super cold here in northern Minnesota today too!

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  27. I love benches on porches... and yours has a story which makes it even cooler. Great project, Bliss!
    xo Heidi

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  28. I love it. I've wanted to make something like that for the mud room for a long time but never have the courage to actually start it. You are so talented.

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  29. Bravo! Love the bravery of you painting outside in jammies. Cute pillow too.

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  30. i see dead people. and benches.... the bench is awesome and would make me want to come back from the dead to sit on it, too.

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  31. Bliss this is just AMAZING!!!! I love how you finished all the slats differently! I really really love it! And I am like you, I see benches too, and I too can blame it on Gail at MRL! She is awsome, as are you!!!

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  32. Great bench. I love all the different colored slats. Very original.

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  33. Great project! I really, really like the different colors for the slats...so smart! I have a couple old twin beds from a Sorority house bunk set that I've been saving to do this too. Now I want to make one tomorrow after seeing yours!

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  34. I love the colors you chose! Lovely.

    It was a sweet and sublime 39 degrees as I headed out to the Race for the Cure this morning. I had to borrow my sister's earmuffs. EARMUFFS!!

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  35. This is one of the best re-dos I've seen. Love the different stains on each slat which btw is kinda how a lot of my pj's look too! You mean I'm not supposed to paint in pajamas?
    As for the smokey apparition, I'm thinking that's just the trail you left when burning up the paint brushes...or your candle at both ends!
    Deb

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  36. Love the way this turned out! Nice job missy!

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  37. I really like the different stained slats. Nice touch!

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  38. It's gorgeous Bliss - and fits in that little nook perfectly!!!
    Staining in your jammies is ok - but not outside - can't you put joggers or something on LMHO
    I DO see that Porch Ghost - I DO!!!!!!!!
    XXX

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  39. Wait! You mean not everyone paints in their jammies? That ghosty apparition was just waiting for a place to sit!

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  40. Great transformation again! If you place the pillow off to the left, your bench says "Hi". :)

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  41. I only saw a bench until you mentioned the haze. Maybe a ghost wanting to sit on your bench. I love the bench by the way, great choice of lumber colors. Thanks for sharing at the Cabin's BUDGET DECORATING PARTY.

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  42. This is a great re-do. I saw it at Love Grows Wild Link Party

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  43. That's so cute! I love the different color slats in the seat!

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  44. Ooooh, ghosts at Bliss Ranch! How exciting. And clearly they needed a place to sit and rest awhile ...

    :) Linda

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  45. Oh benches are my favorite redouxs. In fact, I think Gail from my repurposed life started that love. I LOVE the different stained slats. So cute! The UPS man would have been very impressed, but with your jammies, and the project.

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  46. This. Is. So. COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  47. I love this so much! What a gorgeous bench. I love that you did each board a different color. Awesome!

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  48. I love that you painted the bench in different colors. I also love the sentimental history of the headboard/footboard.

    Great project...the jury is out on seeing ghosts or seeing benches... I think I prefer to see benches.

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