OMG We Bought A House! Episode 5: Be Our Guest(Room)!

Joey's parents wanted to come visit and see our first house so we had to quickly get the guest room guest-ready! Watch the video above to see the entire transformation including how we spruced up a thrift store dresser in a matter of hours.
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OMG the in-laws are coming! If you missed it, see Episode 4: See You at the Altar and watch all of the OMG We Bought A House episodes here!

Joey's parents wanted to come visit and see our first house so we had to quickly get the guest room guest-ready! Watch the video above to see the entire transformation including how we spruced up a thrift store dresser (that we got for $60) in a matter of hours using a two-tone design, textured spray paint and rope handles.

Please comment and let us know what you think. Is it in-law ready? We still have a lot to do... including getting some actual curtains in the guest room. What should we do next?
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The original color of this room was an orange - see the old orange paint
We painted over it with a dusty blue color and the tray ceiling in pure white and put in our old queen size bed and a dresser we got at the thrift store.
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Ta da! I love the way the dresser turned out- the two tone is a perfect mix of masculine and feminine and the sand textured spray paint really covered the imperfections on the drawers. The canopy bed is a Campaign Canopy Bed. Now all we need is some blindes and a rug... always a work in progress but I think for now, it's cozy and welcoming for guests.
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DIY Two Tone Textured Dresser with Rope Handles
Prep It:
  • an old dresser (we found ours at a thrift store)
  • a drop cloth
  • sand paper
  • natural rope - we used 3/8" diameter
  • paint brushes
  • spray paint primer in white if you're going light or grey if you're going darker
  • x-acto knife or scissors to cut rope
  • contact cement (optional, to secure the rope knots)
  • gray paint (we used Valspar's Man Cave)
  • white textured spray paint
  • wood putty - optional if you need to fill in any holes from the previous drawer pulls
  • drill with a 1/2" drill bit
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DO IT!:

  • Remove old hardware and plug up any unneeded holes with wood putty, let dry and sand smooth.
  • Drill holes for rope handles - either drill the existing holes larger or create new ones. We used 3/8" rope and drilled 1/2" holes.
  • Sand down any super rough areas on surfaces you're not painting with the textured spray paint and white clean with a damp rag
  • Spray the body of the dresser with the gray primer, and the drawers with white primer.
  • Paint the body the color of your choice, and use the textured spray paint for the drawers. Let dry.
  • Cut lengths of rope for the handles - make sure to give yourself enough slack to tie two knots. Tie a knot on one end and feed the rope through the two holes, creating a loop in the front of the drawer and tie a second knot on the inside of the drawer. Trim the rope and you can use contact cement to secure the knot if needed.
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Decor supplies!
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That painting I did in high school using watercolors, the chair is from the thrift store (which I want to reupholster soon) and the straw bags are from the flea market. A tray of rolled white towels is a fun touch of spa luxury for your guests.
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I kept the bedding white with accent pillows and throw blankets to bring in color and texture.
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What do you think? Will our guests like it? How about those rolled towels!?

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