Bakers Racks

Bakers Racks are so useful.  They've been around for ages.  I got my first one at least 20 years ago.   I've used it for all sorts of things - to hold towels in a bathroom, to hold cookbooks in the kitchen, as a plant stand, and lately, as a launch pad in our coatroom. It started out black and many years back, I painted it hunter green.  At the time, I thought changing it to hunter green was wonderful.  The poor thing has been neglected since then. And you know it's been a long, long time since hunter green was "in". 

But then, at a yard sale this weekend, I spied a very pretty bakers rack, (larger than our old launch pad rack).  I sweetly asked if it was for sale and held my breath.  The lady said she really didn't want to sell it.  She liked it.  She didn't know why her husband brought it out for the sale.  Anyway, if she sold it, she'd have to have at least $10.  My heart rate increased. I tried to look calm - not too eager or pushy.  I guess I'll take it for 10.  She still wasn't sure.  She'd have to ask her husband.  Her husband, my new best friend, wanted her to get rid of it.  They were redoing the room.  They'd get something nice and new.  It came home with me and after a very brief thought of putting it in the booth for display, ended up giving my coat room a nice lift. I hope the lady who sold it to me gets something she loves.

 Now, I'm going to work up my nerve and show you the old one, in exactly the state it was in just before the transformation process began.

Ohhh Honey... am I really posting this photo?

What a mess.  The old green one is smaller.  I try to keep it looking neater than this, but when things get hectic, it quickly becomes a mess.  Like I said, this is our launch pad.  It holds our keys and umbrellas and whatever we'll need as we come and go. My purse even looks unhappy in this picture!

So, the old green one is now in the attic awaiting a makeover (with the Rustoleum oil rubbed bronze that I've fallen in love with!)

The new one is taller - four shelves instead of three.  And the shelves are wider.  There's plenty of room in this corner, so the larger size of the rack is an improvement.  And it folds flat, so it will be super easy to move should I ever want to do so.

The shelves are very pretty!  I just love those swirls.

I had so much room after organizing the necessities, 

that I was able to add in a little fall arrangement.

I plan to replace the Longaberger basket on the bottom shelf with something else - not sure what.  It will need to be something tall, otherwise our darling cats will get into it and pull out whatever is there.  Honestly!  We don't have pets - they have us!!!

This is our other bakers rack.  I got it on sale, at a incredibly low price, at Home Depot at least 5 years ago.  Right now, it's home to our salad planters.  In July, I posted about how much I wanted a Salad Table.  As cool as those tables are, in the end I decided to use planters on this rack so I could easily bring it inside when the weather turns cold.  I want fresh lettuce and spinach all winter long.  This rack also folds flat.  It will be a cinch to move inside in a few months.

So far, my growing plan is working great.  I've staggered the planting.  I'm already eating lettuce from two of the containers.  Supposedly, I should be able to snip off some leaves and the plant will keep growing.  I will probably fill the old green bakers rack with more salad plants.  I love salads and it doesn't get any fresher than this. 

I almost forgot - I have a fourth bakers rack.  Uh-oh. Am I becoming obsessed? 

This one is also on our kitchen porch.  It's sort of a holding spot for plants.  Most of the things growing here are going to be moved or replanted soon. 

It's a little delicate looking for my tastes.  The flowers are painted in pastels (not as bright as they appear in the closeup).  I haven't been able to bring myself to paint it. I can't picture this rack painted black or bronze.  Maybe a grey/silver/galvanized look could be interesting. Or a bright fun color???  Or... maybe I should leave it as is, and sell it to someone who will love it just as it is.  I think it's pretty, but I don't really decorate with pastels.  This one also folds up.

Bakers racks come in so many sizes and styles and serve so many purposes.

Here are some pretty ones I found while browsing -

I love the slightly industrial look of this one from Sweet Nothings.

This one from Simply Sailing got a makeover including a piece of leftover counter-top.

This one from Lomond View was used outside at a reception.

Kay Ellen decorated hers for Christmas.

Here's another one using for entertaining - as seen on Apartment Therapy.

As seen on Old Sweetwater Cottage

Another great one found on Old Sweetwater Cottage

Now, are you excited about baker's racks or what!?!


Be sure to check out my Porch and Garden Party.  It's not too late to join in!

I've joined in with the following parties:
Anything Related at All Thingz Related

Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm
Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lane
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Vintage Inspiration Fridays at Common Ground
Fab Friday at Frugal and Fabulous Design
Home and Family Fridays at Home is Where My Story Begins 
It's a HodgePodge Friday at It's a HodgePodge Life
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home 
I'm Lovin' It Fridays at Tidy Mom 
Alphabet Thursday at Mrs. Matlock's 

Mirror Makeover in Oil Rubbed Bronze

A few weeks ago I bought a Pepto Bismol Pink mirror at a yard sale.  No doubt, it had been in a sweet little girl's room.  The mirror is wrought iron - nice and heavy - and I decided it would look really nice brought back to a darker color.

The Before - I was just about to start spraying when I remembered to take a before shot.

I have been hearing about Rustoleum's oil rubbed bronze on blogs for a few months.  I couldn't find the color at my local Wal-Mart, so I bought a dark brown multicolored textured instead.  That didn't work out so well.

Luckily, I only bought one can, which I thought would be plent. The can had 25% more - that ought to do it.  In the photo above, you can see the mirror.  That's how it looked after the entire can. The coverage was terrible and the color wasn't what I had in mind.  I was going to have to get more spray paint, so I went to HD this time, and found the oil rubbed bronze I had been after in the first place. YEAH!!!  I bought 4 cans.  That way, I'd have plenty for the mirror and hopefully, extra for other projects.  

The Rustoleum Universal Metallic covered so much better.  I ended up using all of one can and a few squirts from a second can.

It's hard to take a good picture of a mirror.  The photo above doesn't do it justice.  It really turned out nice.

close up view, so you can see the rich color

 The oil rubbed bronze is everything it was rumored to be.  I highly recommend it.  The color is fabulous - very dark, almost black - and it covers like a dream.  The trigger spray nozzle is a little miracle in itself - easier to use and less messy.

The mirror is going to my booth, where I hope it will be found by someone who thinks it's as pretty as I do.  I can't keep it.  A standing mirror does not belong in a home with four big dogs.   My decorating choices have plenty of limitations!

Note:  The oil rubbed bronze is available in spray AND brush-on.  I started to get a can of the brush-on, too, but changed my mind.  I wish I had gotten it.  I thought the mirror was finished and removed the paper.  When I moved the mirror down to load it in the car, I found a couple of spots of pink in hard to get to places. I had to re-tape the mirror to spray again.  Ugh.  The brush-on would have made those touch ups so easy.

Be sure to check out my Porch and Garden Party.  It's not too late to join in!

I've joined in with the following parties:
Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Something I Whipped Up Monday at The Girl Creative 
Motivate Me Monday at Keeping it Simple
Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter
Weekly Treasures at Southern Hospitality