Farrow and Ball, my favorite source for beautiful paint, asked me to participate in their Flea Market Challenge, and of course I couldn't say no. Here was the challenge: find a piece of furniture at a flea market, paint it, and style. #finditpaintitloveit (for all of you wanting to join in too!). Sounds like a Lars challenge for sure, right?! I thought it would be the perfect way to kick off my new column, Making a House a Home in a Rental.This column has been on the back burner for the past year and a half, ever since we moved back from Denmark. We moved into a typical basement apartment and I haven't done a thing stylistically to it. But here's the question, CAN it be done to the typical basement apartment? Can a home be made beautiful and personal when it's meant for renter after renter? I think some of the best creative challenges come from these existing conditions so the designer in me says YES!
By starting with some flea market furniture pieces and transforming them with a bit of paint, you wouldn't believe the giddiness I'm feeling here with step 1. It's already transformed our place! I found this hutch/dresser in a shade of green, which I didn't think was bad, just not in great condition. I loved the hardware and knew I wanted to keep it. I also knew I didn't want to get crazy with it so I chose to stick to a one color makeover.
There you have it folks! The transformation. I chose Farrow and Ball's Off Black. I didn't want it too harsh, but something a tinge softer so it would play well with the other colors. I chose black because I knew I wanted it to act as a canvas for the things I put on the hutch like tons and tons of shades of old pink books. I LOVE how it turned out! I styled it with other pink and green accents with dashes of black and white so it would be one part graphic, one part soft, and one part earthy. It's all in the styling! 
I picked up this black and white folk bird from the local thrift store. I love how he works so well. I also didn't realize that I had used 4 birds in this vignette, really bringing home the concept of "put a bird on it."
Thank you to Farrow and Ball for creating this challenge so I could get crackin on my year and a half delay. And feel free to add your voice into the conversation. Find a piece, paint it, love it! #finditpaintitloveitThank you to the sponsors like Farrow and Ball who make this blog possible! And if you would like to participate in the Making a House a Home in a Rental series, email me! Let's see how we can work together! [email protected]
Photography by Trisha Zemp
assisting by Laura Sumrak
