There is something that has been filling my brain lately.  So much so that I have found a new league of  ”shopping”.  In my search for different things for our home (entry table, sectional, bookcases, tv stand, a desk, guest room bed, coffee table, rugs…to name a few) I have come to find a commonality: Furniture is dang expensive!

Over the past month I have come to find that furniture really helps a house feel like a home. Which is something that I’m missing about our new place.  In our townhouse it felt plenty homey, if anything we had too much in the space.  But that is not the case anymore…  With an extra bedroom, 1 more bathroom, a dining room, a separate living room AND den, we have run out of stuff to fill the space.   This was something I seriously didn’t expect. We had so many things filling every spot in the old place that I figured it would all finally feel comfortable, and not overly-full. Boy was I wrong.  Since the move I have been searching almost every store within a 50 mile-radius for new furnishings. In the past week my brain has completely switched directions.  What about altering furniture?!?!  See the potential in an item and MAKE it into what I’m wanting.  I can promise you the furniture is MUCH cheaper going this route, but I have discovered that keeping a positive attitude while getting your hands dirty can be difficult!

These are what I wish I could find…

This piece is really fun and opens up into a desk with  slots perfect for bills, envelopes, stamps, etc…

Then there is something bigger, which could look extraordinary with a coat of paint and new knobs:

The problem is in FINDING these beauties (or at least for a reasonable price tag!!)  That is why I have my brain tweaked in a different direction.  What if I took a piece like this:

Which I found with a simple search on craigslist.  Then altered the piece’s functionality into what I’m looking for.  For example, remove the bottom right cabinet to make space for a chair. Remove all the alc-e-hall to make room for a computer area, paint the piece my own color, turn cubbies into mail/letter/storage for easy organization…

Then end up with something like this!  Obviously it can’t look exactly the same, but you can get the idea of the similarities & functionality it could bring.

What do you think?  Is this “furniture altering” a bad idea? Or should I follow this crazy thought process?!?!   If anything I will learn a lot.  As long as it isn’t that I’m bad at carpentry…