before and after by Grace Bonney 50

before & after: kristin’s couch + kim’s office calendar


this couch from photographer kristin eldridge really grabbed me for some reason. the new look is so pretty and feminine and fresh- and it doesn’t hurt that kristin sure know how to take a good photo. kristin loves to rehab old furniture to use in her work, so click here to check out more of her photography. thanks, kristin!

[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just shoot me an email right here with your images (low res, please).]

CLICK HERE to see kim’s office wall calendar after the jump!


stylist kim gray redid this office wall as a project for plascon paints magazine. using chalkboard paint and some brightly colored office accessories, she transformed a boring white wall into a vibrant- and functional- office space. great work, kim!


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50 Comments

Avril

When I saw the sofa “before” I knew it was going to be a good “after” but I expected it painted white with a wild, modern, colorful print that we’ve seen so much of lately. Those are always fun, but the actual after is so beautiful, so unexpected and so incredibly elegant and timeless, yet still fresh! I’m going hunting for a stuffed piece like that today!

missddt

LOVE the sofa. Very elegant. And that calendar is too cool. There’s no excuse to forget what day it is :D

emilykristin

i would love to be able to see the possibility of old furniture that way. I’m usually a don’t-paint-wood girl, but I like the way the white brings out the cut-out pattern in the center, making it feel much lighter and highlighting its elegance, and I love the choice of white fabric.

Laura

That sofa is gorgeous! I love how the white paint makes the beautiful carved details come out of the woodwork.

Andrea

The detail in that sofa is beautiful, I love that she simplified the colors. It makes it all standout without being too busy. So elegant, great job!

Stacey

Eh…it’s okay, but if I had gone to all that effort and put in all the time that took, I would have gone with something *much* brighter/interesting to look at…and not probably not touched that pretty wood with paint!

sara Amrhein

Fabulous couch! Wow! What a difference some paint and fabric makes! I would love to find something like that for the apartment my husband and I are currently restoring! bravi!

Jeff

That couch is unbelievable! What vision! So smart to accentuate such a brilliant piece of furniture without running the risk of taking attention away from those being photographed on it. Well done.

Sandy

the before of the couch does not look that bad from afar, it’s a nice pattern. but the after is sooo stunning, crisp and beautiful!

MaryJane

I LOVE this sofa. I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for something similar next time I hit the salvation armys and goodwills.

itswhatshewants.wordpress.com

St. Cristopher

Oh wow, look…another piece of furniture painted white. What a creative idea.

It DOES look nice and kudos for bringing it back from the edge of death, but is this “idea” SO the majority of submissions that it looks as if it’s the only thing people can think of to do to a tired piece?

Laurianne Houtman

I love the working space calendar. But when it turns april you have to remove everything again, just to paint the new month…Or do you just love the month march? Don’t get me wrong: I still love it =D

britt

can you send me some insight on how to do this? I would really like to learn and I have a chair that would be perfect for this!

rae :]

Love it! I picked up a similar, tattered, victorian chair with a “free” sign on it by the road and it’s been in my garage waiting for my inspiration! Got it – thanks!!

sheil

The couch is an absolutely beautiful elegant redo. When I saw it , I felt like a breath of fresh air filled my room.

Richard Rothstein

Goes to show you how well a quality piece of furniture will last, given the right person who knows how to bring it back to life. I’m printing out the Before & After shots for inspiration — thanks!

Laura Marten

Here is a pic of a sofa I found on the streets – Park Avenue and East 20th.

/Users/lauramarten/Desktop/The Sofa after.psd
/Users/lauramarten/Desktop/old sofa before.psd

Sarah

I love this–so sweet and elegant. To those complaining about “yet another piece of furniture redone in white,” I’d remind you that this woman is a photographer and uses her furniture as props. The little girl on the sofa against the green background is sublime, and it wouldn’t have worked nearly as well with a bright color or distracting print.

Susannah

That sofa was a complete surprise–how original-she brought it to life with a timeless appeal. Could fit in almost any room. The upholstery job must have been difficult, I wish I had the nerve to try to do one!

Jake

hmmm… that seems like a lot of work for one month of calendar. Maybe there could be a way to make it more universal to fit more than one month?

Kim Gray

To Answer Laurianne re the Calendar – the white lines are actually wall peeping through after removing masking tape – so you only have to rub out the month and numbers every month – not the whole calendar! :)

Thanks for the mention! xx

katie jean

I love this couch! I just thrifted one that is purple and am looking for some great inspiration. Thanks for posting such great before and after pics.

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