Samantha Miller Interiors

Painting Patterns on Furniture…

Refinishing furniture is one of my favorite things to do. I have worked on numerous pieces over the years, but I would say painting bohemian/tribal prints on different types of furniture has been the most fun.

I first saw this done on a chest of drawers on Pinterest and instantly knew I had to try it! A very talented lady from www.Howdy-Honey.com refinished this piece. A girl after my own heart!

Here is the version I created for my son’s bedroom. After it turned out so beautifully I knew I was hooked!

I found my next piece of furniture to tackle with a similar style, which happened to be a dresser that had been sitting in my garage for years. I never cared for this dresser, so it sat, pushed aside with no use other than to take up space. I’m so glad I gave it a chance rather than going out and buying a different piece to complete my boys’ bedroom.

I forgot to take a before pic, but just imagine this image without the blue painters tape all over it and with round, wooden knobs….. To get started, I took off all the knobs and then taped off the design I wanted with painters tape. I had to use a ruler and do some good measuring to make sure my pattern fit properly and my angles were consistent.

The first piece I painted with the tribal pattern was raw wood with black so I knew I wanted to make this piece a little different. I mixed it up a bit by using grey and black on the raw wood. I decided not to paint the top of the dresser because my boys are rough on furniture and I didn’t want it to get all scratched up.

After I finished painting, I distressed it a little and added knew knobs I found at Hobby Lobby.

I am so happy with how it turned out!

My next furniture tackle was a chair I had bought at a yard sale for $10. I purchased it to complete the office makeover I did for the One Room Challenge hosted by www.CallingItHome.com with media partner House Beautiful magazine. This is the side of the chair where I decided to give painting patterns another go.

Just like the dresser, I taped it off to be sure I had straight and accurate lines and angles. Then I painted it with a creamy white chalk paint.

Here is a close up of the finished product after I painted the wood frame of the chair and sanded everything down to give it an aged look.

The pattern painting didn’t end there. I scored this old, wooden curio wall shelf for $1 at a yard sale and decided to liven it up. I painted it with a coat of Fuchsia spray paint I had left over from another project. This took no time at all and was so much easier than trying to brush on paint in all those little cubicles. As if Fuchsia wasn’t bold enough, I had to add the boho pattern to it as well. I free handed this with a white paint pen. Paint pens are my new best friend.

So now this little beauty hangs in my craft nook as my personal glitter holder!

Don’t be scared to step outside the box and take your creativity to the next level! I hope these pieces inspired you to painting a pattern of your own.

Be bold and dreamers keep on dreaming….

Taking a step back and reflecting on the goodness of God….

Giving God glory is always appropriate no matter what time of year it is, but I think even more so during this Thanksgiving season.

I have spent alot of time reflecting on where I’ve been, where I am now and praying about where Gods taking me. God has done an amazing work in my heart over the past year and a half and the journey I have been on has taught me so much about the character of God and has strengthened my relationship with Him.

About 18 months ago is when one of the largest trials I have been through began. I was on the verge of making a decision that would have changed the course of my family’s life, but instead God was merciful, hedged up my way, turned it all around and led us to where We are today.

After this initial decision, God was moving in my heart in a huge way. The Lord was drawing me closer and closer to him. When I thought I had reached a good place in my relationship with the Lord, little did I know another trial was about to begin.

A year ago this month, Cyber criminals infiltrated into my wholesale clothing business and took everything from me that I had worked so hard to build. I had designed a children’s clothing line and sold wholesale to over 150 boutiques throughout the US. I had gone from a home based, one woman business to bringing on multiple employees and contracting out other companies for manufacturing. God had been blessing!

BUT THEN….

It all came to a screeching halt. The type of crime that was committed against me was not covered by insurance and I was left with nothing but debt. I knew that not only was my business over but our personal financial situation as a family was in jeopardy as well. That thought made my whole body ache because I felt responsible for what had happened.

I must admit that I had already been praying about the Lord’s will for my business and felt as though he was telling me to close the doors, but I doubted what I heard thinking, “how could this be God’s will?” I decided to move forward with one more season while I continued to ask the Lord for confirmation. It was during this season that the cyber infiltration and crime happened. I often think that if I had obeyed the Lord when I heard him speak the first time none of this would have happened, but I allowed doubt to determine my decision. As hard as it is to believe, I feel that God allowed this crime against my business to force me to close the doors since I didn’t do it on my own.

I don’t blame God for what happened, but have learned a big lesson from it. When you hear God, OBEY IMMEDIATELY!

After it all happened I spent hours every day praying and begging God to perform a miracle and return to us what was taken. I was ok with my business being over and knew that was God’s will, but the personal financial burden this put my family in was crushing. I was reading my Bible more than ever and my faith was strong. I expected God to move immediately and looked every day for that miracle. It wasn’t coming and I struggled through what I thought was unanswered prayer and lack of faith on my part. My prayers continued, and my walk with God deepened. As God revealed himself to me and worked in my heart in a deeper way my prayers changed. They went from begging for deliverance to being settled and content in knowing that our lives may never be the same again. I was now at peace knowing that God had chosen this for us. He gave me my business and our personal financial security and He could take it away if He saw fit. I knew He had a greater purpose in it all and in time we would see.

It’s been a year now and all though there has not been a financial miracle God has used this trial in so many ways. He has continued to provide for our needs, He has continued to strengthen my faith, my family, my marriage and has made himself so real to us.

My 10 yr old daughter has received the Lord as her savior and our children have been able to witness the changes the Lord has made in our home. As a family we are walking closer to God.

It’s true that trials in life can be some of the sweetest times in life. It’s never easy, but well worth it. The Bible says in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”

We are still in the fire and don’t see an end in sight, but God is faithful. I wouldn’t trade this past year and a half for anything.

VERSES THAT ENCOURAGE ME…

“Be still and Know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Eph. 3:20-21

Job lost EVERYTHING, but remained faithful and God gave it all back and more. David lost EVERYTHING in Ziklag, but God allowed him to “recover all”. 1 Samuel 30:18

The Lord is encouraging my heart daily to trust Him.

Even though my life has been filled with ups and downs God has remained faithful. He has never let me wander too far from his reach and just as a father picks up his child when they fall he has done the same for me.

The Bible says God is our Heavenly Father if we have trusted in Jesus Christ to save us and forgive us of our sins. We are the children of God.

He LOVES us unconditionally and knows what’s BEST for us. He has wisdom and knowledge that we don’t have, but yet he allows us to make our own decisions. He knows when we haven’t made the best choices in life, but allows us to LEARN from those mistakes. If we get too far off course He WILL pull us back. If we ask for his guidance and help He WILL guide us. He doesn’t force himself on us, but allows us to come to him ANYTIME we want or need. He desires to GIVE us good gifts and desires to BLESS our lives, but only when He KNOWS we are ready for it. He craves OUR love and devotion. God is the ULTIMATE father!

Give God the glory and recognition He deserves. Let him work in your life. Be sensitive to His leading. Be thankful.

God bless and Happy Thanksgiving.

ORC REVEAL DAY!!! Office makeover…

Today is the day that these past 6 weeks have been leading up to! Well, for me it was all squeezed into 3 weeks, but nonetheless here we are! Have a seat and stay a while in this faux fur covered antique couch I reupholstered (as a first time reupholstering project). How about all these jewel tones, texture and sparkle?!?! I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out, even though there were times I was thinking “What have I done!!!….But I was able to work out all of the kinks and mistakes along the way and it turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for.

My sweet babies have been so good working along side me while I worked on this office project so of course I gave them their own work desk!

All of the patterned pillows I made form scrap fabric and/or clothing I found at yard sales. The black pillow and the neon sequins pillow were mini skirts I found dirt cheap and re-purposed them. The green floral was an XL blouse re-purposed and the striped and green sequins one was made from scraps I had laying around the house. The blue velvet ones were purchased 😉

The wood framed upper pictures came from a yard sale for $1 each! They are beautiful and true antiques. The brass plates I scattered around the room were also yard sale finds for $1 each.

The brass lanterns as I shared last week were yard sale finds for $7.50 each and I added the pink beads from a necklace I found at a yard sale for $1 as well!

The draped blanket is actually a piece of lace fabric I had stashed away…. Layered brass plates on the antique wood crate/coffee table were picked up at a yard sale for $1 each.

I searched and searched for a rug and was bummed I wasn’t able to find one…..soooo what does this girl do!?! I made one myself! This fuchsia upholstery weight fabric is a textured velour and I added the gold and black ribbon trim and fringe to dress it up and add some needed length. The tree bag I picked up at a local salvage store for $10.

This bookshelf project was so much fun and created a huge statement! The pink pot on top was an old piece we had in the old office so I just spray painted it so I could use it in the new design. Lots of my other bookcase goodies came from estate sales, yard sales or flea markets. The books were all ours and just put back on the shelf a new way…(backwards)

It took a while to decide what to do with the filing cabinet….I actually just finished it today after realizing I had just enough fabric left over from the wall hanging to use to cover it. The trash can was a last minute craft project as well. I gathered all my lace and fringe and started gluing! Very boho I must say.

This lamp base was a yard sale find for $6 and I made the crystal covered lamp shade a while ago and was so excited to realize the two items were a perfect match! The memo board was something we already owned, but I covered it with some lace to make it fit the room. (same lace that is draped as a blanket on the sofa)

Who doesn’t love cotton?!?This chair was a yard sale find for $10! I left the upholstery after deciding to use the fabric I purchased for it as a rug instead 😉 Sooo, instead I painted the wood and distressed it, then I painted the design on the sides of the chair.

dsc_0015-copy Painting this desk green made the room so much brighter! The black backing is a chalk board now!

Can’t have an office/hang out room without a chess table!

Here is the precious little table I pulled out of storage and found this amazing little stool that matched perfectly! My daughter loves her new work station!

So here it is from the catwalk! Finally ready to relax and take it all in!

BEFORE:

After:

Thanks for following along on my journey! I hope you enjoyed checking out my new boho inspired office!

This project was done on a shoe string budget and full of DIY’s and craft projects to make it just right. After totaling everything up I spent less than $500 remodeling this room and it is FULL of color and texture and awesomeness!

To see all the other great designers and their spaces be sure to follow the link below:

ORC Week 5! I’ve been BUSY! Office makeover almost done!

This is week five of the one room challenge! I got a late start which really put the pressure on, but I feel like it is all really coming together!

I have worked hard at trying to accomplish an awesome look for nearly nothing. Below you will get a quick overview of multiple DIY projects I tackled to save money and make this a super unique space.

First, I decided to paint our current black desk a brilliant green color which I picked out last week. I finally finished painting and It turned out perfect!

I decided to spray paint the original hardware to save money as well.Total desk makeover cost about $20.00 in paint.

Then I put a floral patterned fabric on the back of our current bookcase. My husband was very clear that he didn’t want me to paint it. This is a removable, non permanent option! I LOVE how it turned out too!

I am a pattern and color mixing fanatic! Can you tell?!? Total bookshelf makeover cost about $17 in fabric thanks to coupons!

I covered our old Memo board with a plum, lace fabric I had stashed away. It goes along with the boho, jewel tones vibe perfectly now, and it is still functional as a memo board.Total cost for memo board makeover: FREE

I worked on accessorizing the book shelf with some old and new pieces.

The green glass bottle was an antique hand blown find at a vintage market in Nashville. My husband splurged for $28. He’s a green glass fanatic! The antique lime green biscuit jar was an estate sale find from a few weeks ago for $18 and the purple was a new piece I picked up this week for a whopping $5.

This brass bell was an antique find at a local estate sale for $6. There was just something about her I couldn’t resist 😊 The mirrored glass planter and greenery was a sweet $8 combined.

I found this blue beauty while out shopping my local stores this week. This piece ties in with some of my accent pillows and helps bring the room all together. A splurge of $30! That’s big money when on a shoe string budget!

This ornate candle stick holder came from a local estate sale for $10.

Total for these new accessories: $105

Along with everything else I was able to accomplish this week, I also put together this wood and metal post to hang my wall hanging for behind the sofa.

I used our power stapler to attach the decorative metal trim to the wood.

Then I stapled the fabric to the back of the post before hanging it.

Here it is! Just wait though, this isn’t the finished product! I’m saving that for reveal day!!Wall hanging total cost: $15 (Thanks to coupons)
Next, I found these fab, brass lanterns at a yard sale for $7.50 each.And this necklace at a different yard sale for $1!

Then with a little work they became this for a total of $8 each.

It’s been a crazy busy week and there is still more to do before the great reveal next week!

Here’s my to do list this week:

*More accessorizing

*Finish making pillows

*Decide what to do with desk chair I found for $10 at a yard sale.

*Rug or no rug

*Tackle problem corner

I think that covers it!!! Thanks for following along on my office makeover! Can’t wait for next week!

Click here to follow along with all the other awesome One Room Challenge designers.

See ya next week and dreamers keep on dreaming…

Joining the One Room Challenge week 4….Lets play catch up!

For those of you who know me I am not a very patient person. When I found out the one room challenge was already underway I had to get involved immediately! The next ORC isn’t for another six months and I just couldn’t wait that long! Not only is this my first time participating, but I’m at a 4 week disadvantage! I live for a challenge 😝😃😉

My house has been undergoing lots of changes in recent months due to me leaving the business world/fashion industry and returning home full-time. Needless to say my house was ridiculously neglected for far too long. Even though I have simultaneously been redecorating every room of my house I decided to focus my attention over the next few weeks on our home office area.

This is the one room I had not put any attention towards. I just haven’t had the inspiration UNTIL I reupholstered my grandmothers antique sofa she gave me.

This sofa has been sitting in our basement for over a year. I was excited about the idea of refinishing it but, seeing that I had never reupholstered anything before I was super intimidated!

I had watched a couple of videos a year ago but really had no idea what I was getting myself into. Tearing off the old upholstery and padding was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time! What if I could never get this beautiful piece of furniture back to looking like its glory days?

After several hours of work it was finally complete!

Taaaadaaaa!! A luscious, creamy white, furry, antique sofa complete and ready to welcome on some bold and beautiful pillows!

*Now I must say this! For anyone out there who wants to try to reupholster for the first time, I would highly recommend using fur! All the fuzziness hides the imperfections so beautifully you wouldn’t know there were any!

I’m not sure yet how well it will hold up, but I’m hoping for a long term furry masterpiece and not a scary matted mess. Maybe I should brush it periodically. 😜 Does anyone have experience with fur covered seating?

Sooooo anyways, now that I have this gorgeous sofa it was time to start clearing out the room and build my story board.

We have A LOT of books!! It took an entire evening just sorting through these babies and deciding what to keep and what to give away.

Now here is a snapshot of some of the gooey goodness that will be part of this remodel! Ok maybe not literally gooey, but good nonetheless.

I love bohemian eclectic design because it allows for so much creativity. This office space will be a mixture of bold color, overload of texture, old traditional pieces mingled with new, sequins, fur, and natural elements. So just about anything and everything!

There are definitely some challenges with designing this space. As you could see in the before image it is actually an open area upstairs that overlooks our living room. It is rather skinny and long so my sofa barely squeezed in right where I wanted it.

I would love to spruce the space up with a fresh coat of paint, but because it is not a separate room from the rest of our open floor plan that was not an option. As much as I would love to repaint our entire house we cannot afford to do that right now. I racked my brain with all the ways I could still make a big statement and decided to create an accent wall with a gorgeous yet removable wallpaper. I’ve been swooning over this print for months!

This was my first time trying out this new phenomenon of removable wallpaper and it was incredibly easy to install! I bought all that was in stock at my local store, but it was still not enough so I had to order more online. I am waiting for the rest of it to show up. Hoping and praying it shows up before the great 6 week ORC reveal!

Another challenge was that my husband did have some stipulations on the design. I don’t blame him and am happy for his input seeing that this is his home too. He didn’t want me painting the bookcase…

Aaaaaand, I had to keep the large work of art that he had custom framed a few years ago. This art piece will actually turned out to be a major focal point on one wall. Just expect the unexpected though…. You will be surprised how I use it!

I am taking the liberty of painting this desk and boy I can’t wait to see it finished!!What do you think about this color?!?! I’m gitty!!!

There are so many more things I want to share but I’m going to restrain myself for now! The best part about this challenge is not only do I get to share it with you, but I’m doing it on a shoestring budget. It is so rewarding to design a space by repurposing, remaking and recycling items I already own or have found at yard sales/fleamarket’s. At the end of all of this I will add up what I’ve spent on this project and let you know how I came out. I think you will be surprised at how beautiful a space can turn out even when designing on a dime!

To see all the inspiring guest participants click on the link below….starting Thursday morning when everyone gives updates to their week 4 of the One Room Challenge!!

Until next time…Dreamers keep on dreaming!

Who I am, Where I come from and Why a Blog…

I must admit, I never thought I would start a blog. However, I have been doing so many new crafts, DIY’s, and busting out some pretty awesome home decor ideas as of lately, I felt like I needed a way to showcase what I’ve been up to. My grammar might not be perfect and sometimes I might not make a whole lot of sense, but I hope to share some cool ideas and inspire you with bohemian style.

So let me introduce myself. My name is Samantha, I’m a TN girl, wife and mommy of 5.

I’m a dreamer by design. My creative brain overpowers all rational or factual thoughts. I’m an optimist, a chance taker and a fast mover. Why analyze and plan when you can just dive in and swim? I’m a little eccentric and lean toward the bohemian look when it comes to my style.

When I was a kid my role model was Clarissa from “Clarissa Explains It All” a Nickelodeon program.

Do you remember her?

Melissa Joan Hart, you made a great Clarissa! She had a style all her own and didn’t care what other people thought. I thought she was the best and that’s when I decided I wanted to be my own person. When I got into high school I remember a senior guy telling me that if I didn’t dress so weird I could be really popular. Of course as a freshman girl I wanted to be popular, but I wasn’t willing to compromise who I was for it.

Little did I know, I would grow up to be a hobby fashion designer turned hard core business woman and start my own children’s clothing line that would be sold in boutiques throughout the US. For 8 years I lived, breathed and dreamed all things fashion! Here are a couple shots from my clothing line.

Five kids later, and after a whole lot of life changes, the Lord has made it very clear that running my own business in the fashion industry is not what he has planned for me right now. It was a dream that I got to live out for a season and I am thankful for the opportunities it allowed me, but I am glad to be home with my children again.

Who knows, God might allow me to enter back into the field at some point in my life but for now I’m happy to focus on my faith, my family and finding out what else the Lord has for me.

Since returning home from the business world I have finally been able to start working on all the crafts and projects I didn’t have time for before. I was so busy back then, I didn’t even have a chance to decorate my own house! I am happy to say the house is coming along slowly and I have enjoyed the process.

A quick glimpse of how it’s coming along:

I am a full-fledged yard sale junkie and live for Friday and Saturday mornings when I can take the kids out and go find incredible deals in my own community. So many design elements in my home have come from yard sales, thrift stores and flea markets. I love getting my hands dirty and being creative with the treasures I find. Rarely do I not repurpose, remake or redesign the things I find. Like these two identical beds I found for $20 each at a local thrift store. (Only 1 pictured below)

Wait till you see what they look like now! Coming soon in another post…

Also check out this antique couch my grandma gave me! I can’t wait to show you the transformation after tackling my first reupholstering project!

These are just a couple examples of some recent “before” images of some fun DIY’s I’ve been tackling.

My husband has been teaching me the world of woodworking and I have picked up some pretty nice skills thanks to him. I’ve put these new skills to the test by turning some old furniture into new, functional and highly unrecognizable pieces that finally fit our needs and style. I’ll give you a peak soon!

All in all, I just have a lot to say and a lot to share about my new journey. I’m still dreaming and still believing the Lord has great things for me. When one door closes another door opens!

I hope you will join me and keep tabs on being creative boho style! Until next time….. Dreamers keep on dreaming!