Corner Hutch Gone Fabulous

My husband and I have four kids, four rabbits, twenty-five chickens, and two cats.

We also own a 2-bedroom house that is 1400 square feet and was built in 1915.

You can go ahead and feel sorry for me . . . I don't.

Our oldest son makes his bedroom in the short-ceilinged basement with the food storage and seasonal items.  Our other three share the "big" bedroom (about 28 feet by 12 feet) and my husband and I take the small bedroom (10 feet by 12 feet).  We love love LOVE our small house.  It's cute and cozy, and, best of all, there is a finite amount of space--we can only own so much stuff and we consider this a huge blessing.  (Plus, not to brag, we have a big ol' honkin' yard).

However, because there is limited space . . . if I ever get something for my house, it has to be one of two things: beautiful, or useful.  This corner hutch happens to be both.

I'll have to figure out what to put on the bottom two
shelves that my 13-month-old won't scatter everywhere

My totally awesome friend Meg GAVE this hutch to me . . . because generous is her middle name.  She refurbishes and sells furniture, and she could give my sisters a run for their money with her interior designer skills.  Check out Meg Torman Designing.  She's beyond compare.  She had used this hutch for her boys' room, then painted it turquoise to go with a bedroom set that she was gonna sell.  I happened to be over at her house during the height of her cleaning-out-the-garage pique . . . and she told me to take it.

Did. I. Ever.

I knew the perfect place for it, and I knew the perfect use for it: 1- dining room, 2- craft supplies. BOOM.

Before . . . 

My sweet safety-goggles-wearing husband went to town sanding
it for me (he wore the goggles using the belt sander)

Sanded and ready to paint!  I sprayed white spray-
paint in all the hard-to-get cracks before using a
paintbrush and an indoor satin white paint 

Coat number one . . . 

Three coats later . . . I can't decide whether or
not to put that little door back on the bottom shelf

I sprayed a coat of polyurethane on it before
bringing it inside, so it won't get tacky.  I also totally
anchored it to the wall, because that's how I roll.

Crayons in a wide-mouthed mixing bowl ($1.50 at the D.I.)
for Miss Mollie's easy access

Scissors and glue sticks in a cookie jar ($1)
Colored pencils in a retro quart pitcher (also $1)

Watercolor markers in a sweet triangular jar with
a cork lid ($2), baby colored pencils in a baby jam
jar (leftover from a yummy, homemade Christmas gift)

I love how it turned out: it takes up so little space, but still dresses up the dining room, adds a splash of color, and makes it so I never have to get craft supplies from the cupboard again.  In short, the perfect piece of furniture.

Now I can enjoy masterpieces like this on a daily basis.  (Notice the "M-O-M" just under Diego's backpack?  Yeah, this was multi-colored just for me).