You never know what you’ll find at a yard sale, and with some finds, the possibilities for re-use and upcycling are limitless. This is what makes second hand shopping and “decorating on a dime” so exciting! Today we’re thrilled to introduce Linda Pokora of Designer’s Limited, an Interior Designer based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Linda shares once of her recent yard sale finds with us and shows us how to bring it to life in your home with a little creativity and imagination – this is an easy DIY project for anyone and the finished piece is a true gem!

“I found an old wooden flat used for flowers (greenhouses use plastic now) at a yard sale for $4.00. I lightly sanded it and gave it 2 coats of a water-based chalk paint (Annie Sloan’s). I imagine you could use almost any water-based paint. I intentionally left the name of the Greenhouse on the inside of the end to give it some interest. I stenciled it with a very inexpensive stencil I found at Michaels with a metallic paint. Then I sanded it in a few spots to show some wear. I buffed it with a clear wax (again Annie Sloan) but you could use any quality furniture wax found in antique or furniture stores. I added 2 inexpensive handles I bought for $1.98 each at Home Depot on each end.”

The tray is being used on a coffee table in an outdoor seating area. While it is an accent piece, it’s one that comes in handy for carrying snacks in from the kitchen or staging drinks!

Here are the before and after shots of this awesome find:





Linda has had her own design business for 20 years. Her firm specializes in new construction, residential design and staging. She’s also volunteering her time and talents for Chic Chateau, an up-cycled charity showhouse that benefits Habitat for Humanity of Greensboro. The showhouse opens September 21, 2012. Everything designers use in Chic Chateau must be up-cycled. And what would appear to be a limiting criteria actually squeezes a lot of creativity out of designers.