Our Condo Tour…From Trash To Treasure

February 5, 2017 by Meemaw 37 Comments

Peepaw and I have turned trash into treasure for as long as I can remember…so I decided to give you a tour of our Florida condo so you can see just how serious we are about reusing and repurposing items to give them new life and to keep them from the landfill…and to save a TON of money!

We learned years ago that the less space we have, the less clutter and “things” we acquire. (And besides that…it’s FUN to shop in our totally non-conventional way!) So let me show you the innovative ways we’ve used every inch of space to our advantage in our winter home…Our Fort Lauderdale condo.

Our art deco style building is located on a wide canal adjoining the Intracoastal Waterway, and we’re only an eight minute walk to the ocean. (What’s not to love?)

This perfect location allows us to walk to a wide variety of restaurants, art galleries, dive bars, drug stores, and shops…and even Coral Ridge Mall several blocks away. (Yes…we live near Coral Ridge Mall in both Iowa and Florida! Go figure!) We can walk to almost everything we need or want. And skipping trips on the crazy freeways here is a win win for anyone! I’ll share details about our eclectic neighborhood another time…but this post is all about our snowbird nest!

Our one bedroom condo is less than 600 square feet, but it’s plenty of room for us because we’ve maximized every inch to our advantage. So let’s start that tour.

Welcome!

The theme for our condo is sea glass, sand and ocean, and I think you’ll see how I’ve pulled that vibe and those colors into every room. Let’s start in the kitchen…

Peepaw removed the 1960’s plexiglass ceiling panels and fluorescent lights and he opened up the ceiling space. He is a dry wall magician when it comes to filling in the holes and gaps he uncovers during those projects…and he also installed my beautiful sea glass colored backsplash! The extra ceiling height and new light fixture make the tiny kitchen feel larger and more modern. The little shelves and most of the decorative items you see on our newly installed granite countertop came all the way from Iowa…from the Crowded Closet Thrift Store in Iowa City. Even the under cabinet lighting came from the Crowded Closet. (I think it cost $1) In fact, when we head south for the winter our car is usually filled with small items I find at garage sales and thrift stores throughout the year. That’s MY kind of shopping!

The large wicker baskets on the shelves hold my supply of fresh onions, garlic bulbs and potatoes since I usually cook dinner at home at least five night per week. (Remember..I cook because I WANT to!) And the clutter of various pots and pans is hidden to the right of the baskets. Out of sight, out of mind is good enough for me.

Our kitchen only contained a few cupboards when we bought it, and they were configured in a very bizarre way, but we loved the unusual color of the cabinets. So we took them down and moved them into the living room as we began to redesign the space…first in our minds, then on paper. After much measuring and discussion we decided we needed three more cupboards to fill the space, so we headed to Lowes to buy the extra cabinets. And that’s when our first big score happened. That upper corner cupboard with the glass door was just being wheeled to the clearance area outside the store. (It was a special order purchase that was returned.) The original price was $279. And we paid…wait for it…$10!

I asked Peepaw to install it with gaps on both sides instead of joining to the cupboards on either side, and I asked him to build a wine rack on one side. ( I’ll tell you later where he got the wood for that.)

And he built a hanging wine glass shelf on the other side. (That Old Handyman Peepaw!)

And look again at the cupboard above the microwave…

That new cabinet is supposed to be a stand up cabinet. But I realized if we laid a cabinet on it’s side above the microwave and another one above the refrigerator it would fill the upper space perfectly! And the hinged opening means the doors on those cupboards lift up, just like the cupboards in a ship’s galley! (And after all, we DO live on the water!) So that cupboard above the microwave belongs to Peepaw. It houses his old fashioned popcorn popper, popcorn, serving bowls, and everything he needs to make his beloved popcorn snack almost every night!

We took an original door to the paint store to match the color of the cupboards so we could paint our new ones. That turned out to be quite an adventure since the color was extremely hard to match. But after three attempts and a trip to a local paint manufacturer we finally got it right! And since we added three new cupboards, we needed three more handles. I LOVED the Italian handles on the original cabinets and drawers. I realized we could never find matching ones, but since we only have three drawers in my tiny kitchen I decided I would just add new handles to the drawers so all the cupboard handles would match. But we ran into another snag.

The European handles had holes drilled in a different place on the drawers and those holes would show with the new handles we bought. So I asked Peepaw to pick up some of the little plumbing water shut off handles that you find under sinks. We spray painted them silver and those little gizmos completely covered the extra hole in the drawer front!

As you can see…we have a VERY small kitchen in our condo…but I DO have a dishwasher. His name is PEEPAW! We have a deal. I cook, and Peepaw does the dishes. And we’re BOTH happy! (He says he actually enjoys doing dishes in our winter home. Go figure.)

I bet you’re beginning to see why we kept the original cupboard above the sink…

It is a Scavolini cabinet from Italy. It was one of the cabinets that was already installed when we bought our condo, and we reworked the kitchen design to reuse those cupboards when we remodeled since that Scavolini cabinet turned out to be a MAGIC one. It’s my favorite cupboard in the whole kitchen! It’s located directly above the sink, and it is actually a storage cupboard…AND A DISH DRAINER! (Those Europeans sure know how to make the most of limited space in a kitchen!) So no need for an ugly dish drainer to take up precious counter space. Genius!

A drip pan slides under the drain rack, and the dripping rinse water evaporates from the tray. It also slides out for periodic cleaning. An amazing invention, and I LOVE not having to have a dish drainer cluttering up the TINY kitchen since every inch of space is so precious! And when the dishes are done? Out of sight…out of mind! (Bravo Italian designers!)

And now let’s look at our living room…

We try to only buy things that contain storage and that can serve more than one purpose to furnish our condo. Our Natuzzi leather sofa is actually a sofa bed…and the plastic was still on the mattress when we bought it at a thrift store! It was NEVER used! (The sofa cost? $225!) And speaking of storage…check out our “coffee table”…

It opens up for storage. And the best part? It can open from the top…or the front for easy access.

And where did we find this unusual piece? At a yard sale, of course…for $10. But THIS is how it looked when we bought it…It was Pepto Bismol PINK! So we gave it a coat of the wall color of our living room. Then I dry-brushed a coat of white over the cream color to give it more depth…

And since two of our walls are mirrors (to make the space seem larger) we have very little wall space so we arranged lots of photos of our precious grandkids on top of the wicker chest and we added a sheet of glass over the photos. It’s a great way to display photos and they can easily be switched out as the kids grow. (And all seven are growing like weeds!)

Last month we traded out the end tables in the photos above after a fruitful trip to Faith Farm thrift store. And when was the last time you shopped at a thrift store with NO WALLS? Check out this huge place. And trust me…it’s MUCH bigger than this photo could capture…both inside and outside!

Here is our recent thrift store end table score…(Two for $20!) Who needs a pickup when we have a convertible?

A quick wipe down with soapy bleach water and Windex for the glass tops and they look like they just came off the showroom floor!

And last week? Our six year old thrift store chair and ottoman (I think we paid $30 for both five years ago!) were showing wear and tear. So we found another almost identical (but like new) pair ($70 at Salvation Army) and switched them out! But that score took two trips.

Peepaw had a choice that day. He could get the chair and me in the car…but not the ottoman. (He considered leaving me and taking the furniture first, but he quickly came to his senses.)

We look like a laugh a minute when we drive home with a treasure like this. And it’s not unusual for people to honk and wave. And we simply laugh and wave back!

But the best part about getting old is this…We really don’t care how we look or what other people think! We’re having FUN! And life is NOT a dress rehearsal…so we live it up while we can!

Once again, a quick wipe down with soapy bleach water and a quick leather treament was all it took to make that chair and ottoman like new again!

Our dining room is actually part of the living room, and the previous owner left the table and chairs when they sold the condo to us.. And our $79 thrift store cream colored credenza contains storage for my “party dishes” as well as a drawer for placemats and napkins.

One of our neighbors is a master carpenter who builds high end stores all over the country, and he told us the piece is made of Filipino mahogany and probably sold for around $1,300 when it was new. (SCORE!)

I love all of the little decorative items I’ve added to the condo, and most of them made the long journey from The Crowded Closet in Iowa City.

Our “hallway” is about three feet long, and one of the pictures covers up the fuse box on the wall. We only have TWO interior doors in our home, so Peepaw replaced the old flat doors and the hardware with new ones.

Our bathroom is tiny but functional. I bought lots of salmon colored hand towels, bath towels and the shower curtain at a garage sale in Iowa, and the small painting goes perfectly with them.

Peepaw also opened up that ceiling to make the tiny room seem larger. And that blue shell painting on the bathroom wall? $1 at Faith Farm. And who needs to buy plants when I can step outside the door and cut some palm fronds to brighten up any room! Sometimes I add a gardenia for a heavenly scent. That bush is right outside too.

Our bedroom has plenty of space for a king bed. We bought a new mattress and box springs and new ceiling fans which Peepaw installed. But everything else? Thrift store treasures that we painted and dry brushed.

Side tables? $20 for two-Faith Farm.

Headboard? $35-Out Of The Closet Thrift Store. (Another of our favorite spots!)

Pictures? Free to $20

Lamps? Left by previous owner.

TV Stand/Dresser? $29 at Faith Farm

The reason we have plenty of space in our bedroom? We put the large dresser ($10) INSIDE the closet! Peepaw even put the dresser on casters so I can move it easily to get to items I need since the storage space (created by the shelves that hide our hot water heater) in the closet also double as storage for my large kitchen pots and pans, blender, and slow cooker. I HATE to see stacks of clutter in a closet, so I hide little items in wicker baskets. (Especially nice to look at when I forget to close the closet door!)

And those closet doors? For some reason, the doors were missing when we bought our condo. So we found EIGHT individual louvers for sale on craigslist for a total of $25…And Peepaw rebuilt them to create the SIX panels needed to create new sliding doors! (He’s AMAZING!) $25 was certainly better than the $600 we were quoted for a new sliding door.

When he was finished he had lots of the little extra “slats” left over. I told him not to throw them away since I was sure I could come up with a use for them.

Now…remember that wine rack in the kitchen? Look closely at the “slats” those wine bottles are resting on!

And step out our back door onto our tiny patio. (Table and Chairs $79 at Faith Farm.) It’s a peaceful spot to enjoy morning coffee or an afternoon glass of wine.

And tucked behind our palm tree you’ll see my winter pride and joy…my herb garden. (I cook with all of them!)

(If you love fresh herbs then be sure to follow the Facebook page I created. It’s called FRESH HERB FOODIES.)

Yes…Some people hire decorators to design and furnish their homes, and they give them a blank check to make the magic happen. But for Peepaw and me? Our trips to thrift stores and garage sales have been happy times spent searching for just the right item to make our little condo exactly what we want it to be. A home where people feel welcome and comfortable. You see, our condo is filled with inexpensive things that are priceless to us because of the memories attached to each and every one of them.

Because, after all, “things” are just that. Things.

It’s the people in our lives and the memories we create that mean the world to us.

And our memories don’t cost a dime. So we’re happy in our winter home and we peacefully coexist in our small condo. But I WILL let you in on a little secret. We do have TWO DVR’s here. (Peepaw’s in the living room and mine in the bedroom.)

Because togetherness is a good thing…but sometimes even Peepaw and I need our own space.

And THAT’S how we’ve created HARMONY…even after 47 years. No matter WHERE we call home!

Comments

Linda Short says

February 6, 2017 at 6:57 am

Love that-creative as always!! Got some cool ideas-that I am thinking about- You make me want to thrift shop more! So wonderful!!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 9:56 am
  
  Thanks Linda. You never know what treasure you might find on your next thrift store trip! Good Luck…and Happy Hunting!
  
  Reply
Linda says

February 6, 2017 at 7:10 am

Wonderful, Patty! You’re living the life of Riley just so Riley don’t come home…as my grandma would say. FYI, I gave all my kids magnets that say THE BEST THINGS IS LIFE AREN’T THINGS?

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 10:05 am
  
  Thanks for your comment Linda! I LOVE your Grandma’s saying. (I actually laughed out loud when I read it.) 🙂 I think I might “borrow” that phrase in the future. And you and I do share that belief in People…NOT Things.
  xoxo
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
mary Maarsen says

February 6, 2017 at 8:03 am

What a fun trip thru your lovely winter home. I too love going to thrift stores. Among our children and us we have a system going that whatever get disgarded will come here to our shed. Whenever anyone needs something, check first in Jan’s shed and go from there. It really is fun to be able to do that. Right at this time our dau Saskia has been able to furnish a whole house for a refugee when he can move in. She found all the things really for free and hasn’t gone into one single store. That stuff is also in Jan’ garage.
I hope you can still have a couple enjoyable months at your winter home.
take care, marye m

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 10:07 am
  
  Thanks for your comment Marye…all the way from Holland! It sounds like you and Jan are as thrifty as we are! And blessings for your daughter Saskia for using her talents to make life better for someone else. Thrifting is a GOOD thing…on so many levels!
  
  Reply
Sally Miller says

February 6, 2017 at 8:34 am

Love it! I love the cabinet colors. Fred is really handy! I’ll have to challenge DenDen. We do lots of Thrift store finds in Ocala too! Our house in furnished entirely from Thrift Stores.

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- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 10:09 am
  
  Thanks for your comment Sally! I’m happy to hear that you and Dennis know how to decorate on a dime…just like us! Because, after all, it’s the thrill of the hunt! And yes…Peepaw CAN make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear as my dear old Dad used to say. Happy Thrifting to you two!
  
  Reply
Patty Miller says

February 6, 2017 at 9:01 am

Thanks for sharing your finds and home. You are lucky to have such a handy husband. It looks like such a fun spot to enjoy your winters!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 10:12 am
  
  Thanks for your comment Patty! And yes…we’ve found a little slice of paradise here. And my hubby is a very popular guy around here…He has scratched many items of of other neighbor’s “HONEY DO” lists! 🙂 Keep reading and I’ll be sharing some details about our great tropical neighborhood in future posts.
  
  Reply
Laura says

February 6, 2017 at 10:09 am

Wow, just wow!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 10:14 am
  
  LOL Laura! Thanks…I think! 🙂 And thanks for being such a loyal reader of Meemaw Eats! It’s folks like you who make writing so much FUN for this old Meemaw!
  xoxo
  
  Reply
Kathy Shellady says

February 6, 2017 at 10:42 am

You are my kind of decorator! Always love the fun, finding bargains and feeling like you have gotten a deal! Craig is also a handyman and has the ability to create and make my dreams come true! Your place is charming and so functional for all your activities. Love what you did with the kitchen and your patio looks so inviting. So happy that you are truly enjoying the “golden” years!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 2:00 pm
  
  Thanks for the kind comments Kathy! Finding bargains is a thrill no matter which home we’re in! And having a resident handyman is a very good thing, don’t you agree?
  xoxo
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Charlene Neer says

February 6, 2017 at 11:24 am

Now I know I will want to come visit, but not likely this year anymore. This is such a great place to call home. Charlene

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 2:01 pm
  
  Thanks for your comment Charlene. It’s great to hear from so many of our friends and family.
  
  Reply
Karen hoffman says

February 6, 2017 at 12:14 pm

Patty, great article, great ideas, great place filled with love and hospitality! Oh, and I forgot, great friends! Enjoy!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 2:03 pm
  
  Thanks so much Karen! Your kind comments warmed my heart. It’s not far to zip across Alligator Alley for a face to face visit this winter. Enjoy YOUR litle slice of Paradise too!
  xoxo
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Patricia Roswell says

February 6, 2017 at 1:15 pm

You and that birthday boy Fred really do have an absolutely amazing “winter nest” in Paradise. I am still in awe of how you two redesigned your kitchen which is even more incredible when seen in person. I just stand around open-mouthed and take it all in when I am there. You two are an amazing team! ?

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 2:06 pm
  
  Thanks Patricia! You know your brother better than most…and our kitchen remodel really was a labor of love. Looking forward to giving you another Chopping 101 lesson later this winter…and I bet we’ll share a bottle of wine (or two) while you’re here!
  Cheers!
  
  Reply
Mary Farrell says

February 6, 2017 at 1:19 pm

Peepaw (I live with a Pepaw too!) and Meemaw,

Loved the tour of your winter home and you two are both so creative! Love the way you recycled a lot for your home. Continue to enjoy Florida and winter get-away.

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 2:08 pm
  
  Another Peepaw? How FUN! Thanks for your kind comments Mary (and Pepaw!)…and we are enjoying the fruits of our labor every single day!
  xoxo
  Meemaw AND Peepaw 🙂
  
  Reply
Joyce says

February 6, 2017 at 7:04 pm

Yes, you two are amazing! I know it’s beautiful as I’ve seen it, but love your blog with all the stories! Makes me smile and we need all the smiles we can get these days!

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- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 8:06 pm
  
  Thank you Joyce! Your comment made ME smile…And I agree…Smiles are PRICELESS. The older we get the more important it is to enjoy every day and be grateful for all that we have. Here’s to SMILES…Every Day!
  xoxo
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Sue Heath says

February 6, 2017 at 9:07 pm

Lovely!!!!! What a great way to see your Florida home. Thanks so much for sharing! I love thrifting, but Ladd gets nervous when I get close to a thrift store and yes I love the Crowded Closet too!! Tell Fred that Ladd is my gourmet cook and I do the dishes….it is almost theraputic for me!! Send some of that sunshine our way!!!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 6, 2017 at 9:31 pm
  
  LOL! Thanks for your comments Sue! I’m glad to know that Ladd and I share the cooking gene and you and Peepaw are willing up clean up our messes! (Maybe that’s why we’ve all been happily married for so long!) 🙂 I can’t believe I’ve never run into you at the Crowded Closet! It’s my “Go To” store in Iowa for the beach decor we have here in Florida. It’s hard to believe I find so many goodies in land-locked Iowa! Thanks again for your comments!
  xoxo
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Linda says

February 13, 2017 at 7:59 pm

Oh how much fun, I took the grand tour and it was great! Thank you for sharing your home!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 13, 2017 at 8:37 pm
  
  Thank you Linda for your kind comments! We LOVE searching for just the right items to make our house a HOME. And. after all, that’s what it’s all about!
  XOXO
  “Meemaw”
  
  Reply
Joette says

February 13, 2020 at 9:47 pm

I truly enjoyed the tour of your Florida home. You and Fred are so creative and have given me some wonderful ideas. I am also a Crowded Closet and Goodwill shopper. I like your choice of colors and how they complement each other throughout your condo. Enjoy your stay in paradise.

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  February 15, 2020 at 9:56 am
  
  Thanks so much Joette! It’s a perfect getaway when the snow flies up North! 🙂
  XOXO
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Robin says

March 15, 2021 at 3:28 pm

That Fred.hes a keeper..that was fun Patti..good job on your Condo. On your writing. You have a flare for all of it! Very Talented

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  March 18, 2021 at 4:24 pm
  
  Aww…Thanks Robin! We LOVE looking for thrift store “bargains” that we can repurpose! The thrill of the hunt is such fun!
  XOXO
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Leah Cohen says

January 15, 2022 at 5:00 pm

Love this “Meemaw”! I did something similar in Az 14 years ago. I loved my little place. Morgan would come out and stay and help with all the sales and work needed. I could never have described as well as you do, but I love it and all the wonderful memories. I did buy a new bigger unit a few years ago and love it too. My furnishings here are also a conglomeration of many great finds! I love the garage sales in the expensive neighborhoods here. Treasures galore! Hope you have many many more fun years there. “Peepaw” is a gem and so are you! Happy winter 2002! Hugs

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  January 21, 2022 at 9:36 am
  
  Aww…Thank you Leah! Happy Winter to you as well!!!
  XOXO
  Meemaw
  
  Reply
Wilma Miller says

July 27, 2022 at 11:59 am

I love how creative you are and the deals you find and most importantly what you do with them !!! I’m so excited about seeing what you will be doing with the house in the Outer Banks!!

Reply
- Meemaw says
  
  July 27, 2022 at 12:53 pm
  
  Thanks Wilma! It truly was an adventure. The stories almost write themselves!
  XOXO
  Meemaw
  
  Reply

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OBX Beach House Makeover - Day One - Meemaw Eats says:

July 26, 2022 at 11:09 pm

[…] But those of you who know me know both our Heartland home and our Florida condo are filled with thrift store finds. In fact, thrifting is one of our favorite hobbies. To check out our Florida condo “trash to treasure” decor…CLICK HERE. […]

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