Working with the Man Stuff

Living with a man can be hard. Not to say that mine is bad per se, because honestly I kind of have it made. He is, in fact, finishing up his thorough cleaning of the fridge as I speak (rock on, awesome husband o' mine!). For me, and many other taken ladies, it's more the combining of goods and letting go of certain styles that brings the difficulty. Like lacy shower curtains, pink sofas, or closets such as this:

{via pinterest}

Not that I have any of those, but you know, the options are kinda gone. And it isn't simply the restrictions on style, but also by being given things that I have to live with. This too has been fairly easy (seriously P., not complaining!! :)) Besides having to widen my color range to Tennessee orange I would say that there weren't many demands. But there was one thing that was and is staying: the foosball table.

The foosball table is a slight dilemma to me. You see, I love foosball. And not to toot my own horn too much, but I kinda rock it. So when I moved in and saw it sitting in the limelight by the fireplace, my heart skipped a beat. But that was back in the days where this home was temporary, not my permanent nest to furnish. And let's just say, as much as I love to play, I really didn't love the laminate camouflage decor it sported nor the fact that it was taking prime real estate. My fantasy is to have a cozy sitting area around the fire where we will read books and banter, sipping cognac and watching dog paws running in unknown dreams. Yet with no furniture, no money, and no taste for cognac, those dreams are a bit distant. So the foosball table sits another day.

The look is another thing altogether. That I could change, and that I did. In a brilliant moment I came up with the best solution: paint it with chalkboard paint! My reasons were as follows: 

• It's black = much more badass than pretend light green leaves stamped on = Peyton likey.
• The matte finish will make it blend nicely with its surroundings. 
• It's fun! And functional! I mean, who wouldn't want to keep track of their beat-downs in the most convenient location possible? What meany wouldn't want to draw a picture or jot down a quote to cheer up everyone's day?
• It's changeable, homemade artwork to help it seem a little more purposeful in that spot. 

So with great intentions and Peyton's permission I set to work. The table went from this:

To this:

Added some primer to make the paint stick to the slick surface. 

 And finally, to this:

And I must say, by picture three I was not happy. I had turned a light and airy (albeit ugly) pattern into a black blob in the middle of our floor. Definitely not the inconspicuous finish I was looking for. But I stuck with it, followed the directions, and in three days prepped it by swiping a light layer of chalk on and wiping off. And hallelujah! All was better. The used, chalk-on-surface look softened the black to a nice gray. Plus I got to start my decorations, and that is always, always fun. 

Maybe it's not everybody's cup of tea, but it's making the best of what we have. It's the perfect compromise, and we love it. Plus wherever it ends up, which hopefully will one day be its own game room, it will still be functional, fun, and not permanently girlified. I'll keep you updated as it evolves, which I'm sure it will almost daily since I have an unpredictable walking eraser (*cough* Tegan *cough*). Anyone else make any fun, little changes this weekend? I'm always looking for more ideas and inspiration (especially when school hasn't started...)!

Anyhoo, time to go enjoy the last few hours of weekend while I still can. Trueblood Sunday here I come!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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