How Did that Hold Up? (Round Two)

Last October we shared an update on how well some of the DIY projects we've shared on this site held up over time. You can see that post here. We thought we'd update you on a few more projects that we've lived with for a while.

First up is this feather pendant light. It has seen over a year of use now, and it's still going strong! It looks and functions exactly the same as the day we hung it. Hooray!

We're still very much in love with this white and copper dining room table that Josh built about this time last year. I think we all assumed that structurally it would hold up great (and it has!), but what about that white surface? Would it get stained over time with use? Although I don't think this table sees quite as many meals as others, it is sort of used as our studio house break room/lunch table at times. We also hosted our annual Friendsgiving on this table this year, and the white has held up like a champ. 

OK, so this bedside bench turned out not to last as long as I thought. Structurally nothing was wrong with it, it probably would have lasted for years (it was mostly decorative, so not a lot of sitting happened on it). But, the rug I chose had some black and darker tones in the pattern and this showed my dog's blonde hair A LOT. I would use my vacuum attachment from time to time to clean it, but it never looked anywhere near as good as the day I made it, no matter how much I vacuumed and lint rolled! So, for that reason I ended up not loving it as much as I thought I would. 

Recently I repurposed the legs for our coffee table. Never waste good furniture legs! Reuse them if the opportunity comes up as it can save you a pretty penny and reusing is always good in my book. 

Last year Trey and I built this simple standing desk around our "home office" room. Really, we use the room as a home office, music room (for him), and sewing/craft room (for me). So the desk gets used pretty often for all sorts of tasks. And it has held up great!

These super easy no-sew curtains that we have in our office bathroom are a great example of a project that is both simple and durable. I think a lot of times people think, "If you don't do it the hard way, it won't last and isn't worth doing." And I think that can sometimes be true. If you're cutting corners to be lazy (which I've done!!!), then you may regret it. BUT, that doesn't mean that doing things the "easy way" can't be beautiful and durable too. These curtains have been hanging up for almost a year, and they are showing no signs of wear yet. 🙂

I think we all wondered how well these pretty felt pillows were going to hold up over time. Felt isn't always considered to be the most durable fabric. But these decorative throw pillows are still looking vibrant and beautiful to this day!

Still in love with my macrame curtain in our home office! The taped ends haven't frayed at all, and I still love the texture that it adds to the space without being overwhelming.

Our DIY floating shelves have help up great too! We store plants, books, and all sorts of knick knacks on them, and they have held up like a total champ this year. 

Loved learning how to grow crystals inside egg shells. Too cool! I encased mine inside plaster for a fun paperweight project. It's been about six months, and I still have two of the three weights I made. I lost the red one. Boo! I guess it just up and walked off my desk one day. But the blue and purple are still sitting on my desk as I type this. The color in the crystals has faded some. They look a little more cloudy than the day I made them. But other than that, the crystals seem to be holding up OK.

And last, a little update on my mineral photo display. I wondered if wires might sag or get bent overtime, but they have held up fine this year. I have moved this display around our house some, mostly from the fireplace mantel to the bookshelf. I have had a few of the photos fall out before, especially when it was on the mantel since it was right by our back door and a gust of air would sometimes blow a few of the photos off. I used my jewelry pliers to pinch the hooks more secure, and it's been fine since then. Maybe in another year I'll update the photos, we'll see. 🙂

Thanks for letting us share!!! xo. Emma

Credits // Author: Emma Chapman, Photography: Check the original posts (linked throughout) for the photographer. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.