Altering My Plain White Making Memories Embellishment Center

This is the Making Memories Embellishment Center which almost every scrapbooker *seems* to have in their scrap room. I’ve been debating buying one for months because it’s white and I’m not a fan of white. After unsuccessfully trying to find something as organized as this, but “different” looking, I broke down and bought one. I used a 40% off coupon from Joann’s to buy my MM Embellishment Center at MICHAEL’S! They use Joann’s (and all other competitors) coupons! I love that!

I had planned on painting the embellishment center black to match my “in progress” scrap room, but now I’m thinking of other things I could do to it. I’ve scoured the internet (google images, all the scrap room website galleries, blogs, etc) and cannot find ONE that has been changed other than two ladies who have painted theirs black. They look great which is nice to know since that’s what I want to do to mine! LOL But now I’m wondering if anyone has ever done anything different with theirs and if not, why?

First, I will be removing the dowels on the bottom two shelves because I store my ribbon on cards (have way too much ribbon to put on spools like this!). My decorating style is clean, non-busy designs and warm, neutral colors. I love other colors, almost all colors but I’ve never been comfortable trying them in my home. The bravest I’ve done is paint my interior walls (living room and hallway) a very pretty strong yellow which helps with the winter blues around here and livens up all of my dark brown and black furniture, curtains, decor, etc. I’ll have to take a picture and put that up here sometime. But for now, back to the matter at hand…

The only “theme” I have to my scrap room so far is that the walls are painted a “camel” (tan) color and my desktop (countertop from Home Depot) has tan colors in it. The only other colors in it are Black/Brown Expedit and Maple/Birch Expedit. Because all of the things I’ve bought for my scrap room came from thrift stores, this is what I’m working with:

1. Black
2. Tan
3. Dark Red is my accent color.
4. Stainless Steel – (not a lot but a few things)
5. White Pegboard (plastic – I don’t want to paint it because it’s already hanging on the wall and the only way to paint it well would be to spray paint it) so I’m thinking of making a black frame to go around it using moulding or something.
6. I have a wallpaper border that I got on clearance for 50 cents at Lowe’s and I LOVE it, but I can’t figure out how to use it in my room, I wanted to make it my “theme” but I can’t find anything else to match it. Here is a picture of the border (I don’t’ want to actually use it as a wallpaper border, just use it to accent stuff). I want to buy the regular wallpaper that matches (second picture) but haven’t found it cheap yet.
   
   

I have a LOT of different types of organizing solutions such as those Sterilite plastic storage drawers of all sizes, they are mostly white but I’m going to spray paint them black. I had one that was an ugly purple/blue color and I spray painted it black and it came out great! (I was worried about it looking tacky), I just had to buy a special paint for plastic.

I have a lot of wire organizers – don’t ask, I went crazy last summer because they were all from ten cents to a quarter and I have about 45 different wire organizing baskets and shelf helper “things”. I have no idea what to do with them all! I hate the wire look, but again, I’m working on a budget!

Why does every scrap room seem to have the same WHITE furniture, modular furniture and craft organizers? Why doesn’t anyone ever change theirs? I understand that the stores only sell that stuff in white but it can be altered, especially with all of the creative, talented scrapbookers out there.

Personally, I don’t consider myself naturally artistic or creative and everything I do takes me FOREVER to decide upon. I research every option, read everything I can, look at other people’s ideas before I ever come up with my own. And then whatever I do come up with, is always limited to my small budget and limited creativity/talent! lol Not to mention what kind of luck I’ve found at the thrift stores which is where I get most of my stuff. This Making Memories Embellishment Center piece, my Ikea Expedits and my Display Dynamics paper holders are the only “big” thing’s I’ve bought from an actual “store”.

Everything else is found in more frugal ways! And BTW, my DD paper holders were on sale and my Expedit, one was in the “as-is” section of Ikea and the other, I paid full price for. (That hurt LOL). I have an extremely limited income and as a single mom, anything I spend on “me” has to be extra or found in some creative way (like money made from buying something from a thrift store, fixing it up and selling it on craigslist, etc.). I’m the queen of finding things cheap (lol).

Anyway, I’m looking for your feedback. If you have any pictures or creative tips/ideas for altering the look of the plain white Making Memories Embellishment Center, please share them with me. I’d LOVE to see or hear anything you have to share!