Monster Eyeballs
Three cheers for a $12 fifteen minute project that makes us giggle. Because sometimes you just gotta laugh. We switched out the old knobs on our dining room built-ins.
The first step is to put on your safety goggles and protective gloves. Kidding. The first step is to unscrew the old ones and the second step is to screw in the new ones. So easy. Here’s a little in-progress action shot for ya:
And here are the new ones all “installed”:
But back to the whole monster eyeballs thing. When I fell in love with these greeny-yellow knobs at Hobby Lobby (for $1.50 a pop thanks to a 50% off sale), it never crossed my mind that they’re a bit similar to the eyeball-esque hardware that we inherited with our kitchen. Remember this weird (and wonderful?) post about that?
Anyway, somehow we missed that they might look like monster eyeballs (you know, because some monsters have yellow ones instead of white ones) until we got them home and screwed them in and John started laughing about the obvious (but not to us until that moment) similarity. Although somehow in yellow and oil-rubbed bronze they feel a bit less eyeball-y and more playful and eclectic than the more cartoon-ish black & white ones in the kitchen. At least that’s what we’re telling ourselves.
We love them anyway. Monster eyeballs be darned.
Especially with the teal backing of the built-ins above them – such a fun color combo.
Thankfully from most vantage points they look more like fun yellow knobs than body parts of any kind (but from Clara’s line of sight they might continue to look like monster eyeballs for a while, which she might get a kick out of). Either way, once the walls go soft gray and we add curtains and art and chairs and a big opening to the kitchen we’re sure the knobs will hardly be the focal point. We could probably get little alien butt knobs and no one would notice.
So that’s a little $12 makeover that makes us smile (and makes our built-ins feel fun and kinda funky). Sidenote: I hate the word funky. It always makes me think of smelly feet or old cheese.
New theory: every house needs at least a few monster eyeballs. We have nine thanks to the one on the closet door in the guest room.
Methinks that’s just enough.
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So this is totally unrelated to monster eyeballs (not a phrase I say too often!) but I thought of you two as I was flipping through the Williams-Sonoma catalogue today. They have a new line of bud vases, glass tumblers, linens, and serveware all in a “bee” motif. I know you have a thing for bees :) You should check it out on their website. I’d attach a link if I knew how to do that! Just search “bees” or “honeybee”. Such adorable stuff and some of it is not too pricey. I personally think you’ll like the bee pressed-glass bud vases ($29 for three) or the adorable sugar/honey pot & creamer set ($20). Happy browsing!
Thanks for the heads up! We’ll have to buzz over there to check them out. Haha.
xo,
s
OH NO!!!!!!! Go back to the old knobs….the new ones are hideous.
Oh my gosh I better switch them back right now! Just kidding. We love them and they stay. To each his own, even when it comes to booby-monster eyeballs.
xo,
s
Sherry – you make me giggle! Y’all have a great sense of humor!
I never would’ve thought monster eyeballs or the other mentions without hearing it from you first. I think they are a great find. They actually look a lot like the much more expensive ones at Anthropologie. We bought aqua colored ones for our baby boy’s nursery-will post on our blog Monday-for $6 and $8 depending on size.
I have to say I’m not lovin’ the new knobs. Which pains me because I always love, love, love everything you do. But no worries. I’m still a huge fan!
I love the fun color choice (very much in line with your napkin LOL!), but I have to say I prefer the old, beautiful knobs.
I’m sure in the end they’ll look great in your room though. I just really love the old ones. Charming.
I love the monster eyeballs! I think the pop of yellow looks fabulous with the cabinet colors! Yay for unique knobs! I like to change them out when I change the color of accessories in the room for a little update too!
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT GET YOU BY!!!
Love the googly-eyed knobs. Do they come in other colors, per chance?
Something so simple, can just make a brilliant change. BRAVO once again.
B.
Yes I think they had some other colors too! Maybe try calling? Or does anyone else remember? Maybe orange and sky blue?
xo,
s
Owl eyeballs, me thinks.
Whoooo Whoooo What monsters? Whoooo Whoooo
Hahaha. I love it.
xo,
s
that’s what I thought too. Add a little triangular beak under those eyeballs and it would be a good start to an owl face :)
I’m sure they’ll look great as your room evolves J&S. You guys always pull it all together in the end :)
Your built-ins look amazing! I love all your adorable vases and accessories, especially the light blue ones. Where did you find them?
Most of those were from Target or HomeGoods. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
It’s really great to see some rooms we rarely see, like the kitchen or the sunroom for example… I enjoyed the tour, thanks !
I gotta say, your blog is the first thing I check when arriving at work and again after lunch. Only 2 posts have me scratching my head from a design perspective, as I usually LOVE all your choices — the dead animal head over Ed the Bed (sooo unromantic) and the booby knobs. But, I guess 2 out of 100s of posts is a pretty decent record!
We’re weird and we know it. Haha. Three cheers for weirdness!
xo,
s
I bought those same ones for a chest that needed some sprucing up. But when I got them on, I had trouble grabbing them, they seemed too small or didn’t come out far enough or something weird like that. Did you all have this problem at all?
Outs didn’t have that issue but you can usually get longer screws at a hardware store. Just bring them in and ask for help finding longer matching screws. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I like turquoise and the yellow knobs too. Every addition (no matter how small) builds toward the bigger picture.
– Joy
I’ve been meaning to update some old hardware on some drawers. Must go shopping soon!
Oh man, I’m gonna be looking for monster eyeballs everywhere now :)
Too funny! I just bought those same knobs at hobby lobby! Which not I can’t stop calling Knobby Lobby…….
Bwahahaha. How did I not think of that? Life changing.
xo,
s
Once again loving the pop of color…BTW whatcha keep in those binders on the shelf counter
Those are wedding albums that we made (one of photostrips and one of normal wedding pics).
xo,
s
“little alien butt knobs” made me giggle.
You all must have body parts on the mind. First came the “man parts” possibility for the top of the bed and now the “woman parts” on the built ins… ha
Is Clara still nursing? Or stillb hoping to nurse? Cuz I really doubt that ‘monster eyeballs’ is the body part she’ll be dreaming of!
Haha, yup still nursing. But she hasn’t tried to drink from the knobs once. It’s a miracle! Haha.
xo,
s
Just wanted to say that I’ve been reading your blog for close to a year now – and this is my first time commenting. I look forward to your posts everyday!
On an unrelated note – I’m at work right now and am not in the mood to be here or to do an actual work today. Do you ever have days like that?? Like, sitting at the computer is the last thing you feel like doing that day?? Maybe it’s just the difference that I don’t love my job, and I’m assuming you and John love yours!
Yes we love our job, but there are definitely days we don’t want to look at laptops and paint brushes and just want to “unplug” for sure!!
xo,
s
I don’t think I’ve ever disliked something you two have done (and top of the list is the guestroom… I was ogling it again yesterday, wanting to recreate it!), but I think these are kind of gross. I like the yellow idea, but the rest of the knob is kind of yucky. Sorry. :-(
No worries! We definitely don’t expect everyone to love every weird knob that we grab. How boring would that be anyway? Haha.
xo,
s
I can’t read any of these comments seriously when they have the word knob in it ……. Pahahahahaa
That’s what she said.
xo,
s
Are you into scrapbooking? I’m the worst wanna be. I would say I put on my own pressure when I walked thru the paper aisle. My son is going to be three and still working his baby album.
I like getting big fabric or leather scrapbooks and just using pretty paper and placing photos inside. Nothing too ornate, but the pretty paper and handome heavy book feels nice to flip through, you know?
xo,
s
I actually really loved the old ones. Sorry to say the new one’s just don’t have the same patina or character.
Wow! You have definitely created a conversation starter for your future dinner guests with your “monster-eyeball-boobie” knobs! LOVE IT!!!
Haha, they’re ice breakers, what can we say?
xo,
s