Links We Love: Surf Shack Table, Floating Shoe Rack & More

This week, let's kick things off with two very cool DIY space-saving projects!

First up: the creative space-saver in the current edition of ReadyMade. It's called the Surf Shack fold-down table. Hartman Kable, a contractor and avid surfer has gotten lots of buzz for his tiny, minimalist surf shack. Why's it so cool? He managed to fit all the comforts of home -- table included -- inside a modified shipping container. And he's done it stylishly, to boot. – Ready Made

Looking for a footwear storage idea? Make your own low-profile shoe rack. Inspired by UK company j-me's clever design, which makes shoes appear to float a few inches above the floor, this DIY version can be cut to fit whatever space you've got to spare. It's also budget-friendly, which is always in style. – Not Martha

Want your floors cleaner-than-clean? Follow Casa Sugar's 10 nifty tips for better vacuuming. Whether it's using all your vacuum's hand tools the correct way or reaching those roving bunnies under the couch, these hints will improve your dust-busting technique! – Casa Sugar

Share the soap-making odyssey of Larry Bilotti, former executive editor of my fave magazine, Country Living. Mmm, fresh-cut bars of homemade soap. The heavenly scent of cedar and sage wafting through the house. I'm there! – Trout House Diaries



Bring soothing Zen spa-style into your home. DIY a foot-massaging bath mat made from polished river stones. Apart from stones and pebbles, all you'll need is some shelf liner and three tubes of silicone. Not sure I'd step out of the tub onto something so slippery. But I'd love to soothe my tootsies on one elsewhere in the bathroom -- in front of the basin, perhaps? – Lowe's (via TipNut)

Remodeling? Rearranging? Give Floor Planner a try. The program boasts an easy-to-use drag and drop format. Plus you can design in 2D then view your creation in 3D. Best of all, the basic plan (allowing you to create one house or room design and share it with friends and family) is free for personal use. – Floor Planner (via Charles & Hudson)