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Posts with tag home-decor

Starched fabric decals fix up boring walls

fabric decals on a white doorStarch and laundry get along really well, and you can also use corn starch to thicken up homemade gravy and other homemade delicacies, but did you know that you can use corn starch to "paint" fabric onto your walls?

Jessica at How About Orange made homemade starch, sketched out her plan, cut out fabric, then applied the homemade starch to the fabric. She then applied the fabric to her door, smoothing out any air bubbles she encountered along the way.

Jessica used double-stick tape to see how the fabric would first look arranged on her door. She advises that when taking the fabric off the wall, all you have to do is peel off the pieces and wipe off any leftover starch with a damp cloth.

I love the decals, as they are perfect for times when hammering nails into a wall just isn't appropriate, such as in dorm rooms. They can also cover up any nail holes left by previous tenants, or you can just simply have fun decorating your walls at your whim.

Create graphic artwork for a modern look

three canvases hung on wall, painted with green blue, white, and brown designsNothing says 'fresh' and 'modern' like graphic artwork. It's a perfect pick-me-up to a drab decor, or it can add a funky flair to a traditional decorating scheme. However you choose to use it, graphic is "in."

You could spend a fortune and buy some canvases from a trendy artist, or you can do it yourself. I vote for me!

Plaid has a very easy tutorial showing how to create your own graphic artwork: a set of three coordinating canvases that you can make, using stencils and four colors of paint.

After painting the base color on each of the canvases, just use stencils to paint on the designs. They will have your own personal touch, you can make them to match your own decor, and they will give your room an instant face lift. They'd also make a cherished housewarming gift for a special friend.

If you fear art, as some do, and this project is more than you can handle without an accompanying Margarita, you can try framing some handmade paper instead. A block print design will give you a similar look, and you can still say that you did it.

The Home Depot recalls candle holders

diylife-recall-red-triangle-signThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with The Home Depot, has announced a voluntary recall of about 14,000 candle holders, due to a fire hazard. Sunlight that passes through the glass portion of the candle holder can cause nearby flammable items to ignite. The Home Depot has received one report of a fire.

Manufactured in China and sold at The Home Depot stores in the southern and western regions of the U.S. from January 2008 through March 2008 for about $10, the sun shaped candle holder is glass and metal, and was sold in four colors: red, green, blue, and yellow. Please see the CPSC press release for more information on the recalled candle holders.

Consumers are advised to stop using the candle holder and return it to The Home Depot for a full refund. For more information, contact the firm at (866) 403-5504 or visit their website at www.homedepot.com.

sun-shaped-candle-holder-recall

Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome: choosing a kitchen countertop

A nifty kitchen

Ask any real estate agent, and she'll tell you that when it comes to home equity and return on investment, the two most important rooms are the kitchen and the bathroom. Forget the fancy pool; it's nice, and it might close the deal at sale time, but prospective buyers are going to decide yea or nay in the kitchen.

The kitchen is a focal point for family gatherings and entertaining guests. So what are the main components of the typical kitchen? Well, there's the major appliances. They should match and be energy-efficient. Storage? There should be plenty of cabinets to stash food, dishes, pots and pans.

But what really stands out are the kitchen countertops. This is where the real work is done. Because of that, lighting should be focused on them, literally putting them in the spotlight.

Whether you're planning on building a new home or you're rolling up your sleeves for a remodel, you have a lot of choices when it comes to selecting the countertops. The things to consider are personal preference, aesthetics, matching the rest of the decor, and, of course, budget. Let's have a look at some of the choices.

Continue reading Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome: choosing a kitchen countertop

Decorate glass with rub-on transfers

Glass vase decorated with The other day, I found an interesting and easy decorative glass vase tutorial over at CasaSugar. I thought to myself, "That's pretty cool for around the house, but I bet it would also be perfect as a wedding centerpiece." In fact, it turns out that the project originated at DIY Bride.

This is really as simple as picking up some rub-on transfers you like, along with a clear glass vase that has a smooth surface. After making sure the vase is completely clean and dry, just cut around the transfers you like, then use the burnishing stick that comes in the package to carefully rub designs onto the vase (exactly as you would if you were rubbing them onto paper).

The transfers are sold in almost any store that carries scrapbooking or other craft supplies. Thousands of designs are available, but if you can't find any rub-ons that you like in your area, the DIY Bride post has a list of online resources.

This project is as versatile and stylish as your imagination (for example, the right transfers would make it great for Mother's Day), but this is not exactly a new tip: a few months ago, this concept also ran in the Winter, 2008 issue of Somerset Life magazine, where it was used to decorate glass bottles and jars. Please join me after the break to read more about the appealing ideas that were presented there.

Continue reading Decorate glass with rub-on transfers

Creating a healthy home office

Healthy home officeA couple of months ago I made the switch from working full-time in a typical 8-5 office to working full-time from home. While I love working from home, my office leaves a little to be desired. Instead of the large office I used to have, I now work in a tiny corner of my living room.

So redesigning my office space is on the forefront of my mind: storage, comfort, and functionality are the priorities. When searching for creative ideas, I found an article from Shape with some great tips for creating a healthy home office. I'll share some of the tips I'm going to try after the break.

Continue reading Creating a healthy home office

Make your own bean bag chair

beanbag by Daveybot on FlickrThere are a lot of reasons why the lowly bean bag is still a popular piece of furniture, even after all these years. They're comfortable (ergonomic, even), easy to clean, and low maintenance. They're portable, which makes them perfect for college students. They're also versatile and can be easily stored, then pulled out for quick seating. Finally, they sit low on the ground, perfect for watching TV or playing video games.

Bean bags are also inexpensive to buy, but even more so to make. By making your own bean bags, you also can create custom seating that matches your decor perfectly. To make a bean bag, you'll need:
  • a sewing machine
  • 3.8 yards of fabric of your choice
  • 3.8 yards of inexpensive fabric (for the inner bag)
  • 50 cm zipper
  • beanbag filling
  • scissors
  • thread
  • pencil
Ready to get started? WikiHow will show you how. Before you know it, you'll be sitting back relaxing in your own, personalized bean bag chair.

Water bottle wall dividers

water bottle wall dividerThis water bottle wall divider is the perfect addition to any green home or office. The genius combination of recycled plastic bottles and modern office design, makes this project one you won't want to pass up.

Designed by Klein Dytham Architecture, this semi transparent wall is perfect for dividing open work spaces. While Curbly doesn't reveal the full instructions on how to recreate this original idea, they do give some guidance.

You'll need lots of clean, empty water bottles, with the labels peeled off. The bottles are strung on wires hanging from floor to ceiling. It looks like the track would be the same as any other industrial wall divider.

You don't have to duplicate their design entirely. Play around with your own space and modify it to best meet your own style and functional needs.

Flip these rugs!

dining room with green and taupe rug
I never liked my living room rug. I purchased under duress, when we had just moved into our home and needed a rug fast.

My dining room is another story. I adore the rug in there, but I don't care for the overall look of the room. What I had hoped would be dramatic and even a little exotic turned out to just be too dark and missing that "certain something."

Then it occurred to me. Why not flip these rugs? So in the spirit of FreeStyle and Flip This House, I set off to do just that.

Peruse my gallery to see the before and after photos, and join me after the break for more details of "the flip."

Gallery: Flip these rugs!

black ruggreen rugliving room beforeliving room afterdining room before

Continue reading Flip these rugs!

Tomato pincushion pegboard for your crafting wall

Tool pegboard shaped like tomato pincushion. Cute!Every sewing room I have ever laid eyes on has been a big mess. To the person who owns the room, it looks exactly as it should, because they know where every pair of scissors, every piece of felt, and every bit of yarn and string is located.

Secretly, I think they are too freaked to even start cleaning up their mess. Most sewing rooms I have seen are small, with barely enough room to work, let alone a place to store all their crafting necessities. Everyone wishes they had a way to end the mess and become more organized.

Craftster user StephaniePrice had an issue with accessibility in her sewing room too, so she decided to go to her local Lowe's and buy a pegboard. Her husband drew the tomato pincushion on the pegboard, and she got happy with a jigsaw. Several coats of primer, and red, black, and green paint for the tomato, completed her new board.

I think the pegboard is a fantastic way to end the clutter in any room. If you decide to do this project, be sure to read through all the reader comments; Stephanie tells how she hung the pegboard and the vinyl "pins" on the wall, as well as how she removed any excess paint from the holes.

How to make a bed canopy

bed canopyKeep the romance going past Valentine's day by creating a sensual setting in the bedroom. There is nothing quite as dreamy as a beautifully adorned bed, draped with a sheer canopy. Buying one at a bedroom boutique can be costly. That's OK, because you're not into that anyway, you're DIY-savvy and you'll make you're own. It really is a simple project that you can easily take on, even if you're a novice when it comes to sewing.

Now that you're feeling motivated, here's how to sew a bed canopy. According to sewing.org, you'll need the following:
  • 18" wooden embroidery hoop
  • 10-1/4 yards 45" - to 60" -wide sheer fabric
  • 3-1/2 yards white seam binding
  • White sewing thread
  • 2 yards x 3/4" white self-adhesive Velcro
  • 2-1/2 yards white cord
  • 1" wooden bead (?" hole)
  • 3/8" metal pot hook
  • 1/2" double-side tape
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Sewing sheers
  • Tape measure
  • Fabric marker
  • Safety pin
  • Iron
Read the instructions before getting started. They'll give you material and assembly instructions specific to the type of atmosphere you're looking to create. They even offer detailed diagrams to help you along the way. This project is a great way to bring luxury into the bedroom.

Books in the rafters

Rafter-mounted bookshelves, from Apartment Therapy. Fair use size.If you have a lot of books, like I do, sometimes it becomes challenging to store them. Decent bookshelves that won't bow under the weight of the books can be expensive, particularly when you need a whole wall or more of them. And the books can be in the way when you have nowhere to put them... oh, the piles I have tripped over!

Some people suggest using bracket-supported shelves near the ceiling as a way to put extra storage into a room, whether for books or for knickknacks, but books can be so heavy that it's probably smart to be skeptical about that idea, even if the supports are properly screwed into wall studs. Also, until relatively recently, the most widely available brackets that could support more than a few pounds of weight were in styles only appropriate for country decor... nothing sleek or modern.

On a similar theme, but with a much more distinctive look, are the "rafter shelves" that have been running around the blogosphere recently, after an appearance on Apartment Therapy Los Angeles. You can read more about them after the break!

Continue reading Books in the rafters

Make a hanging laptop digital painting

picture in a wooden frameIf you are unsure what to do with your old laptop, don't throw it away. Instructables user Timatron gives us pictures and complete step by step instructions on how to turn an old laptop into a hanging digital painting. Timatron takes you through the steps of very carefully removing the hinges from the laptop, taking out the battery, framing and matting the laptop, and hanging it up on the wall.

What a neat way to keep your old laptop out of the garbage! Have fun with this project and let your imagination fly as you pick out cool images to use for your new digital painting. Turn your old laptop into a neat Christmas gift and show off your kids to the grandparents. I bet Gramma and Grampa would love to receive such a cool present.

4 ways to update the look of your home

fresh painted roomThanksgiving is behind us and Christmas preparations are under way. We'll bring out old boxes of decorations and add some new stylish pieces. It doesn't matter how good your decorating taste is, if you're trying to hide wood panel walls and '70s linoleum, your house can only look so good. What better motivation for some household updates than your parents coming to town. Surely they will wonder why you haven't fixed that tear in the wallpaper from last year?

These updates don't have to take from your Christmas fund, there are four easy ways to update the look of your home and stay on a tight budget. I'll provide two important tips after the break.

Gallery: The many uses for throw pillows

In the bedroomMatching pillowsVintage pillowsHoliday patternsPillow benches

Continue reading 4 ways to update the look of your home

Victoria's back with recipes, simple wreath ideas

Victoria magazine logo, from victoriamag.comMany women have a fond place in their hearts for Victoria, the magazine that ceased publication in 2003 after a 16-year run. It was a lifestyle magazine, glancingly similar to Martha Stewart Living, with articles about anything that fit in with a romantic 19th century theme. It also showcased attempts to capture a similar vibe in modern life.

Some features were overtly historical, while others would simply be about wearing vintage-repro jewelry with modern clothing. There were always lots of recipes, all of which seemed to have something to do with country-house Christmases, garden parties, and afternoon tea.

If that sounds wonderful to you, I have good news: Victoria was recently relaunched with a new publisher, and is available on newsstands. Since that is not, however, news that is necessarily related to any sort of DIY topic, I have to add that they have some tips for you on their website. You can learn more about them after the break.

Continue reading Victoria's back with recipes, simple wreath ideas

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