See what I did there?? Dye, while a little scary (it’s permanent! it stains things!) can also be a great way to get big results from your DIY projects with a minimum of effort. Here are nine DIYs perfect for transforming your favorite textiles with a little color.
For those of us who love homes with character and architectural interest, built-ins are highly coveted features. Shelving units, cabinets, benches and desks that have been built right into the walls show an attention to detail that newer homes often lack. But don’t worry! You can still get the look in a brand-new house (or even a rental) without an expensive renovation. The secret formula? Just mix affordable furniture with some DIY magic.
These days, I prefer weekdays to weekends when it comes to my IKEA trips. Why, you ask? Well, as if it isn’t obvious, it means less crowds and more leisurely wandering the aisles, sans pressure. What am I looking for exactly? Maybe I have a simple list of items I need for a closet makeover, but then I spot a serving bowl that would make a perfect pendant light. Or I go in for some picture frames then can’t help but notice a kitchen cart that would be the perfect bar cart. Either way, I go in seeking to check things off my list – end up spending a little extra time on each aisle – and leave feeling more inspired.
With the changing of the seasons underway, it’s time to swap out all those summer frocks with chunky sweaters and denim. It’s also probably time to donate a few things, which means you may have a few spare hangers leftover. Before you throw them out with your summer sandals that finally reached their demise, check out these clever ways to reuse and repurpose your wooden and wire hangers in other areas of the home.
When I was little, I always imagined building forts out of sticks or rafts with ropes to float down the river like the Boxcar Children or Huck Finn – completely not realizing that probably wouldn’t happen in suburban Florida. But I was always drawn to how people could create things with minimal supplies and loads of inventiveness. When it came time for this tutorial I remembered using Japanese square lashing for a no-weave wall hanging and realized, hey, lashings are used all the time to build simple structures! Surely it can support a few blankets. And guess what, friends, it totally can.
Don’t fret! It may be mid-October but there’s still plenty of time to add a little Halloween spookiness to your home. Jennifer Perkins is a crafter and blogger who goes ALL OUT when it comes to decorating her Austin house for Halloween. And much of her decor is DIY! These cute Halloween decor projects can be spotted in the Halloween tours of her home…and they are fast and easy to make.
Though there are few things more perfect than a sunny summer beach day, we’ve long been ready for the cooler (read: less sweaty) weather. Right now, we’re in the middle of changing over our wardrobes, our decor, and even the craft projects on our want-to-try lists in anticipation of the coming winter. The one technique that’s been topping that list has been weaving, which has surprisingly risen in popularity. While we have seen handcrafted textiles and macrame wall hangings trend in the decor realm, the appeal of woven textures in the fall and winter is obvious — it’s all about getting cozy.
Whether you’re new to looms or are an experienced weaver looking for new projects (like these fringed pillows from A Beautiful Mess), here are just a few crafty ideas that will bring comfy-cozy texture into your home.
This is not your grandma’s cross-stitch. These projects take the art form of stitching tiny X’s with thread and turn it on its head. Giant painted cross-stitch wall murals, stitched sterling silver bangles, an embroidered IKEA stool – trust me, there’s a lot more to this craft than alphabet samplers.
Whether you collect Pez dispensers, straw hats, heart-shaped rocks, or anything else on earth, you probably want to corral your treasures in an attractive, efficient fashion. These 15 examples, including detailed DIYs, might inspire you to put your beloved collection on display at last.
What’s the next-best fall activity, after apple picking and sipping pumpkin spice lattes? Crafting a pretty autumn wreath for your front door. No, but really. If the thought of a wreath makes you think of outdated arrangements and fake-looking florals, think again. These nine modern designs feel as fresh as the season, and use unexpected botanicals, such as orchids and air plants. Grab some supplies, invite your friends, and deck out your door in fall’s finest.
Renters have spoken: removable wallpaper is one of the best, most inclusive inventions we’ve ever been handed. We can now let our freak flag fly and cover our bathroom floor to ceiling in skulls and flowers, remove it, and happily walk away five years later with our security deposit in hand, our landlord never the wiser.
When it comes to renovating or just updating a home, there are a lot of decisions to be made. One of the biggest homeowners often face is their flooring choice. Tile or carpet? Laminate or hardwood? Here at Flooring.org we specialize in hardwood floor installation and are here to help you decide if it’s the best choice for your home, and your wallet.
No matter what type of flooring you’re starting with, installing new hardwood floors is always a positive upgrade that will not only increase the value of your home but also make it more enjoyable to live in day to day. Hardwood floors provide an aesthetically pleasing, relatively easy to clean, warmth aspect to any room. Big rooms feel cozier, and tiny spaces feel elongated thanks to the clean long lines of wood flooring. They can also be customized in a variety of plank sizes, stains, and colors. They may seem like a large investment, but they’ll last a lifetime and provide your home with a richness and character other flooring options just can’t.
Hardwood floors are far more hygienic than carpet and much simpler to clean on a day to day basis. They also make your home feel like a sanctuary thanks to the way they improve acoustics. If you feel as though your floors are looking a little dull, rather than having to re-grout with tile or replace an entire carpet, all you need to do is refinish or reseal your floors, and they’ll look brand new!
Flooring.org is a family owned business and we’re here to help you get the best quality flooring for the best price. Our website is designed specifically to help you save money while enjoying the process of shopping for new floors. We offer great deals with hardwood flooring starting as low as $0.99 a square foot and will work with you to create the floors of your dreams.
(Image credit: gravityhome.tumblr.com)
Your urban rental will almost certainly include a bedroom (or sleeping area), a bathroom (heaven forbid you have to live college dorm style!), and a kitchen (no matter how small, it still counts), but to have a designated dining room is about as common as having a designated bathtub for washing your dog. Regardless of whether your dining area doubles as a kitchen prep station, coffee bar, or workspace, here are ideas to help you “have your cake and eat it, too” when it comes to living in the city and having a place to sit down and enjoy a meal.
Wall weavings have certainly made their way around the DIY and craft circles the last few years, and for good reason. Whether weaving is your job (I mean, just look at the craftsmanship over on Etsy), your lifelong hobby, your meditation device, or just a one-time thing, the results are often stunning. And that, to me, is reason enough to give it a go.
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)
Lead paint is nasty stuff. If you live in a home built before 1978, it’s very likely that layers of lead paint lurk on the windowsills, trim around the doorway, or walls. Not knowing if you have it in your home is scary — especially if you are pregnant or have children — so it’s worth finding out. Inexpensive kits are widely available, and testing is easy, so fork over the $10, be the responsible human you are, and put your mind to ease.
