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.
(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.
Maybe you love the look of a canopy bed, but can’t afford to buy new furniture. (Hey, beds are expensive). Or maybe you really like your current bed, but want to give it a bit of a romantic makeover. Here’s an Apartment Therapy guide to DIYing your way to canopy bliss.
(Image credit: Submitted by Britt)
Britt picked up this little chair despite its layers of paint and funky (in every sense of the word) vinyl cushion. After some sanding, polishing and waxing she got the frame into pretty good shape, but decided to take the seat in an entirely new direction.
(Image credit: Claire from Pillar Box Blue )
Not all bathroom projects have to be major upgrades, sometimes a simple change can add a little bit of extra functionality and a lot of charm. Claire needed more storage but wasn’t particularly keen on running out to the store for a quick fix. After fate threw this vintage drawer into her path, it became clear that she was about to find her storage solution.
(Image credit: Amy Bartlam for Homepolish)
Some people might consider curtains a luxury, others a necessity. If you think about the many benefits that curtains provide, I’d err on the side of necessity. Sure they make a great design statement in a room, but they also can give the illusion of larger windows, create privacy, block out hot summer sun, add a layer between cold winter drafts, and get a nursery ready for nap time. But not all styles, windows, and budgets are alike, so when it comes to curtains, don’t shy away from making them yourself, either completely from scratch or with the help of existing materials. Here’s a roundup of project ideas to get you started…
