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Where to Shop for Designer Fabric Online

April 7, 2015 by

Some of the best bargains on unique, beautiful fabrics can be found online. Here are just three of the best online resources for designer fabrics for all of your craft projects.

Spoonflower
With an easy-to-navigate website that’s almost as beautiful as its large inventory of designer fabrics, it’s easy to see why Spoonflower is one of the most popular online fabric retailers. Designed by indie artists, fabrics are available in designs like tribal prints, geometric patterns, and minimalist flowers, as well as children’s prints perfect for the little ones.

Etsy
The go-to online hub of anything crafty and handmade, Etsy is also a great resource for designer fabrics. Because the site contains so many individual sellers, you’ll find something for just about any style or project.

Fabric.com
Fabric.com sells a wide selection of name brand designers like Liberty of London, Kaufman, and Minky, as well as quilting fabrics and unique textures that may be difficult to find anywhere else. Browse the site by brand name, type of fabric, or even pattern and color, and be sure to check out the impressive clearance section if you’re on a budget.

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How to Keep Your Furniture Looking Like New

March 3, 2015 by

Purchasing furniture is one of the priciest investments that you make in your home, so you likely want to keep it looking as good as new. Follow these smart tips for preventing stains, rips, and other signs of wear and tear on your new furniture.

  1. Invest in high-quality pieces. First and foremost, investing in good quality furniture is one of the very best ways to ensure that it keeps its original look for years to come.
  2. Protect your fabrics and upholstery. When you first purchase a new rug or upholstered sofa, pay a bit extra to have a professional administer a protective coating to repel stains.
  3. Flip sofa cushions. By flipping your sofa cushions monthly, you can distribute the weight from frequent use to multiple parts of the cushion.
  4. Minimize eating in the living room. If you’re already trying to break this bad habit, just imagine a food stain on your brand new sofa for a bit of extra motivation.
  5. Tackle stains immediately. Whether it’s on a rug or the sofa, the most important way to prevent permanent staining is by addressing it immediately so that it can’t sink into the fabric. Read the care instructions on your furniture or rugs when you purchase them so that you know exactly how to remove that red wine stain before it inflicts major damage.

How to Keep Your Furniture Looking Like New [WikiHow]
4 Steps to Keep Your Furniture Looking New [Apartment Therapy]
Keep Your Sofa Looking Like New in 3 Easy Steps! [Shofer’s]

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How to Design Your Own Fresh Flower Arrangement at Home

September 4, 2014 by

Flowers brighten up any room and give it that sleek, interior designer look. Not only do they look great, a blossoming flower arrangement will make your room smell wonderful, too. Here are a few professional tips for making an attractive floral arrangement at home.

  1. Gather your supplies. Use a vase or even an old jar as the base for your arrangement and be sure to have sharp scissors or shears on hand. You’ll also need a variety of flowers, which depend on your personal tastes.
  2. Add some foliage. To create a space-filler for your arrangement, add some lush green foliage. Cut it so that the sides are shorter and the middle is taller to create dimension, but be sure to leave room for the flowers.
  3. Place large flowers throughout. Next, add larger faced flowers like roses or peonies. Cut some stems longer and other stems shorter, then scatter them throughout the arrangement.
  4. Disperse wispy accents. Weave vines, smaller ferns, or even delicate flowers throughout the rest of the arrangement to create texture. Let some shoot outward from the sides for a multidimensional look.
  5. Make final adjustments. Once all of your flowers are in place, be sure to arrange them a bit more. Stand back and admire your handiwork to see which flowers need to be moved, and don’t worry if there are a few imperfections; that gives your arrangement character!

How to Create Perfect Floral Arrangements [Sunset]
Elegant, Exquisite, Easy Floral Arrangements [Real Simple]
Flower Arranging 101 [Martha Stewart]

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Channel Your Inner Interior Designer With These Helpful Tips

August 5, 2014 by

Whether you're working with the blank canvas of a new apartment or an outdated space that’s simply not functional, decorating your home is always intimidating. It may seem crazy, but by adhering to just two simple tips from professional designers, you can make your home look and feel a whole lot fresher. Here are two interior design rules that you should know.

  1. Make every room work for your needs. It seems simple enough, but many people get so caught up in the details that they forget about the function of the room itself. Is it an office? Make the desk the focal point, then worry about the wall hangings later. Are you decorating your living room? Get rid of that old chair that you don’t have room for, because it’s only taking up space. Focus on the things that you use every day, and the things that are pretty to look at will fall into place later.
  2. Maximize the lighting. Even if your apartment came with built-in light fixtures, don’t feel like you’re limited to the cold feel of overhead lighting. Add a few lamps with softening shades here and there to create a more flattering lighting effect, and always play up the windows to bring in as much natural light as possible. You’ll be amazed at the difference good lighting can make!

6 Basic Interior Design Rules [Suite]
The 3 Principles of Interior Design [HGTV]
The 7 Rules of Interior Design [Zillow Blog]
5 Rookie Mistakes You’ll Never Make Again [Apartment Therapy]

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How to Keep Your Fridge Squeaky Clean—and Smelling Fresh!

July 8, 2014 by

From spills and splashes to food that's less than fresh, your fridge is subjected to a lot of grit and grime during its lifetime. It's no surprise, then, that cleaning a refrigerator can be a Herculean task—but it doesn't have to be! The easiest way to clean a fridge is to break down the task into smaller chores performed more frequently. Here are a few tips:

1) Wipe down spills as they occur. Use a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water to wipe up spills before they have a chance to harden and "set" on the shelf. (Prevent sticky situations by giving jam and syrup jars a good wipe-down before parking them back in the fridge.) Wipe down the outside and top of the fridge with the same vinegar solution.

2) Pick one day a week, like the night before trash day, to go through your fridge and toss expired items and produce that's seen better days. Keep leftovers identifiable by labeling them with their date and contents.

3) For a fridge that smells clean and fresh, soak a cotton ball in vanilla extract and place it in the back of the fridge. You could also go the traditional route with a box of opened baking soda.

4) If the shelves and drawers are especially grimy, remove them for a bath in warm, soapy water. A toothbrush is the perfect tool to use for removing dried food and spills from creases and crevices in the fridge.

Caring for the Kitchen Workhorse [Martha Stewart]
Speed-Clean Your Refrigerator [Real Simple]
How To Clean & Organize a Refrigerator [Apartment Therapy]
Clean and Deodorize Your Refrigerator [RD]

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