You are here: Home / Archives for Miscellaneous

Revamp a Lampshade with these Fast and Easy DIYs

June 7, 2016 by

Finding just-the-right lamp to match your decor can be tricky. Why not get creative and style your own? All you need is a simple base and a shade of any kind that you can revamp. Follow these fun tips to create the lamp you've been dreaming of.

  • Using fabric to cover your lampshade is a beautiful and affordable way to revamp your lamp. All you need to do is make yourself a template with newspaper and cut it out to perfectly cover your lamp. Then, cut your fabric to match your template. Use fabric glue to place it on and you've got a unique, beautiful shade.
  • Line your lampshade with gold using liquid gold leaf paint and stained glass foiling tape. Make sure to use a lampshade with a plastic lining so the liquid leaf doesn't seep through the shade. Use a foam brush to paint it on and put a clear topcoat on so the paint doesn't tarnish.
  • Use spray paint to create a unique pattern on your lampshade. All you need is the paint and a fun stencil to use as a pattern. A chevron pattern can really transform your lamp and can go well with any kind of decor.

How to Transform a Lamp Shade with Fabric [Just a Girl and Her Blog]
Lampshade Decorating [Plaster & Disaster]
4 Creative Ways to Do a Lampshade Makeover [Bob Vila]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

How to Make Any Space Feel Like Home

June 3, 2016 by

Making your space feel like a home can be a little overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be difficult. All you need to do is add your own personality to your space and make it feel more cozy. Follow these tips to make your space feel more comfortable and homey.

  • Decorate your space with people and places that you love and with items that have meaning to you. Use artwork that features places or maps of places that have a special meaning to you and your family.
  • A simple positive message can have a way of making you feel good and really bring up your mood. Use art that features a quote or phrase and hang it somewhere where you will be sure to see it every day.
  • Place a lot of throw pillows on your couch or bed. These will always make you feel nice and cozy. A throw blanket can give you the same effect as well.
  • Add a rug or two to your dining or living room area. A rug will make your space feel more complete and less empty or bare.
  • Add a lamp on your bedside table or on your desk to add a little bit of light to your home. If your space is too dark, you will never achieve that cozy feeling.

8 Ways to Decorate With Love and Meaning [Houzz]
8 Ways to Make Your House More Homey [Home Garden Vibes]
Decorating Tricks to Make Your New House Welcoming and Cozy [Freshome]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Turn Your Apartment Into a Happy Home With These 5 Mood-Boosting Design Tips

May 27, 2016 by

Your home should be a place for inspiration and relaxation, not just a place to store your belongings. Improve your rental's overall mood with these design tips that are sure to bring the "happy" back into your happy home.

  • Improve the lighting. It's no secret that natural sunlight improves your mood, so you want to maximize the amount of it that flows through your home. Switch out heavy draperies or blackout curtains with light, sheer curtains or bamboo blinds, and even replace fluorescent lightbulbs with modern bulbs that mimic the look of sunlight.
  • Create a place for everything. Target the areas in your home that collect clutter, such as the area around the front door or the always-overflowing recycling bin. Think of smart solutions for the storage in these areas to create a better flow throughout the home.
  • Add some plants and flowers. Studies show that adding some green to your home makes you happy, so fill small pots with leafy green plants, stylish succulents, or blooming flowers.
  • Redecorate in soft colors. If you're having trouble relaxing in your bedroom or feeling inspired in your home office, try switching up the color palette. Adding stark white bedding or soft colored throw pillows will create a calming effect in these frequently used areas.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

How to Bring a Touch of Home to Your Apartment, Even If You’re Miles Away

May 20, 2016 by

If you recently (or not-so-recently) moved cities, you may want to incorporate decorative items that showcase your hometown pride into your apartment. Whether you're from the next town over or miles away, these online stores offer state- and city-centric items that will show your guests where you come from.

Jelligun
This shop creates pairs of state prints that not only feature your home state, but also your current state. A heart logo marks the city where you're from and the city where you currently live, so you'll always feel like both places are represented in your home.

Covered Bridges
If your style is more rustic, hang a piece of reclaimed wood wall art in the shape of your home state. Each one is customized with your chosen state and the size that you prefer, so you can fill any empty wall with a little piece of home.

TravelSigns
Whether your favorite hometown landmark is your city's baseball field or your alma mater, this Etsy shop creates replica highway signs with the exact number of miles between here and there. You'll also find signs for the highway that leads back to your hometown.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Go For the Old! Here’s What to Look For at The Local Thrift Store

May 13, 2016 by

Whether you're looking to add a touch of character to your home or simply trying to save some money on must-have furniture items, shopping at thrift and antique stores is a great choice. Before you set out on your thrifting journey, learn about the best items to look for on your hunt.

  • Solid wood pieces. Anything built of solid wood likely means it's built to last. Inspect tables, desks and bed frames to see if they're made of real wood instead of particle board or laminate materials.
  • Mid-century modern items. The mid-century modern movement is having a big comeback, so you can feel confident that these items will stay in style for years to come. Seek out chairs and sofas with tapered wooden legs, sleek desks and tables with metal hairpin legs, and items made of sturdy teak wood, which was popular during this era.
  • Woven or imported rugs. While purchasing a new rug can cost you a pretty penny, you'll often find trendy vintage styles for much less at the thrift store. Search for woven styles, Southwestern patterns or imported designs, like Persian or Moroccan rugs.
  • Vintage picture frames. Picture frames are also pricey when purchased new, so you should always take a look around for metal or wooden frames at the thrift store. Even if it already has a photo inside, you can take it out and start fresh with your own print.
  • Kitschy electronics. While purchasing an old TV can be a bit dangerous (many thrift chains don't even sell them anymore), you should keep your eyes peeled for antique radios, clocks, and other analog items that are now collectibles.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

How to Shake (or Stir!) the Perfect Cocktail

May 6, 2016 by

If you think you need to venture to the bar to find a unique, tasty cocktail, think again. You can easily mix up your own creative cocktails and mocktails in the comfort of your own home. The most important part of a great drink is how long the flavor lingers in your mouth. You want to intrigue your taste buds and mind after the sip goes down. These tips are sure to leave a unique, lasting flavor on your tongue.

  • Choose a good quality base liquor or flavor of your cocktail.
  • Use a generous amount of the base spirit.
  • Mix in a tart or sweet ingredient such as lime juice, simple syrup, or liqueur. Remember to keep it simple and balanced, as this will make the flavors last in your mouth.
  • Add a few drops of bitters or a hydrosol, such as rosewater, to add aromatics to your drink.
  • A cocktail that contains delicate flavors or ingredients should be stirred. Be sure to shake any cocktail containing juice or egg whites.
  • To avoid diluting your drink, use larger ice cubes that will melt at a slower pace. In your glass, the ice should be visible about the alcohol line.
  • Take some time to make your cocktail look presentable. A simple lemon twist can add a touch of elegance to your drink.

From A Genius Mixologist: The Only Ratio You Need For Perfect Cocktails [Fast Company]
How to make cocktails: follow these 10 golden rules [The Guardian]
How to Make Perfect Cocktails [Williams-Sonoma Taste]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Where to Shop Host and Hostess Gifts Online

May 3, 2016 by

Going to a party in the near future? It’s polite to bring a gift for the host or hostess, but it may be difficult to decide what to give. Luckily, there are a number of fun and affordable websites are packed full of great ideas that anyone will love. Here are three of the best places to shop for host and hostess gifts online.

Uncommon Goods
This foodie-friendly website is filled with gift ideas perfect for any avid entertainer. From self-chilling wine glasses to sets of unique salts and pizza cutters in silly shapes, these unique items make great host or hostess gifts.

Mark & Graham
If you’re looking for a gift that’s a bit more personal, Mark & Graham offers many items that can be customized with the recipient’s initials. Add etched initials to the side of a set of goblets, a copper ice bucket, or even trendy Moscow mule mugs, or create your own complete set of stylish barware.

Terrain
For the host with more romantic tastes, Terrain’s selection of pressed flower sachets, bottleneck vases, and enamel candlesticks are truly a delight. You’ll also find decorative candies and bottled cordials that are a bit more affordable for those on a budget.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Clever Ways to Organize Shoes and Boots

April 29, 2016 by

If it seems like you never quite have enough room for all of your shoes, regardless of how hard you try to keep them in line, maybe it's not a matter of volume. It could just be that you need to organize your shoe collection more effectively. Here are four clever and practical ways to do just that (without spending too much).

  1. Mount colorful crates. If you want to show off your shoes instead of tucking them away beneath your bed, take this opportunity to exhibit them as works of art. Ask around at local grocery stores to see if they have any wooden crates they intend to recycle, snag a few, and paint them cute colors that match with your existing decor. Then simply mount them to the wall in your bedroom and fill them with shoes, making your own kind of gallery wall.
  2. Enlist a glass cabinet. Another great way to display your shoes (and keep them in order) is to stack them on shelves inside of a glass cabinet. Arrange them by color or other defining characteristics to create a piece that not only organizes but also adds to your room's aesthetic.
  3. Invest in a shoe bag. If you're more concerned about keeping everything orderly, and not so much making your bedroom look extra cute, then buy a simple hanging shoe bag from Amazon or Target. Make sure its cloth shelves are large enough to set your shoes side by side. You can also get an over-the-door organizer to hang on your closet door.
  4. Hang your boots. Maybe it's just your space-consuming boots that always seem to get disorganized. In that case, try hanging them using the clips attached to pant hangers. They'll be much easier to sort through hanging than strewn in a pile at the bottom of your closet.

13 Creative Ways to Organize Your Shoes, Inspired by Pinterest [whowhatwear]
40 Awesomely Clever Ways To Organize Shoes [livingino]
The Best Shoe Storage Options [Apartment Therapy]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Sate Your Craving for Chocolate With These Molten Lava Cake Recipes

April 22, 2016 by

Molten lava cakes are the ideal dessert for a dinner party or other social gathering because their individual sizes give each person a little cake of their own to enjoy. When you cut into these warm, moist desserts an explosion of hot chocolate sauce spills out, which gives the cakes their fun name. If your mouth is already watering, try one of these molten lava cake recipes for dinner tonight.

Molten Chocolate Cakes [Food and Wine]
Food and Wine’s gourmet spin on the dessert classic brings an air of sophistication to the usual molten lava cake. Bittersweet chocolate and unsalted butter provide a rich, complex taste, and the thick chocolate inside is just the icing – or, rather, the lava – on the cake.

Molten Chocolate Cake [Pioneer Woman]
This recipe from the Pioneer Woman is just as indulgent as her other recipes, and the addition of an extra egg yolk ensures that the inside is even more runny than most lava cakes. Serve them with homemade whipped cream for an extra special treat.

Red Velvet Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes [Half Baked Harvest]
This recipe not only uses a red velvet cake exterior, but a chocolate ganache center as well. If that doesn’t already sound decadent enough, a coconut whipped cream topping should do the trick.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Bring the Outdoors In: How to Decorate Using Natural Elements

April 15, 2016 by

One of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to decorate your home is with natural elements. Use natural materials from the outdoors and colors inspired by nature to decorate for any season. If your space could use s breath of fresh air, follow these tips and get this organic look in your home.

  • Use unique pitchers or containers to keep flowers in to give any bouquet a fresh look.
  • Add three-dimensional antlers or any kind of faux taxidermy to your wall to break up some of your framed pictures on your wall.
  • Gather some branches in your backyard to put in a vase to make a centerpiece for your table. You can also use a piece of driftwood for a centerpiece as well.
  • Use a large twisted branch to hang on the wall to add some modern dimension to a room.
  • Use clear glass lamps and fill them up with pinecones, seashells and sand, moss, or anything else you can find.
  • You can also use bowls or trays to fill up with the pinecones or shells.
  • Hang artwork with an earthy theme to hang on your neutral colored walls.
  • Place a collection of small green houseplants in different sized pots on your wooden table to add some natural character to your dining room.

15 Ways to Decorate with Natural Elements [Ebay]
Decorating with Natural Elements [Better Homes]
12 Easy Decorating Ideas Inspired by Nature [Houzz]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Pin It on Pinterest