Blackout curtains can help you sleep better by filtering out your neighbor’s motion-sensor garage light that goes off every time a fly buzzes past. They also keep cool air from leaking out windows in the summer and stop chilly drafts from creeping in during the winter. But most blackout curtains are ugly. Stop searching for the best blackout curtains with these inexpensive and stylish options....
Are you still decking the halls and putting the final touches on your Christmas décor? As Christmas gets closer, I keep finding ways to make my home just a little bit merrier. One Christmas decoration I can’t do without is a wreath. I tend to DIY my own every year. (I can’t stop at just one!) Wreaths are so easy to make yourself. And, you have so many DIY options. Cover it in yarn or fabric. Make a ruffled burlap wreath. Use candy canes, fake poinsettias or bows. There are so many ideas out there! If you need a Christmas wreath, then look no further. I’ve got you covered. Here are my three favorite festive wreaths that you can make yourself. 1. DIY Ornament Wreath for $10 or Less Add some sparkle to your front door with this ornament wreath made from dollar store materials. Besides saving money when you make your own ornament wreath, you can also customize it any way you want. You get to choose the exact color combination and size. Here’s how you can make your own homemade ornament wreath for $10 or less. Make your own ornament wreath. 2. DIY Coffee Filter Wreath Can you...
The front porch is the welcome center to your home. You see it every time you leave and it’s there, welcoming you, after a long day at work. Shouldn’t your front porch feel warm and friendly? And, what better time to spruce up your front porch than when guests start arriving? After all, it’s that time of year. Fall gatherings. Football watch parties. Thanksgiving. Before fall’s over (why does it happen so fast!?) I wanted to share my front porch all decked out for autumn. Dressed up with just a few fall essentials, my front porch is bright, happy and welcoming. Add some fall mums In pops of bright yellow and deep burgundy, fall mums add festive fall color to your front stoop. Pop the plants into unexpected containers, like woven baskets or my plastic pumpkin planters, and your plants will be anything but boring. Bring on the pumpkins No fall porch is complete without a display of pumpkins. Orange and white pumpkins keep it classic, but you could also add in green pumpkins or warty pumpkins. A place to sit If you have the space, a simple wooden bench makes the perfect spot to plop down, read a...
Need some inspiration to actually hang up your pictures, art and prints? A gallery wall is a fun way to display your favorite artwork. Gallery walls make a BIG statement and add A LOT of personality to a room. Did I mention they’re BIG? Their size is probably one of the reasons I had yet to add one to my home. I have a hard time making big decorating commitments, and this was a pretty big one. A whole wall dedicated just to art? What if I didn’t like it? But I got over it. When you really look at it, you’re not knocking out a wall or ripping up your kitchen tile here. You’re just putting a few nails or screws in the wall. So, I went for it. Here are a few tips I learned along the way. Plan, plan, plan The key to a good gallery wall—and less frustration—is planning your wall ahead of time. Gather all of the elements you want to hang, lay them out on the floor and arrange them how you think you’ll want them on the wall. Move items around until you get a look you like. But don’t get your...
Inside: Don’t wait to feel happy in your home. Whether you rent an apartment or own a home, making a few small decorating changes can dramatically improve your mood. Do you ever feel like you’ll decorate better or try harder at your next house? You know, the perfect one? I struggle all the time with wanting to wait and do the bigger and better decorating projects at my next house—the one I’ll presumably own not rent. This usually happens when I’m frustrated with the small space my rental offers, the inability to change the wall color in the kitchen and my unwillingness to put the money into updating the fixtures on a place I rent. But, I wonder, do homeowners struggle with this too? Do you struggle to find the courage, time, or creativity to transform your home from one that’s ‘fine’ to one you adore? I’m betting so. If you’re not dreaming of owning a new home like me, then maybe you’re waiting until you have enough money to buy that new rug or you’re counting on inspiration to finally strike so you can paint your bedroom the perfect wall color. If it’s not one thing, it’s another....
On my most recent shopping trip to Ikea, I was staring at a packet of three cork trivets and inspiration struck! Instead of using them to protect countertops and tables from hot pots, I decided to hang them on the wall. Similar to a cork bulletin board, this packet of three cork trivets can be used to pin up postcards, messages and pictures. I adhered mine to the wall with just a few swatches of double-sided tape. It took all of three minutes to go from blank wall to wall décor. You’re not limited to hanging pictures or postcards on your trivets. I tacked up a carnation to dry. The flower adds a bit more visual interest to the whole scheme. I hung my three circles in a vertical line, but there are so many other options you could try. Buy a few more packets of trivets and you could create an entire gallery wall or make a cool pattern on the wall. At $2.99 for a packet of three, it’s a very inexpensive project. (Hint: If you check Ikea’s “as is” area, you might even be able to score some for less!) I love the versatility of this cork trivet wall décor. Whenever...
Not too many of us have four-foot tall old shipping crates just hanging around to repurpose. I’m just guessing here, anyway. But lucky me, I find all kinds of treasures in my grandparents’ house and garage. Like this shipping crate. It was originally used to ship fragile items from Columbia Lighting, according to a stamp on its side. My grandpa (I call him Poppy) added a couple of shelves for me and voilà. Turned on its side, this shipping crate makes a fun narrow bookshelf. This is one sturdy shelf. It’s so heavy; I could barely lift it to try it out in different spots around my house before selecting the perfect location. And, it’s almost as tall as me! I love the perfectly imperfect parts about this shelf. “This side up” is handwritten in marker on one side. It also has several stamps from the lighting company where it originated. And all of the wear and tear, adds charm. After all, it’s a shipping crate. It should have some wear! The narrow width of this shelf works great in my tiny home. It’s exactly what I needed. What do you think? If you like this, also check out this...
