DIY decor and upcycling inspiration for the practical home enthusiast.
Have you ever struggled to find the perfect piece of art for a wall? Why not make it yourself? There are so many options in acid-free paper at the craft stores. Here are a few DIY wall art ideas to get you thinking! In this first example, I … [Read more...]
Before we settled on our red cape home here in Newtown, we briefly considered an older colonial that badly needed an exterior paint job. Which got me thinking - if you could pick any paint colors for your home's exterior, what would you choose? Here … [Read more...]
Have you ever been thrifting and discovered old photos for sale? Flea markets and yard sales can be a great place to find old photos with stories just waiting to be told! It may not be your story, but a story from a time long ago is fascinating. … [Read more...]
I'd like to give a little shout out to the "man behind the hands" in many of my posts. Yes, it's my husband Leigh. He is a great sport about helping me with various projects, and I thought you'd enjoy hearing from him directly about our refinished … [Read more...]
When we bought our house last fall, three projects were imminent: A new roof A new patio A new kitchen We’re two-thirds the way there! First let's look at the roof. We replaced it immediately (before snow!). There were actually two … [Read more...]
Note: Post and giveaway sponsored by Central Garden & Pet, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure. First of all, congrats to Livivua for wining a $25 American Express Gift Card from our Spring Fling Must-Haves … [Read more...]
Do you dream of a new kitchen with a vintage vibe? If your home falls into the mid-century modern era (circa 1933 – 1965), a retro kitchen may be just what your home needs. Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior, product and graphic … [Read more...]
Do you have any mismatched tea cups at home? Why not turn them into something new, and just in time for Mother’s Day! Here are five fun ideas for new ways for repuposing tea cups: 1. Birdfeeder (photo via Pinterest) Just add glue and … [Read more...]
Post and giveaway sponsored by Pennington, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure. ***Update!*** Here is a mini two-week before and after. And we have not yet planted any seed! I'm quite encouraged! I'm … [Read more...]
I love this post by Marie - and I join her in her belief that ALL women deserve a special place in their homes for themselves. I can't wait to see her finished dressing room! The other day as I was perusing the Internet, I came across a “How To … [Read more...]
You can spot an upcycler immediately. They positively glow when they describe the "before" condition of the piece they salvaged, and enthusiastically take you through the process of turning an ugly duckling into a swan like it was their only … [Read more...]
Last night's Housing Works 9th Annual Design on a Dime reception benefit event in NYC was a huge success. 1,400 lucky ticket holders enjoyed advanced access to the 3 day charitable shopping event (at 50 to 70% off retail) to raise funds for Housing … [Read more...]
Tomorrow night, Housing Works will present New York City’s most popular interior design benefit event at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea. Design on a Dime Benefit The event will feature over 50 of the world’s top interior designers. They … [Read more...]
While driving down the street of my old neighborhood, I noticed that a house I had previously blogged about in "Confessions of the Curious Driver" was once again up for sale. Apparently, I'm still curious because I just had to look it up when I got … [Read more...]
I'm not one to brag. But when I knock it out of the ball park and my whole family liked it, I'm going to shout it from the roof tops (or maybe just a 2nd story window). Can you spot the two secret ingredients below? If you guessed wine and … [Read more...]
Welcome guest writer Taylor Roberts! I love her ideas for creative, personalized backsplashes for kitchens. I love anything that is both unique and functional. I can also imagine many ways to incorporate upcycling into your backsplash from her ideas. … [Read more...]
***update: I found a 4th way to use the Rope Lamp at Housing Works Design on a Dime Benefit! See end of post*** HomeGoods gave me a fun challenge. Find a unique item at HomeGoods for under $100 that can inspire a room design. Oooooh, such … [Read more...]
Downton Abbey is best known as a period drama that takes place in an amazing castle. But it's more than that. It's the story about a home, and it takes place in the REAL Highclere Castle. Sure, it may be a grand castle in the Jacobethan style, but … [Read more...]
When we bought our house, the attic was started, but hardly finished. It’s an odd space as it also houses a walk in cedar closet, an electrical box, and a door to the rest of the attic. We had to paint it, add molding, finish out the closet, add … [Read more...]
The challenge - a small, dingy guest room in need of updating, using mostly what we already have. The upstairs of our home is cape style, with 7 foot ceilings and opportunities to bump your head on the angles. The walls and ceiling was dirt … [Read more...]
My sweet little girl asked for a Zebra Glam room in our new home. Even though I had just redesigned her last room, we're in a new house now, and the room needed painting anyway. Hmmm. I had previously sworn off pink theme-heavy rooms. But how … [Read more...]
~Susan Jensen Smith Read More…
Painting Stairs: DIY FAQs and Tips : When we first looked at this home (before we bought it), I was rather turned off by the staircase. It was carpeted in dirty gray berber carp...
Picking the Right Front Door Color: Before and After Case Studies : We bought a house with a pink front door. Seriously!
While our real estate agent fiddled with the lock box, we couldn't help but noti...
Painting Wood Floors : Looking to make a BIG change? Ready to stir things up a bit? How about painting your wood floor?
For me, this fits the category of “I’d...
A Color Story: By Decade : Color tells a story. It can even describe an entire decade. I attended a Benjamin Moore Webinar presented by Doty Horn (BM’s Director of Col...
Ideas for that awkward space above your kitchen cabinets : I've been house hunting the past two months, and I've seen my fair share of awkward spaces over kitchen cabinets.
You know what I’m talki...
Color Trends for 2012: Balance to Preservation : A year ago, I attended Benjamin Moore’s ColorPulse 2011 and blogged about it here. 2011 Color Trends followed the theme of “Balance” illustr...
10 Ways to Renovate Your Home for Under $500 : If you had $500 to improve your home, what would you spend it on? Projects that improve the appearance or the efficiency of your home? It's ...
The Power of Kindness : I know this post is not about DIY, decorating or upcycling, but since the Sandy Hook tragedy, I've not felt much like writing. This is simpl...
Color Trends for 2011 : Last week I attended Benjamin Moore’s ColorPulse™ 2011 web conference to get a sneak peak into upcoming color trends.
I sort of envisione...
5 Ways to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal : Thanks to Alex for these great tips on how to improve your home's curb appeal. While a new garage door can make a huge impact on the curb ap...
