Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Staycation II: DIY to Recreate Your Favorite Vacation Spot.


We all love a great beach vacation! Whatever your favorite vacation spots, here are some DIY projects to recreate any vacation spot at home.

Family Photo Throw Pillow
This DIY project is a great way to share memories to friends and family!  Here is how you can create your own throw pillow.
Step 1: Scan or copy picture onto transfer paper. This paper can be found at most office supply stores.
Step 2: Iron image onto fabric and attach to your pillow. You can use an already made pillow or sew your own.


Hanging Lantern
Wondering what you should do with the sand and shells you bring home from the beach. This Hanging lantern is a great way to display souvenirs.  Anyone can put something like this together. The first step is to find a hanging lantern. Once you’ve found one, the next step is to fill it up with all the souvenirs you brought home. If it is a beach vacation I would start by filling the bottom with sand. Then arrange your shells and any other great souvenirs you want to display. You can hang the lantern almost anywhere!


Paint Colors
An easy way to recreate your favorite vacation spot is repainting a room those color schemes. Below is a collection of Sherwin Williams’s paint that can give a calm and soothing feel to any room.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Staycation: How to Create a Luxurious Bathroom That Feels Like a 5-Star Resort.




Most of us don’t think of our bathrooms as a place to escape, but why not? This is also a space to wow yourself and your guests.

What do you think of when you think of a lavish resort bathroom? Is it the warm robe waiting for you when you step out of the shower or the clean and crisp approach to the space? For a relaxing feel choose soothing colors for the walls such as soft greens, blues, and grays. To keep with the theme of relaxation, keep clutter to a minimum, keep your countertops and other surfaces clear except for the necessities. This doesn’t mean to skimp on the details; details are what make your bathroom feel so luxurious. A large floor to ceiling mirror, a chandelier, or even the latest tech accessories can make your bathroom feel like a resort. Fluffy white towels are not only luxurious, reminding you of a 5-star resort, but also easy to clean with bleach, and easy to replace. Keep practicality in mind when decorating as well. Easy access to necessities like towel and toilet paper is a must, you don’t want to be scrounging around when these must-haves are in need of restocking.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Baby, It's Hot Outside! Three DIY Projects to do Inside.


It’s that time of year again, when the weather is too hot and you are finding yourself going inside to cool off.  This is a great time for DYI projects on your Pinterest board. We’ve found three DYI projects that a perfect to do inside on a hot summer day.
1. Wine Cork Coasters.
These are coasters simple to make and would look great in any room!

Materials:
Wine corks
Hot glue gun
Thin cork paper circles
Cutting board
Course sandpaper
Knife

Steps:
1. Using the cutting board and knife, cut the wine corks in half long ways.
2. Once the wine corks are cut in half, you’ll want to hot glue the halves to the cork paper. Don’t worry about the corks halves that are hanging off to cork circle, we will cut these off.
3. After the hot glue is dry you’ll want to flip it upside down to cut off the extra cork. Using the sand paper, sand the edges and make them smooth.

2. Tinted Mason Jars.
These jars are fun and anyone can make them. You can use these jars as vases or pencil holders.

Materials:
Mod Podge
Mason Jars or any other type of jar will work
Paper plates
Popsicle sticks
Food coloring

Steps:
1. Make sure your Mason jar is clean and dry. Pour about an inch or so of Mod Podge into the bottom of the jar. You may need to add more Mod Podge according to the size of the jar.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring. Using the Popsicle stick, mix the food coloring and Mod Podge. The color will look pastel, but don’t panic the color will be brighter for the finished look.
3. Once the food coloring is mixed completely, tilt the jar until the entire inside is covered with the mixture. Do not use a paint brush or anything to spread the color, this will leave marks.
4. After the jar is completely covered, turn the jar upside down on a paper plate to allow for the excess Mod Podge drip out.
5. Then flip the jar back over to let dry. This may take 24-48 hours to dry.
These jars are only for the use of decoration, do not put food or drink in the jars.

3.  Revamping Old Filing Cabinet.
This is a great project for a hot weekend when cooling off in the pool isn’t an option. Revamp your home office space with fresh new filing cabinets.

Materials:
Filing Cabinet
Spray Paint (desired color & primer)
Scrapbook paper (desired design)
Mod Podge
Hot glue gun

Steps:
1. Take all the facings off the filing cabinet to get a solid even coat. These can be spray painted your desired color and set to the side.
2. Once all facings are off the cabinet, spray the entire cabinet with the primer. After primer dries spray several coats of desired color. Allow to completely dry before continuing.
3. While cabinet is drying select the design of scrapbook paper that you want to use for the drawers. Measure enough for the paper to be tucked slighting on the inside of the drawer for clean edges.
4. Before using the Mod Podge to glue paper onto the drawers, hot glue to the edges to ensure they stay in place. You’ll want to make sure when hot gluing the edges there are no wrinkles in the paper.
5. Mod Podge the rest of the scrapbook paper and allow to completely dry.
6. The final step is to put all the facings back on the cabinet, and then you are finished.

These DIY projects are for everyone, and they are super fun and can make your home look fresh and new. So beat the summer heat with your DIY attitude!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Summer Visitors: How to Create a Guest Room Even Your In-Laws Will Love!



 










Simplicity is key in a guest bedroom. You want your guest to feel welcome in the space. So keeping nick-nacks to a minimum is the way to go, it allows your visitors to make the space their own by spreading out their belongings. Now I’m not saying to leave the space bare, you can definitely still personalize the room to your liking with bedding, window treatments, and wall art. Bedside tables are always a good idea, place lamps on them for ideal reading light and a place for books and magazines.  Keep your guests needs in mind when choosing the little things. Here are a few things to keep in mind; an alarm clock, a waste bin, a place for their luggage, some hangers, displaying your Wi-Fi password clearly, extra bedding in case they get cold, a fan in case they get hot, and fresh flowers, this really shows your guests that you thought about them and put a little something extra in. With these few tips your guests will feel right at home, because it’s the little things that count.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Celebrate Your Independence From Uncomfortable Spaces. How to Decorate for a Laid-Back Summer Lifestyle.

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As we celebrate our independence this July, we should also be celebrating our independence from uncomfortable spaces. Summer is the time of year to relax and we have 5 ways to help you decorate for a laid-back summer lifestyle.
5 easy ways to create a laidback summer lifestyle
1. Furniture. When selecting furniture for an outdoor space, wicker furniture and metal furniture are weather resistant and easier to clean. Not only do these types of furniture require low maintenance, they provide a country charm

2. Low maintenance. Also, when selecting furniture you want to try selecting something that has low maintenance fabrics such as vinyl. Vinyl will be easy to wipe down and durable for any type of conditions.
3. Keep colors soothing. When choosing colors or fabrics colors using light greens, blues, and yellow can make any room seem more relaxing.
  

4. Flowers and plants. Adding a hanging basket or any kind of plant to an area can bring color and fresh scents to your space.

5. Minimal accessories! When creating your comfortable space it is important to not over do the accessories. Keeping it simple is the best way to go. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by too much stuff in your space.