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DIY Furniture: Revamp an Old Dresser with Wall Paper share

Next time you're changing up your decor, consider a DIY furniture redo before buying new.

My husband an I are kind of obsessed with rearranging furniture. One of our friends teases us that we've redone a room every time she comes over. Sometimes we make small changes, like moving things around slightly, and other times we completely rethink a space, adding new pieces or reusing older pieces in a new way. My rearranging obsession is why this DIY furniture project at Spoonflower really spoke to me.

Buying new furniture, of course, comes with a huge impact, right? Furniture is usually big, which means big carbon emissions shipping those pieces all over the world. And that's overlooking the impact of sourcing the materials, assembling them, boxing them, etc.

Barb Blair from Knack Studios shares how she transformed an old, boring dresser with a coat of paint and some custom wallpaper from Spoonflower. I love the simplicity of this DIY furniture project and the fresh, modern look of the finished project.

Spoonflower just started offering custom-printed wallpaper, but this project would also work with vintage wallpaper, if you have some in your stash or can find a roll online. The materials list for this project might feel long at first glance, but I promise that it's not that complicated:

Wallpaper
Shop towels (or any absorbent rags)
Craft knife
Frog Tape
Paint
Paint brush
Foam roller
Paint tray
Small tray for Mod Podge
Foam brush
Mod Podge
Sanding sponge
Scissors
Squeegee
Hardware Ruler

It's a long list, but I bet that you have a lot of these things in your stash already, right?

Ready to do your own DIY furniture redo? Head on over to Spoonflower's blog for the full tutorial, complete with plenty of images to help you follow along to the letter.

Posted: | Categories: DIY, DIY furniture, dresser redo, Furniture, furniture redo, Home+Decor, Living, Spoonflower, tutorial, wallpaper crafts

Oct

5 Tips to Conserve Energy this Winter share

Winter is coming. This year, why not get ahead of those heating bills by preparing your home to conserve energy now?

Earlier this week we looked at whether it was feasible to power your house with potatoes (hint: it's not), and we talked a little bit about energy efficiency. Making your home more efficient is a great way to conserve energy and reduce your electric and gas bills. Now is the perfect time to get your home ready for the cold months. You can feel good about not using dirty coal or natural gas to heat your home, and you can save some cash to boot.

Winter is my least favorite season. I get chilled pretty easily, and I basically spend all winter with cold hands and feet. It's tempting to reach for the thermostat when you're freezing. Before you touch that dial, try some of these DIY ideas to conserve energy this winter!

1. Winterize Your Windows to Conserve Energy

Replacing drafty windows with efficient ones is great, but if that's not in your budget you can still seal up your windows to help keep that heated air inside of your home and keep drafts out. Click here for deets!

2. Insulate Your Attic Door

You would be shocked at how much warm air hides in your house's attic and at how much of that warm air gets sucked up there through the attic door. It's super simple to insulate your attic door to conserve energy. Check out how right here!

3. Cover the Floor

A rug can really make your house feel more comfortable during the chilly months. You can even keep your rugs rolled up under the bed and just pull them out in winter when you need them. Don't have a rug? Check out this fun rag rug tutorial!

4. Use a Programmable Thermostat

There's no sense in keeping your house toasty warm while you're bundled up in bed or away for the day at work. A programmable thermostat will turn the heat up and down on a schedule for you to conserve energy. Check out this video from Home Depot on how to install one yourself. It's simpler than you might think!

5. Make (or buy) a Draft Dodger

Drafts that sneak in under your doors and windows can do a number on your heating bill. A draft dodger is a simple tube of fabric stuffed with sand, rice, or other small, heavy materials. Slide one snugly against the bottom of your door or window to keep that cold air outside where it belongs. Learn to make your own draft dodger here!

Have you done any simple DIY projects to get your home cold-weather-ready? Share your tips to conserve energy in the comments!

Image Credit: Icy Window photo via Bigstock

Posted: | Categories: conserve energy, conserve energy this winter, DIY, Home+Decor, Living, winterize your home, winterizing

Oct

Upcycled Decor: Drum Lamps by Willem Heeffer share

Artist Willem Heeffer makes beautiful upcycled drum lamps from a surprising reclaimed material.

What I love best about these upcycled lamps is that you can't tell at first glance that they're made from something else. Don't get me wrong: I love a little kitsch in my decor, but once in a while, you want something that just looks sleek, right? The Dutch designer's lamps are simple, modern, and gorgeous.

But what are they made from? He transforms reclaimed washing machine drums into these beautiful upcycled lamps!

When you think of upcycling, large appliances might not spring immediately to mind, but old washing machines wear out eventually, and when they do they're headed to the scrap heap, just like anything else. You can recycle old washing machines, but just like with other materials, reusing is always better. Reusing an old washing machine drum tends to take less energy than recycling it.

Heeffer is extending the life of at least part of old washing machines with his upcycled lamps, and the finished piece is made of 90 percent upcycled materials. Not too shabby! He says:

When I work with old materials I take them out of context, use it in an unexpected way to create something new. The goal is to first see a beautiful product after which you discover the history behind it. Only then the products are no longer viewed as trash and have become design pieces.

He uses locally-sourced materials to create his drum lamps, so his upcycled lighting helps support the loconomy in his area, too!

There are two versions of this lamp available: a special circular bulb called a T5 circular tube or an LED. You can find the upcycled lamps along with Willem Heeffer's other designs on his website.

Image Credit: Upcycled Drum Lamps photo by Yehia Eweis

Posted: | Categories: Fixtures, home decor, Home+Decor, Living, upcycled, upcycled decor

Sep

5 Wood Pallet Crafts: Weekend Project Ideas! share

Need a fun weekend project? How about some good ol' wood pallet crafts to keep you busy and revamp your decor or your garden!

Wood pallets are becoming popular as craft materials, and that's because we use (and discard) so darn many of them. The trick to wood pallet crafts is making sure that the pallets you choose are safe for crafting, and then disassembling them while preserving the wood planks.

Tracking down wood pallets for crafting doesn't have to be difficult, but you do want to make sure that the pallet you're using has outlived its usefulness in the shipping industry. Don't just grab a pallet that you see outside a shop - businesses reuse them! Instead, ask the store manager if they have any pallets that are past their prime. Big box stores are a good place to start, especially home improvement stores that get a lot of big shipments. Don't be shy about asking - if you take an old pallet or two off their hands, they don't have to bother with disposal. Most big businesses like that have to pay for trash disposal, so you're doing them a favor.

Wood Pallet Crafts

1. Upcycled Ottoman

This plush, upcycled ottoman might not look like it's made from wood pallets, but that's part of the charm of this project.

2. Pallet Planter

Transform an old wooden pallet into a vertical planter for ornamentals or succulents. You can also use this method to create an herb planter, but you want to be 100% sure that the pallet you're using is made from untreated wood. Click here for details on how to tell if your pallet is made from treated wood.

3. Wood Pallet Bookcase Makeover

Transform that an ugly, pressboard bookcase into an heirloom piece with some sweat equity and an old wood pallet.

4. DIY Succulent Table Planter

Pallet wood planks make a beautiful outdoor table with a planter embedded right in the center. Wouldn't this make a magical spot for entertaining?

5. Pallet Desk

Want to get in on the wood pallet crafts craze but aren't super good at wood working? This pallet desk is easy peasy and very fresh. No wood working skills required!

Have you done anything fun with old wood pallets? Tell us about your favorite wood pallet crafts in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: DIY, Furniture, Home+Decor, Living, wood pallet crafts, wood pallet DIY ideas, wood pallet furniture, wood pallets, Yard+Garden

Sep

Spotted: Wood Pallet Bookcase Makeover share

Got an old bookcase that needs a little love? You can cover it in reclaimed wood pallets!

If your house is decorated with pressboard furniture, you know that that stuff doesn't really hold up to wear and tear. The finish gets scratched pretty easily, and unlike real wood it doesn't have that classy distressed look. It just looks terrible. Rather than replacing an ugly, boring bookshelf, Riccardo Tamiazzo of Padova, Italy did this beautiful wood pallet bookcase makeover instead.

He uses a piece of cut PVC to cover the top of his shelf, but if you want to use less plastic, you could just finish yours with a clear coat of resin or even a water-based wood finish to keep this project plastic free (aside from the plastic in the bookshelf you're revamping, of course). If that rustic look isn't your thing, you could also use some VOC-free paint to update your old shelf.

Tamiazzo shared the details of his wood pallet bookcase over at Ikea Hackers along with lots of additional photos. Click here for more!

When that cheap pressboard furniture starts to go, it's so tempting to replace it with new, cheap pressboard furniture, and I love that this project not only revamps an old bookcase but you end up with something unique and sturdier than what you started with. It's kind of an eco double whammy, right? This wood pallet bookcase uses reclaimed materials to divert waste from the landfill while avoiding a trip to the store to buy something new. Win-win-win!

You could also use this technique to re-cover other ugly pressboard furniture, like a desk, tabletop, headboard, or nightstand. I'm eyeing my boring sewing table right now. What furniture pieces would you like to reface with pallet wood? I feel like this project idea has endless possible iterations!

Posted: | Categories: DIY, Furniture, furniture revamp, Home+Decor, Living, wood pallet, wood pallet bookcase, wood pallet bookcase makeover, wood pallet craft

Aug

3 House Plants that are Safe for Cats share

Having a hard time finding house plants that are safe for cats? I did a little research at my local nursery and rounded up a few good options!

We know that house plants can do wonders for indoor air quality, but finding house plants that are safe for cats can be tricky business. Many house plants, like pothos, are toxic to cats and dogs. If your cats are anything like mine, they love to chew on anything green, so choosing safe house plants is super important.

Plants that thrive in your typical house require only low to medium sunlight. If you're like me, plants that don't need frequent watering are a good choice, too. Finding a plant that met all three qualifications - grows indoors, is safe for cats, and doesn't need a lot of water - was tricky, but I managed to find three that got pretty close!

1. Peperomia

My phone's autocorrect was sure that when I searched for this plant I meant "pepperoni." This is probably my favorite of the indoor plants I found. The leaves are beautifully variegated, and the stems grow at a curve, so they look a little bit kooky. They need moderate light, so find a sunny windowsill for this guy. You want to water enough, but not too much, so stick your finger into the soil. If it feels dry more than 1" down, it's time to water.

2. Rex Begonia

I love the colorful leaves on this plant! They don't need much light to grow, which is perfect for my living room, which gets very little daylight. You want to be careful not to over-water these, so just keep an eye on them. You want to water when the soil feels dry, but don't just touch the top. Stick your finger into the pot to see if it's moist below the surface. If so, it's not time to water yet. They need humidity to grow, so put your pot in a tray full of gravel. The water runoff that collects there will do the trick.

3. Staghorn Fern

Staghorn ferns don't look like your typical fern, and from the reading I did on this plant, it sounds like finding one as small as I did might be uncommon. They don't need quite as much water as your typical fern, and it's best to wait until they get every so slightly wilted to water them. Staghorn ferns need indirect light, so choose a sunny windowsill for this house plant.

My cat has already tried gnawing on the staghorn fern, and since I haven't put them into clay pots yet, she knocked the light pot from the nursery right off the shelf. Cleaning up dirt is a bummer, but at least I know that these house plants are safe for cats, so she didn't hurt herself by chewing on it!

Posted: | Categories: Home+Decor, house plants, house plants safe cats, indoor air quality, Living

Aug

3 House Plants that are Safe for Cats share

Having a hard time finding house plants that are safe for cats? I did a little research at my local nursery and rounded up a few good options!

1. Peperomia

2. Rex Begonia

3. Staghorn Fern

Posted: | Categories: Home+Decor, house plants, house plants safe for cats, indoor air quality, Living, pets

Jul

Green Decor: Flexible Cork Bowls from Bambu Home share

Who says you can't stay organized and have cute, green decor options at the same time? Not this gal!

Ever since having my baby back in March, I've been all about decluttering and organizing our house. My husband has made countless trips to Goodwill as we get rid of our tchotchkes, and I've been working on decorating with and organizing what's left. It's made our house feel a lot bigger and makes it so much easier to keep things tidy!

One method that's helped me a lot is using baskets and decorative boxes in bookshelves as hidden or semi-hidden storage. When the folks at Bambu Home offered to send me one of their new cork bowls to review, it gave me some green decor ideas!

Green Decor: Cork

Cork is a great material for designing all manner of green decor options. Much like bamboo, cork grows quickly and doesn't require a lot of water or pesticides to grow. That makes it much more sustainable than wood or paper, and of course it's leaps and bounds better than plastic. Cork forests also help preserve biodiversity, which in this age of monocropping is more important than ever!

These bowls aren't meant to be used as storage, but when I unwrapped my sample bowl a couple of weeks ago, I knew it would be wasted in my kitchen. It looks handy for serving, but we have serving dishes up the wazoo already. What we didn't have was something to wrangle my son's toys in the living room, and this bowl was the absolutely perfect size!

See how nice it looks loaded with persimmons? That is a product shot from the company, showing one of the ways you can use these bowls in the kitchen. The bowls are water- and stain-resistant, and you can wash them with the rest of your laundry. As you can see, since they're flexible you can fold the sides down to make them as shallow or deep as you need.

Because the bowl is flexible, it's also great for home decor and storage! We have one of those Ikea bookcases that's made of cubes in the living room, and the bowl fits easily into one of the cubes with room left over to stash a few books. The lighting in my living room is not super ideal, so I mocked up this storage situation to give you an idea of how I've been using my cork bowl.

Since the bowl is machine-washable, I can toss it in the wash along with the blanket and toys that I'm storing in there, which is great! My son has just reached a serious drooling phase, so all of his stuff gets gross pretty quickly. I also could probably fit one more book on that shelf, because the flexible bowl conforms somewhat to the area where you fit it.

You can find these cork bowls and Bambu Home's full line of products on their website. I poked around a little bit while I was working on this review and stumbled upon these super rad, colorful cutting boards that may just have to become part of my kitchen!

Posted: | Categories: cork, cork bowls, green decor, green home decor, Home+Decor, Living

Jul

Mason Jar Party Time! DIY Mason Jar Party Decor share

Fancy up your next summer shindig and make it a mason jar party! Mason jars are useful for sassing up any party, from food and drink to decorations.

Mason jars are more than just handy. They're a great eco-friendly craft supply to keep on hand. You can often find vintage mason jars at yard sales, thrift stores, or on eBay. Even if you end up buying new mason jars, their durability still makes them very eco-friendly. Those glass jars and the metal lids that come with them will last you for years and years, unlike cheap plastic goods.

Because they're versatile and sturdy, mason jars work great for all kinds of party decor. Check out these mason jar party ideas for your next backyard party!

1. Hanging Lantern

Light up the night with lots of hanging lanterns made from just a couple of simple supplies that you probably have on hand right this second!

2. No-Spill Party Glasses

Grab some simple tools and turn a batch of mason jars into reusable cups! Just make sure you choose a paper, metal, or glass straw instead of a plastic one for healthier sipping!

3. Mason Jar Cocktails

Instead of altering your jars to make sippy cups, you can also use them to serve pre-mixed cocktails with less mess.

4. Individual Cobblers

Make dessert extra special at your next throwdown by baking up a batch of cobblers in mason jars that your guests can grab and munch.

5. A Cooler Veggie Plate

A plate of crudites might look a little bit boring. Serve carrot and celery sticks, slices of sweet pepper, and other raw veggies in mason jars for a more appealing presentation.

Have you done any fun mason jar party crafts? I'd love to hear your DIY ideas in the comments!

Of course, I can't think about parties without thinking about one of my favorite songs by my very favorite band:

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, DIY, Glassware, Home+Decor, Living, mason jar crafts, mason jar ideas, mason jar party, mason jars

Jul

Spotted: Mysterious Wine Cork Chair share

Makezine's Laura Cochrane spotted this gorgeous cork chair at Lynmar Estate winery in Sebastopol, CA.

The cork chair's origins are a mystery. What's under all of those reclaimed wine corks? Did they cover an old chair that was past its prime? Did the build some sort of frame to cover? Cochrane wasn't entirely sure.

Whether it's made fro all corks or corks covering some kind of frame, I also wonder about what they used as an adhesive. There don't seem to be any physical materials holding the corks together, so they must have used a wood glue or maybe epoxy. It would have to be something strong to hold up to all of the drunken winery patrons having a sit-down on it, right?

This cork project may be a mystery, but if you want to get your cork crafting on, here are a few ideas for you:

Do you have a favorite project for crafting with corks? Do you know more about the mysterious wine cork chair? Tell us about it in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: cork chair, cork crafts, DIY, Furniture, Home+Decor, Living, wine cork chair, wine corks