Camille Simmons

Glass vases, votive holders, and jars are beautiful finishing touches to any shelf, table, desk or mantel. With so many empty florist vases, mason jars, and basic candle holders in this world, it helps to know how to transform them into a statement piece —no matter what your style. Here’s how to take basic glass and either make it look like an old world collectible, or the newest trend. It’s all possible.

This week Camille is sharing her real life rental challenge and how she transformed her dingy carpeted entryway stairs (with her landlord’s permission!) into something more welcoming, yet still temporary. If you want to see the first post, check out the before photos here. Removing wallpaper can be a terrible task and it’s the last thing anyone wants to deal when they move. This tutorial uses a temporary adhesive that works well for wallpaper in smaller pieces.

This week Camille is sharing her real life rental challenge and how she transformed her dingy carpeted entryway stairs (with her landlord’s permission!) into something more welcoming, yet still temporary. If you want to see the first post, check out the before photos here. My husband and I decided to DIY this project ourselves, and broke it down into manageable steps, each of which could be completed in a weekend.

This week Camille is sharing her real life rental challenge and how she transformed her dingy carpeted entryway stairs (with her landlord’s permission!) into something more welcoming, yet still temporary. If you want to start by hearing all the plans, check out the before photos here. Updating an old home is filled with challenges.

Almost a year ago, my husband and I moved back to our hometown of Long Beach, CA. We found a gorgeous two bedroom 1930s apartment in our favorite neighborhood. Our landlords updated the space with grey floors and fresh paint. It was almost perfect . . . except for the terribly outdated entryway. It’s the only carpeted, unpainted space in the entire home, and the first thing you see when you arrive.

First impressions count right? One of the first things any visitor will notice about your home is the doormat. While many opt for the typical brown grassy mat, you don’t have to settle for a boring design. Add custom messages, cut shapes, and play with color! There are many inexpensive ways to add personality and give guests a happy place to wipe their shoes.

Wedding planning is a multi-layered process with many decisions. Searching for ways to save is crucial for smaller wedding budgets, but a lot of couples go the DIY route without fully understanding how much time, energy and money it actually requires. Take flowers. Hiring professional florists is often expensive —especially painful when line items (like catering) already take up a huge chunk of the wedding budget.