How To

We love a simple DIY solution, so when we happened across a set of photos explaining how to make cute shelves out of inexpensive (or free, if you’ve got a nose for scavenging) wooden crates, we were all over them. See the final result, along with detailed instructions and photos, below the jump.

The handle broke off my toilet a few weeks ago, right at that time when it’s too late to go to the hardware store but too early to wait until the next day to fix it (my boyfriend and I are both night owls so are often up into the early morning.) Sticking our hands into the tank every time we needed to flush seemed . . . unappealing, so we rigged up a temporary solution that we happen to think is pretty great.

I wish I had heard about these earlier. I just finished up adding all the outlets to a newly renovated basement and until now the only choices you had were the older style double round plugs or the rectangular ‘decora’ style. Both styles require a cover plate to hide the wires and holes that come with installing plugs and switches. The area of plugs is not one that is usually known for innovation but Bocci has now added a third style to the mix.

We’ve got a drawer full of unruly extensions cords that we’ve been trying to unsuccessfully keep in order with rubber bands and twist ties. While looking for cable management solutions, we found a tip about using a cardboard roll for cable storage and thought we’d give it a try…The version shown on Unclutter struck us as a fine idea, but it was missing a little something-something.

So the thing about living in a rental is that someone lived there before us. Someone lazy who did not tape off the hardware on the doors or remove it entirely before painting. We are a little frustrated by the fact that all the hardware is encrusted with paint and nothing works correctly. We go to the hardware store and we stare at the shelves and we wonder: which product will best remove the paint?

Photo by Christopher BakerName: Page Marchese NormanTitle: Editorial Director of Decorating, Martha Stewart OmnimediaLocation: Brooklyn Heights, NY Introducing our third January Jumpstart Judge from the former state of Blueprint, style director, Page Marchese Norman. She’ll be helping to award our six Ebay prizes to the deserving DIY-ers who braved the possible perils of home projects with us this month on AT.

So you scored that Danish Modern credenza/side table/lamp/chair off craigslist or you actually just found one on the street, so how do you keep it in good shape? Tips after the jump:If it’s an authentic piece, its likely to be made of teak, a very durable wood that is normally oiled and not lacquered. I currently am in possession of my Grandmother’s teak furniture that she kept in good shape since the 60’s when she bought it.

When we made the switch from a plain old mattress and box springs to a platform bed, we started to change the way we made our bed. Before we had a duvet, and now we prefer using layers of quilts and blankets, neatly tucked and folded under the mattress to show off the bed’s clean, low-slung lines. This image (of the Hubert Modern Platform Bed at TREOmodern) shows the way that layers of bedding in the same family of colors can create a “striped” effect.

Remember these stairs? We slinked to them earlier this year after AT:LA blogged them. It turns out that they were made by an Australian company, Unicraft Joinery. We’ve been haunted by them ever since, but were somewhat dissuaded by the naysayers on Lifehacker and Unclutterer… However, we finally found some DIY instructions. Check them out here: Staircase Drawers – Canadian Home Workshop.

Welcome again to Ann, one of the writers vying for a blogging position at the upcoming AT:Home Tech. Comment away. I love the moment on the decorating makeover shows when they bring out the 40″ LCD display and show how much more style-friendly it is than that clunky 50″ box-television that had been looming over everything. It gets even better when the display is cleverly hidden beneath a framed old master on hinges.

Ever thought of making your own shades? If you’d like to know how to make rice paper shades, here’s how I do it. (Watch. Ask Questions. Have confidence. Curse me for making it look so easy…)I love these shades because they’re simple and organic and function well. They glow like Naguchi lamps. They work splendidly for our San Francisco Victorian or Bungalow tall, narrow, double hung windows (38″ wide max, unless you can find wider paper).