Red lounge chair with metal legs in a room with a guitar and bookshelves.
Before & After: A $20 IKEA Chair Gets a Terrific Two-Day Makeover
What to do when one of your old vintage finds or IKEA chairs is looking sad and worn? Well you could reupholster it, of course! Lisa gave not just a new look to her old IKEA chair, but a custom one. From Lisa: As an unstoppable chair rescuer, and self taught upholstery DIYer, I love to sink my teeth into new challenges as they come along. This dilapidated IKEA (Lunna) swivel chair, grabbed on Gumtree (Australia’s Craigslist!
Nov 8, 2014
Before & After: A Bulky Dresser Gets Bold & Black
How do you take a plain, bulky cabinet and turn it into a complete show-stopper? If you’re Miruna, you go the opposite of subtle. A few bold materials, an interesting pattern and this dresser gets quite the makeover! From Miruna: I’ve been wanting to use black chalk paint for a while, but could not find the right piece of furniture to stand up to the challenge. When I found this dresser online I was not very sure what to do with it, but I knew I loved it. So I bought it.
Oct 5, 2014
5 Free Ways to Make Any Room Feel More Spacious & Look Better
Looking to make an impact on your home this weekend that you can afford? How about free? It’ll cost a little energy, time (and muscle strength) but if you’re looking for some ways to improve your small (or any size) space, try these five free ideas. 1. Improve your home’s traffic flow How you and guests move through your space has a big effect on how spacious your home is perceived.
Apr 13, 2014
Before & After: Michelle’s Lightened & Refreshed Nightstands
Want to know a great DIY project trick for small spaces? Anything you can do to a heavy piece of furniture to make it feel visually lighter could help a room feel more spacious. Simple, yes, but effective: Michelle’s paint job left her new nightstands lighter and refreshed, and she added design detail with new handles.They make for a fashionable contrast in her brightly painted bedroom. From Michelle: We had two ornate nightstands that had great trim and very cool brass handles.
Apr 13, 2014
How to Lock Used Furniture (If the Keys Are Long Gone)
Have you ever come across a cool thrift store furniture find — perhaps a filing cabinet, desk or credenza — that had your style, but also had a lock with keys long since gone? Or have you lost your keys to a piece of furniture in your home? It’s not impossible to restore locking function to vintage and antique furniture finds; here are a few tips on where to start from a locksmith.
Feb 22, 2014
Before & After: A $6 Side Table Makeover
A sad, old table handed down to Jessica from her grandfather was a sturdy side table, but lacked the style she was looking for. It was an unexpected designer piece that gave Jessica the inspiration to transform this side table into something else! Jessica spotted a Bernhardt Cabrillo Nailhead Chest in Architectural Digest Magazine and loved the look.
Jan 18, 2014
Quick History: Wicker Furniture
Wicker furniture might seem like an invention of the Victorian era, but that’s just when it hit the English and American markets. In fact, wicker is one of the oldest methods of making furniture, common all over the world for thousands of years. But wait, I’ll bet you’re wondering what wicker is exactly, am I right? So let’s define our terms, and take a quick look at the history of wicker.
Sep 12, 2012