Winter Home Decorating Project: Upcycle Furniture

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Michelle Eging

Maybe it’s just me, but when I’m at work writing these posts, I fantasize about buying pieces of furniture from thrift and antique stores and upcycling them into unique, playful, colorful pieces of art. This winter, combat those grey skies and slushy roads with more than hot chocolate. Either update a furniture piece you already own or adopt one from a thrift store. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

Photo courtesy of Delighted Momma

Photo courtesy of Delighted Momma

Selecting a Piece to Upcycle

You have one of two options– working with what you have or adopting from a thrift store, yard sale, or neighbor’s garbage. So, take a look around and see what’s out there. Do you have damaged or outdated furniture that you can’t afford to replace? Or do you want to change the color scheme of a room?  Is there a cute little side table staring at you through the window of an antique store? Or a dining room table and chair set at the local thrift store that would better accommodate your growing family?

Photo courtesy of Nature Moms Blog

Selecting What Colors To Use

It’s all about aesthetic potential. In my opinion, the greatest advantage to upcycling furniture is the color. You aren’t by the latest trends passing through the stores, you can truly customize to fit your own tastes, however eclectic it may be. When selecting which colors to repaint, stain, or reupholster your furniture with, keep in mind the overall color scheme of the room it’s going into. Also, remember, that certain colors work best in certain rooms. I have a dresser that I would love to paint mustard yellow, however, I want to keep a relaxed energy in my room, so I will probably choose black or light turquoise blue. (Read our Psychology of Color posts for more in depth information)

Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

 

Photo courtesy of bikesbikesbikes on InfoBarrel

In addition to repainting, I also consider whether or not I want to Modge Podge any of my furniture surfaces. I used card stock to essentially resurface a dresser I bought from a thrift store which gauges and stains on the ugly, faux wood top.  Also, so the two Wal-mart bookcase I accidentally put together wrong, I plan on lining the bottom shelves with book pages. The combination of paint and paper allows you to incorporate both intriguing color and patterns into your piece.

Re-Painting Tutorials

Re-Upholstering Tutorials

  • Threadbangers shows how to reupholster wooden chairs and ottomans

Re-staining Tutorials

The Devil’s In the Details

Upcycling doesn’t end with painting your furniture. You can further tailor the piece to fit your tastes through stenciling designs, painting borders, replacing the hardware, Modge Podging fabrics and patterns, and so on.

Photo courtesy of Old Furniture

Photo courtesy of all-about-stencils.com

Photo courtesy of decor hacks

Photo courtesy of Julie Thigpen on houzz

Final Touches

You don’t want all of your hard work to go to waste with one spilled drink, runaway crayon, or scuff mark. Be sure to protect your finished furniture with varnish and or any other protective coat.

If you’re in need of some additional inspiration, here are some photos and links to visit and view.

Photo courtesy of A Green Living

Photo courtesy of eco elements

Tell us about your DIY furniture in the comments below. You can e-mail photos to socialmedia@fivestarfranchsing.com and I’ll post them on Design Tips!

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Give the Gift of a Valentine’s Day Feast

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Michelle Eging

In the last post DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Him and Her, I wrote, “Surprising a loved one with their favorite breakfast or dinner in a room decorated for the holiday doubles not only as a gift, but also as a memory.” I love food the way adrenaline junkies love diving off a cliff into bolder and piranha infested water…without a parachute. Which means no holiday is worthy of the name if I can’t cook something for some poor unsuspecting person. Food is more than the calories and biological components we’re told to obsess over. It’s culture. It’s memory and tradition. It’s spending time with people we care about and sharing a piece of who we are in the food we create. So, for Valentine’s Day, here are some ideas on foods you can make for a table for two, a party of friends, or with your entire family.

Appetizers

Elegant Fig Appetizers with Goat Cheese and Almonds on allrecipes.com

Photo courtesy of Christine M on allrecipies.com

 Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic on Taste of Home

Photo courtesy of Taste of Home

 Berry Bruschetta by Taste of Home

Photo courtesy of Taste of Home

Soups and Salads

Spiced Berry Soup with Caramelized Peaches and Toasted Onions on seriouslysoupy

Photo courtesy of seriouslysoupy

Tomato Pesto Soup on seriouslysoupy

Photo courtesy of seriouslysoupy

Strawberry Spinach Salad by Mangia Bene Pasta

Photo courtesy of Mania Bene Pasta

Raspberry and Scallop Salad by Jen Genova on babble.com

Photo courtesy of Angie McGowan

 Main Course

Oyster Pan Roast with Maine Sweet Shrimp and Meyer Lemon Butter by Chef Marc Meyer on New York Restaurants

Pomegranate-Marinated Lamb with Spices and Couscous on bon appetit

Photo courtesy of bon appetit

Roast Beef Tenderloin with Port Sauce by bon appetit

Photo courtesy of bon appetit

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Mixed Rice Pilaf by DK on Chef in You

Photo courtesy of Chef in You

Don’t forget about our February Giveaway!

Answer this question in the comments box below to be entered to win a copy of Pantone’s Guide to Communicating with Color. What food do you plan on making to celebrate this Valentine’s Day? And for who?

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DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Him and Her

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Michelle Eging

Hurry, one week left before Valentine’s Day! Grab your credit card and run out to the nearest mall before those sales end! You can pay it all off later, right now, you’ve got to make sure you find that perfect tie or box of chocolates before they’re all gone!

Photo courtesy of beauty dart

Or…you could make a gift.

DIY gifts are often more environmentally friendly and cheaper than mass produced ones. An their value does not come from the company that made it or the price tag, but from the time and thought you put into it, commodities worth far more.

Photo courtesy of Craftzine

My personal favorite Valentine’s Day DIY gift to give is chocolate truffles. Partially because I love working with chocolate and partially because I can give them to both friends and acquaintances of either gender. Not only are they easier to make than you’d think, but they cost less and taste better than the worth-it’s-weight-in-gold chocolates you buy at the mall. Epicurious has a perfect chocolate truffle recipe.

 

Photo courtesy of Epicurious

You can still put the candy you make in heart shaped boxes. Here’s a tutorial by creative itch on how to make one out of poster-board.

Photo courtesy of creative itch

Martha Stewart, godmother of all things domestic, has adorable Valentine’s Day crafts that can be used as either gifts or decorations (or both). Surprising a loved one with their favorite breakfast or dinner in a room decorated for the holiday doubles not only as a gift, but also as a memory.

Martha shares a tutorial on how to make Crayon Hearts that you can hang by the window.

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

If your loved one spends a lot of time cooking, a Heart Shaped Potholder will remind your recipient of your love each time he/she pulls a tray of chocolate chip cookies from the oven (I’m sure if you make it out of blue fabric and dinosaur print, it won’t look that girly and you can give it to a him).

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

This Conversation Piece is both elegant and sweet. Set it on a night stand, and it becomes a perfect gift to wake up to.

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

These Lacy Votive Holders can create a little romantic lighting for that meal you’ll be making or can work as a cute accent for a Valentine’s Day party.

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

Whew. This is a ton of pink and hearts. Here’s something to balance it out before we continue (don’t worry, there’s a gift involving the Millenium Falcon coming up).

Photo courtesy of M.S Beltran on Squidoo

Ok, two more from our domestic godmother.

1. Often, a candy bar coupled with a sincere letter is more than enough. Here’s how you can make a Chocolate Wrapper to personalize the milk chocolate Lindt bar that will win over a heart by wooing the stomach. (And since we’re talking chocolate, here’s a tutorial on how to make a Han Solo in carbonite chocolate bar)

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

2. Traditional Papercut Hearts will never go out of style, especially when they use an old German technique called scherenschnitte.

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

I really like Eric Wilhelm’s approach in the Popular Mechanics article “10 DIY Gifts for your Sweetheart this Valentine’s Day”. He writes:

If your significant other’s friends receive “I love you’s” of various forms, and you don’t also have one to give, there can be trouble. So, stick with what you know—building cool stuff—and think of Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to make something special.

His DIY Valentine’s Day gift ideas include a duct tape rose, a paint sampler wreath, DIY molded chocolate, an ice sculpture, and an anatomically correct heart card.

Photo courtesy of Popular Mechanics

Crafting a Green World has 10 DIY Valentine’s Day gift ideas for him (although, they work just as well for all the hers in your life too). Some include a custom Kindle case, iPhone gloves, and a custom mouse pad.

Photo courtesy of Crafting a Green World

Of course, I have saved the best DIY Valentine’s Gift for last: a Millennium Falcon Wall Light!  And yes, that hyperlink is to a tutorial on how to make one:)

Photo courtesy of simonhaydn on Instructables

What are you making for the loved ones in your life? Tell me about it in the comments box below to be entered to win a copy of Pantone’s Guide to Communicating with Color in the February Giveaway!

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Winter Home Decorating Project: Flooring

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Michelle Eging

Take a look at the floors of your home. Have they seen better days? I know that the carpet in the apartment I recently moved into is now black from years of shoes tracking in dirt and tenants who didn’t own a vacuum. Is your linoleum torn? Carpets stained? Wooden flooring scratched? Being indoors for the cold months means spending a lot of quality time with the floors of your home, so why not treat yourself to something that isn’t a dingy eyesore? In this post, I’m going to cover what you can do to treat your carpets, hardwood floors, and linoleum to a spa day…or weekend.

Photo courtesy of Doors Sliding

Note: It might go without saying, but replacing your worn flooring is the best, and sometimes only, option. For instance, the linoleum in my kitchen is torn in several places and it needs replaced. However, I am not the landlord, so I need to consider other options.

First step, roll up your sleeves and crank up your favorite music, it’s time to give your floors a facelift.

Carpets

Arm yourself with these materials: a vacuum, Oxyclean, and/or a carpet cleaner and put them to good use. Not only will it help restore the carpet’s original color, but it will freshen your home’s smell (pet owners, be excited!). This should be done to any rugs you have as well.

Photo courtesy of A Diamond's Eyeview of the World

  • Vacuum the floor, including every corner and under all your furniture.
  • If you only have a few stains you’d like to spot treat, Oxyclean works wonders (I grew up with three dogs, trust me, I know). For a thorough discussion on natural carpet cleaning solutions that you can make yourself, here’s an article on Natural Rug Cleaning Secrets.
  • If your whole house is suffering from foot traffic, either rent/buy a carpet cleaner or hire a professional. It’s cheaper than installing new carpets and it will make all the difference. If you want to use a natural carpet cleaner, here’s a recipe you can use to make one yourself on Surviving the Stores.

Hardwood Floors

Caring for hardwood floors requires a little more diligence and maintenance because you must take into account the relationship between wood and water and the effect of soaps on the floor’s finish. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts that you’ll want to follow all year round. However, because of the snow, salt, and dirt that can be tracked through your home during the winter, you might want to double your regimen.

Photo courtesy of The Floor Authority

Do:

  • Sweep and vacuum your floors several times a week.
  • Clean up spills, etc from your floors immediately after they happen using a damp rag. Be sure to thoroughly dry your floor when you’re finished.
  • Mop your floor weekly with a terrycloth mop and professional hardwood floor cleaner.

Don’t

  • Wax your hardwood floor. I did that once when I was younger and my dad slipped down the stairs.
  • Clean your hardwood floors with ammonia or oil soaps
  • Don’t clean your floor with water, it will cause the wood to expand and potentially warp

For a more in depth discussion on environmentally friendly ways to care for your floors, read this post on care2.com.

Linoleum Flooring

Like hardwood flooring, you do need to be aware of what cleaners you’re using because of the finish. However, you don’t need to worry as much about moisture because it isn’t made from wood. So, with a broom/vacuum and mop, you can make your floors truly shine.

Photo courtesy of Linoleum flooring

  • Use your vacuum’s attachment to get the edges and corners of each room in addition to vacuuming the floor.
  • Mop your floor using warm water, 1/2 a cup of vinegar, and a few drops of essential oils. Vinegar is a wonderful natural cleaner that leaves surfaces shiny. You can add Tea Tree Oil as your essential oil to act as a natural antibacterial agent.

Second step, time to accessorize.

Before you decide which rug, erm, accessories you want to embellish your floors with, take a look at the colors interacting in each of your rooms and determine what other colors would enhance your current color scheme.

Photo courtesy of designs54

  • I recommend keeping a master list of each room in your house with the color scheme you currently have in operation and the pieces of furniture that have those colors (you can even include photographs). This makes it easy for you to remember what you need when you go shopping. From this list, you can determine which changes you’d like to make in each room.

Even if you can’t get a new rug for each room in your house, it would be wise to place them in the rooms that get the most foot traffic, such as by the entrance of your home (the fancy term is foyer), the living room, bedrooms, hallways, stairwells, and so on. Rugs both protect your floors from the wear and tear of daily life as well as prevent dirt from spreading throughout your home.

Photo courtesy of Pier 1 Imports

Once again, you can always buy new rugs. If you take care of them and invest in quality, they will last you for years. However, if you love DIY projects or want to save some money, here are some alternatives (after all, it is the winter time, what else is there to do to stave off hibernation mode?)

  • Buy a rug from a thrift store (genius!)
  • Little House in the Suburbs has a tutorialon how to make a chic, no sew rug (which I plan on doing for my bedroom! I love my job, I find the coolest ideas!)

    Photo courtesy of Little House in the Suburbs

  • With the aid of an old sweater, you can update a rug you already have thanks to this marvelous idea by Diana Durkes on HomeWorkshop.com

    Photo courtesy of Home Workshop.com

  • This trendy DIY rug on High-Heeled Foot in the Door uses fabric, a drop cloth, and a rug gripper, creating a finished product the people will never guess you made yourself.

Photo courtesy of High-Heeled Foot in the Door

Are there any projects you’d like to tackle this winter but are unsure of where to begin? Tell us in the comments box below and maybe I’ll write a post about it!
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Winter Home Decorating Project: Crown Molding

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Michelle Eging

Depending on where you live, winter means long, dreary months of rain, sleet, snow, grey skies, and freezing temperatures. Tasks that seemed effortless when the sun graced us with its warmth become draining–cooking dinner, changing the television channel, or brushing your teeth. To stave off cabin fever, you can put all that indoor time to good use by taking on home improvement projects. To kick off the Winter Home Decorating Project Series, we’ll start with crown molding.

Photo courtesy of dexknows.com

Before you begin:

You need to determine whether or not this is a project you can do yourself or you should hire out. If your home is relatively new with level walls and a level ceiling, then chances are, you can install crown molding yourself without too much difficulty if you have the proper tools. However, if your walls and/or ceiling are uneven and you don’t want to invest in tools, it might be a good idea to hire someone to install the crown molding.

Photo courtesy of DIY Advice

When choosing which crown molding, here are few things to consider:

  • Width. The higher your ceilings, the wider you will want your crown molding to be.
  • Ornamentation. Take into consideration the overall ambiance the objects in your room all ready have. Is your room minimalist? Shabby chic? Rustic? There are numerous crown molding options to choose from.
  • If you can get pre-finished crown molding, it will save you from having to prep and paint it yourself

    Photo courtesy of Inviting Home

Tips for using crown molding to affect how large your room seems.

  • Painting your crown molding the same color as the wall makes the walls seem higher.
  • Painting your crown molding the same color as the ceiling makes the ceiling seem lower.
  • Paint the crown molding a color different than the wall and ceiling to make it a visual focal point

    Photo courtesy of aMillionLives.net

Tutorials:

  • This Old House has a tutorial (click here for video version) on how to install plaster-coated foam molding. Crown molding made from this material is easier to install because you can cut it with a handsaw and it doesn’t require as much shaping as wooden molding.  This tutorial also breaks down the entire project into a three day timeline, breaking up the project into three hour chunks.
  • This Old House has a videoon how to cut your crown molding to fit your wall dimensions. This tutorial uses wooden molding, but the principles still apply to molding of all materials

    Photo courtesy of Good Millwork

  • Home Depot offers a video tutorialon installing  and finishing the crown molding
    Photo courtesy of Meg Braff Interiors

If you decide to give crown moldings a try in your home, tell us about it in the comments box below. You can e-mail photos to socialmedia@fivestarfranchising.com and I’ll post them to this article!

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