Saving Dollars on Window Treatments

Last week, Design Sponge did a story on saving money on window treatments.  Custom window treatments are the biggest source of sticker shock for clients, and while I totally think they're worth it, there are also times to save instead of splurge.

Remember this kitchen refresher?  This client is likely a few years out from a major kitchen renovation and addition, so the idea was to spruce things up in the meantime.  I have yet to shoot an appropriate after, but here's a peak at a cheapo window strategy: the Faux-roman shade.

Here is this spot before:

We relocated the pots to a floor-to-ceiling peg board (a la Julia Child).  We wanted to bridge the height of the flanking cabinets but soften the window.  Hence the roman shade.  My client wasn't looking for privacy or light control, though--this is purely an aesthetic fix.  We used inexpensive cafe curtains on the two kitchen windows, and I bought an additional set for here.  I simply tacked in the folds and hung it on one of those $6 spring-mount tension rods.

Easy!

A fun DIY idea

I love getting DIY ideas from innovative store display, don't you?  I know, you are TOTALLY going around Ikea looking at the way they hacked their own pieces.

I recently spotted this dresser and had to share.

They took a narrow scarf/ runner and applied it to the front of the drawers.  In this case, it doesn't look permanently affixed, but you could really use any fabric, some spraymount or fabritac, and maybe some nailheads to finish off the look.

What do you think?  A really fun way to spruce up an old or cheap set of drawers.

Embellished

Sotheby's showhouse via lonnymag.com

Where oh where has this week gone?  

In between massive amount of work for my volunteer committments, design presentations, and new client meetings, I am still thinking about finishing.  up.  my.  house.

In the living room, I need to finish sewing the white curtains (Ikea ritva's that will get doubled and pinch pleated), and I am always going back and forth on embellishment for them.  I love the crazy modern-art aspect of the embellished curtains above.  They are almost like sculpture!  Perhaps I should focus on getting the panels sewed in the first place...I have been living with hug puddles of fabric on the floor for going on three years....

Trend alert: up and over

From her Dutch teacher, my 5 year old picked up the very cute habit of saying "oofta!"  and I keep hearing that word, with a little bump in the middle ( OOF-ta!) when I look at these wall-and-ceiling treatments.

Design Sponge

Betsy Burnham

Source unknown.

I think this works especially well in the first example, where there is a little ceiling angle to highlight.  There is a real energy to these up-and-over stripes, isn't there?

OOF-ta.

8 ways with headboards

A headboard is all about giving a bed--generally the largest piece in the bedroom--presence.  While headboards can be had at all price points nowadays, sometimes you just want to do something a little...different.  How about giving one of these guys a try?

8 ways with headboards:

1. Lean a trio of panels (wallpapered?) behind the bed

Four Magazine

2. Hang a rug

Windsor Smith Designer Show House

3. Try a straw mat on for size

Architectural Digest

4. An upholstered screen will do

Eddie Ross

5. Or a set of carved tiles

Pottery Barn

6.  Shutters work

7.  Upholster the Wall

David Netto in House Beautiful

8.  Finally, skip the headboard and go straight for the canopy.

San Giorgio Hotel, Mykonos via Remodelista

I will admit, I am a headboard devotee, but I find these possibilities pretty appealing....

Smart updates: slipcovered bedrame

I'm always thinking about ways to use fabric to bring new life to old pieces.  I am especially a fan of solutions that don't use a lot of yardage (cheaper!) and that are not permanent (commitment issues!)

How about these tailored slipcovers for wooden bed frames?

Martha Stewart via The Designer's Attic

Via Kathryn Ireland

Suzanne Kasler for Hickory Chair

I love the way they leave a bit of the wood exposed.  Much more character than a fully-covered headboard, which might go a little Pottery Barn on you.

And this last one is sort of genius:

via Cote de Texas

Those little corner slipcovers protect the antique french beds from little kitty claws!  This is one of those applications where the haphazardness really makes it work.

We have upholstered headboards in 2 of 3 bedrooms, and I love the Chinoiserie bedframe in our Master bedroom....but I also love this slipcover idea should I ever need to switch it up.

Which, you know, is like...never.  right?

Upholstered Strip/es

So, I'm still toiling away, trying to figure out what to do for almost no money in my long and boring windowless upstairs hallway.  I'm actually not even going to link to all the various and sundry posts about it (there are a lot).  It's embarrassing.  Lots of thought, little action.

For now I'll just let the ideas roll.

How about, for example, creating stripes out of upholstered sections joined by tape trim and upholstery tacks?

Yes: I like it.  And when you break up the square footage across 2 or 3 fabrics, I might even be able to make it happen with supplies on hand.....

Or, you know, not.

Small Measures

via Ikea

Take a classic paper lantern. dip it in dye.  doesn't get easier than that!  (Matching tablecloth optional.)

Small Measures

via

Not sure that the scallop-paint wall treatment would have been a project you could do in a day before.  Enter:

Shape Tape!

Noe I bet it is a project you could do in an hour!

Happy weekend.....

Source Alert: Colored Cord Kits

There are so many great pendant options these days, including fun DIYs, that require a cord kit.

Loving these cords from colorcord.com, in just about every color under the sun.  At just $20, you could buy a couple and swap 'em out with the seasons (if you're handy with electrical work, that is.)

And just to get you inpired, here are some fun lighting DIYs from around the blogosphere.

Dodecahedron at View Along The Way

Copper Geometric Pendant fixture at Design-Milk

via Say Yes to Hoboken

Jute-wrapped, via Hand Made Home

Faceted pendant (that's folded paper!!) via the 3 Rs Blog

Wood veneer woven lamp on Poppy Talk

Lace Doily lamp on Dos Family (with colored cord kit!)

Um, I am feeling like the least creative person ever all of a sudden!

Have you created some whiz-bang amazing light fixture from scratch?

Do tell.

Sculptural Wall Install

I am on a major push to finish some things up around here.  Enough that I can just chill out at home.  I'm not going to make a real list like last time, because that's just depressing.  Possibly more because of how much I change my mind as opposed to how much I didn't get done.  (But that, too.)  I'll just continue to share some progress thoughts here, if you don't mind.

Like this new idea for the upstairs hallway: molding that acts as sculpture.

(via Adore Home Magazine)

It seems easy enough to accomplish, though the simple way (installing full sheets of progressively smaller plywood squares) seems a bit heavy for the wall to sustain.  I would also leave space between each large rectangle.  But I love that the interest comes from the dimensionality rather than a color, pattern, or texture.

Still mulling it over.  What do you think of this?

Small Measures

I have a new client, a 6-year-old boy with severe allergies.  No draperies, no upholstery, and no rugs means coming up with other places to bring in pattern, texture, and FUN.

For additional DIY window shade projects, go here!

Small Measures

Source: designsponge.com via Heather on Pinterest

Two words: Rainbow dresser!

The perfect antidote to all this winter.

Small Measures

Source: lookbook.elledecor.com via Heather on Pinterest

You don't have to have an amazing plank ceiling for this to work: any wood will do. Just paint it up in a series of complementary colors.  Leave the rest of the space bright and simple.

Small Measures

Source: littlebluedeer.com via Heather on Pinterest

If you are going to paint a dresser, why not push the envelope and have a little fun? Favorite song lyrics, a poem, or the funniest thing your kid ever said.  (Skip the graffiti, though: pretty hard to pull off at home, and if you have kids, they might get the wrong idea and apply elsewhere in the house!)

Small Measures

One photo, 25 words or less, projects you could do in a day.

Source: designmyheartout.blogspot.com via Heather on Pinterest

Elevate old pegboard!

Spotted on designmyheartout.blogspot.com, this idea offers endless variety: love it as a headboard, but works as straight-up art, too.

Small Measures

Source: designsponge.com via Heather on Pinterest

Can't find the right patterned bedding?  Create your own.  This DIY iron-on duvet cover from designsponge is genius.  Check out the instructions here.

(pssst.  Don't forget to enter the Novica giveaway for a $75 gift card. Details and entry here.)

Adding to the fireplace vignette

When I revealed the black-painted fireplace wall, I mentioned that I was planning to add an upholstered top to the mid-century bench.  The wall needed a textile for softness, the new coffee table meant I needed a little extra height for the bench, and the wood-slat, though I love it, was reading a little too casual for where the design of this room is going.

Using a leftover piece of glazed linen (it was welting for client pillows), a piece of plywood I already had, and leftover foam from a headboard project, the only expense to this project was a couple of dollars in batting.

I also went looking for baskets to use under the bench a couple of weeks ago, and came up short.  Friday, however, I hit Consignment Central and found this pair.  They were exactly what I was looking for.

Because they were $12 each--pricey for consignment--I almost didn't buy them.  Then I remembered that most of the baskets I had looked at (at Michael's, World Market, Target, Home Goods) were more expensive and less perfect!  I'm thinking of giving them a dipped effect with either gold or silver rub n buff or spraypaint.

Kind of like these two combined:

both photos, Martha Stewart

This way my husband and I will have his-and-hers magazine bins, eliminating the conflict of who/when/how magazines get sorted and recycled.

Isn't it funny how we almost walk away from what we want because we are expecting a "better deal"?  I also almost bought just one of the baskets, but the truth is, you should never split up a good pair!

Small Measures

Source: themarionhousebook.com via Heather on Pinterest

Plain baskets + paint = fun, graphic storage.
Go here for the deets.  I'm thinking about doing this, if only I can find some good baskets to start with!

Ikea blunder

I was at Ikea yesterday, and asked one of the co-workers if the catalogs were out -- I had seen a PDF of the cover and wanted the featured chair for a client's living room.  The catalogs were not in the store yet (I got mine in the mail later yesterday--and promptly lost it), but the co-worker said. "ohhhh.....I don't think we're going to be carrying that chair."



Sure enough, it is a vintage Ikea chair "renewed" with some current pillows.

The co-worker, who shall remain nameless (mostly because I don't know his name), said "I really don't know why they did that.  I have a feeling it's going to cause some problems."  Feeling like I was the first of those problems, I said, "yeah, good luck with that," and away I went.

It is interesting to me that Ikea is in some way trying to own this notion of "refreshing," going so far as to showcase their own ikea hacks, such as the new pine dresser, "a fine, pine canvas," which reminds me of this beautiful project.

The catalog also shows an upholstered dresser using Ikea fabric.  Cute, right?

But to me, the interesting thing about Ikea hacks is the creativity of the people creating them.  Give us the canvas, let us paint, you know?  (Check out tons of ikea hacks here.)

And back to that cover:  we count on Ikea for inexpensive, short term, good looking refreshers.  Showing us those on a chair we CAN'T have?  Well, that's just a tease.

What do you think?

P.S.  To enter the giveawy for a $50 gift card at Shabby Apple, check out instructions and leave your comments on yesterday's post.  Giveaway is going on until Tuesday 8/7 at midnight.