Wouldn’t it be nice to have a new chalkboard tray for snacks or appetizers next time you entertain? You can make your own very easily. Start with a board the size you want your tray. Stain it in your favorite shade. When it’s dry, tape a border around the all the sides of the tray. ...
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Instead of tossing out wine corks, why not turn them into tiny planters that you can use at work or at home? Start by hollowing out a divot in the top of the cork with a utility knife. Switch to a serrated knife – like a steak knife – and use it to carve at...
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It’s almost summer, and in many parts of the world, that means we’ve officially moved out of a long, cold, dark winter and into the color-loving sunshine. This seasonal transition, perhaps more than any other, invites (almost requires!) us to break out the fresh summer colors in our homes, brighten them up, and make them...
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A side table is a really functional piece of furniture, and if it can roll, it’s even better. Make your own portable table from a wooden crate. First, measure the width of the long crate sides and cut two pieces of wood to fit along the sides,which will serve as shelf supports. Then, cut a...
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Color is essential in interior design. You can have great architecture, but with poor color choices, the appeal of the room’s design will falter. You can have boring or unsightly architecture, but with excellent color choices, the design of the space can appear magazine-worthy. The quickest, the most dramatic, and the most reasonable way in...
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Plain picture frames can be pretty boring, so why not try making them more decorative with this easy DIY embellishment? Start with a cardboard egg carton. Cut off the lid and discard it – you only need the section with the wells. With scissors, cut apart the individual sections, trim the square tops off, and...
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A finely curated collection of exhibitors big and small were on show last week at the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York City. Grouped into collections such as “Made” for artists and designers, “Furnish” for home furniture brands, designers, and dealers and “Refresh” for kitchen, bath, luxury appliances, and premium building products, exhibitors presented their latest and...
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Breakfast in bed (or just a snack) is the ultimate luxury, and it’s even better if you have a bed table. You can fashion your own from a board and four wooden hangers. Start by removing the metal hanger piece from the wooden body. Arrange two together as shown and mark two spots where they...
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Carrying a bottle of wine and four glasses to the table – or to the patio — can be a real juggling act. Make things easier for entertaining by crafting a really useful wooden wine glass holder. Start with a square board. Mark diagonal lines across the top of the board. Place it on wooden...
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There’s nothing worse than rushing out of the house to find that you have misplaced your keys. Put a stop to lost keys by using a key holder that you can easily make from an old picture frame. Paint or decorate a frame however you like – plain or fancy. Next, screw in small cup...
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Lighting fixtures can be very expensive, but you can make your own DIY table lamp from clothespins. Start with a bag of clothespins that have a spring. Glue them together in pairs and then as sets of four, with flat sides together. Make four sets of four and then glue those together. Repeat until you...
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It can easily be one of the most disorganized areas of your home: The entryway. Corral that mess of coats and hats with a hanger system you can make yourself. Start with a board that has the dimensions shown. Make five evenly spaced measurements across the board, 3.5 centimeters from the bottom edge. Drill a...
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Small plants nestled in individual hangers are very popular and you can fashion your own from some regular drinking straws. You will need eight straws cut to 13 centimeters long, and four more that are the full length. Thread thin, flexible wire through four of the short straws and join them together in a square....
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Accessories featuring sisal rope are very trendy – and can be very costly. Make your own stylish sisal rope bowl with just a hot glue gun. Choose your rope and a bowl of the size and shape that you want your finished piece to be like. Start by winding and gluing the rope into a flat...
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Planning a baby shower for your sister, aunt, roommate, or best friend? It’s such an exciting time, and you want to show your support by hosting a baby shower to remember. Of course, the most important thing is probably a comfortable seat for the mom-to-be (and a place to put her feet up), but after...
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What to do with that box of old keys? Turn them into key holder organizer! It’s very easy. Simply use two set of pliers to bend the key into a hook shape, keeping the round part of the key (called the bow) flat. Make as many as desired. Next, stain or paint the board that you...
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We all know how important the use of space is in great design – space affects the room’s functionality, visual appeal, and design capacity. In fact, to define space, it is: a continuous area or expanse that is free, available, or unoccupied; the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and...
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& Vintage pieces are always stylish but true vintage can command a steep price. Instead, make your own lamp, featuring one of the great interesting light bulb designs that are now available. Start by cutting a piece of one-inch thick board into pieces with the dimensions shown. Sand the edges smooth and drill a hole...
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Add sophistication and style to plain, even worn-out, wooden bowls by touching them up with a modern bit of metallic. Choose your favorite metal – copper, gold, brass, chrome, nickel, whatever you like! – and turn your boring wooden bowls into something fit for a king. Or at least a living room shelf. This simple...
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Who doesn’t love fresh flowers for brightening up a room? Just grab a nice vase and plop them in, right? Hmm. No matter how you try to arrange them in the container, they move and won’t stay put. Here’s an easy trick from the professionals for successfully arranging your flowers in any vase or container....
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Don’t toss that old light bulb! Turn it into a delightful hanging vase for single blooms. Put on your safety gloves and use needle nose pliers to break up and remove the lighting element from inside the base of the bulb. Pull out and safely discard all the glass bits and material left inside the...
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