Articles in: Ideas

Creative Succulent Arrangements – From OPC’s The Better Half

Posted by: Jocie Hagan on May 13th, 2013 | Make A Comment

We just couldn’t get enough of Jocie Hagan’s succulent garden ideas so she’s back with even more creative ways to bring your decor to life with three crafty succulent arrangements. Her blog-within-a-blog at One Project Closer (OPC) is all about thrifty and fabulous DIY decor and crafts. And there’s definitely a crafty element to her latest projects. Read on for the complete DIY tutorial.

I have admittedly gone succulent crazy! I am not a gardener and struggle to keep any plants alive, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. But I have found my gardening niche with succulents. They are fabulous plants because they are so hardy, low maintenance, and lend themselves to creative DIY projects! I first made a mason jar mini-succulent garden, but had a hard time stopping with just one garden. So, I kept going! Lol.

craft, DIH Workshop, DIY, Garden, gardening, guest blogger, Ideas, succulents

Places: The Kitchen Banquette

Posted by: Caroline Inge on August 2nd, 2012 | Make A Comment

Built-in Dining Banquette from Lonny Magazine

via Lonny Magazine

A kitchen banquette is a great way to bring a cozy and casual vibe into your home, whether you’re willing to tackle a booth-like space (like in the photo above) or a simple table and bench in the corner of the room.

Tear your eyes away from the two adorable little twins in the photo above, and instead focus on the seating setup we have in this space. Rather than try to squeeze a cramped table and chairs into this niche, interior designer Lulu de Kwiatkowski outfits her kitchen nook with a warm, weathered farm table, two built-in benches wrapped in beaded board, and some comfy green cushions. By building the benches into the wall, you’re actually saving space, making room for a larger table.

banquette, Dining Area, Dining Area Décor, Dining Room Decorating, Ideas, Inspiration, ktichen, places

Inspired: A Copper Kitchen

Posted by: Caroline Inge on July 27th, 2012 | Make A Comment

Copper in the kitchen

Copper is a tried-and-true kitchen material for several reasons. It’s an exceptional material when it comes to cooking because of its superior heat conductivity. If you’re using copper cookware, your water is likely to boil faster and your dishes will cook more evenly. Copper pots (when lined with tin) can last a lifetime, especially if you take care of them and have them re-tinned when necessary. Copper also adds an Old World, antique feel to any kitchen, whether you’re including a copper range hood, copper cookware, or simple copper cabinet hardware.

Take a look at the items we found to create a beautiful kitchen with copper.

TOP ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT):

The KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 quart stand mixer in Copper Pearl was our starting point for the whole kitchen. It combines warm, rich copper with cool stainless steel. We played with this balance of warm and cool throughout the whole space, using mostly cool colors for cabinetry, countertops and walls, but then accenting those cool neutral shades with dramatic pops of copper in the apron front sink, the pot rack, and the vintage-inspired faucet.

Cabinets, copper, Decor, Ideas, Inspiration, Inspired, Kitchen, kitchen inspiration, Kitchens

Places: A Dutch Door in the Home

Posted by: Caroline Inge on July 19th, 2012 | 2 Comments

via Country Home

If you’re a fan of traditional European architecture or even an art lover, you’re no doubt familiar with the charming Dutch door or stable door. It’s simply a door that is split in half so that the top portion and bottom portion can be opened and closed separately. The bottom door is normally left shut, to keep farm animals out and little exploring children in. While the bottom portion is closed, the top portion can be left open to let in light and fresh air. And though few of us these days have to worry about keeping the cows out, Dutch doors evoke the charm of a country cottage and a time gone by.

Aside from the Dutch door in the photo above, there are several elements in this space that together create the country chic feel of this backdoor and mudroom. A striped skirt hides the laundry machines, oil rubbed bronze metal finishes add a vintage feel, and beaded board paneling lends texture to the walls. While the traditional cottage feel of a Dutch door might work for many older homes, this design can look at home in a more modern space as well.

We found quite a few ways to make a Dutch door part of just about any style of decor.

dutch door, Exterior Doors, Ideas, Inspiration, Patio Doors, places, Style

Inspired: Small Bedroom Ideas

Posted by: Caroline Inge on July 9th, 2012 | One Comment

Small space bedroom ideas

When pulling together a bedroom in a small space, it can be intimidating to start ticking off the different items you’ll need: a bed obviously, two nightstands, a dresser, a few lamps, maybe a chair… But where will all of these things go in a short-on-square-footage bedroom?

That’s what this inspiration board is about– small bedroom ideas.

One easy way to maximize your space is to limit the number of feet on the ground. Remember to use your walls to your advantage. Rather than nightstands, opt for two floating shelves on either side of the bed, and instead of table lamps, try swing arm wall sconces. You’ll still have a place for an alarm clock and your cell phone, and proper reading light, but you won’t have to worry about squeezing so many pieces of furniture into the room.

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To create a creamy, warm backdrop for this bedroom, we used Behr Ultra’s Jasper Cane, a subtle tan with a hint of peach.

Bedroom, Bedrooms, Decor, Designing for Small Spaces, Ideas, Inspiration, Inspired, RoomInspiration, Small Rooms, Small Spaces, Stylish Small Spaces

Places: Bathtubs in Bedrooms

Posted by: Caroline Inge on July 5th, 2012 | One Comment

via Interiorholic

It’s no secret that residential design has come a long way in the last 200 years. Building materials have changed, closets are bigger, and kitchen appliances are now smarter than their owners… But lately we’ve been circling back in a wave of nostalgia. In recent years we’ve seen the resurgence of vintage kitchen and bath fixtures, the growing popularity of reclaimed wood, and other trends that celebrate furniture and building pieces that remind us of the past.

One such trend rooted in the past is adding a bathtub to the bedroom. While it might seem like a preposterous idea, many of the first bathtubs were installed in the bedroom, as few homes in the 19th century had whole rooms designated for bathing. The first bathtubs were claw foot tubs made of cast iron and porcelain, and these expensive fixtures were strictly reserved for the upper class. Today, a free standing bathtub still evokes a luxurious bathing experience for homeowners that it once had hundreds of years ago, only today that bathtub feels timeworn and charming.

We’ve collected images of some wonderful bath-in-bedroom ideas.

Bath, bath tubs, Bedrooms, Ideas, Inspiration, places

Outdoor Decorating Ideas for Your Covered Porch or Patio

Posted by: Fabulous K on May 9th, 2012 | 13 Comments

Colorful covered patio, design by Kelly of Fabulous K

In our Style Challenge series, we challenge some of our favorite bloggers from around the web to surprise us with their ideas for creating a stylish and functional space using a single Home Depot product as a starting point. Kelly, who blogs and designs under the name Fabulous K.

She chose the Hampton Bay Clifton Patio Chat Set as her starting point for a cozy covered porch. She came up some excellent outdoor decorating ideas, and the results, true to her name, are fabulous.

Lounging outdoors on the patio has long been a spring and summer tradition in my family. By March, we start looking forward to the time we’ll spend outdoors. From coffee in the morning, to cocktails at night, the covered patio is definitely a favorite place to relax.

I most often use this space in the morning, while having coffee and catching up on my favorite blogs. When I started thinking about decorating the space, I knew I wanted to create a stylish, comfortable, and functional area where my family and friends could gather.

guest blogger, Ideas, Inspiration, Outdoor Living, Patio, Patio Furniture, patio style challenge, Style, style challenge

Places: Ceilings

Posted by: Jae Warren on May 3rd, 2012 | Make A Comment

Image via Cap Murals

What was the first person to paint or decorate a ceiling thinking? For all we know, cavemen began painting the ceilings just because they ran out of wall space. It’s almost certain, however, that once they were done they realized – “hey, that looks pretty cool, it really changes the entire feel of the space.”

That’s our story on how ceilings came to be known as the “fifth wall” of the home and we’re sticking to it. Ceilings are also the dimension of interior design, the oft unexplored space in the home that begs discovery. We love the fantasy cherry blossom theme painted by Cap Murals in the photo above.

But it doesn’t require an original mural to make your ceiling work harder for the decor and take your ceiling to a place where no home has gone before.

Ceiling, Ceiling Design Ideas, Ceiling Styes, Ceiling Types, DIY, Do-it-yourself, Home Depot, Home Improvement, Ideas, Inspiration, places, Style, The Home Depot, Tin Ceilings

Inspired: The Balstrade Console Table

Posted by: Caroline Inge on May 1st, 2012 | Make A Comment

An entryway is one spot in your house that shouldn’t be left untouched, as it’s the first place anyone will see when they visit your home. Besides serving as an eye-catching spot for guests, it serves as a useful place to drop keys and mail when you’re rushing through the door.

If you’re not sure what to put in this narrow space, consider an easy formula, shown in our entryway inspiration board: a console table, paired with a lamp, a small seat, an oversize piece of art, and a little tray for catching odds and ends. That’s really all you need to finish your front entry.

This inspiration board began with the Balstrade Console Table, with its rustic wooden finish and dramatic turned wood legs. We chose several accessories that matched the distressed finish of the table–the mirrored tray–and some with finishes that contrasted it–the glossy, cream lamp. In a space that has fairly neutral colors, it’s important to combine varying textures to keep the vignette interesting.

BOTTOM ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT):

The French Side Chair in Antique White has a very feminine silhouette, which complements the strong shape of the Balstrade Console Table. By pairing a chair that’s visually lighter than the console table, the two furniture pieces balance each other out.

Console Table, Entryway, Ideas, Inspiration, Inspired

5 Essentials for a Cozy Outdoor Cabana

Posted by: Kate Riley on April 23rd, 2012 | 6 Comments

In celebration of all things patio, Kate Riley from the DIY and home improvement blog Centsational Girl shares her tips for building an outdoor space that feels comfortable and inviting for you and your guests.

We live in Northern California’s Wine Country and grow our own grapes in the backyard. When we spied the Home Depot cabana we knew it was the perfect structure to provide shade on the hot summer days, but still take in the view of the landscaping all around.

Here are my five essentials for creating a cozy yet stylish cabana.

cabana, guest blogger, Ideas, Inspiration, Outdoor Living, Patio, Patio Furniture, Spring

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