Decorology

Category: DIY

  • A super easy DIY that makes a great Mother’s Day gift

    A super easy DIY that makes a great Mother’s Day gift

    The new home networking site – Link My Home, was awesome enough to publish my post today on turning a Mason jar into a soap pump. Link My Home connects home owners globally to chat, share inspiration, and buy/sell – check it out.

    Below is my post and DIY

    Decorology DIY: Turn a Mason jar into a charming soap pump – A great Mother’s Day gift too!

    via Country Living

    I’m far from the first one to present this idea, but it’s really great and perhaps some of you out there have yet to discover it. All you need is a soap dispenser pump (reuse one from your last soap bottle or purchase one from a supplier like onedreamdesign.com), a mason jar, and the jar’s lid. It is also helpful to have a drill, as you will need to create a hole about half and inch wide to accommodate the soap pump. Other supplies you may want to have on hand include scissors, a marker to mark where you will drill the hole, and some 2 part epoxy to seal the cap of the soap pump to the jar of the lid.


    (via Apartment Therapy)

    Directions:

    1. Use marker to measure and mark a circle in the lid of the mason jar the width of you soap dispenser pump
    2. Drill hole where you marked in lid of mason jar
    3. Mix epoxy and apply to the lower rim of the soap dispenser pump
    4. Insert the pump dispenser through the jar lid (if the tube is too long for the jar, just snip it to size with some scissors)

    5. Let the epoxy dry according to the instructions
    7. Fill with your favorite liquid soap – and enjoy!

    Here are some examples of what you can create:

    (via Apartment Therapy)

    If you don’t have a Mason jar they are pretty easy to find at thrift stores.

    via Décor Chick

    So cute right? I think I’ll be making a couple for my mom for Mother’s Day!

  • Spring interiors: bliss indoors and out

    Spring interiors: bliss indoors and out

    Spring Interiors

    The weather has been so wishy-washy. Teasing us with a 70 degree day, and then bringing us back down by dropping to 50 overnight! But, the leaves are finally on the trees, and the days are longer – so it’s safe to say Spring is here.

    I love the longer days…so beautiful
    via KML Design

    Domino Mag

    …and fresh flowers. The first image is flowers in tea tins. I do this, but my tea tins aren’t water tight so I put a juice glass with water inside the tea tin and just put the flowers in the glass. The second image is a cute idea: use some glass bottles (they don’t have to match), wrap some jute or hemp around them – and you get a lovely handpicked, country centerpiece.
    via Country Living

    ….weekends in the country….
    via NiKreations

    Love the lanterns hanging from the trees!
    via Scandinavian Chic

    Meals outside..
    When I was a kid, we out outside every evening in the summer. We didn’t have a patio, so we just set up chairs and a table right out in the yard

    2 images above via Rue Magazine

    The ultimate—poolside…
    via Design Interior

    How do you enjoy spring?

  • April’s Monthly Storage Plan: The Laundry Room

    April’s Monthly Storage Plan: The Laundry Room

    So, I’m really late getting you April’s agenda from BHG’s “Month by Month Storage Plan.”
    But I promise you this one is pretty painless – but can make a big difference in saving you time every week doing your laundry. Here is BHG’s suggestions for creating a streamlined, efficient laundry room…

    • Sorting Baskets. Place a three-compartment bin or basket in a closet or open shelf in your laundry room (look at home or office supply stores for options). Separate clothing to be repaired, dry-cleaned, and donated.

    Laundry baskets make great sorting bins that are easily moved about. You can download BHG’s free Laundry Labels here. (You may have to sign in or create a profile before they let you do this – just a head’s up)

    Not all of us have the luxury of separate rooms or dedicated spaces for every task or hobby, so a well planned out utility room can handle multiple purposes. This room handles laundry, and crafts such as wrapping… notice the rolls of wrapping paper. A surface over the washer and dryer provides space for crafting. Lots of baskets and bins provide storage for supplies.
    via BHG

    • Keep Detergent Handy. Fill plastic beverage dispensers with laundry detergent, softener, and other liquid laundry additives. Hang a set of plastic measuring cups nearby from a cup hook.

    via House to Home
    Liquids and powders obviously look prettier in glass bottles or tins, but it might not really be practical for everyone. Also – if you forget instructions easily save the usage labels for products.

    • Drying Rack. Mount a drying rack or double towel bar near your washer as a spot for air-drying clean sweaters or rugs.

    via BHG
    This is a great example of the well organized laundry room. It’s not an actual “room” so the owner has cleverly installed curtains to hide the area when not in use. And even though the space is small, a foldable drying rack still fits in nicely. Ballard designs has some great drying racks similar to this one.

    • Make a Catch-all for Ironing Supplies. Convert a silverware caddy into a stain-treating or ironing kit. Fill with small size cleaners, spray starches, and linen waters. Be sure to include essential tools such as brushes, dry-cleaning pads, and collar points.

    via House to Home
    Mounting planters or containers can also serve as catchalls for any other cleaning supplies you need on hand.


    Below are some more laundry rooms to inspire you –

    Small, but shelving provides space to organize

    I love the idea of an armoire as a utility room organizer.

    3 images above via BHG





    5 images above via House to Home

    You can read the original content here on BHG.

  • Spring is on it’s way! 10 great tips to freshen up the place at little to no cost

    Spring is on it’s way! 10 great tips to freshen up the place at little to no cost

    These clever and thoughtful tips come to you from Beverly Hills interior designer David Solomon. I didn’t know residents of the Hills needed budget tips – but David has some great ones nonetheless! To see David’s portfolio go to his site.

    1. Paint is your best friend
    One of the most affordable options as a homeowner is to paint a room. Try picking a theme or choose a color and build your room around the mood of the color.

    The dusky blue paint in this entryway sets the tone for this home – you get a sense that it will have a historic, eclectic, and mature feel.
    via Maison Interiør

    2. Stick to a theme.
    What do you call a Japanese, Victorian, and Modern theme? Answer: a college dorm. Try to stick to a basic theme and work with that design.

    3. Use visual cues.
    Most people ignore very innate physical attributes of a home. Arched doorways are good for a Spanish theme. Crowned molding works well with Victorian and Art Deco styles. Wainscoting on walls can work with a country theme. Solid walls work well with modern.

    The decorator here took a cue from the elegant molding and created a luxe sitting room
    via Scandinavian Chic

    4. Furniture makes a statement about the room.
    One of the biggest investments you can make can be the furniture you purchase for a room, however, try to repurpose existing furniture or try using simple chairs with matching table to create a theme.

    This room could have gone in many directions but this unique table and the patina of the wood sets the tone as rustic and traditional
    via BoligDrøm

    5. Take a peek under the carpet
    If you own an older home, chances are you are covering hard wood floors with that 70’s shag carpet. If you own a new home don’t be afraid to pull the carpet and put down wood laminate. Engineered wood has never been more affordable.

    6. Put down an area rug.
    Area rugs can be purchased for as little as $200 and give a room a very expensive look. Carpet remnants make for excellent area rugs. See local Carpet store.


    via My Marrakesh


    7. Ditch the overhead chandelier for wall sconces
    Lighting is the oldest trick in the book to make a room pop; just ask Hollywood filmmakers. Get creative while sticking to the theme. Create a modern room by hiding the light source or create a Victorian feel by putting wall sconces on a light fader.

    8. Less is more
    Most people believe that every square inch needs to be filled in a room but emptiness is a statement in itself. Don’t be afraid to leave a wall void of furniture.

    9. Use accessories.
    One of the least expensive ways to add color to a room with white walls is to add red pillows. Pillows, throw rugs, candles, paintings, photos, and flowers can make mild into wild.


    via Casa Diez

    10. Add a plant
    One of the best ways to make a room feel like a living space is to add living plants, like a tall leafy plant in one corner, or just get some fresh seasonal flowers for the table.

    via Alice in Designland

    BONUS TIP

    Any change you make will add to your overall curb appeal and ultimately to the value of your home. Keep in mind that outdoor improvements such as foliage, plants, and bushes take a long time to grow so plan ahead.

  • A month by month plan to get your home storage organized: February is for kitchen organization

    A month by month plan to get your home storage organized: February is for kitchen organization

    So month two of BHG’s month-by-month storage plan is to conquer your kitchen. Here’s the strategy. If you missed month one – January, you can see the home office storage plan in my previous post.

    Sort and Label.     Evaluate all pantry items. Toss everything that’s expired and give away everything you didn’t use in the last year. (Write today’s date on every item so you’ll know next year if you actually used each item.) Put items back in pantry and label shelves.
    oh…an organized pantry is a BEAUTIFUL thing
    via Real Simple


    via GharExpert

    One cannot have too many jars and canisters. Looks better and keeps food fresher than boxes and bags. I will cut off the label on the box and tape it to the lid of a jar if it’s something I might have trouble identifying later.
    via PrettyShabby on Flickr

    Keep a clipboard in your pantry to jot down any staples you are running low on.
    via Martha Stewart

    Outfit a Drawer. Double the storage capacity inside a cabinet by adding freestanding wire shelves. Measure your cabinet interiors before heading to the home center or choose expandable shelves. Include riser-style inserts for small items such as spices or glassware.

    Utilize Cabinet Doors. Evaluate the interior of every cabinet door and determine whether you can use the space to store spices, loose recipes, paper towels, or utensils. Add shallow shelves, racks, wall-mount pouches, and magnetic or cork boards.

    Living in small NYC kitchens I learned early on to utilize the inside of cabinet doors, closet doors, etc. to store things.

    Genius! Use tension rods to separate and divide lids, trays, and baking sheets.
    2 above via BHG

    Add Hooks. Install a utensil bar or metal grid above or beside your stove. Dangle five to eight frequently used utensils from S-hooks. Include a small wire basket to hold salt, pepper, cooking spray, and oil.

    via Martha Stewart

    I love the nook for the mixer and toaster!

    great use of island space – installing bookshelves on the side. I don’t know what the TV is doing their though.

    2 above via BHG

    Go to BHG to see the upcoming/past months’ storage plans.

  • A post-holiday orgainzation special: Those new electronics=more cords. How to manage them

    A post-holiday orgainzation special: Those new electronics=more cords. How to manage them

    Here’s a DIY for you. When I saw the cord explosion behind my parent’s entertainment center – all I could think was – “project!” Especially since I had it on good authority that the holidays would bring a couple of more cords into the mix, it was time to find a system to manage them. I’m sure everyone here can relate to this in some way, and this DIY costs $0 – not a penny.

    Before – Here is the mess

    Pretty bad huh?

    Get yourself a dusting cloth, or electronic wipes, and your vacuum cleaner. Take this opportunity to wipe of the cords, consoles, and equipment while you’re back there anyway. When you unplug cords or cables LABEL THEM so you know where they came from and what they go to. I used blank adhesive address labels and folded them around the cord at each end. Each end would be labeled with the name of the hole or device it goes into. You’ll see this in the example below.

    The end of each cable is labeled with the corresponding hole, i.e. ” AV 1″ or “Front Speaker – Left” You may find a labeling solution that works better for you based on your equipment.

    In the middle of the project – don’t worry – things might look worse before they look better.

    Analyze if anything is hindering you from keeping the space organized and easy to maintain. For example, on the back of my dad’s entertainment console, there were only two small holes for cords to be fed through. This made it really hard to ad a new device or change the settings on something.

    So…being that the backing of the console was only fiber board, I traced a rectangle with a pencil and cut a much larger opening with a hacksaw. This allows easy access to the back of equipment, and provides better ventilation.

    After cleaning and wiping everything, and labeling the cords, I put all the equipment back in the cabinet, rewired everything, and utilized regular household twisty ties to bundle the cords.

    Labeled cords coming out of their respective equipment…


    Cords bundled with twisty ties, with excess slack coiled up, and plugged back in. Using a power strip makes it easy to turn off everything in one easy action.

    Labeled cables going into the back of the TV

    The finished view from the front.

    So what do you think? Do you have a mess of cords you’ve been wanting to organize in your house? Any good tips for managing cords?

    For more cord management and electronic tips, check out last week’s interview with Apartment Therapy’s Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan on Techorating.

  • Merry Christmas – some last minute inspiration!

    Merry Christmas – some last minute inspiration!

    Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday!

    via Architect Design

    Isn’t this the sweetest mantle?

    via Skona Hem






    images above via House to Home

  • Welcome weekend! These warm and peaceful living rooms will inspire you – some Christmas inspiration too!

    Welcome weekend! These warm and peaceful living rooms will inspire you – some Christmas inspiration too!

    I definitely tend to go for Christmas decorations that aren’t the typical green and red


    via Crate and Barrel

    I adore the chandelier contrasted with the rough walls. This is actually the Jayson Home and Garden store. PS- if you like Jayson Home and Garden Gilt is having a sale on their accessories.
    via Lonny Mag

    via Indenfor & Udenfor

    via House to Home

    Beautiful chairs
    Great ottoman too – providing the fur is faux…
    via Doryn Wallach

    Even if your fireplace is non-working you can still create a cozy fire with a grouping of pillar candles. BTW – this is a real home -not staged or professionally decorated.
    via DIY Network

    some minimalist staircase cheer.
    via Living at Home

    Have a great weekend everyone! We will be baking cookies at my house 🙂

  • Beautiful Christmas Inspiration for a sweet holiday at home

    Beautiful Christmas Inspiration for a sweet holiday at home

    There’s a lot of Christmas decorating inspiration out there, so I’ve tried to find some ideas that you might not have seen too much of already. Here are some things I found lovely –

    The house below is decorated in whites. Even if you can’t go all out white like they have, there are still lots of ideas you can use in any home –



    The above is my favorite picture. I love the branches with the stamped tags.


    I ADORE this bedroom! It’s Christmas-y but remove a couple of elements and it still works day-to-day.
    Country Living

    A green, garden-y Christmas theme.via Southern Living

    I adore these sweet ornaments – they’re so unique.
    via Jayson Home & Garden

  • Gorgeous Autumn and holiday decor and how to make it!

    Gorgeous Autumn and holiday decor and how to make it!

    I am ashamed I’m not posting this DIY earlier. I’ve always though that gilt gourds is were so pretty, I just needed a good excuse to try it out! It makes gorgeous autumn decor – so I should have posted this in plenty of time for anyone interested to make it before the holidays. Regardless, I still thought it’d make a good post. My original inspiration was this gallery from Country Living.

    I looked up a couple of step-by-step instructions, but the best instructions I found in the Mona Lisa Gold Leaf Kit, which I picked up at Michaels. This is what I recommend for beginners as it includes everything you need – primer, adhesive, gold leaf, sealer, and antiquing glaze.



    My parents grew many gourds so I had my pick. You can get gourds online or from supermarkets if they’re in season. Make sure they are dry, and have no punctures.


    Here are a few supplies you may want to have on hand – gesso (which I used as a primer on the gourds that I only painted, not leafed). Paint (some of the gourds I just painted metallic gold to ad variety alongside the gilded ones). Brushes, paint stirrer, paint tray, palette knife for mixing small amounts of paint, a pencil and masking tape for creating designs on the gourds, and a leafing kit or supplies.

    After picking the gourds I wanted to paint, I primed them with gesso, applying it only where I planned on painting them or applying the leaf.

    This gourd I painted the top a metallic gold, and applied leaf on the bottom half. (Notice the red leaf primer on the bottom.) A dark color primer makes the gold leaf “pop” a little more.

    Once the primer dries, apply adhesive as instructed on the label. I found applying the gold leaf was easy it I placed a piece of waxed paper over it, warmed the wax paper a little just by rubbing my hand over it, and then applying the leaf to the gourd. Try and touch the leaf with your fingers as little as possible. You only have to press the leaf to the gourd very lightly.

    Brush off any excess flakes with a soft, dry, brush. A light touch will do. After that, coat it with the sealer well. After the sealer dries, apply the antiquing glaze as instructed on the label. This project does require a good amount of surface space, and can be messy so make sure you’ve allotted space and cover any surfaces. Also various amounts of drying time will be needed between steps.

    So…without further ado…here are my results!



    I lined a wood bowl with dried rye and than arranged the gourds to create a centerpiece.


    What do you think?