Posted
May 20, 2010 by
erin under
How to We get asked this question a lot: How do I decide what is the correct rug size I need for my space? Today we’ll help you out!
Rugs are usually specified to help pull a furniture arrangement together. Many times, without something visual to pull everything together, furniture can look like it is placed haphazardly around the room. (Even if there is some organization to it.) I find that when choosing a rug size you want one that will just cover the space underneath your furniture arrangement. Don’t worry about all of your furniture fitting on the rug, just make sure that the front of the sofa and chairs are on the rug and you’ll be fine! It’s always better to go larger than smaller if you’re unsure about the size.
Are you visual like me? Here are some examples of some good sized rugs and not-so-good sized rugs:
Notice how in the two examples above the rug really helps to make the arrangement feel like one large, well-placed, arrangement.
See how in the bad example the rug is too small? Instead of pulling the arrangement together you’ve added something else that just clutters up the visual space. A well sized rug will help to provide a more cohesive look.
Good luck with your rug hunting!
Tags: DIY, How to, rug
Posted
May 12, 2010 by
erin under
DIY I’ve been in the process of de-cluttering my kitchen. I wanted to try to keep my counter top clean, since our current kitchen has no counter space. I decided I needed to get rid of the huge container that had been sitting on my counter that held pretty much every utensil I had. Whisks of various sizes, pasta forks, spatulas, stirring spoons, and everything else all shared the same container. It was getting super crowded and I don’t use those things all the time so I dumped the entire contents into one of the drawers… better already. Only problem was, a few of the items I use at almost every meal. I decided I needed a smaller container that I could leave out that would just hold a couple of items. The problem with a smaller container is that when I put the utensils in, the entire container would tip over. After some trial and error my solution was that I needed a medium sized container with some type of filler to keep my utensils from tipping and falling out. My solution?
Combine a $1 decorative ceramic pot from IKEA:
A bag of nice decorative rocks:
Add the few utensils I use all the time:
Much better! Nice, clean, and organized!
Tags: DIY, Kitchen, Tutorial, utinsels
Posted
May 11, 2010 by
erin under
DIY I LOVE to sew and I LOVE to design. Here’s a project I recently completed exclusively for BurdaStyle.
The best part? It’s one of their free downloads so if you’d like to stitch up a table runner, placemats, napkin rings, and the flowers to embellish all of them, head on over and download the full pattern and instructions (with photos) for each piece of the Cafe Collection!
Tags: dining room, DIY, pattern, sewing
Posted
April 13, 2010 by
erin under
Design Elements Being a designer I appreciate that having a focal point is a huge thing in every space! Focal points can also be seen on a much smaller scale. Here are some examples of focal points on a smaller scale and why they work:
This bookcase arrangement is a great example of a focal point! I love how the smaller shelving unit in the middle really draws your eye in while being balanced by the larger ones on either side! {Photo from The Day Has Come}
Bet you can’t find the focal point on the sofa? Ok, so maybe this was a little too easy, but see how just that one pillow really draws your eye into the space and begs to be looked at? {Photo from AdventureDiva}
See how the center framed photo is larger than the rest? This provides a clear focal point to the wall! {Photo from Blossom Interiors}
Think about the space you’re currently working on and see if it needs a focal point. It’s an easy way to fix your space and make it look fabulous!
Tags: DIY, focal point, How to
Posted
March 2, 2010 by
erin under
Tutorial I’ve been following this blog for a while and just LOVE it! It’s put together by Ana and called Knock Off Wood. She takes things she sees in stores like Pottery Barn, West Elm, Land of Nod, and other stores, and makes the plans and a shopping list of supplies so you can make your own pieces for WAY less! Here are some examples of her plans and finished project! Be sure to go over and check out her awesome site!
This hutch as seen in Canadian House and Home was the inspiration for the plans for the hutch below!
This is what the finished piece will look like, go here to see the full list of instructions, supplies and everything else you need to get started!
These are some of my favorite shelves from Pottery Barn Kids, but at a hefty price tag of $900, not always affordable!
Ana shares the plans and finished shelves with us…and the best part is that she spent only $60! She’s a genius!!
Worried about not being able to build these pieces? Check out her newly created Flickr Gallery to see what people just like you have been building with her plans! I can’t wait to get back into a house so I have a garage to build some new furniture in!
Enjoy!
Tags: DIY, furniture, Tutorial
See how in the bad example the rug is too small? Instead of pulling the arrangement together you’ve added something else that just clutters up the visual space. A well sized rug will help to provide a more cohesive look.
