October 2018 – COURT-REPORTER-INFO

Notable Links: 5 Organizing Ideas We're Liking Now

This week we are clicking on two little space transformations with large effect, a roundup of budget-friendly decorating locates, a exceptional idea for a collection plus a sneak peek at a new line of picture porcelain pieces.

AB Chao Interiors

Bathroom reno: Decorator (and humorous author ) Anna Beth Chao turned a set of tiny cabinets into the stunner of a toilet. She has graciously shared photographs and sources for all on her blog.

Home Decorators Collection

Julia Desk

Budget smart: If you are on a budget (and who isn’t?) Kirsten from 6th Street Design School pulled together a roundup of attractive items for your home which are on sale. She discovered that this adorable desk, a wonderful bedroom bench and much more, rather than a single item is over $200.

Little Black Door Designs

Go for a gallery wall: Blogger Elizabeth from Little Black Door shares how to turn a forgotten corner of your home into a photo-filled gallery.

Oh, hello friend

Cool calendars: I am always fascinated with what people collect. Danni’s collection of perpetual calendars causes me to want to pick up one (or 10) of my own.

Fine Little Day

New Procelain Line from Elisabeth Dunker and Anna Backlund for Rym

Pretty porcelain: Elisabeth Dunker of Fine Little Day introduced a peek in her new line of ceramic in cooperation with Ann Backlund for Rym. The various patterns were designed for mixing and matching.

Next: Cool, Calm Edwardian Gets an Update

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24 Beautiful Walls of Books

When my wife and I moved to our present apartment a couple of years ago, our main decision was not where the place the sofa or tv or home office or even the dining room table; it was where to set the books. Having spent in a floor-to-ceiling shelf system, the eventual location sits alongside the front door and becomes a wall of novels contrary to the sofa. While the novels have outgrown this wall and shot over different areas of the house (like any book enthusiast will concur, this always occurs ), there’s something attractive about this huge surface of novels, particularly when compared to smaller bookcases. While this ideabook attests, I’m not alone in liking walls of novels. The following examples show various ways of accommodating large numbers of publications in most areas of the house.

Griffin Enright Architects

Why a wall of novels when you can have two? Whether this room just had a wall covered with novels it would need another, given the powerful symmetry of this space with its central fireplace. 1 thing that our wall of novels shares with this particular one is that the change in spacing from large on the floor to small on the very top, so bigger books are nearer to the floor and therefore easier to deal with.

Michael Fullen Design Group

This more compact distance also offers bookshelves facing each other, however, one side is punctured by a doorway. I like the way relief is brought to the book through double-height openings that are used for artifacts, such as a world.

Chr DAUER Architects

Two walls covered in novels can also throw in a corner. This office space is not only packed with novels but designed so that the work surfaces meld with all the book storage. If going this course in your project, make sure you check the top shelves can be reached over the desk.

HartmanBaldwin Design/Build

This publications in the corner of this library extend past the soffit (seen at left) to the underside of the clerestory windows that also wrap the corner; this necessitates a ladder for reaching the shelves.

Chang + Sylligardos Architects

The corner of this library is access to other chambers, however, the bookshelves on each side are still constant in design, particularly the narrow shelf roughly a third of the way up; I’m guessing it’s used for large books and papers looking to lie flat.

Webber + Studio, Architects

These shelves also utilize a very short shelf roughly half of the way up. Also, like the previous example lighting is integrated over the shelves, projecting out and pointing right down to assist in locating books and for reading them.

Tim Cuppett Architects

Two vertical walls are covered with novels in this room, separated by a large window that brings in plenty of daylight. Note how the shelves are curved in the window, a fine Art Deco touch.

Erdreich Architecture, P.C.

In the very first steps within this house, one is faced with publications, which cover a wall adjacent to the front door. The dark shelves have been emphasized with orange endings that work nicely in the sparse modern space.

Vinci | Hamp Architects

1 end of this massive living space is covered in shelves that are novels interspersed with sculptures; the former have been available to the lightly shaded wall, whereas the former includes a dark backing that helps the objects stand out.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

This wall of novels was created with an integral railing to get a rolling ladder in addition to lighting for 2 flat openings used for displaying objects. In proportion and execution the shelves are minimum yet tasteful.

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

This is just another wall of novels that incorporates bigger openings for showing objects other than novels. They are flat, vertical, and square, enabling different things to be on display.

Ian Moore Architects

This simple wall of novels with rolling ladder works nicely with the minimum design of the inside. Note how the vacant shelf space seems to trickle down from top right to bottom left, indicating that even room for future publications can be a part of an interim design.

Stern McCafferty

These shelves stand out from the last examples in the exceptionally thin edge profile and evident lack of supports.

Laidlaw Schultz architects

Here are additional shelves with a slim profile and hidden affirms; the latter are, according to the architect, included of”an upturned leg at the trunk which is bolted to the wall… [and] then hidden.”

Tom Hurt Architecture

This wall of novels is freestanding, behaving as a divider between the kitchen and living room.

The gap between these rooms looks like it’s carved out of the wall of novels, as they write a header over the opening.

Browse more home libraries

I’ve always thought that a hallway is a good place for publications — that is, if you’ve got one and don’t have a library or room in your living space. For me, the bedroom ought to be free of too many novels (a couple of on the nightstand or a small shelf is good, but not a wall), and also near a kitchen may harm novels.

Hallways are good for keeping books, what with long walls and all. On the downsidethey don’t provide much room for sitting to enjoy themlike a library.

Chang + Sylligardos Architects

Hallways can also be mezzanines, so the books become part of the larger house, not tucked away from different chambers.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

This is just another hallway mezzanine (nice door in the far end!) Where books are put round the windows, making the most of every bit of wall space.

Lisa Borgnes Giramonti

Do not have enough books to cover a wallsocket? You can always use background!

More: 20 Great Design Books for Your Library
Get Ideas for a Cozy Library Space

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Staying Put: How to Improve

Here’s an arrangement book for our times, when many homeowners are under water mortgages, and the cycle of trading up has stopped or slowed way, way down. In”Staying Put,” architect and writer Duo Dickinson has assembled a great and practical manual to help us create real improvements to our homes. Dickinson, an advocate of well-designed and affordable homes for all, has specialized in residential layout for more than three decades.

This isn’t your normal architect’s publication about layout. There’s no vague language nor design-for-design’s-sake thoughts. It’s a practical, down-to-earth manual that walks anybody through the rational procedure of how to redesign your home to get the home you need, from how to think about your home and overcoming barriers to some listing of”Duo’s Do’s and Don’ts” for the homeowner. On the way, there’s plenty of fine before-and-after photos to help clarify the things. Do read the publication. You will be happy you did.

The Taunton Press, Inc

The cover says it all. The omnipresent photo of a gorgeous, award-winning home that’s beyond most people is replaced with pictures of a watched, cup of dawn joe plus a to-do list.

Are you currently staying put yourself? Keep Reading for 8 of Dickinson’s suggestions.

Mick Hales

Think about the compass points. The strategies and illustrated examples are wonderfully straightforward. As an example, we see a home that gets overheated, the siding degrades and the front doorway bakes in the sun because it all faces southwest.

Dickinson’s common-sense information: Rework the front of the home with a new broad porch that shades the front doorway and some smaller, yet well-sized windows to make a whole lot more curb appeal whilst decreasing maintenance and energy intake. It is a triple win: more attractiveness and relaxation with less price.

The Taunton Press, Inc

Avoid gutters. Statements such as”gutters and leaders are devoutly to be averted” may seem like heresy to many, but certainly are the truth. Proving his point, Dickinson illustrates the way the properly-built roof overhang can shed all of the water it has to without the complications, for example ice dams, due to gutters.

The Taunton Press, Inc

Embrace small moves. Dickinson provides a wealth of simple solutions illustrated with before-and-after photos. He shows how to utilize small moves for big dividends, such as taking out a wall between a kitchen and a hallway to generate space for longer kitchen storage.

Mick Hales

Boost curb appeal. The publication offers solutions to frequent problems with a specific style, such as the way to improve and improve an entry into a split-level home. (See the prior photo of this entrance).

Mick Hales

Open up to the outside. Dickinson provides some excellent examples of how we could use modern doors and windows to strengthen the connection between inside and outside. Our homes, ” says Dickinson, no longer want to be”later-day caves.”

Mick Hales

Find your home. Learning more about the style of the home you’ve got will help you avoid barriers in remodeling and recognize the the best opportunities for improving your specific home.

Mick Hales

Open the inside. Snippets of advice sprinkled throughout the book are similar to refreshing raindrops that clean the cobwebs away. 1 such snippet:”If you walk through a room for to a space, something is wrong.” You know — it’s when that new great room gets inserted onto a modest home, and the outcome is some sort of dyslexic creature that’s two homes rather than one.

So rather than even building an addition, Dickinson suggests you take advantage of everything you presently have. In this example, widening the gap between chambers reinforces this room’s connection with the remainder of the home, raising its utility and spaciousness.

See the room before Duo’s intervention

The Taunton Press, Inc

Work with everything you have got (before): Keeping the kitchen dimensions exactly the same when vaulting the ceiling radically increases the overall spaciousness of the space, because you’ll see in the next photograph.

Mick Hales

Work with everything you have got (after): Walls, doors, appliances and even the skylight and kitchen sink were all left where they were. This all avoided costly plumbing, electrical and mechanical function and rework.

Find an architect or contractor in your area

The Taunton Press, Inc

Working with everything you have got (plans): Dickinson has included before-and-after floor programs for lots of the examples. These programs help provide that much more context, allowing the reader to better understand what they could be able to do with the home they already have.

More: Staying Put, by Duo Dickenson, Taunton Press, 2011

How are you making the most of everything you have in your present home and backyard? Please tell us about your project below!

More: Converting a Toilet Into More Living Space
Converting Attics and Basements
Accessible Design: Creating a Home That Works for Everybody

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Readers' Choice: The Kids Rooms of 2011

This past year, ers were looking at kids’ room photographs in virtually every style and color palette for every age range. Nurseries, toddlers’ rooms, and teens’ rooms were on the record of most popular photographs uploaded this season, and designs ranged from traditional to modern.

Have a look at the 20 most popular kids room photographs uploaded to this season, and when you have seen them all, please let us know that room is your favorite.

1. Although users were ripped about the grey color choice in this room, everyone agreed that these built-in bunk beds produced a perfect setup. Assembling them into the walls not only makes the bunk beds hardy and sound, but the setup allows for lots of distance in the remaining part of the room.

Southern Studio Interior Design

2. These bunk beds have been tucked into the corner in this room, making the most of what could happen to be embarrassing leftover space. ers adored the built-in shelving and reading nooks with lamps on each headboard.

Designs for Living

3. While this entire home was a massive hit this season, users really loved this easy child’s bedroom. The raised bookshelf with a ladder was an especially popular signature. Users also liked the concept of making a built-in bed near a window with a view.

Amy Lambert Lee

4. Doing an all-white nursery could be a little intimidating for new mothers, but ers liked this designer pulled off it. By layering textures and playing reflective surfaces, the nursery feels warm and comfy, but still very clean.

Alicia Ventura Interior Design

5. ers adored the adorable wall mural with built-in shelving inside this space. Many times, it can be a struggle to design a kids room with a theme that doesn’t feel cheesy or on the top. While this design is straightforward, it’s still playful and bright enough to cheer up a child’s playroom.

Kendall Wilkinson Design

6. Designing a teenager’s room is generally an issue of balancing items your teenager wants today with a look that will last through high school. This teenaged boys’ room uses a enjoyable and boyish brown-and-blue palette which will do the job for years to come. Custom built-ins round the bedframe can showcase knickknacks and trophies.

RLH Studio

7. users loved the daring and girly design inside this room. The wall and ceiling murals are magnificent, and the daring pink bedding is the perfect jolt of color.

Robert Young Architects

8. ers bookmarked this photo for its solution to this bunk-bed issue. Assembling the bunk beds in and keeping them clean and white means the rest of the room can be decorated in virtually any style.

Elizabeth Gordon

9. This boy’s bedroom is filled with easy and enjoyable design ideas. Try adding different colors of blue to liven up your son’s room. The mix of this locker cupboard, checkerboard rug along with daring blue walls leaves this room enjoyable without going overboard.

tuba yavuzer

10. Pink is just as popular as ever in little girls’ rooms, but purple is a near runner-up. ers bookmarked this photograph for the excellent bed frame, glittery lighting fixture and all the floral touches throughout the room.

Anita Roll Murals

11. When designing a nursery, you would like it to be a relaxing and tranquil space (parents will be spending a lot of time in there). This nature-inspired wall mural has a very serene texture, but the green stripes and blend of textiles make the room feel modern and happy.

Lauren Liess Interiors

12. ers adored the concept of putting a posh daybed at a nursery or toddler’s room. Not only is it a great area for parents to relax while reading or playing with their kid, but it can also be a fantastic transition bed following the crib. users bookmarked this photo for the kelly green textiles as well as the fun wall artwork .

Jennifer – Rambling Renovators

13. While this chamber is magnificent on its own, ers bookmarked it for the smart usage of Ikea cabinetry. By installing the cabinets on both sides of the window area and framing them with drywall, the designer was able to make it look like they had been built into the space.

Klang & Associates

14. Mixing chocolate brown with brighter colors was everywhere on this season. This designer mixed turquoise and lime green with brown to get a colorful teenage girl’s room. ers loved the look, and wanted to know about the matching products and accessories in this room.

Kayron Brewer, CKD, CBD / Studio K B

15. Here’s another amazing purple room, designed to get a teenage girl. ers adored the dress form in the corner along with the bulletin board over the custom dining room area.

DIVA INTERIOR CONCEPTS

16. If you’re going to perform a themed space for your teen or tween, it’s ideal to keep it easy. This tennis-inspired room can readily be transformed to a guest room following college graduation with just a small paint.

Grace Blu Designs, Inc..

17. The designer of the mod-style room went out with color and design. The grey base paint retains the look contemporary, but the drapes and colors give it a fun retro look that any teenage girl would love.

Carla Aston | Interior Designer

18. ers bookmarked this photo for the smart daybed design at the corner of a space. The corner headboard and pillows mean that the bed can serve as a couch during the day. Take off all of the cushions at night, and you get a comfy place to unwind and sleep.

Ben Dial

19. This bed is the perfect solution to get a space with slanted ceilings. A good deal of teens move to the top of the home after they’re done sharing a space — but it can be hard to utilize the limited space a sloped roof provides. This built-in mattress retains a high ceiling over the bed itself, and there was space for just a tiny bookshelf where the ceiling slopes.

GDC Construction

20. A contemporary version of a bunkhouse, this chamber can fit as many as five kids — all with lots of sleeping area. The designer worked together with all the long and narrow shape of this space by putting custom bunk beds from one wall and a crib and changing table another.

Inform us: Which of the reader favorites from 2011 would you enjoy best?

More: Watch the most popular kids’ rooms on

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30 Beautifully Inventive DIY Christmas Decorations

Many of us are pinching our pennies nowadays, so extravagant Christmas decorations aren’t on very top of the shopping lists. Fortunately, the economic slump has inspired a creative crafters to make beautiful, easy, and affordable DIY decorations. We’ve gathered up 30 of our favorites to help you celebrate the season.

1. Colorful paper ornaments. If you require something new to spice up your tree, try these easy, contemporary DIY ornaments from Lisa Storms. Employing border pushes, she hit out patterns from vibrant bits of paper in different lengths, and stapled together the ends so they buckle in the form of a decoration.

2. Feather ornament tree. Wish to go glam this Christmas? Try producing this marabou feather tree, courtesy of Kate out of Centsational Girl. Kate made this ornament tree out of dowel rods plus a 12′ length of marabou feather boa.

She made the tree shape using one 3/4″ x 36″ dowel pole, six 1/4″ x 36″ dowel rods, a hand saw and a drill. Then she put it into a timber bun foot from her hardware shop. She painted the whole thing white, place it together with her drill, then wrapped 12′ of a marabou feather boa around the dowel rods.

Kate glued a adorable white bird into the top of the tree for an extra touch, then added some brightly colored ornaments in metallic hues.

sarah & bendrix

3. Contemporary holiday dinner party. Veronika of A Few Matters Out of My Life changed her London dining room into the perfect setting for a posh holiday party.

A wreath hung from the ceiling becomes a impromptu chandelier, while evergreen trimmings, a linen tablecloth, and lots of candles make a subtle and tasteful Christmas ambiance.

The sideboard in the end of the table becomes a bar for effortless beverage access and additional storage.

sarah & bendrix

Veronika’s unique spin on an advent calendar is beyond easy, and is superbly minimalist.

Office envelopes with bright pink lining fill up a poster board. Every envelope is numbered and filled with quirky holiday treats.

sarah & bendrix

Veronika stuffed her wall shelves with Christmas lights, small wrapped boxes, and garlands of newspaper rings to v modern-crafty look of her dining room.

Paper garlands are a great, cheap Christmas decoration — try something easy like paper rings, or attempt more elaborate paper snowflakes.

Heather Thoming

4. Candy-cane striped wreath. For a festive wreath that will last longer than the one you usually pick up along with your Christmas tree, try your hand in this DIY candy-cane striped wreath from Heather of Whipper Berry.

This flirty, ruffled wreath is the best way to welcome the holidays to your house. Have a look at the entire tutorial.

Atypical Type A

5. Holiday decorations for small spaces. Alicia Parsons of Atypical Type A doesn’t haveroom for a full-sized Christmas tree in her home, so she’s gotten into the practice of reusing one of her old wedding decorations — branches at a moss-filled bud — rather.

This really is a great tip for anyone with a small apartment or a small budget!

Atypical Type A

Many of Parsons’ ornaments are handmade. These small Scrabble letter ornaments are too adorable! Parsons used a power drill with a nice bit to drill a hole through Scrabble letters and series together cheerful holiday phrases with festive red decorative thread. Have a look at the entire tutorial on her website, here.

Atypical Type A

Another space-saving tip from Parsons: Don’t allow your current furniture limit you! She brought this ladder in from a different room for an extra screen surface. Get creative and think outside of the box older suitcases, wine crates, and backyard stools may all contribute to your holiday décor.

6. DIY “milk glass” forest. Shannon of Madigan Made loves crisp white holiday decor, and also had a fantasy of a tiny white woods of trees covering her cart.

When she could not find what she was looking for, she chose to create it herself. She discovered plain glass tree-shaped candy jars and chose to spray paint.

She wrapped the exterior of the jars and lids with tape and plastic, and painted a few thin coats of white — on the interior. Painting them on the interior gave them a more uniform look and prevents peeling. In the long run, the bits have an almost classic, milk glass-like look.

tatertotsandjello.com

7. Advent calendar ladder. Jen Hadfield of Tatertots & Jello chose to do something a little different because of her family’s holiday advent calendar. She wanted a fantastic spot to hang holiday cards, and thought that having a ladder would be festive and unique. When she could not find a fantastic ladder in thrift shops, she made one.

She’s a ladder at the specific size she desired, and the entire screen cost her less than $20.

Hadfield painted it blue so that the ladder would go with the rest of her home’s color palette. She can leave it up all year long and use it to display invitations, art, or just as decoration.

For the holidays, the ladder becomes a quirky advent calendar. Little canvas totes are attached to baker’s twine with reddish clothespins; subsequently Hadfield placed hooks on the sides for Christmas stockings. This is a great alternative for anyone who doesn’t have a fireplace!

The Happy Home Blog

8. Christmas dinner in the summertime. For anyone living in Australia and New Zealand, Christmas comes in the midst of summer. As opposed to getting warm in front of a toasty fire, odds are you will be trying to cool down with the evening dinner outdoors. Belinda Graham of The Happy Home Blog establish a mixture of indoor and outdoor chairs inside her private courtyard for a simple Christmas meal. Light linens and blossoms are highlighted with touches of glitter for a small holiday glow.

The Home Blog

To give standard jars and vases an extra special touch, Graham highlighted them with a little glitter, then stuffed them with easy blooms and LED candles for a charming centerpiece for the table.

Christie Thomas

9. Holiday garland for the anyplace. Christie of Three Pixie Lane chose to mix up things a bit by placing a holiday garland at a somewhat unexpected place — the foot of this bed! A handmade red and white garland in her daughter’s room adds a remarkably festive touch to the space.

10. Intelligent peppermint wreath. Does not this seem like a picture from a catalog? Believe it or not, Myra of My Blessed Life made this magnificent Christmas decoration out of three bags of peppermints, a hot glue gun, and a white foam wreath form.

She included a ring of Red Hots to fill some white space, then hung the whole item with a festive ribbon.

11. Warm and intimate holiday dinner. Lauren Hufnagl of With Two Mothers includes a great deal of hints and tricks for entertaining large holiday celebrations in tiny spaces.

Mirrors and metallics assists a space appear bigger, as does turning on the lights. If your space is small and comfy, there’s no need to dim the lights to make guests feel comfortable.

Hufnagl set aside a kids table for her holiday dinner setup. Brown art paper is a terrific makeshift tablecloth — provide kids a pair of crayons, plus they’ll be busy for the whole meal.

The Decor Repair

12. Merry and bright Christmas mantle. Curious about the way Heather Freeman of this Beautiful Cupboard obtained her mantle to glow? This cheerful DIY art was made simply by sticking Christmas lights through the rear of a canvas.

Freeman made all of the mantle art herself, and accented it with ornaments from Wal-Mart and heavy green velvet stockings from Hobby Lobby.

The Decor Repair

Freeman made this extravagant looking wreath — rolled up audio sheets glued together — in a craft party. A retro Merry Christmas hint adds a classic touch.

The village below is one of Freeman’s most preferred possessions — her mum bought it for her and her brother on a family vacation to Germany if they were small.

13. Simple advent calendar at a contemporary palette. Christy Wallace of Everyday Giggles wanted to make an enjoyable and vibrant advent calendar because of the 1-year-old daughter. Simplicity was key, so that she went to Hobby Lobby and discovered a simple starter kit. Using her Cricut machine, paint, and a lot of decoupage, she gave the kit her own custom look. Rather than using more traditional Christmas colors, she chose to go with crimson, red, and gray theme for another look.

14. Christmas bulb advent calendar. Try your hand in a exceptional advent calendar like this one Meg Spaeth of Elise Marley made for her kids. Using a homemade pattern (found on her website), she sewed this by hand out of felt.

Each tiny bulb is a pocket which Spaeth matches with lightweight treats — notes, small ornaments, and candy — for her kids to open every day before Christmas.

15. Elegant handmade stockings. Trying to find a sophisticated stocking for your mantle? user Michele Cabot made hers out of amazing vintage French linens for a tasteful and minimalistic holiday mantle. If you’re tired of browsing shops for the best stockings for your family, consider creating your own unique models out of fun classic fabric.

My Sweet Savannah

16. Quick and effortless holiday vignette. To get a easy holiday display, Melanie Thompson of My eldest Savannah discovered some used books and removed the covers. This is a trick used for many years by interior designers and retail shops, and is a great way to bring a rustic element to any sort of vignette. Evergreens and a couple of straightforward ornaments round out the look.

17. Cheap DIY Christmas candle holders. Kristin of Iowa Girl Eats maintained her holiday decor cheap, simple and pastoral. Mason jars were filled with votive candles, imitation berries and spruce, and wrapped in a twine bow. Voila! They’re perfect party decorations. Put them onto a mantle and light the candles indoors as it gets dark. Try using scented votives in vanilla or cinnamon for an extra holiday signature.

18. Christmas screen in Sunset. Shelley Smith out of House of Smiths always has an amazing holiday screen in her dining room (check out her Halloween screen in this roundup).

This past year, she made a decision to prevent red and green and use colors that sensed more wintery. She picked a palette of silver, green, and a tiny turquoise with this particular setup.

Though she chose not to do a Christmas tree this season, she still wanted to have a Christmas-tree like screen. Spray painted branches wrapped with little ornaments became a fun and affordable alternative. Then she stuffed up glass votives with little baubles and trinkets for a little additional sparkle. Perfect!

Nicole Lanteri Design

20. Chic black-and-white Christmas tree. Retro-looking all-white Christmas trees really are making a massive comeback this season. specialist Nicole Lanteri employed a Parisian theme with hers. Simple black iron ornaments in the form of the Eiffel Tower go perfectly with a chic black-and-white striped tree skirt.

21. Whimsical pom-pom garland. If you have younger kids running around, you may want to have a holiday decorating hint from Kristina of ReMade Simple: Make it unbreakable.

Considering her holiday decorating theme this year was “childlike and whimsical,” she wanted her own garlands to be playful combinations of simple substances and vivid colors.

Rather than using colored glass or hard plastic, then she made a trip to her local craft shop and purchased pom-poms, eyelash yarn, and a yarn needle. Making the garland was incredibly simple — just pull the yarn through every pom-pom till you have the spacing you want — so Kristina made an all white version also!

22. Classic velvet wreath. Classic maven Danielle Thompson made this diverse wreath out of classic fabric she had lying about. She wanted something with a mod, 1960s texture for her holiday decorations. Making something out of fabric also supposed she could reuse the wreath year in, year out.

She cut a wreath form out of a foam core board, and glued and sewed classic fabric (and buttons she covered herself!) To the cloth covered wreath form. She made a bow out of more classic fabric and a classic ascot, and attached it to the wreath. How adorable is that? It’s an adorable and one of a kind wreath that (depending on what colors you select) could be used for several vacations.

FOCAL POINT STYLING

23. Holiday tablescape inpsired by character. specialist Lynda Quintero-Davids employed a white spray painted branch as the centerpiece of the holiday tablescape. If you’re having problems coming up with ideas to your holiday dinner table, consider sticking to something easy like that. Sometimes nature supplies all the necessary decoration — spray paint a few branches and accent with some discovered pinecones, and you’re set.

24. Crafty yarn ball wreath. Lisa of Recaptured Charm put together this catchy wreath using styrofoam balls, yarn, and a wire wreath form. By wrapping the yarn around each ball in different directions, she was able to make it look like an actual yarn ball. She hot glued all of these faux yarn balls on a wire wreath shape, and blended a couple red Christmas ornament in as nicely for some colour contrast.

Planet Fur

25. No-muss, no-fuss Christmas tree. Do you hate dealing with a endless course of dead pine needles? Try mixing it up a bit and use a pair of branches in a vase to display your ornaments.

Small and massive variations of the contemporary, DIY Christmas tree are getting increasingly more common. Not only are they tasteful, but they’re affordable and far more eco-friendly than a real tree.

26. Quaint hot cocoa corner. Set a hot cocoa dining table for guests. user stilesquinn used a festive sterling silver tray and classic candy jars to home hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, and candy canes — a great thing to set on the coffee table in your living space prior to another big holiday party.

27. Intelligent Christmas riddle. Holiday decorations may be foolish too! Read the signal out loud to see if you’re able to find out the riddle.

Gail of Can’t Stop Making Things created this humorous sign using paint and a tabletop wooden round she’s discovered in Lowe’s for $7.

The sign reads “No L” — “Noel!”

28. Moss wreath for every season. This simple moss wreath may be used for Christmas, but can easily be adjusted for summer or spring décor too. Aimee of My Pink Life glued a bag of moss on a foam wreath form, and accented with a decorative pine cone and berry embellishment.

suzanne pignato

29. Tropical Christmas tree. To get a Christmas at South Florida, specialist Suzanne Pignato skipped the traditional red and green Christmas palette and functioned sunglasses of turqouise and gold to her shrub, accenting with shells and starfish for a beachy vibe.

30. Magnetic advent calendar. Marie of My Lil Pink Pocket made this adorable and re-usable debut calendar using papier maché boxes from her local craft shop. After decorating them glued a little magnet on the back of each one and place them on a little framed magnet board.

Inform us! Do you have a great holiday DIY? We wish to view it! Publish a photograph in the remarks below.

More: 50 Beautiful Holiday Decorating Suggestions
Live Boldly With Not-Your-Usual Christmas Tree
The Fashionista Christmas Tree
Have a Bronze, Violet and White Christmas

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Neo-Traditional Design in Georgetown

When a budding lawyer decided to plant her origins in the upscale Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., she called upon Zoe Feldman of Zoe Feldman Design to help her in renovating the recently bought rowhouse. The aim was to infuse the traditional space with urban attraction and honor the exclusive area without feeling nostalgic. The result is best described as vintage, neo-traditional with a modern twist. Mission accomplished.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

Though small in size, this living area has generous seating options. The embroidered couch and wingchair, both by Mitchell Gold Bob Williams, are modern and stylish. The homeowner’s present ottoman was modernized with an ultra-glam fabric by David Hicks.

In the bay window, a custom radiator cover topped with a sleeper pillow provides a window seat for shooting in amazing views of the city. Panels in a linen-silk mix cloth by Nancy Corzine framework the outfit.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

From the handcrafted limestone floors to the netted-glass pendant, Sorenson from Remains, this traditional foyer provides more clues to the modern updates that have occurred in this home.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

Carpeted in a gorgeous hexagon pattern (David Hicks Hexagon House II by Ashley Hicks) the twisting staircase divides the public and private areas of the home.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

A mix of textures, patterns, materials, and clean-lined furnishings leads to the home’s urban update on traditional style.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

Initially, the homeowners were skeptical when Feldman suggested painting the present cabinetry a glossy black. They were glad they heeded her advice whenever they saw the remarkable outcomes.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

Just like a fresh white shirt from a tuxedo, honed Calacatta marble countertops supply a graphic contrast to the dark cabinets. The marble’s veins include a subtle hint of colour.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

A Calacatta marble backsplash and a New Negro-Marquina marble floor polishes off this sexy, classy kitchen.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

Shiny black doors and Calacatta marble create yet another appearance in the intimate guest bathroom. An apartment-sized clawfoot tub supplies some luxury for visiting guests.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

The juxtaposition of this dark, modern doors, traditional reupholstered headboard, and global-infused fabrics introduces a neo-traditional vibe in the master bedroom. Suzani-patterned bedding from Natori takes center stage.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

Constructed from precisely the same metallic linen, a trio of functional relaxed roman shades offers both casual beauty and solitude.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

A blend of cut and slab limestone sets the tone for luxury and comfort in this airy master bath. The herringbone-patterned floor adds visual interest while keeping a neutral palette.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

The vanity is fit for a queen, complete with a shagreen leather inlay.

Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..

The Cartwright Dual Vanity from Restoration Hardware received an instant update when topped with an earthy limestone.

More: Modern Home, Full of Character

Manhattan Lofts and Apartments: Layers of History and Style

Pictures: Read more pictures of townhouses

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Wool: A Gift from Nature

I really don’t know too many people that aren’t fans of things soft and fuzzy, and items made from shaggy wool are no exception. Sure, the term “wool” is quick to be a thought filled with itch and flashbacks into Grandma’s handmade designs, but it’s truly a unique element of nature that we have in abundance, and it’s honestly not in any way itchy when used in rugs and other household textiles.

The advantages of this fiber appear to be unlimited. Obviously soil repellent, this durable cloth almost protects itself and needs minimal attention. Odors have a hard time bonding into the fibers, which can be quite helpful when it comes to cleaning. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer, wool keeps comfortable self-regulating temperatures, making it a fantastic go-to for any season. For those of us who enjoy candlelight, you will be happy to know that the material is fire retardant. And this material goes well with just about any style. Read ahead for suggestions on working more of it into your house.

lynn-anne bruns

The very first time I saw. Not only because it was pretty, but also because it cracked me up a little — the bench looks like it might only get up and skedaddle if given the opportunity. Jokes aside, I think a bench covered in wool might be a simple DIY job if you’re looking for something similar.

Economy Interiors

A chaise longue is one thing. A chaise longue with a sheepskin throw is another. And as a result of the existence of this blanket of fluffy feel, this room appears to welcome you with open arms.

Iris

I really would not mind having a lavish, fuzzy rug under my feet as I sit here and type this ideabook, and this photo has me longing for the day I have a desk in my bedroom. It’s to come. And when it does, the very first thing on my shopping list will be a rug like this one.

pierre senechal

Picking a shag rug was a good selection for this particular room. With no rustic feel offered by this gorgeous rug, the chaise would appear to be drifting in the center of the room.

Stern McCafferty

This chamber has a vibe that is cozy and inviting. Wool rugs are really nice to have in winter because they add both visual and physical warmth to a space.

CWB Architects

Wool blankets look great on a bed or a sofa and are extremely warm in summer time. Since wool is naturally fire retardant, it’s also nice to have a few of these blankets round your winter campfires.

Rebekkah Davies Interiors + Design

Even pillows look great when they are enveloped by a layer of wool — just in time to create your living area a bit more comfortable for the chilly months ahead.

Tara Seawright Interior Design

These chairs are dressed to match with cloaks as fancy as these. I can only imagine how cozy and soft they must be. They look like great chairs to make phone calls from; every home should have a cozy place to dial up some digits.

Ida Lifestyle

So by now it’s plain to see that these fuzzy layers almost call you out, especially when followed by a low-slung, slouchy chair. It’s probably a safe bet to keep an extra bottle of wine around — your buddies are not leaving any time soon.

Venegas and Company

Wool makes for a wonderfully cushy bathmat and is actually quite fitting to be used in a bathroom. It is quick to dry and doesn’t keep mildewy odors that are normal in this type of environment.

More: Decorating With Warm Blankets and Throws
Cool Threads: Shag Rugs Stage a Comeback

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Style In Stereo: Fine Design For Your Media Center

On the lookout for a means to house your music and media equipment? So am I. Whether it’s a vintage stereo console or a new media centre, here is a range of stylish options I’ve gathered.

I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage stereo console or recording player that looks like this cabinet for awhile. A few of those cabinets were designed with so much care that they are unique stand-alone pieces of artwork that can double as either a house for your media equipment and a console table.

Amy Lau Design

If I were to come across a stereo cabinet having a nice shape for this, my goal would be to rehabilitation the device with a few punchy color to give it a mid century kick. On that note, be aware that if you are planning on repurposing a vintage stereo cabinet, you might need to wash out a lot of old technology for example non-functioning record players and tape decks to create room for your new networking technology. You also might need to drill a few holes in the back to accommodate wires.

decordemon

Truth be told, most of the units I am discovering on Craigslist or at thrift shops are of the gaudier laminate selection. I never would have thought to paint 1 cherry red and put in white upholstery to achieve a Regency Glamour look. Now that I am seeing this smart sew paired with the dark paint and white greyhound statuettes, I can see new potential in formerly rejected styles of vintage stereo cabinets.

SBaird Design

By default, I lean towards the Scandinavian wood made stereo cabinets that work so well with today’s modern technology and other contemporary furniture icons. How cute would a tiny unit similar to this appearance with a flat screen TV overhead?

Denise DeCoster Architect

If you enjoy the appearance of a stand-alone cabinet with doors to conceal all your stereo equipment, but don’t gravitate to vintage, an armoire that has been altered with openings for cables and sliding doors for speakers can be just the answer. This stunning gold-leafed beauty is the centerpiece of the living room.

Elad Gonen

Another fairly common solution is a minimalist, simply assembled open cabinet, available at most contemporary furniture shops. I enjoy the simplicity of this solution, but remember that wire management can become unsightly.

Elad Gonen

Another opinion of a similarly engineered cabinet demonstrates how it appears to float on thin metallic legs.

Alexander Johnson Photography

If you are willing to spend some more bucks on a personalized solution, an entire wall unit that incorporates drawers and shelving is best. A low-slung, long flat layout beneath contrasting dark wall is a contemporary approach.

S.A.N Design Group, Inc..

A more conventional built-in unit occupies the entire wall with both proportioned shelves around the top and timeless cabinets across the bottom.

James Cleary Architecture

If your floor plan allows for it, working your built-ins to home media/stereo equipment in under the stairs is a space saving and unconventional route.

FORMA Design

One of my favorite solutions for housing stereo equipment incognito is a small built-in cabinet to both sides of a fireplace. Back in the day, these were used as wet bars or for extra storage, but as more people mount their flat screen TVs above the fireplace, these cabinets are being repurposed to discreetly house AV equipment, with the cables to the TV hidden behind the drywall.

CB2

Grid media console – $499

Some resources for media cabinets include CB2, which delivers this adorable little white oak/white painted steel combo.

DwellStudio

Franklin Media Cabinet – Gold Leaf – $2,685

Dwell Studio has released a brand new line of furniture and also among the standout layouts is this gold-leafed media cabinet. It reminds me of the armoire featured previously.

Urban Outfitters

Draper Media Console – $249

If you can’t find an original vintage stereo cabinet, Urban Outfitters will happily sell you a replica for about precisely the exact same cost or less than the originals go for.

Anthropologie

Illusorio Console – $1,698

Maybe a more rustic conventional version with lots of drawers would be a much better fit in your living room? There is a console out there for every style.

More:
See How TVs Are Passing the Designer Test
Design Dilemma: Where to Place the Media Center?
Fall Premiere Season: Where to Set Your TV

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