No it’s not diy Sunday but, ‘tis the season for heading back to campus. So what better time than now to craft up a few super easy and quick(ish) décor ideas that will really make your dorm room the envy of everyone in your quad. Let’s get into 10 easy dorm decor diy’s!
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How To Make A DIY Light Up Marquee Sign
It’s dorm room season and do I have a cool project for you today! You’ve seen them all over Pinterest and Tumblr and you’re always wanted to try it craft one up yourself. Well if you think a light up sign is a tough thing to make, I’m here to tell you it’s super easy! It’s DIY Sunday and if you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your name in lights, here’s how you can do it! Let’s get into how to make a diy light up marquee sign!
Need Lighting Over The Dining Table? Here’s What You Need To Know Before Buying.
Candle light can really set the mood for a romantic dinner for two. Everything and EVERYBODY always looks better in candle light, don’t you think? Remember the movie Sixteen Candles, when Molly Ringwald finally gets to kiss Jake Ryan on her birthday? Que the song, “If You Were Here” By Thompson Twins.. Cut to Molly and Jake sitting cross-legged on the dining table, lavishly lit by 16 flickering birthday candles atop the perfect birthday cake… I mean come on! Does it get better or more romantic than that? Sadly, not every dinner can be so perfect. Even sadder still, not every dinner has birthday cake.. But if you use your dining room table often, (mine is used as a pop up office almost daily), then you’ll want the right lighting to make dinner time more enjoyable and all those other “non food related” activities at the dining table, do-able! So if you need lighting over the dining table, here’s what you need to know before buying.
The Fool Proof Way To Get The Right Size Dining Table
“We’ve moving to a smaller home and my formal dining set just doesn’t fit the new space, help!” I hear that almost every day. There is a building boom going on in Buffalo and the charge is being lead by the Baby Boomers and a few Gen X’s. For many couples, the kids are grown and out on their own and they are finally getting to have the home design they’ve always wanted. For the most part this new exciting chapter is filled with dreaming and planning new furniture layouts, color schemes. Some days are filled with wood, metal and tile samples, fabric swatches and a few little headaches here and there. One of those headaches being the dinning room. Now for some reason, and this has been my experience as a designer, people really know what they want their new great room/open kitchen to look like but the dinning space really throws them. If that’s the case for you and you’re struggling to finish up your new dining space, here’s the fool proof way to get the right size dining table. It’s broken down into 5 tips to avoid buyer’s remorse.
DIY Scoppio Sphere Sunburst Spike
This diy is hot, hot, hot! And easy, easy, easy! You may have seen tons of tutorials on this kind of whimsical décor on tumblr and Youtube. I’ve seen metal versions go for as much as $30.00. Its one of those pieces that has legs, meaning it transcends seasons. You can place a bunch of them on a Christmas tree or put a few on a mantle for the holidays. I put mine on my book shelf in my office and it looks great all year round! They can be customized with any color you want, I’m sticking with gold cause I’m obsessed with gold, white and black accents at the moment… How much does it cost, you ask? Well, my Dears, you can diy this nifty little sculpture for under $5.00. $7.00 if you use a fancy paint. Wanna know how? Let’s get into making a diy Scoppio Sphere Sunburst Spike!
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Should I Put Furniture In Front Of Floor To Ceiling Windows? Mom Said No, But…
I remember having this discussion with my mother years ago. Can furniture go in front of windows? As I recall, she did not like that idea much. Growing up my mother even placed her bed, angled, between the two adjacent windows in the bedroom to avoid the window. I think she was afraid of falling out of the 2nd story window or something, not sure. As I’ve progressed in my profession I have come up against this very question a number of times and I’ve switched up my own thinking about it. I used to think, “you can’t put furniture in front of windows! We’re you raised in a cave?!” But I’ve learned, sometimes the best place for furniture is in front of a window. And I think that this might be even more imperative when you have floor to ceiling windows, especially if they go around the space. To help you decide, here are 5 key points to consider when deciding, “Should I put furniture in front of floor to ceiling windows?
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3d Modern Tabletop Candle Holders
Diy Sunday!! I am so excited to bring you this SUPER simple diy Sunday project. You can make these two candle holders in 1 hour or less, no lie! If you have an outdoor party, these are perfect for the patio or poolside. They will look amazing as the candles in a centerpiece on your dinning table. Put them on a étagère or bookshelf. Place them on the fireplace mantel. They can be placed anywhere for some instant glam and pizazz! Don’t let the fact that they look a bit modern throw you because you can use other materials to get a totally different look. So, without further adieu, let’s learn how to make a set of 3d modern tabletop candle holders!
Mix It Up! Get The Skinny On Mixing Patterns, Texture and Scale For Your Living Room
Let me guess, HGTV did it to you again. You’ve just binge watched Flip or Flop and Fixer Upper and now you’ve decided to spruce up your living room. You think - a little change, like some new accent pillows. So off to the rabbit hole, A.K.A., Pinterest, you go! Seven hours and a bottle of Pinot later, you decide, “forget it!” It’s not that you didn’t see anything you liked, it’s that everything you saw, you liked.. right? After doing a little math in your head and thinking that heat and hot water is a more responsible investment, you arrive at: “Let’s just keep everything gray and call it a day.” Well my Dears, I’m gonna let you in on five decorator tricks to make your living room come to life without having to spend the kid’s inheritance to make it happen! Let’s Mix it up and get the skinny on mixing patterns, texture and scale for your living room.
Mix It Up! Get The Skinny On Mixing Patterns, Texture and Scale, Trick #1: Mix Small, Medium And Large Patterns.
Yes, decorating has small medium and large, just like Dairy Queen! But unlike an Oreo Blizzard with extra Oreos, you don’t have to rationalize the pattern on your sofa’s accent pillows as a “cheat day” pass… like last Friday after the kids’ swim class. Anyway, mixing the size of your accent patterns, like pillows, area rugs and accent seating can make a huge impact in your living room style. It doesn’t matter if you like traditional, eclectic, or contemporary, when you mix it up and add in a small, medium and large pattern, you create visual interest and that goes a long way! This trick works for those of us who like lot’s of color and for those who prefer more neutral color schemes as well.
Mix It Up! Get The Skinny On Mixing Patterns, Texture and Scale, Trick #2: The Pattern Combinations That Work Great Every Time.
Let’s stick to accent patterns for one more minute. Trick number two, understanding which patterns work together always, is really tried and true. Sometimes, after a lengthy project and having to really rack my brain to get a layout that is functional as well as pleasing to live in, a process that I LOVE, btw.. However, sometimes it can be a relief to get to pick out the soft finishes like pillows, area rugs and drapes. If that makes you want to burry your head under the covers and forget that you even have a living room to decorate, then I have a short list of my favorite patterns to mix for maximum impact. Here you go:
Mix It Up! Get The Skinny On Mixing Patterns, Texture and Scale, Trick #3: Vary The Line And Scale Of Pieces.
Trick # 3 is all about creating movement with the objects that you place around your room. Most of the time your décor won’t literally move but, you can create a sense of drama, movement and energy with the composition you choose to arrange. The most important thing from this trick to remember is that you don’t want a dull composition where everything is the same height, and your décor is all straight lines up with no variation. Instead you want to mix your décor items, vases, pottery, picture frames, sculptures, etc. , where some items are taller than the others. Think of arranging your composition like a vignette that tells an interesting story that highlights a color, texture or theme to bridge the pieces.
Mix It Up! Get The Skinny On Mixing Patterns, Texture and Scale, Trick #4: Layer Your Décor.
Trick #4 is also closely related to #3 in that along with varying the line of your décor pieces it’s also really interesting and appropriate to layer your items as well. Placing a small sculpture in front of a picture that’s in between a tall vase of flowers or decorative braches is a wonderful way to create a moment. By layering your items in a composition, you automatically create interest and drama. This simple layering can do wonders for an empty corner that feels out of balance with the rest of the room. Layering a live plant in front of some tall vertically hung art in an empty corner is a classic way to fill an otherwise less functional space.
Mix It Up! Get The Skinny On Mixing Patterns, Texture and Scale, Trick #5: Mix Up Your Textures.
Trick #5 is all about mixing up wood tones, metals, stones and glass or pottery. Gone are the days where you had to match all the pieces in your space for the room to be considered “finished”. I say, good riddance! These days, in order to make a truly “designer” room, you want to bring in touches of distressed wood in an otherwise traditional room. Introduce a silver metal along with your brass accents. If you have a few tables that have turned legs, go ahead and bring in a metal accent table with straight pin legs and a stone top. Mix until your heart’s content!
There you have it! My 5 favorite tricks for mixing patterns, texture and scale for your living room. To review:
Mix small, medium and large patterns.
A tired and true list of patterns that look great every time!
Vary the line and scale.
Layer your décor.
Mix up your textures.
Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.
Get The Most Purpose Out Of Multi-Purpose Furniture
Space saving, dual, triple, multi-function. That’s the key to making a small space work. I’m still on the small space kick that I was on last week. I just really like the challenge of designing small spaces. So if you need to have furniture function a few different ways or you’re afraid you’ll have to sacrifice style to get a functional space, then this post is for you my friend! Let’s explore a few ways to get the most purpose out of your multi-purpose furniture.
How To Create An Awesome String Art Picture!
Big or small, string art makes a great embellishment for any wall. The possibilities for creating something pretty magical are really endless. This could be a group of small pieces for a nursery or one large piece for that empty wall in the family room. I say, go nuts and let me show you how to create an awesome string art picture!
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How To Get Your Small Living Room Furniture Arrangement Right!
Let me guess, you’ve been moving your sofa around the living room for days and you can’t get your room looking like Joanna Gains just left after waving her magic wand. Am I right? Well before you ditch the sofa and throw a bunch of pillows directly on the floor and call it done, let me show you how to get your small living room furniture arrangement right. Here’s six simple steps and a super useful freebie to get you going in the right direction – the direction of done! I promise that you’ll have a much better plan of attack at the end. Shall we begin?
How To Decoupage Collage A Funky Sign
Need some art work pretty quick and short on funds? Try this super simple diy to add instant pizazz to a wall, shelf or door that needs a little something. If you can tear pictures and words from magazine and glue them onto any board, cardboard 3-D letter or any other dimensional surface, then this project is for you, my friend! It’s a short one for this diy Sunday. Let’s decoupage collage a funky sign!
Your Entry Hall: How To Make The Right First Impressions
The entry hall. The portal to your world and the gateway to Firstimpressionville, population you! It’s not the main living space and it can sometimes fall victim to being overlooked or worse, completely forgotten. I get it. It’s not where the family is going to hang out and it is more of a utilitarian space; a storage area, in most cases. But before you write off the entry hall as simply a pass through to the more sexy areas, ie: the knock out Great room or the Chef’s kitchen.. Let’s focus on 5 really easy tips to make the right first impression in your entry hall.
How To Mercury Glass Paint Candle Holders
Mercury glass objects are hot anytime of the year. I especially love the sparkle of mercury glass around the holidays and you can find a lot of it in my décor at Christmas time. But don’t think that it’s only reserved for the winter wonderland of December! No indeed, my lovelies! You can have Mercury glass adorn the poolside get togethers, patio brunches and outdoor weddings of summer! So let’s explore how to mercury glass candle holders so your next summer soiree can have a bit of glitz and glam!
What Is The Golden Ratio, And Why It’s Important For Decorating Your Home
Artists, architects and a slew of interior designers have been using the golden ratio to create “pleasing” compositions for centuries. If you flip through any art or architecture history book the evidence almost jumps off the page. There is something about how the elements are arranged that just makes sense. Why should you care? Well, let’s say that you’ve spent the weekend rearranging your furniture and after moving it around 10 different ways, you still feel that something is not “right” but you can’t quite figure it out. Chances are your room’s golden ratio is out of whack! Darlin’, we’ve all been there! So before you chuck the furniture out the front door and go full on minimalist, let’s really get into what the Golden Ratio is and why it’s important for decorating your home.
5 Secrets Decorators Use To Make Window Treatments Look Amazing!
Ever wonder how the window treatments in magazines and on TV always look so amazing? They’re flawless right? They always seem to make the room. Well I’ll let you in on a little secret… It’s not magic. It’s just a bit of proper planning and knowing a few key things that can make or break the design. Ready to learn the 5 secrets that decorators use to make window treatments look amazing? Let’s get into it!
How To Make A Simple Clock
For this week’s diy Sunday, it’s all about watching the clock! No, not like you’re at work on a painfully slow day and all you can think about is 5 o’clock and running like your ass is on fire out the door… This clock watching is a little different. That’s because you can create a totally working clock out of some PVC pipe and a little ingenuity! Let’s get our creative on shall we? Here’s how to make a simple clock:
5 Key Points For Picking The Perfect Size Area Rug
As Summer approaches, I’ve been concentrating a lot on my outside décor. Every year we put out a cabana tent with some patio furniture and a lovely geometric sisal rug that is perfect for the patio floor. We have a large concrete patio right off our family room and we spend most nights out there enjoying the Summer weather. As I was planning my editorial Calendar last Fall, I chose this week to focus on 5 Key points for picking the perfect size area rug and I almost scrapped it for something more “Spring” like. Then I thought, wait a minute… A lot of people place rugs outside on patios for function and color. Now is a great time to talk about area rugs and the size of the rug can translate to both an indoor and outdoor area. So let’s talk about it, shall we?
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Easy diy Sunburst Mirror
Here is where diy Sunday begins! I’m excited to bring this series of simple diy’s to Michael Helwig Interiors. For this first project I decided to try my hand at a super simple sunburst mirror and desk clock project. That’s right! It’s two simple diy projects made out of one inexpensive wall clock.
How To Accessorize Your Home Like A Pro
There are a many tricks that designers use when accessorizing spaces and all of us have our favorites. That’s because most of these tricks, or techniques – if you want to be fancy – really work in a number of situations. Here’s a list of my favorite tips for accessorizing your home like a pro. I subtitled this piece 10 Tips For Decorating Your Home From Scratch because these techniques can apply to accessorizing a new home – from scratch – or they can also apply to a quick seasonal or holiday makeover too.
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