Posts

Whether you’re looking for a bookcase, headboard, or side table hack, we’ve rounded up some of our very favorite DIYs to inspire your next Ikea project. IKEA VITTSJÖ Table Turned Chic Cocktail Ottoman from Melodrama IKEA TARVA Dresser Hack from House on Longwood Lane This entire DIY costs around $200, but is significantly cheaper than buying a custom piece. How to Hack Your Way to a Wardrobe from Home Made by Carmona Ikea Billy Bookshelves Hack from The Makerista The legs used here add to the chic retro vibe, but you can pick any legs to change up the look and feel....

We compiled buying tips from two interior designers, then researched user-friendly, reliable options for every wall material and art size. Our top choice is the 3M Claw, a dependable picture hanger that locks into drywall and holds up to 25 pounds. These are the best picture hangers you can order online. In addition to framed pictures, these work perfectly for paintings, art prints, canvases, and mirrors. Best of all, you don’t need any tools, and they can be attached anywhere on your drywall—even without a stud....

A pillbox is a good choice when you have a small amount of a wide variety of seeds and need a storage box with compartments. Use separate pillboxes for different areas of your garden—one for your cutting garden, one for veggies—for easy planting later on. Don’t forget to clearly label each box with its contents. Seed storage photo album from Ozark Mountain Family Homestead Organized seedbox from Chiot’s Run This tutorial takes an empty cracker box and empty pudding-mix boxes to make a handy compartmentalized storage container....

A really great down comforter can take your sleeping experience from “meh” to “wow,” but with so many options out there, you might feel like you need a nap before you even get through the first page of searching for the best comforters on the internet. We know that you want to skip the searching part and get to the comfortable sleeping part, so we did some investigating for you to see if The Company Store Alberta European Down Baffled Comforter is a good contender....

Because precision and symmetry are hallmarks of French-style gardens, you’ll probably find that maintenance is more demanding than a French country garden (more on that later), wildflower garden, or a typical perennial garden. In a French-style garden, it’s difficult to hide weeds, unhealthy plants, and garden debris (fallen leaves, twigs, and branches), so be prepared to put in a few hours of maintenance every weekend. The History of French-Style Gardens It’s commonly accepted that French-style gardens were originally inspired by Italian landscape design....

One of the most important elements of a restful night’s sleep is laying on a high-quality, supportive mattress. But mattresses can be quite pricey, and splurging on a new one may not be in your budget. A great mattress topper can elevate your sleep while you save for a new mattress. It can also give you a luxurious sleep space while traveling and sleeping on an air mattress or pull-out bed....

One of those ways is by adding handmade paper plants inspired by your favorite types of houseplants around your home. We found a few artists who specialize in creating beautiful paper plants of all species and sizes. We learned more about their love for plants, their craft, and what inspires them. Prepare to be blown away by these paper houseplants because at first glance you’ll have no idea they aren’t real....

An outdoor space is more than just an open yard or a small patio to take a break in now and then; just like our interior decor, the way in which a person decorates their exterior can say a great deal about themselves as well. Some view their backyard as an entertainment space, while for others it’s a quiet sanctuary from the rest of the world. We all have different takes to how we let our personalities shine through in design in though we all have distinct differences, your zodiac sign offers exciting insights into your personality and your design preferences....

Tile backer board reduces the need for creating a thick bed of wet mortar under your tile. Available at most home centers, tile backer board is, in essence, a mortar bed that has been created in a factory, dried, and shipped in predictable sizes and thicknesses. Tile Backer Board Basics Tile needs a rock-solid base, or substrate, to last for years without cracking. Not just any type of material will work as a substrate, though....

Growing Conditions Light: Like many cacti and succulents, the Echnopsis appreciate strong light during the growing season. Move plants outdoors if possible, but acclimate to direct sunlight slowly to prevent scorching. In the winter, southern exposure is perfect. Water: Allow the soil mix to become nearly dry between waterings, but then water thoroughly. Immaculate drainage is essential, so never let the pots sit in water. Suspend watering in the winter, but mist occasionally....

In most regions, tulip bulbs are generally planted in the fall, where they will then receive the winter chill required for them to bloom in the spring. Once they emerge from the ground, tulips grow and flower quickly. In cold-winter climates, they typically emerge in March and begin flowering in April to May, Although tulips are perennial bulbs, many hybrid types tend to be rather short-lived. Keeping a massive display of tulips requires planting additional bulbs each fall for the following spring’s showcase....

But people are often confused by the system by which the low voltage wires are labeled, which can look different in an old thermostat than it does in a new one. Contrary to popular belief, the letters do not correspond to wire colors but rather are used to indicate the various function signals controlled by each wire. How Thermostats Work A thermostat is wired to a furnace or air conditioner unit and acts as a switch to turn the unit on and off automatically, based on the thermostat’s temperature setting and/or programmed time schedule....

Wall fasteners basically fall under lightweight and medium-heavy weight categories and hollow or solid wall designs. In this tutorial, we’ll look at the different types of fasteners to use based on wall type and object weight. Difficulty Level Easy Needed Tools and Materials You Will Need Eye protection Power drill Hammer Screwdriver Picture Hook: for Lightweight Objects on Wallboard or Plaster Picture Hook Type of wall: wallboard, plaster. Weight rating: light....

Covering between 200 and 400 square feet per gallon, this primer is exceedingly thick, making it difficult to handle, so use sparingly. But the product’s thickness is inescapable since most bonding primers rely on thick viscosity to help paint adhere not just to ordinary surfaces like drywall but to problem surfaces like metal and plastic. Bonding primers are also the way to begin if you intend to paint melamine, tile, or laminate....

VTech Kids is a familiar name in electronic learning toys, and the company is always turning out new models that light up, buzz, and beep—including the VTech KidiBeats Drum Set, a popular gift for toddlers. While the mere idea of a toddler drum set might get most parents stockpiling headache remedies, the KidiBeats Drum Set has many fans. So we put this mini percussion set to the test with our 18-month-old to see how educational and entertaining it was (plus, how it fared on the parental-annoyance scale)....

Several specific problems can cause these general issues, and diagnosing them can be a tricky business, for example, if your washer is not spinning completely and your clothes are still wet, it could be a sign the drain pump is clogged or broken. Some problems you can fix yourself, while others will likely require a call to an appliance repair person. Washer Won’t Drain Causes First, make sure to consult your washing machine’s owner’s manual....

The water heater expansion tank serves as an overflow receptacle by absorbing excess water volume that occurs when water is heated, as well as absorbing fluctuations in the incoming water supply pressure. Since water expands when it is heated due to thermal expansion, the water heater creates extra water volume every time it heats water. It’s estimated, for example, that the cold water in a standard 50-gallon water heater expands to 52 gallons when heated to 120 degrees Fahrenheit....

As a family who moves frequently, finding the right sofa for a new room can be challenging. When we have moved in the past, one of the biggest hurdles we have faced is when a sofa we love doesn’t fit the new room, resulting in a weird or unusable layout. Too often have we had to settle for a cramped setup or a sofa that doesn’t fit our family’s needs....

Given that your couch is the anchor piece in a living room or family room, you’ll want to look to its hue first to ensure that the rug you select will be complementary. And if you have a brown couch and aren’t sure what direction to go rug-wise, we’re here to help. We polled pro interior designers on their go-to suggestions when it comes to selecting a rug to complement a brown couch....