Create & Decorate

What Wood Would Work? [Info-graphic]

November 30, 2017 by adminPO

Want to know what wood would work for your DIY needs or even for your home project? Read on because we found some tips that can help guide you in the right direction!

Picking what wood would work is no simple task. In case you’re having some trouble finding the best wood for your DIY needs or even for your home projects, stop stressing and put your mind at ease by picking the right wood.

The classic preference to use wood when crafting a home has stood the test of time. Luckily wood has many attractive qualities including it’s fairly low cost, it looks incredible, it’s solid, it’s warm and comfortable and it can last forever. It can be utilized for almost everything from building furniture to warming the home to making fire for your fire pit.

When doing DIY projects, it’s always best to know what types of wood are most applicable for the project at hand.

Every variety has its own particular properties which will make a huge impact on the look and feel of your finished project. Some woods age beautifully, while others still need some paint or polish. Some are easily scratched and dented while others resist shrinking and swelling.

With the large number of wood varieties to choose from, knowing which wood would work best for various projects is essential to creating a cohesive and finalized product. The wood’s scent, color, and texture are components that draw you towards different styles. Similarly, these components, while adding to the feel of a home, are the challenging aspects when choosing your wood.

Kudos to the guys of Heiton Buckley who’ve come up with the amazing info-graphic below that will help you when picking the right wood for your project.

There is some great wood wisdom here, so have fun and enjoy!

What Wood Would Work?

Indoors

Best Woods for Furniture

Oak

Heavy, strong hardwood
Great for cabinets and dining furniture

Cherry

Hardwood with fine straight grain
Easily shaped
Great for carved chairs and shaker-style furniture

Live Edge Cherry

Raw edged wood, left unfinished
Rustic feel
Great for counter tops, bars, tables

Walnut

Rich, durable hardwood with straight grain
High price point
Great for headboards, ornate dining tables, and mantels

Reclaimed or Salvaged

Any wood that’s been used before
Varying costs, depending on piece
Great for statement furniture and floorboards

Maple

One of the hardest woods available
Affordable
Great for heavy use items such as kitchen cabinets

Fir

Works well with many stains
Burn with a hand torch for deep, dark color
Great for frames

Best Woods For Flooring

Solid timber hardwoods

Popular: Oak, walnut, cherry, ash, and maple

What to expect:

Solid planks all the through
May require sub-floor underneath
Can be noisy, especially upstairs
Extremely hard—wearing
Ages gracefully

Engineered Wood

Plywood or veneered base, with layers of criss-crossed hard or softwood boards and then a layer of timber

Flooring Is Graded By Appearance

Premium or select grades are smooth, knot-free and uniform (high-end)
Low-grade timbers are less uniform and more ‘rustic’ (low-cost)

Best Woods For Fireplace Mantel

Not all woods are suitable
Softwoods can crack or dent easily over time, even after varnishing
Hardwoods are the best choice

Mahogany

Hickory

Maple

Oak

Best Woods For Your DIY Workbench

Qualities of good workbench wood

Heavy
Inexpensive
Light in color

Woods that fit the bill

Yellow pine
White oak
Ash
Red maple

Outdoors

Best Woods For Decking

Softwoods

Cedar

Pine

Larch

Redwood

Must be treated with wood preservative to avoid rotting
More economical

Hardwoods

Ipe

Yellow Balau

Oak

Iroko

Teak

Very durable and stable
Low maintenance

Wooded Decking Tips

Lay a deck fabric over the ground below decking to avoid weed growth
Pressure wash a couple of times a year to remove slippery algae

Best Woods For Raised Flower Beds

Wood Used For A Raised Flower Bed Should Be

Durable
Safe
Attractive
Sustainable

Woods that fit the bill

Cedar

Smooth and elegant
Easily takes stain/paint
20+ years lifespan
Chemical free

Redwood

Beautiful colour
Elegant
20+ years lifespan
Chemical-free

Juniper

Very long-life (50+ years)
Great for a modern look
Chemical-free
Inexpensive

Pressure-treated Wood

Easy to find
20+ years lifespan
Inexpensive

Best Woods For Burning In Your Garden Fire Pit

‘Seasoned’ Firewood

Left to dry for extended period of time
Easy to burn
Creates more heat that wet wood
Always choose ‘seasoned’ firewood if possible

Softwoods

Ignite fast
Good as starter wood
Best choices: yellow pine, spruce, fire, red cedar

Hardwoods

Better heat energy per volume of wood
Good for heat and cooking
Best choices: ash, red oak, beech, white oak, birch, hickory, hard maple, pecan, almond, apple, dogwood

Best Firewood For Cooking

Alder

Burns quickly, good for making charcoal
Delicate flavor with some sweetness
Good for smoking fish, pork, poultry and game birds

Apple

One of the best cooking woods available
Burns hot with little flame
Mildly smoky with a fruity sweetness
Great for poultry and pork

Almond

Long-lasting high heat
Sweet smoke flavor
Complements all meats

Grapevines

A rich and fruity aroma
Suitable for poultry, red meats, game and lamb
Gives off lots of smoke
Fast fires for quickly cooking small cuts of meat

11 Creative Wood Wall Art Ideas | Weekend DIY Projects

November 22, 2017 by adminPO

Decorate your home with some beautiful wood wall art! I have here the most artistic ideas guaranteed to give life to your humble abode.

Stunning Wood Wall Art You Can Do On Weekends

Wood is one of the most useful and versatile materials there is. People have found ways to turn it into great furniture, simple housing, or even elegant storage. But just when you thought wood couldn’t be fashioned into anything else, here comes wood wall art! It’s a trend everyone’s obsessed with, and I can see why! Keep on reading to find the most genius wood wall art ideas you can make this weekend!

1. Salvaged Wood Art

The great thing about creating wood wall art is you don’t have to spend much. The raw materials themselves can come from practically anywhere—just like this salvaged wood art! Its texture is already great for that rustic feel. Just add a little color to finish it up.

2. Pallet Board World Map

Painting on wood may be tricky, but the effect it achieves is amazing. Just take this pallet board world map for example. A simple outline of a map on any other material would’ve been unnoticeable. But wood wall art makes the world look so much better.

3. Wood Slice Wall Art

There are no limitations in making your wood wall art. Even a slice of wood can be turned into a superb decor! Combining a great quote and a fashionable slice of wood makes this wood slice wall art an eye-catching masterpiece.

4. Wooden Jewelry Wall Art

Many kinds of wood wall art tend to use large pieces of wood in almost the same patterns. Creating this wooden jewelry wall art shows your creativity and uniqueness. It’s minimal, original, and definitely a refreshing take on this trend.

5. Wood Grain Wall Art

If you’re a DIY novice, then I suggest making this wood grain wall art! The effort here goes into picking out the kind of wood to use because it will determine the result of the painting. With a bit of creativity, no one will be able to tell how simple it was to make this gorgeous wood wall art.

6. Wood Shim Wall Art

Wood shims—too simple to be art? Think again! The key to creating this wood shim wall art is arranging the wood shims in a striking pattern. The results are so marvelous, you might not want to make wood wall art in any other way!

7. Wooden Kilim Wall Art

In keeping with a true artistic tradition, this wood wall art takes inspiration from kilim, the Native American pattern. The wooden kilim wall art is an exquisite example of how DIY crafts can be practical, easy, and deeply meaningful.

8. Wooden Mosaic Wall Art

If you ask me, this wooden mosaic wall art is a cut above the rest! Unlike many kinds of wood wall art, this one magnifies the dimension of the design and seems to have a life of its own. Talk about decorating a space on a whole new level!

9. DIY Wooden Arrow

Hanging something that doesn’t come in the shape of a rectangle is always a great idea. The contrast of these DIY wooden arrows against a blank rectangular wall shows how ingenious wood wall art pieces can be. And this tutorial shows you it’s not difficult to make at all!

10. Driftwood Pineapple Pallet Wall Art

We’ve rearranged wood into different patterns and shapes—why not rearrange them into a pineapple! Mastering how to make this driftwood pineapple pallet wall art will give you hours of fun and fulfillment. It’s truly a unique kind of wood wall art which can be transformed into many other forms you can think of!

11. Gilded Wood Shim Wall Art

If wood shims can follow a unique pattern, then certainly they can come in unique color combinations! This gilded wood shim wall art is the perfect accent for a minimalist space. Subtle and elegant, this is the wood wall art that will be the topic of many conversations.

Watch this video from Story of this Life for more wood wall art ideas:

5 DIY Home Improvement Projects

November 21, 2017 by adminPO

When it comes to improving our homes, many of us within the modern world are without the skill sets that would have been common even a generation ago, such as working with two by fours or sewing our own clothes. Work — even the kind that used to be done my most people on a Saturday afternoon — has become so highly specialized that even tinkering has become a lost art.

For the resolute DIYer, however, the reality that the times have changed is little more than a challenge to recover what has been lost. If you have projects around your house that you’d like to take on, rest assured that there is plenty you can tackle yourself, regardless of your experience thus far. Save yourself some money, rack up some rewards points on your credit card and bask in the wonderful feeling of self reliance.

1. Paint Unsightly Floors

Whether your hardwood has seen better days, or you’re living with linoleum that makes you feel like you’re caught inside a terrible time warp, the desire to change what’s underfoot is an almost universal one among homeowners. And, when you haven’t the time, money, or know-how to really rehab or transform your floors, you can begin to believe you’re stuck with them.

While it may seem unorthodox at the outset, one quick and attractive fix is to paint floors that look bad. All you need to do is clean them well, lightly sand them, and tape off the walls or baseboards. Be sure to use a paint that’s made to endure being walked on, and use a high-quality roller or brush. Bright white or a bold, solid color both work well, but you can also tape off designs and take a two- or three-tone approach.

Whatever you choose, be daring. If you don’t like the way it turns out, you can always just paint it again.

2. Improve Ye Old Front Door

There are a number of ways you can improve your front door depending on the amount of money you have to spend, and the amount of time you have to commit to the project. If you’re short on either or both, simply choose a vibrant color and a high-quality paint and, after preparing the surface properly, get to work painting your front door. You’ll instantly feel like you’ve upgraded your home every time you step through it.

If you have a little more time and money to devote after painting it, look into upgrading your door’s hardware. From vintage locks and handles to brushed nickel or stainless steel, changing out hardware take a bit more time and effort, but it can add a classy look where before there was just pragmatism.

3. Switch Out Faucets

From the kitchen to the bathrooms, faucets are an essential part of cleaning, cooking, and being clean, and over time, they can wear out or simply begin to look dated. Without reinventing the wheel, find replacement faucets that will fit the sinks and holes occupied by the ones you have now.

Grab your tools, a free afternoon, and watch a YouTube video or two. With a little time and focus, you’ll have the new hardware up and running in no time.

4. Update Light Fixtures

While true electrical work is best left to a professional, you can easily update light fixtures with little more than the wherewithal to turn off a breaker. Transform your dining room’s pendant light into a mini chandelier. Change out ceiling fixtures in bedrooms and bathrooms with vintage pieces, flea market finds, or department store clearance gems. Then, pull all your breakers back into the “On” position, and run from room to room switching on every gloriously new light in your house.

5. Go for Curb Appeal

One of the easiest ways to upgrade the looks of your home is to focus for a moment — or a weekend — on improving its curb appeal. Step into the street and face your house. How’s the lawn? The landscaping? Are there toys, tools, broken steps, hanging shutters, or anything else in your view that seems out of place?

Whatever you see that takes away from the inherent good looks of your home, get to work setting it aright. While some aspects of curb appeal require little more than cleaning up, others take time and effort. Repair hanging or missing shutters or trim. Paint your mailbox if it’s looking drab. Clear out flower beds of dead and dying detritus, and break out the edger for the tufts of grass at the edges of your sidewalk. In every way you can, make your home’s exterior a domain of calm tidiness. Then, commit to maintaining it.

Upgrading your home is one of the most rewarding ways a homeowner can spend her time, and it doesn’t have to require the skills of a master carpenter in order for the improvements to be noticeable.

10 DIY Home Project Ideas For Your Cement Floors

November 20, 2017 by adminPO

Are you looking for some fresh ideas to reinvent your cement floors? Check out these ten great DIY home ideas that are sure to get you in the right mood for your next renovation.

10 DIY Home Project Ideas For Your Cement Floors

Concrete doesn’t have to be cold and boring; and hiring someone to install flooring can be so much costly. So why not get creative and make your boring concrete floor shine? Create a modern, warm living space into your home with these 10 DIY Home Project Ideas For Your Cement Floors. Check this out!

1. Acid Stain Concrete Flooring

Acid staining is simple and gives you a one of a kind and inexpensive new solid floor covering. Check it out here.

2. Screen Printed Art Paper Flooring

Give your concrete floor a brand-new look with screen printed art. See how here.

3. Painted Concrete Floors

Such a neat idea and they look great. See how you can make it here.

4. Leather Belt Flooring

Recycled leather belts turned into flooring is a twist, a great DIY project. Check it out here.

5. Brown Paper Flooring

This paper floor technique is easy and inexpensive with minimal effort. Instructions here.

6. Paint Concrete to Look Like Brick

Painting concrete to look like brick takes just a few hours of work. Get the instructions here.

7. Penny Flooring

Use pennies to create a beautiful metallic look. Make it with this tutorial.

8. Repaint Then Stencil Vinyl Flooring

This would have been a good solution in our old house. Tutorial here.

9. DIY Stenciled Cement Flooring

Add a stencil to your solid painted concrete flooring to dress it up a bit. Check it out here.

10. Bottle Cap Flooring

A floor made of beer bottle caps? I wouldn’t have thought it possible. Get the instructions here.

Are you up for one more DIY Home Project Ideas For Your Cement Floors? Check this video from MsDreamcakes and learn how to use brown shipping paper as Flooring!

Did you enjoy our list of DIY Home Project Ideas For Your Cement Floors?

39 Ways To Transform Your Old Furniture

November 12, 2017 by adminPO

If you ask me, old furniture is the best! It has so much history and if you pick just the right one, it has all the potential for a next DIY project. There are so many ways to transform old used furniture. You can paint it, add more knobs and even embellish it. Here are 39 more ways on how you can do so!

1. Dry Erase Board Drawers

Does your toddler turn every wall of your house into his own work of art? If you’re tired of scrubbing away trying to clean his masterpiece, then create a space where he can doodle away. Paint your drawers with dry erase paint and let your little one scribble away. You’ll be amazed how awesome it feels to say: Go ahead. Write on the furniture.

2. Ombre Rolling Bar Cart DIY

TV dinners may not be as cool now as it was back then, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t repurpose your old TV stand into an ombre bar cart. Painting old furniture is one of the easiest ways to give it new life and fit in your modern interiors. To learn how to paint old furniture using the ombre technique.

As you begin your journey in transforming old furniture, get over 9000 different woodcraft plans right here.

3. Office Chair Makeover

Don’t let your guests, mail, and food deliveries get lost in a maze of generic office cubicles ever again with this office chair makeover tutorial. Make your space easily recognizable by choosing a bold pattern to reupholster your chair such as this houndstooth fabric.

4. Queen Anne Settee Makeover

Give your vintage furniture a modern touch with this tutorial. A good reupholstering and a coat of paint will sure turn your antique furniture into a chic statement piece. This settee can instantly turn up the glam in any living room, parlor, or bedroom.

5. Re-upholstered Coffee Table

Painting old furniture can turn your coffee table from an ordinary table at the center of the room to a coffee table that’s the center of attention. Learn how to refinish a table using this tutorial to create this fabulous coffee table.

6. Kilim Rug Bench

Give any space in your home an instant boho vibe with this kilim-style bedside bench. Follow these steps to create your own from old furniture and infuse your home with carefree bohemian spirit.

7. Vintage Campaign Desk

Want to learn how to paint old furniture for a stellar office furniture transformation? Then follow the steps in this post to make your own campaign desk makeover. Bright colors, like this bubblegum pink paint, makes the vintage hardware on this desk pop.

8. Shabby Chic Chair DIY

Get the shabby chic look by reupholstering old furniture such as detailed in this tutorial. Choose fabrics that have soft colors and design to suit the cozy-country-chic aesthetic. You can also look up ways on to how to antique furniture to give it the full shabby chic treatment.

9. Stikwood Headboard

If you haven’t yet heard of Stikwood, then you’re missing one half of your crafting life. This post demonstrates how you can turn your old headboard into chic furniture that looked like it just came out of an IKEA catalog.

10. Art Deco Side Table

Doing this tutorial might be the only time that Math is going to be useful in your life. Take any old furniture and stick on geometric shape cutouts from adhering contact paper. Depending on where you place your shapes, you can make it as art deco or as modern as you want.

11. Mini Drop Cloth Rosette Stool Makeover

Feeling a little Moulin Rouge? Add this piece to your boudoir for a bit of French flair. Re-upholstered using a drop cloth and painted to give it a worn out feel, this stool is instantly turned into an eye-catching vintage furniture.

12. Vintage Side Table

There is a variety of table refinishing techniques that could give your old furniture a vintage vibe. This tutorial will show you how to paint old furniture to make it look like it’s vintage furniture fit for a very hip and modern apartment.

13. Pastel-colored Chair Set

It’s very rare that you’re so lucky as to get a complete set of chairs (or of anything really) when searching bargain or second-hand stores for furniture. A great solution is to make them cohesive by creating a new point of similarity. Like this easy DIY tutorial that did it using mismatched but complementary colors.

Get these pastel spray paints that are perfect for this project!

14. Striped Nightstand

Stripes made a comeback in fashion. The sane goes with furniture design too, as demonstrated in this blog post. If you’re still unsure how to paint old furniture you have around the house, then consider this chic IKEA hack.

15. Retro Burke Chair

How about putting in a bit of Mad Men into your interiors? This awesome tutorial will put Don Draper’s office to shame. Take your vintage furniture and bring into the modern age with this simple DIY.

16. Kiddie Table DIY

No more throwing out old furniture used by your older kids. This DIY project can save you a lot of money by re-purposing old furniture and passed down to your younger kids.

17. Rainbow-Colored School Chair

Forget everything that you’ve learned about how to paint furniture. This DIY throws all that out the door. Make old furniture fun again with the splotchy blotchy painting DIY.

18. Side Table Comic Book Decoupage

Here’s a new way on how to refinish a table. Bring out old issues of your favorite comic books and make a decoupage. You can also amp the nostalgia by using old yearbooks, scrapbooks, or photos.

19. Refinished Table Using Wallpaper

If you’re not too confident painting old furniture, then how about just putting wallpaper on it? Re-purpose furniture much quicker with this technique as shared on this post. It’s also a great way to use up unused wallpaper from previous DIY or home renovation projects.

20. Leather Sling Couch DIY

There will always be that one piece of old furniture that you just couldn’t bear to part with no matter how unusable it has become. Well, this tutorial will help solve your separation anxiety. Repurpose your old couch into a cool leather sling sofa in a few easy steps.

21. Leather Pulls for Drawer DIY

image via refabdiaries

There’s no excuse throwing away perfectly good old furniture. This DIY shows how you can repurpose furniture and save a lot of money simply by changing one of its features. Like this dresser whose handles were replaced by leather straps.

22. Paper-wrapped Chair

Another great idea on how to repurpose furniture quickly and easily – wrap them in a paper. Although this tutorial uses the Modge Podge method, you can also opt for washi paper and just use a waterproof topcoat to seal it.

23. Belted Chair

A quick thrift store jaunt and you’ll have all you need to bring old furniture to the 21st Century. Aside from an old chair, you can also apply this DIY to a bedside or a coffee table.

24.Wrapping Paper Backing

Another wallpaper project for those who want to repurpose furniture. Great for growing families as you can change the wallpaper to fit the design needs of your family. The baby stuff shelf in the nursery can easily be turned into a teenager’s bookshelf with just a change of wallpaper with this tutorial.

25. Cross-Stitched Chair

Who knew you could repurpose furniture by cross-stitching on it? This tutorial will show you an ingenious way on how to use cross-stitching to put some fun into vintage furniture.

26. White and Gold Dresser

If you want to feel extra fabulous in the morning, inspire yourself with this gold and white dresser. This post has the complete instructions on how to dress up your drab dresser into a vintage furniture you’d want to show off.

27. Hot Pink Footstool

Because there is no better way to represent luxury than a hot pink footstool, right? Instead of just a regular old furniture, why not put your feet up on this luxurious DIY of repurposed furniture? Use these instructions to make one for you and for your designer bag. Because, why not?

28. Herringbone Storage DIY

Although storage spaces are for keeping things out of sight, that doesn’t mean that your storage has to hide as well. Create this cute storage for your home by stenciling on a herringbone design on old furniture using the instructions on this post.

29. Book Page, Washi Paper Recycled Coffee Table

That paperback you bought because the cover looked interesting but failed to deliver? Well, don’t leave it forgotten at the back of your bookshelf and instead use it to repurpose furniture as shown in this post.

30. Faux Sheepskin Stool Makeover

Step up your revamping old furniture game with this faux sheepskin stool. The complete instructions on how to turn your old furniture into a piece oozing with Old Hollywood glamor like this can be found here.

31. DIY Faux Marble Table Top

Impress your dinner guests with this faux marble tabletop. Using marbled contact paper to get the marbled effect, no one would ever suspect its old furniture. This post gives you the step by step instructions on how to use simple table refinishing techniques to achieve this look.

32. DIY Stenciled Armchair

If you can’t decide what fabric to use to repurpose old furniture, why not just paint it with the design you want? This tutorial tells you how painting old furniture can be used as a technique when repurposing furniture.

33. Whale Chairs

Although one of the most durable furniture you’ll ever have, metal folding chairs are also the easiest to fall to wear and tear. Instead of just normally painting old furniture to make it look brand new, why not stencil patterns to make them a unique piece?

34. Dip Dyed Wooden Chairs

If you still think that dip dying is just for hair makeovers, then this DIY is here to show you it’s also a technique used to repurpose furniture. A minimalist and modern way to bring old furniture back to life.

35. Bottle Cap Tabletop

Every kid has a bottle cap collection that they eventually outgrow. But you can preserve those childhood memorabilia using the instructions from this post. It also teaches you how to refinish a table in a new way, a skill you can use in future projects as well.

36. Headboard Bench

Got an old bed you just can’t dispose because it has a sentimental value? Why not transform it into a bench? Instructions here.

37. Armoire Bar Cabinet

Turn an old armoire into a one of a kind bar for your home! More details here.

38. Suitcase Drawer

Make your creativity work and ignite wanderlust right at your home with this suitcase drawer. The possibilities are endless! Check out the step by step procedure here.

39. Dresser TV Stand

Make use of your old dresser and turn it into a fancy TV stand. Take out the top row drawers and use it as storage of Blueray, DVD players, and DVR. More details here.

Want to see how to slay a furniture makeover? Watch this video and see how April Bee does it:

Old furniture doesn’t necessarily have to be thrown away. Sometimes, you just need a few supplies and a little creativity to breathe new life into them. Whether you’re a college student dumpster diving for furniture for your new apartment or a recent professional still dumpster diving for old furniture or a homeowner who wants to spruce up your interiors on the cheap, these furniture hacks will help you repurpose furniture from bargain bin to sure win. So as always, happy crafting!

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21 DIY Room Decor Ideas for Crafters (Who Are Also Renters)

November 10, 2017 by adminPO

These DIY room decor ideas will bring life into the room you’re renting! After all, DIYers still need to find a way to get their craft on, right?

Simple DIY Room Decor Ideas For A Homey Apartment

Get your creativity on even if the space you call your room isn’t technically yours. These DIY room decor ideas are my secrets to crafting and decorating when renting. Trust me, you’ll have a Pinterest-worthy room after all these DIYs.

1. DIY Fun Cork Board

Hang your favorite photos and reminders on this fun and quirky cork board. Simply cut out a pineapple shape from your cork board, and draw different sizes of triangles. Then, grab a paintbrush and add a bit of green on top, and use a yellow color for some of the triangles.

2. Jewelry Holder

I love how you can use either wooden dowels or toilet paper rolls for this DIY jewelry holder. Using the latter definitely gives you a few plus points for upcycling, which in turn, helps save the Earth.

3. DIY Clothing Rack

If you’re planning on assembling and disassembling this clothing rack a lot, I suggest doing this project without using wood glue. Be careful not to overload the rack as well by only placing items you’re planning to wear for the week.

4. Mason Jar Makeup Brush Holders

Give your makeup brushes a new home by decorating a mason jar with gold spray paint and glitter. By the way, when spray painting, remember to do this outside. That way, you won’t make a mess in your room.

5. Watercolor Clock

Don’t forget to measure the clock hands for your watercolor clock. You’ll want the base of the clock to be larger than the hands. By the way, when painting, it’s always better to start with the lighter color.

6. Dreamcatcher

Remember to pull tight on the knot before moving to another section of the dream catcher. Doing so will ensure your dream-catcher won’t sag and look poorly made.

7. Faux Cactus

Scared you won’t be able to keep a plant alive, but still want some greenery in your room? Make a faux cactus room accent. Start by choosing different sizes of rocks and paint on them using green and white paint. You can even come up with different shades of green by mixing the two colors.

8. Gem Mirror

I’ve found thin lines to look the best for this gem mirror. If you want to follow the thickness of the contact paper placed on the mirror, measure out 1/8” on each side of the lines. Doing so will give you a thickness of 1/4”.

9. String Light Decor

The beauty of string lights is they’re so easy to manipulate. If you place them in enclosed spaces such as paper cups, they’ll instantly turn into makeshift lanterns as well.

10. DIY Succulent Pot

Don’t forget to use waterproof glue for your succulent pot. Doing so will ensure your craft withstands all the spills from when you water the plant.

11. Bubbly Lava Lamp

You probably already have the main ingredients of the lava lamp in the kitchen or pantry. If you don’t, simply go to the nearest supermarket and grab some vegetable oil, water, and Alka-seltzer. While you’re there, don’t forget to grab food coloring too.

12. Fabric Covered Styrofoam Balls

These fabric covered styrofoam balls look so intricate, but in reality, the fabric isn’t even sewn on. The secret lies in using a bunch of pins to secure the fabric pieces in place.

13. Fabric Quote Banner

Don’t forget to cut the fabric bigger than what you’d like the banner to measure. Remember, you’ll still be sewing the edges to make the seams.

14. Gold Trimmed Vase

Flowers will look absolutely gorgeous in this luxe gold trimmed vase. The straight lines of paint are made by sticking on strips of tape on the glass, and spraying on the gold paint. Once the paint is dry, simply remove the tape.

15. Tape Picture Frames

Display your favorite photos even if your landlord says you can’t drill holes into the walls for picture frames. All you have to do is place strips of tape to outline your photos. That’s all it takes!

16. Decorative Pillows

Make your pillows more unique by adding a bit of flair to them. Personally, I’m a sucker for pompom pillows because they look so cute! It’s hard to resist playing with the little pompoms on the sides as well.

17. Ikea Hack Floating Shelves

Love Ikea, but wish there was something you could to make it more “you”? Grab some contact paper and DIY your favorite Ikea buy! You won’t even need much for this project.

18. String Orbs

Hang these string orbs from the ceiling to give you something to look at while you’re lying in bed. Get creative by blowing up the balloons in different sizes for one of a kind orbs.

19. Dotted Wall

This is a great project for those who can’t get enough washi tape. If you’ve got a drawer of differently designed washi tape rolls, you may want to try this dotted wall for your room.

20. Storage Ottoman

Need extra storage space? Make a storage ottoman to help you organize your things. Don’t forget to attach wheels on the bottom to prevent scratches on the floor.

21. Candle Holder

DIY a stained glass effect with your candle holders. Simply attach different sheets of colored paper to your glass using a coat of Mod Podge. You can even punch out designs on the paper to make it look more artistic.

Want to see more DIY room decor ideas? Check out this DIY temporary wallpaper:

Yes, my DIY-loving friends, it still is possible to get crafting even if you’re renting a room. Who knows? Your landlord might even love what you’ve done with the place that they’ll get you to do a few projects for them as well.

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15 DIY Teen Room Decor Projects

November 4, 2017 by adminPO

Jazz up a teen’s room with these awesome DIY teen room decor projects. I have to warn you though, these ideas are totally simple and creative, and your greatest challenge will be trying not to do all of them at once!

DIY Teen Room Decor Ideas You’ll Love

Every teen’s dream is to make their room picture-perfect. It can be a challenging task – as some teens get inspired to change their room decor on a regular basis and parents will have a hard time keeping up. So the best thing to do is to educate yourself on the art of DIY room decor. Not only do you get to create some wonderful things — lighting, wall art, even chairs — you’ll have a blast spending quality DIY time together. Let’s get started and have an enjoyable time decorating your teen’s room.

1. Bedroom String Lights With Origami Paper Lanterns

These bedroom string lights with origami paper lanterns are among of the prettiest things I’ve come across. I love how easy it is to make it. It’s a great room decor to hang anywhere you want to create a wonderful dreamy effect.

2. DIY Dreamcatcher

Give your teens the gift of DIYing! These fascinating DIY dreamcatcher ideas provide your teens all the inspiration they need for a unique creation.

3. DIY String Art

String wall art is popping all over the web right now. It’s easy to work with, inexpensive, light weight, and the possibilities are limitless! I’m sure once you try this wonderful craft, you won’t stop creating a new design.

4. Fabric Wall Art

Fabric’s versatility will instantly add a splash of texture, pattern, and color to any space. So, grab some fabric that suits your teen’s unique taste and make a fabric wall art showcasing your teen’s one-of-a-kind style.

5. Honeycomb Hexagon Wall

This honeycomb hexagon wall is great fun to do for your girls’ bedroom wall and makes a whimsical addition to their space. The outcome is fun and playful and really brightens up the room!

6. DIY Disco Ball Pinata

Teen’s room should be nothing but fun. Give this kitschy DIY disco ball pinata a try and I’m sure your teen will be ecstatic to see such cool decor hanging in her room.

7. DIY Hammock Chair

I would say, this DIY hammock chair is one of the coolest room decors ever. A great reading nook for your teens! Make sure to go big with the color choices and get creative with the hammock chair canvas.

8. Doily Lamp

Give your old doily a little facelift – and what better way to do it than by highlighting its unique patterns on a lamp. Another lighting project that is so easy and frugal, but truly gives the room a warm atmosphere.

9. DIY Decorative Box Charging Station

Let your teens design his/her gadget charging station and make sure to work in some crafting magic for the cord storage. Recreate or let this DIY decorative box charging station be an inspiration.

10. Tie-Dye Pillowcase

This is one of my favorite DIY teen room decor projects because it’s very fun to make with a stunning finish. It gives a creative statement to any room and it’s practically foolproof!

11. Upcycled Thrift Store Bench

This wonderful upcycling idea of a modern geometric patterned bench could become a cute vanity bench in your teen’s room. It can be customized with any fabric of your liking.

12. Selfie Tween/Teen Instagram Hangout Wall DIY

A great idea when you want to make a dull and ordinary bedroom into a tween/teen hangout room. Now you know what to do with those perfect selfies!

13. DIY Flower Lights

If origami is not your thing, then spruce up your string lights with some colorful flowers. These DIY flower lights are made out of colored cupcake wrappers to jazz up string lights. It’s a simple DIY to make a room shine without being pricey. Love it!

14. Washi Tape Frame

Washi tape is no longer just a basic crafting supply. If you want to be clever and creative this washi tape frame is a must-try for your teen’s room wall. Simply pick the perfect wall art or images, then, use some washi tape for an inexpensive frame.

15. Painted Votives

Beautifully painted votives make awesome statement pieces for room decor if you create several of them with a little variation of patterns. You can add glowing LED flames or tealight candles and make a space for them on a shelf or side table.

House of Valentina shows us some AWESOME DIY teen room decor ideas. Wish I was a teen so I could do them myself!

That’s all folks for these DIY teen room decor projects! I hope you got the inspiration you need with these cool projects for your teen’s room and get started making your DIY bedroom ideas a reality.

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7 Awesome DIY Projects For Your Game Room

October 31, 2017 by adminPO

In need of awesome DIY projects for your game room? If you’re still missing a few pieces to make your game room the best there is, try these ideas.

7 Awesome DIY Projects For Your Game Room

It’s finally happened. You are now officially living the dream—you have a game room! Now the biggest worry you’re going to have to face is how to fill it. We’ve searched the internet for the best DIY projects to fill your game room with quality entertainment—and have fun doing so. After all, nothing beats the joy of creating something functional and cool, especially if the end result is aimed towards getting the most of your entertainment. So, without further ado, here are seven projects that we think would create the ultimate game room, whether it’s a new addition to your home or an old room that’s turned a bit boring.

1. Wine Cork Dart Board Backer

We expect you’ve worked hard to get your game room, and you certainly don’t want to mess it up with lots of holes in your wall. You may be a darts pro but your guests (and maybe children) might not be. To avoid this messy situation, you can build yourself a wine cork dart board backer. This is especially good if you’ve been saving wine corks for a DIY project (if you haven’t you’ll have to open a bottle and get drinking—responsibly). The various shades make the piece rather artistic, and you can always opt to color your corks, if you feel like funking the backer up. Detailed (and easy) instructions here.

Recognize this? You’ve also seen it here!

2. Chalkboard Table

The first rule of the game room is that there will be no fighting. This new addition to your home should be your escape, the place you go to have fun, and not a room full of arguments over the score of a game—which is why this chalkboard table is perfect. You’ll need a table to place your beverages, maybe play some cards, and now it can be used to keep score too.

This is easier than you might think, just follow these very simple instructions. And if you want to make DIY chalkboard paint, check this out too!

3. Entertainment Center

Often the epicenter of the game room is the entertainment center. The place for your TV for watching sporting events, for your consoles for playing video games and your audio system to keep the mood lively. All of this equipment can create a lot of mess, and you’ll certainly want a way to keep it all neat and tidy—especially since shiny new consoles and peripherals like the highly-anticipated Oculus Rift hit the market quite often.

This doesn’t have to be a huge project either! These guys have made a brilliant entertainment center for under $50 using cinder blocks and wood. Do watch the video tutorial.

And if you don’t have a wifi yet on your game room, there are games that requires no wi-fi.

4. Home Cinema Seating

If you’ve got a very large game room (lucky you!) you might consider the following DIY project—home cinema seating, made out of pallets. This is such a great idea for your DIY project, we wonder why we haven’t seen more of it. We love DIY projects that make use of cheaper, easier to use, materials that any DIY enthusiast can work with. Plus, it’s creative upcycling!

Stack the pallets on top of each other, set this up in front of your new entertainment center, put on the game and relax. Find out how to achieve it here. If your space does not allow for stadium-type seating, you can still use pallets to create comfortable sofas and take advantage of nooks.

Love pallets? Don’t miss these projects!

5. Poker Table

For more serious game rooms, you might want to go one step further than a score-keeping chalkboard table and build your own poker table (you can have both, of course, it’s your game room).

Now, the skill level of this project is a little higher, but we believe in you and just imagine what fun you’ll have when you invite your friends around to play on this! These instructions make it seem like a breeze—perhaps it’s not so bad after all?

6. Poker Hands Wall Art

If you’re planning on inviting guest to play on your brand new poker table, you should take into consideration that they might not be as up to speed with the game as you are. Or perhaps you’re not that experienced yourself, no shame in that. To solve this minor issue and add some relevant artwork to your game room, consider printing out a useful wall guide of poker hands. This could be easily achieved by buying a ready-made frame that will suit the decor of your game room. Cut some thin but sturdy, card to fit the frame. Using real packs of cards, lay out and stick down the hands in order—cardboard glue should suffice. Lastly, label your hands so that people know what they’re holding (or pretending to). If you’re not totally confident about what each hand is, you can take a look at a poker hands guide, to make sure you’re getting it right.

7. Rubik’s Cube Storage

Every good game room needs plenty of storage of your board games, cards, rackets and whatever else you need for fun to commence, but that doesn’t mean that your storage has to be boring, plain drawers! Some clever chap has only gone and made a set of Rubik’s cube storage draws—that actually spin.

This might be a bit of a brain scratcher to make, just like the game, but these instructions will prove very helpful.

So there you have them: our top seven DIY game room ideas. There are loads more great DIY game room projects out there, and we hope you have as much fun putting your new room together as you will using it. Happy DIYing!

Want to take a tour and see how to build a game room? Check out this video from i64X:

So which one will you make to add to your game room?

Man Cave Ideas | 19 DIY Decor And Furniture Projects

October 30, 2017 by adminPO

Do you ever wish you had a place to go relax and be yourself? A cool man cave so you can have a little dude time to yourself? Maybe your girlfriend left ya, maybe you kicked her out, or maybe you just can’t be bothered with the outside world at the moment. Sometimes you just need a little man time to fill the void and cool DIY decor and furniture projects for men are not easy to find. But you’re in luck because we are going to share with you 19 Awesome Man Cave Ideas to occupy your weekends.

Easy Project Ideas That You Can Do to Spice Up Your Man Cave

Are you trying to make a man cave? Tuck yourself away in these badass man caves that you can make yourself. She may not be able to comprehend how much it means to you. Best of all, you’ll never have to worry about your wife finding out about your fantasy football league again. Want to learn more? Scroll on to see our best man cave ideas for DIY decor and furniture projects:

1. DIY Toilet Paper Holder That Everyone’s Talking About

We know how much dudes love their cars, and this is for sure the best way to honor the dude mobile. All you need is your old rusty license plate and some wood and you’re good to go! Just glue some slabs of wood together. BOOM! Instant TP holder. (And you’ll impress the ladies too!)

2. DIY Jack Daniels Soap Dispenser

What man doesn’t like the smell of Whiskey in the morning? Check out this awesome soap dispenser fashioned from an old Jack Daniels bottle. The best part? Well, you get to drink the whiskey first. Duh.

3. Hooks Made From Wrenches

Aren’t these rad? It’s pretty awesome that you don’t need anything other than your superhuman strength, a screwdriver, and an old wrench to throw these puppies up in your man cave. You can bet the dudes will be jealous.

4. DIY Cutting Board

Check out this awesome DIY cutting board along with the step-by-step tutorial on how it’s made brought to you by one of the coolest websites for all things man, manmadediy. You can totally put your drink on that too, bro.

5. Make A Wood Pallet Coffee Table

Have you ever made anything out of pallet wood? Pallet wood is used for hundreds of re-purposed projects. Check out how to make your own pallet table and if this got you hooked, check this awesome post on cool pallet projects.

6. Book Shelf Made Out Of Pipe Clamps

Did you know that building shelves out of plumber’s pipe are just straight up easy? This is one of the most cost effective DIY shelving units you can make. Everything you need you can find right at your neighborhood Home Depot.

7. A Whiskey Barrel Made Into A Bed

Yup. It’s real. A giant bed made out of a giant barrel. You thought nursery rhymes weren’t real. Guess again. This barrel bed is pretty damn cool if you ask us. We’re just wondering, “How did they fit that thing through the door?”.

8. DIY Pac-Man Ottoman

Oh yeah, baby. We went there. Who doesn’t want this ottoman couch? I mean, come on. You can make it yourself and you know you nearly have a heart attack when you walk into a bar and they have a Pac-Man arcade game. It doesn’t get any better than this.

9. A Sink…That is also a Tire.

That’s pretty freakin’ rugged…

10. Beer Bottle Opener and Cap Catcher

What makes a beer bottle opener worth using? Not having to bend over when the sucker flies off into oblivion. Avoid the nuisance of having to do something so rudimentary by snatching one of these sick gadgets.

11. DIY Wood Pallet Arrow

image via lovegrowswild

Okay, so this is pretty dope. Ignore the photo frames around it. We’re thinking you should probably paint it red and make a sign that says, “GET OUT – AND DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YA…” You know the rest. Check out how it’s made here.

12. Man Cave Barbecue Made Out Of A Car

Turn your old car into a barbecue. Make sure to remove the engine before attempting this at home, kids.

13. Create A Tiled Floor Using Pennies

Now you can make the most the most non-expensive floor you’ve ever walked on. Seriously, it would probably cost you… uh, pennies.

14. DIY Bar Made Out Of Shipping Pallets

Make this awesome bar to impress your friends. All you need is some old wood…

15. DIY Corona Drinking Glasses

Image via DIY Projects

These drinking glasses totally rule. All you need is some acetone and string, or a bottle cutter, and you can make awesome DIY glasses.

16. Make A Balanced Book Shelf

Image via manmadediy

Take a huge weight off your shoulders with this awesome book balancing act. Impress your friends with science.

17. How to Turn Suitcases into Wall Shelving

All you need to do is grab a chainsaw and just get to it. Kidding. But how killer are these suitcase shelves? Such an awesome addition to a man cave. Further instructions on how to make them below.

18. Nintendo Controller Coffee Table

Image via etsy

Get a sick Nintendo table for a mere $3,500 dollars. No big deal.

19. Make A Vintage Ice Chest From Wood Pallets

Make a pretty awesome vintage ice chest out of free wooden pallets. What’s better than free? Talk about cooler envy.

Watch this video to see how corona beer bottles are made into drinking glasses by Jonny Keeley.

Thanks for checking out our post on Man Cave Ideas! Men will always be men. If I’m to do things my way, I’d have half the house filled with these great ideas.

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27 DIYs for Small Spaces | Ideas To Maximize Your Place

October 25, 2017 by adminPO

Small spaces shouldn’t hold you back from DIYing your home. These projects are fully functional and occupy only a fraction of your floor space.

Small Spaces | DIY Projects To Try

Back when I was fresh out of university, I lived in a small apartment and learned more about living independently. I loved having my own space. The only downside was how the size of the apartment made the studio feel so cramped. Luckily, I made things work with a few space-saving DIYs.

1. Over The Sink Shelf

An over the sink shelf gives you more storage space to place your dishwashing needs. Did I mention scrap pallet wood boards can be used to make this? What a great upcycling idea, right?!

2. Magnetic Knife Rack

Avoid unwanted cuts and scrapes by storing your knives on this magnetic rack. By the way, don’t forget to squeeze in some all purpose silicon before sticking the magnet in the rack.

3. Shelf Above Door

One way to add storage in a small bathroom is by adding a shelf above the door. According to Dave, it’s important to place a support board on the wall. This support block will serve as the piece your shelf can rest on.

4. Under The Bed Shoe Organizer

An under the bed storage compartment is one of the best hacks for small apartment spaces. If you’d like, you can even add wheels to the bottom of the organizer for an easier pullout.

5. Folding Desk

It’s important to measure the area where you’ll place your DIY folding desk. So sit on a chair and see if the height you’ve marked is good enough before placing any of the wooden boards in.

6. Pegboard Shelves

Pegboard shelves come in handy because they allow you to customize your storage space. Don’t forget to place a coat of wood glue on your pieces before finishing off with a nail gun.

7. Storage Bench

Store your clutter and keep them away from sight with this nifty storage bench. To support your bench’s top shelf, all you have to do is place a piece of wood below the halfway line.

8. Towel Rack

Make a chic towel rack for your bathroom with this tutorial. If you don’t have a grinder to cut the rods, you can use a simple hacksaw instead.

9. Mason Jar Storage Shelf

Reuse your old mason jars or glass jars to make a storage shelf. You can use them to hold anything from nuts and bolts to kitchen spices.

10. Foldable Drying Rack

I love this foldable drying rack because it occupies no floor space whatsoever and can easily be tucked away for a bigger looking room. Make the drying rack sturdier by placing little wood triangles on the corners.

11. Chalkboard Calendar

Chalkboard paint is awesome when it comes to labeling the items you have. Recently, I’ve made a chalkboard calendar with my leftover paint. So far, it’s been brilliant at helping me stay on track with all my DIY schedules.

12. Cup Organizers

Organize your makeup with these copper cup organizers. Before you drill holes into the wooden block, be sure to mark the edges of your cups. Doing so will give the cups a tight fit and prevent them from falling.

13. Mirrors On Walls

Make a room look bigger in an instant by placing mirrors on the walls. On a budget? Don’t worry, the mirrors used in this tutorial were bought from the Dollar Store, which makes this an absolute bargain!

14. Rolling Pantry

Don’t have a spare room for your pantry needs? Make a rolling pantry you can tuck beside your fridge. By the way, if you’ll be painting this DIY project, Dave recommends filling all the holes from the nails and wood with paintable wood filler first.

15. Art Piece Jewelry Box

This art piece jewelry box is so ingenious because it’s a functional art masterpiece. Just be careful when placing any nails or screws to hang your jewelry with. You’ll want to ensure these won’t go all the way through.

16. Toy Wall

Set aside a toy wall for your little one’s toys and books. Attach shelves to the walls and use cubby holes to organize stuffed animals, building blocks, and even dolls.

17. Starry Ceiling

Give yourself a new view to look forward to before you go to sleep. Start by cutting out a stencil and using that as a guide when you paint the stars on the ceiling.

18. RAST Storage Bed

This RAST storage bed will give you so much storage space. Dave recommends keeping everything attached using wood screws. He also strongly suggests drilling down the plywood board on top of the base pieces for a sturdier bed frame.

19. Kitchen Organizer

Use your leftover wooden pallets to make an organizer perfect for the kitchen. Don’t forget to attach knobs or hooks at the bottom so you can hang your aprons and kitchen towels on the organizer.

20. Room Divider

A studio apartment would benefit from a room divider such as this one. If you need help removing the paper from the shoji screen, Dave recommends using a drill bit to do the job faster.

21. Hoop Hamper

The trick to making this hoop hamper is to place the fabric in between the 2 pieces of the embroidery hoop. Then, fasten this tightly with some twine. Make a snug fit by pulling the twine as you go along.

22. Storage Ottoman

A storage ottoman is one way to declutter a living room. This tutorial shows you how to customize your ottoman to make it match your home. Just a heads up, you’re going to need your staple gun and a lot of staples for this DIY.

23. Sofa Table

Begin by measuring the back of your sofa to make your sofa table. Remember, you’ll need to measure both the length and the height of your sofa to get the right measurements. If you’d prefer, you can also add a few inches to the height measurement for a raised sofa table.

24. Clothing Rack

DIY a fuss free clothing rack that would look perfect with a minimalist design concept. By the way, I recommend using wooden hangers for this project, as the ends of the hanger won’t stretch out the sleeves of your tops.

25. Suspended Shelf

This stylish suspended shelf looks like it was taken right out of a magazine. Remember to use a ruler when measuring out the holes to drill onto the board, as you’ll want the holes placed on opposite ends.

26. Corner Shelf

Take advantage of a corner by installing a shelf for extra storage. The best part is, this tutorial won’t even require you to do any further woodwork. It simply uses a magazine holder.

27. Storage Desk

I love how this storage desk gives ample storage options without sacrificing floor space. Finish off by coating with a layer of tung oil to protect your new DIY project.

Bonus!

Maximize your small space with these hacks and organization tips. This guide will also help you use your current furniture more efficiently, letting you get more bang for your buck.

Looking for more hacks for small spaces? Check out the video below:

I sure hope you were able to pick out something from this list of DIYs! Remember, don’t let small spaces dull your DIY spirit. There’s always something that can be solved with a project or two.