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Custom tile kitchen

This kitchen design by Doherty Design Studio features tiny tiles all over its surfaces, which has a very graphic effect. The graphic lines of the tiles are smoothened out by elements of leather, marble and velvet.  Their residential design has made the shortlist of the Australian Design Awards.

Photography by Derek Swalwell, first seen on Anna Gillar’s blog

First seen on Coco Lapine Design

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Converting an unused desk into a shoe rack

I came up with this shoe rack hack when I first discovered IKEA hacking. As a student, I’d habitually drop my (sports) equipment on this extra desk and I wanted to efficiently utilize the space below. As you can see even a standard computer case and simple bin fits below using 1 plank.

IKEA items:

IKEA EFFEKTIV desk (discontinued, but this will also work with any desk legs you can clamp around)

Other materials and tools

Plywood

4cm Pipe Clamp Bracket

Tools:

Hole Saw (with 4cm in Set)

Screwdriver

How to hack an under desk shoe rack

Measure the outer dimensions of the desk, including the legs.

Cut a plywood plank according to the size you measured.

Using a hole saw, drill a hole the same size as the desk legs on each corner. Precision work is required here.

Flip the desk over and slide the plywood plank through the legs and let it rest at the bottom (which is the underside of the table top).

Then, measure the height where you wish to place the plank and attach 4 clamp brackets in position.

Finally, flip the desk right side up again and rest the plywood plank on the clamp brackets and your shoe rack is done.

Tips:

If you have more shoes, I recommend installing 2 planks. Just repeat the steps above for the second plank. Rarely used shoes can be placed at the back. Please note that too high shoes like boots won’t fit using 2 planks, but heels might work out.

Check your shelf with a spirit level and adjust the clamps accordingly to get it all straight.

~ by Bram

Great find from Source Ikeahacker

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25 Ideas for Creating Smart Multifunctional Rooms

In the era of open-plan homes and mobile electronic devices, home designs are incorporating more multifunctional rooms into their floor plans. Kitchens with islands become both dining room and workstation. Offices double as guest bedrooms. Due to constrained space, some smaller homes require you to combine room functionality.

Looking for a little inspiration in creating your own multifunctional room? Below are some of our favorite examples.

Bedroom/tub areas

Fitting a tub into a small space can be a challenge, but sometimes you just have to unwind with a bubble bath, which is why some enterprising home designers brazenly put the tub right in the bedroom. You might wonder if doing so disrupts the look of the bedroom, making it feel like you’re sleeping in a

bathroom, but it’s quite easy to pull off with some smart design choices. There are several ways to visually distance the bed from the tub, making the space look logical and well laid out.

Visually distance the tub from the bed by surrounding it with tall tiles. Image: Carsten Arnold Photography

Separate the tub from the bed with a short wall. This works well in small spaces. Image: SHED

Minimalist design creates a bathroom space by grouping bathroom elements together. Image: ecologiamontreal.com

You can also separate the tub from the bedroom with a partial wall and support beam. Image: LXA

  A stark, minimalist tub fits in anywhere. Image: Gerstner Din

Indoor play area multifunctional rooms

Combining playrooms with other areas of the home is a huge trend in home design. The most common, of course, is the child’s bedroom. But other areas can be used as well.

Having an indoor place for a child to play is a good option for areas in cities where it is less safe for a child to be outside, where the weather is bad for much of the year, or instances in which a child’s outdoor play options are limited due to conditions, such as allergies.

Below are several creative ideas for bringing the playground inside.

This creative design combines a play area with a study desk. Image: raad

This is more of a designated playroom, but it shows how a basketball hoop placed in the home can turn any space into a play space. Image: Minchew and Company

Here’s a design that makes clever use of some previously unused under-stair space for a play area. Image: elena del bucchia DESIGN

A child’s loft bed adds storage and play space. Image: White Room

This creative homeowner built a child’s play house into a wall. Image: Copper Hills Custom Homes

Kitchen and dining room combination

One of the easiest ways to create multifunctional rooms is to put together a kitchen with a dining room area. As open-floor plans become more popular, people aren’t wanting a dining room separated into its own room. They want to be able to cook and socialize.

The spaces below make great use of combining the kitchen space and eating area into one room. It’s an especially good idea for small spaces or smaller home floorplans, since it cuts out the need for another whole separate room. It also means no one is cut off from the crowd while cooking.

This design combines sitting space at an island and a dining table right off the kitchen for an area with plenty of seating. Image: Markay Johnson Construction

Creative furniture options like this one combine a seating area with an island. Image: Basis Builders

An extended island adds eating space right in the kitchen. Image: R.Z. Owens Constructions

A breakfast nook is a good way to combine kitchen and eating areas. Image: Robin Muto Interiors

Combining an eating area with the sink is a good use of a multifunctional room. Image: Design First Interiors

Convertible bedrooms

If you’re working with a truly small space, you’ll need to get creative with your sleeping arrangements. Beds take up a lot of precious floor space in a small living area. Luckily, fold-down beds mean you can put a makeshift bedroom just about anywhere, creating a truly multifunctional room.

Rather than feeling like you’re in a cramped space, however, the ideas below are a classy addition to a space. The beds fold up into seamless-looking cabinets. They also combine some spaces you wouldn’t think of combining, like a home office and guest bedroom.

  This bed folds up into a classy-looking orange and wood-texture design. Image: Rodriguez Studio Architecture

If you can’t decide between a home office and a guest bedroom, this design means you don’t have to choose. Image: Eye 4 Detail

This bed folds down right over the sofa. Image: Black & Milk

A sleek, modern wall space is a great place to hide a bed. Image: Justin Loe Architects

This photo shows how well a loft bed and small sofa go together. Image: Geraldine Laferte

Integrated home offices

Home offices are the trickiest beasts to wrangle into a small space. There’s something that feels distinctly luxurious about them, possibly due to the belief that home offices are reserved for people with a bedroom (or bedrooms) to spare.

These multifunctional rooms prove that you don’t need to live in a mansion to have a home office. With some creative organization, just about any space can be a home office. Here’s some open-plan office inspiration.

Put a table in front of a window and add a laptop for an instantly integrated space. Image: Schippmann Design

  A writing desk just off the living room works wonders. Image: Nest

Stick a micro-office in a corner. Image: Black Oak Builders

In small spaces, orner desks work wonderfully. Image: transFORM

You can also place a computer in a space under some cabinetry. Image: Cato Creative

Have you created a magnificent multifunctional space in your home? Have any tips of your own? Leave a comment and let us know!

This post originally from Fresh Home

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Concrete kitchen styling

I like these fragile porcelain pieces and textiles in combination with the rough concrete in this styling done by talented Jenni Juurinen. I’m thinking about painting one wall in our kitchen with a concrete finish like in the first picture, I think it would look great against the minimal lines of our kitchen.

Photography by Suvi Laine

First seen on Coco Lapine Design

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Moving Soon? Here’s How to Pack For A Move Like A Pro

Let us show you how to pack for a move like a pro. Image: Erda Estremera

For many of us, packing for a move feels like a herculean task—and for good reason. There are so many different details to consider, not to mention the effort involved in lugging heavy boxes around. However, with a little forethought and planning, this process doesn’t have to feel overwhelming at all.

If you need a little guidance on how to pack for a move, you’re in the right place. Here’s some great tips to help you tackle this project like a pro.

Put together a schedule that works for you, and stick to it. Image: Estée Janssens

Schedule your time appropriately

Let’s be honest: the biggest hurdle most of us face when packing for a move is leaving it all to the last minute. Packing your belongings is a big task: it’s easy to procrastinate and find other things we’d much rather do instead. And we usually regret the decision.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way. The first step to packing like a pro is making sure you schedule your time appropriately—and well in advance of moving day—so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by having to take care of everything at once. By breaking the process down into simple steps and scheduling a time to complete each one, you can tackle this process with ease.

The first thing to break out is your calendar. Take a realistic assessment of the amount of available free time you have before your moving day, and designate times for decluttering, packing up each room of your home (try to limit yourself to one or two rooms at a time), cleaning, and a final pack-up for any last-minute items.

Get rid of excess clutter before you pack. Image: Brooke Lark

Declutter first

After you have your schedule set, the next step is decluttering your current space. Save yourself some extra packing down the road: lighten the workload by taking the time to get rid of these items before you begin putting things in boxes.

When decluttering you home, we recommend the “three pile method.” Sort items that you intend to keep into one pile, items that are suitable for donation into another pile, and items that need to be thrown away into a third pile. That way, you’ll have a clear plan of action for every item.

If you can, schedule your donation pick-up for the same day you intend to declutter. This helps hold you accountable for finishing the task. Try to take care of your trash on the same day, as well. You’ll feel more accomplished knowing that a huge chunk of your work is finished, and you’ll truly be able to move forward to the next step.

Label your boxes to keep them organized. Image: Jon Tyson

Create a label system

Packing for a move is all about staying organized. Before you start the process, make sure you have a system in place that allows you to sort out what’s what when you arrive at your new home. The easiest way to do that is by creating a label system that helps you know, with just a glance, what’s in each box.

When labeling, it’s important to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of just labeling a box “kitchen,” you may want to write “kitchen – pots and pans” instead. Write your label on multiple sides of the box, so that no matter how it’s positioned, you’ll know which items are inside.

Some people like to take labeling a step further by writing a list of each individual item contained within in a box. You can do this on paper and stick it in the top of the box, or keep a digital master list. Whichever method you choose, it can save you the hassle of rooting through boxes to find the particular item you’re looking for.

Pack up one room at a time. Image Breather

Go room-by-room

Once you’re ready to start packing, we recommend undertaking the task room by room. Doing so not only helps you break the process up into more manageable steps, it also helps you keep your boxes organized. Start your packing in less-used spaces, such as the dining room and formal living area. Then, work your way up to your kitchen and bedroom as it gets closer to the big day.

Everyone has their own methods of packing. However, here are a few general reminders to help you stay organized:

Try to pack similar items together, rather than having each box become a catch-all.

You can use soft items as padding in between more breakable pieces.

Pack heavier items in smaller boxes to keep boxes from becoming overwhelmingly heavy.

Be sure to secure each box tightly with packing tape.

Fill an overnight bag full of irreplaceable items. Image: Erol Ahmed

Pack an overnight bag with important items

No one wants to think about it, but sometimes, despite our best efforts, a move can go awry and items can get lost in the shuffle. In order to make sure nothing irreplaceable gets lost, we recommend packing a separate overnight bag with important items and keeping it with you, rather than placing it on a moving truck.

The items you choose to include will be unique to you, but these suggestions may help you start thinking:

Clothes for a few days, and toiletries

Laptops and other work-related items

Family photos

Important documents (Passports, birth certificates, deeds, etc.)

Expensive jewelry

Have you moved recently? If so, do you have any packing tips to share? Put them in the comments below!

This post originally from Fresh Home

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3 DIY Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions for Your Spring Clean

Get your home sparkling this spring, with eco-friendly cleaners. Image: Marlowe Hues Color & Design

Spring cleaning is supposed to refresh your home. It’s a little counterintuitive, then, that traditional cleaning methods lean on harsh, often toxic chemicals to do the job. Your home may look better after using these products, but, in actuality, you’ve only swapped germs and grime for possible dangers to your family and the environment.

There’s a better way. These three eco-friendly cleaning solutions get your home sparkling while keeping it safe.

If you’re new to the do-it-yourself world, making your own cleaning solutions is a great place to start. All you need to do is throw ingredients together in a container, and you’re set. Plus, you probably already have the majority of what you’ll need on hand. Before you reach for the bleach, give these environmentally-conscious DIY cleaners a try.

A DIY all-purpose cleaner can be used on virtually any surface. Image: Blue Ocean Design

The king of eco-friendly cleaning solutions: homemade all-purpose spray

Get your surfaces to sparkle with an easy solution you can use in nearly every room of the house. In a spray bottle, mix:

1 part water (distilled is best)

1 part white vinegar

Optional: 12-15 drops of essential oil (lavender and lemon are great options)

Spray this solution into a soft towel, and use on almost any surface. If you omit the essential oil, you’ll lose the refreshing scent, but can also use this solution as a glass cleaner.

Note: Vinegar isn’t safe for stone surfaces, such as marble or granite. As an alternative, a baking soda solution will get your counters shiny and spot-free.

Eco-friendly kitchen cleaners keep your surfaces safe for food preparation. Image: Showcase Kitchen & Bath

In the kitchen: natural grease remover

Getting rid of grease in your kitchen doesn’t have to be a headache. There’s a surprising solution to that pesky buildup on your stovetop: more grease!

Pour a small amount of vegetable oil onto a paper towel and rub it over grease-stained spots. The interaction of the new grease breaks down the old.

Once finished, go over the area with a damp sponge sprinkled with baking soda. This removes any residual oil, leaving your kitchen surfaces spotless.

Ditch bleach in the bathroom for a gentler–but equally powerful–cleaning solution. Image: Amy Trowman Design

In the bathroom: powerful, simple tub cleaner

If you have stubborn spots in your shower or tub, you’ve probably tried to clean it with lots of different chemicals. A surprising solution could unlock the like-new tub you’ve been looking for. Natural cleaning experts swear by this simple, eco-friendly cleaning solution.

In a spray bottle, combine:

1 part white vinegar

1 part blue Dawn dish soap

The specific soap formula of the blue Dawn makes the solution most effective. Plus, since it’s routinely used to remove oil from sensitive animals after oil spills, you can rest easy using it at home.

Coat your tub or shower with the spray and let it sit. 15 minutes is sufficient for mild buildup, but serious scum might require an overnight wait. After it sits, scrub the tub or shower and rinse thoroughly to reveala sparkling surface.

These eco-friendly cleaning solutions will help you tackle your spring clean without any toxic cleaners. Enjoy your beautifully cleaned home or apartment; take a deep breath of that fresh, chemical-free air!

Have any eco-friendly cleaning solutions, tips or tricks of your own? Let us know in the comments!

This post originally from Fresh Home

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Stunning Como apartment with a dark kitchen

This stunning apartment in Como was featured on the Bo Bedre blog and I absolutely love the contrast between the dark kitchen and the white living room area. The dark kitchen has concrete flooring and black open shelving on the wall, which accentuates the sunlight beaming in through the windows. The fully black or dark palette has a very dramatic yet cozy effect.

To read more about this beautiful home, to get the full home tour and to see where some of the items in the pictures are from, go to the Bo Bedre website.

Photography by Mads Mogensen for Bo Bedre.

First seen on Coco Lapine Design

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4 Ways To Spice Up Your Dining Room On A Budget

Here’s how to spruce up your dining room on a budget. Image: May Konzepte Architekten – Interior Design

Formal dining rooms can quickly become drab and outdated. Since most of us eat the majority of our meals at the kitchen table, it’s easy to overlook this space when it’s time renovate.

Luckily, you don’t need a huge budget to update your dining room. Here’s four easy ways to spruce up a formal dining room and have your guests ooh-ing and aah-ing, without breaking the bank.

Add an accent wall for color. Image: Insides

Add an accent wall

Whether you paint a wall a bold new color, or opt for a modern take on wallpaper, adding an accent wall will instantly refresh the look of your dining space. Plus, since both paint and wallpaper are quite affordable, and application is easy to complete, this project is a simple way to create a focal point without undertaking any major renovations.

Start by choosing which wall to accent. Typically, the accent wall will be the first wall you see upon entering the room: the wall that’s furthest from the door. Ideally, it will also be a wall that doesn’t have any doors or windows, so that your new accent wall really stands out, without intrusion.

Don’t be afraid to make a statement: accent walls are meant to be eye-catching! Now is the time to play with prints and patterns, to add a few metallic accents, or even to create a gallery wall using some family photos. Anything goes, as long as you make sure to contrast your accent wall from the rest of the room.

Mix things up by going eclectic. Image: CC Construction Ltd

Go eclectic

Coordinating every element in your dining room can get costly. Don’t be afraid to use eclectic design to mix and match various styles, manufactures—even time periods. Doing allows for more freedom to put a design together that works in your budget.

That said, there are a few things you can do to help ensure that your design remains cohesive. Remember: above all, the space should remain functional. Make a plan for your design before you begin, and do your best to keep function at the forefront. Don’t be afraid to edit as you go. If there are ever so many design elements present that it gets difficult to identify the functionality at first glance, your best bet is to remove less-necessary pieces until functionality becomes clear again.

You’ll also want to keep the room unified. Work on finding a few small details—colors, shapes, patterns—that you can repeat in various aspects of your design. This ensures all of your design elements feel intentional, rather than haphazardly thrown together.

Consider statement lighting

The simplest way to spruce up your dining room on a budget is to trade out your basic light fixture for a statement lighting feature. From large pendants to unique chandeliers, there’s no wrong aesthetic. You’ll want to choose a piece that feels authentic to your sense of style. That said, there are a few functional pieces of advice that you should follow to ensure your fixture works with the room.

First, consider proportions of the room. You’ll want to account for the size of your table, and the proportions of your room itself. If your formal dining room table seats 10 people, you may want to look into a row of matching pendants. But, if the room only seats your family of four, perhaps a single chandelier will do the trick. As a rule, your light fixture should cover 2/3 of the table.

Additionally, be sure to layer your lighting so that the only source of light isn’t that single fixture. Think about adding in some ambient light in the form of recessed lighting, plus a few accent fixtures to brighten up any dark corners. Since dining rooms are all about ambiance, you may also want to look into lighting that’s able to be put on a dimmer.

Add personality with accessories. Image: REFINED LLC

Don’t forget accessories

Accessorizing a room is like putting the cherry on top of a sundae. It makes all the difference. No need to go crazy, since the goal is still to update your dining room on a budget, but adding a few finishing touches goes a long way.

Try to use your space wisely. No one wants clutter, especially in an area that’s meant to hold lots of people at once. A large buffet is beautiful, but only works if the space allows. If you don’t have much room to work with, a better bet is to opt for smaller accessories like a simple, floral centerpiece or an antique bar cart.

Finally, have fun with it! Your home should reflect who you are and what you like, so don’t be afraid to infuse the room with your personality. Stop at a garage sale and pick up some decorative glass bottles, or paint pine cones with your kids to fill a glass bowl as a centerpiece. Whatever you choose, you’ll love seeing your formal dining room transform if you have fun doing it.

Use these tips to makeover your dining room on a budget. Image: S.O.M.E. Architects, P.C.

Giving your formal dining room a makeover doesn’t have to break the bank. We’ve come up with four easy ways to spruce up your dining room on a budget. After you give these ideas a try, invite some friends over for dinner and see what they notice about your new look. Then, as always, let us know your favorite guest reactions in the comments.

This post originally from Fresh Home

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Small studio with a warm look

This tiny studio is decorated and designed in such a nice way if you ask me. What this space might lack in square meters, it makes up for in carefully chosen furniture and accessories for the perfect cozy and inviting space with lots of character.

The tiny kitchen includes a dining table which is perfect for two people and by hanging up all pots and pans, space is saved in the cupboards (looks stylish too if you ask me). The small living room connects to the bedroom and has a lot of nice art pieces and textiles for an inviting look.

via Historiska Hem

First seen on Coco Lapine Design

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There’s a Right Way to Tour a Model Home (Here’s How)

Whether you’re seriously in the market for a new builder, or if home touring is just your favorite way to spend a Sunday afternoon, model homes are showpieces for builders and developments. Think of it as the catwalk at Fashion Week: a model home is a way to show off what a builder can do—even if it comes with a designer price tag.

That’s why there’s a right (and a wrong) way to tour a model home, to help you better set builder expectations. By understanding what’s standard and what’s not, and by gauging your first few interactions with a potential builder, you’ll prevent confusion and frustration once the process of building your home starts.

Shop around

If you’re really serious about building a new home versus buying an existing one, it’s important to see what different builders have to offer. Even if your very first builder blows you away with a model home’s design, schedule walkthroughs with three or four other builders before making a final decision. Each builder has different policies regarding the design process, upgrades, and warranties, and you definitely want to compare apples to apples before settling on your builder.

Do some research

Before you visit a model home, check out the builder’s website to see the different floor plans available. For mass appeal, builders usually create model homes from their most popular floor plans, but these layouts might not be ideal for you. By checking out what’s available online beforehand, you can keep your options in the back of your mind as you tour the model home, remembering that your perfect floor plan might be another one of the builder’s offerings.

Ask about the design process

Source: Curtis Design Group

There are three types of home builders:

Production home builders offer little in the way of customization: you’ll most likely choose only your paint and floor colors, and make some decisions on other cosmetic issues like hardware.

Semi-custom builders often allow more customization. Not only can you choose cosmetic finishes, but you may also be able to adjust layouts and dimensions within a certain parameter.

Custom home builders allow you to design your home from bottom to top, start to finish. They might use an existing plan as a jumping-off point, or start from scratch with a completely new design.

As you tour the model home, ask the builder about the design process. The more customized the home, the heftier the price tag, so it’s something to bear in mind. Always ask your builder what can and can’t be changed. Signing a contract based on the assumption that you can change your master bathroom layout or make the kitchen bigger could lead to heartache if your builder doesn’t allow heavy customization. If you love an existing layout and are impressed with a builder’s work, it makes more sense to opt for production over a completely custom home to save money.

Define standard and upgrade

Source: Laura Bendik Interiors

The trickiest part about touring a model home is differentiating between what parts of the home come standard with the design package and which of the features are upgrades. Builders create model homes to show what they can do, so they usually use upgraded finishes, hardware, and fixtures to get buyers to really fall in love with the place. Finding out that the bronze bathroom fixtures you loved are a pricey upgrade can totally blow your budget, so always ask if your favorite features come standard or if you’ll be paying extra.

Inspect craftsmanship

Any builder can pick out a nice paint color or use fancy furnishings, but when touring model homes, it’s more important to look at the quality of the actual craftsmanship. Is the woodwork and molding seamless? Is the floor laid perfectly straight? Do the cabinets look like they’d last through years of Thanksgiving dinners? Look past the cosmetic facade to really understand each builders’ priorities and attention to detail.

Picture your belongings

Source: Toll Brothers

Model homes are designed to make you fall in love with everything from the layout to the light fixtures and the furniture. But don’t be so blinded by love that you forget that when you move in, it’ll be your couches, tables, and furniture making the house a home. Can you really picture yourself, your family, and your stuff in the type of home you’re touring? It’s easy to become enamored with a model home when it’s perfectly staged, but remember that it’ll be up to you to decorate and furnish the space.

Touring model homes is one of the best ways to get to know a builder, but make sure what feels like love at first sight doesn’t become sour later because you didn’t do your homework. Look past the polished paint and perfect plan to make sure you pick a builder that is truly your ideal match.

Have any model home touring tips of your own? Let us know in the comments!

This post originally from Fresh Home

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Sister Cabins Frame Sweeping Views of Rocky Mountains, Colorado

Renée del Gaudio architects completed the design of a project named Big Cabin | Little Cabin in Fairplay, Colorado. The new pair of cottages are surrounded by a thick forest on one side, opening up to a magical landscape on the other. Large windows frame views of Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo mountains, the Collegiate Peaks, and the South Platte River.

“The cabin’s gabled roof form and rustic materials recall the area’s early vernacular buildings,” the architects explain. “Exterior cedar siding is stained dark to blend the house with the surrounding forest. Plywood interior walls and ceilings keep the cabin low key and rustic.”

The “Big Cabin” accommodates the master bedroom, living and dining areas, kitchen, pantry, gym/sauna and a bathroom. An extra bedroom, with a bathroom for guests, is located just nearby, in the sister cottage, connected to the larger cabin through steel decking.

Step inside, and you will find welcoming, airy, contemplative interiors. Soft colors create a friendly ambiance. Scandinavian design influences are visible in the clean lines, uncluttered spaces and simple accents.

“We all carry preconceived ideas of the word ‘cabin’ in our collective memory: a family gathering place, a place of rest after a long day in nature, pegs on the wall to hang your coat,” the architects say. “Ultimately, a cabin tells a story of it’s particular place and time in history, and of the people who dwell inside. “Big Cabin | Little Cabin” strives to embody the character and sensation of a traditional cabin, and tell the story of this particular family, all within a purely modern framework.” Photos courtesy of David Lauer Photography

This post originally from Fresh Home

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A Table Set For Mother’s Day

We were sitting in Church Sunday morning and there was a young girl next to us with a brand new little one. Instantly I felt that ache deep within me for another little one of my own. My oldest son turns to me and says, “Mommy, can we please have another one of those?” “You just read my mind, little buddy!” I thought. And if that baby fever wasn’t hot before it’s certainly on fire now. Now if only I could get my husband on board, haha. Motherhood is messy but beautiful. It’s giving and exhausting but rewarding and exciting. It’s more than I ever imagined, but it’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given.

“Everything has changed and yet, I am more me than I’ve ever been.”

-Iain Thomas

  Can you believe that we are almost into the middle of May? And I don’t know why, but this year Spring seems almost as busy as the holiday season. Between finishing up the living room, then jumping right into the dining room then to our major outdoor overhaul…all on top of our normal day to day craziness. This Mama is feeling like a vacation is in order, haha.

Speaking of Mama needing some R&R, in honor of Mother’s Day I’ve teamed up with some blogger and insta-friends for a fun Mother’s Day Tablescape Theme. We don’t have big plans for Mother’s Day this year, but I know for sure there will be good food and lots of relaxation with my people.

For my tablescape I wanted to keep everything minimal. My budget was microscopic, haha. After all these indoor and outdoor projects I wanted to make sure I used what I had on hand and didn’t go out and spend a bunch of money. I decided to create a very simple tea party theme. I used all of my blue and white plates and ironstone pieces. I think all my antique pieces compliment the new dining room so well. It feels very cottage[y] to me and I am truly loving it!

Scroll on down to see my tablescape and be sure to check out all of the other tablescapes from my friends!! And to all you Mamas out there, Happy Mothers Day! You have the most beautiful job in the world!

“Motherhood is messy and challenging and crazy and sleepless and giving and still unbelievably beautiful.”

If you caught my post on Instagram on Sunday then you know my Mother in Law dropped off lilacs from her garden. Y’all they are divine. I wish I could have had them when I took pictures, but you better believe they are center stage right now and I hope they will last until Mother’s Day.

I really love all of the different layers and textures together.

I decided to mix faux and real greenery, again because I was trying to use what I had already on hand.  The eucalyptus is dried from the fall and the little blue bells are from our garden. The faux greenery is from Hobby Lobby and Ikea

There’s just something so special about purple and green together, don’t you think?

Thanks again so much for stopping by don’t forget to check out all of these beautiful tables. Blessings Friends!

  Great post originally from The Homemaking Momma

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Petrol blue kitchen

I like this cozy kitchen with petrol blue cabinet fronts combined with chrome details, a marble counter top and white tiles all the way up to the ceiling. While as the kitchen has quite a modern and clean look, the room has a few vintage items and art pieces as well, which is an interesting combination.

via Stadshem

First seen on Coco Lapine Design

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7 Reasons Why You Need to Enter to Win the HGTV Smart Home 2018

The latest HGTV Smart Home 2018 giveaway is here! This two-story, Southern-style home is located in a private resort community called Palmetto Bluff in the coastal low country of South Carolina. The home is 2,850 square feet, with three bedrooms and three and a half baths; and, as the name suggests, it uses smart technology everywhere.

The Southern-style smart home features an open floor plan and a hybrid of coastal, farmhouse and industrial styles.

Here are 7 of the coolest tech features from the HGTV Smart Home 2018:

1. A paper-thin TV masquerades as a high-definition art display

A flat screen TV above the fireplace displays high-resolution art or photos when not in TV mode. “Invisible Connection” technology eliminates wire and cables.

2. Customize smart beds for every sleeping style

All bedrooms contain programmable Sleep Number beds, including this master suite Flextop King, i10 Sleep Number 360 smart bed with air pressure monitoring. Customize firmness, adjust head positions and even warm your feet.

3. Smart skylights make your life sunnier

As well as adding brightness throughout the house, VELUX skylights automatically close when rainfall is detected. What’s more, they’re solar-powered and energy efficient.

4. A connected kitchen keeps you entertained

Appliances feature wireless internet, and the CabiTV’s integrated cabinet door above the oven doubles as a sleek television without requiring counter space.

5. A smart toilet in the guest room will fascinate your guests

Kohler’s Numi toilet’s motion-activated cover and seat facilitates hands-free opening and closing. A seat warmer and foot warmer ensures you’ll be comfortable even on the coldest of days.

6. The kids will love the secret virtual reality playroom

Nanoleaf Aurora Rhythm’s modular, geometric lighting draws you in from behind the sitting room bookcase. The panels include endless color choices that can be customized from a home computer system.

The small VR gaming room of the HGTV Smart Home 2018 is high-tech and comes with the latest Play Station 4, which incorporates connected gaming, personalization and integrated social capabilities.

7. The master bath keeps you up to date with current events

The mirrors in the master bath do more than reflect. These Smart Touch Vanity Mirrors also project the latest news, stock updates and social media feeds. An Ocea waterproof bathroom television is mounted in the shower and blends into the design with a mirror glass finish. The TV also has Wi-Fi networking for streaming smartphone content.

A coffee station is also at your disposal, which self-stores when not in use, thanks to the Nexus21 hidden storage lift.

You can enter twice per day until Thursday, June 7 at hgtv.com/smart for a chance to win the $1.6 million grand prize. Photography by HGTV.

  This post originally from Fresh Home

[thejoycefordblog]

Dining chairs to a lovely outdoor bench

When my husband (my fiancé at the time) and I got our first jobs in Germany, we were young, handsome, in love and broke. For our first apartment, we had to buy cheap, easy-to-move and practical furniture. Of course, we turned to IKEA.

For our small dining area in the middle of the one and only room of our home, we bought the JOKKMOKK set of four chairs and a table and then used it for four years before moving with it to France.

A few years after, we welcomed twins, had a little more money and changed the chairs. Then the table. Then the house. Two of the JOKKMOKK chairs went to the waste recycling center because they were broken but the other two remained in our garage for months. We thought they will stay there forever, as some sort of sweet reminder.

But, thankfully for them, it appears a few weeks ago that we lacked an outdoor bench to watch the children when they play outside. We thus decided to turn our two remaining JOKKMOKK chairs into a lovely bench for outdoor use.

Materials for our outdoor bench

JOKKMOKK dining set | IKEA.com

Two IKEA JOKKMOKK chairs

One wood plank slightly bigger or longer than the 2 chairs (when the chairs are placed side by side). Get a thick plank (that is at least the same thickness as the JOKKMOKK seats)

Paint and stain – according to how you would like to finish the outdoor bench. Choose wood paint/ stain for outdoor use. (It’s “lasure” in French, maybe wood stain? It should protect your wood from the elements). We chose to paint the chairs with “Nuance Xtrem bois rouge basque satin” and to let the plank natural, but we stained it for outside using “Nuance lasure haute protection” colorless.

Paint material – this could mean brushes, paint roller, an old shirt to put over your pretty clothes. Sandpaper: choose a rough grid if you want to give your bench a vintage look and a fine one to have it smooth.

An Allen key (for IKEA furniture) or a screwdriver

A wood or circular saw

A pencil

Time: we needed about 3 hours. My husband and I, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the garden. Add, according to your wood treatment, 24 to 48 hours to allow each layer of paint to dry.

Steps to hack your dining chairs into an outdoor bench

Preparing the chair frames

1. Clean your chairs

2. Unscrew the seat of each chair. Keep the screws, because you will need them later to screw the wood plank onto the chair frame.

3. Use sandpaper and scrub gently the chair frame to remove the varnish. Do the same for your plank if needed.

4. Clean the chairs and the plank with a dry and clean rag to remove the sawdust. Now, you are ready to paint.

5. Paint the two chairs frames entirely, including the sections underneath (as they might be seen from a distance).

6. Allow the paint to dry. If necessary, repeat with a second coat.

Making the bench seat

7. Next is to decide how you want to place your chairs to make the bench. You can either have your chairs directly next to each other to make a short bench. Or place them apart to allow a third person to sit in between. (Be careful! If the chairs are too far apart, the unsupported middle section of the plank might arch). Once you have decided on your formation, put the wood plank on the frames of the chairs. Using a pencil, make a mark of both chair frames on the plank. The marks are where you’ll saw through the plank and allow it to fit exactly onto the chair frames.

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8. After marking the plank saw it. You can choose to give the seats the shape of the JOKKMOKK chairs or a different one. We decided to stick with the original shape of the seats and my husband sawed following the red lines on the picture above.

9. Scrub the edge of the plank with sandpaper.

10. Treat or paint your wood plank. Allow it to dry. Go for a second layer if you need one. Allow it to dry.

You are almost done

11. When the paint on the chair frames and the plank are dry, position the plank cautiously on the painted seat frames. Remember to put the chairs next to each other or aside, as you chose before.

12. Screw the plank in from underneath, using the original screw holes from Ikea and the original screws you kept.

Your outdoor bench is finished! Add matching cushions to complete the look and enjoy!

Our lovely JOKKMOKK outdoor bench is located next to our front door, under a small roof protecting it from bad weather. Our children like taking off their shoes on it. I like to read my book on my IKEA-hacked bench and watch the kids play in the alley. My husband like that we did this (the bench and the kids ;-)) together. Hope you will like it too.

Feel free to visit my blog and leave me a comment!

~ by Pauline and Sébastien M.

Great find from Source Ikeahacker

[thejoycefordblog]

Cozy home with a classic touch

I like the contrast between the different rooms in this home. The living room is light and bright, with white walls and a lot of wood, which has a very warm look and feel. The kitchen has a very classic touch with the floral wall paper and the antique chairs. Yet by painting the chairs in a cool grey, this room looks very fresh. The bedroom is painted in warm grey and is decorated with a lot of linen, which makes this a very warm and inviting space.

Photography by Anders Bergstedt via Entrance Makleri

First seen on Coco Lapine Design

[thejoycefordblog]

Hackers Help: Name of this bentwood armchair?

Hello! My husband and I inherited this IKEA bentwood armchair (ID#14552) from his family when we moved into the old family home years ago (it was left behind by his parents in a cross-country move). We’ve almost tossed it multiple times because it’s so darn uncomfortable, but those bentwood arms have saved it every time. They’re beautiful!

I’ve decided it’s time to hack this chair to determine if it can stay in our living room or needs to be passed along to another home. What I’m wondering before I begin is — which IKEA chair is this, and has anyone hacked it before? Would love to see examples of what others have come up with.

My current plan is to sew faux leather cushions for the seat and backrest which I’ll affix via straps that wrap around the metal bars holding the canvas. Somewhat like this DWR Finn Outdoor Lounge Chair.

Photo: DWR.com Finn Lounge Chair

Thanks all for any input!! Kelly

***

Hey Kelly

You are right! The bentwood armchair is a beauty and I’m glad you’ve decided to give it another chance. Unfortunately, I don’t know its name. But I hope some IKEA hackers readers will have a clue to its origins. 

Let us know if you do successfully hack it. We’ll love to see how it turns out.

xoxo,

Jules 

Great find from Source Ikeahacker