Blog
Monday, May 20, 2013
DIY: Bulletin Boards
When I think of bulletin boards, I think of boring square cork or metal boards that may or may not match the room whether it be in the kitchen, office, or bedroom. What I love about Dwell with Dignity is that they truly design rooms for families in need. The entire home is coordinated and often expresses a certain mood or feelings that these families want to embrace for their new home. I am honored to blog about an easy and decorative DIY project that nearly anyone can do. It is fun and looks great because you can customize it to any room and décor in your house. You can coordinate with colors or patterns just by picking the fabric. I chose to demonstrate a fabric covered circle bulletin board which I found on pinterest.com. I suppose you could use the square if you feel it better suits your room. 
Monday, May 13, 2013
DIY: Mason Jar Magic
Very few items lend themselves to such a wide variety of do-it-yourself projects as the humble Mason jar. In reality, any clear glass jar, whether it be from spaghetti sauce, pickles or jam, can be used for any of these projects. And I don’t know about you, but I just can’t bear to throw away (or even recycle) glass jars so I have an entire kitchen drawer full of them. They are just so useful for so many things that I think I will use them somewhere, someday for something.
With the weather being so nice, I am always looking for little ways to make my backyard and patio look extra special. These hanging candles look like fireflies in my backyard. They are so easy to make with just some twine or wire, gravel or sand and a candle. That’s all there is to it! These also look fabulous lining a driveway, around a swimming pool or on the patio tables.
Monday, May 6, 2013
DIY: Recyling on a budget with bottlecaps
Okay, so my husband’s a bit of a beer fan. And I often find bottle tops on the kitchen counter (somehow they never make it to the trash can…). So what to do? I came across this idea that I love! It’s beautiful and I’m a work in process with an old Ikea table in my kid’s playroom (with soda caps). This is also a great project for an outside bar to go by the pool. Get your family and friends to start collecting, and then dry fit the caps into a geographic or free form pattern using color and symmetry.
Source: refabdiaries.com
Monday, April 29, 2013
DIY: Maximum Storage
When we moved from our apartment in Dallas to our home in Allen, I was thrilled to finally have a formal living room. Oh, the ideas I had for decorating this newly found extra space! The guests we would entertain…the candidate meet-and-greets we would host…I had plans for this room. Fast-forward a year and half later. C was born eleven months after the move and now needed a space of his own to play. One of my favorite things about Dwell with Dignity is their ability to turn everyday spaces into beautiful, purposeful spaces for their clients, and I hoped to do the same with my now empty living room.
In the beginning, I was adamant. I was not giving up my formal living room. Little-by-little, as his toys steadily invaded the den, our bedroom and even our kitchen, I knew that my adult space was destined to be a kid space, but what to do? I love to peruse design websites and knew as soon as I surfed on to this Project Nursery page, a modified version their bookshelf turned bench would be perfect for C’s new toy room.
Later that month, Read More
Monday, April 22, 2013
DIY: Beauty in Small Pieces
Today I’m excited to share with you a couple of fabulous household decor projects my husband and I managed to pull off with a little wallpaper, wood trim and chalkboard paint. Just the kind of do-it-yourself projects Dwell with Dignity is famous for!
I love the look of a wallpapered bathroom (how gorgeous is this!). Not too long ago, though, we found ourselves in a rush to finish our house for our neighborhood home tour, and honestly we didn’t want to risk messing up our hall bathroom by trying to wallpaper it, and pasting the wallpaper up crooked, or wrinkled, or any one of the other problems that can happen. Besides, our house is over a hundred years old, so needless to say, there is not a right angle or smooth surface to be found, especially in this little bathroom, which gets used daily and viewed closely. The inevitable mistakes we would make could not be easily hid.
The safer alternative would be to hang a wallpaper square in a picture frame, which can look perfectly fine:
Friday, April 19, 2013
Supporter Spotlight: One Kings Lane
Every few days, I get this inkling to check in with One Kings Lane to see what they are featuring on their site. If you haven’t shopped this online destination for all things fabulous for the home, you will not be disappointed. One thing I know for SURE is that if I make a purchase, I will be happy ( well, giddy!) when I unwrap that box at my door. I KNOW the graphic linen pillow I purchased online will NOT end up being a shiny rayon version of the linen I saw in the photograph. It will be fabulous and the quality will be impeccable ( I have come to expect it…)
- One Kings Lane Vignette at Thrift Studio
Imagine my excitement when Dwell with Dignity caught the eye of the One Kings Lane team for a collaboration in Dallas! As Thrift Studio’s title sponsor, One Kings Lane has impressed me even more. Their inspired philosophy of bringing the very best home products to consumers over the world aligns beautifully with DwD’s mission to inspire lives with design. I think our affection is mutual! According to Susan Feldman, co-founder and chief merchandising officer at One Kings Lane, “Dwell with Dignity’s mission is particularly close to our hearts. We are thrilled to sponsor Thrift Studio and launch our Tastemaker Tag Sale to further support this special cause and help provide needy families with welcoming and inspiring homes where they can thrive.”
What started out as a collaboration on our Thrift Studio event in Dallas, has now blossomed into a Tastemaker Tag Sale launch as well! Ones Kings Lane will feature the 7 designer vignettes from our Thrift Studio event online, and will host a 72-hour online sale that will feature select products from the Thrift Studio vignettes as well as items generously donated by participating designers. Check out our Designers HERE.
The exposure this sale will bring to Dwell with Dignity will go a long way to bolster our aspirations of creating national chapters. The sponsorship will go a long way to help more families live with dignity and respect. Our gratitude to One Kings Lane for their heartfelt support goes beyond words.
About Thrift Studio:
The Thrift Studio Pop-Up Shop will be located in the Dallas Design Center at 1100 Slocum Street, Suite 590. Thrift Studio Pop-Up Shop will be open to the public from April 19 – May 18, 2013 Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5:30 p.m.
About the Thrift Studio Tastemaker Tag Sale:
April 19th at 10 a.m. CDT at www.onekingslane.com. Go there NOW to shop and support Dwell with Dignity with your purchases!
Monday, April 15, 2013
DIY: 60 minute projects
We all love to do-it-ourselves. But really, how many of us have the time, energy or talent to strip the kitchen cabinets, re-upholster a chair or paint a mural??? What I love is a quick project that gives me instant gratification and my home an instant mini-facelift. To that end, here are three projects you can do in an hour or less.
Cover Your Books
Books are the ultimate shelf accessory. Books of different sizes, shapes and color can add charm to your display. However, covering all your books in either plain or coordinating papers immediately sets the stage for something special. Take a look at these pictures and then check out this YouTube video to see how it is done. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_lYYSDak8s
Can you believe these are covered in paper bags? Great recycling tip!
Monday, April 8, 2013
DIY: Appliance Paint for Everything But Appliances
Paint is an amazing thing. This week, I want to share my recent obsession – appliance paint. I found mine at Home Depot. This is the paint that the manufacturers promise will make your old, worn-out white appliances look brand new, classy and elegant.
Updated Ice Maker
Well, I can’t say the appliances I painted lived up to that promise, exactly. I used the stainless steel version on an old black ice maker, and although it looks better, I certainly wouldn’t put it next to my real stainless steel refrigerator.
Monday, April 1, 2013
DIY: A Red HOT Spring Makeover
So now that Spring has Sprung, I’ve decided that my old tired fireplace needs a makeover after it put forth such a good effort over the winter months. My fireplace is huge, made of pink brick, and has your standard “traditional” mantel that was dull and characterless.
After taking down the mantel and painting the whole thing a neutral cream, my first idea was for a roughcut wood beam, but they were so expensive and heavy to boot. Then I stumbled across “live-edge” wood slabs at that are thin cut but still provide the rustic, one-of-a-kind look I was seeking.
My inspiration from Houzz.com
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
INSPIRE: Spring Cleaning
Last week kicked off my favorite time of year – Spring! I love spring flowers, trees blooming and longer days. It’s also the perfect opportunity for me to dive into the depths of my closet and organize it. Wouldn’t you love to get ready in this closet? I mean, seriously. Every. Single. Day. I love how everything is organized by color, making it easy to find what you need.
