Showing posts with label Makeovers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Makeovers. Show all posts

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Decorate for Spring on a budget!

We are on the cusp of Spring and my house is sparkling clean!  Well...its getting there.  After a good thorough scrubbing, I always want to open the windows and freshen up my winter decor.  I'm fluffing and puttering hither and yon around my little Jewel Box® home, touching up paint here and switching out rugs and curtains there. I want to let the outdoors in this time of year and send winter away on a song.

Here are a few tips to help us get in the spirit of the new season:

Photos Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens
yellow room overall

Create a casual living room that sings "spring," brimming with juicy citrus colors. Adding brightly colored vases, spunky patterned pillows, a painted jute rug, and flea market finds to your space for a fresh feel without spending a fortune. Bold throws, pillows and lampshades add pop to your springtime decor!  I love the addition of colored beads to the flower vase!  A simple but elegant touch.


Freshening up your boudoir is as simple as a coat of paint and some fabric.  Add punch to a headboard by wrapping it with a yard of mod floral fabric. Try inexpensive album frames filled with patterned paper to adorn bare walls. The bedside table is tres chic with the addition of a coat of metallic paint.  I love it!



Replace winter rugs with light jute or sisal for a clean, airy feel.  Floral pillows and jugs of flowers as accent pieces add a fresh look that will last throughout the summer months.



Get a fresh perspective on your bathroom by swapping out a typical bathroom mirror for a decoupaged beauty. Purchase a mirror with a flat frame and cover the frame with vibrant fabric using decoupage. A new shower curtain and a few new towels or bathmat can revamp a room without breaking your budget.  I love the floral lampshades on the wall!  A glue gun and some faux petals would make a great weekend project and give your creativity an outlet!


What says springtime more than our feathery friends?  Find a classic bird-watching field guide at a used book store. Carefully cut loose sheets from it and use finishing nails to hang them in a grid to get the look of vintage prints without the cost.


I love paint!  What better decorating tool than paint to turn an old piece of furniture or some bland walls into a work of art!  If you don't like the outcome, you're out nothing but a can of paint and some time.  Hinging together unfinished bifold doors creates a decorative room divider or large work of art. Paint it to your heart's desire.  One side could be for your winter decor and then turn it around for spring!


Replace heavy draperies with light panels or sheers to celebrate the new season.  Use cafe clips for a casual look.  Remember sheers come in all colors, not just white, so they will match any decorating scheme and let the sunlight fill your room!


Dress up Roman shades with decorative tape or fabric paint for a whimsical touch to any room.

Bring the outdoors in, literally, with these sun catchers.  Sandwich a leaf (hosta, fern, caladium, or palm) between two framed panels of glass, available at imports stores. Fresh leaves will turn brown, so you'll need to swap them out every few weeks, or use dried leaves and coat them with acrylic artist's spray to prevent discoloration.  What a wonderful way to showcase Mother Nature's handiwork!


Have fun sprucing up your little home to welcome Spring!

~Amber


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Small Kitchen Makeover

I am so drawn to color this spring season!  I feel like painting everything in vibrant hues.  Maybe that is why my eye was drawn to this kitchen makeover featured in Better Homes and Gardens.  I'm always impressed with homeowners who dress up dated rooms and fixtures, but this kitchen really caught my attention with is beautiful blue color scheme.

Before

Tiny kitchens are always a challenge, but outdated appliances and color schemes left this kitchen looking dreary and cramped.  

 After

A fresh palate, a new window seat, some tile and new lighting created a beautiful blue escape!


Like many galley style kitchens, this room lacked light.  New lighting and fresh attention to the window seat made a dark, dim kitchen light and welcoming.


Whimsical fabric and tile choices help balance out the blue without making it overwhelming and also give it a classic, timeless look.


Heavy cabinets above the stove were removed and replaced with open shelving that now show off fun kitchenware!


The magic of paint and fabric never ceases to amaze me!  I love a facelift that doesn't require heavy construction.  It feels more within my realm of possibility.  Now, I'm off to the Home Improvement store to gaze longingly at paint swatches.

~Amber

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Old Painted Cottage

I just love Jennifer Grey at The Old Painted Cottage!  Not only does her stunning cottage industry keep me busy perusing her eye candy for the home, but her delightful Cottage of the Month feature fills my little heart with joy when I see like-minded people enjoying the benefits of small home living!

Jennifer and her husband, Adam, love the challenge of fixing up and flipping homes.  Their most recent remodel, which they lovingly call Cottage 8 is a showcase of their natural talent.

This tiny home would be a challenge to any fixer-upper, but Jennifer and Adam took on the project with glee to turn a dated ranch-style home into a delightful cottage haven.

Feast your eyes on the Before and After pictures of their tiny little Cottage 8 and then be certain to visit Jen's website for fabulous treasures and for her Cottage of the Month Feature!

All photos courtesy of Jennifer Grey at The Old Painted Cottage













Artistry at its finest!  Thanks, Jen!!

Be inspired!
~Amber