Posts Tagged ‘lighting’
Today, I’m sharing a colorful DIY I just finished up for Curbly.
I found this old, brown lamp base at a thrift store for $5 (‘before’ photos here) and gave it a new look. It looks like a pretty straight forward project, and it was for the most part. But I spent way more time on it than I normally would have – making sure everything was done the ‘right’ way so I can put it to good use in a high traffic area of the house.
Follow this link for the full step by step instructions and photo tutorial. P.S. I added geometric washi tape accents to the lampshade too (not shown here) if you want to take a look. I’d love to know which version you like better.
I also wrote a couple of other posts this week for Curbly…
1. A modern before and after kitchen remodel (love the ‘after’ on this one, but some people prefer the ‘before’)
2. And a second before and after (are you sensing a theme this week?) that involves an old Seattle garage and a new, minimal living space.
That’s it for me this week. Have a great weekend!
-Brittni
Now that we are living in an apartment again, we have a new set of challenges when it comes to decorating. Our old house was too small, and our new apartment is almost twice the size of our old space, BUT we don’t own this one. So it feels very temporary and it doesn’t feel like we can lay down roots. Do you know what I mean?
Luckily, I am obsessed with DIY projects and have found a bunch of handmade touches that I can whip up in no time to make our new(ish) space feel like home. Here are 16 DIY projects for the indoors and out…
Small Housewares
1. DIY Succulent Wraps from Camille Styles 2. DIY Clay Pots by Claire for Say Yes to Hoboken
3. DIY Wall Clock from Scandinavian Deko 4. Make a Chevron Pillow from Biscuits and Jam
Wall Art
5. Geometric Wall Art (yep this is a diy) from Kate for Design Sponge
6. DIY Book Frame Wall Art from Lauren Elise for Papernstitch
7. Nail and String Wall Art from Jen Loves Kev
8. Wood Pendant DIY from my buddy Chris at ManMade
Furniture
9. Create a custom Storage Ottoman from Katherine for Papernstitch 10. Make an easy cushion Ottoman from Casasugar
11. DIY Dog Crate Coffee Table from HGTV (by Erin of Design for Mankind – found via Dog Milk)
*I know this one doesn’t exactly look fast or easy, but I love it.
12. DIY Tree Stump Table from Martha Stewart
13. Upholster a Chair with DIY Printed Fabric from How About Orange
Lighting + Accessories
14. DIY Cardboard Chandelier from Kayte for Etsy’s Blog
15. Modern DIY Coatrack from Weekday Carnival
The Great Outdoors
16. Chevron Recycled Wood Planter Box from Zelo Photo 17. Color Block Terra Cotta Pots from A Beautiful Mess
18. Outdoor Kitchen DIY (free pdf instructions) from Studio Mama
19. Outdoor Lighting DIY from Lowe’s
What problems are you currently tackling with your home?
Let me know in the comments below.
P.S. If you’re looking for craft project ideas for Mother’s Day, check out this roundup of 25 projects you can finish up last minute (with the kiddos if you have any) to get you through the holiday. One of my projects made the list at #3.
One of the interior trends that I’ve seen this year that has really been making the rounds is oversized lighting, used mostly in dining areas, kitchens and sometimes in living rooms. We had some really positive responses from the first one of these I posted looking at golden touches in the home. There is something about adding an out-of-scale object to a room that brings it to the forefront, takes something you might not notice and gives it a little extra oomph.
Although you can certainly use a single one of these oversized pieces, they also make a great impact used in multiples. Simplicity seem to be the key here. Large-scale lighting needs to be able to make a statement without going overboard. But the finish should be anything that fits with the style of your surroundings. Even placed in a smaller niche over a beautifully accessorized sideboard, oversized lighting can be a fun way to rev up your interior landscape.
(above) Multiple black pendants
Black over blue dining + Multiple washbasins
Amy wrote this post. She is the designer and owner of FormFire Glassworks, where she creates modern lampwork glass beads and jewelry, and by day designs custom homes for a small firm in Southern California. You can follow her twitter @formfireglass.
Indoor gardens were the focus for last week’s Interior Obsessions with FormFire Glassworks. But although many of us may bring a plant or two inside our homes, we may not plan to take it to the extent of a full garden space. But one thing we all need is light. Most lighting designers would agree that overhead lighting, in the form of recessed cans or surface-mounted fixtures, is not quite sufficient when it comes to lighting a room. To make a room feel truly comfortable, light needs to come from multiple locations, and the best way to achieve this effect is through the use of lamps, either wall-mounted sconces, table lamps or floor lamps. Although sconces can be great when space is at a minimum, I prefer to use table and floor lamps because of the multiple uses they serve.
Not only do lamps provide light right at the level where people inhabit the space, either an all-over ambient light or directed task lighting, but the fixtures themselves serve a purpose within the decor. The lamp becomes an object which fills space at the mid-level between furniture and ceiling. Think about your standard 8-foot-high room with a sofa, coffee table, chair, and end tables. It has some recessed fixtures in the ceiling for light, but the entire band between the top of the sofa and the ceiling is bare. You add a piece of artwork to the wall over the sofa, which helps to fill that void, but that only occurs way at the back surface. A good lamp bridges the gap between these two, and brings the object out into the living space itself. A lamp can be understated, add a shot of color, be wiry and thin, or have a lot of substance to ground the vignette. Try moving different lamps into each of your rooms and see how it changes the feeling of your space – you’d be surprised what a difference such a basic addition can make!
(above) Articulated Floor Lamp
Task Floor Model + Natural Curvy Base
Sculptural Floor Lamp + Heavy White Base
Last week’s jaunt into Interior Obsessions with FormFire Glassworks took us through a look at Chalkboard Paint. Today we’re shifting from walls and doors to lighting – in particular, that special light called the chandelier. For years, I had a negative connotation with the word; chandeliers were fussy, old-fashioned, and often real eyesores, at least those found in the local lighting or home store. Typically denoting a hanging fixture with multiple light sources, originally a set of candles, today’s definition of a chandelier is a much broader one.
I’ve even grown to appreciate the old-style chandeliers with the hanging crystals and fake candle-bulbs, at least when juxtaposed with more modern furnishings. Modern chandeliers range from hanging collections of lights and repeated sculptural elements to minimalist armatures and geometric crystal formations. Anything that hangs and has multiple lights or other elements can be considered a chandelier in today’s world of home decor. Whether it is gracing a dining room table, lighting the entry foyer, or hanging above your living space, there are options out there for every taste.
(above) Traditional crystal chandelier
Modern Crystal + Sputnik Sculpture
