DIY basket drawer unit

My brother and I custom built this unit. I couldn’t find the right piece of furniture that had small drawers and deep drawers. I found these Branäs baskets at Ikea, but Ikea doesn’t make a unit like this to hold them. So, I drew up the plans to build this shelf […]

2021-01-31T06:12:39-08:00December 31, 2008|

Framing heirloom doilies for Christmas

I told you I have a lot of tatted doilies from my great-grandmother. I decided to frame a few more for Christmas. I bought these 12-inch square collage frames at Michael’s. I replaced the mats with $1/yard fabric from Walmart. I love how the doilies look […]

2021-01-31T06:13:17-08:00December 24, 2008|

Salvaged cupboard door = DIY serving tray

I noticed this stash of cupboard doors at my local salvage yard. The white one was the perfect size to make a serving tray. The old drawer pulls — also found at the salvage yard — made ideal handles. Their swirly shape gave me the inspiration for the pattern I painted. […]

2021-01-31T06:13:25-08:00December 17, 2008|

Decorating idea: grouping like objects

Sometimes the easiest decorating project can be gathering scattered items around your house that are similar and grouping them together to create a focal point. In this sparkly vignette, I mixed my mom’s antique oval mirror with a couple of large mirrors I found on Craigslist. For […]

2021-01-31T06:13:36-08:00December 10, 2008|

Salvaged drawers = DIY modular bookcase

I picked up these drawers on Freecycle. They were salvaged from the kitchen of a 1940s house that was demolished. My original plan was to put the drawers on wheels and use them as under-bed storage. Turns out, no two drawers are the same height, which would look […]

2021-01-31T06:13:44-08:00December 3, 2008|

DIY faux-frosted glass doors

I got this idea from the plastic adhesive window coverings that Sarah Gaffney used in Sunset magazine’s 2008 Menlo Park Idea House. The window coverings (see below) from British designer Emma Jeffs are sold by Design Public. Sarah wrote […]

2021-01-31T06:14:01-08:00November 26, 2008|

Bookshelf makeover

Kelly and Sarah, two former Sunset magazine coworkers, planned to use this shabby bookshelf in Sunset’s Menlo Park Idea House last summer. After removing the doors, which were in a dire state of disrepair, they painted it. Paint: Benjamin Moore Aura Steam (AF-15) and Caliente (AF-290). Then they decided […]

2020-10-07T05:41:26-07:00November 19, 2008|

DIY hanging postcard collage

Last year, I asked for suggestions on ways to display my postcard collection. Everyone had great ideas. But this postcard “tapestry” idea came to me, and I had to try it. It would also work well for photos or Christmas cards. You can easily rotate in new ones whenever you like. […]

2021-01-31T06:14:12-08:00November 12, 2008|

First-aid tape = quick DIY hem repair

I just had to share this: If you need to make a last-minute mend of a fallen hem or a temporary patch of a tear, reach for your first-aid kit. 3M Micropore first-aid tape works remarkably well in wardrobe mending emergencies. It even held through multiple washings […]

2021-01-31T06:14:24-08:00November 5, 2008|

Carving pumpkins with a drill

I’ve been dying to try drilling pumpkins for two years, and I finally did it. It’s fun, but after drilling three pumpkins, my hand got tired from holding the drill. But it was worth it. Those daisies are sitting in a jar full of water inside the pumpkin. How, then, did […]

2021-01-31T06:14:48-08:00October 29, 2008|

Food jars = DIY hanging lanterns

Do you have a balcony or porch railing and some jam jars? This is a cheap and easy way to shed some light for trick-or-treaters, or just create a mood for nighttime porch sitting. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about the wind (or little feet) knocking them over. […]

2021-01-31T06:14:57-08:00October 22, 2008|

Repurposed dishes = DIY cake stands

This one was my friend Kristi’s idea. While window shopping one day last spring, we saw a glass cake stand in a jewelry store window. She said, “You could make one of those.” I spent the next couple weeks scouring thrift stores for plates, candlesticks, vases — anything I could find […]

2021-01-31T06:15:06-08:00October 15, 2008|

DIY mini magnetic picture frames

Instead of chucking these old mismatched frames that I accumulated from thrift stores, I painted them all the same color, attached magnets, and gave them a whole new life. If only I could give this 1980s fridge a new life — in the junkyard. But because I’m renting my apartment, I’m […]

2021-02-09T09:48:00-08:00October 8, 2008|

Sofa table = DIY piano keyboard stand

A few years ago, I achieved my dream of owning a Yamaha DX7 keyboard, the synthesizer behind that bell-quality sound of 80s pop music. But, I couldn’t just plop it on top of any keyboard stand. A former roommate gave me an old piano bench, and I found an unfinished […]

2021-01-31T06:15:33-08:00October 1, 2008|

DIY bathroom makeover on a budget

Living in a rental, there is only so much you can do when you want to upgrade your bathroom. With a wall-mounted sink and no storage to speak of, my small bathroom needed a little help. Paint isn’t an option, and the neutral tile colors limited my color choices, so I […]

2021-01-31T06:15:46-08:00September 24, 2008|

Pants hangers + drawer pulls = quick DIY picture frames

Do you have drawer pulls, pants hangers, and photos (or your children’s artwork) lying around? With a few supplies, you can hang them on the wall in minutes — and easily swap them out when the fancy strikes. The best part is drawer pulls look like antique picture hangers — for […]

2021-01-31T06:16:04-08:00September 17, 2008|

DIY mini accordion books

My first guest nesters! Jessie and Dee Lorimer gave me the instructions to make these adorable accordion-style books. They’re a little more complicated than my bound books, but they don’t require any specialized tools or supplies. They’re well worth the effort. Besides, I made a video to show you how […]

2021-03-24T10:21:19-07:00September 10, 2008|

DIY bound books

Book binding can seem intimidating because it usually requires specialized tools and costly supplies. This is an easy and inexpensive way to bind books — and it requires minimal specialized tools. Plus you can make these books any size you want. Many thanks to my friend Jessie for helping me refine […]

2021-03-24T10:21:49-07:00September 3, 2008|

DIY painted mirror

Ever since I saw it hanging on Vanessa’s wall in a photo of her home, I adored Ikea’s plastic Ung Drill picture frame ($25), but the cost of replacing the glass with an oval mirror was prohibitively expensive. Then I found this carved […]

2021-01-31T06:16:56-08:00August 20, 2008|

Plant stand = DIY tray table

I’ve seen many tray tables on the market recently. You know, the side tables with removable trays. They inspired me to make my own. My neighbor gave me this rusty old plant stand, and I knew it could make a perfect base for my round metal tray. All it took was […]

2021-01-31T06:17:06-08:00August 13, 2008|

DIY bulletin board with shutters

I found these shutters at a salvage yard. I loved their shape, but couldn’t decide what to do with them. Then it occurred to me that shutters were the perfect way to cover a bulletin board (which can look messy). It hangs right inside my entry — a great place for […]

2021-01-31T06:17:15-08:00August 6, 2008|

DIY fabric-covered lampshade & ball finial

I got this lamp for free from two sweet ladies on Craigslist. I love the base, but the shade had seen better days. I couldn’t find the perfect replacement, so I made my own. And I’ve been obsessed with round finials — which can be pricey. I […]

2021-02-16T23:31:42-08:00July 30, 2008|

My great grandmother’s doilies in thrift-store frames

My great-grandmother lived to be 93. And she loved to tat. She made me and my siblings dozens of doilies, collars, and hankies over the years. Her tatted doilies are so beautiful that I hated to see them packed away in a box in my closet. But I wasn’t about to […]

2021-01-30T20:58:30-08:00July 23, 2008|

DIY furniture-nail clock with strap

This is the easiest project I’ve attempted yet. It all started with an Ikea plant glide and furniture nails (which come in myriad colors and sizes). This clock is full of possibility. You could also glue on numbers or wood pieces, apply chalkboard paint,

2021-02-27T23:12:41-08:00July 16, 2008|

File cabinets = DIY toolbox side tables

What do you do with an ever-expanding tool supply in a small apartment already packed to the gills? Answer: toolbox side tables. I found two of these locking file cabinets on Craigslist and loaded them up with all my tools and paint. For the smaller tools, I […]

2021-01-31T06:17:59-08:00July 9, 2008|

DIY odds & ends rack

Everyone knows necessity is the mother of invention. But, I’m here to say that mistakes can also be the mother of invention. My first spice rack attempt did not go so well. I used an old sketch and didn’t double-check the measurements. Consequently, the rack was too small to hold […]

2021-01-31T06:18:09-08:00July 2, 2008|

DIY spice rack

My old spice rack wasn’t cutting it. It only held 12 tins. I’m not a prolific cook, but even I quickly outgrew it. Still, I needed a compact storage solution because I share a small kitchen with my roommate, and countertop space is limited. I couldn’t find a spice rack to […]

2021-01-31T06:18:17-08:00June 25, 2008|
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