Fall is in the air! Mornings are crisp and chilly (back to school weather), days bright and sunny, and evenings cool and perfect for a cozy night’s sleep!
I decided to gather up and feature three favorite fall projects from the DIYShowOff archives. So here we go!
Fall Favorites:
Fall dream catcher wreath tutorial: my all time favorite! Isn’t it beautiful? It’s large and in charge and a statement that doesn’t go un-noticed!
Wooden candy corn decorative accents. Cute and whimsical and so much better than there real thing! Well, at least in my opinion. What do you think? Are you addicted? I remember mom filling the candy dish. And I’m pretty sure they were purely decorative until they formed one hard mass at the end of the season. lol
Decorating with non-traditional autumn colors can be a challenge but I can’t wait to tackle our dining room fall decorating again this year! The DIYShowOff 2017 fall home tour has lots of inspiration!
Those are DIYShowOff’s most popular fall blog posts and my favorite too! Are you ready for fall? Are you an all things pumpkin spice loving, mum planting, autumn leaf raking, sweater and boots, warm fuzzy throws and mulled cider fanatic? What’s your favorite thing about this time of year?
Project Diary Entry #7: The bathroom makeover continues! We’re sealing an old original ‘decorative’ vintage brick chimney today!
The full bathroom at the studio property I’m working on was completely covered in paneling or what my husband refers to painted cardboard. For real. What is that stuff?! Even the claw foot tub and pedestal sink was boxed in with the same material! Why?!
Follow the before and after makeover journey —> #helloredreno
Before:
Yikes! (And no worries, we did repair the roof. It was top priority and the very first project.) But seriously. That paneling. What the….?!
Recap:
We tore it all away! Oh my! You guys…I know it’s dirty but do you see the potential?
Included was this bump out beside a built in cabinet (another feature I love!)…
which revealed an original brick chimney…
Rustic! Texture! A buried treasure! And just like making one of the gorgeous wood plank walls a feature of the bathroom by leaving it exposed…
I couldn’t bear to cover up all that gorgeous old brick. Know what I mean? It’s completely decorative and not functional but the texture and pretty color variations! Oh man! The old gas register is staying as well.
But it did have a dirty dull finish. Blah!
What I did:
We gave it a good scrubbing with a wire brush to remove all of the filth and crumbles.
And after talking with the professionals at Rust-Oleum, I used the RockSolid Natural Look Concrete Sealer (low gloss clear).
I simply applied it with a brush, making sure to get into all of the nooks and crannies. And watching for drips. I gave it one thorough coat and plan to do another. It’ll have dried several days by the time I get around to the second coat. It goes on white but dries clear.
This product sealed it all in and provided a beautiful low gloss finish (nothing TOO shiny, not a high gloss or lacquered finish) that brought out the various vibrant colors and gave it a clean surface. It reminds me of an eggshell or satin finish.
Conclusion:
So, this 114 square foot bathroom has a lot going on but I am in LOVE with all of the original charm.
Do you embrace and work with the original old character or prefer removing or covering it for a clean slate?
Next up on the bathroom remodel:
Paint, baseboards, {possible} vintage cast iron tub re-finishing, installing the toilet, vanity, sconce lights and my favorite part…decorating and the reveal! Oh. And probably cutting down 6 doors since re-doing the floors raised them. Not looking forward to that part but things are moving along. Stay tuned!
The building has so much historical charm. It’s about one block from our town’s Main Street. The bus stop is literally steps away. There are breweries, the YMCA, shops, restaurants, salons, florists, candy/coffee shop, holiday parades and festivals within walking distance. So fun! If renovation from blah to ahhhhh is your thing, stay tuned!
So subscribe and be reminded of updates as the renovations progress! I’ll share before and after photos, projects underway and updates, plans and design boards, sources and links as they relate as well as fun events going on in and around the downtown area. I’ll be using a specific hashtag on social media to keep things all neat and tidy and organized.
I welcome your thoughts and ideas! And as always, thanks for your encouragement and support and for sharing in my joy and vision! Watch for #helloredreno!
Color Lovers Blog Tour: Welcome, color loving friends! I’m so happy you’re here! The time has come! The day we’ve all been waiting for! Can’t wait to see – 10 bloggers, 10 room makeover reveals as a part of the Color Lovers series! Here’s one of them on the tour. My dining room from blah to ta-da!
Let’s take a look at the before and after of my dining room, let me know what you think in the comments below and then be sure to visit the other makeovers designed by our talented blog friends at the end of this post for more color loving inspiration. Ready? Let’s go!
I’m so excited! It’s time for the dining room reveal! If you like what you see, I’ve included some affiliate links below. Okay, here we go! My dining room was neutral to start…
The Before:
My dining room has very little natural light. So adding fun colorful elements took it from gloomy to cheerful! Hey, I’m a neutral loving girl too, but I was ready for some fun pops of color in that bland uninspired dining room.
The Plan: (see THIS post for more details)…my design board included a beautiful color combination of navy and chartreuse, blush and gray.
…finally, a room with some fun personality and color! Decorative accessories + paint = a color lovers’ dream! I love the power of paint, don’t you? Take a look!
The reveal:
{above: extra large serving tray basket no longer available…I’ve had it for years}
Comparison:
before
after
before
after
before
after
Shop the room: What are your favorites from the design? (Some affiliate links included where applicable. TY!)
The Mine has an enormous gorgeous selection of unique fine furnishings to bring in texture and color through decorative home accessories.
Add beauty to the walls and bring in fun pops of color with paper and fabrics. Minted has such a beautiful selection of stationery, wall art and fabrics.
Color Lovers Blog Tour: 10 color loving bloggers working on 10 colorful rooms! Are you ready for some ideas on adding color to your home? You hit the jackpot! Follow the tour below and stay tuned!
The Challenge: Our dining room is looking kind of stale and uninspired. It’s hard to tell in photos but it needs a paint job pretty bad and well, while I LOVE neutrals too (have I mentioned my design-mutt style?), I am ready to add some color to my neutral base. It’s usually looking like something along these lines…
::yawnnnn::
Nice enough. Clean. Bland. It’s time to liven things up with some color, baby!
Before: See the patch work for nail holes, dings, cracks and scratches in the walls below? These walls require some TLC! Since this room doesn’t have direct access to a window (although behind where I’m standing to take the photo is a set of French doors in another small room), there’s little to no natural lighting so it’s important to keep paint options light and bright but oh man, if you know me, I do love being creative so I might have something special planned for that back wall. Watch out! I’m armed with my FrogTape and ready to go!
See how dark the room typically is?
Okay friends, so here’s the plan: feel free to tell me your thoughts in the comments. If they’re nice. haha. Just kidding. Constructive criticism welcome!
• Walls & ceiling: Freshen up the ceiling and walls. The walls will be neutral and light for the most part (again, those lighting issues) with the exception of maybe something fun on that back wall. The ceiling was actually a lighter shade than the precious taupe-y walls at one point but as you can tell below, definitely not clean crisp white. That’s changing!
•Sliding door: I still swoon over this door. I’ve considered repainting it for a change /something different but I am still so in LOVE with the chartreuse color so it’s staying! However, I’m adding frosted contact paper to the windows to give the bedroom privacy (there’s currently a dark curtain there…blah). The frosted film will still allow some of that natural lighting to make it’s way into the dark dining room but provide privacy between the rooms.
My thoughts on decorating and loving color: I looooove bringing in color with paint and decorative accents. Why? Mostly because I love to rearrange and redecorate often. I find that keeping the furniture (those big ticket items) neutral allows for adding and changing color schemes whenever the itch to do so hits me. And I get itchy often. Wait. That doesn’t sound so good, does it? lol What I mean is…I find that my reward for ‘cleaning’ is re-arranging and redecorating. It keeps things fresh and motivates me to get the sweeping, dusting, picking up tasks done. So for me personally, change happens often in my home. It makes me happy.
Summary: Paint and decorative accessories are easy to change so do what you love! I’m no stranger to colorful accents. Remember this fun room? Not everyone’s cup of tea but my family room was so colorful-carnival, I couldn’t help but smile in there. Ya know?
Anyway…back to the dining room and adding color there!
• Keep: existing handmade barn wood dining room table, built-ins (I’m always tempted to tear those out but…they’re so functional I’d be crazy to do away with them, ya know?) and existing light fixture (still love it so working with it). Those two built-ins are actually a very light shade of blue. I’m ready for them to be white so I never have to paint them again in my lifetime.
• Built In Cabinets: I guess previous homeowners had a LOT to display since out of the 4 corners in the dining room, 3 have built-in cabinets. Well, who doesn’t love storage? So they stay. I’ve lived 10 years with being able to see what’s in the built in cabinets and it’s not always pretty. The best of intentions sometimes get out of control. My plan is to hide the contents. I love this lace pattern privacy window film (affiliate link) on the two matching built-ins for hidden storage. Spray painting hardware.
before…peeling light blue paint
after will be fresh, crisp and clean.
The other built in cabinet shown below will get a fresh restyling.
• Design board: I am SO super excited for this fresh colorful update!!!
Update the seating. Birch Lane is an affordable shopping destination with classic designs.
Add beauty to the walls. Minted has such a beautiful selection of stationery, wall art and fabrics.
The Mine has a killer selection of unique fine furnishings for my plan to bring in a few feminine touches and color through decorative home accessories.
I am in LOVE! What are your thoughts? Not vibrant but certainly color lovin'! Think it's not colorful enough? Just wait and see! It might look muted in the plans but it's going to make my boring dining room bright and colorful!
before
I feel it's versatile. I'd have no problem adding in maroon or magenta, teal or turquoise, gold or silver, black or brown or even eggplant...lots of color options for adding colorful seasonal accessories.
Mark your calendar! Stay tuned! On June 27th, stop back to see how a coat of paint, some DIY and a color palette of blush, gray, navy and chartreuse give my tired dining room a bright and colorful new look!
Longing for some more Color Lovers eye candy? Visit these talented blog friends in the Color Lovers tour. Prepare to be wowed and inspired!
SPRING floral centerpiece? “What the heck, DIYShowOff?! It’s still winter!” I know. I know! But I’m not a fan ::whine:: so let me indulge in thinking ahead to warmer days, fresh air and specifically, a spring with no snow. Okay? Okay! haha! For real, my Michaels Maker Challenge for February is “spring florals” so let’s embrace that pretty theme by collecting inspiration for the next upcoming season, starting with this gorgeous spring centerpiece! My inspiration was a spring theme around this beautiful Indigo Luxe/Aria (Celebrate It) wired ribbon: blues/indigo and navy, purples/eggplant and plum, oranges with white. Not colors I’d normally coordinate but oh my – how pretty, you guys! Right? Hey, Mr. Moss bunny thinks so! Look at his content expression…
Okay, so it might be February, but there is a breath of fresh air, happy florals and spring in the aisles of Michaels Stores! Michaels has over 1,800 blooms & greenery in their new Flower Market, including trendy succulents and real-touch flowers.
spring floral centerpiece tutorial
Materials I used:
grapevine basket
moss bunny
wired ribbon (2 1/2 in. x 3 yards)
florals
floral tape
optional: hot glue or twine
Tools: wire cutters
What I did: (Yes, in the event that you spy micro-fleece in the images below…I create in my pajamas. Doesn’t everyone?)
Unravel the ribbon, snip the ends to make them pretty. Get approval from the cat, then proceed to the next step.
(I cut out a “v” in the ends of mine) and find the center of the ribbon.
Starting at the spot where one side of the handle meets the basket, tuck the ribbon into the grapevine.
Repeat along each side, meeting at the other side where the handle meets the basket.
Secure ribbon to basket with hot glue or like me, simply weave twine in the ribbon loops inside the basket and tie.
Tie a bow where the ends of the ribbon meet at the handle and embellish with a flower if desired.
Using wire cutters, separate floral bundles. I have 2 pretty pre-assembled store-bought bouquets. I keep those intact and add more flowers to them for more color. Not shown: secure bouquets by winding floral tape (grab your decorative washi tape in a pinch) to bind stems.
Then tuck bouquets inside of the basket.
Nestle in a moss bunny…
Display on dining room or side table. Now it’s beginning to look like spring!
I think it’s the perfect decorative accent and spring centerpiece to display starting right after Valentine’s Day up until Memorial Day.
This smug moss bunny agrees. How about you?
Even the back side is looking good…
I’m loving the unexpected color assortment…
And know what else? I’m really tempted to head back to Michaels for all of this romantic spring decor to finishing the look. ::drool::
Looking for more inspiration? Make sure you visit Michaels’ blog, The Glue String beginning today at 10 a.m. CST, to see the rest of the Michaels Makers’ spring floral project ideas.
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Like this? Please pin it to your favorite Spring Pinterest board for future reference and then give it a shout out on social media if you’re so inclined. Sending you a BIG virtual thank you hug!
It’s been a while since I shared an update of the progress going on at mom’s house. It’s still a work in progress but wait until you see how far along things are coming, especially since their current home sold in less than 24 hours of being on the market. TIME TO HUSTLE! Disclosure: We received product in exchange for this review. Take a look!
Before:
The living room before was narrow with a outside concrete wall separating what may have been a sun porch. See the green wall above? That’s the living room area and where it ends. See the red room below? That’s the sun porch(?) on the other side…
and the fireplace wall before…
After…To make the living room space larger to accommodate our family gatherings, the concrete wall was removed. I love how the space is now flooded with light with the concrete wall gone, new drywall in place, a wood-planked ceiling in progress and the installation of sliding glass doors.
But now there’s an eye sore on the ceiling. There’s no missing that big steel beam in the photos above.
And now there’s not…WOW!
…it’s a gorgeous rustic wood beam with iron accents. Right?
That’d be quite labor intensive not to mention expensive. Want to know a secret?
We received this amazing product from AZ Faux Beams. It’s a faux beam! “Old Timber” in ‘walnut’ to be exact. It’s lightweight and fake but looks SO real! And it’s stunning!
What it is: A hollow lightweight resin with a rustic wood look! What?! No way! Yes. It really is!
What we did. And by we, I mean my mom and I did the measurements, design/color selection and ordering. Butch and my brother Christopher did the manual labor involved with installation. Oh, we supervised too.
Measurements.
Order.
Cut to size, shave inside down if needed.
Install.
Secure.
Caulk and add decorative trim.
Isn’t it gorgeous? It draws your eye to their pretty planked ceiling and compliments the beautiful rustic ceiling fans. Check out AZ Faux Beams to see all of the options! Let’s take a look at repeat before and after shots:
“Before” (two spaces separated by a concrete wall)
Same angle “After” (wall is gone and there is an addition of a half bathroom on the right…for guests and quick access once the swimming pool is installed outside those sliding glass doors).
before…
after (wall removed)
before…looking from the kitchen
after, standing in that widened doorway
Crazy transformation, right? I promise it’s the same space! The story continues!
Next up: Moving in is right around the corner. I can’t wait to show you the complete before and afters of the entire house from gut to renovation to reveal.
How to Decorate with Air Plants – The Lunar Fae Way:
I’m so happy to introduce you to my talented & beautiful daughter, Evangeline from The Lunar Fae, sharing some tips on how to decorate with air plants.
“Have you heard of incredible wonder of nature that is the air plant yet?
Meet Tillandsia. This little lady is easily becoming my favorite plant to decorate with, due to how very low maintenance she is! She doesn’t care for soil (score! neither do I, my cats dig it up), she only needs watering once a week and if you forget for a day or two, she probably won’t die either (double score! How can I be expected to hydrate the life of others on a regular basis when I’m just grasping how to hydrate mine!?)
My current obsession is mixing plants with my other obsession, crystals! There’s just something soooo pleasing about a plant emerging from crystal coated caverns or a chunky mineral.
Have any geodes laying around? My lovely, add an air plant! You won’t be sorry and it’ll probably make you appreciate the geode more regularly too!
Have any votive gemstone candle holders? Add an air plant! Most candles are full of toxins anyways.
Have an empty jar, planter, or dying terrarium? Add some faux moss or river rocks, an air plant, and fill that shiz with shiny crystals!
Seriously. There is no way to go wrong with this. In just a few easy steps you can have a beautiful, unique piece of art that also serves a larger purpose!
Obsessed yet?
If you’re looking for some crystals or air plants, I’ve got both in my shop for the time being.
Thanks for reading and considering adopting some Tillandsia into your boho home!“
Stunning! I received one of her gorgeous creations for Mother’s Day and I’m in love! (and it’s still alive – a big deal with me & plants!) I invite you to visit Evangeline at her blog, The Lunar Fae and The Lunar Fae shop to get more ideas and inspiration. Use code “DIYSHOWOFF” for 11% off order over $5!
Spring is right around the corner (so they say) and I couldn’t be cheering any louder! BRING IT ON! …with a spring succulents arrangement!
Michaels’ Makers’ March Challenge is all about spring floral and decor and you know Michaels’ has everything you need to fill your home touches of succulent spring decor! I wanted to pack up the entire spring floral department to create a flower market. Prettiest peonies that I cannot kill. For.real. And a new line of fab boho decor to boot! Go! Arm yourself with coupons!
This trip I simply settled for succulents and a few spring accents but I see another shopping trip in my near future. After the gloom of winter, I’m ready for happy spring buds and bouquets and freshening up each room with some happiness and color. How about you?
Okay, on to the spring succulents arrangement tutorial and pretty decorative accents, eh?
spring succulents arrangement
(or succulent robin’s eggs and no, that’s not a recipe for breakfast)
What I used:
paper mache´eggs
acrylic craft paint (robin’s egg blue and something dark like espresso brown)
paint brushes (one with short bristles)
X-acto knife/utility knife
faux mini-succulents
optional: hot glue
decorative accessories: ceramic egg crate, pitcher/vase, your choice of gorgeous blooms from the floral dept.
What I did:
I ‘cracked’ my paper mache´ eggs using an X-acto knife, cutting them in half with a zigzag pattern.
I pulled them apart. If the paper pulls away, great! If it stays attached, great! Go with the flow. Mine pulled off. I used the plastic layer instead.
Color the outside of the eggshells with paint and let dry.
This next step is messy. Apply dark paint to a short bristled paint brush. Using your finger to fan the bristles, splatter dark paint onto the outside of the eggshells. My brush had longer bristles, so I got more of a 1980’s splattered paint look but it’s okay! And again, you’ll make a mess. Brown paint isn’t pretty under your fingernails either. But it does wash off. Let paint speckles/splatters dry.
Then fill eggshells with succulents. Hot glue if desired. Place into the pretty ceramic egg crate or a nest. Tuck them in floral arrangements. Decorate for spring! So cute!
Awe, look…newly hatched spring succulents! So proud!
Are you ready for spring? Time to freshen up your decor with spring florals and some new decorative accents!
Looking for more inspiration? Visit Michaels’ new Floral Market! It has over 500 new blooms (FIVE HUNDRED!) and freshly picked projects make this the prettiest spring ever! Swap out a few decor pieces, add a lovely floral arrangement. Completely transform your home for the fresh, new season.
Not sure where to begin? Take a look at some of the fun projects on Michaels.com or the other 49 Makers’ ideas on The Glue String for to see how they personalized their crafts by visiting the talented bloggers below:
Because of tight budgets and a desire to make a pretty home, I’m no stranger to using natural accents and being creative with plants and natural elements from our back yard by incorporating them into our decor from succulents in teacups to a nature-themed baby shower to my husband working on creating a log-handle for his beloved Big Green Egg as I’m typing up this blog post.
There’s just something “real” about adding bits of nature to my decorating that make it feel alive.
So I was so super excited when a) our sweet friend, Stacy from Not Just a Housewife, was publishing a book and b) when I found out it was all about bringing the outdoors in with natural accents! Beautiful, natural budget friendly decorating inspiration?! Yes, please!
My summer has been crazy but I finally had the time to enjoy flipping through the pages, losing myself in gorgeous staging and decorating and discovered so much inspiration.
I loved that it’s more than a decorating book. It’s filled with beautiful photos, helpful tips, 35 tutorials and fresh new ideas. Natural elements can add texture to design and Stacy’s thoughts, memories and writing add an additional beautiful dimension to the pages of this helpful book. I love it! I think you’ll love it and want to add this book to your collection too!
I have my favorites DIY projects bookmarked and I’m already referring back to it for tips on keeping cut flowers and houseplants in tip top shape!
I’ve had old industrial milk can laying around, collecting dust (cobwebs too) just waiting for a fun DIY and repurposing it for a fun side table to add some charm to the patio seemed like just the right idea.
round wicker-like tray (also found…thrift store, I think)
What I did:
I like the distressed/dinged up paint finish but it needed a little pizazz. I gave it a good cleaning, then using FrogTape, I added some bold stripes.
A spider crawled out of that hole too! Yikes! Once that was taken care of, using my thumbnail, I burnished the edges of the FrogTape to ensure crisp clean stripes.
I applied two coats of black paint. Paint. Dry. Paint.
Right after I applied the second coat, while the paint was still wet, I carefully removed the FrogTape then let the paint dry.
Secure a tray using whatever method you find best (glue and clamps, screws, etc.), (a round wooden table top or an old clock would be cool too) and ta-da! A fun side table for our patio:
I added in some coordinating accent pillows and I have a fun new look to a usually neutral area. The old industrial milk can is a great conversation starter too.
LOVE IT! Have you added any fun elements to your outdoor areas this summer?
*I received compensation to complete this project for using FrogTape® products. All opinions, projects and ideas are based on my own experience.
Since my board was stored in the basement, I cleaned away the dust.
Then measured and marked the center of my board.
Next I applied FrogTape to create a sunburst design, starting from the center marking. I just placed my pieces randomly.
Using a gift card, I burnished the edges of the tape to get clean crisp lines.
Then painted each area, applying paint in the direction of the wood grain with a foam brush.
While paint was still wet, I carefully removed the Frogtape then let my painting dry.
Add picture hanging hardware or use velcro hangers to display the masterpiece! It fills the space nicely and adds pops of color. Fun! A great way to add a big statement for little cost.
{notice the photobomber? lol!}
I’m not very “artistic” when it comes to painting but a geometric pattern is something anyone can do. Coordinate colors with your existing decor, make a big statement without breaking the bank.
Spring cleaning always inspires a bit of decorating and freshening up around the house. Today, an old side table gets a fun new look and a pop of color for the reading nook. Side table makeover:
There’s a section of our living room near the built in shelving that I like to call our reading nook. It’s a place for displaying my DIY, decorating, home improvement book collection. A place where I enjoy curling up and flipping through the pages of the latest issue of my favorite home magazines.
Things to consider when creating a reading nook:
Bookshelves or bookcases are a must-have for display and organization. In our home, I use a section of built-ins in the living room.
Comfortable seating. I chose two Nico Accent Chairs by Sauder. I love the sturdiness, traditional design, durable linen fabric and fun print in neutral colors with nailhead trim for completing the look and function in this space.
Lighting: Everyone knows that reading in the dark was bad for our eyes, right? You’ll want to make sure there’s some sort of adequate lighting to provide a bright atmosphere for reading. I currently use a pole lamp but would love to incorporate some wall mounting lighting.
Accessories: A collection of books (and/or magazines) of course,
a warm comfy throw,
a foot stool (I’m still scouring estate and yard sales), coordinating accent pillows
and a few decorative accents that reflect your style.
Everything needed to inspire quiet time and reading. It’s my favorite spot in our living room, a little library corner.
Using my FrogTape, I taped off rectangles onto the front of the bins….
I burnished the edges of the tape with my thumbnail…
and gave each rectangle label area two coats of chalkboard paint.
While the paint was still wet, I carefully removed the FrogTape to reveal crisp clean paint lines! I let the paint dry.
I labeled the bins using a chalkboard marker.
Now toiletries, first aid supplies and extras can be easily spotted.
Disclaimer: I received compensation to complete this project for using FrogTape® products. All opinions, projects and ideas are based on my own experience.
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