We have all seen the old-dresser-made-to-look-new by re-painting it. But what about some more creative and innovative ways to furnish and decorate your home, while recycling materials that otherwise would end up in a land fill? Some of these pieces can be accomplished by the do-it yourself crowd, and some might need more shop skills that the ordinary person has.

Take a look at some of these pieces:

Here we have a modern chair whose seat and back is made from old CDs (probably might need some shop skills for this one).

Old ball point pens used to create a chandelier.

Old leather belts used to create flooring, but could also be applied to walls.

Wind chime created using glass rings cut from bottles.

Old entertainment center (for the giant TVs no one uses anymore) repurposed into a play kitchen for the kids.

And to reuse the giant TV, turn it into a fish tank.

Here is another chair, but this one is made from plastic water bottles.

Another chair requiring shop skills, but a great reuse for old shopping carts.

A chair made from old hard sided luggage.

 








A tiered movie/TV room made from wooden pallets.

Teacups turned into pendant lights.

As you can see, there are plenty of ideas out there to help you get those creative juices flowing. Have fun creating!

-Carol

Having just completed the previews of the winter 2012 Interior Design and Accessory Market here in Las Vegas, we thought we would share what are the latest and greatest interior design trends coming for this year and next year! As we dust off 2011 and the winter months, here are the newest ideas and trends!

Hope you are inspired!
-Larry

Last time Larry talked about paint, but now comes the best part, the painting! It doesn’t have to be hard, and anyone can do it. Here are some of my tips for getting a great paint job – by doing it yourself!

There are plenty of sites that offer how-to’s on painting, but here are some of the basic ideas with my tips that I have used on my many painting projects.

Most of the difficult and tedious part of painting is the prep work, and about 75 percent of your time will be spent doing this.

Patch holes and cracks with a filler product, sand lightly when dry; home centers or paint stores have knowledgeable personnel to guide you to the best products for the job

• I like to use my finger to apply, especially if it is a  small patch – that  way you have very little sanding to do
• I also like the colored fillers that dry white – no more guessing if it is  dry
  

Remove light switch and outlet covers and any hardware or light fixtures that     you can, replace the screws in the outlet if you have a tendency to lose things, then tape over what is left on the wall

• If new switch plates are not in the budget and the existing ones look    sad,they can be painted separately and then re-attached – just don’t    paint them in place or you won’t be able to remove them very easily

If you can’t remove something, cover it with plastic bags or plastic wrap and      tape edges

• Use plastic grocery bags for this (tape a few together if you need a larger size), don’t buy anything special

Sand or clean areas to be painted; any old dirt, grime, flaking paint, dust or  debris left on the wall could cause your new paint to peel

• Use a flat sanding block to make quick work of large areas

Tape all door and window trims and baseboards; this keeps goofs from getting on the trim

• Tedious, I know, but it really should be done

Cover the floor with a plastic or canvas drop cloth

• I like to use cardboard for this (flatten out a box and tape flaps together); it’s easy to move along with you as you paint, and you don’t have to cover the entire room at once – not to mention, the plastic drop cloths stick to your feet!

Paint the wall edges and trim areas first, using a brush

• I like a decent quality angled brush, 2” to 2 ½” wide – I use one with a long handle and one with a short rubber handle, good for tight spaces

Roll paint onto the walls with the correct roller cover; using a long handle extension keeps your ladder usage to a minimum

• I tend to roll slowly to prevent the tiny paint splatters, and you can see how good the coverage is – don’t try to “stretch” the paint too far – make sure an area is completely covered before moving on
• I like to work an area no bigger than 4’ x 4’ at a time, blending into the next area so the edges don’t dry
• If your roller cover is new, use masking tape to help get loose fibers off  before painting

If you need more than one day for your project, cover your paint tray, can, roller, brushes, etc. with plastic, making sure to get as much air out as possible to keep tools from drying out – that way you only have to clean up at the end of the job

• In our dry desert climate, I do this even when taking a break

No matter how careful you are, there will be some goofs; I like to keep a        bucket of water and a cloth rag nearby to clean up anything before it dries

Remove tape from trim and baseboards, don’t let the tape stay on for longer than a day or two

• For a really clean line, cut the dry paint with an Xacto knife along the tape edge, otherwise you may pull your new paint off the wall

Paint the door and window trims and baseboards using a paint brush – never a roller

• Put a strong rubber band across the top of the paint can to use for scraping your brush off; this keeps the can’s lip clean

If you have a fairly steady hand, you can skip some of the taping and paint    your trim freehand or use a painter’s edge – just wipe the edge off each      time you move it to keep from smearing on the newly painted wall

• Remove all jewelry
• Wear old, but comfortable clothes
• Wear slip on shoes
• Protect your hair with a scarf, shower cap, or baseball hat
• Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from splatters
• Wear gloves to protect your hands and nails – paint is difficult to remove if you are wearing nail polish
• If you can’t wear gloves, try applying hand lotion to keep the paint from sticking to your hands
• If you must have your phone nearby, keep it inside a plastic bag to protect it
• Play some music to get you going
• And don’t be shy about asking your friends to help – some people really do like to paint!

-Carol

Ah the cooler temperatures… It’s a time, especially here in the southwest United States, where we see a return to cooking and the fall comfort foods. It’s hard to believe that it is already Thanksgiving, and at no other time is the kitchen the most prevalent room in the house next to the dining room. Most of us don’t pay much mind to the size and functionality of our kitchens when it is the height of summer, but now we all wish we had more kitchen space and a larger area for dining. Here are some lovely images to stir the mind and the palate, and that just might help you in designing your future dream kitchen. 
 
Let us all remember to stop and be thankful for our lives and those around us, where we are, where we have been and where we are headed! 

Happy Thanksgiving and Bon Appétit!

The proverbial question that at one point or another we all ask. Most of us recognize the classic umbrella words like “Country, Traditional and Modern”. But these are very broad terms. What do they mean and what are styles like “Wine Country, Urban and Moderne”?

Well, really they are just more theme specific design styles that fall under the general umbrella terms. There are also terms like “Loft Style, French Country and Eclectic”. All of these really also fall under the big three! Here are some examples…

A lot of time you can mix styles like traditional Wine Country which may be like…

So Stop and ask yourself or look around and think about … “what is my style?” Are you a purist or a mixture of ideas!