Brighten a Room for $10 or Lessnew!
A fun winter challenge that could also brighten your mood.
If chilly weather is keeping you indoors long enough for your rooms to start looking drab, give yourself a $10 challenge—and a gratifying reason to get out of the house. Then head to your favorite superstore, discount store or vintage shop in search of a new home accessory.
There are lots of ways to add brightness, texture and visual interest to your home, and using a little creativity can make the challenge more fun. For example, instead of decorating with fresh flowers (a great but temporary option), try filling a vase with pinwheels or a serving bowl with colorful faux fruit, old croquet balls or even multiples of some brightly packaged sale item.
You could also add appeal not only with a visual boost but also with a new scent that recalls warm weather, like a
Glade® Candle in Suddenly Spring®.
Even if your new find makes only a subtle change, the challenge alone is a fun, inexpensive way to add a little excitement to a blah winter day.
Easy Ways to Warm Up a Room
Quick tips for a cozier setting.
Take a cue from your wardrobe.
Add winter textures like wool, cashmere and velvet. Try draping a wool blanket across a sofa or tucking it into the cushions for an instant slipcover. Stuff sweaters with pillows, sew up the openings (top, bottom and arms) and tie the sleeves in front. Or cover end tables with thin scarves and shawls.
Be inspired by your spice rack.
Color can have a warming effect, so look for earthy shades like cinnamon, curry, saffron and nutmeg. Then add a fragrance to match, like
Glade® Apple Cinnamon or
Glade® Baked Pear™ & Cinnamon Treat® Candle. If you don’t have a working fireplace, group several flickering candles in the hearth to create a warm glow.
Create rooms within rooms.
Pull furniture away from the walls; then arrange in groupings to make intimate conversation areas within larger rooms. Use small rugs to distinguish separate rooms within a room—perfect for tea for two or curling up with good book.
A Tree for the Birds
Attract birds to your yard with a tree decked out in edible decorations.
This season, try a fun, eco-friendly family activity that could very well become a longstanding tradition, according to John Schaust, chief naturalist of
Wild Birds Unlimited. "Not only that, but you're helping the birds by giving them food that can get them through the long, cold nights."
Some ideas to try: Cover pinecones with peanut butter or suet (beef or sheep fat), roll in birdseed and hang from branches with ribbons. Or make garlands out of any combination of popcorn, cranberries and peanuts in the shell. Other "ornaments" can include stale bagels hung from ribbon and millet "icicles." Birdseed, suet and millet can all be found at most pet or wild bird supply stores.
Not much of a bird watcher? You'll likely be surprised just how entertaining these creatures can be, and the birds themselves will be grateful for their abundant holiday feast.
Give and Receive with a Home-Goods Swap
Give up unwanted home items and walk away with a treasure.
One person’s unwanted bread maker is another’s starchy dream. Similar to the popular
clothing swap, a home-goods swap is easy to organize and host in one’s house.
To avoid getting overwhelmed, consider sticking to two or three general categories like kitchen appliances, decorative accessories, kid stuff, tabletop items or bedroom décor.
Establish some ground rules so you can make the event fun for all who participate.
Set a limit on the number and size of items people can bring. Large or additional items can simply be photographed and tacked onto a board.
For consistency and fairness, set price ranges, too. An easy way to value items is to base prices on the cost of buying a new one. Then group items in price ranges, like $10–$20, $21–$50 and $51–$100. (The price doesn't really matter; it's just an effective way to group and swap fairly.)
Decorate by the Book
Framed book illustrations speak volumes.
When we shop for wall décor, we usually think paintings and prints. But why spend large sums on framed art when the whimsical work of talented artists is as close as the nearest bookshelf?
Classic literature and children’s stories, particularly from the early 20th century, often contain plates—full-color illustrations printed on higher quality paper than the text pages. Matted and framed plates can lend a fanciful touch to any room, as storybook scenes come to life on your walls. For more inspired options, regular illustrations will work fine as well.
Simply cut out illustrations and frame with affordable, standard-size mats and frames from your local craft supply store. To ensure that nothing is lost in translation, clean the glass periodically with [[1104]].
Get your family involved and explore yard sales and used bookstores to find inexpensive framing options–the hunt for hidden treasures is half the fun!
Nice!
Make a Ticket-Stub Collage
Give your décor a personal touch with a framed collage of mementos.
Ticket stubs are great reminders of fun times at concerts, plays and theme parks. So why keep them tucked away in a drawer? With a little creativity and a few inexpensive craft supplies, you can create a collage that will put those fond memories on display.
The number of items you have will determine the collage size; however, sticking to standard frame and mat sizes will cost much less than choosing custom frames. Visit a craft supply store for frames, mats, poster board and multipurpose adhesive. Use acid-free paper and glue to prevent damage to delicate items like photographs.
Arrange your ticket stubs decoratively on paper, mixing in other mementos like concert program covers or the aforementioned photos. When you’ve finalized your layout, glue down the items, and when your collage is dry, mat and frame.
Use
Windex® Original Glass & Surface Wipes to keep your work of art clean, and those happy memories will always be in clear view.
Simple Subtraction Decorating
Easy steps to lightening up your home décor for summer.
“Summer is the best time to edit your design, subtracting items that weigh the look down,” says Andrew Flesher, a partner at Minneapolis-based design firm GunkelmanFlesher. “Hot weather makes us automatically yearn for an uncluttered oasis inside.” Here are some of his recommendations.
Trinkets. “Each piece of furniture should have a maximum of three standalone objects, grouped together for more impact.”
Rugs. Roll them up and store until winter, leaving floors cool and bare in summer.
Throw pillows. Four pillows maximum—two in each corner of your couch. And be sure to keep the soft surfaces and air in your home smelling fresh during summer days with
Glade® Fabric & Air Odor Eliminator. It’s perfect for couches, chairs and other soft surfaces.
Clutter. A well-designed room will be ruined by visual clutter like kids’ toys and remote controls. Store nonessential items in closed bins, wicker baskets, side-table drawers or storage ottomans.
Frozen Floral Centerpieces
Here’s how to create a center of attention for any party table.
Fill an empty milk carton with water and pretty flowers, leaves or grasses–
leaving room for expansion–and place it in the freezer. Check periodically and poke down any flowers that may float up before the water is completely frozen. Try to keep them close to walls of carton so the flowers are easiest to see.
Note: For best results, use distilled water that you have brought to a boil and cooled two times. Distilled water has no minerals, and boiling the water eliminates air bubbles to produce clearer ice.
To unveil your centerpiece, briefly run the milk carton under hot water and gently peel away the carton. Put the icy centerpiece on a tray (to catch water, from melting) and set it on the table. Lay flower blossoms across the top and around the base.
Try using other freezer-safe containers or fillers like citrus slices or small toys. Or even place serving platters above your creations to keep food chilled and your table looking beautiful.
Picture-perfect rooms
Get a new view of your space with help from a digital camera.
Whether you’re considering slightly refreshing a space or completely redecorating it, seeing it through the perspective of your digital camera can help you reimagine it in ways you never expected.
You can create a better-looking room by paying attention to the items you notice in the pictures you take. The images will help you honestly assess things like upholstery choices, clutter or awkward furniture placement, which you may not have seen before.
The best time to take a photo is daytime, when rooms are naturally illuminated. To let maximum light flow in, clean the windows with
Windex® Original Glass Cleaner, which easily removes grime and leaves windows streak free.
To get the big picture, stand on a sturdy stepladder. Those few extra steps up will give you a new point of view and provide just the distance you need to
really see things you might otherwise not notice.
Indoor Teacup Garden
Revive and reuse cracked or chipped teacups, pots and bowls by transforming them into planters for a windowsill garden.
Patterned dishware, colored ceramics and uniquely shaped containers that are chipped or damaged can be cherished again, this time, showcasing your spring plants.
New and repotted plants need extra care. Coddle them in their new teacup
containers by creating a "greenhouse" that keeps warmth and moisture inside. Place a gallon-size
Ziploc® Brand Easy Zipper Expandable Bottom Storage Bag with Fresh SHIELD™ over the planter to allow adequate room for the cup as well as plant growth. Zip closed, leaving a small opening to ventilate. Remove bag once the roots have taken hold and the plant appears hearty and healthy.
Place saucers under the cups—even mismatched ones—to catch loose soil or water drips and to display multiple plants on a sunny windowsill. Soon you’ll have fresh herbs, fragrant flowers or spring vegetables right at your fingertips.
Slipcover Magic
Transform your room in an instant with affordable, durable slipcovers.
With warmer spring weather approaching, wool or velvet upholstery can feel too dark and heavy. Instead of splurging for new furniture, revitalize your room, or give it a new look quickly and inexpensively with contemporary slipcovers.
Slipcovers come in many styles: Choose one with a straight skirt to go with both traditional and modern furniture. For a more formal look, opt for pleats or no skirt at all. Neutral fabric shades are more versatile, and you can lighten up with colorful throw pillows and accessories.
If you have an active family (or pets), look for slipcovers in durable, machine-washable canvas or cotton-polyester blends. Between washings, spot-clean stains on your slipcovers with
fantastik® OxyPower® Multi-Purpose Cleaner. Not sure if your fabric is colorfast? Test in an inconspicuous or hidden area first.
For the best fit, be sure to measure your furniture carefully. To keep slipcovers in place, invest in a tailoring set of flexible plastic rods or pins to help properly tuck the slipcover around the cushions. It’s the fastest, easiest and least expensive makeover around.
Move the Sofa by Clicking Your Mouse
Online design services make redecorating, or just dreaming about it, a breeze.
As the cold of winter keeps you nestled indoors, you may start looking for ways to make your house even homier. There’s an easy—and fast—way to try out new decorating layouts and get ideas for added touches that don’t cost a lot.
Long used by professional architects and interior decorators, computer design programs are now available for homeowners. And many software programs can be downloaded for free, such as
Floorplanner and
See My Design. Whether you’re dreaming up new layouts or just changing wall colors, you’re sure to find a program, or combination of programs, that suits your needs.
South Carolina architect Todd O’Dell agrees. "Software programs can be helpful by introducing ideas to homeowners that they might not have thought of themselves. It’s a great starting point that can save you considerable time."
Doing Up Dining In
Transform your dining area–easily and inexpensively.
We’re all staying in more and eating out less to save money. So now is the perfect time to redo your dining area. Danielle Bokor, an architectural designer and president of Bokor Consulting in Woodmere, NY, has some easy, low-cost ideas.
To start, “Paint the walls of the room, the ceiling or even a single accent wall in an attractive, unexpected and dramatic color,” suggests Bokor. Next, consider a fruit bowl. “Flowers are short-lived and a luxury to constantly replace. Set out a beautiful fruit bowl that speaks to you even when empty.” Bokor recommends using one type of fruit: “A whole bowl of clementines is a punch of color and a statement.”
Invite gentle warmth and subtle scent into your home with
Glade® Candle. They provide quality fragrance at a great value. And when you finally sit down to eat, Bokor recommends swapping brightly colored placemats based on mood or season.
Ingenious & “Green” Gift Wrap
Save money and stay greener for the holidays.
These days, the cost of holiday gift wrap and tags can add up easily. Save money and make something more personal by choosing unusual and green alternatives.
One easy option is the plain brown paper that comes in packages you get in the mail. The crinkled effect is interesting, and your kids can embellish the paper with designs. Or, if you’re an expert crafter, it’s a blank canvas on which to work your magic.
If you have access to an international newsstand, the images and symbols of foreign-language newspapers and magazines can be used for an artistic wrap. Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and Italian periodicals are good options for their eye-catching and colorful designs. A collage of crossword puzzles or lively comics also creates a fun look
Last, consider creating custom gift tags out of tickets. Train, plane or concert tickets, museum ticket stubs, as well as paint or fabric swatches—all make unique tags that are far more creative than anything store bought.
Light Up the Night
Welcome your evening guests with a well-lit entryway.
As the days grow shorter, ensure the path to your door is safe and secure—before trick-or-treaters arrive.
Check outdoor and solar lights edging walkways for loose or frayed wiring. If the lights are on a timer, see if the batteries need to be replaced. Then clean off the light bulbs with
Windex® Multi-Surface Wipes. These wipes also provide a quick, convenient clean of glass and many other surfaces.
If your pathway is a light-reflecting color, like concrete, you can use lower-voltage bulbs. For darker surfaces, such as brick, go with a brighter light.
Trim any shrubs or branches that block light. And look for shadowy areas of your yard that could benefit from illumination.
Give your guests the right first impression by using
Windex® Original Glass Cleaner to clean your front door and entryway windows to a glowing, streak-free shine. Then greet your guests with a bright, warm welcome.
Personal and Creative Centerpieces
Put aside that typical vase of flowers and get creative with your dining-table centerpiece.
As you're setting the table for your next get-together, think outside the box—or rather, the vase. Flowers on the table are always beautiful, but you can make centerpieces that better reflect your personal style by looking around your house and yard for meaningful objects that tell a story or set a mood.
For example, to evoke a natural, autumnal feel, you could arrange pinecones or mock oranges down the center of the table. Thinking of summer? Bring back that breezy feeling with a glass bowl filled with seashells from a memorable vacation. Fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden, mounded in a decorative bowl, can also make a pretty focal point—and a statement about your love of gardening.
If you're still set on flowers, mix it up for your guests with an easy and stunning
Sunken Flowers arrangement using a glass bowl, some blooms from your yard and
Saran™ Premium Wrap.
Cool Off with an Aquarium
Add one to your home and enjoy the cooling effect of water—no matter how hot the summer gets.
"An aquarium creates a beautiful, tranquil fluidity," says interior designer Phillip Hunsaker. When you stock it with bright tropical fish, "the changing color is like a meditative escape, and it's a nice alternative to having a TV on."
Integrating an aquarium into a bookshelf unit, placing it on a decorative stand or building it into a wall are all effective ways of seamlessly incorporating the tank into your décor.
When furnishing your tank, take color cues from the room to help pull everything together. Hunsaker suggests using glass pebbles or river rocks and organically shaped blown-glass objects (such as heavy glass balls or vases) as a nice alternative to typical pet store accessories.
Above all, if you're going to invest in an aquarium, plan to keep it spotless and clean. For the interior, follow the advice of a trusted aquarium expert. For the exterior, nothing beats the streak-free shine of [[1104]]. And when you use wipes instead of spray, you'll avoid the risk of spraying cleaning product into the same water as your fish.
Hot Topic August 2008
Expand Your Yard’s Horizons
You can make your backyard seem larger by creating a variety of seating areas, each with an individual feel.
According to Frank Cushing, head designer at
J&M Home and Garden, most yards, big or small, have the potential to accommodate a variety of uses. “You can make areas that are homey, romantic or just a place to spend time with the kids and relax,” says Cushing.
To create instant kid-size chairs, try setting tree stumps of various sizes in a
circle. Two comfy benches around a fire pit form a cozy gathering space for family and friends. And a small table with two chairs next to a flower garden is ideal for an intimate chat by the flickering candle of a relightable, refillable and mosquito-repelling
OFF!® PowerPad® Lamp & Lantern. For refreshing changes of perspective, make sure each of your seating arrangements has a unique view or focal point.
Cushing encourages people to get creative. “You can really make your backyard feel like a whole different place.”
Hot Topic for July 2008
Your Roses can be Red—and Green
Add color and style to your celebrations with earth-friendly flowers.
Whether you’re hosting a bridal shower, graduation party or family reunion, there’s nothing quite like fresh flowers in a vase or
floating in a bowl to make everything look and feel extra special. But did you know that there are now readily available flowers grown the old-fashioned way—with healthy soil and plenty of TLC? These flowers are as pretty and as fresh as the ones that you may be used to buying, and by choosing them you’re helping to protect the planet while brightening up your home.
Whenever possible, look in your local supermarket or florist for blooms that are
VeriFlora®-certified. VeriFlora® is a program that certifies that flowers have been grown in an environmentally responsible way, while still providing the freshness and quality that you’d want to display.
More good news: VeriFlora® flowers generally cost about the same as regular flowers. Beautiful flowers that are better for the planet and don’t cost you a bundle? Now that’s something to celebrate!
Hot Topic for June 2008
Create a Wall of Laughter
We all hang photos in our homes; the trick is in how we group them.
Suzanne Perrin, an interior designer who creates personalized spaces, loves the idea of organizing photos around an uplifting theme like laughter. She says just “capture family and friends over time with their contagious smiles and joyous laughter, and place the pictures on a prominent wall that you walk past every day.”
She suggests a few tips to make this work. Be quick with that camera! Choose frames that suit your style—casual or formal. Lay out the photos on the floor to see what arrangement works. And use a level and a measuring tape when you hang the frames.
“Everyone will smile when they walk past, even you,” says Suzanne. “And your visitors will be stealing this idea for their own!”
You’ll want to make sure those happy faces stay visible, so remember to use your
Pledge® Multi Surface Duster to keep all those cheery photos free of dust.
Hot topic for May 2008
Recycle Your Favorite Clothes
At Craftology, an Atlanta craft studio, students learn to make totes, quilts, aprons and more—often using fabric repurposed from old clothes.
“Recycling your own treasures is very inexpensive and another way of saving our resources,” says Carla Fonseca, owner of Craftology.
If you’re like most of us, your closet is probably filled with old favorites you can’t bear to throw away. So give them new life by stitching them into a quilt, a pillow, an apron or even a new piece of clothing.
Get started by weeding through your old duds and snipping away usable pieces. Keep your scraps sorted and dust free in
Ziploc® Brand Storage Bags. Once you’ve gathered a good assortment, lay them out to visualize arrangements of colors and a pattern. And then start sewing! Even novice sewers can master a basic project, aided by instructions from crafting websites or classes.
Says Fonseca, “Be sure to tell your family the story behind each piece of fabric. It will be a nice legacy that will be enjoyed for years to come.”
Hot Topic for April 2008
Accessorizing with care
Spring cleaning isn’t only about getting rid of dust and dirt. It can also mean clearing away accessory clutter.
Try displaying just a few family photos rather than 10. It’s a cleaner look, focusing attention on your loved ones rather than the assorted frames. “When there are many of one type of thing, the objects themselves become less important,” said Lisa Simone of Shea + Simone Architects in Pittsburgh.
Simone recommends “editing” your home accessories. Don’t worry—you can display everything periodically by changing what you put out from time to time. Choose light, simple objects for the spring; save pieces with a rich, heavier feel for the fall and winter.
Once you
free up some space, you might decide to get one fresh, new item for spring. How about choosing an accessory that serves another purpose? There are companies and grass-roots organizations that channel profits from the sale of some items to good causes. These products with a purpose serve larger goals, while letting you make great design choices for the spring.
Hot Topic for March 2008
Lampshade Change-Ups
Try this easy and inexpensive way to add flair to a room.
A lampshade, like a hat, is an accessory that makes a big impact for a small investment. With the wide range of choices available today, you should be able to find a lampshade that refreshes the look of a room, reflects your home’s personality and just makes you happy.
There’s only one rule: a lampshade should cover the bulb and lamp hardware. Otherwise—whether round, square, paper, silk, traditional or modern—the choice is yours. “It just needs to look good to you,” says Sue Johnson, lamp designer for 35 years and owner of Sue Johnson Custom Lamps & Shades in Berkeley, California. “When you look around a room, you should be able to say, ‘I’m home. This is me.'”
But before you go shopping, Johnson suggests this clever strategy: gather your lamps together and simply switch the shades around. You might hit on an amazing combination you’d never have imagined, or be inspired by an unlikely pairing. In any case, Johnson is all for shining a light on this home accessory, and she adds a final tip: “Really look at the lamp and shade as a unit. They should look dynamite together.”
Hot Topic for February 2008
Brighten Up With Paperwhites
With a few bulbs, some pebbles and a pot, sweet-smelling blossoms are just weeks away.
“Whether you have a green thumb or don’t know a spade from a trowel,
paperwhites are pretty much guaranteed to bloom,” says Katherine Brooks, a Virginia-based gardener and landscape designer. “And since they’re so easy to plant and care for, paperwhites are a terrific project for children who have such fun checking on their daily progress. Plus, it teaches kids about patience,” says Brooks, the mother of two.
Paperwhites’ fragrant, snowy-white blossoms are especially welcome during the short days of January and February, when the glitter and glow of the holidays are long gone. “Imagine waking up to the sweet smell of paperwhites,” says Brooks. “What a wonderful way to begin a dark winter morning!” For that reason, Brooks always keeps a pot of paperwhites in her bedroom, in addition to the ones in her entrance hall and kitchen.
To see how easy it is (really!) to grow them, check out our
simple step-by-step instructions. Happy planting!
Hot Topic for January 2008
Miniature Citrus Trees
Bring some sun inside all winter long with varieties of tart and tasty dwarf citrus you can grow indoors.
Think that fragrant blooms and brightly colored fruits are just a summertime treat? Miniature citrus trees can flourish into the winter. All they need is a bright sunny spot indoors and a little bit of TLC.
Many varieties have been bred so that they can be planted in containers and brought inside for the winter. And if you choose wisely, you may even get a crop of delicious fruit that you can eat right off your own tree or share with friends.
Meyer lemon—a cross between a sweet orange and a lemon—is one of the most popular mini citrus trees. “The large, rich-flavored Meyer lemons can hang on the tree for a long time, like enormous gold jewels” says April Gonzales of April Gonzales Garden Design in Southampton, New York. “When they flower, the fragrance is extraordinary.”
Other miniature trees that are good bets for producing flowers and fruit indoors include the kaffir lime, Meiwa kumquat and calamondin (its fruit has a tart lime-orange flavor).
For more information, check out
www.meyerlemontree.com or
www.fourwindsgrowers.com.
Hot Topic for November 2007
Preserving Autumn Leaves
Collect and preserve autumn leaves to bring the beauty of the season into your home.
As the fall foliage starts to change, consider turning autumn leaves into decorative home accents. “Colorful maple leaves in rich fall reds and coppers make beautiful centerpieces,” says Natalie, a New Hampshire homemaker. She piles them into baskets and bowls and clusters them around lamp bases. Her daughter Rita creates leafy mobiles by stringing individual leaves on thread or fishing line. Others create leaf collages to frame or mount in shadowboxes—the possibilities go on and on.
The key to leaf crafts though is to keep the leaves from crumbling, curling or turning brown. On an ironing board place the leaves between two sheets of wax paper with the waxy side on the leaf. Cover with brown paper (like a grocery bag) and iron on medium heat. The iron will melt the wax onto the leaf, preserving not only its shape but its color.
If you live where foliage changes aren’t so dramatic, cut orange, yellow and red tissue paper in geometric shapes and place them on leaves before ironing. For an even more festive touch, add metallic paper or gold glitter. And after the season is over, store the leaves in a cool, dry place for next year.
Hot Topic for October 2007