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How to Plan Your Dream Kitchen

Are you ready to build your dream kitchen? It all starts with a good plan. By taking time to meticulously plan your dream kitchen, you will get the best possible outcome from your investment. Here are some tips for how to plan your dream kitchen, courtesy of O’Hanlon Kitchens, Inc.

Choose a Trusted Company to Help You Build Your Dream Kitchen

You may think of doing this last, but don’t! Choosing a kitchen remodeling company at the start will greatly help you in the design process. You can work with a designer to plan your dream kitchen, keeping in mind your budget, your current and future goals, and much more. Use their experience to pinpoint the exact features you want in your dream kitchen and learn how quickly that dream can become a reality.

Designers are talented at sourcing high-end products at affordable prices and many companies offer free design with the hope you will use them for the construction project. Choose a company that doesn’t use high-pressure sales. A good kitchen designer will give you time to access your options, adjust your vision based on your budget and get the dream kitchen you want.

Make a List of Must-Have Features

This is your dream kitchen, not just a slightly better version of your current kitchen. What features would you love to have in it? Maybe you want double ovens because you host the holidays. Perhaps you’ve always wanted a pot filler over the stove to quickly add water while you cook. Maybe your biggest dream is to have soft-shut drawers, hidden cabinet pulls or a farmhouse sink. Whatever your dreams may be, write them down. Then you can talk to your designer about which features you can incorporate in your dream kitchen.

Think of Any Issues You Have with Your Current Kitchen

Does the sink feel like it’s in the wrong place? Do you need more drawers than your current kitchen has? These are problems that you can solve while designing your dream kitchen. As you think about all the features you want, make sure to list the features you don’t want in your new kitchen. This will narrow down the ideas even further. Often, a fresh perspective from a designer will open possibilities you haven’t considered – like removing a wall to transform your space.

Find a Layout That Accommodates Your Needs

There are many kitchen layouts to choose from, depending on the shape of your kitchen and your overall needs. Once you have an idea which features you want in your kitchen, you can create a layout that fits the space available and your goals. For example, let’s say you wanted a double-stack oven instead of a stove/oven combination. The layout of your current kitchen would need to be adjusted to make space for that. Again, your project manager can help you work out the logistics, so you get the kitchen of your dreams.

Choose Design Elements That Match Your Home and Personal Taste

This is the fun part, where you get to choose all the colors, finishes and design elements. The easiest way to go about this is to identify a design theme – rustic, traditional, transitional, eloquent, modern, etc. We recommend choosing a style that flows well with the rest of your home or matches the renovations you plan for the future. If you have a traditional home and you build a sleek, contemporary kitchen, you probably won’t like the dissonance.

When it comes to color, stick to colors that stand the test of time. Your walls can be a trendy blue, but if your cabinetry or counter tops sport a trendy color you may end up regretting the decision.

If you’re unsure which style you like best, look online for inspiration. We can also show you samples of kitchens we’ve worked on before. When you see something you like, save it, print it off, or point it out to your designer. Then you can start piecing together your dream kitchen. With the right amount of effort from the start, you can have a kitchen that you absolutely love working in year after year.

If you live in the Maryland or Pennsylvania area, the multi-talented team of professionals here at O’Hanlon Kitchens would be happy to guide you through the planning process. Contact us to schedule a kitchen remodeling consultation.

20+ Stylish Coffee Table Ideas

The coffee table is most often the furniture piece which sits at the very heart of spaces such as the living room, outdoor lounge or pretty much any sitting area no matter the size or style. In these conditions, the coffee table is a focal point for that space and takes on a very special role. It’s often the piece which ties together the whole decor around it. There are, naturally, lots of possible designs and looks for such an element so we’ve prepared a set of inspiring coffee table plans which you might find useful if you’re ever interested in building your own furniture.

Also Read: 22 Cool Remodeling Projects to Make Your Home Amazing

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

One of the simplest things you can do is transform a simple wooden pallet into a coffee table. It would be an easy conversion and the result could be similar to this pallet coffee table. Using the boards of the pallet you basically put together the top and the corner and side pieces along with a central support piece. That’s pretty much the whole table and all that’s left to do is add the wheels. So there you have it: your very own pallet coffee table on wheels.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

This is also a table made from a repurposed pallet. There’s not much you need to change about the pallet, except rearrange a few boards and make the frame smaller. The fact that each board has a slightly different color tone gives the table a special charm. The hairpin legs are a really nice touch. Check out the full tutorial to find out more about how you can build something similar for your own home.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Aside from pallets, lots of other things can also be repurposed into components for a DIY coffee table. For example, this one has a tile top. The frame is made of wood and can be crafted in no time. In fact, you can use some leftover wood pieces and if you also have an extra tile from previous renovations this can prove to be a cheap coffee table which you can build with things you already own.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Building a coffee table with hairpin legs is fairly easy, especially if you choose a simple design for the top. There are several options to choose from in that case. One is to build a simple frame which looks something like this. That way the coffee table would look pretty, would be easy to build and would also include a storage compartment which is always useful.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Another option is to use a wood slab as a coffee table top. You can also use this strategy when building a side table. The strategy would be the same. All you need is a slice of wood from a large log and three hairpin legs. The trickiest part is attaching the legs at equal distances so the table sits level.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

This is the side table version of the stylish project we shared previously. In certain configurations, it could function as a coffee table. It’s a design suitable for small spaces. The wooden top has this hollow storage compartment which is great for keeping things like a book, a magazine, the remote control or the phone when relaxing on the sofa. The hairpin legs give the table a slender look.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

This is a project that proves building furniture can be really easy when you’re creative. This is a rolling coffee table made up of four wooden crates. The crates are joined together with screws and their interiors can be used as storage spaces for books, planters, magazines and personal belongings. The center is hollow and you can either leave it as such or cover it with a piece of wood.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Put an emphasis on the material used in the design of the coffee table. For example, if you’re using wood, showcase its natural beauty, with knots, cracks and all other imperfections. A live edge top would definitely be a good choice in such a case. Check out these rustic coffee table plans to find out all about the steps leading up to a gorgeous and yet simple design.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

You don’t have to build the coffee table from scratch if you can use an already existing one and simply give it a makeover, maybe add a new feature to its design. A great example is this Ikea Lack table which got a beautiful built-in planter at the center. It’s a transformation which you can do too. Check out our video tutorial for details and instructions.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Even though this is in fact a side table, we can definitely find inspiration in its design. We find this project to be highly creative and interesting. The table has a hexagon-shaped top and bottom connected by two sets of five rods. Two in each set are longer than the other and go through the bottom hexagon, acting as legs. You can find the plans for this project on ohohblog.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

What’s better than a coffee table? Well…two coffee tables. You can put them one on top of the other and make a two-tier table like this one. The idea is both interesting and practical. If you want you could find a way to make the two tiers detachable so you can use them separately whenever you want. Of course, apart from the unusual structure, this table also stands out thanks to its eye-catching color block design. found on akailochiclife.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

We have a bunch of other interesting designs to show you as well. Some, like this one, are meant to make the area around them feel inviting and cozy so the design is simple and familiar. These coffee table plans come from ana-white. You can make them your own by customizing certain aspects of the project. For instance, you could choose to paint the wood and then give it a distressed look instead of using wood stain.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

The thing we like most about this table is the wheels. They give the table a really cool rustic-industrial look. The wooden top is the element which inspires a sense of warmth and comfort. The project is very simple and the plans for it can be found on shanty-2-chic. Building this coffee table is easy, affordable and pretty fun as well.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Remember the coffee table made of crates that we showed you a while back? Here’s another one. This time the design is quite different. The crates are integrated into a frame and there’s also a table top which offers a smooth and uniform surface. the crates have handles and can be taken out and used as storage boxes for all sorts of things. The plans shared on hertoolbelt also show how to turn individual crates into cute little stools and ottomans.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Some coffee tables are small and we’ve seen a few of those and some can be quite big, like this sawhorse table featured on rogueengineer. The design is definitely quite rustic but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of this table in a modern living room setting. Putting together the table is fairly easy once you make all the cuts.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

You can make a coffee table stand out and be interesting from an aesthetic point of view without complicating its design too much. These plans from Abeautifulmess are a perfect example in that sense. This wooden coffee table definitely has what it takes to become a focal point for the living room and to serve as a statement piece for the entire space. Its design is a combination of sculptural and geometric beauty and a contrast between the solid and heavy top and the sleek and delicate hairpin legs.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Doesn’t this table look exquisite? It’s a bit surprising to find out that it’s a DIY piece and that you could make something just as awesome without too much effort. You need some MDF, wooden tapered legs, angle top hardware plates, a jigsaw, a screwdriver and spray paint. The trickiest part is cutting the MDF board and giving it the desired shape. Luckily, there’s a tutorial on thewonderforest which can give you some pointers.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

A coffee table with storage can be a really useful addition to a small living room or pretty much just any lounge space. After all, you can never have too much storage. So let’s see what it takes to build such a table. Well, you could repurpose some elements from an old cabinet if you have any. An already existing drawer could be the starting point for your project. Have a look at these plans from rogueengineer for more inspiration.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

If you have some experience working with steel and welding pieces together you’ll find this project a piece of cake. These coffee table plans come from instructables. The base has to be welded and that takes a bit of skill and time and then the top is added. The combination of wood and steel is a pretty harmonious ones. The warmth of the wood combined with the rugged-industrial look of the steel result in a beautiful and well-balanced structure.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

We really like the distressed look on this coffee table. There are a few ways in which you can achieve that. You can use reclaimed wood or you can create the antiqued finish artificially using special techniques. You can analyze the plans and the instructions shared on instructables to find out more about this strategy. They also show you how to build this stylish pinstripe table.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Like with most live-edge tables, the hardest part of this project shared on instructables is finding the right slab of wood. It has to have a suitable shape and size for a coffee table top and to look interesting. Cracks, knots and other imperfections help to give it character. Once you have the slab, clean it and apply a protective finish, after which install the legs.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Creativity knows no limits and this chicken coop coffee table proves it. It’s something that we found on findinghomefarms. It’s a one-of-a-kind piece with lots of character, the type of table that makes a statement no matter where you put it. Of course, such a daring and unusual project is not exactly very versatile so you’d need a certain type of decor to make it fit.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Another unusual item which you can repurpose when building a coffee table is a window. The plans featured on martysmusings are actually a bit more complex than that. This is not just a table with a window as a top. That top opens up and the space inside the frame can be used as a storage nook. It’s quite clever and you can do a lot of cool things based on this idea. For example, you could fill the interior with cute little plants or interesting-looking branches or you could create a terrarium which can be admired from above. Alternatively, use it as a simple storage area for things you don’t ming keeping on display.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

Integrating a planter into a table is actually a pretty common idea. We’ve seen quite a few projects which include this feature and one of them comes from abeautifulmess. Check out the plans to find out how to put together with a minimalist and stylish coffee table with a planter at its center. You can use that space as a herb garden or you can plant grass or succulents in there. We really the crisp and linear design, the pureness of the white body and the strong contrast with the black legs and the green of the plants. It’s refreshing in a very special way.

Stylich Coffee Table Plans

The last project we want to show you is this modern farmhouse table from sincerelymariedesigns. The design is elegant, chic and pretty refined for a DIY table. We can definitely picture this in a casual and laid-back living room with a Nordic-inspird decor, neutral colors, natural textures and a few nautical ornaments. It could also look charming in a more rustic setting, maybe in a chic cabin with lovely views of its surroundings. In fact, it’s the type of table which can look charming both indoor and outdoor.

15+ Stunning Look of Curved Sectional Sofa In Your Living Room

Furniture with curves has always been appealing. A lot of designs that feature this characteristic have become classics. Remember the Panton Chair? Its design revolutionized the furniture industry. But what about curved sofas and sectionals? They have a lot of flair too. In fact, they’re making a comeback in a lot of contemporary interior designs. While they are definitely full of potential, curved sofas can also be quite pretentious.

Before anything else, you should find a suitable spot for a curved sofa or sectional in your home.In theory, you have lots of options to choose from. If your home has a curved wall, you already have the area set up perfectly for such a sofa, couch or sectional. Of course, these cases are quite rare so chances are you’ll have to rely on something else to make your curved sofa look at home.

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

  Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

Curved Sectional Sofa Look

10+ Best Toys Storage Box Designs And Ideas

Tired of stepping on toys every time you enter your kid’s room? Maybe it’s time you built a toy box. We can’t guarantee it will keep the room neat but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. As it turns out, there are a lot of toy box plans and a lot of great tutorials which can help with that. There are also a lot more options to consider than just the plain old storage trunk or the basic box.

We’re not going to say that building a toy box is a piece of cake because it isn’t. It’s a DIY project of intermediate difficulty. The one we have in mind for this first example has a design that’s simple, a sort of hybrid between classic and modern. To build it you need plywood and lumber plus a few other elements like some screws, wood glue, a jigsaw, felt pads and some stain or paint. As you can see, this particular wooden toy box also has a lid and that allows it to also function as a console.

Also Read: Home Organizer Tips for Everyday of the Year

Toys Storage Box

Storage boxes without lids are usually easier to build. Take this herringbone box for instance. It’s pretty much just a large tray, sort of like a drawer, with rope handles on the sides. It’s not tall and that allows it to easily fit under the bed or in other similar spaces and it’s roomy enough to store books, magazines, arts and crafts supplies or toys. The herringbone pattern on the outside of the box is a very interesting detail which gives this project a lot of style.

Toys Storage Box

If you want something more than just a simple storage box, we have these nice plans for a toy storage console which may interest you. We found them on buildsomething. It’s a sort of chest with three open storage compartments at the top and two large rolling bins at the bottom. The whole system is really great for sorting toys or clothes. It’s user-friendly and practical which makes it a goof fit for the kids’ room or the playroom.

Toys Storage Box

A cabinet or a storage system based on a series of individual compartments or containers can be really useful for toys, especially all those little things like Legos or cars. Check out these toy box plans that we found on shanty-2-chic. All those storage containers are removable and they’re each labeled. The chalkboard labels are both cool and practical. To built something like this you’d probably have to pick a set of containers first so you can model the frame based on their exact dimensions and form.

Toys Storage Box

As it turns out a wooden crate can be a perfect toy storage box without necessarily requiring a makeover. Of course, a change of color is welcomed so let’s check out a tutorial for a crate on wheels which we found on thediydreamer. The idea here is to use paint to make a wooden box look more fun and attractive and to put casters on it so it can be rolled around with ease. The project also suggests that putting two small boxes together can be useful in creating a larger storage box for toys, books and other things kids like.

Toys Storage Box

Instead of a short and wide storage box, another option is to build a vertical structure. The toy box plans featured on themerrythought show you how. The project requires some wood (in this case pine was used), a saw to cut the wood with, wood glue, nails, sandpaper, mending plates and a screwdriver. The unit looks really nice as it is, with no stain or paint on it but you can definitely customize it if you want.

Toys Storage Box

Storage chests are really great and not just for toys but also for things like extra pillows or blankets. They have a mysterious appeal and an intrinsic rustic charm, even the modern ones. On woodshopdiaries you’ll find a tutorial that shows just how simple and rewarding building a storage chest can be. The project starts with the frame. Once you have this part taken care of, you can start adding the dividers, the sides and the bottom. The top is the last one to be installed.

Toys Storage Box

Toy storage is a big deal, both for the kids and for their parents. It’s important to teach kids how to be organized and to show them how to store their things properly and for that you need appropriate furniture, like this bookcase-like structure for example. It’s something that we found on rogueengineer. Check out the plans and the instructions and start building your own version of this project.

Toys Storage Box

You can find inspiration for your next DIY project in some of the existing furniture pieces. Check out this set of storage crates from landofnod. This definitely looks like an easy craft. You’d have to figure out the plans for this yourself. Consider repurposing two wooden crates and simply attaching them to four wooden legs, at an angle. You can paint them and even label them.

Toys Storage Box

How cool are these storage crates? They’re not only great for storage but also really comfortable. They double as stools and they look lovely. They’re really easy to put together too. You can find the instructions on welcome-to-the-woods. The idea is simple: you take a sturdy storage crate and you give it a padded seat. You can use some foam from an old mattress and some fabric from old shirts. Paint each crate in a color that matches the seat.

Toys Storage Box

There’s usually not a lot of space in a kid’s room, especially when there’s a ton of toys in there too. That’s why you have to be clever and to use whatever opening you can find. It’s usually practical to store things under the bed. For that, you can use a large drawer like the Ikea Pax. Install caster wheels on it so you can easily roll it under there and make some dividers too so the toys can stay organized. The idea comes from grillodesigns.

Toys Storage Box

There’s also plenty of storage space under a window seat or inside a bench. In fact, you can add one of these features right now and take full advantage of everything it has to offer. The project goes beyond the basic toy box plans we discussed in the beginning so be sure to check out thriftyandchic. The idea proposed here involves a bunch of storage boxes neatly stored in plain sight.

Toys Storage Box

Designing a playroom is a lot of fun until you have to come up with appropriate storage solutions. The cool thing about this, however, is that you can be creative and add storage in unexpected areas. For instance, you can design a wall unit with shelves, like a bookcase but with compartments big enough to hold a bunch of boxes or crates filled with toys. It’s going to look casual and it will be very practical for the kids. found on blesserhouse.

Toys Storage Box

Speaking of crates, check out this cool storage unit made entirely out of wooden crates. It’s something that we found on maisondepax. The crates serve as storage modules not just for toys but also for books and other kid-related stuff. There’s no point is making the unit tall since it has to be accessible to the kids. It would be best to also secure the crates together to prevent accidents.

Toys Storage Box

Finding room to store toys is not exactly difficult when you have a playroom. Things change when space is limited. While looking for cool toy box plans to share with you today, we also found this cool organization idea on makinghomebase. The solution offered here works for a variety of spaces, including the living room, hallway or even bedroom. What you see here is a sort of shelving unit/ console table with cubbies which can hold a lot of different things. The large toys and the books and stored stored directly on the shelves and the small items are kept in boxes.

How To Organize Your Kitchen Pantry For Maximum Storage Efficiency

The kitchen pantry can get pretty full and messy in a short period of time, especially if you don’t have a system in place which can help you store everything efficiently. But that’s not a reason to just give up. In fact, it’s the perfect incentive to make you want to give your pantry a makeover. This can mean a complete renovation of a space or just a few simple adjustments like adding some shelves on your kitchen pantry doors. Check out our favorite ideas when it comes to pantry organization.

Simple, timeless shelves

Open shelves can be very practical for organizing and storing items, whether in the kitchen pantry, in the garage or somewhere else. However, it’s not just the actual shelves that matter but also the overall impression they create which partially has something to do with their design. Take this pantry makeover featured on thehandmadehome for example. The old shelves were ok but they didn’t really look great. The new ones look more solid, minimalist and also have labels which is a neat touch.

Store ingredients in glass jars

You can store a lot of things in glass jars and they’re especially useful in the kitchen. You can reuse regular jars with lids or you can get yourself a nice set of special storage jars of different sizes which look pretty and can be labeled so you can easily find the thing you need.

Divide and conquer

Dividing large storage spaces into smaller compartments with specific purposes is a great idea, especially in the kitchen pantry when there’s a lot that needs to be stored and not exactly a lot of space to spare. A cool idea, for example, is to divide an open shelf area to create some tall and narrow compartments just for oven pans, lids, cutting boards and other such items. Check out ninahandrick for more details.

Use pull out drawers for easy access

As practical as open shelves may be in the kitchen pantry, some things are too small to be organized and stored this way and a much better option would be to keep them in drawers. Pull-out-drawers are nice because they let you access the content at the back without having to first get things out of the way and they’re great for the lower sections of the pantry where shelves would be uncomfortable to use. Check out ikeahackers to find out how to customize your pantry drawers.

Add more storage space with hangers

In addition to all the shelves and drawers that help you keep your pantry organized you can also add some hangers and racks to maximize the storage-efficiency of the space. For example, you could add a little produce rack somewhere on the wall or on the back of the pantry door. On domesticdivadomain you can find the instructions on how to put it all together.

Door storage for lids

Finding a practical way to store all the lids from the pot and pans you usually use in the kitchen can turn out to be an almost impossible challenge. Lids are very annoying because they take up a lot of space even though they’re slim and sometimes quite small. You can solve the problem once and for all with a special storage rack just for the lids. You can put it on the back of the kitchen pantry door, as shown on worthingcourtblog.

Group up similar items

Some things are notoriously difficult to store, like those packets of spices or those individual instant coffee packets. You usually have more than one and it’s best to keep them all in the same place. One idea can be to mount small storage containers onto the pantry wall. They can be transparent so you see the contents without having to browse through every time.

Wire racks – great for storing canned goods

It’s nice to have a nice stash of canned goods so you don’t always have to rush to the store every time you want to cook something. That’s what the kitchen pantry is for. If you know you’re always keeping canned goods or jars in there, perhaps you should think about a practical way to store everything. Wire racks can be great in this case. Just look how nice everything is lined here. This is an idea shared on makebakecelebrate.

Reuse wooden crates

In case you didn’t already have this idea on your own, reusing wooden crates can be a very practical option. In the case of the kitchen pantry, you can have a rolling crate where you can store veggies, packed goods or grocery bags. Actually, you can store pretty much anything in a crate like the one featured on iheartorganizing.

Put lazy susan shelves in the corners

Corners are problematic in any space, not just the kitchen pantry. However, in this case we have a great idea which can turn an awkward corner into your favorite storage space: laxy susan shelves. They’re great for corners because they let you access the back part of the shelf without knocking things over or stretching your arm. Have a look at the pantry makeover featured on decorchick to see exactly how you can integrate such a feature into your design.

No wasted space

It’s important to use all the space at your disposal when organizing the kitchen pantry so you can maximize its storage capacity. For instance, you may notice a small nook just between the door frame and one of the pantry walls. Instead of letting go to waste you could hang a few extra storage compartments there or you could put up some hooks or hangers. It’s a great idea which comes from domesticimperfection.

Organize everything in baskets

Using baskets or storage containers in the kitchen pantry is also a great idea because it lets you maximize the storage capacity of the shelves and also because they can labeled. It’s easier to organize everything when you know there’s a special basket for every type of item. You can keep all the pasta in one basket, the snacks in a different one, and so on. The pantry featured on tarynwhiteaker also has labels.

A pegboard just for the pots and pans

Not everyone has as many pans as you see in this pantry featured on eclecticrecipes but keep in mind that a smaller pegboard means more storage space for other things so that’s ok too.  In any case, the idea of using a pegboard in this manner is really great. All you need is space so go free up some in your own kitchen pantry.

Repurpose a shoe organizer

You may have come across this idea before. Those shoe organizers with pockets which you can hang on the back of a door are great and can be used to store a lot more than shoes, including things you usually keep in the pantry. As demonstrated on prettyprovince, a shoe organizer can be a great asset in the pantry and, best of all, it doesn’t take up space on the shelves or walls.

Hang wire baskets on the pantry door

You can maximize storage in a small pantry by hanging wire baskets on the back of the door. You can use these baskets to store little knick-knacks, snacks, bottles, jars and all sorts of other things. They’re easy to mount and easy to use. Find out more on seevanessacraft.

12+ Amazing Fall Porch Decor Ideas

Nothing says you’re ready for fall like a porch full of seasonal goodies like pumpkins, autumn flowers, wreaths made of fallen leaves and pretty much anything in fall-ish colors. Coming up with the perfect combo is not as tricky as you may think. There are a lot of great ideas when it comes to fall porch decor and we’ve gathered some of out favorites here so we can share them with you.

Fall Porch Decor Ideas

Yes, we said fall is all about the oranges, the yellows and the browns but you can successfully come up with a stylish fall porch decor even without relying on these nuances. Perhaps something simpler based on shades of white and soft neutrals can suit your style. You can find inspiration on thegracehouseinteriors.

It’s not really fall without pumpkins. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and even in different colors and you can take advantage of this variety to create a simple and at the same time beautiful front porch decor. You can put a few pumpkins on display and you could also add a few planters with colors that match the pumpkin-themed palette. The combo featured on lizmarieblog is exactly what we’re talking about.

Pumpkins and autumn flowers go hand in hand, as also proven by this beautiful porch decor featured on homestoriesatoz. The soft pastel colors of the pumpkins are complemented by the vibrant yellow-ish tones of the flowers, a beautiful combo, especially taking into consideration the design of the front door as well.

There’s a lot going on here. The fall porch decor featured on yellowprairieinteriors brings together a variety of different elements such as an upcycled door, corn stalks, a hay bale, pumpkins of different colors and sizes and orange accent pillows which contrast with the green chairs. It’s an eclectic decor with a soothing and cozy feel.

Fall-themed decors are often associated with rustic and retro styles and such combinations turn out to be very stylish. A nice example is this front door decor which blends neutrals with metallic details, the result being elegant and simple without lacking character. The inspiration comes from tarynwhiteaker.

This fall porch decor from fynesdesigns is symmetrical…but not quite. The decorations displayed on either side of the front door mirror each other almost perfectly but have enough differences to also contrast with each other. We really like the tree trunk tables and the pink flowers which stand out and add a fresh touch to the whole ensemble.

Wreaths are quite common and you can always rely on them to complete your themed decor in a way that looks classy and charming but what if you were to replace the wreath with something else like a basket of apples for example? That could actually look really cool. The idea comes from savvysouthernstyle.

A great thing about fall decors is that they don’t need to be sophisticated, luxurious or very detailed in order to look awesome and to capture the essence of the theme they represent. Something as simple as a bucket filled with pumpkins, foliage and corn cobs can look super chic, as you can see on stonegableblog.

You can make a lot of lovely fall-themed decorations using foliage. Wreaths and garlands are the most common examples. You could frame your front door with them. Add a few more ornaments to the mix and you have an easy fall porch decor with plenty of character. Find more inspiring ideas like this one on frommyfrontporchtoyours.

Corn stalks are the underdogs of fall porch decor and yet they can be used in a lot of interesting and creative ways. For example, you can decorate the columns or railings with corn stalks or you can display them in bouquets in barrels or large containers. Find more inspiration on ourvintagehomelove.

You could also welcome fall with a custom sign which you can display on your porch along with a few other decorations. A simple chalkboard would do just fine. Write a cute message on it or draw something. You can reuse the board for Thanksgiving Day, Halloween and other events. The other ornaments could be repurposed too. Check out cottageintheoaks for more ideas like this one.

The main objective of decorating the front porch with fall-themed ornaments is to capture the beauty and the essence of the season in a way that makes this space look charming, cozy and welcoming. How about a side made out of a hay bale or some pillows and blankets in autumn colors? That could look lovely in combination with some pumpkins casually displayed on the porch and perhaps even a chic sign that lights up at night. These ideas and more and can be found on lizmarieblog.

If you find the fall theme to be too vague or complex, try focusing on something more specific. For example, your front porch decor can revolve around the harvest theme. You can put together decorations which showcase the county of the season and you can find a lot of the things you’ll need in your own garden. Check out aehomestylelife for more inspiration.

The humble corn stalk is featured here in the context of a very lovely porch decor which includes a lot of autumn’s treasures like pumpkins and pinecones plus beautiful seasonal flowers. There’s a nice mixture of textures and colors here too. The decor was featured on thewoodgraincottage and includes a wooden Welcome sign which increases the house’s curb appeal in a really cute way. You can also see this colorful wreath displayed on the front door. It’s made with seasonal flowers.

You don’t have to completely reorganize and redesign your porch to make it ready for autumn. It’s enough just to add a few things to the existing setup. For example, put a cozy blanket or a throw pillow on the chair, a few pumpkins on the floor and maybe a few other ornaments too. You can pick your favorite ones from our list or come up with your own ideas. You can find a few on onsuttonplace.

What is a Shed | Sheds Defined, Structure Types, Pros and Cons

If you need to know more about sheds or you are simply wondering what is a shed, you`ve come to the right place ! Sheds have been used for a very long time globally and having multiple uses; it is a very convenient utility option for people who own gardens, backyard, or even limited spacing. Typically single story, these structures are versatile and easily modified to fit the needs of the individual, the`re commonly structures which have a roof and four walls, situated outside the house. A shed could vary from a couple of square meters in size to a dozen depending on how they are utilized, whether it is for gardening purposes or industrial usage, sheds play a major role in storage.

What are the different types of sheds?

Sheds, as mentioned above, come in all shapes of sizes as well as dozens of materials. The most common presence in the domestic setup is built in wood yet nowadays vinyl and plastic variants start to gain ground as they are less expensive and a tad easier on maintenance compared to their wooden competitors.

As sheds grow in sizes complex wooden structures and professional carpenters come into the picture when it comes to wood, alternatively iron and a professional welder could achieve brilliant results too when it comes to medium and large sheds.

Domestic sheds

Yes, you could even DIY a shed! Did you know that?

A very interesting choice indeed, sheds could be available in the DIY form, and by using simple methods, they could be constructed according to our needs. A simple tool like a screwdriver can help you in assembling a shed, whether it is plastic, wood or metal. These sheds are versatile and their uses range from gardening storage to chemicals and equipment storage or home workshops, people often store in them items which otherwise could not be stored inside the house.

Shed kits could be the horizontal, vertical or corner type with modifications inside the shed to meet your needs! They could be apex, pent or reverse apex roofed. Pent shaped roofs are for places which have heavy downpours or even snow, it is sloping downwards and helps in water run-off. An apex type roof is basically like an inverted V, often common to houses too. The reverse apex roof, on the other hand, has a side door, not a front. This facilitates the door to open in the largest and widest section of the shed rather than the narrowest, aiding in better visibility and room.

There are salt-box style roofs or gambrel type roofs too, which have lofts attached to it. The prices of these sheds naturally vary, and so do their functions. 

Larger sized sheds

A little heavier on the pocket, larger sheds are used for domestic purpose too and while their footprint is larger, they have better ventilation and can also be used for purposes other than gardening or typical tool work. Often such sheds can also be transformed into a cozy outdoor office, a photo studio or library, they are often hobby related and they enjoy a better build quality overall.

People often see these as small retreats, comfort dwellings withing reach.

Sheds which have more specific usage

From being used in the mall for parking to university, restaurants and other commercial spaces, sheds are a major contribution towards protecting vehicles both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles. We encounter bike sheds and carports everywhere, both type of sheds that protect and safeguard our belongings with a basic design.

An ever more particular usage would be boat sheds or, structures envisioned for rowing and drying materials.

Agricultural sheds

Farmers use a lot of agricultural sheds, again for storage and protection of farm equipment and produce. Depending on the production, these could be from small to large and are largely modifiable according to requirements. This also includes shearing sheds in which cattle are kept.

Raw Materials

The most common type of materials which are used to build the framework of a shed depends again on its usage, but most often it is PVC, metal or wood. They could also be vinyl-sided sheds, everything depends on the owner and their requirements.

Metal Sheds

Metal rooftop, framework, and galvanized aluminum sheets are used to build sheds. They tend to rust with time, and its durability is weaker than wooden sheds when maintenance is overlooked, they also tend to dent faster. Metal sheds have the advantage of being strong and termite resistant. For this reason, corrugated metal sheds are preferred as they are stronger than its counterparts. Financing into an anchoring kit for metal shed makes sense as they could be susceptible to weather-related damages.

Plastic Sheds

Plastic and PVC sheds are also quite popular and are the least expensive type. Also, they are easier to maintain than the metal ones. Plastic sheds are very light weight in comparison to metal or wood and are also UV protective, rot proof, termite free. They could be modified with extensions like plugs, boards, shelves, skylight, etc. 

Wooden Sheds

The classiest of them all, wooden sheds are classics and therefore, more expensive. The maintenance of wooden sheds is higher than vinyl or plastic, but they are excellent when it comes to durability. It would be recommendable to research well before investing into wooden sheds as proper varnish and good quality wood lasts for a very long time. Cedar wood is pretty much water resistant. There are typically two ways by which wood could be treated, dip or pressure treatment. Pressure treated sheds last longer and don’t need additional preservatives, whereas dip treats ones will again throw you into maintenance game every few years.

Vinyl and Asbestos Sheds

Vinyl, as well as asbestos sheds, are also popular and good alternatives to plastic or wood, even though the major framework would probably still be wooden or metal. They are stronger than metal or plastic sheds are also easy on the pocket.  There are many color options which could suit your aesthetic appeal.

All these types of sheds are available in kit form and could be DIY too.

Organizing your shed

One should do all in his power to organize a shed clutter free in the attempt to maximize its storage. A simple trick would be to utilize the vertical wall space to build new shelves and cabinets, one could also use rods to suspend organizers and possibly mount oddly shaped items that he does not use often under the pitched roof. It is highly recommended to reuse and recycle, anything can be of use in your shed, plastic bottles split in half can rapidly become nail organizers for example, creativity is key !

At all times, keep in mind that a clutter free shed is a happy shed, seek solutions that help you keep the space clean in the long run and everything will be far easier, maintenance included.

The advantages and disadvantages of sheds

Whether someone owns a big area in their garden or backyard, or whether it is tiny and cluttered- a shed could solve a lot of your organizational problems. They sure are affordable and come in a varied range of prices for everyone out there. Sheds could also be innovated into dainty personal spaces which could be used in various ways apart from storage.

Sticking to the basic idea of having a shed, as a storage unit, there are certain pros and cons to them, and it would be advisable to discuss a few.

Advantages

Storage

The most important advantage and usage of a shed is obviously storage. They act as huge storage spaces and occupy very little space overall. Whether it is for domestic purpose, or for commercial needs, sheds are extremely important storage units. This makes your backyard clutter free, giving you more space inside and outside the house.

Organization

Sheds account for very good organization spaces, and since it can store a lot of objects and materials under one roof, it is easy to organize them according to our needs. This makes work much easier and of course faster.

Budget-friendly

Since sheds come in various sizes as well as quality and type, they are quietly affordable. Sometimes investing in huge scale storage could be difficult for some people, under such circumstances, making the perfect use of limited space, sheds make a great choice. For commercial purpose, like train goods, or parking, sheds help in keeping things organized in one area under a friendly.

Protection and safety

Sheds actually could be installed with very good protective measures. This ensures that the good/vehicles/valuables are kept safe and away from burglars. Vehicle sheds require more attention, and so do private homes. Sheds could be installed and modified with specialized locking devices which make sure that there is no unnecessary theft.

Easy Peasy

One could express his creative side by redesigning its shed through paint, coloring it towards happiness. Shed kits are usually DIY, and this means that anyone could follow a set of simple instructions and assemble their shed with very basic tools present in the house.

Anything You Want

Depending on the need and location of the shed, any raw material, starting from wood to metal and vinyl to asbestos can be used, one can choose from many options in the market. They could make their shed colorful and at the same time productive.

Maintenance

A very important factor to consider when buying shed is what type of material is used. Certain materials like PVC, plastic and certain metals are very easy to maintain and thus save a lot of hassle as well as maintenance costs. Find out what suits your requirements the best and invest in the most suitable shed for yourself.

Durable

One of the important factors to consider is longevity and durability of the product we invest in. Depending on the material, sheds come with manufacturing warrant. Plastic sheds are durable and so is steel. The classics, wooden sheds are a tad more expensive and a little bit high maintenance yet their expression sends an entirely different message.

Temperature control

Plastic sheds and wooden sheds are usually quiet temperatures friendly. Even in extreme climate, there is a moderate temperature which could be maintained inside these sheds, and this makes them more user-friendly. Also, one should consider hazard protocols. Wooden sheds have more susceptibility to catching fire than metal, and thus it should be kept in mind. Everything depends on the owner, the location and the type of storage they want to make.

Disadvantage of sheds

Hectic Maintenance

Some of the problems which are faced when having any shed are maintenance related, especially if the quality is sub-par. Wood is usually prone to catch fungus, termites, foul smell as well as various pests. Unless it is a superior manufactured shed which a have all precautionary measurement like varnish paint, wooden sheds could be hard to maintain. Metal sheds are prone to get dented, even though they don’t get damaged otherwise. Paint too tends to chip off and peel easily and thus requires additional investment.

Expensive

Even though, otherwise budget-friendly, wooden sheds could be quiet expensive. They tend to be the most durable too, but it depends from person to person what quality of wood they would invest into. It is always advisable to spend a few bucks extra to get the best deal quality wise.

Immobile

Except for certain kinds of sheds, most of them are immobile and cannot be moved easily. These sheds thus have to be lodged in one area permanently.  This is the most applicable for wooden sheds as they are heavy and bulky and almost impossible to move.

Too many pests

Again, if not maintained well, sheds could be a hub of unwanted pests, bugs and eventually diseases. This is especially if they are unused for a very long period. So ensure that when there is a routine cleaning of your home, the shed to is a part of it.

Conclusion

Sheds are a smart choice and their popularity is a testament for their greatness, simply ensure that you pick something that fits your needs and requirements and prepare yourself for an awesome experience with your next structure !

Modern Bathroom Vanity Designs And The Accessories That Complement Them

There’s more than one way to make a bathroom look stylish and some of the options revolve around the vanity. The bathroom vanity is an important part of this room’s decor and ambiance and its design can impact the functionality of the space in a lot of ways. The design of the vanity is obviously important but sometimes the accessories can impact the space just as much. Let’s have a look at a few specific examples. We definitely love this vanity, especially its simplicity and pure and simple lines. All of this simplicity would however look bland without this cool faucet and geode handles that come with it. We’re talking about the Isla Gooseneck lavatory faucet set. It’s timeless and simple but it also has plenty of character. You can get it in two versions: with a burnished brass or burnished nickel finish. Materia Multicolor is a collection of stylish bathroom furniture pieces, including vanities and cabinets. They put an emphasis on the beautiful and natural texture of the wood, as well as on the different color nuances that define it. Most pieces feature a combination of colors in their designs and all of them are characterized by simple and clean lines and a very versatile look that allows them to look chic in lots of different settings. This sculptural bathroom vanity is in fact a console table. It’s called Diva and it has a structure made of metal rods which are carefully welded by hand, giving the piece a lightweight and very artistic look. The top is made of teak wood. When used as a bathroom vanity, the console comes with holes for the sink and faucet. The geometry of the design is intricate and eye-catching and that makes this stylish vanity quite special. This is the Zen console, a simple but very charming piece of furniture ideal for modern bathrooms that aim at a chic, spa-like ambiance and decor. The unit is made of teak wood and large a large storage shelf at the bottom for things like towels and toiletries, while the top is slightly curved at the ends, giving the vanity this playful look. There are four hooks on the sides which can be used for hanging towels. The sink/ washbasin matters just as much as the vanity it sits on or as the storage cabinet that accompanies them. There are many details which can influence a design. For example, the color of the sink can have an impact of the whole room. Its size and shape also matter and then there’s also the structure of the vanity and the accessories that go with it. You can find some interesting options at Ceramica Flaminia. Forget about wood and all the usual materials that bathroom vanities are made of and try to picture something completely different, something that offers a close connection to nature: stone. More exactly, we’re talking about Piasentina stone which comes from a small region in the Alps. It’s rare and it’s beautiful. Look how gorgeous a vanity made of this material looks like. At the end of the day, it’s important to take a step back and look at the big picture. See how everything comes together, how the vanity interacts with the sink and with the backsplash and pay attention to the characteristics that define each of these elements and the manner in which they complement each other. Casabath offers a series of gorgeous options for every one of these elements. You can also find a bunch of magnificent bathroom vanity designs and gorgeous accessories in the collections offered by Hafro Geromin. With over 60 years of experience, the company understands bathrooms in a unique way and can share this amazing experience with us by adapting all the important elements to suit our modern homes.

How to Cap Pergola Posts for Longevity & Weather Protection

Whether you have just built a pergola or fence or you have an existing wooden structure with exposed post tops, you will likely want to consider capping them off. Wood has a tendency to split over time – especially a vertical exposed piece of wood, such as a pergola post. Sun beats down on the exposed wood (even if it’s stained and sealed thoroughly), drying out and shrinking the wood fibers, and then any rain or snow or ice or other weather penetrates into the wood end. This causes swelling, warping, or just regular weather damage over time. Good news: There’s an easy and cost-effective way to prevent this, by capping off the tops of your exposed posts with plastic post caps.

Post caps are available in a variety of different sizes. You’ll want to measure the true size of your beam – in this case, a 6×6 cedar beam measures just shy of 5.5”x5.5”. Pay attention to the interior measurements of your post cap, especially if you’re ordering online.

The underside of the cap looks something like this. Pretty straightforward.

Before you do anything else, place the cap on the top of your pergola post. If your post is at the height you want it, and if the cap fits perfectly, guess what? You’re done. Congratulations. No gluing or screwing required, as long as the cap is a snug fit. But if you want to trim down the height of your pergola post, it’s time to measure and mark the height you want.

Make sure there’s enough space on your remaining pergola post that the cap can slide down over it. Now connect your marks with flat, level lines across two sides of your pergola post – the side you’ll be sawing from, and the side you’ll be looking at as you saw.

It’s important that you purchase a reciprocating saw blade that’s large enough to easily cut through the width of your pergola post. Remember to account for the back-and-forth movement of the blade while sawing; this will require a few extra inches on either end. Consider the diagonal distance as well. A 4×4 post, for example, will cut just fine with an 8” saw blade. But a 6×6 post, as shown in this example, requires a much longer blade of 12” in length.

Line up your reciprocating saw blade with the first flat, level line you’ve marked.

Hold it at this level firmly as you begin sawing, making sure you stay level on both ends of the saw.

As your saw blade gets further into your pergola post, this is where your second drawn line comes into play. Do your best to maintain level on the far side of the saw (since you can’t see over there), and be sure to follow along your second flat, level line. This will help to maintain a flat, even cut for your pergola post.

Simply set your pergola cap on top of the pergola post, pressing it down as tightly as it will go for a flat, even finish.

This really completes the look for a modern pergola frame, with the added benefit of being a protective final step as well.

19 Simple Tips That Will Get Your Home Ready For Spring

Charles Dickens once said, Spring is that time of the year when the sun feels like summer, and shade feels like winter – all at once.

I mean, who wouldn’t love that cozy warmth the sun brings after all those chilly days and long nights, except, of course, the west coast where winter is tolerable?

And when all that snow is thawing, finally paving the way for the bloom of beautiful flowers and the lush greenery everywhere, you’d just want to welcome the spring with open arms. So, when you are letting in the warmth of your heart and soul, don’t you think it’s time to dust off the cobwebs in your house and prep it up for the new season?

Worry not! I am here with 19 amazing yet simple ideas that would amp up your home for the upcoming spring! Here we go!

Experiment with the Placement of Home Décor

Why to just let all the furniture stay at a single place all the time – they aren’t nailed to the ground or anything, right? So, just work with the placement of the couches, sofa, coffee table and other furniture around your house. And to pep it up a bit, just put in some fresh flowers in a vase and place them on the center table, or on one of the corners of the house. This gives it a completely fresh look without even having to buy new furniture altogether. So, you hit two birds with one shot – giving your home a makeover and saving big bucks!

Fix It Up!

There might be some, if not a lot of repairs to do in your house, as things tend to break all the time, especially if there are little kids around. And winter might not be the best of times to repair it, given the cold weather which makes you lazy. So, once the season is up, it’s time to crawl out of your couch and finish these repairs that have been pending for a while now.

Just take a pen and paper, and jot down all the things that need to be fixed – be it floorboards, fence, AC units, or just the squeaky doors. Don’t let them stay as they are; pick up those tools and work on them so that you can relax in the beautiful spring weather without any worries.

Clean Up All the Windows and Let the Light In

Often, when we take up the job of cleaning our houses, we tend to forget the windows. And when you look at it, you can notice tiny stains, nose prints or those cute little paw prints if you happened to have a pet.

Why leave it behind, just put some gloves on, get some Windex, and some paper towels and wipe the windows clean. And since, it’s going to be spring; it doesn’t hurt to open them up and let some fresh air, and warm sun in!

Tidy Up Your Garage

If you have a garage at your place, it’s an unstated fact that you just throw everything in there during winters, to avoid staying in the chilly outdoors. Now that the season has gone, it’s time to pick those things up and place them where they belong. Also, just throw away the ones that you don’t think you’d be needing anymore and stock up the garage with gardening supplies, as you would need them more often than before. And don’t worry about the time, you’d just be needing one afternoon to get the garage back in place.

Clean the Patio Furniture

Since the outdoors are cold during winters, the patio furniture would be affected severely. It would end up developing a thick coat of debris, and if there’s a lot of snow, the dampness will ruin the wood. So, make sure your patio furniture is clean again by power washing them or cleaning them as you could be spending a lot of time outdoors during the Spring.

Get on with Gardening – Plant Herbs and Seasonal Plants

If you’re into gardening, then you’d surely be excited about spring – I mean, it’s the season of bloom and bewitching colors. And I am sure you would be thinking of all these flowers growing again and rich green foliage around the yard, which makes your place much more beautiful.

While you’re at it, why don’t you try something different? Planting something other than regular flowers? Try growing seasonal fruits, vegetables or herbs in your yard, and make it functional in addition to adding beauty to your place.

Clean the Gutters

If your house happens to be around a lot of trees, then there’s a high chance that your gutter is cluttered with pine needles and other random leaves, which must have accumulated over the winter. And if spring brings along some showers, which it can during the April month, it is likely that the whole thing could be blocked. So, this is the right time to take out that ladder of yours and work on cleaning the gutters. In case you can’t do this on your own, it’s always better to get ahold of a professional.

Clean the House, the Driveway, and the Deck

Clean!

Clean!

Clean!

That should be your mantra before spring arrives. Winter sure does get a lot of clutter into your house, and there’s no way that you can clean everything regularly in all that cold.

So, once the season is phasing out, pick a day and maybe rent a heavy-use vacuum cleaner to clean your home. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to sparkle the driveway as well as the deck. This gives your whole house a great face-lift. Also, try washing your cars, who’s there to stop, huh?

  Replace the Batteries of Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

It is strongly advised to change the batteries of the detectors (Both smoke and carbon monoxide) in the house to ensure that all the safety measures are up to the mark. Since you’re cleaning up everything at home for the spring, why not take care of this, too? I mean, you could just replace the batteries for once and forget until next spring, and also, who knows, this might save your life some day.

Do a Deep Clean of Bathrooms and Kitchen

Let the glowing warmth of the sun reflect in your house by cleaning it until it sparkles. This includes deep cleaning of your kitchen as well as the washrooms in the house. Dust the cabinets, take out your appliances and clean them before putting them back in place. As for the washrooms, clean the sink, commode, and the taps thoroughly. Also, work your way through to the blinds. Because a house is not truly clean until every thing is shiny – be it powder rooms or countertops.

Organize your Fridge and the Pantry

Why leave the places which store your food throughout the year? Since the cleaning of the house is in full swing, take an hour or two to look into your fridge and pantry too. Throw out the expired products, clean the racks and make a list of the things you would need for the upcoming season.

Also, when you are rearranging the leftover pantry, try organizing them according to categories – like sauces, dairy, vegetables, fruits, etc. This not only helps you reach things easily but gives a certain amount of happiness to the perfectionist in you.

Declutter and Organize

This applies to all the rooms in the house. Once the winter is done, declutter your rooms, take away everything that you don’t need and throw it in the trash or donate the stuff away. Now organize everything by storing them into different boxes, and label them according to the groups. This should be able to help you reach things during a future need, without much hassle.

However, this task occupies a significant amount of your time, given there are multiple tasks and more than one room in the house. So make sure you have a good two weeks or more in your hand to work on it and get all the stuff in place.

Switch to Bedding with Lighter Shades

Winter is ruled by dark shades, be it in clothing or bedding. Because you know, dark colors keep you warm. So, once the season is done, it’s time to store all those dark sheets, thick duvets, blankets, and pillowcases. Welcome the new season with new, and lighter shades of bedding. You can even use pillows with light colors and floral prints, instead of wool or other thick fabrics. Try and make the spring-summer and fall-winter look of bedrooms thematic for your satisfaction. Also, keep a thick blanket handy by the bed in case one of the nights get chilly (you never know!).

Clean The Closet

This is one of the most important things you should do at the end of every season, let alone Winter. However, winter-spring closet cleaning holds more significance because of the radical shift in the wardrobe.

With Winter gone, it’s time to lose all the dark shades of clothing, the sweaters, mufflers, jackets, and mittens. Instead, it’s time to bring in lighter shades, floral prints, tee shirts, shorts and other light-fabric dresses.

Also, it’s time to give away the stuff you don’t need. Just don’t hoard the things you’re never going to wear and know that they’re of no use.

Upgrade the Pillows

This might not come across as the first thing you would want to do while making your home spring-ready. But trust me, your furniture and bedding get a completely different look if you do one small thing – change the pillows!

Most households go with velvet, tweed or silk pillows as they look good throughout the year. But let’s be honest, are they perfect for the spring summer months? No!

So, it would be great if you could give your pillow casing a makeover too, like what you do to your wardrobe – using breezy fabrics and little prints on cotton. This brings in a lot of change.

Make Use of Foliage

A lot of people opt for various types of fresh flowers and ornamental leaves when it comes to decorating the living rooms. Why don’t you give it a refreshing twist by throwing traditional flower arrangement for a toss and use foliage instead?

You could use leaves of banana, palm, and philodendron to make a statement look. Just put these up in huge decorative vases with some water, and you’re done! A beautiful and quirky look to your living room welcomes everybody.

Also, if you take care of these properly by changing the water regularly and trimming the stems below, then they can stay fresh for really long.

Go Color Shopping

I know it might sound confusing to you, but what I meant is that it’s time to go shopping for some color. Spring, as we know, is the season of vibrant hues, and getting some of it into your house is never a mistake.

Just hit the home décor story near your house and get some cheap vases and other decorative items in bold accents. I bet they will bring in the brightness of your living room.

Time for New Scents

It’s not unfamiliar that Spring is a season associated with the aroma of nature – be it blooming flowers, buds, or leaves. Let your home too, reflect the same zest during the season. Just get some citrus, rose, lavender or any other floral scented candles or potpourri to ensure that your place always welcomes others with warm, breezy aromas of the spring.

Give the Walls a Makeover

There is nothing that gives a better look to a place than a new paint or wallpaper. In case you have some budget for the makeover and want to give a new look to your house, at least the living room, try getting a lighter shade of paint or wallpapers with patterns that are easy on the eye.

If you cannot afford the whole house or a room, you can just stick to a particular place, like one side of the wall, the back of your bookshelf, or maybe even the ceiling of the room.

What do you think ? We would love to hear how you prepare for spring !

DIY Lampshade Ideas - The Best And The Brightest

We’re big fans of DIY home decor and we can’t stress enough how important it is to personalize a space in order to truly make it feel like you belong there. A home’s interior decor should be a faithful representation of its owners’ style and character so what better way to ensure that than by crafting some of the accent pieces and the decorations yourself. A DIY lampshade is one of the items with great potential for customization. The design possibilities are pretty much endless.

We’d like to tell you that this lampshade can actually look cute but the truth is it’s spooky no matter how you look at it and this makes it a perfect craft for Halloween. To make something similar you need lots and lots of googly eyes. The green paint and the bats are optional but highly recommended if you want this spooky lampshade to actually look scary.

You’re probably thinking you need a bunch of things to put together a lampshade but that’s not always the case. This folded lampshade is the perfect example. All you need here is a thick A4 piece of paper, some string, a few wooden beads and double-sided tape. It’s one of the easiest and most elegant and stylish DIY lampshades ever.

You’ve seen how you can use paper to make a chic lampshade so now it’s time to check out a similar project which involves fabric. In this case you need a few more supplies which include lampshade rings, a self-adhesive panel, strong double-sided tape, cotton fabric and a tucking tool. You might be able to improvise if you’re missing some of these things and also to personalize the design of this fabric lampshade according to your own ideas.

To make things easier, you could try to repurpose a few things, like a woven basket which could successfully be turned into a lampshade with only a few small modifications. Basically you just need to cut out a small square into the bottom of the basket so you can fit the socket through. You might need a lampshade frame too.

A cool idea can be to trick the eye and to imitate wood with contact paper. You can use this trick when you’re making a lampshade or when you want to give an old one a makeover. It’s really easy and all you need to do is apply contact paper over an old lampshade. You can also decorate the base in the same manner.

The shade is indeed the element that usually matters the most on a lamp but that doesn’t mean you can’t also be creative with other parts. A cool idea, for instance, could be to customize the base of a table lamp. A mason jar could do the trick. You can paint it or you can fill it with small pebbles, sand, coffee beans and other things. Use this strategy to make a unique mason jar desk lamp.

One of the easiest ways to obtain a unique lamp design is by customizing an existing lampshade using fabric. Pick a pattern or a color that best captures the style which you’re trying to imprint on the lamp. It’s important to give the lamp its own unique look but it’s also important to look at the big picture and to make sure that the new lampshade doesn’t clash with the surrounding decor. As it turns out, covering the lampshade with fabric is the easy part.

There are all sorts of variations of the ideas we just presented, each one focusing on a specific detail. This sweater lampshade for example stands out by looking extra cozy. You can make something just as cute and lovely for your own home. All you have to do is sacrifice an old sweater and use it to cover up an existing lampshade. You can find all the details on farmfreshtherapy.

Origami lampshades are among the most interesting and most fun ones and, as it turns out, they’re also pretty easy to make. Of course, this depends on the design you choose. The one shown here is simple enough to be aced by everyone. As you can see, it’s made out of wallpaper, not regular paper. This helps to give it a more firm and durable structure.

You’re probably familiar with this type of lampshades. They’re very chic, metallic, graphical and they look amazing when paired with Edison light bulbs. What you didn’t know is that you can craft your own version out of wooden skewers. That’s right, this geometric lampshade is not metallic….that’s just spray paint.You can find out more about how to put something like this together on isoscella.

Isn’t this lampshade exquisite…and can you believe it’s made out of a plastic bottle and some rope? It’s amazing what a creative mind can come up with given a few random resources. Here’s how it goes: you take a plastic bottle and you cut off its top. Then you apply some silicone glue to the bottom and you start wrapping rope all around the bottle until you cover it all up. You can also paint your new lampshade if you want. Don’t forget to make a hole at the bottom for the cord. found on ohohblog

Another really cool idea is to use faux plants to make a truly unique lampshade. It’s something that we learned from reaktionista. You can get really creative here so feel free to choose any type of faux plants you want and to arrange them however you think it’s most beautiful. Keep in mind that the lampshade needs to be practical as well as beautiful so find the balance between these two elements.

Wooden beads can also be an importance resource when designing custom lampshades and even chandeliers. You can find an interesting tutorial on how to make a beaded lampshade from scratch on green-bird. The project starts with an old lampshade frame which is decorated using various types of wooden beads on thin wire and tassels made of yarn.

The accordion folds on this lampshade are reminiscent of vintage lamps and have a really special charm that’s hard to obtain when dealing with DIY crafts. In this particular case, aluminum foil was used hence the metallic finish. You can replicate the look using other materials that are similarly flexible and easy to work with. Find out more details on ludorn.

You’ve seen how easy and effective it can be to decorate the outside of a lampshade but what about the interior lining? That can be customized too and, as it turns out, there are some really cool ideas you can use for that. One is to decorate the interior of the lampshade with maps. The inspiration for this comes from pillarboxblue. Here you can find a detailed tutorial related to this project.

Paper and cardstock are incredibly versatile when it comes to handmade home decorations and accessories. One of the things you can make using cardstock is a folded origami lampshade. It’s relatively easy to make and once in place it looks incredible. Follow the instructions on docrafts to find out all you need to know about the folding technique and feel free to combine any colors you like.

If you can find some fabric with a galaxy print you should definitely get some because there are a lot of cool things you can do with it, including giving an old lampshade a makeover. For that you’ll need a few other things like some spray paint in metallic copper and black, some etching cream, black acrylic paint, a hot glue gun and also a few adhesive stars although these are entirely optional. found on vikalpah

This may sound like something grandma would do but don’t jump to conclusions just yet. We came across this cute lampshade while browsing creativejewishmom. It’s been decorated with crocheted trim and we think it’s just lovely. If you check out the full tutorial you’ll find instructions that teach you how to make your own colorful trim from scratch. Of course, you might be able to ask grandma for some help…

Pictures are among the most effective things you can use to decorate a space, especially if the goal is to make it feel more personal, more like you. You can use pictures in a lot of different ways, including to customize a lampshade. Well, actually you’d need to use slides for this. The really cool thing about this is that the light brings the slides to life. Find out more about this idea on redhousewest.

With patience and a bit of time you can do a lot of cool things, including a very stylish and elegant lampshade. Let’s talk specifics. This gorgeous lampshade featured on heatherednest is made using thin fabric, a circle cutting tool, a hot glue gun and a plain and simple lampshade in need of a makeover.

Time and patience are also important if you want to make a geometric lampshade out of cardboard, more specifically the one featured on one-o. The polygonal pattern is pretty cool and, as you can see, there are definitely a few imperfections visible to the naked eye but that just makes the lampshade more special, giving it an authentic, artisanal look.

Some lampshades are basically begging for a creative makeover. Just look at this one…take away the colorful stitching and it will look naked, incomplete, as if it’s lacking the thing that made it special and beautiful in the first place. You can stitch quirky patterns on just about any fabric lampshade. Actually it doesn’t even have to be fabric. Just let yourself be inspired by this makeover. found on missamyphipps

Now that we’ve agreed that stitching is fun and great for customizing lampshades and all sorts of other things, check out another funky project based on the same idea. It comes from refabdiaries and it only requires a few simple supplies: two cylinders cut from a can, cross-stitch fabric, acrylic paint, glue and embroidery floss. There are lots and lots of ways to improve or to personalize this project.

A really cute and at the same time very simple way of customizing an existing lampshade is to just stick some paper, felt or cardboard cutouts on the inside of the lining so their shapes can be seen on the other side. You can attach them with double-sided tape and you can pick any theme you want. Personally, I like butterflies so I made some out of paper and I decorated by floor lamp with their silhouettes, just as shown on pinkstripeysocks.

Paper fortune tellers are these fun little crafts kids make without even realizing how complex they really are. We found a way to take these things to a whole new level. Actually, we’re just sharing a project we found on craftandcreativity. The idea is to make a bunch of paper fortune tellers of different colors or with different patterns and to use them to decorate the outside of a plain lampshade.

Show off your best instagram photos in a cool and interesting way: on your lamp. First you need to print them out and then you have to glue them onto the lampshade. Just make a collage and mix and match the photos however you want. You can pick a theme that suits the room. For instance, a nursery room could have a lamp decorate with baby photos. found on millionmoments

A plain and cylindrical lampshade is ideal if you want to dress it up as shown on thecrafttutor. All you need here is ribbon…lots of it. Figuring out just how much ribbon you’ll need can be tricky. When calculating this, keep in mind that you’ll need to wind the ribbon vertically around and around the lampshade and then you’ll have to do the same thing horizontally.

Instead of ribbon you could use rope in a somewhat similar manner. In fact, why limit yourself to rope when you can really get creative and use colored yarn or other similar materials to really make your lampshade stand out. Think of this project featured on blogalacart as a source of inspiration meant to unlock your potential for coming up with unique ideas.

Geometric, graphical and abstract designs are often associated with the contemporary style and that’s usually due to their minimalism. It’s this simplicity that we find most charming in the case of this DIY lampshade featured on weekdaycarnival. All you need in order to make something just as cool is some hollow metallic tube and some twine. Thread the twine through the tube and then start bending.

Maybe…just maybe you’re in the mood to try something a bit more complex so we’ll just leave this boho chandelier here for inspiration. It’s a surprisingly easy craft so don’t let yourself be intimidated by its looks. Embroidery hoops, fringe, rope and glue…that’s all you need for this. Sure, if you want you can add some elegant trim as well but that’s entirely optional. Feel free to pick any color and to make the chandelier as big as you want. You can actually simplify the project and make a regular lampshade instead if that’s what you want.found on hometalk

Don’t you love jute? We’re in love with its retro, shabby-chic look so naturally we just had to show you how to use it to make a simple lampshade look awesome. Expect a simple and cozy look with a little bit of coastal charm, much like what you see here. You can find all the details related to this home project on thehomemadehome. There are obviously numerous possible variations of this project but for some reason we like it just the way it is.

There’s another really cool DIY lampshade idea that we absolutely fell in love with. It comes from emmmylizzzy and it has to do with doilies. Can you believe it? Doilies…those outdated things grandma used to make look so stylish, delicate and inspiring it’s hard not to be amazed. Sure, it takes about 24 hours to complete this project but it’s all worth it. Here’s how it all goes: you take a balloon, you inflate it (ideally it should be round) and then you place the doilies on the balloon and you paint them with school glue until they’re soaked. Let them dry for 24 hours and if necessary touch up some areas that aren’t stiff enough and let the doilies dry some more. When it’s done, blow up the balloon. Don’t forget to  leave a hole for the lamp kit to fit through at the top if it’s a hanging pendant lamp you’re making.

Have you ever played with transfer paper? You can do a lot of cool things with it. Practically it opens up a window to tons of awesome DIY projects. Today we’re only focusing on how you can use it to customize a lampshade. Actually, the most difficult part about it is finding a theme and then a specific image, silhouette or pattern that you want to display on your lampshade. Find out more on hello-piepmatz. Here you can also find this cute squirrel printable.

Villa Slow by Laura Alvarez Architecture in Cantabria, Spain

Villa Slow is a contemporary holiday rental retreat in Spain’s Cantabria community. It was designed by Laura Alvarez Architecture with its design typology based on the traditional construction of the ‘peasant cabin’ in the area.

Villa Slow by Laura Alvarez Architecture

Unlike the traditional cabins, Villa Slow has a contemporary twist and is placed on top of a little south-facing hill that grants its inhabitants with impressive views towards the valley and mountain.

“I grew up in the North of Spain not so far away from Villa Slow. I have really good memories of me and my family enjoying nature. This region of Spain has many of the things I always look for when I go on holidays: Mountains, sea, natural parks, hiking, quietness, culture and rich gastronomy. But I always felt I missed here a nice place to stay… a place where you can be warm when it is cold outside and be fully connected to the outside when the sun shines. So I thought: If I cannot find it, there will also be many people not able to find it too….Let’s design and build a beautiful place and share it with more people!… Being myself an architect, it was an opportunity I could just not let go…And this is how it all started.” – Laura Alvarez

Villa Slow is designed and built with extreme mindfulness and care for detail. The house is very respectful with the environment. Its design is based on the traditional typology of a Pasiego House (Cabana Pasiega) but with a contemporary twist. The rough exterior stone walls and roofs contrast with the delicate interior wooden structure and details. Two big panoramic windows in the living room facing opposite directions create a beautiful scenography of mountains, clouds, and trees. The two rooms with their generous height are designed to allow different arrangements: just a couple, couple with children, friends, etc. Each room has its own bathroom fully equipped, barrier-free.

THE WATER

Villa Slow is situated in a very special natural area well known for its spring water formation. The water of Villa Slow comes from its own spring.

A PASSIVE HOME

Villa Slow pays extreme attention to sustainability. Villa Slow is a passive house. It is provided with a heat pump, under floor heating and high quality insulation and windows for a minimum heat loss. All electronic appliances are A+++ and all lightning based on LED technology. The high performance glass warms up the interior in the winter and the big wooden shutters protect the summer from heat gain. All materials used to build Villa Slow are reused from the old stone shed or come from the area of Cantabria.

–Laura Alvarez Architecture

Villa Slow by Laura Alvarez Architecture in Cantabria, Spain

Villa Slow is a contemporary holiday rental retreat in Spain’s Cantabria community. It was designed by Laura Alvarez Architecture with its design typology based on the traditional construction of the ‘peasant cabin’ in the area.

Villa Slow by Laura Alvarez Architecture

Unlike the traditional cabins, Villa Slow has a contemporary twist and is placed on top of a little south-facing hill that grants its inhabitants with impressive views towards the valley and mountain.

“I grew up in the North of Spain not so far away from Villa Slow. I have really good memories of me and my family enjoying nature. This region of Spain has many of the things I always look for when I go on holidays: Mountains, sea, natural parks, hiking, quietness, culture and rich gastronomy. But I always felt I missed here a nice place to stay… a place where you can be warm when it is cold outside and be fully connected to the outside when the sun shines. So I thought: If I cannot find it, there will also be many people not able to find it too….Let’s design and build a beautiful place and share it with more people!… Being myself an architect, it was an opportunity I could just not let go…And this is how it all started.” – Laura Alvarez

Villa Slow is designed and built with extreme mindfulness and care for detail. The house is very respectful with the environment. Its design is based on the traditional typology of a Pasiego House (Cabana Pasiega) but with a contemporary twist. The rough exterior stone walls and roofs contrast with the delicate interior wooden structure and details. Two big panoramic windows in the living room facing opposite directions create a beautiful scenography of mountains, clouds, and trees. The two rooms with their generous height are designed to allow different arrangements: just a couple, couple with children, friends, etc. Each room has its own bathroom fully equipped, barrier-free.

THE WATER

Villa Slow is situated in a very special natural area well known for its spring water formation. The water of Villa Slow comes from its own spring.

A PASSIVE HOME

Villa Slow pays extreme attention to sustainability. Villa Slow is a passive house. It is provided with a heat pump, under floor heating and high quality insulation and windows for a minimum heat loss. All electronic appliances are A+++ and all lightning based on LED technology. The high performance glass warms up the interior in the winter and the big wooden shutters protect the summer from heat gain. All materials used to build Villa Slow are reused from the old stone shed or come from the area of Cantabria.

–Laura Alvarez Architecture

Villa Slow by Laura Alvarez Architecture in Cantabria, Spain

Villa Slow is a contemporary holiday rental retreat in Spain’s Cantabria community. It was designed by Laura Alvarez Architecture with its design typology based on the traditional construction of the ‘peasant cabin’ in the area.

Villa Slow by Laura Alvarez Architecture

Unlike the traditional cabins, Villa Slow has a contemporary twist and is placed on top of a little south-facing hill that grants its inhabitants with impressive views towards the valley and mountain.

“I grew up in the North of Spain not so far away from Villa Slow. I have really good memories of me and my family enjoying nature. This region of Spain has many of the things I always look for when I go on holidays: Mountains, sea, natural parks, hiking, quietness, culture and rich gastronomy. But I always felt I missed here a nice place to stay… a place where you can be warm when it is cold outside and be fully connected to the outside when the sun shines. So I thought: If I cannot find it, there will also be many people not able to find it too….Let’s design and build a beautiful place and share it with more people!… Being myself an architect, it was an opportunity I could just not let go…And this is how it all started.” – Laura Alvarez

Villa Slow is designed and built with extreme mindfulness and care for detail. The house is very respectful with the environment. Its design is based on the traditional typology of a Pasiego House (Cabana Pasiega) but with a contemporary twist. The rough exterior stone walls and roofs contrast with the delicate interior wooden structure and details. Two big panoramic windows in the living room facing opposite directions create a beautiful scenography of mountains, clouds, and trees. The two rooms with their generous height are designed to allow different arrangements: just a couple, couple with children, friends, etc. Each room has its own bathroom fully equipped, barrier-free.

THE WATER

Villa Slow is situated in a very special natural area well known for its spring water formation. The water of Villa Slow comes from its own spring.

A PASSIVE HOME

Villa Slow pays extreme attention to sustainability. Villa Slow is a passive house. It is provided with a heat pump, under floor heating and high quality insulation and windows for a minimum heat loss. All electronic appliances are A+++ and all lightning based on LED technology. The high performance glass warms up the interior in the winter and the big wooden shutters protect the summer from heat gain. All materials used to build Villa Slow are reused from the old stone shed or come from the area of Cantabria.

–Laura Alvarez Architecture

5 Incredibly Beautiful DIY Christmas Recycled Decoration

If you are already planning to begin sprucing up your house for Christmas and you have got enough time to ditch pre-made stuff, it’s a fabulous idea to make your very own decorative elements with a special personalized touch. And, building such pretties is surprisingly easy when you get your hands on these 5 different Christmas decorations that will make a definite statement!

5 Beautiful DIY Christmas Recyclced Decoration

Putting some of the basic items lying around the house to a super-innovative use is what this incredible YouTube video by Innova Crafts is all about. It teaches you to make 5 stunning Christmas decorations, including a paper Xmas tree, ornaments, wall decor piece, and lovely snowflakes – all with the idea of recycling!

The initial glimpse at the extraordinary Xmas tree showcased in the video won’t let anyone figure out that it’s actually a magazine subjected to a little origami! You fold each of the pages of a magazine in a super cool pattern, and somehow, it will magically start to transform into a vintage-looking Christmas tree that can give just about any store-bought table-top tree a tough deal of competition.

For the finishing touches, you can coat the tree with your choice of spray paint and mini DIY ornaments. Here, Innova Crafts adorns the tree with little paper glitter stars that make things even more whimsical.

Who said you always needed to go for a floral wreath or hard-to-pull-off mantel decorations? A rustic yet adorably blingy Christmas star whipped up using tree branches or sticks is perhaps, the easiest crafts to pull off with your kids. The sticks are spray painted in white, arranging them together in a star shape, wherein each of the sticks are wrapped with string lights and connected with each other using small pieces of wire. Simply charm the star up with decorative leaves or berries, and voila!

5 DIY Christmas Recyclced Decoration!

(Video and pictures via Innova Crafts)

The tutorial also takes you through two different festive ornaments made out of toilet paper rolls. The key is to flatten the roll and cut smaller loops out of it, letting your creative juices flow when it comes to assembling them. One of the ornaments combines the pieces into a ball, while the other assembles them into a dense snowflake. Splashes of paint and coats of glitter make the ornaments oh so splendorous, getting them ready-to-hang using strings or threads.

Last but not the least are glorious homemade snowflake ornaments that are going to adorn your Christmas tree with a touch of sparkle. Grab a ceramic dish and use a marker to draw a snowflake design on the dish with simple lines that all connect with each other. Apply some oil over the snowflake outline, further placing a looped string atop the design. All you need to do next is to trace the image with hot glue in a continuous stream, sprinkling loads of glitter on top while the design is still wet. Once the snowflake is dry, you are all set to hang it on the tree!

Decorate your space with the aforesaid projects or gift them to your loved ones, spreading some Christmas joy around!

22 Cool Remodeling Projects to Make Your Home Amazing

People all want their home to be stylish, up to date and a reflection of their personality. Remodeling is an inevitable process that allows you to achieve your dream home. Remodeling can cost a lot, but if you have the right tricks and creative hacks, the remodeling can be bearable money-wise. There are plenty of small steps and diy projects you can take that will breathe new life into nearly every corner of your home. Check out the below round up of cool remodeling ideas to fresh your home.

1. Adding Pull Out Drawers Under the Kitchen Sink Lets You Easier Access The Items You Need

2. Build a House Number Sign and Planter Box to Add Great Curb Appeal to Your Property

3. Replace a Boring Fluorescent Light Above Kitchen Sink with Your DIY Pendant Cage Light with a Wooden Box

4. Re-spray the Door into a Dark Color to Create a Strong Visual Contrast with the Wall

5. Enhance The Look of Entry Wall by Adding a DIY Wainscoting That Can Bring Dimension and Value to Plain Walls

6. Soak Builders-Grade Brass Drawer Pulls in Brass Ager for 10 Seconds to Take Them from Typical Boring House to Pottery Barn

7. DIY Chalkboard Paint Refrigerator Allows You to Write Fun Menu or Shopping Lists

8. Give the Illusion of Larger Windows by Hanging Curtains High and Wide

9. Transform an Overly-cluttered Coat Closet into a Prettier Entryway Mud Room

10. Countertop Paint That Looks Like Concrete

11. Replace Boring Boob Flush-mount Light with a Shade Pendant Lamp

12. Add Under Cabinet Lighting and Outlets to Your Kitchen

13. Adding Stone Veneer to a Concrete Foundation Wall

14. Use the Inside of Kitchen Cabinet Doors to Arrange Your Kitchen Measurements or Conversion Charts

15. Clever Way to Fix the Problem of Downspout Runoff

16. Night Lights Can be very Helpful for Both Kids and Adults, Especially in Hallways or a Bathroom

17. In Order To Make Full Use of The Cabinet Space Above The Fridge, You Can Add Some Dividers to It

18. Clever Way to Cover Up the 80’s Popcorn Ceiling

19. Make a Custom-designed Closet Unit with a Billy Bookcase or Two

20. Use Beadboard Wallpaper to Make a Boring Wall an Accent Wall

21. Make Cedar Plank Screen Wall to Hide the Garbage Bin

22. Build a Pallet Accent TV Wall

10 Reasons You Need A Farmhouse Kitchen Table

Yes, we know that farmhouse style is big right now. Nowadays, you can’t get away from chippy white paint and rustic wood accents no matter how hard you try. However, whether you’re totally on board the farmhouse train or more of a modern decorator, there is one element of farmhouse decor that can be used everywhere, no matter your style. Namely, the farmhouse kitchen table. Everybody needs a good kitchen table for gatherings, projects, cooking and even just breakfast. So while you’re looking, here are 10 reasons you need a farmhouse kitchen table in your life.

Farmhouse kitchen tables don’t have to be chippy and rough. A nice simple table, sanded and stained smooth as honey, can be just the gathering place your kitchen needed.

When you have kids living in the house, choosing furniture that can handle the rough and tumble is necessary. Farmhouse tables are often heavy and always well built. So when you find your child dancing on the tabletop, you don’t have to worry about collapse.

Don’t think you have to pay a big chunk for the perfect farmhouse table. With a little time and a little effort, you can find a beautiful kitchen table second hand. A great option when you deal with the knicks and dings that childhood brings.

Do you often cram a lot of people around your kitchen table? You need a farmhouse table with x legs. With the legs out of the way, you can easily slide more chairs up to the tabletop or even a bench to fit everyone comfortably.

Sometimes when homes are a work in progress, you have many wood tones to deal with. A farmhouse kitchen table with those various wood shades can help pull everything together so your work in progress looks more like a finished product.

Not all farmhouse tables need a large space. You can even find quaint circle tables to fit in your tiny kitchen or breakfast nook. Suddenly your whole tiny space will have some extra warmth.

Just because a farmhouse table is a little rough around the edges doesn’t mean it’s unusable. Cover that circle gem in a coat of creamy paint and you’ll have the perfect farmhouse table fix that everyone will be pining for.

Speaking of elbow grease, if a farmhouse kitchen table is rather out of your budget, consider building it yourself. When you have the woodworking skills, just find a plan that suits your space and your style and you can have a beautiful heavy kitchen table in a weekend.

Do you already have a farmhouse table that’s looking a little shabby? Consider giving it a good sanding and restain it in a dark rich shade. It will feel like you bought a whole new table without spending over budget.

In the best circumstances, you have some room in your decor budget to get your perfect kitchen table. While you’re shopping, look for spindle legs, wide planked tops and added leaves. These seemingly insignificant elements are what will make your farmhouse kitchen table shine.