With the Grain » home decorating

Decorate With a Hand Rake

Jenn Greenleaf — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:14:48 +0000

I’ve been to flea markets and yard sales where I’ve seen old hand rakes mixed in with the various goods for sale. I couldn’t help wondering what the heck people would do with an old hand rake that looked as though it was destined for the trash, rather than for use in someone’s garden. Then I thought, “What about using them in country décor?”

Here are some ideas:

Create a hat rack: spray down the hand rake in a coordinating color, and hang it on the wall upside-down. Hang hats, scarves, lightweight sweaters, and other light items from this whimsical rack.
Dry flowers: again, spray down the hand rake in a coordinating color (or, leave it as is if it has that distressed look you’re after), and hang it upside-down. Hang bunches of flowers and branches to dry from the rake’s tines.

Once you start looking at this gardening tool differently, you’ll be surprised how many country décor ideas pop into your mind. Take these ideas and run with them! Have fun!

Layer on the Colors!

Jenn Greenleaf — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:43:32 +0000

In our home, there is a lot of blue. A lot. We have blue rugs, blue window treatments, and blue hues in our linoleum floors. We also have a blue striped love seat in the living. Yes, it’s a lot of blue and working our spaces into a different color scheme is in progress. However, I have found a way to layer things up to tone down the blue:

I put two throw blankets on the striped love seat, one a very light mocha and the other solid blue (I know, but it does break the color).
I put a vanilla color throw blanket on our gliding rocking chair.
There’s an Oriental rug flanking one end of our living room that contains two different color browns, sage green, and burgundy.
The burgundy color has traveled to the other end of the room in the way of occasional lamps, throw pillows, and a chenille throw.

So, until I can get rid of the all blue wall-to-wall carpeting (we’re putting in hardwood flooring throughout the space), I have layered on the colors. It’s a quick fix to a pricey color problem.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Weird

Jenn Greenleaf — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:24:37 +0000

“Why did you do that? Its so weird!”

Do you hear this often when you make choices for the paint, décor, and furniture in your home? Does it just roll off your back, or does it bother you?

Honestly, when it comes to the style and décor of your home, it’s truly a reflection of you and your family’s tastes and lifestyles. Don’t be afraid of hearing the words “weird” or being questioned about your decisions when it comes to creating your space.

No matter how weird it may seem to others, it doesn’t matter. It’s your space, it’s where you and your family live, and it’s where you and your family will grow. Who cares if others think it’s weird! Don’t be afraid to be weird! Paint those antlers bright red, mount them to a piece of pine, and call it a coat rack if you want to!

Just Add Water

Jenn Greenleaf — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:54:48 +0000

Do you want to inject color into your space, but you’re afraid to make a commitment to paint, fabrics, or decorative items?

Don’t worry; you’re not alone on this. A simple way to inject color without making a commitment is with water. Yes, just add water! Pick up some fish bowls, vases, urns, or other ornamental glass fixtures that will hold a fairly good amount of water. Then, add a few drops of food coloring (experiment with the darkness by adding more as you stir).

Change the colors out after a week. If you’re still unsure, try mixing the primary colors to create different shades in order to continue with the experiment. Who knows, that may be all the color you need!

The Writing is on the Wall

Jenn Greenleaf — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:13:51 +0000

Remember when you were growing up and that temptation to color on your walls was eluded by your parent’s warnings not to do so? Well, now that we’re adults, we can write and color on our walls without giving a care or a worry in the world! What am I talking about, right?

Rub-on’s and decals are becoming all the rage for novice and professional interior decorators alike. Some of these decals are pictorials, while others depict popular phrases or quotations. There are also opportunities to personalize what the pictures or words will look like based upon your requests and specifications. Have fun!

Create Your Own Wall Art

Jenn Greenleaf — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:58:30 +0000

Even if you’re not artistically inclined, you can create your own wall art. This is important for those of you who are staging your home for resale, or for those of you who are decorating your spaces for an event.

Materials needed:

9×13 pieces of stretched canvas (or larger depending on your wall space)
Several colors of acrylic paint
Paint that is your wall color, and your trim color
Several containers that are all different sizes
Pencil
Paint or sponge brushes
Small containers of water

Instructions:

Paint out the entire background of your canvas in the same color as your wall color, and the edges in your trim color. If your trim isn’t painted, then leave the edge alone.
When the paint is dry, place the containers upside-down on the canvas and trace them out using the pencil.
Paint inside each of the shapes using the acrylic paint. Choose colors that either match or compliment the background color.

There you have it, instant wall art that has been created by you! There is no right or wrong way of doing this, so have fun!

Do You Love Where You Live?

Jenn Greenleaf — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:06:12 +0000

Are you the type of dweller who lives in a place, but does not love where they live? This is not uncommon considering how much we all tend to put into other aspects of our lives . . . our work, our families, our health . . . why don’t we invest as much time and effort into our homes? Ask yourself:

What is it about your home that you do not love?
What do you think it will take to make your home one that you will love?
Do you have the time available to make these changes?
Do you have the budget to make these changes?
How many people will you need to help you make these changes?

There is a lot involved with making a home one that you love, but it is not impossible. Think about your style, your tastes, and your level of comfort, your favorite colors, and your favorite fabrics. Start one room, or one section of a room, at a time so you do not become too overwhelmed!

Hang Stylish Shelving

Jenn Greenleaf — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:23:16 +0000

Rather than hanging shelves with L-brackets, use corbels!

These decorative pieces of wood are available unfinished at home improvement centers. Paint them out to match the existing décor and you’re ready to hang them! All you have to do is drive a screw through to the stud (ensuring it is level first), set the shelf on top, and then screw that on to the corbels. Fill in the screw holes, prime the shelf, and paint it a coordinating color.

You’re finished!

Why settle for something as boring as an L-bracket when you can add more style with something as simple as this one little change? This small change might make you rethink some of the other things you’re doing around the house, too!

Book Cover Basics For Home Interiors

Jenn Greenleaf — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:46:00 +0000

Do you have a large collection of books in your primary living space? Do you want to create a new look for your room? A simple way to unify the look of a room you’re decorating is to cover over all the books in matching or complimentary colors. Even if this is a small tucked away corner in a home office or bedroom, the cohesive look really brings new life into the room.

There are a variety of materials that can be used to cover over the books:

wallpaper that is not pre-pasted
fabric remnants
canvas fabric pieces
heavy craft paper
mulberry paper
homemade paper
tea stained heavy-weight paper
high quality (it’s thicker) gift wrap

When putting the cover on to the books, don’t apply any glue or tape directly to the book. That way, these covers can be changed out easily from time to time and it will also prevent any damage to the book’s cover from occurring. Don’t be afraid to experiment with unusual patterns, bold colors, and designs that are beyond your comfort zone. This type of home improvement can be completed quickly and easily!

Simple Seasonal Decor Changes

Jenn Greenleaf — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:51:00 +0000

Now be honest, do your spaces look bland and uninviting? Similar to staging a home for sale, there are a lot of quick and inexpensive decorative changes that can be made from season to season. Simple changes really improve the look and the feel of the space and, guess what? You don’t have to paint!

For example, the room pictured to the left could experience the following for fall:

Window treatments: because of the rich tones of the surrounding trims, moldings, and flooring a rich burgundy with some gold trim would create a traditional and elegant dining space. Running them completely to the floor will warm up the space.
Flooring: add an area rug with the same colors as the walls and window treatments. Many oriental style rugs pull this off perfectly, while still lending themselves to the rich, warm look.
Fabrics: change out the seat cushions and add a table cloth in coordinating colors. Experiment using a color one shade darker than the wall, or using the same color as the window trim.
Trimmings: dress the table with a floral or fruit center piece, add some taper candles, and use dinnerware with a gold trim.

See what I mean? This room could easily go from drab and cold to warm and inviting with those simple changes. Shop outlet stores, second hand stores, remnant stores, and surplus salvage stores for great deals in fabrics, and rugs.