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"homestyle"
I’ve had fun with these design challenges in the past so I figured I’d keep them going. Up next is the guest room!
I’ve always wanted a guest room that is crisp, clean, white, and homey. I think I got the crisp {or wrinkly…}, white and clean part down, but with bare walls, it’s a little not-so-homey.
So, I was thinking, over the one bed, hanging a watercolor of the entrance to my alma mater. The colors match the curtains {which eventually will be changed actually} and the pillow shams well.
On the other wall, I have three mirrors (two octagonal and one square) that may look good. Pardon the poor rendition of them in the photo… but you get the gist?
wow… that looks a little worse than I thought…
I need to scour Marshall’s and TJ Maxx for some additional shams and throw pillows, but until then, does anyone have any other ideas?
Oh, and that stack of towels? Those are now put away, the lamp is moved over there and there is a Keurig where the lamp was. Classy!
This past fall, I was a little preoccupied in being a new mama that I kind of forgot about the fact that I was hosting Thanksgiving. I did almost all of my fall decorating in the two weeks before the holiday. Though I’m sure my guests wouldn’t have minded an undecorated house, but I wanted to do it anyway. My mom and I found this wonderful patterned fabric at JoAnn’s and I decided it needed to be a fall table runner in our dining room. I figured it couldn’t be too hard, right?
Supplies:
2 different fabrics, coordinating
{see measuring below}
coordinating thread
scissors or rotary cutter
sewing machine
{unless you just LOVE handstitching}
iron
How much fabric do you need?
For determining how much fabric to get, first you should measure the length of your table (we’ll call this “L“). Table runners generally fall about 12 inches past the edge of the table, but I think that is a little long. So decide how much extra length you want past the table (let’s call this “T“). You’ll multiply that number by 2 as you need it on both ends of the table. You’ll also want to add in room for your seams. I do 1/2 inch seams (so add 1 inch to the length).
(1+L+(Tx2)) = length of fabric required.
For this tutorial, L=68 and T=6.
(1+68+(6×2)) = 81 inches = 2 1/4 yards
Hopefully that makes sense! For what it is worth, you’ll mostly find 90 inch table runners out there, but since this is a DIY, you can make it whatever length you want!
As for width, go with whatever you think looks right based off the width of your table. I wanted my finished product to be 12 inches wide, so I cut 13 inches wide to account for seams.
Step 1.
Cut fabric to 81 inches x 13 inches {see measuring guide above}. Pin right sides together.
sorry, it was hard to take a photo of that!
Step 2.
Sew 1/2 inch seams along the edges, leaving open a few inches to turning. Trim your corners.
Step 3.
Turn fabric right side in. Iron the opening in the seam so it lays flat, making it easier to sew shut.
Step 4.
If you are a perfectionist, you’ll want to slip stitch the opening shut. There are great tutorials out there for how to slip stitch… have at it. However! If you’re like me, and you don’t mind a little thread showing, go ahead and top stitch the opening shut. That’s where it is key to having coordinating thread!
Yep, coordinating thread.
Step 5.
Iron all the kinks out and you’re done!
don’t mind the baby’s stuff in the corners of the photo…
oh and don’t mind that awful cup ring on the table… eesh!
See? It did end up being pretty easy.. didn’t it? If you have any questions leave them in the comments and I’ll be sure to help you out as I can!
Our last design challenge was so fun, I decided to do more. I got SO many great ideas for my front door area and I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks about what is up next… my living room!
Most of our living room is hand-me-down. The couch and lamps were left by the previous owners and the end tables {which I love} are from the in-laws. We added the storage bench {which sticks out like a sore thumb in this pic!} and some throw pillows. Now the pillows are seasonal. Those are my fall pillows, and now we have some Christmas pillows. They will keep changing as the seasons change…
Our biggest issue is the wall above the couch. What to do?!? It’s such a HUGE space. Here is our general idea:
Three frames hanging above. It looks better than just one big thing, right? Not to mention it would probably be easier as well. I’m thinking black frames, to help the storage ottoman not look so out of place.
Now here’s the challenge… what to put IN those frames??? I would love to have things that are seasonal as well {like swapping out family photos taken during whatever season it currently is…} but I’m open for ideas. Also, I will be replacing the lamp shades with a nicer white one, but what color to paint the lamps?
Give me all your ideas! But if you tell me to recover the couch I’ll smack ya btws.
I feel like our house, while adorable, needs a little something more in the front. We have some great beds out front with two little tree/bush things by the door. It still seems a little blah to me.
See what I mean?
Now all I can really think of right now are some potted plants on either side of the door {since it is fall, probably some mums!} I imagine it would look like this…
What do you think? I think they look pretty good {even if they may not fully be to scale…} but I still feel like something is just lacking and I’m not quite sure what.
So that is the challenge! What would you do to fix up the front of our house? I need some ideas
{Anything handmade or budget friendly gets extra points!}
PS – There will be more design challenges coming so be ready. I have so many parts of our house that need some help and I need your creative ideas!
The nursery is finally done! I absolutely love how it turned out. I wanted something gender neutral but really hate the typical cutesy baby stuff. You know the light green, baby yellow, duck-filled stuff? Yeah. Not a fan. Anyway, here it is! M’s little gray and yellow elephant filled nursery!
His crib, complete with his initials {made by his Aunt Jess!} I need to mess with the ribbons a bit, but they’re good for now! My mom made the crib skirt and both of us made the bumpers. I was hoping to use stripes instead of chevron as the room was already a little too trendy for my liking, but I still like the way it turned out. The main fabric there is this. Absolutely love it.
Next up is the rocking chair corner. The chair is super comfy and I love just sitting and rocking in it. I can’t wait to hang out there with a little toddler reading books {okay, I can wait, but it will be so fun!} I already read some books to him but its more to keep me from being bored while the kid eats. There are a few things I want to hang from that little white shelf as well as a little elephant cross stitch I want hung right below it.
Then we have the dresser, twin bed, and awesome elephant prints. Sorry the picture is super blurry! You remember the dresser redo that I worked so hard on! So far it is working out perfectly. Thanks to a tip from my cousin Stefanie, the old wooden drawers open smoothly now with a little canning wax on them. Also, those curtains are made from the same elephant fabric as the bumpers. I’d take credit for them, but they were all my momma’s work! Oh and that bed will have some throw pillows on it soon enough!
And here’s the changing table. Nothing too exciting… just the usual! I love the hamper we got though and of course, the nightlight {thanks Linds!}
Here’s my biggest problem area… that bookshelf! I need to find a good vase for those fake flowers {preferably an unbreakable one.} I also want a little CD player or something, but there is no outlet nearby. I will figure it out soon enough!
There you have it! Our sweet boy’s nursery! I’m so excited to see him grow up in it and to use it for future children {even if the room may have to move a couple of times!} Anywho, what do you think?
picture
