Decorate
Before and After: DIY Nursery Progress - Decorating and Organizing!
We've put in some serious hours in the nursery progress department recently. My parents recently came into town and per the usual, the days flew by. My Mom was here to attend my shower (which rocked) and my Dad decided to come along for the ride too, awesome! My parents were also game for helping us with anything we needed. What was on our to-do list this week? Nursery progress! So we all pushed back our shirt sleeves, did some serious shopping trips and got to work. Here's where we are now!
PS - I obviously need to clean the lens on my point and shoot. Please excuse all the small white dots all over these pics...heading to clean it asap!
Recent Nursery Decor Purchases:
IKEA
6 white frames (will go above green bin bookshelf)
Blue glider throw
Grey pillow in glider
Sheepskin throw for ottoman
Fabric covering for large canvas/art over crib
Window panels/curtains
Floor rug
Organizational baskets on either side of changing table
Large stainless laundry basket (between crib and desk/changing table)
Bed, Bath and Beyond
Two black storage ottomans (look below, my Mom is sitting on them)
Closet organization system (more on that in a later post)
Crate & Barrel Outlet
Green bins for low lying bookshelf
Pottery Barn Outlet
Organic crib sheets
Restoration Hardware Outlet
Crib skirt
Yes, we have a billion unfinished projects in each of these pics (more on that later) but let me remind you with some before pics of just how far we've come in only a few short days. When we last chatted HERE, the room was looking about like this:
After the paint totally dried from our chevron projects, Walt moved some of his furniture from our garage up to his room which was totally exciting! It was nice to finally see furniture in his lil' man space and just imagine where we'd go from here!
You already know that massive deal we got on our Restoration Hardware crib HERE, but I'll take some time to explain some of the other pieces too. Starting from the top picture, you see a low lying bookshelf that will totally be a perfect height for our little man. HERE'S the info on the low lying shelf and I think we paid about $3 for it. The floor lamp and desk were freebies that we mentioned HERE from our bulk pickup roundup in our neighborhood.
What else? That sweet wooden stool underneath our desk/changing table was actually given to us for free from the guy we bought Walt's bankers chair from...score! More on Walt's before/after bankers chair post HERE. As for that massive painting above his crib, that was from our own personal collection and used to hang on the wall in my home office HERE.
The glider we scored (brand new) on Craigslist for $200. It was listed for $250 and when we saw it, we knew we wanted it. I brought only $200 in cash with me, knowing that was our budget for our glider. It's the Little Castle Cottage SS Glider that retails for about $650, just for the glider...woah! Add $200 for the ottoman and we're way out of our budget. So we were happy to spy it on Craigslist (it was brand new because a home stager used it) and even offer $200 and have the furniture warehouse accept our offer. SCORE...a $950 brand new glider for $200, yes please!
So moving along, I'll be sure to tell you what grand plans we have for many of these pieces as we progress with the nursery. Oh and as for those plastic black bins on the low lying bookshelf...we were just trying to figure out what size basket/organizational component we wanted. Well, one trip to Crate & Barrel Outlet and we found those great bright green bins that will be much more durable than most baskets.
So my parents are awesome DIY doers just like us. You've seen them tackle their tiled kitchen back-splash HERE and they're always doing some new home project that always impresses us. It was awesome to have their help but the one thing I learned quickly was that my Dad and Walt are so efficient and work so quickly that I barely got a picture snapped. Note to self: make them slow down next time so I can have an accurate tutorial, ha! Read on to take a peek at some of the DIY projects my parents helped us tackle in 72 hours.
Creating the Perfect Fit for His Bright Green Bin/Low Lying Shelf:
When we first put all lil' bubs green C&B bins onto his shelf, it wasn't a perfect fit. Boo hoo is right because we thought we measured perfectly but we forgot that there was some overhang where the piece connected at the hinges. My Dad and Walt quickly realized they could cut off the ends of the middle shelf that hangs over (look at the image above, you'll see) and then the big bins would be a perfectly tight fit. They took the shelf apart, cut off the ends, used some nail glue to reattach/fix one of the braces and voila, we have a perfectly fitted and almost custom looking toy bin shelf for our lil' man!
Taking the shelf apart!
Bins and stuff everywhere!
The ends have been cut off for a super close fit...fingers crossed!
Using wood glue and nails to make sure one of the braces is solid.
Tah-dah! So proud of the after, it looks WORLDS better!
Repainting the Floor Lamp:
Annnnnnd, my Mom is the cutest, ha! The bright blue floor lamp just wasn't doing it for me/for us. We had some silver spray paint in the garage so my Mom volunteered to give that piece a new coat. Oh my gosh, it's so amazing what a new color palette did for the lamp. It no longer screamed BLUE, but blended in beautifully with the other decor.
Hanging Curtains:
My Dad and Walt also hung our curtain hardware which is always a huge help. I hate the job of being his assistant (even though he's really good to me) so it was awesome to show them where it should hang and literally come back minutes later with a perfectly hung curtain rod. LOVE IT! We put on our new IKEA curtains and the room really was starting to come together at that point.
And of course, no post would be complete without showing how much lovin' our lil' hairy angel gets from her Mimi and Papa. There is no deficit of puppy kisses when this duo is around, they love our furry baby.
PS - Also check out the side of our changing table/desk now. Walt and my Dad added these awesome and industrial looking organizational baskets that I grabbed at IKEA to each side. Oh how I love to be organized!
So are you wondering what's left to do on our to-do list? Well, here's an idea of where we're at and what we need to get done in the next week/this weekend:
1 - Hang the six IKEA white frames above the low lying book shelf with bright green bins.
2 - Add either shelves or a side table option to the left hand side of the glider/ottoman.
3 - Purchase this awesome cow print from IKEA when they get their new truck-load in next week.
4 - Iron/wrap/secure (maybe staple) the brown and cream IKEA fabric around large canvas that sits above the crib...can't wait to see that done! That'll be a quickie!
5 - Hem the bottom of the IKEA curtain panels.
6 - Add some sort of black out shade.
Phew, I'm tired after just reading this! We'll keep you posted on the progress and we know this is a rough update as so much is still unfinished, but we want to remind you that not everything is picture perfect over here at CasaCullen. We like to share the in-between phases too before we unveil the final pics. Truly, I think this is going to be such a work in progress that we'll be updating his nursery for years to come. Stay tuned and leave a comment on any great hints/tricks you have for nursery decor ideas, etc!
What to Buy Now: Under $50 - Top Ten Quirky and Cute in Decor
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Interior Inspiration: DIY - How to Decorate for Halloween
Halloween will be here before we know it so we thought we'd go ahead and share some of our favorite DIY ideas with you. It'll give you tons of time to shop for the ingredient's and maybe even decorate a tad bit early this year. We love so many of these stellar ideas but we can't take our eyes off those homespun pumpkins in the first spot...adorable! Do you have any easy and creative decorating ideas up your sleeve for Halloween? Be sure to share them with us in the comment section!
Homespun pumpkins - DIY info HERE
Candy jar label templates - DIY info HERE
Mirror with glowing eyes - DIY info HERE
Tattered tablecloth and spiderwebs - DIY info HERE
Glittered spiderweb hurricanes - DIY info HERE
Pumpkin balloons - DIY info HERE
Staircase Silhouette Halloween Decorations - DIY info HERE
Candy wreath - DIY info HERE
Shivering bats shade - DIY info HERE
Bewitching Halloween eggs - DIY info HERE
Head waiter tray - DIY info HERE
Jar-o'-lanterns - DIY info HERE
Shocking silhouettes - DIY info HERE
Creepy blood dripped candles - DIY info HERE
Pumpkin basket - DIY info HERE
Images from HERE
First Look: Interior Inspiration - Decorate on a Dime for Fall
We recently talked about some DIY projects HERE that would be perfect to tackle this fall. But many weren't even fall themed. Today's post has fall written all over it! I love fall...love it! The smell of it is something I yearn for, is that weird? No really, it totally has a smell to me. Here's some fun decor ideas you could whip up in an afternoon that will surely keep you smiling all fall long.
Spray paint mini pumpkins for instant chic. Pop them on top of candle sticks or cake plates for a glam and quick centerpiece idea.
Press a large fern branch and place it in front of your favorite book page or dictionary page. Decoupage the branch to the page and then frame it proudly.
Fresh apples can spruce up any decor. Put them in a huge bowl as a great centerpiece option or line them up in bunches (in baskets) on your mantel. We also love using them as a makeshift candle holder in an oversized hurricane vase, above.
Step right outside and scoop up your favorite fallen branches with brightly colored leaves. Pop those babies in a floor vase or big white vase (like the above) for an added pop of fall color.
Forget ordinary place cards! Use small pumpkins to jazz up your fall tablescapes by using a push pin to hold name card on pumpkin.
Easy loop corn husks (insert eye hook) and cobs on a piece of twine for an easy and note-worthy fall garland.
Use a trio of small pumpkins for the easiest candle holding display ever. Fill the container with rocks, beans or holiday nuts!
Sometimes easier means upping the chic ante. In this case, it's true! Use fallen leaves and velvet ribbon to wrap cloth napkins (you already know we're a huge fan HERE) for your fall table setting.
This is a super kid-friendly project...press colorful leaves and then hang them from a ribbon in front of your favorite brightly colored wooden frame. Love this!
Use mini pumpkins as table cloth weights for a memorable touch that your guests won't forget.
Images from HERE
Decorate: Delightful DIY Projects That Are Perfect for Fall
We love tackling fun and unexpected DIY projects and this fall is the perfect time for that. As the weather cools down, you'll surely yearn for outdoor fun like us. So make sure to bookmark a few of these and get busy on your project payoff. Lay out that old dropcloth in the yard, make a batch of fresh juice spritzers and showcase your DIY ingenuity for all to see. Feel free to send some of your before/after pics our way via CasaCullen@Gmail.com as we love seeing what all our readers are up to. Enjoy!
Easy fabric chandelier/mobile - more info HERE
Surprise lined lamp shade - more info HERE
Make a table out of an old suitcase - more info HERE
Hand painted tiles make perfect coasters - more info HERE and HERE
Make a light switch plate cover from an old can - more info HERE
Chevron fan blades - more info HERE
Stenciled curtain panels - more info HERE
Use a sharpie to vamp up a lamp base - more info HERE
Handmade astrology artwork - more info HERE
Create a pendant lamp out of string - more info HERE
Design homemade frosted glassware - more info HERE
Make a coat rack out of old trophies - more info HERE
No place settings needed with these chairs - more info HERE
Make a patchwork wall out of scrapbook or wallpaper scraps - more info HERE
Decorate: Under $10 - Guest Room and Half Bath DIY Letter Hooks from Michael's
I strongly believe that decor doesn't have to be expensive or break the bank. Also, some of the best decorative pieces we have are under $10 or ever free (more on that later) and that makes everyone smile. Today's post features a project that is easy to accomplish in an afternoon and adds a nice personal touch to any room.
We were in Michael's for a frame and mat recently and I spied these adorable hook letters for only $1/piece. I laid all 28 of the letters on the floor and CC Hubby and I struggled to spell something out. Finally, we came up with PSST and WC! WC is for water closet and psst just made us smile and we knew it would be perfect for behind the door hooks in our guest room. So read on to see how we spruced these $1 white hooks up and even reconfigured them to work for our home.
We've been searching for the perfect signage for our 1/2 bathroom downstairs. It's smack dab in the middle of our bedroom door and the pantry door. Whenever we have first time guests over to the house, we can't just point to 'that door over there' when they ask to use the restroom. Why? Because there are three white doors right next to each other. So when we saw there was a W and a C in the $1 letter bin, we knew we had finally found the perfect (and inexpensive) option. But what about those hooks? We don't want hooks on the outside of a bathroom door.
So with one little turn of the wrist and an under extremely watchful eyes (ha!) CC Hubby removed the hooks on the W and C. 'Hooks...be gone, I say!'
Here's the primer and spray paint we're working with, people. We already owned both so no more moolah was needed on that front. And per his usual, CC Hubby suggested painting them black (yep, he wants to paint everything black) but since he got to choose the last one HERE, it was my turn to choose the color. Naturally, a blue hue always makes my heart happy and this sea-foamy shade is perfection!
Primed...
Here comes the color...
DONE and drying!
Here's the downstairs trifecta I mentioned earlier. Seriously, uno...dos...tres! 'Behind door number three is a...new...CAR!' Ok, I'll move on from my best Bob Barker impression. But you get my point, this is super annoying and totally bonkers! We don't want our guests to feel like they're in a sick guessing game to find our restroom. Nor do we want them busting through the bedroom door at an inopportune moment.
We realized, if we hung the W and C by their hooks, the letters had a huge gap between the door. Hubby decided to take those hangers off too and told me to trust that he knew what he was doing.
He sure did. That boy headed out to his man cave (aka: detached garage) and grabbed some seriously sticky and durable double sided tape. He assured me this would do the trick and our letters wouldn't go tumbling to the floor as soon as our first visitor shut the door. I trusted and then opened and closed the door about 30 times afterwards, just to make sure!
Sticky part exposed...
Level headed teamwork...
Here's the AFTER and I'm in love! The color plays nicely off of our touches of turquoise from our dining room makeover HERE.
Seriously, I think they are adorable! Truthfully, they make me smile every time I see them because even though they stand for water closet...they're also Hubby's initials too!
So onto the addition of the letters in the guest bedroom. HERE's a peek at our guest bedroom as we totally 'shopped our home' to fill it up for the time being. This big blank door is about to get a seriously cute face lift.
Always thinking fo the best plan, my handyman is kind of amazing!
He marked where all the screws should go and penciled in a level line...
Then screwed those puppies right in!
I think it's this sweet little touch when our guests shut their door and see a whimsical and witty little note on the back of the door. Also, it serves a purpose because I know I'm always looking for a place to hang my damp towel after washing my face late at night. Plus, our guest bedroom closet is crammed with suitcases and blankets, for now. So this gives our visitors another place to hang their coat(s)!
Do you love DIY projects? Especially ones that don't break the bank? We do too! HERE'S a list of other DIY projects we've tackled and if you have an awesome before/after project you'd like to share with us, email us via CasaCullen@Gmail.com because we'd love to hear from you.
Decorate: How to Display Cards (or Last Year's Christmas Cards) Under $100
Though we have something really exciting and special up our sleeves, we just wanted to make sure and share this easy decor idea. I keep forgetting to post about this so even though we're already into February, hopefully some readers will find this post timely/helpful.
So I absolutely want to cry when I have to throw away all those beautiful and happy Christmas/Holiday cards we receive ever year. So instead of just tossing them, we've actually put them in a huge white bowl in our living room. It's awesome eye candy and something for visitors to rummage through while relaxing on our thoroughly worn in leather couches.
Oh come on, you know I had to put my adorable niece Minnie on top! Do you love looking at Christmas/photo cards as much as we do? Oh my gosh, the second I visited a friend's home during the holidays, I'd bee-line it to their card display and just stare in awe. I love those things, ha! So this is a way to sing the praises of all those amazing people in our lives that sent us a card and also, personalized decor that cost us nada!
One last peek, you can see the big white bowl in our living room. So do share with us...do have a genius locale for your cards? How do you display them? Do you just toss them upon receiving them? Ok, so maybe I have a bit of a hoarding complex when it comes to cards. But if someone is going to take the time to send a card, in this day and age, then I'm going to take the time to appreciate it. Thoughts?
On a sidenote we so need an area rug in our living room. No really, don't remind me! Moving on, we're pumped to show you the most amazing DIY card holder you've ever laid eyes on. We spotted it recently and hope to have that project finished in the next few weeks. You're surely going to make one of your own...promise you! Enjoy!
PS - Check back in with us later this afternoon. We're going to have another post up. It'll be a personal peek about our fun and picturesque snow day from last Friday! Seriously, it never snows in Austin and we've seen it snow twice in the last year.
Don't have a big bowl? Get yourself some! They're perfect catchalls and fruit holders. We have them all over the house and they make us feel organized and tidy. Check out these great bowls under $100 below:
Click links or bowls for more info/to buy:
Decorate: Under $100 - 2011's Top 5 Hottest Design Trends via The Nate Berkus Show
Image from HERE
So we're pretty much obsessed with The Nate Berkus Show. We dvr all five weekday episodes and watch them throughout the weekend. CC Hubby also really like Nate's style and even finds him, "Totally not annoying at all. I can listen and relate to him because he actually seems quite normal." Well said hubby, well said. As for me, he's easy on the eyes and so relatable and creative that I just can't get enough. If you haven't checked out the show, we can't suggest it enough so make sure to at least give it a peek.
Who knows...maybe one day we can a) visit NYC and be in the audience or b) have a DIY project featured on an episode. Definitely if the latter occurs, we will have officially died and gone to heaven, ha! An episode this past week (more on it HERE) featured Michelle Adams from LonnyMag fame as she was telling the top five design trends for 2011. I actually agreed with all of them so knew it was high time to share. Counting them down from five to numero uno, make sure you add a few of these into your home decor highlights asap!
Top Five 2011 Design Trends via Michelle Adams from LonnyMag
5. Mirrored Accents
Shop the Look:
(Or see the pieces online HERE)
4. Typography
Shop the Look:
(Or see the pieces online HERE)
3. Storage Art
Shop the Look:
(Or see the pieces online HERE)
2. Mid-Centry Lighting
Shop the Look:
(Or view the pieces online HERE)
1. The Color Rust
Shop the Look:
(Or view the pieces online HERE)
Decorate: Etsy Finds - Easy DIY Printable and Frameable Wall Art from Calendars
Image from HERE
One of our favorite things to do in the new year is hunt for the perfect wall calendar. They are on super duper sale at numerous retailers for pennies on the dollar. So naturally, since we're budget minded and pretty frugal, we wait until January to snatch up our yearly calendars. Do you remember last year's fashionable fave from my home office HERE. Yep, loved that goodie! We loved it so much, we thought it would make the perfect backdrop for some great home decor in the form of wall art.
So what the heck are we talking about? Similar to our scrapbook paper framing project HERE, check out the image above for an idea of what we're imagining. Just think, if those four framed goodies were great images from your favorite calendar, wouldn't that make splendid (and affordable) wall art? Read on, readers for more pointers and explanation.
So often we pay the big bucks for awesome wall art or amazing artisan pieces, but we got to thinkin' recently. Calendars have such eye catching art, why not cut them up and frame them as uber affordable wall art. Do you have a favorite calendar from years past? Cut off the month/date part and frame that baby! Let's give you some step-by-step eye candy to make sure you're correctly following:
So there she was, on my wall, hanging in all her home office calendar pride!
After cutting out four of the pages, all you need to do is put them in a frame of your liking and display them in pairs, trios or the entire dozen! How good do these look? Maybe you don't have an old calendar you like? We've hand picked some awesome and printable options via Etsy below. Print out the calendar and frame the artwork for easy, affordable and totally chic wall art. Enjoy!
Great Printable Etsy Artisan Calendars Under $10:
But it for $4.95 HERE
Buy it for $5 HERE
Buy it for $5 HERE
Buy it for $2.50 HERE
Buy it for $4.95 HERE
Buy it for $5 HERE
Buy it for $5 HERE
Buy it for $5 HERE
Buy it for $5.40 HERE
Buy it for $9 HERE
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