Tag Archives: DIY

Beautify Your Home With Porcelain Tile

Porcelain floor tiles are the hardest and most durable tile option available.  They are available in two types – through bodied and glazed.  Through bodied have the color and pattern throughout the tile whereas glazed tiles are covered with a hard finish, which makes them very strong and dense.  They are available in a wide selection of colors and sizes, making it very easy for you to customize patterns.  They resist water, stains, scratches, chips and even mold and mildew.  They are also relatively easy to keep clean.  Because of their versatility, porcelain floor tiles are a fantastic option for just about any room in your home.

tile kitchen 3

 

Bathroom

The bathroom sees not only a lot of foot traffic, but a lot of moisture as well.  People often spend a lot of time in this room.  Humidity often finds its way onto every bathroom surface.  Water from showers and baths is routinely splashed or dripped onto the floor.  Damp towels may be left lying around.  Porcelain is an excellent choice for flooring, walls and even counters.  It will resist all of the moisture in the air.  It will also make your bathroom a gorgeous place to be.  By choosing the right colors and smaller tiles, you can create a relaxing pattern on floors and walls.

tile bath

tile bath vanity

Kitchen

The kitchen is another room that sees a good amount of use.  The durability of porcelain floor tiles ensures that your floor will resist damage from foot traffic, but remain shiny and bright for many years.  Large tiles can make the kitchen appear more open.  Smaller porcelain tiles are also excellent for walls and floors.  You can create unique patterns on your wall to create a specific atmosphere.  Their durability makes them excellent for counters.

 

tile kitchen 5

SONY DSC

tile back splash

Entryway

Large floor tiles can create a very open and inviting entry to your home that is also resistant to most damage.  You can also use a variety of sizes to once again create a unique pattern.

tile floor

Porcelain floor tiles are extremely versatile.  You can use them on the floors, walls and counters of various rooms to unify the house.  And, with the overwhelming variety of colors and patterns available, you can create your own unique atmosphere that is both beautiful and long-lasting. For more information on porcelain floor tiles, head on over to PlumbTile.com and request your flooring samples today!

 

 

This is a sponsored guest post and the views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Mommy Ramblings.

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Spoil Your Cat With This Easy To Make Cat Bed #yougottabekittenme

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #yougottabekittenme #CollectiveBias

cat bed hero new

I love DIY projects, I really like the challenge and the end results. Well, usually I love the end results, we all have the fails along the way. Speaking of fails, have you ever used a cat litter that just did not do the job? That is super embarrassing.  I found the solution easily strolling the pet aisle at my local Sam’s Club. I recently purchased Fresh Step Total Control with the power of Febreze clumping cat litter.

fresh step in store collage

This product is phenomenal for really tackling ammonia odor because it has Borate Technology which also works to stop the growth of odor-causing bacteria. The lemongrass citrus scent has a fresher aroma than any cat litter we have used in the past.

I was glad to see it was available in a 42lb bag that is so easy to carry and it’s resealable. This litter is featured in the May Instant Savings Book and Sam’s Club Members get $3.50 off from 5/22 thru 6/5. The offer is already loaded onto member’s cards and offered in the Instant Savings Book.

Max even seems to appreciate the change to Fresh Step Total Control with the power of Febreze litter and we always love to show our appreciation for Max. Max is a loyal and true feline member of our family. Even though Max is an adult cat, he is still as playful as a kitten. I know that having fun toys and places to hide and sleep are fun for Max.

We got a great idea to make him a cozy little tent type bed and hideout. It was really easy and I wanted to share for our readers who may want to replicate this project for their own feline family members.

The cozy cat bed is very easy to make. You start with a base of 15” by 15”. You can use a thick corrugated cardboard or other similar material. You need to be able to make 4 holes in the corners, so keep that in mind when choosing your base.

For this project you will need:

#yougottabekittenme

Get your  15″ x 15″ corrugated cardboard base. You can glue two pieces of cardboard together for extra strength for your base. Then cover with the vinyl adhesive. It does not need to be perfect as you are not going to see this and it will be covered.

cat bed base

You need to take the wire hangers and untwist the top. The trim the wire so you have two equal size pieces. You will shape each piece to form an arch. Then you will poke each end in a corner of the base and allow a half inch to poke through. You  then take your pliers and bend that and then tape it flat against the under side of the base. Repeat with the other 3 corners.

cat bed wire

cat bed corner hole

cat bed underside tape

 

Where the wire pieces intersect on the top you want to place some duct tape around that to hold it together.

cat bed frame

Once all that is secure, take your t-shirt and with the open end place it over the structure so that the opening for he head is situated in the lower center of the front to create the entrance.

cat bed t shirt

cat bed t shirt over

You then use the safety pins to secure the sleeves and bottom of the shirt to the bottom of the cat bed. This will give it a tidy, finished appearance.

cat bed pins

Last but not least add a nice cozy blanket or thick towel for kitty’s comfort.

cat bed done

cat bed max

The nice thing is you can take the t-shirt off to wash or to switch it out if it becomes worn or you want a new look. Max just loves his new cozy hang out.

Max has it pretty good but we know a lot of cats don’t and that is due to overpopulation. That is why we donated $100 to The Animal Rights Alliance Inc., T.A.R.A.  They are a not-for-profit organization providing low cost spay and neuter services. They serve Sullivan, Orange, Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess counties in NY state. T.A.R.A  is able to help animals only through generous contributions. Their fees do not cover the cost for our program services. They rely on grants and public donations to subsidize the amount needed in order to make spaying and neutering affordable to everyone. If you would like to learn more about T.A.R.A. you can visit their website HERE.

Max is having a blast with his new bed. I hope you will let me know what you think of this easy way to spoil your four-legged family member and if you are using or plan to try Fresh Step Total Control with the power of Febreze litter. Please let me know in the comments.


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Filed under Crafts, DIY, Home, Mommy Ramblings, Pets

Out of Sight Kitchen Trash Ideas!

What do you think of having your garbage or recyclables at your fingertips but also out of sight. Check out these great products from rev a shelf trash. I think it is an awesome idea if you have enough room and are not sacrificing cabinet space you need. I think under the sink would be a great place. There are so many neat options for the bathroom too. I am getting a lot of ideas!

trash under cabin

 

trash under cab

 

 


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HGTV Magazine Blogger Block Party Highlights! #BloggerBlockParty

Who doesn’t love a great summer block party? Especially one held in the Big Apple! Over 500 people attended the second HGTV Magazine Blogger Block Party on August 17th. The event was timed to align with NY NOW, the fashion-forward, design-driven home and lifestyle show in New York City attended by the hottest lifestyle, entertaining, food and home bloggers.

HGTV Block Party Sign

The friendly neighborhood format of this summer celebration featured engaging demonstrations including:

  • Editor vs. Blogger Flea Market Flips Challenge featuring Brooklyn Craft Company’s Brett Bara and HGTV Magazine’s Lifestyle Editor Jodi Kahn, presented by Benjamin Moore
  • DIY Art as seen in the DIY Network Blog Cabin with lifestyle expert, Laurie March
  • Easy Paint Fixes with licensed contractor Jason Cameron, presented by Wagner
  • Upcycle & You with green lifestyle expert Danny Seo, presented by Wilsonart
  • Designer Downloads with designer Danielle Colding, presented by Stanton Carpet
  • Design Trends for 2016 with designer Genevieve Gorder

HGTV Block Party Benjamin Moore

HGTV Blogger Block Party Totes

 

HGTV Block Party personality

 

HGTV Block Party

There were great interactive activities for the attendees to engage in like:

  • A Chinet Place Setting Challenge
  • Gold Peak Iced Tea throughout the day
  • The Delta “HappiMess” Terrerium Station
  • The Overstock.com sharable shopping board and lounge
  • Wagner Spray Booth
  • The Benjamin Moore Paint Party
  • A chance to win at the Snuggle ‘Guess the Flower’ wheel and Cuisinart giveaway
  • Products directly such as the Tempur-Pedic day bed, Stanton Carpet, Wilsonart countertop samples, Secret samples and the Nutrish ‘Cat Tent’
  • A socially-enabled step-and-repeat with Instaprint social photo booth

HGTV Camp Meow

HGTV Blogger Block Party  Overstock

HGTV Block Party Tempur-Pedic

HGTV Block Party Delta

 

HGTV Block Party Snuggle

“HGTV Magazine’s Blogger Block Party is such a fun event!  It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with influential bloggers, show them some great products and let them get hands-on with them! Did you attend? I would love to hear all about it if you did. Share it in the comments.

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Get Organized With These DIY Rain Gutter Bookshelves #Back2SchoolReady

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Back2SchoolReady #CollectiveBiasback to school collage

We are a book loving family. My kids love getting new books even more than new toys! No bedtime routine is complete without us reading aloud together and it’s one of my favorite things. Sharing a great book with my children, the discussions they spur and that quality time we spend reading is priceless.

This time of year has people focusing on Back to School. Thinking about school supplies and clothes shopping as well as getting your pantry and freezer stocked with quick, nutritious breakfast, lunch and after-school snack foods. Kellogg’s has lots of products to choose from to help with that.

I was in Walmart recently and in their seasonal aisle it was stocked with  like Nutri-Grain breakfast bars, Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies Treats and more.

kellogg's In Store Collage

Over in the frozen section there were so many boxes of delicious Eggo Waffles to choose from!  As I was making my selections, I saw something amazing on the boxes! Each specially marked box was redeemable for a free Scholastic Book!

Kelloggs Eggo In Store Collage

Great Kellogg’s product and free books made me a very happy camper.

Kelloggs in store cart

My kids love Eggo Waffles and they are easy to make even on busy school mornings.

Kelloggs 4

 

kellogs 4

Kelloggs

Nutri-Grain breakfast bars let you enjoy a nutritious and delicious breakfast on the go! They are a favorite choice  for this busy mom. My kids love them for breakfast, in their lunchbox and even as an after school snack.

Kelloggs 2

Kelloggs 3

Rice Krispies Treats are another favorite lunch box snack for my boys. Who can forget one of my favorites growing up, Pop-Tarts! They are still going strong and one my kids choose for a quick snack or after school treat. With Kellogg’s there is never a reason to skip breakfast! After all, it is the most important meal of the day!

Kelloggs 6

This Kellogg’s free Scholastic book promotion is truly the icing on the Kellogg’s cake! Every specially marked box has a code inside redeemable for a Scholastic Book of your choice. This free book promotion is great even if you don’t have little ones. Think about donating the books to less fortunate children and share the gift of reading. Donate them to a school, day care or nursery school in the area. For teachers this is a great way to get books for your classroom. I am so excited about this, can you tell?

It is so easy to redeem the codes for these free books. If you do not have one already you just set up a Kellogg’s Family Rewards Account HERE and then just put your code in and choose from a drop down list the store you purchased the product from. You can then enter more codes and when you’re done order your books.

Kelloggs 1

You can choose hard copy or eBooks with your codes. You can choose to donate a book to the school of your choice online. You can only donate hard copy books. When you donate a book to the school of your choice it will ship in an envelope that says it was generously donated by your family. All codes must be redeemed within 14 days of purchase. All books are shipped free of charge. Spanish titles are also available.

It is easy to choose your books and you can select by reading level. Have your child choose books that interest them. You can easily add all kinds of topics and reading level books to your home library. Having a good variety of books encourages kids to read.

We just redeemed 5 codes and ordered 2 Magic School Bus Books, A Clifford Book, 100 Most Feared Creatures and There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Book! We are excited to get them!

You can also buy direct at Walmart.com and receive free book purchases from purchases made between 7/21/15-9/11/15.  Look for Buy Now button HERE for a list of all eligible items. E-commerce redemptions are made via receipt scanning. See full details at the HERE link above.  Remember whether purchased in store or online you must redeem your code within 14 days to get your free book!

With all the great books we have and all the new free Scholastic books that are on their way to us, we needed some more book storage.  If you’re in the same boat, I want to share an easy, fast, inexpensive book storage solution that looks great too!

These book shelves that my husband and I recently put up in our son’s room are made from inexpensive vinyl rain gutters you can pick up in most home improvement stores.

gutter 11

They are very inexpensive, we purchased a 10′ rain gutter for under $4.  You need end caps and they are about $3 a piece and sold in sets of two. We used screws with anchors to attach them to the wall. For less than $10 each we had two 3′ book shelves and another 4′ book shelf we are putting by his bed. We love the results so much we are putting many more of these up.  In our music room we plan to put some up to hold all the music books.

I would advise you purchase the vinyl rain gutters over the aluminum for a number of reasons.  First and foremost they are safer, no sharp edges for kids or adults to get cut on, no shards of metal from drilling for screws or cutting. They will not get dented or bent the way aluminum gutters will. There is no crimping that needs to be done to attach the end caps as the vinyl end caps fit on easily and cleanly.

We cut the 10 foot gutter up into two 3 ft. pieces and one 4 ft. piece. There are lots of options with these gutters and you can even get connecting pieces to let them wrap a corner.

When we brought them home we just attached the end caps to each 3 foot section.

 

Gutter 3

Gutter 4

Gutter 5

Next, my husband easily drilled three holes for the screws. We put 1 screw on each end and one in the middle.  We used wall anchor screws and we added a washer that you fit under the lip of the gutter on the inside of the shelf and stops the screw from puckering the vinyl on the interior of the shelf.

Gutter 6

Then he put the shelf on the wall, leveled it and marked the screw holes. He then put the anchors in the wall. After that he just attached them to the wall with the screws and we were good to go.

Gutter 7

gutter 8

gutter 9

Gutter 10

gutter 12

 

Easy inexpensive book shelves made from vinyl rain gutters! #storage #books #diy #Back2SchoolReady #Ad #mommyramblings

A video posted by Mommy Ramblings (@mommyramblingsblog) on


These rain gutter shelves are super sturdy, hold lots of book and look great! Let me know what you think? What do you do for your book storage?


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How We Made A Unique Coat Tree From Cut Timber For Free #BringingInnovation

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BringingInnovation #CollectiveBias

green coat tree collage

I care deeply about the Earth, I love to repurpose things and use the natural resources around us.  It’s funny, even though our house has many closets, my children and husband leave their coats and back packs all over our kitchen chairs.  This drives me crazy! Since closets and wall racks did not work, I thought maybe a coat tree placed in the side hall would. The coat tree would be prominent,  they could easily hang their coats, hats and backpacks as they walked by.  I choose my battles and would rather have the coats on a coat tree in the side hall than on my kitchen chairs.

When I started researching coat trees, all I saw were flimsy or unattractive designs.  I looked further and found some really unique coat trees made out of TREES!  Can you imagine?  After seeing that and living on acres of wooded property…I think you can imagine my thoughts.  I called out to my husband  and showed him my idea, he was all for it. We couldn’t have picked a better time, many trees were recently cut by the town because they were too close to electric wires.  We gathered our tree supplies and started the process of assembly.

For the base my husband split a large log in half. Then he used a chainsaw and chisel to make a hole in the top of the base for the tree trunk.  He also hollowed out the underside of the log right beneath the hole on the top.  Hollowing the bottom made it possible to get the screw/bolt used to attach the trunk to the base, deeper into the trunk. We wanted to make sure the base was very safe and secure.

Tree Rack 9

Tree-Rack-

Tree Rack 8

Tree Rack 5

 

 

We also put wood glue around the base before attaching it.  Then my husband cut the “hooks” from long lengths of tree branches. After that he drilled holes in the tree trunk for them.  He put wood glue on the base of the branch hooks, then placed them in the holes and knocked them into place with a 2 pound sledge-hammer.  Right now, we have three branch hooks on the bottom for the little kids and three on the top for adults but we plan to add a few more.

Tree Rack 6

Tree Rack 7

 

As soon as this New York winter, err I mean spring, wants to give us some seasonable weather, we’re going to take the coat tree outside and seal and protect it with marine varnish.  I will update when it is finished with the final pictures.

 

Tree Rack 3

We are really impressed with our unique coat tree and have more projects in mind that we will share with you in the upcoming weeks.   We’re happy  we can utilize the natural resources on our property to make something we need.  In the end we have something we’re proud of and best of all is made in the USA by us!

The coat tree is super sturdy and far better than anything we could purchase. I wish we could make everything we need, but there are some things we can’t.  Batteries for our remotes, kid’s toys, clocks, and more are something we can’t harvest outside. Last weekend I was shopping at Walmart and saw new Energizer® EcoAdvanced AA Batteries and picked some up.  They’re right in the normal battery aisle in the photo department. EcoAdvanced AA batteries are the longest lasting and best performing Energizer® Alkaline ever!  Equally impressive EcoAdvanced AA and AAA batteries are the first in the world to be with a percentage of recycled batteries. You can stock up on them too, because they hold up to 12 years in storage.

walmart store image collage

Performance is very important to me, I work from home and rely on the battery in my computer mouse. If  I’m in the middle of a webinar or conference, I can’t afford to have the battery die when trying to change a slide (I hate touchpads). I need performance I can depend on. Energizer® EcoAdvanced Batteries give me peace of mind knowing I have that! This is another step  Energizer® is taking on their journey to bring performance and responsibility to the world – that’s positivenergy!™  I’m thrilled at these steps forward and love the guilt-free benefit I can count on in the longest lasting Energizer® alkaline!

Tree Rack 4

You know what else I love?  Coat free kitchen chairs around my table! Yippee for small but gratifying victories! Speaking of victories you can enter the “GuiltFreeEnergy” Giveaway below for your chance to win  $1,000 in Gift Cards!

GuiltFreeEnergy Giveaway – $1,000 in Gift Cards

I hope you will let me know what you think about our project and share with me what you’re doing to make our Earth a little greener!


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How To Make An Adorable Applique Birthday Shirt!!! Easy and Quick Project!

I like to have birthday shirts for my kids and take a picture of them in it on their actual birthday.  A few years ago I made one but most of the time I buy them. However, after the success I had with the Christmas shirts, I decided to try and make an applique birthday shirt for my son.  It was so easy and looked great!  If you would like to try, you can follow the easy tutorial here.

DIY Birthday Shirt Collage

Supplies:

  • Plain Shirt- short or long sleeve
  • Material- small amount for number
  • Number Template- easy to find online
  • Scissors-Craft and Fabric
  • Thread to coordinate with number fabric and shirt
  • Sewable Heat Bond
  • Iron
  • Straight Pins
  • Sewing Machine with Applique Stitch or you can Zig Zag.

Prep:

Make sure to wash your fabric and shirt before starting and then iron.

 

1. Cut some fabric for your number

bday shirt 1

2. Cut a piece of sewable heat bond and iron it on the back side of the fabric.  **Remember when cutting the sewable heat bond or the fabric that has it ironed on, never use your fabric scissors!  You will ruin them.  Always use your craft scissors when cutting anything with heat bond.

bday shirt 2

 

bday shirt 3

 

3. Place the number template on the front side of the fabric, pin and cut.

bday shirt 4

4. Remove the heat bond paper backing from the number,  the nice shiny texture will allow you to iron the number on and hold it securely to sew.

bday shirt 6

bday shirt 7

 

bday shirt 5

5. Iron the number on the shirt.

bday shirt 8

 

6.Take the shirt over to your machine and use an applique stitch around the edges

bday shirt 10

 

7.Trim the loose threads and iron the shirt and you are finished.

bday shirt 11

Please share with me if you try this.  I would love to see and hear about your creations.

 


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Easy Appliqued Holiday Shirts You Can Make For Thanksgiving & Christmas!!!

You may remember my tales of woe from learning to sew in my post where I showed how I finished an antique vanity as a sewing table.  Aside from an owl pillow I made in 6th grade Home-ec, my attempts at sewing were nothing to write home about.  However, I’m not a quitter, so I was ready to give it another go when I wanted to create some cute whimsical holiday shirts for my kids and family.

I bought some long sleeve cotton shirts and then visited the craft department for some fabrics.  The first shirt I was going to try to make was a turkey for Thanksgiving.  I planned to make the turkey body in brown flannel fabric so I bought a yard of that since I also planned to use it for the Christmas shirts, then I picked several other fabrics for feathers.  I also purchased some polka dot fabric for the antlers and solid red, yellow, black and green for various accents.  Armed with my array of fabrics and some notions like colorful buttons and embroidery thread, I was ready.

I drew my turkey template free hand onto some card stock and cut it out.  I thought I would do feet too but did not end up putting feet on the design.

Turkey shirt 1

I washed the shirts and all the fabrics prior to sewing anything.  After I ironed the fabric I cut the pattern shapes and laid them out how I wanted, then when my design was the way I liked, I secured the fabric pieces with a sewable heat bond.  After that it was off to the sewing machine where I sewed around the pieces with an applique stitch.  The first shirts were a bit laughable but my little ones thought they were great and with every shirt I got better.

Turkey shirt 3

Turkey Shirt 4

Turkey Shirt 5

Turkey Shirt 2

Turkey Shirt

 

For the Christmas shirts I did the same thing except I made a moose template which honestly ended up looking more like a reindeer but nevertheless is still cute.  I was in a rush because we were using them for a picture but would like to add bows on my daughter’s shirt and mine as well.  For all the boys I want to add a bow tie.

This is the light hold heat bond that is sewable, I just wanted to hold it in place so I did not need to use pins for sewing.  It worked well.

This is the light hold heat bond that is sewable, I just wanted to hold it in place so I did not need to use pins for sewing. It worked well.

 

Moose Shirt 1

Moose Shirt 4

Moose Shrit 2

 

Moose Shirt 5

Moose Shirt 6

Christmas Shirts

 

Applique shirts_edited-1

I made 9 shirts in all (2 turkey shirts and 7 Christmas shirts). It really gave me confidence to make friends with my sewing machine and if I could do this, anyone can.  I know they are far from perfect but they are made with love and to me that is what matters the most.  If you would like any more specifics please ask.


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Filed under Christmas, Crafts, DIY, Family Fun, Fashion, Holiday, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Toddler

Make Choosing Tile Easier With The Interior Design Tile Style Guide From Drury Design!!!

As someone in the middle of several home improvement projects with extensive tile work involved in 2 of them, I am excited to share a new guide to make choosing tile easier.  One of the most daunting parts of picking out tile is trying to find what you like, staying in your  budget and choosing tile that is right for the application you are using it for.  Walking in a tile showroom can be positively overwhelming!  There are so many patterns, colors, materials and finishes that it may cause your eyes to glaze over or make you have a panic attack.

Tile ModernBath

Last year at this time, I was picking out the tile for our master bath and I remember being so overwhelmed.   I just wanted to be in a room with 3 choices and make a simple decision.  Tile is something you don’t just change on a whim, you know it’s going to be with you for a long time and that’s why picking something that is going to go the long haul for you on style and  durability is paramount.

Tile Backsplash

If you wished an expert could be with you, holding your hand and guiding you, I may have the next best thing.  The Interior Design Tile Style Guide from Drury Design will help you understand everything you need to know when making a tile purchase. From the basics of whether  to choose glass, ceramic, porcelain, natural stone or exotic tile based on where it will be installed, durability, maintenance and your budget to lots of interior design ideas simple and ornate. Armed with the proper knowledge beforehand makes picking out tile a much easier and pleasurable task.

Tile Steamer_in_kitchen_drury

Tile Steamer_in_kitchen_drury

You can browse great design ideas for bathrooms, kitchens, backsplash trends and more for inspiration.  Check it out today and see what you think.  Let us know your thoughts.


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Filed under Curb Appeal, DIY, Home Improvement, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Shopping

6 Ways to Brighten Up Your Apartment!!!

Although you can’t do any major remodeling when renting an apartment, you don’t have to put up with living in a dark, dreary place. There are all kinds of ways to brighten up even the darkest abode, and there’s no need to spend a fortune to make it happen.

white_flameless_candles

Put These Six Tips to Work to Transform Any Gloomy Apartment

  1. Reflect the Light – If you’re maxed out in the lamp department, have limited amounts of natural light and still want to make things brighter, invest in reflective decor. Mirrors, glass tables and shelves and metal furniture and accent pieces all reflect the light to make it brighter and more dazzling. As an added bonus, mirrors make rooms seem more spacious too.
  2. Ditch Dark Floors and Walls – Light-colored paint works wonders when it comes to brightening up a room. If your lease doesn’t allow you to repaint the walls, invest in light-colored artwork and decals. The same applies to floors. You can’t install new flooring, but adding a few light-colored rugs into the mix should make a major difference.
  3. Get Creative with Pendant Lamps – Again, the terms of your lease may or may not allow it, but installing pendant lamps and hanging them at different heights is a terrific way to add significant amounts of brightness to a room. With bulbs shining at different levels, even the most cramped spaces seem a lot roomier. There are all kinds of beautiful pendant lamps out there too, and brightly colored models pack a major wallop.
  4. Make Windows Look Larger – Installing new windows isn’t an option, of course, but it’s easy to work with what you have. One of the best tricks for making windows look larger is to get creative with curtains. Invest in floor-length curtains, and then hang them so that they precisely flank either end of the window. At a glance, the window will appear much larger than it actually is. While this won’t actually bring more light into your apartment, it will create the illusion of doing so.
  5. Use a Light Touch with Furniture – Large, bulky pieces of furniture increase the darkness of a room. Invest in lightweight chairs, sofas, coffee tables and other types of furniture instead. Seek out items that have sleek, slim profiles, and choose pieces that have lots of open space underneath. Finally, use furniture sparingly in general. The more space there is, the brighter your apartment will seem.
  6. Add Brightness and Visual Interest with Flameless Candles – Regular candles are lovely, but they’re also safety hazards. With flameless candles, you can enjoy the benefits of candlelight without the risk. They come in many shapes, sizes and designs, so finding suitable pieces for your place should be a breeze.

reenergize_a_room_hero

From mirrors to flameless candles, there are all kinds of ways to bring your apartment out of the darkness and into the light. Try one or all of the preceding tips to revamp your place in a big way.


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Filed under Curb Appeal, DIY, Home Improvement, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings