Reader DIY: Stenciled Kitchen Floors

Reader DIY: Stenciled Kitchen Floors

DIY Kitchen Painting Reader DIY

I'm a big fan of old encaustic tile used in kitchens (I'm using a repro version in a laundry room project). This kitchen from Kristen Buckingham that features the prettiest encaustic floor tiles, will always be a favorite of mine.

So I was excited when Jessica from the Eagle's Nest blog (and the woman behind this amazing hardware line) emailed to share this cool project she tackled in her kitchen. The brave woman glazed her concrete floors:

And stenciled on a geometric pattern (with several layers to the pattern!) and then gave the whole thing a glossy seal. Jessica gives the full rundown on her blog here.

I love the after photo and think the pattern on the floors really brings that space to life. Great job, Jessica!  :)

If you have a project you'd like to submit to be featured on LGN, email us.

Reader DIY: Mongolian Lamb Stool

Reader DIY: Mongolian Lamb Stool

Furniture Reader DIY Upholstery

I love the look of benches, stools and chairs upholstered in fluffy sheepskin. They look really great as small accent pieces in a living room or a bedroom.

     

via La Dolce Vita

via the Decorista

via Decorpad

Erin Gates via the Everygirl

via Flickr

via Design*Sponge

Reader Nadia used the simplest IKEA stool and a Mongolian lambskin pillow cover (this one would work really well!) to make a gorgeous little stool for her home.

I love the pink legs of her IKEA stool (and how about that wallpaper?)! For the full, very easy how-to, check out Nadia's post here.

If you have a project you'd like to share on LGN, please email me here. Thanks!

Framing Baby and Vintage Clothing

Framing Baby and Vintage Clothing

Art Kiddies Reader DIY

Not to get all TMI on you all, but we're in the thick of some big family planning decisions around here. I would love to have more babies I think, but we're trying to be thoughtful about the timing and about what makes the most sense for us and for our future.

Me Oh My

Before we moved this summer, I donated, gifted and tossed basically all of our baby clothes. Truthfully, it was a little heart-breaking. I'm the kind of person that can remember what I was wearing at every single important (and semi-important) event in my life. Isn't that weird? There's a similar memory attachment to my kids clothes too.

Both images above from Eddie Ross

But, after three girls in a row, most of the clothes had been passed down once or twice (poor Evie!) and they were just done. It made sense to not waste precious storage space any more. I did keep a couple of really special pieces - blessing dresses and some of the really teeny tiny clothes from the newborn days. And I love to have one or two of those items framed - maybe in the hallway to the girls bathroom?

SCW Interiors

I also love all the vintage bathing suit ideas that have been floating around for the past couple years. Shoes, purses, wallets, jewelry, glasses - all of these would look great for those heirlooms you'd like to be able to enjoy, but that need protecting (like my grandmother's buttons).

KD Hamptons

Jeffrey Bilhuber design

Camila from Effortless Style recently framed her son's going home outfit in a standard acrylic frame from the craft store. It was a really cute and easy DIY that I might just have to copy! Check it out here.

DIY Holiday Gifts

DIY Holiday Gifts

DIY etc. Holiday Decorating Reader DIY

Christmas is a week from today! Are you ready? I have a few little projects left to finish before the shipping deadline on Thursday. I know - right under the wire! I was determined to be totally prepared for the holiday season this year, but it snuck up on me again. If you're scrambling for some last minute gift ideas that have a little personality, here are some easy (and usually inexpensive) DIY ideas from LGN days of yore.

1. Channel your inner artist and color a canvas notebook (or have your kids make them for grandparents).

2. Cover a lampshade in pretty fabric to top off a thrift store lamp. Your little sister will be in heaven.

3. Spray paint plastic animals to make custom bookends for your best girlfriend.

4. Make dozen of these leather tassel keychains in an hour for your favorite co-workers. The tassels are so easy to do and they look like a million bucks!

5. Find a vintage bench on craigslist and cover it in a fun new fabric. A super simple project that requires only a few hours and not a ton of money, but comes with a big pay-off. (I'd probably go with something a little on the smaller side, and then you can go really crazy with the fabric!)

6. Make a little match cup with the strike paper glued to the bottom.

7. Spend $4 blowing up the image of your choice in black and white (maybe your parent's wedding photo? Or a portrait of a special relative?). I mounted my print on foam core board and painted the sides bright orange.

8. I call these my ten-minute pillows. If you know how to sew a straight line, you can make a pair of pillows for your friend.

9. Decoupage a dollar-store trash bin with a pretty marbleized paper. It's too late to order the paper online now, but stationary stores carry these a lot of times (I know Paper Source has tons). If you're in a pinch, look for scrapbook or wrapping paper in a special pattern.

10. Paint an ombre effect on a pretty basket and fill it with a new throw for your mother-in-law.

11. Whip up a couple of these quick, easy-sew dolls for your kids. My girls are still sleeping with theirs and they've held up really well after all these years.

12. Monogram a coin purse using freezer paper and add a tassel (from above) while you're at it.

13. I inherited a bunch of buttons from my grandmothers so I sewed them onto a piece of linen and framed the fabric. Something like this would be great to give to moms. If you only have a few buttons, try something like this look. 

Here's hoping we all get done in time! :)

Reader DIY: Linen Upholstered Rast

Reader DIY: Linen Upholstered Rast

IKEA Reader DIY Upholstery

Just try and show me a piece of IKEA furniture that's been hacked more than the $35 Rast dresser and I'd say you were lying. :) There are SO SO MANY hacks and I think for good reason - it's a cheap and super versatile piece! And the Rast is the perfect small-bedroom-bedside-table size.

Kelly from Hello Boudreux was inspired by this Martha Stewart tutorial and wrapped her Rast dresser in a lovely charcoal gray linen.

Kelly gives a great step by step here. And I'm crazy for the results:

Have you done any Rast hacks of your own? We're in need of some smallish nightstands with storage, so I'm thinking of coming up with another Rast project myself.

Thanks for sharing, Kelly!

If you have a project you'd like to see on LGN, feel free to email your submission here. Thanks!

White and Gold Design

White and Gold Design

Office Painting Reader DIY

Marianne and Jamie from White and Gold Design are based out of Salt Lake City. They are doing some great work and emailed me with one of their simple DIYs for their new office space.

Jamie says:

"Needing some desks for our new office space on a tight budget, we were inspired by your etageres post and how the spray paint completely transformed the piece. We bought the Vika Amon table top and it has a thick glossy finish that is actually pretty nice. We also bought plus two of the trestle style legs. Total spent $55. 

"We picked up some Rustoleum Metallic Gold spray paint, did two quick coats on the legs and absolutely love the finished product!  

 

"This DIY was awesome because it was so incredibly simple and best of all, cheap. You could buy any size of the table top from Ikea and create a similar look for a console table or even a small dining table. 

"The legs really look like brass and the ordinary IKEA screws that we all hate transformed into nice brass bolts." 

Looks great, right? Marianne and Jamie are a really talented duo! Check out these photos from Marianne's home:

If you'd like to submit a room or project to share on LGN, please email me.