Home Decor & Lighting

Instructions Step 1: Use vintage fabric Use vintage fabric to create cozy accessories. One vintage curtain panel can yield up to three 20-inch square pillows to accessorize your bedroom. TIP: Use the vintage fabric on the front of the pillow and buy new, coordinating fabric for the back to save yardage. Step 2: Mix furniture …

Instructions Step 1: Start a piggy bank Start a piggy bank. Pigs are a symbol of good luck in German culture. They bring wealth and prosperity. Step 2: Hang a horseshoe Hang a horseshoe above your doorway. It is said to protect from evil entering the household. A horseshoe’s shape is also said to hold …

Instructions Step 1: Pick up a magazine Peruse a decorating or remodeling magazine to start picking up on some decorating ideas. Be sure to have a strong opinion of what you like and don’t like as you begin forming a game plan. TIP: Decide on a theme or style. Are you looking for a country-cottage …

Instructions Step 1: Search Craiglist, garage sales, thrift shops Scour Craigslist.com, garage sales, and thrift stores for hip, budget-friendly used furniture. TIP: Look for special deals, such as stores that are going out of business with blow-out sales. Another option is zero-percent interest financing, but be sure to pay the balance off in the allotted …

Instructions Step 1: Look at the color Look at the color of the wood. It changes over time, so a true antique won’t be uniform in color unless it’s been refinished. Step 2: Nail the nails Check out the nails — those used after 1880 have round shanks and round heads. Before 1800, they were …

Instructions Step 1: Choose a character Choose an easy Japanese character, like the character for an emotion or an adjective that contains between three to six lines or strokes. TIP: Avoid complex sentences or passages from poetry or music — often the translation isn’t exact and can make for an awkward meaning. Step 2: Find …

Instructions Step 1: Check listings Check online estate sale listings. Online classifieds often show local estate sales. TIP: Check listings beginning on Wednesdays. Sales can start as early as Thursday or as late as Sunday. Step 2: Look at sale items Look at any pictures or listed items for sale to see if you are …

Instructions Step 1: Invest in good hardscaping Invest in good hardscaping — stone walls, patios, paths, decks, gazebos, arbors. It’s the foundation for the rest of your furnishings, which can be selected and added to over time. Step 2: Arrange conversational areas Arrange conversational areas just as you would in an indoor living room — …

Instructions Step 1: Use color Use vibrant paint. Contrary to popular belief, white doesn’t make a room look larger; deeper colors do by making corners disappear. If you want to use a light color, give the space an accent wall in a darker shade; it elongates the room by making the wall appear to recede. …

Instructions Step 1: Wash and iron Wash and iron the fabric you want to re-cover your pillows with. Step 2: Measure the pillow Measure across the curve of the pillow to find the length and width. Add 1 inch to both measurements. TIP: If your pillow has a removable cover, take the cover off and …

Instructions Step 1: Take a good look Stand at a distance from your home and view it through a stranger’s eyes. Note what is appealing and what might be off-putting. Ask a few honest friends for their opinions. Step 2: Give it a fresh coat Give your house an instant facelift with a fresh coat …

Instructions Step 1: Make a list Make a list of specific items you’re looking for. Include things like garden equipment and tools – things that you don’t need right away and can hold out for a bargain on. Step 2: Look in fancy neighborhoods Watch for signs in affluent neighborhoods. People with more disposable income …

Instructions Step 1: Set a decorating budget Set a reasonable budget based on the size of the project and the amount you can actually afford to spend. Step 2: Look at decorating magazines and catalogs Look through interior decorating magazines or online catalogs for ideas and decorating tips. Cut out or print pictures of ideas …

Instructions Step 1: Find your spot Find the best spot by factoring in privacy, space, and lighting. The best spots are corners in well-lit rooms that can be closed off with a door, like a bedroom or dining room. Step 2: Set up your desk Set up a desk that doesn’t dominate the room. Consider …

Instructions Step 1: Choose a candle Choose a candle with a regular shape, such as a cylinder or sphere, preferably with multiple wicks. These burn more evenly and waste less wax. Step 2: Refrigerate the candle Refrigerate the candle for at least one hour prior to lighting to slow the heating of the wax. Step …

Instructions Step 1: Determine the size of your picture Measure the length and width of your picture to determine its size. Make sure to include any borders because the frame will be going around the entire piece. Step 2: Select a matting for the picture Based on the size of your picture, choose a contrasting …

Instructions Step 1: Study color theory Study color theory using a color wheel. Two colors opposite on the wheel are considered harmonious, as are three colors that form a triangle and four that form a rectangle. Step 2: Go shopping Pick out linens, material swatches, decorations, furniture, and flooring. Get swatches of your favorites and …

Instructions : Working with electricity is dangerous. If you have any doubts, contact a professional. Step 1: Turn off power to the circuit Turn off the power to the circuit you will be working on. This is usually done at the breaker box. Step 2: Remove the old light fixture Carefully remove the old light …

Instructions Step 1: Do some pre-shopping online Do some pre-shopping on IKEA’s web site. The site allows you to check if the item you want is in stock in the bricks-and-mortar store you plan to visit. It also tells you what aisle and bin you’ll find the item in, saving you time in IKEA’s notoriously …

Instructions Step 1: Find the focus Determine your room’s focal point, which is the most dramatic thing in the room, like a fireplace or a bay window. Or you can make one yourself with a striking piece of art or a large flat-screen TV. TIP: The ideal viewing distance between a sofa or recliner and …

Instructions Step 1: Buy a lamp-making kit Buy a lamp-making kit. It will supply everything you need except the base and the shade. Step 2: Choose or build your base Find an interesting object to serve as the base, or build your own. Be sure it’s sturdy enough to support your lampshade and hold the …

Instructions : Working with electricity is very dangerous — be extremely careful and, if you have any doubts, contact a professional. Step 1: Tighten the bulb Check the lightbulb. A flickering light could simply be the result of a loose bulb, so start by turning it off and tightening the bulb. Step 2: Check the …

Instructions Step 1: Spread the word Spread the word among friends and family that you are in the market for furniture they no longer need or want. Step 2: Check Craigslist Check out www.craigslist.com for free stuff, trade possibilities, or the opportunity to barter one of your skills. Step 3: Comb thrift stores Comb thrift …

Instructions : Working with electricity is very dangerous. Be extremely careful and, if you have any doubts, contact a professional. Step 1: Cut the power Cut the power to the light switch by flipping the circuit breaker or removing the fuse at the main panel. TIP: Make sure the power is off by flipping the …

Instructions : Working with electricity is very dangerous—be extremely careful and, if you have any doubts, contact a professional. Step 1: Turn off power Cut the power to the light switch by flipping the circuit breaker or removing the fuse at the main panel. Tell everybody in the house that you have turned off the …

Instructions Step 1: Choose location Figure out where you want to hang the picture. Step 2: Determine wall type Determine what kind of wall you have. In general, most older, pre-World-War-Two homes have plaster walls, which can support thin nails. Most newer… TIP: Very new homes may have metal studs instead of wood. Slide a …

Instructions Step 1: Remove lampshade Remove the lampshade from the lamp. Step 2: Place on side Place the lampshade on its side on the large sheet of paper, lining up its seam with the left edge of the paper. TIP: If your shade is much wider at the bottom than the top, place the shade …

Instructions Step 1: Strip down lamp Unplug the lamp and remove its shade, harp, and bulb. Step 2: Remove covering With the folded blanket or towel beneath it, turn the lamp on its side and peel back or remove any felt covering the base. Step 3: Loosen screw Turn the lamp right side up and …