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Paint Chips Turned Wall Art

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:21:51 +0000

Filed under: Crafts , Crafts & Celebrations Decided on a color and left with a pile of those tiny paint chips? Display them on your newly painted walls! Maybe you just painted your walls and have a stack of reject paint colors from the job. Or maybe you’re the kind of obsessed that makes you pocket a few paint chips every time you saunter into a hardware store. Either way, your extra chips can make for some pretty fantastic art. Check it out: Apartment Therapy Yes, yes, this one will make your guests gasp “How on earth do you have so much free time?” But the truth is, they’re just jealous. REALLY jealous. Because not only is your artwork cool and original, it’s free! Get the full details at Apartment Therapy . Angelina La Dawn via Curbly Over on Curbly , they’ve discovered a fun project that takes those chips to a new high. Love the graphic feel. Get those scissors ready! Get the full step-by-step on Angelina La Dawn . The 3 R’s Blog And then on the terrific The 3 R’s Blog , there’s instructions to credit this beautiful piece. Doesn’t it look like something you’d snatch up at a boutique? Tired of tiny paint chips? Check out the World’s Largest Paint Swatch- 68ft ! All DIY Info | All DIY Info | Linking Blogs | All DIY Info

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Paint Chips Turned Wall Art

Delightful Penthouse in Stockholm Combining Function and Aesthetics

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 07:57:33 +0000

Designed by Ulf Nelson , this beautiful penthouse is located in the heart of Vasastan, a district in central Stockholm. The apartment has an area of 118 square meters and a total of four rooms. Built in a tasteful and minimalist manner, the home is opened towards a charming terrace, perfect for relaxation and having friends over. An open fireplace, custom designed lighting and built-in speakers are just a few of the “treats” this loft offers. The design is clean and stylish, ideally combining function and aesthetics. The bathroom happens to be quite appealing due to the decorative stairs that can be used for storing several small objects. Enjoy the photos and give us your feedback! Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Amazing Penthouse Apartment for Sale in Stockholm, Sweden Another Delightful Swedish Apartment That Stuns With Its Chromatics Green Design: Synagogue Turned Into a Modern Penthouse Luxury in Every Detail: Extraordinary Penthouse Apartment in Sydney Luxurious Penthouse Apartment with Breathtaking Colour Composition Luxurious Russian Penthouse Apartment Balancing Light and Dark Accents Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

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Delightful Penthouse in Stockholm Combining Function and Aesthetics

The Lacquered MDF Be Tall Wardrobe For Children

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:29:27 +0000

Introduce you children to style at an early age by doing up their rooms with chic decor. The Be Tall Wardrobe is a good way to start since it reverberates with individuality and makes quite a statement. The stunning wardrobe is available fab colors like lime, white, blue and has been manufactured from lacquered MDF. Measuring 181 x 107 x 60 cm, the closet has three doors in total with a hanging rod and internal shelves which can be positioned as required. The Be Tall Wardrobe can be purchased from Nubie and for more information head over here.

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The Lacquered MDF Be Tall Wardrobe For Children

Keeping Our Homes Green – Roofing Options

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:04:53 +0000

By Herbert Norton Looking for a way to reduce your energy costs? If you consult your local energy company, you will likely receive a brochure explaining how to wrap your pipes, put a blanket around your hot water heater, plugging cracks and holes through which drafts can flow, and adding reflective coatings to your windows. No harm in any of that, and it’s a good start. But for homeowners, there is a better place to start – start at the top, with your roof. Why start with the roof? For the same reason that your mother tells you to wear a hat outside in snowy weather – just as most of your body heat is lost through your head, most of your home’s heat is lost through the roof. Heat rises. Likewise, your roof is the part of your home that is most exposed to the sun, so the question of whether your home will absorb the sun’s heat or reflect it back into the atmosphere is decided right there – on the roof. Homeowners don’t like to mess with their roofs, and for good reason – roof work can be expensive. But there are a range of options, and if you are considering an ecofriendly option such as installing solar panels, you may qualify for state or federal tax subsidies that will help to defray the cost. (To find out what subsidies exist in your area, check the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, DSIRE , or try this calculator ). If you are considering making your roof a part of your home’s energy efficiency plan, you will need to begin by answering the following questions: What material do you want to use for your roof? What color should your roof be? Do you want to add solar panels or solar shingles to your roof in order to capture solar energy for electricity or to provide heat for water? Materials These days, homeowners have many roofing materials to choose from. Most Americans (about 75 percent) go for cheap asphalt shingles – but cheap is the best that can be said of asphalt as a roofing material. It doesn’t insulate well, it is generally not recyclable at the end of its life, and its life is not long. On the other end of the economic spectrum, affluent homeowners will often choose wood shingles, such as cedar shakes, or slate. These options are all natural, insulate well, and are expensive. But cedar often comes from old-growth forests and slate is a non-renewable resource. Moreover, wood shingles will swell and shrink over time, producing cracks and resulting in moisture damage. Clay tiles are more durable and are made from a renewable, sustainable material, but they are so expensive that most homeowners can only manage to use them as accent materials along the edges of roofs. Somewhere in the middle, you have metal roofs. Metal roofs insulate well, they have high solar reflectance (meaning they stay cooler in the summer), they last a long time, and they are frequently made from recycled metals (and can be recycled themselves at the end of their lives). But they can be somewhat expensive. Nowadays, there is another option: recycled roofing materials. Believe it or not, you can now make your roof from recycled plastic, carpet, or tires. You can also opt for reclaimed or sustainably grown wood. Make Your Electric Meter Spin Backward If you want to generate electric power on your roof, or at least collect enough heat to warm up water, you may want to start with a basic metal roof. A standing-seam metal roof can work well as a base for thin-film photovoltaic panels. You’ll be following in reputable footsteps – President Barack Obama is adding solar panels to the White House roof this year, as is Texas Governor Rick Perry. Solar panels can be expensive – most solar panel systems cost at least $2,000 to $3,000 to install, and many cost more, depending on the system and the particular circumstances at your home. Solar panel systems pay for themselves within a few years, but that doesn’t help when you are trying to scrape together the money for the installation. There is also another solar roofing option – solar shingles. Solar shingles may be an ideal solution if by chance you have a roof that is already shingled, but is losing shingles in (preferably) a south-facing location where you can free up 300 to 400 feet of roof space. If you need to replace shingles anyway, you may as well replace the old shingles with matching solar shingles (they are designed to blend in with the asphalt shingles that most American homes use). Like solar panels, solar shingles can be connected to your local energy grid, so that if you produce excess electricity, it can go back into the system and your electric company can reimburse you for it. By absorbing heat from the sun, solar shingles can also reduce the amount of heat that your home absorbs, so you may find that you do not need to run an air conditioner as much in the summer. Don’t expect to go entirely off-grid with solar shingles – shingles do not store solar energy (unless you have also added batteries to hold stored energy, but adding batteries can add as much as $10,000 to your shingle installation costs), so you will need your regular electric grid at night. Homeowners who choose this option find that the solar shingles pay for themselves in about 8 to 10 years, while they last for 20-40 years (depending on climate and maintenance). Solar panels and shingles not only pay for themselves over time by allowing you to sell power back to your electric company, but they add to the value of your home. According to a recent study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 72,000 California homeowners who added solar panels to their roofs saw their home values rise by an average of $17,000 when they put their homes on the market. Consequently, you may be able to roll the cost of installation over into your mortgage. Caution Unless you are a roofing contractor yourself or have equivalent experience, don’t try to install your own roof. Find a contractor who is experienced in the kind of roof that you plan to put in place. If you are adding solar panels or solar shingles, you will also need an electrician. Be aware, as well, that if you are replacing a roof that was originally installed between 1940 and 1975, you may need to hire someone to do asbestos remediation. Finally, don’t forget to check your local building codes (or better yet, work with a contractor who is intimately familiar with them). Be sure, as well, to check with your homeowner’s insurance company to find out if the change in roofing materials will affect your insurance premiums. Do your homework and use common sense. If you can find a contractor and a roofing system that you are happy with, chances are that you will be very pleased with the results. About the Author Herbert Norton is a roofing contractor that started a website on roofing in the winter months to help educate his clients. Roofery.com has extensive information on many different types of roofing shingles, such as slate, tile, solar and metal shingles , to help consumers make an educated decision. Recently Herbert has been researching the “greening” of asphalt shingles , which are not normally eco-friendly.

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Keeping Our Homes Green – Roofing Options

How to Create a Functional Closet Home Office

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:01:40 +0000

If you are trying to determine how to bring a home office into your space, and there just isn’t enough free wall space to do it, converting a closet into one, may be your best solution. Many closets are not used nearly to their best potential, and by converting one into a home office could solve your space issue and help you stay organized and functional in your office. If you’re considering transforming that poorly used hall closet into a worthwhile office space, here are tips to help you. Determine what functions are necessities: When creating a home office in a closet, remember it will take a degree of pairing down from large amounts of storage, clutter and stuff! Since closet offices are generally small in nature, determine what elements of your home office are essential and which ones are for pure decoration and those that take up space. Stream line and organize files, and office equipment into storage containers, file cabinets and stylish desk and shelf organizers. Make your office inspiring: Just because you are converting an existing closet doesn’t mean it has to look like a closet. Before you build your work surface inside your closet, opt for painting the inside walls an inspiring color or plan to use colorful photos and personal touches to bring the walls alive. Many craft and office supply stores have coordinating desk accessories, bulletin and maker boards and wall organizers to bring a personal style to your closet home office. Consider using fabric or colorful window treatments as a way to close off your office closet, if you prefer instead of doors. Accentuate the positives: While it may seem you are compromising to have a closet office, think of all the positives you can accentuate in your office. A smaller space means less to organize, which in turn may help you keep your desk and work area cleaner. Easy accessibility to your closet home office may mean less time wasting time in a large unproductive room, and more time for you to get right into your tasks at hand. One of the biggest positives? You can still keep all of your other rooms in your house looking great, without having to takeover the kitchen table with all of your work related activities! Choose comfortable components: Since you are working in a smaller space, ensure that you are going to have a comfortable area to work in. Ensure desk height, chair, computer and electronic accessibility are comfortable and don’t require you to squeeze into a small space. Opt for adjustable seating, back pillows, and ergonomic office components to make your working environment pleasurable. Also put up inspiring pictures, and bring in plenty of natural and artificial lighting wherever possible. The more you are inspired to work, the more pleasurable your closet home office experience will be. While working in a closet may sound cramped, once you remove the unnecessary clutter, you will see what a prime real estate area it is for your home office. Especially if you live in an apartment, or smaller home, a closet office will help you work from home, and keep your sanity in other rooms of the house. Use these tips to bring inspiring decor and functional organizational ideas to your office space. You will love how your new space inspires you to do more! Freshome readers do you have a closet home office in your home? What are the pros and cons? We’d love to hear from you. Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Closet Organizers Inspiration Home Office Ideas for Those of you Who are Working from Home Seymour Home Office Armoire How to Develop a Home Office Secret’Air – A Small Office for You How to Maximize Every Inch of a Small Closet Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

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How to Create a Functional Closet Home Office

Protect Your Home With… Dinosaurs?

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:58:06 +0000

Filed under: Living Spaces Home security system feeling a little stale? A Japanese company’s been trying to use plastic dinosaurs to stand guard. Can you imagine? Check out this piece from our friends at Charles & Hudson ! We stumbled upon this little interesting little tidbit stemming from this year’s CES and thought we’d share with you: how’d you like a pet robot dinosaur as your home security? Plastic Pals via Charles & Hudson Back in 2002, Japanese robotics company TMSUK developed the “Banryu” (or “Guard Dragon”) line of robots intended for home use. The prehistoric crime predators were designed to patrol homes and photograph would-be intruders using a camera installed in their snouts, and some were designed to even detect carbon monoxide in your home! The robots supposedly automatically patrolled buildings, and, in an emergency, could be remote-controlled to fire fight in an early stage. Available in two styles (triceratops and stegasuarus), and could go up to 15 meters a minute to chase down intruders in your abode. It should also be noted that they were designed to be controlled with a mobile device — including a mobile phone. Do you remember what cell phones were like in 2002? We do, and the fact that they could control anything more than calls or maybe a text is mostly mindblowing. At the staggering price of $18,000 US, obviously these items were not the utmost in affordable home security technology. Some models were available for rent as well, but unfortunately the Banryus didn’t catch on as the next best thing since guard dogs. It bears stating that in 2002, home-robotics were just beginning to become possible, and perhaps the “trend” of robotic pets with purposes were a wee bit overestimated at the time. Still, can you imagine? A pet dinosaur robot home defender — without all the mess of an actual pet? Only in yesterday’s future. And tighten your home’s security with other our other home security stori es: DIY: Home Security System Secure your Home for Summer Vacation All DIY Info | All DIY Info | Linking Blogs | All DIY Info

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Protect Your Home With… Dinosaurs?

Cleaning Out the Closet With "Pawn Stars"

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:58:03 +0000

Filed under: Storage & Organization , Know-How Wonder what the junk in your closet is worth? Our writer got a crash course from ” Pawn Stars “‘s Rick Harrison… and found out just how much money she’s sitting on. My mother always says that she’s going to leave all of her possessions to my brother when she dies, because she knows that I’ll sell everything once she’s out of the picture. Look: Sentimentality isn’t my strong suit. I prefer new to old and money to no money, thanks. I’m not one of those people who think that whatever it is inside that old hope chest is going to get me so rich that I’ll be able to dive into a pile of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck in the ” Duck Tales ” opener. But I took the opportunity to enlist the expert help of Rick Harrison from The History Channel’s smash hit show ” Pawn Stars “. He knows all about finding hidden gems — from the inventory in his Las Vegas pawn shop to the show itself. Courtesy of The History Channel “I pitched ” Pawn Stars ” out for four years,” says Harrison. “Everyone told me that no one wants to see a show about four fat guys in a pawn shop.” Now they’re the number one show on cable. You just never know. So, I sent some old junk I found in my parents’ house to get Harrison’s expert opinion as to whether or not I can quit my job and spend the rest of my days laying on my couch and keeping up with the Kardashians (it’s a full time job in itself, really). Here’s what I found… http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=997770&pid=997769&uts=1303855522 http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf What Treasures are Hiding in Your Closet? Remember when cameras had film? Yeah, me either. But apparently, they did. This movie camera probably documented countless family memories, but who cares? I know what those jerks looked like. My genius brain stores all the documentation I need (there’s no “off” switch). “This is a mass-produced camera,” says Harrison. “They probably produced millions of them so it’s not really that valuable.” Think about it like this: if it’s something that was inexpensive and accessible to the masses, it’s probably not going to be worth anything. “Other cameras from the 1960s, like an original Nikon that’s in really good shape can be worth up to $2,000,” says Harrison. “But something like this isn’t going to get you very far.” What Treasures are Hiding in Your Closet? So you’re sitting on the couch, eating your feelings in the form of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, and you see a commercial for something that is “valuable,” “priceless,” and “collectible.” Limited time order, they say. Buy now, they urge. Only 42 easy payments of $19.99, they promise. Put down the phone. This junk isn’t going to be worth anything, ever. “When you buy something that’s already deemed a collectible when it’s brand-new, it’s never going to be worth anything,” says Harrison. “It’s the things that people never thought would end up being worth money that end up being the most valuable. I’ve sold Zippo lighters for over $3,000 and people carry those around in their pockets every day.” The lesson here? You should always be skeptical when someone shouts from the rooftops how rare and collectible an item is, especially when it’s on a TV commercial on Lifetime at 2AM. If only my grandfather had known this when he bought this sculpture. And the 30 or so other ones we have lying around the house. What a financial wizard he was. What Treasures are Hiding in Your Closet? When looking for antiques, remember this: just because something is old doesn’t mean it’s valuable. Need an example? Take a look at Joan Rivers. “I have three billion-year-old rocks in my backyard, but no one’s willing to buy them off of me,” Harrison laughs. In other words: don’t make assumptions. The pupils in my eyes had already turned to dollar signs when we unearthed this old phone from our crawl space. This thing doesn’t even have buttons! It looks like something that would be in an old Western movie, or at least in a restaurant that’s trying to manufacture old-school charm. I will be rolling in dough, like a baker (is that an expression? It should be). Wrong. “These types of things aren’t worth as much as you would think,” says Harrison. “They’re definitely collectible, but you have to remember that every house had one, so they’re not that rare.” What Treasures are Hiding in Your Closet? The word “rare” isn’t always synonymous with “big money.” Your weird cousin might collect unusual bocce balls, but just because something is rare or strange doesn’t automatically mean it’s worth anything. “I’m sure dinosaurs turds are pretty rare, but I don’t imagine that they’re worth a lot,” laughs Harrison. This cash register was stationed on the bar in my grandparents’ restaurant for years. “They would call this a candy store cash register, because the highest amount on here is $1,” says Harrison. Because it’s functioning, in good shape, easy to clean up, and in relatively high demand, my ship has finally come in. BOOM! What Treasures are Hiding in Your Closet? Total value: $1,720 But out of four old, seemingly rare items that I dug up, only one was worth the effort involved to drag them out of the basement. Harrison says that this is something that happens all of the time. “People always seem to think that grandma’s wedding ring has a perfect diamond in it,” says Harrison. “When I tell them it’s not, they get mad at me. I have to say to them, ‘I’m sorry your grandpa was cheap,’” laughs Harrison. Is this really all that surprising? Unrealistic expectations make the world go ’round. Moral of the story? I’m not getting rich any time soon. By Amanda Waas Not ready to get rid of your old things? Try repurposing! Check out… Bright Idea: New Uses For An Old Ladder New Uses for Old Kitchen Cabinets Give Old Books New Life All DIY Info | All DIY Info | Linking Blogs | All DIY Info

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Cleaning Out the Closet With "Pawn Stars"

The Typewriter Lives On (Through Crafts)

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:58:02 +0000

Filed under: Crafts , Crafts & Celebrations This week, the last standing typewriter factory in the world closed up shop. But you can still keep the spirit alive with these craft ideas. I’ll admit, it was a blow to hear that that no new typewriters will be produced — after all, they have a special nostalgic place in my heart next to Polaroid film . But it’s not fair to get too hung up over the news: If nothing else, it’s highly hypocritical, considering I’m typing this on a computer. But while you can’t expect companies to continue to produce typewriters when the sales have plummeted, you can count on the crafters on Etsy to produce beautiful tributes to the typewriter. As we take a moment of silence, check out the work of these brilliant DIYers. Clockwise from top left: CuteAbility; NoteTrunk, virginiakraljevic, MeadowTea, iloveinkling, MrPS. Clockwise from top left: Typewriter Necklace 18K Gold Plated Brass, $24, CuteAbility Self Inking Custom Ribber Address Stamp, $28, NoteTrunk Olivetti Green Fine Art Archival Print, $15, virginiakraljevic Retro Type Set, $25 for 4, MeadowTea Just My Type Pillow, $22, iloveinkling Background: Proper Coffee tea towel, $14.25, MrPS Looking to create your own typewriter crafts? Check out sites like Oriental Trading and Rubber Nation to buy antique typewriter keys to make your own projects (and don’t forget to share them on Facebook !) All DIY Info | All DIY Info | Linking Blogs | All DIY Info

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The Typewriter Lives On (Through Crafts)

Two Terrace Houses Turned into One: Paddington x2 House

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:37:47 +0000

Paddington x2 House is a complex project implemented by MCK Architects and consisting of turning two terrace houses in Sydney, Australia into a single living space. Here is more information on this architectural conversion from the designers: “Via research and investigation we arrived at a concept of retaining and refurbishing the terraces, maintaining all characteristics and feature to the external skin while hollowing out the insides to allow the new program of contemporary family home. Being a heritage conservation area, the design is respectful and sympathetic with it’s context, while still engaging and challenging in some ways our understanding and perceptions of what heritage actually is and how we are to move forward as architects and 21st century people living in a city, and within a a culture, that is complex and multi-layered, with a need to act responsibly and sustainably for the environment. Our clients were of the same opinion and passionately believe that all aspects of our culture and tradition can co-exist in a 2010 world without any compromise or loss, it just takes intelligent affirmative action. ” What do you think of the results? (Photos by: Willem Rethmeier ) Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Charming Victorian Makeover with a Welcoming Interior Design Mind Blowing 19th Century Terrace House in Sydney Practical Advertising: Houses Turned into Billboards for Free Mortgage Shigeru Ban’s Metal Shutter Houses Revamping God’s home into your own: Holy home in the UK Green Design: Synagogue Turned Into a Modern Penthouse Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

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Two Terrace Houses Turned into One: Paddington x2 House

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas:

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:22:19 +0000

This Mother’s Day get something thoughtful for your mum and if she is extremely house-proud then the Safavieh BK-367 Hand Tufted Chinese “Berkeley Collection” Rug is a great option. Available on Amazon for $288.03 (the 5×8 version) after a 31% discount, this beautiful rug is available in a number of sizes and available in two color combinations; fern/ivory and taupe/green. Made of 100% pure wool, hand hooked and tufted to a strong cotton backing, the Berkeley Collection is handmade in China and its oriental charm is hard to miss. So in case your mother appreciates gifts that are functional and beautiful, then you won’t go wrong with the Safavieh BK-367 Hand Tufted Chinese “Berkeley Collection” Rug

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