From the curb to the office: desk chair makeover
Years ago we bought two black padded desk chairs like the one shown below for our kids. The chairs managed to survive junior high, high school, four years of university and a week on the curb in the back alley when we were ready to get rid of them forever.
Budget-Friendly Drawer Knobs Makeover
I’m always amazed by how quickly you can change the look of something with a simple coat of paint. Here’s the desk and counter in our project room at our office. We wanted to jazz up the blue knobs without spending much money. We’re leasing the space so we can’t make any major changes, but […]
Before & After: Camouflaging Switches, Plugs and Controls
This is control central at Lea’s house. While all of these gadgets are handy, camouflaging the controls for the thermostat, alarm system, air conditioning, dimmer switches, and outlets while keeping everything functional and stylish is definitely a design dilemma. These power controls get used every day by both adults and kids, so they have to […]
Using triple duty furniture in tiny spaces
If you're planning to downsize or if you currently live in a challengingly small space, choosing the right furniture is key to keeping your home both comfortable and functional.
Hanging Art at Eye Level – What Does it Really Mean?
Hanging pictures at standing eye level can be very confusing … especially if you’re 5’6” and your partner is 6’2”. For pictures that will be viewed from a standing position such as in hallways or an entryway, the best rule of thumb is to position your artwork so its center hangs at 60″ to 66″ from the […]
Use Two Nails Per Frame For More Stability
If your piece is heavy and fitted with a picture wire, use two Déco Nails to hang it so that the weight of the piece is evenly distributed. Not only will the frame be more secure on the wall, it will also hang straighter than if you used only one nail. Note that each nail […]
Stunning and Intimidating Wall Display
It seems that every time you open a magazine you see glossy images of beautifully decorated homes with artwork hanging perfectly on the walls. Do you ever wonder how they do it and how many extra holes it took before getting flawless symmetry? It’s all about owning the right tools to get the job done. […]
Old Cork Boards Get a Facelift
Back in the fall we posted this great DIY article about repurposing the old cork boards we had in our garage. At the time, we had just moved into our new office and I had lots of design projects on my mind which translated into a very ambitious busy looking inspiration board. Now that spring […]
DIY: Make Your Own Sharpie Art
Wall art doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, you can make your own without spending much money at all, just like we did with this project. This DIY wall art is easy to make, incredibly inexpensive, and fun for kids to do on their own too. Here’s the step-by-step: Time: less than an hour […]
When To Use a Déco Screw Versus a Déco Nail?
The answer is simple: screws are much stronger than nails. If the item you want to hang is light-weight, use a nail. If it’s heavy, use a screw. The rule of thumb is this: when in doubt, use a screw. The last thing that you want is to have your artwork tumbling off the wall. […]
How to get IKEA Ribba Frames to Behave
We love Ribba™ frames from IKEA. They're inexpensive, stylish and versatile. But they can be frustrating as well. We've hung more Ribba frames over the years than we can count and along the way we've come up with some tips and tricks to make things easier. We hope they help you too.
How to Hang a Large Clock — In No Time!
Hanging stuff is a breeze when you have the right tools. We not only felt like we completed this project in no time, the clock we hung read the same time when we finished as it did when we started! (Might have something to do with us forgetting to get batteries — oops!) Call me […]
