Are you guys on Pinterest? If you’re planning a wedding, redecorating your room, or doing anything at all that might involve keeping track of visual ideas (a dress here, pretty wall color and rug combo there), get on Pinterest. It’s fabulous.
I’m not currently planning any particular event or project, but I log on every few days to scroll through ideas and fun DIY projects I could do around my apartment. The idea is to curate your own pin boards of any category you want, whether it’s home décor, shoes, wedding table settings or places you’d like to travel. You can make a board for anything, and you can follow anyone else’s boards if you find them inspiring.
I’ve got boards for decorating and cute accessories – and if I’m particularly bored (no pun intended), I’ve got a “daydreaming” board for wedding dresses. But I didn’t tell you that.
Wouldn't this little guy be so adorable in bright turquoise?
Since moving into my current apartment, I’ve been bitten by the DIY bug. (See also: the Etsy bug). I haven’t done a ton of projects, but I’ve started to see things in a new way, like, I could spray paint that turquoise and it would be EFFING ADORABLE. I haven’t bought any paint yet because I’m kind of scared, but I’m considering it. Any tips for spray-painting a metal lamp base?
After I moved in, my dad found an old seat-less chair in the attic that matched an antique desk I have, so he fashioned a seat for it and I brought it back from Charlotte. It just needed a cushion and some fabric. I googled fabric stores in Richmond and found an independent store a few blocks away called u-fab, where I found a nice, sturdy dusty brown/cream coral patterned fabric for $8/yard. There was only a yard and a half left, so the guy just gave me the rest for $8. Not bad.
Not really knowing what I was doing, I just went for it and re-cushioned the chair with the help of google and my friend Haley’s staple gun. I’m pretty proud of my first try, although I think it’s safe to say my cushion is a bit thick. I’ll re-do it if I get bored with the brown coral fabric, but I like it for now.
Do any of you follow any good DIY blogs? Here in Richmond, there’s a family that’s become quasi-famous (in the blogosphere, anyway) for their DIY home blog, Young House Love. They’re also on Pinterest. They usually have some pretty great ideas and tips for redecorating.
Another blog I found is Nesting Place (also on Pinterest) and from what I can tell, she’s based in Charlotte. Her blog is more inspiration to improve your home than directions to reupholster your couch, and I love it. Her motto is, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.”
I’m not really interested in becoming a DIY blogger, but I am interested in making my home beautiful. I want to be happy where I live, and since I’m on a tight budget, finding quirky decorating ideas and doing projects myself is how I can best do that.
