The IKEA Curtains That Every Designer Swears By

by Erica Young
RITVA curtains
Photo: @whitelanedecor

No matter how many trends come and go, there are a few classic home decor elements that never go out of style. Think of a simple round mirror, the Eames lounge chair, a quality Persian rug - designers come back to these pieces again and again.

Another essential decor item that every interior designer seems to have in their back pocket? White curtains. Versatile and classic, well-tailored white curtains can dress up literally any room; no matter the style. And here's the secret - we've noticed a lot of designers are getting their curtains at IKEA!           

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How to Build DIY Floating Shelves 7 Different Ways

by Rachel Jacks
Want to build your own DYI floating shelves? Here are 7 different tutorials that show you how.
Photo: Rachel Jacks

When I first set out to build live-edge floating shelves in my kitchen a few years back, I had no idea how to do it. At the time, I had to figure a lot out myself. Luckily for you, the internet now has step-by-step instructions for a variety of different methods for building shelves without visible brackets. Having personally built floating shelves two different ways, I can tell you that it's not difficult once you have some basic woodworking skills. I managed to do it even as a beginner. Here are seven different tutorials that will help you build the floating shelves (or floating corner shelves!) of your dreams.          

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DIY This! Watercolor Pillowcases that Match your Decor

by Holly Wade
DIY This! Watercolor Pillowcases that Match your Decor
Photos by Holly Wade

There's something about the look of watercolors that has always intrigued me, and I've been wanting to add that blended colorful look in my home for a long time. Well, I finally found my chance! With a simple tie dye kit, I updated my bedroom pillowcases to look like a watercolor canvas! Not only did it take less than 30 minutes, it came out light and blended just like I wanted for my decor. Incorporate your favorite colors to make a simple DIY pillowcase with faux watercolors that match your decor!          

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IKEA Lighting Hack: Make a Pendant Light Out of a $6 Bowl!

by Stephanie Lee

IKEA lighting hack: Make a pendant light out of a $6 bowl!

I have a love-hate relationship with light fittings. I totally get that they can transform  the look of a room, but I've put off changing ours for aaaages because the ones I love best are always out of my budget. And when it comes to the crunch, I can't justify spending $150+ on a pretty light fixture when there are bills to be paid! That's where this IKEA lighting hack comes in.              

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How To: Make Natural, Homemade Glass Cleaner

by M.E. Gray

How to: Make orange-scented homemade window cleaner

I've been on a green-cleaning kick lately. By "green" I mean natural, but also "green" as in money-saving! While paying four or five dollars for a bottle of cleaner might not feel like a big deal, it is when you consider how easy it is to create a similarly effective cleanser for a few cents a bottle. In an effort to convert all my cleansing products to homemade, I've recently whipped up a batch of homemade window cleaner that works just as well as the store-bought variety, and without streaking!        

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Make These: Rorschach Ink Blot Pillows

by M.E. Gray

Make these: DIY Rorschach test pillows

Are you familiar with the Rorschach Test? It's the psychological exam where you look at ink blots and say what you see. Depending on how you interpret the ink, you receive a different diagnosis of your psyche. Now, I'm not a psychiatrist by any means, but I do know a DIY opportunity when I see one. Whether or not you interpret the shapes as a bear, or as the face of your mother, throw a little color in there and we've got ourselves a project. These ink blot pillows are easy enough for anyone to make, and each result is different!      

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Make a DIY Fire Pit this Weekend With One of These 61 Fire Pit Ideas

by Rachel Jacks

A DIY fire pit is just what your backyard needs this summer, and here are 15 ways to build your own. #firepit #diyfirepit

Does the need to sit around a fire outside go back to our days as cave-dwellers? Probably, but we have way better stuff to roast over the fire now, and beer to drink with it. Just like our pre-historic ancestors (except with access to hardware stores, and power tools, and computers), you can make your own DIY backyard fire ring with these tutorials on how to build a DIY fire pit.       

If you've ever tried to make s'mores in the...

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Make This: Decorative Copper Leafed Plants

by Marlene Sauer
Copper leaf plants
Photos: Marlene Sauer

"I have too many plants..." -- said no one ever. 

Except, perhaps, people who can't keep plants alive.

Good news for all you plant-murderers: faux plants can often look as gorgeous as the real thing. Especially if you glam them up with my all-time favorite crafting material, copper leaf.

Today I'm going to show you how to make copper leaf plants so that you can bring some unique and botanical beauty to your summer decorating. That's right, we're leafing leaves! Ready to see how?          

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How to Write a Meaningful Father's Day Card

by Amber Dickson
How to write a meaningful Father's Day card
Rawpixel/Shutterstock

If you find conquering the blank space at the bottom of a Father’s Day card daunting, you are not alone.  It can be difficult to express yourself even if you have an ideal relationship with your father or father figure, let alone one that is more complicated.  When you want to write something heartfelt but don’t know where to start, consider using one of these prompts:         

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Two Weird Things You Should Start Putting in Your Dryer

by M.E. Gray

Two laundry hacks for your dryer

I'm always skeptical of "hacks" I see on the internet. Sometimes techniques touted as life hacks can be - well... hacky! On the flip side, we've tested a few hacks here on Curbly before with surprising success. I've seen these two laundry hacks pass through my media feeds a few times, and decided to finally give in and try them out myself. Both are supposed to optimize your dryer. Do they work? Let's find out!            

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IKEA Hack: TARVA Nightstand Gets Tech-Friendly

by M.E. Gray

IKEA HACK: Tarva nightstand gets tech-friendly with built-in charging station

Hide ugly cords by your bed with this IKEA nightstand hack!

Before I bought this nightstand, I had never stepped foot in an IKEA (gasp!). It wasn't for lack of wanting to, I just never had the opportunity before. As a former small-town gal, I haven't lived within driving distance of an IKEA up until I moved to the big city (more specifically, the Twin Cities) about a year and a half ago. Since moving, I've been putting off a trip to the IKEA because I know myself too well. I know that I love cute home decor, and I knew that I'd want to take everything in that store home with me. Impulsive purchasing aside, I needed a new nightstand. Let me tell you two things: #1. IKEA is awesome (and massive and a bit confusing at first - but they have Swedish Fish which totally made up for me getting lost), and #2. I love this TARVA IKEA nightstand because it is so hackable.

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How to Fold Everything in Your Dresser

by M.E. Gray

How to fold everything in your dresser

There's nothing quite like the frustration of trying to find a shirt in a dresser drawer packed full of balled up clothes. There's no order, and everything is kind of just shoved in there. While it may be tempting to just close up your dresser drawers when they start to get chaotic, being able to have everything nicely folded and visible will make getting ready in the morning a million times easier. So, rather than just tossing that tee in the back of the drawer, fold it properly the first time so you can find it when you need it. Keep reading for the best way to fold shirts, pants, socks, even underwear!         

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Summer Living: How to Throw an Amazing Backyard Movie Night

by Rachel Jacks
Backyard movie night
Photo: Shaiith/Shutterstock

There's something uniquely romantic about watching a movie outdoors. While drive-in theaters are uncommon these days, you can still experience a movie under the stars by setting up your own outdoor movie theater for a backyard movie night.

We've put together a list of everything you need for an amazing backyard movie night, from the best outdoor projector to the ultimate movie snacks. Once you have everything you need for your outdoor movie night, you'll be all set to make it a regular summer tradition. 

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DIY 4th of July Popsicles, Two Ways: One for Kids and One for Adults!

by M.E. Gray

Recipe: 4th of July popsicles!

Here's a summertime tip: Always make popsicles. Summer is here, which means the Fourth of July is on the way and you probably have a barbeque to host. Whether you're holding a kid-friendly summer party or an adults-only celebration, popsicles will make everyone happy, including you! That's because they're ridiculously easy to make, you can prep them far in advance, and nothing tastes better on a hot day than a refreshing popsicle. We have two tasty recipes for you to prep this summer. The first popsicles are champagne-infused (adults only!), mimicking the colors in a bomb pop. The second are kid-friendly (but equally delicious) lemon-flavored fruity popsicles.        

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We Guarantee You Won't Kill These 10 Houseplants

by Lidy Dipert

 

Best Low Light Houseplants

Believe it or not, I use to be a professional plant killer. Turns out, with a little love and care, keeping plants alive is really not that hard! You just need to know a few key tips. So today I'm sharing 10 low light houseplants (I actually own all of these) that are tough to kill (because I haven't killed them yet!). So, if you want to introduce a few plants into your home, but you're not sure you can keep them green, here are some you might want to look into! 

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How to: DIY Graphic and Modern Wall Art for Under $10

by Lidy Dipert

 

How to: Make Graphic and Modern Wall Art for under $10

This summer is extra special because... I am celebrating my ten year anniversary with my husband! Seriously, it's crazy how fast time flies. To honor such a joyous occasion, we have decided to travel to Europe. Specifically, Paris and London! We have always talked about traveling more together, but that's always easier said then done when you have three young kids. And now, at last, we finally have a really good excuse to make that happen. I decided to create some graphic and modern wall art for our newly revamped kitchen to serve as a happy and positive reminder of our very special ten-day trip for our ten year anniversary and all for under $10! Do you sense a theme here? 

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DIY Outdoor Chair Makeover

by Lidy Dipert

DIY Wicker Chair Makeover

When you only have a small budget for outdoor furniture, finding the right pieces can be a bit dissapointing at times. If you don't feel like waiting for those end-of-summer deals, try exploring your local thrift store. With some good scouting and creative imagination, you might find the perfect piece for your patio. 

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