Curbly Original
Renter-Friendly DIY: How to Customize Your Own Removable Wallpaper

by Holly Wade

Customized Removable Wallpaper

Living in a rental is not my ideal situation, but I’ve learned to make the best of the space that I have and still make the customizations that I want. One of the best ways to customize a space is with a fun accent wall, and for renters who cannot paint or apply wallpaper, removable wallpaper is king! I wanted to create a completely customized accent wall without painting it, so instead, I created customized removable wallpaper using a form of solid-colored contact paper.

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68 Apartment Decorating Ideas and Organization Tips for Renters

by M.E. Gray
Apartment Decorating Ideas and Organization Tips for Renters
Source: Apartment Therapy; Photo Credit: Sophie Timothy

Renting your home has some perks (no mortgage, no maintenance costs, no headaches), but there are downsides: apartment decorating can be a challenge, and limited storage space makes it hard to stay organized.             

Many apartments are too small or don't offer much storage. Maybe the landlord won't let you paint or put nail holes in the wall. And rental properties are usually...

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Curbly Original
Organize Dangling Earrings with this DIY Concrete Earring Tree

by Holly Wade

Organize Dangling Earrings with this DIY Concrete Earring Tree

I've tried multiple techniques for organizing earrings over the years, but dangling earrings tend to be more difficult to organize in an easy-to-manage way. Luckily, this simple DIY concrete earring tree does the trick and makes the perfect spot to hang several pairs of dangling earrings in a way that's easy to grab what I want and head out the door.         

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Curbly Original
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: Make a Paint By Numbers Cactus Pillow

by DIY Maven
Paint by Numbers Succulent Pillow
Photo: Shrimp Salad Circus

To recap--it's unauthorized succulent week here at Curbly. Monday: Cactus Watercolor. Tuesday: Gumball Machine Turned Succulent Planter. Wednesday: A Cactus Pincushion in its own DIY Geometric Planter. Today: A Paint by Numbers Succulent Pillow. To be honest, I vacillated over highlighting this project. That's because the original maker, Lindsay, used a service that provided

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Curbly Original
How to: Make These Simple + Stylish DIY Geometric Pillows

by Jeran McConnel
How to: Make These Simple + Stylish DIY Geometric Pillows
Photo: Jeran McConnel

I can't get enough of graphic grid patterns.  It's a clean, less busy version of plaid. Add a grid pattern to a space, and it instantly seems modern and current. I few months ago I hand drew an entire wall in a grid pattern. Ever since, I've been on the hunt for all for more grid patterns to add to my home. These bold pillows in a classic black and white grid are sure to stand out in any space.

             

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Curbly Original
Make It: DIY Stylish Mountain Bookends

by Stephanie Lee

Make it: Sweet DIY mountain bookends for your little one's nursery

Now that I have a little one to care for, I’ve come to realize just how wonderful story time can be. Sharing books with Lauren is one of my favorite pastimes… especially the books that I used to read when I was a kid (those are my favorites!). Of course, with a well-stocked bookshelf comes the need for some nice bookends to hold everything in place. So I decided to whip up these pretties for bubba’s room, and they’re so easy to make, I just had to share these DIY mountain bookends with you too!              

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Everything You Need to Know to Design the IKEA Closet of Your Dreams

by Marlene Sauer
IKEA custom closet solution
Image: Construction 2 Style

Those Swedes sure do love to organize. Flip through any edition of the IKEA catalog, and the first impression you'll likely get is: a place for everything, and everything in its place. But don't our cluttered, modern, go-go-go lifestyles make it seem impossible to live up to this standard? Most especially in that most dreaded place in our homes --- the closet. Chances are, if you're a Curbly reader, you love organization just as much as we do. And you may need a little help figuring out how to make your closet system work for you. That's why today we are talking all about how to design the closet of your dreams using IKEA closets.                

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Curbly Original
Forget What You Know About Nautical Decor: The Complete Guide to Coastal Design

by Amber Dickson
Nautical Decor Design Guide
Photo: Chipper Hatter for CM Natural Design

The widespread appeal of nautical and coastal decor makes a lot of sense when you consider the primal and ancient connection humans have to the sea. Being attracted to the water is hardwired into our very cells. Scientific studies have proven what we already know anecdotally: spending time near, on, or in lakes and oceans make us happier and healthier. It's no wonder that so many of us respond to the colors, clean lines, and natural elements of coastal, beach, and nautical decor. It makes us feel good to be reminded of the sea.

If your initial reaction to the term "coastal decor" is negative, it's probably from witnessing too many cutesy and heavy-handed thematic rooms.  We are not advocating buying and displaying any and all items that have a sailboat or seahorse on them. Good decorating never grows out of an overly simplistic theme, and, "Put an anchor on it" is not a valid design philosophy!           

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Curbly Original
How to Repaint Furniture | The Painted Dresser Project

by M.E. Gray

How to repaint a dresser

Ready for a fun before-and-after project? A boring Craigslist dresser is transformed into a vision of blue beauty, in just 10 steps! There is a right way to to achieve a great finish on a painted dresser, and there is certainly a wrong way, too. Sure, you could just slap on a coat of paint and call it a day, but impatience and rushing through the repainting process means sloppy results. However, we're here to share our careful step-by-step process, and to make sure you get it right the first time around so your Craigslist finds can shine!            

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36 Dorm Room "Before and Afters" That'll Totally Inspire You

by M.E. Gray
Before and After: Dorm room decor ideas
Styling: Emily Henderson; Photo: Sara Tramp

If you've been to any big box store lately, you know it's back to school season! The college merch is on the shelves, organization supplies are on sale, and dorm decor is abundant. Dorm rooms are among the most difficult rooms to decorate, and a cute dorm room is like a unicorn: rare and magical. But, good dorm room decor ideas do exist! Check out these 36 inspiring before and after snapshots of some seriously cute dorm rooms.              
 

Before and After | Dorm Room Decor Ideas

(If you're exploring these dorm room decor ideas on a desktop computer, the before images are on the left, and the after snapshots are on the right!)

Dorm room decor ideas: Before

Dorm room decor ideas: After

@CarleighStacy/Twitter

 

Cute dorm rooms: Before shot

Cute dorm rooms: After shot

Thou Swell

 

Cute dorm rooms | Before

Cute dorm rooms | After

The Sorry Girls 

 

Before

After

@alaiyanotalexis/Twitter

 

The DIY Playbook

 

Daily Mail

 

Insider

 

Insider

 

Dorm room decor ideas - Before

Dorm room decor ideas - After

Apartment Therapy

 

Dormify via Cosmopolitan

 

@mariahwitz/Twitter

 

Apartment Therapy

 

Dormify via Cosmopolitan

 

The Sorry Girls

 

Target

 

Houzz

 

Dormify via Cosmopolitan

 

Dormify via Insider

 

@rainamahalek/Twitter

 

The Sorry Girls

 

Dormify

 

Pinterest

 

At Home with Nikki/YouTube

 

@moriahsnipes/Twitter

 

@katiewalker99 via Seventeen

 

Insider

 

Ann Lê Style

 

Before: Cute dorm rooms

After: Cute dorm rooms

Dormify via Insider

 

Before: Dorm room decor ideas

After: Dorm room decor ideas

Lola Magazine

 

Pinterest

 

Pinterest

 

My Home Ideas

Before and After | Dorm Room Ideas for Guys

Well-designed dorms aren't just for girls - boys want stylish rooms too! Check out these examples of dorm room ideas for guys.

Before pic

After pic

Kara Paslay Designs

 

HGTV before

HGTV after

HGTV Handmade/YouTube 

 

Daily Danny 

 

uscoop

 

Whether you're sending someone off to college, you're headed to the dorms yourself, or you're reminiscing about your formative years, hopefully these dorm room decor ideas inspired you!

 

Keep reading:  75 dorm room decor ideas you can DIY.

DIY dorm decor ideas

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