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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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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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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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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How to Furnish Your Walls at the Thrift Store

by M.E. Gray

Gallery wall made from thrifted items!

I have a hard time spending a lot of money on wall art. I feel horrible saying that. I got my Bachelor's degree in art, so I - of all people - totally understand the effort and talent that's required to create good art. Honestly, I'm just cheap. While I might occasionally splurge for a print or photo I really love, my home is hardly a museum. I can't afford to fill my walls top to bottom with one-of-a-kind art pieces. So yeah, I might be cheap, but I'm pretty dang thrifty, too! Whether it's sprucing up some existing wall art, or creating my own with found items, I can fill a wall for under $40. The best place to find forgotten and dirt-cheap wall decor is your local second-hand store (think Goodwill, Savers, Salvation Army, etc.). I set out to create a cheap gallery wall using only things I found at the thrift store, and here's how it worked out.          

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How to: DIY Modern Wall Art in Under 30 Minutes

by Brittni Mehlhoff
DIY Modern wall art in under 30 minutes
Photo: Rachel Brewer

When it comes to revamping a room in my home or studio, I love wall art projects because they usually give you the most bang for your buck in terms of transforming a space. Admittedly though, I don't always have the time it takes to create awesome DIY art pieces. So, I came up with a modern, minimal way to add great artwork to your walls in under 30 minutes and thought I'd share the tutorial,  in case you're always in a time crunch for DIYs like I am.

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10 Online Interior Style Quizzes That Are Actually Worth Your Time

by Jennifer Farley

10 Online Interior Design Style Quizzes

At some point, everybody finds themselves wondering, "What is my design style?" Pinterest can sometimes be like putting your face in front of a fire hydrant gushing with design styles. TMI, and not very helpful! Online style quizzes can help you navigate your style and figure out why you like certain Pinterest pins. Since online e-design has come into its own, there are loads of design style quizzes to choose from. To help you decide which ones to take (and to selfishly feed my design style quiz addiction), I took a lot of them. I'm here to let you know which ones are worth your time, and share my favorites!      

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An Easy Way to Make Beautiful Wall Art Without Breaking the Bank

by Stephanie Lee

Stretched fabric wall art: An easy way to make beautiful art without breaking the bank!

One of the best things about beautiful artwork is how it can instantly transform the look and feel of a room. Sadly, large scale wall art is often expensive, placing it out of many people's budgets (mine included!).

That doesn't mean we have to go without, though. Using just a piece of fabric and some wood, you can whip up your own statement piece of art in the space of an afternoon. And the best part of all? It doesn't come with a hefty price tag! Follow along below to find out how to make your own fabric wall art...             

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Easy Mantel Idea: Colorful Paper Tree Forest

by Faith Provencher
Easy Mantel Idea: Colorful Paper Tree Forest | By Curbly #diy #paper #christmas
Photo: Faith Towers Provencher

Ever since I built a mantel a couple of years ago, I'm always on the hunt for fun new ways to decorate it. So as I browsed the paper aisle at my local craft store, it hit me - a folded paper tree forest! I'm a big fan of non-traditional colors, so I bought a few of my favorites and got to work. Click through to check out the full tutorial.   

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Make DIY Mini Concrete Christmas Trees

by Rachel Jacks
DIY cement Christmas trees
Photo: Rachel Jacks

 

Though real Christmas trees are wonderful, not all of us have the time, space, or energy to deal with them. So if your tastes lean to the more industrial, minimalist side of things, you can make your own little Christmas trees out of cement. These concrete Christmas trees are reusable, require no maintenance, and you don't have to worry about ornaments or lights. Of course, there's no reason you can't have both a real tree and some of these mini ones. They're pretty quick and addictive to make, so go ahead and make a whole forest. 

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How To: Make a Found & Foraged Scandinavian Christmas Wreath on the Cheap

by Lidy Dipert

How To: Make a Found and Foraged Scandinavian Christmas Wreath on the Cheap

One of the things we love to do year after year during the holiday season is wreath-making! It's a relaxing and fun way to get into the festive spirit the whole family can enjoy. This year, we leaned toward our usual Scandinavian-inspired look, but using found and foraged materials. Sometimes, there is so much beauty in our own backyards or neighborhoods, if we just take the time to explore! 

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Tired of Red and Green? Try A Fresh Christmas Color Scheme This Year

by Rachel Jacks

Tired of green and red? Check out this inspiration for decorating with a non-traditional Christmas color scheme.

If someone mentions Christmas colors, red and green probably instantly come to mind. But though they're the default,  they're far from the only choice for a Christmas color scheme. If you're not a fan of the color combination, or it just doesn't look good with your existing regular decor, why not get creative with your Christmas colors? Check out these ideas for alternative Christmas color palettes for decorating your home.          

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How to Upcycle an Old Sweater into a Cozy Knit Pillow

by Rachel Jacks
Upcycled sweater pillow
Photo: Rachel Jacks

Now that the weather is getting cooler in most places, you may be pulling your sweaters from last year out of the back of your closet. And maybe there are a few that you decide won't be making it into your wardrobe rotation. Before you get rid of an unwanted sweater, consider whether it could have a new life as a sweater pillow. Here's how to add a bit of knit texture to your decor by sewing your own sweater pillow.    

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DIY Creepy-Crawly Halloween Snake Wreath

by Rachel Jacks
DIY Halloween wreath with snakes
Photo: Rachel Jacks

Maybe it's my childhood spent catching garter snakes, but I've never been afraid of snakes. I know I'm in the minority in thinking that some of them are even downright cute, so I won't be surprised to hear that this snake wreath might evoke slithery nightmares for many. If plastic snakes don't creep you out too much, you can whip up this DIY Halloween wreath in no time.         

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