CasaSugar

DIY Ideas: 14 Home Improvement Projects That Cost Under $10

Stylelist Home — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:01:58 PST

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, Stylelist Home!

Believe it or not, redecorating your home doesn't need to be a massive and expensive project. Simple touches like adding a decorative tray or changing your pillow cases can have dramatic effects. To help you get inspired, we pulled together 14 easy decorating ideas that will update your home without breaking your budget. In fact, most of these projects are completely free . . . and the rest weigh in at under $10.

Rearrange the bookshelf. Reorganizing the bookshelf will easily make an entire room look more styled and polished, and you don't even have to get rid of anything. One tip is to arrange your books so they look like a smooth landscape of rolling hills. Put the tallest in the middle and fan out to the smallest or create multiple peaks (as long as the books flow together) or lay a few books on their side and stack them like a pyramid.
Rearrange your furniture. This may sound simple, but rearranging furniture is a great (and free!) way to completely change the look and feel of your home. If you always find yourself climbing over an ottoman, move your couch back to create a passing lane. Is it too cramped? Try moving your side table to another room that's more spacious.
Change a light switch plate. Finding the light switch is always a daunting task, especially for guests. So why not try decoupaging pretty patterned paper to the plate for a nice pop of color? Your friends will thank you and a little touch of color will liven up any space.
Make pillow covers. One yard of fabric is all you need to make two adorable decorative pillow covers. Adding a fresh pattern or color to your living room or bed will elevate the design and you can buy designer fabrics on sale for an inexpensive price.
Buy fresh flowers. A vase full of fresh flowers instantly brings life to any space, especially in the dreary winter months when everything outside is cold and pretty lackluster. You don't need to get fancy-a bouquet of supermarket roses in a happy hue is enough to make a difference.

Want to find out the rest of the tips? Get all 14 DIY home improvement ideas when you read the rest of the post on Stylelist Home!

The Canvas: A Lifetime Project

Casa Community — Mon, 02 May 2011 11:30:00 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member inglenookdecor from the Su Casa group:

I thought I would share the newest cities my husband and I have added to our stenciled canvas wall art. It's all the cities we've been to together that mean so much to us. (We didn't include the ones we've been to solo, no matter how exciting they were).

A little cheesy and corny I know, but most artwork this big is in the $2000s. I can just imagine us getting older adding more and more (the letters will get smaller and smaller or we'll make two or three more . . . we plan to travel much people!) and the memories of those places so vivid, it would feel like we were there yesterday. Sorry, I'm going all The Notebook here. We even stenciled the cities in together of course, me commenting on how crooked he made some of the letters. Or maybe that was me who did it?

Have you done any DIY decorating lately? Be sure to share your photos in the Su Casa group!

9 Inspired Ideas For Transforming Shipping Pallets

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:30:04 PDT

Shipping pallets are traditionally used to hold goods steady while they're being transported by a forklift in warehouses. Given the number of warehouses in this country alone, it's no surprise that there's an excess of pallets to be found in the world. Granted, the pallet is a humble, splinter-inducing piece of wood, but with some elbow grease and ingenuity, it can truly be transformed into something remarkable. See some of my favorite inspired uses of the humble pallet in the interior design world.

Source

Before and After: An Easy and Cheap Sofa Transformation

Casa Community — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:00:46 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member lauren from the Su Casa group:

I recently moved into a new home and along with a new home comes lots of projects! We decided to put our tv in a separate room, so our living is purely for entertaining. So our little den was outfitted with our old Ikea couch, we had the best of intentions of getting something new for the room down the line but on a recent trip to Ikea we found our couch covers were on super sale. Rather than buy a brand new couch for the room, we decided to go the more thrifty route with a new cover, pillows and some extra batting added to the sad looking cushions. For about $100 for everything, the couch was transformed and looks pretty much like new. Here is the before: Keep reading for the after!

Before and After: A Curtain Transformation For Around $20

Casa Community — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:17:41 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member LAKR from the Su Casa group:

We're renting this loft from January to June...long enough to settle in, but we don't want to spend a bundle decorating, and we can't make permanent changes, of course.
I really disliked the undersized curtains on our beautiful front window which looks out onto the waterfront. I had a feeling that floor to ceiling curtains would draw the eye upward, soften some of the echo in the room, and make the room seem wider. I would have toyed with the idea of a bold black/white Marimekko print or a beautiful color, but the budget had limitations...

This is the living room before, with the curtains that came with the apartment.

Keep reading to see how LAKR transformed the windows for around $20!

5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Bedroom

Casa Community — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:00:00 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member ella1978 from the Su Casa group:

Since the economy is what it is, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share a few simple and affordable ways to spruce up your master bedroom.

Pillows You can add pillows to your bed to give a little extra color, texture or just a little something special to the room. You can buy pillows or make pillow covers for ones you might already have that are a little outdated. Check out how to cover your pillows here!
Throw Blankets Again, this is a quick way to add color, texture, and interest to the biggest feature in the room, your bed! Make it a warm, snugly one for the Winter and something light and airy for the summertime.
Paint Your Old Nightstands Are your nightstands looking a little dated or ragged? The simple fix is to give them a quick upgrade with a coat of primer and two coats of paint. Go bold with a bright color or sleek with a glossy dark finish.
DIY Artwork Add an interesting graphic print, or even a great quilt, to your wall to add interest behind your bed and draw the eye to the focal part of the room. You can even buy pre-hung canvases and give them a little touch of "you" by painting them to match the decor. Make them solids, add a floral or graphic pattern and voilà! You have a whole new room.
A New Rug Do you have hardwood floors in your bedroom? A new rug is a perfect way to change the whole room. Go with something dark or bold to give the room a whole new flavor.

Check out our blog for five more tips!

Do you have any tips to share? Be sure to post your ideas in the Su Casa group!

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Your Top Destinations For Saving Money on Furniture and Decor

Elka Karl — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:38:47 PST

Yesterday on Facebook, I shared that a friend of mine had just purchased her first home. However, since she's just made a major investment, she's trying to decorate inexpensively right now. I have my favorite sources for inexpensive furniture and decor, but I was hoping that you might add to the list. I have to say, there are some savvy shoppers out there! Thanks for all of the suggestions. Take a look at some great places and ideas for saving money on home decor. If you have another source, please add to the list on Facebook or in the comments.

Kristen suggested, "TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Target, Cost Plus, Pier 1, and furniture outlet stores. We also have a store here called Just Like the Model . . . it's furniture taken from model homes once the models are sold. They have great prices, and beautiful items, both furniture and decorative."
Sheri said, "Cost Plus World Market. Gorgeous decor and great prices. Some nice furniture as well."
Evelyn listed "Home Goods, Ikea, and The Container Store!"
Kristen said, "I like shopping for vintage home decor on Etsy, for a personal touch. Etsy has enabled coupon codes, so you can find some pretty good deals on the site!"
Brooke suggested, "A lot of times you can find some good stuff at thrift stores! A little sanding, staining, paint, and some good old fashioned elbow grease can go a long way!"
Pamela said, "Home Goods! I have found great rugs, chairs, bedding, and accessories that I am very happy with! The inventory is always changing."

Keep reading for even more suggestions.

Buy It or DIY It: Pendant Lamps

Elka Karl — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:00:11 PST

Let's face it: sometimes we fall in love with a piece of furniture or decor that is impossible to fit into our budget. Luckily, many designs we admire can find a place in our homes with a little elbow grease and DIY know-how. Check out a few pendant lamps that, budget willing, you could easily take home today. Or, if you've got more time than money on your hands, you can gather the materials and make very similar pendant lamps for a fraction of the price. Come take a look at my finds!

Add a New Duvet and Pillows For $30

Elka Karl — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 04:30:17 PST

As I've noted on Facebook, I'm incredibly fickle when it comes to my bedding. I've gone from organic coverlets to Sferra duvet covers to heirloom quilts - sometimes all in the same month. This Winter, perhaps influenced from too much time spent on Skona Hem's site, I've really been feeling a cozy Swedish vibe.

Of course, since I know I'll likely trade out my duvet cover for a different one in a few weeks, when I actually take the plunge and add something into my rotating bedding collection, I don't want to spend a huge amount of money. That's doubly true after the holidays - it's all about economic and pretty additions for me in the month of January.

See how I added a new duvet cover and matching pillows for around $30.

Cool Idea: Create Big Party Style With Off-the-Shelf Objects

Elka Karl — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:00:07 PST

Big Boi's "Shutterbug" was stuck in my head all weekend, and while the song is obviously catchy, the video for the single may be even cooler. With everything from a puppet backing band to a mountain made of high tops to Tron-like dancers, the video is imaginative and infectious. I also loved how video director Chris Robinson used everyday, off-the-shelf objects to create a huge visual impact. For instance, this red, gleaming wall is actually fashioned from hundreds of plastic cups. Four kegs create a grounding effect, and a gold-heeled model completes the look. The possibilities for creating decor out of off-the-shelf objects like this are endless. Paper plates could be painted and hung behind a buffet area in undulating waves. Napkins could be rolled and hung like flowers over a dining table. If you need more inspiration, check out this wedding display, which was made from rolled paper and chicken wire. Who says you need to spend major money on party bling? Hit the dollar store for some red plastic cups, a la Big Boi, and impress your guests with your savvy.