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Cool Idea: Using Cabbage as a Centerpiece
Glass vases are chic and timeless, but sometimes you need to stir things up a bit. And when you've used every old coffee pot and vessel you can think of, look to your kitchen or garden. Real Simple looked at a head of cabbage with an inventive eye, and decided to use it as a centerpiece.
5 Ways to Decorate a Non-Working Fireplace
There are a lot of fireplaces out there that have been closed up and cautious landlords who don't permit using working ones. Even for those of us who can use our fireplaces, they sit untouched at least six months of the year. Well, after you've taken my lesson on cleaning your fireplace, there are a few things you can do to spruce up your hearth and keep it looking from barren.
How-To: 7 Ways to Repurpose Holiday Cards
What to do with that fat stack of last year's Christmas cards you've got stashed in a drawer? Well, if they're photo cards, save 'em. But if you've collected some cards with holiday-themed graphics, Real Simple says repurpose them!
Casa Quickie: TP For Your Tech
I just spied this inventive idea on Real Simple and couldn't help but pass it along, considering that my gadget cords all look like a messy ball of yarn. If you're anything like me, and you've got cords for your camera, iPod, computer, BlackBerry, blow-dryer, speakers, television, DVD player, etc. clogging up your outlets, God bless you.
Before and After: Real Simple Meets P.S. 346
The folks over at Real Simple (70 of them, to be exact) recently took part in New York Cares Day, and volunteered at the P.S. 346 elementary school in Brooklyn. In just five hours, they assembled 37 pieces of new Ikea furniture and applied their design expertise to an uninspired multi-purpose room.
Casa Quickie: Easy Autumn Display
To get the look of Fall on your coffee table, dining room table, or fireplace mantel, try this tip from Real Simple. Simply clip some pretty turning leaves from trees in your yard. The leaves should have a bit of stiffness to them, so they can stand up on their own.
Making Small Changes Real Simple
In the latest issue of Real Simple, I spotted an article that was absolutely perfect for this month's theme of Small Changes. "Ready, Set, Redecorate" shows how several families, with the help of redecorators, were able to reimagine their homes by simply rearranging their furnishings. That's right — not a vase, lamp, or frame was added from outside sources.
This Just In: Maggie Gyllenhaal Makes Time For Housing Charity
Between shooting films, spending time with her beautiful daughter Ramona, and looking lovely at the The Met's Costume Institute Gala, you'd think that Maggie Gyllenhaal would have her hands full. However, she still has time to give back to the city of New York: Maggie's teamed up with Real Simple and Design on a Dime for the fourth-annual Design on a Dime charity event, which will benefit Housing Works in New York.
Taking place from Thursday, May 8, through Saturday, May 10, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City, the Design on a Dime Benefit will feature designers such as Casa favorites Charlotte Moss and Jamie Drake
How To: Dust
Dusting: a simple, crucial, and often overlooked task of housekeeping. No pointing fingers here, but you may have noticed that letting dust accumulate amounts to a heavy-duty grime job that's not good for your house or your immune system. What you might not know is that new houses are more likely to acquire dust quickly because they don't have the air circulation that older, draftier homes do.
Casa Quickie: Double Your Closet Space
I just came across a Real Simple tip that is arguably the simplest way to renew your cramped closet, and I felt obliged to share. Hang a second rod below the existing rod to store short clothing items like scarves, pants, tops, and sexy minis. You don't need a handyman for this installation; you can buy an extendable rod with rubber stopper ends to fit your space perfectly.
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