Photo: shutterstock.com
Let’s face it: Many homes today feature inadequate, poorly positioned, and sometimes plain-old ugly light fixtures. But you don’t have to live with anything you don’t love, especially when so many ceiling-mounted and hanging fixtures can be found on the market. Since new ceiling light fixtures come with mounting hardware, replacing an existing unit is easy—even for the novice do-it-yourselfer.
This year marked the tenth anniversary of BKLYN DESIGNS, an exhibition of contemporary design and furnishings held in connection with New York Design Week. The show featured a wide range of heirloom-quality work, with reclaimed wood being the obvious material of choice for many of the impressive exhibitors. Here are some highlights:
1. Bien Hecho
Photo: Water Tower Table from Bien Hecho
The utilitarian yet undeniably suave furniture of John Randall truly embodies the spirit of sustainability in design. His work features salvaged wood procured from all around New York, be it a Brooklyn demolition site or a dumpster at Coney Island. The table top here is of a handsome light cedar, which Randall reclaimed from a water tower in the Fort Greene neighborhood.
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Shaw's Sneak Away Polyester Carpeting
Whether you’re remodeling the whole house or freshening up only a few rooms, new floor coverings can revive spaces that have seen better days. Usually, more expensive carpeting retains its color and pile for a longer period of time than cheaper offerings.
The Consumer Product Safety commission now recommends that only cordless window coverings be used in homes with small children.
Photo: theblindguysaz.com
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Listen to BOB VILA ON CORDLESS BLINDS or read the text below:
Photo: window-blinds.net
Window blinds are an extremely popular decorating option. But for blinds to look their best, they require regular care and maintenance, and some very definite “dos and don’ts” govern their cleaning.
Sure, some cleaning methods can be used on all types of blinds, but there are in fact different ways to clean blinds depending on their construction. Following are some general cleaning tips as well as techniques for cleaning blinds of made of various materials:
Photo: theexperthousepainter.com
How strong is your relationship with your spouse? Do you want to test it? Spend a weekend stripping wallpaper together! Just kidding: Whether you’re working solo or with help from a partner, it’s not so hard to remove wallpaper. As with so many do-it-yourself projects, preparation, patience, and perseverance will be a few of the most valuable tools you can bring to the job.
Did you know that a well-lit room actually has three different kinds of light? In order to create a room that’s comfortable, safe, and efficient, your lighting plan should include all three types.
Photo: yaleappliance.com
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Listen to BOB VILA ON TYPES OF LIGHTING or read the text below:
Photo: blindsforslidingdoors.com
When we moved out of the city and into our new home, we increased our window inventory more than three-fold. The windows we have are big and beautiful, but complicating matters is the fact they are custom sizes.
The thought of having a professional come to measure, order, and install window treatments made our wallets run for cover. Don’t get me wrong. Measuring and installation services are very well worth the money you pay, especially if you have a lot of windows. But if you don’t have a lot of money to spare, this is a job you can do yourself so long as you prepare properly and pay attention to detail.
Photo: theflooringdesigncenter.com
For many of us, area rugs are a significant investment in decor. They warm up and add color to our rooms. They provide soft places for game playing, movie watching, and slumber partying.
But in order for rugs to last for years, they need to be maintained. And a big part of that maintenance is regular cleaning. Sure, you can send out a rug to be cleaned off-site by professionals—but it ain’t cheap. If you’re willing to put in some time and energy, however, it’s eminently possible to do a good job of cleaning your own rugs at home.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’re seeing the color red just about everywhere—in our homes perhaps more than anywhere else. So in honor of Cupid’s day on the calendar, we felt the burning desire to share 45 favorite red-infused interiors to inspire you—and your loved one. How can you incorporate the color of passion, romance, power and assertiveness into your next room remodel? Take a look!
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Photo: elledecor.com
