Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 380)

What do you do with an extra 5 gallon bucket? Once its contents are gone, its usefulness is only beginning. That's because there are so many practical ways to reuse a bucket. Whether you use it to help you complete your next remodeling project, upcycle it into a safe toy for toddlers, or even create your own off-the-grid small appliance, your ingenuity will keep another heavy duty bucket out of the landfill and might just save you a few bucks to boot. Flip through to see our favorite uses for an extra 5 gallon bucket.

You won’t always find the perfect antique side table or the china collection of your dreams on your flea market adventure. Even if you do, nearly every thrifted gem requires a little TLC. The best thrifters have a third eye that sees any piece for what it is, but also what it could be. Here, we’ll help you zero in on the most practical finds with the highest potential for storage and decoration. Watch for these 10 underrated staples on your next hunt.

Storage space ranks near the top of every homeowner's wish list. If you're lucky enough to have his-and-her closets, you're living the dream. But what are you to do if you have a room entirely without a closet? Before you go out and buy a zippered-up freestanding closet or a pricey wooden armoire, consider the case for leaving your clothes right out in the open. Living without a closet forces you to prune your wardrobe, preventing outdated or ill-fitting clothes from piling up as they tend to do when hidden behind closed doors. Plus, open storage can turn clothing into artwork. From easy-to-assemble pipe fixtures to more avant-garde designs that flex the imagination, these 8 storage solutions are so creative you'll wonder why you ever wanted a traditional closet.

Whether you've bought a new pendant light or sacrificed your weekend to DIY one of your own, deciding how to hang the light is just as important as the light itself. For instance, if you lack wiring for a ceiling fixture or want to take your pendant light bedside, there are plenty of ways to work around this electrical predicament with found objects or pieces you might already have at home. And if you're just looking to up the aesthetic appeal of a simple light, you can get really creative. So, if you're a renter who isn't permitted to drill into the wall but still wants to mask an unsightly cord, or a homeowner who's looking to make a big design statement, read on for a few options that will have your pendant light illuminating the room in style.

While you may have no idea what polyvinyl chloride is, chances are you have some in your home, in the form of PVC pipes. PVC is an inexpensive, hard yet flexible, fire- and water-resistant plastic used for many plumbing projects. It’s also an excellent material for DIY crafters. Made from a combination of plastic and vinyl, PVC pipe is resistant to strong movement (like earthquakes) as well as bacteria, and it's widely available at both big-box and local hardware stores. It comes in different diameters and can be used in its standard white or black shades or painted. Given its awesome properties, if you’re planning a weekend project or small home improvement, consider adapting it to incorporate PVC pipe. Need some inspiration? Here are 10 smart PVC creations to get you on the right track.

Pipes. Beams. Ductwork. These things are generally hidden in our homes behind walls, in ceilings, and within soffits. Sometimes, however, it pays to leave some of these tubes, conduits, and structural elements exposed to serve as edgy decorative statements. Done right, this approach can lend an industrial flair to any space, but the key here is “done right.” If you don’t take special care in showing off what's usually concealed, you’ll end up with spaces that look unfinished rather than thoughtfully conceived. Here are 10 ways to use pipes, beams, and ductwork to maximum effect in fulfilling your design aspirations.

Shipping pallets are the DIYer’s standby building material for many good reasons. They aren’t hard to come by, and even damaged pallets can be salvaged for smaller projects. Kept whole, shipping pallets make great building blocks for large projects; deconstructed, they can be used to build just about anything. This versatility means that just a couple of cast-off pallets can fit the bill for a huge assortment of home improvement projects. In fact, what can’t you make from shipping pallets? With so many options, narrowing down our favorites was quite the task… but here they are: 15 projects for your home— all made from shipping pallets.

Your mother was right when she told you that “you’re lucky to have a roof over your head”—and not just to keep the rain out! A lovely or striking roof design can be a home's crowning glory, and with the wealth of rooflines to choose from, it can be tough to pick the right "crown." American architecture abounds in both classic and contemporary roof styles, informed variously by Old World European elements, early Colonial structures, and modern trends. The roofline of your home can remain flush with the walls or extend from one to four feet out; it can be austere or ornate, embellished with ornamental moldings, turrets, dormers, or cornices. And these are just a few of the possibilities. We're just getting started here... are you feeling a little roof envy?

If you're overcome by ennui at the sight of your space, a simple faux finish on a surface or accent piece might be just the touch to perk you right up! Here are 9 extraordinary finishes that defy they are DIY.

Whether you love or loathe winter, bulky boots are a fact of life when the weather turns cold. Keep from tracking mud and snow through front halls and mudrooms with these creative boot storage ideas to suit families of all sizes and homes of styles.

There's much more to lighting your home than just picking out a few attractive decorative fixtures. With these helpful tips from the experts at Bellacor.com, you can devise a lighting scheme that's both functional and stylish.

Satisfy your craving for modern industrial design with some cool—and affordable—concrete creations, complete with instructions.

Give your garden path or walkway some flair with these easy-to-make, one-of-a-kind stepping-stones.

Cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and protected from the elements, earthen shelters—or hobbit houses—aren't just for Bilbo in the Shire.

Looking for creative storage solutions? Here are 25 organizers and clutter containers that you can make yourself from recycled items.

Custom furniture is expensive. And let’s face it, while many of us have custom tastes, we don’t have custom budgets. Enter, IKEA— the Swedish furniture company that designs and sells furniture and accessories, most of which are ready-to-assemble— and at a fraction of the cost you’d pay to custom order at a traditional furniture store. The beauty of IKEA’s designs is their simplicity— which makes them utterly and beautifully hackable into an array of other things. The IKEA hack has become a bona fide design category all on its own. Whether you’re working with a bookcase, desk, or dresser, there’s more there than what meets the eye. A kitchen cart can deftly masquerade as a bathroom vanity. That candle dish is just begging to be a bird feeder. Be it Rast, Lack, or Expedit, many of IKEA’s designs can be modified, reworked, finished, refinished, or all out tricked out for your unique needs. We’ve found some of the coolest and best IKEA hacks from around the web. Which one will inspire you to do your own IKEA DIY?

With much of the nation experiencing the bitterest temperatures on record, many of us are appreciating our radiators like never before. Why not show that love by considering one of these decorative finishes or encasements for our trusted cold-weather friends?

If you're just lining up your books alphabetically on metal shelving units, you're missing out on a great decorating opportunity. A well-styled bookcase pairs functionality with aesthetics, letting your books become part of the decor and an expression of your personal style. With a selective arrangement of books, collectibles, and objects of art, you can create a tableau that’s both practical and beautiful. Try these styling tips to give a boring bookcase a sophisticated makeover.

Throughout the years you live in a house, you pour your heart and soul into maintaining it and making it comfortable and attractive. When it comes time to sell, you hope that your care and hard work will be evident to potential buyers, and that the offers stream in quickly. But even a much-loved and well-tended home can linger on the market if the sellers make some unfortunate missteps. To avoid any hitches in the sale of your home, beware of making these 12 costly mistakes that can sabotage a sale.

Homebuilding has only grown more sophisticated in recent years, with a far greater emphasis placed on energy efficiency. Though many elements of wall assembly have gone more or less unchanged, there are a host of new methods and technologies to know, especially if you have plans to build a new home or addition. Click through to see what goes into a state-of-the-art exterior wall.