. -->
Showing posts with label lighting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lighting. Show all posts

7.05.2023

easy tropical-style light cover

tutorial,coastal style,beach style,DIY,decorating,re-purposed,diy decorating,summer,up-cycling,tiki style,lighting,tropical home decor,beach hat light cover,summer home decor.

the summer heat arrived here on June 30th,
so i've been busy completing some fun new EASY projects around our home
(which has a tropical, tiki vibe going on all year long!)
since these projects work perfectly well as 'summer' season decor content,
 i thought i'd share them here on the blog this month!
so... let's get tropical!

first up, a ridiculously EASY way to make a builder-grade light fixture
look a lot more fun for summer... in just two steps!

continue reading to see what i did!

3.26.2021

re-purpose glass light globes as candleholders

vintage glass light globes,candleholders,spring decor,spring decorating,vintage lighting,battery candles,vintage,up-cycling,re-purposing,lighting,thrifted,outdoors,salvaged,junk makeover,glass globes,DIY,diy decorating,decorating, flower vases,candles,salvaged materials, diy home decor
i've used glass globes from light fixtures in many ways over the years,
from turning them into pumpkins in fall, making snowmen out of them in winter,
and using them as flower vases in spring.

my favorite globes are the old ones, with ridges and details that catch the light
no matter how you use them... but those are getting really hard to find.

miraculously, i found one on a recent trip to a nearby thrift shop...
and the moment i saw its shape, i knew what i wanted to try with it.
i paired it with another globe and a few more elements,
and they worked just as i had hoped - in TWO different ways! 

continue reading to see how easy this spring/summer decor accent is to create...

3.15.2021

flower embellished lampshade

boho,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,dollar store crafts,flowers,lampshades,lighting,re-purposing,salvaged,up-cycling,trash to treasure,spring,floral lampshades,floral decor,spring florals,spring decorating,spring home decor,home decor,diy home decor,diy projects,diy crafts,granmillenial decor, boho decor.
spring is trying to arrive. mother nature is just a bit fickle right now...
until she makes up her mind, i find ways to 'force' spring by adding flowers to my decor.
and i don't just mean in vases and pots...

a 'bouquet' of faux flowers was used to embellish this plain lampshade,
adding spring-fresh style with little effort.

continue reading to see how!

11.11.2020

my top tree lighting tip...

Christmas, Christmas decorating, Christmas tree, Christmas tree lights, Christmas lights, Christmas decor, lighting, stylist secrets, decorator tips, holiday decor, holiday, diy holiday decor, diy, diy home decor, diy decorating, tree lights, December decor, winter holiday decorating, winter holidays, tree lighting tips
this photo may be a bit of a surprise after my last post...
before we get to the merry & bright colorful decor,
i have a tree-lighting tip to share with you that is guaranteed to up the sparkle factor
on any tree you decorate!

continue reading to see what my no-fail tree lighting trick is...

4.20.2020

yes, you can paint a lampshade!

art, art class, color, color palettes, decorating, diy decorating, DIY, Instagram, just for fun, lampshades, lighting, makeover, spring, creative spaces, paint palettes, painted home decor, lampshades, office decor, ROYGBIV
this colorful lampshade was a spur-of-the-moment weekend project, 
an idea that came to me as i collapsed into a chair 
after the second day of my weekend studio/office overhaul project.
i was scrolling through Instagram and saw an image that completely delighted me - 
and solved my problem of 'what can i do to this plain ol' lampshade?'
paint it, of course!

so, i put down the phone, grabbed my paints, and gave this old thrifted shade a makeover.
i really love the way it turned out, and it was an easy way to add color and pattern to the room.

continue reading to see what started this whole thing...

11.28.2019

deb's top tree lighting tip

When it comes to lighting the Christmas tree at home, I'm a purist...
I like white lights: Mini, C7, C9, bubble, whatever kind I use, they are white.
Maybe you like multicolor - or ONE color!

Whatever your preference is,
 
I have a tip for you when it comes to lighting the tree
(and how many of you are tackling THAT job this weekend?!)
that is guaranteed to up the sparkle factor!

continue reading to see what my ONE STEP TRICK is!

4.12.2018

diy Vintage Lamp Makeover - in 1 Step!

lamps, lighting, vintage lamps, paint, painting, one step painting, diy, diy home decor, decorating
paint is by far my favorite decorating tool...
it's inexpensive (sometimes FREE). it's easy to find. it's not hard to store.
and the possibilities of what it can DO are astounding!

sometimes a paint project requires additional elements and many steps
(like the faux concrete treatment i've shared - and the faux rust treatment that i HAVEN'T shared)
but sometimes, it's one step easy-peasy. that was this project... 
and just WAIT until you see the 'before'!!!

continue reading for the Before & After - AND my secret for a perfect gloss finish...

2.14.2018

Winter Into Spring Decor

winter spring home decor use what you have glass globes
 wondering how to decorate for the change from winter into spring?
try combining the hues and textures of winter with a touch of spring flowers, 
like the clear & white glass, burlap, and cherry blossom combination above.

this is a really simple way to take an everyday item and make it work as decor...
yes, those round things in the photo up above ARE what you think they are:
glass light globes
from old porch lights and overhead hall lights!

continue reading to see what i've done with them for spring!

11.25.2016

My BEST Christmas Tree Lighting Tip!

When it comes to lighting the Christmas tree at home, I'm a purist...
I like white lights: Mini, C7, C9, bubble, whatever kind I use, they are white.
Maybe you like multicolor - or ONE color! Whatever your preference is, 
I have a tip for you when it comes to lighting the tree
(and how many of you are tackling THAT job this weekend?!)
that is guaranteed to up the sparkle factor!

continue reading to see what my ONE STEP TRICK is!

7.11.2016

By The Numbers...

by the numbers house number refresh homewardfounddecor
 This post was prompted by a FABulous project
that I saw at my youngest daughter's home...

She wanted to give her curb appeal a jolt of style  -without spending a lot.
(sounds like all of us, right?)
so she bought picture frames at the Dollar Tree, a can of black spray paint from Ace Hardware, 
took her porch lights and house numbers off the wall... 
and painted them all!

The lights & numbers went back up, then the frames were hung -
which pops from her gray siding and draws attention to the numbers:

There's one arrangement by her front door, and one beside her garage door.
She told me it took her no more than two hours, start to finish.

Now THAT's 'Fast, Cheap, and Easy' for you! ;)
__________________________________________

Those of us who decorate 'differently' than the mainstream often get comments
that are confused, bewildered, and less than complimentary. 
You know what I mean, right?
'Why did you build a headboard out of DOORS when you can buy a perfectly good headboard?!!'
and that sort of thing....
Well, I used to hear those comments from my KIDS. Oh, yeah. 
Mom embarrassed them by hanging old windows on the side of the garage,
by refurbishing garage sale finds, by making planters from old restaurant tin cans.
They did NOT appreciate my 'recycle, reuse, reimagine' philosophy.
[where did I go wrong??!!! LOL

Over the years, as my daughters and son have grown up and furnished & decorated homes of their own,
guess what they discovered?
oh, just that making use of what they have on hand or can get inexpensively (or FREE)
isn't such a BAD thing after all - and it can look pretty impressive!

(Is this where I get to say 'I told you so!'???!!!)

2.05.2016

Lampshades to LOVE

 I just can't leave well enough alone...
 I usually buy my home decor items - like lamps - at thrift stores and garage & vintage sales,
and they usually come with lampshades.
Thing is, I never like them! 
I love the lamp base, which is why I buy it,
but then I always have to add something or deconstruct something to do with the shade
to make it something I can live with... or sell.

Like MOST of my projects,
it's not really complicated...
The lamp on the left has a perfectly acceptable shade, right?
I thought so too, but when I sat it in the vignette in my vintage decor booth*,
all of the lovely detail of the three 'candles' beneath that shade became invisible.

I knew I had to do something, so I looked around me to see what I had to work with...
and my eyes stopped on those rusty, crusty wire garden baskets 
hanging from a chandelier over the table.
There was one more of them sitting under the table, and I grabbed it,
flipped it over, and sat it on top of the lampshade (shown on the right).

The wire brought out the metal tones of the three 'candles' under the shade,
and the whole thing looked a lot more 'vintage' - easy-peasy.
This lampshade started out as a simple wire frame from a thrift shop.
I tore strips of red ticking cotton fabric and found some vintage red velvet ribbon,
and simply tied loops of each around the frame.
I think it took me a whopping 15 minutes from start to finish.

I like my projects to be 'Fast, Cheap, & Easy'TM!

MORE inspiration:
view more of my lampshade transformations
a super-quick lampshade treatment
one of the most drastic lamp transformations ever

I've used chandelier crystals, metal shoe trees, wire waste baskets,
aprons, vintage piano player music rolls, belts, stencils, sheet music,
vintage linens, wallpaper, vintage ceramic tea cups, and more
to 'foof' up lampshades over the years...

a few that I gathered up in 2013 to share here on HWF:
 I hope you find inspiration for your own unique lampshades here!
Have fun creating!
...we'll leave the light on for ya'... ;)

shared online:
one project closer | creativity unleashed
shabbyfufu | share it one more time
 .

12.05.2014

Bubbling with Joy

First, may I offer a HUGE 'Thank You' to all of you
for your kind comments here and on facebook, 
and for the prayers and thoughts you have been sending for my Dad.
This challenge is not over, however it IS being seen in a much more positive light
after his doctor came up with a solution that will help him have a few years left with us,
instead of a few months. 
For that, we are extremely grateful!

And so as the Light of Hope reigns in my heart, 
I see a little bit of Holiday joy returning to my soul...
and I thought a post about 'light' was perfect.
 
Now, about that picture up there:
You all know that I love using things in unexpected ways... well, a few years back,
  I put white bubble light bulbs into my chandelier!
.
My grandma Ward had bubble lights on a tree when I was a little Debby, 
and they always bring back sweet memories for me.
Having the whimsical sparkly bubbling lights on my chandelier 
reminded me of her every time I passed through the dining room. 
My grandson loved them, too!

The clear/white ones shown here (found at Restoration Hardware) were just too perfect to pass up,
as my style is more neutral than my Grandma's brightly-colored preferences.
Lights like this will work on a chandy with small bulb sockets, not full size ones.

The other thing you might notice about that chandelier is that it has some pretty-fied candle STICKS.
I wrapped pieces of vintage sheet music around each 'candle stick'!
A quick swipe from a glue stick secured them, but made it easy to remove in the future.

This is an easy project, using scrapbook papers, gift wrap, any kind of paper product...
back in 2010, I used shiny red and polka-dot gift wrap paper on some chandeliers for sale:
I also used happy round bulbs on those,
just because I thought they looked more like tree ornaments than light bulbs.

Another way to embellish your chandeliers is to dangle ornaments from them, as shown above.
Simple glass balls, or crocheted or faceted crystal snowflakes will really 'foof' it up!

Here's the chandy from the photo at the top of this post
with loads of glass ornaments suspended from it
(before the bubble lights were found!)
Along with the very expensive glass figural ornaments,
I used resin crystals found at the thrift store, and cheap plastic snowflakes from the dollar store.
Those don't detract from the elegant look!!!
.
See more of my past 'Vintage White Christmas' decor theme HERE

shared online:

.Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed


Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}

9.17.2014

Autumn's Golden Light

 
I was searching for a certain image the other day,
and in the process I came across some old photos that just say 'AUTUMN' to me.

The golden glowing light captured in them is my FAVORITE thing about fall...
the way the light turns more amber and deep, especially in late afternoon.
It's my favorite time of day!


Since my last two posts have been about fall decorating 
as inspired by displays at vintage shows,
I thought I'd wrap that up with a post showing images of one of MY old booths at a show.
Enjoy!



 From the glowing woods to glistening golds,
luxe velvet and satin fabric details to simple paper and leather,
I think this embodies that certain color of autumn light that I so love.
There's not a typical tree leaf in sight here, but the decor speaks to the pleasures of fall.

Yes, decor can be inspired by something as simple as the color of light 
that pours through your windows during a certain season or time of day!
Let the color of a summer blue sky or a winter snow be the touchpoint for your decor,

and you'll have created an ambience that speaks to your soul.

PS: It's not about spending money.
All of the items shown in the above photos were made or 'fixed up' 
using reclaimed and repurposed materials that were found or thrifted.
Though the look is 'luxe', the cost was miniscule.
 
Someone else took photos of my booth at that show, too...
and they ended up in Where Women Create magazine a few years later.
Where Women Create's Summer 2012 issue 
featured a story on Judy Watkins and her Remnants of the Past Antique Show,  
with beautiful photos of the show by Jenny Malott.
I am so very grateful to Jenny, Judy, and Jo Packham of WWC 
that they chose several images of my booth displays to include in the story:

Right Page: my Retreat booth & products
(looks familiar, huh?
yes, Jenny took EXACTLY the same shot that I did!)

Right Page, lower left corner: detail of Retreat booth display
Right Page: Baby Grand Piano Bar,
created with my late husband Bob Kennedy for our business, 'Retreat', in 2009
This piece truly was one of his greatest designs...
details of the piano bar:
 * exterior and interior covered with vintage player piano & sheet music
* interior re-purposed as a wine storage unit, liquor bottle & glass storage, 
and keyboard replaced with a pull-out mirrored tray for serving.

shared online:
.

Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

 .
There's a lot more to that story....

9.12.2014

Falling for the French

After spending nearly two days setting up and styling Rita's Mammabellarte booth
at The Vintage Marketplace at the Oaks show ( which you saw in my last post),
 I headed over to assist another vendor in the setup of her booth!

Sweet Liz Sandor, owner of 'My Little French Venue',
had been toiling in the hot sun to get all of her goods unloaded and into her space.
She just needed me to help her add the finishing touches to her displays,
and I was delighted with the beautiful things she had for me to work with!

While Rita brought a Farm Fresh mood to the show, Liz brought elegant French style...
Her display inside the tent was built around some truly stunning antiques....
The china vitrine, secretary desk, trumeau mirror, and refined armchairs set quite a stage.
So I took the small items and props she had brought along,
and grouped them into color themes so that all of her vignettes said 'Fall'
(with a French accent, of course!)

Here are some of the details of what we did:
 
The photo of the beautiful statue bust was the last one I snapped at the end of the day...
the sun was setting beyond the hilltops, and one shaft of glorious golden light
made its way into the front of the booth just as we were finishing up.
It didn't quite reach the statue
but a small mirror was placed to reflect it onto this lovely face,  and I got the shot!!!
Liz's fresh flower arrangements and high-end faux flowers added fall foliage to soften the scenes.

continue reading to see MORE beautiful photos of Liz's gorgeous booth...

10.24.2013

8 'Black Magic' Halloween Ideas!

 As Halloween Eve creeps ever closer, don't forget about the simple SCARY touches you can add
to everyday items in your home!

The black chandelier above has a center that resembles a cage -
so I treated it like one, and filled it with some drippy spanish moss and one solitary black crow.
I wrapped the faux candles in black glossy paper,
and used clear low-wattage nightlight bulbs for a sinister glow.

Click here for another idea for embellishing your chandeliers!
These two photos show an elegant carved wood white mirror that has been spookified:
A length of black sheer fabric is tucked between the wall and the mirror,
with one end of the fabric hanging down below it and one end tucked into a 'hood' shape at the top....
shrouding the mirror in mystery...

 more ideas for spooky black decor:

Bewitched Mirror Trick


Glass Globe Crystal Ball

Mad Science

Big Black Spiders

10.08.2013

Wicked Easy Chandelier

I love great decorating ideas.
I REALLY love huge visual impact that comes from SIMPLE, easy methods...

I saw this idea at the Roger's Gardens 'Night Gallery' Halloween House displays,
and it perfectly fits my 'Fast, Cheap and Easy' TM decorating mantra.
 Take your shabby chic decor into the realm of the undead with one simple move:
drape lengths of netting from your crystal chandelier!

Buy this inexpensive yardage and then cut it into long strips @ 18 inches wide,
so that it will puddle on the floor way down below the chandelier.
You can use black, as shown here, for a ghoulish effect,
OR use white for a ghostly effect.
[ TIP: IKEA sells 90" long white netting curtain panels 
in sets of two for $5! CHEAP!]

If you added flickering bulbs to the chandelier, it would be even more wicked
over your dining table, in your entry, in the powder room, or even outside in your garden...

Either way, it's a sure-fire trick to get BIG effects without spending big bucks... which is always a treat!
View more of the AMAZING visual effects and displays on the Roger's Gardens blog


9.14.2013

Take It Outside!

Want some unique decor for your alfresco fall dinner this weekend?
Take a chandelier OUTSIDE!

In this scene, a thrifted brass chandelier has been sprayed silver 
and hangs from the center support of an A-frame wood ladder, 
using a metal shower curtain hook and sturdy wire. 
The chandelier cord has had a plug added,
and a very long extension cord allows the light to be plugged into a socket in the nearby barn.
Frosted night light bulbs add just enough light for ambiance.

The A-frame ladder is flanked by two smaller ladders, 
and sections of old picket fencing are propped up to form a 'house'-shaped backdrop to the setting. 
The openness of the display allows diners to look through to the fields and pastures beyond...
add food, friends, flowers, and music, and you have a lovely pastoral evening!

[The table made from reclaimed fenceboards and the benches crafted from old headboards and chair arms 
were created by Bob Kennedy for Retreat, 2009. Setting by Deb Kennedy.]
_____________________________________________________


Are you looking for fall decor inspiration with PUMPKINS? 

Head over to Funky Junk Interiors' 'Party Junk' link party - it's ALL about DIY Pumpkins!
[three ideas from HOMEWARDfound are on there!]