metal chair = magnet board!

a spur-of-the-moment solution to a project i'd been considering took over my weekend!
making a change to the black metal chair in this photo has been on my mind,
but i wasn't sure about the method. or the outcome. mostly, the permanence of it.
so it's been 'on the back burner' for awhile. um... years.
then a solution presented itself - and in less than ten minutes, i had done it!

continue reading to see the final colorful outcome of this crazy-easy undertaking,
and hear a tale about the chair in this photo. it's been on a journey to get to me...

repurposed tiki signs

these signs appeared in my past two posts... one for each recent project.

do they look familiar to you? they should - you've seen them before!

  i shared them LAST YEAR as part of our Happy HULAdays theme - but they didn't look like this.

when i wanted signs to accompany recent tiki projects in our backyard,

i knew these pieces would work perfectly... and with a little paint, they did!

it's just one more way i can decorate using what i already have here at home.

if i can use summer tiki decor at Christmastime,

then i can re-purpose my Christmas decor as summer decor!

continue reading to see the before & after shots (and find out a secret about them)...

a tipsy tiki totem pole

you may have seen the sign that says 'Tipsy Tiki Bar' in my last post...

that's connected to another recent 'restyle' of an old project.

a week before the tiki bar came into being, Mom had an idea for something else in our backyard.

she shared her idea with me, and i liked the fact that it was basically a way to re-use items

from our Happy HULA-days theme last Christmas.

i started noodling the 'how' of the project... and remembered a favorite feature at Disneyland.

yup. there's something there that my grandpa Ward helped to build in 1963

that we enjoy to this day, and that inspired this project!

continue reading to see how i re-used our Christmas decor!

build a backyard tiki bar in a sandbox!

you guys, i discovered that my kids actually listen to me!

i mentioned to two of my daughters that i was sad that i couldn't go to the beach (thank you, Covid19).

and do you know what they did? they sent me a backyard sandbox for Mothers' Day!!!

"now you can get your toes in the sand, Mom!" 

little did my darlings know that they were kicking off my first project of the summer...

one that caused us to re-think EVERYthing about our backyard.

because.... if you can't go TO Hawai'i, then bring Hawai'i to YOU!

 i recently shared my salvaged wood potting bench in this post. i built that last summer, 

then took it down and put all of the elements in other places.

well...... as the plan for the sandbox unfolded, i pulled all of it out again.

because you know me, i love to just keep making one thing into another....

continue reading to see how a sandbox and a potting bench became a TIKI BAR!

free weekend may-keover!

if this 'stay at home' order has done one thing, 

it has made many of us start looking more closely at the rooms we live our lives in. right?.

and that can reveal things that we tend to overlook...

like rooms that are looking a bit sad, and need some help.

now, you know me - i'm not gonna' spend money if i don't have to.

and i don't consider home decorating an 'essential' reason to head to the store right now.

so.... i shopped the house and pulled together stuff we have here already

and gave one of our rooms a simple makeover. FREE. in a weekend.
one day to paint two items, another day to swap out accessories and linens. easy-peasy. 

continue reading to see the details!

colorful office makeover

i thought i'd start off the month with a #MAYkeover story!

a week ago, i undertook a massive purge / cleaning/ reorganization of my studio/office.

while it has needed a deep clean for over six months just to get rid of things i don't use anymore,
the truth is that this project was the result of color overload...

before we talk about how my creative space ended up having a BAD effect on me,

we need to go back a bit... to my 'neutral phase'....

if you've read my posts about office organization,

you've seen my neutral-tone studio that i created in my farmhouse on an island.

i loved that peaceful, serene room that allowed me to focus on my work,

and for over a decade now, i've embraced neutrals as the basis of my home decor.

sure, i sometimes add a small 'pop' of color each season to the porch or other rooms -

but i've kept my creative workspace neutral. it worked in the past, so i stuck with it.

until i realized something about myself...

continue reading for the story of how i got from there, to here, and what happened in between!

yes, you can paint a lampshade!

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...

painted easter eggs

while employing this mandatory time at home to accomplish some long-overdue tasks,

i've unearthed some goodies that i completely forgot that i still had!

(tell me i'm not alone. please. i can not be the only decor/craft-supply hoarder out here!)

.

seven ceramic eggs that i bought at a thrift shop years ago turned up in a box,

and as soon as i saw them, i decided to give them a makeover with paint -

and pictured them just as you see them in the image above.

because it's all about making do with what we have at home right now, yes? yes!

continue reading to see the before & after!

faux concrete paint effects

one of my 'Most Popular' blog posts is my 'faux concrete pumpkins paint tutorial' *

shared in fall, 2014, traffic on it has been crazy ever since - all year long!

when i saw THIS PHOTO on a friend's fb page,
i loved the look of the aged, patinaed concrete swan.
it inspired me to make over an old project using my paint technique...

continue reading to see how i used paint alone to create the same effect!

making a happy home

a brand new year is a fresh new start, in so many ways...
every year, i choose a single word to be my intention and focus (rather than resolution).
i like this approach, as it is more about 'be' than 'do'.

THIS year, my word is 'happy' - for many reasons.

Mom and i also select a word that is our shared 'Word of the Year',

something that reflects a purpose or mission or quality that we intend to pursue together.

and this year, that word is 'HOME'.

we chose it for a few different reasons...

but the really amazing thing is that as soon as we decided on it,

all KINDS of things started showing up to 'confirm' that it was the right choice:

things like songs, and sentiments in cards from friends, a book that a friend of mine was selling, 

and us noticing little objects we had around here already

that would bring the word 'home' resonance in our home and our daily life.

and when i combined my word with our word, it really came to life...

continue reading to see how our winter decor evokes a 'happy home'!

refresh those dried topiaries!

years ago, i unearthed these two identical topiaries at the bottom of a thrift store bin.

i actually pulled on the first one because i saw the brass urn shape - never expecting anything to be attached.

when i saw the TOPS of the topiaries, i was underwhelmed.
however, i eyed them with my 'well, MAYBE they could be SOMETHING' look, 

and paid the whopping 50 cents each to take them home. 

the photo above was taken in one of my booths at a vintage show, 

where those two cheap topiaries (after a blow-dry cleaning and a bit of 'fluffing') sold for $12. EACH.

one man's trash, right?!!! it's easy to turn junk into decor!

.

i see dried up and worn out topiaries all the time, and chances are you might HAVE one - 

so i thought i'd share some easy tips with you for 'refreshing' them.

continue reading for details...

diy headboard to a-door...

in my book, making do with what you already have simplifies life,

and certainly beats buying more stuff...

when we moved into the new house, i had two choices:

use the same old wood gate as a headboard,

or come up with something new.

i chose 'something new' - but of course i didn't go out and BUY a headboard!

keep reading to see what i did....

tiki punch!

this recent project in our backyard makes me feel like we're time-traveling back to the sixties!

remember these guys? 

these Tikis were in Mom & Dad's backyard for over 20 years, and i featured their first 'makeover'
as part of my 'Thrifty Weekend Makeover' series here on the blog a few years ago.
(that post is really gettin' hits right now because of the 'one step bamboo fence makeover tip' in it!)

well, we saved those tikis when we moved to the new house, 
but we didn't think we'd use them... except for a party, maybe.
here in the desert /wine country, it just seems out of context to have Hawaiian decor.

then i saw some photos from Palm Springs Mid-Century Modern Week.
and an idea came to mind for an area of our backyard that needed a little punch.

... keep reading to see how i created some TIKI PUNCH!

orange crush

one of the best things about decorating with a neutral palette is flexibility...
it's easy to add in a vibrant new color accent each season, to bring new energy to rooms.
adding in fresh accessories affects your rooms like an exclamation point!

here in the home i share with Mom, that accent color is most often orange.
Mom once painted the front door of my childhood brown and white tract house bright persimmon,
and planted marigolds in matching wood planters on the front porch...
it shocked the neighbors, but delighted me! i thought Mom was a genius! (i still do)

she's basically had a crush on orange for most of her life - it's a happy color! - so it works for us.

there's a secondary hallway in our home, and it's dark. even with a window at the end, it's just dreary.
it has needed a touch of warmth and light and color. of course, i figured that it would be orange!
and when i saw THIS on Pinterest, i knew it was the solution...

continue reading to find out what inspired me!

decorating makeover tips

i think you might be convinced that doing your own makeovers is hard. 
and expensive. and that perhaps it's just tooooooo much for you to try. 

i really want to dispel those doubts, and show you how to get started -

because it's all about USING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE!

and you've made my room makeover posts some of the most popular here on homewardFOUND -
so let's revisit them and get some fresh inspiration!

continue reading for my 'how to' tips for your OWN free makeover...

When In Doubt, Paint It!

when in doubt, paint it! that mantra has served me well for most of my life.

when something doesn't *quite* fit the plan or the design scheme,
paint sweeps in to save the day - and MONEY!
this project is a perfect example of how a quick change of color can make all the difference
between the dreaded 'keep or toss' decision.

continue reading to see how paint transformed and saved a leftover...

Mirror, Mirror... Not at All!

a number of years ago, i found this mirror frame in a thrift store...

it had been separated from the dresser it belonged to, and the mirror glass was missing,

so it was basically just an empty frame. a beautiful empty frame!
i couldn't pass up the $2 price tag, so i took it home...

and with a few easy steps and one super-cheap secret, it became what you see here:
a lovely framed bulletin board!

i made and sold that bulletin board as shown above, without a dresser.

to give you an idea of what it would look like if you did this to a mirror frame WITH a dresser:

DISCLAIMER: these are not my dressers. these are not my photos, either - they were on a defunct sales site.
i've edited them to add a burlap-covered bulletin board to the mirror frames to illustrate my idea.

ok, wanna' know my secret?

i use large acoustic ceiling tiles and cardboard boxes!

* they are inexpensive, and they work behind any fabric OR can be painted.

* they are lightweight and easy to work with - just cut with an electric knife!
* they come in large rectangular sizes, so they'll fit just about any frame -
a dresser mirror, like this, or a door with a window opening, or a window frame.

click to see how i made a huge bulletin board out of a vintage door with a window

and get some tips for making your own version of this project!

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #422

yesterday on tuesday |  project inspire{d} #268

Raid the Garden Shed for Spring Decor!

Adding a few touches of natural elements to home decor each season
is an easy and inexpensive way to freshen up our rooms
and make everyday life worth celebrating.

there's an easy way to get started on your spring decorating:
head out to your garden shed, greenhouse, or garage,
and raid it for all of the pots and trowels and rakes you can find!
these wonderfully worn elements are the perfect touch for your front porch,
front door, entryway, and INSIDE your home, too!

continue reading to see the many ways you can use clay pots as decor items...

Easy Christmas Wreath Makeover

Welcoming people to our homes is important every day - especially during the Holiday season.

A wreath for the door or front porch is something that we almost all include in our decor... 

Like you, I gaze longingly at the beautiful wreaths and garlands 

displayed at elegant home decor shops and garden centers

And THEN I look at the price tags... not happenin', folks!!

Fortunately, those inspiring creations can lead the way to making what we already have BETTER!
I'm always up for taking something old and making it look new
(okay, well, not always - sometimes I take new things and make them look old!)
...and the wreath that my Mom has been using for about 20 years now was due for an update.

continue reading for my secrets...

Farm Table Makeover

I've had the same dining room table for 30 years.

Yep, you read that right!

30 years ago, in the fall of 1986 after my youngest daughter was born,

my husband undertook the largest furniture project he had done at that point

and built me a pine 'Shaker style' 7 foot by 4 foot dining table... and two long benches.

It was my Christmas present that year, and I loved it. 

I have loved it ever since, and I always will....

continue reading to see the 'before and after' transformation!