Browsing the archives for the Home Decor tag

Tutorial: Easy Placemat Pillows

19 Comments
25 Aug, 2010
Meredith
Before and After, Crafts, master bedroom, tutorial

The other day I came across these cute yellow placemats at Target.

They reminded me so much of the colors in our master bedroom that I decided to get a couple and turn them into accent pillows!

I’ve seen tutorials on turning placemats into pillows on several other blogs, but here’s how I did it.

Step 1: Iron your placemats

Step 2: With scissors or a seam ripper, take out the stitches in one edge of the placemat

Step 3: Using your favorite polyester filling, stuff the placemat/ pillow cover

Step 4: Close the seam – I chose to hot glue mine shut (sooo easy)

Step 5:  Admire your new pillows!

Here’s a reminder of what our bedroom looked like before our new pillows.

And here it is now!

Of course my girls felt the need to get in on some photos, as usual!

I hope you liked the quick and easy placemat pillow tutorial.  Now go grab some placemats and start stuffing!

I’m linking to The Link Party at Tea Rose Home

Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest

Remodelaholic’s Anonymous

UPDATE: My tutorial has been featured on the Remodelaholic blog!  I have to say, it has to be one of my favorite blogs for daily inspiration.  If you haven’t checked it out before, I highly recommend it!

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Master Closet Phase 3: The Finished Result

8 Comments
23 Aug, 2010
Meredith
Before and After, Home Decor, master closet

It’s been a long process, but our master closet is finally done!  Before we show you the organized result, let’s recap a few more details we took care of in the process.

1) We painted the woodwork and shelving supports glossy white to blend in with the walls.

2) We added reclaimed trim to the inside of the doorway and and new baseboards along the floor.

3) We caulked and painted the baseboards.

4) We took one more shot of the new light fixture and then … moved in!

Here’s a refresher of what the room used to look like.

BEFORE

Now here’s what the room looks like today!

AFTER

Stephen was sweet and let me take over a *little* more than my half of the closet. :)  We went monochromatic with the white walls, white shelving, and ALL white hangers, and I love how clean it looks!

Now I have room for my retro dresser (a gift from my in-laws), which I use as a jewelry and accessory stand.  We also have new bamboo shoe racks (also freebies from my MIL), which are great for keeping our footwear nice and neat.

Let’s not forget that new light fixture!  I love the purple, and I’ll let you in on a little secret – we actually pulled this color from some changes we’re making in our master bathroom.  I’d also eventually like to add some matching storage boxes along the top shelf in the closet to bring more pops of purple into the room.

Here’s a closeup of my little accessory stand.  I found that sweet little green Anchor Hocking chip and dip set at an antique store in Little Rock a few months ago, and it’s the perfect jewelry organizer. Earrings in the top and necklaces in the bottom!

Stephen’s what you would call a minimalist when it comes to his wardrobe, especially after his recent donation to the Goodwill!  Here is his side of the closet.

I don’t know about you guys, but it seems like I have a little shadow that shows up every time I try to take pictures.  I guess she knows she makes the pictures cuter. :)

Molly says “I hope you enjoyed my mama’s closet makeover!”

I’m linking to The DIY Showoff Project Parade

Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest

Between Naps on the Porch’s Metamorphosis Monday

Link Party Wednesday at Tea Rose Home

Remodelaholic’s Anonymous

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http://welcometoheardmont.com/?p=2226

You Gotta Check it Out

1 Comment
25 Jun, 2010
Meredith
For Fun

If you like funny things, you’ve got to check out the new blog Catalog Living.  It’s the perfect sarcastic response to the over-styled photos you see in home decor magazines.

Found and immensely enjoyed via Young House Love.  Go check Catalog Living out!

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Thrifty Tuesday: A Newfound Love

1 Comment
12 May, 2010
Meredith
Home Decor, Thrifty Deals

I have a newfound thrifting love.  I’m currently obsessed with the beautiful Reader’s Digest books from the 1970s and 80s.  The more of them I see, the more I appreciate the vibrant colors and the gorgeous retro-modern patterns used in their designs!

Don’t know what I’m talking about?  You may remember me mentioning this one I found for $1 a few weeks ago.

Ever since I found this little number, I’ve been seeing the cover pattern pop up all over the design world.  One of the most popular items I’ve seen with similar designs?  Modern-day wallpaper.

Here are a couple of examples.  Tone-on-tone:

(image found here)

Colorful accent paper:

(image found here)

Amy Butler’s beautiful design:

(image found here)

It’s amazing how these patterns are truly making a comeback.  Patterns on book bindings are still popular as well.  Take the new Penguin Classics everyone in blogland was lusting after when they made their debut.

(image found here)

One of the biggest draws to these books has to be their colorful covers, not to mention the writing they contain!  I must have had these in the back of my mind when I found my little RD version a few weeks ago, because now I’ve taken to looking for these little treasures everywhere I go.

Ever on the lookout, last weekend I hit the jackpot!  One store we went into had probably 40 of these babies on clearance, so I picked my favorite 8 and rang them up. =)

Here are 3 of them, chillin’ in the nook of our china cabinet with some azalea clippings from the backyard.

And here are the other 5.  Still had the tags on them when I took these pictures, I was so excited to show them off!

The best part about these books was the price.  I know they’re marked $1 each, but these were actually on the Bargain Shelf for 75% off – that’s $0.25 each!  So, for 2 bucks, I came home with 8 super-fly vintage books, perfect for adding some color and pattern to many a neglected corner.

Lesson learned?  Take a minute next time you find yourself digging through “dated junk.”  You may just be surprised to find a fun, colorful diamond in the rough!

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What's the deal, Big Lots?

6 Comments
28 Apr, 2010
Meredith
For Fun, Home Decor

 Dear Big Lots,

You have disappointed me.  I have long been impressed by your prices, and lately you’ve become my secret back-up place to find trendy things on the cheap.  I’ve come to you for fun yellow bowls and flowery candleholders, for cute white vases and $19 area rugs. 

But yesterday was a different story.  Yesterday I saw this:

You threw me for a loop, Big Lots.  One look at this adorable modern ottoman and I was hooked.  I was so excited, picturing this at the foot of our bed in our master bedroom, that I even texted a picture to Stephen and said “I’m in love!” 

Then I saw the price tag.  $199.  One hundred and 99 dollars?!  I was expecting $50 or $80.  You know, like the prices on everything else in your store.  Heck, you sell cute chairs for $99, but an ottoman goes for twice that much? 

What’s the deal, Big Lots?  You built me up with your low, low prices and then you let me down.  My ottoman-loving heart is officially broken.

Sincerely,

Girl on a Budget

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http://welcometoheardmont.com/?p=1847

The Power of Paint

7 Comments
22 Apr, 2010
Meredith
Before and After, Home Decor, Thrifty Deals, living room

I got a comment yesterday about the little white owl on our living room desk and I wanted to share a little secret with you…

This little white guy originally looked like this!

We picked him up on our recent trip to Eureka Springs.  At only $1, I figured I could turn him into something cute.

After a few coats of white Rustoleum spray paint…

… he turned into this snowy boy!

Much better, don’t you agree?

And that tray he’s sitting on?  Remember when I bought this brassy beauty?

Yep, that’s the power of white spray paint, folks!

Want to hear more about what we saw and did on our trip to Eureka?  Stay tuned!

I’m linking to:

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Remodelaholic’s Anonymous Meeting

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Thrifty Tuesday

3 Comments
20 Apr, 2010
Meredith
Home Decor, Thrifty Deals

Happy Tuesday everybody!  I am pumped about some amazing bargains I got today, and I wanted to share them with you.  Check out the loot:

Front to back we have 3 8×10 photo frames, 3 5×7 frames, 3 double photo mats for 5x7s, a blue swan, a teal & navy vintage Reader’s Digest book, a mod white vase, and 2 wooden candleholders.  You want to know the best part?  The price.  Guess how much I paid for ALL that you see here?

$20.  TWENTY DOLLARS!  According to the price stickers still on the back of those candleholders, they were originally $9.99 each.  So basically I could have bought the 2 candleholders retail or all of this at my favorite thrift store for the same 20 bucks.  Not bad, eh?

Now to some of you it might not look like much, but let’s take a closer look shall we?

First we have the cute little white vase that looks very much like something you’d see in a modern furniture store.

Cute on its own, but even cuter on top of Stephen’s dresser.  It fits in perfectly with our new master bedroom vibe.

Next up, that Reader’s Digest book.

I loved the pattern on this hardcover cutie the minute I saw it, and at $1 I knew I’d find the perfect home for it.

I love the combination of the pattern on that graphic tray and the pattern on our new book!  By the way, do you recognize that tray?  Maybe this post will refresh your memory as to it’s former brassy glory.  Gotta love spray paint!

Our new blue swan happens to be one of my favorite colors.  I can see it finding a home somewhere in our living room or our bedroom, or even our bathroom – which I happen to know was where it was originally intended to live…

Hand towel anyone?

image via Ebay

Now the rest of my collection from thrifting today might not look like much, but just wait till you see the plans I have for these frames and candleholders.  It will be enough to make you say “Aww!”  But that is a post for another time!

By the way, we’ve been out of town a lot lately, but we’re slowly making progress on our Craigslist Challenge.  We’ve sold 2 of the items we listed (Stephen’s music gear) and I recently added a painting that I just can’t find a spot for in the house.  Anybody interested?

I’m linking to:

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

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http://welcometoheardmont.com/?p=1758

There's always another way.

12 Comments
6 Apr, 2010
Meredith
Before and After, Home Decor

(Quick note:  I’m linking this post to Mantle Mania at The Nesting Place… Yeah, I know it’s not necessarily a post about our mantle, but I’m usin’ what I’ve got, you know?)

So this weekend, I got to thinking… maybe part of the reason I’ve never felt our living room was that cozy had something to do with the furniture arrangement.  To give credit where credit is due, The Nester really put the idea in my head a few weeks ago in her post called “Moving Furniture: The Number One Decorating Fix.”

Regardless, Friday night I got a wild hair and decided to do some scooting.

This is what you would have seen Friday morning when you walked into our living room from the dining room/ entryway area.

Directly across from the tan couch is our monster TV and across from the two slipper chairs was this lovely chocolate brown loveseat.  (Yes, I realize the ottoman is black and the loveseat is brown.  Believe me, this bothers me as much as it bothers you =)

For some reason that big brown loveseat on that short little wall always bothered me.  Even though I thought I’d ruled out the loveseat in front of the window (block all that natural light? no way!) I decided to try it anyway.

Hmmm, I wasn’t sure what to think about that.  Sure was a lot of brown on purple on brown action going on…  I left that for the time being and turned my attention to the slipper chairs.  (Can you tell I’m fiddling with pillow options for these chairs?)

Okay, I think I could get used to this arrangement… There’s definitely more symmetry than before and it doesn’t feel nearly as claustrophobic over here.

Friday and Saturday we left the furniture like this to see how we liked it.  Saturday we had a party to welcome back our friend Casey (Yay Casey!  We’re so glad you’re home!). 

Image slightly altered to protect the innocent ;)

We had a great time, and I was pleased to see the slipper chairs got way more use at our cookout than they had before in front of the window.  I was slowly being won over…

(Psst!  Check out that mantle!  How do you like our straight from the backyard blooms?)

On Sunday afternoon, my $8 lamp re-do was the deciding factor.  A bright pop of turquoise in front of those purple curtains was all I needed to decide I LOVED the new layout!

The other new lamp didn’t look half bad between our two chairs either.

I still want to put up some white sheers inside the purple curtains to soften the windows a bit more, our two lamp tables could use some love, and please let me think of  I want to do something fun with those slipper chair pillows, but we’re slowly pulling this room together. 

By the way, need I mention this makeover was F-R-E-E free?!  Not bad for some spring goal #2 action, huh?

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Let there be (Chic) Light

11 Comments
5 Apr, 2010
Meredith
Before and After, Home Decor

In the spirit of spring goal #2 (Did you miss our 3 spring goals? Check them out here) I took on a little lamp re-do project this weekend.  Instead of replacing our orange glass living room lamps, I decided all they needed was a little color switch.

Here is one of the lamps beforehand.  It was in great condition and I liked the style, but that orange just wasn’t working.

Here’s a refresher picture of the color scheme we’re going for in the living room.  Blues and greens with hints of purple in the pillows and curtains.  No orange here!

All it took to update our lamps was 2 cans of spray paint – a white primer to cover the orange and a fun funky teal to add some pizzaz.

I removed the shades and carefully taped over the silver accents on each lamp and then sprayed away.  The little round finials that held on the shades got a coat of blue too.

After a few hours of drying time, this is what we ended up with!

What do you think of my $8 makeover?  Do you like the blue better?

I’m still planning on toning down the shades a bit with fabric and I still need to show you all the whole living room (It’s coming together nicely!), but that’s a post for another day.  Have a good night everybody!

I’m linking to:

Wednesday Link Party at Tea Rose Home

Show and Share Day at Just a Girl

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

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http://welcometoheardmont.com/?p=1634

New Toy

2 Comments
26 Mar, 2010
Meredith
For Fun, Home Decor

I came upon a fun little tool today called Polyvore at the Elements of Style blog.  I’ve seen other people use this tool to put together outfits before, but after some poking around, I figured out you can use it to make room mock-ups and mood boards as well!

Sounded like the perfect tool for me (with my lack of Photoshop skills), so I decided to try it out.  Here’s my first mock-up of one little corner in our living room.

Living Room Window Nook v2
Living Room Window Nook v2 by MeredithHeard on Polyvore.com

If you ever want to see what different items would look like together in a room (or on you), I’d recommend checking Polyvore out.  My favorite part is that the site automatically crops out white backgrounds so you can layer items like I did above.  Have fun and enjoy the weekend!

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