Hands-on how-tos for your home, your hobbies and the road.
Topic · 145 guides · Page 8
A Lack shelf from IKEA hangs on a concealed metal bracket that is first fastened to the wall. Installing it involves locating studs, leveling the bracket, adding drywall anchors where needed, and then sliding the shelf into place over the mounted hardware.
Simple do-it-yourself touches can turn your sleeping space into a cozy retreat you won't want to leave, from custom headboards to scented diffusers.
A handful of inexpensive materials — foam board, cardboard, clothes hangers, pipe insulation and paddle wire — can be turned into a reusable wreath foundation. The fastening method changes with the base: wire and ties suit hanger frames, while hot glue works better on foam. Seasonal decorating possibilities extend well past Christmas.
Curtains and wall colors have a close relationship that can greatly impact your decor. Whether you have vibrant hot pink walls or bland off-white rental walls, the right curtain choices can enhance or transform the space. Learn how to match, mix, and coordinate tones, neutrals, and lighting effects for a cohesive look.
Is there an unsightly gap between your headboard and mattress? This often happens with floating metal bed frames. Fortunately, a few basic adjustments can close the gap and keep your pillows from slipping behind the mattress.
Acrylic mirrors offer a lightweight, shatter-resistant alternative to glass, but heat can cause them to bend out of shape. Rather than discarding a warped mirror, you can press it flat between two sheets of glass and let the sun do the work.
When drapery rods span wide windows or carry heavy fabrics, adding a support bracket can prevent sagging and potential collapse. These low-cost hardware pieces provide extra stability, helping you avoid the unpleasant surprise of curtains ending up on the floor.
Pennants, with their distinct triangular shape, can be displayed in multiple orientations and with various methods to enhance a room's decor. From simple wall attachments to framing or wood mounting, options exist for both temporary and permanent arrangements.
The way you position a rug affects whether a space appears cohesive or jumbled. Different rooms call for different placements—bedrooms, dining rooms, family areas, and living rooms each have their own considerations. Matching the rug to the room's colors and furniture, and using a non-skid pad, helps keep it in place.
Selling art on your lawn works for inexpensive items, but original works and valuable reproductions are better suited to online sales or auctions. Doing some research on your piece's worth beforehand can reveal unexpected value.
Old houses often owe their appeal to telltale signs of wear, such as sun-bleached wallpaper and softened stair steps. Although many modern wallpapers are marketed with labels like "classic" or "antique," they still miss the ragged patina of truly historic papers. A staining technique using a tinted glaze can give new wallpaper that aged appearance.
Pool balls' unique hues and round form lend themselves well to party decorations, with balloons and balls serving as ideal accents for a billiards-themed event. With paint, colored paper, and some craft effort, you can make one-of-a-kind decorations that guests will remember.
Shadow box frames, which feature a raised border that casts a shadow over the enclosed item, suit small portraits, artwork, flowers, or insects. While their thick rim often serves as a stand for desk display, you can hang them with the right hardware and a few measurements.
Though pumpkins appear in blue, green, white, red, yellow, brown and striped varieties, the classic Halloween orange one is the most recognizable. That particular shade of orange is a common pick for decorative highlights or dramatic focal points.
Crickets serve as a staple food for numerous pet reptiles. Historically, they were kept for fighting in China, and their chirping is enjoyed by some. You can raise crickets to feed your own pets at a lower cost or to earn some extra cash by selling them to hobbyists and pet shops. These insects are also easy for children to keep as pets or use in science projects. A cricket terrarium is essentially a tank set up to provide a suitable environment for raising or breeding crickets.
A comprehensive walkthrough on repurposing a wooden pallet into a bench, utilizing fundamental tools and moderate woodworking skills.
While many homeowners appreciate the raw beauty of brick, stone, or concrete block chimneys, applying paint can give your home a unique character. However, painting a chimney is a significant decision that requires careful thought because the paint is hard to remove later.
Mantel clocks derive their name from being placed on fireplace mantels. Many feature symmetrical decorations like lions, flowers, or columns on both sides, a style that became popular in the mid-1800s; earlier versions did not have such matching adornments. The movement is the mechanism that drives the hands and pendulum, and identifying its maker requires examining specific markings.
