Mandi from Vintage Revivals was loving the look of a handwoven rug with an ethnic vibe from West Elm, but $800 was definitely out of her price range. Since the imperfection of the design was what Mandi loved about the rug, it was the perfect project to DIY. She purchased a rug with a similar nubby texture and then went to work with tape and a paint brush. Best of all, Mandi shares her secret for painting on a textural rug and still get getting fab results!
Sarah from Life on Virginia Street had her heart set on a wood bead chandelier for her office. Unfortunately, the price tags on the fixtures Sarah loved weren’t cooperating with her design plans. Sarah instead landed on plan B – refabbing an existing fixture. Equipped with spray paint, chalk paint, and wax, Sarah turned a nickel chandelier with green and purple beads into a pretty convincing knock-off. Would you ever guess those aren’t real wood beads?!?
Anita from Inspired Passions could not be more excited that the holiday season is upon us. Bring on the decorations, ham and turkey, Christmas carols, and… holiday signs! Anita was inspired by a sign from Pottery Barn and achieved a similar look by layering stain and acrylic paint. She put her own spin on it by customizing the message to make it more meaningful. After all, what’s the purpose of a pretty sign if it doesn’t mean anything to you?
Jenna of Jenna Halvorson Designs needed to find a use for a leftover six-foot slab of butcher block that was taking up precious space in her garage. Her husband had the genius idea to build a coffee table and found the perfect inspiration in a wood and metal table from Restoration Hardware. The couple purchased some steel and enlisted the help of a friend trained in welding. Jenna says, “It looks like a thousand dollar table and is sturdy as a rock. Which is great because it will double as a train table most of the time!”
Whitney from Shanty 2 Chic had an empty space between the couch and window in her living room that she was always struggling to fill. The answer? An open bookshelf design from Ana White that would provide the needed height without blocking the natural light. Whitney again busted out her power tools to whip up this bad boy for under $100. That’s $700 less than her Pottery Barn inspiration!
