Looking for inexpensive ways to spruce up your home? These simple, do it yourself accessories projects for lamps, pillows, vases, and more - are sure to add style and character to any room.
Chain Reaction
Various chain necklaces in silver and gold help give new meaning to recycled glass. Use jewelry or glass glue to secure the chains to plain glass bottles, outlining shapes, positioning as letters and numbers, or creating other simple designs. You can also remove the pin from the back of a plastic flower to create a truly three dimensional design. When the glue is dry, prime the bottles and paint with high-gloss paint. White creates a simple look, but other colors like cobalt or yellow are stunning and trendy.
Chevron Vase
Customize a plain vase by taping off a chevron pattern with painter's tape (it need not be perfect). Spray paint the exposed area with a lighter shade of the vase color. Remove the tape when the paint is dry.
Quick & Easy Memo Board
This magnetic memo board is as functional as it is stylish. Simply cut decorative paper to fit inside a cookie sheet and glue it to the pan. Add magnets and important papers, notes, or letters, and you?re ready for business. Place it on a desk or hang it in the kitchen to ensure your family always stays on task.
Reading Light
Use damaged or discarded books and a lamp kit to build this literary light. Drill a hole slightly bigger than the rod in your lamp kit through the center of each book until you get to the height you desire. Thread the rod through the hole and follow instructions in the kit to wire the lamp. Cover a self adhesive lampshade with decorative paper or book pages to complete the look.
To Dye for Colors
Hot from the runway, ombr� dyeing is a variation on basic tub dyeing. We put the trendy technique to work on these ordinary, store-bought throw pillows. For maximum results, always make sure you take the process slowly and follow through with each step.
Rosette Lampshade
Embellish a plain lampshade with paper roses. Use a compass to draw an 8 inch diameter circle onto drawing weight paper. Cut the circle into a swirl to create a paper coil about 1/2 inch wide. Roll the paper tightly starting at the outside end of the coil. Release the coil slightly and manipulate it until you have created a flower shape, then hot glue it at the base to retain the shape. Use hot glue to adhere roses to the lampshade.
Cozy Felt Pillows
Felt pillows are easy to make and boost the comfort quotient of any area. Use scraps of felt to embellish an ordinary store bought pillow, or sew the scraps together to create a multicolor masterpiece.These soft woodland-themed, felt pillows make this sofa a homey relaxation haven.
No-Sew Pillow
Stoke your wanderlust with a pillow outfitted with a map. Find an image from an old atlas, or score a map of your favorite city or dream travel destination. Scan your image and use image-editing software to create a mirror image of your map, then print it using an ink-jet printer onto iron on transfer paper. Iron the image onto light color linen fabric, following package directions. Peel away the transfer backing to reveal the image. Use heat-set tape to adhere the linen piece to the pillow.
Felted Lamp Base
This shapely lamp base enjoys a cozy cover. To cover a sphere shape lamp, measure the height and the circumference, then cut a rectangular piece of felted wool to size. Wrap it around the base with the right side in, and pin evenly spaced darts at the top and bottom. Remove, sew the darts, then sew the piece into a tube shape. Turn right side out and slip over the object. Using heavy duty thread, hand stitch a running stitch at the top and bottom and pull to cinch tight, then tie off at the back. Embellish the lamp with fun felt flowers for extra pizzazz.
Twine Light Shades
Bring blissful color to a blah dining room with handmade light shades. These trendy light shades add a dash of texture and subtle color overhead and are created using twine and small beach balls.
Freehand Floral Vase
A vase adorned with a hand drawn, floral-inspired design complements the bold orange flowers it holds. Use a white oil based Sharpie marker on ceramic surfaces.
Rosette Throw Pillow
Bring dimension to a throw pillow with fabric rosettes. To create rosettes on a pillow cover, fold 4 inch wide strips of fabric in half, lengthwise and sew a basting stitch along the edge opposite the fold. Pull the thread tight, allowing the fabric to wrap around itself, and wind to desired sizes. Finish by stitching onto a pillow.
Give 'Em the Slip
Boost the style of plain glass vessels by slipping them into something more cozy. Stretch a piece of felted sweater around the vessel, right side in. Pin for a snug fit, then remove and sew it where it was pinned. Cut the excess and turn it inside out. Make use of sweater accents such as button plackets, pockets, sleeves, and ribbing. Or add your own embellishments fashioned from scraps of old wool sweaters.
Wrap It Up
Wood grain radiates warmth and character in any space. Using veneer ? thin, flexible sheets of wood available at home centers and woodworking shops ? is an easy way to incorporate wood grains into your home. Cherry and maple veneer wrapped around apothecary jars and stitched with silver embroidery floss make a sweet centerpiece or mantel display. Cut leaf shapes from veneer and stitch onto jar wraps for a nature-inspired look.
Grass-Motif Pillow
A few fabric scraps are all you need to create this three dimensional effect. The grassy design is a fanciful layering of felt and cotton scraps cut into grass blade shapes. The first two layers are secured with fabric glue, but a single line of stitching down the middle of the top layer of blades gives them a breezy texture.