Friday: The Office

These must be the Mecca of the craft and office worlds, but if you have the space then take note of the boxes, files, and systems used here. I especially like Michelle Adams’ hanging fabric samples!

Craft room photograph from this Flickr stream. Michelle Adams’ home office by Patrick Cline from Real Living Australia via Flickr.

Hidden Offices

Closet office photograph from this Flickr stream. Chest office from Martha Stewart.

*If you have an unused closet then you have the perfect space for a home office. Plus, you can pull the door shut and swing the chair into a corner when you’re not using it. I also like the sliding cover on the top shelf, because even if you leave the doors open while you have guests you can still maintain some privacy.

*This chest idea is awesome, isn’t it? All you need is right there, and if you put wheels on the bottom you can wheel it up to any surface you might be working on. Go to the tutorial on Martha to see how to convert your own.

Small Spaces

Craft table photograph from this Flickr stream. Entryway desk photograph from Real Simple.

*The craft corner on the left would be great if you have a bare wall that seems awkward for most other uses. The clear drawers below offer lots of storage while the contents are completely visible. I also like the wrapping paper holder bit just to the left.

*This hallways desk is such a creative solution to the limited space issue. If you have an entryway but no bonus room, just swing one of these side chairs around for working and keep everything stored in a basket below.

CLICK HERE for the rest of Nicole’s office organization ideas after the jump!

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Thursday: Small Quarters

Rather than moving on to the living room (my original plan for today), I thought showing some fabulous examples of how even the tiniest apartments can be tidy would span room tips—and square footage. I’ve compiled some critical sections of apartments to get us warmed up before I leave you with an amazing studio tour and DIY office nook that will have you all heading to the hardware store, I hope!

Photograph from Apartment Therapy.

*These folks are lucky enough to have beautiful high ceilings, and they really make the most out of it! It’s like a closet-media center-office-attic combo. But even if you don’t have high ceilings the tip to take away here is that if you have one bare wall in your apartment, use it to store everything you can—then cover it with a breezy curtain when not in use. That way, you focus all of the stuff into one part of the room while the rest of the flat is free for living in.

Divider photograph by Undine Prohl and from Unplggd.com. Kitchen shelves photograph from Pink Wallpaper via Apartment Therapy.

*Some studio owners stick with the open plan while others still try to get the walled in look. If you prefer the latter, I think this bookshelf option would be tops. Depending on the height of your ceilings, you might be able to find a bookshelf to do the job, but this may be something for the Weekend Warrior to tackle. (Anybody for a honey-do list?!) I especially love how the backing for these shelves is translucent, because it helps the space not look so cramped—probably more of a DIY touch, too.

*When I first saw this picture, I asked my hubby, “Do ya think they’re feeding an army or something?” And with deadpan delivery he said, “It’s for decoration.” Thanks for the insight, babe! Anyway, if you’re a collector (or feeding an army) and live in a studio, well these would be just what you need. I think you would most definitely have to DIY these too, though, if your ceilings are higher than the average. But there’s hope for those of you with two left thumbs! I have seen kits for floor-to-ceiling shelves at IKEA and Target. Although I’m sure Home Depot and Lowe’s would have something as well.

Photograph from MarthaStewart.com.
*This is an amazing apartment tour from the now defunct Blueprint magazine via Martha Stewart. I just pulled my faves but if you’re dying for more, then click on over after this post! Let’s start with the kitchen. You can see the use of the floor to ceiling storage like this post’s first photo, but this apartment shows more common ceiling heights for the average apartment. I would still use those boxes at the tippy top for storing things like out-of-season clothes and holiday decs versus kitchen tools, as you won’t want to reach up there every time you cook.

*And you can just see the floating shelves off to the right of the kitchen. If you have tons of books like this gal, then adding open shelving wherever there’s free wall space is your ticket to keeping the look uncluttered and not having to yard sale your four editions of “Pride & Predjudice”.

*As for the living room, there are more floating shelves but you’ll see she’s also chosen double duty coffee tables with tall shelves—meaning there’s enough space under the table surface to stack books (as pictured) or even store taller things like pitchers. Just make sure that most of your furniture has a streamlined look so it doesn’t overwhelm the space.
*There’s also a desk off to the right of this photo. If you’re in a place that’s this confined and have to have your desk in the living room, consolidate by using one of your living room chairs as your desk chair, too.

Photograph from ReadyMade.

*I’m covering offices tomorrow, but I couldn’t resist adding this one here! If you have built a sturdy divider, this is a great DIY desk nook as metal tubes support the glass surface. But even if you don’t have the walls (hello, studios!) to do this, you can modify this idea by adding a second filing cabinet on the opposite side. If your cabinets aren’t tall enough for your liking, try stacking coffee-table books you don’t read (can buy for pennies in bargain bins if you don’t already own them) to get the desired height. Just remember to put some rubber feet so the glass top doesn’t slip.

Photograph from MarthaStewart.com.

*Finally, here’s the bedroom before and after from the previously mentioned studio. See how cramped those full drawers at the side make the room feel? So the makeover mavens moved the bed to the center of the room, ditched the drawers, and ended up with a whole lotta room (OK maybe a decent amount of room) on either side.

*If you look closely you might see that the skinny nightstands’ shelves have been filled with lidded organization boxes. And you don’t have to go to IKEA every time you need one of those; I often cover shoeboxes with fabric using strong glue (or cleverly hidden staples in a pinch!).

*An alternative to the double nightstands would be to replace the drawers with floating shelves that start above the bed and move up the wall. You could store anything from books to sweaters to collectibles and push the bed completely against the wall, which creates even more space on the other side.

I hope this little jaunt off the room-by-room path has been fruitful for you all. As I said at the start, organization is highly personal so even if you only come away with one tip a day, that’s just fine with me!

Tomorrow is my last day on the D*S guest blog, and I’m planning an office post (complete with a few tips on how to make your electronics work for you). You all have been such an interactive crowd. Given that, if there is anything you’re dying to see, leave a comment! If there are more than a couple, I’ll do a second post on Friday especially for special requests!

Happy cleaning! x

Wednesday: The Kitchen
Growing up, the kitchen was the heart of my parents’ house. We would all belly up to the island and chat away while something scrumptious was being cooked up. With all of the action our kitchen got, I know anybody with a similar memory will indentify with the need for organization in this space. And even if your family is more the type that runs through the kitchen in need of a quick snack, there’s something for them, too!

Some of you have also posted for sources in the last two posts, and I really encourage you to do the same here. I promise I’ll search the web for something at least similar to anything pictured.

Quick Fixes

Photographs from Country Homes & Interiors and zeehomebug’s Flickr photostream.

From left:
*If you have the space but not the time, just bring a working piece into your kitchen. I like the unusual apple keeper idea and could see all kinds of uses. Besides apples, you could store onions and potatoes, extras like napkins and utensils, or even baking trays. I like that there’s room on top, too.

*Jars, jars, and more jars. If you’re lacking cabinets or a pantry, I would go with an easy installation floating shelf and store goods in jars. Don’t forget that you can find cheap Mason jars at garage sales—just remember to clean them first! For easy transfer, use an envelope with a corner cut off (Thanks, Martha!) as a funnel.

Photograph from Living Etc.

*Another ladder idea! Only this one actually has to be a shelving unit and secured properly. This one came from IKEA, but you can find them at Target as well I hear. This would also be ideal for a small kitchen, as it can be budged up into the corner.

Photographs from this Flickr photostream and this Flickr photosteam.
From left:

*From a real-life home comes this amazing store-it-all hutch! Definitely not the easiest thing to find at a flea market, but it can be done. Otherwise, you may face a big price tag, but the result is just tops.
*And another real-lifer: an easy peasy bookshelf! Another “if you have the space” but this time you don’t need much money! Yard sale it, baby.

*And I don’t have a photo for this one, but I thought it was a useful suggestion to include. In our flat we have a rolling butcher block that acts as a coffee and tea station (a.k.a. the first stop of the morning). Rolling carts are the same type of deal and can be super-inexpensive. I like that you can roll it to the oven for easy cooking but then easily move it into a corner for storage.

CLICK HERE for the rest of Nicole’s post after the jump (including tips for small kitchens, storage, and making use of your walls!)

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Tuesday: The Hallway

Photograph from Living Etc.
It greets you when you come home, and you whiz past it on your way out. I’ll try not to keep chanting the “reduce clutter” mantra, but when it’s the first thing you see after a hard day’s work and it’s messy? Probably doesn’t do much for your mood. So the key here is to keep it clean. Easier said than done, though, when it’s often a catch-all for those last minute things you need before you leave the house. Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite solutions in hopes that well-trafficked space will become a bit more pleasant!

Photograph from Living Etc.
*This has the open shelving, which I love for any room but especially for such a grab-and-go area. For the same reason, hooks are (I think) also essential. How easy would it be to peel-and-stick those Command hooks on the wall? And if you don’t already have an unused bookshelf in your basement, there are plenty inexpensive ones on offer at yard sales and brick and mortar stores, too.

Photographs from Living Etc., Country Homes & Interiors, and House to Home.
From left:
*The first hallway here is fancy-schmancy. No real DIY here, but if you have the cash it’s a great solution that uses a mix of labeled drawers (labels are one of my fave ways to get organized fast) and lower baskets that anybody in the family can easily pull out.
*Now this is something that would be perfect for a home with a small entryway, like a split-level. Just affix any hooks you want to the staircase or wall. And remember that chair tip from the bathroom post? You can do the same here if you don’t have something like the shelves in the photo.
*This one is perfect for families with lotsa kids. Plus, hooks and labels? Très easy! I also like the apple crate by the staircase. With young children, it’s nice to keep organization simple for them. And with a box like this, they can throw their muddy shoes in and your floors will be neither dirty nor cluttered!

Photographs from Charleston Home magazine and Living Etc.
From left:
*I adore this DIY recycling system from Charleston Home magazine, because you can roll them right from the kitchen to the hall and dump the inner box right into those big blue bins. Plus, the labeling comes into play here making it so much easier to remember what can and can’t be recycled!
*These are pull-out shelves installed on sliders in the crevice beneath the staircase. One thing that’s important to remember about creating storage spaces is to use the space you have! Plus, floating shelves here would be an even easier project.

Tuesday: The Bathroom.

Remember yesterday’s tip on tackling organization in a one-at-a-time manner? Good. Don’t forget it, because it’s key to each one of this week’s mini guides.

First up today I want to talk about the WC. It can quickly become overwhelmed with hair tonics, potions, and meds while necessaries like toilet paper can go rolling if not kept in check.

Photograph from Ideal Home.

*Obviously a good place to store towels and washcloths is key, but it’s also a good idea to keep a laundry basket to tame the towels. We’re a convenience-driven society so why not work with it?

I also love the quick and easy DIY this photo offers: the towel ladder. Surely you can find tons of old ladders at garage sales and customize them to your décor. Just remember to secure the ladder or budge it up against something so it doesn’t fall and disrupt your beauty routine!

Photograph from Country Homes & Interiors.

*This idea is great for a tiny bathroom, but it can really work in any sized room. Just stick an unused chair (Who’s ready for a trip to the attic!) in a corner for an impromptu shelf. If you have lots of beauty products, why not keep them in a small basket or container on the chair and hang a towel over the back?

Photograph from Ideal Home.
*If you have a floating sink but miss the counter space, try installing a low shelf beneath the plumbing. Just measure (twice, cut once!) and head to Home Depot or Lowe’s if you don’t have a piece of wood in the shed already. All you need are some wall brackets and a screwdriver. Bonus? If playing handyman scares you to death, these stores also have all-inclusive kits for such a project.

Personally, I love the open storage, too. Not only for easy access but also because it encourages me not to make a mess!

Photograph from Living Etc.
*This is my favorite display of baskets, boxes, and jars working for the homeowner, because it can be the most inexpensive yet all encompassing solution. Keep the countertop, floor, and shelving space you already have and organize your things into baskets, boxes, and jars.

How is buying all of these things cheap? Let me give you an example: when I was looking for vases for my wedding this past summer I found a box of 40 Mason and Ball jars (some blue, some clear) for $10 at a yard sale. Moving them all to my new home in London from Virginia? Not so cheap, but that’s beside the point!

Here’s hoping you find a solution to your loo woes! x

First: Wooo hooo! I can’t believe I’m guest blogging on D*S! Thank you, Grace!

Now I can get to business :) This week I’m focusing on a room-by-room look at organization. It’s something that looms over most of our heads as that nagging thing we always mean to do but never quite accomplish. Organization, like interior design, is a highly personal endeavor. Here’s hoping you take away at least one tip per post this week!

One of the best tips I have ever read is to tidy one thing away every time you leave a room. And it’s true! If you try to overhaul your life in one swoop, you’ll just feel overwhelmed. With that in mind, tackle each day’s tips one at a time. You’ll be organized before you know it!

Monday: The Bedroom.

1. Keep it simple.

Photograph by Patrick Cline for Real Living Australia, July 2009.

If you’re anything like me, I become a total insomniac if I’m trying to sleep in a cluttered bedroom. Thus, the goal here is to get rid of the clutter! First, you have to nail down what you need in your bedroom and banish the rest. I always come back to this photo of Michelle Adams’ (master maven of Rubie Green) tiny boudoir. There aren’t any non-essentials here.

2. Clear the nightstand.

Photograph from Creative Organizing.

*Don’t let magazines and books pile up on top of your nightstand. Instead, herd them into something like this metal trashcan. If you have a lower shelf on your nightstand, neatly stack what you’re reading now and store what you aren’t in another room.

Photograph from Real Simple.

*Besides adding to the clutter, electronics’ lights can keep you awake. I know I’m always tempted to check my phone when I know it’s just an arm’s stretch away. So install a power strip to the inside of the drawer and put the phones to bed. Or just drill holes into the back of the drawer and feed the cords into a power strip on the floor.

3. Handle the closet issue.

Ugh. The most dreaded part! If you haven’t already made a habit out of clearing out what you don’t wear at least twice a year, do it now! Then, try these tips for what’s left over:

*Organize your clothes by type: jeans, pants, dresses, skirts, blouses, T-shirts, etc. Same goes for your dresser drawers.

*Try putting your dresser inside of the closet if it’s taking up too much floor space.

Photograph from Real Simple.

*Use the back of your bedroom and closet doors. I love this idea that uses inexpensive pegboard to hang accessories, but even something as simple as a shoe rack works wonders.

4. Use empty space.

Photograph from Jeri’s Organizing & Decluttering blog.

*Do use the space under your bed for throw blankets, books, magazines, winter or summer clothes (depending on what season you’re in), or anything else you won’t need at a moment’s notice. Don’t use it to store things like workout clothes (ever heard of out of sight out of mind?) or shoes (instead of being at your big important meeting you’ll be catching dust bunnies on your blazer trying to find the lefty of your fave pumps).

Photograph from Real Simple.

*Make your walls work. You don’t want things lingering around on the floor where you’re trying to get from here to there. I love that this wall organizer combines the “shop your closet” idea with storage that takes up minimal space.

5. Keep your kids organized, too.

*Talk to your children about the types of things they harbor. Do they have tons of books? Craft supplies? Toys? Group accordingly and use storage boxes and label everything to remind your children where things “live.” And don’t forget to keep their most used items at their level.

Photograph from Real Simple.

*Make kids’ closets do double duty as a wonderful trove of clothes and to keep them on track for the day. Use bulletin boards and calendars to make sure they know what to bring to school each day. You wouldn’t want them to be the only one sans family photo on present making day!

Photograph from House to Home.

*Have more than one? Maximize the storage space above the beds? This room would be perfect for older children. Just remember to reserve the space for lesser-used items if they’re young.

Happy tidying! x

I have torn pages from magazines for years and tucked them away in folders and notebooks I keep in my studio. I thought I would go through them (its been a while) and pull together some holiday decorating inspiration for us all to enjoy. (The original source is noted when I have it.) Enjoy!

*Living Etc December 2008
I’ve always loved the paper garland in this photo. Wouldn’t it be fun in a festive color? (Even though it looks pretty great the way it is here.) You could do this on fishing line or twine, cut squares of paper, string with a needle, maybe tie some knots here and there to hold bunches together.

Homespun Christmas image from Jane Cumberbatch’s book Pure Style Living
I love the simplicity of the decorations in this image, holiday decor doesn’t have to be over the top to be beautiful. This space feels cozy, a room filled with homemade, lovely things…the peppers strung across the window, the fabric scrap ornaments on the tree, the hyacinths blooming.

I pulled this image out of a Family Circle magazine a few years ago because I love that the starburst-like ornaments are made from colored straws you can get at any grocery store. It would be so great to do this type of look in a kid’s room, they could make the ornaments. The how-to is simple: Cut 3 straws on one color, and 3 of another, cut them all in half and gather into a group. Tie them altogether in the center with twine or sturdy string, leaving a long tail. Pull tightly, knot, then bend straws into a starburst shape. Use the tail of the string to create a hanging loop. You can make a larger one for the top of the tree by using the full length of the straw (don’t cut them in half).

(Sorry, I don’t have a source for this one). These sweet little ornaments would make great gift toppers for packages or even embellishing a Christmas cards. The recipient could then hang it on their tree. Make something like this using felt (you could use sweater scraps from the wreath). Cut it into a fancy ornament-type shape, and glue any kind of pretty ribbon, trim, sequins, whatever you have in your craft room on one or both sides.

From Marie Claire Idees December 2007. I really want to make these with my kids either this year or next Christmas. Buy plain round ball ornaments, or cover a small round inflated balloon with paper mache. When dry, you can paint and embellish (I love the one with what looks like upholstery studs).

This wreath image is also from Marie Claire Idees (December 2006). Just knot torn strips of your favorite fabric and cover a wire wreath form.

Thank you to Grace and all the folks at design*sponge for letting me share some posts with you this week, its been really fun. Next week I’ll be back home, still celebrating the holiday season.

Happy Holidays to everybody! xo- Blair

Two things to tell you about the inspiration for this project before we begin. First, I love the holidays. Especially all the decorating that goes along with it, and, truth is, I usually go a bit overboard in that area. But…I’m also a bit lazy. I love it when my parts of my holiday decor don’t look so out of place immediately after Christmas Day, that way I don’t feel pressure to take them down. That thinking inspired the colors I used in this project. The other thing is that I love to use felted sweaters in projects. I recently did a whole slew of DIY holiday projectsfor Value Village/Savers, and rediscovered how much I love using them. If you find a good color in a wool sweater at a thrift store, bring it home, felt it (there are some good basic directions here) and you’ll have the perfect “cloth” to use for a project like this wreath. (I also added in some woolen scraps from previous projects, you could easily use leftover pieces from your party flowers for this project, plaid would be lovely in this!)

CLICK HERE for the full wreath how-to after the jump!

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Gift Ideas for that lady in the craft room, over there, stitching away on those holiday gifts.

This holiday season will be simple one in our family, and I’m very excited about that. We’ll make a lot of our gifts, as we always try to do, but this year there is even more emphasis on relaxing and spending time together.

But paring our lives and holiday season down doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy nice things. You too? I love well-thought out, perfectly executed, timeless style for my own wardrobe and our home. Fewer things, but better things. Things that are meant to last a long time, have a more timeless appeal are what feels right. Here’s a few things that fit this list for me.

1. The perfect, easy going, hardwearing, go-to coat for any occasion for me would have to be a classic parka from The North Face. The Grace jacket in Black would, for me, go over a party dress in winter just as easily as a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and boots. I love how weightless and durable these coats feel, like armor against the elements.

2. The only cardigan I will ever need would be the absolute timeless Agnes B. snap cardigan. These pieces have not changed or been taken out of their line in years, try one on and you’ll know why.

3. Canvas bags are used for practically everything these days, and my new favorites are these John Lewis penguin bags. I’m wearing mostly black or gray these days, so I’m sure those around me would appreciate the jolt of color one of these would add.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the Blair’s guide/wishlist after the jump!

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You’re going to need something festive to wear to that party you’re planning, aren’t you? Or to give as gifts this season? These party flowers might just be the ticket. These flowers, just like the ornaments from yesterday, are super easy to make, and the best part is that these are made from woolens found at the thrift or secondhand store. Find just the right wool plaid coat or skirt, or a fabric remnant and you can make several of these. The weight of the wool fabric really gives nice body to these flowers. Pin them to anything….pillows…your jacket…even hang them from your tree!

CLICK HERE for the full project how-to after the jump!

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