Thursday 27 September 2012

Easy to steal DIY ideas: Beautify your abode for the festive season

Commonfloor’s latest DIY column is a platform where we unleash our creative genie. And this month we are showcasing the best of DIY ideas that you can steal to pretty your abode for the festive season.
Use a sari-style table runner as the foundation of an Eastern-inspired table setting. Choose metal cups to reference the ones used for lassis in India and opt for earthenware crockery in a colour pulled from the table runner to keep the look consistently ethnic.
Use empty glass bottles and jars to create a relaxed flower arrangement. Retrieve them from your recycling bin and group together en masse. Choose a variety of heights, shapes, sizes and colours to maximise the eclectic look. Add vibrancy by painting bands of colour around some of them – don’t worry if it’s not perfectly painted: this heightens its appealing nonchalance.
With a bit of lateral thinking, unusual finds such as these wooden lasts (traditionally used in shoe making) can be turned into unique coat and bag hooks. Think in odd numbers when grouping items together, in this case three, but five would work well too.
We love this idea of taking old boots and transforming them into beautiful flower plants. The vibrant colours pack in a punch of a drama!
 Replace traditional window boxes with a row of old-fashioned Brown Betty teapots for a quirky take on the English window sill. Line them up facing the same direction to increase the humorous tone and plant them with cottage-style flowers for a charming shabby-chic look. The spout is ideal place for watering the plants.

Article Source: http://www.commonfloor.com/articles/easy-to-steal-diy-ideas-beautify-your-abode-for-the-festive-season-17939.html