Interior Decorating

Refurbishing The Dining Room

Make your dining room a comfortable dining and conversation space for the family. Whether your style is formal or family friendly, here are some great ideas to update your dining room.

Clean It Up

First up, I think it’s a good idea to make sure that the wooden surfaces sparkle and shine. Here’s an easy recipe for a good wood cleaning product:

Apply this formula to clean and restore luster to wood furniture. It also may be used to help remove superficial water rings on wood tables.

You will need:

  • Funnel
  • Measuring cup and spoons
  • Lidded 8-oz. plastic squirt bottle
  • Microfiber cloth (or clean, soft rag)

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ tsp. lemon oil (or fresh lemon juice)

Instructions:

Using funnel, pour olive oil, vinegar and lemon oil into bottle. Shake well to emulsify. Squirt polish onto microfiber cloth and rub onto finished-wood furniture. Always go with the grain and evenly distribute polish. Remove any excess polish with a clean cloth.

Colorizing Your Dining Room Furniture

Maybe instead of a good cleaning, your dining room furniture needs a spot of color! Here is a collection of super colorful and interestingly wonderful painted tables and chairs:

And if you have metal chairs, they can be cleaned up and painted too! Check these out:

If your taste and your style is more conservative, give them a new makeover with paint and fabric. A bold graphic pattern can bring a pop of color and life into a room. And the best part: It doesn’t cost a lot of money.

How to Re-Cushion Old Dining Chairs

These are the chairs we’re starting with:

Here’s a list of the tools and materials that will be needed for this project.

Tools:

  • Staple gun and staples
  • Hot glue gun
  • Measuring tape
  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Scissors
  • Small pliers
  • Hammer

Materials:

  • Fabric for chairs
  • Black upholstery tacks
  • Carpet padding
  • Quilter’s batting
  • Cotton batting
  • Paint

Step by Step Instructions with pics:

  • Remove Old Fabric

Use a flathead screwdriver and pliers to remove upholstery tacks and the staples underneath. Do not throw away fabric or cushioning, you can use them for templates. If seats are different, number the bottom of the seat as well as fabric that was removed.

  • Clean Chairs

When fabric is removed, clean chair to remove dirt and greasy build up.

  • Prime and Paint

When chairs are completely dry, apply a coat of primer to entire surface. A coat of primer will help paint better adhere to chairs. When the primer is dry, add your first coat of paint. Let chairs dry completely and then apply a second coat.

  • Measure and Cut Padding


Use old fabric as a guide to cut a piece of carpet padding for the chair. Place padding on the chair and then cut in details you may have missed. Make sure there is enough overhang to go over the side of the chair, you can always cut excess off later.

  • Attach Cushioning

Use a hot-glue gun to adhere padding onto seat and down the sides. Hold in place while the glue dries. To make it extra cushy, glue a second piece of carpet padding on top of the first one.

Cut a piece of quilting batting bigger than the carpet padding and lay it on top. Use a hot-glue gun again to adhere the batting to the padding.

  • Attach Cotton Batting

Use cotton batting for the final layer. Cut this layer long so it hangs down past the bottom of the seat. Glue cotton batting onto the quilting batting on top and around the sides of the seat. After the glue has dried (usually just a few minutes), flip the chair over and staple the overhanging batting to the bottom of the chair seat.

  • Cut and Prep Fabric

Again, use the old fabric as the template to cut the new fabric. Place the new fabric on the seat and make sure it is centered and smooth. You may want to stick a few straight pins in the top to hold the fabric in place. Place one staple in each side, in the middle. Turn the chair upside down. Pull the fabric a little taunt and continue stapling each side from the middle out to the corners. If needed, use a hammer to push the staples all the way down.

  • Finishing Touches

Leave plenty of room around the corners and legs for folding in. You will probably need to cut some of the batting off to get the fabric to fold properly before hammering in the upholstery tacks. We used three tacks for the side of each leg.

  • The Finished Chairs

I love how each one is slightly different, and I wonder if the fabric was painted or stenciled. Super cool, huh?

Not interested in recovering your dining room chairs? You can easily clean them up with this simple recipe:

Top It Off

Add texture and formality up above by applying tin tiles or embossed wallpaper to the ceiling. Having a little architectural interest on the ceiling will draw the eye up and make the room seem bigger. Get the look of 1920’s glamour on your ceiling with unbelievably real-looking fake tin tiles.

How to Install Tin Ceiling Tiles

People often think to decorate their walls with art and new paint colors, or their floors with fabulous rugs, but a famous designer secret to making a space special is to dress the ceiling. It isn’t called the fifth wall for nothing. We started this project with a bare, square ceiling over a Spanish-style dining room. With some simple calculating and installing, this faux tin ceiling makes a dramatic impact, and it keeps with the 1920’s style of the space. This plastic tile is made to look just like the real tin version. In addition to being easier to cut and work with, it’s cheaper, too.

Here’s a list of the tools and materials that will be needed for this project.

Tools:

  • Measuring tape
  • Chalk snap line
  • Duct tape
  • Scissors
  • Paint roller

Materials:

  • Faux tin ceiling tiles
  • concrete sealer

Step by Step Instructions with Pics:

  • Get Started: Plan, Purchase and Install

Find the square footage of the area you’d like to tile. Measure the length and width of the space. Next multiply those numbers together to find the square footage. This will be important for ordering enough of the product you select. If you’re working on a ceiling, have a friend help you measure if needed to get the correct dimensions.

  • Order or Create Your Tiles

When picking faux tiles, think about the style of your home first. Look for a style that naturally blends with your space. Faux tin ceiling tiles come in several colors, and several faux metal finishes – it comes down to taste and color scheme. They also come in 6″ patterns up to 24″ patterns. We chose a larger pattern that had a Spanish-style vibe and ordered it in a dark, bronzed finish.

Purchase 15% more tile than you need, for any cutting mistakes and pattern matching. I also suggest ordering 1″ decorative strips in the matching material of your tile to cover seams.

To determine your installation needs, check the ceiling’s material. Many people prefer a glue-up install, so you can reposition tiles as needed while the glue sets up. Plaster, paneling and plywood work with glue, but check your manufacturer’s instructions for best practices.

  • With a friends help, snap chalk line.

Two people should hold it taut in place, and one person should pull down and release the chalk-covered string to snap a chalky line on the ceiling.

Two people should hold it taut in place, and one person should pull down and release the chalk-covered string to snap a chalky line on the ceiling.

  • Mark the Control Lines

For most spaces, the control line should be a straight line cutting your tiled area in half. Measure to find a halfway point on either side of your space. Use a snapping chalk line to connect the two points by stretching it from one side to the other at your halfway mark. Two people should hold it in place, and one person should pull down and release the chalk-covered string to snap a chalky line on the ceiling. This will serve as a reference line that you can use to ensure straight tile placement.

Once you’ve completed a line going one direction, rotate 90 degrees and create another control line to create a cross and form straight lines bisecting your middle point. Plan for your first tile to be placed in the corner created by the intersection of the two chalk lines. For this project, that intersection fell behind a light fixture in the center of the room.

  • Dry Fit Tiles Before Installing

It’s always best to dry fit your tiles before gluing up. Before you apply adhesive, place your tiles on the ceiling and trace any fixtures you may have to cut around.

Duct tape on the back of your tiles will help hold it up while you trace and dry fit each tile.

  • Make Cuts

Use scissors to cut tiles to fit your ceiling. We cut out rounded shapes, to leave room for the light fixture in the center of the room. Faux tin tiles are very easy to cut, but it is recommended to have a strong set of household scissors to do the job.

  • Roll On Cement and Install

Apply an even coat to the back of your tiles. Apply an even coat of contact cement to your ceiling as well

The cement is applied using your paint roller. Apply an even coat to the back of your tiles. Contact cement has an open time of approximately 15 minutes. That means that once applied, you should let it sit for a few minutes to become tacky and the begin applying the tiles to the ceiling.

While they are setting up, apply an even coat of contact cement to your ceiling as well. The cement on both surfaces will bond with itself, creating a seal.

Apply the tiles on your reference line first and work out toward the edges of your ceiling. Measure and cut pieces of tile to fit any areas where a full tile cannot go. Stick to the pattern repeat for best results.

  • Clean and Cover Gaps

Sometimes ceilings are not square, so you may find yourself having to adjust a tile here and there. The decorative strips that match the tile are very helpful for covering any gaps. Clean the tiles with a dry cloth and make sure any cement has been wiped off the surface before you apply the strips. They are not repositionable, so try to get it lined up perfectly the first time.

  • The finished Ceiling:

I think it looks pretty cool, and if you have nice sturdy tile to use, it’s probably not that difficult to do. I did, however, think that the cost of the faux tiles was kind of high, so I went on a search and came up with a super cool and not very expensive faux tile project that looked really fun. Best of all, the tiles could be thumb tacked onto cork board and installed as a back splash.

Susy’s Artsy Craftsy Sitcom is the only place I could find with a tutorial to these tiles. I love how pretty they are. Recycled crafts are one of her specialties. Embossing disposable cookie sheets is an easy technique and creates amazing art. Beautiful faux tin tiles!

Make Beautiful Faux Tin Tiles With A Cookie Sheet

I’m always on the look out for interesting things to make out of the unexpected. Disposable aluminum cookie sheets can be found at your local party supply store. This simple embossing and paint technique turns a disposable pan into a work of art, and this project comes with free downloadable patterns!

For this project I used:

Begin by measuring out and cutting (3 ea.) 7″ squares from each cookie sheet.

Use a ruler to measure them and mark the cookie sheet by pressing a knitting needle along the ruler, then simply cut them out with scissors. Take the ruler and score 1/4″ from all four sides of your square using the knitting needle.

Use the scissors to clip a notch in each corner. Fold the metal over carefully along your scored seam. This will create a smooth finished edge for each tile.

  • Print out the patterns.

You can either use the ones that come with the tutorial, or surf the internet for ideas of your own. Here are a few that I found in a google search for “simple geometric patterns to color” :

Lay the metal tile on top of a folded towel and use a knitting needle to press the design into the metal. For your convenience.

Here the metal tile is shown with the pattern scored into it.

Keeping the tile on the folded towel, then use the end of a paintbrush handle to gently rub indentations into the metal where you want them. The more you rub, the deeper they can be, just be careful not to use a ton of force as the aluminum is very thin metal.

Once the piece is indented to your satisfaction, it is time to paint it. You could certainly leave it unpainted at this stage, but I’m all about color. Lightly spray each piece with a layer of primer. Once it is dry, begin painting the indented areas using metallic acrylic paint.

Once all the indentations are painted, add a base color to the raised areas. Add details by watering down some metallic acrylic black paint and adding it to lines and edges of the indentations, giving it an antiqued look.

I used the same color scheme for each tile, so that they all worked together.

There are many ways to display your finished tiles. I chose to use a cork bulletin board and lined them up carefully, pinning them down with thumbtacks. This resulted in a great piece of wall art that will definitely surprise anyone when you tell them it started out life as a couple disposable cookie sheets.

Note:

I love this project. It does look time consuming, and the finished tiles are probably a bit flimsy. The idea of using thumbtacks to attach them seems easy and I like the way it looks. I bet this could be thumb tacked and also glued (just to be safe) to Styrofoam panels and attached to the ceiling.. That would be super cool and also add some great insulation.

Sources:

Kitchen Feng Shui

Your kitchen is the feng shui part of the home that nourishes and sustains life. Feng shui-wise, it is the most important part of your home. The kitchen is also a feng shui symbol of wealth and prosperity. This is why one of the first rules for good kitchen feng shui is to avoid having your kitchen close to the front door or to the back door, where the chi (good energy) can easily escape.

  • We all know that the food we eat gives us energy.

For this energy to be of high and healing quality, the food needs to be prepared in a harmonious and well-organized kitchen; a kitchen that has a balanced flow of Sheng Chi, or good feng shui energy.

Good nutrition is good feng shui, so add healthy, organic foods to your diet, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Besides the high nutritional value, organic fruits and vegetables carry strong healing vibrations from the earth; a quality of energy that your body dearly needs.

As we constantly exchange energy with our surroundings, a good feng shui kitchen leads to a good spirited chef, which, in turn, leads to good energy meals for a happy family!

Here are a few more basic good feng shui kitchen guidelines:

  • The kitchen should have several levels of proper lighting, be airy and spacious, clean, bright and welcoming.
  • For good feng shui, keep the kitchen simple and do not overload it with gadgets.
  • Keep clutter at bay.
  • Fresh flowers bring beautiful uplifting energy to your kitchen. Place a bowl with fruits, a vase of flowers, or a living plant on your kitchen table, windowsill, or wherever the layout of your kitchen allows.

Choose colors that blend well and feel good together. Feng shui-wise, the color yellow is a good choice for the kitchen, as it is good for your digestion. You can choose this color as light as “butter yellow” or as vibrant and strong as “squash yellow.”

The kitchen was considered to be the heart of the home since ancient times; use feng shui to make it a happy and healthy heart! Follow these simple feng shui tips and create a home where family and friends continue to share many beautiful moments together.

Even if your current kitchen is in a challenging feng shui location, you can still do your best by applying basic feng shui tips, as well as constantly creating good, fresh and vibrant energy full of love and care.

This good energy you create in your kitchen will come back to you tenfold, so it is an excellent investment in your health and well-being!

The location, design and feng shui basics of your kitchen are all considered very important in a good feng shui floor plan. In fact, your kitchen is part of the so-called “feng shui trinity” – the bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen – because of its utmost importance for your health and well-being.

Location.. Location… Location…

So, what is the best feng shui positioning of a kitchen in a good floor plan and what is the worst one?

The worst feng shui positioning of a kitchen is the one where the kitchen is close to the front door and is the first view you see as you come in. Please note this does not apply to a kitchen further away from the door that you can partially see from the front entrance; this only applies to a floor plan where you literally come home through a kitchen.

Even in this case, there are better and worse scenarios. An oven that you can see from the front door, or aligned with the front door, is considered very bad feng shui. It is a bit better if you see a nice view of your kitchen, let’s say a kitchen island with some flowers on in, or a little herb garden for good feng shui.

Another bad feng shui floor plan kitchen location is a kitchen either under the bathroom or facing the bathroom door (a bathroom door in proximity to the oven or kitchen island is the worst).

The reasons here are plain common sense – the two energies should be kept apart and never mixed.

The last bad feng shui kitchen location is a kitchen very close to the staircase – these two energies are opposite each other and are best kept at a distance.

Moderately challenging kitchen locations are a kitchen very close to the laundry room or the garage, but these scenarios are much easier to work with and improve.

There are several elements that are important in the actual design of the kitchen. The designer triangle principle – where the oven, the fridge, and the sink form a triangle – is good feng shui and well-known to many. Less known, but very important feng shui factor is to avoid having your oven positioned in the way where you cook with your back to the door.

  • How important is the stove or oven mouth direction for feng shui?

An important feng shui point regarding the stove location and positioning is to have the stove placed in a way that allows you to have a good view of your kitchen. Cooking with your back to the incoming flow of energy is not good feng shui.

Unless you can actually change the location of your stove, let’s say if you plan to use feng shui in renovating your kitchen soon, I would suggest not worrying about the direction of the oven mouth.

The first and most important aspect in feng shui regarding the stove is its location in the bagua map of your home.

As the stove represents the fire feng shui element, it is best to have it in a location that is compatible with or is not damaged by its fire energy. Usually, South and Southwest are considered ideal feng shui spots for the oven.

  • When a kitchen door faces the bathroom door: 

Having the kitchen and the bathroom doors face each other is considered very bad feng shui, indeed. One does not need to know much about feng shui to intuitively understand that this is not a good set-up for a healthy home.

When two doors are opposite each other, the feng shui energies flow very fast in and out of the spaces that are guarded by the doors. This is why another direct door alignment – the front door aligned with the back door – is also considered bad feng shui.

What you have in the case of a bathroom door facing the kitchen door is the energies of the bathroom (release, purification, letting go, etc) mingling with the precious energies of the kitchen (nourishment, cooking, warmth, love & support).

In practical terms, you have the undesirable odors from the bathroom affecting the energy of the kitchen, which is the heart of the home. In more complex terms, you also have the energies of the water feng shui element of the bathroom going against the fire feng shui element of the kitchen.

It will be harder to maintain optimum health and loving communication levels in a house with this set-up, but it does not mean you cannot do your best to even slightly improve the situation.

Your goal is to create as much division as possible between the kitchen and the bathroom, and here are 5 simple feng shui tips to consider if you cannot move out or plan a renovation.

  • Always keep the bathroom door closed. This will help keep its energies from spreading into the whole home, and especially into the kitchen.
  • Be sure your bathroom is always clean and a pleasure to be in, meaning it has really good feng shui energy.
  • Find a creative way to define the boundary between the bathroom and the kitchen. For example, you can experiment with a divider screen, a tall plant or a bamboo curtain (if your kitchen has an open entryway) or have doors with no glass (if the kitchen doors have glass inserts).
  • Choose different wall paint color on the two opposing walls — the kitchen door wall and the bathroom door wall. This can work well to define and energetically separate the two areas.
  • Creating a focal point in between the two areas will draw the energies away from mingling and bring a sense of beauty. Work with big scale art and choose colors and images according to the feng shui bagua requirements for each specific area.

Once you understand what needs to be done and experiment with various solutions, you might find many more ways to improve your current situation.

If you own a home, look into the possibility of at least a minor renovation to remedy this situation. And, if you rent, you will sure be wise to avoid this set-up again! Understanding what makes a good feng shui floor plan and what is the best placement of all rooms in the house can help you make good decisions in the future.

If your kitchen is very small

The kitchen is considered the heart of the home not only in feng shui, but in many, if not all, old cultures. Feng shui wisdom adds the element of the state of your kitchen reflecting the state of your health; as well as attracting the flow of wealth and abundance into your life.

The kitchen is also a part of the very important feng shui triangle – the bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen – which is directly connected to the state of your health and well-being.

What do you do, though, when your kitchen is very small and it seems like you can never keep it clean or find enough space for all your kitchen supplies?

If you have a difficult time with people putting things away and keeping it clutter free, it may mean that you have more items than your kitchen can accommodate.

Decide on the very minimum you can get away with and have “a place for everything and everything in its place”. I know this is much easier said than done, but see if you can pack some items away to improve the feng shui energy of your kitchen.

One feng shui decor element that usually works for a small kitchen is, strangely enough, to have some open display shelving. This little feng shui trick opens up a small, confined space and lightens the energy by creating a better flow.

Of course, with this comes the added issue of keeping the open shelves clutter free. It is good to know, though, that for good feng shui your whole space has to be clutter-free, be it visible or not.

You can also consider repainting the wood cupboards in a lighter color, such as white or pale butter yellow , whichever color works best with all the other elements in your kitchen (the countertops, the floors, etc.)

With a small kitchen smart lighting becomes crucial, so be sure to not limit yourself to one boring, energy draining typical ceiling fixture. Experiment with different levels of lighting and sense the change in energy each one of them brings. For a space to have a better quality of energy, at least 2-3 layers of lighting are recommended; this is especially important for a small kitchen.

Mirrors, of course, are one of the best feng shui solutions for small spaces and are sure called the aspirin of feng shui for a good reason! Find a way to place a mirror in your kitchen so that it brings more light and visually expands the space.

Be sure to also have some fresh energy in your small kitchen, be it a small container garden with aromatic herbs, or just some fresh fruits on display.

Most of all, keep it clean and keep it simple, and find many ways to fall in love with your very small kitchen. It is definitely possible.

Feng Shui of Kitchen Plates Shapes and Colors

Round is the feng shui shape with the most flow, or harmonious movement. This is not to say that square shaped plates are bad feng shui, not at all, just different energy, slower, more grounding.

  • What colors and shapes of plates should I use in my kitchen for good feng shui?
  • What plates should I use in my kitchen for good feng shui?
  • Are round dishes better feng shui than the square ones?
  • What color is best feng shui for plates, or does it depend on the kitchen location?

This is an interesting kitchen feng shui question, but I have to start with this: there are really no shoulds in good and successful feng shui applications.

It is always best to go with what you love and are drawn to.

This especially applies to your kitchen and your bedroom, as both places, feng shui-wise, are directly connected to your well-being; and only you know what makes you feel happy and nourished. Start with your own preferences, then see how they compare with the general feng shui guidelines.

In the course of understanding deeper levels of feng shui, you may feel drawn to make subtle (or not so subtle!) adjustments to your feng shui choices, but first always be guided by your feelings.

So, to answer your question with another question I would ask: “What plates do you like the most in your kitchen? What colors are you drawn to the most while dining?”

Personally, I use white plates, mostly round ones. I think white color it is the best energy foundation for the beauty and nourishment of the food that is served on these plates. You will also notice that good restaurants always use white plates.

To me, a clean white plate is like a fresh canvas waiting for the next masterpiece.

Round is the shape that has the most flow or harmonious movement, thus a fresh energy most suited to maintain, present and enjoy food. This is not to say that square shaped plates are bad feng shui, just a different energy that is slower and more grounding.

I guess one could say that square shaped plates make you slow down more.

Color-wise, I would say the best choice would be based on your personal preference, unless you have a big collection of dishes on display. In this case, you would like to have colors appropriate for your kitchen decor scheme, as well as for the bagua area the kitchen is located in.

Generally, blue is a good color for dishes when one is trying to lose weight; while red, orange and yellow will stimulate the appetite.

Herb Garden Tips for Feng Shui Kitchens

If you love your fresh herbs, I know you will find the best feng shui spot for the little herb garden in your kitchen. Best containers are of the earth feng shui element – try to avoid metal or plastic containers.

One of my most favorite ways to create great energy in my kitchen is with aromatic herbs.

Creating your own little herb gardens can be a really enjoyable process with numerous benefits. I enjoy cooking, so the smell of fresh herbs in the kitchen is heaven for me (great feng shui!)

I love the energy that fresh herbs bring into the kitchen.

Basil, rosemary, thyme, mint and lavender are my all-time favorites, but I also try to include something new every year. Check the 5 best herbs for a cook’s container garden for some great tips.

The vibrant, alive energy of herbs connects you to what matters the most – the simple, the good things in life. It’s a reminder of the nourishing power of the earth in all its beauty.

Growing Herbs in the Kitchen

If you want to enjoy a continuous supply of garden-fresh herbs in your own kitchen, keep these tips in mind.

  • Choose plants carefully.

Opt for small-leaved herb varieties when possible, as they do the best indoors. In basil, for instance, you’ll find Fino verde, which has half-inch leaves. Some herbs naturally have small foliage, like oregano.

  • Where to get the plants?

Buy established herb plants in the nursery or via mail-order, or grow your own from seeds or cuttings. You can grow basil year-round by periodically letting older plants go to seed and then scattering the seeds in the pot. To grow mint, use root cuttings.

Start herbs from seed in a soil-less potting mix in a warm location. Hasten germination and get the plants off to a good start by growing them on a seedling heat mat. Once the herbs reach two inches high, take them off the heat and repot them in regular potting soil.

  • Provide plenty of light.

Most herbs grow best in a bright location, such as near an unobstructed southern window. Eastern and northern windows can also work, if you provide supplemental light from full-spectrum lighting. Western windows receive afternoon sun, but get warm and may burn foliage, especially in the summer months.

If your kitchen is windowless, grow herbs in a hydroponic growing system that comes with its own special lighting.

  • Ensure air-circulation and cool conditions.

Herbs grown in stuffy, warm rooms attract pests like scale insects and mealybugs, and they grow weak and spindly.

“Herbs don’t like it warm in winter, even if you do, so place them in cool areas, such as on windowsills,” says Denise Schreiber, greenhouse manager for Allegheny County Parks in Pittsburgh and author of Eat Your Roses. “Air circulation is also necessary,” she says. “Locate the herbs near an overhead fan or in an area of the kitchen that receives air movement from another room.” Cracking windows open occasionally also helps.

  • Watch watering.

Avoid overwatering your indoor herb garden or letting pots sit in trays of water, as soggy soil will quickly lead to root rot. Water when the first inch of soil dries out.

  • Rotate often.

Leggy, weak growth is a common problem with indoor herbs. Help ensure they grow straight and strong by rotating the plants once a week so that all sides receive adequate light.

  • Fertilize monthly.

Keep your herbs growing healthy and strong by feeding them on a regular basis with a half-strength solution of a well-balanced, liquid fertilizer, such as a 15-15-15.

  • Prune regularly.

Fortunately for your cooking, herbs require frequent pinching for the plants to stay bushy and healthy, so make sure to prune often. The more you pinch, the more the herbs will grow, and the tastier your cooking will be.

  • A Few Helpful Growing Tips

When buying herbs for indoor growth, it’s best to purchase plants that haven’t already been growing outside. The shock of bringing them indoors can cause trauma and affect growth and production. Remember that winter is a natural resting phase for plants, so it’s unrealistic to expect abundant growth. Try minimal watering and let them do their thing. Clipping them regularly will promote further growth so clip away—remember, you’re growing them to use!

A common mistake is to plant all herbs in one container. This inhibits growth and in the case of an invasive herb, you’ll likely witness an herbal blitzkrieg in your container, so plant each herb in its own container. Containers should have ample drainage holes in the bottom and since herbs can be susceptible to fungus, allow them to breathe by using terracotta pots, no smaller than six inches in diameter. To allow further ventilation, place pots in a container of small pebbles.

Always use a high-quality organic potting soil that contains vermiculite or perlite for adequate drainage. Avoid using soil from the outside, as it contains organisms that are controlled by the outdoor environment. Rosemary, thyme, and basil prefer soil with more lime, so adding a spoonful of crushed eggshells to the soil is beneficial. Though herbs are hearty, they do like to be fed once in a while—especially when growing in limited pot space. Herbs are grown for their leaves not for their flowers, so any fertilizer you give them should promote leaf growth, not blooms. One of the easiest ways to feed your herbs is to add one tablespoon of fish emulsion to a gallon of water and use this every time you water.

Water the herbs at the base, where the stem meets the soil—don’t water the leaves. Water once and let the water drain completely through, then repeat. How often your herbs need to be watered is a matter of watching and learning to read each individual plant. A good rule of thumb is to let the soil dry between waterings. Remember, one of the biggest mistakes in watering herbs is over-watering them; herbs don’t require as much water as a typical houseplant. If you see leaves turning yellow, this is the first sign of over-watering.

If your herbs require supplemental light, clamp-on reflector lights with fluorescent bulbs work best. Clamp the lights to the pot, four to six inches away from the plant. If you see brown spots on the plant, this is a sign of burning and the lights either could be too close or may have been used for too long.

With winter approaching, there’s no need to go without fresh ingredients for warm stews, soups, and herbed crusts and breads. And now is the right time to start growing herbs for any Thanksgiving cooking you may have in store. With minimal space and perhaps some artificial light, a winter garden could provide plenty of fresh winter fare.

The Easiest Herbs to Grow Indoors

If you love your fresh herbs, I know you will find the best feng shui spot for the little herb garden in your kitchen. Be mindful of the containers you use – the best containers are made of earthenware and bring the earth feng shui element; try to avoid metal or plastic containers.

Good luck in creating an aromatic herb garden in your very own kitchen!

  • Lemongrass

Technically, you don’t even grow lemongrass, in that it’s not planted in soil, making this one incredibly easy herb to keep in the house. When buying a stalk at your local market, look for plenty of stem and make sure the base is intact. Trim the top and place the stalk in a couple inches of water. The stalk will produce roots and dozens of new shoots.

  • Chives

These are one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors, as they do not require much light and are prolific in their production. Chives are easiest to start from an already-established plant. Just pull up a bunch from the established plant (including the roots), place it in a small pot half-full of potting soil, then cover the roots up to the crowns with more potting soil. Cut about one-third of growth off the top to stimulate new growth.

  • Mint

Both spearmint and peppermint literally grow like weeds. They’re both very hearty and very invasive, meaning that they can quickly choke out other herbs. Keep in mind that a lot of spearmint is required to produce the same minty effect as peppermint, so if you’re growing it indoors, where space is limited and harvesting is frequent, peppermint is the better option. Start your peppermint plant with seeds—not root or leaf cuttings—in a small pot full of potting soil. Peppermint will thrive in shade, but make sure it’s in a spot where it gets at least a little bit of light each day.

  • Parsley

Parsley is one of the most commonly used herbs and is very easy to grow, though the seeds can be difficult to germinate and may take up to two weeks to see results. The good news is it doesn’t require much light or maintenance once you get it started. Keep in mind, though, that this plant is a fairly slow grower, so initial clippings will not harvest a lot.

  • Vietnamese Coriander

Coriander is the seed of the cilantro herb. This particular version of coriander is easier to grow than regular coriander, as it’s very hearty and very reliable.

  • Oregano

The Greek variety of oregano is easiest to grow; however all oregano requires six to eight hours of sunlight per day, so a well-lit window—particularly one with southwestern sun exposure—is best.

  • Thyme

This is another herb that requires six to eight hours of sunlight per day, and it may even need supplemental light. My favorite is lemon thyme, which can be used in place of regular thyme and has a unique citrus-like flavor and isn’t nearly as easy to find as other varieties in stores.

  • Rosemary

This herb is very easily over-watered. It prefers to remain on the dry side and does not need particularly rich soil. Several varieties are available; some are bush-like and some are more of a creeping plant. Choose an upright variety like Tuscan Blue or Blue Spire. These will remain more compact, making them a better choice for indoor growing.

  • Basil

This is a favorite to use when cooking. However, this herb is one of the most difficult to grow, especially indoors during the winter months. The best varieties for indoor growth are the Spicy Globe or African Blue. The African blue won’t have the wide, bright-green leaves you may be used to seeing in grocery stores; it’s similar to Thai basil with its narrower leaves and bluish-purple stalks.

A gallery of ideas:

Here are a bunch of ideas for nifty kitchen garden containers:

How Can I Feel the Feng Shui Energy?

Good feng shui energy is all around you, it comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes. Basically, you can test the quality of any given energy by the way it feels. You know the feng shui energy is good when you test it with the basic question: does it feel good?

A room does not necessarily have to look perfect in order to have good feng shui energy. No amount of wind chimes, fountains or lucky bamboo plants will bring good energy if the overall good feel of the room is missing.

Creating Good Energy In The Kitchen

Now let’s focus on your kitchen, as this is an ultra important space for your home, as well as for your own well-being, of course! A house with a happy kitchen is a happy house indeed! The kitchen was always considered the heart of the home in all ancient cultures, and feng shui, being an ancient art, is no exception to this rule!

Good feng shui in the kitchen is as important as good feng shui in your bedroom, and for the same obvious reasons – your body is deeply connected to the energy of your kitchen.

There are many ways you can improve the quality of feng shui vibes in your kitchen. It starts with the basics of a clean kitchen with a good flow of air and lots of natural light. Then you can go deeper and find out which bagua area your kitchen is located in so that you can strengthen its feng shui.

Feng shui-wise, the best bagua areas for the wood element of the herbs are East, Southeast and South, but the very first criteria would be the energy flow in your kitchen, including the natural light.

Feng Shui Tips for A Soulful Kitchen

Feng shui in the kitchen is a fascinating topic with almost never-ending options and possibilities in creating good energy in this special area of your home. Of course, in feng shui-ing your kitchen you always start with the basics – clean, clutter clear, follow the logical flow – and then move on to a bit more advanced feng shui levels.

However, what I keep noticing in my feng shui practice is many kitchens with a predominant energy of coldness.

Kitchens that visually look absolutely gorgeous and shine with the latest appliances, but have a very distinct feng shui energy of coldness.

It is very sad if you think about it, as your kitchen is the last place in your home where you would want cold energy.

Actually, no place in your home wants cold energy. Not really, (other than your fridge, of course!) Fire and nourishment are the keywords for a good feng shui kitchen, and soulfulness and warmth are the absolute components to make it work.

Ancient people considered kitchen to be the heart of the home and the keeper of the soul of the space. In many areas, images of special gods/deities are placed in the kitchen and asked to look over the well-being of the family. In feng shui, there is even a deity called the Kitchen God that is much feared amd respected (in traditional feng shui applications).

Now, we kind of think the same about the kitchen.

But mostly in terms of “must-have” latest appliances, gadgets and a seamless look – one might wonder from looking at many home decor magazines if this is a kitchen or a clinical room. We have lost the feeling of the soul of the home and the magic that is created in the kitchen.

If we are to get in touch with it again, to invite it back into our homes and our lives – feng shui wisdom suggest you spend some time re-creating your kitchen.

Ask yourself:

  • How does your kitchen feel?
  • How does your kitchen smell?
  • What is it telling you in the morning?
  • And at night?

Experiment with many easy feng shui ways to shift the energy in your kitchen – be it with better lighting, warmer colors or mouth-watering kitchen art. Bring some fresh herbs into your kitchen, display fresh fruits, water bottles, etc, make your kitchen alive with energy.

Use feng shui kitchen tips to invite the energy of soulful nourishment and joy back into your home. Explore the use of colors, shapes, scents, etc, explore and play with them in a creative way. It is your kitchen and it is deeply connected to the quality of your health and your overall well-being.

After all, a home without a soul is not a home, really. Just a structure waiting for more, waiting for a bigger purpose to be revealed. Help your home find that soulful purpose. You will be the one to greatly benefit from it.

Sources:

Colorizing the Kitchen

Home decor is often viewed as simply a matter of aesthetics — what looks attractive. But proponents of color psychology believe that the colors you use to decorate your home can have a profound effect on the emotional well-being of you and your family.

“Color is a universal, nonverbal language, and we all intuitively know how to speak it,” says Leslie Harrington, a color consultant in Old Greenwich, Conn. and a noted expert on the use of color in residential and industrial decor. “What color you paint your walls isn’t just a matter of aesthetics. It’s a tool that can be leveraged to affect emotions and behavior.”

Color consultants say that if you have fond memories of spending time in the kitchen when you were a kid, it might make sense to recreate the color scheme in your grown-up kitchen. “If you grew up in a blue-and-white kitchen and have great memories, blue and white may be the best colors for you and your family,” says Smith.

If there’s no particular paint scheme you remember fondly, reds and yellows can be great colors in the kitchen as well as in the living room and foyer. But watch out if you’re watching your weight: in addition to stimulating conversation, color consultants say that red may prompt you to eat more, if only subtly. “If you’re on a diet, you might want to keep red out of the kitchen,” Harrington says, adding that the restaurant industry has long recognized the appetite-stimulating power of red decor.

The Best Paint Colors for Every Type of Kitchen

Painting your kitchen walls is one of the quickest, and easiest ways to re-do a kitchen. Before you rush out and buy gallons of paint, think carefully about what your dream kitchen looks like. Experts agree that it’s not just the color on the walls that determine how a kitchen looks and feels. How the wall paint color relates to the cabinetry, countertops, tiles, molding, appliances, lighting and flooring is very important.

Before you buy paint, test sample swatches on your walls and observe how the colors look at various times during the day and evening. Bring all your color influencers into the room so you can see how the paint looks with all the various elements.

Paint Color Basics
  • Tip #1: Colors can change

Keep in mind that natural sunlight in the kitchen will change in intensity throughout the day. Morning light appears differently than evening light, and shadows can affect the color perception. Color is essentially light – how we perceive a color depends greatly on how light is reflecting off of that color. There is a term used to describe this color-changing experience: illuminant metameric failure. It simply means that two colors may look similar in one light condition but might not match in another. So understanding the light patterns in your kitchen, and knowing what other colors will be going into the kitchen, is incredibly important.

  • Tip #2: Select your paint color at home

Don’t choose a paint color while standing in the paint store aisle. Bring home actual paint samples (many brands offer small sample jars) that you can apply to your walls. Paint these swatches next to cabinetry, flooring, countertops and any fabrics you plan on using in the space. Observe how the paint changes during the day and notice if any of your other kitchen materials are affected by light hitting the paint and reflecting onto the surface. For example, a strong red wall color may, at certain times of the day, reflect a pink hue onto white cabinetry or flooring.

  • Tip #3: Warm colors work

There’s a reason we see a lot of warm, earthy tones in the kitchen. Kitchens harken back the days of open fires and slow roasted foods. Studies have shown that our appetites increase when we see red or orange colors. Although warm hues may be a popular choice for kitchens, it doesn’t mean you have to ignore blues and greens. Pair cool tones with warm neutrals like a warm gray or warm orange. You’ll be surprised how mixing the palette can create the kitchen of your dreams.

  • Tip #4: Paint isn’t just for walls

Don’t forget that paint can be used on a variety of kitchen elements: cabinets, tables, chairs and other decorative objects. If your favorite paint color won’t work on the walls, try using it on a piece of furniture instead. Vintage pieces or new pieces can be painted (or spray painted). Test the underside or backside first to make sure you’ve selected the right type of paint for your project.

Best Colors For:

  • Northern Exposure:

Northern light is cool, indirect, and even in appearance, making it the preferred light of artists and painters. Light from northern exposure won’t shift as much throughout the day, so expect a more even color tone in the room. The cooler sunrays will enhance cooler colors like blues and greens. Even cool tones of white will look good in northern light.

  • Southern Exposure:

Southern light is stronger, more direct and tends to shift throughout the day. This might make your paint colors look very different at different times. You might notice that the strong sunlight makes paint colors reflect onto nearby surfaces. Kitchens with a southern exposure can do well with all walls being painted with the same color but keep in mind that during the day, each wall might appear to be a different shade. As the warm light will draw out warmth in the color, choose earthy colors.

  • Eastern Exposure:

An eastern exposure kitchen will have strong sunlight first thing in the morning and lots of shade in the afternoon. Expect shadowing throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. You can play up the effect of the sun by having a kitchen with contrasting colors. Think light cabinets and darker walls.

  • Western Exposure:

Kitchens facing west will have strong sunlight in the afternoon and into the early evening. Dark colors will help absorb excessive light (and heat). Combine strong cabinet colors with a lighter tone like Ivory Brown. Light cabinets might do well with an offset color.

  • No Windows:

A windowless kitchen will need to rely on artificial light. The best kitchen will have a combination of task lighting, overhead light and ambient light and the types of bulbs you use will greatly influence the type of light. Incandescent and halogen bulbs cast warmer, more yellow, tones. These bulbs will bring out warmer hues and cast a warm glow in the room. Fluorescent or cooler bulbs will cast a blue or green hue into the space. Try a neutral blue.

  • Tiny Kitchen:

You don’t have to steer away from dark colors in a small kitchen. In fact, having a mix of contrasting colors can help the kitchen feel larger. Depending on your cabinet color, a strong paint like Rapture (4001-6B) has enough blue and red, as well as gray, to make it work with a variety of other colors. Adding rows of shelving and utilizing the kitchen’s vertical space can help break up the paint while maximizing storage.

  • Open Floor Plan:

Open kitchens, with nearby dining rooms or family rooms, will need to be color-conscious when it comes to walls. Not only will your paint color need to match the kitchen elements, you’ll want to make sure that it coordinates with the other rooms as well. When selecting a color, try a gray-infused neutral that will go with a variety of color palettes.

  • Lots Of Wood Cabinets:

If you have a lot of wood cabinetry in your kitchen you’ll want to be smart about your color selection. Do you want the cabinetry to disappear? Try a paint color that is a shade or two lighter than the cabinets. Do you want to compliment the wood and show it off? Find a paint color from a different palette that has complimentary tones.

  • Outdated Countertops:

If all you can afford to do is repaint your walls, don’t worry. Paint can help downplay or distract from any unattractive features in the kitchen. Colors that dominate, or play up your favorite color, will do well. Consider painting three of the walls the same color as the cabinets (to hide them) and use the fourth wall as a strong accent color.

  • Stainless Steel Appliances:

Stainless steel appliances have a cool, but gray, appearance, making them a good neutral for the kitchen. However, kitchens with too much stainless steel in the kitchen run the risk of looking cold and utilitarian. Offset the cold by introducing a warm color.

  • Black Appliances:

Black appliances, like stainless steel, can look cold and dark. In some kitchens they may appear like black holes within the space. So balancing these strong elements is key for the kitchen. Depending upon the cabinet colors, a warm brown can create a sophisticated look next to black.

  • If You Rent:

The best reason for using a neutral paint color on the wall of a rental is that it will be much easier to paint over once you move out. But neutrals don’t have to be boring. If you prefer cool tones, a gray-blue color will work with nearly any color scheme. Warm neutrals will also work well.

  • If You Have A Dark Backsplash:

Do you want your backsplash to stand out or disappear? If you want it to stand out, then choose a much lighter color. Some black backsplashes can pair well with similar dark colors.

  • If You Have A Light Backsplash:

Light backsplashes, like white or cream, can work well with a variety of paint colors. A bright chalk white will really show off the veining in white marble, for example. Sophisticated grays can also be a great compliment to light colors. Be careful about really dark colors next to white – the color may reflect onto the surface and change the color to one you don’t want.

  • If Your Kitchen Also Functions As An Entryway:

If your kitchen serves as the main entry to the home, you’ll want to be less conscious of the color and more aware of the type of paint you use. Be sure you select a paint designed for heavy traffic and can easily wipe down, like a semi-gloss finish. Texture is important too. A smooth wall will show marks faster than a more textured one.

Idea Gallery

This is a gallery of a wide variety of kitchen styles and colors for ideas and inspiration:

Sources:

For A Well Organized Kitchen

Now that we’ve completed Feng Shui in the bathroom, I think it might be a good idea to head on into the kitchen and make sure it’s ready for all the cool stuff we’re going to make for our luxuriously delicious baths.

And even if you aren’t planning to make a bunch of cool bath products, a well-organized kitchen will help you cook as efficiently as possible and waste less food. Here are 10 great tips for organizing the heart of your home.

  • Declutter Your Kitchen

Decluttering is the first step to organizing any room, and kitchens tend to have more unique kinds of clutter than other rooms: ice cream makers and other wedding-registry items, gadgets you were suckered into buying from TV infomercials, useless knife sets, and so on.Weed out the kitchen tools you never use, reevaluate whether you really need more than the essential kitchen items in your kitchen, get rid of the bulk spices that have already expired, reboot a junk food-filled pantry, and use up food in your freezer at least twice a year.

It’s easy to tell when you need to purge a few items from your kitchen—the overflowing drawers will tip you off to that. What’s harder is knowing what should stay and what should go. Unlike other rooms in your home, most things in the kitchen actually have a function and therefore feel like they should remain on hand (even when they’re jammed in the back of your cupboards). To begin your purge, Hello Kitchen recommends that you:

  1. Lay a queen-size quilt on the floor, somewhere near your kitchen (move some furniture if necessary).
  2. Referencing the list below, remove items from your kitchen one by one, coloring in each circle as you go. Place the items on the quilt.

The idea behind placing things on a queen size quilt is that the remaining items should all be things that can now be donated or given away.

This checklist can help you decide which kitchen tools to purge or not.

You can grab the free, printable PDF (kitchen_clean_out) from Hello Kitchen to get started on your kitchen audit. Just click on the link, and then click on the attachment to open the PDF file.  Or, follow this link: How To Declutter Your Kitchen.

And just in case you want to be sure that you really do keep everything you might need, scroll down to the bottom of this post for a list of the top 5 must have tools for any kitchen

  • Opt for Space-Saving, Uniform, See-Through Containers

One of the main contributors to kitchen chaos: Mountains of mismatched food storage containers. You only need a few types of food storage containers to maximize the amount of space you have in your cupboards. We prefer square or rectangular containers that stack up well. If possible, use containers that can go from fridge to microwave to dinner table to dishwasher. We also recommend organizing your spices with cleanly labeled, identical containers, perhaps on a magnetic spice rack or arranged in jars in a drawer with the tops labeled for easy identification.

  • Make Use of the Back of Your Cabinet Doors

The inside of your cabinet door is wasted space. Instead of leaving that surface blank, organize your measuring cups and spoons there, store pot covers on the back with inexpensive hooks, build a knife block into the back of the door, hold cutting boards in a magazine rack on the door, and pretty much mount anything to the back for easy access. You can also just paint the inside of the doors with blackboard or whiteboard paint to keep a running grocery list and weekly meal plan.

  • Create Sections with Tension Rods

Tension rods are a surprisingly awesome organization tool throughout the kitchen. You can use it for hidden paper towel storage, organizing cleaning bottles under the sink, creating an extra shelf for spices, and creating pantry dividers or lid organizers in drawers.

  • Get Rid of Wasted Dead Space

Got a kitchen with awkward, unusable spaces? Yeah, me too. If you have trouble seeing or reaching items at the back of a space, such as the cabinet under the sink, the inner depths of your fridge, or the corner of your pantry, a Lazy Susan could help. For that weird space between your fridge and the wall next to it, build a roll-out pantry or a sliding spice rack (you might be able to use an IKEA shelf to create your own). If you’re desperate for more space in your kitchen, turn those false drawers in your kitchen into usable storage space. You can also create a secret toekick drawer at the bottom of a kitchen cabinet on the cheap.

  • On The Fly Kitchen Organizers

Here we have a number of ideas for kitchen organizers that you may not have thought of. I didn’t include the tutorials, because I think they are easy enough to figure out:

  • Know Which Foods Go in the Fridge, Freezer, or Pantry

Part of having an organized kitchen is having your ingredients stored properly. It wastes less food and it makes it easier to inventory what you have before you go grocery shopping. Here are our general guidelines for storing foods so they last longer in the fridge or freezer and which foods you don’t need to refrigerate. Don’t want to memorize them? Print out these charts and hang on your fridge to keep track of your food inventory and also know when foods are about to expire. Likewise, this graphic illustrates how long essential pantry foods will last.

  •  Store Food in the Fridge Properly

It’s not just a matter of keeping foods in or out of the fridge, however. Within the refrigerator there are ideal spots for different types of foods. Dairy, for example, is best kept on the upper shelf where the temperature is most constant, while meat should be in the bottom of the fridge, where it’s coldest and any leaks wouldn’t contaminate other foods. Check out more fridge storage guidelines here or this infographic.

 

You might also want to organize your fridge with a first-in-first-out (FIFO) method, like grocery stores do or use an “eat me first box” in your fridge to make sure you don’t waste food.

  • Maximize Pantry Space So You Can See and Reach Everything

Out of sight really is out of mind when it comes to food storage. In the cupboard and pantry, make sure you can see and reach everything with things like stacking shelves, Lazy Susans, and clear storage containers. You can also group items in your pantry by meal (e.g., pastas next to tomato sauces) so you remember what to cook. For hard-to-stack cans of food, create a can holder using a magazine rack or organize canned goods in your cabinet with a closet rack. The back of your pantry door is a perfect spot to hang an over-the-door shoe holder to gather snacks, seasoning mixes, and more.

  • Create Kitchen Work Zones

You’ve probably heard about the kitchen work triangle, the triangular layout between fridge, oven, and sink that makes it easy for a cook to move about the kitchen. Whether or not your kitchen conforms to this ideal, it’s helpful to think of your kitchen in terms of work zones: food storage, dishware storage, cleanup (sink and dishwasher), prep, and cooking zone. Store items according to their related zone. If you tend to have more than one person cooking the meal with you, you might create a second prep zone. Alternatively, you might want to add a baking zone or other specialty zones so everything is organized and kept in the proper places.

  • Store Items Logically

That leads us to the last and most important point: Have a place for everything and everything in its place. Julia Child’s kitchen had a place for everything, with pots and pans hung on pegboards with their outlines drawn around them so she could put everything back in its place. Items you use most often should be easiest to reach, while you can put items you hardly use (e.g., turkey carving tools) higher up in the cabinets. Group your items next to the tools you use most with them (e.g., can opener by the cupboard you store cans in, baking ingredients with the baking pans).

For Maximum Cooking and Cleaning Efficiency

Whether you’ve just moved into a new space, are settling into a summer rental, or are just frustrated with your kitchen, here are some ideas to help you arrange your kitchen for maximum cooking and cleaning efficiency that will making mucking about in the space a lot more fun.

  • Start with what you have:

You may love them, you may hate them, but unless you’ve got the money for a full scale renovation, your sink, stove and refrigerator aren’t going anywhere. Their position will dictate where everything else goes. Cleaning them up inside and out, can go a long way towards making them presentable.

  • Create stations:

Taking a cue from restaurant kitchens, mentally assign stations for all of the tasks that you do in your kitchen: cleaning, storage, prepping, cooking, putting food away. If you bake a lot, you might also want a baking station.

  • Organize items according to task:

The point is to organize the kitchen so that there’s as little unnecessary movement as possible. If, after you’ve washed the cutlery from tonight’s dinner at the sink, putting it away means walking across the kitchen to do so, chances are it will never get put away, no matter how pretty the cutlery drawer organizer is.

Move things around so that what you need is in arm’s reach: Cutlery and dishes should be near the sink; spices and cooking implements, whether rubber spatula or skillet, should be near the stove; put knives and chopping boards near your prep area; store sugar, flour, rolling pins, cookie sheets and standing mixer near your baking area.

  • Out of reach:

Put things you rarely use — the turkey platter you pull out at Thanksgiving, the holiday-themed cookie cutters — higher up or lower down. Having to get on a ladder, or even bend your knees, means you’ll use something less frequently.

  • If necessary, buy two:

I use cinnamon for cooking and for baking, so I’ve got one canister near the stove and one in my baking area. While I’m not suggesting you buy two food prep machines, consider doubling up on little items like spices and spatulas.

  • Merchandise your storage:

Yes, I confess, my kitchen is always ready for its close up. I like my kitchen organized, I also like it pretty. Arranging items by size and color as well as by how often you use them can go a long way towards making your time in this room pleasant.

  • Pretty but also useful:

If the canister that you use to store flour is hard to open, it’s not useful. Before you buy something, try it out in the store and consider how you’ll use it. Does it feel substantial in your hand but also light enough that it’s easy to use? Can you open a container with one hand? I’ve removed rubber sealant rings from many a flour container in order to make them easier to open.

  • Stick with the place you’ve given for things:

With everything in my kitchen assigned a spot, it’s easy to see what I have and what’s missing. With a quick glance into my refrigerator, I can tell that I’m out of butter or milk or low on veggies. Since I always keep these things in the same place, a glance at my kitchen cupboards tells me I’m out of glasses and I’d better get washing!

An efficient set up based on what type of cooking you do can be very helpful.

For the Daily Cook

For you, an efficient setup is all about access and speed―quick in, quick out.

  • The Strategies

Keep necessities within easy reach to save time. Make a place in the zone around the stove and the sink for essentials: oil, vinegar, knives, cutting board. Put ingredients and tools near where you will be using them: Keep the basket of garlic near the cutting board, sugar and flour near the stand mixer, and your best-loved pan on the front burner.

Use under-cabinet space and exposed shelving. A battery-operated under-cabinet lighting strip won’t dangle a cord or steal an outlet from the microwave, while an under-shelf cookbook holder pulls down when you need it and folds back up when you don’t. Things get lost on deep shelves. Put them in baskets that you can pull out and inspect at eye level.

Put the walls to work. Hang racks or pegs to keep utensils, pot holders, and dish towels in sight. Oversize Post-it notes or hanging rolls of paper (found at stationery and art-supply stores) are useful for reminders.

Make recycling efficient, too. Streamline end-of-meal cleanup by putting a bin for bottles and cans next to the one for regular trash (pull-out recycler, instead of out in the garage or in the mudroom.

For the Sunday Cook

When you’re too busy to cook, one weekend session―making dinners to freeze―reduces daily stress. Your kitchen setup should facilitate that.

  • The Strategies

Keep essentials front and center. Stackable storage containers, large plastic mixing bowls, and other tools left on the counter won’t be in the way during the week and will be ready to go on Sunday.

Invest in equipment. A food sealer is just the thing for turning blanched green beans, fish fillets, and muffins into future instant meals. A scale is useful for weighing ingredients, which some cooks consider a faster and more reliable way to measure for bulk recipes. A calculator speeds the doubling and tripling of recipes.

Organize the freezer. When food items get crammed in willy-nilly, you won’t know what you have on hand. Instead, make designated sections (prepared meals, vegetables, desserts). Use dividers, baskets, or multilayer ice caddies to keep containers neat and accessible. And be sure to label everything with both what’s in the container, and when you cooked it up.

For the Come-on-in Cook

You like to share conversation―and kitchen prep―with a friend, a mate, your kids. Your goal: to arrange things so that two (or five) can work as efficiently as one.

  • The Strategies

Make things easy for helpers to find. Bring things into the open with a wall-mounted utensil rack. Rachel Siegel, owner of Spruce, an organizing company in Berkeley, California, suggests storing tools by function.

Create parallel work stations. Set up separate work areas with equal access to commonly used tools and ingredients. A trash bin with a wide foot pedal can be moved about easily to serve cooks on both sides of an island or a counter.

Make the room kid-friendly. Create a zone where kids will feel welcome to help or just visit. For safety, move cleaning products and knives to adult heights. Stock up on kitchen tools made for kids and plastic bowls. Twin cutting boards let you chop the onions on your side of the island while your friend preps the apples on hers.

For the Entertainer

If you’re a cook who enjoys an audience, all the kitchen’s a stage. Create an illusion of effortlessness that belies a tightly organized support system.

  • The Strategies

Set a mood. Clear vases of fresh herbs or beautiful bowls of picture-perfect produce will whet guests’ appetites. Install a dimmer to bring down the lighting, and if you entertain regularly, consider built-in speakers to keep the music flowing through the kitchen.

Use glass cupboard doors for display. Use glass-front cabinets to showcase what you love most, whether it’s your best china, an antique-pitcher collection, or even canisters filled with pastas in different shapes and colors.

Keep party gear handy. Create a place for platters and trays―with tray dividers to maintain order―so you don’t have to hunt for them. Give candles, place mats, and other table toppers a dedicated drawer. Use an index-card box to store recipes, past menus, friends’ food preferences, or wine labels. (Soak a bottle to remove the label, let it dry, paste it onto an index card, and jot down tasting notes.)

Five Must-Have Tools for Any Kitchen

Here are five kitchen-related things you really need and how to use them efficiently. These items do not represent  everything you’ll need for all your cooking, in any kitchen, for every recipe, throughout your entire life. What we’re listing here are five core purchases that any kitchen should have, along with the best advice we’ve seen on how to get the most for your money out of them.

The tips and research for these items are pulled from one editor’s experience growing from a single dude who calls his mom to make mashed potatoes to a fairly reliable home cook who makes the big dinners, along with a few great reads:

  • Three decent knives, sharpener for two of them

If we were crazed minimalists, we’d say you only truly need an eight-inch, plastic-handled stainless alloy chef’s knife, one you can find at a restaurant supply store for $10 (more on that later). You should test out any chef’s knife you’re looking at, and consider santoku-shaped blades if you do a lot of mincing or fine chopping. The key is making sure any knife feels right in your hand. The handle and weight in your hand are just as important as the blade, since proper use and sharpening should take care of that. Other than that, a sharp, sturdy paring knife and a cheap-as-you-can-get serrated bread knife have you covered for everything else. Skip the boning/fileting and utility knives, because you definitely don’t filet fish or slice giant mozzarella wheels that often.

How do you keep your knife sharp? Popular Mechanics has a good two-paragraph primer. Using a two-sided sharpening stone:

Lubricate the coarse side of the stone with mineral oil or water; then push the blade (at a 22- to 25-degree angle) across in a sweeping motion, like you’re cutting a thin slice off the stone. “Flip the knife and work the other side until a slight burr forms along the edge,” Montagno says. “Switch to the fine side of the stone, lift the blade to a slightly higher angle and hone off the burr to create a razor-sharp micro bevel.”

Obviously you can skip this process with the serrated bread knife, which can probably cut through loaves of bread long after you’re dead.

  • Five pots and pans

How you save money here depends on how you cook. Unless you make a lot of meat dishes with reduction sauces containing browned bits, you really need just one cheap medium-sized nonstick skillet for your day-to-day cooking, small and larger-sized metal saucepan, a pasta-sized pot with a lid, and one serious, large (12- or 14-inch) steel pan with steep sides for your grander culinary ambitions, stir-frys, and bigger meat meals. We’re serious on the nonstick skillet being cheap, if safe-looking, because even the most expensive kind inevitably flake off, chip, and lose their egg-repelling properties over time.

Note: We don’t intend to imply you should completely cheap out on your pots and pans. Good cast iron pans, treated well, can last a lifetime. We’re just suggesting the multi-piece sets with every single size of pan, pot, and boiler, with three different lids, aren’t really necessary for cooking.

Everything else? That’s where it gets discretionary. One doesn’t spend three months’ salary at Sears to make sure they’ve got every tool for any imaginable home project, but instead builds a tool set over time. Roasting pans, springform cake pans, loaf pans, double boilers—try to borrow them for rare occasions, make do with makeshift versions, or possibly get lucky at your local Goodwill. Otherwise, another trip to the restaurant supply store is in your future.

  • A restaurant supply store, or an Asian market

If you’re thinking about buying your cookware from a store in a mall, strip or otherwise, don’t do it. Similarly, don’t buy multi-pot sets, especially the kind signed by a chef you’ve seen on television. The best value for your dollar is found at your local or regional restaurant supply store. That’s where the restaurants you recommend to friends buy their stuff, and they make their money on volume. For certain kinds of cooking hardware, Asian food markets and “trading companies” often stock a lot of really cheap goods. For recipes that require random equipment you’re not sure you might use again, they’re often the smart buy.

  • Serious instant read thermometer

You don’t have to spend a lot on this, but it’s crucial to buy quality instead of cheap. That’s spoken as someone who loves to grill, and whose wife does not like to eat on the bleeding edge of food safety.  Go too cheap and you end up with unreadable LCD screens, melted plastic, and seriously slow updates that leave your food overcooked and the chef overworked.

  • Reliable, small kitchen scale

When you’re new to stove-top cooking, you’ll want to get precise with your meat, vegetable, and starch measurements to ensure everything stays flavored in proportion. When you start dipping your toes into baking, that’s when you’ll really be glad you have a scale. The way you pack flour, the moisture in the air, and the random sizes of ingredients like eggs or fruits can seriously impact the outcome of a baking recipe—unless you’re weighing things in proportion. You don’t have to spend a lot, but you do want something digital, that holds up to 10 pounds, and which can “tare,” or set itself to zero, when you’ve got a container on it that doesn’t count in the measurement.

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Feng Shui In The Bathroom

I found this great little article about How A Bathroom Flushes Prosperity & What You Can Do About It. And I thought it was time to take a peek into our bathrooms, especially now that we are making all that wonderfully luxurious and delicious bath stuff.

Bathrooms and toilets have a really bad reputation as far as feng shui is concerned. This is because bathrooms and toilets have the tendency to drain or flush away the positive “Qi” energy of your home.

Hence, if “Qi” enters the bathroom, n rest assured that chances are it’s being flushed right out of your house and we certainly don’t want that to happen.

Since each and every part or corner of a house is related to an aspect of life, a bathroom in one particular corner or part would affect that specific area of life, and without proper precautions, will drain the luck or benefits of that aspect of life.

A bathroom in the center of your home:

A bathroom in the center of the house is usually considered bad feng shui. As the center of the house is the heart of the space in feng shui, also called the yin-yang point, you want to have it open, light and with a sense of beauty to it. Take these steps to fill your center home bathroom with good feng shui:

  • Keep the bathroom clean and tidy
  • Add art, candles or flowers to the room
  • Position several air-purifying plants in the bathroom
  • Be aware of the light quality in the room and add a dimmer switch to adjust the light if the room has no window
A bathroom facing the front door:

The reason a bathroom door facing the main door is considered bad feng shui is simple: the Universal energy, or Chi, comes into the house through the front door. If your bathroom is facing the front door, most of the good energy will escape through the bathroom, leaving little or no good feng shui energy to nourish the house. Use these practical tips to improve the potentially bad feng shui situation of a bathroom door facing your front door.

  • Keep the bathroom door closed
  • Create good feng shui in the bathroom
  • Create a focal point near the entry to direct energy away from the bathroom
  • Focus on good feng shui in the entry area to enhance the energy in the area
A bathroom in the money area:

A bathroom in the feng shui money area can certainly be a challenge. The first thing to do when you are dealing with any challenging feng shui area is to commit to keeping it very clean and orderly. There can be no good feng shui without cleanliness and order, and this especially applies to a challenging bagua area. Next, you can explore feng shui money area decorating tips and see which ones are possible to apply in your home. They include:

  • Decorate the area with lush green plants
  • Use pleasant scents, fresh flowers, and candles in the area
  • Decorate with images of natural landscapes
  • Add a water feature or mirror for good feng shui
A bathroom facing the kitchen area:

Having the kitchen and the bathroom doors face each other is very bad feng shui. You don’t need to know much about feng shui to intuitively understand that this is not a good setup for a healthy home. When two doors are opposite each other, the feng shui energies flow faster in and out of the spaces guarded by the doors. The solution is to create as much division between the two areas as possible. Use these tips:

  • Keep the bathroom door closed
  • Keep the bathroom clean and filled with good feng shui energy
  • Use a divider screen, bamboo curtain or a tall plant to define the boundary between the two rooms
  • Use different paint on the kitchen door wall and the bathroom door wall to define the areas
  • Create a focal point between the two areas
A bathroom above the bedroom area:

A bathroom located above the bedroom is not good feng shui. An important factor to consider in looking for feng shui cures is how busy the upstairs bathroom will be. Combat the bad feng shui using these tips:

  • Limit the upstairs bathroom to occasional use, such as a guest bathroom
  • Relocate the bed if it is situated directly beneath the bathroom
  • Use very light colors in the upstairs bathroom
  • Use design features on the bedroom ceiling such as crown molding or a decorative medallion around the ceiling light
A bathroom over your front door:

If you have a bathroom above your front door, it is very important to take care of its good feng shui, as the quality of energy that comes through the front door determines the quality of energy in the house. Use these tips to address the challenging feng shui of a bathroom over your front door:

  • Keep the bathroom clean and tidy
  • Strengthen the bathroom feng shui element and keep the door closed
  • Create a separation between the two spaces with a bathroom rug or deep color floor
  • Position a crystal chandelier in the main entry
  • Strengthen the feng shui of the main entrance with tall vertical elements
A bathroom under the staircase:

Stairs have a bad reputation in feng shui, although it isn’t as bad as the reputations of bathrooms. If you have a bathroom located under a staircase, you’ll need to take steps to address this challenging feng shui situation. Both areas require special attention to enhancing good feng shui.

  • Keep the stairs well lit and in good repair
  • Use light colors for the staircase
  • Position a crystal chandelier at the bottom of the staircase for good feng shui
  • Move a bathroom located under a staircase if possible
  • Keep the feng shui elements of the bathroom strong
  • Keep the door to the bathroom closed at all times
  • Decorate the bathroom in colors appropriate for its sector
A bathroom in the south-east sector:

Since South-East part of a house is related to wealth, a bathroom in this part will drain away all the money from the house; joblessness, sinking income, increasing debt and even bankruptcy are some effects of South-East bathroom

For bathrooms located in the South-East sector of your home, follow the basic recommendations for good feng shui in any bathroom. Keep the door and toilet lid closed and keep the bathroom clean and tidy. In addition, these tips can improve the feng shui of the room:

  • Position several air-purifying plants in the bathroom
  • Hang a mirror on the bathroom door (following feng shui mirror guidance)
  • Use metallic colored gold, silver or gray rugs, preferably in circular shapes
  • Hang a metallic wind chime in the area
  • Burn candles in the room frequently
A bathroom in the north-west sector:

The North-West part of the house deals with helpful people and luck from heaven, a toilet in this part will drain away all those from you. No help from anyone, backstabbing, office politics, discredit etc. are some effects of North-West bathroom.

North-West sector bathrooms should follow the basic recommendations for good feng shui. Avoid clutter and don’t position a mirror to reflect the toilet seat. Replace any leaky faucets to prevent them from flushing away money. In addition:

  • Use lush houseplants in the bathroom
  • Put a container with water in the room
  • Use a blue rug on the bathroom floor
  • Never use metallic chimes in a North-West bathroom

General Rules For Good Feng Shui in the Bathroom

A bathroom has to be somewhere in the house. Doesn’t it? The answer to that it yes, but remember, it’s vital to  minimize – or possibly eliminate – the draining or flushing of chi and the “good” from your life.

The main feng shui cure – and the most solid one – to neutralize the negative energy of a bathroom is to actually take good care of your bathroom. If you focus on creating good energy in your bathroom if you transform your bathroom into a beautiful spa – why would you need protection from its energy then?

There are any ways to create a bathroom that has a clear, fresh and nourishing energy, you just have to put some time and effort into creating good energy, and then maintaining it.

Here is a list of general bathroom tips:

  • Always keep the bathroom door closed.
  • Make sure to keep the toilet lid closed.
  • Replace any torn curtains with new ones.
  • Keep the bathroom clean, fresh and airy.
  • Use a good air freshener.
  • Make sure that the bathroom receives ample sunlight and fresh air.
  • Keep windows, ventilators and doors of bathroom clean.
  • Get the best essential aromatic oils for a relaxed bath.

If there’s a bathroom in North-East or South-West then;

  • Hang a metallic wind chime in the bathroom.
  • Make sure that there are no Chinese symbols on the chime.
  • Make sure that no one passes or sits under the wind chime.
  • Place metallic colored rugs such as gold, silver or grey; circular shaped ones must be preferred.

If there’s a bathroom in South then;

  • Hang a crystal ball in the window of the bathroom; the rainbow lights from the crystal will reduce the bad fire energy.
  • Make sure to cleanse the crystal ball as it’s going to absorb negative energy.
  • Alternatively, you can also use a crystal geode which is a rock with hollow center.
  • lace square shaped skin colored rug; you can also opt for yellow, pink or chocolate brown colored ones.

If there’s a bathroom in North then;

  • Place some lush green houseplants in the bathroom.
  • Put a square shaped rug in shades of green.

If there’s a bathroom in East or South-East then;

  • Place glitter lamps in the bathroom and make sure to turn them on for around 2-3 hours daily.
  • If glitter lamps aren’t your thing then you can light candles in the bathroom.
  • Triangular rugs in shades of red are best for such a bathroom.

If there’s a bathroom in West or North-West then;

  • Just place an urn with water in the bathroom.
  • Place blue shaded rug; if possible, get a wavy shaped one.

What to Avoid

  • Avoid clutter in the bathroom; in fact avoid it everywhere.
  • Avoid mirrors reflecting toilet seats.
  • Avoid leaking taps and faucets; replace them immediately else they’ll flush away the money.
  • Replace broken items, such as, soap dispensers, shampoo bottles etc.
  • Don’t keep old and worn-out toothbrushes in bathroom.
  • Avoid a bathroom or toilet at the center of home.
  • Avoid bathroom door facing bedroom, kitchen or dining room.
  • Avoid locating a bathroom adjacent or near to house entrance.
  • Never have a bathroom above kitchen or main door.
  • Avoid locating a bathroom or toilet under staircases.
  • Never place metallic wind chimes in North, North-West or West bathroom.
  • Never try to place metallic things in the South-East bathroom; it’ll drain away all the money from house.

Mirrors and bathroom doors:

The reason mirrors are sometimes recommended in feng shui for the bathroom door is because a mirror can make a wall or a door energetically disappear, so to speak.

A mirror also pushes the energy back; this is why, for example, it is always recommended to avoid a mirror facing the main door.

A mirror outside the bathroom door is sometimes used in feng shui as the mirror pushes the energy away from entering the bathroom, thus the energy is prevented from going down the drain. Bathrooms have a very bad reputation in feng shui, so a mirror on the bathroom door became a popular feng shui cure for it.

You have to decide for yourself if a mirror on the bathroom door is something you would like in your home decor scheme. And if it makes sense to you.

If you do love mirrors, the best place to have them is not on the bathroom door, but actually in the bathroom.

Mirrors bring the feng shui energy of the water element, and this is excellent for any bathroom as it cleanses – energetically speaking – and refreshes the stagnant and stale energy. Busy bathrooms create a lot of low or challenging energy very quickly, so instead of trying to pretend that there is no bathroom there – which is the goal of placing a mirror on the door, I suggest to actually deal with the energy of the bathroom in the first place.

Another point to consider is this: when you place a mirror on the bathroom door, you actually make the door disappear, too! And doors are very important in feng shui as energetic guardians of any given space, they create good containers for specific energies.

Sinks:

Here is a cute idea for the bathroom sink so that the energy doesn’t simply run away down the drain. Of course, the stones you use would have to be maintained so that they wouldn’t attract anything furry or green… like algae or soap scum, but it’s really a cute idea, and worth doing, if you like it!

Important points:

The first and foremost thing about feng shui cures that work is that they have to be really liked by you and make sense in your overall home decor style.

If you bring a so-called powerful feng shui cure that is supposed to work but looks totally out of sorts in your space, I assure you it will not create good feng shui for you. Maybe even quite the opposite.

Last but not least:

Lastly, I thought it might be fun to upload a gallery of really amazing and wonderful bathrooms so that we can drool, and fantasize, and dream…

Sources:

 

Stopping To Smell The Roses

One of the most powerful ways to improve your home and life is by adding plants and flowers.

Feng Shui and Flowers

Beautiful plants and flowers lift the energy of your home, bringing beautiful healthy growing chi. And the most auspicious part of plants? Flowers. They are are the yang expression of a plant.

Flowering blooms aren’t just lovely to look at, they can promote love and are regarded as symbols of good fortune and bring auspicious energy. You can use them to brighten up your home by displaying them in vases in your home. A mixed bouquet brings bright, happy yang energy to the house. Think of flowers as the way a plant smiles – and those smiles create happy feelings for you, your family, and visitors to your home.

Bear in mind, though, that dried flowers are generally regarded as dead energy, making them unsuitable for lifting chi. Here are some more important guidelines on flower feng shui.

  • Display flowers as an offering.

If you’d like to imbue fresh, spring-time or renewal energy for yourself or your home, place flowers in a vase according to the energy you wish to inspire. For healing energy, select white flowers, for love choose pink, and for wealth, display purple or gold flowers.

  • Offer flowers to those in need.

When friends or family members are ill, offer them a bouquet of white flowers, such as magnolia or lilies. If friends or family are in need of more prosperity, offer a bulb flower, such as narcissus to inspire greater wealth. Golden-colored chrysanthemum and narcissus are always a good choice, too, for promoting wealth chi, particularly when moving into a new home, beginning a new undertaking, or at the beginning of the New Year. Pink hued flowers represent fond affection and happiness and are perfect for friends and creating loving ties.

  • Singles should display peonies.

The Chinese have long held that peony flowers are the flower of romance and many a young Chinese woman displayed red peonies, the ultimate symbol of youthful love and romance. Singles who wish to marry should display a vase of peonies or a painting of the blossoms in the living room, where they represent seeking love versus in the bedroom where the flowers are a symbol of carnal love.

  • The lotus is the flower of enlightenment.

As a symbol of purity, the lotus rises from the muddy waters to bloom, symbolizing rising above the worldly problems. Buddhas are often shown seated in a lotus and the Buddhist chant Om Mani Padme Hum literally means “Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus.” As such, it’s highly regarded as a symbol of great good fortune and enlightenment. The flower represents unending success and ceaseless abundance. Display these in a vase or as a painting or figure to inspire your life and home.

  • Orchids are the career flower.

Despite their reputation as fickle flowers, orchids are quite simple to raise and bring beautiful career chi to those who display them. Purple orchids bring opportunity and success and are regarded as the most beneficial color to display. In a living room, the orchid bestows family luck and harmony.

  • Flowers to symbolize prosperity, success, and wealth.

Chrysanthemum seen so abundantly in floral shops and in fall gardens represents bumper harvests, abundant joy and a long, fruitful life. Other flowers that represent acquired wealth include bulb flowers such as narcissus, tulips, paperwhites, gladiolas, iris or lily.

  • Flowering branches represent longevity, overcoming adversity.

Whether it’s a plum, cherry, or peach branch, flowering branches because they typically bloom in winter represent overcoming obstacles. These are wonderful reminders of succeeding after difficulties and of longevity.

  • Flower cleansing baths purify and uplift.

To create essential yang chi and clear your mind and rejuvenate your body, simply bathe in a bathtub that has been sprinkled with the petals of at least five different flowers in the five colors of the five elements. There should be pink, yellow, white, blue, and green petals from flowers or herbs, like rosemary, in your bath. You may also wish to include Bach flower essential oils in your bathe to help create a beautiful aroma as well, or use fragrant flowers such as lavender, jasmine or gardenia to perfume your water. This uplifting ritual will help to infuse your body with beautiful yang energy and soothe your mind.

  • Choose color combinations carefully.

Although beautiful, red flowers are not regarded as auspicious for giving to someone who is ill and should be avoided when visiting someone sick or giving at the beginning of a relationship as the color can be overpowering and “flame out” the romance. Red peonies symbolize passionate, amorous love and can reawaken a dormant sex life for a couple when displayed in the living room.

When giving flowers in a new relationship, opt for sentimental colors such as pink or yellow or a combination of these colors. Red and white flowers should never be put together, but a rainbow of colors is always a good color option as long as all colors are represented. Purple is regarded as auspicious and harbinger of prosperous times and success, as is gold. Purple, gold and white are especially harmonious and auspicious.

Have you ever gazed at a lush and beautiful floral arrangement and wished you knew how to pull one together? Now you can. We turned to a flower pro to give us her flower arranging tips, tricks, and styling shortcuts so you’ll never have to shell out money for a store-bought bouquet ever again.

Flower Arranging 101

  1. Create a foundation with foliage. This is the framework for the arrangement. Build a pleasing, asymmetrical shape that leans on the lip of the vase and has a high point in back. Make sure it’s not too thick, so there’s room for the flowers.
  2. Add large “face” flowers, cutting stems at different lengths so some blooms nestle low and others extend. The crisscrossed foliage stems in the vase work like webbing to hold flowers where you want them. Take your time, experimenting until it looks good.
  3. Weave in wispy elements, like climbing flowering vines or ferns, in three strategic spots: up high on one side, down low (spilling out of the vase), and in the middle, as if they’ve pushed their way through a cluster of larger blooms.

Flower Arranging Tips and Tricks

  • Use opaque vases instead of glass. They hide messy stems and quietly complement flowers rather than competing with them.
  • Mimic the randomness of nature. Think asymmetry, odd numbers, and varied depth and height when arranging.
  • Don’t be afraid to cut tall flowers very short.

Playing with scale can give even a solitary bloom a lot of impact: Imagine looking down into the face of a single sunflower in a low, round bud vase.

  • Clip backyard plants to make arrangements more interesting.

Shrubbery or garden foliage, like forsythia, coleus, begonia leaves, and ivy, can add depth to a display. And don’t dismiss beautiful weeds, such as Queen Anne’s lace.

  • Opt for slender-necked vessels if you’re unsure about your skills.

Vases with smaller mouths do the work for you—holding flowers artfully without letting them plop—so even the most basic display looks gorgeous.

The Only Vases You Really Need

  • A tall, fluted column, slightly wider on top than on the bottom, holds supermarket bunches, bouquets from guests, and any long-stemmed roses that come your way. A height of about 10 inches works well.
  • A small footed urn is perfect for a centerpiece. It’s low, so it won’t interfere with dinner conversation, and it offers a nice view from above. Six inches tall by eight wide makes a statement but isn’t hard to fill.
  • A trio of bud vases in complementary shapes can work as a cluster centerpiece or be separated to showcase single gorgeous blooms. Choose one medium-height, one tall, and one squat, all with narrow mouths.

Think Outside The Box

There are a wide variety of items that make for wonderful flower holders and vases. Some of them allow for a small jar or vase to be placed inside, others are watertight enough to be used alone. I found a bunch of images that I think will give us some really great ideas:

Some of these ideas might require some expertise and more than a little thought, but they really got my creative juices going. What about you? See any that you’d like to try?

The Language of Flowers

The language of flowers, sometimes called florigraphy, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through Tussie-Mussies, an art which has a following today.

I think it might be fun to make a flower arrangement with a message, here are some ideas. Much more can be found here: The Language of Flowers, and here:  Dictionary of the Language of Flowers

  • Domestic (happiness) – Honeysuckle (Sent Monthly); Holly;
  • Encouragement – Golden Rod;
  • Excellence (unpretending excellence) – Camellia japonica;
  • Family (family union) – Pink Verbena;
  • Feeling (warmth of feeling) – Peppermint;
  • Feelings (warm feelings) – Spearmint;
  • Friendship (everlasting) – Arborvitae;
  • Friendship (lasting) – Pear Blossom;
  • Friendship (true) – Oak Leaf Geranium;
  • Fruitfulness – Hollyhock; Orange Blossoms;
  • Gay Life – Peony;
  • Gentility – Pompom Rose;
  • Gladness – Myrrh;
  • Good Luck – Camellia; Mugwort;
  • Good News – Guelder Rose (Snowball-tree);
  • Good Wishes – Sweet Basil;
  • Goodness – White Zinnia; Snowball;
  • Grace – Yellow Jasmine; Pink Rose; Multiflora Rose; China Rose;
  • Gratitude – Campanula; Canterbury Bells; Dark Pink Rose;
  • Happiness – Dandelion; Mugwort; Rose (Red and yellow together);
  • Happiness (domestic) – Honeysuckle (Sent Monthly); Holly;
  • Happiness (return of happiness) – Lily of the Valley;
  • Happiness (rural) – Tulip-tree;
  • Happy (love) – Bridal Rose;
  • Happy (marriage) – Peony;
  • Heart (light heartedness) – Shamrock;
  • Hope – Flowering Almond; Hawthorn; Iris (Fleur-de-Lis); Star of Bethlehem; Snowdrop;
  • Hope (hope in adversity) – Pine (Spruce);
  • Hope (hope in misery) – Milkweed;
  • Joy – Rose (Red and Yellow together);
  • Joy (joys to come) – Celandine;
  • Joy (of life) – Light Pink Rose;
  • Lasting (pleasure) – Everlasting Pea; Parsley;
  • Life (gay) – Peony;
  • Life (joy of ) – Light Pink Rose;
  • Life (long life) – Peach Blossom
  • Life (you’ve made my life complete) – Lily of the Valley;
  • Light heartedness – Shamrock;
  • Luck – Bells of Ireland;
  • Luck (good luck) – Camellia; Mugwort;
  • Marriage (happy) – Peony;
  • Pleasure – Red Poppy;
  • Pleasure (blissful) – Sweet Pea;
  • Prosperity – Peony; Cattail; Wheat;
  • Protection – Juniper; White Heather;
  • Success – Yellow Poppy; Palm Leaves;
  • Victory – Palm Leaves;
  • Warm (feelings) – Spearmint;
  • Warmth (warmth of feeling) – Peppermint;
  • Warmth (warmth of sentiment) – Spearmint;
  • Welcome – Mayflower;
  • Wisdom – White Mulberry; Iris (Fleur-de-Lis);
  • Wish (a wish) – Fox Glove;
  • Wishes (good) – Sweet Basil;
  • Wishes (wishes will come true) – White Heather;
  • Worth – Mignonette; Evergreen (trailing woodland plants that stay green all year);
  • Worth (worth beyond beauty) – Sweet Alyssum;

LOL… I couldn’t resist!

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Back In The Closet

Now that we’ve gotten excited about decluttering and cleaning out our closets, and it’s time to put everything back… but before we get started with that, here are a few more helpful ideas:

Paint The Closet

The closet is actually a very important “room” or space in the home. It really can make or break a home sale if there’s insufficient closet space. So, taking it one step further, when designing your closet, also keep color in mind.

For the most part when I’m at a color consultation I always ask my client if they’d like to paint their closet. The majority of the time it’s a no because after all, “why do I need color in my closet” anyway?

There are several reason why you’d want to paint your closet:

  1. It’s probably still the contractors beige or white.
  2. It’s probably a flat or matte sheen which gets dirty very easily.
  3. It looks unfinished.
  4. It’s hard to keep clean.
  5. Painting is a minor detail that will have a high impact if you have to sell your home.
  6. It will look better.
 Reasons you aren’t painting your closet:
  1. I don’t know what color to choose for my closet.
  2. I’d have to take all the shelves out or paint around them.
  3. It’s a HUGE project.
  4. No one will look inside my closet.
  5. It’s just a closet.

The best time to paint your closet of course is when you first move into your home and it’s still empty. You’ll more than likely have some type of wire shelving to paint around but it will definitely be worth it.

Now to the question – What Color  Should I Paint My Closet?

Best colors for a closet:

You may not give much thought to the inside of your closets when painting a room but paint pros say that choosing the right color and sheen will not only improve the appearance of your closet but yours as well. No more reaching into a dark closet and grabbing the navy blouse instead of the black one. Debbie Zimmer of the Paint Quality Institute has some pointers on what to consider when painting a closet.

  • An open closet.

Your best bet with a closet or storage space that’s open to the rest of the room is to paint it the same color as the room or a slightly lighter shade. That way it’s more integrated and less likely to draw attention to what’s inside.

  • Your primary closet.

You’ll want the closet where you store your wardrobe to be bright so you can actually see the color of your clothing. White or a light color are good choices. Choose a paint with a shinier sheen such as semi-gloss, which will reflect more light.

  • Pantry or bathroom closets.

Use a durable paint in your pantry and other closets where you store things that may spill or get sticky. Use a semi-gloss sheen that stands up to scrubbing. As for color, choose one that blends in with the room.

  • Your junk closet.

For those catch-all closets where you stash off-season sporting goods, boots, cleaning supplies, or other gear, think about a darker color that de-emphasizes what’s inside. And keep the door closed

  • Guest room closet.

You can be more playful with a closet in a guest room that’s used infrequently. Try a contrasting color. That way when your guests open the door they get a pop of color. Zimmer says that darker colors are more forgiving and can make dust less noticeable.

DESIGN TIP:

Interior designers recommend that you keep the color in your closet subtle and neutral. There really is no need to put substantial color in this room. Here’s why:

This graphic represents a neutral closet. The background is an off white or beige and the rectangles are your clothes. We all have just about every color from lights to darks in our closets so having the background a neutral will visually make the closet more appealing and easier to see. It’s really a small detail that will make a large impact in your closet.

Now this closet was painted the same coastal blue that’s been trending for quite some time. So many people have this color in their bedroom and have taken it into their closet but look what happens. It’s very unsettling to see all this color in a closet. The color of your clothes fight with the blue and it just becomes a mess. It’s like painting every room in your home a different and unrelated color. It doesn’t make sense and it’s just ugly! By the way – the color of the “clothes” are the same in both these graphics but see how different they look?

According to Feng Shui principles, white is the ideal color is ideal as it opens the energy more, as well as brings the crisp quality of the metal feng shui element.

So, I was thinking about red or maybe orange…  I did some experimenting with the graphic, even made one a bright white. Here’s a sampling of the different colors:

Wow… I really like the black! I wonder if I could make it work in real life, or if it just looks good because it’s on a digital graphic instead of on a wall.

So my friends, whether you have a very large walk in closet or a very small closet, take the time out to finish it. And remember, color matters!

Organizing The Closet

Now that we have our closets painted, it’s time to get them organized. I looked around for inexpensive and easy storage systems, and found something that I think might work just fine. At least for a while.

Now that we’re cleaning up our clutter, you may notice that you have a lot of cardboard boxes that you need to get rid of. Packages are often delivered in boxes, you might get some extra boxes from shopping trips to warehouse grocery stores like Costco or Sam’s Club. It can be a little overwhelming when you look at all of the boxes you’ve brought into your home!

As you’re cleaning up these boxes, you might want to consider using them to make easy, inexpensive storage bins. One of the great things about having so many cardboard boxes on hand is that you have a lot of different shapes and sizes to choose from. If you’ve been meaning to implement a storage solution in a particular part of your home, this might be the perfect time to find something that will fit your needs!

Org Junkie says:

“I like using cardboard boxes for storage in our home because they’re free, and they’re disposable. We move a lot, and I’ve found that often a storage solution that worked in one home won’t work in another. We have another move coming up in the summer, and I’m hesitant to spend a lot on storage solutions that might not translate well to another home. By repurposing cardboard boxes for storage, I’m saving money, and cutting down on the amount of stuff we have to move to a new home.

I also used a smaller cardboard box to store toilet paper in our powder room. Our powder room doesn’t have any cabinets or shelves at all. We were forever having to run to our linen closet to replace our toilet paper rolls, so this new storage solution is a welcome addition in our home.

As you’re going through your cardboard boxes, think about different ways you might be able to use them to help you work towards a more-organized home. The storage solutions you’ve been looking for might be right under your nose! Happy organizing!”

To make the storage bins look great and give them more durability and strength, I think it’s worth revisiting a yesterday’s post and taking another look at these:

Build Your Own Storage System

From WikiHow, we have a great tutorial for a cardboard box storage system. It looks pretty sturdy, and I think it just might work if it’s not loaded down with anything too heavy. Here’s the tutorial:

If you have a lot of small supplies to store but would rather not invest in a permanent storage system yet, you can make your own from boxes and add to it as your collection grows. It’s not the best, and sturdy system, but it’s flexible, easy and inexpensive, and that might be just what you’re looking for!

Step 1

Get the boxes. Try to use sturdy heavy duty cardboard boxes. Thin, bendy boxes probably won’t work very well. You can use any measurements you want, as long as four long boxes (drawers) fit into one cubic box (compartment). Here are some suggested measurements and quantities:

This box is 13 inches by 13 inches by 13 inches. The “drawers” for this compartment would need to be 6 inches high, 6 inches wide, and 13 inches deep.  This gives a 1/2 inch clearance on the top and sides. Make sense?

Step 2

Assemble the square “compartment” boxes into a shelving unit as shown in the picture.

Note: If these cardboard boxes are not as sturdy as you’d like, you can fold the flaps inward and glue them to the sides of the box. I would recommend using a good wood glue and weighting them down with books until the glue dries. Obviously this step would have to be completed before the boxes are assembled into the above shelving unit.

If you have nice thick sturdy cardboard boxes, you can cut the flaps on one side as shown below:

Step 3

Tape the cubes together – front, back and sides. When taping is completed, put the completed shelving unit against a wall.

Note: This tutorial shows a storage unit that is a 4 boxes by 4 boxes square… you can make your own to suit your needs. It doesn’t have to be square like this one. I do, however, think it will look better and hold up longer over time if the boxes are the same depth. That’s because the weight is distributed evenly. I haven’t made one of these yet, so I’m not entirely sure.

Step 4

Now it’s time to make the “drawers” for the compartments. This part is optional, and not all of the compartments need to have drawers unless you want them to.

Assemble the long boxes, which will be drawers. Cut the flaps off the top of the boxes unless you want to forego the option of pulling the “drawer” out. In which case, leave the flaps on and tape them well. Cut out a square at one end of the box. Four drawers fit in one compartment.

This tutorial does not include any kind of decoration or spiffing up of the boxes. The drawers are loaded up, inserted, and labeled.

The suggestion is to:

  • Sort the drawers alphabetically.
  • Alternatively, sort the drawers so that things you use most often are at arm level, easiest to reach, and things that are less frequently used are lower or higher.
  • Slide the drawers into the compartments.

Use compartments without the drawers for larger objects.

Use small containers to store small objects. The cannisters are tennis ball cans. Check with your local tennis club – you might get a bunch of them for free.

Community Q&A

These questions and answers were also part of the tutorial, and I thought it might be good to include them here.

Where can I get cardboard boxes?

  • Look at the dollar store or ask a local convenience store to save their leftover boxes for you.
  • The easiest way is to find a box that is not being used in the house. You can paint it or cover it in duct tape to add strength and color. You can also label and decorate it if you like.
  • Local furniture stores are a great resource for heavy duty cardboard. The boxes are really big, but

What if the system is not stable?

  • You may want to cover it with duct tape, or add pieces of wood on the bottom and sides to make it strong.

How can I color cardboard furniture?

  • You can use all different types of paint, markers, stickers, or any other art tools you can think of!

What is the effect of a cardboard box storage system on the environment?

  • By reusing things like boxes, you’re generally cutting down the amount of energy that would be needed for recycling.
  • You’re also preserving the environment by cutting down on the energy needed to produce other materials like wood or plastic.

What kind of tape should I use? What tape is best to paint over without it peeling?

  •  You should use duct tape, it has a strong flexible adhesive that will hold the boxes together, and provides a clean look.

But wait, there’s more!

This is a picture of a whole closet made from super heavy duty cardboard. I wonder where they got that!

Here are a couple of YouTube tutorials:

Her English isn’t that great, but I like her tutorial because it doesn’t look like an expert make it. Also, I love her idea on how to strengthen the shelving. I recently bought a convection oven, and those corner pieces were in the box. So, I might be able to use them when I make my own.

This is a nicely done tutorial, and I like the idea of using wood between the boxes. This looks very sturdy!

This tutorial was for using big sheets of heavy cardboard, that they got from a local furniture store, and making them into a really sturdy shelving unit. I don’t think you’d actually need a table saw, or power tool for this. A nice sharp box cutter would probably work just fine. He also doesn’t give exact dimensions, so you’d have to think it through and draw a good diagram. He had another tutorial where he tested it to see how much weight it would hold, and I was impressed. So am also considering this as a viable idea, I think it might actually be capable of holding books !!

And here is one more. It’s really short, but she makes it look so easy. I like the idea of using nuts and bolts to attach the boxes together. Her finished product looks a little rough, I think it needs some contact paper, paint, fabric, and/or bling.

Making it pretty:

I found a variety of tutorials about how to turn a cardboard box into something that looks cute. These are visual only, and don’t come with written directions, but I think you can get the idea from the pictures:

I also found these ideas:

So, lets get our closets painted and organized so we can put all our favorite stuff back in them and get started making even more cool stuff out of the left overs!

Sources:

Out of the Closet

So now that we’re ready to tackle our closets, we need (I need) some good incentives to sort through our piles of jeans… t shirts… shoes… socks… clothes I’ll never wear again… clothes I love that are so past their prime I can’t wear them any more…

I found so many fun and creative ideas for old or discarded clothing that I had a hard time figuring out where to start! So let’s start with those old T shirts.

Did you know that old T shirts can be made into really cool rugs that require no sewing skills?

It looks pretty easy. All you need is some kind of backing with holes in it that are large enough to stuff a strip of T shirt into. This could be burlap or even the mesh that laundry bags are made from.  I absolutely love this idea, and am really disappointed to discover that I don’t have nearly enough old T shirts!

Here’s a visual tutorial of rug made with burlap as the backing.

And here are some pics of work in progress:

Not big on shaggy rag rugs? How about a round woven rug? Check this one out:

Pretty cute, huh? It’s not hard to make. Here are some pics that show how rugs like this can be made. It looks like a hula hoop is used as the frame.

This may not be as easy as it looks. If you weave it too tightly, or if you use stretchy fabrics in strips that are too narrow, you may end up with a sort of limp basket. I found a post about this and a cute picture of a hula hoop rug fail. Here’s the link Project Hula Hoop Rug Fail and a pic:

I did find success story pics though, so I think it’s a matter of making sure that the weave isn’t too tight, and that the cross pieces are sturdy and thick. I think old towels might lend themselves to a project like this as well. Be interesting to try. Here are more pics:

Rugs aren’t the only things that can be made from old T shirts. Here’s a clever idea for making bags from T shirts. It requires no sewing skills whatsoever. I found it at Mommypotamus

I’ve been looking for an easy-to-carry, washable alternative for the kids to use, and over the weekend I came across the perfect solution. My local thrift shop was selling cute t-shirts for 99 cents apiece that were practically begging to be upcycled into a farmer’s market tote. They’re 100% washable, and when they’re no longer useful as bags I can cut them into rags to clean with.

There was just one problem: I can’t sew. At all.

Fortunately, I came across some no-sew ideas that Katie and I adapted to fit our style (which, if you’re curious, generally favors the color red and anything Snoopy). The took no more than 10 minutes from start to finish, and I love how they turned out.

Supplies:

  • Old t-shirt – The thicker the fabric, the sturdier the bag
  • Sharp scissors, preferably fabric scissors
  • Washable marker (optional)

Step 1: Cut the sleeves off

If you’d like to fold the t-shirt in half you can cut both sleeves at once so that they are identical.

Or, if your material is too thick to cut them both at once, you can cut one, then fold it in half and use the cut side as a guide for the next sleeve.

Step 2: Cut the neckline area

If you’d like, you can turn the shirt inside out and trace the outline of a bowl before cutting.

I used both methods and personally, I like free-hand cutting better because I prefer a slightly oval shape to a perfectly round one.

I ended up trimming this one a bit to make it more oval.

Step 3: Determine how deep you want the bag to be

If you haven’t already turned your t-shirt inside out, do it now. Determine where you want the bottom of the bag to be and trace a line across.

Keep in mind that depending on the fabric used, your tote is likely stretch and become longer when it’s filled with stuff.

Step 4: Cut fringe

Now grab your scissors and cut slits from the bottom of the shirt up to the line marking the bottom of your bag.

You’ll want to cut both the front and back layers together because they need to match up for the next step.

I cut my slits about 3/4 to 1 inch apart.

Step 5: Tie Fringe

Okay, this is going to sound really complicated, but it’s NOT, promise. Take your first pair of fringe and tie it into a knot, then tie two more pairs.

Now if you lift your bag you’ll see that although the pairs are pulling the bag together, there’s a hole between each pair. This next step will close those holes.

In the photo above you see three sets of fringe that have been tied in knots. What I do next is grab one strand from the middle set (the one with the arrow pointing left) and tie it in a knot with one of the strands on the left set. Then I take the other strand from the middle set (the one with the arrow pointing right) and tie it in a knot with one of the strands on the right set.

Then I take the remaining strand on the right set and tie it to the next set of strands, and so on and so forth until all the strands are tied. Now turn your t-shirt right side out again and voila, you’re done!

A Couple Of Fun Variations

  • Turn the bag right side out when tying the fringe so that it hangs from the bottom.
  • Tie the straps in knots, or tie bits of t-shirt scrap to the top as embellishments

More T Shirt Ideas

So totes are fun, and easy but maybe you really love that old T shirt. No problem. It’s really easy to turn T shirts into wall art. All you need is a blank canvas a pair of scissors, and a staple gun. Now staple gun? Thumb tacks will also work:

Pillows

Because T shirt material doesn’t fray or unravel, it makes a for a very easy customized throw pillow. Old fleece blankets make a nice pillow as well. These pillows are so easy to make that I don’t think we even need an extensive step by step tutorial.

Simply cut the T shirt into as large of a square or rectangle as possible, then cut fringe around the edges. Tie the fringe together, and when you have 3 sides finished, stuff it with batting or insert a plain pillow. Then tie the last side up.

Here’s a series of pics that show how it works:

If you prefer a finished edge, you’ll need to do some sewing. Button down shirts can be made into pillow covers, and then unbuttoned and tossed into the washing machine. Simply button the shirt, turn it inside out and lay it on a flat surface. Smooth out the wrinkles and pin it together. Then cut it into whatever shape you like. Once it’s cut, sew the edges, flip it right side out… and Voila!! How fun is that?

There is a boatload of cool ways to make pillows from shirts and T’s. You could also use old pajama tops and bottoms. The legs from old pajama bottoms would be super easy since two sides are already sewn. I even found a tutorial at Creme de la Craft for turning old sweaters into cool pillow covers. No sewing, no cutting. Here it is:

You don’t need to toss out your favorite sweater just because it’s got a hole! Instead, you can upcycle old or damaged sweaters into cozy pillows. This no-sew tutorial is so easy that it’ll take you less than five minutes to complete. Plus, it doesn’t require any cutting so you can use your sweaters as pillow covers during the summer and wear them again in the winter!

Steps:

  • Stuff the pillow inside the sweater, stopping an inch below the underarm seam.
  • Pull the sleeves from the back of the pillow and wrap them around the front of the pillow, knotting them together in the center. Fold back the cuffs if desired.

  • Turn the pillow upside down to expose the bottom hem of the sweater.
  • Tuck in one side of the bottom hem. Tuck in the other side to form a little pocket.

  • Turn the pillow on its opposite side to expose the neckline of the sweater.
  • There should be a little pocket that was formed on the back of the pillow after you knotted the sleeves in the front. Tuck the neckline of the sweater inside this little pocket so that it is hidden.

This technique can be used with any long sleeved shirt. I’m not sure if the knot on the back would bother me, and I am also unsure how well it holds up to continued use.

And just in case you’re still thirsty for pillow ideas, here is a nifty collection  of a variety of pillows to get your creative juices churning:

Alright, that’s enough of that… what about all those jeans you have that you can’t wear, but still love?

Jeans

Most of the ideas for jeans that I found require a bit of skill, but these coasters looked pretty easy:

Cut out seams from the legs of old jeans and use them to create gorgeous looking coasters. All you need to do is tightly roll the seam into a spiral and keep gluing it on the inside to ensure it sticks well. Try and create a 3.5” spiral. If you do have a cork lying at home, cut it out and stick that to the bottom of your spiral seam coaster. This one’s just an addition; the coaster is good to be used without it too.

You could also use the jean pockets. Simply remove the pocket from the jean, and decorate the edges with lace, sequins, colorful buttons or anything else you fancy!

Placemats:

Make yourself an uber cool set of placemats using old denims. All you need is your old denim and some sewing skills. Basic hand sewing would also work/ alternatively you could look at using adhesives. Made from up cycled denims, these can include cute pockets to tuck away the cutlery too.

Workstation organizer:

This project requires a bit of sewing. You need denim pockets, an old pair of jeans (use the same ones from which the pockets are being ripped off). A rod for the top and bottom of the organizer, and a cord to hang it with.

Cut open the denim legs and sew them together to get a flat piece of rectangular denim fabric (See image for reference). On this sew the various pockets. Ta da! Your organizer is ready.

An alternate to this could be to use any waste fabric lying at home as the base of the organizer. Another option is sticking the pockets onto a wooden panel.

But wait, there’s more!

Jeans can be used to cover sturdy cardboard boxes.  All you need is a supply of jeans, a sturdy cardboard box, a good idea, and glue. More ideas for how to turn those old jeans into something useful are as follows:

Crocs

Got some crocks that you no longer wear or that have lost their tread?

Crocks make great little planters. They have great drainage and they are easy to hang! Fill them with potting soil and plant flowers, hen and chicks or other sedums. If you are worried about the soil falling out through the holes, cover the inside with a piece of burlap. Keep them well watered and voila!

What a great way to grow a little mint garden, or maybe some small herbs like thyme… Here are some great ideas:

How fun! I wonder if I have crocks in my closet…

Western Boots

Western boots are super cool, and when the time comes to recycle them, there are a lot of options – some are easier than others.

The easiest way to use a favorite boot that will never fit you again is to clean it up, paint it, and turn it into a flower holder. You can put a water filled vase inside the boot to display fresh flowers, which isn’t necessary if you are a lover of dried or silk flowers.

Old boots also make for cool planters. If you opt for the cool planters, don’t forget to make sure the boot has good drainage. If it already has holes in the sole, no worries. But if the boot is still in good shape, you’ll need to drill a drainage hole in the bottom.

Mosaics on boots is a super nifty way to bling up your home. I’d use silicone caulking to attach the mosaic pieces because it allows for a bit of flexibility. You can use mosaic glass, beads, old jewelry… pretty much anything with sparkle and shine. The inside of the boot can be spray painted or covered with fabric or felt. Fun, huh? I love this idea, too bad I don’t have any old boots!

There are tons of other really cool uses for old western boots. Some of these ideas will require some skill and maybe a tutorial or two. You can make a lamp,a bird house, and a bunch of other cool stuff. Well worth the effort if you love western decor, or if you have access to a plethora of old western boots.  Here are some pics:

Work Boots and Mud Boots

Work boots, rubber boots, boots with heels, boots of all shapes and sizes are most often used as planters and flower holders. They can also be recycled into cute little fairy houses, of nifty bird houses. You can paint them, mosaic them, or let moss grow all over them. The possibilities seem endless:

Flip Flops

If you have an abundance of old flip flops and colorful scarves, you can turn them into a really cool pair of sandals! This visual tutorial simply wraps the scarf around the flip flop and the ankles.

The following visual DIY tutorial for upgrading your flip flop fashion uses a braided strap to make the flip flops, but you can use colorful scarves and other fabrics as well.

There are so many possibilities on how you can add your favorite fabric to flip flops, but what I like most about this method is that you can make your flip flops fit perfectly so you don’t have to worry about doing the toe pinch every time you step to keep you flip flop on, or have your feet ache from flip-flops that are too tight.

First of all, I found a very inexpensive pair of flip flops at Old Navy.  (Or dig in your shoe stash.  You know you have some in there.)  Then, cut the plastic straps off of both flip flops.

Next, snip pieces of the flip flop away on the back of the flip flop, right around each hole of the flip flop.  Don’t cut all the way through, making the hole bigger……..just make a bigger resting spot for your knot to lay (that you’ll be placing here in later steps).  Cut about 1/3 of the way through the thickness of the sole.

Then, create a long strand of braided knit material.  T shirt fabric is great for this. Make sure you’re using a semi stretchy knit fabric so that the strap will fit snugly around your foot.  This will help the sandal to stay in place.

To determine whether or not the braided section in long enough……wrap the braided knit around the back of your foot and then up over the top of your foot and down through your toes.  And then make sure that there is enough to stick through the sandal and then tie in a knot.  (Having a little more than you need helps.)  At the ends of the braid, I just wrapped with thread really tightly, and then knotted it (the thread) in place.

Now, you need to shove the raw ends down into the hole by the toes of the sandal.  I used a pen (in the “off” position) to shove the ends down in there.  The hole will stretch so you can really shove a lot down in there with some effort.

You should have both ends coming out the bottom of the sandal.  Be sure that the braid isn’t all twisted on the other side. Next, tie really tight knots into each end of the braid and then trim off the excess fabric. The trickiest part here is making sure that your braid is just the right length.

Then add a little hot glue beneath your knots and into the crevice of the flip-flop that you dug out earlier.

While the glue is still hot, press the knots into the foam sandal and as hard as you can, to really secure the knots in place…….and to force them into the sole of the sandal.  (Depending on how big your knots are, depends on how much you should cut out of the sandal.  You may feel the knots a bit while walking if you have bigger knots, so keep that in mind as well.)

Now, cut more strips of your knit fabric and make a loop of fabric on each side of the sandal, including the braided strap as you loop the side strap down in place.

After you have both side loops in place, make knots in the bottom and trim off the excess.  Glue them in place the same way.

This next step is optional but it really helps make the section that goes between your toes, less bulky.  I just wrapped some thread around the toe section over and over again as tight as I could (without breaking the thread) and knotted it in place.

And that’s it. Now your flip-flops are done and ready to wear.

Here are some variations on this theme:

Ok… I think that about does it! Time to get cracking on our closets.

And of course, anything that doesn’t inspire an idea or appeal in any way needs to go bye bye. Either drop it in a Planet Aid bin, the trash bin, or your local thrift store.

In The Closet

Now that we’ve cleaned up our act, it’s time to take a quick look into our closets. If your life seems unbalanced or chaotic, your closets may be to blame. Think of the state of your closets as a feng shui test of your self-esteem. In feng shui closets, are connected to your innermost, your deepest, and often hidden feelings about yourself. Think of the state of your closets as a feng shui test of your self-esteem.

  • How healthy is your self-esteem?
  • How clean, peaceful and beautiful is your inner world?

Here is the thing about closets – most people think of closets as an “out of sight, out of mind” deal. Not true. Especially in feng shui terms, where we know that everything is energy. It is important to understand that with the feng shui energy, the “out of sight” strategy does not work. You cannot cover, conceal or pretend not to see low energy, because, in the world of feng shui energy, there are no boundaries.

Unfortunately, most homes have busy, cluttered and just plain ugly closets. This always puzzles me; if you just take a moment to think about it, once you open an ugly and messy closet and put your clothes on, you start carrying this ugly, messy energy with you! Please understand I do not mean this as a metaphor, but as an actual experience.

So, if you are working on improving the feng shui energy in your home, do not neglect your closets, put them high on your feng shui to-do list. For optimal feng shui or energy flow, take a look at your closets’ contents and doors, which may be keeping you awake or causing unnecessary grief. Explore relatively simple ways to redirect the room’s flow and help you get back on track.

Open your closets and take a look. No worries, nobody is looking, it is just you and your closet.

  • What is it telling you?

If your closet is asking for some loving care, here are some easy feng shui tips:

Reflecting on Energy

Mirrors on the outside of  bedroom closet doors are a feng shui no-no, reflecting yang energy, which affects relationship, intimacy and sleep, explains Ann Bingley Gallops, a New York city feng-shui consultant. Rather than replacing the closet doors, simply hang curtains in front of them. That way you can close the curtains before climbing into bed, and open them when you get up. If you prefer, cover the mirror with peel-and-stick frosted paper or with wallpaper. Pink, blue and green offer ideal feng-shui curtain or wallpaper colors, representing multiple emotions, including love and tranquility.

Color and Light

If you have a walk-in closet, be sure the lighting is friendly and warm. Good quality lighting is extremely important for your well-being, be sure to pay attention to its quality in your walk-in closets.

No matter big or small, walk-in or not, if your closet has not been given any attention for years, be sure to refresh your closet with a fresh coat of paint.

Yes, I do mean it and I am not crazy. Unless you plan to call California Closets for a complete makeover, you owe your closet space a fresh coat of paint. Plus, you get to take all your clothes out of your closet before painting, which should make the next step much easier!

Clean and Paint

Start by taking everything out of your closet completely. Take a bucket with 1 gallon hot water mixed with ½ cup vinegar and 1 tbsp of tea tree oil. After vacuuming the closet thoroughly, wipe clean the whole closet starting from top to bottom, including the walls and baseboards.

A fresh coat of paint will work wonders at this point. Leave the door open so the paint dries well, it should take 2 to 3 days. If in a hurry, a hand held fan will speed the drying process.

Clear the Clutter

If you open the closet door and don’t know where to begin, it’s best to remove everything. As you do this, sort each item into piles or boxes, such as what you’ll keep, what you no longer want or need, what you plan to donate to charity or sell, and items you plan to throw away.

Before you can apply the principles of feng shui, you need to make sure you absolutely love everything in your closet. The average person only wears 20 percent of his or her wardrobe, meaning that there are likely quite a few pieces in your closet that you could donate or re-sell without ever missing them. Plus, when you look and feel great in your clothes, this has a significant effect on your positive energy and how you see yourself.

To separate what stays and what goes, take everything out of your closet, then try everything on. Each item that fits, looks amazing on you, and makes you feel fabulous, goes back in. Anything that’s dated, worn, stained, unflattering or doesn’t fit stays out — for good. Decide which discarded pieces you could sell on consignment, if you’d like, then bag up the rest for donation.

  • Note: Tomorrow we will be exploring some great ways to use these items to beautify other areas of our home, so before you make a trip the Planet Aid bin, stay tuned for what’s on tap bright and early tomorrow morning.
Organize

As you return items to the closet, do so orderly, using woven bins to keep small clutter items neatly out of direct sight. A quick trip to IKEA will arm you with all you need for an organized closet. From baskets to boxes and everything in between, you need to have a clear system as to what goes where. And for how long. Keep your closet up with the seasons and have a clear system of dealing with seasonal clothing.

The Fifty Percent Clearance Rule

This rule means that try to have your closet clear of fifty percent of the stuff so it is clear. There should be enough space in your closet so that you can see what is there without unsettling everything. If there are shoes on the floor of the closet, they should not be touching the stuff hanging in the closet. Try to give away all that you don’t need, doesn’t fit or you haven’t worn in more than a year. When you get rid of old, unworn clothes, you make up more space for fresh new clothes in your closet.

A full length mirror at the back of the closet will give the feeling of space and also help you locate items that are in the back.

Hanger Hangups and Solutions

Something as seemingly insignificant as closet hangers can improve feng shui flow. Match the hanger with its clothing. For example, use durable wood hangers for heavy coats or suits, and satin-covers hangers for lightweight dresses or lingerie. Rather than using hangers, use hooks to create space and improve closet organization. To help closet clutter, add a closet organizer system to help keep your wardrobe orderly and accessible.

Give Your Closet A Cohesive Look

Once you’ve properly aligned your clothes, you’ll want to make sure your entire closet space looks uniform. Simple changes, such as having matching hangers, making sure all hangers face the same way and placing items you can’t hang up in identical, labeled bins can bring unity to your closet. Doing this creates a harmonious flow by ensuring each component is standardized and easy for you to locate.

Beautify

Yes, beautify. This means treating yourself nicely and respectfully and creating a sense of beauty in your closets. Be it a small photo that brings happy memories, some feng shui crystals or well-displayed pieces of jewelry, beauty is the most healing energy and should be everywhere around you.

Easy, isn’t it? Easy and simple. Watch for profound changes coming along as you start treating your home, especially your closets, with proper respect. Ultimately, the respect you show your home speaks of the respect you have for yourself.

7 Closet Makeover Tips

How organized (or disorganized) your closets are can set the tone for your whole day.

If you can pick the perfect outfit with ease, and it emerges from the closet unwrinkled, ready-to-wear and with the right accessories standing by, you’ll begin your day in a more positive mindset. It’s a small thing that, 365 days a year, really adds up.

Whether you have a large walk-in or a small close in a New York City apartment, some of these 7 closet makeover tips are sure to give you better organization and more space.

1. Customize –

Customized solutions, such as clear plastic bins you can stack however you like, wire drawers, or hanging canvas shelves for shoes or sweaters, give you the storage solutions you need. Double hung rods can make the most of a small space, especially if the bulk of your wardrobe is pants and shirts (rather than dresses). Best of all, these do-it-yourself customizations don’t cost a lot.

2. Roll underwear –

Rolling underwear in plastic bins with drawers of different sizes helps you easily sort by style or color. Plus, rolled clothing takes up less space and stays neater.

3. Select the right hangers –

Fine lingerie and evening dresses should be hung on satin hangers. Hang coats on heavy wood hangers. Whatever hangers you select, make sure clothes stay on them, because there’s nothing zen about shirts on the closet floor. Short on space? Select slim profile hangers which can double or triple available hanging space.

4. Store clothes the right way –

In addition to getting the right hanger for each job, fold items that can stretch easily, such as t-shirts and sweaters, and stack on shelves.

5. Think outside of hangers and shelves –

Hang belts, ties, and even jewelry and scarves on pegboard lining the back or sides of the closet walls. A door with pegboard on the inside adds space to a small closet. Use hooks that hang on the closet rod for bags that might lose shape if they get stuffed inside a drawer or tucked on a shelf.

6. Shoe solutions: Bins or board? –

A diagonal plywood board takes up space but displays shoes conveniently and fashionably. Clear plastic bins or hanging canvas shoe shelves are good solutions for a smaller space.

7. Color-coordinate –

Once your closet is organized, you can go the next step by color-coordinating items of the same type (i.e., shirts, tank tops, skirts, pants, etc.) This gives a cohesive, professionally organized look to any closet. It’s easiest to organize items in the order of the colors of a rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, and then black and white.

The biggest challenge to organize is having items with no set space. Keeping an uncluttered home is really easy. Create a place for everything and, when you’re done using it, the item goes back in that place. This is especially true for closets.

You’ll reduce the amount of time you spend putting away laundry, because it will be a no-brainer every time. You’ll also reduce morning stress. You might even spend less money because you’ll know exactly what you have to wear; you won’t fight those “nothing-to-wear-blues” that lead to shopping sprees.

You might not believe that an organized closet can change your life, but you’ll see that it can.

Extreme Closet Reorganization

When it comes to closets, we could all use good chi. Classic feng shui strategies can be integrated into your space so that every time you open those closet doors you experience serenity and calm, rather than disorder and chaos.

If you want to go to extremes, with your feng shui closet reorganization, or if you love to be thorough, you can create a positive energy flow with your pared-down wardrobe. by doing the following:

Place your clothes in this order, going from left to right, for each category:

  • Your work clothes: these represent prosperity.
  • Your casual wear: the clothes you wear on the weekends or when you’re hanging out with your family and friends represent your relationships with loved ones.
  • Your creative wear: anything in your wardrobe that you wear when you’re crafting, gardening, baking and so on — these represent inspiration and your artistic side.
  • Your formal wear: these items represent success.
  • Your love life items: clothing you wear on date night, and your lingerie, represent love.

Color plays an important role in feng shui, even inside the closet. Once you have your clothes in the right categories, arrange them in the following color order, from left to right within each section: black, brown, blue, green, purple, red, orange, pink, yellow, white, metallic and grey.

Alternatively, rainbows symbolize blessing, hope, and a good future. Rather than opening your closet doors to a chaotic mix of colors, organize your clothes, use the rainbow as a guide — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple, and then black and white — to improve your home’s energy.

Arrange Clothes by Function

Organize your clothes in such a way that there is a system to them. Hang your shirts together, pants, skirts and dresses together. Then hang t-shirts together, tang tops and long sleeves shirts together. Finally arrange each piece of clothing by color. Hang all white dress shirts in one part, blank tank tops in another and so on. The same rule applies to your shoes at the bottom shelf of the closet. Make sure the shoes all point in one direction, facing the door. It’s a good idea to buy new hangers so your closet wears a new and neat look.

To the left of the closet, put your work or business clothes. That’s where your knowledge and prosperity are. In the middle of the closet place your casual, formal and weekend wear for your health, fame and career. Finally put your intimate clothes on the right of the closet to promote creativity.

Organize clothing by type

After you’ve organized by color, arrange your clothing by type within each hue. Place items from long sleeve to short sleeve and long dresses to short dresses (or vice versa). It doesn’t matter how you order your clothing types, just that you stay consistent in each section.

Here are a variety of simple inexpensive ideas for extreme organization. Note the heavy reliance on hangers and shower curtain clips:

Oh my! Does anyone actually have this many clothes? That they love, wear, and must keep?

Sources:

The Front Door

Furnishing and decorating your home starts at the front door. The front door can be considered a great opportunity for personal expression, not to mention the ultimate way to grab the attention of everyone in the neighborhood (if this is what you are after). The main entrance to any home can reveal much about the house and its inhabitants, so why not make the best of it?

Generalities

There are plenty of key elements that can make your project successful. The pathway or stairway leading to the front door can be added a fresh touch by using flower pots and other creative green arrangements.

The door mat, bell, door knob and door knock can all enhance the look of the main entrance, so try to take advantage of their presence the best way you can. Make a powerful statement by painting your door in a vivid, yet visually pleasing color, well integrated in the overall exterior design of the house. Then add a large street number or some other fun decorations to match the color.

Consider outdoor pendant lamps or various lighting solutions to flank the main pathway or stairway leading towards the main door.

Feng Shui and the Front Door

In feng shui, the front door is considered the called the mouth of Chi. It is through the front door that the house receives its feng shui nourishment of energy. The quality of this energy determines the quality of energy in your home. In classical feng shui, the choice of most auspicious color is based on the direction of the front door and its corresponding feng shui element.

Feng shui is all about good energy, and you can welcome this energy with a strong, auspicious feng shui front door. Because it is through the front door that the house absorbs most of the energy it needs in order to nourish your personal energy, it is important to do your best in creating a strong feng shui front door.

The easiest way to do that is to find the appropriate feng shui design for your door – be it with colors, shapes, images or materials. The best feng shui design is the one that nourishes the feng shui element that corresponds to the direction your front door is facing.

  • East

The feng shui element of the east is wood, so if your front door is facing east, your best choices are the wood element colors green and brown.

The Wood feng shui element is nourished by the Water feng shui element and supported by the Earth feng shui element, so you can also choose the colors of these two elements.

To sum it up for you, best feng shui colors for an East facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): green, brown, blue, black, very light yellow and all earthy colors.

Avoid the following colors for your East facing front door: red, purple, white and gray. These colors represent the element of Fire and Metal that are destructive to Wood.

  • Southeast

The color choices for your southeast front door are similar to an east facing door because they share the same feng shui element. The feng shui element of the Southeast direction is the Wood element, and the corresponding feng shui bagua energy is Money and Abundance.

In case of a Southeast facing front door, you have additional color choices because there are two more elements that bring good energy to this area. These two elements – the Water and the Earth feng shui elements – are both nourishing and supportive of Wood, so you can use their colors, too, for your Southeast facing front door

Because a Southeast facing door is considered a prosperity door in feng shui, often the best color and design choices are those corresponding to the Water feng shui element, as water is the universal symbol of prosperity flow and abundance.

To sum it up, the best feng shui colors for a Southeast facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): green, blue, brown, black, very light yellow and all earthy colors.

Avoid the following colors for your Southeast facing front door: red, purple, white and gray. These colors represent the elements of Fire and Metal that are destructive to Wood.

  • South

South is the only direction with the fire feng shui element, so the best feng shui color for a South facing front door is the red, of course! Other feng shui fire element colors that are good for your South door are yellow, purple, orange and strong pink/magenta. As some of these colors might not work with your house exterior, here are a couple other color choices.

The element of Wood is nourishing for the Fire element/creates it, thus the Wood element colors are also good for a South-facing front door.

To sum it up for you, best feng shui colors for a South facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): red, purple, strong yellow, deep orange, deep pink, green and brown colors.

Avoid the following colors for your South facing front door: blue, black and all earthy colors. These colors represent the elements of Water and Earth that are destructive/weakening for the Fire element of South.

  • Southwest

The feng shui energy associated with a southwest door is maternal energy, as well as the energy of love and marriage. Because of this, you should choose a color of the Earth element or go for a color of a feng shui element that nourishes Earth.

In case of a Southwest facing front door, there is one more feng shui element that you can use for an additional choice of colors. The element of Fire is nourishing for the Earth element/creates it, thus the Fire element colors are also good for a Southwest facing front door.

So, the best feng shui colors for a Southwest facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): earthy/sandy colors, yellow, burgundy red, purple, deep orange, and rich pink.

Avoid the following colors for your Southwest facing front door: green, brown, white, gray, blue and black. These colors represent the elements of Wood, Metal and Water that are destructive/weakening for the Earth element of the Southwest bagua area.

  • West

For a western facing door go for the colors of the metal feng shui element, which are white and gray. If they’re a little bland for your tastes, you can also go back to Earth element color choices for your western facing front door.

In the case of a West facing front door, there is one more feng shui element you can use; this gives you a wider range of good colors. The element of Earth is nourishing for the Metal element, thus all Earth element colors are also good for a West facing front door.

So, the best feng shui colors for a West facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): white, gray, light yellow and all earthy/sandy colors.

Avoid the following colors for your West facing front door: blue, black, red, purple, orange, and deep pink. These colors represent the elements of Water and Fire that are weakening/destructive for the Metal element of West direction.

  • Northwest

A northwest front door has the same best color choices as the western facing door because both directions share the same feng shui element of metal. However, because in feng shui the northwest direction is associated with helpful people, you might need to pay extra attention to it.

In the case of a Northwest facing front door, you can also use the colors of the Earth feng shui element, as this element is nourishing/creates the Metal element.

So, the best feng shui colors for a Northwest facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): white, gray, light yellow and all earthy/sandy colors.

Avoid These Colors for Your Northwest Facing Front Door: blue, black, red, purple, orange, and deep pink. These colors represent the elements of Water and Fire that are weakening/destructive for the Metal element of Northwest direction.

  • North

North is the only direction of the feng shui element of water, so the best choices for a north facing door are the water element colors, black and blue. If these two colors do not work well with your house exterior, you can go for metal element colors.

In case of a North facing front door, there is one more feng shui element that you can use for an additional choice of colors. The element of Metal is nourishing for the Water element/creates it, thus Metal element colors are also good for a North facing front door.

So, the best feng shui colors for a North facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): blue, black, white and gray.

Avoid the following colors for your North facing front door: green, brown, yellow, red, purple, orange, and deep pink. These colors represent the elements of Wood, Earth and Fire that are weakening/destructive for the Water element of North direction.

  • Northeast

A northeast facing front door is an opening to the energy of spiritual growth and cultivation. Its feng shui element is Earth. When you have a Northeast facing front door, there is one more feng shui element that you can use as an additional choice of color.

The feng shui element of Fire is nourishing for the Earth element because it creates it, thus the Fire element colors are also good for a Northeast facing front door.

So, the best feng shui colors for a Northeast facing front door are (in order of their auspiciousness): earthy/sandy colors, yellow, burgundy red, purple, deep orange, and rich pink.

Avoid the following colors for your Northeast facing front door: green, brown, white, gray, blue and black. These colors represent the feng shui elements of Wood, Metal and Water that are destructive/weakening for the Earth element of the Northeast area.

Wow! So that’s a lot of information. And all I was thinking about was painting the front door red. Not a good feng shui color for my East facing door.

Painted Art Doors

So… I’m going to have to get creative. And well… I found a bunch of really fun and interesting painted doors, and now I have some great ideas. Here’s a gallery of the images I found:

Sources: The Spruce, and Fresh Home

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