Tag: decor

Altering Decor that Almost Works

January 10, 2020decor, , , , , , Leave a comment

One of my perpetual January tasks is to focus on getting organized. I’m always on the hunt for boxes and baskets to corral my stuff, particularly in closets and my crafting space. I needed a small basket to hold toiletries in the bathroom closet, and this one fit the bill. Almost.

As much as I enjoy word art, I didn’t love the word “dream” on the side of the fabric liner. So, out came my embroidery scissors and seam ripper.

Taking care not to cut through the liner fabric, I removed the embroidery. I pulled all those stray threads out from the front and back of the liner.

Now the liner is perfect, and surprisingly, I’m still able to dream without that bossy basket ordering me to do so!

Don’t be afraid to buy a decor item that almost works, if you can alter it to fit your needs.

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Inexpensive Boho Decor Refresh

August 16, 2019Cottage, decor, , , , , Leave a comment

Have you ever noticed that when you update one area of your home, other spaces in your house can look a little, well…tired by comparison? Just me? A few weeks ago when I finished our guest and beach bedding update, I realized that the throw pillows in our living room were looking a little sad.
Okay, a lot sad.
Broken zipper, sad.

In other news, these IKEA feather pillow inserts are hardworking, and awesome.
I’ve had them forever (15 years?!), and they look and function as good as new. Money well spent.

I wanted to update our living room without spending a lot of scratch, so when I lucked into a 70% off clearance sale at Pier 1, the heavens opened, the angels sang and so did their cash register. Actually, I averaged $8 each for these five pillows, so the singing was more of a faint warble.

I first spotted this pillow. Too much color? Pattern too crazy? I think not!

It’s just the right amount of crazy. Next, I spied the floral pillows and I knew that they would be BFFs. All that delicious beadwork. Those sequins and pom-poms.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: You can’t possibly take a nap on those pillows! You’ll have bead indentations pressed into your face for days afterward! Au contraire. These make perfectly fine napping pillows when you flip them over the the smooth back side. 100% tested and Arthurized.

Moving on.

Remember the rules for pattern mixing decor are the same as for your wardrobe. Let’s review:

Pull your color scheme from an inspiration piece. In this case, the floral pillow.

Colors do not need to match exactly, they should simply relate well to one another. Play nicely, kids! The magenta throw was packed away in my winter things, so I pulled it out for a pop of color on the sofa.

Mix prints in different scales.

Use texture for extra interest.

A pillow and throw update is a quick and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your decor. And if you need an even simpler refresh, a bouquet of flowers from the yard (or the grocery store) and a fragrant candle (I love Harmony Farms) will enliven any room of your home!

I’m not in partnership with any brands referenced in this post. I’m simply sharing products that I use and enjoy, and I hope you will like them too!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Antiquing Technique for Painted Wood

June 28, 2019create, , , , , 1 Comment

There are a couple of go-to techniques that I use when antiquing a painted wooden item. One of them is the wax resist technique that I used on the race medal holder. Today, I’ll share how to antique a piece using stamping ink.

Materials:
Painted wooden item
Sandpaper
Chocolate brown ink pad – water based, not pigment
Small paint brush – use an old one
Rag – for wiping excess ink off the piece
Spray sealer – optional

It’s important to use water based stamping ink. Because pigment ink is so thick, it will smear over the surface of your project, not soak into the wood.

When distressing a painted piece, focus on the areas that would be naturally worn through use. I’m distressing a child’s canoe paddle, so I’ll sand the handle and sides, where the paddle might bump into the canoe. Sand down to the raw wood.

Because you’ll be rubbing the ink into the wood, use a paint brush that you’re okay with ruining. Kid’s craft brushes are perfect for this project. I’m using a foam brush. Dab the brush onto the stamp pad and then onto your project. Make sure to cover the exposed wood completely. Keep a rag handy so that you can wipe excess ink off as you work.

Once you’ve antiqued the raw wood, use the brush to lightly sweep a little ink onto a few of the painted sections of your project. Rather than leaving the painted areas pristine, this gives the piece an overall look of age. I inked a few places on the word “cabins”.

If your project will be handled during use, seal it to protect the finish. I like spray matte sealer.

This antiquing technique can also be used to age paper crafts. For that application, I would use a kid’s craft brush and gently dab the ink on until the desired coverage is reached. I’ve seen this used in dollhouse miniatures to give a time-worn look.

I hope you’ll give this technique a try on your projects!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.