Creative Home Decor

Choose Pieces with a Meaning


When Jason and Jill Williams hired a firm to design their home, they clearly stated that the theme was "sparse."

They did not intend to buy things to simply fill the house; they wanted to acquire pieces over time that had meaning, complemented their lifestyle, and reflected their personalities.

While the theme was "sparse," sleek and modern wasn't their design choice. Instead, they mixed furniture styles with rustic, stained, and painted finishes.

Every piece serves a purpose, and each can be used in different ways for years to come.

Design for gathering


Family rooms are gathering places that should exude a relaxed style and communicate warmth and playfulness.

Perhaps the most important consideration for such an active room is how to keep the space's flow while noting its separate areas. Color, furniture placement, and area rugs can help meet this goal.

Here, a U-shaped seating area encourages conversation. Artifacts from family travels reflect the personalities of those who live here, while the fireplace and television anchor the space.

Carry Your Style Outdoors


"Outdoor areas are often the last to receive design attention, but they shouldn't be," says landscape designer Matt Lemos.

"Plan space for your lifestyle by incorporating ample seating, table surfaces, cushions, play areas, eating spots, and sunning areas."

By carrying your design style outdoors, you can turn a patio, deck, or even a balcony into another room of the house.

This sleeping porch, a feature of many Craftsman houses, is updated with contemporary styling and weatherproof drapery and upholstery fabric.


Create Flow

Common colors and materials help connect your living spaces.

Display signature pieces without too much fanfare. Try using one simple but dramatic floral stem or leaf in a chunky modern glass vase.

In transitional areas, brushed nickel or silver works well for frames, accessories, and fixtures.

Find Fabric You Love

 For designer Jennifer Hilgardner, the right fabric is one of the best ways to enhance an interior.

"Find a fabric you love," she says. "Choose a signature fabric with enough design elements so you can pull out colors, coordinate textures and have lots of options for furnishings and accessories."

Here, green and blue accents in the fabric even play off the foliage outside.



Smart Art Display

Include tall and low elements throughout the room to keep your eye moving.

As a general rule, hang framed photos and art at eye level (or a bit higher if the ceilings are high). Keep in mind eye-level may be lower in a room designed for seating.

Here, a lipstick-red wall sets off black-and-white photos and a mix of collected treasures.

Glidehouse

Modern Manse

It could have been the premiere of a summer blockbuster. People waited as long as an hour to tour the first Glidehouse, a modern, prefabricated home recently on display at Sunset . One man went through the line six times. Another person said, "I liked the design so much, I wanted to go home, burn my house down, and start over." Find out what the buzz is about, and how you can get a surprisingly affordable Glidehouse of your own.

Wall-to-Wall Light

The Design: A wall of glass, high windows and hidden fixtures flood the rooms with balanced light. Natural materials and high ceilings add to the feeling of space. Renewable bamboo flooring provides the look and durability of hardwood without the guilt, and the sloped roof is perfect for solar panels.
The Twist: The Glidehouse is named for the way its window walls and storage doors open. Outside, large wood screens slide on barn-door tracks, creating privacy while letting in the breeze.

Open Plan

The Design: Built for easy entertaining, the living-dining area and kitchen flow together. The table can slip outside for a summer dinner. Three bar stools tuck under the counter. The built-in birch cabinets and slate backsplash match materials used throughout the house.
The Twist: The kitchen's countertops are made of a renewable lightweight composite concrete. A split-level counter hides faucet and dishwasher. An extra mini sink in the upper level is handy for icing drinks and washing vegetables.

Sleek Retreat

The Design: Architect Michelle Kaufmann wanted the master bedroom to feel like a personal hideaway with a private garden. The window wall opens to a deck you can outfit with fireplace, hot tub, or container plants. Storage includes individual closets, linen cabinets, and a notch for the bed. The back shelf serves as night stand.
The Twist: Sliding wood screens lock shut so in the right setting, you can sleep in fresh air.

Master Bathroom

The Design: Thanks to a well-placed skylight, electrical lighting is not needed until late in the day. (Natural light also happens to be best for looking at yourself in the mirror.) A tankless heater supplies hot water on demand.
The Twist: Sculptural stainless steel bowl sinks free counterspace. Minimal hardware keeps the focus on your art and accessories.

Entry Court

The Design: A simple entry heightens the experience of opening the door to the main room and view inside. A secondary door on the left connects to the office/guest room. In some plans, the entry court leads to a detached studio and reflecting pond.
The Twist: Galvanized steel and cement board siding offers a long-lasting, clean finish that needs little maintenance.

Just Add Land

While building costs vary by region, quality construction typically starts around $250 per square foot. The Glidehouse -- built to meet local building codes -- costs $120 to $160 per square foot (not including foundation, deck, and major appliances). Once you've secured your lot, you can choose a floorplan and options.

About the Architect

Glidehouse architect Michelle Kaufmann , 35, worked for Frank Gehry in Los Angeles for five years before moving to the Bay Area to open her own office. She created the Glidehouse "in order to live in a well-designed, less expensive home that would allow us to live lightly on the land."
She eventually partnered with a modular design/build company, Construction Resource Group of Redmond, Washington, to develop the Glidehouse.

Back to the Future

The concept of prefabricated modern homes showed early promise in Los Angeles in the 1950s, but progress stalled. Eichler tract houses brought contemporary architecture to a mass market between the late 1940s and early 1970s, but they were assembled on-site.
As Sunset wrote in 1978, "The factory-built house has been a dream about to come true every year since the end of World War II." The Glidehouse could be the answer. Now available in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Tennesee, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, British Columbia, Ontario, the Glidehouse is coming soon to Texas, New York, and Hawaii. Kaufmann's goal is to make it available wherever there's an interest in affordable, "green," modern living across the country.

DIY Projects You Will Love (Part 3)

Make glowing goblets

Turn old goblets and trophies into sparkling candle holders. First, clean them well with with metal polish and a clean cloth. Fill with Microwaveable Soy Wax for Containers (by Yaley; $6.99 for 1 lb.; from joann.com).

Add a Pre-Waxed Medium Bleached Wick with Wick Clip (by Yaley; $2.99 for six; from joann.com) to make elegant, long-burning votives.


More:  Get our step-by-step instructions

Hand-printed gift wrap

With simple cookie cutters and paint, you can make your own distinctive wrapping paper.

Just dip the cutting edge of a cookie cutter (we used snowflakes and scalloped circles) into white heavy body acrylic paint (sold at art stores in 4-oz. tubs).

Stamp the cookie cutter onto a sheet of colorful paper, starting at a top corner. Create your own patterns by either joining or overlapping the shapes.

If the paint is too thick or lumpy, add a few drops of water and stir gently until thinned and smooth.

Easy fall decorating: DIY art from autumn leaves

Instant leaf prints

Bring nature's magic indoors with this simple project: Just gather a few of your favorite leaves or flowers, flatten them under a book, then copy them with a color photocopier.

Glue prints to canvas-covered boards (about $2 in art supply stores). Glue a small inexpensive wood frame to the back to act as hanger; it also sets off your print from the wall.

More:  How to make a leaf print

Transform a chair

Turn a drab thrift-store chair into a stylish accent for any room in your home. All it takes is some paint, fabric, basic supplies, and a free weekend. Take advantage of your resale shops, you will
find styles you like even in accessories, paint is not expensive!!

To start, choose a chair with no missing screws or loose legs; it should have interesting features or frame detail.

Or turn 2 or more chairs into an eclectic set. Look for designs that have a wooden frame and an upholstered seat and unify them with the same color and fabric.

More:  How to transform a chair

Etch glass

There is something magical about etching glass ― the process turns plain glass pieces into decorative objects in minutes.

The secret is etching cream. You simply apply it to the glass, and the surface turns into a translucent white. The results are beautiful, subtle, and lasting.

More: How to etch glass

Reinvent thrift store candlesticks

Turn mismatched candlesticks into a fresh new set by painting them an unexpected color (in this case, high-gloss indigo).

1. Remove any wax residue with paint thinner and a clean cloth.

2. Mist one coat of spray paint primer for metal onto the candlesticks, holding the can 10 to 12 inches away. Cover evenly with paint.

3. Once dry, spray two light coats of spray paint for metal. Hold the can at a distance to avoid drips. Cover the detail grooves evenly.

We used: Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch sandable spray primer in white and Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch gloss spray paint in navy blue.

DIY Projects You Will Love (Part 2)

Nature's stained glass

Chinese pistache leaves are translucent enough to glow like stained glass when lit from behind. To celebrate their vivid fall beauty indoors, display them on simple glass hurricane candle holders.

Gather leaf cuttings from your garden (ginkgo and Japanese maple are other good choices).

Press them in a book overnight to keep them from crinkling, then use one or two Glue Dots on the back of each stem, affixing each leaflet to the outside surface of the glass.

Turn CD cases into frames

Castoff CD cases are the perfect size for creating a quilt-like grid collection of landscape photos.

From the book Photocraft: Cool Things to Do with the Pictures You Love: Scan or crop your images to the size of a CD case (5 3/8 in. wide by 4 5/8 in. high) then print on good photopaper and trim. We recommend using standard (not slim) cases. Discard plastic inserts.

Back each photo with cardboard or foam board and snap the cases shut. Attach them to the wall with 3-inch strips of sticky-back hood-and-loop fasteners (such as Velcro).

DIY decorating projects

Make a memory box table

Turn a deep photo frame and similar-sized side table into a venue for celebrating treasured keepsakes.

More: How to make this memory box table

Make your own designer bouquet

Treat yourself to colorful bouquets and arrangements from a mini flower studio you can create at home.

All you need is a sink, a little counter space, and a few essential tools. See what you can do with a single bloom, and how to turn just about any vintage vessel into a vase. (Tip #1: Start with the freshest flowers you can find.)

More: Flower shop secrets

Turn a drawer organizer into a bento-box guest tray  

Tuck a drawer organizer into a storage tote with some thoughtful amenities to make your houseguests feel like royalty. (Be forewarned: They’ll be eager for a return invite.)

How-to: Slip a drawer organizer into a fabric-covered box or other storage tote and stock it with a few travel-size essentials in coordinating materials and hues. Tie a washcloth with colorful string; wrap a bar of soap with wide ribbon; use letter stamps and a label sticker to personalize a scented candle.

DIY workspace

To create your own instant workspace anywhere, put a flat birch hollow-core door atop two adjustable sawhorses.

Cover the door with self-healing vinyl board cover (available from art and drafting supply stores). The closer you can get the board cover to the exact size of your door, the better.

Stencil a basic measuring system onto the board cover, and you'll never need to hunt down a measuring stick.

Time: Four hours plus drying time

Cost: About $175

DIY Projects You Will Love

DIY: Fun weekend crafts and home projects

Shadowbox wall vase

Turn a shadow-box frame into a vessel for your favorite things from the garden or flower shop.

Flowers or cuttings ― such as these leucadendron blooms ― extend through the opening of a picture mat to create an organic work of 3-dimensional art.

Group two or three frames on the wall or use one for a tabletop display. Change the background and cuttings for a new look any time you like.

More:  How to make a shadowbox vase

Tabletop twigscape

Create a mini forest for your table from elegant branches and twigs.

Here, tree-like twigs edge a stream bed of green pebbles running down the center of a sealed 30-inch piece of redwood.

More:  Make tabletop forests

Painted party glassware

Perk up your table by turning ordinary wine goblets into stylish geometric art glass. It just takes a little glass paint and a stencil or template.

Designer Sarah Caska used a fine-tip black permanent marker and enamel paint formulated for glass to create these Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired designs. The cost was about $36 for 8 decorated glasses, including stemware.

More: How to paint glassware

Fake a Roman shade

In rooms where privacy isn't important, you can give windows all the dressing they need with shorter faux Roman shades. This is a budget friendly project from DIY.

They aren't full-length, so these tricksters require far less fabric than the real McCoy and can often be made from inexpensive remnants.

More: How to fake a Roman shade

Make a personalized paperweight

Turn smooth river rocks into a stylish paperweight with white rub-on transfers. Or turn it into refrigerator art by adding a small magnet to the back.

More:  DIY monogrammed paperweight

Artful lampshade

A plain lampshade becomes instant art when you add a paper design to the inside lining. I LOVE
this affect!!!! What a break from the boring plain shade!!

The design remains invisible until you turn on the light. Click here for our template.

More:  Make an artful lampshade

Garden Paths

Stamped concrete path


A curved path, high walls, soft greens, and a bubbling fountain make this Southern California garden a soothing escape.
The broad path connects the gate to the front door. The walkway is built of stamped concrete and has a dusting of multicolored sand for extra texture.

Fragrant journey


Designers know a great path includes an intriguing destination. Here, a yellow-glazed container catches the eye at the end of a lavender-edged gravel path.

Path of grass


A narrow carpet of grass, all that’s left of a once-expansive (30- by 60-foot) lawn, meanders between curved planting beds. To make room for the beds, the homeowners removed sod around the turf’s edges bit by bit as they discovered new plants they wanted to try.

Wooded escape


A flagstone path in Pasadena leads through a garden underplanted with New Zealand flax shrubs and grasses.

Desert garden path


Bold furnishings and dense plantings can help you create a getaway in your own backyard, even where gardening can be a challenge.
Individual concrete pads create the illusion that they're hovering lightly above the desert floor. Their exposed aggregate finish blends in with the native soil's stony texture.

Garden art


In Newport, CA, geometric steppingstones crossing a small pool give the illusion of walking on water.
A piece of art tucked amid greenery at the end of the path treats visitors to a visual surprise.

Window Box Designs

Tricked out for the season in combustible colors and riffed with references of a late-autumn harvest, this exuberant full-sun window box celebrates all that we love about fall-like the vivid colors and leafy textures. While it may require some boldness and a passion for abundance to pull off a planting like this, it was actually very easy-we found all the plants and supplies at our local home-improvement store's garden center.

Modern Window Box


Gleaming white 'Lumina' (large) and 'Snowball' (small) pumpkins spiked with shiny tufts of black-as-night mondo grass is a simple full shade combination that's all-hallows spooky but oh-so chic. In and around, we tucked fat clusters of blood-orange berries, which drip from branches of bittersweet vine (sold in bunches at florists). You can up the spook factor by hiding strands of mini lights between pumpkins.

Simple window box


They're beautiful, they're affordable, and they're low-maintenance; nothing says fast and easy fall gardening like a fully fitted window box. These easy-to-assemble mini gardens also have the advantage of short-term commitment. Planting this fabulous full-sun arrangement is as easy as putting together simple flowers for a dinner party.

Elegant Window Box


We love the luxe, posh look of this full-sun box with its classic pairing of mums and ornamental cabbages. Keeping it from veering into cliche territory are the unusual cascading mums. To get the look, pack a window box with deep smoky purple ornamental cabbages and sparkling white ornamental kales, then intersperse them with rich magenta pompom chrysanthemums trained into a graceful cascade. Ice-tipped trailing ivy adds shimmer in the late afternoon light.

Tropical Window Box


Who says fall has to be all about brown, orange, and yellow? Adorn your cottage with deep purple, warm red, and bright pink for a hot, vibrant look from the last of summer's tropical plants as temperatures cool. These tropical foliage plants (grown as annuals) take bright, indirect light to filtered shade and look smashing right up until frost.

Cheerful Window Box


Bright and lively colors combine to add a hint of happiness to any home in this cheery window box. Forget serious planning and strict styling, and opt for whatever plants bring a smile to your face when you go shopping. These plants prefer strong indirect light or light shade. via