Show Me the House Already - Sheesh! From noreply@blogger.com (House of Smiths)

Today's Inspiration comes from guest blogger noreply@blogger.com (House of Smiths) Be sure to check out their blog! Okay, okay, I'm sorry! It's been a Ca-Razy Summer, I've been out of town a lot, and like I mentioned before, a 9-6 job with lots of extra projects AND blogging is definitely proving difficult to handle.



I'm here to redeem myself though, and I've got some pictures of one of my MOST favorite parts of the house, the kitchen! Well... the kitchen nook actually.



We didn't build this house, but it was new and pretty much 99% finished when we decided to put an offer in on it. All we've done so far is add plantation shutters and hire someone to paint the ceilings white to help open up and lighten the spaces all around our home even more.

I don't care how out of style I sound, or how "cool" it is now... painted ceilings, in anything other than white, for me?... in the words of Jimmy Fallon (or Sara) "Are, Ew!"

Just look at the before and after! So much brighter with white above :)

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*** original post via TheHouseofSmiths.com ***

Bekväm Baby changing fitness center By: Antje

Materials: 1 Grundtal rail, 2 Bekväm step stools

When our baby became really mobile at about 7 months, we could no longer change his diapers on the changing table. He crawls, turns and stands up – too dangerous, he could fall down and hurt himself severely. So we created a changing place on the floor.

Screw a 59cm Grundtal rail onto the upper boards of two Bekväm step stools. The rail should be placed towards one side of the stools and the stools’ steps go outwards. Then you can place your usual changing mat between the stools and the whole construction against the wall.

The baby can now stand up between the stools, hold the upper boards or the rail, and you can change the diaper without risk of falling. Place fresh diapers, washcloths, baby oil etc. on the lower rails, which are harder for baby to reach. You can also use the space below the stools to place the diaper bucket, toys or whatever distracts your baby.

We added some more fun to the fitness center by hanging some little toys from the rail. To store diapers, bottles, and other things he mustn’t reach, we fixed another rail on the wall above the changing place and hung plastic buckets from it. Another Grundtal rail or clothes hooks will do the job.

Have fun with your new baby changing fitness center!

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1AfFz1d From Antje

Erin Scott’s Ruby Red Grapefruit Fizz By: Grace Bonney

Last week I had the pleasure of rounding up some of my favorite non-alcoholic drinks to celebrate a lighter option for summer sipping. Then, earlier this week we had the honor of sharing the beautiful Berkeley, CA home of blogger, stylist, photographer and cookbook author Erin Scott of Yummy Supper. Today I’m thrilled to combine both of those posts in the form of one delicious drink recipe from Erin’s spectacular new book, Yummy Supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious & Honest Recipes from a Gluten-Free Omnivore .

This refreshing drink highlights one of my favorite ingredients: grapefruit. I love the way the tartness of grapefruit mixes with herbs and a bit of sweetness for a fizzy drink that’s perfect for adults and kids alike. Erin suggests adding a splash or two of tequila if you’d like to make this a more adult drink, but it’s just as delicious without. I think I could handle replacing my iced tea with something like this – it seems like the end of summer in one perfect glass. Thanks so much to Erin for sharing this with us! xo, grace

Click through for the full recipe after the jump!

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via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/YhYcWN From Grace Bonney

#DSHappy By: Grace Bonney

One of the apps I shared yesterday in my obsessions list, Happier, has really made a difference in my daily life lately. It asks me to record a little moment each day, in image or text form, that makes me feel happy and appreciative. At the end of each week it feels so good to go back and flip through the moments that made my week a good one. I find those times of reflection have not only inspired me to appreciate small moments more, but they’ve also motivated me to reach out to the people who were a part of them or who were responsible for them happening. That one tiny picture or note is sometimes all I need to turn my day right-side-up and give me the energy I need to push through a difficult patch. So to honor that simple idea, this month’s hashtag challenge is all about happiness.

All September, we’re asking readers to upload images to Instagram with the hashtag #DSHAPPY . What should you upload? A photo of a moment, place, time, person or thing that made you happy. Whether it’s a flashback to a quiet moment on vacation or a spur-of-the-moment garden you stumbled upon on the way to work, we hope you’ll join us in sharing the little moments that make your day a little bit happier. I hope that at the end of the month we’ll have so many beautiful moments to flip through and share together and share that good feeling with everyone reading and joining in. xo, grace

*Photo above by Verbena Florist, from the #DSCOLOR feed

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/Wl6knM From Grace Bonney

Ceramic candle dish works as bathroom shelving By: Jules IKEAHacker

Materials: IDEAL candle dish, wall brackets

Not a hack but a nice idea from Marina. You can repurpose the IDEAL candle dish into shelves – perfect with other ceramic elements in the bathroom.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1AaAsQ6 From Jules IKEAHacker

11 App Obsessions By: Grace Bonney

I’ve spent the majority of my life being the last one to the tech party. My parents all but forced me to get a cell phone my senior year of college because they didn’t want me driving between college and home without one. I keep every computer I’ve ever owned until they literally fall apart (when I dropped off my last laptop to be repaired, the guy at the desk said it started smoking when he turned it on) and when social media platforms first started I distinctly remember laughing at how pointless they seemed. I’ve since learned my lesson (big time) and while I may not be refreshing tech sites for the latest developments every hour, I am always looking for new apps and programs to check out. Not only are they fun, but apps have become clever ways to help me work more efficiently and stay creative when I’m feeling a little run down. I posted some of my favorites earlier this year, but I’ve got a whole crop of new favorites to share today, from productivity tools and educational guides to photo editing tools and a peek inside some of the best museums in the world. I hope these will inspire you to learn or try something new on your lunch break. It never ceases to amaze me how many great ideas pop up in the app store on a daily basis. xo, grace

Click through for all 11 apps after the jump!

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via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/Whgh5Y From Grace Bonney

LEGO table for 4 By: Jules IKEAHacker

Materials:

1m x 1m MDF, 12mm thickness

4 lego mats (30cm x 30cm)

1 Ikea LACK coffee table

1 Ikea VESSLA container and lid

250ml undercoat paint (white)

500ml gloss enamel paint (red)

craft glue

4 Bolts: 3/16 x 75mm

4 nuts to match bolt

4 mudflap washers

The short instructions:

1. Cut the MDF to the shape of the table top. Sand, prime and paint.

2. Cut a square hole in the middle of the MDF to fit the VESSLA container. The container goes through the MDF top and LACK coffee table, so you would want to ensure that the cuts are accurate for both the board and coffee table.

3. Remove the sides of the plastic VESSLA container so that it can sit flush to the table.

4. Assemble LACK coffee table as per Ikea instructions, and place container into the cutout. Place red MDF tabletop into place on the LACK table. Then measure diagonally 15mm from the cutout corners and drill holes. These holes will need to go through the coffee table and will be where we screw the whole table together.

5. Glue the LEGO mats on

6. Play!

See the full tutorial here.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/WgCdhi From Jules IKEAHacker

iPod docking station from plant pot holder By: Jules IKEAHacker

Materials: BJURON plant pot, dish drainer (name unknown)

I took a square flower pot. (BJURON)

I turned it 90 degrees.

I sawed a circular hole in it for the speaker.

Right and left each have a handle of a drawer.

For the iPod rest, I used an IKEA dish drainer.

Of this I took 1 bracket, because the size was good for the iPod.

I bent the bracket up slightly.

Return to pot:

Top 2 holes drilled for the bracket.

A hole for the iPod cable.

The parts were all from Ikea.

Next, I took a radio, a speaker and a cable for the iPod.

All in one.

Done.

~ Martin

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1pJCw1b From Jules IKEAHacker

DIY Tassel Curtain Tie Backs By: Grace Bonney

I spent the last week soaking up the final days of summer in my hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. If there’s one thing I learned in addition to how nice it is to start every mroning at the beach, it’s that I really need to get some window shades going in our home. My parents have really nice blackout shades, so Julia, Hope and I slept better than we have in a long time. Our apartment in Brooklyn is on the top floor of our building, so we don’t need shades for privacy, but rising with the sun every morning does make sleeping in a little difficult. So I’ve been looking for a way to integrate curtains that won’t overwhelm our space. We don’t have a lot of room for huge curtain hooks either, so I’ve been toying with the idea of making my own. Thankfully Janet and her team at For the Makers helped us out with a quick, simple and affordable DIY curtain tieback solution that you can whip up during a quick 30-minute episode of your favorite TV show. All you need are some colorful beads, string, leather cord and you’re good to go. Hopefully these will help you ensure you wake up and let the sun in only when you’re ready to start the day. Thanks, Janet!

Click through for the full how-to after the jump!

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via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1A6moa8 From Grace Bonney