I love your style and your blog. I just got into blogs a few months ago and yours is a must read every day! I’m so excited to share my before and after chair makeover. I purchased it at the Ann Arbor ReUse Center for $5.00. After I removed the seat cushion and a ridiculous number of staples, I patched, sanded and primed the chair. I bought some new foam for the seat on sale at Joann’s and painted the chair with some white trim paint I had on hand from other paint jobs in our house. To cover the seat I bought a half yard of this funky fabric from the monaluna mingle collection on Etsy. Thanks for the daily inspiration! -Angie

Here’s the bleak before:

And here’s the brilliant after:

Didn’t Angie do an amazing job? Feel free to drop in on her blog for more details. We love how simple this project really is and how anyone can do it on a serious budget with a fantastic result. Happy chair covering to one and all!

Looking for a little step-by-step chair recovering tutorial? Look no further.

Sure some of these might fall into the category of Fung Shui or general decorating rituals, but we’d still love to hear what you do around your house to avoid bad luck.

And for major good karma points, go take a look at some cute Virginia puppies who need a happy home over on Hamburger’s House.

Image courtesy of blik.

Here’s Christina’s and her husband Trevor’s starring page that shows off their dramatic $1,400 kitchen transformation (and no we didn’t forget a zero on that number). Plus it was a total gut job (they even replaced appliances, the floor and the cabinets for that unbelievable price). Congrats Christina and Trevor on the feature! Well played, handy homeowners. And thanks for giving us a shout out! We’re totally blushing.

Note: click the image below to enlarge the article and check out our original post about their kitchen right here.

And on the subject of amazing kitchen makeovers on a seriously enviable budget, what’s the best deal you’ve scored when it comes to your kitchen? Have you snagged a secondhand appliance on craigstlist, negotiated a killer deal on cabinets, or even found hardware on ebay? Do tell. Here’s the story of how we took home a free dishwasher along with a super cheap faucet and sink back in the day. Don’t good deals make you feel like the king of the world? It can’t just be me…

Images courtesy of Kitchen + Bath Makeovers.

That’s not to say we wouldn’t like to bust out into song over this week’s prize from RYOBI. The Duet Power Paint System is practically built for a couple like us. One paint can fueling two power painting tools at the same time sure would make painting a room much faster… leaving plenty of time for crooning.

But this week we’ll have to leave the joyful musical outburts to our winner. We serenaded random.org and it sung back this lucky person’s name: Amy B (a fan of Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow’s “Picture” duet). Congrats! Who’s the lucky person who gets to join you in a future painting project?

As for the rest of us, if not winning this week has left you sobbing on the flor, we’ve got a feeling next Monday’s prize will surely help soften the blow (yes, there’s a clue in there)…

Get more info on our freebies at our Giveaway FAQs page. Images courtesy of RYOBI.

1. Expedit shelf (included in the total Expedit Workstation) -$120
2. Torsby table (already owned, so it’s free!)
3. A woven basket or two – $17 each
4. Two Aneboda wardrobes – $100 a pop
5. A few white storage boxes – $12 for two
6. And a few green storage boxes to keep things interesting – $12 for two
7. Expedit desk (included in the Expedit Workstation) accounted for above

And the room is really coming together. Especially thanks to the floor plan we brainstormed ahead of time to see which items would work where (and which ones would provide the most function without breaking the bank):

Of course we still have a lot more projects to take on (creating a new light fixture, rewrapping the water heater, building a screen to hide the ugly rewrapped water heater, dealing with the windows, DIYing a dehumidifier, etc). But here’s what the basement looks like now thanks to the addition of two Ikea Aneboda Wardrobes along with an Expedit Workstation and a few inexpensive accessories (like some faux plants for a bit of greenery and these storage boxes for even more concealed stashing space). Not to mention the Torsby table and a few extra wooden chairs that we already owned. We also brought down our bikes as planned, but have even more in store when it comes to sprucing up that back wall so stay tuned…

Oh and we still have to paint the built-in cabinet below, so don’t mind the dingy look of it now…

Not bad, eh? Just to refresh your memory, the room looked like this about a month ago:

But thanks to around $350 worth of Ikea furniture (the Expedit Workstation even happened to be on sale!) and around $400 worth of prepping supplies (thanks again True Value!) we were able to take the basement from scary cinder block dungeon to a waterproofed room that’s furniture ready.

Oh and we would show you the insides of those wardrobes but we still have a lot of organizing to do (am I a total nerd for feeling a little bit giddy when I say that?). So next on the agenda is going back to True Value to snag lots of awesome sealed plastic storage bins to stack tons of seasonal decor, sporting equipment and other stuff that we’d rather hide behind closed doors. Then it’s on to lighting, art and hiding that wart of a water heater. Fun, fun, fun.

And speaking of house warts, do you guys have any ugly eyesores (fuse boxes? propane tanks? carpet stains? damaged hardwoods? odd trap doors? ugly outlets?) that you’ve successfully camouflaged? Tell us all about it.

Psst- Here’s how we hid our fuse box in the den, our exterior propane tank, and some pretty gross plugs and outlets above our washer and dryer. Fingers crossed we can make that water heater disappear too…

We love you. We really do. But yesterday you exploited that relationship and I just can’t bite my tongue this time. Just because “some assembly required” is one of the terms of our relationship, it does not mean that we want to put together every single thing that we buy from you. This means you Kassett storage box.

Sure, putting together your furniture is often part of the Ikea fun. Not only do we gain an affordable and stylish item for our home, but it comes with a guaranteed sense of accomplishment. But there’s no pride in having to assemble my own cardboard box. None at all. Need I remind you that an item like this comes free (and fully assembled!) with the purchase of simple things like shoes and cereal? So why must each of yours require multi-page instructions, a dozen screws and 15 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back?

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a break from all that allen wrench action. But having to punch out 24 holes by hand was a bit ridiculous. You even went as far as to perforate the holes, but stopped short of removing them completely. Really? Or was that a bonus gift. I get a storage box AND complimentary confetti? No thanks.

In summary, it took me nearly an hour (and 48 screws!) to put together the four Kassett boxes that we bought this weekend. That’s more time than it took me to assemble the Expedit bookcase that houses them. They do look pretty darn good in the end. And I can’t complain about the $6/box price tag. But please, charge me the extra buck or two that it takes you to ship a pre-assembled box (I know shipping things flat saves me money, but a flat bookcase or bed is a lot more of a space saver than a 11.5″ box). I’m begging you. Help me help you help me. And I’m sure that loving feeling will come a-floodin’ right back.

Sincerely, John Petersik

PS:  Thank goodness the top of the box came pre-assembled. That, my friend, could’ve really been a deal breaker.

This room off of Bethany’s kitchen and dining area is ready for a multifunctional makeover. Here’s her letter:

My husband and I are so excited to finally get one of your coveted weekly spots! We’d LOVE to add this large, first-floor room (which is adjacent to our kitchen and dining area) to our existing entertaining space. The room is fairly large but we have no need for a library, and while the room appeared to be perfectly suited as a dining room (hence the garish faux gold and plastic chandelier) we have yet to actually use it for that. As I mentioned, the location and layout of the room make it great for entertaining, but we’d also like to be able to use the space on a day-to-day basis. I enjoy doing yoga & making crafty things, so I’ve wondered if there was a way to turn the room into a multi-purpose area, suited to crafty projects and yoga in a day-to-day sense, but still able to be transformed into extra entertaining space (think buffet table and bar) when needed. Difficult, I know – but I have faith in you! We like a cross between traditional and modern and the built-ins must stay but everything else in the room can go: the terrible wall color, the desk, and the wingback chair. We wouldn’t mind using the wingback chair if it suits your plan for the room (I have another one and we could update them with new upholstery). We’re willing to paint the built-ins as well. One color that I’ve been loving is gray (and deep navy blue as well)- the room gets lots of light so it can take some pretty dark colors. I also love, love, love patterns (especially big, graphic and bold ones)! Breathlessly awaiting your help in Washington, DC – Bethany (& Blake)

Here’s the plan:

And now for the mood board breakdown.

1. This soon-to-be multitasking space will work for entertaining thanks to a buffet, a mini-bar station and two different seating areas- but it’ll also be perfectly functional for doing crafts and even yoga. Gotta love a room that does it all. And our color palette will be dramatic and moody with the navy and weathered gray tones that Bethany loves. The walls will get a nice rich smoky navy color (Benjamin Moore’s Ashland Slate 1608) and the built-in bookcases will get a soft stony-gray hue (Benjamin Moore’s Winter Solstice 1605) for a chic and current effect. It will instantly feel elegant, polished and enveloping thanks to the new color scheme, and we’ll bring in some rich wheaty-gold colors to warm things up a bit along with a few dark wood pieces of furniture to anchor the entire room. Mark my words- this after will be almost unrecognizable!

2. Two of these rich caramel colored ottomans will create a charming little seating area when they’re placed on either side of the fireplace for guests who like to perch when Bethany and Blake have company. And speaking of that fireplace, we’d love to see the brick surround and the mantel painted the same weathered gray tone that will go on the built-ins for a stately look that’s cohesive and crisp.

3. We’ll also be bringing this clean-lined table centered in front of the large picture window with the two existing wingback chairs that Bethany already owns on either side (stay tuned for the new fabric we’d love to see on those). The great thing about placing two plush arm chairs angled in towards the center of the room on either side of a nice large table is that the chairs can easily be moved to face the table so Bethany can use it to do crafts and then redirected to the center of the room for entertaining (bam, the craft table instantly becomes a spacious side table that can also double as a place to put down drinks and appetizers).

4. And speaking of drinks, we actually think that Bethany’s built-ins offer the opportunity to create a convenient mini-bar to the left of the fireplace above the closed base cabinets (which can be used to store additional barware and accessories while no one’s the wiser). Meanwhile on the open shelf above that closed cabinet can display bottles of wine, other mixers, ice buckets, shakers, and even wine glasses hanging down (thanks to cheap and easy to install systems like this) to complete our nice little swanky mini bar. And placing all the bottles and bar accessories that are out in the open on a large tray will tie everything together and make it all feel organized. Oh and we can’t forget this pretty decanter that Bethany can grab to serve drinks in style.

5. This bold new light fixture will make the room. And we love the graphic pattern (which Bethany is known to adore). The fact that it’ll hold it’s own in a room full of rich navy and gray tones is the icing on the cake- plus it only looks like a million bucks (it’s a steal at just $159!).

6. We love the subtle graphic pattern on these rich navy curtain panels and the idea of layering them with a slightly softer and grayer navy wall will really add depth, interest and dimension to the space. Once they’re hung high and wide on that giant picture window they’ll create a perfect backdrop behind the new seating area and they’ll add height to that wall which will mimic the height of the built-ins for a balanced and grand effect.

7. Here’s the honey-colored fabric (on sale!) that we think will look amazing on the two existing wingback chairs that Bethany already owns. Especially when paired with the navy curtains and the dark wood table it’ll create a rich and luxe palette that draws you in (whether you’re in the mood for yoga, crafts, or a nice stiff drink).

8. This rich-toned clean lined buffet will be placed where the white desk currently resides to add more of that entertaining functionality that Bethany prefers (she already has a home office in another section of her house). From concealed storage to a surface to place appetizers and other entertaining staples it’ll really add a lot to the space.

9. This great chunky round mirror will reflect tons of light and add a classic and luxe vibe above the fireplace. Plus we love how the geometric shapes in the pendant light will play with the round shape of the mirror and even the round table on the other side of the room. Mmm, shapes.

10. We mentioned that we’d be bringing in some golden-wheat tones to warm up all the gray and navy- and this gorgeous oversized canvas (just $99 and ready-to-hang) will look lovely above the buffet across from that wall of built-ins. Not only does it have some of the gray and navy tones found in the rest of the room, but the wheat tones in the new chair upholstery, the ottomans by the fire, and even some accessories that Bethany can pull onto those built-ins will all tie in with the rich honey undertones.

11. And last but certainly not least, this graphic patterned rug will add even more interest, drama, and plush inviting texture to the entire space. Seriously, with the geometric light overhead and even the grid-like pattern created by the built-ins, this soft zig-zag pattern will be an amazing counterpart. We’d love to see it placed under the front legs of the armchairs and the table over by the window to help define that little zone. This way there’s still some open floor space for yoga but when Bethany is crafting and entertaining that area will feel cozy instead of stark.

So there you have it. A functional space full of graphic and inviting style that works for entertaining and quiet afternoon hobbies alike. We can’t wait to see what you guys think! And if anyone else out there is in need of a custom makeover of their very own, click here for some decorating advice on the double.

Note: Our mood boards are now posted at least three days after they’re sent to the client (so they have a chance to purchase everything before it sells out).

Update: Bethany and Blake spent this past weekend painting and the new colors of the room look amazingly dramatic and moody. We can’t wait to share their after pics just as soon as they’re headed our way. And speaking of afters, some others have just rolled in… so stay tuned for those soon!

In those impossible-to-resist decorative rows up near the front of the store there was suddenly lots of chic holiday paraphernalia to be discovered. And I was all over these amazing faux-bois silver vases (the picture doesn’t do them justice) and these gorgeous candelabras (one lays low with chunky pillar candles on it and the other stands tall with smaller tea lights glittering among the metal branches). They would both add so much festive sparkle and would even work well for the entire winter season (can’t you imagine them gleaming at New Year’s too?).

We also loved their take on holiday pillows. Not a big red santa in sight, but lots of silvery and icy blue patterns that would pair super well with the white cable knit sweater pillow beside them for a snowy winter feeling. And at $19.99 a pop, the price is right. Sigh.

And speaking of $19.99, this massive gold platter would be quite the statement piece no matter the season, but it sure would look festive full of metallic ornaments in the center of the table or even full of white taper candles glowing (gotta love instant ambiance that’s easier than lugging in logs and starting a fire).

And to continue the gold theme, we also gravitated straight to these gorgeous $15 and $20 amber-gold hurricanes (which can be filled with everything from a flickering candle or gold spray painted pinecones to festive mixed nuts (wouldn’t large walnuts and chestnuts turn them into great Thanksgiving centerpieces?). We also drooled over this lovely-in-any-season glass based lamp (we’re a little obsessed with glass lamps in general) and it’s just $39.99. Delish.

And we’re calling it. Warm goldy-green is going to be THE Christmas color this year. At least it will in our house, where we plan to add pops of soft leafy lime to our collection of glittering silver & glass ornaments. It’s fun yet sophisticated at the same time- and it’s definitely a way to wake up metallics and give them a fresh new look. And these pretty little trees in varying heights would make such a fun little accent on a mantel or the center of a table (sort of like last year’s dining room feather tree grouping).

We also loved this intricate china with modern little holiday prints on them (especially the ones with subtle silver snowflakes lining the rim). And at $12.99 each there’s no pressure to grab a full set of eight or ten- just snag one or two for laying out dessert (cookies? pastries? biscotti? brownies?) and they’ll instantly earn more attention than the sweet stuff itself. Well, maybe it’ll be a tie.

We also checked out the holiday vase filler options and walked away with two DIY ideas. Why not collect your own pinecones and spray them gold, silver, bronze or any other color you’d like (white? that always works for us). And likewise, we loved the idea of using cinnamon sticks to add texture and seasonal scent to a room (coffee beans also make for some cozy vase filler around the holidays).

We also made our way to the actual holiday decorating section in the back of the store, and although most of the stuff wasn’t set up yet, we did get a taste of some of this year’s ornaments- and we liked what we saw. All three of these awesome $9.99 ornament collections feel modern, crisp and super festive. So whether you’re planning to dress up your tree like a blue and silver ice princess, keep things white on cream or go festive and colorful… you’re covered.

We also made our way over to the holiday lighting section (which was set up, although the trees and most of the ornaments had yet to arrive) and we noticed that they had plenty of LED lights to choose from. They’re definitely an appealing option for their amazing energy efficiency. They even come in “warm white” and the crisp almost-blue “bright white” so you can choose the look you’re going for. And just to be thorough, we made our way over to the regular backyard aisle (you know, the one with the solar lights and the all-season-long string lights?). And there we saw pretty round bulb lights (exactly like the ones we used for our backyard wedding) which we think would also be super festive for the holidays. We just love those big round globes gleaming in the night…

Now this picture probably has you questioning my taste level, but these super cheap bows (10 for $4.99) are actually what we snagged in bulk last year to stick around our tree in lieu of traditional “garland.” And we loved the outcome! Just picture them all fluffed up among gleaming silver and glass ornaments as opposed to flattened on a red piece of cardboard (you can actually catch a glimpse of them in action right here).

And now for the non-holiday finds we were drawn to like moths to a flame. This brightly patterned green bedding was super fun, and of course would look lovely any time of the year- especially in a room that needs a hit of color and pattern to wake things up (read: a room with white or tan walls, matching wood furnishings, and not much else going on). Bam. Instant style.

And this oversized wire basket from Smith & Hawken (on clearance for just $17) was another lucky find. For the holidays it would look so pretty with evergreen branches and ornaments in it, and for the rest of the year it can hold anything from fluffy towels or TP in the bathroom to shoes, leashes, gloves and hats by the door in a laundry room or mudroom (or any makeshift organizational corner that you throw together).

And I finally got to “meet” these pillows in person after recommending them for many a mood board. We just love the chic circular graphics and the colors are perfectly neutral so they’ll work in nearly any room (oh and they’re just $25 a pop).

Last but certainly not least, John couldn’t resist an impromptu photoshoot in the art aisle. He loves to point and laugh at me for devouring four teenage vampire novels earlier this year and I can’t really say I blame him (but in my defense, they were very good). Just don’t hang this poster in your house. Ever.

So that’s what fried our bacon at Target this season. What about you guys? Any favorite items above that you’ll be dashing out to make yours? Any other Tarjay finds that you’re coveting these days? What did we miss? Let’s talk shop.

Psst – Already in the spirit of Christmas? Here are some fun decorating posts from last year to keep you humming “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer). First there’s this one, this one, this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one. Have fun!

Oh and p.s. – We have no affiliation with Target nor were we paid or otherwise rewarded for this post by the fine folks at Tarjay. We just love sharing things that tickle our fancy and we hope that you enjoy our little window shopping excursions.

Sherry and I have a system when we paint a room. She edges (aka: cuts in) and I roll. We both claim to have the more difficult job- and sometimes I think we’re both right (hello painting brick?), but this week’s prize could prove us both wrong…

The RYOBI Duet Power Paint System is specially made for two people who, like us, enjoy tackling a paint job together. We haven’t taken one for a spin yet, but the idea that both of us could have fresh paint pumped straight from the can to separate his-and-hers painting attachments (a roller for me, an edger for Sherry) almost makes us want to break out our paint swatches again. Heck, there’s even a sprayer attachment if someone’s feeling particularly daring.

But since we don’t have any looming paint projects to tackle, we want one lucky winner (and their handy painting assistant) to try this puppy on for size. Here’s how to enter:

• PRIZE: The RYOBI Duet Power Paint System (valued at $116)
• TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “DUET TO ME” and…
• BONUS QUESTION: …tell us your favorite musical duet of all time. Are you all about some old-school Sonny and Cher? Or does the more recent Madonna and Justin Timberlake collaboration rock your world?
• GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, November 11th at 8pm EST
• NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
• PRIZE SHIPS: Anyone in the lower forty-eight US states
• USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday. Good luck!

**Psst- Want more free stuff? One lucky local can snag two coveted tickets to R. Home For The Holidays where guest speaker Eddie Ross will be chatting about seasonal decor by swinging over to our Facebook page and submitting your entry. We wouldn’t miss it for the world!

Get more info on our freebies at our Giveaway FAQs page. Images courtesy of RYOBI.

I’ve become an addict of your blog – just ask my husband! I can’t help but check it multiple times a day. Your posts are always so informative and they keep me motivated to keep working on our 1960’s home. Anyway, my husband and I purchased the brick ranch with a lovely yard about four months ago. My only problem is that we’re starting to see more pests (i.e. roaches… ewww!) due to the weather getting colder here in Georgia. I can’t live in a house and accept that the pests will always be there. We woke up at 4am last night because one crawled up my husband’s arm. Help! I was hoping you or your readers had some recommendations for in-house pest control. I know that pests might come with the territory of living in an older home, but I have to believe there’s a cure out there. I’m an uber-clean person (vacuuming & dusting once a week) plus we don’t leave food out and we keep everything off of the floor as much as possible. I hope my only option is NOT to hire a pest control company but if it is then so be it. Any advice? – Rebekah

Yup, we were stumped. Luckily (knock on wood, oops that spooked the dog and now he’s barking) we’ve never had to deal with roaches or other pests like (shiver) mice as of yet. But we did suggest that Rebekah try google-ing around for “natural pest remedies” or “getting rid of roaches” or even hanging out in the pest control aisle at her local home improvement store to see what she can find (maybe even asking an expert there what they recommend). We’re thinking there are little things like roach motels that can poison them or trap those creepy little buggers, so they might be nice to hide behind things and in corners- but Rebekah would definitely have to be careful that pets and kids don’t get into them!

In short, we tossed out a few paltry common sense ideas but wondered if any of our lovely readers had more tried and true advice to share. After all you guys were so helpful when it came to our annoying bathroom drain debacle (which we gleefully solved here), so we’re hoping that a few of you have some great ideas to toss out for Rebekah. Any natural remedies or not so natural cures that work like a charm? Any specific products or treatments that did the trick for you? Any ideas for finding the root of the problem (ie: holes? cracks?) and sealing things up at the source? Feel free to chime in and save the day. We’re hoping that regular “Calling All Experts” posts like these will become a great resource for anyone with common issues like clogged drains and pesky pets- and we definitely plan to rely on them whenever we need help right along with the rest of you!

Psst- And if you actually want to make a style statement with some roach china like this cup and saucer, you can find more info right here on Apartment Therapy.