Miss decorate

DIY: Cute homemade bird feeders

2012-01-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

Feeding garden birds can be a very enjoyable and rewarding activity. After all, what better reward is there than knowing that you helped these adorable little creatures to survive the winter. Your children or grandchildren can be entertained for free for hours, and in these gloomy times knowing you are helping out some of the most beautiful creatures Nature has given us can be uplifting.
Birds will discover your house quickly and consider it as a feeding place. Their frequency of visits will also increase helping you to stay close to nature.
And don't worry - birds aren't picky, they don't require something fancy to attract them to your yard or window. Homemade bird feeders are quite easy to make.You can build your bird feeder out of materials you have at home. These projects are easy to make and fun to do with kids. And will help you to get enjoyment from watching the wildlife spectacular in your own garden or backyard.

Transforming a small decorative pumpkin into a bird-feeder.

via Sakurako Kitsa on flickr

vintage teacup bird feeder

via intimate weddings

Pinecone bird feeder

via asmothersinzion

Show them all your love - heart-shaped bird feeder by alphamon

milk carton becomes a bird house, lovely.

via ziggity zoom

glass bottle bird feeder

via esprit cabane

soda bottle and two wooden spoons. Can it be any easier?

via family fun

acorn bird feeder

via design sponge

straw star with nuts

via sweet paul

Winter white & icy cold

2012-01-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

via freshome

Wide use of LED lights, simple and strait lines and dominating white color gives this apartment an elegant, sleek and uncluttered look.
I absolutely adore two things regarding to this beautiful interior:
style mixing with retro chandelier and modern glass table and also this fur rug that seems so cozy and soft.
Despite the dark shades which brought a dose of contrast, this apartment is more or less likely to be the home of white queen from The Chronicles of Narnia.

Monthly wallpaper { January }

2012-01-02T02:06:00.001-08:00

I decided to start putting a free desktop wallpaper at the beginning of each new month. So here comes the first of my desktop freebie designs. Hope you like it and see you next month with another wallpaper.
Instead of saying happy new year once and again, I'm going to quote one of my friends:

Wish you all a happy & prosperous, a rocking & rollicking and a super duper blockbuster 2012 ...may you hold on to your resolutions and all your problems find some solutions and you remain happy in all situations ...

[ 1280x1024 / 1440x900 / 1600x1200 / 1680x1050 / 1920x1080 / 1920x1200 / iphone / ipad ]

Please do note that this wallpaper is for personal use only and can not be re-used for other purposes or uploaded to other sites claimed as your own work. You may share this but only with credit link to the my resource blog page, not the download file.

New year 2012

2011-12-31T08:47:00.000-08:00

Post Christmas blues

2011-12-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

With Christmas behind and being few days out of the office, the only thing I do is chill + enjoy long sleeping, going to town for a walk, snuggle under a blanket and watch TV in the long afternoons (with a fine cup of tea of course).

It's a little bit strange being away from all the urban hustle and bustle, without a hundred mails as a morning welcome, without traffic jams, noise and people rushing to work. Just peace. Stillness. I even turned my iPhone off.

And it is going to be the same just five days from now - back to work, back to routine. Its ok, I love my job, I love my friends, my colleagues. But for now, I'm gonna pretend the world doesn't exist.
I'm leaving you with few pictures of my hometown Zagreb - in all its beauty and with special holiday charm....

Freebie: Printable Christmas gift tags

2011-12-22T01:22:00.001-08:00

Are you running around getting all ready for the big day? I am and can't believe that there are only three days left… And the whole year is almost over, huh...Anyways, I thought you might like some cute gift tags to spice up up your gifts under the Christmas tree. Print them out on a cardstock or some other heavy paper and cut 'em out. Happy Printing, happy wrapping…

Click HERE to download.

15 fantastic Christmas wrapping ideas

2011-12-08T02:46:00.000-08:00

Just looove this time of the year. Christmas is my favorite of all the festivals and holidays.
Excitement is in the air, the anticipation of getting together with friends and family adds to it, with all those lights, colors, and smells of the holiday season. Even the snowfalls that make everything look like a greeting card turns the cold winter into the best time of year to enjoy.
And of course, there are Christmas presents. We give them to our loved ones to show them how much we care. Even the simplest gift turns into a delight if you wrap it with style and creativity. And wrapping gifts around Christmas should be all about fun - creative and inexpensive!

Here are some fabulous ideas I found. Remember - love counts, not the price.

Images via [ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 ]

Old garage transformed into a dream house

2011-12-03T15:49:00.000-08:00

Meet Jérémie Buchholtz.

He is a photographer, living constantly on the route Paris - Bordeaux. His desire was to have his own apartment in Bordeaux. But guess what, he didn't have enough money to afford it. So he found and bought for coins an old abandoned garage and decided to do something with it.

Well, not really, really for coins. The price was 80,000 euros ($107,000) - but still less than half the price of a similarly sized home in Bordeaux. Here is were the real problems started. This was a rundown storage space, full of junk with no natural light and with huge metal doors.

Most people would gave up at the very beginning but not Jérémie Buchholtz, who immediately called a friend - architect Matthieua de Marien and asked him to help him converting this old ruin into his new home.

De Marien transformed a part of the garage into a garden in order to increase the flow of light, and the metal gate were replaced with wooden. In order to get as much light, large glass surfaces are used all around.

Since the height of the roof could not be changed, because the garage is located in the historic city center, the architect played with the rest, and the photographer got 12 square meters of garden and 40 square very functional living space.

"He fulfilled all my desires. I liked architect's idea, all in one place - the bathroom, closet, couch, bed, everything for everyday life " said Jérémie.

And I think they made a real masterpiece, didn't they ?

Images via [ harbayu / nytimes ]

Guest post: 8 brightly hued chairs by Design Shuffle

2011-11-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

Oh my, oh my. I'm super excited today. First guest post ever is here! Her name is Susi and she writes for Design Shuffle. They contacted me with the guest post idea and of course, I was thrilled. Be sure check this beautiful site. You'll find tons of fantastic interior decorating ideas an beautiful images. Go on, Susi :)

Hi, I'm Susi, a blogger for Design Shuffle, a great site that showcases the work of designers and design lovers from around the world. I'm excited to be here at Miss Decorate as a guest blogger. My post today features eight brightly hued chairs. Brightly hued chairs are a wonderful way to bring color into interior designs. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for letting me and Design Shuffle stop by.

This feels like a tea party for brightly hued chairs. The mismatched group looks wonderful painted in a mix of bright hues like aqua and yellow.

Bright fuchsia is a lovely color for an accent chair or dining chair. A fuchsia chair would look great in a bedroom or a living room as a pop of color.

This colorful contemporary farmhouse style dining area is the perfect setting for brightly hued chairs. Fuchsia, yellow or aqua would all work in this room.

Bright, sunny yellow on these chairs makes them pop in a mostly neutral living room design. The bright yellow even stands out against the softer yellow of the sofa.

A chartreuse chair really makes a color statement in this predominately black and white dining room. In a black and white or neutral space, a brightly hued chair is a great way to add color.

I love the aqua chair with orange upholstery in this colorful living room. The brightly hued contrasting colors make this chair a statement piece.

Pretty aqua chairs in a white dining room have a charming coastal feel. Bright hues from coastal colors like aqua and green can give any room a seaside charm. These colors can also look great in your kitchen designs for added pop.

The color of this brightly hued chair is somewhere between fuchsia and purple, and absolutely gorgeous. The color looks fantastic paired with the grey sofa in this room filled with eclectic decorating ideas.

[ Images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 ]

Do you have any bright chairs in your home? Find inspiration for your bright ideas at Design Shuffle where you'll find our new interior design guide and connect with talented designers like Boston interior designers and more!

Outfit: Autumn Inspiration

2011-11-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

It was such a beautiful and sunny day today. I got inspired by all those autumn colours and decided to do make this cute outfit. I put everything on my sister who is a real model and took some
pictures of her. Hope you like it. :)

Here is the list of everything that Lucija is wearing:
shirt from Terranova
jacket from New Yorker
neckles from e-bay
sunglasses by Giorgio Armani
beret from Topshop
pants from Miss Selfridge
shoes by Marco Tozzi

Oneword: lace

2011-11-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

Lace, a term which is perhaps most used when talking about vintage dresses, weddings and special occasions, about brides and bridal lace. No, no, nowdays, lace is no longer used only on fancy underwear and wedding dresses.
Thanks to its rich history and the specific and delicate look, lace never ceases to inspire interior designers worldwide.

And when I say inspire, I'm not only referring to ornaments, but also usable items like chairs, shelves, wallpapers, lamps, carpets...

Lace motifs, so fragile and feminine are now making harsh materials seem softer and gentler. Modern form, strict form becomes delicately softened with its endless purity and tenderness. In addition to furniture, lace has found its place on dishes, rugs, shelves and even on the wall and inevitable, in the garden.

Because of its diverse structure, lace provides a rich play of light and shadow and will for sure fit in every modern interior.

Images via:
Intrade
Studio bility
Imogen Luddy
Louise Campbell
Contra forma
Artecnica
Brocade
Moooi
Beerd Van Stokkum
Vibieffe

And now something completely different and so special. I will tell you a story about

                    500 000 needle strokes
                    500 hours of hard work
                    years of experience
                    bundles of patience
                    endless imagination
                    needed to create

                    BEAUTY.

There is one small island in the Adriatic Sea, an island belonging to the beautiful coast of my small country, Croatia - an island called Pag. The town of Pag which is founded in year 1443, had been planned symmetrically according to the principles of Mediterranean urbanism. A part of this harmony is transferred in the needle work of the women of Pag.

Pag lace is a decorative element appearing first in traditional textiles, and later as an independent decorative object. While the production work methods remained true to the canon of its origin – the strict Renaissance geometrical design, its application changed over time: from the ornament on the linen clothing of island women, to the interior decoration of bourgeois houses. These changes made it possible to survive to the present day.

It is geometrical in form and made without a drawn pattern. Each woman used works from her mother and grandmothers also adding a personal touch, something unique and special. Each lace piece is a symbol of the anonymous, modest and self-sacrificing life of its maker.

As a reward and recognition for this exceptional beauty, Pag lace was inscribed in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Pretty cool, huh?

Cool vintage wallpapers

2010-02-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

I 've made four sweet vintage desktop wallpapers today just for you! Hope you like them. Feel free to download & enjoy :)

  Paris
  London
  vintage letter
  vintage heart

War against cables

2010-02-28T13:21:00.000-08:00

If you can't defeat them, use them as decoration!
Do you have a lots of latest technology devices in your house? Then you know that there is also one big disadvantage that comes along with all that techie stuff - cables.
Because wireless transmission of electricity is not yet commercialized, we are destined to stumble and hide the ugly mass of cables behind furniture. Can we do better?
PA Design came up with this decorative cable holders.They allow you to create an idyllic garden scene on the wall. Set consists of twelve green plastic leafs and a red bird, and it will look good in a child or living room, with modern or classic setting. Nice, but if you're like me, you'll need at least 13 sets.

The other interesting solution I stumbled upon was the idea that Maisie Maud Broadhead came up with. Instead of hiding cables behind furniture, use them to make interesting drawings on the wall. All you need are the plastic U-shaped holders you will find in any store with this kind of house equipment.
Measure the cable, draw your design on the wall, and then secure the cable with holders. The cost of this project is very small, and the results will be particularly interesting on the painted walls.

So chic, so shabby and so sweet

2010-02-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

Her name is Jasna Janekovic. She is a Croatian designer living in Germany. Although graphic designer by profession, Jasna has turned her passion for interior deorating and space conception into a professional vocation. My apartment has only 33 square meters, but people are always shocked because they say it seems much larger. Probably because all rooms are well arranged. I have a small hallway, small bathroom, a spacious kitchen and a room where I sleep and work.

I love old buildings, especially the magic atmosphere that is spread around the old things. Almost all the furniture was purchased at flea markets or in antique shops. Jasna admits that he doesn't not like new things because they are often to cold and boring.
Home should reflect the spirit of an individual who resides in it. In short, you need to see who lives there and what he or she does. I like to sew, I sew everything that can be made from cloth, except clothes. My favorites are purses and pillows, and things for babies and children, we make key rings, brooches, pendants for gifts of paper, small paper cards, picture frames
I like to play with colors and patterns, and believe that their combination can significantly affect a person's mood - Jasna explains.
I love colors, especially pink because it is cute and cheerful. I think I've found the right measure when it comes to using a lot of colors. Moderate playfulness. Ideas are what makes a flat special and different from others. Sometimes I'm into changes. For example, when you want a different atmosphere in the kitchen, just change the tablecloth and linens in the bedroom. These are small procedures that can significantly refresh living space.Go ahead, visit Jasna's Flicker Photostream or her shop, I promise you'll be fascinated by this gorgeous little cozy nest. I definitely was.

Little winter garden

2010-02-07T15:15:00.000-08:00

Interior gardens are an excellent way of injecting a bit of warmth to your apartment, especially in these cold winter days. You can grow a variety of spices, from orchids, to cacti - look at my suggestions, perhaps they inspire you.

Wallpapers are back

2010-01-31T14:58:00.000-08:00

Wallpapers have always been an essential part of interior design, although they had their ups and downs, they returned to our homes once again. An interesting web page I stumbled across today is Komar.de They offer over 100 outstanding wallpaper samples which come in a great variety of colors, patterns and themes. With wide range of appealing designs and beautiful home photo wallpapers and wall stickers, I'm sure they are able to fulfill everyone's needs. Go ahead and turn your home into a beach, meadow, oasis... Create a new world, a world of your own.

The fragrance of love

2010-01-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

Romance is in the air again with Valentine's day approaching. Are you ready? This simple project is for those who want to give a special gift to a special person. Valentine's day soaps are fun and easy to make.

Materials and supplies:

* Melt & Pour Soap Base (clear and white)
* Red soap colorant
* Scented oil
* Heart shaped cookie cutter
* Flat plastic dish
* Round plastic dish
* Glass containers for cooking or microwave

Melt the soap base in microwave or in the steam bath (making sure the soap does not come in contact with water). Add a few drops of red color and fragrance you want (I have chosen raspberry fruity smell), to get a pink hue. Pour some into a plastic container with a flat bottom. The layer should be approximately 5 mm thick. Let it cool. Add more red color in the rest of the soap base and pour over the first pink layer.

After about 15 minutes, while the soap is not completely hardened, remove it from the flat tray. Cut small heart using your cookie cutter, put them on the bottom of the small plastic containers and pour melted white soap. Let it cool well. Soap is ready for use after 24 hours of drying.

Wrap it in cellophane, add bows and sweet message for Valentine's Day.

Shake it, baby!

2010-01-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful weekend!I went out friday night with an old friend of mine. We haven't seen each other for ages. On Saturday my boyfriend and I went to see Avatar in 3-D. It is truly an amazing film on many different levels. The effects were incredible. It was hard to tell the difference between computer animation and real life but my favorite part was the story itself. If you haven't seen the film yet, you definitely should. And then monday came...why so fast?
Anyway, there is another thing that impressed me today and it is called RosalisaVilla. This design won me at first sight! An unusual combination of gipsy style, strong colors and crazy details immediately awoke in me desire for redecorating my own apartment. Although pastel colors are my favorite, I have to admit that I started to think seriously about using more livelier and brighter colors from now one.

Reading time - Free printable bookmarks

2010-01-16T15:41:00.000-08:00

Books take great importance in my life but I have to admit I didn't read that much recently. That's why one of my New Year's decisions was to visit my local library more often and read more this year. And I don't now about you, but I'm always in a need of a good bookmark. So I decided to play a little bit with photoshop today and the result is below...I designed some girly chic bookmarks that you can print and then glue on some nice card-stock paper. (For original size, just click on the image and then save it)
Hope you like it...Kisses

How about orange?

2010-01-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

Orange is energy, enthusiasm, 'get-it-done' attitude, and balance. It typically symbolizes Hinduism, Buddhism, happiness, energy, balance, heat, fire, enthusiasm, flamboyance, playfulness, gaudiness, autumn, desire, Sagittarius and September. Orange has less intensity or aggression than red and is calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow.
I enjoy orange most...In a changing leaf, In a flower, In an orange, In a fire, In a sunrise, In a sunset, In a sweet apricot, In hot summer.... Ok, you have it all figgured out by now, right? I really like orange!

Light up your house - really cool wall painting ideas...

2010-01-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

Up until only a few years ago people would usually paint children's rooms, but this trend has crossed the border and entered directly into our living rooms, halls, bedrooms...
Walls are the largest area that you have so you can easily use them as an additional space for decoration.
It is not necessary to paint the entire wall, it is enough to refresh only part of the wall with certain detail and the entire space will become completely fresh and new.

With different wall illustrations and playful motifs you can separate or highlight some areas in the house.
Selecting the appropriate color and pattern you can provide the individuality and fashionable appearance with very little effort. The advantage is that you aren't limited with the color, size or pattern, and the result of the transformation could be really astonishing. There are few examples in the gallery, I like them very, very much. Check them out!

The Closet of Your Dreams

2010-01-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

Large closet, a place for storing your clothes, shoes and accessories is definitely girl's favorite place in the apartment. If you have space, find the ideal corner and with a bit of good organization turn it into a place of your dreams.
The main heroine of the Sex and the City movie, Carrie, wanted a large closet instead of engagement ring. Spoil yourself and do the same, but do not wait for Big, bring your dreams into the reality by yourself.
Do you also have a spare bedroom that rarely gets used? If you have an empty room in your apartment or just one free corner afford yourself a large closet.

Think about everything you want to store in your wardrobe: drawers for small things like underwear and socks, hangers for shirts and smaller ones that will keep in perfect order belts, scarves and ties and special part for shoes are just some of the ideas that will elicit a smile to your face every morning.

Closet in the kid's room
The best solution is a cabinet that will 'grow' with the children.
Arrange the drawers, shelves and hangers in a way that you can change their purpose and allow the child to reach only things he needs. Put a drawer at the bottom of the cabinet - your child will appreciate a place for storing his or her toys.

Now that you’ve got all the hardware, it’s time to organize. First, separate your items by type: tops with tops, pants with pants, and so on. Arrange by level of coverage and within each group, arrange up from lightest to darkest color.

Finally, sit back and admire your work. Maybe take a little time to test drive your new space and play dress up. You’ve earned it.
A functional closet will save you time because you'll be able to find things much faster and every evening you'll go to sleep knowing everything is where it should be, neat and tidy.

Enjoying the winter magic in your home

2009-12-29T15:23:00.000-08:00

With summer long gone and winter here to stay for couple more months, everything seems so gray and gloomy. Let's throw in some home décor details that will help us survive the winter blues.
Curtains, decorative pillows and a carpet of bright colors and marine design are acceptable in summer, but in winter months they could look sad and depressive..

Colors are the best defense against winter pallor and sadness. Bring some colors to your home and you will instantly see how your mood changes. Color should be everywhere, pull off the summer neutral scheme and add a dark, warm tones.

Flower gives a new dimension to the living space. Be generous to yourself and find a huge and cheerful bouquet. It will drive away the bad mood, and the effect on your living room will be...do I even have to say?

Use candles. Fragrant, with lovely colors and shapes, glittering and cheap. Group them and decorate...
And have a happy holidays! Kiss....

Children's room decorating: Useful tips, design ideas & points

2009-12-27T11:15:00.000-08:00

Decorating a child's room can be as much fun for the adults as it is for the children. There are hundreds of different styles, designs, techniques and themes you can choose to employ. The most important place to start is obviously with your child. Make sure you take the time to really listen to what is they like and want before you embark on any drastic changes to their personal space. That's not to say you have to agree to paint their room neon pink with lime stripes, just that it's important to incorporate what they want in keeping with your financial means and general standards and ideals.

Start with the basic elements - bed, wardrobe, shelves and desk if the child already goes to school.
Good quality bed and mattress are very important. Although children do not have large mass and thus do not generate a lot of pressure on the mattress, allow them to have healthy and comfortable sleep.

If this is a room of larger dimensions, it is desirable to divide it into 'zones' for different activities- sleeping, eating, playing and / or socializing with friends, learning.

Favorite cartoons characters or film heroes which often symbolize strength and power, and carry positive messages about relationships and justice could also be a good starting point when looking for a room decorating theme. Subject may be dominant in the area through the colors and motifs of the elements of furniture, wallpaper on the walls, the figures on the shelves, etc.

Children are often fascinated animals, but do not have the chance to play with them. Therefore, you can transform their room into a little "animal kingdom" - buy plastic and rubber animals of different species and provide enough free space on the floor to ensure all the "animals" are able to attend the game.
Children's imagination is immense. They often identify themselves with characters they see on TV, and assign themselves roles of knights, pirates, warriors, fairies, princesses, etc. Make their environment imaginary world in which their roles are becoming real.

If your child has a special talent, like music, art, etc., try to decorate his or her room in a way that reflects those talents. The presence of appropriate tools or equipment at any time will help to manifest and further develop this ability through a game or a serious exercise and learning.

What I'm trying to tell is that only the sky is the limit when it comes to creating fun and innovative ideas for decorating children's rooms. There are beautiful furniture and wonderful textiles available to give your children a room that is more than just a place for rest, but one that is used for fun and recreation too. Cheerful colors and playful elements of furniture and walls, complete with favorite toys and other items for fun, will turn it into an oasis which promotes the game and but also learning activities.
The ideas and options are endles, if your child is old enogh consult them on what they like and want to see then work with that to create something spectacular!

Arrange all those pictures

2009-07-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

You have collected a beautiful collection of artwork, posters or photos and you have a free wall in the room. Now what? How to arrange your collection to look harmonious and beautiful? Except choosing the appropriate frames, there are certain rules that the images must concur on the wall, and to be in accordance with the furniture and the rest of the space.
Follow these few examples - here are some golden rules for putting up picture frames on the wall as a collection.

Rhythm
How to create a certain rhythm on your wall? Simply arrange picture frames in one line, which can be straight or curved. It is important to create virtual motion and liveliness. Alternate the size of the frames - bigger frame, then smaller one and so on. This will produce rhythmic impression and a sense of movement. Large images are inappropriate for these kind of arrangement, unless the room is really big. Extra sparkle or extra touch of rhythm can be achieved also by putting images of photos with a motion theme.

Balance
By grouping pictures of different shapes and sizes, you have to make sure that they maintain a mutual balance in order not to get the impression that one side is "heavier" than the other. In our example, the round frame on the left side is balanced with two rectangular frames closer to the right.

Importance (hierarchy)
With this way of arranging pictures, it is important to create a kind of symmetrical form where one picture is drawing the most attention. It is not necessarily the largest one, but its emphasis in the space will acquire the feel of importance. This is the most practical way to match images of different sizes and shapes.

Repetition
With this technique you can create a very dramatic and dynamic look on your wall. When you catch around the first image that imposes itself, your eyes will just continue to search for more. This is ideal if you have a big poster or photo cut into several smaller pieces.
This technique is popular with designers especially when putting various three-dimensional objects on the wall.

Proportionality
This arranging style is often used for exhibitions in galleries, but you can freely use it for your personal home exhibition, especially if you want to set a photos as a beautiful panoramic view. You have to pay attention to the geometry in order to obtain an impression of coherence and harmony of the exhibited pictures.

Lines
You like modern style decoration? Then use this technique of matching the pictures. It is an ideal setting for large-format pictures or posters that are presented in a very dynamic way.

Other useful tips:

Hanging a picture or photo too high above a piece of furniture can leave both of them feeling disconnected. Best height is 5-9 inches above the furniture.
"Eye level" is often defined as art center aligned at 58" from the floor. While this is a good guideline for larger pieces, it can leave smaller pieces stranded on a wall.

It's recommended to hang a print at seated eye level, so that the seated person can enjoy the view! This includes powder rooms, home offices,breakfast bars etc.
Oversized furniture calls for robust art prints to strike a balance. For visual weight, consider a grouping of 2 or 3 prints that carry strong visual weight through color or a wider molding and mat combination.