Page 6 - Spring Home & Garden - Newberg Graphic 2014

Page six March 26, 2014
Home & Garden

Home improvement can be simple with a few tips

Easy DIY projects can reinvent

any home
ith spring weather comes
spring cleaning and often the
W
start of the home
improvement season. While some may
spring for larger projects, such as the

patio you’ve always wanted, there are
many easier ways to improve your

home that can take as little as a few
hours.

A simple way to create a custom bar
Bar cart
cart is repurposing an old dresser.
Creating the cart is essentially as easy
as adjusting the shelves, adding

wallpaper or other desired backdrops
and wine bottle holders. Apartment

Therapy has a great tutorial at
http://bit.ly/1kXT6Ys.
An old dresser is just one item that can be repurposed to
/07/diy-stackable-fruit-crates-a-new- create a specialized kitchen island.

An easy way to create more storage series-30-Thursday.
Storage ottoman
and simultaneously more seating is

building a storage ottoman. While they
are readily available, constructing one Speaking of organizing a kitchen, DIY kitchen island
creating your own specialized island is
is as easy as repurposing an old drawer
with legs and a lid.
easier than it may seem. This project
also uses an old dresser, but anything

with drawers that fits your size desire
For those people with kids, turning a will work. Repaint and add a new top
Reading corner
(if desired), a few hooks and anything
corner in a bedroom or play room into
a reading zone requires only a quick else that might seem handy. Home Jelly
trip to the hardware store. Plastic rain
has the steps at www.homejelly.com/
how-to-repurpose-a-dresser-into-a-

kitchen-island.

Finding the right headboard can be a String-light headboard
challenge, but creating your own can be
A unique idea is creating a wall-mounted headboard, backlit with string lights. To make it, build a simple wood frame with
simple. A unique idea is creating a
as many panels as desired. Cover the frame with translucent polycarbonate and fill each panel with lights.
gutters can be cut diagonally so the paneled wall is a classic way to do so. wall-mounted piece, backlit with string
pieces make a corner and mounted. Add All that’s needed is trim, adhesive and a
lights. To make this beauty, build a
one or two rows at a child-friendly bit of time. This Old House has an simple wood frame with as many
height, line with books and place a excellent tutorial at panels as desired. Cover the frame with
chair underneath for the perfect http://bit.ly/1gvNKf6.
translucent polycarbonate — available
learning space.
at most hardware stores — and fill each

panel with lights.
Stackable fruit crates
Organizing the kitchen in functional
Sometimes the outside needs a little House number planter
and attractive ways can sometimes be a
sprucing up. By taking an already challenge. Crafting stackable fruit (or
Sometimes sprucing up the house is Reclaiming old pieces
existing planter, or creating one, paint vegetable) crates that can be relabeled as simple as making over a piece of
the house number on the plant pot. It’s as needed can solve both issues. Take furniture you have fallen out of love

a great way to make your house stand strips of wood and build these with. The 36th Avenue has some great
out, and add something a little different.
simplistic boxes. Add a coat of stain ideas for where to start at
and a chalkboard sign, and these are
www.the36thavenue.com/2012/08/60-
ready for any counter. Check out The diy-furniture-makeovers.html.
By taking an already existing planter, or creating one, Sometimes all a room needs to look Paneled wall
Wood Grain Cottage’s tutorial at
paint the house number on the plant pot. It’s a great way
to make your house stand out and add something a little refreshed is a new look. Creating a faux
www.thewoodgraincottage.com/2013/02
different.
Story by Katy Sword / Photos courtesy of Pinterest