Frame Pages From a Book

For wall art in a snap, frame pages from one of your favorite classical books. These are taken from Alice in Wonderland’s novel and were framed in luxurious gold and black frames. For maximum impact, arrange the frames in groups of four or six.

DIY Beach-y Seashell Vase

Smothering a plain vase in seashells is a smart way to use up your seashells from your last trip to the beach. All you need to do is slather your vase with a thick layer of grout using a spatula and stick on your sea shells. Let it dry for 24 hours and slather on another layer if you wish between the shells, wiping away with a damp cloth. Seal it with 2 parts PVA glue and 1 part water.

Use Pennies for a Backsplash

Out of ideas for your kitchen backsplash? Now your penny jar will finally come in handy! First make a template for your pennies using mesh backing for mosaic tiles. Use any kind of glue thats good enough to hold metal and start gluing your pennies onto the mesh. Stick on your completed mesh tiles and grout them in place with laticrete epoxy grout in chocolate truffle.

Make a Swing Bench from Palettes

Who knew you could make furniture from palettes? Instead of tossing them out, put them to good use! Check out this easy tutorial to make your own palette swing bench for your front porch or backyard.

Colorful Doily Tablecloth

Here’s a easy way to add a punch of color to your tablecloth – sew on crotchet doilies! It’s hard to come across a affordable table cloth that matches your existing decor, so making one at home is fun, cheap, and easy! Take a look at the tutorial here.

Frame Classical Sheet Music

This is a real easy DIY and it’s super fun to do it! Print out pages of sheet music and make a mixture of seeped mint tea and coffee. Take the tea bag and dab the pages to create a antique or aged look. Your guests will never guess you did it yourself!

Make Candles in a Tea Cup

What a fab way to re-use old, mismatching China! You can pour your own candles in porcelain china cups for a romantic accessory that you can re-use over and over again. These also make great home-made gifts that are easy and cheap to make. Click here for full instructions.

Turn Bottles into Vases

Instead of returning your used bottles to the liquor store for a few cents, turn them into vases! Paint wine bottles in exotic, punchy colors and then paint over an intricate, henna design in a contrasting color. I love the look of orange and turquoise, it gives a fresh, summery vibe to a dining table. Just pop in a few blooming flowers and you’re good to go!

Make a Drift Wood Table in Minutes

Take a trip to the beach and try to find a good, sturdy piece of drift wood. Level the top of the wood and place a sheet of glass or marble on the top for an instant table! Now how cool is that?

Recycling materials you already have is the smartest way to save money, get creative, and be eco friendly! Check out TDS SafeGaurd for more tips on recycling.

Summertime is all about spending as much time outdoors lounging around, playing, barbecuing and just enjoying the gorgeous warm weather. A great way to make the most of the summer season is to plan an additional outdoor living area. The perfect place to start is without a doubt – your front porch! Whether you are looking for an easy way to turn your curb appeal up a notch or trying to enhance your summer outdoor entertaining, try these simple ideas for a snappy porch makeover.

1. Attach Curtains to The Roof of Your Porch

If you are looking for a little privacy or just trying to find a pretty accessory for your porch, attaching curtains is a easy way to do it. They are perfect to close up in the evening or even during the day to prevent the sun’s hot rays from heating the inside of your home. When purchasing your curtains, make sure they are specifically made for outdoors and are durable with a UV resistance. This way they’ll last longer and won’t fade so fast.

Historical Concepts

2. Add a Punch of Color with Accessories

You would be surprised at the difference a few simple accessories can make in livening up your porch for summer. Focus on the details such as cushions, throw pillows, blankets, garden urns, and even  a pretty little serving tray. With outdoor decorating you can get away with a lot since you aren’t competing with wallpapers, specific types of furniture and flooring, so amp it up with juicy hues like deep blues, vibrant orange, yellow and fuchsia.

Rethink Design Studio

3. Create a Outdoor Dining Area

If you are lucky enough to have a large enough porch, set up a convenient dining area for your family and guests. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, a small café table and a few wrought iron chairs will easily do the trick. To make sure your dining area is super comfy, throw on a few plump cushions for maximum comfort and a hit of color.

Thompson Custom Homes

4. Hang up A Comfy Swing

This is one thing everyone loves and even fights about during the summer months! A porch swing is really hard not to love and is a fun choice of seating to rock away on a summer evening or watching the life on your street. There are tons of tutorials to make your own swings from wooden palettes, or your can buy a pre-made one and attach it to the ceiling of your patio with either a tough rope or sturdy chain.

Van Wicklen

5. Re-finish Unique Yard Sale Finds

This season there is a yard sale on every corner which makes it a easy way to re-do your porch on a budget. You never know what you can find so make sure to scour garage sales for unique finds like retro patio chairs, small side tables and even urns. You can easily re-paint these with a few layers of spray paint. Take for example these whicker chairs that were given a new life with a quick layer of ocean blue paint.

Sarah Greenman

6. Create a Place to Relax with Lounge Chairs

Invest in a couple of wooden lounge chairs for your porch for the perfect place to relax along with a great view. The sloped back and arm rest puts you in the ideal state of relaxation. Instead of purchasing cheap plastic chairs that need to be replaced every year or so, choose ones made from teak or cedar for maximum durability and easy maintenance.

Michelle Fries Design

7. Set up a Additional Living Room

To create a additional living space on your porch is easy, and you can actually make a second living room this way. All you need to do is focus on brining the indoors out all while following a few simple rules about durability and the right materials. A woven resin patio set can withstand rain and the sun’s hot rays as well as a thick outdoor sisal rug, which is ideal to be used on the porch.

Historical Concepts

About the Author:

Legacy Lifts is a Texas-based special contractor. Legacy cargo lifts and passenger elevators are designed to withstand the elements, including winds up to 130 mph. They can even be customized to match your home’s exterior.