Easy Fall Shelf Ideas

October 16, 2024, in

 Hi, sweet friends, thank you for stopping by today for easy fall shelf ideas that I had fun putting together in my home.  You don't need to spend a lot of money on new seasonal decor to make your home cozy for fall.  With a little creativity and thinking beyond traditional orange pumpkins, I incorporated the items around my home with natural elements to transform ordinary shelves into simple fall displays.  You can style shelves easily using an autumnal palette with materials, like metal, wood, ceramics, terracotta, and woven baskets, and don't forget to showcase your personality with photographs and playful items.

Instead of placing these pears on my window sill to ripen, I put them on my mantel underneath my collection of blue and white plates for a cheerful burst of fall color.  Using fruit such as pears or apples is the easiest fall shelf idea I can think of.  Plus they are easy to grab for a healthy snack.

The color pallette along with simple textures on these shelves give just a nod to fall.  

easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home


easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home

Preserved oak leaves are displayed on top of our dining table in a crystal thrift store find.  This display would look just as pretty tucked on a shelf.


easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home

A playful and elegant way to display the green tomatoes picked from my garden. 

easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home
Display fresh-cut herbs on open shelving in your kitchen. Here I have fresh-cut oregano displayed in a white ceramic vase on my kitchen counter.

easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home

I like to store candles on a shelf for when I need them for a dinner party at the dining table.  I used parts of a trophy to make the candle sticks. Click the link below to read how I made them.
easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home

Soup bowls, a cloth pumpkin, and glass apples were all that was needed to make a quick transition from summer decor to fall.  

easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home

easy-fall-shelf-ideas-love-my-simple-home

As we continue through autumn remember the beauty of simple fall decor is easy to do.  Grab those items around your home that you love, mix them with nature, and let your creativity run wild. I have plenty more creative ways to decorate for fall so if you crave more inspiration head over to my FALL SECTION.



Read
More

How To Cover A Bookcase With Curtains

April 29, 2024, in

Curtains aren't just for windows!  I've used them to conceal the contents in the built-ins in our dining area and now I am using them on a bookcase in our sitting room.  This room also serves as a home office. 

This post contains affiliate links

I decided to cover the bookcase simply because the shelves get messy and when I'm hanging out in this room I can't help but notice the distraction.  Covering a bookcase with curtains is an easy solution to hide the clutter and create a neat and organized look in your home.   


Sometimes it's a little messy, and sometimes a little tidier.  They are Mostly messy but for today and for you they are tidy.😀 I am terrible about putting things back in their usual spot and I tend to just shove them on any shelf. Especially when in a rush.  


It's a space we use often so these shelves are quite functional, but there is also some interest here.  The curtains allow easy access to the shelf contents when they are opened and hide the mess when closed. 


Here is a simple and quick step method you can try: 

Full coverage:  Use curtains that fit the width and length of the bookcase.  I purchased ready-made curtains from Amazon that measure 52x84 inches and fit the bookcase perfectly.  The curtains have grommets but you can use tab-back curtains or hang the curtains with curtain clips. Here is the link for similar curtains.

Partial coverage is another idea if your curtains do not fit the full length of your bookcase. You can cover only the bottom part of the bookcase with curtains. This is a method I used in our dining area. 

Slide the curtains through a spring tension rod and install it across the width of the bookcase. 

Can you believe that's all you need, to do to hide a messy bookcase? It really is that simple. 

Here is the link for the complete makeover of this room:  SITTING ROOM BEFORE & AFTER


xo


Read
More

Sitting Room Before & After

March 22, 2024, in , ,
sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

This post contains affiliate links 

I love this sitting room because of its location at the front of the house and the abundant sunlight it gets in the morning.  When we first purchased our house we used this room as the guest bedroom but over time we felt that it didn't really feel right and needed to be used in, the right way. As I mentioned the two things I love about this room are the location and sunlight.  When I realized what this space should be I redesigned it to be a sitting room.   

Hello and welcome, today, I'm sharing the before and after photographs of our completed sitting room that my husband and I worked on together.  

Let's take a look at the before pictures.  This photograph shows the first makeover we did years ago when we changed this room from a guest bedroom to a sitting room.  We painted the walls a pale yellow and installed a wall-to-wall carpet. The navy blue curtains have a beautiful stripe fabric trim that was an easy no-sew project.  I created a small gallery wall with a painting and a print I purchased at a yard sale. 

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Fast forward to today, we emptied the room, of everything. 

BEFORE
sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Then we stripped the room of the carpet and trim. We painted the walls, ceiling, and all the trim work the same color.  We plan on using the desk so we left it in the room. The desk was a quick and easy DIY project mentioned later in the post.
 
siting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

 AFTER
sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

And now what a difference!  The walls, ceiling, and trim are painted with the color Pure White by the Sherwin Williams Infinity collection in a flat finish and the new plank laminate floor is from the Home Depot.  After all the work was complete it was time to place the furniture and decorate the room. 

Decorating a room is the fun part for me!  However before any furniture or decor is placed in the room I think about the layout, color, and how the space will be used.  The next step is to look at the room to see what fits. The size and shape of the room will determine what furniture pieces will fit the best. I like to shop around our home before purchasing any new items. Something in one room is now going to be in this room and used in a completely different way.  About 90 percent of the furniture and items in our home I bought second-hand, found on the side of the road, or were given to us.  

Moving all the pieces to different rooms and putting them where I know where to use them is a great way of figuring out how to utilize them as best as possible in their new space. 

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

I shopped around our home and asked my husband to move the two bookcases in my workroom into this room. I decided to separate the bookcases and flank them opposite each other against the wall between the two windows. This created a cozy space with enough room for two chairs and a comfortable spot for two people to converse with each other.  I then designed the two bookcases, one for books and one for office supplies and photography equipment. My favorite chair to lounge in is the second-hand tufted floral chair that I slipcovered to cover a small rip in the upholstery.  As you can see it's also B's favorite. Lucky for me there is another comfortable chair.

The ottoman I purchased online a few years ago.  Amazon has a nice selection of ottomans for the home.
sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Trifted Vintage objects find new use in the sitting room like this nightstand pulled from one of the bedrooms.  Just because a piece of furniture is meant for a specific room doesn't mean you have to exclusively use it in, that room.  This small nightstand is the perfect storage solution to hold books and other items.  The basket and drawer are storage for things I, don't want to see like maybe B's stuff.☺

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Although I find it challenging to find the right size shade for my lamps I also find it fun to see what I can find. This beautiful crystal lamp came with a large empire shade that was too big for this space so I changed it to a woven seagrass shade.  Later in this post, you'll see that I changed the seagrass shade to a beautiful silk shade making the lamp look even more elegant.  

sitting-room-&-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

I like to give each area of a room a purpose by setting up different zones. Setting up different zones makes the room feel bigger.  I used the middle of the room as the sitting area. The round jute rug between the chairs creates a specific zone for reading and conversation. The rug I purchased years ago for my living room makeover. You can read about my living room makeover here. I plan on purchasing a new rug for this space and have my eye on this one from Amazon.  

I used the walls in this room as a second zone for office space by placing one of the bookcases in the far right corner.  This bookcase holds office supplies and my photography equipment so it made sense to place the desk against the wall, tucked between the window and bookcase.  Now I have a nice view out the window and easy access to the items on the bookcase. 

Can, you guess that the desk was once a coffee table?  It became a desk after thinking it was too long a coffee table when we would walk around it and bump into the edge.  Changing out the legs was an easy fix to give it a new life as a desk.  

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

One of my photographs of a moody ocean scene hangs above the desk.  I love gazing up from whatever I'm working on, taking a moment to stare at this photograph giving my soul and eyes a place to rest. 

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Leaning on top of, a DIY desk is an oversized picture frame I covered in burlap. I was, thinking of using it as an inspiration board or to style my photographs inside the frame. A small lamp and plant are just enough for this desk. Keeping the desk minimally styled allows the freedom to use it when needed for projects.  If you want to use a small lamp in your home Amazon has a nice selection with many colors to, choose from. 

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Striping this room down to a blank canvas was hard work but the right decision. I had fun piecing this room together like a puzzle, opening my eyes to see what it could be, and putting on my thinking cap to create a cozy sitting room using the things around our home.  

sitting-room-before-&-after-love-my-simple-home

Thank you for the visit
xo
FOR MORE OF MY MAKEOVERS CLICK THE LINKS BELOW

Read
More

7 Easy Ways To Brighten Up Your Home For Spring

March 13, 2023, in

 7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

Ah, spring is almost here at least that's what the calendar says. We still have the winter chill here in New York so I won't be spending time in the garden just yet, but I can have fun now sprucing up the inside of my home.  Here are my 7 easy ways to brighten up your home for spring:   

1.  Have fun with bright accessories, from colorful coffee table books to stylish objects and things found in nature to create beautiful accents around your home.  Not sure how to style up a coffee table read my post about HOW TO STYLE A COFFEE TABLE IN 4 EASY STEPS.

2.  Bring in flowers!  Think tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and even branches of leaves or forsythia in a mix of vases on your window sill or around your home. The color, the scent it's spring in a vase!  You can create a beautiful bunch to display just by placing your tallest flower in the center of the vase and work your way out.  If you want to add texture just add in some greenery. 

This post contains affiliate links

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home


7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

3. Ok, next up is the simplest of them all, it's free and you might already be doing this. Open your curtains, drapes, blinds, shades, or whatever you have that is covering your windows! Tea towels are a fun way to dress your windows for the spring.  I know in the winter we want our homes to be insulated warm and cozy so we tend to have our window treatments closed. Spring is the time to let the natural light in. Letting natural light into your home will instantly brighten it up and give it a mood boost and maybe boost your mood too.  I also like to open my windows on nice days to let fresh air and the sound of life in. Hearing the birds chirping outside makes me smile.  

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

4.  Spring is the perfect time to give your bedroom a mini-makeover with new bedding. It's an inexpensive way to freshen up your bedroom and give it a new feel.  I love a mix of bright whites with soothing blue accents.  Shop on  AMAZON for bedding.

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home


7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

5.  Brighten up your entryway with a new accent rug. These small rugs are life savers and are easy to keep clean. Our entryway gets a lot of abuse, especially during the spring when the ground is still muddy. When the rug gets dirty I can shake it out or pop it in the wash.  Shop Amazon for area rugs.

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

6.  Get something growing!  Even though I'm ready to get out in the garden and grow fresh herbs and vegetables I can't quite do that yet so I like to get something growing inside. An easy way to do this is to purchase herb plants at the grocery store and place them in the kitchen or dining area in a basket, planter, or vase where it gets light. Read my post about DIY herb planters in up-cycled cans for a fun alternative.

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home


7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

  7.  Add bright pillows.  Pillows make any space extra cozy and inviting so swap out your winter textiles for more cheerful colorful ones. I am a fan of pillows and have them everywhere in our home. They are an easy way to lighten up the space and instantly add a pop of color.

7-easy-ways-to-brighten-up-your-home-for-spring-love-my-simple-home

xx,
Julie
Thank you for reading to the end! 

If you're craving more click on the links below! 







Read
More

Small Lamps For Kitchen Countertops

January 19, 2023, in , ,
small-lamps-for-kitchen-countertops-love-my-simple-home

This post contains affiliate links

One reason why I love home decor so much is, that you can recreate any atmosphere anywhere you like, simply by mixing vintage pieces, and lighting. Hello and welcome!  I wanted to bring a bit of warmth to our white quartz countertops with a small table lamp, it's my favorite kitchen accessory trend for this year.  This timeless trend of displaying a tabletop lamp on the kitchen counter is easy to do and will add character and warmth to your kitchen for the winter months and throughout the year. 

I purchased a small vintage lamp years ago at a consignment store and recently placed it on our kitchen countertop to recreate the cozy aesthetic that we have in our living spaces.  

The space between our countertops and upper cabinets is about 17 inches so this 8-inch lamp works beautifully. Beyond offering texture and color It's just so cozy!  I like to keep the overhead kitchen lights off and just have a soft glow of light in the evening. This has become my favorite time of day because I love the cozy aesthetic the lamp brings to our kitchen. 

Here are images from my archives of other lamps that I used on our previous kitchen countertop 

small-lamps-for-kitchen-countertops-love-my-simple-home
small-lamps-for-kitchen-countertops-love-my-simple-home


small-lamps-for-kitchen-countertops-love-my-simple-home


small-lamps-for-kitchen-countertops-love-my-simple-home

It's time for a cozy atmosphere and to open a nice bottle of wine. I put together a round-up with an assortment of pretty lamps that will fit most kitchen countertops without taking up too much counter space. 

Small Lamps For Kitchen Countertops:


What do you think? 

xx, 
Julie

Read
More
© love my simple home · THEME BY WATDESIGNEXPRESS