You Said It: ‘Enjoy Your Own Private Symphony’ and More Houzz Quotables

Though I look forward to cooler temperatures and lighting the fire on fall and winter nights, I dread nights where it’s pitch black out by early evening. To turn that dread into something more positive, I think about what I can do to combat it. Houzz had me prepping for Halloween and for having friends over, considering home organization and décor projects and making plans for the garden. Here are just a handful of this week’s bookmark-worthy articles I know I’ll go back to, whether it’s time to replace my insulation, host a party, organize my cleaning supplies or paint a ceiling.

“A handmade garland of bats crafted from black duct tape, gathered twigs and white accents offers a twist on traditional Halloween colors.” — Corynne Pless

Pless shares some DIY Halloween decorations that are cheap and easy to make, and they look fantastic. As an Edgar Allen Poe fan, I’d love to change these bats to ravens and leave it up in a library all year round. To get started, I just need a raven template, and a library … hmph.

Full story: Easy Halloween Decorations From Stuff You Already Have


“How often have you knocked over three bottles of cleaning products stockpiled beneath your kitchen sink to reach the one you wanted in the back?” — Karen Egly-Thompson

Well, Karen Egly-Thompson, I do this on a daily basis. I want this rollout drawer. Egly-Thompson has not only rounded up 13 clever ways to max out our cabinet and drawer storage, but also listed the approximate costs of each. Figure out if the convenience of an appliance garage, corner-shaped drawers, pullout platter storage or pullout spice racks is worth the cost for you.

Full story: 13 Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas and What They Cost


“Your guests are there to enjoy your company, not judge your home or your cooking.” — Laura Gaskill

If you put off having company over because the thought of making everything perfect is just too overwhelming, this article is for you. With the holidays just around the corner, it’s a great time to get ready with Gaskill’s list so that party night will be a breeze. And keep in mind that they aren’t coming over for a Martha Stewart experience but to spend time with you.

Full story: Make Your Checklist for Entertaining Season


“ It’s no secret now that a bold ceiling color is a great way to set the tone in a room and draw the eye upward and around the space. But choosing the right bold color is crucial.” — Jennifer Ott

A lot of us forget all about “the fifth wall,” the ceiling. Many of them are just begging for a pop of color. In some cases, it makes a vast room feel cozier, in others, color can make a low ceiling feel higher. As usual, Ott is full of great color selection guidance.

Full story: 9 Fun Ceiling Colors to Try Right Now


“With any material claimed to be ecofriendly, always ask these questions:
How do you source the material?Were any glues or binders used?How is it treated for fire and insect resistance?Is your product guaranteed by any third-party certification?” — Mariana Pickering

Like Kermit the frog laments, it’s not easy being green. That’s why I’m so grateful to Pickering. She lays out exactly what we need to know and the right questions to ask, then runs through the best options and what to consider about each one. In this article, she leads us through the basics of eco-friendly insulation options.

Full story: Insulation Basics: Natural and Recycled Materials


“The glass louvers are in shades of blue, green, yellow and lilac. They not only provide a point of interest externally, but they throw a rainbow of light onto the interior surfaces like modern versions of stained-glass windows.” — Claire McCall

Sometimes contemporary architecture takes a strict material palette just a little too seriously (IMHO). That’s why these louvers in bright Post-It Note hues made me smile. They add such a welcoming and playful touch.

Full story: Houzz Tour: A Great Escape Hugs Cliff and Tree


“Whatever the reason, dandelions are popping up like, well, weeds.” — Mary Jo Bowling

What I enjoy most about this clever round up of dandelions around the house is Bowling’s writing, which along with this amazing wallcovering, has me wishing I had a dandelion to blow to bits in the air right now. How about you?

Full story: Dandelions Pop Up in Home Décor


“You will enjoy your own private symphony when you stop long enough to listen.” — Jay Sifford

Sifford gets downright poetic about the way the crunch of gravel, the different drips and splashes of water, grasses that rustle in the wind and other elements can engage the sense of sound in the garden. From the Comments section, it seems Houzzers are split on whether wind chimes delight or annoy — following up with all of your comments was particularly interesting to me.

Full story: Beautiful Noise: How to Create a Symphony in Your Garden


“… you may find that your nook becomes one of your favorite spots in the house.” — Laura Gaskill

I’m a big nook fan, but I’d never thought of some of the clever solutions nooks can solve; in this article they are rounded up in the same place. Gaskill shows us how to create a mini-mudroom with a nook in an entryway, a tucked-away desk space in a bedroom that won’t affect your sleep, a mini command central in a kitchen, a cozy space for a child’s bed and more.

Full story: Carve Out a Neat Little Nook

Did something you saw on Houzz strike a chord with you this week? Please share it with us in the Comments section.

URL: You Said It: ‘Enjoy Your Own Private Symphony’ and More Houzz Quotables http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24801.html