10 Things the Property Brothers Say Every Dream Home Has in Common Make the best use of IKEA's put-it-together-yourself furniture to create unique storage ideas and home decor. Before: BEKVAM Step StoolBefore: BEKVAM Step StoolThis IKEA favorite might look like a typical step stool made of solid wood. But in reality, there are so many ways to use this versatile item. After: Play KitchenAfter: Play KitchenYour kids are going to love playing "let's make dinner" alongside you — and you're going to love how affordable this set up is. It's as simple as painting the steps black, drawing on a stove top, and adding some knobs on the front to get the "burners" going.See more at Mommo Design » 10 Furniture Problems You Can Fix YourselfWicker is a general term for woven furniture and accents, not a specific material. The term is used broadly for any item woven from synthetic to natural hard fibers such as rattan, bamboo, seagrass and more. The primary material used to create wicker is rattan “vine,” which is actually a name for more than 600 prolicic climbing plants.
Some species can grow more than 300 feet in length—making rattan an abundant, sustainable resource. The production of wicker furniture often utilizes material from the entire plant: Peel, core, pole and all. When rattan’s outer skin or peel is removed and cut into thin strips, the resulting material is called cane. Rattan cane is used for weaving chair seats or wrapping joints on wicker furniture and is produced in many different gauges, ranging from carriage fine to the largest slab rattan. It has a natural glossy finish and does not accept stain or paint well, but is considered most beautiful in its natural state. Rattan cane packed in wet clay and allowed to season is known as Kubu or Kubu gray, due to its soft ashen color. Kubu rattan is exceptionally strong and is prized by furniture-lovers for its distinctive dusky shade. Reed is the thin, flexible material inside the rattan core. Most often used for basket weaving, it may also function as an ornamental element in wicker furniture.
Unlike cane, it has no natural finish and readily accepts paint or stain. Bamboo resembles rattan and is often mistaken for it. But unlike rattan, which is solid, bamboo has a hollow core. Bamboo also has distinguishing ridges where the leaves were attached, while rattan’s leaf nodes are not as pronounced. Made popular in 19th century England, willow or twig furniture is still crafted today, although the supple branches are now most often used in basketry. Willow can be soaked for flexibility and woven or bent to form graceful, rounded shapes. The term seagrass is used for a variety of flowering plants, such as water hyacinth, that grow in shallow coastal waters. Seagrasses are not related to seaweed but are more closely akin to the lily. Leaves are generally long and narrow, resembling terrestrial grasses. Banana leaf furniture is made from natural banana fibers that are dried, twisted and braided into a rope. The rope is then woven over a frame to create furniture and basketry that is handsome and highly durable.
Are you sitting down? We love us some DIY decor and a unique seat is just the thing to set your room or event apart. From giving new life to an old chair, to creating a new chair from scratch, to decorating a chair for your wedding, these 30 DIYs will knock you off your feet. 1. Cross Stitch Chair: Cross stitching — it’s not just for Valentine’s Day cards and iPhone cases anymore ;) This chair takes the scale of cross stitching up a notch and it’s so cool! 2. Dip Dyed Chair: Add a bright pop of color to your decor with this crazy simple DIY. (via For the Love of…) 3. Screen Printed Chair: Give an old chair some love with some new-school screen-printed fabric. We’re loving the bright orange against the classic wood frame. 4. Rustic Orange and Wood Chair Signs: The complementary nature of these signs looks great without being too matchy-matchy. These would be easy to DIY in whatever your wedding color is. 5. Peacock Chair: This tutorial takes a chair that was left out as trash and turns into to a luxurious getaway in your home.
(via Design Love Fest) 6. Patchwork Chair: Use up those scraps of fabric you have lying around to create a unique seat. (via Sombrero de Ideas) 7. Ribbon Upholstered Chair: Can you believe this was made with ribbon? The striped effect makes this old chair into a statement piece. 8. Office Chair Hack: What do you get when you combine an IKEA chair with some brass spray paint? An elegant chair that’ll add a hint of class to your office. (via Hither & Thither) 9. Pallet Chair: Make a chair from an old pallet and your yard will be the envy of your neighbors. (via Our Pinteresting Family) 10. Ombre Wedding Chair: This might be the prettiest wedding chair idea we’ve seen yet, and what’s even cooler is how easy (and inexpensive) it is! All you need is white chairs and some ribbon in your color. 11. Updated Folding Chair: Folding chairs bring to mind cheap, not-so-attractive makeshift seating. This update makes folding chairs impressive and awesome. (via Design for Mankind)
12. Upcycled Belt Chair: Definitely an outdoor chair, we’re loving the pop of color that comes from using one bright belt weaved with a bunch of brown ones. 13. Spray Painted Office Chair: We might just have to do this to some of the chairs at Brit HQ. The black and white spray paint adds a modern twist to your workspace. (via Little Green Notebook) 14. IKEA Hack Chair: Turn an IKEA countertop into a totally rad chair with pretty pops of color and a unique shape. 15. Painted Chairs: Create a rainbow in your dining room by simply painting your existing chairs in a wide variety of colors. 16. Nautical Wedding Chairs: Add a fun nautical touch to your big day by using life preservers to decorate your wedding chairs. (via Martha Stewart Weddings) 17. Shades-of-Blue Ombre Chair: It’s no secret; This blue chair is the perfect way to introduce the trend to your decor. 18. Fabric Covered Chair: Got a fabric pattern you love but you’re not sure how to use? Upcycle an old chair by covering it with your favorite fabric and add some visual interest to your dining room.
19. Chair Decoupage: This chair was made with wrapping paper! We’re loving the unique use of materials and how the pattern works with the holes already in the structure of the chair. (via Snow and Graham) 20. Wedding Chair Silhouettes: Simple and elegant, these silhouettes are a pretty way to mark off your chairs and easy to coordinate with the rest of your wedding decor. 21. Pom Pom Chair: How fun is this chair? Hot glue and those random pom poms you’ve got lying around are all you need to make this funky (and we’re betting comfy!) piece. (via The DIY Queen) 22. Custom Seat Cushion: Add some personality to your next backyard barbeque with these colorful custom seat cushions. (via Brit + Co.) 23. Chair Revamp: We’re definitely into the subtle mismatched look achieved by painting different thrift store finds the same color. And of course, the chevron fabric on the seats is totally our jam. (via Violet and Grey) 24. Simple Mr. and Mrs. Chair Signs: Ribbon and paper make simple, understated signs for your chairs… and add a little “something blue” to your reception, for extra luck!
25. Chair Swing: Put some swing into your seat by turning a tired chair into a fun addition to your backyard decor. (via This DIY Life) 26. Map Chair: Map decor has caught our eye lately and this amazing chair is no exception. 27. Navajo Inspired Chair: This Navajo-inspired pattern mixes bright colors with the natural look of the wicker chair and the results are beautiful. 28. Chalkboard + Polka Dot Wedding Chair: Chalkboard and polka dots and colors, oh my! This simple bunting nonetheless makes your wedding chairs stand out. 29. Modern Painted Chair: The modern aesthetic of this chair combined with the sweet accent of the heart makes this a truly incredible piece that’s sure to impress your guests. (via I Love to Create) 30. Ampersand Chair: Gotta love typography. This ampersand adds symbolism and simplicity to your reception. (via Style Me Pretty) Which of these chair upgrades is your fave? Are we missing any awesome seat makeovers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.