Kristy Bowen

If you're looking for a way to protect your plants and flowers during chillier seasons, the internet is filled with an abundance of cool DIY greenhouse ideas, many of which allow you to build a customized glass or plexiglass enclosure to create the right environment for growing. One often-overlooked source of wood frames and glass panels is older windows, which can be assembled into a budget-friendly custom greenhouse with the addition of some simple wood framing made from two-by-fours.
These...

While using tiles in or around a fireplace is an age-old practice due to their durability and resistance to heat, the popularity of this element as a visual trend rises and falls, with many early 20th-century homes boasting gorgeous tile fireplaces that eventually gave way to a popularity of brick, wood panels, and stone in the mid-century. The 1980s, however, gave tile new life, with many homes featuring geometric tiles in earth tones or pastels with high gloss finishes, as well as a growing...

Your 31st birthday may seem like an afterthought to the grand celebration that kicks off entering your thirties the year before. However, this first birthday in an important decade doesn’t have to be uneventful or boring. While the internet is filled with 30th birthday party ideas, there are also many ways to set this important span of years into motion.
Wondering how you can celebrate my birthday uniquely? We’ve rounded up some fun ideas that are perfect for this decade, when many people are...

If you love paper calendars and are looking for cool ways to upcycle them after their dedicated year is over — you're in luck. There are many fun repurposing projects that capitalize on the visual beauty of calendars, particularly those with floral, landscape, and fine art themes. You can use calendar pages or covers, which are usually printed on glossy and thick card stock or paper, for a variety of paper-centric projects, like making them into bookmarks, decoupaging, and framing them as wal...

Window treatments are a great way to define your space while giving it a finished and cohesive look. However, traditional curtains and other window treatments can often be expensive, particularly if you have windows in unusual sizes, a large number of windows in your home, or very specific needs for draft prevention or privacy. DIYing your window treatments can be an excellent budget-friendly solution, providing creative ways to get exactly what you want, whether that's just some additional i...

While some homeowners love the feel of a newer build home, as well as the feeling of a fresh start and modern amenities, many bemoan the lack of character and charm in these newer homes. They can be a strong contrast to older houses that have seen many centuries or even decades of love and use. While there are many ways to make a newer home feel older by adding architectural details like moldings and other features, even the objects you occupy your home with can go a long way toward making a ...

Walls in many newer homes, typically created from basic drywall, often lack the character and interest that well-wrought wood paneled and plaster walls have in much older homes. This can mean that they don't really add much to the space and décor of the room they define, losing a rich opportunity to create another design layer for a more cohesive look. While many homeowners deal with plain walls by adding large scale art, gallery walls, wallpaper, or paneled accent walls, a unique approach no...

Stunning floating shelves can be one of the most stylish ways to get a little extra storage and display in any room. While retailers are full of shelving options for your home, you may be overlooking some readily available materials you can procure second-hand that make great small floating shelves with a few modifications. Wooden boxes, with the addition of some interior shelves and hanging hardware, can easily become small wall-mount...

Older wooden chairs have a certain amount of charm and carved details not frequently found in newer models made from less expensive materials or designed in a more streamlined modern style. This means these older chairs are perfect for adding character to any space. While not all chairs weather the years in perfect shape, there are many different ways to upcycle and repurpose old chairs in your home that have seen better days. One project from a YouTube DIYer, South House Design, creates an a...

With many modern homes and newer builds falling on the less ornate side, many often lack the character and architectural details present in older homes. While you may be starting with a blank canvas, there are so many ways to add architectural interest to your walls, including things like moldings, wainscotting, and decorative trim that can instantly transform a room. It's an approach favored by HGTV and the Magnolia Network's Joanna Gaines, who frequently maximizes woodwork and trim to creat...

Dollar Tree is known for its inexpensive elements that DIYers adore, including ordinary objects that can be repurposed into all sorts of cool projects and uses. They often have everything you need for a project among their aisles, including small metal trellises meant for use in gardens and large planters. These metal trellis sections are a favorite among the internet's ingenious DIYers, who have been turning them into everything from stunning garden décor to fun seasonal decorations with jus...

Finding the perfect frame for your favorite photos and art can be tricky, especially if you're after budget-friendly options with character and style. While stores offer cheap frames, they’re often plain and uninspired. But with a little creativity, you can repurpose existing frames or use unique materials to craft custom designs that stand out on your walls and shelves.
We’ve rounded up a few favorites, most of which can be created with materials you may already have at home in your craft st...

Finding unique vintage and antique pieces for your home involves a lot of good luck and determination. While you can occasionally stumble across just the perfect piece at in-person venues like flea markets and thrift stores, some pieces are far more likely to be found in other, more direct secondhand venues, such as collectors and estate sales. If you lack access to some of these in-person spaces because of where you live geographically, online options make these kinds of items accessible. Yo...

Plant-based diets are some of the healthiest ways to eat, indulging fully in the wealth of the natural world to nourish and sustain. While there are many different varieties of eating that fall under the plant-based diet umbrella, such as vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan, the greater terminology includes those diets that place plant-based foods at the center, rather than just a component, of eating. Popular plant-based foods and ingredients include vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and grains....

Front doors and other entryways into your home often present a unique challenge when it comes to privacy. As they frequently feature windows, side panels, transoms, and other transparent surfaces in unique shapes, it can be difficult to know how to cover the glass. While more modern means of covering doorways like smaller curtains, blinds, shades, and window films are still popular, the gracefulness of a full floor to ceiling set of curtains has a much more dramatic look.
This European-inspir...