Getting locked out of your house is a real pain. In our house, it happens almost weekly to a certain member of our family (his name begins with a 'B' and ends with a 'runo'). And while it's a great hassle to him, it unfailingly becomes an even greater hassle to everyone in his sphere. I have lost count of the number of times I've had to leave the gym, a restaurant, a glorious champagne tasting with friends to bail him out. Because it always seems to happen during bad weather, well past the bedtimes of our children, uphill both ways in the snow, etc., etc. ...
We've tried every clever and reasonable solution to the problem with no success. All of our neighbors have spare keys to our house (and they never seem to be home in our time of need). We've kept keys under the doormat - which is really silly – and we tried one of those ugly, fake rock key holders (and after one save, the key never made it back).
And so, every time I leave the house and Bruno leaves the house, I wonder if he'll make it back into the house. It's funny, but not really.
So, we decided to try a little something new. We partnered with the folks at Kwikset to give their SmartCode 916 Electronic Deadbolt a try. The lock comes with a good old fashioned key, for people like me who have good luck with keys. But, it also has an electronic keypad for people like Bruno who can not keep track of a key to save his life.
We installed it a week ago, and I will not tell you how many times it has saved us (that number rhymes with "great"). It has also allowed our 7-year old to let herself into our locked back door after playing with a neighbor friend down the road. This was significant to her, because it spared her the 35 steps she would have otherwise had to take to make it to our very far away front door.
Ah, but I digress. Let's get back on track.
The SmartCode keypad was easy to install. In fact, I did it by myself with only a Phillips screwdriver and the hex wrench that came with the set. It really is as simple as removing your old lock and handle, and following the very simple installation guide that comes with the set. We made a video to show you how easy the process is from start to finish. Have a look!
We're thrilled with the new setup. It's nice to know we can just run out the back door and leave the house secure, even if we didn't grab keys.
And here's the coolest thing: the new lock syncs with our SmartThings home automation system! We set up ours to automatically lock the door at night, or after 5 minutes of inactivity. Plus we can lock or unlock it from our phones at any time, so if we're ever out of the house and can't remember if we locked the back door ... it's not a problem).
This post is sponsored by Kwikset. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Curbly!
Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed by all the bright colors around me. Maybe I'm getting old. Or maybe it's the onset of fall and cooler weather. Either way, every so often I like to step back from the vivid neons, deep, saturated hues, and loud primary colors. A neutral, calming color palette is what guided this little credenza re-styling. Read on to see how I did it.
I channeled a more minimalist, cool style to decorate our dining room credenza. Using items we already had in our decor arsenal and a few new pieces, I created a simple vignette. Here are the rules I followed to bring a bit of serenity into our home.
THE RULES
1. Keep it Simple: Cool colors are classic callbacks. For a slightly more modern look, focus on the neutral color palette of black, white, and gray.
Keep it natural and organic
2. Keep it Quiet: With a neutral color palette in mind, it can be easy to over-style. But minimalism thrives when it creates space for pieces to breathe.
3. Keep it Natural: Adding subtle elements of nature - be they plants or weathered woods. These organic elements lend a natural feeling to the style, creating softness and delicacy.
WHAT I DID
1. I kept the color palette very simple: black, white, and grey. The modern horse photograph anchors the whole style, and everything that went on the credenza had to complement that bold steed.
2. Everything I included in the styling had simple lines. But, oh no -- simple does not mean boring! The long legs of the candelabra are striking, as are the geometric lines of the single candle holders. The vase is covered in a Scandinavian print that scales well with the surrounding pieces.
3. The books and smaller art pieces fill in and ground the space. Although they make the credenza feel full, their cool colors and minimalist lines keep things very chill.
I've included a full source list below! Take a look and let me know what you think in the comments.
For the last two months we've been running non-stop on the design treadmill trying to get our new studio ready for its debut. We've replaced floors, demolished walls, painted, and done a handful of unconventional cosmetic fixes in order to get the space in 'blank slate' order. From there, came a two-week self-imposed game of "which design road should we take today", as we've slowly cobbled things together. The good news is that we're getting there -- inch by inch, row by row, we're nearly ready to share the new space with you.
In the meantime, we've been doing a series of smaller DIY-type projects and hacks to give some basic pieces a little more kapow! We needed a record stand for an old (broken) record player Bruno found at a garage sale and has been tinkering with all summer long. We were inspired by this IKEA hack from The Surznick Common Room.
Using an IKEA KALLAX shelving unit, and a set of Pretty Pegs legs, we created a record stand that's made up of simple lines and a little mid-century character. Here's what you need to complete this very simple project...
To attach the Pretty Pegs to your KALLAX shelf, simply drill the universal mounting plate onto the KALLAX, and attach your legs. It will take you less than 15 minutes and you'll feel like you accomplished something big and important!
Since our very vintage record player came with a set of large removable speakers, we simply wedged them into two of the KALLAX shelves, and then styled the remaining shelves with plants and accessories we had on hand, filling in with our very modest record collection. Though our collection is wee, we do have this WHITNEY HOUSTON record that makes me feel like the Queen of Sheba.
Here's a closer look at what we've got going on in this pocket of the space:
We'll be back in the coming month with the rest of the space! In the meantime, take a look at our old studio -- a place we loved dearly.
We've rounded up one hundred IKEA hacks that prove you can have champagne tastes on a beer budget. Each of these hacks illustrates the power of transformation - basic warehouse pieces are cleverly altered in beautiful ways that make them feel custom. This round up has me feeling like Aladdin on a magic carpet ride - so come along with me! I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder, over, sideways and under on a magic IKEA hack ride. All hacks are listed in alphabetical order by their original IKEA birth name.
Back in the spring we teamed up with We Are Knitters to give away a few of their awesome Udon blanket knitting kits. That giveaway did so well we decided to give away some more! Read on to find out how you can enter (hint: it's easy and free!)...
We've once again teamed up with We Are Knitters to give away five of their amazingly-comfy Udon Blanket Knit Kits (each worth $125).
The Udon blanket is easy enough for anyone to make, and snuggly-soft enough that everyone will want one! We Are Knitters' super-clear instructional videos mean there's really no excuse not to try.
Each kit includes:
5 balls of 100% Peruvian wool yarn (200gr each)
Size 19 wooden knitting needles
The pattern
A small knitter’s sewing needle
An embroidered label
This kit would make a perfect DIY gift the holidays ... but you know that already don't you!?
Not sure you could tackle this for your first knitting project? Check out some real-world success pics from Instagram:
Mud cloth + Halloween are a winning combination! The traditional black and white African story cloths boast beautiful, bold prints that look amazing and modern on the organic shape of a pumpkin.
Mud cloth has a deep and rich history, and it happens to be having a moment today. We created a pair of printed pumpkins, inspired by the likes of Homey Oh My! and Chica and Jo. Our process was a little different, read on to hear all about what went down when we made these pretty pumpkins.
Materials
Foam pumpkins (real ones would do too, we just liked the permanence of the faux ones ... and the fact that they were already black and white).
A few hours. This project is time consuming, but also relaxing!
Step
Find some mud cloth design inspiration. Here's a collage of the prints we loved the most:
Step
Paint your pumpkins. We used black paint on the white pumpkin, and white on the black one. It took about 2 hours to paint both, but when deadlines are looming and there never seem to be enough hours in the day, painting gourds is a Zen-like luxury.
We're back today with another no carve easy-peasy pumpkin (check out our mud cloth one from yesterday). We're kicking it old school with a milk glass pumpkin that manages to look classically vintage whilst sporting a clean, modern pattern.
We were inspired by this tutorial from Spray Paint & Chardonnay, but ordered our steps a little differently.
Materials
Faux pumpkins (we used white ones to make the spray paint coverage easier)
We're heading to a Halloween costume party this weekend and we needed to pull a couples costume together at the last minute. We made a list of famous duos - Ricky & Lucy, Beyonce & Jay-Z, Peanut Butter & Jelly... but decided to go edgy and classic: Axl Rose + Slash.
Here's how we pulled our costume together using things we already had (blacks pants and flannels) and a few key pieces we ordered on Amazon Prime (you have time to do the same)!
Materials
For Axl Rose:
Guns n' Roses tee-shirt (or a retro band tee of your choosing)
Shape small balls out of the Poly-fil and attach them to your hat with a glue gun. To be most cloud-like, your balls should range in size of about a baseball to a softball.
Step
Cut raindrops out of your glitter paper. We stacked two sheets of glitter paper and cut so that our drops could be glued together with a sparkly side out.
Step
Cut ribbon in varying lengths (ours were about 2-3 feet long).
Step
Using your hot glue gun, put a dab of glue on the inside (no-glitter side) of a raindrop, place your ribbon down the center of the drop and place the matching raindrop on top to make a completely glittery raindrop. Repeat, spacing your raindrops as you like.
Step
Sew one end of your ribbon-y raindrops to your hat. Repeat.
Not so long ago – 16 months to be exact – we revealed our old, new studio space. It was a beautiful, sun-filled room that offered us a space to be creative and a way to separate our work life from our home life. It was quiet and peaceful, blocks from our house, and a stone's throw from our children's schools. But when the building changed ownership and major renovations loomed, it was impossible for us to remain. That was more than a little heartbreaking for us.
Our old studio space. Tiny, but mighty! Right?
We searched high and low for the perfect new space, realizing along the way that there's no such thing. The perfect place is the one you make perfect.
So we packed boxes, made 36 round trips between the old space and the new, swore we would hire movers next time, and never looked back.
The perfect place is the one you make perfect.
Today, as I write this post in our new studio I can tell you that it is glorious and perfect. But it took a long time to get to this place. Up until a month ago it was not much more than a stack of organized boxes, one semi-styled shelving unit, and a couple of desks with rolling chairs.
I had a hard time figuring out the design of the space because it's so large. I love an open floor plan more than anything, but struggled with how to create different spaces in a large L-shaped room. There was an obvious area (the bottom of the L if we're running with that analogy) further away from the street, that seemed like an obvious work space. We arranged our desks there and it felt right from the beginning. But much of the L remained, and to be perfectly honest, I had no vision when it came to its flow and function.
Lounge area (above) and lunch table (right).
So, we started playing around with furniture arrangements. And, it looked a lot like Ross, Chandler, Rachel and their couch. We knew we wanted an area that felt cozy, like a lounge of sorts, as well as a place to hold meetings. Initially, I planned to keep those areas separate, but they sort of accidentally morphed together in a natural way, and now I love the way they've teamed up.
A large portion of the space remains open and airy, which is exactly what we need. We do a lot of messy projects, DIYs, and photography, and those things require having open space that's flexible and re-configurable. That's exactly what we've got! While part of the space can feel chaotic and disastrous, the rest remains beautiful. Words can not describe how much my brain loves this.
Here's a brief description of how we organized the space, and some of the tricks we used to make it feel cohesive:
The entire space feels unified, open and airy because it has neutral walls and consistent flooring. We went light on the walls with a soft gray (Sherwin-Williams Crushed Ice 7647). It has the clean feel of white, but the versatility of gray (depending on the light it morphs from warm to cool, and allows the artwork and mirrors we have on the walls to stand out).
We went much darker on the floors. The planks have texture and knobby-ness. The rich brown tones warm up the entire room. In the beginning, we considered a cement or white floor, but I'm continually grateful we went the wood route.
The light fixtures are the most beautiful, eye-catching elements in the space. They're sculptural, modern, and a little bit industrial. The two metals, oil rubbed bronze (which reads 'black') and bronze (which reads 'gold'), work well together and make the fixtures stand out. Every person who enters the room comments on them and I'd like to shake the hand of the person who designed them because they are a stroke of lighting brilliance.
We skipped the traditional teardrop-shaped chandelier bulb in favor of a round one; it makes all the difference in the world, giving the fixtures a distinctly modern feel.
We used a large area rug to frame the lounge area. We moved our beloved Loloi Anastasia rug over from the old space, and it quickly found a happy home here. It houses the sofa and coffee table (I could devote an entire blog post and even write a novel about my devotion to that coffee table and all its warm wood goodness).
While the area rug frames the horizontal space of the lounge area, the combination of the sofa (and flanking plant and lamp) and a simple gallery wall visually frames the space vertically. I love the way the gallery wall works: We broke a lot of rules about symmetry and balance when we put it together. It's quirky and a little off kilter, but it's delightful.
The meeting area came together easily. It's separate from (but in eyesight of) the work area. It gets a healthy dose of sunshine, and the bar cart and walnut chairs give it a meant-to-be feel.
Do you remember the original Curbly House? It's probably inaccurate to call it that. Because we rarely wrote about it, and even more rarely posted photos of it. It was our first home, the one Bruno bought in college, shared with roommates, and later with me. It was the house we brought both of our children home to (though our youngest only slept there for 10 days before we moved him to his new nursery). It's a sweet little house that holds some of our sweetest memories.
In every way, this house is a record of our true DIY journey. When Bruno first moved in, we spent many Friday nights painting walls, ripping up carpets, and trying to cleverly cover up quirks (think: floral Contact paper and paint in a lot of places where it didn't belong). We listened to Mason Jennings albums and played Weezer and Counting Crows's August and Everything After on repeat. We were inspired by the movie The Royal Tenenbaumsand painted the house accordingly. Primary colors and patterns were everywhere, and it was all kinds of wrong style-wise, but it was a joyful snapshot of our 20-something life on a tight budget.
Sometimes progress doesn't look like much.
Later on we toned everything down with tasteful colors, and I painted the living room thirty-two times in ten years. I'm not being hyperbolic, that is a real true statement of fact.
With the arrival of our two children, we outgrew the house, but we weren't totally ready to let it go. The real estate market was not in our favor when we moved, so we rented the house to neighbors for a few years.
Few things bring me as much joy as seeing a house as it's meant to be
As with all old houses, the house aged and the exterior most certainly did not match its beautiful insides. We knew it was time to paint the aging stucco. It was a boring, drab white, and dirty from years of exposure. The stucco and trim were unified in color, leaving all the house's character hidden. You know how sometimes you go out wearing an outfit you know just doesn't look right? That's how this house felt.
So, as we began exploring paint colors, our friends over at Sherwin-Williams announced their color of the year: Poised Taupe (SW 6039). The instant we saw it, we knew it was the right color for our house. It's neutral, but warm and organic. It's a warm gray, with rich browns and purples mixed in. It was the perfect color for the house because it grounded the stucco and felt like a perfect fit. We paired it with Snowbound (SW 7004) as the trim color, and the results were so super stellar.
The house looks like it has always supposed to look, and few things bring me as much joy as seeing a house as it's meant to be. It reminds me of the early 00s show MADE, where ordinary people learned a new skill or talent and practiced with a coach for weeks to perfect it. The show always ended with a big debut, everyone cried, and I imagine the subject's life changed because their dreams were realized and the stars aligned offering them a life that was charmed forevermore. I feel like that's what happened to our house.
Once the house was completely transformed through paint, all of its other external imperfections were illuminated. The overgrown shrubs flanking the entry needed to go, the 20-year old roof was bringing the whole project down, and it was a real bummer.
We knew it was time to completely commit to moving the house into its deserved glory. So we stretched to put the money together to fund a re-roofing and light landscaping (we DIYed this part), and completely transform our beloved first home.
Have a look
Poised Taupe is neutral, but warm and organic. It's a warm gray, with rich browns and purples mixed in. It was the perfect color for the house.
And, guess what? We have some big plans for the inside of the house too! We're on a strict budget, but isn't that so much more fun? We're excited to see where the project takes us. Stay tuned!
A huge shout out, hug, high-five, and gratitude goes out to our friends at Sherwin-Williams. They were our house's MADE coach, and we couldn't have realized this dream without them!
This post was sponsored by Sherwin-Williams. We've worked with them on lots of posts, and can't say enough about the quality of their paint. Still, all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Curbly possible.
I'm going to use this platform to declare this: advent calendars are kinda the best. They capture all the excitement building in the hearts and minds of children and they temper it by delivering it in small doses the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Growing up, the method my parents employed was a drug store calendar filled with tiny poor-quality milk chocolates that my brother and I retrieved by poking our fingers through a small perforated square. And, we loved it! We looked forward to receiving those calendars every year – and I'm sure the small morsel of so-so-chocolate helped tame us a little bit.
Seeing the complete joy my own children get out of the advent calendar tradition got me thinking about why we don't give them to adults. I know we're the mature ones who have the composure and will-power to wait until Christmas to open our gifts ... but, c'mon, that's no fun. So this year I decided Bruno was going to partake in the slow trickle of magic that is advent.
Read on to see how I put an adult calendar together; maybe it'll inspire you to try one of your own.
Materials
24 boxes (envelopes or pillow boxes would do the trick too)
Numbered stickers
Twine
24 knick-knacks (Most of mine were $5 and under)
Step
Number your boxes 1 to 24.
Step
Fill them with treasures*.
What to Put in Those Boxes:
The sky's the limit, and yet, you want to keep those 24 treasures affordable. Here are some of the items I put inside the boxes:
Candy - I bought a few bags of Bruno's favorites (dark chocolate dipped orange peels, Swedish Fish, Peanut Butter Cups) and split them up to cover multiple days
Take great satisfaction in the knowledge that you are knowing you are making someone's day...
What special gifts or gestures or kindness are you planning this holiday season? I love to hear all the fun ideas our readers come up with, so please share yours in the comments!
I write this next sentence every year, and every year I believe it more: if buying gifts could be my full time job, I would be the happiest person on the planet.
I love everything about gift giving. The rituals, the sentiments, the experience of finding the perfect thing for the perfect person. It's a total thrill and my total Kryptonite.
This holiday season, we partnered with Minted to create a set of gifts perfect for the people you love most. Your man, your woman, your boo, your bestie, your bae. They're all accounted for in this collection.
Plus! Minted is giving away $1,000 in merchandise, just for our readers! You could have practically your entire holiday gift list taken care of, just like that. Here's how to enter (and hurry, you must get your entry in before November 28, 2016)
So, grab your warm beverage of choice, settle in under your coziest blanket, and have a look at these gorgeous gifts.
Housewarming gifts are the best, aren't they? I mean, you're literally giving someone a little piece of their home. Those foil city (or state) prints are stunning, sweet, and incredibly thoughtful. They also happen to seamlessly fit with any decor style.
If someone presented you with a letterpress print of your sweet home you would weep tears of joy and disbelief. I would weep too. We would cry because your home is your special place, your haven, your retreat, and this custom letterpress gift captures all of those feelings.
For Her
Zodiac Print by Annie Clark
Whether your moon is in the seventh house or not, this print will look good there.
Birthstone Foil Art - She'll love this as much as she loves the constellation artwork. It's sweet, stunning, and it feels gorgeously personal.
Going for a Swim - I love the movement, the peace, and the stunning colors of this print.
Those sweet astrological prints are the perfect blend of personal and feminine (they also have birthstone prints that are equally as charming). The soft watercolor background and the foil constellation lines are stunning together.
Find her favorite poem, lyrics, or quote and have it emblazoned in rose gold (or gold, or silver). You will be her favorite person forevermore.
Can't think of the right thing to say? These custom poem prints are perfect. Take her favorite couplet, quote, or song lyrics and turn it into gifting perfection.
Melancolia - The soft watercolors of this print make it ethereal. It's perfect for one of the strong, beautiful, bold women is your life.
Pacific Coast Highway - This is the most lovely print for a California girl (or a California girl at heart – aren't we all one of those?)
Parisian Rooftop - If she's been to Paris (or dreams of going there one day), this photograph says it all.
For Him
Channel his spirit animal with a limited edition print like this handsome and ruddy yak. Yakkety yak.
Custom Stationary - Make him feel extra important with his name on his own stationary or notepad
Drift - It's one part sparse, and one part achingly detailed. I love this print because its inked lines are gentle and woven together in a seamless way. It would look stunning atop this artful shelf.
Commission a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork through Minted's commission service. Fill out a few questions about style and color palette you're looking for and Minted will pair you with an artist to commission a custom piece. This service starts at only $75!
House in the Woods - Got a guy in your life who treasures the calm and quiet of the woods? This print says all that and more.
Eeeeerp! Record-scratch noise. Back it up. You can get a custom, one-of-a-kind, specially-commissioned artwork starting at $75? That's amazing.
For Your Best Friend
Heart Snapshot Art - This beautiful piece is made from 30 of your best bestie-selfies, arranged in a big, beautiful heart. And, you can get it for as little as $29.
Watercolor Hearts - Do you have a forever friend who has been there since the beginning? Do you have a box full of photos to document that forever? How about turning them into a sweet memento with this watercolor print!
Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha - For the one who makes you laugh so hard your cheeks hurt.
For Pet Lovers
A custom piece of artwork might be the most thoughtful gift there is to give. Lovers have been doing it for ages, extolling their beloveds in oil portraits, poetry, and song. Just upload a photo, and Minted will create a silhouette!
Take Me With You - How sweet is this little goldfish print? I think I need a goldfish.
Pup Love - Capture that sweet puppy dog face with this custom print.
A Gift of Design Service
Take a quick design quiz, upload photos of your space, get professional suggestions how to style it. Easy.
One of the recurring questions Bruno and I receive is the plea for help with artwork. How to hang it, how to frame it, how to arrange it and pair it. Minted offers a cool service that helps you select works that suit you and then decide how to display them.
This is one of those give-a-man-a-fish gifts. Your gift of Minted's Personal Art Styling service will serve them for years, helping them better understand their own tastes, and learn how to put them on display.
Oh, you read this far and somehow missed the fact that Minted is running a $1,000 giveaway, exclusively for our Curbly readers? Well, no judgment from me. Here are those details again:
Minted is giving away $1,000 in merchandise, just for our readers! You could have practically your entire holiday gift list taken care of, just like that. Here's how to enter (and hurry, you must get your entry in before November 28, 2016, at 11:59 PM, Pacific).
This post is sponsored by Minted, a brand we love with great products for the home from hundreds of independent designers around the globe.
Christmas trees aren't for everyone. They can be pricey when you're on a budget, tricky in a small apartment, and nearly impossible with pets.
This year we came up with a super affordable, easy to assemble, clever tree that only requires a wall, a roll of tape, a stapler, dexterous fingers, and about an hour of your time. Read on to see how we made this folded paper tree.
Fold 50 sheets of paper the long way in an accordion pattern. Start by folding the paper in half, lengthwise and then fold the two ends in toward the middle. Your paper will look like the letter "M" (or "W" if you please) while on its side.
Step
Staple the long ends of the paper together and repeat. You'll want roughly 6 sets of paper that are 10 sheets, or "M"s long.
Step
Fold another 30-40 sheets of paper widthwise in the same accordion pattern. You'll want the height of your fold to be roughly the same size as your previous folds. You can eyeball it or use one of your previous folds as a template.
Step
Staple the short ends of paper together and repeat.
Step
Attach the first set of 10 "M"s to the bottom of the wall with tape. The first layer should be your longest. You can make the subsequent ones shorter as you create a true tapered tree shape. We used Scotch tape for this because I have never had a bad experience with Scotch tape on a painted wall. But, you could easily use removable GlueDots or another adhesive of your choosing. The stapled together "M"s will have a fan-like look and you'll want to let the drape that occurs with the weight of your paper hang a little bit. It makes it more tree-like as you build up your tree.
Step
Continue to build your tree, row by row. As you add layers, you may need to begin trimming the ends off of your rows of "M"s. We took about an inch off of 3 sets of the long "M"s and 1-3 inches off of 2 sets of the shorter "M"s. We continued tapering until we reached the top of the tree.
Step
To create your tree's top, simply accordion fold a sheet of paper, staple the top and fan out the bottom before attaching it to the wall.
And, there you have it, folks! Your own, joyful little wall tree made of paper and your own two hands.
Nothing ushers in the holidays like a healthy dose of Christmas music. We've created three playlists to carry you through the holiday season. We've got plenty of Bing Crosby and Brenda Lee, but we've got some new tunes we hope you'll love too. Think of this as a nostalgic throwback to the 90s. Each playlist is a mix tape from us to you!
Sit back with you glass of eggnog, wrap some presents, or get a fire going in the fireplace and soak up these holiday tunes. Remember to tell us your favorite holiday songs in the comments!
My all time favorite Christmas album for all the ages is the Ray Conniff Singers Christmas album. There, I said it! It took every last one of my powers of restraint not to include the whole album on this list. My hope is that these standards are nostalgic staples that will take you way back.
Although I think it's impossible to tire of Dean Martin, every now and then a tiny break is in order. This mix offers just that.
Listening to holiday music with family is one of life's sweet, simple pleasures. Although my children have been thoroughly indoctrinated to love and respect all classic Christmas music, we mix it up a little bit with these holiday jams.
I write this next sentence every year, and every year I believe it more: if buying gifts could be my full time job, I would be the happiest person on the planet.
I love everything about gift giving. The rituals, the sentiments, the experience of finding the perfect thing for the perfect person. It's a total thrill and my total Kryptonite.
This holiday season, we partnered with Minted to create a set of gifts perfect for the people you love most. Your man, your woman, your boo, your bestie, your bae. They're all accounted for in this collection.
So, grab your warm beverage of choice, settle in under your coziest blanket, and have a look at these gorgeous gifts.
Housewarming gifts are the best, aren't they? I mean, you're literally giving someone a little piece of their home. Those foil city (or state) prints are stunning, sweet, and incredibly thoughtful. They also happen to seamlessly fit with any decor style.
If someone presented you with a letterpress print of your sweet home you would weep tears of joy and disbelief. I would weep too. We would cry because your home is your special place, your haven, your retreat, and this custom letterpress gift captures all of those feelings.
For Her
Zodiac Print by Annie Clark
Whether your moon is in the seventh house or not, this print will look good there.
Birthstone Foil Art - She'll love this as much as she loves the constellation artwork. It's sweet, stunning, and it feels gorgeously personal.
Going for a Swim - I love the movement, the peace, and the stunning colors of this print.
Those sweet astrological prints are the perfect blend of personal and feminine (they also have birthstone prints that are equally as charming). The soft watercolor background and the foil constellation lines are stunning together.
Find her favorite poem, lyrics, or quote and have it emblazoned in rose gold (or gold, or silver). You will be her favorite person forevermore.
Can't think of the right thing to say? These custom poem prints are perfect. Take her favorite couplet, quote, or song lyrics and turn it into gifting perfection.
Melancolia - The soft watercolors of this print make it ethereal. It's perfect for one of the strong, beautiful, bold women is your life.
Pacific Coast Highway - This is the most lovely print for a California girl (or a California girl at heart – aren't we all one of those?)
Parisian Rooftop - If she's been to Paris (or dreams of going there one day), this photograph says it all.
For Him
Channel his spirit animal with a limited edition print like this handsome and ruddy yak. Yakkety yak.
Custom Stationary - Make him feel extra important with his name on his own stationary or notepad
Drift - It's one part sparse, and one part achingly detailed. I love this print because its inked lines are gentle and woven together in a seamless way. It would look stunning atop this artful shelf.
Commission a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork through Minted's commission service. Fill out a few questions about style and color palette you're looking for and Minted will pair you with an artist to commission a custom piece. This service starts at only $75!
House in the Woods - Got a guy in your life who treasures the calm and quiet of the woods? This print says all that and more.
Eeeeerp! Record-scratch noise. Back it up. You can get a custom, one-of-a-kind, specially-commissioned artwork starting at $75? That's amazing.
For Your Best Friend
Heart Snapshot Art - This beautiful piece is made from 30 of your best bestie-selfies, arranged in a big, beautiful heart. And, you can get it for as little as $29.
Watercolor Hearts - Do you have a forever friend who has been there since the beginning? Do you have a box full of photos to document that forever? How about turning them into a sweet memento with this watercolor print!
Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha - For the one who makes you laugh so hard your cheeks hurt.
For Pet Lovers
A custom piece of artwork might be the most thoughtful gift there is to give. Lovers have been doing it for ages, extolling their beloveds in oil portraits, poetry, and song. Just upload a photo, and Minted will create a silhouette!
Take Me With You - How sweet is this little goldfish print? I think I need a goldfish.
Pup Love - Capture that sweet puppy dog face with this custom print.
A Gift of Design Service
Take a quick design quiz, upload photos of your space, get professional suggestions how to style it. Easy.
One of the recurring questions Bruno and I receive is the plea for help with artwork. How to hang it, how to frame it, how to arrange it and pair it. Minted offers a cool service that helps you select works that suit you and then decide how to display them.
This is one of those give-a-man-a-fish gifts. Your gift of Minted's Personal Art Styling service will serve them for years, helping them better understand their own tastes, and learn how to put them on display.
This post is sponsored by Minted, a brand we love with great products for the home from hundreds of independent designers around the globe.
Not so long ago - four years, to be exact - we moved into the Curbly House with one room complete. It was Ayla's room, and it was dunzo, styled, and cozy because she was 3-years-old and going through the double-whammy transition of moving into a new house, and having a new baby brother (all in the span of 10 days!).
Ayla's Original Curbly House Room
Her room was adorable and comfortable, and she clocked hours of magical play inside of it. The room's color palette was largely her choosing, and its style was a direct reflection of her.
And then, as all children do, Ayla got older and her tastes began to change. She became a reader (that's one of the great joys of parenthood, you parents of babies). She wanted a separate place to play with friends. She wanted a respite of peace and quiet, and a little independence in our rather boisterous house. About a year ago, because she's clever and very aware of what Bruno and I do for a living, Ayla began asking about making changes to her room. She wanted purple walls. Then turquoise. Then magenta. Then black. She wanted all traces of light pink removed. And lots of gold.
She also, legitimately, needed her space to be arranged more intentionally. She needed a quiet space to do homework, a larger bed for sleepovers, and a cozy chair for reading.
So we set to work. At times it was like pulling a mule through mud. Because, guess what? Designing a room around your 7-year-old's ever-changing list of ideas, dreams, and hopes is hard werk.
I painted her room twice this time around. The first time, I chose a gorgeous white that ended up being way too sterile when paired with her painted trim work. The second time around we went with a warmer white that simultaneously carries some cool violet tones and some warm blushes. It's called "Simple White" (SW7021) and it's truly lovely.
Once the paint dried, I spent several weeks bringing virtually every color of the rainbow into this little girl's room in intentional ways. I love using area rugs to set the tone of a room; they really ground a space. Drawing a color palette from a stunning area rug is my best trick and one I will continue playing until someone tells me otherwise.
In the case of Ayla's room, the area rug we chose was the most generous color palette I've ever worked with; it made 'working the rainbow' simple. We started with a silver and plum colored rug from Loloi's Anastasia Colection. It's perfect. It feels great to walk (and play) on. Its color palette is neutral and a little shimmery, and it manages to incorporate every color on my girl's list: gray, magenta, blues, purples, gold.
We wanted to stick with clean lines and a bright white color when it came to the furniture in her room. But we also wanted to add some warm bronze metallics and wood into the mix. We did this using a combination of Land of Nod shelving, an IKEA bed, and a Target desk.
We upgraded to a full-sized memory foam mattress from LexMod. It's so comfortable, sleepover friendly, and because it comes tightly rolled in a box, it was a dream to maneuver up the stairs and captivating to unbox.
We pulled the colors of the rug out in some clever ways. The fringe on the duvet and pillow cases is a sweet nod to the magenta in the rug. And the bold color palette of the throw at the end of her bed wraps all the colors into one loud, beautiful statement.
From there we added lots of purple and blue in the wall flower installation we created behind her bed. I love the way the flowers appear to grow upward from behind her bed. It's like a secret garden of vines, and it's enchanting.
The floral wall was also a budget-friendly alternative to large artwork. We spend about $60 on silk flowers to cover the entire wall. To create it, I followed this tutorial from Sweet Teal.
Take a look at the 'befores' and 'afters'. You can find the product list with every last detail below!
This is what the room looked like on the day we bought the house.
A shot of the room just before we moved in, ready for our (then) little three-year-old
'Tis the season of gift giving and the perfect time to learn how to properly wrap a gift. With a little practice, you can forgo gift bags altogether, and learn to create perfect corners and tidy packages. And, we'll even show you the sweetest way to wrap a bottle of wine. Grab your tape and scissors, your favorite roll of wrapping paper, and a spool of ribbon - let's wrap.
Wrapping a Standard Box
Begin by rolling out your wrapping paper and placing your gift atop it. Be sure you have enough paper to fit around the entire gift (you can do this by simply pulling the paper around the gift and cutting a few inches longer than this measure). Cut your paper.
Bring paper from the long side of your box up to the center of your box and secure it with a piece of tape.
Pull the other side tightly to avoid wrinkles, fold the end of under (about a ½-inch so you have a crisp clean line) and tape it closed.
Moving on to the shorter ends of your box, face the open end toward you and push the right and left edges in to form flaps at the top and bottom.
Fold the top flap down to the box, pulling tightly, and tape it. Then, fold the very end of the bottom flap up (about a ½-inch to give you that crisp line), fold the bottom flap up tightly and tape it in place. Repeat on other end of package.
Add your bow. If you want your ribbon to extend around both sides of your box, cut a ribbon about 4-5 times the length of your box.
Fold the ribbon in half and center the middle on the center of your box’s center. Pull your ribbon around to the bottom of your box and cross the ribbon’s end. Extend the ribbon at a 90 degree angle and pull it around the ends of your box, meeting at your starting point.
Feed the ends of your ribbon through the bottom of the flat part of your ribbon, tie a knot, and then a bow. Add spruce tips of any accoutrements you like.
Bonus! Wrapping a Bottle of Wine
Last minute gift? Don't worry about it; everyone likes a bottle of wine! Use a patterned dish towel as a clever way to wrap it. That way the recipient gets two gifts in one!
1. Fold your tea towel in half lengthwise.
2. Slip your bottle in to the open end and fold that bottom right corner in.
3. Roll the bottle all the way to the end of the towel, leaving about 6 inches at the end.
4. Fold the end in about an inch to create a smooth line and continue rolling the towel around the bottle.
5. Place a ribbon around the base of the bottle's neck to secure it. Tie your bow and there you go!
I'm interrupting our regularly scheduled content to tell you about a joyful side project I've been working on over the last few months.
Bruno talked a little bit about it here. And I wanted to tell you a little more about it because my great hope is that our Twin Cities readers might pop in this weekend.
Here we go!
Recently, my superstar friend Molly and I decided to put into a practice an idea we'd been dreaming up for months. We were looking for a way to help women feel transformed and join forces with other ladies in a beautiful environment. And so, our pop-up shop Niche was born. We feature a curated collection of clothing and accessories at an affordable price.
Is this a strange thing for a Curbly editor to do on the side? A little bit. But, I believe in the power of transformation with my whole heart. Whether it's the perfect paint color, a lucky garage sale find, or the way you feel when your home is decked out for the holidays. To me those things are much like feeling like Beyoncé in a dress, adding a blinged-out necklace to a tee shirt, or finding a pair of leggings that have all the right scaffolding and all the right comfort. I believe all of it is important and meaningful. And I believe those transformations are one and the same. Just like in our homes, when our outsides match our insides, we become our best selves. And I don't think that's trite or vapid, I think it's the truth.
Working on Niche has been one of the great joys of my adult life. If you live in the Twin Cities, I hope you'll come see us this weekend in the Curbly space. We'll have beautiful clothing and accessories, and the perfect paint color to boot.
NICHE HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP
Date: Saturday, December 10 & Sunday, December 11
Address: 2506 University Ave. West, St. Paul, MN 55114
Fabric is a staple in the home and one of the most versatile materials to DIY with. We've teamed up with our friends at Fabric.com to head down a fabric rabbit hole - exploring everything from fibers, to trends in patterns and colors, to the easiest projects you can create with fabric.
And for those of you who want to try your hand at a project, we came up with a super simple, stunning DIY wall art idea you can create using your favorite fabric and slats of wood.
Table of Contents
Some of Our Favorite Fabrics to Try in Your Home Right Now
Whether you're considering a very basic toss pillow cover, or thinking about whipping up a new set of drapes for your living room, these are some of our favorite prints, patterns, and fabrics to consider:
Indigo is a color that's traditionally thought of as being somewhere between blue and purple on the color spectrum, and with a definite mood associated. It's named after the Indigofera Tinctoria plant from which the dye is derived.
We're seeing plum colors and blushes coming back in a big way. These pink fabric shades are perfect for clothing (think: dresses, shoes, accessories). Of course, blush colored bridesmaid dresses come to mind quickly, but all sorts of pink clothing ideas make sense.
Bohemian (boho-chich) is trending hard right now, and for good reason. Boho clothing, rugs, home decor and and even jewelry are beautiful and simple to make or find. Would you make a boho wedding dress out of one of these fabrics? Not so sure; but maybe for some brave soul!
Ahhhh ... florals. So calm, relaxing, and joyful. Any of these floral print fabrics would make a great wall-hanging (or even wallpaper, if you're really creative). For that matter, you could take a nice picture of one and use it as a floral background for your phone or desktop.
Black and white is always so simple, stunning, and classic. It's just really hard to go wrong with a black and white color palette. Black and white curtains are a great way of incorporating some bold pattern in your decor. Or put that pattern on the floor as a rug, or over a couch as a throw!
Fibers are the basic components that make up fabric. There are two classifications of fibers: natural and synthetic (man made and regenerated) fibers. Natural fibers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are derived from plants and animals.
Synthetic fibers are usually filaments that are extruded and cut to a desired length. Manufactured regenerated fibers are made from the chemical-induced transformation of natural polymers.
In a nutshell, fibers are organized into the following categories:
Natural: Cotton, silk, linen (flax), hemp, leather, wool, and luxury fibers such as alpaca and angora.
Regenerated: Acrylic, Acetate, and Rayon (and more)
Synthetic: Polyester, Spandex, Nylon (and more)
Blends: Poly/Cotton, Spandex/Cotton (blends aim to combine the best characteristics of each fabric, e.g. polyester/cotton blends breathe well and wrinkle less)
When working with fabric in home decor and design, these fabrics are the ones you will most frequently meet:
Cottons: Cotton is abundant, available in different styles, colors, and nearly every print and pattern you can dream up. Cotton fabric is prone to shrinking (remember to account for this when ordering), and should most certainly be washed and dried prior to use. Best Use: light-filtering curtains, quilts, toss pillows
Heavyweight Fabrics - Duck, Canvas, and Denim: These fabrics are much heavier and thicker than basic cotton and are, therefore, substantially more sturdy. Best Use: outdoor projects, toss pillow covers, upholstery
Flannel: Flannel is similar to a basic cotton, but one side is generally soft to the touch. Flannel is prone to pilling though, so take care with washing and caring for it. Best Use: blankets, toss pillow covers
Fabricut Left Bank Flannel
Wool: Wool is a natural fiber with built-in insulation properties. It's also durable and 100% wool is fire retardant. In home decor, wool blends are ideal because they're softer and less scratchy than 100% wool.
Best Use: blankets, toss pillow covers, upholstery
Home Decor or Upholstery Fabric: These fabrics come on large rolls and are offered in much wider lengths than other fabrics. They are generally high-quality and will hold up well to home use. Best Use: curtains, rugs, upholstery
Selvage: The thin, self-finished edge of fabric. Selvages are tightly woven to prevent the fabric from unraveling or fraying. Wikipedia
Cross grain: The crosswise grain is perpendicular to the lengthwise grain or selvage edge. The cross grain is also known as the "weft". Isn't that Sew
Straight grain: The straight/lengthwise grain of the fabric is parallel to the selvage edge. The straight grain is also known as the "warp". Isn't that Sew
Bias: A garment made of woven fabric is said to be "cut on the bias" when the warp and weft threads are at 45° angle to its major seam lines. Wikipedia
Brother CS6000I Sewing Machine: If you're looking for a great, reliable, basic machine, than look no further. This is the sewing machine we own, and though it has the potential to do fancy things, I use it strictly for straight lines. On lightweight and upholstery-weight fabrics it has held up well for the last 6 years.
Soapstone Fabric Marker:Drawing lines on your fabric is required in nearly every sewing project. These markers are a favorite because they wash out.
First Time Sewing:While I can't personally vouch for this book, it's well reviewed on several sewing sites; in fact several people recommend it in lieu of a class.
Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing: This book is recommended as a supplement to a sewing class. The photos are helpful for visual learners, but a reasonably solid understanding of the basics is recommended in order for this book to be most beneficial.
5 Fabric & Sewing Blogs to Follow
Purl SOHO: Dozens upon dozens of gorgeous sewing tutorials for your home.
A Fashionable Stitch: Sunni covers everything from clothing to home goods - with a side of wit that will endear her to you.
Madalynne: Maddie Flanigan has a wonderfully detailed 'Best of 2016' section that's not to be missed.
Mood Fabrics: The famous Project Runway fabric shop has a blog full of useful information - like how to sew seams!
DIY Large-Scale Wall Tapestry: Using Fabric as Art
It's an undisputable fact that framed fabric makes bold, beautiful artwork. It's affordable and easy to work with, and it can get you the scale you want without bleeding your pocketbook. We created a gorgeous, massive, focal point using a large span of fabric in a vibrant print, hem tape, a staple gun, and sanded and stained wooden slats.. Here's how you can do the same:
Materials
Fabric - We used 4 yards of upholstery-weight fabric. The fabric was 54 in. wide and we trimmed it to an 80 in. length. Buy it today:
Screen printed on cotton duck; this versatile medium weight fabric is perfect for window treatments (draperies, valances, curtains and swags), accent pillows, duvet covers and upholstery. Colors include orange, citrine, grey, charcoal, plum, teal, green and tan.
2 Wooden Slats - 1 in. by 3 in., cut to 56 in. length (Pro tip: Most home improvement stores will cut lumber for you if you don't have a saw yourself)
Using a piece of sand paper, sand away any rough edges from the wooden slats.
Step
In a well-ventilated area, apply wood stain to all sides of the wood slats. Let dry completely.
Step
While the wood stain is drying, lay the fabric right-side down on a large surface that can be ironed on (i.e. carpeting, a large blanket, or towels). Set the iron to a medium, dry heat. Lay out the iron-on hem tape about 1/2 inch from the selvedge edge of the fabric. Use the iron to adhere the tape. It takes 2-3 seconds of pressure for the hem tape to stick. Once the hem tape has cooled, remove the paper backing.
Step
Fold the selvedge edge down 1/2 inch, and iron the fold down on the tape. It will take 5-7 seconds for the hem tape to adhere to the back of the fold. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the opposite side of the fabric, creating two hems down the sides of the tapestry.
Step
Once the stained wood has completely dried, screw in two eye hooks to the top of one of the wood slats.
Step
Lay one of the non-hemmed edges of the fabric across the back of one of the wooden slats. Fold down the raw edge of the fabric, and staple in place across the back of the wooden slat. Repeat the process for the opposite end of the fabric on the second wooden slat.
Step
Tie a piece of twine to the eye hooks to hang. Done!
Not so long ago – 16 months to be exact – 
