Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Reduce Stress Around the Holidays Part 2

Are you stressed about the holidays? There is a way you can have a stress free holiday season. In part two of this blog, we will discuss how you can relieve some stress in your meal preparation. Make sure to go back and read last week's blog on decorating if you missed it. You can learn more at moneycrashers.

Food


While turkey is now the most common dish served during Christmas Day dinners around the world (replacing Tiny Tim’s roasted goose), fried chicken, ham, and fish remain popular. Our childhood memories of Christmases past often include aromatic, mouthwatering, belly-filling, belt-busting meals of savory meats, fresh vegetables, and sugary, meringue-topped desserts, but rarely the hours of exhaustive preparation, mounds of dirty pots and pans, and obligatory cleanup by those responsible for our repasts.


Try the following to save time in the kitchen this year:

Bake and Freeze in Advance. Rolls, coffee cakes, muffins, and breads can be made, shaped, placed in pans, and frozen up to six months before serving. Unbaked pies and cookies can be prepared up to two months before a meal. Appetizers and casseroles taste just as delicious even if they have been frozen for months. Spreading your food preparation over several weekends before the crunch of the season can help to keep you sane and rested.

Use Professionals. Many grocery stores and restaurants offer holiday specials where complete meals are delivered or can be picked up the day before Christmas, so your only duty is to pop them in the oven and serve. The ability to choose à la carte allows for a selection of not only different foods, but different caterers.

Share Cooking and Cleaning Duties. To spread the workload around, one member of the family can bring appetizers, another can supply a vegetable dish, and another can provide dessert, already agreed to beforehand to ensure everyone’s favorites will be available. Cleanup is also shared – those who eat but don’t cook must clean.

Reduce Stress Around the Holidays Part 1

Are you stressed about the holidays?  There is a way you can have a stress free holiday season.  In this two part blog, we will discuss how you can relieve some stress in your decorating and cooking. Read this blog with some great decorating tips and next week you can read part two about cooking.  You can learn more at moneycrashers.

Decorations & Cards


Decorations can be as simple as a single wreath on the front door, to rivers of shining, multicolored lights, animated figures, and revolving displays. They can be erected during a single evening, or take months of painstaking deliberation, meticulous preparation, and days of elaborate construction.


If you tend to take the minimalist approach or your time and budget are limited, consider these ideas:

An Artificial Tree. While your initial expense may be greater than a real tree, artificial trees can be stored and reused for years. Available in a variety of heights, flame-proof, and often pre-decorated, the newer artificial trees are almost indistinguishable from a real fir or pine, missing only the aroma. They are easily erected and dismantled without the need to vacuum dry needles from the floor, and they don’t choke landfills.

Ornaments. The appearance of an ornament is less important than its meaning or the memories associated with it. My favorite is a bedraggled, yellowed angel with a missing halo for the top of our tree which I inherited and still reminds me of my earliest Christmases. Children are exceptionally creative and, given the opportunity, will envelop a tree with homemade decorations and chains, each more treasured as the years fly by.

Greeting Cards and Annual Letters. The practice of sending tens or hundreds of seasonal greeting cards is observed less and less each year, particularly those which are mass printed and signed. Few recipients do more than glance at a card, note the identity of the sender, and mentally add another name to their own list of cards to be given in return. Sending non-personal, generic cards to a group of near strangers is not worth the effort or expense. Mass-mailing eCards is even more inane and may be viewed negatively by the receiver. On the other hand, a personal note and a signature on a unique card or a letter chronicling family/personal events of the previous year mailed to family and friends is a custom that will never go out of style. It is also a chore that can be done prior to the beginning of the multiple duties required during the Christmas season.

A Gift For Yourself or A Friend

We love making our own gifts for the holidays. This is the perfect gift for the loved one that needs a little pampering. Did you know you can make your own salt scrub. The recipe is very easy. Also, the salt scrub in a great packaging makes a very creative gift. You can learn more at The Kitchn.

Which Salt to Use?

For this particular scrub, I used coarse sea salt. Sea salt is simply just evaporated seawater, which means it's not processed and doesn't contain any additives. Sea salt exfoliates by sloughing off dead skin cells, allowing smoother (and healthier!) skin cells to take their place.

If you have particularly sensitive skin, you can sub brown sugar for the salt. Brown sugar is a soft and gentle exfoliant, which makes it a milder alternative to the coarse sea salt.

Which Oil to Use?

Since there are about 101 uses for coconut oil, I always have some of this miracle-in-a-jar on hand. Coconut oil is deeply moisturizing, as it contains medium-chain fatty acids, which provide hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties. As a bonus, coconut oil quickly absorbs into skin, so it won't leave your hands with a greasy residue.

If your pantry isn't stocked with coconut oil, olive oil also works as a great natural moisturizer!

Which Essential Oil to Use?

I chose grapefruit essential oil for this scrub simply because it's my favorite. Grapefruit essential oil brings a fresh, citrusy note to the scrub and leaves my skin feeling energized and bright. It also has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, which are bound to come in handy during the winter months. Lemon or orange essential oils would also do the trick.

If you're looking for something more calming, go with lavender, bergamot, or chamomile essential oils.

Grab your supplies: You'll need 1 cup coarse sea salt, 1/2 cup liquid coconut oil, 5 to 7 drops of grapefruit essential oil, and a 10-ounce glass container.


How To Make Sea Salt Hand Scrub

What You Need

Supplies
1 cup coarse sea salt
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
5 to 7 drops grapefruit essential oil

Equipment
Dry measuring cups
10-ounce glass container (I used a Weck canning jar)
Fork

Instructions

Grab your supplies. You'll need 1 cup coarse sea salt, 1/2 cup liquid coconut oil, 5 to 7 drops of grapefruit essential oil, and a 10-ounce glass container.

Add the salt. Pour 1 cup of salt into the empty glass container.

Add the oil. Pour 1/2 cup of coconut oil over the salt.

Add essential oil. Add 5 to 7 drops of grapefruit essential oil to mixture.

Stir the mixture. Stir all ingredients until well combined.


Seal and gift. Seal the jar and affix a label or gift tag to the top.

Recipe Notes

Use scrub sparingly — about once or twice a week — by spooning a small amount into your hands, gently rubbing it in, rinsing it off with warm water, and drying your hands thoroughly.

I tried (and failed) to wrap both ribbon and twine around this jar. (It was so slippery!) To save your sanity, just affix a label, tag, or bow to the top of the jar.

Make Your Apartment Feel Like A Home

Does your apartment feel like your home yet?  We have four great tips to help you get that homey feeling that you are looking for.  Lighting, artowrk, and a few other things will help you achieve your goals.  Read this blog and get excited about coming home!  You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.


The Right Lighting: Lighting is one of the quickest ways to change the feeling of a room. If you are only using your overhead lights, you are missing an important part of the equation. By having different levels and placement, you can create an atmosphere that's comfortable and cozy for guests to relax in.


Well-Chosen Artwork: What you have on the wall should reflect who you are, what you like, and what makes you happy every day. The artist or the source is less important than how it makes you feel. Plus, artwork adds a different layer to your walls — color and interest. Don't forget that non-traditional things can be stand in for art as well. When framed and/or put in a place of honor, an instrument, postage stamps, or shoes also show your personality.


Fill It With People: The most important thing in the home are the memories you create while living there. If you work at all hours of the night, and only return home to sleep, then those warm fuzzy feelings about your abode are few and far between. Similarly, open your doors to others and invite them to share your space.


Personalized Details: All of us have lived in boring, blank boxes at some point — whether it’s a dorm room, or a standard builder-grade home, that aren’t perfect, might be temporary, or are just we were are at that moment in our lives. Even with standard and predictable finishes, it’s easy to tweak your space enough to make it reflect your personal taste. If you are renting, stick to swapping out hardware or painting furniture. These needn’t be large massive changes, but small tweaks and choices that make you smile and feel good about where you are.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you have a great Thanksgiving with loved ones!

26 Easy Household Winter Tips

We hate the cold.  We wish it could be summer all the time.  However, we have found 25 great tips to keep you warm this winter through the harshest storms.  Apartment Therapy has some great ideas that will help you stay nice and toasty through the cold winter months.

1. The battle with winter is a long one, fraught with snow and cold. If you need a couple more arrows in your quiver, check out these 25 household practices that help you keep you warm as the temperatures drop, save time in the freezing mornings before work, and hopefully conserve energy during the dark months. Individually they don't sound like much, but collectively they help you kick winter's butt to the curb.
2. Cover your windshield wipers with old socks before storms. Ice won’t build up and make it hard to use them. Similarly, cover rearview mirrors with plastic bags.
3. Park your car facing east to take full advantage of the sun.
4. Make your own windshield washer fluid from 1 quart alcohol, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon regular dish detergent.
5. After taking off wet shoes and boots, stuff them with newspaper to absorb moisture quickly.
6. To take advantage of passive solar, open up curtains during the day to let the sunshine and heat in.
7. Prevent drafts by installing foam cutouts behind outlet covers on the walls.
8. Make your own hand warmers with resealable plastic bags and ice-melt pellets.
9. Cover your windows with bubble wrap for added insulation.
10. Reverse your ceiling fan to keep warm air at floor level versus in your stairwell or ceilings.
11. Pre-warm your bed with either a hot water bottle or electric blanket. Stick your pjs in there to get them all toasty before you get changed for bed.
12. Wrap foam pipe insulation around the bottom of exterior doors to prevent drafts.
13. Fill a shallow plastic tray with rocks to store your boots when you come in from the snow.
14. Spray pipe exterior and joints with WD-40 during the winter to help prevent them from bursting.
15. Use tin foil behind your radiator or heating vents to reflect heat back into the house.
16. Use a disposable razor to get rid of your sweater pills.
17. Make DIY boot toppers out of old sweaters.
18. Make homemade sidewalk and driveway de-icers.
19. Rig some thermal curtains to temporarily install over your windows.
20. Make your own fire starters.
21. Skewer a dryer sheet with the bristles of your hairbrush, and leave it on to get rid of static while you brush your hair.
22. Spray your shovel with nonstick cooking spray, or WD-40, before you use it so snow doesn't stick to it.
23. Attach mitten clips to your cuffs (and loop around your insole) to keep your pants down while wearing boots.
24. Save money by closing the heater vents in rooms you aren’t using.
25. When faced with a frozen lock, use heat rub intended for sore muscles. Hand sanitizer (with 60% alcohol) or a key heated by a lighter, is also rumored to do the trick.
26. Keep moisture in the area with a teakettle or saucepan of water boiling on the range or wood stove. Add mulling spices for a nice scent in addition to the more humid air.

Prevent Soggy Pie Crusts

The holiday season is quickly approaching.  What do you like to make for those family dinners at the end of the year.  We have provided you some tips on how to make the perfect pie crust.  This crust will be delicious and perfect for your favorite pie.  You can learn more at The Kitchn.


1. Blind Bake

The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.

You can fully blind bake a pie until it's completely cooked, which you have to do when adding a cooked filling like custard or mousse, or you can partially bake the crust before adding the filling and finishing the baking. In either case, blind baking goes a long way in keeping everything nice and crisp!

2. Brush With Egg

Another way to prevent a soggy crust is to basically seal the surface of it to make a barrier between the crust and the filling. Brushing the surface of the unbaked crust with beaten egg or egg white mixed with water before adding the filling means that as it bakes, the proteins in the egg will form a moisture barrier over the crust and provide a layer of protection.

3. Brush With Chocolate

Along the same vein as brushing unbaked crust with egg to make a moisture barrier is the tasty method of brushing blind-baked crust with chocolate to make things even crispier. Let your fully blind-baked crust cool completely, then brush with melted chocolate and let that set before adding your filling. Not only do you end up with a super-crisp crust, but you get a sweet bonus layer of chocolate too!

4. Bake on a Hot Baking Sheet

Pie crust gets light, flaky and crisp when the heat of the oven melts the little nubs of fat inside the crust quickly and so that they form steam that puffs the crust up. You want that process to happen quickly so that the crust sets before the filling has much of a chance to seep in and make things soggy. Place a baking sheet in the oven as it heats, then place your pie dish directly on that hot baking sheet — this little extra boost of heat will do wonders in terms of getting the crust to cook and set quickly.

5. Keep Moisture Out

One of the easiest ways to prevent a soggy pie crust is to keep the moisture out in the first place. Toss your fruit with sugar, let it sit for awhile so the juices start to come out, then strain out those juices. You can discard those juices or boil them down into a syrup that gets tossed back in with the fruit before baking.

And if you're doing a double-crust fruit pie, don't forget to cut a little circle in the middle or slits in the top crust — it's important to create a vent where steam from the filling has a chance to escape instead of settling into the crust.

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween Fun Fact: Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death. Learn more here.

Scaredy Crackers

Do you want a quick delicious Halloween treat for the weekend?  Martha Stewart has come up with some delicious crackers to make for your Halloween festivities.  Try this recipe, and let us know what you think!  You can learn more here.

Fall Harvest Celebration

Make sure to check out the Fall Harvest Celebration at Aspira.  The event will be this Thursday from 630-830pm.  There will be food, beverages and even a costume contest!

How to Make Saffron Rice Pulao

Normal white and fried rice can get boring as side dishes.  However, there is an indian dish that is perfect for that special occasion.  Saffron Pulao is an specialty that includes one of the most expensive spices in the world Safron.  Keep reading to learn more about the dish and how to make it!  You can learn more at The Kitchn.
Saffron pulao is an elegant accompaniment to your favorite Indian dishes and is traditionally served as part of Indian festival meals. Saffron, being one of the most expensive spices in the world, adds to the mystery and fragrance of this dish. It is definitely a keeper when you want to make an everyday dinner special.

I like to serve this when I have guests coming over and I want something more special than plain steamed rice. I also add lightly toasted cashews and raisins to my pulao, and they add a delicious sweet and nutty element to the pulao.

Pulaos — or pilafs, as they are often also called — can be made with several different ingredients, like seasonal vegetables and meats, and are very regional. The difference between pulao and biriyani is that biriyani is a layered rice dish, while a pulao tends to be cooked all together. Pulaos are also traditional all over the Middle East, and not just the sub-continent.

This saffron pulao can also be turned into biriyani rice by layering it with slow cooked meats, seafood or vegetables.




Saffron Rice Pulao

Makes 4 to 5 cups

1 1/2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or neutral oil
5 whole green cardamom pods, lightly smashed but left whole
5 whole cloves
2-inch piece whole cassia bark, broken (or 1 cinnamon stick, left whole)
2 whole bay leaves
1 whole star anise
2 cups basmati rice (do not soak)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
3 cups boiling water
Generous pinch of saffron threads, soaked in a little warm water
Small handful toasted cashew nuts and raisins, to garnish

Warm the ghee in a heavy pot with a well fitting lid over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cloves, cassia bark or cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise and sauté for one minute, until the spices are fragrant. Add the rice and salt, and cook gently for an additional 2 minutes, until the rice is coated with the spices and is aromatic.

Pour in the boiling water and the saffron. Let the water come to a boil, then turn the heat down to just above the lowest setting. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil, crimping it at the edges so it forms a tight seal, and place a lid on top. Use oven mitts to do this if the pot rim is hot.

Cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, move the pot off the heat and let it sit for an additional 5 minutes.

Uncover the rice, and fluff it up with a fork. Stir in the cashews and raisins, if using and serve.
Recipe Notes
You can make various kinds of pulao rice dishes using this method for saffron rice. Vegetables would go in just after the spices, and get cooked for a couple of minutes before adding rice. Add a teaspoon of garam masala to the vegetables, and let the spice mix cook out for an extra burst of flavor.
You can also make a sweet version of this pulao (a traditional Mangalorean/ Goan version), which goes brilliantly with spicy food. Instead of adding the salt, add 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar plus a pinch of salt to the rice. Leave out the saffron, and stir in sweet, caramelized onions, toasted cashews and lightly fried raisins at the end. Use ghee for the best flavor.

Avoid Carving the Pumpking

Do you want to decorate for Halloween? You do not need to deal with the mess of carving a pumpkin to have one in your home. There are plenty of options to get that Halloween feel without using that dreaded pumpkin carving knife. Keep reading for some great options on pumpkin decorating. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.

There is only so much you can do with grimacing orange jack-o-lanterns. Instead, check out these 25 no-carve pumpkin ideas that are endlessly creative and varied, yet still suit the holiday. Even better: they are easy to pull off, and don't require the motor skills of a top chef.

Above, a black matte pumpkin (seen on Cosmopolitan) is covered in glitter, and is darkly glamorous for the holiday.

1. On trend with metallics and copper, from Suburban Reno.
2. When you are stuck for time, and there are only office supplies on hand, take a cue from A Subtle Revelry.
3. You can channel Lily with preppy Pulitzer pumpkins from Popcosmo.
4. Lovely Indeed channeled string art for this version.
5. Look closer and you’ll realize this image is actually string art as well. FromDream a Little Bigger.
6. Put those thrift store doilies to good use, from Allyson Baker Design.
7. Cross stitch is an easy way to create a pattern. From Elsie Marley.
8. There’s always duct tape, according to Creating Really Awesome Free Things.
9. Better Homes & Gardens suggests stamping as an alternative to carving.
10. Another use for all that Halloween candy you’ll have to buy! From All You.

11. Putting a creepy skeleton mask on a pumpkin is quick and easy (and creepy in this case). From Five Birds on Parade.
12. The DIY Network used both chalkboard paint and silver leaf, because they are fancy.
13. I’m still not over Grumpy Cat, and neither is this pumpkin from Zig Zag Mags.
14. Appropriately bloody little pumpkins from Curbly.
15. Beautifully hand-drawn sugar skulls from Brit & Co.

16. Good lord, these animal-themed versions from Country Living are too cute.
17. As is this vampire pumpkin from All You.

18. Paper N Stitch upped the ick factor with this cat eye pumpkin.

19. Pay tribute to someone you love, with a silhouette project like the one fromOMF Style.

20. Duct tape to the rescue (again)! From Better Homes & Gardens.


21. Aunt Peaches tried her hand at marbleizing, with really beautiful results.
22. If you are feeling artsy, trying your hand at painting. These were done byTaylor Joelle’s mom.

23. Although messy, these drippy pumpkins from The Imagination Tree are pretty neat.

24. Chica and Jo have some serious Sharpie style going on.

25. Danielle made a super glamorous guy in brass and black.

Keep Those Colds Away

Cold season is upon us, and we do not want to get sick. There are many things you can do to prevent colds. Apartment Therapy has put together five tips to keep the colds away. Check out the list below and see what tips you need to add to your routine. 

1. Wash (and dry) those hands (a lot) — Go for both quality and quantity with your hand washing routine. Wash frequently (more than you think you need to) and scrub for at least 20 seconds a pop. Make sure to dry hands completely on a clean towel to prevent immediately picking up more germs with damp hands.

2. Sanitize your surfaces — Everything you touch is a potential germ catalyst so be extra diligent to keep your frequently used items clean, especially if other people are touching them as well. After all, germs can live on many surfaces for up to 48 hours so they have plenty of time to nab you. Your cell phone? It's probably filthy. Your keyboard? Germ factory. Take a few minutes each day to sanitize some key things and you could be saving yourself weeks of sick days.

3. Sleep is your best friend — Just do it. Treat your body right and it'll return the favor. Sleep is the most restorative thing you can do to keep your body functioning optimally so log plenty of sleeping time between the sheets and hopefully you'll wind up logging fewer miserable sick days in bed.

4. Boost your immune system — Keep your defenses in good shape so that the germs you do encounter can be deflected. Reduce stress through meditation (or any way that works for you), try acupuncture which has been shown to boost immunity and think about beginning a regular probiotic routine which can help strengthen your gut and ward off problems. Bonus: My best addictive cold weather habit? Regular use of my nettie pot helps me rinse my sinuses before colds can set in.

5. Stock up on medication (just in case) — Even though you're doing everything in your power to stay well, if you do succumb to a bug, the last thing you're going to feel like doing is making a drugstore run. Keep necessities (and maybe a few extra sick day treats) in the house and maybe, just maybe, Murphy's law will work in your favor for once.

A Morning Breakfast Treat

What is your breakfast routine like?  If you are getting sick of the same food and coffee everyday, we have found a new recipe for you to try.  These baked apple donuts are perfect for fall and will taste delicious with your favorite coffee.  You can find more great recipes at The Kitchn.



What could be better than sitting around a morning fire, listening to the pop and crackle, while dunking an apple cider donut into a mug of spiced tea? Not much in my book. It's the simple act of sharing a special treat with friends that makes this time of year just precious—especially when you're tucking into something so quintessentially "Fall" like an apple cider donut! Here's an easy recipe for a seasonal favorite. No fryer required.

These doughnuts are baked instead of fried. Some purists may argue that these aren't "donuts" at all, merely cupcakes dressed in a ring–shaped form and I wouldn't entirely disagree. However, they are so much fun to eat and very reminiscent of a traditional, fried apple cider donut, that I say bake on!

When considering the preparation of a big batch of fried foods at home, the task just seems too messy and inconvenient for an impromptu morning project. By layering the apple cider flavors into a quick bread and baking them in donut form, you really get a similar effect without the fuss of large quantities of oil. These donuts are also much lighter, yet still packed with spice and apple flavor. After eating them I don't feel heavy and stomach achey as I do after the real thing.

Have you ever worked with a donut pan? Usually found in non-stick, they come in two sizes - mini and regular, they are handy to have on hand for occasions such as this. I used the regular size this time, but I find the mini donut pan to be pretty darn cute. You can pour any type of cake or quick bread batter into one of these and bake according to your original instructions and voila, a round of donuts is born!

Whether you are tired of cupcakes or just want to add some humor and fun to your baking repertoire, I highly recommend experimenting with a donut pan. A tray of these apple cider donuts make for great conversation and delight!

Baked Apple Cider Doughnutsmakes about 8 donuts, depending on size of your donut pan



2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons canola oil (plus a little extra for greasing your donut pan)
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a donut pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients (these are all your wet ingredients). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture and whisk until just incorporated. Don't over-mix! A few lumps are okay; they won't show in the final product.

Spoon the batter into each donut mold until about 3/4 full. Bake for approximately 12 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with tea, cider or black coffee.

Do You Need More Sleep?

There are many devices and apps that will tell you why you are not sleeping!  However, this new device not only tracks your movement but environmental conditions that may cause you to wake up.  Keep reading and check out Apartment Therapy for more information on this new device.

There are plenty of devices and apps that track your sleep, but not many that explain why you're waking up. Sense is a ball that sits on your bedside table and records changes in sound and light that might wake you. It corresponds to a "Pill" that clips on to your pillow that records your movement, and an app that gives you a full report of the night, so you you can do something to get some more shut eye.

• This Smart Sleep Tracker Tells You Why You're Not Getting Enough Sleep |Co.Exist

A New Stew For You

Are you a fan of the pumpkin craze of fall?  Every recipe seems to have a little taste of pumpkin in it around this time.  However, you do not need to settle for just a coffee or beer.  Here is a great pumpkin stew that will be a great addition to your fall recipes.  You can learn more here.

10 New Ways to Re-Upholster Old Furniture

Do you have an old piece of furniture you are trying to figure out what to do with?  We have some great tips on how to take that old furniture and make it something new.  Apartment Therapy guides you through ten tips to make that furniture a great piece for your home.

Nothing perks up an old piece of furniture quite like new upholstery. If you're looking for a chair or sofa that will make a statement, something a little out of the ordinary, take a gander at these 10 creative ways to reupholster old furniture.

1. Cover the back of the chair in a contrasting fabric.

Like Andrea of Wild Chairy, who is the queen of transforming old chairs into stunning new pieces. (The chairs pictured above are available, if you're not feeling like a project yourself.) This is a great way to add a little extra interest to a piece that will be seen from all sides.

2. Cover an old piece in an unexpected pattern.

Like this bold floral from Timorous Beasties...

Or these bold stripes, on a Victorian-style sofa spotted on Young House Love.

3. Punch up an old piece with a brightly colored velvet.

Like this chair, spotted on The Paris Apartment.

4. Consider non-traditional upholstery fabrics, like a serape...

DIY from A Beautiful Mess.

5. ...Or a Pendleton blanket.

This sofa is available from Sit and Read.

Or a cat.

Just kidding, this is more Pendleton upholstery inspiration, from Freunde von Freunden. But of course every chair looks better with a cat on it.

6. Nothing livens up a piece quite like contrasting piping.

We love this blue + orange combo, from Mona Ross Berman Interiors.

7. A Mongolian sheepskin (especially a black one) will add a little edge to a delicately styled piece.

Another great idea from Wild Chairy.

8. Play with different fabrics...

Like velvet + ticking stripes, spotted on Twig Hutchinson.

9. And different textures.

Velvet and leather, spotted on Trendland.

10. If you're feeling really bold, try a pattern-on-pattern look.

Spotted on House to Home. Choosing two patterns in the same color family will keep the look from getting too too wild.

Better Lighting in the Bedroom

Lighting in the bedroom is not the most important thing that people think about.  However, it is just as important as every other room in the home.  Putting laundry away, doing makeup, or getting dressed all require you to be able to see clearly.  Straining your eyes to complete these tasks is not good for your vision.  Here are some great bedroom lighting tips, and you can learn more at Apartment Therapy.

At first glance, the bedroom seems the least important room in the home, in terms of lighting. After all, we're not really working in there much (unless it doubles as an office), and the primary goal of the space is to support sleep— which requires an intentional lack of light.

Once you start thinking about it, though, you realize the lighting needs of a bedroom— from general lighting for putting the laundry away to task lighting for doing your makeup and accent lighting for chilling out of an evening— are pretty complex. A bedroom lighting scheme should be as considered as that of any other room, so read on for a few tips on doing just that.

General

A good even light, cast from a central pendant or from windows (natural light from windows or skylights counts as general lighting!), is important in every space. Even if you don't spend a lot of non-sleeping time in your bedroom, this basic light is what we get dressed by in the winter, clean the room to, and helps us see when natural light is low. However, you probably don't want this space to be too bright, so consider a lower-watt bulb and the all-important dimmer switch.

Task

Unless you have a desk or office space in the bedroom, there is a limit to how much work you'll be doing there. But for those of us who read in bed, a good bedside lamp is a necessity. Don't be restricted to desk-style reading lights; a low-hanging pendant like the one above works, too. Think of the other things you do from day to day— do you apply your makeup or iron your shirts in the bedroom? Both require good, specific lighting. Wall sconces, floor lamps and directional spot lights are your friends.

Accent

In the bedroom, accent lighting is really mood lighting. Whether it's to create a romantic atmosphere or just to support relaxation in the evening, a cosy glow in this room never hurts. It can be achieved through simple dimming of the light sources we've already talked about, or by adding decorative lights like fairy strings, corner up-lighters or candles.