Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature. ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed Connie Parker’ s – ‘Eco-Friendly Ways to a Greener Spring Home’ and this week I bring you Tabitha Loudon  a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room. I asked her to come up with new ways to use current items in your home. Repurposing, recycling, and saving energy and Earth’s resources are vital. Tabitha did an awesome job of making your spring home look beautifully repurposed!

Thinking of different ways to help out the environment, while saving time and money? I have a few solutions to help you get started and it all begins with you!

Repurposing & Reusing

It’s springtime, you are probably trying to start a spring cleaning regime. Going through old things can be tedious, but have you considered reusing, repurposing, or recycling them? For example, old shoes or purses can be used for potted plants. Instead of buying expensive vases, old bottles can be used to display bouquets of flowers. Crates also make great storage devices. Ladders and fences make great shelving pieces, and there are so many endless possibilities for reusing old items. Old wood is something a lot of people take for granted, but have you considered repurposing it to make counter space or perhaps you have needed some shelves to display your favorite pieces of china. Flooring can be expensive, but when you use repurposed wood you are saving a lot of money.

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Saving Water & Energy:

Another thing we take for granted is water and energy. Dishwashers take up a lot of space and can take up a lot of water, so consider using two sinks, one for washing and the other for rinsing. Just remember to fill each sink up, and make sure there are no leaky faucets, it will save you a lot of time and water. When you are done washing dishes, the leftover water can be used to water plants. Natural sunlight can fill and brighten up a whole room. So, leave the curtains open and make sure there is nothing blocking your windows keeping sunlight from coming in.

Recycling:

Recycling is a fun way to clear out space. Anything made of glass, metal, plastic, or aluminum can be placed in the recycling bin. Not every plastic is recyclable, so make sure that you check every plastic bottle for the recycle logo.  If you have stacks of magazines on hand, you could always donate them to doctor’s offices, even some bookstores will take them. Most organic material such as eggshells, coffee grinds, make great fertilizers for plants. You see how reusing, repurposing and recycling your items can be fun and worthwhile. Just making sure you are doing your part to help out can be very rewarding in the end.

Tabitha Loudon is mom and an aspiring designer who lives in Baton Rouge, La. She plans to take classes to earn a degree in interior design, but in the meantime she raises her three year old daughter. Her dream is to become a successful designer and work with the rich and famous. Follow Tabitha on Facebook, on Olioboard, and on Twitter.

Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature. ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed Madeline Jones’   – ‘Spring cleaning your Garage this Season’ and this week I bring you Connie Parker  a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room. I asked her to think of green and eco-friendly ways to freshen your spring home. She has some creative recycling, reuse, and repurposing items to give your home a fresh new look!

Over the years you have accumulated items which no longer fit your decor.  Before you discard them, think about re-using them.  Mix them up to create a fresh new space to welcome guests for that summer time visit.

Here I have used that old chandelier from grandma’s dining room.  It’s re-wired and ready to bring charm into the guest room.  Shutters are used to form the headboard for the bed.  (on old door works well also)  A little elbow grease and a fresh coat of stain and varnish brings depth back into the wood.  Occasionally the age and patina will do the trick and a good cleaning will be all that is needed.

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Reuse furniture and decor in a new way:

The dresser, which long ago lost it’s integrity now sports suitcases as drawers.  You will have to support these with a sheet of plywood, but works well functionally while adding spice to your design.

Painted to match the night stands it pulls the look together.  A fresh coat of paint can freshen up an old piece and update it to fit almost any decor.

The drapes and curtains are a mixture of what you failed to get rid of, but put together bring life, texture and warmth.  The valance is from that old roll up blind that had such a pretty fringe at the bottom.  Digging it out of the basement it now has new life.  Cut and mounted to a wooden board to give it a firm foundation it is now the crowning glory for your window treatment.

That chair which used to sit in your living room but no longer fits there can be upholstered and now sits beautifully in it’s new home.

An area rug can pull your look together giving your design the upmost punch.  Here I have chosen a bright cheery pattern to compliment the over all look.

Recycle old items:

Recycling old items can be fun and rewarding.  Think outside the box to obtain that unique look that is all yours.  Your guests will be impressed with your vision!

Although Olioboard is my way of relaxing I find it helpful with design ideas for my own home.  I was introduced to Olioboard by a friend and became very quickly passionate and addicted to designing.  I would love it if you dropped by to visit my other designs….you never know, you may love it too!  Look me up, my Olioboard name is grahamssister.

Easy DIY Craft: How To Make Your Own Curtains

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Supplies

1)     Measuring Tape

2)      Fabric

3)      Pin Needles

4)     Needle and Thread

1. Optional- Sewing Machine (If you already have one)

Directions

1)      You want to measure the size of your windows, to help you decide on how much fabric you may need and how long you want your curtains to be.

2)      Next, you will need to purchase the fabric for the curtains and you can go to any fabric store of your choice or even if you think it is convenient for you, you can order them online.

3)      If you have a basic window then 7’ X 9’ (7 by 9 foot) of tapestry should be a good enough amount to cover it.  Measure how low you want the fabric that you purchased, then slice that fabric in half and begin to sow the hem on the edges.

1. To help keep the fabric together while you sow take pin needles and pin the fabric down in a line that you will use to sow the hem.
2.  If you are covering larger windows then you will need more fabric for covering (add at least 1-2 feet to the measurements when purchasing the fabric).  But you will continue with the same process as stated above.

4)      Hem the top of the curtain with a loop, so that the curtain will be able to easily slip through the rod.

5)      Now, if you would like to have a double-layer reversible curtain purchase two different fabrics and sow the backs of the fabrics together.  After the fabrics have become one then treat them as such and do the steps above and there you shall have your double-sided, layered, reversible curtain.

There is nothing like upgrading your space with a change in the window treatments.  It is cost effective, saves you time and money plus these curtains will be your custom made creations.  Make your own curtains and have fun while you’re at it!

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.

Believe it or not you too can do this with the everyday objects that you use everywhere.  Don’t think so, well let’s take a look at others who accomplished this goal and hopefully you in turn will be inspired to do so in your own home.

Lighting Fixtures

Ever thought about using a birdcage for a lighting fixture?   Well someone did. Apparently birdcages are great for adding an eclectic and elegant feel to the room.  Plus, the cage even acts as a light shade for the bulb.  Tell me can you see yourself using this idea?

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Wine Holders

Now we know that coffee gives us energy and alertness like no other but did you know that the cans that it comes in could be used as wine holders.  Yep, the sizable circular shape of the can allows for a wide enough space and shape for the wine bottles to fit/sit in nicely.  This person added color to the cans and glued them together for stability but overall I think the idea was a success.

Tables

How about using that worn out luggage for a vintage side table?  Travel is a wonderful experience however the luggage and suitcase sets aren’t so fortunate to embark on all of our journeys so make that luggage apart of your home.  Adding memorabilia from your travels enhances the space and will make the space feel more personal/familiar to you.

Accessories

Wine bottles can have some of the most fun and dynamic shapes known to man.  So someone decided to take that idea and turn their empty wine bottles into accent pieces for their home.  You can do this to just change up the exterior of bottle if you like and set them up in which ever space within your home.

See common objects we see everyday used for different purposes. You can research and find all of these ideas and more.  Become inspired and creative to view the world differently.  Try it out!

For more green living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.