DIY & Simple Switch-outs

So, after my last post, I got to thinking.  I could write about what's trendy for days!  Maybe even weeks!  So where to start?  How about home accents, a little DIY, and simple switch-outs.  Metal finishes are still popular, but it's gold metal finishes that are taking the lead!  We all know metal finishes add sleekness, shine, and a contemporary vibe to any room, but it's the golds that add richness and warmth.  I know some people don't like the gold, while others don't like the silver.  So try switching a silver out for his gold counter-part.  It could be a lamp base, drawer pulls, trays, vases, frames, drapery rods; I'm sure the list goes on.  I've been thinking about spray painting a floor lamp base to gold.  Right now it's silver colored, but it looks like nickel's ugly cousin.  It's got that cheap dorm-room finish.  But I bought the lamp because it was inexpensive & it was silver to match my much-nicer-looking nickel finished table lamp bases.

This is said lamp.  I still haven't decided whether to paint the base or not.  The reason why I had thought about it is because of the lamp shade I painted.  Yes, I painted that!!  Cute, right??  I love how it turned out!!!  There were two colors in the running, and I couldn't pick: coral or emerald green, like the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year.  So, while in the acrylic paint aisle at Hobby Lobby, I bought both.  But once I got home, my "coral," which looked exactly like the coral I had envisioned, was pink, much to my dismay (even though it's called Peony Pink).  Everyone knows lighting plays A HUGE FACTOR in determining color.  Long story short(er), I didn't want to go through that again, and decided to do the multicolored chevron.  But, I just KNEW in my heart and my head that a gold base would look super sexy & sleek with a coral chevron stripe!  And that's probably because it's a warm color paired with a warm metal finish.

 

So the lamp shade combines the DIY aspect & simple switch-out (not to mention that chevron stripes are super trendy right now).  The lamp shade was your standard basic white that came with the base.  I must admit, I did not come up with the idea myself.  So, adhering to blog etiquette, here is the link to Pomp & Circumstance Blog, where I found it.  I found it through Pinterest, and that led me to her blog post.  Other popular prints that are hot now (some in the fashion industry, too) are Ikat, trellis, and other global/tribal patterns, animal print, geometric, & modern floral prints.  An easy way to introduce them to your space is through fabric.  Toss some pillows on your furniture or frame some fabric pieces in fun color-coordinating frames.  Invest in an area rug to throw some pops of color down on your floor.  And yes, you can add a rug on the carpet.

     

These three I found on the Hobby Lobby website. 

      

These three are from Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Hope this gives you some courage to try some DIY or simple switch-outs!