Not many are blessed with the creative prowess and the entrepreneurial skills of domestic celebrity, Martha Stewart. With an unabashed passion for domestic living, or what she terms as “home-keeping,” Stewart has made a multi-million dollar empire out of offering practical and beautiful home solutions to the American public. Her home decorating ideas are legendary and just what one requires to live a design savvy existence. Listed below are some of the best Martha Stewart how-tos. The best thing about these interior design ideas are that they are easy and affordable.
How To Make A Bookcase Armoire:
This rather ingenious DIY involves converting two store-bought bookcases into a charming armoire with a hidden desk. The trick is to purchase a bookcase with shelves and to ensure that the bookcase is not more than 5 feet tall.
Tools required:
2 bookcases with adjustable shelves
Rectangular piece of wood and pegboard
Four 1-by-2-inch boards (for pegboard frame):
Hacksaw or jigsaw with a metal blade
2 piano hinges, 5/8-inch screws, Glass-bead or other molding, 3-D 1-inch finish nails, 5 Plexiglas guard 3/4-inch screws and two 3-inch L brackets.
Instructions:
The first step involves painting the bookcases, the desk extension piece, the pegboard, and the 1-by-2-inch boards and then cutting a piano hinge to height of bookcases.
The next step involves attaching the two bookcases together and placing a hinge between them, and connecting them by inserting the 5/8-inch screws (or included screws) to the predrill holes.
After this, work on the desk extension and position the shelf in the bookcase and secure it to the back panel with screws that are 3/4-inch longer than the thickness of the back panel. Then secure the Plexiglas guards by creating two rows of U-shaped molding that will run along sides and bottom of Plexiglas. On the top shelf, place one shelf-long piece of molding about an inch from the front edge of the shelf and place one 2 1/2-inch piece of molding vertically and secure to bookcase. Repeat this procedure for the three middle shelves as well.
After this, attach the pegboard on top of the rectangular frame and fit the pegboard against the panel behind the desk. Then proceed by closing the bookcase and install a draw-bolt latch or flush-mount lock outside the armoire. For attaching castors, you need to lay the bookcases on the floor and secure the casters about 2 inches from the corners.
The last step involves fixing the desk side of bookcase to a wall, but this is optional. After marking the location of each L bracket on the wall, insert the wall anchors, and secure the bracket to wall with screws.
Read the full instructions here.
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How to Fold a Fitted Sheet:
Sometimes the simplest tasks are the most complicated. Folding fitted sheets is no child’s play unless you are Martha Stewart; of course. Learn how to tackle this rather irksome problem by pointing your mouse here or reading below:
Hold the sheet by the two adjacent corners and make sure the sheet is inside out. Take your right hand towards your left, proceed to fold the corner in your right hand and pick up the corner that is hanging in front and fold it over the two corners in your left hand.
Then bring the remaining corner up and fold it over the other. Make sure that the right side is showing and that it envelops the other corners. Then put the folded sheet on a flat surface and straighten it and then fold your fitted sheet into a rectangle.
How To Make A Suspended Shelf:
Bursting with some great bedroom design ideas but cannot decide what kind of shelves to go for? Well, no one can beat the domestic super-achiever when it comes to DIY projects, be it living room ideas, kitchen design ideas, or any other design projects.
The Space-Saving Suspended Shelf makes a spectacularly dramatic statement with its clever design and exquisite form. The shelf gives an illusion of floating in air and is not too hard to make either. To get the full set of instructions, head over here or catch the summary below.
Tools & Materials
Drill
Floating shelf
Four 2-inch loop hooks
Plumb bob
Screw anchors
Decorative chain
Begin by drilling holes in the shelf’s two outer corners, one inch in from both edges. Then proceed by screwing the hooks into each hole. When attaching the shelf to the wall, ensure you are following the manufacturer's instructions.
For accurate measurements, dangle a plumb bob from the ceiling till the tip touches the loop hooks in the shelf and mark the ceiling. Then, drill holes for screw anchors and screw in the two remaining hooks.
After this, measure the distance from ceiling hooks to shelf hooks and purchase two identical chains that fit. Then, hang the chains between each pair of hooks and voila you have pulled a Houdini all by yourself!
Tanya is a writer for Design Shuffle, where you can find top tier interior design ideas from around the world – from New York Interior Designers, to Los Angeles Interior Designers, and more. (They’re a fabulous website geared towards promoting interior designers and their work.) Check out the latest at Design Shuffle!
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