Trendy Themes Get a Last (Maybe?) Hurrah on Fantasy Easter Eggs

Still love the decorating looks that have filled trendy rooms in the past couple of years? Give them one more spin with a basket of themes so popular, they have been (over)done in just about every interior home application. Hey, even if you grew tired of that faux vintage periodic table months ago, that doesn't mean it won't look good in your kid's Easter basket. You might stay up until 3 a.m. taping off just the right lines for that faux bois design, but decorating is worth it, right?

Take a look at some decor-turned-Easter-eggs — from the still adorable to the you-must-be-cracked.

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

10 Tips to Help You Put Off Procrastinating

Design projects can be challenging. And often the hardest part to overcome is the simple act of starting. So, I've developed these simple tips to help you break out of the cycle of procrastination and really start digging in.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

I should probably work on this some more. Tomorrow.

Editor's note: It took Jody six weeks to finish this post.

One Guy Found a $175,000 Comic in His Wall. What Has Your Home Hidden?

Homeowner and general contractor David Gonzalez of Hoffman, Minnesota, had a pleasant surprise while remodeling his house. Stuffed in the walls with old newspapers for insulation was a rare comic book from 1938: Action Comics #1, which introduces a character named Superman. The comic sold recently at auction for $175,000.

“I knew it was worth money,” Gonzalez, 34, told the Star Tribune. “But I had no idea how much.”

Not bad for having bought his house for only $10,100.

It's not uncommon for people to find treasures hiding in their walls or soil. Some homeowners have found old wallpaper and square nails from the late 1800s. Others have found newspapers from a century ago.

Image courtesy of Philipp Lenssen

Rock Paper Hammer

While renovating their 19th-century barn, these homeowners discovered a closet full of Prohibition-era liquor bottles.

Kimberley Bryan

Jean-Marc Bourgouin and Kathleen McCormack found seven layers of wallpaper and an original square-head nail inside their 1891 home.

Jenn Hannotte / Hannotte Interiors

A Toronto resident found old newspapers being used as insulation inside her century-old house.

Vennne Plumbing unearthed a former conversation pit in this basement.

We want to know: What have you found hidden in your house? Post a photo of your discovery and tell us about it in the Comments! Your story could be highlighted in an upcoming ideabook.

9 Decorating Projects for Lazy Summer Days

Langes Wochenende oder Urlaub auf Balkonien? Das heißt doch: Endlich Zeit, der Kreativität freien Lauf zu lassen!
Wir haben für Sie neun Anregungen für schnelle Bastel- und Dekoprojekte rund um Ihre vier Wände zusammengestellt. Legen Sie einfach los – danach können Sie immer noch an den See fahren!

CM Glover

1. Farbakzente für Kissen und Stühle
Mit ein paar Farbspritzern à la Jackson Pollock oder simplen Mustern hauchen Sie schlichten weißen Kissen, Hussen oder dem Sessel vom Trödel neues Leben ein.

Ein Allover-Muster wie die Herzen auf dem zierlichen Ohrensessel lässt sich gut mit Schablonen oder selbst gemachten Stempeln (Stichwort: Kartoffeldruck) aufbringen. Wenn Sie es aufregender möchten, spritzen oder tropfen Sie die Textilfarbe einfach direkt auf den Stoff und lassen Sie sich von dem Ergebnis überraschen.

Am besten Sie probieren die gewünschte Technik vorher auf Stoffresten aus (zur Not tut es auch Papier, doch Achtung: hier verhält sich die Farbe anders als auf dem Stoff!)

Sara Bates

2. Tafelfarbe statt Tapete
Ganze Wände mit Tafelfarbe machen sich nicht nur im Kinderzimmer gut. Mit weißer oder farbiger Kreide gestalten Sie eine individuelle „Tapete“ daraus: Heute Punkte, morgen lieber Sternchen? Oder Dreiecke und Wellenlinien? Fantasie und Laune(n) sind keine Grenzen gesetzt.

Abaca Interiors

3. Farbspiele mit Masking Tape
Washi Tape gibt es mittlerweile auch in Übergröße: Die bis zu 50 Zentimeter breiten Klebestreifen lassen sich direkt auf die Wand kleben und rückstandslos wieder abziehen. Sie können schnelle, gerne auch mal wilde Akzente setzen – ohne langwierige Folgen!

The Cousins

4. Surfbrett-Bar
Sie haben noch ein altes Surfbrett im Keller oder sind auf dem Trödelmarkt über eins gestolpert? Ein perfekter Tresen für die nächste Gartenparty! Auf Tischböcken oder einem alten Tisch befestigt wird daraus eine großzügige und vor allem wetterfeste Bar fürs nächste Grillfest. Fehlen nur noch die Getränke…

Für die Kinderzimmerversion schrauben Sie einfach ein ausrangiertes Boogieboard auf einen niedrigen Beistelltisch.

5. Riesige Magnetbuchstaben
Schreiben Sie groß! Mit extragroßen Magnetbuchstaben bekommt auch Ihr Kühlschrank eine eigene Meinung.

Dafür große Pappbuchstaben aus dem Bastelzubehör knallig anmalen oder bekleben; und an der Rückseite wahlweise Magnetklebefolie oder mehrere einzelne Magneten aufbringen.

6. Urban Art im Schlafzimmer
Eine Dose Sprühlack in Gold und eine weiße Leinwand – mehr brauchen Sie nicht für ein individuelles Graffiti.

Am besten arbeiten Sie an der frischen Luft und verwenden Handschuhe und eine Atemschutzmaske. Bevor Sie loslegen, testen Sie Ihr Design auf weißem Papier und üben Sie den Umgang mit der Sprühdose ein wenig – sie kann tückisch sein!

Amy Renea

7. Kunst aus Holzresten
Teilen Sie ihre Gedanken! Mit Schablonentechnik auf Holzresten entsteht so Ihr ganz persönliches Typo-Kunstwerk.

Verbinden Sie die Holzreste zu einer oder mehreren Platten und bringen Sie anschließend mit weißer Farbe und vorgefertigten Buchstabenschablonen Ihr Lieblingszitat auf das Holz auf.

Corynne Pless

8. Fotos auf der Wäscheleine
Sie haben eine ganze Sammlung alter Passfotos? Hängen Sie sie auf! Immer schön der Reihe nach und mit Wäscheklammern an einer Leine befestigt wirken sie wie frisch aus der Dunkelkammer gezogen.

Keine alten Fotostreifen in der Schublade? Polaroids, alte schwarz-weiß Fotos oder Motivserien (etwa mehrere Porträts oder einige Bilder von Strand und Meer) machen ebenfalls Eindruck.

Stern McCafferty

9. Fotoraster
Was von Weitem wie ein riesiges Fotokunstwerk wirkt, entpuppt sich bei genauem Hinsehen als eine Sammlung der liebsten Urlaubsbilder – in kleinen identischen Bilderrahmen dicht nebeneinander gehängt.

Damit die weißen Rahmen (diese hier stammen von Ikea) wirklich bündig hängen und wie ein einziges großes Bild wirken, müssen Sie am Anfang ein bisschen rechnen und die Abstände genau einhalten. Aber die Mühe lohnt sich – das Ergebnis ist wirklich beeindruckend!

Tipp: Falls Sie nicht genügend Fotos für jeden Rahmen haben, hängen Sie einfach ein paar leere dazwischen auf, das gibt dem Ganzen noch mehr Leichtigkeit.


Was haben Sie diesen Sommer Neues ausprobiert? Teilen Sie Ihre Deko-Ideen in den Kommentaren mit uns!

Local Color: Souvenir Birdhouses Flock to Southern Homes

If you've ever traveled anywhere within a few hundred miles of Chattanooga, Tennessee, you've been bombarded with charming barn roofs and billboards telling you to "See Rock City." What is Rock City? It's an awesome attraction on Lookout Mountain where it's claimed you can view seven states: Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. There are gorgeous rock formations, 140-foot falls, a suspension bridge and the Enchanted Trail. The painted barns are part of the charm of the country landscape and help make a long, boring drive down I-75 much more interesting.

Throughout those seven states and more, many folks have picked up a charming souvenir — the See Rock City birdhouse — and placed it somewhere with pride. They are more common in the South than bottle trees. Here are a few I found around my Atlanta neighborhood this weekend.

This birdhouse was hung with pride in this lovely urban garden in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward.

A few blocks away in the Studioplex (a former cotton warehouse), another birdhouse fits right in at a photographer's art-filled modern loft.

At a bungalow bed-and-breakfast in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, a See Rock City birdhouse sets the tone for a fun and relaxing stay.

One of my neighbors has this great fence with posts that are topped off with an eclectic collection of birdhouses. Of course, a See Rock City one is included!

After my brother and his family visited Rock City, I told him he'd better have brought me home a birdhouse. I'd never mentioned wanting one to him before, but sure enough, my sibling and my sister-in-law know me well – there it was, all put together for me on my birthday.

I haven't found the perfect spot for it yet, so I've been moving it around and checking out what my neighbors are doing with them.

Tell us: What kind of items add regional or local color to your hometown?

5 Steps to Help You Hire the Right Contractor

Building your dream home is one of the most exciting things you'll ever do, but all that excitement comes with a lot of responsibility. Hiring the best general contractor for you and your project is an extremely important decision. That choice will determine the quality of craftsmanship and will minimize emotional stress and unexpected costs. Bringing in the right contractor early in the design process is one of the most important ingredients in staying on budget and on schedule during construction.

Here are five simple steps to help you hire the right contractor for your project.

Buckminster Green LLC

1. Get referrals. Talk with people you know and trust. Your architect is an obvious source, but talk with family, friends, neighbors, lawyers, real estate agents and others who have built projects similar to yours.

Browse professional listings to find general contractors in your area. Check out their reviews and browse photos in their portfolios to see how their work lines up with the scope of your project. You can even message them to get a conversation going.

Are there recently completed or under-construction projects in your area? Ask the owners about their contractor and the working relationship they have with him or her.

2. Verify licenses. Make sure your contractor candidates are licensed and in good standing with your state license board. Ask to see the contractor’s pocket license, picture I.D. and certificate of insurance.

Proper licensing demonstrates a company’s best practices management, but hiring a licensed contractor will also protect you. For example, worker's compensation insurance is a contractor’s responsibility, not a property owner’s, but that's not the case if a contractor is not licensed or does not carry proper insurance.

In California anyone who contracts to perform work on a project valued at $500 or more, including labor and materials, must hold a current, valid license from the Contractors State License Board. Check out the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies to find information about contractors' licenses in your state.

Ventana Construction LLC

3. View recent work. After looking at a contractor's portfolio, request to visit a few projects similar in size and style to yours. Try to check out one that was recently completed, one that's under construction and one completed five to 10 years ago. Ask yourself:

• Does the work carry a warranty, and are problems corrected?
  
• How does the construction site look?
  
• Did the older finished project stand the test of time?

4. Check references. Ask for a list of references. In private, discuss with previous clients their experiences working with the contractor. Ask:

• Was it a pleasant working relationship?
  
• Did they and the contractor communicate well?
  
• Was the contractor fair and honest?
  
• Was the project completed on schedule and within budget?
  
• Were there extra costs or surprises?
  
• How were problems handled?
  
• How was the quality of craftsmanship and follow-up?

Buckminster Green LLC

5. Understand the contract. Decide on the contractor you wish to hire and while your plans are in the permit-review process, discuss the different kinds of contracts available and ask for one to review.

• Ask for updates to the construction bid if plans change for any reason.
  
• Do not sign the contract until your permits have been approved and all costs have been finalized.
• Be aware that there are always unknowns in the construction process that create change orders and additional costs. This is normal. Expect it. Allow 5 to 8 percent of your total budget for these extras. With good planning, design and management, they can be minimized.

There are far more reputable, honest and hardworking contractors than there are the slapdash, fly-by-night operations we read about in the news. With proper planning and research, you will find the perfect contractor for your project. Invest the time and remember that spending a few extra dollars in the beginning could save you thousands of dollars in the end.

Tell us: What are your tips for hiring a contractor or your experiences with one — good or bad?

More:
How to Contact a Pro on Houzz and Get Your Project Going
What to Look for in a Contractor's Contract
More guides to working with home pros
Find a contractor near you

The Funniest Bathrooms on Houzz

I know it’s immature, but bathroom humor will never stop cracking me up. I keep a stack of funny books in my guest bath, including My Life in High Heels, by Loni Anderson; a vintage copy of Barbara Walters’ How to Talk to Practically Anyone About Practically Anything; and What’s Your Poo Telling You? People act appalled by the last one, then they emerge from the bathroom laughing about a particular chapter. I always get a kick out of the funny things people do with their bathroom decor on Houzz, and I’ve been collecting photos of them for a while. Here’s a peek at some of the most lighthearted loos around.

Solterre Design

Toilet paper holders are an easy way to loosen up a bathroom look. This bathroom attendant may be a little too close for comfort, but he’s definitely a conversation starter.

See more funny places to put the T.P.

Bevan Associates

Images of old pinup girl covers take the girly-magazine joke out of hiding and put it on the walls.

Hudson Place Realty

A few of the design moves in this ideabook are disconcerting, to say the least. I’m not so sure how I’d feel about Einstein’s looking at me like that, but it’s definitely amusing.

Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

The thought of all these elegant Fornasetti ladies watching someone do his or her business is also disconcerting, which is what makes this bathroom so interesting. The close-up of the eye is like a big, round wallpaper peephole.

Lucid Interior Design Inc.

Artwork is a great way to pull a little prank in the powder room. This foreboding sign teases users in two different languages.

Olive Juice Designs

I don’t think I’ve ever written an ideabook about a bathroom that generated more comments than this one, where the toilet appears to be sitting in the middle of a New York City subway platform.

Gary Hutton Design

This bathroom screams “I’m addicted to Costco!” I don’t think this many rolls would even fit in my car, and definitely not in my linen closet.

FOUR POINT DESIGN BUILD INC

SCE Construction Management Inc.

These trophies poke fun at the typical animal-head-over-the-fireplace idea; they are very obviously faux, and they are mounted proudly over the commode. They must be quite a surprise to anyone visiting this W.C. for the first time.

Wright-Built

This bathroom is inspired by the ultimate rustic powder room — the outhouse. The guard bear at the entrance shows us this homeowner’s sense of humor.

See the rest of this house

Cara Woodhouse Interiors LLC

A colorful sink is a playful reminder to have good hygiene.

Lori Dennis, Inc.

A bathroom bench is convenient; a bathroom settee is brilliant.

Joe Schutt – Unit Realty Group

I’ve really never understood why people feel the need to vandalize public bathroom stalls (and have you ever noticed they are terrible at spelling and grammar?). However, this chalkboard paint is a brilliant twist on the idea. I don’t know if I could resist scrawling a good old “8675309” in here.

See more of the best chalkboard wall art on Houzz

Angela Gutekunst Interiors, Inc.

This lighthearted “library” loo is very cheerful. My only suggestion is that the owner adds a ghostwritten Loni Anderson memoir. There’s a lot of good stuff about WKRP in Cincinnati and Anderson’s friendship with Ricardo Montalban in there, as well as photographs, the most important aspect in any ghostwritten celebrity memoir.

Tell us: Do you have any humorous bathroom decor? Post a photo in the Comments section!