Inspire Me Heather: August 2011

project: damask

Damask is a weaving style or technique originating near Damascus, Syria in the early Middle Ages. This style has very ornate patterns that usually repeats itself. It can be used in fabric or by painting - usually with a stencil. These bloggers have done some beautiful makeovers and used a Damask pattern for a vintage or ornate look:

Twice Lovely: shabby take on the damask dresser - gorgeous!

The Tomseth Family: before and after chair - in damask, of course

How To Nest For Less: damask stencil wall for daughters bedroom - sweet

Lilyfield Life: damask dressing table - in lovely grey

Craftionary: painted magnetic board - damask stencil review (tutorial)

Faith's Place: deployment project #90...my $0.84 chair - yellow damask

Homespun With Love: damask candle set - how to make

project: armoires

{that's mine, I painted it}

An armoire is described as "a large, often ornate cabinet or wardrobe" and they were originally used as a clothes closet in homes that did not have built in closets. Nowadays they are used for many things - I've seen them re-purposed as tv cabinets, office desks (like mine), craft hutches and so on! These bloggers have painted theirs up and made them over into beautiful pieces of furniture:

Good Girl Gone Glad: {DIY} an armoire makeover - nice stenciling

The Ironstone Nest: transformation Tuesday playroom wardrobe - colourful

Liz Marie: toned down - painting and some armoire possibilities

Savvy Southern Style: weathered - gorgeous paint job

Playing Sublimely: a painted armoire - harlequin pattern

B. E. Interiors: smokey bear becomes the baroness - done white and beautiful inside

Maple And Magnolia: $25 project armoire - into a craft hutch

Twice Lovely: robin's egg armoire - lovely

project: offices

{Design Sponge}

The home office - it's where we work and blog from. Let's take a look at some of these bloggers incredibly gorgeous offices and some of their fantastic ideas for setting up your own home office, shall we:

Budget Wise Home: my office reveal part 1 - baby blue, white and pops of red

The Decorologist: throwing caution (and your home's floorplan) into the wind - must see

Beauty And The Green: update, organize and refresh your home office - yes you can!

Biblical Homemaking: office before and after reveal - every detail amazing

Katelyn James Photography: it all started - gorgeous in teal

Pepper Design Blog: closet to office - get out of the way, old coats!

Aubrey + Lindsay's: DIY make your own desk - with Ikea and Home Depot supplies

Decorology: home office for two? - how to make the space work

project: chicken coops

{Debra Prinzing}

Do you keep chickens? I'd like to - we have the space and time for it, I just needed some inspiration so I put this post together. There is so much more on hen houses by bloggers out there too, I thought these posts really stood out. There's some beautiful inspiration and some basic tips for the beginners here:

The Fancy Farmgirl: here's the coop - you will drool when you see this coop

The Art Of Doing Stuff: the coop - beautiful, functional and stylish

Our Country Bungalow: the "hennebago" - can you guess?

The Rachel Berry Blog: Cluckington Palace Part 1 - love her inspiration

Stephmodo: a modern chicken coop - very nice design

Life At Cobble Hill Farm: chicken coop 101: thirteen lessons we've learned - great

A Nest For All Seasons: how to build a chicken coop - basic tips

Heather Bullard: our chicken coop - and it's gorgeous!

Homestead Revival: check out your coops - a round-up of bloggers coops

project: pallets

{my pallet coffee table}

What is it with pallets? Is it because it is free wood and you can make cool stuff with it? I'm not sure but I've caught the bug as well - I've been making pallet coffee tables! If you want to see my tutorial it's here over on The 36th Avenue blog. If you'd like to check out some other projects using pallet wood see these:

Erratically Elizabeth: tutorial Tuesday wooden pallets - nice round up of ideas

Lovely Crafty Home: upcycling pallet headboard - and it's beautiful!

Smmidge: pallets made pretty - more ideas

Kelly Simon Says: 793rd way to MacGyver a pallet - as wall art

Erie Stuff: pallet picnic table - how to build

Lost + Found: purposed pallet - gorgeous inspiration

Funky Junk Interiors: all you ever wanted to know about pallet wood - thanks

project: chandeliers

{Ballard Designs}

chan·de·lier [shan-dl-eer] –noun

a decorative, sometimes ornate, light fixture suspended from a ceiling,
usually having branched supports for a number of lights.

These bloggers have posted some great DIY chandeliers, check out their projects: