7 ideas to spice up your basic display cabinet

I've found a little corner of my house where I could, in theory, fit a display cabinet... 

I just need to convince my other half first! 

I've longed for one for years as I've got a really beautiful collection of designer glass from Kosta Boda, and at the moment I've got nowhere to display these pieces, which means they're just spread out all over the house in really random places. 

I'm quite up for a little DIY challenge though rather than going for a basic look, but that doesn't mean I can't buy a basic display cabinet to start with! I've got so many upcycling ideas! And even though they all won't go in my house, I thought they'd be useful for anyone who owns a basic display cabinet. 

The one above is made of pine and is from furnitureplus - a perfect blank canvas if you ask me! ;)

So, without further ado, below are 7 ideas to spice up your basic display cabinet.

Paint it in your favourite colour

This will really give new life, and a completely new look to your display cabinet. 

If you've got a specific colour theme in the room it will really lift it by painting your cabinet in a matching colour.

Spice it up with wallpaper

An old trick, but one that really works! 

You don't even have to paint the display cabinet, but simply add pieces of patterned wallpaper to the inside bit for an instant beauty boost!

Decorate it like there's no tomorrow!

Paint, fairylights and bunting... why not? 

The kids will love it, and it could be a great project to do together as a family.

Swirl it up!

Add a swirly wooden bit at the top of your display cabinet to create an antique look. 

You can even swap the drawer knobs for vintage options. 

Make it kid friendly

If your display cabinet is going in a kid's room, why not make it into the most awesome dollhouse in the world!?

You'll be the most popular parent in the neighbourhood, for sure!

Go back to basics

So you've got this basic display cabinet and you don't really know what to do with it?

You don't have to fill it with fancy arty pieces worthy of being sidplayed! 

Move it into the kitchen and use it for your standard plates and glasses. 

Basics for basics, but it'll still spice up your view on it.

Match it!

Sometimes it's not about how the actual display cabinet looks, but about what you put in it!

Go all matchy-matchy with a colour theme on your displayed items.

The art of wedding decorations and colour themes

I went to a wedding at the weekend, and it was in such a lovely countryside location. The happy couple had placed a couple of yurts in a field outside a Yorkshire stone farmhouse, and had even decorated the woodland path in between the main building and the yurts. Gorgeous, and very simple yet creative! They had done most of the decorations themselves with the help of family members (including folding 1,000 origami cranes!), and it added such a lovely atmosphere to the venue. Here are a few snaps I took of the decorations on the day. 

I love it when a wedding is different from the standard. When the decorations put a twist on the day and add personality to the occasion. This is so much better than going for the usual “fancy and timeless” hotel look, which when looking back at it you realise it wasn’t so timeless after all, but just boring. No one’s going to remember your standard wedding from the bunch…

This got me really inspired for my best friend’s wedding which will take place next summer, and I quickly dashed over to Pinterest to raid through her boards, and even pinned some images myself.

Placing your colourful potpourri in rolled up music sheets adds such a lovely touch to the exit of the ceremony venue. 

Crafty DIY table settings will make people remember your wedding dinner. It will really get the conversation started if you've put some time into personalising every piece to your guests. 

Candle teacups work as a romantic and old fashioned addition to your table decorations.

The simplest ideas are usually the nicest ones. Tying a bow out of a wide ribbon onto old wooden chairs is all you need for the wedding dinner if you're going for a shabby chic and french romantic theme. Even more shabby chic if you opt for different types of wooden chairs, like a mismatch.

A little dressing table is a great option for those special wedding decorations. You can't go wrong with lace and pearls - it's a classic wedding look that will never go out of style.

Place a birdcage onto the dressing table, and get people to use it as a postbox for the wedding cards. 

I absolutely love it when there is a specific colour theme to a wedding. My friend is going for dusky pink and green, but I think if I ever got married that I would go for a colder tone - maybe like the above lilac, or perhaps blue.

7 Space Saving Ideas for your Compact Home

Getting any space tidied can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, organising it can be more exciting than you think! Nothing says ‘cramped’ more than clutter and untidiness, right? Every living area could always do with a bit more space but compact homes tend to need an extra hand when it comes making them feel tidy. Below are some simple ideas to make extra space and storage.

Create an impression of space

At the foot of the bath, mount small decorative shelf brackets – use them to store candles, bath salts or artwork.

Using metal and glass is the best trick to reflect light and create an impression of space. A mirrored wardrobe appears to increase the dimensions of a room.

Install a full office on a single wall or convert a wall of the living room into your work area. You'll be amazed at how much you can accommodate when you go vertically.

Upward space solution

Mount your cabinet units all the way up to the ceiling to take advantage of the extra space. If you truly can't stand clutter you can say goodbye to unused ceiling gaps and hello to extra storage space.

Multi-purpose bed

Get yourself a deskbed in order to save space – it can be made with the desk built into the bed so that you don’t need to fold it away or move your things when switching from desk to bed.

A sofa bed can save space and you can dress it with throws and cushions for a comfy and cosy appearance. 

 

Open shelving solution

Open shelves and wall display units help to make a space look bigger. Floating shelves are ideal for displaying items in your home. They also blend in with the wall and put the focus on your furniture.

Go brighter and lighter

Updating dark cabinets and tiles with white-coloured units and grey-blue marble can make an area seem twice as big. A small white table can double as a breakfast corner.

Space for kitchen area clutter

Just because you don't have a kitchen that can house a six-burner cooker, double sink or big fridge doesn't mean you have to give up function or style.

If you have empty wall space take full advantage of it by installing rows of shelves from floor to ceiling.

Keep in mind, the smaller the living space, the more important it is to make the most of every inch. Don't be afraid to be innovative!

8 ways of upcycling your coffee table

I’m absolutely loving Pinterest at the moment, and as you know from my previous post - where I wrote about a DIY project - I’m all up for a challenge!

I’ve seen a ton of ideas for upcycling as well as DIYing. Isn’t that the same thing, you might say? No, upcycling is basically taking a finished piece of furniture and giving it a new look, whilst DIY is usually creating something from scratch.

Just have a look at the inspiring examples below. I’ve chosen tables and coffee tables as examples, as this is a project I would really love to get working on. Let's start with the square/rectangular ones!

First out in my inspirational upcycled coffee tables feature is this square table that got an uplift by weighing it down with something heavy. A solid concrete block works as a table top, and gives a beautiful rough contrast to this smooth white table. Couldn’t get any simpler than this, but what a result!

For the more artistic person you can upcycle your table with patterns and flat studs. Be creative and create patterns based on your own personal taste. This example, made from a simple IKEA table, looks quite old fashioned and romantic.

Consider wallpaper for a real facelift! Simply cut it to the right size and use wallpaper glue, then place a piece of glass on top of it to hold it all in place, and in order for it to last longer.

My personal favourite is making new pieces of furniture look old by adding planks on top which you have painted with wood stains for a distressed look. Doesn’t this look like genuine drift wood? Well, it’s not! It’s brand new planks, and a hell of an artistic hand! You can obviously apply this style to a round table as well – you just need to saw the planks into the right shape. 

And talking about round tables, let’s move on to these!

You can easily change the look by swapping the legs for something more creative – in this case a metal basket which has been painted in a quirky colour and turned upside down. 

The typical shabby chic look is a favourite amongst many, including me. All you need is some white paint, wood stain, and sand paper. Simple but effective.

Again, just as the concrete top table above, you can simply add another material on top of any table to create a completely different look. I like the natural look and shape of this log slice side table. 

But the simplest, and probably most effective ways of all to style up a table, is obviously to just add some paint to it. Leave the top as it is, and just paint the legs in a bold colour that stands out but that still matches your dining or living room. Piece of cake!

But where to start if you don’t have a suitable table at home?

Square and rectangular tables are easy to find, but round ones are a bit more rare.

I’ve found this Malmo oval solid white oak veneer coffee table which has a lot of potential. Scandinavian designs are always to stylish and simplistic – I love it!

I hope you’re as inspired as I am after this post. Let me know of any DIY or upcycling projects you’ve done.