We’ve all seen them – those beautiful wreaths in decorating magazines – and thought, “I could do that myself!”

The good news is that if you are even just a little bit crafty, the Internet is chocked full of “do it yourself” wreath projects to try. We’ve gone around the web, in fact, looking for some unique and inexpensive-to-make wreaths to adorn your door or mantel – anyplace you want to say, “Welcome, spring!” These projects are all easy, too!

We love the idea of making wreaths from everyday items. This first one from Happy Clippings uses simple, natural-colored kraft paper that’s been ruffled for effect. Neutrals are in right now, so this would be pretty with basically any room decor.

source: HappyClippings.com

For a similar take on neutrals, here’s a burlap wreath from Chic On A Shoestring. This was originally a Christmas wreath, but it was repurposed with sunny spring greenery and flowers. We especially love how fresh it looks “framed” by the white mirror and complemented by porcelain bird figurines and eggs in soft green…other signs of spring.

source: Chic on a Shoestring

This burlap wreath is from My Blessed Life. The simple wound burlap is quaint and cozy, and the pretty green and turquoise cloth flowers add a pop of trendy springtime color.

source: My Blessed Life

Butterflies are a symbol of warm weather. This wreath from Better Homes and Gardens uses a simple twig wreath and homemade paper butterflies. This is a project that the kiddos could get involved in, too!

source: Better Homes and Gardens

What could be more natural than verdant green moss? This simple wreath from Grace Uncommon is a classic look that speaks to the bounty and beauty of nature.

source: Grace Uncommon

Monogramming is back in high style, so how about putting your “stamp” on your front door with a monogram wreath like this one from Amp & Abi? The letter is wound with yarn. Alternatively, you could switch the capital H for your street numbers.

source: Amp & Abi

Finally, this whimsical wreath might just win the prize for creativity! Gardening is a springtime activity and we can totally see this garden hose wreath from Housepitality Designs dressing up a patio or mudroom door. So cute!

source: Housepitality Designs

Visit all the great websites and blogs we’ve highlighted for “how to” instructions. We hope you received some design inspiration! Which wreath do you plan to make?

Whether you’re preparing dinner for just hubby and the kids or hosting an extended family gathering, you want to set a pretty Easter table, right? We’re sharing some of our favorite “in a jiffy” centerpieces from around the web – hopefully, they’ll spur your imagination!

Best of all, you can bring these ideas to life based on items you already have around your home, or that can be purchased for just a few dollars.

This first look from DigsDigs features speckled Easter eggs in a natural basket for the centerpiece, and small bird nests at each plate. The bird nests can be purchased at most any craft shop this time of the year.

source: DigsDigs

Another natural look for your Easter table can be found right in your own backyard! We love the exquisite look of this tree branch design from HGTV, complete with butterflies floating in mid-air!

source: HGTV

Here’s an ultra simple centerpiece from Midwest Living that uses that trifle dish you already have on-hand and Easter eggs with dainty spring flowers tucked around it.

source: Midwest Living

For another extremely easy centerpiece, duplicate the look of these glittery Easter eggs perched atop candleholders from Good Housekeeping. If the eggs seem a little wobbly, you can always use some melted wax to keep them in place. This is such a simple but elegant look, and who doesn’t have lots of candlesticks around the house? For maximum impact, intersperse the eggs with actual candles, and use sticks of varying heights, as shown here.

source: Good Housekeeping

If flowers are your thing, then you’ll love this simple paper bag “basket” centerpiece from Martha Stewart. Follow the link for an easy tutorial on how to create the baskets.

source: Martha Stewart

Of course, flowers don’t always have to be bunched together in arrangements. Sometimes a single bloom makes a more impactful statement. Consider sitting one in a mini bud vase at each place setting, or creating a centerpiece like the one below from the blog Between Naps on the Porch. Such a fresh and pretty look!

source: Between Naps On The Porch

The possibilities are endless, really – plates filled with moss and foil-covered candy eggs, a glass cloche with a white chocolate rabbit and spring blooms underneath, even mason jars tied with twine and filled with jelly beans! There are so many cute looks that bring springtime and Easter to your table without costing a lot.

Do you have a unique idea for an Easter Holiday centerpiece? Leave us a comment below!

Nothing says “springtime” quite like the color green – it’s fresh and vibrant, and makes you think of lush grass and plants. Not to mention, there are so many shades of it to choose from, whether you like a sophisticated darker green or a bright, crisp kelly green.

If you love green like we do, we have some good news! Green is especially IN this year: Emerald is the Pantone Color of the Year for 2013! It’s described by Pantone as a “lively, radiant lush green.” In fact, there are lots of green tones in this year’s palette.

source: Pantone

To celebrate spring’s not-too-distant arrival, we’re showing you some great new looks in home decor that feature our favorite shades of green. Hopefully, they’ll give you some new ideas about how to bring this trendy color into your own home!

Even with its bold stance on green, this entry hall from Marthastewart.com also manages to be tranquil and soothing. We especially like the varying shades of green in the trim and accent pieces, and the blue lighting fixture provides a pretty contrast. Mixing greens and blues is very on-trend right now.

source: Marthastewart.com

Of course, green doesn’t have to be only for the walls, as this kitchen from Coastal Living shows. The hardwood floors are painted a bright kiwi, providing a crisp, eye-catching counterpoint to the white cabinets and walls. So does the orange door!

source: Coastal Living

Green also works well with natural woods and accents, as seen in this living room from Country Living. The natural wood coffee table and jute rug complement the pops of green and white on the walls and windows.

source: Country Living

Sometimes, though, “soft” is the best way to go. We love the muted tone of this green kitchen from House Beautiful. The combination of the painted cabinets with the natural hardwood floors makes for an inviting space. Green doesn’t have to scream.

source: House Beautiful

If you’re finding you are still a bit “green shy” and looking for something with less commitment, you can always bring it into your home with fabrics, accent pieces, dishware, pillows, towels and placemats – even candles! There’s just so many ways to go green.

source: Pantone

source: Marthastewart.com

So many Christmas memories are created around the table, where family and friends gather to share a meal. One way to make your holiday feast extra special this year is to design a beautiful new tabletop look. At DownEast Home, we have lots of affordable accent pieces, ornaments, high-quality floral stems and greenery – everything you need to add some Christmas glitz!

Just look at this lovely tabletop display in our Layton, Utah, store:

Accents in gold, silver and shimmering white provide glamour, while the holly berries and napkins add a pop of red. We love the Christmas tree-shaped glass container filled with sparkling ornaments, don’t you?

These cellophane-wrapped ornaments on plates extend the centerpiece’s look out to each place setting. Wrapped like little presents, the ornaments could even be take-home favors for party guests!

We think our Layton design team did a fabulous job putting together this very chic holiday look. I wonder what they are making us for Christmas dinner?

Visit one of our many DownEast Home locations in Utah and Idaho to see our stylish and VERY affordable holiday decor! Let your Christmas creativity shine!

‘Tis the Season!

Built in 1889, this ten-bedroom, twelve-and-a-half-bath gem is one of Park City’s original historic homes. Over the last century, the rambling house has served as a bed & breakfast, individual apartments and even as a miner’s lodge. (Note: Park City was originally a mining town before becoming renowned as a winter ski resort area and main locale for the Sundance Film Festival.)

Named “The Grand Love Shack” by owner Jeff Love, who acquired and began renovating the house in 2004, it currently serves as a private, executive corporate retreat that can be rented by groups of up to 30 people.

We recently spoke with Love, who is an avid DownEast shopper! In fact, Love has furnished or partially furnished a number of houses and condominiums with items from DownEast. Many of the items in The Grand Love Shack came from our stores!

Here’s what Love had to say:

How long have you shopped at DownEast for your home renovation projects?

I think I’ve shopped at DownEast almost from its beginning – at least for the past 15 or 16 years. The local staff knows me quite well. The Grand Love Shack, the house we’re talking about today, probably has the most DownEast items inside it of anything I’ve done so far.

What do you like most about DownEast?

DownEast offers great value, every day. On top of that, it also has really good sales either storewide or on specific merchandise. I’m a bit of an “obsessive” shopper – always looking for the best prices and most interesting products – and DownEast has a good variety. The employees are inviting and friendly, too.

What items purchased from DownEast do you especially love?

I’ve purchased so many things it’s hard to single something out, but I’ll have to say the lighting fixtures I used in the home. The ones I bought at DownEast are really unique and lend character to the rooms. They’re from a well-known national name brand but DownEast had them at prices substantially below suggested retail.

In the main living area, many of the furnishings are from DownEast. This includes the table used for overflow dining, the unique lighting over it, the wall-mounted wine rack and end table underneath the painting.

DownEast’s quilts, comforters and bedding also have particular value for me. With a rental property, you inevitably get some wear and tear and occasionally there’s something that’s just not cleanable or repairable. With DownEast, I’m able to provide guests with top-quality bedding and if something gets worn or damaged, it doesn’t require a large investment on my part to replace it.

In this bedroom, the headboard, bedding and bunk beds, ottoman, lamp and wall clock are all from DownEast.

How much money do you think you’ve saved by shopping at DownEast to achieve your desired look?

I’m not exactly sure, since I’ve bought a lot of items in the 15 or so years I’ve been shopping at DownEast. Since DownEast products are typically half the price or even less compared to other retailers, I’m certain I’ve saved a lot.

The rooms are lovely. Did you design them yourself or work with an interior designer?

Thank you – I did them myself. I have a knack for interior design, I guess, and as I’ve mentioned, I’m a pretty obsessive shopper.

Over time, I’ve built four spec houses in this same part of town and three out of four were sold furnished, since Park City is typically what’s considered a “second home” market. Those homes also had DownEast products. Bottom line, DownEast is a great place to shop for style, quality and value.

Thanks so much for sharing your amazing house with us today, Jeff! We’re so proud to be a part of it and we’re thrilled that you continue to be a frequent DownEast customer. See you in the store soon!

The Grand Love Shack in Park City, Utah, is available to private groups of up to 30 people. For many more photos and rental information, please visit http://lodging4vacations.com/park-city-grand/.

Symbols of Thanksgiving reflect the season’s bounty and colors, so why not bring them to your tabletop this holiday?

Look at this lovely fall harvest centerpiece created by the design team at our Idaho Falls location. Its made entirely from items you can get at DownEast Home.

We love the natural wooden balls mixed with apples and berries in red and deep purple, all tucked inside an earthy green basket. The white berries arranged around the basket complement the look with just a touch of holiday shimmer.

Other ideas to add: small squashes and gourds, artichokes, grapes or any other faux fruits and vegetables in rich fall colors.

Hi again, DownEast fans! It’s Kelli and Kristi, twin sisters from Lolly Jane, here to share a really fun accent idea with you…an ombre wall! This is such a happy wall in Kelli’s house, with its soothing blue tones. We started with bright white and worked our way down to dark turquoise. It’s definitely a focal wall that creates conversations when people walk into the space.

Our favorite part of this project was that we were able to use random leftover paint to create the color pallet! The top coat is white, which was left over from this board and batten entryway. The second coat was left over from this living room painting project. The third color is the fourth color with the first color mixed in (got that??). The fourth color is called “Turquoise Gem” and was something Kelli got for free two years ago – we were so happy to finally use it! The fifth color was left over from some kitchen cabinets that will soon be shown off on our blog.

We love that the lines are perfectly straight! All you need is a level and painters’ tape. To get started with the stripes, you should start at the top and work your way down.

This was truly trial and error! We’ve never done five different colors and we had a four-hour block of time before Kelli’s kids returned from school. We started off by measuring: The wall is 94″ so we divided that by five and ended up with 18″ stripes. We then taped 17″ below the top of the wall (pic #1) and painted that block white.

Since we didn’t want to wait for each block to dry, we jumped to the bottom and painted it dark turquoise (pic #2). After the first block was dry, we taped the bottom line of the white block and painted the second block. We painted the fourth block (pic #3) a lighter shade of turquoise.

It was at this point a friend came over and said she didn’t like the color of the second block, so we had to reevaluate the color scheme. We loved the color of the fourth block, so we mixed the color used for it with the color used for block one to get a lighter shade, which created block three! For the second block, we ended up using the same color as what was already on either side of the accent wall. Make sense? It’s slightly confusing, but we PROMISE it was a beginner level project, finished before the kids got there!

Here’s the view when you come into Kelli’s house from the garage. Isn’t it cheerful to have this wall greet you when you walk in?

Thanks for joining us as we shared this pretty ombre accent wall. Keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for more tips and tricks!

XOXO,

Kelli and Kristi

Hello, DownEast Home lovers! Has summer fever hit your house yet? If the warm temperatures and sunshine still haven’t quite gained your enthusiasm, then these summer-inspired mantels are sure to get you in the spirit.

Seasonal decorating is always fun and mantels are one of our favorite projects. To bring the look of summer into your home, use bright colors, beachy themes, flowers – really, just about anything you can think of! Today, we’re going to show you some of the most inspirational summer-themed mantels around.

This mantel by Finding Home combines multiple summer objects and themes – baseball, seashells and the Fourth of July. What a creative idea that represents the season to a tee! We love the neutral-natural tones.

This ocean-inspired mantel from Meadow Lake Cottage sets the perfect mood for summer guests. We love the wood shelving that displays all types of “beachy” finds!

Here’s another mantel that’s an ode to our country’s Independence Day. We love the patriotic sayings and patchwork-style banner on LandeeseeLandeedo’s mantel. Check out how she did it step-by-step on her blog.

We’re always excited to see what Layla at the Lettered Cottage puts together each year for her Summer Mantel Party. Summer’s the time for vacations and travel, so this year she designed everything around this fun “Have an Adventure” theme. See how she put it together step-by-step on her blog.

If you’re wanting to add some color to your mantel, then you’ll go crazy for this look by My Blessed Life. We love the use of greenery coupled with aqua glass jars filled with bright yellow flowers. What makes it even more lovely is how it all pops against the neutral white wall.

Is YOUR summer mantel ready? How have you added a touch of summer – or a lot of summer? Let us know. We love hearing from you!

Hello, DownEast Home blog readers! I’m Katherine from a bit of sparklefarkle, stopping by to share an easy home project that will display all of your beautiful baubles and accessories. I didn’t have to buy anything new for this makeover, although I did happen to have a staple gun lying around, which might not be the case for everyone.

Step number one: Pull out an old corkboard. Most people seem to have these hidden away after being discarded from offices or a teen’s bedroom that was flipped into a home gym or giftwrap room the day he (or she) drove off to college. If not, Goodwill usually has these in giant stacks for cheap.

Have some fabric lying around, like curtains or drapes that you no longer use? That’ll work! In my case, I had black drapes from an old apartment that were tucked away in storage.

Once you’ve ironed the wrinkles from the fabric, lay it out on a large, open space on the floor. Then grab your handy staple gun and staple the fabric all the way around the corkboard, pulling the fabric tight and alternating sides with every staple. Start in the middle and work your way out.

Next, focus on your corners. These photos will hopefully give you an idea of how to make them crisp – I documented how I did it the best I could!

All done! Now all you have to do is pick an empty wall that could use a little love, and hang! Well-spaced pushpins will hold long necklaces, bracelets and earrings that dangle. A shelf underneath the display is the perfect spot for small dishes that can hold rings and stud earrings.

As they say, “Voila!”

A place for everything, and everything in its place! I hope this makes you feel more organized when it comes to your jewelry and accessories.

Thanks for having me here! Be sure to stop by my blog and say, “Hi.” I love to chat about DIY inspirations!

- Katherine

Blog // abitofsparklefarkle.com
Twitter // @kthornhill
Instagram // sparklefarkle