While my spouse cannot wait to get his hands on a coolant pump, I cannot wait to find myself some big baskets. I saw this DIY Basket Lampshade at annaleenashem.blogspot.com and was blown away. They are so simple and beautiful. I am so inspired to do a few for my home. According to the blog owner, she turned the basket upside down and put a plastic suspension device through the bottom of the basket. Then she painted the basket black. A very simple DIY Basket Lampshade and the result is amazing.
Eventhough the Chinese New Year celebration is over, I am still seeing red. Well, don’t get me wrong. I am not mad with anybody. It is just that I have began to love having splashes of red in my home. Red is consider a very auspicious colour for the Chinese. Red symbolizes good luck and good fortune. It is also the colour of happiness. If you don’t want your home to be too overwhelming or intimidating, it would be great to add a splash of red in the form of a red sofa, chairs or even red throw cushions.
Another great idea is using a red rug too.
I am loving these Hennie Chair from Serena & Lily. The reason being is the chairs are made of rattan. They remind me of the chairs in my parent’s home. My mother loves rattan chairs and we have a few of these though in different designs. Do you know that it is very easy to clean rattan chairs? You can just wipe them with a wet cloth or hose them down with water. I love the designs of the Hennie Chair. It looks great with a throw pillow in bold colour or prints.
I stumbled upon these adorable Heart Cup and Saucer sets from The Spoon Sisters yesterday while my other half was busy teleconferencing in the other room. These china cups come in a set of 6. They are so unique and definitely will make a conversation piece at the party. These cups and saucers are great if you want to share a cup of tea or coffee with your loved one. They also make great Valentine’s Day gift.
A few nights ago, I had a Chinese New Year Eve dinner at my in-law’s house. It is also known as the Reunion dinner where family members get together for a sumptuous feast. Ok back to our reunion dinner, I was pleasantly surprised to see my mother-in-law bringing out theses lovely Inside Out Bowls from Anthropologie. These porcelain bowls surely brighten up the dining table.
I am loving this Front Facing Bookshelf. It is actually a wood pallet that has been repurposed to a book shelf. I love wood pallets and this is another great and creative idea on using them around the home. This bookshelf is made from 2 wooden pallets and painted in white. This bookshelf looks great in the home or office. I bet you can even display the plastic business cards or flyers in the office. Hop over to Ana-White.com for more creative ideas using wooden pallet.
I was watching a video of this man who lives in a 450 sq. ft. apartment in Manhattan. He paid $235,000 for this tiny apartment which is a good deal. This apartment consists of a kitchen, bath, fold-up queen-size bed, hidden sliding door closet and etc. During the day, the bed area turns into an entertainment room or the living room. The kitchen has the most things in it, including storage for dry goods and cohiba cigars. It has two under-the-counter fridge. The storage ideas are very cool and I like it very much. The whole place looks pretty cozy to me. However, I am not sure if I can live in such a small space because I have claustrophobia. Also I have way too many stuff. If you like the minimalist concept, then perhaps you may want to check this cool apartment out.
In a few days’ time, the Chinese will bid farewell to The Year of The Rabbit and usher in the Year of The Dragon. Chinese New Year is celebrated with big family gatherings, gift giving, having sumptuous meals and decorating the home with lots of flowers, plants and signs that symbolize luck and happiness. Before the New Year arrives, it is important for the Chinese to give the house a good cleaning. It is to sweep away the bad luck of the previous year. The home is then decorated with red and gold items as these two colours are dominant during this festival. Many homes will have red lanterns such as the one below.
Red Lantern from Indo-Chine
So is your home all ready for the Year of the Dragon?
Phew what a long day it is. Besides checking out hockey trophies online, cooking meals and folding the laundry, I have been cleaning the garage. My garage really needs a good clean-up and re-organization. I cannot believe it that we have so many things in the garage. Apart from tools, there are also some vehicles spare parts and etc. I bought this useful Jumbo Utility Cart from The Container Store for storage. They are great for storing the little knick-knacks in the garage.
Before I start helping a friend to look up some laptops, I thought I would share with you what I found at China Sprout. It is a beautiful embroidered silk table runner. I love its bright red colour. As I would be having some friends and relatives over for dinner during the Chinese New Year, this table runner will surely add elegance and beauty to my dining room.
I also love these cute rice bowls.
Hop over to China Sprout if you are looking for some nice to spruce up your home to usher in the Year of the Dragon.
