Flooring


 

DIY Chevron Rug

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Chevron is all the rage right now from fashion designers Micheal Kors to the interior design icons like Kelly Wearstler and Madeline Weinrib to home decor marketplaces like West Elm who carries one of current must-haves chevron inspired pieces, the Zig Zag Rug ($39-$649), which price-wise is quite reasonable, but we wanted to see if we could achieve the same look, with a bit of a twist, for less. The result, a 6’7″ x 7’9″ rug for under $100.

Here’s what you’ll need:
* 3 Hessum Rugs for IKEA by Ellinor Portinson (6 ‘ 7 ” x 2 ‘ 7 “), $24.99/each
* Heavy Thread/Twine (in color of your choice – we went with an eco-friendly red hemp twine for some contrast, but you can color match your thread for a more seamless finish), tufting twine would be a good durable option.
* 1 Large Curved Upholstery Needle – $1.95, if you want a larger stitch opt for a larger needle, a smaller ‘x’ stitch opt for a smaller needle.

Make sure to mark on the back of the rug your stitch points to keep the ‘x’s uniform.

See more on our Chevron obsession…..

Reclaimed Wood Flooring

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

I saw the most amazing rennovation–a bar had taken the lanes from an old bowling alley and repurposed them into this amazing wood floor, complete with those little arrow markers to keep you from going into the gutters. Really was a stunning piece of work. And got me thinking–could I do the same? Could not think of a better way to honor my grandparents both avid bowlers and owner’s of a great little bowling alley.

Fortunately, more and more salvage yards have found the value in offering reclaimed wood flooring, salvaging perfectly good wood from a landfill. There are a multitude of unique and exotic hard woods available. There are a ton of offerings out there–so the next time you install a wood floor check out reclaimed alternatives.

Check out Restore in Springfield, Ma and Longleaf Lumber in Cambridge, MA or search in your own area for salvage yards.