Create a Headboard without the Price Tag

I don’t know about you, but every year as soon as there is a little inkling of spring, I get the itch to spruce up a room in my house.   This year, I have decided to focus on my bedroom – or should I say my bed…  Pushed up against a boring white wall, my sleeping sanctuary is screaming for a headboard.  The problem? Headboards tend to be pricey and bulky.  So – if you don’t have extra room – or the extra money – check out these alternative solutions and give your bed a Fab & Fru makeover!

Sticky Situation

Stuck on the fact that headboards can easily cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars?  No Problem! We love the wall sticker “headboards” from Dali Decals.  Ranging from about $35-$65, you can add stylish flair to your room without a lot of money or fuss. Added bonus: they are easy to remove and inexpensive, so next year you don’t have to feel guilty about changing your look or buying a different sized bed.

Paint One Wall

We love the look of painting just one element of a room in a contrast color – and this trick is a great way to create a faux headboard!   Whether you paint the entire wall behind your bed, or just part of the wall, it’s an easy way to create a focal point around your bed without the expense of a real headboard.

 Photo Finish

Hanging a framed photo that you love, or creating a collage of different size frames - instead of using a headboard - is a fabulous way to decorate and accentuate your sanctuary.  And remember to choose wisely when picking photos for this intimate area – you might love that picture taken of your and your grandmother at the beach, but do you really want her gazing down at you and and potential sleepover guests?!

Pillow Talk

Add a couple big, square, decorative pillows behind the rumpled ones you sleep on.  If big enough, these can also mimic a headboard and give your room a pulled together look – and a comfy place to read in bed.   You can either pick out fun fabric or, as our own Claire Sheehan suggests, dig through your own collection of scarves and lonely buttons, etc. and make custom pillows that only look like they came from Anthropologie.

Or…. Try mounting your favorite pillows, in your favorite color to plywood boards and hang them symmetrically behind your bed for a cushy modern look!

Free Flowing Fabric

Another alternative trick to add color and elegance to your boudoir, is to drape a patterned fabric over a curtain rod and hang it in lieu of a headboard.  The vertical flow of the fabric adds height and texture while brightening up the entire room.  Voila!

What are your favorite Fab & Fru Headboard Alternatives?  We want to hear your ideas of how to sleep in style! 

by Alexandra Pauline – January 23, 2012

Your Big Day The Green Way

Planning a wedding is a costly, emotional and time consuming undertaking – often leaving little room for the idea of sustainability.  I mean, this is the one day where the entire focus is on you, right?  And with so much going on, it might not even cross your mind to think about the environment…  But if you’re planning a wedding, going Green doesn’t have to mean more work and more money.  In fact, by making your wedding a more sustainable event, not only will you make your big day even more memorable, you can save some serious cash!

Go Partially Paperless

While there’s still something special about sending printed invitations for your actual wedding, save money and paper by sending digital invites for your save-the-date, engagement party, rehearsal dinner and shower.  Websites like Paperlesspost.com, Evite.com and Punchbowl.com have some elegantly festive Fab & Fru options so you can get the job done without chopping down a single tree – all with pricing packages that range from free to budget friendly!

Keep It Local – Even when Far from Home

Even if you’re not getting married in the town you live in, you can still make sustainable local choices that will help make your wedding one of a kind!  Wedding photographer Michelle Posey commented, “I saw a couple do a great job of putting on a sustainable wedding in 2010.  They had their wedding outdoors, made local food and wine choices, used flowers from friends’ gardens instead of having them shipped in, and used a family wedding dress instead of buying a new one.”

Eatwellguide.org makes finding caterers who specialize in using local ingredients as simple as just typing in your zip code.   Not only is going local better for the environment, and your taste buds – it may also save you on the cost of food.  The less your food has to travel, the fewer hands will be looking to cash in on its journey!

Take Out The Good China

Big weddings often lead to people cutting corners when it comes to using china and flatware.  Setting the tables with proper place settings not only helps to make your day feel more special, it will also allow you will avoid the extra waste that comes with using paper and plastic products …no matter how high quality.  The caterer or the venue may have to wash a ton of dishes that night, but it will be worth it in the end!

by Alexandra Pauline – January 11, 2012

Make Your Space Work For You

It’s tax season, and there’s no time like the present to get organized and turn your home office into a calm haven of peaceful function.  Here at Fab & Fru we’ve got some simple and creative ways to give you closet hoarders some new found hope…

Make Room In Small Spaces

If you’re a city dweller who’s idea of a home office is your iPad, your scattered bills and a cup of coffee, have no fear – you can still get organized even with the smallest of space.   Head to your local Target and pick up a discounted pack of shelves.   In less than an hour you can turn your desktop nook into the fully functioning “corner” office of your dreams!

New York City real estate broker Nick Jabour says he has his “MacBook in a desk drawer that’s wired to a flat LCD panel on the wall.  I have a magnetic bulletin board that holds notes, pen cups and a stapler.  A shelf mounted above the desk holds my check ledgers, reference books, and other items.”  If you’re working with even less space, getting an accent basket and filling it with office supplies and files is a great way to turn your hallway table into a desk when you need it!

Creating Functional Decor

Small details like colorful matching storage boxes are not only a functional way to bring a calming sense of order to a home work area, they can also be decorative!  Use them as an accessible way to separate your paperclips, pushpins, stamps and post-its.  Another Fab & Fru way to create some stylish do-it-yourself storage is by turning old mason jars into micro-storage units.

Clutter Killing Cork

We love the idea of doing a FRU corkboard…with a FAB twist!  If your desk is against a wall, cork board is a great space optimizer – but it can be a bit drab to look at.  Our solution?  Frame it!  Find an inexpensive frame at an antique shop, or reincarnate one from a mirror or painting you already have.  Just remove the glass, cut the cork to fit, and slip it into the frame – you can even cover it in some fabric for an extra luxe look.   Suddenly, you have not only a piece of home decor, but a functional office accessory you will actually enjoy looking at!

Double Duty

If you’re work area also happens to be doubling as another space – synergy is key.  Many working moms opt to combine their office and nursery.  In this case, keep the color schemes the same, and go with a bold unifying accent piece.  Try a solid paint for the walls, and substitute a stuffy office chair with a stylish and sturdy club chair in a pattern – and don’t forget the pillow.  Ample lumbar support is key for mitigating back pain!

Looking to add a little high-end design to your home for up to 50% off?!   Neiman Marcus’s online luxury decor store, Horchow, is just as famous for its classic yet cutting edge style as it is for its quality and decadent appeal.  To find Fab & Fru links to luxury, check out the sale section and value pages and receive up to 50% off selected furniture and decor items!

• If you’re looking for bed linens, you’ll definitely be sleeping easy with up to 25% off on bedding …with automatic free shipping!
• No room is complete without a fine area rug – click here for 50% select rugs and other accent pieces for your living room and beyond!
• And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, once you get to the check out you can also stack on 15% off PLUS free shipping on your total order!

With these deals your pad will feel like a posh penthouse without paying the price!

by Stephanie Berenbaum – January 2, 2012

*Inspired by “Wall Drawing 614″ (1989) by Sol LeWitt 

Money Saving Design Inspiration

It’s official – it’s 2012! One of our biggest resolutions this year is to try and find inspiration in the ordinary.  Too often we get stuck in our daily routines – and no longer see the potential beauty that’s right under our nose! And it is this ability to see the ordinary in a new light that is not only the key to creativity – it’s the key to saving money!

Design on a Dime!

Our friends Caroline & Ian recently had two ‘a-ha’ design and money saving moments.  The first was in a book, and the second was at their local hardware store…

As New York City apartment dwellers, Caroline and Ian’s love of pop art and modern design has been the main inspiration in decorating their Lower East Side Apartment.   However, 3 years after moving in, they still hadn’t gotten around to do anything about their bare, stark white entrance way.  So, inspired by a book of Sol LeWitt wall drawings (“100 views”), they finally found their inspiration and invited two of their very good – and artistically inclined – friends over for an evening of Dinner and Design.  By the end of the evening, a mural was born – no paint, no fuss!

 Total Cost for the Mural: $75

1. One laser level – $15 (essential and worth every penny)
2. Three rolls of black painters tape – $15
3. Thai take out for four – approximately $40
4. Awesome neighbors – priceless.

Ian & Caroline didn’t stop there.   With two little kids, constant company, and the threat of winter boots muddying up the hall, the thought of buying an expensive custom made runner to fit their taste and their space would not only be hundreds of dollars, it would likely get destroyed in one season.  But when Caroline popped into her neighborhood hardware store to buy some light bulbs, she literally saw green when she turned the corner into the next aisle.  There, right before her eyes was some bright green – yes -Astro Turf!  What a Fab & Fru way to add some color, style and function to their new maud hallway!

Total Cost for the Astro Turf Runner: $125

1. 20ft of AstroTurf – $5.49/ft.  I erred on the side of caution
2. 1 yardstick for the toolbox
3. 1 Exacto Knife (to trim to fit)

– Added bonus: They also used the 2ft of remnants as their new doormat!

Cute As A Button…Earrings!

Looking for an inexpensive – yet tres chic – gift for all the women in your family this holiday season?  Well, you’ve come to the right place!

We couldn’t help but notice that each time we saw our friend Carly, she was wearing the most unique earrings.  I kept wondering where she got them – I assumed maybe a vintage store or an Etsy boutique.  When I finally asked her, I was delighted to hear she had actually made them HERSELF – out of BUTTONS!

D.I.Y. to Die For

Believe me, I’m not the craftiest person out there, but even for the D.I.Y challenged, these earrings are so easy – and fun – to make, you’ll be amazed.  Plus, if you’re visiting family this Thanksgiving weekend and looking for an activity to do other than sit around and eat leftover pie, you might just get a bunch of your holiday gifts made!

Here’s all you need to do to make Carly’s Fabulous – & Frugal – Button Earrings:

Supplies:

• Cool Buttons
• A Bag of Earrings with Posts
• Nail Polish Glue

1-2-3-4

1. At a craft store, get a bag of earrings with posts
2. Take a pair of buttons, whether they are lying around the house, specific to a certain outfit, or something that you just picked up at the store, and figure out which side you want to be the front of the earring.
3. Using nail polish glue, put a small dab on the flat part of the earring post, and press on button.
4. Let dry for a few hours so as not to get any glue on yourself or your ear, and then they are ready to wear (or wrap)!

According to Carly, “These are great because you can make earrings to wear with any outfit, and they are a very inexpensive yet creative way to be unique! They are also fabulous to give out as gifts with the holiday season coming up, and you can make several pairs at once. The posts are only a few dollars for a bag of 50-100 pairs, and the earrings can be as expensive or inexpensive as you would like.”

Thank you Carly Cameron for the very fabulous – and frugal – holiday gift idea!

How to Manage Your Money & Your Expectations

For the past few months, I have found myself just sitting in silence on the couch fantasizing about how I want to redecorate my living room.  At first glance, it’s not so bad.  From the crown and base molding to the beautiful hardwood floor – the room is not without charm.  However, when you take a slightly closer look; my linen white walls are now looking kind of lemony, the lighting is all wrong, the leather on my club chairs is way more than stylishly worn, and my designer couch and has become a high traffic scratching post for my cat…Not cute!

My instinct is to bite the bullet and re-do the entire room all at once, but my wallet is singing a different tune.  My dilemma: to replace my furniture alone will cost me several thousand – not to mention new light fixtures and hiring someone to help paint my intricate trim and do some minor repairs.  That’s about six grand that I don’t want to spend right now – and I certainly don’t want to put it on my credit card!

So, although it’s going to be a psychological challenge, I have opted for only spending what I can afford by decorating my living room in stages.  Here are some Fab & Fru tips to help both you and me get the room we’ve always wanted – one step at a time!

Create Your Decorating Plan & Your Budget

Although we’ve responsibly decided not to overcharge our credit cards, it’s still important to create an overall budget and decorating plan upfront.  Shop for furniture and paint colors now.  Do you need a contractor?  Get your quotes now, too! Do your homework and craft your design.  You can’t REALLY determine your budget until you know exactly what you want to purchase and how much the work is going to cost.  And you certainly can’t manage your cash flow and decorating schedule unless you know if, and when, you’ll be able to afford it!

Prioritize Your Schedule

The next step in the process is to schedule your project based on your cash flow and what’s most important to you.  Make sure everyone who is involved has their expectations in place – including your own!

Let’s look at my situation for a moment.  What do I want to do first?  And how much can I afford to start spending now?

I need to get new furniture, repair & paint, and get new light fixtures.  I’ve determined my overall budget of $6,000, and I’ve figured out that if I spread the entire project out in stages over a course of four months, I will easily be able to manage my expenses. Here’s my plan:

1.  August: Order new couch: $1,600

2.  October: Bring in repair man to fix cracks, repair window sills & paint moldings: $1,200

3.  October: Finish painting the walls myself: $100 (surprise savings of $700!)

4.  End of November: Purchase 2 new chairs: $1,400

5.  January: Buy & install new lighting fixtures: $1,000

Total New Budget spread out over the next five months: $5,300

by Kathy Pape – March 10, 2011

Transform Your Kitchen for Next to Nothing

Spring is my most favorite time of year because while the weather warms up and the flowers begin to bloom, I get to start my DIY home improvement projects for the year!  It’s an unwritten rule in our house that I have three months to dedicate myself to making changes. The summer is too hot; the winter is too cold – so spring is my season.  And this year, my kitchen is the focus!

Kitchen makeovers and repairs are notoriously expensive, but unless you’re planning to completely gut the entire room, you don’t have to spend tons of cash.  Small changes yield BIG results, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how a few Fab & Fru decorating tips will give your drab, outdated kitchen a whole new look!

Find Your Glamour Spot

When you’re trying to stick to a budget, the Fab & Fru  rule of thumb is to get strategic about where you spend your money.  The glamour spot of any space is the area where your eyes first land when you walk into a room.  Walk into your kitchen a few times and see where you look first – plus ask a couple friends to get some fresh eyes on your old space.  Sometimes it’s unexpected, but where you consistently focus your attention is where you should do something spectacular!

In my kitchen my glamour spot is a large blank wall.  I needed something bold to make a statement so I commissioned my talented friend Sarah to paint me a gorgeous rectangular piece that looks like it should be in a museum.  It cost me a whopping $40 for paint and supplies.  –If you don’t have a friend like Sarah (who gives Martha Stewart a run for her money) there are tons of great pieces at stores like Target or Pier One Imports.  An empty wall is also a great space to create a photo wall or frame your kids’ art and display it!

Give Your Chairs a Face Lift

The next thing Sarah helped me with was to find a gorgeous turquoise fabric to re-do my kitchen chairs.  The fabric coordinates with one color in the painting and ties everything together perfectly.   I was surprised by how fabulous the bright pop of color looks with my dark kitchen table.  You can also coordinate fabric with the window treatments.  I used Crypton  Fabric and love it because you can literally spill anything on the chairs and it rolls right off.

Remove Your Cabinet Doors

This is a bold and interesting move that can really change the look of a kitchen by giving it a modern feel.  Olga Adler of Stylish Homes 2 Go recommends this to her clients.  She has them remove some of the cabinet doors and paint the interiors for a graphic shot of color.  This is especially nice if you have great dishes that coordinate.   It’s something unexpected that makes a huge impact when you walk in the room.

Create a New Back Splash

A new back splash can completely change the look of a room.  I’ve seen designers paint a back splash with silver metallic spray paint on HGTV to make a subtle statement.  And designer Marc Nielsen likes to gather ceramic tiles in varying colors and patterns and do a “patchwork quilt” for a back splash. For a fun, free form mosaic look, use broken plates, cups, and pottery, keys from old typewriters, printing blocks or anything else you might find.  You’ll be surprised what a little grout and a lot of creativity can do for that space behind your sink!

by Brandi Savitt – December 9, 2010

Use What You’ve Got in More Ways than One

Throwing a festive holiday get together can become a pricey endeavor if you’re not careful.  The cost of all the food, drinks and decorations can really sock a punch to your holiday budget.  But don’t worry – there is NO reason why you can’t have a fabulous bash without spending a fortune.  Stretch your party budget to the max by getting resourceful and creating the ultimate Fab & Fru party experience for both you and your guests!

Use What You’ve Got!

The key to decorating is to MULTI TASK every element of your party.  From edible decor to transforming everyday items that you already have at home into decorations, you can get the party started WITHOUT spending a bundle!

Wrap Your Table Like a Present

If you have wrapping paper remnants lying around, don’t let them go to waste!  Use them to design a festive table cloth instead.  Just create a runner with a longer piece of wrapping paper, and then use the smaller pieces and scraps to create a unique collage of different colors, patterns, metallics, trees, Santas, or whatever combination you fancy.  Use ribbon and tape a bow to the front of the table to really put the finishing touch on your gifty design!

Create an Edible Decor Dessert Bar

Instead of having a savory cocktail party with tons of pricey hors d’ouvres, theme your celebration around dessert instead.  And the good news is- there’s no need to bake for days or purchase gourmet sweets!  You can creatively – and easily -  arrange a Fab & Fru array of tasty treats that will also double as your decorations!

Fill Your Good Glasses with Candy

You may not want thirty tipsy guests walking around the party sipping wine out of your finest crystal, but you CAN use those glasses to create a candy land theme on your dessert table.  Seriously, what good are all those wedding gifts doing just sitting hidden in your cabinets?!  Fill wine glasses, martini glasses and champagne flutes with colorful M&M’s, peppermint candies, gold & silver Hershey Kisses- or whatever your favorite candies may be!

Mistletoe & Hershey Kisses

For a fun way to present a simple treat like Hershey Kisses, we love this idea:  Get a tall vase (we like to fill really tall glass vases  with rolls of colorful wrapping paper rolls we have laying around) and hang or dangle some mistletoe, rosemary, kale- anything leafy green- from the top of the vase.  Post up a sign saying, “Get A Kiss Under The Mistletoe” and suddenly instead of boring old Hershey Kisses, you have a sassy conversation starter – and it costs you nothing extra!

Naughty or Nice Brownies

We all love Brandi’s famous Fab & Fru brownie recipe – the basics being that you take any store bought brownie mix and melt a bar of good, (65% or higher) dark chocolate into the mix to make for a gourmet tasting brownie at a bargain price!

Ok, but even the best brownies are sort of bah-humbug boring…. So liven them up through presentation!  We like to arrange two Christmas stockings on the table, one with brownies pouring out of them and a sign reading “Lumps of Coal If You Are Naughty!” and the other filled with inexpensive candy canes with a sign saying, “Candy if You Are Nice!” Again, a little creativity makes average, cheap treats seem special!

by Brandi Savitt – December 6, 2010

Five Ways to Turn a Digital Snapshot into Art

You may instantly post photos onto Facebook after every evening out with friends or just minutes after your kids leave for the first day of school, but in this age of digital snapshots, how many of those photos actually get framed or thoughtfully placed into photo album?   This gift giving season, turn your memories into art! Check out these Fab & Fru ways to quickly and easily transform your digital photos into gifts that your friends and family will cherish and display forever – and if you’re related to me, please stop reading NOW- unless you want to know what you’re getting for Christmas…!

Print Your Photos Onto Canvas!

Fancy yourself a photographer?  This is my absolute favorite gift to give this year!

I have some beautiful photos from traveling this year, not to mention some great shots of the family, so I’m turning my digital pics into works of art for my whole family- by blowing them up and having them printed directly onto canvas!  Starting at $89, Canvas on Demand can transform your memories into elegant wall hangings in a just matter of days.  If you buy two of the same print, you get a significant discount on the second print (plus you can also get a special Fab & Fru offer if you sign up before 12/9/10 for our newsletter)!  There are many sizes, styles and effects to choice from, and if you act fast, the online shop is also promising delivery right up to Christmas!  Believe me, after you pick the right shot, it just takes a matter of minutes!

Design & Print a Photo Album!

There’s nothing more generous than taking the time to compile a photo album for someone, and now you can make professional looking books with the pics printed directly onto each page! Starting at $12.99 to about $50 bucks, you can customize an album for everyone on your shopping list- or just print the same copy for all…! iPhoto and Blurb.com are fantastic and affordable resources to check out, and if you hurry, they’ll be able to deliver your albums by Christmas!

Make a 2011 Calendar of the Kids!

This is a dream come true gift for the kids to give their grandparent’s and aunties & uncles.  A calendar can even be a little cheesy but fun & romantic gesture for your honey….   If you use a Mac computer, simply click on your iPhoto icon for instant options.  Otherwise,  Shutterfly and Kodak Gallery both offer an affordable and easy to use calendar making service!

Frame it in Digital!

Digital photo frames became all the rage a couple of years back, and we still think they’re a thoughtful way to share photos with friends & family.   Amazon offers deals starting at $30 for select frames, and depending on how big of a memory card you get, you can load this special present with hundreds of your favorite photos!

DIY Printing & Framing!

This holiday, I’m also taking the classic route, and framing some of my favorite family photos myself to give as gifts. Both Target and Ikea have a fabulous selection of single frames with matting as well as classy collage frames to hang on the wall.  If you don’t have a decent photo printer at home, you can have photos printed online at Shutterfly, Kodak, and iPhoto, or you can bring a jump drive of your favorite pics to the drugstore for some good old fashioned local printing.

This holiday season, take the time to get creative. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to create original, timeless, and affordable gifts that will never go out of style!