5 Weekend Projects That You Can Actually Get Done in Two Days

There’s a lot you can get done in a weekend, like making up for a five days full of last-minute dinners by spending some quality time in the kitchen preparing a well though out meal, or getting lost in the black hole that is Netflix while binge-watching Stranger Things in an effort to finally catch up to the hype. But of all the things you can get done between Saturday and Sunday, being able to squeeze in a few speedy decorative upgrades around the house may be the most rewarding, since you’ll be able to enjoy the results of your labor for all weekends to come.

 

Next time you have a few hours – yes, you really only need a few hours – to kill on the weekend, try one of these quick projects that will give your home some major flair in no time. (Seriously, like no time.)

mld104015_0409_09.jpg

Decoupage bare furniture.

 

Don’t get us wrong – there’s nothing bad about a sleek wooden finish for your kitchen chairs and stools. But why not take advantage of some down time over the weekend and think beyond the minimalistic look of plain seats. Give your kitchen a fresh dose of color and vibrancy by decoupaging unadorned wooden chairs at the breakfast table. Go for a pattern that complements the rest of your kitchen, and keep the design from feeling too loud by sticking to just the backs of the chairs. Even if you haven’t really dabbled in decoupaging before, you’ll find the crafty technique to be a super simple way to liven up your furniture with just a few simple tools.

 

See how to create your own decoupage chairs.

mld105556_0410_frames14.jpg

Create a gallery wall.

 

Nothing adds a personal touch to a home quite like family photographs. If you have yet to put the pictures from last year’s Fourth of July party or that one trip to Canada on display, then it might be a good idea to dedicate some time to the task during your next free weekend. Start off by coming up with a concept for displaying the photos, like creating a gallery wall – similar to a grid – above a statement piece of furniture, like a bench or a table.

 

And while it’s totally fine to go the traditional route when it comes to displaying photographs – i.e. ordering basic, unfiltered prints – another option might be to go for something with a bit more of a creative spin, like displaying black and white images in frames with backgrounds in various different colors.

 

Try this and other photo projects for your walls.

living-colorfully-white-blue-mmla101445.jpg

Stamp your stairs.

 

Talk about elevating the style factor of your foyer. One of the easiest, and fastest, ways to add a pop of color to any wall or surface in your house is through the use of stamps. Stamping allows you to create a colorful, artistic design anywhere in your home without necessarily calling on any kind of artistic proclivity as a prerequisite.

 

For the coolest effect, grab your stamp and paint, and head to a spot in the house that’s often neglected when it comes to adding decorative touches. For example, you can use a few multi-sized leaf stamps to create the appearance of a stair-climbing vine right along the front of your steps, adding a totally unexpected pop of color and creativity to the space. 

 

Stamp your way up the stairs with this simple how-to.

mld103020_0208_deskshelves.jpg

Photography by: Ellie Miller

Dress up walls with decorative shelving.

 

Installing shelving around the house is a quick and easy way to upgrade your walls and add a bit of extra storage space to your home. And it should go without saying that interior accents that double as functional are a win on all fronts. But if you want to go even one step further without necessarily biting off more than you can chew, try decorating shelves before mounting them onto the wall. This makes for a simple decorative addition to any room without adding all that much extra time to your shelf installation work flow. Play around with ideas, like painting only the outer edges of floating shelves, or using wallpaper to cover plain shelves. Whatever your preferred approach, you can choose between colors and prints that match your wall color for a cohesive, monochromatic look, or try something with a little bit of contrast to achieve a more eclectic vibe.

 

See how to accent your walls with easy DIY wallpapered shelves.

cannisters-rcd107123.jpg

Photography by: Helen Norman

Add labels, storage, and other organizational upgrades around the house.

 

If you’ve got a hectic schedule, weekends might be the only time that you can manage to squeeze in some cleaning around the house. But instead of just going about the usual vacuuming, dusting, and laundering like you’re operating on autopilot, make better use of the time you spend cleaning by incorporating some projects that help make staying organized and efficient a little easier from week to week – not to mention a lot prettier. Spending the day organizing your closet? Take the time to upgrade your hangers with no-slip felt toppers. Doing a clean scrub of the bathroom? Get towels and bathroom essentials organized by mounting some easy-to-install cubbyholes on the wall. Tidying up in the kitchen? Take a break from cleaning out the pantry and get a little crafty with storage containers by adding some custom labels that are as useful as they are decorative. Incorporate as many smaller projects like this into the weekend as you can, and you’ll be sure to see some major longterm payoffs in the way of staying stylishly organized.

 

Customize your kitchen containers with this easy how-to.

SOURCE:http://www.marthastewart.com/1506114/weekend-projects-you-can-actually-get-done-two-days