Get help for your home makeover from Ikea design videos

Chad and Emily Fair are celebrating this week. Their home in Matthews just got a makeover by a team from Ikea.
Theirs is the second Charlotte residence and the seventh nationally to get reorganized and redecorated at no cost. Eventually 22 homes in Ikea markets are expected to get an update for season one of the Ikea Home Tour.
You can see videos of the Home Tour makeovers at ikea-usa.com/hometour. You can also pick up ideas and solutions for your own project.  See more pictures from the makeover here.
“Often we discover people have design paralysis,” said Keith Bradley, lead designer for the Fair’s makeover. “Hopefully, the videos will inspire people to make changes.
The Fairs were selected after submitting a video in which they described their problem: The roughly 1,500-square-foot house they bought nine years ago didn’t work well for a family of five.

“We’ve watched the house grow smaller,” said Chad Fair, a teacher at Charlotte Christian School.
The children – ages 4, 6 and 8 – needed a place to do homework. The family didn’t have a table for the dining room.
Bradley focused on the Fair’s L-shaped living room and dining room. Among the changes, Ikea’s team added a dining table, storage units on the wall, and living room sofas that are light enough to be moved for playtime.
“This really met a need for us.” Chad Fair said. “The kids used to get up in the morning and watch TV. Now we find them at the desk coloring.”

Karen’s blog: http://homelifeclt.blogspot.com; on Twitter @sullivan_kms

A paper chandelier says special occasion, but not too serious

Family gatherings, graduations, weddings, garden parties and cookouts. Hosting any of these events soon? If so, try not to get lost in the tactical details. Bringing people into our home doesn’t have to be all ... serious. Be playful where you can.
I was reminded of that when I saw a couple of colleagues making paper chandeliers for an office party here at the Observer. Love this idea. The chandeliers don’t actually provide any light, and that’s exactly what makes them so much fun. They’re pure whimsy – a little magic just for the moment.
I’ve been trying to figure out how I might hang one of these outdoors above a big, dressed-up table, maybe with a few lights or other ornaments. What a way to set the mood and create a focal point.
Chuck Cole, the Observer’s creative manager, found a basic template for the chandeliers online and added embellishments. He made them for about $60 each using foam board instead of paper and an X-Acto-style knife. (See how he did it in a slideshow here.) He also talks about making them in this video:



The idea, Cole says, is to make room for the unexpected in your decor. You could use plywood and paint to make a longer-lasting design, Cole says, but that would require more tools – and more skill.
So make your lists and look after the details as you plan each event, but find a way to put your heart into it, too. Your guests are sure to have a good time if you’ll do the same.

Karen’s blog: http://homelifeclt.blogspot.com and @sullivan_obs on Twitter