BrightNest

We're on a mission to make homeowners happy! Our quick tips and design inspiration will simplify your life & keep your home beautiful. Create your house at BrightNest.com.

[brightnest]

Hooray for bumpy sweaters! Let’s put all our knitware on wire hangers and revitalize the mid-80s style of lovely shoulder pads.

Oh. Wait. Is that not a cool look anymore? Good to know. No problem, no problem at all. Switching gears…

You can get rid of sweater bumps in a snap – all you need is an ice cube and a paper towel.

Here’s how: http://bit.ly/1ClGuQ6

[brightnest]

Shasta really wanted to try a raspberry. #tbt #officedog #puppyeyes (at BrightNest)

[brightnest]

Only about 45% of people consider themselves “morning people,” according to a recent BrightNest survey.

For the rest of us, rolling out of a warm bed into the frigid air before 10 AM is a punishment, not a pleasure. While we can’t magically switch your internal clock, we can make your mornings suck less.

Here are a few décor tricks that will make waking up a little bit less painful:

Decor Tricks To Turn You Into A Morning Person

[brightnest]

We know you don’t have a lot of time for tomfoolery during this time of year, so not only is this DIY project inexpensive, it’s also quick and safe for kids! Use the pinecones to decorate your mantle for the holidays, create festive ornaments or add a touch of the outdoors to your dining room table. Here are three ways pinecone crafts can spruce up your seasonal décor:

Holiday Decor: Pimp Out Your Pinecones

[brightnest]

Happy Halloween from your friends at BrightNest! 🎃👻

[brightnest]

We cannot wait for Denver Modern Home Tours on Saturday! It is an awesome event that benefits Habitat For Humanity of Metro Denver. Check it out if you're in town and looking for something to do! #Denver #Colorado

[brightnest]

Ever heard the phrase “put a bird on it?” (Love you, Portlandia!) Well, around here we say, “Put it in a terrarium.”

The word “terrarium” may sound fancy, but really, it’s just a glass jar that allows you to get creative and add some whimsical magic to any room with almost zero effort.

Here’s how to use a $20 terrarium all year long:

Create A Decorative Terrarium For Every Season

[brightnest]

Here is a #FreshTip to try today. Trust us, it smells great. To see 5 more fresh tips, click on the link in our bio! #homemade #diy

[brightnest]

Hungry + Angry = Hangry. It’s a word for a reason. Trying to clean the house or work from home on an empty stomach can be a serious problem.

If you want to curb your appetite and improve your mood, skip the popcorn and reach for mood-boosting snacks, instead.

Here’s a list of seven snacks you should keep in the house to return your mind and body to a happy place:

Feel-Good Foods To Boost Your Mood

[brightnest]

There was a little hiccup in our work day here at BrightNest... We listened to the advice that was given though. #Repost from our Lead Product Designer @diagonaleigh: No internet at work so I did a wall doodle to get everyone pumped up. @brightnest (at BrightNest)

[brightnest]

Be honest. When you last painted your house, was shag carpet still trendy and were bellbottoms groovy? If so, you might have a lead paint problem. If your home was built before 1978 lead was prevalent in paint, which is dangerous because if ingested, it can lead to an array to health problems such as brain damage and slowed growth in children.

Don’t panic! If the paint is in good condition and isn’t on an impact or friction surface like a window or doorjamb, it’s probably not a hazard. But, if it’s peeling, chipping, chalking or cracking, you need to give it some attention, especially if you have children! Look closely at surfaces children can chew on or that get a lot of wear-and-tear, like window frames, stairs, railings and banisters.

If you think you have a problem, follow these steps:

Walls: Buh-Buy Lead Paint & Back To Black

[brightnest]

Here at BrightNest, we like to keep it fresh. Fresh spices in our potpourri, fresh-ground vanilla in our pancakes and fresh ninja-chopped bread crumbs in our casseroles. How do we keep it all so fresh? One tool: a coffee grinder.

Important: Clean your coffee grinder before you try any alternative uses. If you don’t, the oil from the leftover coffee beans will infiltrate your spices or other ingredients and make them coffee flavored. Realizing you need to clean your grinder? Here’s how.

Here are four alternative uses for your coffee grinder:

Keep It Fresh: Four New Uses For Your Coffee Grinder

[brightnest]

Most of us automatically chill everything from produce to jars of jam, but did you know that some of your favorite foods do better outside of the icebox? Keep your tomatoes ripe, your basil fresh and your avocados soft by storing them on your kitchen counter. Then, try one of these delicious recipes to showcase your perfect produce:

Fridge Or Counter? Where Should Fresh Foods Go?

[brightnest]

If you stop and really think about all the nasty germs in your house, and all of the semi-gross things that you touch everyday, there’s a decent chance you’ll have a freak out.

Don’t do it! Make the problem manageable by focusing on one “healthy home” task a day. If you can stick to this weekly schedule, you’ll go a long way towards living in a wholesome, non-freak-out-inducing place:

A Tip A Day: 7 Weekly Habits For A Healthier Home

[brightnest]

Whoever said, “There are some things you just can’t learn from a book” clearly never paged through a home décor book.

Each of the following tomes are so full of entertaining ideas, advice for home upkeep and photos of awe-inspiring decor, there’s plenty to learn. (And plenty to get excited about!)

Here’s our list for the top 15 design and décor books for your home:

15 Books To Buy For A Better Home

[brightnest]

If carving pumpkins sounds like work to you, ditch the knife this year so you can have all of the fun without any of the mess. Here are four ways to impress your neighbors with slice-free pumpkins:

2X4: Four Ways To Decorate Pumpkins Without A Knife

[brightnest]

Right now, as you are reading this post, tassels are having a moment. If you’ve seen them on just-about-everything (like here and here and here), but haven’t jumped on the Trend Wagon due to hefty tassel price tags, just make your own!

They’re super easy to make. Like, Easy Mac easy.

Here’s how to make your own trendy tassels that any Anthro lover will fawn over:

Move Over Mason Jars: Tassels Are So Hot Right Now