Book Recommendation: DIY Living Spaces (for you) & summer teen creativity (yay):
With our summer vacation unfolding, one of the things on my to-do- list is to find a creative summer kid project.
Since this is a regular part of our summers: yes, there will be paint brushes + a busy kitchen; but, as the kids grow, so do their interests and one area that I think is really fun for them to express themselves is in their living spaces. I’ve just pulled out my copy of “99 Hacks” for the kids to find and as a way to plant ideas for the kids (+ have found several for me, too)
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Not only is, my friend Monica Karlstein’s, book, 99 Hacks, filled 99 DIY home decoration hack ideas for you based on IKEA items, it’s also a fantastic book to use as a creative bridge with your kids. I hear so many parents throw up their hands in loss of ideas to share time with their teens and older kids creatively, I’d like to share this book as a great place to share with your teens or even older children who are leaving home!
Monica is a one of Sweden’s biggest DIY bloggers and has worked with Aftonbladet, Ikea, Jul med Ernst. In this book, she beautifully shared 99 ideas to make for living spaces that are all hacks based on IKEA products. However, all 99 projects could also be made with second find which is think makes these truly a treasure of a book. It’s so beautifully photographed with clear layouts that make it perfect to just hand over to anyone and they will be able to pluck ideas to create themselves. I’m inspired to try out several of her wicker ideas and will share them as I try them throughout the summer.
On our radar this summer is my daughter’s bedroom. My daughter wants to re-invent her bedroom and I want this to be a creative project, not just a shopping spree. It’s really an opportunity to express herself and to be creative which keeping to a budget. As a part of this, I’m going to hand over @monicakarlstein ’s new book, “Boken ”99 hacks – från massproducerat till genuin inredning” to her as a wonderful place to set her imagination soaring.
The book is filled with inspiring photographs and ideas and every idea uses products from IKEA to hack & re-invent. As a parent, I love a creative project, filled with imagination and ingenuity for teens but, also like this added element of considering budgets and green living. I am going to start by handing the book over to my daughter along with this year’s IKEA catalogue to get her imagining. On top of that, I hope the two of us can step into our attic to see if anything speaks to her there plus take the time to stop into second hand stores and auctions this July. I can hardly wait to see where this take her.
- Above: Monica shares several brilliant ways to use wicker in her book. This “Wicker Dresser” made with a basic IKEA dresser |HEREis an extra that she’s shared on her blog.
Photo: Anna Kubel
- Above: If I could shrink my kids and turn back time, I’d make this Elephant Slide! This HACK was made with the “Bekvam” stool. Find the hack here.
- BUY BOOK: 99 HACKS : från massproducerat till genuin inredning | HERE
- See Monica Karlstein on Instagram | HERE or more about this post on Willowday on Instagram (@willowdaygram) | HERE
- See more HACK ideas from Monica’s blog, Hemmafixbloggen | HERE