An old drying rack makes for a great, makeshift file organizer. Extra shower hooks? Hang them in the hall closet as bag holders. Save the drawers from that old dresser you’re replacing and mount them for some extra storage space. Replacing jiggling door knobs? Use them (or a rake head) to store and display your jewelry. Even old cans can be mounted as jazzy new storage for utensils.

There are so many possibilities and ways to repurpose those old items. All it takes is a little crafty thinking and some extra effort. (Okay, some skilled handiwork doesn’t hurt, either.)

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

What are your favorite creative uses for old household items? Share in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

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So forget the pages of that catalog. Instead, opt for some of these pieces, sure to pack your home with comfort and personality that’s undeniably yours.

Our The Stylishly Lived-In Home Boutiques open Wednesday, March 13, at 3PM ET.

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Photo credit: Patrick Cline

Embrace a vibrant tablecloth. It’s the simplest way to take something inherited – like generations-old china – and instantly infuse a cool factor.

Look for color in other places. Set out some colored glasses, or add patterned napkins. In January, when things are dreariest, a bright and colorful home adds instant cheer.

Think outside the box. In Eddie’s words, “Sometimes rules are made to be broken. Break up sets up china, use something casual with something formal, play with patterns.” The best mix-and-match successes transform classic pieces into something totally unique.

To get started on a colorful tablescape of your own, check out our Be Bold, Be Bright: The Hue-Happy Table Boutique, open now. And don’t miss Lonny Magazine’s January/February edition for even more color-happy wisdom from Eddie.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

Got tips for adding some color to the table? How about the art of mixing and matching? Share them in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

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Think neutrals are boring? Think again. With their ability to hold down a room on their own and mix with rich textures and bold colors, these subtle hues are the darlings of the interior design world. Don’t believe me? Just check out these three ways to decorate with anything-but-dull shades:

Mix Texture
For a classic and sophisticated space, layer your neutrals and add depth with different textures – just make sure to stay within the same color family.
Tip: Pair soft and tough fabrics like silk and burlap, then go from there.

Add a Pop of Color
The best part about a neutral room? The simple addition of a bold accent color can instantly breathe new life into your already-existing décor.
Tip: Add bright green throw pillows to a white or beige couch for a fresh look.

Play with Patterns
Bringing in bright color isn’t the only way to liven up a room. Combining contrasting patterns – in the same neutral family – is a surefire way to invigorate your space.
Tip: Mix a traditional floral fabric with a large geometric print.

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We’ve cleaned house so you can do the same. Starting 8PM ET on Tuesday, December 25, our every category – think coats, jewelry, heels, home decor, and more – will all be up for grabs, at everything-must-go pricepoints. You know what a spic-and-span Rue warehouse means, after all: just that much more room for a whole new year’s worth of style.

The Rue Warehouse Sale Boutiques open Tuesday, December 25, at 8PM ET.

1. Things Organized Neatly
This is one way to get us motivated to clean up.

2. deliciously organized
Part organizational tips and part lifestyle, this blog has us admiring all the pretty things.

3. IHeart Organizing
Our goal for the new year? To put these DIY tips to good use.

4. Thrifty Decor Chick
Décor ideas that won’t break the budget? Sign us up.

Who are we missing? Tell us on Twitter at @ruelala #bloggerswelove. 

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Turning Thanksgiving dinner into a buffet-style extravaganza is a surefire way to ease tension when you’re home (and hosting) for the holidays, especially when the meal itself takes days to prepare. Spend less time cleaning and more time eating – and let guests fill up on as many waistband-stretching helpings as they please – with these self-serve tips.

Location, location, location.
Be creative with your table placement. If you have both a kitchen and dining room, it’s easy to create separate zones for serving and eating. If not, you can host the buffet on a wooden sideboard, a dresser, a desk – or even a door propped up on sawhorses and covered with a floor-length tablecloth. Just try to keep the table away from the wall so guests can access it from all sides, and set up the décor and serving dishes the night before.

Define your color palette and style it seasonally.
Floral arrangements need not apply. Instead, take cues from seasonal bounty and style the table with gourds, grapevines, or crab apple branches. You can also place clustered vignettes (try any combination of rose hips, artichokes, beets, eggplants, mini pumpkins, and sweet peppers) between your serving dishes for a dazzling, colorful spread. If you’re craving candles, choose the flameless variety – no one wants a side of smoking sleeves with their sweet potatoes.

To create additional serving space, stack vintage wooden cheese boxes or bricks wrapped in cloth napkins, then place your platters and décor on different heights to spur visual interest and increase functionality. Just keep it classy, not cluttered, and make sure everything is stable. You can even move décor to baskets on the floor, mantel, or side tables to make more room for the all-important food.

Spread with love – and logic.
Start with dinner plates at the head of the buffet table, and position linens and silverware (festively rolled with a napkin ring and secured in a drinking glass) at the end, so guests don’t have to juggle everything while serving themselves.

Begin the food lineup with cooler dishes such as bread and salad, then follow with warm sides. Turkey and gravy (for the sake of dousing everything on your plate in one go) should be close to the end. Salt and pepper can be placed at the very end or on guests’ tables, and having separate areas for drinks and dessert can help reduce congestion.

When everyone is stuffed and on the verge of slipping into a tryptophan coma, offer up some take-home boxes with stick-on labels (like these printable ones from HGTV) so you’re not defrosting turkey for dinner through New Year’s. Your guests (and their bellies) will be forever grateful. And hey, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

What’s your favorite holiday serving tip? Share it in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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Mark your calendars. Every day for the next 12 days – starting tomorrow – we’ll be featuring a Rue Living Boutique to help get your home holiday-ready. From décor musts like ornaments and trees to gourmet goodies and tabletop settings, our The 12 Days of Merry Boutiques ensure your holidays are just that.

The best part? For each of these Boutiques, we’ll be doling out a little holiday decorating advice – just check back here daily at 12:30PM. And just to whet your palate, check out our tip for red wine stains below:

If you’re serving red wine at a dinner party, make sure to have some Kosher salt on hand in case of a spill. And if that spill does happen, wet the entire thing and put it in the freezer until you’re ready to launder.

Happy holidays! (And shopping, of course.)

Our The 12 Days of Merry: The Festive Holiday Table Boutique opens Saturday, November 10, at 11AM ET.

By Keriann Coffey, Associate Blog Editor

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Frame the front door with cornstalks. Find them at your local nursery or craft store, and then place them upright next to the door. (Bonus points for one on each side.)

Fill your flower boxes with gourds. So simple, and you don’t have to worry about wilting at the first sign of frost.

Autumn-ize the mantel. A leaf-sprawled mantel with a touch of golden wheat? I can’t think of a better way to cozy up the home.

By Emily Gibbons of www.LuckyLittleLove.com, Staff Writer

Brought touches of the harvest into your home décor? Tell us how in the comments below or tweet us a pic at @ruelala. 

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Your Place is a Deal Breaker:

Meet Dominique and Nathan, an in-love couple with not-so-harmonious decorating styles. Dominique is all about a simple, black-and-white color scheme, while musician Nathan craves vibrant colors to inspire him. The cure for their dispute? Simple – just add red.

Designer Vanessa Deleon maintains some of Dominique’s favorite elements (like her zebra print rug), but revamps the room with splashes of color via a red accent wall and tons of throw pillows. Vanessa creates a faux window simply by hanging sheer panels from a curtain rod over a hanging photo of busy NYC streets, which brings a sense of the outdoors in (always crucial when it comes to city living). The end result of the makeover is a simple room with tons of unique touches. The mounted mirror candleholders? I think I’ve found my next DIY project.

Take Me Home:

Host Arden Myrin is at it again, propositioning strangers to show her their home. This week, she finds two hipsters strolling through Bushwick in Brooklyn who take her to their eight-person home in the infamous McKibbin Lofts. These lofts – known for their young, artsy vibe (and party-happy residents) – do not disappoint.

The converted factory offers the residents soaring 12-foot ceilings, plus other unique touches like brick walls and a spiral staircase. But the biggest contributions are from the residents themselves, past and present, who have decked the space out – we’re talking shelves held together with water pipes and street finds like old bottles and paper globes repurposed into hanging art. You can tell artists live in this loft. My favorite touch? The loft’s art studio/music studio/hammock room (yes, hammock room), where the communal creativity is at its peak. This place is a hipster mecca – in all the right ways.

Tiny Eclectic Amazing Spaces:

Moving from L.A. to NYC, photographer Michelle James lost 1,200 square feet of living space, but she made the most of what she has, covering the walls in bright, vibrant colors. A Florida girl at heart, Michelle imbued her apartment with beachy tones (and playful additions like a jar of sand from her hometown).

The purples, pinks, and greens adorning her apartment pop beautifully against the apartment’s wood floors and white molding. Michelle also added loads of space-saving touches, like drawers built into the bed and vertical storage for shoes. The color lends an incredible amount of brightness to the apartment – making it feel like a much more vast and exciting space than your standard 300-square-foot NYC space.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

Can’t get enough at-home inspiration? Visit SPACEStv or tweet us your favorite home ideas @ruelala. And don’t forget to join us again next week for more reviews of Take Me Home, Your Place is a Deal Breaker, and Tiny Eclectic Amazing Spaces.

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