Jill Harness's Blog Posts

Make A Table With A Built-In Ice Box

Whether you already have a nice patio table or want to make your own, now you can learn to make your own (or hack your existing table) thanks to this great tutorial by Remodelaholic. The article is incredibly detailed so you can really get all the instructions you need to do the work for yourself.

Switching the chest out once the whole thing is complete is pretty simple, so even though it's not included in the DIY article, you can always consider switching out the boxes for planters so you can have a living floral centerpiece in your table.

Read more about the project over at Homes and Hues: Make Your Own Patio Table With Built-In Ice Boxes


Damn Fine Shower Curtain

It's hard to think of a more terrific and horrible idea for a shower curtain than a Twin Peaks one showing Laura Palmer after her body was unwrapped in a shower curtain. Of course, fans of the cult favorite are sure to love the design, but just in case you don't want anything quite that creepy to those who aren't viewers of the show, the minimalistic version of the Red Room is certain to horrify only those who love David Lynch's eerily strange TV show.

There are even more great Twin Peaks shower curtains available on Society6, check out more of the designs over at Homes and Hues: Forget the Coffee, These Are Damn Fine Shower Curtains


8 Houses Made From Things Not Intended to Be Housing Materials

Grain silos are everywhere so when they go unused, there's no much you can do with them other than tear them down or leave them sitting around -or convert them into houses, which is a great way to reuse the materials and end up with a unique house.

Alternatively, out of commission airplanes can be sold off for scrap and melted down, or they can be used for housing parts like this incredible house in Malibu that features airplane wings for the roof.

And these are only a few of the non-conventional building materials featured on this great Homes and Hues article: 8 Homes Made From Non-Traditional Materials


The Most Brilliant Bike Storage Idea Ever

If you use a bike and don't have a garage, your storage options can be rather frustrating -you either leave it outside in the elements or you have to leave it up against the wall or hang it up inside where it will probably take up a lot of your space. When one artist and her family opted to renovate their Victorian home in Sydney, their requests were simple. They wanted more space for their art and bikes. The pulley solution devised by Tribe Studio was brilliant as it removes the bikes from view and adds an additional skylight that provides unique lighting depending on how many bikes are stored up near the ceiling.

Check out more pictures and read more about the brilliant design over at Homes and Hues: Tribe Studio's House Bruce Alexander Is A Bike-Lover's Dream


Forget the Dustpan, CentraLux Makes Sweeping Easier

While the idea of a central vacuum system isn't new, they aren't particularly useful for hardwood or tile floors. But the CentraLux changes all that by using the vacuum to eliminate the need for a dustpan and the need to ever bend over while sweeping (something a lot of people can appreciate). 

Just sweep up your floor, get the dust pile over by the VacPan and then hit the switch with your foot to suck up all the dust and debris. It's like the simplicity of sweeping things under the rug only actually getting rid of your dust pile cleanly.

Learn more about the new innovation at Homes and Hues: CentraLux Changes the Cleaning Game


11 of the Strangest and Coolest Hotels in the World

Are you too cool for school? You might feel like that if you spend the night in an elementary school classroom converted into a hotel room. Of course, when it comes to cool, it's hard to beat the ice hotel in Sweden, which has to be kept at below freezing at all times. 

For those looking for a little more depth in their travels, this mine-converted into a hotel suite is a whopping 500 feet below the surface. 

If the puns are driving you crazy already, then you could always take a detour to the V8 hotel where life moves fast, but you're always in style.

All these hotels and more are part of our newest Homes and Hues feature article featuring 11 of the Most Unique Hotels in the World.


Make Any Staircase Into A Slide With The SlideRider

Kids have always found fun ways to slide down the stairs, but while it's a fun indoor activity, it's not a particularly safe one. Thanks to the SlideRider though, kids of the world can finally glide down the stairs without making their parents worry about their safety -and the cool device can even be packed up and stored away in a small, simple bundle. 

See more pictures of the prototype and learn more about the new invention and how you can track the idea over on Homes and Hues: The SlideRider Makes Your Stairs Into A Slide


The Perfect Dish Rack For Drying Out Wet Godzilla Toys

The Manhattan skyline is the most famous and most beautiful cityscapes in the world, but who knew it was also great for organizing your desk items and for drying dishes? Designer Luca Nichetto's Inception dish rack/desk organizer is perfect for both and for reliving one of the coolest scenes of Inception and making your own Godzilla movie with your toys.

Want to see more? Then don't miss the full article over at Homes and Hues: The Inception Dish Rack/Desk Organizer Is Perfect for Godzilla Fans


The Old & New Blend Beautifully in the Winsomere Crescent

When you have a good waterfront home but don't think you have enough views of the waterway or enough space and a modern enough design, you can either tear it down and start over or you can renovate what you have. The later is what the owner of this Westmere, Auckland, Australia home decided to do and the end result is a seamless blend between the new and old designs.

The original home had beautiful, striking lead-lined windows and brick walls which were painted white. A few of the original rooms were left alone, but the living space upstairs was converted into an open-space plan with a striking view of the waterways outside.

The cedar and zinc designs from the new areas perfectly compliment the older section's white brick and colorful windows and the result is simply beautiful.

Check out more stunning pictures and read more about the remodel over at Homes and Hues: Dorrington Atcheson Architects' Winsomere Crescent Makes Magic From Light and Colors


Forgotten Heroes Who Changed the Course of American History

A few months back, we asked you guys to submit your article ideas to us on Pinterest and then we asked you to vote for the winning idea. The overwhelming winner of the popular vote was Marilyn Terrell, who came up with the idea of Forgotten Heroes and Villains Who Changed American History. In putting together the article, I found way too many heroes, so there are no villains here, but I’m sure you’ll all agree that these men and women certainly made an impact on history.

Joseph Warren

While during his time he was regarded as the architect of the American Revolution and at least fourteen US states have a Warren County named after him, few people recognize the name Joseph Warren.

Dr. Joseph Warren wrote a series of resolves that helped serve as the blueprints for the first American government, he sent Paul Revere on his famous ride, he fought in the battles of Lexington and Concord, and he was a close associate with other leading revolutionaries such as John Hancock, John Adams and Samuel Addams. So why haven't you heard of him?

Likely because most of the patriots we're taught about since elementary school went on to do great things after the war, but Warren actually died in the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, where he chose to serve as a private although he was ranked as a Major General. Even after he ran out of ammo, he chose to stay on the front lines so the militia could make its escape.

While it might be the very reason he's not widely remembered today, Warren's death did help the revolutionary cause by providing them with a martyr who helped inspired even more patriots to fight the British.

Sources: National Parks Service, The American Revolution, NCBI, Forest Hills Trust and MW Site

Sybil Ludington


Speaking of the famous midnight ride, there are a lot of people who deserve a lot more credit than Paul Revere, who didn’t even finish his ride before being captured by the British. One particularly notable rider was Sybil Ludington, a sixteen year old girl who rode sidesaddle, alone, in the rain for forty miles (twice the distance Revere covered) to alert her father’s troops that they needed to meet at the Ludington farm to fight back against British raiders in Danbury, Connecticut. During the trip, she used a long stick to not only knock on the doors of the troops, but also to fight off a highwayman she encountered on her route.

Thanks to Sybil’s actions, 400 troops were ready to fight the next day and the group was able to join the Continental Army and chase the British out of Connecticut. For those wondering why we remember Paul Revere’s name above all the other successful riders from the Revolution, the simple reason is because Henry Wadsworth Longfellow found that Revere rhymes with a lot of things, including “listen my children and you shall hear.”

Sources: The Smithsonian, Historic Patterson, About.com

James Armistead Lafayette

During the Revolutionary War, some aristocrats sent their slaves to battle in their place, but James Armistead Lafayette actually asked his master for permission to fight on the side of the patriots. That isn’t what made him so notable, instead it’s the fact that he was the first African American double agent.

First, he was assigned to spy on the recent defector, General Benedict Arnold, who trusted him so much that he asked Armistead to guide British troops through the local roads. After Arnold went north in 1781, James went to serve General Cornwallis. While spending time in the camp, he relayed vital information to the Americans regarding the British troop and arms deployment. His reports were considered critical in the defeat of the British in the Battle of Yorktown and the capture of General Cornwallis.

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The 15 Most Gorgeous Pools On Earth

I don't know about you guys, but I've been sitting here sweating like crazy in Southern California, which makes me long for a pool. While I may not have one of my own, I can at least dream about it and these 15 pools are pretty much the most amazing pools I could ever hope to take a dip in one day.

From infinity pools balancing over cliff faces to intricately tiled mosiac masterpieces to a pool inside of someone's living room, you'll be amazed at some of these incredible swimming areas.

Trust me, you don't want to miss this cool Homes and Hues article: 15 of the Most Awe-Inspiring Pools In the World


Tearing Off Your Wallpaper Has Never Been So Fun

This wallpaper is a total ripoff -in the best way possible! That's because it was intentionally designed to be pulled off your walls in any pattern to create a unique and fun pattern. You can even really experiement with the design by putting your own patterns on the wall before applying (and then partially removing) the wallpaper like you see in the image above that was applied to this child's "art."

Check out more cool pictures of the design at Homes and Hues: Tear Off Wallpaper Lets You Customize Your Walls Like Never Before


The Stunning Views And Spacious Interiors of the Glass House Mountain House

The Glass House Mountains are a beautiful stretch of volcanic landscape in Australia. The Glass House Mountain House is a beautiful house built at the peak of one of these hills.

The open design flows freely from interior to exterior spaces, allowing natural cooling as well as allowing for a more spacious feel to the home. This also helps make the structure feel more in touch with its striking natural surroundings.

The designers further worked to make the structure reflect its setting by mimicking the mountain's earth, forest and sky with stone, timber and glass materials that make the space feel all at once grounded and floating at the same time.

Check out more pictures of the amazing cantilevered house at Homes and Hues: Striking Textures, Lines and Angels Rule in the Glass House Mountain House


The Ultimate Grill, Table and Firepit In One

Admittedly, the Jag Grill is probably a little too big and expensive for most of us to use on a regular basis, but if you have the space and an extra $2,500, it might just be the perfect grill for your next bg barbecue. That's because the design has a firepit in the middle, surrounded by a grill that each person can use and a table space for up to eight people. 

Find out more about the cool new design over at Homes and Hues: A Dining Table, Firepit And Grill In One


An Automatic Flushing Toilet For Your Home

I don't know about you guys, but I've been wondering how long I'd have to wait before we all have automatic toilets in our house. Obviously those big industrial toilets you see in public locations will be too big and awkward (as well as ugly) for a typical home, but that's been the only real option available up until now.

Kohler is now selling toilets that have an easy to use no touch flush system, but best of all, they are even selling retrofitting kits that allow you turn any toilet into an automatic flushing system for $100.

You can read more about the new products at Homes and Hues: Kohler Brings the Automatic Toilet Into Residential Homes


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Profile for Jill Harness

  • Member Since 2012/08/04


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