Projects Completed by Susan's Students

Welcome to our projects page, you’ll be inspired by those who’ve taken Dreamhomes classes or read Dreamhomes books and applied the ideas.

We’d love to post pictures of the projects you made from the information in one of our classes or books. It really encourages others that they can do the same. Simply e-mail a picture or pop one in the mail. You’ll receive $5.00 in Coach’s Cash (to shop in the décor store) for any larger project (slipcover, drape, etc.) Two pictures of smaller projects (pillow, placemats, etc) will get you $5.00 in Coach’s Cash.

Please don’t feel that your project has to look like something right out of a professional magazine. The purpose is simply to pass on a bit of confidence to others. We’d also love to see what you’ve done!

Send in Your Pictures! E-mail your project photos to susan@thedecoratingcoach.com

Susan
The Decorating Coach



Henriette had a great time making these projects from my Picture Perfect Book. She had some good ideas to pass on:

These are some pictures of photo coasters and a gift bag that I made for Christmas gifts this year. I had fun making them and everyone really enjoyed receiving them. I used matte mod podge and varnish and I used a sponge roller to apply both).

I really enjoyed the class and look forward to making more of these items. Every time I took a wacky picture this Christmas the comment was "there's next years gift bag".

Thanks again for all the information.

Henriette
“I am sending you two pictures of drapes that I have made from your grommets. I certainly like your grommets best over any others I've used. They're stronger, can handle greater thicknesses of fabrics, and yet are lightweight and easy to use, even for someone who suffers from carpel tunnel!”

 Leanne Edwards

Every now and then I run across someone who has purchased some cheap "deco Gromets", the story is usually that they popped apart after awhile or wouldn't hold thick fabric in the first place. Our product is used widely by professional designers - where they must work in every situation. The deco grommets are very well made, with spikes that fit snugly into the channels. You'll not be disappointed. . . Susan
“Hi Susan, Here are a few photos of the curtains I did using your grommets. I can't believe how easy it really was! Previously, my mother had tab top curtains that never pulled welled and she was always having to reach to the top to unhook them.

The true test of your grommets is her daily comment of "Have I told you how much I love my curtains?" I am now onto the next set of curtains for my aunt who saw my mothers and decided she needed them too!!

Thanks for all your great advice and ideas.”

Lori Lawson

“Susan, your class was so much fun.  I had not sewn before but thanks to your class I developed the confidence and necessary skills to complete my first headboard. In the end it was not as difficult as I imagined, and I look forward to making another headboard soon.

Again, thank you so much for all of your help.”

Shannon Gill
Pauline Evans first draperies after class!
“Yes, I am finally finished the curtains and I’m quite pleased with them. I’ve had the fabric well over 10 years and fortunately I still like the pattern. At the time I was going for the Tuscan look, we had just been to a cooking school there and I was so taken with all the warm colours and earthy tones we had seen over there. Bill did the walls and we were pleased with the results. I was quite surprised with how well the curtains finished off the room. Now if only I could afford a harvest table! The grommets were great and so easy to work with. Thanks again for all your help and advice. Your enthusiasm is infectious!”
Pauline Evans.

Grommets available in the Décor Store.

 
Flat shade look on bottom with grommet valance on top – by Shelley Merrison. Grommets available in the The Decor Store. Class where the above projects were taught, check out the schedule. Easy Window Coverings Book, This project came from, "101 Makeovers for the Home" available at the The Decor Store.
 
 

Shelley Merrison’s gift bags look great!

I just wanted to send you pictures of a gift bag that I did for my great-niece, somehow I couldn’t resist adding the pint ribbon…This is the 2nd bag/project I’ve done since taking the Picture Perfect class…All I did was copy some old b&w pictures of my sister onto ‘water slide decal’ paper and then affixed them to some tumbled marble tiles. I then used the Delta 2-step crackle (procedure you taught in Jazz up your Junk) and antiqued the pictures. I glued cork onto the bottom of the tiles and voila…embarrassing coasters for my sister’s 40th birthday…I did a coordinating picture gift bag…and she loved not only the gift but the wrapping as well!! Shelley Merrison


One of my favorite students made her family's Christmas extra special after attending PICTURE PERFECT. Her comments to me afterward, "It was just like you said, people actually get teary-eyed" when they see these gift bags."
Tip #1 You don't even need name cards . . .
Tip #2 This project is way easier and way less expensive than you'd think (about 5 minutes to make and under a dollar!)

Class where the above projects were taught, check out the schedule. This project came from, "Picture Perfect" book, available at The Decor Store.

 

Slipcovers are so easy!

One of my eldest students turned her blue wingback chair into a plaid makeover. Even though I told the students that plaid would be the hardest project, this senior was up for the job.

 

 

“I didn’t really believe it when you said that my first project would look custom quality, but the video was clear and detailed – just as you promised!”

 

 

 

"The little blue child’s armchair was my first effort…many thanks, your class was most helpful (also the video)."
 Gillian Hamilton

For class where the above projects were taught, check out the schedule.
This project came from, "Simply Sensational Slipcovers" Book, DVD or Video. Available at the The Decor Store.

 
 
A Project from Romancing the Room: Upholstered Headboards

"It was so easy and only took half a day including gathering all the materials and making it." For the buttons, I measured the spot on the back then poked a hole from behind with something pointy (a compass is what I used I think). Then I used a big needle my Mom uses for knitting to thread some thin wire from the back, put on the button and threaded it through a different spot. It’s probably not as tight as it could be, but I don’t think it being any tighter was going to make a difference in how it looked.

When I put the Velcro strips on, I stuck it on with both sides, then used lipstick to mark the back of the Velcro and pushed it against the wall to know where to stick it.
Joanie Bowes

headboard
 
 

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