Nerds Republic

Artist Christine H. McConnell (previously) definitely has a flair for the strange, and this Halloween, she brought it to life with a truly stunning holiday display.

She turned her parents’ stately home into a many-eyed monster, and it’s so awesome.

If this house isn’t ready for Halloween, I don’t know what is.

She even decided to share how she did it. It’s surprisingly cheap and easy, too!

McConnell cut the eyes and teeth from foamcore, which can be purchased fairly inexpensively from craft stores. She then drew and painted the designs before attaching them to the house. And because they’re foamcore, the pieces are extremely light and easy to work with.

McConnell painted each one carefully to create a realistic effect.

She also set up some lighting so that it looked even creepier at night!

How cool is that?

(via BoredPanda)

Not only does this look absolutely awesome, but it’s a decoration idea that anyone can pull off with some foamcore, paint, and a little time. You, too, can turn your house into a horrific beast this Halloween! See more of McConnell’s work on her website, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

Doors aren’t usually the most exciting elements of your home. After all, they exist purely for function. But why not have function and cuteness?

That’s the idea behind Etsy user MadeofSundays‘ wall and door decals, which transform boring doors into adorable (a-door-able…get it?) little creatures.

They work on pretty much any kind of door.

And since they’re decals, you can peel them off without damaging the paint.

They come in a variety of insanely cute styles!

And they even have awesome names. This little guy’s called Tofu.

This bear (adoarbly named named Riku) even comes with a buddy.

Sisi would be the perfect match for me.

Each sticker is made out of soft vinyl, and can be placed just about anywhere.

They’re perfect for kids, or for those of us who are still kids at heart.

And they work on glass, too!

(via So Super Awesome)

You can see more decal pals in MadeofSundays’ Etsy shop. The precious decor possibilities are endless!

Think about these two things for a moment: lamps and gourds. Neither are particularly extraordinary items, and many people wouldn’t consider them to be works of art.

If you tend to agree with those people, you just haven’t seen the work of Przemek Krawczynski. The Polish artist transforms calabash gourds into stunning lamps that illuminate rooms with swirling, psychedelic designs.

When the lights are on, these gourds create beautiful, richly colored patterns.

And they look pretty great when they’re off, too!

Most impressively of all, they cast incredible shadows.

An engineer by trade, Krawczynski discovered his passion for carving calabash gourds after making his first gourd lamp back in 2009. He fell in love with the craft and decided that it was time for a career change.

In 2010, he went to Senegal and found that the calabash gourd was the best one for making lamps. The rest is history.

The interlocking designs of Krawczynski’s lamps showcase his engineering skills.

This tessellating pattern is completely stunning.

Krawczynski is entirely self-taught as an artist.

Every one of his lamps takes two to four months to complete, and no two are alike.

“By day, my lamp is a unique sculpture, but at night, the light breathes new life into that sculpture, seeping through intricately carved wood and passing through thousands of holes,” Krawczynski says of his creations.

(via My Modern Met)

You can see more of Krawczynski’s work on his website, where you can even purchase a gorgeous lamp for yourself. Be sure to keep up with his latest projects on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter.

Email the ViralNova team!

While a bed without a headboard isn’t as bad as sleeping on a mattress on the floor (hey, we’ve all been there), it can still leave you tossing and turning with unfulfilled dreams of bedroom decor. Of course, you could always save your pennies, head to your local Ikea or other furniture store, and lay down some cash for a fancy solution…or you could try this super-easy DIY project.

All you’ll need is a wooden board, cushiony foam, fabric, and a staple gun.

Start by putting a foam cushion over the wood to make it soft and cozy.

Measure and trim it to the size of your board.

Next comes the fabric.

Stretch it all the way over the board tightly for a secure fit.

Trim any excess in the corner areas to keep things from looking sloppy.

Then start stapling perpendicular to the direction of force.

Otherwise your fabric will pull and create large holes.

To secure their headboard, this DIY-er used a French cleat capable of holding up to 200 pounds.

Secure the cleats to the back of the board and the area on your wall.

And voilà!

(source Reddit)

You could also try layering different patterns of fabric together for an even more unique look. The only thing that can hold you back from sweet headboard dreams now is your own imagination.

Painting projects have a tendency to seem simple while you plan them, but somehow still end up in disaster mode when it comes time to execute. When this couple decided to add a mural of New York City’s skyline to their living room, it could have easily turned into a messy, paint-splotched heartbreak.

But instead, they took the precautions to keep things clear, easy, and awesome. So cool, in fact, you’ll be inspired to give your wall a whirl yourself.

They used SketchUp to make sure the measurements would line up with their couch.

Then they carefully traced the design’s outline in pencil.

Next came the masking tape, which they were sure to keep on the outside edge of the pencil lines.

Otherwise, those lines might peep through the paint once it’s all done.

They started with a base of white paint.

This way they wouldn’t have to worry about the darker paint seeping under the masking tape.

Once that dries, it’s time to start filling in the pattern with grey paint.

It’s important to wait for the paint to fully dry before peeling off the tape.

But you won’t want to wait too long, either. Their tip: wait for it to stop being shiny.

And voilà! The finished design fit perfectly.

What a simple way to bring a classy look to their living room!

(source Reddit)

After all, who really wants to leave the cozy comfort of their couch to take in the sights of the big city, am I right? No? Just me? Oh well…I’ll be over here with my Netflix, if you need me.

If you’ve ever wanted to add a little mystery to your life, you’re not alone. Imgur user and inventive carpenter OhSkizz wanted a little mystery, too. Of course, the door they just repurposed doesn’t hide a secret lab or a dungeon. It leads to the bathroom, but hear me out.

The bathroom was built with two doors — one to the master bedroom and one to the living room — but OhSkizz found that living room door to be something of an eyesore. How could they repurpose it while still keeping the functionality? By hiding it with a bookshelf, of course!

1. First, a frame was made to hold the shelves.

2. And the shelves were built to rest inside.

3. Luckily, it was a perfect fit!

4. A very knowledgable building inspector was called in to check things out.

Inspector Dot gave her stamp of approval, so they were good to go.

5. To achieve a distressed look, they created a mixture of steel wool and vinegar.

That’s really, really, not lemonade. The liquid, when applied to raw wood, oxidizes and creates a weathered-looking surface. If you’re interested in trying it, check out this tutorial.

6. The steel wool and vinegar solution really makes an amazing difference. We thought this was stain at first!

7. When dried, the wood looks really rustic.

8. The back paneling was then added. The whole thing was attached to the door frame with hinges.

9. The hinges were covered up with some trim. Secret doors need to be secretive, after all!

10. The trim had to be sanded down slightly to ensure that the door could be opened and closed easily.

11. And it worked!

12. Of course, a secret bookshelf door needs a secret book latch.

13. They fixed a piece of wood and a screw inside the book, which pulls on some fishing line and opens a regular gate latch inside.

Complicated, but awesome.

14. This is the actual latch.

OhSkizz said that one day, they may replace all this with an electromagnet latch, or even some kind of automated system.

15. The whole thing is pretty genius.

16. The finished product!

17. In case you were wondering, it still leads to the bathroom.

Talk about privacy! And there’s always reading material.

Okay, so a bookshelf door might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to remodeling, but it’s certainly a fun, unique way to add some character to your house!