5 ways to make your apartment naturally gorgeous with geodes
Now you can say your place literally rocks.
Agate, geodes and gemstones are a great way to add a pop of color and natural texture without busting out the paint rollers.
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With a few home accents, you can breathe new life into your tiny apartment that will make both you and your landlord happy.
1. Agate Coasters
4 pieces of 4-6 inch (diameter) agate slices
Gold foil kit (about $10 at any art supply store)
2 paint brushes
Step One
Make sure your agate is nice and clean. Stir up your adhesive from your foil kit. With one of your paintbrushes, paint over the edge of your agate slice in small sections.
Step Two
Let your adhesive get a little tacky, then start to gently adhere your gold foil to the edge of your agate slice.
Step Three
Working in small sections, cover around the entire edge of the slice. You may add more foil, and fill holes, by painting on another layer of adhesive and placing on more foil. Leave a little excess until dry.
Step Four
Remove excess foil. Stir up your sealant from your kit. Using your other paintbrush, gently brush on a thin layer of sealant (it will be slightly white at first and dry clear).
Once dry, your foil should be firmly stuck to your agate, and ready for guests.
2. Stone Magnets
Small, plain magnets
Gemstones
Hot glue
Glue gun
Step One
Optional: You can finish the edge of your gem by painting it with metallic paint or coloring it in with a metallic Sharpie or paint pen.
Let your glue get very hot before applying. Then, add a liberal dollop of hot glue to the surface of your magnet.
Step Two
Firmly press your gemstone to the glue until stuck. Let it cool.
Place your magnet proudly on your refrigerator!
3. Gemstone Bottle Stoppers
Corks
Gemstones or geodes
Hot glue
Glue Gun
Step One
Optional: You can finish the edge of your gem by painting it with metallic paint or coloring it in with a metallic Sharpie or paint pen.
Let your glue get very hot before applying. Then, add a liberal dollop of hot glue to the surface of your cork.
Step Two
Firmly press your gemstone to the glue until stuck. Let it cool.
Save your wine and other spirits for your next party night (or don't)!
4. Agate Nightlight
A nightlight with a flat surface
1 4-6 inch agate slice with a fairly transparent center
Hot Glue
Glue Gun
Step One
Optional: You can finish the edge of your agate slice by painting it with metallic paint or coloring it in with a metallic Sharpie or paint pen.
Let your glue get very hot before applying. Then, add an even amount of glue to your night light. Be sure not to obstruct the light surface.
Step Two
Firmly press your agate to the glue until stuck. Let it cool.
Plug in your nightlight and enjoy the calming, natural glow.
5. Gem Coat Rack
2X4 piece of wood, about 3 feet in length*
3-6, 2-2.5 inch screws**
3-6 metal, 1-inch spacers
3 gemstones, geodes or small agate slices
Industrial strength E-6000 glue***
Pencil
Ruler or measuring tape
Electric drill
*You can find some reclaimed wood for free, or go to a home improvement store and cut a piece. We bought a new piece of wood (reclaimed wood is scarce/expensive in NYC), then sanded and stained it with a sun-bleached wood stain before this tutorial.
**Because our stones were heavy, we chose to distribute the weight over two screw surfaces rather than one. If you are using something like small agate slices (1.5 - 2 inches in diameter) you can easily get away with 3 screws and spacers.
***Do not use hot glue. It will not be hot enough or strong enough to hold your stone.
Step One
Carefully measure the points where you will be attaching your screws. We placed ours directly in the middle and 5.5 inches from the edges of our piece of wood.
Step Two
Place your screw into a spacer. Your spacer will give your screw a more 'finished' look.
Step Three
Attach your screws with the electric drill. Don't rush yourself, so as to make sure your screws do not get too tightly embedded into the wood.
If you decided to use six screws, like we did, make sure they are screwed in at the same height.
Step Four
Optional: You can finish the edge of your gem by painting it with metallic paint or coloring it in with a metallic Sharpie or paint pen.
Following your glue instructions, apply a dollop of glue to the top of your screw and the bottom of your gemstone, where they will meet.
Step Five
Firmly adhere your stone to the screw for at least 30 seconds. Leave to dry flat. A full cure will take between 24-72 hours.
Once completely dry and secure, it's time kick off your coat and bag. You're home now.
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Andrea Romano -- comedy writer, craft enthusiast, lady -- was a Watercooler Reporter. She worked as an intern at Mashable beginning in January 2014. Andrea recently completed her Masters degree in Media Studies and Film from The New School and writes sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade and The People's Improv Theatre. She once watched three Paul Rudd movies in a row on a bicoastal flight and didn't realize it until she landed. She does things like that a lot. Twitter: @theandrearomano
