NY Times: 25 Holiday Gifts for Under $25

Everyone is out scouring for gift ideas. It is always a bonus when you can find the perfect home decor gift at a great price. The New York Times released their top 25 Holiday Gifts for the Home for under $25. Here are my top 5 favorites.

$16-24: Mercury glass birds; West Elm

$16: Ornate alarm clock; Urban Outfitters

$5, Kallt decorator set; Ikea

$20, Tea Forte Cup: It was a featured item in Oprah; Bloomingdale's.

$10: Vintage camera photo album; Anthropologie.

Domino: Decorating on a Budget

Check out Domino's Budget Decorating: $1 Design Finds! That's right, amazing looking pieces for under $1.

"Snartig" vase $0.79 each, ikea.com

"Lion's Head" small bowl $.85 each, crateandbarrel.com for locations.

"National Airline" forks and knives, $.99 each, fishseddy.com

Various decorative papers, $.75-$.80 a sheet, mannysart.com for information

Teacup, set of two for $1, goodwill.com for locations

Copper scrubbing pads, package of two for a $1, familydollar.com for locations

A Place For Your Brilliant Books (of the Week)

Maybe in my dreams... there's major drama in these bookshelves set back behind archways. From Elle Decor.

A place for everything, and everything in its place. There's really no excuse for having books strewn about your home when they (who "they" is, I don't know, but I thank "them") long ago created a piece of furniture with the sole purpose of holding... your books! Bookshelves can be small or large, simple or ornate, minimal or jam-packed. You can have just books, add knick knacks, show off art, or display your drool-worthy Jimmy Choo collection. Make them as stylish as they are practical. They don't even have to be expensive. Try Ikea shelves with invisible brackets topped with a few coffee table books and cool souveniers from your far-flung travels for a minimal, modern look. Spring is upon us (at least in the South it is) and it's time to get to cleaning! Start with something easy and get your books in one place. These pictures will help you along your way.

This would work well in an entry way. Books add some interest to an otherwise simply industrial piece. From Domino.

Place some art in the back of the shelf as well as the front. From Domino.

Minimalism at its best and an easy DIY project. From Elle Decor.

Arranging books by color will instantly draw eyes. From Vogue Living.

Use every inch of precious space by wrapping shelves around your fireplace. From Elle.

Frame favorite pictures and postcards and lean them against books in front. A simple way to punch up plain shelves. From Elle Decor.

Bigger art works over several shelves, too. From Domino.

No place for shelves? Make your coffee table pull double duty. Artfully arrange books and knick knacks on a double shelf table. From Domino.

Man Lives In IKEA

Does it seem like everything in your apartment is from Ikea? I know my apartment in college definitely had a Swedish bent. Well, now someone is taking it to the next level. Mark Malkoff will be living in Ikea for a week while his New York apartment is being fumigated. The folks at Ikea have agreed to allow him to live in their Paramus, New Jersey store 24 hours a day for 7 straight days. He'll eat those surprisingly great Swedish meatballs in the cafe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are showers in the back office for him to use. Customers can actually visit his makeshift apartment in Ikea (only if they take their shoes off first). And best of all, he'll be filming himself for the duration of his stay.

Of course, media outlets have already started picking up on this story. Here are his first three entries: