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hello friends! it’s that time again! today on before and after basics we are going to chat about stencils, and the fantastic possibilities they create in the area of furniture. for this particular project today i chose large letter stencils {found at my local craft store} and created the word “eat” on an old pub table. i would like to add that there are many different ways to do this process, and so many different designs to choose from. the process i demonstrate here is what has worked for me, and therefore i am passing it along to you! also, if you are looking for a great source for stencils and many more tips and tricks …visit stencil1. ok, now that we have that down let’s create! barb
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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September 2nd, 2010 - 01:00pm
okay, i’m going to be honest and say that sometimes my opinion on a project is heavily influenced by the styling and quality of the photos. what can i say? as a visual person, i freely admit that packaging is everything. i like good design and pretty things; guilty as charged. when i saw the quirky and beautiful after shot of this chair, i had to stop and question if the image’s charm was clouding my judgment of the chair itself. but then i realized no, that chair is actually pretty awesome, and i would love to have it in my own home. you win on all counts lisa! she scored these chairs for a low price because the velvet was torn. using an ampersand print panel from aussie designer shannon lamden, she reupholstered them to make quite a statement. i love them very much, that’s all i can say. you can see lisa’s love of bold graphic patterns in her own line of handmade accessories, available in her etsy shop. not surprisingly, her home was also featured in australian home beautiful magazine last year. great work, lisa! i’m very inspired. -kate
[have a before & after you'd like to share? just shoot me an email with your images right here! (low res, under 500k per image, please)]
CLICK HERE for calli’s painted dresser after the jump!
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September 2nd, 2010 - 12:00pm
i pass by chairs like these so often at thrift stores and yard sales. i consider myself to be someone with a good amount of creative vision, but when my brain takes in the wrinkly leather and the overly varnished wood it says, i give up. i have to commend courtney, not only for braving the removal of such well maintained upholstery, but for choosing such an unexpected fabric for the shape of the chair. the result is eclectic and actually looks quite comfortable for lounging. the cozy and textured bolivian blankets complement the thick wood arms far better than the black leather did, in my opinion. she also showed brilliant restraint in keeping the bold pattern limited to the front of the chair; the cream fabric on the back and sides is the perfect touch. you can purchase these chairs and see more of her custom upholstery work in her online shop. great job, courtney! -kate
{NOTE: sorry, everyone! i neglected to mention that the “before” chairs are not the same chairs as those shown in the “after” image. according to courtney, they are a similar set that she has also renovated, as she could not find an image of the chairs below prior to being upholstered.}
[have a before & after you'd like to share? just shoot me an email with your images right here! (low res, under 500k per image, please)]
CLICK HERE for hampton’s wedding dresser after the jump!
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September 2nd, 2010 - 11:00am
i know a lot of people out there hate ikea and all it stands for. however, i think it would be unwise to discount the amazing role ikea has played in the diy design universe. in fact i think ikea should be hip to the trend and start selling products that support the hacking of their furniture: a line of paint colors and power tools, perhaps? better yet, they should hold a contest for diy-ers and offer to manufacture the winning furniture hack. i would certainly nominate iris and her modern credenza for mass production. i love the olive green and burnt orange colors; the unexpected combination feels equally perfect for fall as it does for spring. according to iris, the trick to achieving a nice finish on this type of piece is to give it a couple good coats of high adhesion primer, then follow with a high quality oil based enamel. the results are amazing. great work, iris! -kate
[have a before & after you'd like to share? just shoot me an email with your images right here! (low res, under 500k per image, please)]
i just finished reading julia child’s my life in france– i’m late to the party on that one, i know. apart from being utterly charmed and inspired, i now desperately desire a rustic, well-stocked kitchen, preferably accompanied by the scent of freshly baked french loaves. this cabinet makeover from michael fuels my craving even more. he snagged this piece for £4 ($6!). with a quick and inexpensive coat of paint, he transformed it to better suit his tastes. i love the decision to leave natural wood on the shelf and the knobs; the warm wood provides a perfect contrast to the icy blue hue. the result is a lovely example of modern country style. great work, michael!
September 2nd, 2010 - 10:00am
i know people always say that having pets is nothing like having children (and i’m sure that’s true), but sometimes i feel like i’ve been at least partially prepped for kid-dom having the cats we do. between the two of them we can’t leave anything on a surface (they’ll knock it over), can’t have nice fabrics (they’ll tear them up), can’t leave small things on the ground (they’ll eat them), and can’t have anything that’s vaguely string like around the house for fear that they’ll try to eat it or pull it down. so whenever i see something beautiful and fragile like these new pieces from secondome i sigh and imagine how nice it would be to be able to have something like this sitting on a table. don’t get me wrong, i’d choose our cats over a design object any and every time- but sometimes it’s nice to imagine having pretty glass things on a surface without a cat immediately smashing them over. these new pieces designed by sam baron, fabrica, 5.5 designers, kiki van eijk, and joost van bleiswijk for secondome edizioni will be on display at maison et objet soon, so if you’re in the area- stop by and see them! until then you can visit secondme edizioni’s website right here.
September 2nd, 2010 - 09:30am
while i was gone i missed out on this email and loved it too much not to share it here again. so if you’ve already seen this online, sorry- but this is too cool not to post. gonçalo campos designed this simple-but-genius “dedo” message board using faux-fur. all you have to do is drag your finger through the fur and create your own drawings or messages. no chalk, no messy clean up- just rub the fur in the other direction to “erase”. dedo is available for sale right here in small quantities, but you can also click here to check out the board in more detail. thanks, gonçalo!
September 2nd, 2010 - 09:00am
good morning! it’s so nice to be back and brooklyn after our little getaway to catskill, ny. as much as i love waking up to the sound of birds (and wild turkeys in the yard!) it’s also nice to wake up to an email with adorable wooden birds. these “morning birds” (engraved in sustainable bamboo) are from cole at option g and are available right here for $30 each or $120 for a full set.
September 2nd, 2010 - 08:00am
in an attempt at minimalism, i decided to sell off my poorly treated, disorganized collection of cds, receiving a mere fraction of what i paid originally. apparently, nobody needs a scratched copy of depeche mode’s violator with a cracked jewel case and SO many memories and feelings attached to it…okay i’ll keep that one! but freeing up the space a cd collection takes up doesn’t really work if you still have all the boxes, bins, and binders they sat in. i donated most of the lot, but i decided that with a little decorative molding, a once humdrum plywood cd bin from ikea could become something much prettier. it’s remarkably easy to make a frame if you have a mitre box with 45 degree angle guides, and if you are looking for a wide frame, wood molding can be quite a bit cheaper than buying frames secondhand. the result makes me so happy, in fact, that i think i need to put on violator and remember the pain of my existence. oh, the angst… have fun! -kate
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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September 1st, 2010 - 01:00pm
it seems i am always in need of extra storage space. i have an abundance of art materials and supplies that just keeps growing. i am already storing boxes of paints, paintbrushes, paper, pens and scissors, and a multitude of glues behind a linen curtain beneath our built-in desk. it is a great storage place for the things i don’t necessarily use all of the time, but what about the things I use constantly, like my watercolors and rulers, exacto knives and bulldog clips? as much as i would like to, i can’t exactly leave them out on the dining room table within reach of my almost two-year old. the solution: sightly boxes to store my wares. since we have a lovely built-in bookcase, i thought it would be great to have a storage box disguised as a book, adding charm instead of just utility. so here it is, a bit of unexpected storage. secret storage books…not a secret anymore. -brenna (paper +ink)
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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September 1st, 2010 - 12:00pm
august is officially over and i have to admit that i cannot wait for fall! i know the days are already getting shorter and my apartment is about to turn to ice, but i will always be a die hard autumn girl. these beautiful fresh floral accessories from the monkey flower group are already taking me there. i can practically smell the hint of fall in the air…yay!
the monkey flower group is a floral design studio run by jaime, a california native who recently moved from vermont back home to the lush napa valley. she sells her handmade pieces at the local farmers market, and even though the majority of customers wear them to weddings and other special events, they can so easily be worn a number of ways for a little everyday beauty. i would totally make these a frequent splurge; the colors and textures are simply gorgeous and so evocative of the season. you can see more pieces from all four seasons on her site (these maple leaf boutonnieres might be my faves). i am going to run outside and pick up some leaves to get started! thanks, jaime! -kate
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
read more …
September 1st, 2010 - 11:00am
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