section: before and after 
today’s first before & after comes from d*s reader kate pollmann. she persuaded her grandmother to part with this vintage 50s day bed and decided to give it a facelift. after surviving a hurricane (which destroyed the rest of her grandmother’s home) kate’s daybed needed a little pick-me-up, so she repainted the frame, and reupholstered the cushions. then, for an added kick, she added fabric inserts to the lattice back and sides. kate says that now it “makes me smile every day”. i love a happy ending to a makeover story.
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE to see amanda’s backyard makeover and erin’s bathroom upgrade after the jump! read more … October 22nd, 2009 - 10:00am 
today’s final two before & afters involve my favorite room in any house- the kitchen. first up is tina spangler, whose catskill renovation was recently featured in an adorable video on etsy. tina just finished fixing up an abandoned mid-century cottage in the lower catskills outside of nyc and was kind enough to share some photos here today. i love the way she focused on using salvaged items in the interior- it has such a wonderfully home-y vibe. great work, tina!
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for more before & after images from tina’s home and lisa’s kitchen makeover after the jump! read more … October 15th, 2009 - 12:00pm 
i have a soft spot for red details so i was happy to see cindy black’s sewing table before & after in my inbox this week. cindy inherited her mother-in-law’s 1960s sewing cabinet and decided to have the machine serviced so she could keep the table for its original purpose. but after examining the peeling veneer and particle board drawer fronts, she decided to give the table itself an overhaul as well. her first step was to remove the veneer from the drawer fronts using an x-acto razor and chisel, then she laminated a zebrawood veneer onto the top with a spray contact cement. the zebrawood was then finished with two eco-friendly products: velvit oil to bring out the color and alpha floor sealer to give it shine. red coral drawer pulls from anthropologie were added, and then the exterior was given a bronze sheen with some new spray paint. i love the final result and so does cindy- not only because she has a new working sewing table, but because the table is close enough to her dining table to double as a sideboard during party season. well done, cindy!
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for gail’s window makeover after the jump! read more … October 15th, 2009 - 11:00am 
this second nursery makeover comes from d*s reader jennifer flores. jennifer’s daughter chloe mainly sleeps in a crib in the master bedroom, but also has her own room. this is a space where jennifer and her husband spend time playing, rocking, and reading to chloe, so they decided to update it to reflect their current needs. the project began by adding ikea wardrobes made to look like built-ins, additional storage for clothing and linens, and a new shelf for chloe’s toys. the final touch- a window seat for when chloe is old enough to read by the window. i love the cheerful color palette- it looks like such a happy place to grow up. thanks for sharing, jennifer!
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for sabina’s cabinet makeover after the jump! read more … October 15th, 2009 - 10:00am 
today’s first two before & afters focus on one of my favorite color combos- red and grey. first up is graphic designer becca rios in las vegas. becca recently tackled her first reupholstery job. her friend jill beeler helped her finish the chair/stool combo (originally purchased on craigslist for $20) with a bold grey/red fabric that really gives the chair new life. great work, guys!
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for rebecca’s nursery mural makeover after the jump! read more … October 15th, 2009 - 09:00am 
this nightstand before & after comes from will means, an artist and woodworker from salem, massachusetts. will found this antique nightstand at todd farm (an outdoor flea market in rowley, mass) for twenty-five dollars. first will stripped it down the nightstand and re-stained it. next, he drew his design and transferred it to a frisket, and applied to the nightstand. afterward that he painted and then lacquered the finished piece. will explained that this technique is, “a unique method which allows me to introduce color and a modern feel, while still showcasing the wood and the original integrity of the piece”. all of the hardware on the nightstand is original and restored and the drawers are lined in mustard-yellow felt. great work, will!
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for wendren’s ladder upgrade after the jump! read more … October 8th, 2009 - 12:00pm 
today’s third before & after comes from letterpress artist maggie sage in tampa, florida. a design team was coming to her studio for a visit so she needed a way to display some of her stationery work. so she headed to local antique store to hunt for a frame and came home with an old, beat up window. she painted the frame blue and painted the glass with magnetic paint. then she had her roommate create magnets for the display board. and ta-da: a brand new way to display work out of an old window frame. thanks for sharing, maggie!
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for misty’s dresser makeover after the jump! read more …  October 8th, 2009 - 11:00am | 
