Here’s a real, live, high-end design for less.

We got fantastic feedback on the story about Marsh & Clark’s elegant and contemporary powder room design for the 2009 San Francisco Decorator Showcase.

I was thrilled when Stephanie Marsh Fillbrandt wrote me about another version of the room they recently completed. Here’s the new room:

Photographs by Elisabeth Fall

As you’ll recall, the original room featured an incredible stone [...] Read more »

You know that one friend you have that leaves a trail of merriment wherever she goes? You know the one who can somehow smile and laugh when she’s stuck for an hour on a stalled subway train?

I just met two of those people.

Seattle-area Interior Designers Piper Salooga and Sara Eizen have fun with what they do. At their latest Home Accessories Swap they scanned [...] Read more »

Quilts are in style.

I’m glad because truth is for me, they never went out. Quilt designs are a comforting link with our past, and today’s quilt artists are incredible. (If you ever get the chance — drop in on one of the large quilt shows like Pacific International and you’ll see what I mean — awesome artistry and craftsmanship.)

I’m especially smitten with the bold, [...] Read more »

by GraceAnn Simoni

Here’s some great home organizing advice and a dash of “how to” motivation from Contributor GraceAnn Simoni, Interior Redesign and Staging Specialist and Instructor from the Chicagoland area. GraceAnn shares budget tips and advice for decorating with your existing furniture and accessories.

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How are those New Year’s resolutions coming along??? Like most of you I resolved to become more organized. My office is [...] Read more »

by Diana Durkes

Wahoo! It’s time again for chair sorcery from our furniture and accessories makeover specialist, Contributor Diana Durkes. Diana gives “New Life to the Tossed and Found” at her blog, Fine Diving in Chicago.

What to do with a challenging, homely chair?

Years ago, this one may have occupied pride of place in the parlor. It emulates the Eastlake style, a late 1800’s [...] Read more »

Design Expert: Jenn Sbranti

Entertaining guru Jennifer Sbranti, Editor-in-Chief of the hip party planning resource, Hostess with the Mostess®, shares with us—in her own words—how to create memorable times with those closest to us, as we Make Time for Family and Friends in the

New Year….

“The idea of “making time for family and friends” seems like something that should be a no-brainer, right? Certainly it’s a different [...] Read more »

Design Expert: Kelly Van Patter

An awarding-winning Production Designer for television shows such as Survivor and The Apprentice, Kelly Van Patter is passionate about making smart choices for our planet and our pocketbooks.

Kelly is focusing her efforts on green design for the entertainment industry, residential construction and interior design; she shares her knowledge and advice with us in Be More Green and Save Green.

Click the arrow [...] Read more »

It’s too late for these elves to help you with Christmas. But did you know that Etsy has a service called Alchemy that can expand your creative output?

With Alchemy, you dream up an item you want made. You enter a description, your ideal price, and your deadline.

Then wizards from Etsy’s artistic community bid on creating your project. You award the project to the bidder [...] Read more »

by Diana Durkes

Today we beautify a thrift-store find with our furniture and accessories makeover specialist, Contributor Diana Durkes. Diana gives “New Life to the Tossed and Found” at her blog, Fine Diving in Chicago.

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For last month’s makeover, I used a thrift shop resource to turn old sweaters into a throw rug. This month, I thought I’d continue the idea of giving new life to [...] Read more »

Inspiration from two creative women converged for this DIY winter decoration. Our makeover maven, Diana Durkes and her Recycled Sweater Rug, and my Mom—wreath-maker extraordinaire.

I knew I’d design a wreath this year. I grew up watching Mom wire all variety dried flora to round metal frames. I remember a year in New Hampshire when she had Dad drilling tiny holes through walnuts and chestnuts. [...] Read more »

Over the weekend an astonishing thing happened. Matt Groener of Oregon entered our Let’s Make Cents Challenge. His entry was a little late. About two and a half months late if we’re counting. But he could care less about the prize and I am thrilled by his entry.

You’ll recall that for the Challenge inspired by the Standard Grill’s penny-mosaic floor, I made a nice (but [...] Read more »

by Diana Durkes

Today let’s work some DIY magic with our furniture and accessories makeover specialist, Contributor Diana Durkes. Diana gives “New Life to the Tossed and Found” at her blog, Fine Diving in Chicago.

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Not that anybody asked me, but in my opinion, crafters are geniuses. They take often overlooked bits of things, parts big and small, and put them together in the most practical and [...] Read more »

by GraceAnn Simoni

Once again, today we are joined by Contributor GraceAnn Simoni, Interior Redesign and Staging Specialist and Instructor from the Chicagoland area. GraceAnn shares with us budget tips and advice for decorating with your existing furniture and accessories.

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The holidays are fast approaching. Is your guest room ready or has it become the place where everything that does not have a home lands? Assuming [...] Read more »

How about we try something different with a pumpkin? I went for some graphic ‘pop’ with patterns, and my nine-year old joined in the fun.

We thumbed through my decorative sourcebooks (especially the Art Deco) for inspiration. Then we sketched a few quick ideas on a notepad. The pumpkin patterns are simply painted in cream-colored, acrylic craft paint. The two small pumpkins that she whipped out [...] Read more »

We’re celebrating autumn with an Etsy shopping day today. So kick-back, let your mouse do the walking and enjoy these fall-themed finds for your home. Let’s start with Tlg Crafts’ tiny treasures, these Glass Marble Magnets.

You’ll please several senses with Cricket Apollo’s Bright Autumn Leaves Lavender Sachets, or add textural art with Carol Broadley Pottery’s Maple Leaf in Clay. And your kitchen will adore the [...] Read more »