I think a touch of metallic luster helps most any space; and I admit I’ve still got a shine for a silvery finish. Today it’s an Etsy shopping day – enjoy these dazzling finds.

The artist crochets fine wire to create these airy, Feminine Round Lampshades from Yoola.

This Divine Aluminum GoodForm Chair from Three Sideways Glances is a mid-century classic, freshly upholstered a graphic, DesignTex fabric.

The [...] Read more »

Transform IKEA Seating in Tricia Guild Style

Tiring of that plain-vanilla IKEA armchair? Or when the neighbors come for dinner, does that pasta stain make you shuffle your dining chairs?

Check out the slipcovers from Stockholm, Sweden-based BEMZ, which are designed to fit most IKEA chairs and sofas – even discontinued models. And now, you can adorn your furniture with the innovative patterns of Designers Guild.

For [...] Read more »

Designing and remaking upholstered furniture, and combining it well in a space, is an art.

Designer Heather Hilliard is brilliant at it, as evidenced by her living room design for this year’s Marin Designer’s Showcase.

Photographs by Michele Lee Willson Photography

A classical room with grand proportions, Hilliard wanted it to feel “luxurious and refined but understated” and to function well for both formal entertaining and casual [...] Read more »

In our neck of the woods at Lake Tahoe, Memorial Day Weekend is prime yard sale time. Is it the same where you live?

Each year I look forward to driving through the neighborhoods, seeing what’s tucked under the towering pines and firs, and snapping up bargains. This time, our oldest daughter — nine years old — was up early, and pumped to go on [...] Read more »

by GraceAnn Simoni

It’s the time of year when so many people put their homes on the market. So I asked Contributor GraceAnn Simoni to share some home staging tips and advice, and some telling Before and After photographs of her work. GraceAnn is a an Interior Redesign and Staging Specialist and Instructor from the Chicagoland area.

—

Home Staging – When should it start?

When the listing is [...] Read more »

by Sherri Blum

Today our Nursery and Kids Room Design Expert and Contributor, Sherri Blum talks about the choices we make when creating spaces for our kids. A pioneer specialist for children’s-room interior design, Sherri’s designs for celebrities, and for the baby next door.

—

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to take a moment to share some great, earth-friendly decorating options for your nursery or child’s [...] Read more »

by Diana Durkes

Don your possibilities spectacles and scour the alleys, Design Junkies! It’s DIY time with furniture and accessories makeover specialist, Contributor Diana Durkes. Diana gives “New Life to the Tossed and Found” at her blog, Fine Diving.

This cupboard deserved a second lease on life, I thought when I came upon it in the alley last month. It was in well-used but sturdy shape and [...] Read more »

Artist Profile — Jo Roessler

When does a useful object become art?

I think you know it when you see it. Take for example the furniture designed and handcrafted by Jo Roessler of Nojo Design in Easthampton, Massachusetts.

Jo has a thing for beds and I think I have a thing for his beds. Artful and refined. What dreams I’d design in one of these beds.

“My initial [...] 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 »

When interior designer Debbie Wiener makes over a room, her goal is twofold: 1) To create a beautiful environment that people are pleased to be in and 2) To “Slobproof” it. Debbie coined the term Slobproof to describe her philosophy of designing with families and pets in mind.

Here’s a living room that Debbie recently decorated. The room before was bland and lacked the warmth of [...] Read more »

Social Furniture — It’s Here!

Yesterday marked the U.S. launch of Berlin, Germany’s Fashion4Home, and the stateside beginning of “social furniture.”

One of Fashion4Home’s exclusive designers, Logan Komorowski, with a model from his line of furniture from sustainable bamboo.

Sure, Fashion4Home is an online-only furniture retailer that says it offers products at “50-70% less than traditional retail prices,” but that’s not the coolest thing about it.

Here it 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 »

It’s time again for your gut reaction to a design. Have a look at the Highboy Bookshelf from designer Jaren Goh for Singapore-based Munkii.

Does this antique-inspired piece work for you? Tell us what you think.

(via Home Accents Today.) Read more »

Except a return to good health for my best friend, my Christmas wish list is short this year. I am so fortunate with loved ones, and being able to talk with incredible designers, artists, craftspeople and DIY’ers every day.

What more could I want?

There is this.

My mouth dropped open when I came across Design Store Tokyo’s miniature Designer Chair Collection. 42 perfect, 1/12 replicas of [...] Read more »

There’s a store you went to once. A marvelous store. In your mind’s eye you can picture the colorful objects, the mix of textures. You always meant to go back.

That’s how it was for me with Berkeley, California’s Ethnic Arts (1314 Tenth Street). Part store, part global museum. All wonderful.

One of numerous fantastical puppets from the Bozo tribe of Mali in West Africa

When [...] Read more »