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 »

Renovation of a 1940’s Kitchen

What happens when you’re born to cook, but your kitchen isn’t? That was the case for the woman who hangs her apron in this beautiful Southern California, Spanish Colonial Revival home.

The existing kitchen had vintage 40’s charm—but its style was not in keeping with the home’s architecture or with its rich color palette.

And it was far from convenient for a [...] 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 »

Color is powerful. Even if you prefer your rooms anchored in neutral tones, you can achieve an enormous impact with colorful accessories.

Bath After

See what Dallas Designer Cristie Schlosser, ASID, did with this kitchen and bath renovation. First, check out the Before and Afters of the striking transformation.

Bath Before

Kitchen Before

In the resulting contemporary spaces, Cristie used neutral-toned finishes, accented with pops of bright color in the [...] 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 »

Let’s take a break again in the virtual café as we share a cup o’ joe and a chat with a group of interior designers. Today we are joined by:

Linda H. Bassert, of Masterworks Window Fashions & Design in Fairfax, Virginia

Barbara Miller, of Barbara Miller Design in West Linn, Oregon

Linda Merrill, of Chameleon Interiors in Duxbury, Massachusetts

Kerry Ann Dame, of Posh Living in Surfside [...] Read more »

Built-in cabinetry can add storage and charm to a space. Case in point? This San Francisco bungalow dining room.

Before

“The clients wanted a space to store their large collection of books, collections from travels, linens, and personal photographs,” said designer Jennifer Jones.

After

“The room is a generous size for a dining area (compared to the rest of the house) so it made sense to design built-ins [...] 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 »

British designer Zoe Murphy is putting a new face on furniture recycling. Treehugger turned me on to Murphy’s innovative approach to reuse and surface design for mid-century furniture. Her work was shown recently at the London Design Festival; she came into the spotlight when the BBC included her in its 2008 New Designer of the Year Awards.

Feast your eyes on the extraordinary results when [...] Read more »

by Diana Durkes

Get your DIY on as our furniture and accessories makeover specialist, Contributor Diana Durkes joins us again today. Diana gives “New Life to the Tossed and Found” at her blog, Fine Diving in Chicago.

I was excited to find this framed mirror at a yard sale last weekend. The square shape was friendly, though its industrial grey paint color gave a mixed message. I [...] Read more »

Keep your eyes on Nichole Loiacono-Young, her recently-launched Etsy shop, Sparrow’s Nest, and her blog by the same name. Nichole’s an aspiring designer with a great eye for giving new life to forlorn furniture and accessories.

Case in point? This cane-back Louis armchair that Nichole made fresh with gloss-white paint and Tiffany-blue flannel. A bit of a change from what she started with, yes? (And makes [...] Read more »

by Amanda Reass

Today come into the garden, kick back with a cold beverage and enjoy the story of the “Mushroom Chair,” a Makeover project from Design Junkie Amanda Reass of Columbus, Ohio.

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Last October my fiancé and I moved into the house that my grandparents had lived in for 30+ years. We didn’t mind taking on the task of painting and updating the décor in exchange [...] Read more »

by Diana Durkes

Get your DIY on as furniture makeover and upcycler specialist, Contributor Diana Durkes joins us again today. Diana gives “New Life to the Tossed and Found” at her blog, Fine Diving in Chicago.

This month’s makeover is a favorite of mine for adding fresh color or a new layer of pattern to a room. It’s also a great way to use the beautiful printed [...] Read more »

It’s splendid when our creative pursuits overlap. Like with Liz Scott’s chair makeover project– Liz didn’t have to look far to find the perfect fabric. The Los Angeles graphic artist’s alter ego is designer of original fabrics that she prints at Spoonflower.

Before

After

“I found an old castaway chair frame at a garage sale for $5 and painted the wood an off-white (Ralph Lauren Edwardian Linen to [...] Read more »