Sometimes a no-brainer is nice. Like my fit-and-flare navy cotton frock with its matching skinny belt. Or if I’m going to get the fries with my protein-style burger at In-N-Out (one glance through the window at the hypnotic potato-julienning aerobics, and it’s a given). And even a set of matching bed linens can be just fine. Or NOT. Maybe it’s the drummer in my head, […] Read more »

Quilts aren’t only calico triangles and hexagons anymore. Interested in quilting since I was a teen, I’ve always especially favored the bold, graphic color play of Amish designs. Having created some art wall quilts myself, I appreciate the effort and artwork involved in making any quilt. But early on, I felt as though we needed an updated idea of the quilt as art. Though beautiful, […] Read more »

Right In Your Own Backyard by Mari Robeson Let’s hit the design road again with Mari Robeson, as she helps a client find the right artwork for her decor. Mari—Interior Design expert and Contributor—takes us inside the world of design, and helps us bring beauty and color to the places we call home.   I love fall, not only because it’s a beautiful weather time […] Read more »

Haute Height Chart™ Now Available in My Shop! Loved it the moment Jessa ZG showed me a photo. Her pop-art creation for tracking little one’s growth is Clean, Colorful, Contemporary. Not just a growth chart, but a work of art. To be sure the product was good enough for you, I borrowed a sample, and gave it the two-year-old test. Aah, our model-in-the-making in front […] Read more »

Artist Profile — Virginia Fleck I promised you another master of recycled art, and that Virginia Fleck is. Through her artist’s eye and craftperson’s hands, the commonplace and oft-discarded becomes mesmerizing and kaleidoscopic. Visit with Virginia, and I know you’ll be inspired. Click on images to see more detail. All images used with permission of, and Copyright Virginia Fleck.   HomeWorkshop (HW): Was art important […] Read more »

Artist Profile — Enno de Kroon The next two artists you’ll meet here at HomeWorkshop.com, transform recycled materials into stellar artwork. Click on images to see more detail. All images used with permission of, and Copyright Enno de Kroon. Today, it’s artist Enno de Kroon from The Netherlands, whose Eggcubism is—in a word—brilliant. By painting on the challenging canvas of recycled egg crates, he plays […] Read more »

Artist Profile — Sharon Cummings The moment I spied artist Sharon Cummings paintings, I needed to know her philosophy about color. “Colors are never bold enough for me…never bright enough…and there aren’t enough of them,” she said. “I go for ‘impact’. I use color to draw attention and create a ‘feeling’.” I was captivated by the lively works in her mosaic, Labor of Love series, […] Read more »

Available Now in My Shop! Today, we’re shopping for fabulous family wall art. When I first saw photos of Jessa ZG’s colorful and unusual art creations, I thought these might be perfect to offer in my shop. To ensure the product was up to snuff for you, I requested samples. When the samples from Jessa arrived, it confirmed my suspicion. This is cool artwork, people! […] Read more »

Artist Profile — Evan Brennan Sometimes getting off the main road can lead you to a new calling. That’s how it was for photographer Evan Brennan. A former sales rep for an eyewear company, Evan racked up the mileage trekking throughout North and South Carolina. “I always hated taking the interstates so I would routinely take alternate roads, those roads that used to connect towns […] Read more »

I am thrilled to be able to share this with you as the first item in my OpenSky Shop. It’s a creative person’s dream wallpaper, Graham & Brown’s “Frames” by Artists Taylor & Wood. This is such a fun idea, and those of you who have followed HomeWorkshop.com for some time might remember I posted about this fabulous paper before. The empty frames design (below […] Read more »

If you’ve been visiting HomeWorkshop.com for any length of time, you know that I’m enamored with the design of chairs. To design a comfortable and attractive chair is not an easy thing, and that’s why good chair designs become classics. Read more about classic chair designs here. That’s why I was thrilled when I came across cutoutpaper’s Limited Edition Laser Cuts – unusual art that […] Read more »

Artist Profile — Vicki Hartman The concept of a home has a simple beauty, and I find myself attracted to objects depicting that. it’s what caught my eye about the art of Rochester, New York ceramicist Vicki Hartman; and I thought you’d enjoy visiting with her, and learning about her work. HomeWorkshop (HW): Have you always been an artistic person, and when did you realize […] Read more »

Tahoe ARTour 2010 I find it fascinating to see an artist in his own environment. What colors and forms surround him? What view does he soak in, over his morning coffee? How does the place an artist calls home, influence his work? Come on along and hit the road with me, as we drop in on a few of Lake Tahoe’s gifted artists. I was […] Read more »

Years back, I attended a San Francisco art sale at the most fantastic place. Creativity Explored is nonprofit visual arts center where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit, and sell art. Color and smiles were free-flowing, and I came away with a half dozen of the most uninhibited and visually striking drawings. I was thrilled to learn from my best friend, that CB2 is featuring […] Read more »

My walls have never been the place for the blah. If it’s bold, colorful, and graphic – sign me up. And as you know, I’m a fervent DIY’er. So when I saw Lola Gavarry’s new book, DIY Art at Home, 28 Simple Projects for Chic Decor on the Cheap (Watson-Guptill Publications, 2010), I snatched up a copy. Gavarry, a designer who creates artwork for residential […] Read more »