diy by Amanda Brown 3

upholstery basics: room divider bulletin board

For the first time in several years, I’ve been spending more time at my desk. And although I love the change of pace, the change of space needed a few upgrades. My desk sits against a wall in an open living room, so I built a room divider to create a cozy little nook for my workspace. Not only does it add a ton of personality to my “office,” but the back side also serves as an inspiration/bulletin board where I can pin up my to do list or a photo of the beach to perk me up when I get weary. You won’t believe how easy it is! — Amanda

Read the full how-to after the jump . . .

diy by Kate Pruitt 2

diy project: textured planters

I’m trying to get a little better at tending to plants, and have subsequently been looking for new garden pots. I had my eye on an incredible ceramic blocked planter at Anthropologie, but neglected to act quickly enough and it sold out. The pot was studded with chunky ceramic bricks, and I was drawn to the idea of trying to use different materials as beads of texture on the outside of a pot. With a thick, dry-brush coat of black and white paint, many recycled materials can take on the look of clay. I dipped into my stash of old wine corks and scrap wood for this project, but it’s kinda fun to root around the house for old materials to see what other textures and shapes you might be able to use :)—Kate

diy by Kate Pruitt 8

diy project: hanging notepad

This project stems from a conversation I had with Grace and Amy on my last visit; they had seen an image of a rolling pin held in place with two simple straps, and thought it could adapt nicely to become a wall scroll for organizing ideas. I managed to score three long branches from a tree that had been heavily pruned in our apartment’s backyard this past week, so I decided to try out the concept in the studio.

It was easier than I expected. After a little bit of gathering materials, leveling, and hammering, it was up. I am a notoriously bad at keeping track of writing utensils, so I added a ceramic Ikea kitchen pot as a pen holder. There are many materials that would work beautifully as the two components of this project—if you don’t want to wait to find the perfect fallen branch, this would also look nice with metal pipe or a long wooden dowel. If you feel a desire to write on your walls, I hope you’ll give this project a try! —Kate

See the full how-to after the jump . . .

products by Grace Bonney 10

new: jill malek wallpapers

One of my favorite things that happens in design, is when an artist finds a way to elevate the everyday to a new level. I’ve always been intrigued by naturally occurring patterns in nature and life and it’s fun to see that concept come to life in Jill Malek‘s newest wallpapers, called Urban Frequencies. Dinner Party- the pattern above- was inspired by the remnants of a good evening with friends and Voyagyer, below, was inspired by the route maps that aircrafts follow on a daily basis. I can’t tell you how often I stared at those lines on a screen during the book tour last year and imagined them coming to life in a more interesting way. To see them turned into a colorful wallpaper is definitely more fun than hopping back on a plane. Jill is debuting her new designs at Wanted Design this weekend, so if you’re in NYC be sure to stop by and check them out. In the meantime, you can see more of Jill’s work online right here. xo, grace

Luci del la Citta, inspired by city lights

products by Grace Bonney 5

stitch by stitch

I really enjoy reading about companies that work with, support and celebrate artisans in rural or impoverished areas. Nothing makes me happier than knowing my purchase isn’t supporting a faceless box store, but instead a real person who is living off of their handmade work and creating beautiful things. Stitch by Stitch is a new company founded by Graham Hollick and Karen Sear Shimali. After meeting in art school in the 1980s, Graham and Karen decided to turn their love of textiles into a new company and they recently launched a new collection called Peacock Sportif. This collection was made in conjunction with amazing embroiderers (with the help of the SEWA organization) from the remote Kutch region of Gujarat in India. Inspired by their traditional stitch work, Hollick and Shimali created a collection that would celebrate those workers’ style and reinterpret it in a crisp, graphic pattern. I love the stitch work on these pieces and, naturally, want the red version all over my home. I love a crisp red and white bedding design, so these are pretty much instant favorites. You can read more about Stitch by Stitch right here and shop online right here. xo, grace

radio by Grace Bonney 4

after the jump: third ward interview (mp3)

Good morning! It’s still rainy and gloomy here in Brooklyn, so it feels like the perfect weather to curl up on the couch and listen to something on big headphones. With that in mind, I wanted to share my most recent interview from this Monday’s radio show. I’ve been a fan of Third Ward for years now and to say they play a pivotal role in the Brooklyn maker scene is a massive understatement. Third Ward lets people learn skills, use tools, rent space and pretty much is THE hub for everything artist/designer in Brooklyn. I was so honored to sit down with Third Ward co-founder Jason Goodman for After the Jump this Monday and I hope you’ll enjoy his interview as much as I did. We talked about everything from trends in classes and students to the current wave of Brooklyn designers that seem to have their hands in not just one skill but dozens. It was a great reminder for me that Brooklyn continues to be a place that fosters up and coming makers in such a big way. Thanks so much to Jason for speaking with me and thanks to all of you for listening. You can listen at the links below. xo, grace

-Click here to stream/download (free) on the Heritage Radio site
-Click here to stream/download (free) on the iTunes (you can subscribe as well to download them automatically every week)