I suspect we’ll have to do a roundup of great pallet before & afters soon because they are constantly coming in. These two projects by Marianna and her boyfriend were made from the same old wood pallets, and both exemplify the beautiful character that pallet wood can add to your home-decor projects, large and small….
Some people can work in a cluttered space, and I’ve always looked on them with awe, for I am certainly not one of them. The minute the papers start to pile up and the tools scatter themselves on the floor — okay, that’s a lie; I scatter the tools on the floor — my productivity…
Karen has delivered so many great before & afters in the past. There was the log table, the portable fire pit and the awesome bird bath. I’m excited to share yet another project from Karen that carries her signature qualities: cute, cheap and amazingly clever. According to Karen, the trick to these seemingly gravity-defying birdfeeders…
I’ve always been a fan of seeing embroidery on unconventional materials: porcelain, wood, metal, and so on. With a couple well-placed embroidered monogram letters, wood and craft workshop mentor Dana Israel has given this simple little chair infinitely more personality and sweetness. Wonderful job, Dana! — Kate
Sometimes the simplest pleasures are the best. Riding bikes, listening to great music- it’s hard to ask for much more (ok, maybe some great BBQ?) this time of year. These new prints from Johnny & Stacie at Etsy ($20 each) capture those simple pleasures perfectly and are a great reminder that sometimes when you strip…
Folk art motifs have started to drift into home design more and more these days, both in contemporary design and through a re-interest in vintage pieces. These colorful glass tumblers are made in Poland and their design was inspired by local folk patterns. Gretel recently started carrying them in three colors (blue, black and red)…
There was a time — and maybe we’re still in it — when almost every stylish home contained a vase of craspedia, also known as “Billy Balls,” “Billy Buttons,” and a few other terms I’m not aware of. And why not? Craspedia are a very cool-looking flower, after all; definitely a great choice for mid-century…
It’s a challenge for me to send out timely thank-you notes, or any kind of note for that matter — birthday cards, holiday greetings, you name it. I think if I had the notes all ready to go, pre-stamped and piled in the top drawer of my desk, then I might be able to master…
When the weather heats up, those of us who can’t live without flowers in our house face a sticky situation- blast the AC even if we’d rather only use it for the hottest days or let our beloved flowers wilt when all we want is the windows down. After a trip to the Wave Hill…
Today’s Lawrence, KS City Guide comes to us from graphic designer Lauren Grieb. Originally from New Jersey, with a two year stint in Europe, Lauren now lives with her fiance right outside of Lawrence, KS. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas and continues to love, appreciate and frequent the bustling, culture-rich city…
Good morning! I haven’t been this excited to start a day in a while. Launching Design*Sponge at Home yesterday was the highlight of my week, month and probably entire summer. I can’t wait to share more pictures from the book process and inside the book itself. I’m working on a post for next week, but…
Gold leaf cover illustration by Julia Rothman. Book design by ALSO. I have been waiting for this day longer than I can possibly describe. While trying to find the perfect words to sum up this entire experience and project, I ran through a wide range of emotions: excitement, nervousness, fear, relief, exhaustion and complete and utter…
While Benny & Joon is technically an early 1990s rom-com — a time and genre not necessarily known for quality — it packs a wallop of charm and oddball sincerity. It’s the only love story I know that rivals Harold and Maude in kooky sweetness, and it’s impossible to pass the two hours without wanting…
I’ve never been a big drinker, but I love the trappings of cocktail culture. Creating a home bar (wait until you see Amy’s home bar in the D*S book!) has always been an obsession of mine, and it was so hard to pass up the vintage chinoiserie bar I saw at Brimfield this year. So…
I’m on a bit of a forced terrarium hiatus right now (I went a little overboard with glassed-in plants last year), but these hand-blown terrariums from Bevara were too beautiful not to share. Designed by Liz Boscacci and made in Poland, each of these terrariums is a seamless egg shape that makes them suitable for…
Ever since moving into an apartment with all white walls, I’ve had a change of heart about paint colors. I used to immediately go for the darkest grays possible (hence the site redesign), because everything looks so beautiful against that color. But when it comes to my home, I’m starting to see the benefit of…
Sneak peek “firsts” always make me smile. With hundreds of homes under our belt, today’s home belonging to Scottish graphic designer Glenn Garriock of Atelier 1A and his partner Heather is our first converted aircraft hangar. Located in Uetze, Germany, it is one of 16 hangars salvaged from the British Army by the Traditional Life…
Sometimes, creating a cohesively designed space can feel like a Sisyphean task when there are roommates to consider. Just when you think things are settled, someone brings in a new find or wants to change the wall art. Photographer Jo Metson Scott purchased this apartment in East London in 2007 and immediately welcomed roommates Julius…
Between running her own graphic design agency and stationery store (Papier d’Amour) and maintaining her style blog, Phoebe Gazal keeps a busy schedule. Today, we travel to the holiday home that has been in her family for over 20 years. Just an hour drive from Sydney, it is where she and her husband have watched their three…
Josh Vogel of Blackcreek Mercantile and his girlfriend, Kelly Zaneto, share this stone cottage in the Hudson Valley forest. Josh explains that their home reflects the attitude of the couples’ lives: “Nothing we own is so precious that it can’t get dinged or scratched; in fact, there is a softness and warmth we enjoy that…
