This may be one of the most dramatic kitchen makeovers we’ve seen in a long time and not just because of all the white paint. Apparently, Jodi Mockabee and her family had to design and execute this renovation in just three weeks, and in all that craziness, I can’t believe she managed to pull off…
IKEA bookshelves are great because they can act as blank canvases: simple and attractive on their own but also perfect for manipulating into whatever their owner may desire. The wooden arches that Jenny Komenda built onto these shelves give this wall of books an awesome new look — it’s such a simple visual shift, but…
Everyone has a different opinion on how to decorate, but I feel most would agree that the combination of crisp white paint and warm, natural wood is a match made in heaven, right? They play off each other to provide a neutral backdrop that any color would look great against, plus they make a room…
It’s always fun to see architectural details from buildings — doors, windows, banisters, hardware, etc. — creatively re-purposed as furniture. Ida’s daybed is a lovely re-interpretation of these decrepit old doors, and I love the rounded corners, trim and various decorative touches she’s added to finish off the piece. Lovely work, Ida! — Kate Time: 2–3…
While I was on the West Coast, I was happy to have the problem of not being able to buy furniture or larger pieces. There was no way to bring them home on the plane, so I found myself picking up little pieces here and there — mostly jewelry. Portland has an abundance of talented…
If there’s one thing I learned from homes in Portland, it’s that I need a lot more plants in my home. I’ve resisted the urge to clutter up the new clean space with plants (like I typically do), but after seeing how common house plants (especially beautiful succulents) were there, I’m convinced it’s time to…
Portrait by Kelsey Foster The first time I saw one of graphic designer Dana Tanamachi’s massive lettered chalk walls, I almost spontaneously combusted with joy. Her 19th-century artistic-printing approach completely stirs my soul. Anyone who has ever tried to write with chalk knows it is no small feat, and yet she makes me strive to achieve…
Summer brings out the travel bug in me. I start dreaming of the beautiful places I’ve been and the locations I still hope to visit. My initial idea for this project was to create a roadmap of one of my favorite travel destinations. I thought a subtle tray celebrating a place I love would be…
With the rush of technological methods helping us find our way, paper maps and Thomas Guides are quickly becoming obsolete, but their contouring graphics will always remain timeless. Use your dusty glove-compartment maps to make travel-inspired stationery for some good old-fashioned correspondence. A simple dividing line, address and stamp transform a map-backed note card into…
I’m a shameless Bouroullec groupie. Since I was introduced to their work in 2003, I’ve eagerly awaited each and every update. For me, they’re the tippity top — always stretching to rethink something in a more creative, functional and beautiful way. If I could be their intern for a summer, I’d drop everything and go….
Having spent some of my best years buried in a print studio in Williamsburg, Virginia, block printing will always hold a special place in my heart. So seeing these hand-printed textiles from Janis Anzalone really takes me back. Janis makes all of her runners, bunting and sachets from her home studio (filled with her family’s…
Next spring, we’re packing our bags and heading to Australia for the D*S Book Tour: Part 2. This fall, we’ll be visiting close to 35 cities in the States and Canada, but after the holidays, we’ll break out our big suitcases for trips to the UK, France and Australia. I’ve been dying to go to…
Before I dive into today’s content, I wanted to ease into the day with some serious floor pattern beauty. I dream of having a budget big enough to redo a room with reclaimed wood floors like this, but until then, I’ll stare at these pictures (and then back at my room again) and imagine they’re…
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 15 years since I first fell head over heels for Liv Tyler in Stealing Beauty. I’m not joking when I say she is the great equalizer — both girls and boys adore her; she’s so whip smart and gorgeous that it seems practically impossible that she could have…
Image above: French Victorian white-painted wrought iron terrarium, $27,5000 Today, Grace and I are heading to Terrain, one of our favorite stores — we’ve honestly made the trip from Brooklyn to Philadelphia just to eat in the greenhouse cafe. The store is filled with some of the best terrarium accessories ever. The terrarium craze is…
Today’s Biz Ladies post is from regular contributor Lauren Bacon, co-founder of Raised Eyebrow Web Studio, Inc. and co-author of The Boss of You. Lauren has previously contributed to the Biz Ladies series with her posts on how to delegate roles, HR for the self-employed, when to hire your first employee and how to find the right employees at the right…
Image via Sorsillo Today’s city guide comes from Chelsea Christensen, an American who lives with her Italian boyfriend in Torino, Italy. She owns an online vintage clothing and photography shop called Italian Postcards and blogs about her daily expat life at All Roads Lead to Pecetto. Chelsea was also recently featured on an episode of House…
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Kate Bingaman Burt and Namita Wiggers for a tour through Portland’s amazing Museum of Contemporary Craft. If you are in town and haven’t been before (or haven’t been lately), please drop by as soon as you can. A truly phenomenal weaving show was on when I visited,…
The best part of my job at Design*Sponge is getting to work with the amazing artists, designers, writers and crafters that make up our team. It’s been a joy and honor to work with Amy Merrick (our resident flower, Made with Love and movie style expert) for the past few years, and I’m overjoyed to…
Most of us at Design*Sponge haven’t jumped on the baby train yet, but as the majority of us tip closer to 30 than 20, we’re starting to find ourselves surrounded by friends and family that have. In honor of their (very sweet) little munchkins who join us for coffee breaks, lunch meetings and play dates,…
