I think a lot of us share a dream of buying and fixing up a little cabin in the woods, but I’m sure that if that dream became a reality, the process of renovating a full home would not be without its stresses or struggles. Long before I pursue such an undertaking, I want plenty…
As a relatively indecisive person, gut renovations terrify me. It takes me so long to settle on one throw pillow or floor lamp that I doubt I would make it past the first stage of planning an intensive project like this full-home renovation from designer Jayme Guokas. From top to bottom, Jayme scraped down and…
One of the best vacation experiences of my life was the time my family and I stayed in San Luis Obispo at a beautiful inn called the Sanitarium. Anyone who has spoken to me for about five minutes has almost certainly heard about my love of steam showers — it’s one of those odd obsessions…
We have this very annoying tree right outside our apartment that blocks all light from our windows, thwarting the sun’s attempts to warm us with its golden rays of energy. Damn you, tree! Recently I begged our landlord to at least consider trimming it back, and he finally relented, which left me with both a…
When looking for larger pieces of furniture, I usually lean toward plain, basic pieces, working on the assumption that something so big should not be the statement piece in a room. After catching a glimpse of this incredible credenza from Rosanna Ceravolo Design, a Melbourne-based design studio founded in 2011, I’ve decided to change my tune: why…
It is the day of nooks! Earlier today, we posted Lora’s cozy and ethereal window nook, and now we’re ending with a gorgeous bedroom alcove from interior designer Angela Robinson. Angela had the ingenious idea to utilize the room’s angles and wrap a bold wallpaper from wall to ceiling to wall, creating a dreamy undersea effect…
In every house, there are the main rooms (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, etc.), and then there are the secondary spaces — those little hallways, nooks, closets and crannies. These spaces are wonderful, and they certainly make a home unique, but figuring out how to use them to their full potential can be challenging. I love Before &…
Among the editors, Amy is definitely the designated jewelry specialist, although I’ve seen Grace wearing some fiercely cool accessories, as well. I’m a bit more timid when it comes to jewelry; my daily look includes one small necklace and a pair of unassuming studs that I never remove. One style I’ve always wanted to try,…
As you know, I’m a huge fan of completely non-functional projects where the only goal is visual delight. Sure, they don’t do anything, but if they are fun, or beautiful, or mysterious? Even in this world of infinite stuff, that’s still totally enough for me. This project falls into that category, and needless to say,…
I’ve been dreaming of renovating a full home for a long time, and I would hope that when I do get the chance to do this, I would make smart decisions like art director and designer Beth Chapleau has done here. To keep her budget in check, Beth decided to transform some of the existing…
Like the ground outside or the very principles of gravity, a floor is something we often take for granted. It’s solid, flat (hopefully), and covers the whole room…that’s pretty much all we need from it right? But after seeing countless home tours and renovations, it’s clear that floors are a huge part of what determines…
Oakland is experiencing an influx of cool little shops: From Temescal Alley and Umami Mart to Pop-Up Hood in Old Oakland, there’s definitely some exciting activity brewing in the east bay. One shop that predates this craze but is every bit as modern and lovely as these new ventures is a favorite Oakland boutique of mine: Atomic…
When I browsed through the images of this New Milford, CT home renovation from architect and designer Donald Billinkoff, I was very pleased to see how he redesigned the space to integrate into the natural surroundings. Built in 1968, the original home was a bit stuffy, with small windows and heavy carpeting, but Donald’s decision to…
Everyone in the Design*Sponge office is jumping up and down because we just had some beautiful BIG plants delivered today! We can’t wait to show you how everything is shaping up, but right now, we only have plants on the brain. Last week, I created a simple tiered design for multiple plants, and today I’m thrilled…
I had my first tarot reading this past weekend when some friends and I went to the Poconos for some R&R. It’s odd that I’m just now learning more about tarot because I remember owning a deck in my teens but not knowing at all what they were for or how to use them; I…
I remember walking through the Alameda flea market one day and coming across a pile of wooden letters. Since they were all made from straight pieces, the letters had no curves, which resulted in a strange “font” that actually had some really beautiful letter shapes. I was reminded of them when I saw these wooden…
Growing up in New Hampshire, I experienced the joy of curling up by the fire at an early age, and it’s stuck with me to this day. With its amazing houndstooth-painted walls, this living room makeover from Leslie Hickey would be wonderful even without the fireplace, but the strong lines of the stove add a…
These glass lanterns have been popping up a lot lately. I’ve seen them mostly repurposed as terrariums, which I love, but I don’t see many people taking them apart and tinkering with the individual pieces. Sarah Dorsey decided to disassemble her lantern and use the glass panes to create this beautiful faceted mirror; it’s easier…
I recently wrote about the new art prints from Society6 and how awesome it is to see so many online galleries providing budget friendly artwork for young collectors. Now there’s yet another great resource for these pieces: The March Collective, a new online original digital art business based in Australia. If you need a bold piece of art…
When you collect as many things as I do, floor and table space can quickly become precious commodities. Having shelves full of plants is just not feasible in the studio, but I was not going to let that stop me from pursuing my dream of building a little greenhouse. If you have an interest in…
