I appreciate a workspace with a little bit of silliness, and this desk makeover from Kata proves that you can add whimsy to a piece of furniture without sacrificing a clean, modern look. I particularly like the dinosaur doorknobs and patterned top — super cute. Great job, Kata! — Kate Have a Before & After you’d…
Furniture pieces like this dresser redo make me think there are tons of you out there who could live double lives running successful furniture design or restoration businesses. I’m still sort of amazed that Renee saw the “before” dresser above and had the vision to create the stunning two-tone piece below. I adore that dark…
I remember watching my friend’s baby as she was starting to observe the world, and it was awesome to see her eyes travel over everything with utter fascination, particularly prints. It’s not as easy as some might think to successfully mix prints and patterns. What I like most about this charming nursery makeover from Tim…
This “apothecurio” cabinet by Meg and Todd van der Kruik of Union Eighteen studio is a really wonderful testament to the power of legs. The “before” version of this cabinet is nice, but admittedly a bit oppressive in its weight. Meg and Todd have lightened up this piece in so many ways: the color, the…
“You know you’re really nobody in LA unless you live in a house with a really big door.” — Steve Martin, LA Story I don’t want to think about what my peeling, drafty door with broken hardware says to the world about me :) On the other end of the spectrum is this gilded Chinoiserie…
How kind of you to join me again for Upholstery Basics as we wrap up this sweet little chair! As you’ve seen from Parts One and Two, coil springs are quite a labor of love but are responsible for seats worthy of lingering. When I finished this chair, I decided it had to come home with…
This ground floor renovation of a client’s home by architect Marianne Amodio is one of my favorite large-scale Before & After projects of recent months. It reminded me that sometimes taking away some of the layers that have been added to an old home can be the best way to help an interior realize its…
This kitchen renovation from Lauren Zerbey of Chezerbey proves a very valuable design lesson in my mind: “All-white” does not always necessarily mean “all-light.” The decision to vault these ceilings and add a sky light must have been a huge commitment, even for a couple of architects, but it completely opened up and lightened this…
I like to consider myself a big-picture thinker, and if I had the chance to makeover a room, I’d like to think I would consider all possibilities and think creatively about the space. But I can honestly say that I usually just assume the ceilings are non-negotiable. Whoops. Projects like this living room redesign by…
This Before & After is so exciting because it really makes you think twice about utilizing interior space. The Hive — a group of creative professionals working in Alexandria, Virginia — decided to lease the upstairs of their row house and transform the front room into a curated paper goods shop called Fifteen/Eleven. The space…
These types of Eames knock-off chairs have seen their fair share of new upholstery. I’ve seen cowhide, wools and patterns of all kinds, but never denim. Before this project, if you said the words denim and upholstery in the same sentence, I would cringe and run away. But this denim chevron print created by Jody…
We’ve seen many lovely reupholstery jobs over the years but very few in which the fabric was designed by the owner. This was Michelle’s final project for her BFA in graphic design, and it’s pretty amazingly cool for a school project. She had been wanting to do a fabric design project, and after finding the couch…
You know my love of “frankenfurniture” (a neologism I’m desperately trying to spread around), and it should come as no surprise that I adore this sofa that D*S reader John Doucet made from old doors. Now the key to successful frankenfurniture is not just a novel idea of how to combine or turn one furniture…
I’m pleased with the balance of aspirational and everyday design we choose to share on the site, and though the scope of renovations like that in this amazing kitchen/dining room makeover are out of reach for many of us, I appreciate seeing dreamy, high-end projects every once in a while. While I could never afford…
As a renter, it’s so easy to forget that many people are taking steps to actively and dramatically alter the environment they live in. I love being reminded of this fact, and I’m definitely storing inspiration for when I live in a place where I can be a bit more hands on. I can’t wait!…
It’s awesome to see the DIY painted-rug trend blowing up these days, especially because rugs can be one of the hardest things to shop for — there are so many ugly rugs out there, and the best-looking ones always seem too expensive. This isn’t the first project Holly has shared with us — we featured…
Be prepared for all the yummy candy and sherbert colors you’re about to see in this office/workspace makeover from Sharlene — you may want to grab a snack beforehand to stave off any cravings. I’m usually a dark, moody neutrals kind of gal, but this colorful office is making me feel a bit boring in…
It’s really fun to receive projects from people who are redoing the whole house one room at a time. You can often see the person’s signature style carried through the entire home, plus you get to enjoy a bit of vicarious redecorating :) This is the second room Sibylle has shared with us. Sure enough,…
We had a bevy of chair projects in our inbox, so I thought, why not share another trio of cool chair makeovers? The first one comes from Chyanne, who spotted this chair with an unusual back (and yucky upholstery) at a garage sale. After a heavy dose of sanding, staining and reupholstery, she wound up…
I’ll bet that whether you’re at work or home, you’re willing to linger a little longer if your seat is soft. There’s no telling what you found while stripping your piece of furniture. How about some horse hair, pig hair, hay, even old t-shirts to pad your seat? I kid you not . . ….
