Color, color — I need you in my life right now! I’m a neutrals kind of gal, and a fickle one at that, so it’s difficult for me to pull the trigger on anything large and bright because I almost immediately end up hating it. I wish I could show you pictures of my recently…
I love patchwork wood projects like this dresser makeover from Jonnie Anderson, whom you may remember from her lovely studio renovation a couple years ago. The weathered wood and pastel tones give the piece a wonderfully beachy, summertime vibe. I’ve never been lucky enough to find salvaged wood in such beautiful colors, but if I…
Chevron patterns have been coming back in a big way, and recently I’ve seen some interesting developments in chevrons: irregular chevrons, gradient chevrons, broken chevrons. Part of the fun of trends is watching them develop and change as people play around and experiment with different elements. The alternating chevron bands on this dresser makeover by…
I used to be sheepish about painting pieces dark colors, but after seeing how beautiful Grace’s dining chairs look in the new D*S office — elegant and dramatic in a fresh coat of midnight gray blue — I’m completely convinced that it can be done well. These two projects are further proof of the transformative…
I’ve been eager to play around with large rubber bands lately, so this display cabinet project from Krisztina Wein could not have landed in my lap at a better time. Using a long, thin rubber band, Krisztina cleverly modified the open cubby portion of the cabinet with an easily moveable and extremely eye-catching banded screen….
I recently re-watched the film Objectified, and this time around, I found myself inspired by Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, particularly when she said that what interests her most as a designer is how to bring identity and character to something that is produced industrially. You can see this vision so clearly in her work; she…
Yellow is rarely my color of choice, but with all the cold, dark dreariness that winter unloads on my apartment, I’m really appreciating the energy of this beautiful, sunny chevron dresser. Courtney and her husband originally scored this dresser off Craigslist and painted it solid, but when they moved to California, Courtney decided to jazz…
I’ll be honest; when I see pieces painted over in this fashion, I usually want to run the other way. Just the thought of trying to tackle a project like this credenza from Meagan Luhrs and her husband, Ryan Thompson, makes me break out in a preemptive sweat. I am amazed at their results and would…
I have avoided painting a piece of furniture in my home for a long time, opting instead for a mix of natural woods. However, if I were to bring a solid colored piece into the mix, I think something along the lines of this electric cobalt blue dresser from Natalie could be the way to…
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’m a big fan of white-and-wood combinations on furniture, especially when they strike just the right balance of warm, rich wood and crisp, clean white accents. What I love most about this simple dresser revamp from Amy is that the dresser retains its vintage charm but seems so much more sophisticated and luxurious with its…
There’s painted furniture, and then there’s painted furniture — pieces covered in handmade patterns that totally transform the original. This Ikat buffet by Kim Frazier is a great example of what handmade designs can add. I love the imperfections and the rich color palette Kim chose. Great job, Kim! — Kate Have a Before & After…
These Ikea dressers should be inducted into some kind of furniture hall of fame. I know we all have a complicated relationship with Ikea furniture, but the Malm dresser is inexpensive, attractive, easy to assemble, holds a TON of stuff and — as this makeover from Josue clearly illustrates — is essentially a blank canvas…
I love hanging cabinets and shelving units because of their dual functionality as wall art and storage. You can tell from a mere glance that this shelf has potential, and its owner Tiffin has capitalized on the modular aspect of the piece to transform it into a cheerful, graphic display unit for her milk-glass collection….
Much like Grace, I’ve never met a stripe I didn’t like, and the design on this painted dresser from Carol is no exception. Upon discovering that the wood was in very poor condition, Carol decided to give the mid-century piece a neutral stripe design. I love the use of such a wide chevron shape and…
So many transformations involve bright colors or bold, outrageous patterns, so when we get a subdued makeover here and there, it can be quite refreshing. Don’t get me wrong — I love high-intensity design. But I’m finding the calm, neutral palette and subtle polka-dot pattern of Sarah’s desktop makeover very pleasing. Sarah had an old…
It doesn’t matter how many chair images cross my desk; I will never tire of seeing great re-upholstery jobs. For one thing, I love seeing all the different chair shapes and styles out there. Second, I just love chairs, and a picture of a beautiful chair will never cease to inspire me. Case in point:…
Sturdiness aside, I love the look of little legs on credenzas, tables, sofas — you name it. Actually, I’ve owned a few mid-century pieces of this nature and I can attest to the fact that while they may look wobbly, little legs do their job perfectly and look cute doing it. As someone with little…
I really like it when graphic designers take on furniture renovations; they always find a way to add a beautiful graphic twist to the project. This cabinet from David is a perfect example. David loves typography and letter forms, so when it came to fixing up this cabinet abandoned by his home’s previous owner, he…
i know a lot of people out there hate ikea and all it stands for. however, i think it would be unwise to discount the amazing role ikea has played in the diy design universe. in fact i think ikea should be hip to the trend and start selling products that support the hacking of…
