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…
This is the second project we’ve shared from designer Kara Paslay in recent weeks, and again she’s managed to reintroduce me to a cool technique I had long forgotten about. Inspired by the ocean, Kara decided to transform a simple paper globe into a beautiful sculptural pendant lamp. By dyeing and dipping cut paper rounds into…
Not that long ago, I replaced a standard light fixture in my home with a custom pendant. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized how significantly great light fixtures can change a room. The initial intimidation of working with electricity is starting to lessen with some great pointers from my dad, and now I…
I’ve always had a love of fonts. I have a collection of magazine pages torn out for their interesting fonts. I have books about fonts, bookmarks on my computer for font-dedicated websites, not to mention the hundreds of fonts I’ve downloaded. I want to be surrounded by gorgeously shaped letters. What better reason to make…
Lighting has to be one of our all-time favorite topics — we’ve recently held crafting events in honor of lighting, picked out our favorite chandeliers in homes and even delved into the history of chandeliers. You might call it a little obsessive. But if you’re a renter, updating lighting — whether an overhead fixture or ambient…
I’ve seen a few lamps of this kind available in stores lately, but they are all a bit pricey; it’s clearly a great design that is begging for a DIY version. So I’m thrilled to see someone tackle this very feat and with such great results! Sarah Goodwin, designer and founder of the creative firm…
i love wax paper for packing lunches; i wrap sandwiches in a piece of wax paper and tie it like a present with a little cotton string. it’s so much better looking than a plastic bag. wax paper comes in handy for more things than i realized, like rolling it up to use for a…
when we decided to move our bedroom to a different room in the house, we no longer had the space for our old bedside tables. i decided to use an old chair because it was narrow enough and it looked pretty good. unfortunately, i lost two important things in the switch: a place for private…
i’m a huge fan of lindsey adelman‘s work, and count myself among the group of people out there that are slowly saving up money to buy one. until that day comes, i was so thrilled to hear from kate that lindsey has posted a link to a step-by-step guide to creating your own industrial-style chandelier….
inspired by karyn’s twinkle blackboard, d*s reader maya lee created this beautiful wooden panel. aya decided to use a large panel of wood, instead of a chalkboard, and drilled in holes and inserted lights to spell the word “delight”, inspired by an essay from milton glaser. great work, maya! CLICK HERE for maya’s full project…
[my apologies, kate's new diy series was supposed to go up yesterday but i totally fell behind] this month i will feature projects using canvas, and to kick it off i decided to use a lightweight canvas fabric to create an unusual “night light” painting that could look good on or off. we needed a…
ever since i saw one on a bedside table in domino magazine, i have been in love with and searching for vintage cork lamps. they are hard to find though, and often pretty expensive, so i finally decided to try to make one! i was looking for bases that had a nice modern shape, and…
inspired by tord boontje, 2008 diy contest finalist bridget created this fantastic wood veneer lamp. using old lampshade parts, grommets and a shaped hole-punch she created a truly custom look that would make a perfect weekend craft project. bridget has been kind enough to share her full instructions and material list below so click here…
today’s second diy project is from 2008 diy contest finalist kate dixon. kate created these fantastic framed sconces using inexpensive outdoor sconces from home depot. i love the endless chances for customization here- you could use decorative frames (or maybe even groupings of painted twigs and branches) and all sorts of wallpaper, gift wrap and…
