Today is before & after day, and one of the things I think about most on a day like this are legs. Table legs, that is. I get asked about hairpin legs more than you could possibly imagine. Furniture trends may come and go quickly, but over the last nine years, I’ve seen a consistent…
Smoky glass and Lucite can have such 70s feel. But in the hands of some talented contemporary designers, it’s making a decidedly modern comeback. I’ve been coveting some vintage smoky glass wine glasses on Etsy for a week or two, but decided to let them go today (I hope someone buys them- they’re too pretty…
I was talking with a writer from Brooklyn Based a few weeks ago and it wasn’t until that conversation that I realized I’ve lived in seven apartments in the last ten years of living in New York City. From Greenpoint to Williamsburg to Park Slope and back to Greenpoint, I’ve learned a thing or two…
Few things are as controversial on D*S as reusing books. Any time we see someone repurpose book covers or spines for a DIY project it seems like the lines are drawn in the sand and people take sides to do battle. I used to cringe and shy away from those debates, but now I welcome…
Every now and then I pick up a huge stack of fashion magazines and flip through them, going back and forth between oohing, ahhing and cringing at some of the things I see inside. During my most recent fashion binge I found myself constantly bugging Amy across the table to ask her if she would…
I’ve been in the new Steven Alan home store a few times now, and each time I leave with something new bookmarked or with a new artist or designers to check out. During my most recent visit I fell in love with these colorful folding tables made from reclaimed Sheessam wood and recycled cotton rope….
This morning I woke up convinced that I could find a steel/wire frame chair that would work in my living room. Since my very first post back in 2004, I’ve been coveting wire-style chairs because they have such a light visual footprint and always keep their shape. But sadly, they are some of the least…
For the past few years I’ve had a serious love affair with walnut. What began as a moment and continued as a few new pieces here and there continued to grow until every wooden surface in my house was walnut or some approximation of it. Not that there’s anything “wrong” with walnut (it’s beautiful and…
Having just hacked my sofa into pieces in order to fit it in my new apartment, I have a great appreciation for apartment-sized sofas. Not only because they make it easy to deal with old buildings and doll-sized hallways, but because it’s hard to find really cute ones. Thankfully Zak Profera of Zak + Fox…
Sometimes I am the world’s laziest writer. I’ll flat-out drop a post idea if it hovers around a word, phrase or topic that constantly trips me up. For example, turquoise. I don’t think I’ve ever spelled that word correctly without having spell-check or that dreaded dotted red line point out that I’m reversing the ‘o’…
As Father’s Day quickly approaches, I’m reminded of my annual pilgrimage to the department store in search of that perfect gift for dad. But thirty-something years later, I’ve exhausted the “Best Dad Ever” boxers and accompanying mug, and I’m pretty sure he has two of every grill accessory made. This month on Upholstery Basics, we…
There hasn’t been an ICFF in the past few years where gold & brass didn’t make a big appearance. And really, if it keeps popping up in gorgeous modern versions like these, I’m totally fine with that. Last year the brass felt a tiny bit rougher and more patina-ed, but this year designers seemed to…
I have a hard time resisting geometric prints and patterns. They’ve been around for a few years now, but they continue to pop up in contemporary designs and they definitely had their moment again at this year’s ICFF. I feel like my entire life is an ode to the humble, but beautiful, triangle so seeing…
Growing up, I was obsessed with people’s favorite colors. Any new friend I made in school would be asked that pressing question and I felt defined by my own personal choice: green. To this day I still carry a little torch for fellow green-lovers and hope they’ll be as happy as I was to see…
This weekend marked the beginning of an epic week in New York: Design Week. In addition to the numerous (and incredible) off-site shows happening around town, The Javits Center is playing host to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), The National Stationery Show (NSS) and Surtex (Surface Design). Among the rows and rows and rows…
Since mid-February (I’m in Austin, y’all), I’ve been elbow deep in garden soil planting my veggies for spring. With arugula, lettuce, and Swiss chard growing like weeds, my hands have been full trudging back and forth from the garden to my kitchen. This month on Upholstery Basics, we build a garden cart from the ground…
I couldn’t resist starting a little bit ahead of schedule today because I’m obsessing over this gorgeous cabinet designed by Gabriel Sutton. Based in Maine, Gabriel makes and designs a wide range of furniture, from dressers and beds to cabinets and tables. I saw this contrasting chevron and immediately started drafting a post. It’s just…
I’ve got a longer post coming up later this morning that’s all about my current major obsession, but I thought I’d start off today with my smaller morning obsessions, namely some incredible furniture and ceramics. The chair above was designed and made by Dominique Houriet, who sells stunning minimalist furniture on Etsy. This chair, the…
Whenever I speak to woodworkers about their first project, it’s usually a chair or a table. There’s something about creating that first simple piece that seems to have an almost meditative effect on the maker. I always think about that when I see beautiful pieces, like these designs by Michael Robbins. Michael is a native…
Nothing pleases me more than hearing from talented women who are running their own businesses; though, admittedly, I’m slightly more pleased when I hear that they’re running a woodworking business and doing an amazing job of it. When I was in college and wanted to design and build my own dorm furniture, I had an…
