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diy project: pure + simple side table

Finding a simple, modular piece of furniture that is reasonably priced but also well made can be hard sometimes. IKEA provides some decent options, but sometimes you just want something made out of beautiful, sturdy, solid wood. Thankfully, designer Silvia Song has created a great tutorial for a simple wood side table with a sliding drawer. If you’re interested in getting into woodworking and furniture making but don’t know where to start, this is the tutorial for you. She’s made a lovely piece with clean lines and a basic form that requires only a few tools. If you want a fun building project for a fall weekend, you should definitely try it out. Thanks for sharing, Silvia! — Kate

Have a DIY project you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)

Read the full how-to after the jump!

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poppy series by grace tan

Lately, I’ve been feeling similar to Grace, in that I wish I had some technical training or more extensive knowledge in the world of metals. I’m so attracted to designs that incorporate metal in interesting ways, especially ones that seem to bring a new capability to the material, such as these malleable metal bowls in the “Poppy series” by designer Grace Tan of Kwodrent. I know there have been some laser-cut vessels on the market for a while, but none have felt quite as substantial and elegant as these. These pieces debuted at Maison & Objet as part of two new collections for FARM, and they should be available in the FARM online shop in November. I’m not sure what the prices will be yet, but I’m definitely keeping these in mind for the holiday season. — Kate

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crested shield calendars from the paper thieves

I’ve always had a thing for crests, plaques and shields, and these 2012 calendars from The Paper Thieves really appeal to that medieval-loving side of my personality. It’s sad to see beautiful calendars go at the end of each year, so I love that these can be easily repurposed to become a permanent piece of wall art for year-round enjoyment. You could replace the calendar portion with a new photograph, use it as a fun place to tuck notes and reminders or just leave the shield as is. The Paper Thieves have three different styles of this calendar available, all of which you can find by clicking here. — Kate

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wind paintings

If there’s a single thing that keeps me working in design, it’s that moment when you look at something for the first time and it simply takes your breath away. That’s exactly what happened when I saw these beautiful Wind Paintings from artist Bob Verschueren. Verschueren worked in the 1970s and 80s using wind to create these stunning landscape pieces. Each work would focus on a material like iron oxide, yellow ochre or burnt umber, which was then laid out in linear patterns on the land. Verschueren would let the wind move and blow the pigments around and create an altered version of the shape that represented the stunning collaboration between man and nature. Though these pieces were created years ago, Tom at I Love Belgium is celebrating them on his fantastic blog and was kind enough to send them my way. Click here to check out more of Verschueren’s work online; it’s the sort of artwork that makes me want to throw this laptop aside and run outside. xo, grace

More images after the jump . . .

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hickory chair by hable

Amy and I are hopping on an early plane to Charleston this morning (thanks to everyone who came out to our event in Asheville last night!), but before we do, I wanted to post this pretty new chair from Hable Construction and Hickory. While I love Hable’s fun, colorful patterns, it’s good to have a range of options to choose from, and this new style feels like it’s holding down the “grown up” end of things nicely. You can check out the chair in more detail right here. xo, grace

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living in: practical magic

Practical Magic scratches the Halloween itch you might be feeling in an unexpected way. I’ll level with you, the movie is straight up 1990s rom com cheese, so light some candles and lock your man in another room. A pair of gorgeous witch sisters live in the most unbelievable rambling Victorian, casting spells and mixing up potions all while wreaking havoc among the dead and living men they love. -Amy Merrick

1. Heather botanical illustration, $98; 2. Garlic braid, $18; 3. Batter bowl, $39; 4. Antique rolling pin, $88; 5. Threshold Cabinet, $2498; 6. Serving set, $32; 7. Mauviel copper cookware set, $1000; 8. Beeswax pillar candles, $20; 9. Ironstone platter, $65; Vintage tureen, $295.