inspiration

Team DIY Month of Storage: Tip of the Day

Written on January 14, 2010 at 7:33 am, by Team DIY

This may seem like a tiny fix-up, but you won’t believe the style it will bring to your office or craft space. And it costs zip, zilch, nada, zero!

Find your favorite scraps of wallpaper, fabric, or scrapbook paper. Pull a clean tin can out of your recycle bin. Make sure it doesn’t have any sharp edges. Cut your paper or fabric to size, then wrap it around the can. Use double-stick tape or crafts glue to attach.

Try this on a larger scale with thoroughly cleaned paint cans or coffee tins. Then, affix them to your fabulous pegboard.

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Team DIY Month of Storage: Tip of the Day

Written on January 13, 2010 at 1:32 pm, by Girl's Eye View (Bethany Kohoutek)

Until some of the creative project designers buzzing around DIY HQ opened my eyes to pegboard’s possibilities, I had dismissed it as the stuff of ugly brown basements and stinky garages. Yuck.

Today I stand before you  a changed woman. I’m in the process of mapping out a new craft room, and I can assure you it will involve pegboard. Lots of pegboard.

Check out the cool ways our crafty peeps have used pegboard not only for its awesome storage and organization capabilities, but also because it’s, well, pretty!

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Team DIY Month of Storage: Tip of the Day

Written on January 12, 2010 at 6:29 pm, by Team DIY

If you can’t spare an entire room to set up a workspace, consider converting an under-used closet to a hardworking mini-office area. Find (or make) a desk made especially for small spaces — thin legs, shallow surface area. Utilize wall space for storage: Corkboards wrapped in fabric make awesome bulletin boards! A hanging pendant lamp takes up zero floor and desk space.

See another closet-to-office conversion here.

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Sneak Peek: Bonus Shots from Alison Warner’s DIY Cottage

Written on January 12, 2010 at 3:10 pm, by Team DIY

We shot first-time homeowner Alison Warner’s cute Michigan cottage for the spring issue of Do It Yourself magazine (the new issue hits mailboxes and newsstands today!). But it was bursting with so much color and style we couldn’t fit all of our favorite rooms into a single story. So here’s an inside peek at some bonus rooms—the bedrooms and baths—we loved but couldn’t feature in the mag.

Warner achieved the perfect balance of shabby and chic in her powder blue bedroom. We’re in love.

“I feel pretty…oh-so-pretty!” We can’t figure out how Warner doesn’t break out in song every time she sits down at her gorgeous vanity.

Check out the detail on the vanity!

The home’s cottage charm is accentuated with the damask and checkered patterns on the shower curtain and window treatments.

Warner put a fun spin on sophisticated stripes in her second bathroom with a punch of coral paint.

Which is your favorite room? Tour the rest of Alison’s house (including—spoiler alert! – an amazing faux-bois paint treatment on the dining room floor) in the spring 2010 issue of Do It Yourself magazine – on newsstands now!

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Team DIY Storage Challenge 2010!

Written on January 7, 2010 at 11:48 am, by Order in the House (Pamela Porter)

January is Get Organized month for all of us at DIYideas.com, and we’re on assignment to tidy up at least one space at home or work that’s cluttered, unsightly, or otherwise not acceptable. Editor Beth Eslinger will tackle her basement, associate editor Bethany Kohoutek has her eye on her work space at the office, and designer Katie Laporte plans to create a storage-packed craft/studio haven (go Katie!).

What about you? What will you organize this month? DIY challenges you to join the Get Organized party by sharing with us your best organizational endeavor. We’ll chose one reader’s space to feature here, on Team DIY Blog, and DIYIdeas.com!

Here’s the skinny:

1. By January 15 (that’s next Friday!) identify your trouble spot (a room, a drawer, a closet, piles of paperwork), snap a digital photo, and upload it here.

2. Whip that space into shape. Use baskets, bins, labels, shelves, or other storage-savvy tricks to gain control of the mess. In the meantime, visit the gallery to view and comment on other readers’ storage headaches.

3. By January 31, upload a photo of your now picture-perfect space.

Here are some inspiring “after” photos to get your ideas rolling.

We can’t wait to see your pictures! And speaking of pictures, my own personal organizing challenge this month is to organize nearly seven years of digital family photos, which currently eat oodles of space in my iPhoto library.

In my next post, I’ll share my solutions for printing (or not printing), organizing, storing, and backing up digital photos. I welcome your input. E-mail me directly at pamela@porterstudios.com to tell me what works or doesn’t work for you.

In looking ahead, I hope you’ll join me in committing to organize one space a month in 2010! In February I’ll somehow corral all my “chargables” such as phones, iPods, and cameras. Perhaps I’ll invest in a lovely charging station like this one from Kangaroom or maybe I’ll put my DIY skills to work and make one myself.

I’ll sort out the linen closet in March, and I have my heart set on these beautiful baskets from Organize.com.

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Trendspotter: Copenhagen Field Report, Part 2

Written on December 22, 2009 at 10:22 pm, by Trendspotter (Jessica Thomas)

I’m back with part 2 of my Copenhagen field report (check out yesterday’s post for part 1).

Antique and vintage stores can be found throughout the city but mostly concentrated in the neighborhood of Ravnsboorggade. In a different neighborhood we went to a vintage boutique and café called Butik Fisk, where I fell in love with a collection of stuffed animals and adopted a green turtle. Whimsy is appreciated in Copenhagen, and I attribute this to Hans Christian Anderson’s influence.

The Danish Museum of Art & Design was inspiring. It showcased 16th century to modern furniture and art. One exhibit displayed one-of-a-kind art pieces, furniture, and clothing made from found materials, and I had to have these great houses that were hand-painted on wood. The museum shop didn’t disappoint! I snapped these up, and they are currently displayed in my kitchen. Aren’t they fun?

A close second was the Statens Museum,

which had an amazing and inspiring permanent painting collection.

I want to decorate a room around this painting:

The Danish Design Center is small, but ithad a great exhibit surrounding the climate change conference. It also featured an exhibit detailing ways to use sustainable materials in design. I loved this felted cut-out chair:

Notable restaurants for both décor and food include Aamanns, where the space was sleekly painted a beautiful apple green with glossy black architectural wainscot and trim with animal silhouettes in black. (Check out the website to see the interiors). For lunch we had great smorrebrod (openfaced sandwiches), but we were more obsessed with the wall color.
Aamanns menu:

Noma restaurant is located in a beautifully renovated stone building that also houses Scandinavian consulates in the Christiania neighborhood. It has a more organic feel and features a regional menu. The décor included teak wood tables, bent wood chairs with sheepskin draped over the chairs, and of course lots of candles. The food was the star — artful but not pretentious.

If you want the royal treatment don’t miss the changing of the guard at the palace.

Loved the guards’ houses, which were painted red and had the Danish heart.

And to really appreciate the way the royal family lives, we treated ourselves to pastry at La Glace

Fall cakes in the window at La Glace.

And we sipped tea at Perch’s Teahandle. Both Perch’s and La Glace sport the official royal crest).

Another highlight included attending the Royal Ballet at the Opera House.
Awe inspiring architecture.

I was in Copenhagen only five days and six nights, but I can’t wait to return for a longer stay. I still have much to explore, eat, and of course buy. If you can’t wait to start scoping out more Danish style, I recommend these sites:
Huset
Finn Style
Saga Living

Denmark50
Danish Teak Classics
Unica Home

For an off-the-beaten-path guide to Copenhagen, check out Unlike.

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Trendspotter Field Report: Copenhagen, Part 1

Written on December 21, 2009 at 3:57 pm, by Trendspotter (Jessica Thomas)

I just got back from Copenhagen, and thought I should share all the inspirational things I spotted while I was there. Thanks to the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference, all eyes were on this great design center.

This was my first trip, and I had the benefit of traveling with two experienced Copenhagen visitors, David Anger, professional Minneapolis stylist and someone who could spot a chic home or fashion boutique a mile away, and his partner, Jim Broberg, our appointed and trusted foodie, who scouted out all the great restaurants, tea houses and confectionary cafes. Here are Jim (left) and David (right) at La Glace pastry shop.

Of course in Denmark, Danish modern design is everywhere. Our hotel, Hotel Alexandra, is decorated from lobby to rooms with famous Danish architects furniture and period art with iconic names such as Aarne Jacobsen, Kaare Klint, and Finn Juhl to name a few. I stayed in the Finn Juhl room, which was beautifully outfitted and even had a Royal Copenhagen bowl of fruit as a welcome. Very inspirational décor.

It made me appreciate royal blue in a whole new way.

Lobby of the Hotel Alexandra

This bookshelf totally makes me want to paint custom cubbies in primary colors for my collections.

The city is young and vibrant with plenty to do. The vibe is hipster, and styles are very layered and cozy (hygge in Danish), with lots of panache and personal expression. Fashion is key; to get a sense of the modern layered look that most men and women are displaying, check out Copenhagen Street Style.

My favorite Danish fashion label was Day by Birger et Mikkelsen, which also features a Home collection photographed by Ditte Isager. The collection embraces modern design with folk layering. Great styling, too.

Home stores abound in Copenhagen. They are filled with beautifully designed items, but not everything costs a fortune. Discount stores such as Tiger were filled with deals on great-looking functional home items.

Copenhagen’s big department stores are Magasin and Illums. The fashion and home departments make your head spin with so many well-designed accessories. Even better, Illums has its own home concept store called Illums Bolighus. Not a day went by that we didn’t just “pop” in for another look, and we always found something new. I bought some great felted slippers called Glerups – super comfy and warm.

David bought Muuto wood hooks, which have already been installed in his Minneapolis townhouse. I love the yellow, and they also come in natural and black. They are available in the U.S. at Unica Home.

Front and back cover of the Illums Bolighus catalog

We stopped at a Marimekko concept store (concept stores are popping up in the U.S. — look for them), which was amazing. It has a full line of home and fashion and it was hard not to walk out without something. Marimekko style has always been a great mix of pattern and color without being overwhelming. I love this shot from the new collection magazine.

Marimekko fashion. Purple was everywhere as the color of the season.

Another great design boutique is Rue Verte Plus. Lots of great style and very trend-setting.

Me in a great concave mirror.

Lots of fun things to looks at!

Be sure to check in tomorrow for Part 2 of my field report from Copenhagen, including details on the city’s antique and vintage stores, the Danish Museum of Art and Design, and more.

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Handmade Holidays: Ornaments We Love

Written on December 9, 2009 at 12:38 pm, by Team DIY

Instead of a cookie party, shake things up this year with a handmade ornament party! The blogs are ahoppin’ with gorgeous DIY ornament projects! Here’s a quick roundup of some of our favorites. Enjoy! – Team DIY

Kristen’s Fluffy Felt Wreath (via Design*Sponge) – by Kristen of Domesticfluff

 

 

Felt Birdcage Ornament  – by Zakka Life

 

 

Origami Glitter Cranes — by Zakka Life

 

 

Flocked Ornament — by Better Homes and Gardens

 

 

Felt Polaroid Ornaments – by Katie Cupcake

 

 

Easy Paper Globe Ornaments — by Just Deanna

 

Teardrop Holiday Ornament — by Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut

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Learning to Crochet: Fingerless Gloves Pattern

Written on December 3, 2009 at 3:12 pm, by East Coast Style (Sarah Goldschadt)

My friend Alicia is the crochet queen. She can crochet s’mores, ice cream cones, and even adorable safety cones. A few years ago she taught me the basics of how to crochet, and after a few projects I’ve been favoring my crochet hook over my knitting needles (sorry needles, I promise not to neglect you forever).

So this season with my gray color obsession in full swing and thought bubbles of fingerless gloves over my head, I set out to make the perfect pair. Mr. Google linked me to the pattern of my dreams and helped calm my fears when the crochet language of “Sc tbl in first fsc” almost stopped me in my tracks. Fast-forward to a weekend of being sick in bed with a cold and watching old episodes of My So-Called Life on Hulu, and my beautiful crochet gloves were born. The next time you’re daunted by a pattern, don’t be afraid. Take a deep breath and carry on. You won’t be disappointed. I promise.

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Textile Tripping through New Mexico

Written on December 2, 2009 at 9:54 am, by DIY on the Fly (Beth Eslinger)

I’m hot off a long Thanksgiving trip to northern New Mexico, and couldn’t wait to share my discoveries! This part of the county is known for unbelievable mountain scenery and amazing cuisine (did you know this is the only state with an official question: Red or Green (aka What’s your chili of preference?)). But it’s also a land of amazing artists—painters (Georgia O’Keeffe lived and worked in the region), potters and jewelers (the World Heritage Site Taos Pueblo and its resident artists are located here), and weavers (there’s a whole Fiber Arts Trail you can spend days touring).

This trip, with my new knitting obsession led to a particular focus on the region’s weaving and textile shops of Taos. Here are a few of my faves.

Weaving Southwest (www.weavingsouthwest.com)

This shop features hand-dyed yarns for both weaving and knitting. The store sells a few small-scale looms, needles, and finished goods. A beautiful spot to spend an hour. I picked up chunky variegated yarns that will look simply stunning as scarves and wraps. They sell product online for those who can’t make the trip.

La Lana Wools (www.lalanawools.com)

Down the street from Weaving Southwest, this shop also features plant-dyed yarns in amazing colors, real antler buttons and toggles for finishing your projects with major personality, and the most diverse selection of felted wools I’ve seen. This business also sells online.

Common Thread (info@commonthread.biz)

If you’re in the market for fabric, tablecloths, or art paper, swing by this store. It’s a mix of Mexican brights, modern graphics, Asian silks, and everything in-between in a well-packaged mix. This is the most dynamic, interesting fabric store I’ve seen (including the Garment District in New York City).

These are just a snippet of all the amazing shops. For more information on the trail, visit www.nmfiberarts.org.

Now, I’m thinking about starting a new obsession: Weaving. In fact, I’ve been watching this loom at Urban Outfitters. Could be the perfect holiday gift for the adventurous DIYer on your list. 

www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&navAction=jump&id=17124389&search=true&isProduct=true&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS&color=000

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