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Monday, April 19, 2010
A new life for old things
The people of Curbly have done it again. The DIY Design Community website has released its second book, this one called Make It! Secondhand Chic.
As with the blog, the book describes with clear, illustrated step-by-step instructions how to give a new life to cast-offs.
See how a metal filing cabinet can transform into a good-looking multi-use kitchen counter, butcher block, and storage solution:
An old jewelry box becomes charging station and repository for all your gadgets.
A castaway wooden box blooms into a pretty display case with a simple embroidery pattern -- a perfect handmade gift.
Other fun projects in the table of contents include repurposing a side table, making felted sweater spheres, sewing a laptop table, and etching bathroom glasses, just to name a few.
As with the first book, this one can be downloaded as PDFs, or purchased as a traditional print book, for whichever medium you prefer.
| Apr 19 at 09:35 AM
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday Finds on Etsy
Repurposed is the theme of this week's Friday Finds, showing that you need very few new things to make nice things.
An antique French bag converted into a pillow.
Notebook made from an old book.
Nothing has been done to this bowling bag, but it can be repurposed into a purse.
Magnet made from repurposed watch face.
Picture frame made with repurposed barn wood.
Drinking glass made of repurposed vodka bottle.
Happy Friday!
| Apr 16 at 07:00 AM
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Repurposing wine bottle paraphernalia
Who knew there could be so many productive projects that come from drinking wine? Corks were the subject of Monday's post, and today we'll focus on a different part of the packing: wine crates.
Readymade takes us into the kitchen of a couple in Barcelona who built their cabinet doors using wine crates.
The couple basically dismantled the crates and used the best boards as the facing of the drawers and cabinets. All those interesting logos and textures and colors create a truly original space -- like nothing I've ever seen.
Shelving is another great way to use the crates, just as they are, without doing much more work to them, other than fun embellishments like wallpapering the back. Here's Designsponge's take on that.
Here's the top of a coffee table:
A variation on that, here's an excellent step-by-step tutorial on how to build a kitchen island or bar using the crates.
And another use in the bathroom (originally from Real Simple).
And as a parting shot, back to corks for a moment. Reader Mike Farruggia sent me the below image of a 23-foot by 23-foot ceiling he covered for Cakebread Winery in San Francisco using -- count 'em -- 40,000 corks. Awesome!
Mike Farruggia
| Apr 15 at 09:47 AM
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
What did you buy today?
I spend a fair amount of time and space on this blog fetishizing objects I'd love to possess. I don't buy any of them (or at least many of them), but I fully realize I'm feeding the consumption machine. I'm drawn to beautiful things, as most people are, and I make a note to myself every time I succumb to a purchase made based on want rather than need.
Kate Bingaman Burt has been keeping track of every one of her purchases since February of 2006 -- whether it's coffee, a pack of gum, or a pair of designer shoes -- by drawing them. Her book, Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today? was published this month by Princeton Architectural Press, and shows all the random items she paid for: everything from clothes to light switch covers.
I love the premise of this book not only because of the fun illustrations (Kate also draws for the New York Times, ReadyMade, Ideo, Newsweek, and many more clients), but because it calls to attention how quickly our piles of things add up. How much DO we buy on a daily basis? If economists judge the health of the country's economy based on retail sales, should we use the same assessment for our own purchases? The book makes no judgment either way -- she simply notes her own purchasing habits. And for full disclosure, her website very clearly tags her wares for sale under the "Consume!" link.
If you choose not to purchase the book, you can follow Kate's daily purchases on her blog.
| Apr 14 at 10:23 AM
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Local talent: Katherine J. Lee
Always on the hunt for talented makers in the vicinity, I'm happy to have found Katherine J. Lee, the purveyor of an organic line of bed and table linens called Playing from Home that were inspired from her original illustrations.
I like the bright colors, the simple patterns, and the airiness of the designs. Kids could appreciate them as much as grownups.
Check out the goods:
Forest and trees pillow cover, inspired by Northern California's redwood trees.
Party-flag pillow covers.
Citrus blossom napkins.
Little pig napkins.
| Apr 13 at 09:18 AM
Monday, April 12, 2010
Cool cork projects
A reader recently asked me to help him find fun cork projects to reuse his collection of 2,000 corks -- other than the expected trivets, corkboards, and wreaths. Happy to oblige, Dave.
From architect Michelle Kaufmann, a mud mat:
A much more intensive project, but if you've got the time and inclination, you can cut the cork into "pennyrounds."
Use it as backsplash or flooring, as done here on Modwalls. (These pennyrounds are sold in sheets, like tiles.)
A Portuguese homeowner covered an entire house facade with the spongy stuff.
This Old House came up with 10 great uses for wine corks, including using it as mulch, keeping artwork even, quieting your cabinets, and making a doorstop.
Got any clever wine cork project ideas? Send them my way.
| Apr 12 at 07:00 AM
Friday, April 09, 2010
Friday Finds on Etsy
If you haven't seen it yet, Picclick is an extremeley useful tool to help you search through Etsy. The site corrals all the sundry products on Etsy and allows you to see a screenfull at a time. What a revelation!
A few things that caught my eye this week:
Tree trunk side table.
Vintage corning thermos.
Set of pretty bowls.
Colorful sugar bowl.
The perfect pitcher.
Beautiful stock pot.
Happy Friday!
| Apr 09 at 10:05 AM
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Brook Farm General Store
My quest to find the quality housewares and interesting pieces from all over the world has led me to Brookfarm General Store, located in hipper-than-thou Williamsburg in Brooklyn. But just because I don't live there doesn't mean I can't have access to the goods.
It's not that they carry anything remarkable -- I can probably find similar items at my local Target. But they've gone out of their way to find the most unique and high-quality pieces that have both everyday utility and a high cool factor.
Case in point...
The wire magazine rack:
French kitchen knives:
Pure linen kitchen towels:
Mini lunchboxes:
Wooden iPhone case:
I can go on and on... come to think of it, maybe it's best that the store is not located so close to me.
| Apr 08 at 07:00 AM
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Photojojo's projects
If you haven't heard about it yet, Photojojo is a wonderful resource for photography buffs.
You can learn how to make an easy lens cap keeper...
Keep track of all your friends on Flickr...
Add drama with (very carefully placed) water drops on your lens...
And a million other photo project ideas.
One of my favorite list is gift ideas for Mother's Day (coming up!), such as making a frame out of a board game (below), making a camera case for your mom, or photographing your family.
As with most great blogs, one link leads to many more excellent links.
| Apr 07 at 07:00 AM
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Bright, warm modern home
Last June, I talked to Linda and Max Geiser of Wallter/Fold Bedding about their line of products.
I knew their taste in home decor would be as impeccable as the products they design, so I asked them for some images of their East Bay home a couple of months ago. (Some of these appeared on DesignSponge recently). Just as I expected, the home is warm, bright, and filled with classic pieces that look grownup but can be integrated with their young family's lifestyle.
But the house didn't come this clean and polished. The couple invested an infinite amount of sweat equity to bring it to this level of sophistication. Here, we'll compare some before and after images to see the difference between its original state and its current transformation.
Below: The living room and dining room, in desperate need of repair.
Max Geiser
Now: A new paint job, hardwood floors, and quality furnishings. The sofa and chair are from Walter Knoll. The prints on the wall are from Bay Area graphic artist David Lance Goines. The lamps are from Alex Marshall Studios.
Max Geiser
Below: The kitchen in its original state.
Max Geiser
Max Geiser
Now: Same general layout, but brightened and modernized. This side of the kitchen is all new. Max built the cabinet above the stove. It holds everyday dishes and mix of vintage enamel and newer pieces by their friends at Kiln Enamel. The white mushroom bowl in the center was Linda's mom's, the catalyst to the collection.
Max Geiser
Max Geiser
And a look at the remainder of the transformation. Below: Original fireplace that doesn't work provides a great backdrop for floor cushions.
Max Geiser
Below: Vintage ceramics that Linda inherited from her mother are alongside the Alex Marshall Ripple vase. The cabinet is vintage George Nelson from Herman Miller. Linda sewed the linen curtains throughout the house.
Max Geiser
Below: The Saarinen table was found by the side of the road in LA and given to Max by a friend, surrounded by indestructible aluminum chairs by Emeco, standard issue with 2 kids.
Max Geiser
Below: An inventive way to accommodate the kids in one room: Max built a loft bed into the existing closet space for both kids to sleep in. The rest of the room is their play space.
Max Geiser
| Apr 06 at 10:35 AM
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