Today's My Favorite Thing comes from Jeff Katzman. More

Jenny Komenda of Little Green Notebook consistently executes beautiful DIY projects with precision and flair. Most recently, she and her family used Ikea's Billy bookshelves in combination with lumber, mouldings, and spray paint to create a custom look at a non-custom cost. More

This is a pearl of wisdom that I received years ago and wanted to bring back right now. When in need of a really simple, nice, natural material desk, use IKEA butcherblock countertop (which is cuttable, sandable, stainable and paintable) and some cool legs (like the Vika Inge style seen here, which has been replaced with Vika Runtorp). I've been building them in all of our offices and for clients, and I thought they'd be great to bring back out during our January CURE as folks dig into their homes and make them better than ever. More

Play stores are great, but often not practical if you live in a small home. Jill devised a small, but no less fun, version of a play store for her daughters this Christmas. She started with a wood flower box and ended up with… More

Last night fans from coast to coast toasted the return of their favorite Downton Abbey characters. We'd like you to actually get a taste of Downton for this week's 10-Minute Happy Hour.

• The Bittersweet Mr. Bates
  The Kitchn

Upgrading an old CRT television to a modern flat screen is a costly endeavor in itself, and it gets even more expensive when you consider some of the hidden costs of upgrading. For instance, if your old tube TV fit snug in a TV cabinet, you'll need to find a new furniture home for the likely larger new screen. Or, you could take a cue from this no-cost DIY project and transform an old TV armoire into something new. More

Blocks are often the most simplistic children's toy in your home and not only do they captivate and provide hours of imaginative and open play, they are easy on the eyes and ears of parents as well. While available for purchase at many stores, you can also create them yourself from 2x4 scrapes you probably have in your garage with just a chop saw and some sand paper. But did you ever think to add an additional step by making your wooden blocks into a canvas? More

I love IKEA butcher block countertops. They're so versatile, so beautiful, and so inexpensive — so what if they also tend to be a little lacking in a certain flair? Here's an idea: make this one-size-fits-all kitchen staple into a one-of-a-kind unique surface with just a few tools and a little bit of know-how. More

What's a parent to do when an existing platform bed is too attractive to the younger members of the family, who view it as "their own personal jungle gym"? If you're creative and handy with power tools, the solution is obvious — build a new custom bed for the master bedroom and give it a vintage look by artificially weathering the wood. More

What happens when crafty bloggy types post appeals for design help on Facebook? Their friends chime in with great suggestions, and when their friends are Ana White, they whip up plans for a fun and functional DIY project. More