(Welcome to Sarah, one of the finalists for a contributor position here at AT:Chicago. Comment away!)
Design is art that people use.
Ellen Lupton, from the introduction to her book D.I.Y. Design
The best DIY projects utilize well-designed objects that anyone can recreate and adapt for their own use. One flexible (and good-looking) tool on hand for do-it-yourselfers is the printer-friendly round label.
Available in a full spectrum of colors (like the sherbet-colored “Poppy” shown above), the labels work with templates that can be downloaded from the Web or easily created in MS Word. Use them to organize in style, dress up letters, make adhesive monograms, or stick them back-to-back on a grosgrain ribbon to make a mod garland. Packs of 60 are available for $5.20 at Paper Source.
I like that cabinet photo, although a wider shot might have done it a bit more justice. The lamp = pretty cute. The mirror photo is really distracting but I finally got it (once I let my eyes relax, like on one of those magic eye posters). The still-life is good.
Nice illustration of everyday DIY - would like to see more thought go into the pics though.
view jessica's profile
i love this idea- great comibnation of extremely affordable and high concept. it's amazing that you can pull off a liam-gillick inspired theme for less than $10. this is why i love diy.
great pics too!
view gustavsteim's profile
the cabinet idea is awesome. any idea on how tough are they to cleaning, and to remove? these are the exact cabinets we have.
view olya's profile
What a great combination of decor, functionality, and thrift! They look nice on the cabinet and lamp. I could see someone with lovely handwriting personalizing a kitchen with these labels - perhaps an alternative to labeling on chalkboard paint?
view Greenbean's profile
Olya—thanks for the comment! The labels are paper and easy to remove, just like regular labels. If you stick them to a painted surface, there's a chance they could take some paint with them when you peel them off, but they should work fine on unpainted wood, mdf, etc. The problem is that they aren't so permanent unless you coat them with a finish. I have tried clear acrylic matte varnish (available at most art supply stores), which works pretty well. Brush the acrylic varnish on a sheet of labels and lay flat to dry. The varnish is fast-drying (less than an hour), then just peel and stick onto the cabinets. The varnished labels will last and you can wipe them down just as you would clean your countertops.
view sarah c's profile
clever, clever..
wish i would've seen this in time for mother's day!
view thea's profile
Those look great as jar labels.
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
I love this idea. I think those might be the same cabinets that I find so irritating in my own rental kitchen. I am so doing this.
view serao's profile