The Latest: Apr 15, 2011

When my friend Rachel was given this chair — a secondhand hand-me-down from her sister — she was able to look past the ratty old upholstery and worn frame and see its true potential. With a little paint and new upholstery, the chair looks brand new.Says Rachel of the chair makeover: “I got this chair as a secondhand hand-me-down. My sister gave it to me after she had been given it from her older, quirky neighbor who she calls “Mr.

Of course safety comes first, but if you can combine safety with style, all the better. Lindsay wrote us to share a terrific solution her friend, Kate, Stone, came up with to keep her toddler out of the fireplace while adding to the decor instead of subtracting from it.A magnetic chalkboard – nice!! It’s not only leaps and bounds more attractive, but its become a functional playspace. See Kate’s toddler in action using it on Lindsay’s blog, Pink Green & Zebra.

We know there are plenty of good-looking hampers available for sale, but some of them have not so good-looking price tags. And, come on, it’s going to have my son’s dirty socks in it. Couldn’t I just figure out a way to jazz up his old plastic hamper?Sure! I love a challenge, and this is what I came up with. Silver spray paint (with a coat of plastic primer first) and a simple orange drawstring bag.