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The Latest: Jun 2011

Welcome to the hub for accessing all our latest posts! Easily sort through content by date to quickly find what you’re looking for — you’ll never miss out on the latest updates here.
Paul’s Mid-Century Modern Design Developed Over Time
Name: Paul Location: San Luis Obispo, California Size: 1,800 square feet (house) and 325 square feet (guest house) Years lived in: 49 years Paul’s home is filled with many classic MCM furniture pieces — such as the Eames lounge, Eames rocker, Eero Saarinen’s tulip chair and the Bertoia wire chair — which is mixed in with a great selection of modern art.
Marcia Prentice
Jun 30, 2011
Before & After: DIY White Kitchen Makeover
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) This is a great kitchen makeover. Using budget items from IKEA, repurposed materials and creatively placed chalkboard paint, this kitchen was completely transformed without ripping the cabinetry out. You don’t want to miss this one! • Read the full post at Re-Nest
Faith Durand
Jun 30, 2011
Haley & Ted’s Bright White Cottage
Name: Haley and Ted, + their dog RupertLocation: Summerland, California (a little coastal town just a few miles south of Santa Barbara)Size: 950 square feetYears lived in: About 1 year — rent Haley and Ted live in one of those idyllic, adorable bright cottages with a traditional porch that face the coast of a sleepy beach town. Nestled in between some of the best wineries and vintage shops, their three bedroom home presents a wonderful palette of textiles and colors.
Bethany Nauert
Jun 29, 2011
Before & After: Terri’s Battered to Beautiful Chairs
Sometimes I think that, with the power of paint and elbow grease, there’s never a need to buy anything new again. And seeing a before and after like this one just lends support to that theory. That something so old and battered can be freshened up to look so beautiful gives me hope that there’s plenty of life left in a lot of old things (myself included).When Terri, over at Crafty Workin Mommy, brought these two chairs home from a garage sale, her husband thought she was crazy.
Jason Loper
Jun 27, 2011
Summer Blockbuster: Building A Backyard Movie Theatre
Summer is finally here and it’s time to rally up friends, head outside, and enjoy every last minute of it. What better way to relish a perfect warm weathered evening than to gather some comfy chairs and blankets, snacks, and a flick for an impromptu backyard movie night?Now, the quality of this DIY depends on how much effort and money you want to put into it. So here’s what you will need to get started.1.
Alysha Findley
Jun 27, 2011
“A White Kitchen is Timeless”
White kitchens are trendy? I always assumed a basic white kitchen was a classic and timeless choice, not a trendy one. Happily, the wonderful Barbara Sallick, Founder of Waterworks and true visionary of design, seems to agree with me. “A white kitchen is timeless,” she said during our phone interview last week. • Read the
Faith Durand
Jun 27, 2011
10 Delicious Uses for Ripe Bananas
Carrie McBride
Jun 24, 2011
They Actually Exist! Truly Comfortable Sleeper Sofas
Bigfoot. The Loch Ness Monster. Chupacabra. While these creatures have long been rumored to exist, we don’t have any hard evidence that they are actually out there. Another elusive near-mythical entity is a sleeper sofa bed that is actually comfortable to sleep on. Amazingly, in this case, our readers have reported not only having seen them but capturing them and living with them in their very own homes!
Janel Laban
Jun 23, 2011
Christina & Corey’s Crafty Take on a Courtyard Apartment
Name: Christina and CoreyLocation: Santa Monica, California Size: 580 square feet (1 bedroom + 1 bath)Years lived in: 9 months — rent Christina and her boyfriend Corey live in a modern updated retro building within a classic Southern California courtyard setting. Together they have created a crafty modern home and a double office in the wide space of their living room. While their decor is contemporary, the charm lies in the vintage touches of the original design.
Bethany Nauert
Jun 22, 2011
Before & After: Paint Transforms a Vintage Dresser
Though painted furniture isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it is makeovers like this that demonstrate why this technique is so popular. This yard sale find with fabulous curves was transformed with a little elbow grease, some leftover paint, and a mix of old and new hardware.We have written about Sarah’s magic touch wth paint before (Sarah’s Delightful Dresser Redo); now we’re starting to wonder how she has so much luck finding dressers with such appealing lines.
Colleen Quinn
Jun 22, 2011
A Pretty Retro-esque Play Kitchen
Our love for play kitchen knows no end and this home brew version is no exception. Made with love and painted with care, this space is perfect for cooking up whatever their heart desires and is designed around a rather common room feature. • Read the full post at Ohdeedoh
Faith Durand
Jun 22, 2011
The Las Vegas Home of MadeByGirl’s Jen Ramos
Name: Jen Ramos Location: Henderson, Nevada Size: 2,800 square feet Years lived in: 8 months At the end of last year, Jen started the process of remodeling her kitchen. She posted a few inspirational photos and a photo of her kitchen on her design blog, Made By Girl. I was so excited to see the transformation that I kept checking in and waiting to see the final result of her new kitchen. Jen gave me a peek at the rest of her house and I couldn’t resist a full house tour.
Marcia Prentice
Jun 17, 2011
Renovation Inspiration: 10 Kitchen Designers to Bookmark
When you’re planning a renovation, who better to look to for inspiration than professional architects and designers? Even if you’re planning to do the job yourself, you can find countless good ideas just by clicking through portfolios online. • Read the full post at Apartment Therapy
Faith Durand
Jun 17, 2011
Trent’s Relaxing, Beach-like Retreat
Name: Designer Trent HultgrenLocation: South — Austin, TexasSize: 623 square feet Years lived in: renting, 3 weeks We don’t think we’ve ever seen better evidence that you can design a small home affordably, beautifully and stylishly than with the Austin apartment of designer, Los Angeles transplant and former HGTV star Trent Hultgren.
Adrienne Breaux
Jun 16, 2011
How To: Cut & Install FLOR Carpet Tiles
After years of perusing FLOR’s catalog and website, I finally bit the bullet and ordered the carpet tiles for my entryway and kitchen. The Problem: I have gone through about five different rugs in my entryway. With one pitiful rug pad and two overly-welcoming dogs that rush the front door every time they hear a noise — I was forever straightening, fixing and flattening the front rug.
Kimber Watson
Jun 16, 2011
A DIY Freestanding Vertical Garden
If you ever thought you didn’t have enough space for plants, or enough money for a vertical garden, think again. Lifestyle blog, A Kate Offering, recently built their very own freestanding vegetable vertical garden — and for just 4-inches of depth and a few feet of length, they now have a ‘wall’ that grows plants,
Faith Durand
Jun 16, 2011
The Best Sofa Frame Construction: Kiln Dried vs. Engineered Wood
Buying a new sofa can be intimidating. It seems there are endless questions about the finer details that will determine if your couch will stand the test of time. We’ve tried to shed a little bit of light on one of the most important questions: should you look for a kiln-dried hardwood or engineered wood frame?Kiln-dried hardwood is typically considered top-of-the-line, and has been a long-standing selection in durable sofas.
Jessica Tata
Jun 15, 2011
Vicente Wolf Takes It Over the Top at Union Square
Standing at the Union Square farmers’ market, the cast iron arches of the former headquarters of Tiffany and Company always made me swoon. This week, I had the pleasure of viewing them from the inside out. The 19th century manufacturing, office and showroom space has been transformed into a monument to large-scale living. The 16-foot ceilings are enough to stop one dead in their tracks.Vicente Wolf thoroughly assumed his role as designer for the 36-unit building.
Jill Slater
Jun 15, 2011
Joanna & Gerry Collectively Maximize Their Small Space
Name: Joanna and Gerry Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1.5 bedrooms (small!) Years rented : Joanna – 8 or so / Gerry – 4 Gerry and Joanna have an affinity for collecting rare oddities. They have resourcefully made the most of their small living space by repurposing furniture and by taking advantage of their tall ceilings to display and store their most loved collections.
Beth Bates
Jun 14, 2011
10 Gorgeous Glass Beverage Dispensers
There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a glass of lemonade or iced tea — or even better, an arnold palmer! If you’re having friends over or are planning a long day outside, there’s no better way to serve icy cold drinks than with a beverage dispenser. Here are a few of our
Faith Durand
Jun 10, 2011
The Stathoulis’ Mid-Wilshire Wonder
Name: Alexis, George, Eva (5), Theo (2), and Xander (2 months) Location: Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 2,500 square feetYears lived in: 3 years — owned The Stathoulis home makes everyone who enters it feel transported. It feels as if the air is fresher, the food richer, and the light is…Mediterranean? When I first visited this gem of a home I didn’t pick up on it right away.
Gregory Sparks
Jun 8, 2011
Before & After: Jason’s Beautiful Bathroom Remodel
The red and white tile, the white laminate vanity, the past-its-prime bathtub and tile… this bathroom needs an update. Enter designer Jason Wong to save the day!That after photo is totally inspiring, right? As if replacing the vanity and sink weren’t improvement enough, adding the window to that area really opens up the space (and adds some very appreciated sunlight where it’s needed most – at the mirror).
Jason Loper
Jun 8, 2011
Chancie & Dan’s Mt. Washington Oasis
Name: Chancie, Dan, and Clark Meehan Location: Mt. Washington — Los AngelesSize: 2,000 square feetYears lived in: 9 — owned Chancie and Dan have worked hard to update and expand their tiny hillside starter home and the result of their efforts is a surprisingly harmonious mix of modern, traditional, rustic, and quirky — a combination that aptly reflects the home’s inhabitants and its setting.
Sarah Rainwater
Jun 7, 2011
Gus’s Modern Nursery on a Budget
Name: GusAge: Still cookin’, expected July 2011Location: Minneapolis, MNRoom Size: 110 sq. feet After seeing Alison and Jeff’s house tour and the playroom they created for their son, Finn, we were thrilled to finally see the big reveal for the nursery Alison created for their new baby (due in July!).
Katie Steuernagle
Jun 7, 2011
Before & After: Tiffany’s Auto Shopped Chair
When Tiffany found this chair she was immediately in love. What she didn’t love was the scratchy, ripped fabric covering it. As we all know, DIY upholstery projects can be daunting so Tiffany decided to leave the recovering to the professionals. To the auto body professionals, that is.Upon the recommendation from a friend, Tiffany, from the blog Living Green with Glamour, decided to take her old chair to a local auto repair shop to have it reupholstered.
Jason Loper
Jun 6, 2011
Best Outdoor Fire Pits & Fireplaces: 10 Sources
If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, an outdoor fireplace is a great investment for entertaining. Think s’mores, hot dog roasts, or even just cool nights spent gathered around the fire. Fire pits generally come in three main types: wood burning (the most popular and usually the least expensive), gas/propane (a less smokey option that’s pricier), and gel or ethanol (which creates a smokeless, odorless flame).
Sarah Coffey
Jun 6, 2011
Ave’s Neutral + Coral Nursery
Name: Ave RoseAge: 5 monthsLocation: Santa Monica, CARoom Size: 12′ x 9 1/2′ Leah took a different approach when designing her daughter Ave’s nursery. She designed the space to easily transition into Ave’s toddler years. Leah also wanted to create a nursery that was minimalist and very organized. It is a small space, so it can easily get cluttered.Working on a tight budget, Leah had to make compromises and get creative to make the most out of the design.
Marcia Prentice
Jun 3, 2011
Ikea Gorm Makeover
Ikea markets the Gorm shelf as lowly secondary shelving for the pantry or garage. Well, take a look at this makeover, Ikea. We think this transformed Gorm belongs in the living room, office, or even a lucky kid’s room.After!Shauntelle from A Beautiful Abode snagged a $15 Gorm off Craigslist and with some silver spray paint, wood stain, and some boards, turned it into this amazing industrial chic shelf.
Katie Steuernagle
Jun 2, 2011
Why You Should Make Your Coffee at Home
One of the main reasons why we completely stopped buying coffees at coffee shops is basic economics. Buying a cup/mug or two a day adds up to a lot of money over a year. In fact, you’d probably be surprised to learn that the Starbucks coffee you love so much could end up costing you
Faith Durand
Jun 2, 2011
On Making Chive Flower Vinegar
Chive flowers, those pretty purple poufs, are high up on my list of edible-flower-favorites. I like tossing them into salads for a burst of color or as a special grilled cheese insert, but it wasn’t until last year that a neighbor tipped me off to their merits as an infusing agent. The results? Beautiful and
Faith Durand
Jun 1, 2011