Author Archive
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating on
12 May 2010, with 7 comments so far.
Each time I visit the MoMA Design Store, I’m always taken by these Spectrum Mobiles by Swiss designers Brigitta and Benedikt Martig-Imhof. And every time I say, “Someday, I’m gonna make something like that.” And someday, I will. But, Jordan Ferney has beat me to it, and shares a great how-to ’bout how she whipped ‘em up!
Her design uses 1″ vellum strips which she feeds through a sewing machine, leaving an inch of thread in between each.
Follow this link for the whole tute: DIY: Modern Colorful Mobiles
[via Creature Comforts)
Tags: Color, diy, How-To, mobile, moma, paper
Posted in Decorating | 7 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Places on
6 May 2010, with no comments so far.
Gary Chang has truly created the world’s most space-efficient home. Though it boasts a meager 344 square-foot footprint, its unique series of sliding walls allows the Hong Kong-based architect to create 24 different living combinations.
The framework of this truly unique space, affectionately dubbed the “Domestransformer,” has been in Chang’s family since for more than thirty years, when he moved there with his family at fourteen. Now, the apartment contains one main room, awash in warm, yellow-tinted natural light, that utilizes a briefcase-like moving wall system that slides away to reveal the kitchen, linen closets, media storage, a large soaking tub, and a guest bedroom.
The above stills of Mr. Chang’s space are helpful, but to get the full experience, watch the video below from ‘The World’s Greenest Homes”
Read more at Unclutter, “An Efficiency Becomes Efficient” and “Incredibly Efficient Effieciency.”
[Photos by Marcel Lam for the New York Times]
Tags: apartment, eco, efficient, gary chang, green, hong kong, small, small spaces, space, studio apartment
Posted in Places | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Furniture on
3 May 2010, with no comments so far.
The shipping pallet furniture move is no stranger to ReadyMade: the magazine has featured how-tos to make a picnic basket, a bed, heck, even a whole house!
So these handpainted pallet coffee tables by French collective Doobi are right at home. Sure, they aren’t entirely unique, but they’re plenty beautiful, and easily DIYable? Though Doobi doesn’t provide specific step-by-step instructions, but I imagine their process is pretty clear: grab a pallet, sand it, paint it, add some casters.
Doobi’s only apparent web presence is their Facebook group, which you can join to stay on top of their latest projects.
***The fine artists of Doobi emailed us to let us know they have a blog at http://doobi.over-blog.com/. Check it out!
[Pallet Coffee Tables (custom): Recyclart, via Make]
Tags: coffee, painted, pallet, shipping, table
Posted in Furniture | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to How-To on
27 April 2010, with 2 comments so far.
Nerissa Goco and Peter Hoang are a creative couple in Vancouver, BC, who detail their “adventures in domestic living 2.0″ on their home blog, The New Domestic. They share everything from pictures of their daughter Luna to some very fine DIY projects, including this clever garden-clipping centerpiece project. Having found some vintage-looking pill bottles among the test tubes and petri-dishes at an art supply store, they went outside and immediately began finding stuff with which to stuff ‘em.
“They were a steal at 35¢ a piece. The only catch is that vessels this small, even when filled with water, are really light. They’ll topple over if the clippings they hold aren’t as light as a feather. Pictured from left to right are: (1) a sprig of mint, (2) buds from an unknown shrub, (3) bamboo leaves, (4) chive flower, (5) berries from an unknown shrub.”
Any help identifying the unknown foliage?
[The New Domestic: Glass Pill Bottle Mini-Centerpiece]
Tags: bouquet, centerpiece, dining, diy, flowers, plants
Posted in How-To | 2 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating on
23 April 2010, with 2 comments so far.
I know, I know, “alternative” is a terrible word to describe these creative takes on the throw pillow. But, you must admit, their intent is to do the opposite of most pillows, which is (1) provide comfort or (2) blend in and support a color scheme. I’m sure they’re plenty comfortable (they better be, as I just ordered eleven of ‘em), but blend in? No, ma’am. These dudes are tone-setters in every way.
Hometone.org has assembled a very fine collection. Some highlights:
Adobe CS App Pillows , $15 each from My Suite Stuff
CMYK Low-Ink Pillows by Thomas Dabner, €19.99 each at Envelop.Eu
D*Light Huggable Pillows by Diana Lin, $180 each
[See all 35 at Hometone.org]
Tags: adobe, adobe cs, CMYK, computer, decor, photoshop, pillow, pillows, round-up
Posted in Decorating | 2 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Kitchen and Organizing and Storage on
13 April 2010, with 4 comments so far.
Once the kitchen cabinets are full and the countertops cluttered, where else is there to go but up?
Tight on space and budget, an unnamed IKEAHacker created this spirit-and-glassware storage center from IKEA’s ASKER dish drying racks, hung on an ASKER rail, with a few wine glass racks suspended below.
“Constrained for space and renting (so not wanting to make big holes in the wall) I decided to hang everything I could in the kitchen. This included hanging pots and pans over the entrance to the kitchen (careful to hang the small ones over the passage to permit passage for up to 6′3″), and the Asker suspended liquor bar hack.”
[Asker Liquor Bar Hack at IKEA Hacker]
Tags: bar, glasses, hacks, How-To, ikea, Kitchen, liquor, rack, smallspaces, wine
Posted in Kitchen, Organizing, Storage | 4 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Gardening on
9 April 2010, with no comments so far.
Last week, the New York Times’ Michael Tortorello explored a few new models of indoor container gardens, which allow for those without any outdoor green space, or even choice windows, to produce their own herbs and greens at home. Tortorello points out though some traditionalists argue that real gardening can only occur outdoors,
“the American consumer seems to think otherwise. According to Bruce Butterfield, research director at the National Gardening Association, container gardening is roughly a billion-dollar-a-year retail business. And he said about half the country’s home food growers — that is, 18 million households — do at least some gardening in containers.
After several years of steady growth, container sales climbed 25 percent last year at Gardener’s Supply Company, a mail-order business with a store in Burlington, Vt., said Maree Gaetani, the company’s spokeswoman. That’s “mostly owing to the increase in vegetable gardening and people’s desire to grow anywhere they can,” she said.”
The most exciting items in the summary seem to be the Herb Grow Bag, a shoebox sized polypropylene sack that’s designed to be paired up with a friend and fit inside a Self-Watering Tray, allowing them to suck up water through the bottom.
Have a peek at rest of the article to see more indoor gardening options, like the MyGreens Light Garden:
[Read More: In the Garden: Container Gardens Get Spring Started Indoors. Images: New York Times]
Tags: container, Gardening, herbs, Kitchen
Posted in Gardening | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating on
8 April 2010, with no comments so far.
Custom curtains can be both functional and beautiful—they can let sunlight in or keep it out at will, and add lots of color and impact to your decor. But custom, professionally-made curtains aren’t always in the budget. Sure, you could grab some fun fabric and whip out your sewing machine and start measuring, but I’m thinking this stenciled window shade from Southern Living has a lot of potential.
“Stencils have come a long way; today’s options are sophisticated, easy to use, and offer you endless design possibilities. Combine your favorite pattern and paint color for a shade that makes a personal statement in a bedroom, bath, home office, or anywhere you want to add privacy. Completing your project is easy once you prep your shade and get the hang of applying the paint. Don’t worry about achieving perfection. If you’ve never stenciled before, try a few practice designs on poster board. Hang your finished shade alone for a clean, tailored look, or layer it with simple curtains for softness.”
I don’t find much inspiration in the gold, Celtic-ish pattern in the how-to, but as SL points out, there are “endless design possibilities.” Plus, a vinyl shade’s slick surface makes it easy to create your own stencils and print on cardstock or acetate for complete control.
[Done in a Day: Stenciled Window Shade, at Southern Living]
Tags: pattern, shade, stencil, window, window treatment
Posted in Decorating | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to office on
5 April 2010, with 7 comments so far.
The idea of “workplace” has undergone a revolution. Cubicles and water coolers and commutes have given way to coffee shops, bicycles, and the home office. For many, the home office is simply a laptop on the kitchen counter, with a few pencils and a pair of scissors in a junk drawer. Others have entire basements or converted garages, spun to the nines with seats for meeting with partners or clients, multiple computers, and enough storage for days.
In the middle is the closet office—that special nook that holds your necessities, separates your work from your home life, and does everything it can to keep your organized and productive.
(more…)
Tags: closet, freelance, home, home office, office, small spaces
Posted in office | 7 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Gardening and How-To on
1 April 2010, with no comments so far.
Depending on where you live, you may have already said goodbye to your final frost, it may be coming up in the next few weeks, or you might simply be scratching your head saying “what’s a final frost?” Well, regardless of when you can actually plant your veggies, mid-to-late march is seed starting time. Do it now so that whenever the final-frost date arrives, there’s something you can actually put in the ground.
A quick search engine-ing of “seeding starting” will turn up trillions of articles from the deep recesses of the internet suggesting purchasing special trays, toilet paper rolls, using egg cartons , or ACTUAL eggs, but this year, I’m going with Ashley English’s instructions for Design*Sponge. They’re well-documented, well-photographed, use recycled materials, and can be applied to small or large scale projects. She covers the basics from choosing seeds and soil types, to creating the best possible growing conditions (light, humidity, water), and provides a great how-to for creating biodegradable pots from black and white newspaper.
And if you laze out and just read the intro and look at the pictures, you’ll miss this great link for fashioning a seed starting unit out of an IKEA shelf, which looks like it works perfectly as is, or could be adapted to make perfect sense in your space.
[Small Measures with Ashley: Starting Seeds Indoors]
Tags: frost, garden, Gardening, newspaper, pots, seed starting, seeds
Posted in Gardening, How-To | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to How-To and Lighting on
25 March 2010, with no comments so far.
The MoMA store sells these wine glass lampshades by DeKoop, which, with the help of a tealight or votive candle, turn your stash of wine glasses into luminaria for your tablescape. They’re totally sweet, but ReadyMakers never buy what we can make, and these? These we can make.
Save-On-Crafts provides everything you need, including a materials list, a pattern, and step-by-step instructions. Try making a few for your soon-to-be-here warm weather barbecues or whip them up en masse for a DIY wedding.
How to Make Wine Glass Candle Lamps [via CasaSugar]
Posted in How-To, Lighting | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Color and Decorating and How-To on
23 March 2010, with no comments so far.
It’s amazing, really. A twenty-five dollar can of paint can have the biggest of impacts, often more than that perfect sofa you just dropped $3,000 on. (Don’t worry, it’s still a sweet sofa). And unless your ceilings are forty feet tall, a perfect paint job is completely within the reach of the average DIYer.
Look, I’m sure you’ve already seen hundreds of wonderful painting tutorials on the internet, but they were usually written circa 1996, and the websites on which they’re hosted haven’t been updated since. Thankfully, Nicole from Pink Loves Brown offers a fresh, updated, and completely thorough guide to flawless painting on her home blog, Making It Lovely.
From prep work and tools to paint selection and techniques, Nicole includes every tip I’ve heard of, and many I haven’t. See them all at Making It Lovely.
Posted in Color, Decorating, How-To | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating and Gardening on
17 March 2010, with 4 comments so far.
Air plants, aka bromeliad tillandsia, are epiphytes, which means they don’t need soil, because they absorb water and nutrients through their leaves. A ten-minute soak in water once a week is all these little guys need to stay green and spiky.
Which means you’re no longer tethered to bulky, soil-filled containers when getting your greenery up in the air. Modish offers a sweet how-to for making an air plant chandelier using glass votive globes and linen thread. As project author Renee Garner explains,
“Sprung from a train of thought somewhere between John Giacomazzi’s chandelier and the numerous terrariums all over the web, I was inspired to create a simple chandelier of air plants for Mabel’s room…Give them a good shake after watering so the water doesn’t settle in around the base of the leaves; the collected water will cause rotting. Semi-monthly fertilizing is also recommended for making baby plants and for flowering. After the soak, I just use the water on the other houseplants and no one feels left out. See more great tips for caring for them here.”
Oh, imagine the possibilities. Nature is a wonderful thing.
DIY Air Plant Chandelier
Tags: air, How-To, plants, terrarium
Posted in Decorating, Gardening | 4 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating on
15 March 2010, with 1 comment so far.
Wallpaper has made a serious comeback over the last few years. Prints from artists like Julia Rothman and Orla Kiely are abundant in the most contemporary of homes, eliminating the need for framed art by turning the whole wall into a bold, graphic print.
But those of us who rent, are on a budget, or have a significantly small space need an inexpensive, non-permanent solution to add a punch of pattern.
Misty Adair came up with this sweet method to make DIY wallpaper decals, which are endlessly customizable to match your style, and can be easily removed. And if you’re able to get your hands on a free wallpaper sample book, it’s essentially a no-cost solution.
Materials
Wallpaper remnants or free sample books
Templates
Pencil and/or Sharpie
Exacto knife and cutting board
Scissors
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
Foam brush and small container
Dry soft cloth
See the full how-to at How To Make Wallpaper Decals on Home Hacks
Posted in Decorating | 1 Comment »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating on
8 March 2010, with 2 comments so far.
It’s amazing how, in any given room, plenty of money is sunk into the little things. Sure, your sofa or dining table may be the most expensive home decor item you own, but that $20.00 can of paint totally sets the space apart. And properly arranging a room doesn’t cost anything. ‘Cause inexpensive items, techniques, textures, etc, can actually make a huge difference. Here are five DIY wall art projects that don’t require much cash or work, and can totally transform your space.
(Okay…that sounded a little too HGTV television host-ish, but still, these projects are pretty cool.)
1. CD Case Wall Art – Photojojo via Country Living. Haven’t taken the plunge and tossed out all your CD jewel cases, even though your catalog is on your iPod? Great! Upcycle them into this geometric mural. Just grab a high resolution photo, size it to the included dimensions, chop it up, print it out, insert, and hang…just be sure to use a level. 
2. Paper Silhouette Art – Time Out New York. This one’s super fun, cause you can customize your silhouettes to 1) show off your friends and 2) to match your space: serious, playful, nostalgic, artsy, lascivious, you name it. Just cut out the figures, trace them onto black paper, and hang them in spraypainted black frames in a clever, dynamic arrangement.
3. Easy Photo Wall on Shoestring…er, Wire Budget – Curbly.com. This project is perfect if have a set of particularly good looking friends (which you do, of course), or are a photographer that actually knows what she’s doing. For a half day of work and around $60, its perpetually adaptable and easy to change…for when you meet even better looking people, or become one of those photographers.
4. Wall Circles – Mid-Century-Modern.net. The inner circle of an embroidery hoop + spray paint = instant mod-ification.
5. Gift-Wrapped Walls – The Nest. Lastly, take advantage of the bold, graphic prints of modern gift wrap. Select a shape, lay it out, and throw it up. It’s like custom wallpaper with no messy paste.
Tags: art, diy, wall
Posted in Decorating | 2 Comments »
