"Design Happens"

One thing I love about finding amazing and inexpensive pieces in thrift stores is that I can personalize them with paint.

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I have a serious confession to make: I actually like paneling. Yep, It’s true. I know what people are saying behind paneling’s back (or maybe in front of its face): “It darkens a room” and “It dates the space” not to mention “It’s hideous.” I wasn’t always a fan. In fact, when I  first stepped inside the combination living room/dining room/kitchen of the home I fell in love with, I thought, “This paneling will be the first thing to go.”

The living room paneling, pre-move in.

But after living with it for a few months, I’ve changed my tune a little. Maybe it’s the nature-lover in me. Maybe it’s in my genes (My dad makes live-edge furniture, so I’ve always loved to see wood in its natural state.) All I know is, I no longer shudder when I walk into the room. And since the huge windows give this space tons of light, it doesn’t seem too den-like. (Don’t worry, I’m still not a fan of this kind of paneling.)

Paneling, front and center.

While I don’t want to ditch it completely, I do want to modernize it a bit. Even adding colorful mod furniture and art, like Genifer Sohr did below in her home,  creates a “modern cabin” feel that I like.

Photo by Tec Petaja for Design Sponge

However, while I like the visible wood grain, I’m not as big of a fan of the color. I’d love to sand it down to its just-cut state and finish it with a UV-protecting finish to give it a more Scandinavian look, like Swedish architect Per Bornstein did in his knotty pine-happy home in Sweden.

Design by Swedish achitect Per Bornstein; photo by Pia Ulin for Dwell

Natural-hued knotty pine also lends itself well to both modern…

Design by UNI Architects via Remodelista

…and more eclectic furnishings (I’d like to do a mix.)

Design by Blackman Cruz; Photo by Timothy Street-Porter for Elle Decor

What would you do? Paint it, stain it, leave it natural or tear it out completely? Tell me your take.

Read Liz’s previous House Diaries posts here and follow her home inspiration board on Pinterest.

I may not be wild about the phrase “pops of color,” but I certainly appreciate them in practice. Take, for example, this neon yellow door with the mod house numbers, industrial light and sleek mail slot from Arch Daily.

Talk about curb appeal! This door would make a great first impression on me. It’s a playful, yet bold statement, and I’d want to know more. (Don’t you wonder who lives here and what the rest of the place looks like? It’s probably pretty cool inside, I’d think.) I only hope they they also have a hot pink sink in place.

Do you remember before the Internet when there were those paper things with words on pages? People called them books? Well, they still exist and there are some very good ones that are not only interesting but also useful.

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The purpose of this object is pretty simple: a toothbrush holder. This handcrafted, European toothbrush holder by stylishlife.co.uk  is made with the finest white porcelain that sits on a black glass base. Who knew something so practical could be so stylish? Browse our Bathroom Design Guide for more bathroom design inspiration.

Check back next week to guess at a new mystery object!

January is National Get Organized Month, so…yeah, I got nothin’. My clothes are all over the floor, I have mail piling up — even my dog’s toys are strewn about everywhere. (He’s really bad at picking up after himself.) But I just saw these lovely glass wall pocket organizers with zinc tags, and I thought maybe they could help me change my cluttered ways.

Flowers, jelly beans, pencils…is there nothing these little pockets can’t hold? If you want to get organization extra credit, you could label the contents of each pocket with chalk on the zinc tags! Pair that with a nailhead trim bulletin board, and you’d have the prettiest, most-polished desk ever. It looks like they may be sold out right now, but I did happen to find some listings for these on eBay. And if anyone sells giant versions of these that could fit clothing and/or dog toys, please let me know in the comments here.

Each quarter, the HGTV Home Studio co-op program brings in two interior design interns and pairs them with Vern Yip and other HGTV design experts to create an interactive exhibit that focuses on an iconic interior design trend and one that’s currently topping the list. University of Cincinnati students Laura Ostendorf and Monica Blair worked diligently last quarter to come up with two separate topics that would create one cohesive display. Enter the Thonet Chair and vintage industrial furnishings. You’re probably wondering how that lime green chair fits into a vintage industrial setting. Surprisingly, this classic piece of furniture is often seen among reclaimed wood furnishings, factory carts and vintage-inspired accessories.

Peek into Laura and Monica’s exhibit, and see if you think these two design elements pair well together, too.

The exhibit, located at HGTV Headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn., is entirely interactive and allows people to sit in different Thonet chair models and feel the various industrial elements around the space, including a swinging barn door.

Monica focused primarily on the vintage industrial aspect of the exhibit, and her main goal was to make this style more understood. Rather than seeing vintage industrial pieces as something that has “gone through a lifespan or needs to be tossed, they should be viewed as old and beautiful,” she says. And while many people think this style can only be used in city lofts or industrial apartment settings, reclaimed wood and steel pipes can be pulled into any home with virtually any style. To create this dining table, Erin Norton True of Urban Wood Goods hand-selected a piece of wood from a dismantled farm in Woodstock, Ill. and then repurposed it and added distressed steel pipe legs. You should see this beauty up close – it’s stunning!

Oh, and did you happen to notice the hanging Edison bulbs? With the rising vintage industrial trend, these nostalgic, low-wattage light bulbs are making a comeback. Monica suggests pairing this lighting with reclaimed wood and metals to amplify the warm glow, especially in the bedroom or dining room where ambient lighting is a must.

Steel pipes aren’t just for home improvement purposes. They make creative wall shelves and curtain rods, too.

If you’re dying to bring this style into your home, start by building a DIY factory cart coffee table. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions >>

The Thonet chair is definitely an iconic piece of furniture and is still seen in homes and commercial settings today. Michael Thonet created his famous bentwood chair in 1859. “It’s considered the most successful mass-produced chair of all time,” Laura says. “It was literally the Ikea of the 19^th century.” The popularity of this chair also stems from its technique – the bending of solid wood with hardware tying all the pieces together. (No glue!) And being made from light, strong and easy-to-obtain beechwood made the Thonet chair affordable and simple to make, she says.

More than 150 years later, this chair is still being produced and in a variety of contemporary colors, Laura says. Whether you enjoy the classic Thonet appearance or one with a vibrant hue, they’re certainly not difficult to come by. Design Within Reach offers model no. 14 in a luscious green and the rounder Vienna chair (model no. 9) in a killer turquoise ideal for any sun-filled kitchen…or around a reclaimed wood dining table.

What’s your take on these trends? Do you currently have either one of them in your home? Tell us in the comments!

The round shape of this week’s mystery object gives it an aesthetically pleasing look, but do you know its purpose?

Give us your best guess, and we’ll reveal the answer tomorrow. Hint: It can fit in the palm of your hand.

I’ve loved Austin ever since I attended SXSW in 2008. Maybe it was the opportunity to chill with a bunch of my far-away friends, or maybe it was the addictive breakfast tacos, but I’m still smitten with the city. The fact that there’s a definite modern home aesthetic there is just icing on the cake for me. (Or salt on the margarita rim at Guero’s, if you will.) So, seeing photographer Ryann Ford’s Austin digs on Houzz made me kinda jealous.

The space has so much natural sunlight, which is the perfect complement to Ford’s desert-mod-vintage style. And the details are darling! Tilting the cafe sign in the living room vertically, painting the office wall with chalkboard paint — it all works for me. I’ll be heading to SXSW again this year, and if you happen to spot me with a dreamy, far-away look on my face, I’m daydreaming about settling down in Austin in a place just like this.

Yesterday was National Pie Day, so as you can imagine I had baking on the brain like crazy. I had to involve the kitchen somehow in today’s how-to, so I decided to keep the focus on beginning-of-the-year organization and pull in these functional and super-handy magnetic shelves and boards. It’s safe to say we’re all about convenience these days, and there’s nothing more suitable than the grab-and-go convenience of these magnetic accessories right within reach. They’re the perfect solution to a disheveled kitchen and empty, white wall space. I’d definitely use my magnetic boards just like designer Ana White by posting recipes, hanging often-used kitchen utensils and displaying/storing my favorite tea. What about you?

HGTV How-To: Declutter Your Post-Holiday Kitchen

These functional boards are easy to make; simply cut particle board to the desired length and add an extra two inches to this length for the flashing. Cut the corners of the flashing and bend it around the particle board. On the back side, hammer flashing down and bend to make flush with the board. Attach a picture-hanging kit to the back of each board in the center. Once complete, the possibilities are endless — you can hang your boards vertically (like in the picture above) or create a two-by-two box, for example.

Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

After making the magnetic boards, you can create ledges, shelves and backsplashes with ease. Ana dresses up hers with steel canisters, clear clothespins and metal hooks. She says the easiest way to make a non-magnetic accessory magnetic is to simply glue magnetic tape to the back. So, go crazy and get organized in the process. Put your favorite kitchen food and accessories on display.

Need some inspiration to get started? Check out some kitchen design ideas you’ll love to look at.

Which type of kitchen accessories would you keep stored on your shelves? Corkscrew? Spices? Potholder? Tell us in the comments below.