Feb
24
Design With Dooce
A few weeks ago, we announced that Heather Armstrong would be joining the HGTV family. Since then, we’ve gotten lots of feedback asking what she’ll be doing around here. While we still have a lot of tricks up our sleeves, starting this week, Heather will post every week on Design Happens. (Yay!)
If you could have her post on any design-related topic, what would it be? What do you want to see HGTV and Heather tackle together?
I'd love to find online places to shop. She might think Salt Lake is small, but I live in Tallahassee — if it doesn't come from Target, it's not available.
I would LOVE some ideas of how to have a lovely home WITH FOUR KIDS!! I love everything I see on these design shows but I just can't imagine having some of those lovely rooms WITH KIDS!! Help!!!!
I need somebody, anybody to do an entire segment on accessorizing!! I can paint, pick rugs, pick furniture and lighting, but I can never pick the finishing pieces to my satisfaction.
I agree with the comment on designing a functional, stylish, yet simple home office space – especially when it's one you share with your husband (who doesn't quite have your knack for…organization). Our office is where I spend most of my day, so it would be nice to feel good about being there. P.S. We don't have a closet in there…
I would love to see a design show that is directed toward inexpensive design. I love modern contemporary furniture… but I'm not about to spend $500 on a coffee table. One of my favorite things about Heather is on her blog she finds small accessories that make a room. She also is great and finding adorable objects on etsy.com. So over all, I want to see a show that shows realistic design options for today's economy!
Heather has great taste and is so entertaining. I'd love to get a glimpse of her design process as she works on projects around the house. some of the footage could include the chaos, kids, dogs, etc. that she writes about on her blog! I think it would be a nice change to see how a real mom takes on design challenges in the midst of busy day to day life, rather than a team of people who don't have any distractions.
what could you do together? a TV show with web episodes, a line of furniture, linens, home accessories, possibilities are endless……
I would love her to share more of her online finds, suggestions for decorating in the mid-century modern style for a budget, and perhaps visit and help people go to estate buyers, etc. to find cool items.
A few people have mentioned storage — Heather is very creative about storing things in an attractive way; I'd like to learn more about that.
Let's do her backyard….the Utah mountians are the perfect backdrop for something spectacular right out her backdoor!
It would be great if she didn't just focus on her home, but did makeovers of others' homes.
I would love to find a place where I could send a photo of an undecorated room and get help giving it life. From rugs and furniture to wall hangings and all the small stuff that make a room pop. Then tell me where I can find all the cool stuff and I can put it together myself. Could this be the place to do that??
I would like to hear how Heather would design for a studio. One room, multiple uses, small dog and not a lot of storage.
I would like Heather to share her way of finding things on the internet keeping in mind that most of us are looking for bargains or at least reasonable prices. k
Definitely a practical take on keeping a clean and organized house with kids, and pets. Design for REAL people and families, not the glossy magazine cover design that is obviously not "lived in".
Well, for starters, could you get Candice to come over to my house?!
Looks like you know a thing or two about sleek storage spaces. Don't we all have storage nightmares that need resolving?
Yeah, I bet its so hard when you have 2 stay at home parents and an assistant to keep your house looking like that. How about design ideas for people with kids and pets who work and can't OCD the house to "staged" perfection all day?
WIRES! Please help – how do we make phone stations less messy without spending a fortune. I'll gladly take a picture of my phone/counterarea and let you recommend away
I'd love for Heather to address the awesome, DIY, high-low features often seen on apartment therapy and design*sponge. It would be great to watch a show that was less about cookie-cutter ideas or aesthetics (e.g. granite counter tops) and more about products or ideas from smaller design brands or small-business-artists such as those on Etsy (for instance, consider artwork from Jamie Shelman or Matte Stephens, fabric from Hable Construction, wallpaper from Cole & Sons).
Next, I'd like it if Heather paid particular attention to both small spaces & larger spaces (both new and old)–something HGTV tends to gloss over. Further, some specific input for both renters and buyers would be nice.
Finally (and this really goes without saying), it would be awesome for Heather to introduce the idea of a considered home without coming across snooty or elitist (sorry, remodelista).
I would love to see what you do with all of those cords. In our 'modern' house hold we have 2 laptops in our living room, a home base PC in the desk area and every kind of gadget spread inbetween the 2 areas. We use our laptops nightly and even sometimes work from home. this is all set up in the living room. I have gave up watching HGTV for the fact that they take these items out of a room or never tend to address how to live WITH them. Now add to that We have 3 dogs, a cat and a 3 month old! ya, how do we live with organization in the modern world?
Perhaps decorating with style in an apartment on a tiny budget…I am with one of the other posters, I top out at IKEA and sometimes not even that….so need ideas how to work with my space of beige, brown and pale gold and add some real pop, glam and also warmth to a basic space.
I’d like to hear about dooce’s past design education and how she got where she is today……
She has no design education, which is precisely why HGTV should know better than to put her on television to dole out design advice. Anyone can decorate their own home to work for them, but can she design a home to work for others? The jury is out.
I think HGTV is making a gigantic mistake with this move.
Having self-admitted OCD does not a designer make. Come on HGTV. You can do better than this. I know you're trying to tap into her huge audience but Heather has no design sense whatsoever. She does everything in beige and tries to throw in something for color. Her projects that she's done for this blog so far have just exemplified her laziness and her cheapness. There are no real projects to speak of. New pillows for her outdoor furniture which she needed anyway. Photos of flowers with pictures of fabric. What's that? How is that helpful for anyone?
I no longer watch any HGTV family of shows because every time I do I think of how desperate they must be now to hire someone like Heather Armstrong who isn't even a designer and who has no creativity in the area of home decoration. She's a liability.
Wow, she is very awkward and horrible to watch. Why is she on tv again?
I would love some creative ideas on organizing books/CDs when your bookcases need to be in your living room/dining room area (smallish condo).
I'd love to find ideas for decorating a nursery!
@Dooce Your style is so amazing. I don't know how you do it, but I think you and @HGTV should help others find their decorating zen by offering advice and showing us how you merge fashion and function w/ your online finds. I can't wait to see what's in store! =]
Honestly, Heather Armstrong being put on a design channel is insulting to those of us going through extensive schooling to become designers. Good design involves more than posting pictures of things you like & have put into your home; it is about studying an area, observing your client to get a better idea of their lifestyle and needs; it is about coming up with a design concept, drafting to scale, using programs like Google Sketchup, Photoshop & Illustrator and AutoCAD to create visualizations of your design idea, and picking furniture, draperies, artwork, accessories, fabrics and finishes that will not only be visually appealing to your client, but will also be durable and practical enough for their lifestyle & budget. So out of curiosity, what does Dooce know about any of this? Nothing? Yeah, that's what I thought.
HGTV, you are insulting the profession & art of interior design with this move.
Um no, I'm sure HGTV knows EXACTLY what they are doing. Dooce is a lifestyle blogger with a huge following and good design sense. You act like she stole a show out from under you or something. I'm sure the majority of the personalities on HGTV have a team of designers working with them. So don't panic if she won't be able to use AutoCAD, I'm sure someone on her team will.
Point being, she is a "personality" with a built in following, who with a creative team, will probably produce a pretty entertaining show. I mean, it's design, it's supposed to be fun.
Andi, I totally agree. Have you checked out that horrible bathroom. HGTV is only looking to pick up her "Doocebag" millionty followers to boost this site. He blahg has become a pathetic and boring discussion about this or that she bought or her next appearance. Note: Some standard "Doocebag" replies are: 1. Jealous? 2. You are just Jealous. 3. You are just jealous. 4. Dooce has such great style, yay dooce, would you come to my house and decorate (be my friend).
The women that obsess over Heather are the ones I worry about. Her writing is great & honest, and you do feel like you connect with her as another mother while reading. I respect that about her. However, these women that follow her are so defensive I wonder if they believe she's their friend. She's not their friend. She's using their page views to make a living. I am a parenting blogger, too, and I have yet to see her do something to reach out & help others besides that time that she asked Bosch to donate a washing machine (although, really, what did that cost her?). I have spent money out of my own pocket as a blogger to help families. I would think with the kind of money she's making, she could find it in her heart to do the same.
@Beth- Jealous much? I don't think HG gave the spot they were holding for you to Dooce. Genuinely talented people know better than to be threatened by someone else's success. Also, going to school isn't the only way to learn about design.
Annie, no one is jealous. She was stating how she felt and let's face it. HGTV has jumped the shark by installing a has-been SAHM blogger whose following has dwindled greatly.
Actually, I think she is. Otherwise why the need to question Heather's abilities? She wouldn't be on HG if she didn't have what it takes. Clearly her move has generated a lot of (positive) interest.
So does this make you one of Dooce's minions for calling someone jealous who dares to express their opinion? You people need to open up your minds. Not everyone is going to think Dooce is the be all and end all. Gah.
Right, 'cause the person you agreed with was just stating how she felt, but me disagreeing = minion. And I've seen what happens when you sic a professional interior designer on a place- not always pretty.
So her first brilliant post is about how she does not have enough design or parenting sense to not hang up clearly easy to pull down items that likely have pointed backs near a newborn. Clearly someone we want to take design tips from.
Annie, why would I be jealous? I'm not looking for a show on HGTV. I have no interest in being an on-air personality. I am not at all threatened by her success; in fact, I enjoy her blog. However, a lot of personalities on the network HAVE worked hard to get into the design business & land a show, and an opportunity for another real designer could have been taken by a woman that has no experience or schooling. Design is an extremely complex field and very competitive; there's more to learning about it than reading a few books, surfing the web, or taking pictures of things you have put into your home.
Actually, I think someone who has done some research, some renovations, and owned a few homes has learned something about design. Why would HG even hire Heather if they didn't think she was qualified? Also I have seen the work of professionals and it's not always that great, so schooling isn't everything. I've seen HG a few times but I will tune in to see what Heather does, because I like her sense of style.
Annie, no one is saying you can't tune in, but don't attack me or accuse me of being jealous of her because I don't agree that she belongs on the network. I'm allowed to express my opinion, too. You defend her like you think she's an old pal of yours. Remodeling & decorating your own home in no way, shape, or form qualifies you for a career as a professional designer. I'm sorry it upsets you so badly that I don't think she belongs, but get over it. You'll watch her show, I won't, and the world will go on.
And Beth, I agree with you also, she really has no place being on a design show. Why I agree with Andi is, they are doing it for her following mostly. She has a decent design sense but that bathroom proves she has no real design talent as far as making reasonable decisions.
This is my point; the bathroom alone shows her design "talent." Sure, she can pair accessories and arrange pictures, I will give her that, but someone who foresees design obstacles & overcomes them is the real professional; not someone that just shoves an IKEA vanity in and replaces the area underneath with tiles that absolutely don't match, an IKEA rug on top, and voila! Shoot, if that's all it takes to be a "designer", then why am I working my butt off to get through school?
She should stick to blogging. She is a fantastic writer & brutally honest about parenting, but a professional designer she is not.
But why do I bother offering a dissenting opinion? To so many, it simply means I'm "jealous", when what it really means is that I am angry that the profession I am working toward–the profession I so admire & respect–is being crapped on by the very television network that is supposed to support it.
I seriously need help with wall decor. My husband is very minimalist as well and I am design challenged. Show us what looks good where and how to pull those great photo “galleries” together.
Hi. Welcome to IKEA. I'm Heather Armstrong, your host. Everything you see here was inspired by one visit to IKEA, some web surfing and the thought of getting my own show. Enjoy!"
Hi. Welcome to IKEA. I'm Heather Armstrong, your host. Everything you see here was inspired by one visit to IKEA, some web surfing and the thought of getting my own show. Enjoy!"
How to make a baby fit in a one bedroom apartment. Please.
Easy, go to Ikea and buy yourself an ASPELUND bed frame. The Matching ASPELUND under bed storage drawer will make an excellent crib.
i have not been able to view any of dooce's videos here. it just keeps 'buffering' endlessly. any suggestions?
You guys are aware, aren't you, that "Dooce" is … well it's what you flush.
Just so you know.
Actually that's "deuce"
Storage, definitely storage!!
What about ways to store boatloads of toys without looking as though you live in a toy jungle! Would love to have someone figure that out for me!
How about some style types for her wardrobe? Who dressed her in that outfit? Ouch.
Wow, a post where she actually doesn't make fun of Leta's not moving around much as an infant.
Just do me a favor AND KEEP IT REAL. No perfectly polished rooms. Show me how to have kids and style- in rooms that are actually used by children.
And someone to design your wardrobe. That outfit is horrible!
Love Dooce! I'd like to see practical design ideas that consider dogs and kids living in the home. Organization and de-clutter tips. Can the Office and Garage have style? How to give a home character and set it apart from every other matching house in the neighborhood.
I would like a segment wherein either folks call in or email problems areas of their home, and ask for advise on what to do – working with both design issues and budgetary issues. Simple painting ideas – suggesting paint colors that work for almost every where, and simple design ideas.
I have a home built in really dated -looking yellow crinkle faced brick. The fireplace is of the same type and I would like to change it to make it look more Tuscan. We try to re-finish a room every year or so and so have quite a bit of Tuscan-look but that darn fireplace really hoses up the living room. Ideers?
I would like Heather to be removed from HGTV…horrid. Her home is cold and internet influenced. Why would anyone want that?
Heather,
I'm hoping to buy a new house soon. I'd love for you, and invite HGTV too, to come and show me how we can make it a clean, contemporary home that still has all the wit, wisdom and comforts you're home appears to possess.
I'm with Diane – it seems obvious that you should include designing around technology in your mix. Find a way to deal with those cables! I don't see that being done a lot. And it would be great if you could put short do-it-yourself videos on the web. Kids' rooms could use more focus, too.
I've had a hard time finding computer furniture. The desks on the market usually have room for you to sit in front of your computer, but then no room under the desk for you to slide your chair over so you can write or draw aside of the computer. Does anyone else often have papers or a book next to their computer? Eventually I bought a small, unfinished dining room table for my daughter's desk, and painted it to match her room. In my home office, I had a kitchen counter built for my computer corner, between my painted wooden filing cabinets (left and right of the corner). But I think that people who are good with wood construction could instead put laminate on top of plywood for the same effect.
What places would be best to put holes for the cables? It should be easy to unplug my laptop and take it with me. Should I get an extra cable so I leave one with my desk?
I think it would be interesting if Heather went alley shopping/dumpster diving in Salt Lake City or some other big city, found an old dresser, refinished it, and put it in her house. I think that would inspire other people to make use of found objects, to keep things out of landfills, to find beauty in old things. Of course we all know that if McDonalds is advertising on Heather's blog, she doesn't need to go alley shopping. Inspire us, Heather.
Photo hanging.
Organizing stratagies, room planing and how to shop for desired items.
Where do you get your design inspiration?
I love eclectic styling but the minimalist look does not bode well with this style. Would love to see decorating on an every day mishmash of people actually living in their home. Show me how to decorate my washer/dryer closet.. How do I decorate around dog beds…. How to mix antiques with modern…Give me tips on making my front porch inviting and stylish (and NOT what to do). I love HGTV, but I'm tired of "rooms". Bump it up a bit on rearranging furniture and de-cluttering closets and how DO I hide the mail without an office!!! Home etc.
I'd like to see Heather design around white or beige/tan walls that can not be painted. Many people rent these days and landlords don't allow you to paint your apartments and homes wonderful, exciting colors. I rent and live in an old craftsman style home built in the 20's. It has lots of character and potential, but I am stuck with beige/tan walls and white baseboards and trim. I'd like to see some design solutions that pull color from other elements in a room. Oh yeah, and on a budget!