Briana is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. Her self-described design style is "mid-century modern magpie." She lives in a Brooklyn apartment with her fiancé, their spoiled dachshund, Chauncey, and approximately one million old shelter magazines. She cannot wait until she is a home owner, and can wallpaper and/or tile just about every available surface.
ShareDoll parts: They inspired a great song by Hole, yes, but did you know they’re also an inspirational craft material? You may be thinking, “Okay, but how many things can you make with Barbie doll parts?” The answer, according to my Pinterest research, is “More things than you can possibly imagine!” Check out these bold crafts made from Barbie parts and get ready to tear off some heads. (It’s a doll revolution!)
ShareBRIANA: Today’s topic is right in the middle of the Venn diagram that is design and fashion: Fascinators. They made splashy appearances at William & Kate’s royal wedding and the Design Happens crew spotted them all over Alt, so you know they’re hot with the design blogging set. They’re certainly attention-grabbing, but that can be a good thing or a bad thing. So, what do you think? Are fascinators fantastic or frightening?
ShareI remember stumbling upon a box of my parents’ old vinyl records in our basement as a teenager and thinking: A) “My parents used to listen to Pink Floyd?” and B) “I HAVE TO SAVE THESE!” We didn’t own a turntable at the time, so mostly I just gazed at the cool retro cover art. I wish I had known then about all the nifty things you can do with LPs — besides hoard them in a milk crate. Of course, these vinyl record crafts aren’t for your favorites or rare finds, but they’re great for anything scratched, slightly warped or, um, albums you’d otherwise discard. Check out my DIY finds and prepare to rock!
ShareThe forecast here in New York is calling for snow. Thanks, Mother Nature! But the vernal equinox (aka first day of spring) is two days away, no matter what the forecast says. Shake your winter blues away with pretty Easter crafts in spring palettes. Got some yarn hanging around your home? (If you knit or crochet, you know you do!) These ideas I spotted on Pinterest are perfect for using up scraps.
ShareSafety pin DIYs of the fashion variety often have a retro punk rock feel to them. (Think: Just about any old photo of the Sex Pistols.) I’m all for being edgy with fashion, but when it comes to DIYs for the home, I think pretty is the way to go. My Pinterest sleuthing leads me to believe that you can do lots of pretty things with safety pins. Okay, at least 5 pretty things. Take a peek at my finds…
ShareBRIANA: Black walls have been black sheep in the design world, but they’re starting to make some inroads, as this quote from a recent Boston Globe Magazine piece proves: “Black is definitely a trend,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams in Dallas. “People think it will close the room in, but it has the opposite effect.” This trend was suggested by our own Marianne Canada and the room image comes to us from designer/opinionated Defend the Trend contributor Brian Patrick Flynn, so I think I know what they’ll say, but maybe y’all will surprise me. Are black (and other super-dark) walls gorgeous or too goth for your taste?
LEANNE: Only cool if accented with black velvet paintings and vintage Jane’s Addiction album covers.
ShareI used to be quite the little athlete in elementary school and middle school and racked up my fair share of dance, tennis and softball trophies. I’m sentimental, so they’re probably socked away in a closet somewhere, but after seeing these clever projects made from trophy parts on Pinterest, I’m amped to revamp them. Take a look at these ideas and get ready to take first place in the World’s Thriftiest Crafter competition!
ShareMy favorite thrift store and flea market scores are vintage scarves. The colors are fun, the patterns are graphic and they never cost too much. Sometimes I’ll come home with a scarf that doesn’t quite fit into my wardrobe, but that I just had to have nonetheless. Luckily, scarves are also great for adding flair to the home! Check out these easy DIY projects and see how you can dress up your decor.
ShareI’ve long been a fan of people adorning themselves with spoon rings and bracelets, but you can adorn your home with old spoons as well. Take a look at these inventive spoon arts & crafts and get inspired to raid the silverware drawer for supplies.
ShareBRIANA: The most recent issue of HGTV Magazine has a feature, “Yay or Nay?”, that asks 10 design experts what they think about decorating dos and don’ts. I loved it, natch, and there was even a little overlap with topics that I had queued up for Defend the Trend! See-through furniture, for example. If you were a voracious Domino reader back in the day (as I was), I’m pretty sure you lusted after a Ghost Chair. The trend seemed to be dormant for a bit, but I’ve noticed it returning to the scene. The design panel in HGTV Magazine gave it a “yay,” but what do you say? Is acrylic furniture clearly elegant or transparently tacky?
DEANNE REVEL: Love love love Lucite tables. They let you bring the funk in other areas like fixtures and textiles!
Did you know you should rotate your rug 180 degrees every
Pick up this cool blue lantern ($45) for your next
Dip flat pencil erasers in a colorful ink pad and go
Cool pillow trick from an expert shared in #hgtvmagazine:
May 18, 20132 comments
May 20, 20133 comments
May 17, 20132 comments
May 14, 20134 comments
May 15, 2013360 comments
RECENTLY COMMENTED ON
May 20, 2013 3 Comments
May 8, 2013 4 Comments
May 16, 2013 4 Comments
May 14, 2013 11 Comments
May 15, 2013 16 Comments