Liz Gray

"In search of Eames-worthy style on a Craigslist budget. And pie."

Liz is a Senior Editor at HGTV.com. She lives in a midcentury tri-level that’s stuck in the ‘70s…for now. When she’s not working on remodeling projects with her boyfriend and mystery breed puppy, Miles, you can find her buying impractical hats, scheming mad scientist-style in her overworked kitchen and drooling over Danish modern furniture.

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POSTS BY Liz Gray

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Tuesday Huesday: Accessorize Your Bedroom With Spring Hues

by Liz Gray March 12, 2013 13 Comments

Sure, I may have trudged to work in my winter coat today, but I’m already looking forward to bright spring fashions. I love how a few on-trend pieces (like emerald flats paired with coral jeans) can revitalize wardrobe basics, and it’s the same in this sweet little girl’s room.

Neutral walls come to life with a fun gallery wall full of bright emerald touches. I especially love the embroidery hoops filled with springy fabrics. But the real star of this space? The ever-popular ombre dresser in shades of coral. Yes, it’s perfect for a nursery or kids’ room, but I’d gladly find a spot for it in my bedroom, too.

Emerald & Coral Kids' Room Color Palette

Coral + Emerald Girl’s Room :: Spring Fashion Inspiration

Get more color palette inspiration from our previous Tuesday Huesday posts.

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Tackle Spring Projects With HGTV HOME’s New Fabric Line

by Liz Gray March 10, 2013 12 Comments

We’ve passed another spring-is-coming milestone this weekend: the switch to daylight savings time. (Don’t forget to set those clocks forward an hour!) I could not be more ready for days that are warm enough to throw the windows open, but I’m biding my time until then by filling up my Pinterest boards with project ideas to spruce up my home. The thought of sunshine even has me feeling a bit daring: As a non-seamstress, I’m trying my hand at these low-sew Roman shades. Fingers crossed!

Just in time to dress up whatever you have planned, HGTV HOME has launched a brand new fabric line exclusively for JoAnn Fabrics. The two collections include trendy cotton designs, upholstery fabrics and outdoor-ready prints. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the motifs I’m loving (starring, of course, emerald green):

There’s also a custom trim collection — great for anything from reviving a tired lampshade to creating your own spring table runner:

See more of the collection and get more DIY project ideas on the HGTV HOME Fabric @ JoAnn Pinterest Board.

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Tuesday Huesday: Do Opposites Really Attract?

by Liz Gray March 5, 2013 6 Comments

Seeing groups of yellow and purple flowers always cheers me up in late winter; the blooms are like spring’s first official order of business. Inside the house, this combo of color wheel opposites is less common since it can be tricky to balance the two bold hues.

To get it right, take a cue from some of spring’s first blossoms. The colors of daffodils and crocuses look fabulous against the backdrop of the neutral, still-thawing ground. It’s the same in your living room: accents of deep purple and mustard yellow add color and vibrancy to a warm gray base hue (without making the room into a Lakers shrine.)

Yellow, Purple and Gray Living Room Color Palette - HGTV's Design Happens Blog

Living Room :: Crocuses and Daffodils

What do you think? Would you try this bold palette in your home?

Get more color palette inspiration from our previous Tuesday Huesday posts.

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Garden Fresh: Our March Color of the Month

by Liz Gray March 1, 2013 29 Comments

Here at Design Happens, we’re a little impatient for spring. Maybe it’s all the gardening articles we’ve been growing for our newest website, HGTVGardens.com. Maybe we’re just ready for some sunshine. Either way, our color team couldn’t resist a vibrant hue that speaks to the freshness of the coming season. It’s…

Find Out Our March Color of the Month

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Freebie Fridays: Design Your Own Vecco Rug (For Free!)

by Liz Gray March 1, 2013 182 Comments

Update: Congratulations to our winner Christy, who says her spring DIY plans include painting the entry room walls and the front door. Come back on April 5 for another great giveaway!

We all have those DIY projects that don’t go quite according to plan: paint colors that looked so much greener on the chip, cut pieces of wood that are a quarter-inch too small for that coffee table, stencils gone awry. If you’ve ever wished you could press the reset button on your weekend task, this month’s giveaway is for you.

Vecco Studio offers a DIY alternative to expensive designer rugs: You choose from 13 colorants, various rug sizes and more than 150 stencils to create your own designs. The best part? If you don’t like the finished product, you can simply vacuum up the designs and start again. Take as many do-overs as you need, then spray on sealant to make your handiwork permanent.

Ready to design your own carpet or rug? We’re giving one lucky winner a $300 gift card to VeccoStudio.com, so you can choose the rug size, color sprays and design options that suit your home and decor.

Enter for a chance to win

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‘Past & Present’ Book Preview + A History-Inspired DIY Project

by Liz Gray February 28, 2013 9 Comments

Have you ever wondered who created the very first sofa? Or what Victorians brought home from vacations as souvenirs? Design*Sponge managing editor and self-described bibliophile Amy Azzarito tackles the history behind household objects (everything from curtains to chandeliers to cast iron) and how those stories intersect with modern life in her Past and Present column.

Amy’s new book by the same name is full of dinner party-worthy facts — things you might not know now, but will be glad you learned. For example, sofas and armchairs just didn’t exist until the early 18th century, when Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour began to popularize private spaces made for comfort, not just display. Watching a movie just wouldn’t be the same curled up on a straight-backed wooden chair, right?

Past and Present Book Review on HGTV's Design Happens

Part history lesson and part DIY manual, she pairs 24 essays about interesting moments in decorative arts history with thoroughly modern projects developed alongside design trendsetters like Todd Oldham, David Stark and ConfettiSystem.

I especially love this black-and-white headboard project designed by Eddie Ross: It’s inspired by the iconic jasperware pottery created by Josiah Wedgwood, which features white relief designs on a matte black surface. This modern version is made from a hollow-core door, white PVC trim and decorative moldings.

Black and White DIY Headboard - HGTV's Design Happens

I chatted with Amy about the collaborations and her personal style. Plus, try one of the book’s DIY projects!

READ MORE

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Tuesday Huesday: A Modern, Beach-Inspired Palette

by Liz Gray February 26, 2013 No Comments

Last weekend I took a mini-vacation to Miami, Florida. As a first-time visitor, I was in awe of how beautiful the city is — the art deco buildings, the vibrant public art, even the designer parking garages (seriously!.)

Modern Beach-Inspired Color Palette - Tuesday Huesday on HGTV's Design Happens

Thumbing through my brightly-hued photos from the weekend, I kept coming back to this color combination I spotted on one of the beach’s lifeguard shacks. I love how the watery blues, tans and turquoises so common in coastal design are made modern with a hue across the color wheel: bright orange. This color combination looks especially striking against white walls, like in this cheerful dining space from Style at Home.

Have you used a vacation find as an inspiration for your space? Tell me about it!

Get more color palette inspiration from our previous Tuesday Huesday posts.

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Tuesday Huesday: Get a Spring Head Start With Robin’s Egg Blue

by Liz Gray February 19, 2013 9 Comments

February is one of those months that can’t seem to make up its mind weather-wise. Snow flurries fell in East Tennessee this weekend, all while my yard’s first daffodils bloomed away. Robin’s egg blue (our pick for February’s color of the month) is perfect for this unpredictable period: it’s cool enough for winter, yet it brings to mind all that’s to come when the ground thaws: think Easter egg hunts and spring celebrations.

Adding gold and neutrals to the mix, like designer Katie Ridder did in the dining room on the left, creates a traditional palette with just a hint of luxury.

Robin's Egg Blue Dining Room Color Palette

Dining Room :: Robin’s Eggs :: Birthday Cake

Are you planning a painting project for that first warm day (or next big blizzard)? Tell us what colors you’re crushing on.

Get more color palette inspiration from our previous Tuesday Huesday posts.

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Tuesday Huesday: Valentine’s Day Inspiration for the Bedroom

by Liz Gray February 12, 2013 6 Comments

Welcome to our newest D-Happ series, Tuesday Huesday. Each week, we’ll share a new color combination inspired by a photo we love, whether it’s an amazing designer space, the label on a vintage jar or a confetti-inspired party backdrop.

Since we’re a mere two days away from Valentine’s Day, today’s bedroom color palette is all about hot pink. It’s a classic color, but it feels modern when paired with warm gray, dusty pink and bright turquoise. The white, black and navy accents keep it from being 100-percent girly. (It’s a mere 90-percent girly.)

Romantic Bedroom Color Palette: Fuchsia, Teal, Pink and Gray

Bedroom/Real Living Magazine :: Confetti + Flowers/HGTV.com

So, what do you think? Will you add a fuchsia bedroom to your Valentine’s Day wish list alongside flowers and chocolate?

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Valentine’s Day Recipe: Make Cupid’s Arrow Hot Chocolate

by Liz Gray February 7, 2013 3 Comments

Are you sweet on someone? Feel like you’ve been shot by cupid’s arrow? Valentine’s Day puns aside, this hot chocolate, complete with an arrow-embellished straw and heart-shaped marshmallows, is a great way to show your Valentine that you care.