Design Happens

Daily Delight: LEGO Kid’s Room

Briana Mowrey — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:00:01 +0000

Sure, a LEGO greenhouse is cool, but what about a playful room inside the home? Something a little more kid-centric? Artist Melissa Marks and interface designer Vicente Caride gave their young son Archie just that: a wild wall and staircase made completely of LEGOs. The New York Magazine piece calls this “The 20,000-Brick Apartment,” and seeing is believing. Check out this primary-colored palace.

Photo: Thomas Loof/Art Department

The family enlisted the help of LEGO-licensed artist Sean Kenney to complete the construction, and it took two weeks of fourteen-hour days for Kenney and two assistants to “complete” it — though Archie and his friends keep building on to the staircase. I love the creativity of the concept (cooked up with Suzan Wines, co-founder of I-Beam Design), and the execution looks so cool. The geometric patterns are thoroughly modern against the white backdrop. The future is plastics, indeed.

Daily Delight: Blu Dot Lily Pad Coffee Table

Briana Mowrey — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:00:26 +0000

I have positive associations with lily pads for some reason. (I looked at a lot of Monet paintings as a kid?) All I know is that when I saw Blu Dot’s Lily Pad Coffee Table, it seemed right somehow.

The three surfaces at different heights would be ideal for entertaining, I’d think — just imagine that artful spread of napkins and nibbles! And it may even keep clutter at bay in everyday use. If one “pad” is for magazines or glossy hardcover books, one is for remotes and coasters, and one is for flowers or other decorative items, you’d certainly have an easier time editing and arranging. As it is now, my long Danish modern model is less a “coffee table” and more an “old New York Magazine graveyard.” Maybe three really is a magic number.

Daily Delight: Framed Objects

Briana Mowrey — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:00:06 +0000

There’s a kind of beauty in everyday items and simple pleasures, isn’t there? A perfect bouquet of flowers, a treasured book’s cover, a stylish scarf draped just so. That’s what makes these Framed Objects by the. so brilliant.

It’s a bit like the concept of Duchamp’s “readymades,” where an ordinary object becomes art simply because the artist selected it, arranged it and placed it in the right context. (Of course, Duchamp’s work was intended to be satirical, so it’s not entirely the same. But who wants a signed urinal on their wall?) I particularly love the framed vase — it would certainly elevate your average Valentine’s Day arrangement, wouldn’t it?

What Not to Buy at Thrift Stores

Rashon Carraway — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:33 +0000

There are some things you shouldn’t buy from a thrift store. While we all love a good deal, I recommend you skip the following:

Mattresses

I have seen mattresses in a number of thrift stores. While they may look clean I wouldn’t encourage buying them second hand. I will note that there are some state laws that require mattresses to undergo a certain cleaning process if they are being sold used.

Baby Furniture
I would never suggest buying cribs, car seats or any essential baby related furniture from a thrift store. Safety laws change often and while you might save money, the risk isn’t worth it.

Makeup

Makeup is also a no-no. These products are going on your skin and if you don’t know the origin of a product I wouldn’t trust it. Be beautiful, but be safe.

Also on my list? Shoes and underwear. What things would you NEVER buy from a thrift store?

Daily Delight: Twinkle Board

Briana Mowrey — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00:46 +0000

One thing I love about Pinterest is how it can be your own personal Internet time machine, unearthing forgotten gems from blogs you follow that you may have missed. I hadn’t seen this twinkle board DIY on Design*Sponge at the time, but it bubbled up again on some pin boards and won me over. (Also, how perfect that it is quite literally a “delight” spelled out in lights! It called out to me.)

It would be sweet over a headboard in a kids’ room, and it’s like a sophisticated Lite-Brite placed here over a couch. And since it essentially uses Christmas lights, I think it’d make a nice holiday decoration. It’s so customizable — you could swap in different colored lights, and of course, try spelling out another word or a name. “OMG” or “Ooh la la” might be my choices. Click through for the rest of the DIY instructions if you’re feeling inspired!

What word or name would you choose for this craft?

Freebie Fridays: February 5 Winner

Liz Gray — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:24:48 +0000

For this month’s Freebie Friday, we asked you to tell us your Valentine’s Day plans in exchange for a chance to win two luxurious cotton and linen robes from organic fabric retailer Coyuchi. Many of you are headed out for dinner with your sweethearts, while others will be calling,texting and mailing care packages to long-distance loves. Others are staying in with family and friends — reader Sarah is hosting a craft night for her mom and twin sister.

And one Freebie Friday fan, Trish, is even getting married this February 14. Congratulations, Trish!

So, who can add some time in these bathrobes to their Valentine’s Day itinerary?

This month’s lucky random winner is Sue, who plans to have a double Valentine’s Day: spaghetti and meatballs with the kids, then a trip out on town for after-dinner cocktails with her husband. Congratulations, Sue! She has two weeks to reply to our messages and claim the prize before we choose another random winner.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

Answer to “What the .. ?” Portable Cooking Pad

Farima Alavi — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:44 +0000

Many of you knew exactly what this week’s mystery object is: a hot plate. The Cooka electric cooking pad’s portability makes it a must-have in any small kitchen or for any camping trip. Maurizio Maiorana’s design includes three silver burner plates that are surrounded by tiny holes that emit a stream of hot air so no excess heat is lost during cooking. And when you’re done cooking, simply wipe it and fold it to stow away. Its simplicity makes cooking easy for even the most amateur of cooks – that’s probably why I’m so in love with it!

Check back next week to guess at a new item!

Daily Delight: Magic Forest Lamp

Briana Mowrey — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:59 +0000

I find a lot of great things on Pinterest these days*, but you just can’t ignore the pleasure of kicking back with a glossy design magazine** and taking in all the goodies. For instance, I found Tony Duquette’s Magic Forest Lamp by Remains Lighting whilst browsing the new issue of Elle Decor and thank goodness for that, because what if I didn’t know that such kooky glam pieces still existed?

If it looks a little bit retro, that’s because it is. Duquette designed these torchiere-trees for MGM’s 1952 musical, Lovely to Look At. As soon as I saw it, I instinctively knew something so dramatic had to have some tie to Hollywood. Fair warning that this is not very affordable (it’s $5,325 — sigh), but how striking would this be in a dining room or even a bedroom? The soft glow of the bulbs, combined with the fanciful leaves and twinkling crystal balls is indeed lovely to look at.

*Please follow me on Pinterest. Pretty please?

**Speaking of magazines, have you subscribed to HGTV Magazine yet?

Hey, Valentine: Have a Heart (or Two)

Liz Gray — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:11:29 +0000

Ahh, Valentine’s Day. Most people fall in one of two camps regarding all that is February 14: head-over-heels for the holiday or totally against it.

I definitely fall in camp number one, but even haters can appreciate that heart-shaped things are ridiculously adorable (Did you see Briana’s conversation heart soaps and Kim’s heart-shaped printables?). Celebrate the holiday (or just bask in the cuteness) with one of these creative (and in some cases, delicious) ways to say I <3 You. Which is your favorite?

Clockwise, from top left: Striped heart pillow, JCPenny; Love portrait, room design by Elliott Kaufman; U Complete Me iron-on decals, Creature Comforts blog

Clockwise, from top left: Valentine’s egg in the basket, Petite Kitchenesse; Heart-shaped whipped cream, Bellaimento; Conversation heart cheesecakes, Hungry Happenings; Valentine’s milk and cookies, Cookies and Cups

Clockwise, from top left: Heart-shaped paperclips from Design*Sponge; Pizza My Heart card from BettyTurbo; Recycled heart garland from bookity; DIY elbow patch from Honestly…WTF; Heart-shaped balloons from Mignon Kitchen Co.; Apple art print from MarianneLoMonaco

Get more Valentine’s Day inspiration from HGTV’s Valentine’s Day Pinterest board.

DIY Dry Erase Style: Our Kitchen Wall Solution

Erin Loechner — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:25:04 +0000

Chalkboard walls are all the rage, but I knew I wanted something different in our kitchen. And yet, I can’t fight the notion that a message wall is just so darn convenient when tracking schedules, making grocery lists, leaving welcome messages (or, as you’ll see in a few images, professing your never-ending love to your favorite TV network).

The giant before.

So when Ken and I finally decided to turn our big blank wall into a message center, we wavered between two options: (1) Go with the expected chalkboard wall, or (2) Try our hand at dry erase paint. Of course, the “expected” route has never appealed to us, and although we love chalkboard walls in other spaces, we didn’t want a super dark gray accent wall in our light and bright kitchen. Sure, it could have worked swimmingly, but I also love how airy our kitchen is and want nothing more than to bask in its white glow all day long.

Prep work before a race against the clock!

So, option (2) was settled upon and we got to work. We chose IdeaPaint, mainly because their website and branding is just so fantastic. (Kidding. But man, it’s cute over there.) And gosh, was it a harrowing task to apply this stuff. Because the concoction thickens fairly quickly, you have less than an hour to paint the entire space, which can be tricky when cutting in from ceilings and trim. I will also add that it’s particularly harrowing when the person applying said paint (whose name rhymes with “Ben”) is a perfectionist.

Here comes the big reveal...

Yet luckily, Ken pulled it off with seconds to spare and the dry erase paint exceeded our expectations. The hardest part? Waiting an entire seven days for the paint to set before we could try our hand at writing messages, notes and to-do lists. (Note: If you do this project at home, you won’t need to actually barricade the wall for seven days, because the paint is dry to the touch after roughly 3 hours. The seven day waiting period is strictly to allow the paint to set before actually writing on the surface.)

It works! It works!

We’re thrilled with the look and are so happy to no longer be staring at a large blank wall that served little purpose. Even better? We won’t be vacuuming chalk dust daily, which is a huge bonus for the gal that hates to clean (whose name rhymes with “Karen”).

The perfect wall for love notes - big and small!

What about you, friends? Have you ever worked with dry erase paint, chalkboard paint, or anything else crazy innovative? I’d love to hear your experiences!