This kitchen makeover comes from our very own Sewing 101 expert, the super talented and clever Brett Bara. Like many renters, Brett wasn’t allowed to alter anything permanent in her apartment. However, using her eye for fabrics and her DIY savvy, Brett was able to lighten, brighten and totally modernize this little kitchen for very little money and even less time. Great work, Brett! — Kate
Time: One day
Basic Steps: Since this apartment is a sublet, I couldn’t make any structural changes. I really had to get creative about cover-ups I could do that would make the space feel more like me. Since there was already a pot rack hanging above the mural, I was miraculously able to just hook the peg board onto the pot rack, which saved me the stress of figuring out how to safely mount the peg board onto the old plaster walls. For the smaller piece of peg board above the sink, I mounted it to the bottom of the cabinets with screws. I knew I wouldn’t hang anything heavy on that piece, so it was just a light attachment. (I had the peg board cut to size at the lumber yard where I bought it.)
To hide the clutter in the cabinets, I lined the doors with wallpaper. I removed the cabinet doors (the hinges pop right off) so I could lay them flat, measured the glass and cut the paper to fit. Then I just Scotch-taped it to the inside of the doors. For the new kitchen-sink curtains, I decided to use oilcloth, since it would be resistant to splashes or spills. Oilcloth is great because you don’t have to hem it (it won’t fray), so I just cut it to size and sewed a pocket at the top for the curtain rod.
My advice to others would be to think creatively about how to cover seemingly unfixable problems. I tend to want to tear everything out and redo things my way, but a real renovation wasn’t possible in this case since I sublet. This kitchen really helped me to push past that tendency and see how much I could accomplish with just band-aid-type fixes. So in the future, I’ll try not to get so discouraged that I don’t have the perfect home of my dreams (yet!) — I’ll just look for little ways like these to add more beauty where I can. It makes a big difference! — Brett
Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)
CLICK HERE to see Sullivan’s elegant and airy floral studio makeover after the jump!
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March 31st, 2011 - 12:00pm
Antique sofas are beautiful, but I’ve never considered them practical, especially if they are upholstered in the light colored linens, leathers and wools that look so fantastic on sofas of this shape. Rebekah had the ingenious idea of using a white faux leather on this old piece; according to her, the fabric holds up amazingly well against kids, dogs and the rest. It looks awesome in her home, and I’m well on my way to being fully convinced that I need an identical sofa. Great job, Rebekah! — Kate
Cost: $450 (for the vinyl fabric and cushions)
Basic Steps: I bought the antique sofa off Craigslist after drooling over Rashida Jones’ white linen beauty in Domino back in 2008. After looking through tons of fabric books, I was actually surprised at how gorgeous the faux leathers were and how reasonably priced — in fact, they were much less than some of the designer prints. My friend Denise Lingle did the upholstery work for me including the antique brass tacks. It has held up so well with the kids and dog and cleans up great with just a wet cloth! — Rebekah
Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)
CLICK HERE to see Jamie’s bright and crisp new dresser after the jump!
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March 31st, 2011 - 11:00am
Much like Grace, I’ve never met a stripe I didn’t like, and the design on this painted dresser from Carol is no exception. Upon discovering that the wood was in very poor condition, Carol decided to give the mid-century piece a neutral stripe design. I love the use of such a wide chevron shape and in subtle, restrained neutrals. Great transformation, Carol! — Kate
Time: 4–5 hours
Cost: $50
Basic Steps: The steps involved were sanding, priming, painting the gray (two coats), applying the stripes and then using a furniture wax to seal and protect. The most difficult part was the calculating and measuring involved to make sure the stripes were all even and equally spaced. I used FrogTape, and it was super helpful in achieving the crisp lines.
I would definitely advise anyone wanting to create the same look to invest in a good tape. Lesser tapes would allow the paint to seep under the tape, and the lines wouldn’t be as crisp. — Carol
Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)
CLICK HERE to see Sarah’s makeshift cabinet organizer after the jump!
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March 31st, 2011 - 10:00am
I’m not usually a fan of chrome chairs, but when I saw Lucie’s chair makeover, I realized that metal chairs have great potential when placed in capable hands. Lucie chose wisely when she used the bright, bold pattern; it definitely added a dose of fun to the simple frame. Great work, Lucie! — Kate
Time: 6 hours
Cost: $25
Basic Steps: I polished the chrome parts and used a new layer of poly foam. For the upholstery, I used Amy Butler’s fabric from her Lotus collection. If you find an old piece that has potential, don’t be afraid to use a big-pattern fabric in a bold color to revive it. — Lucie
Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)
CLICK HERE to see Cheryl’s completed rope bench after the jump!
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March 31st, 2011 - 09:00am
After a meeting in the city yesterday, I couldn’t resist the gravitational pull to check out the newly renovated JCrew store on 5th avenue. And while I found myself drawn to all the sparkliest bits in the store (my shopping companion almost bought the black sequined harem pants. She was braver than I.), I ended up bringing home a few basics that looked slightly boring on the hanger, but seemed to fit seamlessly into my wardrobe to make a handful of easy outfits. I’m trying to remind myself that simple things are better so much of the time — they’re flexible, versatile and you never have to worry about finding something to match them. It was this same “simple can be better” philosophy that drew me to these new pillows from designer Sarah Foote. I loved her intricate wood lighting two years ago, and now she’s back with a beautiful collection of hand-sewn pillows with simple shapes and patterns.
I really love the quilted shapes pillow, but there are several styles to choose from. Sarah also introduced a new lamp that is both simple and sophisticated. If you’re looking to add a few new accessories to your home, click here to check out Sarah’s newest additions. xo, grace
*P.S.: If you’re at the new JCrew, check out the gorgeous lights over the registers. They’re stunning.
*P.P.S.: I have another day of meetings, so I’m going to wrap up an hour early (at 12pm). But we’ll have a full day of content tomorrow including a ton of really great entertaining ideas for the spring.
March 31st, 2011 - 08:00am
I want Ruthie Chapman Sommers to decorate my life. Not just because she is a tastemaker of the highest degree, but also because she exudes style, wit, sincerity, savvy and humility. Ruthie is a girl I definitely would have wanted to be friends with in school. She has studied antiques and art in Paris; opened and closed legendary LA-based boutique Chapman Radcliff; penned a soon-to-be-released book; and designed many fabulous interiors and spaces that have been lauded in countless decor and shelter magazines. I adore her candidness, and her website bio is awfully charming. Read on for a glimpse into the creative world of Ruthie Chapman Sommers.
1. Design*Sponge: What is in your toolbox?
Ruthie Chapman Sommers: Tape measure, scale, nails, pushpins.
2. Design*Sponge: Fill in the blank, “When I am in my studio, I feel . . . “
CLICK HERE for the rest of Ruthie’s interview after the jump!
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March 30th, 2011 - 12:00pm
I have three vintage suitcases gathering dust in the back of my closet, so I could not be happier to see a luggage DIY project from the talented Ashley Poskin. We featured her burlap chair in our Before & After column last August, and her signature salvage style is back again in this lovely coffee table. My favorite part? The hidden storage. Thanks for sharing, Ashley! — Kate
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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March 30th, 2011 - 11:00am
Bead-and-pin baskets became a popular craft in the 50s and 60s. The baskets are made entirely out of safety pins, cheap craft-store beads and wire. You can find vintage versions at flea markets, eBay or Etsy for $10 to $25. I decorate my mantel every spring season with my collection of these beaded treasures and have always wanted to make one myself. For this month’s DIY, I broke down the larger, more intricate forms into a smaller easy-to-make gift size. Happy spring! — Halligan
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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March 30th, 2011 - 10:00am
If you’ve got spring cleaning on the brain, you may be looking for some new organizational solutions (aren’t we all?). Here’s a quick and easy sewing project to help the cause — fabric bins! These little containers are perfect for holding odds and ends, from bathroom clutter to craft-room supplies.
I’ll show you how to make the medium-sized bin pictured here, but once you get the hang of the construction, you’ll see how easy it is to make any sized container you need. I’ve made mine from oilcloth, which is stiff enough to hold the bin’s shape, and as an added bonus, it can be wiped clean. There are just a couple of tricks you need to know about sewing oilcloth, and we’ll get to those below. Let’s hop to it! — Brett Bara
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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March 30th, 2011 - 09:00am
This coming weekend there is a fantastic event taking place at Terrain — aka, my dream garden home. From 11am to 4pm on Saturday, Terrain will be celebrating all things Brooklyn with a huge range of events/demonstrations. There will be stenciling classes from Claudia Pearson; food events with Renato and Matt from Baked; Early Bird Granola; the authors of The New Brooklyn Cookbook; Brooklyn Slate; McClure’s Pickles and the team from Liddabit Sweets; crafting ideas from Knot & Bow; and a trunk show with Nadia and Myriah of Nightwood. Amy and I will be trucking down there bright and early to soak up the Brooklyn love and spend time in my favorite place on earth — the Terrain Cafe. If you’re in the area (it’s definitely worth the drive from NYC), I hope you’ll consider stopping by. We’d love to meet up with anyone heading there, and we’re so excited to celebrate some of our favorite local designers and artisans. Click here for more details, and we hope to see some of you there! (I love the flourish art feel of the poster above.) xo, grace
P.S.: I have a day full of meetings, so I’m going to end an hour early today. We’ll dive into DIY projects next and end with an interview with the wonderful Ruthie Sommers Chapman at 12pm today.
