Red Chinoiserie Hardware

I'm so excited to (finally!!) use this great hardware from Bellacor in a few of my projects.
One client will use these on a vintage china hutch from Craigslist. Another client took the plunge and is using it all on her gray kitchen cabinets!! And I'm completely green with envy.


The hardest part of being a decorator for me is definitely all the jealousy I feel over client purchases! I'm especially jealous since this hardware is on sale. I'm tempted to just clean Bellacor out in hopes that someday I can use it on my own gray cabinets! :)

Hodge Podge Staircase

Having trouble deciding which style of baluster you prefer? Why not use all of your favorites?

Design by Nathan Egan

LOVE this look.

Monogrammed Umbrella Stand

Who doesn't love Leontine Linens? For a preppy girl like me, the line represents the ultimate in monogrammed luxury. I think you need a trust fund to order a set of bedding though...




Maybe someday I'll have saved enough pennies for Leontine. In the meantime, I...'borrowed' a few of their monogram designs to make my husband's and my monogram in photoshop.



This sad little thrift store umbrella stand (that has been painted every color in the rainbow since I bought it a few years ago) badly needed a facelift...


This is how crazy I am guys - I taped a piece of freezer paper to my computer screen and traced the image.


I did some fine-tuning with a pen...


Then I carefully cut out the design with an X-acto knife. And then adhered the paper to my freshly painted umbrella stand.


Then I used a sponge roller to apply some white paint.


Here's the 100% free outcome:



A huge improvement, no? I love it.

Itty Bitty

I'm totally crushing on the teeny tiny tufts here in this Celerie Kemble bedroom. So delicate and feminine.

Great DIY

Hot off the presses from design*sponge...

A great idea for turning those horrible hollow-core doors into something more substantial looking, but doing it on the cheap.


A little moulding and some paint. My kind of project!!



Black paint would have been great here, too. Get some more door paint color inspiration here.

Dala Horse Collection

I mentioned before that my mother's family is Swedish. If I close my eyes, I can walk through my great grandma Johnson's home, room by room, piece by piece. I can especially remember the way it smelled. She was an incredible cook. Actually, she was an all around incredible woman.

I remember there being a few beautiful Dala horses in her home. Dala horses were created as toys for Swedish children hundreds of years ago, and now today are a well-known symbol of Sweden.

I decided a while ago that I would like to start a collection of antique dala horses. I like the idea of letting my children pick their favorite(s) to keep for their own homes when they're older. Here's my first acquisition.

Dala horses are traditionally painted a bright reddy-orange, but I really like this blue, too. Check here on eBay for Swedish sellers and you can occasionally find a great deal on a beautiful vintage piece. I wish this one wasn't priced so high already. I really love the white horses the best.

Desktop Wallpaper

I love wallpaper. For my walls and for my desktop.


So give your mac or PC a little face lift for free here.