DIY: IKEA nightstand transformations

Nothin beats a trip to IKEA.  Could be the deals, could be the $1 kiddie cones, the inspiring vignettes or the smell of delectable cinnamon rolls wafting through the air.  Whatever the draw of IKEA, one thing is certain - it's a designing wonderland of possibilities certain to please even the most particular designer palette.  In this kingdom of creativity, one is able to take a seemingly uninspired block of blah furniture and turn it into a spectacular showcase piece with a wee bit of ingenuity.

Would you guess this piece came from IKEA?  Details on Design Manifest

So...how does one go about creating these pieces of furniture pageantry?  Take for instance the nightstand below.  Humdrum, lifeless and basically blah (unless you are in a woodsy cabin in the mountains).  For most of us, we might just pass on by this little jewel but that would be ashame....Sharpen your pencil and smooth your paper.   Start brainstorming how to change this into something that fits your home and style.  Or if you are still leery about where to begin, check out the pages below with attached links to gain some more iillumination. 

IKEA Rast Nightstand for $29.99

Transformed into this beauty by Marcus Design

Check out this revamped nightstand by Aubrey + Lindsay on the exact piece.

Another take on the nightstand by Design Sponge

Brass Hardware by Lee Valley makes this one sing by Design Manifest

Classic Simplicity by Samantha Muse



A burst of sunshine from Smitten Studio

Colorful change by Get It Girl Style

Gold rings and paint bring a modern look from Armell Jewelry



A splash of Chevron makes this version pop from What The Vita

If the pics above don't bring some much needed creativity, I don't know what will!  Let me know which one is your favorite --- and as always, I would love to hear from you with the results of your own project.  Stay tuned for more DIY projects from our blog and be sure to visit Dwell With Dignity blog.  Every Monday features a DIY proven to arouse your inner design diva. 

Until next week,

C

DIY: Under the influence of wine

Who doesn't love a glass of wine? I know for many it's the perfect thing to go with cheese, steak or even dessert. But what about all those wine corks? Don't even think about tossing them out.  How about using them for something creative?

With some glue and a few cuts wine corks make the perfect placecard holder. From urbanfarmhouse

Glue together they create a bulletin board, trivet or serving tray. From ehow

This is perfect for a new bathroom look or simply say welcome in a whole new way....and earth friendly too! From planetgreen.com

Create your own decorative ball in a variety of size. Maybe even fill a bowl. From Urbanfarmhouse

Use them in vases, bowls and even a lamp to add some texture. From Designbuzz.com

Or add a new look to your cabinets. From Southern Living

Layering them on a table creates a fun look especially when topped by a glass top.  From Design Buzz

Isn't it time you designed your very own chair? From Home Decor Arcade

These wine cork ornaments would be great for a wine tree a Christmas but they would work just perfectly on a gift, as a napkin ring or even as tassel for drapery and linens.  From Garden Web

Or what about creating your initials? Perfect for a wall or a door. From Green is universal.

So next time you are popping open your favorite glass of wine, be sure to save the cork! For more ideas like this, be sure to keep reading my blog or checkout the one I manage with Dwell with Dignity.  Every Monday we feature a DIY blog that will knock your socks off!

Until next time,

C

Dwell with Dignity's Recent 2011 Spring Install

I wear many different hats in my life.  Student, Design Assistant, Designer Extraordinaire, Mother, Wife, Volunteer.  In addition to all of these previous titles, I also hold one very special moniker --  blog manager for Dwell With Dignity.  This is probably the designation that I am most proud of outside of my own family duties.  DWD is a non-profit organization that has a fantastic team of designers on board who use their gifts of interior design to create soothing, inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessnes and poverty.  Combined with a slew of tireless volunteers, the DWD team believes by changing a person's surroundings, their outlook on life will also change for the better.  We have stories upon stories of significant  life change due to the DWD influence.  


Check out a recent Dwell With Dignity Installation from the talented blog team entry below:  (Notice the pillow on the brown chair -- donated by moi!)


THE DWD RECENT INSTALL
Remember the fabulous work our volunteers did during our last WWNs (in February and March)? The creatively quilled artworks and freshly-painted furniture were put to good use at our first 2011 install with a family at the Interfaith Housing Coalition. 

Scroll down to view the highlights of this new home DWD decorated for a mother and her 4-month old baby. We incorporated bright yellow accents throughout to set a cheerful tone for the young family and hopefully inspire YOU to do more with color, old furniture, and your trusty hands!

LIVING ROOM

Special thanks to Sandra Freeman for her artistic

photography and D.Fadal for the pillows

This quilled artwork takes the spotlight of the room. It was created using a hollow-cored door!The complementary credenza was generously contributed by Antiques Moderne.

We always have use for old pieces of sturdy furniture that just need a little sprucing, like this wingback chair. Check out the difference in the before and after!

Before & After

The warm color tones combined with the soft lighting makes for an inviting and comfortable environment in the living room.

The completed living room look

BEDROOM

Pops of yellow keep the bedroom bright even as the black draperies (donated by Curtain Exchange) shut out the light on weekend mornings to allow for sleeping-in.

Doesn't this look adorable?

KITCHEN

On entering the kitchen, you'll find a kitchen table fashioned from the top of one table and the base from another. Another "Inspire" idea for you!

The yellow paint unites our donated items and makes the room pop!

Kudos to the Dwell With Dignity Design Team!  Who says that inspiration can't conquer all? 


Many of you have asked me how to go about getting involved with DWD.  The simple answer is to donate.  Send a picture of the item to be donated to donategood@dwellwithdignity.org.  Once your photo is received, you will hear back from someone with all the details involving drop off and tax deduction.  Wouldn't it be a thrill to see one of your tired old donations reappear in a fresh way in an upcoming blog?   Regardless of whether you have anything physical to donate, cash donations are always accepted to underwrite any of these spectacular items waiting to be reinvented for the cause.  

If none of these methods suits your fancy, there's always room for more on the blog team.  Respond to this blog and I can hook you up right away with all the necessary info.  Away you go!  Another essential element to our Dwell With Dignity Team is getting your hands dirty.  Hop on over to the offices on Hood Street in Dallas each Wednesday evening and bring your playclothes!  Each week artisans and would-be experts alter furniture, create artwork and dabble in other outstanding goodies for an upcoming install.  You'll learn fantastic techniques while making a difference for someone less fortunate.  So..while your duties swirl around your head like soft serve ice cream, I hope that you will take the time to look outside yourself and into your community. Take a cue from Dwell With Dignity.  Make someone else happy while living your life.


Off to a hat change-
C

The Art of the Blog

"Happy Birthday to me....happy birthday to me....happy birthday dear Why Not? blog....happy birthday to me!"  Ok.  I'm a bit early, but March 10, 2010, marks the beginning of my crazy ride into blogging - the birth of this bittersweet marriage of adventure and heartache in the design world.  Many have asked me the reasoning behind it and it's really quite simple:  I wanted to share my design ideas about beautiful rooms and talented designers who produce spectacular rooms.  More importantly, I had a deep desire to document my foray into design school as a 40 something mom (in other words, if I could do it...anyone can). 

LA Designer Mary McDonald, one of my favs, graces the cover of Domino Magazine.

Now just because I like to blog doesn't necessarily make me an expert.  It became quickly apparent that there is an art to blogging that I (to be brutally honest) knew squat about.  Sure, writing is important but who wants to hear an expert drone on about topics that only the expert likes? My faithful devotees yearn for more than just words on a page- they want photos.  The formula that works best for me is :  photos + interesting topics + honesty = success. 

There are some eye-popping examples of design blogs in cyberspace.  La Dolce Vita, Material Girls and Coco-Kelley are in the favorites bar at the top of my homepage.  Follow that up with the e-zines High Gloss, Rue and Lonny.  The funny thing is that many of these creators aren't even designers by trade but just some average joes that worship design.  The thrill of my inbox bulging with these jewels makes my life complete.  With their arrivals, come fresh ideas and fresh places to buy goodies along with snapshots that I'm able to save on my mac to pass onto my subscribers. 

High Gloss was just released yesterday!  And began as the result of a team of outstanding bloggers.

Don't get me wrong.  There are some stinky blogs out there clouding the view.  Those I immediately dismissed with the push of a button - never to return to my screen.  Even with my love of design and my head stuffed with nuggets of greatness, I understand my limits.  Just like the creators of Rue, I knew that I needed a team mate to round out my rough edges.

Another great online design magazine...Rue

Enter my buddy Jen.  Part editor, part sounding board and a whole lotta of fun...Jennifer boosts my blogging to a level that easily conveys my personality to the world.  Her editing skills give me that zing in an otherwise ho-hum endeavor.  Thanks. friend. 

Enough about the past.  As with any upcoming landmark birthday, it's time to ponder the future.  Where do I want to go? Coming out of the gate first is my intense desire to get this craziness out of my head and onto the page.  I thrive on chronicling this adventure of design.  It keeps my eye on the prize.  A constant reminder of the mountain I am climbing being an baby designer along with the successes and challenges.  I want to lay bare my progression to my readers in a crisp way - whether it be a new furniture discovery, a fabu paint color or a yawner class assignment.  

Recently I have had the huge honor of becoming blog manager for Dwell With Diginity here in Dallas.  I've mentioned DWD in a prior blog and cannot say enough wonderful things about this non-profit.  The stated goal of DWD is to bring good design to those less fortunate by inspiring them through their living environment to be the best they can be in life.  In other words, bringing beauty and serenity to their homes and having that flow over into all aspects of their life.  The beauty of this project for me is that I am able to manage this from my home and still know that I am contributing to  a worthy cause.  My job description?  Lining up the bloggers and topics for the site while managing the overall flow.  Exciting!

DWD Founders Kim Turner and Lisa Robison after their appearance on Good Morning Texas.  

In thinking forward for the Why Not? blog, I realize that my blog (however spectacular in this infancy stage) can be cranked up a bit.  I would absolutely love, love, love to attend the upcoming blog conference in LA February 28th - March 1st.  This gathering will feature my personal favs:  Palmoa Contreras of La Dolce Vita, Casandra LaValle from Coco+Kelley and Grace Bonney author of Design*Sponge.

Cassandra LaValle from Coco+Kelley will be sharing tips from her successful blog.

Of course there will be designers of all sorts there for the soiree also:  Jan Showers, Barclay Butera and Tobi Fairley.  Unless a sugar daddy pops up in the next few weeks (which with my schedule, who has the time), the chances are zilch that I'll be learning from these gurus in person.  If only Harrison Ford was willing and available...Pinch self.  Wake up.

Atlanta designer and blogger Tobi Fairley will be speaking on How to Build Your Interior Design Business

Availabillity is something that I'm lacking right now.  Design school, dream design job, volunteering for DWD and Paws the new puppy (more about the name in later posts) are all vying for my time.  As of publication, Paws is winning the competition hands down with her cutie patootie puppy snuggles.  So, LA will have to pine for me this year. 

My new puppy Paws...

Time to pack up the pointy pre-birthday hats and streamers until next year.  Snap the photo for the scrapbook and move on with life.  Join me in staking claim to another milestone in my design progression.

More cake, anyone?

C  

Dwell with Dignity

There is something I love about purging.  Not only do you get to free up some space and order for yourself, but you get to give things away.  A few weeks ago, I did just that.  Several items went to my favorite non-profit Dwell with Dignity.

As you might recall, I met with the brain children of this non-profit (Lisa Robinson and Kim Turner) weeks before I started school at the Art Institute.  At that time, February to be exact, they just completed several installs, were just getting fully running and we still looking for a place to office.   Come July, they have new digs, have gotten a ton of press from The Dallas Morning News, D Magazine, D Home and more…. and are making a big difference in the world.

Dwell with Dignity is a group of interior designers and volunteers dedicated to creating soothing, inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessness and poverty.  They provide and install home interiors for families that include furnishings and art, bedding and kitchen supplies, and food in the pantry.  Their mission is to help families escape poverty and homelessness through design.  One household at a time.

Dwell has a group of dedicate volunteers and generous donors.  They have a website, facebook site, a blog and they even use twitter.  

Lisa and I last Saturday in front of a new dresser they have refurnished for a boys bedroom.  Love it!

Their new digs!  A great new contact offered them low rent on this new cute house, on Hall Street in Dallas…perfect for the office headquarters with plenty of room to store all the donations, and of course, room to transform things!

Information table just to the right of the front door giving you all the data you need to help them make a difference.

It was Saturday workday for them, which they have often.  Several people were busy in the house painting, sewing and getting ready for the next install.

The donation room…which include my green shaded shell lamp, several shades and other items I dropped off.  I can’t wait to see it appear in a new room down the line.

And as for the extra pillow inserts and covers I had … they go into the pillow room of course!

The “container store room”.  One of their donors supplies thread and fabrics.  Just opposite this is where much of the sewing gets done.

They even did a great job decorating the hallway….

Lisa in her office…grey and green combo.  Very mod!

Here is one of the latest projects they have done.  Most of the apartments are only 1 or 2 bedrooms, so storage and scale is very important.  On this particular install, a 2 bedroom at CityWalk @ Akard, the daughter was so excited about her room she said to her mother, “I’m putting my shoes in your room so I don’t mess up MY room”.

http://www.dwellwithdignity.org/Projects.html

The upcoming install is for a grandmother and two young boys.  A team of volunteers have completed two really cool dressers (one being the map one above).  So be sure to check back and see what it looks like.

You can also read about their latest installs by reading their blog  (http://dwellwithdignity.blogspot.com), or by connecting with them on facebook.  (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dallas-TX/Dwell-with-Dignity/138397849055)

So the next time you are in the purging mood, be sure to consider donating your items to Dwell with Dignity.  You can just email them a photo and they will get back to you immediately. 

Or maybe you just want to purchase a needed item on their website (pictures above) or just donate some money to help where it is needed.  Whatever way you choose, it sure makes a difference!

And of course, they love volunteers who are great with a paint brushes, the sewing machine, shopping or many other areas.    Bring a friend one workday and help make a change for the better.

Until next week,

C