All posts from Design*Sponge

good morning guys! i have officially made up for all of the sleep i’ve missed over the past few months of book work and i am finally feeling rested, ready to work and back to feeling like myself! the d*s site re-design is just around the corner (i’m so excited!), i just hired a fantastic copy editor to help us improve our writing and i’m working on some few new columns to start this month. so we’re hitting the ground running in september and i couldn’t be happier. before we dive into today’s regular posts (we’re merging monday’s posts into today- so stay tuned for sneak peeks!) i wanted to start with these beautiful new stoneware planters from canadian designer paige russell. paige created them as part of fossil’s new “long live art” program, which asks artists to create a vintage-inspired piece that illustrates what the phrase “long live vintage” means to them. paige’s planters are available right here for $50. click here to check out fossil’s “long live art” program and the other artists participating.

When I stumbled upon the sneak peek of this colorful home, I gasped in delight! Ombline de Kersabiac (French stylist, textile designer and illustrator) likes to try new things and take risks, which is visible in both the design and color choices of her house. Ombline’s unexpected palettes highlight the progressive industrial design in each room. Click here to view the entire sneak peek (pops of neon included!). —Lauren
Palette 1:
A) Night Shade (Behr), PMS 5463 B) Whitestone (Benjamin Moore), PMS Cool Gray 3 C) Margarita (Benjamin Moore), PMS 382 D) Night Tide (Pratt & Lambert), PMS 3155 E) Amber Waves (Benjamin Moore), PMS 148

Palette 2:
A) Green Suede (Valspar), PMS 341 B) Fruit Shake (Benjamin Moore), PMS 196 C) Amalfi (Sherwin-Williams), PMS 314 D) Manchester (Pratt & Lambert), PMS 420 E) Hint of Cherry (Valspar), PMS 1915

i’m so happy to end the week with an update from my park slope neighbor, wayne pate. wayne re-designed his website and is now selling a beautiful selection of home goods along with his sweet prints. if you’re looking for something special for someone, or just want to perk up your own space, click here to check it out!
we’ll be taking monday off for the holiday, so i’ll see you all on tuesday with new homes, movie-style, biz ladies advice, a new city guide and much more. have a wonderful holiday! xo, grace
*ps: speaking of park slope, ac and i are looking to finally move out out current apt into a new space. if anyone has a real estate agent in park slope or wiliamsburg that they love, i’d be so appreciative for any tips! thanks!

must-read posts of the week: sneak peek best of: dining rooms (round tables), best of play rooms, outstanding in the field
new city guide: wellington, new zealand guide, new haven guide
biz ladies: promoting your business (tastefully) online
living in: butch cassidy and the sundance kid
sneak peeks: joel holland, jen + omar of these are things
diy projects: jaime’s freshly picked floral accessories, brenna’s secret storage books, framed display box
before & afters: iris’s credenza + michael’s dresser, courtney’s chairs + hampton’s dresser, lisa’s chair + calli’s dresser
under $100: nightstands
before and after basics:  stencil tricks
simply color: suzie mckig
summer florals: wearing white one last time (white arrangement how-to)
in the kitchen with: ming thompson’s fig layer cake recipe (mmm…)
behind the bar: with barbara merrit’s champagne cocktail recipe!
small measures with ashley: 7 tips for greening your bedroom
misc.: dalton ghetti, the exquisite book, morning birds, dedo faux-fur message board, secondome, beautiful paper-cut cards from coral & tusk

I am so excited to unveil this month’s Behind the Bar column!  Ever since my sister, Jillian, first introduced it to me, I have long admired the Portland, Maine store “chelliswilson.“  When I was finally able to visit the shop last November I was absolutely blown away, not only by the stop-in-your-tracks gorgeous shop but also by the oh-so-sweet owner, Barbara Merritt.  She brims with knowledge and has stocked her store with the most unique, beautiful and thoughtful creations.  It is a small, intimate store that packs a large punch!  I could have poked around, admiring each and every item for hours.  Every corner has a delightful surprise and just when you thought you had seen it all, you will find something else to lust after.  If HORNE were ever to have a physical incarnation, “chelliswilson.” would definitely be one of the places I would reference for inspiration.

When I approached Barbara for the Behind the Bar column I just knew she would add her own very special twist.  Today were are featuring a simply elegant drink accompanied by a wonderful story behind its creation.  Have a great weekend and we hope you enjoy Barbara’s Champagne cocktail, “The Marriage of True Minds.” [Alissa + Ryan]
P.S. Make sure to check out Barbara’s Blog – it is full of droolworthy inspiration!

CLICK HERE for the full drink recipe (and more photos) after the jump!
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You may not instantly recognize this beautiful pastry work, as you are all used to seeing Ming Thompson’s culinary skills baked into the form of a cupcake.  But this week, Ming, of Ming Makes Cupcakes, has taken a break from the cupcake to give us our first ever layer cake on the column!  And though she made it earlier in the summer, we saved it up until September in honor of the best figs of the year (but don’t worry, you don’t need fresh figs to do this!).  Personally, I happen to prefer making layer cakes to cupcakes because it’s a lot less work!  But never fear, for the die hard cupcake lovers Ming has also included instructions on how to make this beautiful cake (which is a pistachio olive oil cake with fig compote filling and cream cheese frosting) into one of her great filled cupcakes.  -Kristina
About Ming: Ming Thompson was born and raised in Southwest Virginia.  She grew up in the kitchen of her parents’ restaurant, Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque.  She graduated from Yale and recently earned her Masters in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.  She currently works as an exhibition curator and designer, and runs a small stationery business.

CLICK HERE for the full recipe after the jump!
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As we begin the Labor Day weekend, I am prone to ponder the moratorium on “wearing white” after Labor Day.  I am a relatively newly relocated East Coast-er and I am just beginning to grow accustomed to the change of seasons and all that implies.  The transition from summer to fall brings subtle shifts in weather, emotions, expectations and perhaps most importantly – fashion and design :)  I will pack away my favorite white pants (that have the perfect hint of stretch) and nautical themed tops, but I will keep the memory of my first swim in the Atlantic and first Yankees game (Yay?  Boo?) close to the surface.
Here, one final ode to summer. A last celebration of white in all its glory, as expressed through flowers.  With the assistance of the sensational photographer Jennifer Davis, I treated these soft, white arrangements like little supermodels and set them about to strut their stuff on a blazing, hot day in a city park.  Farewell, summer. -Sarah

CLICK HERE for more images and Sarah’s how-to for creating this arrangement after the jump!
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*Image from All About You.
Growing up, my mom was continually redecorating our surroundings. Although we moved rather frequently, once we were situated somewhere, it wouldn’t be long before my older brother and I would come home from school only to hear mom’s inevitable “What if we moved the couch to the other wall and put the love seat over here?” I picked up the rearranging fever from her, continually tweaking and curating my bedroom as I grew. My redecorating M.O. always followed the same course: I’d take any and all decorative items and put them on my bed; after careful scrutiny, I’d redistribute them in new locations, deciding along the way that some just didn’t make the cut with my current aesthetic preferences. Even now, as an adult, I can’t tell you how many times in my dreams I revisit the bedroom I kept from ages 10-14, switching out the Holly Hobby bedspread for something with a deep, rich, geometric pattern and replacing the “New Kids On the Block” posters with a gorgeous mirror or whimsical wire sculpture.
When the seasons change, I get the redecorating itch, big time. If you get it too, a great place to begin is in the bedroom. Today’s “Small Measures” then focuses on ways to stylishly green-up and remodel the place in which we all spend about a 1/3rd of our lives. If you want a new look, but can’t shell out the cash to build the walk-in of your dreams (or you’re a renter and that’s just totally not even an option), consider these chic environmentally-friendly means of tricking out your current digs in a more favorable (green) light.

*Image from Re-Nest.
1) VOC-free paints- Whether it’s an entire room you wish to renew or simply one wall, a fresh coat of paint can transform a weary room in hours. Paints free of Volatile Organic Compounds (organic compounds with gases that can prove harmful to the environment and humans over time) are quite easy to come by these days, and at great prices. When we were setting up Nugget’s nursery last month, we scored a gallon of mossy green “Globe Artichoke” by Olympic Paints at our local big box retailer. It’s amazing, having painted more rooms than I care to remember, how conspicuously absent of smell V.O.C.-free paints are. Re-Nest has a fantastic round-up of V.O.C.-free and non-toxic paints here.

*Image from Go Natural Baby.
2) Eco Linens-Fresh sheets, comforters, quilts, and duvet covers can instantly transform the look and feel of your bedroom. A number of suppliers carry luxurious, silky smooth organic cotton and all-natural offerings. I’m a big fan of bamboo linens. Bamboo contains a high degree of inherent antibacterial and antifungal properties. As such, they’re able to repel insects (including fleas and bedbugs), germs, and even bacteria (research conducted in China showed bamboo sheet’s ability to repel the Staphylococcus aureous bacteria, responsible for most staph infections, even after a 24-hour exposure period!).
3) Natural Materials Mattress-While one of the more expensive means of redecorating and greening your bedroom, an all-natural mattress might be your best long-term investment, at least as far as your health is concerned. Conventional mattresses are chock full of synthetic materials, including dyes, formaldehyde, fire retardants, and chemicals used in resisting stain and water damage. These chemicals all give off gases that have both known and unknown long-term effects on human health. Mattresses made of wool, organic cotton, and latex are all available and are known for both their comfort and durability. We’re picking up organic mattresses both for our wee one’s Moses basket rocker (where he’ll spend the first few months of his life beside our bed) as well as for his crib, as the developing respiratory and neurological systems of babies are especially vulnerable to the effects of off-gasing chemicals.

CLICK HERE for the rest of Ashley’s post after the jump!
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when i’m out shopping i have a hard time resisting a beautiful cut-paper card. if the color beneath the cut-out is just right, i’m basically already pulling out my purse to see how many i can fit inside. so when i saw these simple but sweet cards from stephanie at coral & tusk i was sold. the grey lock and peachy orange fox are right up my current color alley so i think i may have to splurge on a few of these. stephanie also makes adorable “embroidered paintings” that are as soft and sweet looking as the animals she depicts. if you have a little one on the way, these would be perfect for a nursery. click here to check out (and shop) stephanie’s full collection online.

hello friends! it’s that time again! today on before and after basics we are going to chat about stencils, and the fantastic possibilities they create in the area of furniture. for this particular project today i chose large letter stencils {found at my local craft store} and created the word “eat” on an old pub table. i would like to add that there are many different ways to do this process, and so many different designs to choose from. the process i demonstrate here is what has worked for me, and therefore i am passing it along to you! also, if you are looking for a great source for stencils and many more tips and tricks …visit stencil1. ok, now that  we have that down let’s create!  barb

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
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okay, i’m going to be honest and say that sometimes my opinion on a project is heavily influenced by the styling and quality of the photos. what can i say? as a visual person, i freely admit that packaging is everything. i like good design and pretty things; guilty as charged. when i saw the quirky and beautiful after shot of this chair, i had to stop and question if the image’s charm was clouding my judgment of the chair itself. but then i realized no, that chair is actually pretty awesome, and i would love to have it in my own home. you win on all counts lisa! she scored these chairs for a low price because the velvet was torn. using an ampersand print panel from aussie designer shannon lamden, she reupholstered them to make quite a statement. i love them very much, that’s all i can say. you can see lisa’s love of bold graphic patterns in her own line of handmade accessories, available in her etsy shop. not surprisingly, her home was also featured in australian home beautiful magazine last year. great work, lisa! i’m very inspired. -kate
[have a before & after you'd like to share? just shoot me an email with your images right here! (low res, under 500k per image, please)]

CLICK HERE for calli’s painted dresser after the jump!
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i pass by chairs like these so often at thrift stores and yard sales. i consider myself to be someone with a good amount of creative vision, but when my brain takes in the wrinkly leather and the overly varnished wood it says, i give up. i have to commend courtney, not only for braving the removal of such well maintained upholstery, but for choosing such an unexpected fabric for the shape of the chair. the result is eclectic and actually looks quite comfortable for lounging. the cozy and textured bolivian blankets complement the thick wood arms far better than the black leather did, in my opinion. she also showed brilliant restraint in keeping the bold pattern limited to the front of the chair; the cream fabric on the back and sides is the perfect touch. you can purchase these chairs and see more of her custom upholstery work in her online shop. great job, courtney! -kate
[have a before & after you'd like to share? just shoot me an email with your images right here! (low res, under 500k per image, please)]

CLICK HERE for hampton’s wedding dresser after the jump!
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i know a lot of people out there hate ikea and all it stands for. however, i think it would be unwise to discount the amazing role ikea has played in the diy design universe. in fact i think ikea should be hip to the trend and start selling products that support the hacking of their furniture: a line of paint colors and power tools, perhaps? better yet, they should hold a contest for diy-ers and offer to manufacture the winning furniture hack. i would certainly nominate iris and her modern credenza for mass production. i love the olive green and burnt orange colors; the unexpected combination feels equally perfect for fall as it does for spring. according to iris, the trick to achieving a nice finish on this type of piece is to give it a couple good coats of high adhesion primer, then follow with a high quality oil based enamel. the results are amazing. great work, iris! -kate
[have a before & after you'd like to share? just shoot me an email with your images right here! (low res, under 500k per image, please)]

i just finished reading julia child’s my life in france– i’m late to the party on that one, i know. apart from being utterly charmed and inspired, i now desperately desire a rustic, well-stocked kitchen, preferably accompanied by the scent of freshly baked french loaves. this cabinet makeover from michael fuels my craving even more. he snagged this piece for £4 ($6!). with a quick and inexpensive coat of paint, he transformed it to better suit his tastes. i love the decision to leave natural wood on the shelf and the knobs; the warm wood provides a perfect contrast to the icy blue hue. the result is a lovely example of modern country style. great work, michael!