So sorry for the suspense regarding my toolbox dresser project. I haven’t made much progress on it yet. In the meantime, I decided to make a starburst mirror. This project was a cinch because I learned from the mistakes I made on my sunburst mirror. The basic materials for this one: an Ikea plant glide (which I also used for my furniture-nail clock), wooden plant markers, and wooden skewers. Read more »

A few people have asked me for jewelry organizing solutions. You asked for it, so you got it. (More jewelry storage ideas to come.) I bought this Ikea room divider for $10 in the As-Is section last year. I wasn’t a fan of the black hook-and-loop holding it together, but the individual panels make a handy valet for fashion accessories. One panel holds enough for me, but fashionistas may need the entire room-divider to hold all of their accoutrements. I also think the panels would be classy spray painted black. Right? Read more »

I’m redecorating my living room. Red has been lovely, but the colors of the sea are calling me. (I’ll post a before and after when my living room is done.) I like Ikea’s Fjädrar inner cushions, but none of Ikea’s pillow covers go with my new color scheme. So, using a cover that I bought in the As-Is section for a couple bucks, I figured out how to make my own. Plus I decided I was due an easy project after last week’s marathon. Read more »

Inspired by Jason Horvath's Sakura table from Uhuru.

Last year I fell in love with Jason Horvath’s Sakura table from Uhuru. It was out of my price range, so I decided to make my own version using some bamboo veneer a friend gave me and two Ikea Lack tables I got on Craigslist. Aiming for an organic floral design, I used photos of gerber daisies and cosmos to create my patterns. Btw: This treatment would also look great on many other types of painted furniture. How about a 70s geometric pattern on a boring cabinet? P.S. Thanks for your patience and words of encouragement this week. It took me a while to scrape off the old glue and summon the will to try again. Read more »

My brother and I custom built this unit. I couldn’t find the right piece of furniture that had small drawers and deep drawers. I found these Branäs baskets at Ikea, but Ikea doesn’t make a unit like this to hold them. So, I drew up the plans to build this shelf unit. Read more »

Got drawer pulls, pants hangers, and photos (or your children’s artwork) lying around? With a few supplies, you can hang them on the wall in minutes—and easily swap them out when the fancy strikes. The best part is drawer pulls look like antique picture hangers—for a fraction of the cost. And the girls? Three of my adorable nieces. Read more »

This is the easiest project I’ve attempted yet. It all started with an Ikea plant glide and furniture nails (which come in myriad colors and sizes). This clock is full of possibility. You could also glue on wood pieces, apply chalkboard paint, affix buttons, or just leave it au natural. (Oh, and I made the china cabinet that you see in the picture too.) Read more »