Who, What, Where

Mark your calendars! I’ve been asked by Dwell on Design to be one of their design blog ambassadors in Los Angeles, June 23-25, 2017. Dwell on Design is the largest modern design fair on the west coast presented in partnership with Dwell Magazine, which brings together the brightest people, latest design materials, furniture, technology, garden and accessories under one roof.

You don’t have to be in the biz to enjoy the many design fair lectures, tours and shops. Here are some of the events I am putting on my must-see list:

Kim Lewis Tiny Homes, the former Lead Designer behind ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Kim Lewis, is launching her own line of Tiny Homes at Dwell on Design. She’ll be there in person to give us a tour and to share her tips on maximizing space and style.

The Home Tours allow design-seekers to fully immerse themselves in “Dwell-like” domestic spaces. These unique homes located all over Los Angeles are specially selected by Dwell to reflect the rich diversity of livable, innovative modern architecture and design found in the city.

A Little One-On-One Design Time

One-On-One Consultations are back by demand at Dwell on Design. Now is your chance to talk to real, live architects, designers, and tile experts in a series of free, no-commitment consultations. Make an appointment online via the link for your free, private design session.

Hope to see you there June 23-25 at #DODLA17! Grab your passes at dwellondesign.com/register and use promo code NUTSHELL to save on your pass.

Decorate With What You Love: Large and Small

When I first approach designing a small space, I think of all of the grand gestures I can make in key spots, from a large glass desk to voluminous layered curtains installed up to the ceiling, to combat that cluttered, compact look. Lots of little collections and junior-sized chairs can actually shrink the appearance of a room. But once the larger anchor pieces are in place,  it is the small design gestures that make a house  feel like a home.

Layer With Mementos

Here are some of my favorite things. Most of them are tiny, found objects or gifted treasures from people I love. Above I framed one of the art drawings that my physician father was famous for. This one is called “Rat Orchestra,” an homage to the critters he worked with in the research lab.  Since he recently passed away, his art truly brings me joy and a sense of connection to him.

Vintage Finds Add Warmth to a Small Space

Shopping in vintage shops is an outing I really enjoy with my mother. We always marvel at how in sync our tastes are and for my birthday, she bought me this little cast-iron Boston terrier door stop that faithfully greets me in the foyer.

Green Mason jars make me happy. I found them at Walmart and use them for mixing salad dressings or drinking lemonade, and if I am short on party cocktail shakers, they stand in quite well working a self-serve martini station.

My first Jonathan Adler pottery was a gift from my sweet sister.  After a day of shopping in San Francisco, she knew I had to have this piece.  It has been featured in my last book and again, in my second. It’s a keeper. Thank you, D!

What home doesn’t need a little extra love? Paperweights are a home office must-have. They make sense of the paper piles on top of a desk, organizing stacks of odds and ends to look intentional. This one also stands upright on a bookshelf.

Father’s Day Gifts On a Dime

San Diego Living asked me to come up with handmade Father’s Day Gifts for an upcoming television segment. I took it as a real challenge to keep gifts under $20 and to include projects you can easily do with your children. Here you go.  Enjoy!

1. For the handy dad in your life, customize a carpenter’s apron from Ace Hardware with clip art you can find online. Just make sure it is for personal use only. Download and print out the image onto t-shirt transfer paper and make sure it is the mirror image of the original art work if you are dealing with text. Press with an iron to transfer image onto the apron.

2. Personalize a clock for dad with Victorian silhouettes of each member of the family, even your four-legged pals. Have the kids snap profile photos of each other and print out in black and white onto card stock. Cut out the silhouette shape and use it as a template and draw around it onto black construction paper. Glue your new silhouette onto the clock face with decoupage medium. Install a simple clock kit onto a birch wood base, all conveniently located on the same aisle at the local craft store.

Fun Gifts for Kids to Make

3. Confetti dot monogram mugs dad will use every day. They are all the rage on Pinterest and an easy craft for the younger kids to do.  Use Sharpie paint pens, large letter stickers and ceramic mugs from the dollar store. Place stickers on the mug and cover the outline of the letters with lots of ink dots. Remove stickers and place mugs in a cold oven and turn heat up to 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn off heat but allow mugs to cool down inside the oven before removing.

4. Jewelry Loupe Picture Frames are a unique way of sharing a precious photo with dad.  Screw in a jewelry loupe, which magnifies an image, into the side or top of a wooden picture frame for an interactive viewing experience your father will cherish.

5. Give dad an original work of art. Transfer any photo onto a wood artist panel for that chic gallery look. Make a laser copy print of your favorite photo (an inkjet copy will bleed). Brush a layer of gesso or paint primer onto the wood and let dry. This step will prevent bubbles and wrinkles later in the process.  Next, apply a generous layer of acrylic gel medium onto the top of the wood panel. Do the same to the front of the photo print and then place photo print face down onto the panel. Gently rub out air bubbles, wrinkles and excess gel medium with the back of a spoon, an old credit card or a brayer.

Let dry for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. Spray entire surface with water and rub off the top layers of paper pulp with a damp sponge or cloth, which will start to reveal the transferred print underneath. This will take 4-5 passes with water to remove all of the paper pulp. Let dry for ten minutes in between and keep on rubbing. Finish and protect the photo transfer with acrylic sealer.

Happy Father’s Day!

Get Original With Art

Real, original art in any of its forms makes any small home live large. This oversized watercolor painting is by artist, Emily Redd. I was immediately drawn to the rich, dark colors in the painting and for many years it hung proudly in my NYC foyer. Its large scale tricks the eye into seeing the foyer as larger than it really is. It makes a grand statement right when you come in the door. For extra-large DIY art frames to match, that won’t break the bank, check out this project.

A second Emily Redd painting, a self-portrait, is displayed over the fireplace in my beach cottage in Souther California. Moving back to California after living in New York for over 20 years made me feel a bit topsy-turvy,  but once I starting unpacking and hung this painting, I felt at home once again. It is like being reunited with an old, faithful friend.

Where to Find Art Bargains

I learned quickly that acquiring original art does not have to be the price of a mortgage or car loan. Original photography and paintings can be the same price as poster art and prints found at big box stores. Plus, I love the idea of supporting an independent artist around the world. You can find a large selection of art at Zatista.com.  and Etsy.com. Give it a whirl!

Going Kelly Green

Blessed with a small garden, I saw this as a great opportunity to go bold with color. This spring I was at Ikea at just the right time to snag the last pair of Nipprig rattan patio chairs on sale in Kelly green. The only hitch was that all of the matching side tables were sold out except in black rattan. At the moment, I have three different paint projects going on.  I was trying to avoid a fourth. But the entire Ikea set was so gently priced, I stopped my whining and drove to the local Sherwin Williams paint store for a color match.

Swipe Right for a Perfect Match

The paint store only needs a small color sample (as small as a quarter they tell me), and they can make a match. The clerk was able to scan the back leg of one of the chairs for a computer color code and he purposefully made the first paint batch a little less green so we could adjust. It is easier to add color than subtract. I’ve included the code here if you’d like to replicate it on your own furnishings.

I’ve become fast friends with my local paint store, and I have learned a great deal about custom matching and custom blends.

I am thrilled with my new outdoor space outfitted with a fresh green patio set. Bring on the margaritas!

I Heart Renters

From day one of launching this blog, renters and apartment dwellers remain near and dear to my heart.  I’ve personally rented over a dozen nutshell-sized spaces (not measuring more than 800-square feet), and each home du jour became a design lab for portable design; decor that would not hurt walls, windows or floors and that you can take with you. Every small space came with a unique set of design challenges that inspires smart and chic solutions for storage, lighting and privacy.

The Votes Are In

Thanks to ForRent.com for including us on their Best-Of-List. Checkout their blog where you’ll find creative and practical decor and storage tips specifically for renters in mind.