26July

{Home Tour} FOF Design Expert Janell Beals Offers Tips and a Tour

FOF Janell Beals is a true jane of all trades. She's a skilled painter with a BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, holds a degree in Fashion Design, and even launched her own highly acclaimed women's clothing line, Janell Beals Clothing. When she finally took a break to raise a family at 40, she found it impossible to keep her creativity at bay. Four years later, she began working with clients as an interior designer. In 2008, she and her husband bought a 3,100 square foot outside of Portland, Oregon, and started documenting her remodeling process on her blog, Isabella & Max rooms. The blog became so popular (with 5,000 page views each day) that Janell launched House of Fifty, a full-service online magazine full of helpful tips for re-decorating, DIY projects, inspiring success stories, and more. "The name and concept for the magazine came about after being turned down for another opportunity based on my age,” says Janell. “I wanted to create something that celebrated the fact that women can live inspired lives at any age." Here she shares tips on easy ways to redecorate your space without breaking bank, and leads a “virtual” tour of her breathtaking home!

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Can you offer some simple and inexpensive ways to redecorate?
Lighting fixtures and paint can go far when decorating a space. It doesn't have to cost a lot.
You can [change light fixtures] easily with a conversion kit. Take a recessed light [with] a $10 kit from Home Depot. Once you install this, you can hang light fixtures from it. [It] helps to create that unique and interesting statement in the room. (See Janell's step-by-step guide here: how to convert recessed light to hang a chandelier).

How can you keep your home decor up-to-date without overspending?
Accessories. If you've got the basic pieces, the simplest way to update things is with pillows, or by layering rugs over carpeting. Texture and pattern and color on pillows and drapes, even lampshades can transform a room.

What pieces should you splurge on?
[Splurge on] beds--it's key to your well being that you get a good night sleep, and what could help that more than a great comfortable mattress? Sofas can [also] be so expensive, and it's tempting [to save], but in two or three years you'll have to replace it, whereas if you invest in a decent sofa that is well made you can have it for 10-15 years. When the material wears out you can get it upholstered. Invest in a solid wood dining room table. I would often [try to get away] with veneer tops, but they just doesn't stand up to the wear and tear of everyday life. In the long run, investing in quality pieces that you can experiment with is the more affordable way to go.

What stores and websites do you shop at?
I like to shop at Ikea, HomeGoods, Ethan Allan occasionally, Restoration Hardware, and Mitchell Gold.

What blogs do you visit for inspiration?
Censational girl is amazing. It really focuses on affordable decor solutions and most of them are DIY. She really finds the best projects. Thrifty decor chick has great tips on decoration and great portfolios on her site. [I also like] the nester.

How do you strike a balance between the pieces that you craft, and the pieces that you purchase?
It's important that there be a mix. If everything in my home was DIY, it would look that way, even though I try to make them look as upscale as possible. Sometimes you do need to spend some money. [You need] that mix of high and low--a couple of quality or interesting standout pieces, whether it's an antique light fixture or blinds or a nice table, sofa or chair, elevates the whole look. If your DIY projects are done well, the mix is going to be interesting.

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Dining Room

Light fixture: Crate & Barrel, “It was a steal at $300--it was a floor sample! I added brass bobeches and hung crystals from them, which I found at Antique Lamp Supply."

Table: Restoration Hardware

Bench: Overstock.com, “I completely redid it. It was covered with a dark brown faux leather. I removed that and recovered it with an ivory faux ostrich skin from Calico Corners. I sanded down the legs and applied Briwax, then applied the oversized nailhead trim to accent the sides."

Wall: “I treated it with a stencil from Whitewall & Co.

Chairs: Van Gogh Furniture. "I made slip covers [for them] using cotton drop cloths from Sherwin-Williams--they become a beautiful durable fabric when you launder them well."

Dining Room

Oriental worn chest: “Was a gold yellow tone that really clashed with the flooring in the house, so I painted it an ivory color.”

Birdcage: Pottery Barn (on clearance). “I mixed together some paint colors I had on hand to get this shade of pink to bring in a pop of color.”

Dining Room (corner)

Chair: Found at an auction, “I re-finished the frame with ivory paint and a bit of Rub 'n Buff and reupholstered it.”

Painting: Lulie Wallace. “I had just finished an article on her work for House of Fifty and was so taken with her work I just had to treat myself to a painting of hers as a little gift!"

Breakfast Nook

Table: “It was [originally] a dark tone and visually heavy against the dark floors and lighter cabinetry in the kitchen. I painted it a soft gray/green color to give it a new life.”

Chairs: “Were originally black, and got a fresh look with a coat of ivory paint.”

Curtains: “It's hard to find curtains that are wide enough to look good when pulled closed, so I made these from Calico Corners fabric. I placed the brown panels on the sides to anchor the space."

Light Fixture: “I covered a drum lampshade with lengths of bamboo painted ivory.”

Kitchen

Cabinetry: "I worked with a builder on these."

Backsplash: “Beveled subway tile."

Message board: "The lines are based on the door casings in the house, the chalkboard is painted on."

Lights: "From another DIY project where drum shades were covered with fabric."

Stools: Dania Furniture

Living Room

Deer head: Z Gallerie, “I painted it a glossy ivory.”

Walls: “I handpainted the trellis pattern, transferring the pattern onto the wall, and then hand painted in the design."

Lamp: Mitchell Gold sample sale.

Orange chaise lounge: Mitchell Gold sample sale. “One of my favorite pieces. The more worn it gets, the better it gets.”

Family Room

Mantle: "I had a tradesman come in and build one that resulted in a custom, high-end look."

Coffee Table: “A barter with a client.”

Sofa: Van Gogh Furniture

Pillows: Pottery Barn, “They are basic linen pillows dressed up with a band of fabric.”

Lamp: Pottery Bar n

Knick knacks: Family heirlooms.

Office

“Hoosier” Cabinet: “It was originally in my grandfather's workshop, where he did a lot of woodworking. I refinished it and repainted the body for a worn look and stained the top with a walnut tone stain from Minwax.”

Wall: "Painted with chalkboard paint and hung a collage of my husband’s favorite photos. I left a couple of frames empty, providing a place to write notes."

Picture Frames: Michaels

Chair: Crate & Barrel (“On clearance as a floor model.”)

Lamp: Target

Rug: Ikea

Isabella’s Room

Drapes: “I made these from a coral geometric fabric from Calico Corners.”

Bed: eBay. “I covered it with blue linen fabric from Calico Corners.”

Lamps: “From my grandmother. They have hand-painted flowers on the porcelain bases.”

Shades: Pottery Barn

Duvet: A homemade rag quilt. "I cut squares and sewed them together with the seams facing right side out. When the seams become frayed, they add a fun texture to the surface."

Night stands: Home Goods.

Max's room (“The Ikea Project”)

Bedding, light fixture, drapes, and rug: Ikea.

Chairs: "They were my grandmothers. I made slipcovers from fabric found at JoAnn Fabri cs.”

Lamp: "HomeGoods. [I] painted it with primer and chalkboard paint. The lampshade was also covered with a fabric from Ikea."

Chalkboard: "Painted onto the wall with chalkboard paint."

Maps: "Painted freehand on the walls."

Master Bedroom

Headboard frame: Built with 2x4s and sheets of plywood, then covered with high density foam that was then wrapped in batting material and covered with “Bocca” fabric from Calico Corners.

Lamps: Home Goods, “They were originally cobalt blue and had a really ugly shade, so I spray painted the lamp bases with a gloss finish. I covered the lamp shades with a chinoiserie fabric from Calico Corners and attached some green trim along the top and bottom edges found at JoAnn Fabrics.”

Walk-in Closet

Dresser: “This was a piece that sat in my grandmother's bathroom for years. I fixed it up as a tutorial for HGTV. I used chalkboard paint from Hudson Paint.

Lamp: Home Goods

Mirror: Home Goods

Vase: A family pi ece

Carpet: Target

Master Bedroom

Light fixture: "A pagoda-style [fixture] I found in an antique store."

Sofa: Ballard Designs

Picture frame collage: Aaron Brothers and Michaels. “I added in an "M" and an "I" for our children, using paper mache letters from JoAnn Fabrics, painted to look like worn metal."

29 comments

02April

{Giveaway} Foxgloves garden gloves

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FOF Harriet Zbikowski is giving away 4 pairs of bestselling “Elle Grip” garden gloves from her company, Foxgloves. Choose from 7 spring colors: Crow black, fuchsia, iris, periwinkle, sahara, spring green or tulip. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Which color gloves would you choose?

Most FOFs have worn many hats in their lives. FOF Harriet Zbikowski, a gardener and professional landscape architect in Hudson Valley, NY, has worn many garden gloves. Yet, in her 20 years in business, she couldn’t find a pair that were just right--the ones sturdy enough for gardening were bulky and unstylish. Harriet preferred the slim, chic fit of vintage fashion gloves, but they weren’t water resistant nor durable. So, fifteen years ago, she set out to create her own line of gloves that would be both elegant and practical.

“I started at the Dupont Fabric Library in New York City,” says Harriet. “There, I got fabric samples and did stress tests, selecting a particular blend that performed the best.” This special blend includes Invista SUPPLEX® nylon for durability and Invista LYCRA® spandex for four-way stretch. The design was based off of a fashion glove from the 50s that Harriet found at a thrift store. “I found the last glove maker left in New York City to make my gloves,” she says. Harriet went into production in 1999. Thirteen years later, 1200 stores nationwide carry Harriet’s gloves which go by the name “Foxgloves,” (also a common flower species). They've been featured in dozens of garden and shelter publications including House & Garden, Real Simple and Town and Country.

People also use Harriet's bestselling “Elle Grip” for driving, bird watching, dog walking, or for a better grip if they have arthritis or other joint problems. Others simply wear them as a fashion accessory. “A few years ago, these shop owners came up to me and said ‘We have to tell you, we’re from Tennessee and girls have been coming in and buying your gloves to go with their prom gowns!’ Another time, a woman came up to me and said, ‘I needed gloves for Easter Sunday, so I wore your gardening gloves to church and they went so perfectly with my Vivienne Westwood!”

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Enter to win bestselling “Elle Grip” garden gloves from Foxgloves. Choose from 7 spring colors: Crow black, fuchsia, iris, periwinkle, sahara, spring green or tulip. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Which color would you choose?

Four FOFs will win. See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes April 11, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

214 comments

29March

{Home Tour} An FOF fabric designer works a lifetime of mementos into a sleek, modern space.

When decorating your FOF home, there are often two polar instincts:
(1) Surround yourself with the heartwarming photos, knickknacks, books, art, etc., that you’ve accumulated over 50+ years.
(2) Pare down, and create a calm, clutter-free oasis straight from the pages of Dwell magazine.

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Meet Lee Olson, who brilliantly managed to do both. FOF Lee is a textile designer and the owner of Yoma, a New York firm that creates fabrics for commercial and residential use. Her vivid designs all begin with her own hand-drawings and are inspired by her travels around the world, to India, Thailand, China and South America.

Her travels have also inspired a lifetime of . . . .shopping. Lee and her husband, Chandler Pierce, a leading architect and furniture designer, have collected a (small) museum’s worth of cultural artifacts and art, including books, brooms, buddhas and baskets.

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Twelve years ago, the couple purchased a building on a one-block lane straddling SoHo and Little Italy, just behind the former New York police headquarters. They renovated the attic into a 1500-square-foot residence for themselves. The space took six months to renovate so that it was “livable,” but the couple has continued to work on it over the years.

According to Lee, both the biggest asset and challenge of decorating their home was marrying her and her husband’s tastes. “We have different aesthetics. Design-wise he’s a little cleaner, slicker...I’m always interested in bringing in more texture, color, curvilinear shapes.”

The key, says Lee, was in the curation. She and Chandler carefully chose what to display and what to pack away in their large storage closet. “He edits me,” Lee says of Chandler, “I choose to display things that I’m really passionate about, and then he goes in and arranges them--almost like a set.”

The end result: “When people come there, they often say: ‘Wow it looks so clean and sleek, but when you start to look around there’s a lot of detail--a lot of warmth.’”

Left: Lee’s building used to be a gun factory, part of New York’s fabled gun district. Right Top: Lee in the Yoma office, wearing a coat by Juli Raja. Right Bottom: Each of Lee’s textile designs begins with her own hand-drawings.

The main living area is a mix of sleek, architectural pieces and quirky ethnic finds, like the tiny wooden chair from Guatemala and a collection of hand-woven purses from the Philippines. Couch: Ligne Roset, purchased on Craigslist. Coffee table: Broome, Chandler’s furniture design company. Rug: Warp and Weft.

A modern table is offset by rich, textural details, including a New Mexico-inspired painting by artist Lou Hicks and hand-painted Italian plates from Ceramica Direct.

At first glance, these “Afghan War Rugs” appear to be typical antique oriental designs, however if you look closely, you can see machine guns, missiles and war planes woven into the fabric. “It’s an amazing example of people incorporating what’s going on in their lives into their art,” says Lee, who inherited two of the rugs and bought a third from Warrug.com.

A tranquil bed from De La Espada seats beneath an original aquatint by artist Katja Oxman, who uses layers of fabric patterns in her work--much like Lee’s own designs.

Lee and Chandler began collecting handmade brooms ten years ago. “They’re mostly street brooms,” explains Lee, “handwoven by people in China and India who use them in the morning to clean. I’m interested in things that carry the spirit of the person who made them.” Red chair: Ochre.

Personal artifacts are carefully arranged in themed groups. Art (with crosses): Lou Hicks. Skull: Matter. Buddha: Vietnam.

Lee’s tranquil terrace overlooks the former New York City police headquarters.

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photographer: Katherine Miles Jones
gun shop & terrace photos courtesy of: ChandlerPierce.com

13 comments

16June

{DIY} Meet an FOF who makes her own clothes

There are "strokes of genius" and then there are "stitches of genius." Karen Oliver has the latter. This FOF sews and crafts nearly her entire wardrobe, hundreds of gorgeous garments and jewelry that look like a million bucks but sometimes end up costing as little as $14 dollars.

Karen taught herself to sew at the age of 13. "I wanted nice clothes, but my parents didn't have a lot of money to buy them for me," says Karen. "The beauty of sewing is you can say, 'I want that skirt in that green,' and chances are you'll be able to make what you're thinking about."

Once a week, Karen hits up her favorite fabric and bead stores in the Garment District, including Mood Designer Fabrics and M&J Trimming. (One time, she scored a yard of luxe Loro Piana cashmere for just $19 dollars!) Sometimes she goes to buy fabric with an idea in mind, other times it's not until she sees a fabric that the inspiration takes place. "My philosophy is, 'how hard can it be'?'" says Karen.

Nearly every evening, Karen takes out her portable Bernina sewing machine and gets to work on the dining room table of her 1000 square-foot apartment. Sometimes she sews or beads through the wee hours of the night. One time, she stayed up the entire evening helping her friend, an editor at People magazine, sew something to wear for a gala. "The mark of loving something is you're never tired while doing it," says Karen. "I'm never tired when I'm creating."

Take a look at Karen's hand-crafted outfits below. Do you have a favorite?

Skirt, jacket and belt: Made by Karen in a french silk faille from B&J Fabrics.
Blouse: Milly from Bloomingdales."I would have made it myself but I ran out of time."
Earrings: "They're from a little shop in Paris. I've had them for 35 years."
Necklace: "It's vintage. My mother got it at an antique shop in Carmel, California.

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Tunic and wrap: Made by Karen. "The tunic cost me $14 to make and took about 3 hours."
Choker: "I bought it in Cannes."
Necklace (middle): "I got it in Mexico."
Chain-link necklace: Made by Karen
Greek-key belt: Made by Karen

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Vest: Made by Karen with French-lace detailing
Skirt: Made by Karen in cashmere. "I make this same skirt in every color. It fits just right."
Blouse: Yves Saint Laurent
Necklaces: Vintage Chanel. "Yeah, I have Chanel pieces. But, I do them with my own twist."

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Coat: Made by Karen. "It's a knock off of a coat I found from Zara.
Belt: Yves Saint Laurent
Skirt: Made by Karen. "It's the same skirt [as in outfit 3 above], just in a different fabric."
Scarf: Hermès

{Read the entire interview with Karen, here}

Take a look at Karen's hand-crafted outfits below. Do you have a favorite?

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{Read the entire interview with Karen, here}

39 comments

15June

{DIY} High-Design DIY

For many, “crafting” conjures images of kitten sweaters, macrame plant holders and cross-stitch samplers. But a new generation of DIY-ers has created an online crafting Renaissance, of sorts, with sophisticated, high-design patterns and projects. Why check your style at the knitting-store door? You don’t have to.... Here, our FOF knitting & sewing gurus recommend the websites that will inspire you to make something FOFantastic.

1. Deborah Purtell Coaster Squares. FOF Deborah Purtell designs delightfully preppy needlepoint canvases for beach totes, belts, glasses cases and more. Your family will be shocked when you DIY your own Lilly Pulitzer look-alikes.

2. Hazelwood by Robin Melanson Pattern and Budding Apple Shawl, (9). This nifty nautical sweater looks like J.Crew’s fall favorite but it’s actually a knitting pattern from Twist Collective, a carefully curated online magazine created in partnership with top knit designers and photographers. --Recommended by FOF Guru Diannerj

3 Purl Soho Color Change Scarf & (7) Purl Soho Pillow Purlsoho.com is the web home of Purl shop, a crafting mecca in Manhattan launched by two former Martha Stewart editors. The site is a beautifully organized archive of knitting, sewing and needlework ideas inspired by vintage clothing, folk art, modern art, Asian art, and of course, Martha.

4. Decorative Figure on an Ornamental Back, Henri Matisse, $8. Put down that “Home Sweet Home” cross-stitch sampler, and take a tip from FOF Guru Corky. “I love counted cross stitch, but most kits are mawkish. The Art of Stitching offers something totally different: fine art transferred onto cross-stitch canvass. The level of craftsmanship needed to create many of these masterpieces is very high. The results from some of the stitchers rival the finest Renaissance tapestries and anyone would be proud to display these works in their homes.”

5. Loom Knitting Bangles, free pattern. “I enjoy the work of Purling Sprite…a blog that includes lots of info on loom knitting (one of my passions!)” says FOF guru Dmhsny.

6. Penguin & Fish blog is a site filled with wonderfully quirky needlepoint canvasses designed by children’s book illustrator Alyson Thomas. Don’t miss her children’s alphabet series.

8. Brighton Bag from Knitty.com, FOF Amy Singer launched Knitty.com over ten years ago to showcase the gorgeous knit designs of amateur crafters across the country. As curator, Amy offers a discerning eye--and lots of fab free patterns. ---Recommended by FOF Guru Diannerj

1 comments

13June

{DIY} A Genius Flower-Arranging Trick to Use All Summer

FOF editors couldn't stop talking about this brilliantly simple trick taught by Mike Gaffney, a master florist and owner of 8 flower arranging schools across the country. "Making a beautiful bouquet is not about being a creative genius. It's about knowing some simple rules," he explained.

Did your hubby forget to pick up a housewarming gift for the neighbors? Daughter getting married on a budget? Turn ho-hum garden geraniums or grocery store tulips into a beautiful bouquet in a flash. Just, watch this video:

1 comments