Best of the Web By: Grace Bonney

This week has been one of the most exciting yet. I taught my first Social Media Workshop Class (There are 2 seats left for next week’s class here!), we made some big plans for summer content and we began the process of planning a little facelift for D*S to come in a few months. I love when things feel like they’re moving and changing and chugging forward. That sort of momentum is so uplifting and inspiring. My mom is coming into town this afternoon, so I’m heading out a bit early to pick her up at the airport. Until Monday, I hope you all have a great weekend! xo, grace

Photo above is by LaClariere from the #dslooking feed on Instagram

• The New Yorker investigates why sweatshop awareness seems to have fallen through the cracks in today’s consumer culture. A great read if you’re interested in conscious consumption.


• This hotel in Los Angeles’ Korea Town is full of West Coast glamour. I feel an LA trip coming on…


• Amy just learned that you can make Dulce de Leche in a pressure cooker with just a can of condensed milk! She says apparently this is common knowledge in Latin America, but our worlds are forever changed now.


• Ikea is (wisely) reconsidering their legal battle with fan site Ikea Hackers (about time).


• A beautiful ode to Turkish Tea at Fast Co. Design.


• Looking for a vacation getaway and got 11 grand to spare? (Gulp) You can rent Jonathan Adler’s Shelter Island retreat.


• A great (and short) piece on how small moves can bring BIG changes.


• Remodelista rounds up their favorite Scandinavian design classics. I’ll take the bar cart, please.

• Must Reads: What Did Your Childhood Bedroom Look Like?, The Most Creative Homes in Australia, 5 Great Beach Reads, 10 Second Studio Tour: Linda & Harriett, A Day In The Life of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, A Day In The Life of Stella Maria Baer


• City Guide: 24 Hours in Portland, OR with Egg Press


• Biz Ladies: How to Self-Publish, How To Find Inspiration with Katie Deedy of Grow House Grow, Profile: Malene Barnett of Malene B Carpets


• Recipes: Sarah Coates’ Frenchie Burger, How to Make Peruvian Food from Martin Morales of Ceviche


• Before and After: A Victorian Settee Gets A Modern Refresh


• DIY Project: 5 DIY Tool Must-Haves + What You Can Do With Them, Waxed Paper Magnolia Branch, Beautifying Track Lighting


• Sneak Peeks: An Austin Studio with a Flair for Entertaining, A Relaxing Vacation Home in Provence, A Sydney Apartment is the Perfect Stage for Beloved Collections

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1igzUFp From Grace Bonney

NORDEN and all that glitters By: Jonathan Nodrick

Materials: Birch, NORDEN Bench

How do you make an IKEA bench look like a million dollars without it costing a mint? ROLLOUT (a custom wallpaper company) was looking for a seating solution for their new studio space and wanted something that was affordable, interesting, and would speak to their design philosophy. Inspired by the concept and ingenuity behind IKEAHackers, they commissioned Robert Sangster, a surface designer based in Toronto, to gild four NORDEN benches in artificial gold leaf. This subtle hack elevates the utilitarian object, with an industrial standard-issue aesthetic, by transforming it playfully in to something luxurious and unique.

1) Disassemble all pieces of the bench

2) Apply first coat of leaf to side pieces, support bar and underside of all seat slats.

3) Apply first coat of leaf to tops of bench slats, second coat to side pieces and support bar

4) Apply second coat of leaf to underside of bench slats

5) Coat all surfaces that have 2 coats of leaf with oil-based urethane

6) Apply second coat of leaf to top of bench slats

7) Apply 1st coat of urethane to top of bench slats

8) Apply 2nd coat of urethane to all pieces.

Photos: Marcos Armstrong

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1w45SYa From Jonathan Nodrick

Hackers Help: How can I open MALM Dressing table’s drawer completely? By: aidalt

Photo: www.lebeautygirl.com

I have had my MALM Dressing table for years to store my makeup, but the drawer doesn’t open completely what is very useless because I can’t reach things at the background if I have dividers, so I just have an empty space.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks!!!

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1iQUOWl From aidalt

How to Make Peruvian Food from Martin Morales of Ceviche By: Amy Azzarito

In April, I spent two weeks in Peru and when I wasn’t tracking down beautiful examples of Peruvian rugs, trying my hand at weaving, or paying the requisite visit to Machu Picchu, I was eating. From the national fruit lucuma, dulce de leche filled churros in Lima, ceviches and tacu tacu, I couldn’t get enough. Before I even left Lima, I was looking for a way to bring the flavors of Peru back home to New York, and browsing at a bookstore in Lima I came across The Ceviche Kitchen by Martin Morales. Martin was born in Peru but has lived in London for twenty years. Before opening his London restaurant, he worked with Steve Jobs at Apple as one of the founding members and head of iTunes Pan Europe, he was a board director at Disney in Europe and was a DJ for 15 years performing all over the world. But while he was in the middle of that successful London career that revolved around music and media, he was actually dreaming of opening his own restaurant. So in 2010, he took the leap – left his media career, sold his house and put everything into opening Ceviche. That passion for Peru and for its cuisine is evident in Ceviche, which includes all of my favorite Peruvian foods. I asked Martin to share his recipe for tacu tacu – one of my favorite Peruvian dishes – and for a Pisco Sour. Thanks, Martin! -Amy

A Few Things You May Not Know About Peruvian Food

• Peru has a culinary heritage that dates back 7,000 years and a cuisine that has been shaped by 500 years of fusion.


• Potatoes originate from Peru. From the 3,500 varieties that exist in the world, 2,500 come from Peru.


• Other foods from Peru? The tomato, peanuts, certain types of beans, many tropical fruits like lucuma and physalis and a large variety of chilis, maize and cereals (like quinoa!).


• Pisco, the Peruvian spirit, is the fastest growing spirit in the world.

Click through for all three recipes after the jump!

(more…)

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1npgziy From Amy Azzarito

Glamorize your bathroom mirror By: Ginger

Materials: FULLEN mirror, MUSIK lights

It’s quite obvious but it works so well I though I will share this. Cheapest mirror in IKEA and two panels of 5 bulbs each light giving any lady nice theatre-like impression of the bathroom.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1ysxlF5 From Ginger

One for the honey: Beekeeping frame storage By: Henning

Materials: Samla 45L

I was in need for a lightweight box to carry honeycomb/frames and to store drawn out frames.

Idea is not really mine but I think it’s worth to share.

Photos speak for themselves I hope

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1laQC8r From Henning