Butterflies in Wood: A Tradition + Trend Coming Back By: Grace Bonney

One of my favorite aspects of design is seeing how trends come and go and come again over the years. Decorative details that have their roots in the distant past come back in cycles as newer generations discover them and fall in love for the first time. We’ve seen this happen with so many design patterns, colors and techniques, but lately it seems that butterfly joints have become a go-to detail in the woodworking that fills shops and online stores everywhere.

A butterfly joint is a traditional joint used to connect wooden boards or prevent further splitting in already damaged boards. There are few skills and trades as old as woodworking, but its recent resurgence in popularity (in both professional and hobbyist forms) means that people are rediscovering techniques and tools with fresh eyes. I’ve enjoyed seeing butterfly joints pop up in just about every form, from functional uses in furniture to decorative metal detailing in high-end pieces and cutting boards. Whether you’re learning about butterfly joints for the first time or are continuing to enjoy their beauty and function, I hope these pieces will inspire you to try them in your home. Click through for 15 beautiful examples of butterfly joints in contemporary wooden designs. xo, grace

*Want to try making your own? Check out these two tutorials to learn.

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1L7iuDu From Grace Bonney

Hollywood Glam Malm Mirrored Dresser Island By: ljbjdw

Materials: 6-Drawer Malm Dressers (x2)

I wanted to hack a large glamorous mirrored dresser island so I constructed 2 Malm dressers and placed them back to back.

Then I went to Lowes and had plywood cut to form a frame on the tops and sides of the two dressers.

I secured the plywood on top and sides to form a frame.

I filled gaps at bottoms of island with 1x2s.

Plywood frame complete.

I framed raw plywood edges on bottom with chair rail moulding. Bottom trim complete.

I framed raw plywood edges on topper first with outside corner trim.

Found awesome giant tempered glass mirrors on Craiglist. Attempted and failed to cut giant mirror to size by myself. Hired dude to come to my house and cut it because it was too big to fit in my car.

Placed large mirror on top so that it fit just inside the corner trim frame. Applied second trim (decorative and for the purpose of holding the mirror in place).

Painted exposed plywood edges. And done.

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via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1EJhu6d From ljbjdw

Adding elegance to GRUNDTAL shelves in our Nano Kitchen By: NeverJohn

Materials: GRUNDTAL stainless steel shelves and rail

Photo: IKEA.com

For the stainless steel shelves to fit the exact width of our tiny workshop kitchen, we cut the tubes down to size. The brackets were cut off and filed. New holes were drilled in the end cross sections – and bingo, we could attach the brackets to the side walls.

To make the hanging rail brackets ‘quieter’ we cut them down, filed and drilled new holes for fixtures.

It all works great and we love our nano workshop kitchen! If you’re interested, we’ve shared more about it at neverjohn.com

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via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1zZUws5 From NeverJohn

An Indianapolis Home Designed with Family in Mind By: Grace Bonney

When illustrator Penelope Dullaghan and her husband Colin first saw their Indianapolis home, it was anything but love at first sight. “I took one look at the overgrown bushes, gold paint in every room and dated paneling and walked out,” Penelope explained. But with a little persuasion from Colin, Penelope saw the home’s potential and a little less than two years ago, they moved in. Along with their daughter Veda and family pet, Vince, Penelope and Colin have spent the last year and a half falling in love with their 1949 limestone ranch while they make changes here and there to make it feel like home.

In addition to removing the home’s dated paneling (and the peach-and-maroon bathroom), Penelope and Colin added decorative molding, built-in shelving, fresh paint and storage solutions to help their home not only suit their style, but their daily, real-life needs. With a little help from Penelope’s enviable thrifting skills, the family was able to fill their home with pieces that have history and keep some great pieces out of landfills. While their to-do list is still stocked with ideas and projects around the house, Penelope, Colin, Veda and Vince now feel cozy and at home and love taking walks around their neighborhood and enjoying their river-view from the back windows. Thanks so much to this family for welcoming us into their home today. xo, grace

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

Colorful LACK Pedestals By: Jeremy Cheong

Lots of LACK Side Tables in different colors. Glued them together with wood glue.

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via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/17GpXgB From Jeremy Cheong