#DSHARDWARE: Show Us Your Favorites By: Grace Bonney

Hardware is, without a doubt, the simplest the most affordable way to change the way a room looks. As powerful as paint is to bring life to a space, you can’t beat the quickness with which you can unattach and attach new knobs, pulls and handles. I feel like I’m constantly capturing small hardware moments on our Instagram feed- from great old doorknobs to elaborate antique pulls in older buildings throughout the city. So for our next Hashtag Challenge, we’re celebrating HARDWARE. All you have to do is upload a photo to Instagram or Twitter and tag it: #DSHARDWARE. We’ll collect entries for the next three weeks and post our favorites here on the site. Right now my favorite hardware is the simple dowel knob situation (above) that Max and Daniel created for their beautiful Kingston home. I am constantly amazed at what those two can do- and these wooden drawer pulls are one of my favorite details they’ve come up with so far. If you’re looking for more hardware inspiration you can check out our favorite hardware in DS Sneak Peeks right here or our Top 10 Hardware Resources right here.

Porcelain drop pulls on Nicole Colbert’s bedroom dresser.

Leslie Lewis Sigler’s vintage green glass cabinet knobs.

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

Kvart wall lamps By: ahphoto

Materials: IKEA KVART

Since the living room had to undergo some wall remodeling and we are fans of indirect lighting, we went to the local Ikea to search for solutions.

We bought some cheap Kvart lamps, cut the cord above the switches, did some wiring and connected them to the main lighting connector.

The result is a clean look with no wires hanging and a smooth ambient with indirect lighting, bringing a subtle modern look to a classic room.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1ihp6EO From ahphoto

Hackers help: How to lock Pax sliding doors By: Mike Shelfnut

This is a question for those of you who own Pax wardrobes with sliding doors. I am wondering if attaching a lock like the one in the attached picture is feasible to prevent the doors from being opened. From the pictures, the doors look like they lie pretty close/tight against together which might prevent the metal tongue of the lock from sliding between them. Unless of course I were to chisel a “notch” out of the front door to provide room for the lock to slick through. Does this seem feasible?

Any other ideas on how to make lock the sliding pax doors? Ideally would like it to lock with a key.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1fb9cw9 From Mike Shelfnut

Ikea towel hanger transformed into a vertical garden By: njmenezes

I have a pretty small balcony. Since we can’t drill in rented apartments in Singapore I was looking to start my own little vertical garden.

I found this towel rack in the as is section and voila – it was perfect.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1fuljiS From njmenezes

A Bakeri Grows in Greenpoint By: Grace Bonney

I’ve spent some of the best years of my life living in the northern end of Greenpoint. Though I’m by no means a native, I feel like this small area just south of the bridge to Queens is my home. While it seems like a new space opens up every week in the neighborhood’s mid-way point (on Greenpoint Avenue), there hasn’t been quite the same rush to turn empty storefronts into retail shops and restaurants a few blocks north.

Freeman Street between Manhattan Avenue and Franklin Street is a quiet block just a short walk away from the last subway stop in Greenpoint. The first week I adopted Hope, I walked her around this block countless times (sometimes at 2 in the morning) and never imagined that it would become the home of something so special and beautiful. But it has, thanks to Nina Brondmo of the beloved bakery, Bakeri.

Originally from Norway, Nina Brondmo opened her delicious, bread-filled hotspot in an old home in Williamsburg in 2009. Its sweet treats, sandwiches, salads and desserts developed a devoted following almost instantaneously and fans now come from far and wide to not only sample the delicious food, but to admire the decor – a look that is uniquely Nina’s. A bit of old-world charm mixed with handmade touches (Nina’s good friend painted beautiful scenery and signage on the shop’s windows and doors), Bakeri is quite simply my favorite spot to grab something special and sweet.

You can imagine my delight when I saw, on Instagram, that Bakeri had opened a new location in Greenpoint. A few quick emails later, Max, Amy and I are walking up the block to photograph Nina’s latest location – and what I’m convinced is the most beautiful wall in Greenpoint.

Photographs by Maxwell Tielman

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

20 Multi-Color Images to Inspire Color at Home By: Grace Bonney

When one color palette just won’t do, sometimes you have to create a whole new category. Last month’s DS Hashtag Challenge was all about COLOR and got the largest number of entries we’ve seen so far- almost 4,000 of you entered photos in all shades of the rainbow. Over the past few weeks I’ve shared our favorites in the red/pink/orange family and blue/green/purple range as well. But I was holding on to 20 extra photos that didn’t quite fit in either category because they were so bright and multi-colored. So today I’m sharing 20 beautiful photos from DS readers that are bound to inspire a new coat of paint, wallpaper choices or any other color decision you could need to make at home. What I love most about these photos is that so many of them are from the natural world. Flowers and seashells provide such a wide range of colors and it was so nice to see people look up, down and all around them to find color inspiration. Thanks so much to everyone who entered- and stay tuned for a new hashtag challenge this week! xo, grace

Click through for all 20 images after the jump!

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via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1mIn83c From Grace Bonney