Upholstery 101: 10 Projects to Get You Started By: Grace Bonney

There was a moment a few years ago when I seriously considered signing up for upholstery school. I’ve always loved textiles and am constantly looking for ways to incorporate them into everything. But at the end of the day, I decided to leave the major projects to the pros and instead embrace more manageable projects that I could do over a weekend. So today I thought I’d round up 10 projects that will get your summer upholstery projects going. Whether you’re brand new to the idea of sewing or just need some creative upholstery ideas to fill your summer vacation, these projects are guaranteed to teach you skills you can continue to use (and adapt to different projects) for years to come. For me, these projects aren’t so much about creating the perfect chair or bench, so much as they are about learning skills that will allow you to easily and affordably create a space around you that speaks to your style. So the next time you see a great chair upholstered in an old blanket, you can create your own rather than having to save up to buy something new. Happy upholstering! xo, grace

*If these projects inspire you to keep going, check out our full Upholstery Basics series right here. Amanda Brown of Spruce in Austin worked so hard to share the nuts and bolts of her incredible skill set and her ideas are both creative and fun. Be sure you check out her tool list, too!

Click through for all 10 DIYs after the jump!

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DIY Marbled Coasters By: Grace Bonney

I’ve never been someone who was very precious with their things. I like to save up and buy things for my home that mean something to me and have stories behind them, but I also believe that objects were meant to be used and lived in, so stains and little scratches aren’t my biggest concern. That said, I do like to protect high-quality pieces when there’s a big chance of major damage, like during a party or event when a high volume of people will be using something. Tablecloths and coasters can be your best friends when you want to protect your surfaces from heavy traffic, so today we’re sharing a beautiful (but surprisingly easy) DIY coaster project from Janet Crowther and her team at For the Makers. For The Makers delivers DIY tutorials (and materials) to your doorstep via a subscription service, so they know a thing or two about projects that work well every time. This is one I’m definitely going to add to my repertoire, because it would be easy (and affordable) to change out with trends as they come and go. Thanks so much to Janet for sharing this with us! xo, grace

You can sign up to receive the next collection from For The Makers using the code DESIGN20 to receive 20% off your first collection! Sign up by August 4th to receive their next collection featuring marbling tutorials and techniques.

Click through for the full how-to after the jump!

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Our 10 Favorite California Homes By: Amy Azzarito

Even though I now call Brooklyn home, I have a soft spot in my heart for the architecture of my birth state. I love the tiny beach bungalows, the ranch homes in South California, the Victorian apartments of San Francisco and the Spanish-style architecture throughout the state. There is just something about the quality of the light that makes even the tiniest home feel special. Living is a casual, outdoors/indoors prospect and that extends to the decoration of the homes. I love the bright, happy and relaxed feeling in these homes from the Golden State -Amy

Image above: The San Francisco home of Yellow Owl Workshop founders is filled with color and pattern. See the full home here.

Image above: In sunny Southern California, designer Betsy Ginn of SMID gave her childhood bed a new lease on life with a bright pop of yellow. See her amazing home here.

Image above: This homeowner went bold with the floor in the kitchen of her 1924 Spanish-style home in Altadena, California. You can see more of her fantastic home here.

Image above: These San Francisco homeowners made their Victorian fireplace feel more modern by keeping it all white (note their growing collection of white objects on the very top of the ornate mantel). See more of this SF home here.

Image above: This 900-square-foot house in San Diego is home to two adults, one little girl, two dogs and a cat. See the full home tour here.

Image above: A seaside apartment in Long Beach is reflective of a couple’s work and passions – a mix of masculine and feminine. See the full home tour here.

Image above: An Oakland home is a testament to where this artist couple has traveled together. See the full home tour here.

Image above: A 1913 craftsman home in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles is filled with built-ins and moulding – perfect for a photographer whose style leans toward vintage with a modern edge. See the full home tour here.

Image above: The simple white walls of this Los Angeles bedroom allow the colorful antique blanket and vintage 1970s cat pillow to take center stage. See the full home tour here.

Image above: Mauve might seem like a risky color for a dining room, but in this Los Angeles home, it makes the mid-century furniture feel earthy and warm. The hue also hightlights the focal point of the room – the painting by Frohawk Two Feathers. See the full home tour here.

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1n2UVim From Amy Azzarito

Two love seats make one super long sofa By: Marlene

Materials: 2 x KARLSTAD Love seat, 3x BESTÅ leg (2 pack)

Assemble love seat, leaving off right arm on left love seat, left arm on right love seat. Do not attach legs. Tilt love seat on floor to have access to underside. Remove nuts & bolts from one arm. Butt two love seats side by side, and insert bolts into holes meant to secure arms. Tighten nuts as much as possible.

Insert 4 BESTÅ legs into left and right arms with supplied bolt. Place remaining 2 BESTÅ legs centred between love seats and aligned with other front and back legs. Use wood screw with large head to secure. Use two people to tilt sofa back into upright position.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1kmpZiH From Marlene