Well, I bought some really cool Warhol bandanas from Uniqlo on clearance for $1.99 each that I wanted to make pillows out of. You know I have a thing for Warhol. The bandanas were around 22 inches square, so they would make nice-sized pillows. The only problem with the bandanas were that they were very thin — in fact, they were so thin they were transparent. If you held them up to the light you could see right through them. I like nice, defined corners on my pillows, and the fabric on the bandanas would just droop. No good.

So, to give the fabric some heft, I used the aptly named Structure fusible interfacing from Fairfield. I had never used interfacing to add stiffness to fabric before, so I was eager to see how it would work.

To make each pillow, I used:

2 bandanas, 22″ square

Structure medium weight fusible interfacing from Fairfield

1″ velcro

Fairfield Home Elegance pillow, 20″ x 20″

Step 1: I cut the interfacing so it was just smaller than the bandanas. Because the interfacing was 20 inches wide, it was pretty easy to cut it to the right size.

Step 2: The interfacing has one side that is slightly shiny. This is the side with the adhesive. Placing the adhesive side down on the back side of the bandana, I pressed a hot iron onto the interfacing to adhere it. When I first tried this out, with the interfacing on top, I got a few wrinkles on the fabric on the reverse side. I solved this problem by flipping it over and ironing with the fabric on top and the interface on bottom. That way, I could be more careful about wrinkles on the fabric. Then I turned it over again to iron the interfacing side as well. It came out perfectly. And boy, structure is right. The previously wimpy fabric was now really substantial.

Step 3: After both bandanas were reinforced by the Structure interfacing, it was time to break out that sewing machine. I knew there was no way I was going to sew a zipper onto the pillow cover. I’ve taken a few zipper-sewing lessons, and the most important thing I learned from those lessons is that I am never going to sew a zipper again. So instead, I used Velcro, sewing strips of Velcro to the bottom of the bandanas — on the front side, leaving about an inch on either side of the Velcro.

Step 4: I folded the bottom of the bandanas where the velcro strip was so that the velcro was now on the back side. Then I ironed it to create a crease. Notice I didn’t sew the velcro strips on the back side to begin with. If I did, you would be able to see the threads on the front side. By sewing the velcro on the front and then folding it to the back, you don’t see the threads. 

Step 5: Lining up the two bandanas with the wrong sides facing out and the right sides facing each other, I pinned the edges and sewed all around, up to where the Velcro already was. I am really bad about sewing straight lines, so my pillow shape isn’t perfectly square. Next time, I’d probably draw a square first so I could sew along the lines.

Step 6: Once the edges were sewn, I excitedly turned the pillow cover inside out so that the correct side was on the outside. 

Step 7: I had been taught to always use a pillow insert that was bigger than the pillow cover so that it would fill it out. But I don’t always follow that rule because I hate overstuffed pillows that make them rounded, so you can’t see the design of the pillow cover. So for this pillow, I used a 20″ x 20″ pillow insert — the Home Elegance pillow from Fairfield — that was just smaller than the cover. And because the cover was reinforced with Structure interfacing, the shape held up beautifully – no drooping fabric — even though the pillow insert was smaller. And the Velcro closure worked great!

I made two pillows in one night. Here’s one side of them.

And here’s the other.

I can’t believe how beautifully they turned out. Now I have pillows to match my shoes and everything else in my life that is Warhol. And I think these pillows will be famous for more than 15 minutes, at least in my house.

Disclosure: Although I received interfacing and pillow inserts free of charge to try out, my opinions are my own and absolutely honest.

There’s something dramatic — and certainly unexpected — about ephemera cascading from the ceiling. For me, it’s really the final frontier in decorating. The walls and floors are already taken by furniture and art. But the airspace above our heads is valuable decorating real estate that is rarely utilized. So why not use it?

My method for hanging is pretty simple. I either glue or tie objects to thread or monofilament, also known as fishing line. (I use thread for lighter elements like rose petals and monofilament for heavier objects.) Then I attach the thread or monofilament to the ceiling. If what I’m hanging is feather-light, poster putty will do the trick. For anything that is medium-weight, I use a 3M Command Strip adhesive hook. And if I’m hanging something heavy that I want to make sure does not fall, I use ceiling eye-hook screws.

The following are some examples of ways that I’ve suspended objects in the air. My hope is that you will be inspired to have a few “hang-ups” of your own.

Floating flowers

I love to display flowers on the table, but there’s often not enough room for them during the meal, given the space needed for all the dishes of food. An alternative is to hang your flowers above the table. I chose calla lilies because their stems are thick enough to hold enough moisture for the flowers to stay fresh out of water for about two days. (Hopefully, your dinner party would be over by then.) Of course, you can also use artificial flowers. The calla lilies were hung with monofilament and attached to the ceiling with 3M Command Strip hooks.

Rose petal storm

Probably what I hang most often are silk rose petals. Suspended as if falling from the ceiling, they look like a camera snapped a picture while the petals were in midair, leaving them frozen in time. I’ve created this effect for romantic dinners for two, as well as for weddings and special events. To assemble strands of rose petals, I ran a needle and thread through three to six petals per strand, spacing the petals apart and gluing the point where the petals touch the thread. The strands of petals are light enough to attach to the ceiling with poster putty. To see how I suspended rose petals at my niece’s wedding, click here.

Whirly chandelier

I don’t have a chandelier above my dining room table, so I made a makeshift one that is much cooler using clear-glass globe candleholders from CB2. I secured them with monofilament and attached them to the ceiling with eye-hook screws. In each globe, I placed an LED battery-operated candle. I’ve also used the hanging globes as an ever-changing exhibit, placing various objects inside the globe depending on season.

Cascading pingpong balls

As if cooking Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t stressful enough, I got it into my head two weeks before the holiday to spray-paint 600 pingpong balls shiny gold and suspend them from the ceiling over our table. After four days of painstakingly painting each individual ball, I created strands of four to six pingpong balls by running a needle and thread through them and evenly spacing them out. Then I applied a dab of glue to the contact points where the balls touched the thread so the balls would stay in place. I attached them to the ceiling with 3M Command Strip hooks. They stayed up through December, and I’ve kept all the strands of pingpong balls so I can duplicate the look another time. For more pics of the gold ping pong ball decor, see my article here.

Halo of feathers

When I designed a bedroom for the Designer Showcase at Greystone Mansion several years ago, I thought the showpiece  would be an illuminated headboard I had built that featured a photograph of an angel sunning by the pool. After all, it cost about $3,000. But the first thing people said when they walked in was, “Look at the feathers hanging from the ceiling.” I had hung a halo of feathers from the ceiling using simple thread and poster putty, and it was this little unexpected decorating touch, which cost only $10, that got all the attention. For more pics of my room for the Greystone Mansion showcase, click here.

Pushing all the furniture against the wall

People seem to think that if you push everything to the four walls, there will be more room in the middle. What are they making room for — a dance floor?

The fix: Move furniture away from the walls, and arrange the pieces together to encourage conversations. If as a result, say, a sofa or chair seems to float in the middle of the room, anchor it with a console or side table.

Poor lighting

Even a well-appointed room can look dreary when there’s not enough light. Just as bad is a room lit by one super-bright overhead lamp that reveals every fine line on our faces.

The fix: Try to have three sources of light in each room at different heights and diffuse each with shades so that the light is soft and flattering. Also, use dimmer switches so you can vary the mood.

Not planning ahead

Don’t fall into the trap of falling in love with a piece of furniture in the store, but finding that it’s too big for the room when it’s delivered.

The fix: The next time you consider new furniture, take measurements of your room first, and draw a diagram of your room layout on graph paper, with each square representing a square foot. Use the graph paper to help you plan how different furniture pieces will fit — before you buy them

Being too matchy-matchy

Don’t buy sofas, loveseats and armchairs in matching sets. Ditto for bedroom sets with matching dressers and nightstands. Your home is not a Sears showroom.

The fix: Incorporate pieces that coordinate with each other, rather than match exactly. Also, feel free to mix up wood finishes in the same room. They don’t all need to be the same shade of brown.

Looking like a catalog

Some rooms are almost too perfect, like they’re straight out of a catalog. The result is a sterile environment that doesn’t reflect your own personality.

The fix: Go ahead and order from catalogs. Just be sure to include furniture pieces and/or accessories that have a backstory and special meaning to you.

An over-reliance on white walls

Unless your home is a sleek, modern work of architecture that looks like a gallery, white walls are boring. Colored walls add warmth and provide a more pleasing backdrop for your furniture and accessories.

The fix: If you’re afraid of colors, go with neutrals. Even a light tan is preferable to white. My secret weapon for color-phobic clients is the Restoration Hardware paint fan deck. Every color is a soothing neutral.

Over-accessorizing

If you’ve ever sat on a sofa or gotten into a bed with too many throw pillows, you know there can be such a thing as too many accessories. The same goes for too many picture frames, candles and other tchotchkes, which make your home look cluttered.

The fix: Remove half of your accessories and see how the room breathes. Put the extras in storage, and rotate your accessories every few months so it always feels like there’s something new.

Hanging art too high

In almost every home, there is at least one picture that is hung too high. Artwork that is higher than eye level feels disconnected from the rest of the room.

The fix: Position your framed art so that the center of it, measured vertically, is between 57 and 60 inches from the floor. That’s eye level for the average person who’s not a basketball player.

Hanging curtains too low

The tendency for most people is to hang curtain rods right above the window frame. Doing so makes the windows look shorter and the ceilings lower.

The fix: Install the curtain rod as high as you can, right below the ceiling level, assuming you have a standard 8-foot ceiling. (Vaulted ceilings are a whole other discussion.) Higher curtains draw the eye up, making the room look more expansive.

Forgetting about the ceiling

Poor ceilings. They are typically an afterthought, or worse, just ignored. Having a white, unadorned ceiling can be jarring, especially when the rest of the room is drenched in color.

The fix: Consider painting the ceiling a shade lighter than the wall color. This way, it makes visual sense with the surrounding walls and furnishings.

I was recently asked to participate in eHow‘s Project Throwdown Challenge, in which they invited six designers to make one home decor project using our imaginations and four specific materials: 1) an IKEA Lack table, 2) a sonotube of any size, 3) chains of any size, and 4) paint, stain or decoupage. See what the other designers created here on eHow’s Project Throwdown page. AND TO VOTE FOR MY PROJECT, PIN IT here.

I had never even heard of a sonotube before. Had you? They are those cardboard cylinders that they use to pour concrete into to make columns. Home Depot sells them in various diameters, the largest being 14″. For what I wanted to make, I needed one that was bigger – the width of the Lack table – so I found a place online called discountcontractorsupply.com. Not only do they have the sonotubes in big sizes, they also cut them to your needs, so I was able to order a 2-foot section.

So what did I make? I decided to create a dog bed, as the lack table turned upside down looked like a 4-poster bed. And I thought that the sonotube cut in half would make a great canopy. (That’s why I bought a 20″-diameter sonotube.) And the chains would be the side rails of the bed that would hold the doggie mattress.

Then, I had to decide if I was going to paint, stain or decoupage. That was an easy decision, because I am a decoupage fiend. But what papers would I use to decoupage? I actually went to Paper Source to buy some beautiful papers, thinking I would use them, but when I took them to my studio and placed them in my flat file storage rack, I was reminded of all the Pantone posters I have hoarded in that very same rack. A while back, at my favorite local art store Mittel’s, I saw a stack of old Pantone posters selling for $1 each, and I pretty much bought all of them. I have hundreds of them. Here’s just some of my stash:

These Pantone sheets were once used for advertising layouts, but since the advent of the computer, ad agencies no longer use them, so they are obsolete. They are prized among collectors, however, and sell on Etsy for upwards of $75 each. I don’t think I’m ever going to sell them, so I figured I would use some of these Pantone sheets to decoupage the dog bed, making it a “Panbone” dog bed. (Yes, I like dog puns.)

I also have a ton of paint chips, courtesy of fan decks I have bought on eBay. Paint chips are almost the exact width of the Ikea Lack table legs, so I decided to use these to decoupage the legs and the side (or apron) of the tabletop. I just had to shave about 1/8″ from the side of each one so they’d fit.

And obviously I have an obsession for Pantone. Exhibit A: My studio.

Step 1: Decoupaging the Table

Because I would be flipping the table upside down, I had to decoupage the bottom of the table top. First, I cut one of the Pantone posters to fit the table. (Actually, the poster is slightly too small for the table, which is fine because I was going to add a big “Pantone” strip on one end.

Since this was a simple paper on wood job, I used Mod Podge decoupage medium to adhere the paper, applying Mod Podge to the table and then placing the paper on the surface. However, my trick for decoupaging large pieces of paper is to immerse them in water first. The water relaxes the paper, and more importantly, allows you to reposition the paper. If the paper were dry, once it touched the Mod Podged surface, it would be stuck. I squeegeed the excess water, and the paper was nice and flat on the table with no bubbles. Then I applied Mod Podge over the paper to seal it.

And then I decoupaged a strip of white paper printed with PANBONE and a fake color name.

Step 2: Decoupaging the Table Legs and Apron

To decoupage the paint chips onto the table legs and apron, I thought I would do the same thing I did with the table top. But when I immersed the paint chips in water, they puckered because the white part of the paint chip is made of something different from the color part, so the different materials reacted differently to water. So then I tried just applying them directly on the table legs and apron with Mod Podge, but the paint chips still puckered. What finally worked was spray adhesive. I sprayed Scotch Super 77 on the backs and pressed them firmly on the Lack table legs, and they were nice and flat on the surface. See?

But would they withstand a sealant? Since the Mod Podge made the paint chips pucker, I used acrylic polyurethane instead. I used Benjamin Moore Stays Clear low lustre polyurethane. It was a really old can, and the polyurethane was so dried up and thick it had the consistency of vaseline. But it still worked! In fact, it was even better because it didn’t drip. I applied a couple of coats, and the paint chips were sealed nicely.

Step 3: Cutting the Sonotube

I’m not going to lie – cutting the sonotube was a pain. It is about a quarter inch thick and very solid. I used a box cutter and all the brawn I had, which is not very much. To make sure I cut a straight line, I used masking tape to indicate where my cut line would be, and I used a level to make sure the line was perpendicular to the ends of the sonotube. 

Step 4: Covering the edges of the Sonotube

The edges of the sonotube are pretty ratty because they’re exposed cardboard. To hide them, I covered them with white duct tape. The white duct tape also made a good border for the giant paint chip that the sonotube would become.

Step 5: Decoupaging the Sonotube

Since I was so successful with the Spray Adhesive/Polyurethane method of decoupage, I decided to try the same with the sonotube. For the sonotube half, which is the canopy of the dog bed, I cut up 5 Pantone posters in different shades of red so that the canopy would be a giant paint chip. I also printed “PANBONE” with a fake color name “Bow-House” on a sheet of paper. Like I said, I like dog puns. I cut additional strips of white paper that would go in between each color strip. Then I spray mounted all the pieces on both sides of the sonotube half. So far so good. However, when I applied the polyurethane on top of the paper to seal it, there was a little bit of puckering. It wasn’t too much, and no one probably will notice, but if I were to do this again, I would decoupage the paper like I did the table top – immersing the paper strips in water and using Mod Podge. When it comes to decoupage, you have to experiment because different papers react differently to various media.

Step 6: Adding the side rails

I bought the perfect doggie mattress in the form of an outdoor seat cushion from Target. To keep it from sliding around on the bed, I used pieces of large, plastic white chain as side rails. To attach them to the posts, i.e. the table legs, I asked the nice man at Home Depot what he would recommend, and he turned me on to these adhesive mounts that hold a zip tie, which then goes around the chain link. Perfecto. I only placed them on the sides and the back, not in front. Doesn’t it look like a boxing ring?

Step 7: Attaching the Canopy

Finally, I placed the canopy over the dog bed, making sure that it was level. I was able to use the white markings of the paint strips to get the canopy at the same height on every post. Then I screwed the canopy to the table leg/post. Oops, since I already decoupaged the PANBONE strip on the edge of the canopy, I had to lift the corner to position the screw, then reposition the strip and re-seal it.

Now that the dog bed is all assembled, it’s pretty sturdy. And comfy for my dogs Fosse and Gershwin. If Gershwin would just let Fosse in.

And here’s a graphic to pin!

I went for an “old-time journalism” meets new media concept, combining vintage graphics with pops of modernism. Every door was covered with black and white murals (printed at muralsyourway.com), so as you walk down the hallway, you see a gallery of 9′ tall photographs. The best part about the murals (other than the fact that they look fabulous) is that they’re peel and stick – and repositionable – so they were so easy to install. At one point I didn’t like the placement of one of the murals, so I just peeled it off one door and put it on another.

I love how the black and white photo doors look against the backdrop of white walls and bright accent walls.

Atlas Carpet Mills provided carpet remnants so that the carpet design would be a mishmash of colors and designs. It adds to the kinetic atmosphere of a publishing office always on a deadline. The carpet design was installed by a fantastic floor covering company that understood my vision and was excited about implementing it – Bob Mardigian Floor Covering. Bob was the best! Before the carpets were installed, he walked me through the entire space and marked off where each carpet remnant was going. It’s not easy lining up those sections so they’re seamless, but he did!

This is the lunch room. I love the mural of all the old-time paparazzi. 

In the lobby, I decorated the walls with QR codes for JewishJournal.com. I love the graphic nature of the QR codes. They’re like modern day fret work. Also displayed are three generations of vintage typewriters/computers – an old Corona, a midcentury Smith-Corona, and a 1994 Mac Powerbook 145b. 

I started by putting 3M Command Strip wire hooks on the ceiling. I use 3M Command strips for everything because I can hang things without damaging the paint, as they’re easily removable. So they’re great for temporary installations. I bought two 9-packs on Amazon and applied them to the ceiling in a circle above the table.

On the hook, I hung a paper clip that was unfolded, so that one end hung on the hook, and the other end became the hook to hang the sheer curtain panels. Because this sheer panel was like a fishnet with holes, it was easy to hook it. I used 4 curtain panels, i.e. 2 pairs for $3.99 a pair And here’s the finished look. It’s still up, even after the birthday party. I just love it.And in case you were wondering, those are CB2 Whirly Hanging Candleholders suspended above the table, with LED flameless votive candles from World Market. I have those Whirly Candleholders above my table at all times, I put various things in them throughout the year, or depending on the dinner party.

Well, I recently decorated an office building, and I came upon the idea of covering the walls of the reception desk, as well as the counter of a lunch room, in Rowlux film. Like how cool would that be, right? The good people at Rowlux were able to accommodate my request for larger sheets because, lo and behold, they make film for commercial design purposes all the time.

Like I said, it’s super easy to cut with scissors or a hobby knife. It’s also really easy to apply to drywall. I used 3M Fastbond 30-NF Contact Adhesive – applied one coat to the drywall, one coat to the back of the Rowlux film, and presto, they stuck together. As you can see from the before/after pictures, this Rowlux stuff is really snazzy. It makes me want to wear a sharkskin tuxedo and sing some Sinatra, if you know what I mean.

Here’s the view from the front door. The wall to wall cabinets on the left side are Ikea Besta cabinets, and I turned each cabinet front into giant paint chips. The sofa table is the Ikea Malm occasional table. The orange sofa is the Lamare sofa from Plummer’s. The table lamp is from Lamps Plus. The stool is the Philippe Starck Aha Stool. You’ll notice the big studio lighting everywhere. I bought the lighting from Steve Kaeser for my web series, but I use it all the time even when not filming.

Come on in and get comfortable. On the far right wall is the original set for “Style with a Smile.” That hasn’t changed much. And you’ll recognize the red Panton Heart Cone chair that is in the opening credits of the show. One of the new additions to the space is the “lawn.” I had wanted to have an area rug here to not only define the space, but also muffle the sound in the studio. But I needed a rug that was at least 10′ x 12′, and those are expensive. I briefly considered Flor carpet tiles. And then I  happened on the idea of buying a big piece of artificial turf. This is thick, realistic looking fake grass, not a thin sheet of astroturf. It feels so good to walk on.

When I step on the grass, it’s like I’m entering the “creativity zone.” The overhead studio light actually has daylight spectrum lightbulbs, so it very much feels like having a skylight with the sun filtering through.

I love to relax on the lawn to recharge my creative juices. With the daylight spectrum bulbs shining above me, it’s like being at the park, only better, because I’m allergic to real grass.

I framed photographs of my past work and had them going up to the ceiling. Each photograph is very large, about 22 square inches. They are mounted to Ikea Lack tables (obviously with the legs off). At $7.99, they were a very cheap solution to framing, and the chunky sides give the pictures a modern look.

I created the paint chip panels on InDesign and had them printed at muralsyourway.com as restickable wallpaper. Murals Your Way is one of my favorite resources. You just send them photos or art files, and they make wallpaper murals out of them. Your mural can either be traditional wallpaper or their new restickable paper. I love this stuff. It’s really easy to apply, and you can peel it on and off and on and off lots of times.

I had the colors matched to actual Pantone colors, but I made up all the names. How fun to make up paint names. At first the names were a little snarky, but then I gave them names that were related to design, or even had an aspirational element to it. You can say that the cabinets are one giant vision board for me.

Here’s the paint chip mirror I made for one of the episodes of “Style with a Smile.”

Finally, a place for all my ribbon, which I placed in the small Ikea Benno bookcase meant for DVDs. I used to keep all my paper for paper crafts in a cheap wire shelving system, but it collapsed under all the weight, so I got this sturdy Ikea Expedit bookcase. It has cubbies that are the perfect size for scrapbook paper. Plus, I added Ikea Lekman storage boxes, which I previously bought to make lampshade centerpieces.

I just love these stackable trays for scrapbook paper that I bought at paperwishes.com. They fit perfectly in the Expedit bookcase. The small white storage bins are from the Container Store.

I play a lot of roles for my clients, so I’ve reflected that on the stools in the office: magician, fireman, psychic, juggler, and diplomat. The words were created with vinyl lettering using my Sizzix eClips machine.

To go with the whole paint chip scheme, I used these clear paint pails for storage. I got them at Michaels, the Container Store, and Oriental Trading.

The studio’s resident gnome likes the lawn.

This is a racetrack wall treatment. The track is just black masking tape, and the white road markings are velcro. There’s velcro on the bottom of the Hot Wheels cars, so you can move the cars around the block. This was such a hit in the room I created it for, I then created another one on a blank canvas, so it could be moved around.

These are alphabet letters I made from upcycled cereal boxes. I then decorated the front and back with old maps.

Here are wall flowers made with doilies. The stem and leaves are green masking tape.

And a butterfly netting canopy made with an embroidery hoop and sheer curtain panels.

This wall art is so simple. It’s colored paper plates with acrylic paint drawings. Imagine these with hand prints.