Produced, designed, written and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Christina Wedge in conjunction with Houzz

To keep my sneaky Terrier, Gidget, off my spill-anything-on-it-and-I-will-sue-your-ass-off sofa, I challenged myself to some designer DIY. The project? Transform a vintage suitcase into a one-of-a-kind dog bed. Although I’d like to claim I came up with the idea myself, the original inspiration came from clever artisans on etsy. If the words “screwdriver” and “drill” intimidate the hell outta you, take the easy route by popping out the credit card and tossing some dollars etsy’s way. On the other hand, if you’ve got a full afternoon to kill and a dog eager to slobber on your Schumacher-upholstered sofa, you should get on top of this project pronto. It’s pretty easy, not to mention uber-cheap—I’ll even pinky swear on it. Altogether, it set me back about $55. That’s a small price to pay for a pee-free sofa. Not to mention a house void of cliche, dog-themed fabric—which may, in fact, be a secret portal straight to pet furniture hell.

Case by case

Sure, get excited about shopping for a vintage suitcase—just don’t get TOO excited. Why? Not just any good-looking piece of luggage will work; you’ve gotta choose one with a hard exterior. In this case, I got lucky with plastic; however, wood or metal work just as well, if not better. For the full story, more images and complete, step-by-step instructions, link below to houzz. Oh, and WOOF.

PS—if you care about Decor Demon, you will become a fan on Facebook and/or add us at the Twitter.

]]> http://www.decordemon.com/2011/01/01/dog-day-afternoon/feed/ 12 http://www.decordemon.com/2010/12/16/ultra-violet-xmas/ http://www.decordemon.com/2010/12/16/ultra-violet-xmas/#comments Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:31:07 +0000 decordemon http://www.decordemon.com/?p=2266 Decking the halls in one day for under $250 using an unexpected holiday hue

Produced, designed, written and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Christina Wedge

When it comes to guys and holiday decorating, I envision spaces more in sync with A Charlie Brown Christmas than The White House Holiday Special. Although I’m a practicing decorator, I’m certainly no exception to the rule. In fact, just a few years ago, my own dark, sparse apartment suggested that Halloween, not Christmas, took place on December 25th. But this year, I did kinda get into Christmas; however, taking more than a day to plan and execute it, notsomuch.

Always up for a challenge, I decided to conceptualize and bring to life my own holiday décor in a single day—on a teeny, tiny budget. To make the entire situation even more difficult, I declared red, green, silver and gold totally off limits. Instead I stuck with violet, brown, white and bronze, hitting up only three checkbook-friendly stores to find it all: Wal-Mart, Target and Big Lots. Now that my halls are decked in a less cliché manner, am I in the Christmas spirit? Kinda. Am I more focused on the six-foot, ultra-white tree in the corner throwing off the balance of my living room’s year-round look than the gifts below it? Bah humbug, yes.

Visions of sugar plum

Lucky for me, my living room’s year-round color scheme is violet-inclusive. It also sports plum, grape and lavender. No, that’s not a spelling error, lavender is with two E’s. Lilac, regardless of how you spell it, can stay the hell away; I’m not a fan—at all. To work the royal hue throughout the room, I picked up a $25 embroidered snowflake pillow and a plum-and-grape-striped, $15 Sock Monkey from Target to pull the colors from the frames down onto the sofa. As if that wasn’t enough, I bedazzled the stuffed primate with a sparkly tree ornament from Wal-Mart [$5 for a box of eight]. Come January 1st, that snowflake pillow is headed straight to storage.

Table manners

With a keen eye and tightly zipped wallet, you too can appear to have good table manners! Just kidding—kinda. Ah hell, I’ll just come out and say it: I’m guilty of elbows on the table and forgetting which fork goes where, okay? Happy now? While scouring Big Lots, Target and Wal-Mart for discount tabletop items that didn’t look so discount-ish, I decided to stay away from seasonally-themed pieces altogether. Instead, I opted for a set of white Shabby Chic plates and darkly-stained, woven chargers from Target. For ambience, I hit up the store’s accessory section, then grabbed bronze candleholders and brown metallic pillar candles—candles meant more for the turkey-inclusive holiday than the one with a jolly, bearded, deer-loving dude who plays in chimneys all night. Furthermore, the chocolate and bronze tones enhance the effect of the Graham & Brown “Illusion: Black” wallpaper—my Christmas present to myself. If you’re any good in the kitchen with those heat machines [some people call them stoves], click on over to All the Best to link to a kickass hot chocolate recipe.

Fake, plastic trees

I don’t care whatchya’ll say, I’m proud of my fake, plastic tree and all of its fake, plastic ornaments. The pre-lit six-footer from Wal-Mart only set me back a teensy-weensy $39. As far as the mega-store’s thrifty ornaments are concerned, I mixed a variety of five different styles at only $5 per box of eight. How about that vintage angel tree-topper? Creepy huh? I have no idea where the hell it came from. Perhaps she’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. And if so, sister-angel-friend can focus on yesteryear all she wants while I deal with the present. Can y’all guess what I want for Christmas this year? More readers.

Stock our @#$%& stuffing by helping us [and by us, I mean me...and my photographers] exceed 1,000 Facebook fans and 1,000 Twitter followers. Please. And by please I mean do it now or else a baby reindeer gets clocked in the nose. Merry Christmas!

Produced, designed, styled and written by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

Lately I’ve been street hustling with hardcore garbage. It’s not my fault, I’m blaming the economy. Nowadays doing the design showroom mambo with deep-pocketed, Prada-clad clients is more fantasy than nine-to-five routine. To make a buck as a decorator in 2010, you’ve gotta strap on the knee pads, prepare to suck it [up] and hope that everyone else is putting out. The trash, that is.

Dumpster dives, curbside castaways and remnant rooms are now substitutes for occupational terms such as memo runs, borrowed floor models and sample sales. Since I’m known for vintage heavy spaces, my X-ray vision for hidden potential is a great fit for hounding trash [and cleaning it up]. As 70 degree no-chance-of-rain days set in, I kicked it into high gear and hired myself to design my own freecycled, trash-to-treasure outdoor lounge with a little help from my fellow DIY-challenged spatial planner friend, Sarah. We put together a bold, budget-minded gathering space just in time for friends—and yellow layers of Atlanta pollen—to christen it.

Green carpet treatment

If indoor living rooms are graced with area rugs, why shouldn’t outdoor versions be given the same treatment? Sarah and I scored a 12×8 remnant of faux turf on craigslist in exchange for simply hauling it away. Since the grassy area is often shaded by gargantuan pine trees, we layered the feet-pleasing fake stuff over sad, sparse patches of the real thing.

Placing first

My power tool DIY skills are slim to none, therefore it was imperative my backyard lounge be a cinch to assemble. The one skill pertinent to a quick installation? Placing furniture, which apparently, Sarah and I are both VERY good at.

A trashy past

Our 1950′s sofa shed its flesh-toned past thanks to six yards of Sunbrella Velveteen in “Cinder”. How cool is it to have outdoor furniture with the rich look and soft feel of velvet? Like, VERY. 100% solution-dyed acrylic makes up this medium price point [95,000 double rubs] fabric find. Sofa? FREE. 

Turks without Caicos

Thanks to Trina Turk’s Peacock Print for Schumacher, our side-of-the-road club chairs now show their true plumage. Turk’s line of acrylic prints are a medium price-point, to-the-trade-only miracle worker. Small chairs and pillows are an excellent way to put the Palm Springs Princess’s line to good use; while we needed two and a half yards to upholster each chair, it only took a single yard to create two pillows. Since the chairs cost zero dollars, splurging on fabric and upholstery was guilt-free.

You got served

In keeping with the affordability theme, we made a dash for IKEA. $300 later we moved our new TROLLSTA tray tables in place. Versatility is key when pinching pennies; TROLLSTA functions as a side table with a removable eating surface and, when grouped together, makes for a great coffee table alternative.

Getting two-faced

Versatility struck again, this time in the form of seat-maximizing, 30X30 floor pillows. We got all two-faced using the solid “Cinder” Velveteen on one side and Peacock Print on the other. While Trina Turk for Schumacher is the superhero of durable indoor/outdoor prints, Sunbrella Velveteen is the caped crusader of indoor/outdoor softness. NOTE: narcoleptic guests should be encouraged to slumber Sunbrella-side-up.

Branched out

As I mentioned before, I’ve become a trash picking whore. By simply scoping out piles of discarded foliage, I made out with floral [we will get to that later] and the perfect branch for sculptural art. One half-can of violet spray paint later, the previously unwanted natural wonder was sitting pretty on the fence.

Proper yardage

In less than a half hour, Sarah and I were all set up with no place to go. We added a few final touches before calling friends over: a Dwell Studio print pillow from Target, three down-filled 18X18′s made from violet mohair found at a remnant sale, mismatched cylindrical vases found on clearance, and FREE forsythia [suspiciously] cut on the fly from a neighbor’s blossoming tree.

Check out those posers

After roughly 21 minutes of setup, we kicked back and prepared to send in the clowns [aka our friends]. If our empty six-serving pitcher of spiked lemonade is any indication of our hosting skills, I think it’s safe to say we kinda suck.

Come join our party on Facebook.

Produced, designed, written and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

Five years into my interior design career, I’ve tackled some seriously “yeah, good luck with that” projects: fraternity house, two animal rescue spaces, three-story-high rooftop dining room with no elevator, mid-century garden shed, two non-profit children’s art studios, lounge space for teen girls, non-profit dining room for the homeless and an 8,500 square foot two-story restaurant on a shoestring budget and blink-and-you-missed-it timeline. So, of course, a room inspired by a two-time Academy Award winning Hollywood icon would be the next step, right? What the $%#@?

Jane Fonda founded GCAPP [Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention] in 1994 when the state of Georgia had the highest rate of adolescent pregnancy. This year, to raise funds for the cause, she hosted World Fitness Day, a nod to her Spandex-clad exercise videos of the 1980′s. When asked to create something relevant to the event for its live VIP auction, I jumped at the chance to whip up something over-the-top, legwarmer-centric and totally Barbarella…but didn’t. Huh? While fur-upholstered, zero-gravity, spaceship style rooms are totally awesome, high society patrons dropping thousands of dollars to take them home seem rather unlikely. Oscars and Emmys aside, the Fondalicious auction deserved its own award. Jane and her friends raised thousands of dollars for GCAPP, the winning bidder got the deal of a lifetime, my high-strung upholsterer drowned himself in free top-shelf liquor and I got to turn legwarmers into pillows.

Getting into character

The design process got its jumpstart from a collection of Jane Fonda related items including: striped violet/grey legwarmers, faux Barbarella-esque fur, 1980′s reading glasses, a pair of grey three-pound weights and two Lady Jane classics on DVD, one critically-acclaimed and the other….well, not.

Remaining neutral

To steer clear of cricket chirps at the live auction, our custom big ticket pieces needed to remain neutral and un-boring. Each item also needed to be able to stand alone if, perhaps, a bidder saw it being used differently in their own home. The platform bed’s dark brown mohair upholstery could have been super masculine but the violet accents added a little bit of a she thing. On a similar note, the traditional Distressed Louis XV chest chest from Wisteria could have sung What a Girl Wants but the grey finish, dark hardware and hefty lamp counterbalanced with heavyweight bravado. I originally intended to paint the studio walls deep violet but chickened out, then opted for a medium shade lavender. Did I initially despise the color and want to stab the paint can with my pocket knife? Yes. Did I eventually conclude that the slightly safer tone truly helped each piece to stand out? I’ll never tell.

Multiple personalities

While our furniture remained pretty much unrelated to any particular Fonda classic, the accessories were all about Jane. My upholsterer, Miguel, whipped up the eight-foot-tall mohair upholstered platform bed in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. As for our leading lady’s inanimate grand entrance…let’s let the numbers do the talking.

1. A pair of 26X26 faux fur throw pillows evokes the interiors of Barbarella‘s spaceship

2. Two velvet pillows adorned with violet Academy Award silhouettes represent Jane’s wins for the Klute and Coming Home

3. The striped rectangular throw pillow is made from re-purposed leg warmers, a wink to Jane Fonda’s Workout

4. Wisteria’s French Distressed Louis XV Chest is a nod to Agnes of God‘s French Canadian convent

5. Barbarella makes a second abstracted appearance in the form of a lava rock style lamp

6. Jane took home the gold, as in Emmy award, for her role as a pioneer woman in the TV movie, The Dollmaker [PS, ever try borrowing an Emmy from a friend to style a photo shoot? Yeah, neither had I. And let me tell you, it's not easy.]

7. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? [Jane's first Best Actress Oscar nomination] made its way in bedside in the form of a wooden horse statue

8. Physical fitness made a second appearance, Jane Fonda’s Workout style, with a pair of grey three-pound weights

Supporting cast

Our left side vignette is another smorgasbord of Fonda references. Wait, there are two bedside chests? Yep. How come the previous wide shot didn’t show both of them? Perhaps it’s because I’m a photographic control freak, didn’t love the composition and refused the shot? Well, yes, that is indeed why. But enough about me, let’s talk about Jane.

9. Our gold duck is a reference to On Golden Pond in which she co-starred with her father, Henry Fonda, and nabbed a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination

10. A second reference to They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? [my favorite Fonda performance] sneaks in via a brass horse

11. 80′s-centric reading glasses similar to Jane’s 9 to 5 character, Judy Bernly, sit atop a tray of books

Repeat offenders

Halfway through the styling of the room I realized I over-emphasized, albeit abstractly, four Fonda classics more than others: 9 to 5, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, Barbarella and Jane Fonda’s Workout. Oh well, it’s my project and I can do what I want.

Boys club

To assure bidding interest from men, we created a testosterone packed sitting area. Since guys are sticklers for comfort, my upholsterer and I designed a pair of extra deep/extra cushy metallic leather club chairs to pique their interest and their vertebrae. Dudes also dig hot chicks. Enter artist Mark Boomershine. The handsome fellow created a Barbarella-esque pop art version of the beloved First Lady of Fitness [and knocked it out with just a few days notice]. Our 5’10 Mr. Nice Guy [with canine sidekick, Bentley] stuck around for us to get this shot not only because (a) it’s awesome but (b) we wanted to make sure the chairs weren’t so deep that they’d swallow dudes under 6’5. My team finished off its Fonda fondness with these final references.

12. Barbarella pop art by Mark Boomershine hangs above the custom leather club chairs

13. A taupe linen pillow sporting the numbers “925″ pays homage to the film 9 to 5

14. The pagoda print pillow from Thomaspaul for Duralee [visible in the opening photo of this feature] is a nod to the nuclear power thriller, The China Syndrome

Although our Fonda-inspired room went to the very first bidder in less than 15 seconds, I noticed something not very philanthropic about myself; I wanted that damn legwarmer pillow for my own house.

Let’s be friends [on Facebook].

]]> http://www.decordemon.com/2010/05/06/becoming-jane/feed/ 10 http://www.decordemon.com/2010/04/30/pantry-raid/ http://www.decordemon.com/2010/04/30/pantry-raid/#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:22:05 +0000 decordemon http://www.decordemon.com/?p=1453 Lifestyle expert Annette Joseph’s impressive culinary creations from basic pantry items

Produced, written and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with styling by Annette Joseph and photography by Sarah Dorio

Shelter magazine producer. Chef. Prop stylist. Florist. Food stylist. M.I.L.F. Writer. Decorator. Athlete. Morning show expert. Gardener. To assign Annette Joseph just one title is to set yourself up for failure. She’s that Little Miss Good-at-Everything you want to hate but can’t: student body president, track star, cheerleading captain, philanthropist and comedienne. Producing a web-based feature on her is tricky as a b&$%@. How do we choose just ONE role for such a multi-faceted design star?

My photographer and I approached our first Annette Joseph feature as though we were culinary students. Our combined cooking expertise: toasted pop tarts, water in a glass with ice and re-heated soup. We asked Annette to walk us through so-easy-a-trained-monkey-could-do-it recipes certain to have friends and taste buds smiling. To further drive home how user-friendly this all was, the gracious hostess enlisted a quartet of [gasp!] teenage boys to execute it all under her direction. The outcome? An afternoon of jar opening, cheese sprinkling, X-box playing, oven pre-heating and the best $&%@ flatbread creations in history.

In the mix

My own pantry doors stand guard to a pathetic stash of Saltines, peanut butter and protein shakes. Annette’s is a different story. Her go-to ingredients for instant gourmet include: high quality dried rosemary, cold press olive oil, olive tapenade, marinara sauce, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, fig jam, pesto sauce, jarred chopped garlic, flavored olive oils and salsa. When it comes to must-haves in the fridge, Annette keeps cheddar, parmesan and feta cheeses as well as red onion and garlic year-round.

Prep school

Bosslady insists on portioning ingredients into decorative vessels for breezy, organized prep. With boxes and jars back in the pantry, the entire process is kept clutter free.

Step class

After laying out the key ingredients, Annette gave the boys a culinary workout. The only gear necessary was packaged flatbread found in the bakery section of Target. Teacher’s pets Levi [Annette's son--grey shirt] and Jake [white/grey striped shirt] were assigned the initial steps of laying out parchment paper, then layering tomatoes and cheese with an assortment of oils and herbs. Next in line were Ian [black T-shirt] and Matt [red flannel/skull cap] who put their new skills to the test for the second, nearly identical batch. I don’t get it—boys will skim 10 foot walls on skateboards but find experimenting with innovative pizza toppings too risky? For foodies of all ages willing to try something different, Annette suggests these three flatbread combos: Classic Appetizer [marinara, mozzarella, crushed garlic, fig jam, rosemary and a touch of parmesan], Mexican Twist [salsa, chopped red onion, roasted peppers, Mexican style cheese] and Pesto Flatbread [pesto, parmesan, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes].

Gone in 60 seconds

Flatbread gourmet takes just minutes to create, 400 degrees to cook and mere seconds to disappear. In less than 15 minutes the boys managed to spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese and most importantly, dine and dash.

Not from concentrate

Minestrone from a can + Joseph household = blasphemy. Annette’s gourmet take on the classic Italian favorite is fast and easy. Ingredients include: fresh or jarred garlic, garbanzo beans, pasta, olive oil, organic chicken broth, dried rosemary, crushed Italian tomatoes, dried mushrooms, kale and truffle oil.

Simmer down

Here’s how the kitchen queen made the minestrone magic happen. It started off with three tablespoons of olive oil and two crushed cloves of garlic thrown in a pot to saute until softened. Once the the softness set in, the main ingredients were slowly added: one can of garbanzo beans, one tablespoon of dried rosemary, 1/4 cup of dried mushrooms, 15 ounce box or can of crushed Italian tomatoes, three cups of chopped kale, 1/2 cup of pasta and one 32 ounce box of organic chicken broth.

Truffle shuffle

Annette saves the best for last. After 45 minutes, the soup is taken off the stove then dispersed into six servings. The final step simply involves adding truffle oil to each individual portion, then scarfing down with flatbread.

Clean up crew

Nothing goes to waste in Annette’s kitchen. In fact, leftover ingredients became late night nosh for dish duty with Levi. After we wrapped, I made a beeline home to whip up my own Joseph-inspired creations: vanilla protein shake with fresh bananas and gourmet ice over Saltines with fresh butter-of-peanut.

Ideas and recipes similar to those above are updated almost daily on Annette’s blog. Great taste by association = becoming a fan of Decor Demon on Facebook.

Produced, written and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with styling by Brad Ford and photography by Sarah Dorio

Business travel can sometimes totally suck it hard. Imagine getting to Hawaii for a three day conference only to find out it’s all indoors…three miles from the beach. How about finishing a day long seminar in Las Vegas only to receive an areola surprise from a showgirl……over cocktails with your boss? No thanks.

If I’m in a great city, I prefer to see less of my Inbox and more of the locale. Decor Demon was recently part of a keynote presentation panel at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. Fellow panelist/designer Brad Ford and I made a pact to see the California sun between meetings, albeit it 45 minutes or two hours. Determined to experience the Hollywood Hills, relax al fresco AND dine in style, Mr. Ford worked in a mid-afternoon picnic before heading to a networking event. After feverishly raiding the aisles of Target and Whole Foods Market, the New York tastemaker created a place in the sun as well-edited and executed as his flawless body of work.

Contain yourself

In a matter of minutes, Brad had it all figured out: natural textures, pops of sunny yellow and menu items both hot and cold—all contained within a carryall basket. He laid his eyes on a wooden bingo set at Target—an excellent means of getting the conversation started between guests—and a nod to Beach Blanket Bingo, a 1965 movie set in cool, breezy, coastal California.

Supermarket sweep

Every event needs flowers, even if it’s only 90 minutes long with a guest list of four. Brad is a master with grocery store floral, miraculously shedding paper-or-plastic pasts for clean, polished looks. He opted for yellow to fit the locale with tulips and daisies.  When working with yellow for interiors, the designer recommends Benjamin Moore “Light Yellow” 2022-60.

Elimination challenge

Reality shows don’t have a monopoly on elimination rounds; they’re a key part of our featured designer’s daily routine. Brad first pulled the supermarket bouquets apart, then mixed filler from some with the budding stems of others. After voting daisies and green grasses off the island, he opted for cut foliage from the tree above him.

Ensemble cast

Similar to a room, every element of Brad’s picnic played a key role in its on-the-fly design. A summery Dwell Studio blanket, bamboo plates and seagrass basket from Target jump-started Brad’s overall organic tone. Bamboo flatware from Seletti was fancified with a roll of natural twine. Aside from the decorative elements, cuisine was also masterfully worked in. With absolutely no time at all for preparation, Brad dashed into the hot foods section of Whole Foods Market for Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken, Couscous Salad and a second salad made from arugula. To wash it all down, our designer/host concocted his own version of Sparkling Lemonade.

Beachwood Blanket Bingo

Once the temporary foundation for our on-the-go entertaining was laid, it was time to nosh, picnic-style, above Beachwood Canyon Drive. Brad and I enjoyed the company of my West Coast fashionista friend, Camille [interior designer/makeover show pro] and my photographer’s genetically blessed BFF, David [actor]. Once comfortably seated at our hilltop destination, we realized something sucky: we forgot the bingo prizes.

Indulge in the amazing eye candy that is Brad’s portfolio via his website.

For the blogtastic side of Mr. Brad Ford, click your way over to Design Therapy.

Lastly, studies show that by becoming a fan of Decor Demon on Facebook, more people will like you. If you want to follow us on twitter, that would also be very nice of you.

Produced, written, designed and styled by Brian Patrick Flynn with before photography by Mali Azima and after photography by Sarah Dorio

For decorators, both chairs and flea markets are kinda like porn. Regardless of what it is you’re into, there’s something for everyone. While a traditional ladder back is comparable to the missionary position, a 1960′s leather-clad chrome chair has more in common with an orgy. Similar to DVDs at the XXX video shop, flea markets are ripe with fresh new methods of self-discovery.

Clients are clasping their wallets tighter than ever, making splurges on designer dining rooms out of the question. Dining spaces are quick, fun and simple to create; I refuse to let this economy banish them to decorating purgatory. My team hypothesized a four-legged design strategy — create a chic dining space for less than what we’d spend on a custom tablecloth before the economic downturn. We would group mismatched pieces together, then Tim Gunn it [make it work]. Clever choices mixing do-it-yourself tricks with professional tailoring allowed us to affordably create a dining room in which to have our cake and eat it too.

The usual suspects

To do it ourselves, we called in our routine tools and materials: fine grit sanding block, orbital sander, spray primer, high gloss spray paint and a spray handle. While the fine grit sanding block is great for scuffing ornamentation, the orbital sander is great for straight-edged surfaces. Guarantee top-notch adhesion by investing in a can of spray primer; a single can will cover three small dining chairs. High gloss spray finishes are brought to the next level by adding a spray handle. Why? The spray handle creates a consistent flow of paint eliminating problematic overspray.

Cheese-less Danish

She had us at Hej [hello in Danish]. This $27 Danish modern cane back chair left much to be desired between its gloppy black finish and cheesy polyester cushion. Damage to the cane detail became invisible thanks to a uniform coat of red spray paint.

Victor/Victoria

Our Victorian find’s heavy finish rendered its frame more Victor and its floral fabric more Victoria. Decor Demon’s gender neutral infusion allowed him/her to stay true to his/herself but in a more polished manner. This gender bender’s frame set us back $5.

Pure country

We gave the green/gold finish on our $16 country girl the thumbs up. The knicks and scratches? Not-so-much. Cue the spray paint!

60something

Upon discovery of this 1960′s-era vanity chair, we were conflicted to change her. Miss Thing’s existing brass finish and avocado upholstery were rather charming. Too bad! Hours later we updated the $21 find with color and fabric. Her tubular steel frame made her the easiest chair to spray.

Bent out of shape

Spraying our $16 bentwood beauty was trickier than we anticipated. Spraying evenly among the curves takes some serious attention to detail. She was, however, the easiest to sand as the sanding block maneuvers well around the circular bent wood.

Going mod

The consistent mod look comes from new Robert Allen cushion fabric purchased for $22 per yard. We used two yards and paid our upholsterer $20 per chair for new cushion fabrication.

The big finish

Our quintet sits pretty with a coordinating table cloth made from Sunbrella indoor/outdoor fabric. Am I purposely concealing our $22 table? Perhaps. Because two top secret pieces of wood are sandwiched between the top and base raising it to the correct height? Possibly.

Tailor-swift

Our seamstress, Chean, added tailored pleats and a band of red velveteen to our concealing tablecloth. Although we spent $85 on professional fabrication, a similar look can be achieved DIY-style with a ready made version, ribbon and hot glue. The entire project set us back $354 and one full day of labor. Three years ago, I had clients dropping that much on a tablecloth alone. Welcome to interior design, 2010.

Playing favorites

While the objective of this sentence was to fill you in on my favorite of the five chairs, it became a shameless plug showcasing my assistant, Gidget.

Produced, written and styled by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

Is your green thumb more Toxic Avenger than Jolly Green Giant? Under your supervision are plants more likely to become six feet under than six feet tall? Me too! Mother nature will take no more excuses since the design of the Food Map Container. Chief designer Jon L. Wilson (Assoc. AIA, LEED AP) heads up California-based Food Map design, a young multi-disciplinary firm committed to residential food cultivation. Wilson’s industrial-chic containers arm green-space-lacking urbanites with a tool to grow their own food.

Locally grown food is no challenge for me since my house is a short distance from the farmer’s market. What is the challenge? Greenery + harsh weather = dead. Giving houseplants their dose of frigid winter morning sunlight out on the patio takes back seat to an extra five minutes with Cap’n Crunch. Summertime showers are a great chance to naturally revive my snake grass; however, watching Tamra and Gretchen attack each other like snakes on The Real Housewives of Orange County takes precedence. If the Food Map Container can be a mobile food source, why can’t it also be an easy-care indoor/outdoor free-standing garden? I tried it out myself.  The result? My greenery is still a bold grassy hue, the Cap’n Crunch box is nearly empty AND Tamra and Gretchen are still fighting.

The toxic avenger

Known for multiple counts of horticultural homicide, I assigned myself to this project. Do I like having my photo taken outside in 32 degree weather?  No. Would I like to go on the Interwebs and pretend to look like an expert on gardening? Maybe.

There’s a hole in the bucket

Food Map Containers come fully assembled with pre-drilled holes for drainage. The DIY-challenged haven’t a leg to stand on when it comes to planting this four-wheeled wonder.

Totally plastic

It’s okay to be plastic [when filling planters]. Reduce, reuse and recycle with empty 2-liter bottles used as filler. Why? This saves on the amount of soil you’ll need AND it will make the overall load lighter. This works in regular planters as well.

Dirty deeds

Things only got messy when it came to adding potting soil. It clumps up inside the bag so it’s necessary to be sure and mix it up before adding to the container. While my plants were thankful for the healthy soil, my hands were thankful for my $1.99 gardening glove investment.

How does your garden grow?

As far as plant selection was concerned, I opted for liriope which thrives both in shaded spaces and partial sunlight — excellent for adding some green to my studio or against my patio’s black-brown brick exterior. For a pop of bold color, I opted for annuals and chose magenta and pink pansies. Since the liriope is super easy to care for, it made sense to stick with a green palette year round, then change up the color accordingly with seasonal flowers.

Health on wheels

It’s easy being green thanks to the Food Map Container’s lockable wheels. No need to take plants out of planters for doses of sunlight or visits with the hose — just lock/unlock the wheels and push.

The winter guest

After an hour-long trial run playing gardener, my mobile mini-landscape brought the outdoors in. My green friends get their daily dose of sunlight with a simple push from the studio to the great room. When thirsty, they simply stroll out the front door to the hose. Come spring, they’ll play outside nicely with my faux grass.

Produced, designed, written and styled by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

So the economy totally sucks. You’ve outgrown your current home, but you can’t reach for the next rung on the property ladder without taking a major loss. Space is so tight that hosting a dinner party involves a phone call to the local Red Lobster, the words “reservation for eight” and small talk about cheddar biscuits.

How the @$%& do you properly entertain in this spatially-challenged house without a costly addition?Do you just sell the joint and kiss away $$$ equal to your school loans or your spouse’s former addiction to department store credit cards? No need to bother leaving a key under the pillow for the Square Footage fairy – her position was eliminated. Shazam! – there IS something you can tap into for instant space, my friends, and it’s sitting right outside the door.

The carport! This often forgotten space is usually inhabited by your four-wheeled friend but by simply putting your car into reverse and parking outside for the evening, you’ll uncover a space packed with wonderful, entertaining-savvy traits.

For starters, a carport’s lack of walls makes for an open, airy environment in which guests won’t feel cramped. The roof will protect you from the sun and allow you to entertain regardless of weather. Also, the concrete floors are super forgiving if drunk-ass Adam spills his merlot leaving you with red puddle marks and surprise shards of glass [again]. The configurations are endless depending on what your party calls for.

Frustrated with my own lack of space, I gathered my team to test my own carport and discovered just how simple it is to add 300 square feet of entertaining space with minimum cost and only a day’s work.

Show your stripes

Take candy-striping to a whole new level. Add a serious “wow” factor to your carport floor by painting it a bold,  graphic pattern. The team transformed the existing cement surface first by painting the entire area solid white with Porter Acrylic Floor Enamel, then taping off 11 inch stripes. For a tri-colored pattern, paint every other stripe until dry;  reposition tape to paint the third color. Stick with your existing house colors to give the space a more cohesive flow. Die-hard drivers may need something more hardy and in that case, this site is a great resource.

Be a metalhead

Why spend it if you won’t see it? Even mid-grade drapery hardware can run you $75 and up. Consider galvanized metal pipe and flanges instead. Make a beeline to the electrical section of your home improvement store where they can be cut to size. Install the flange to your surface with four screws, then thread the pipe into place. Each set of flanges and pipe cost a cool $9.00 [less than a fancy cocktail].

Smart ringer

Pants don’t have a monopoly on pleats. Clip rings are your best choice for hanging temporary outdoor pleated draperies. You’ll need an average of seven rings per drapery panel. Slide all the rings onto the pipe before attaching the flange to keep them  in place. Then simply take the panels down and back inside post shin-dig.  If your party place is totally covered, indoor pewter rings from Allen & Roth are a great option. Not covered? Well, save money AND withstand the elements by choosing IKEA’s plastic RIKTIG clip rings. In addition to black, they are also available in white and silver and come in packs of 10 for $2.99.

The ripple effect

Let’s face it: store-bought drapes tend to look flat and cheap. A great trick is to hang them as triple panels to create a high-end, spiffed-up and gathered look. Enlist a seamstress at your local drycleaner to hem and sew single panels into triple-ripple-aplenty panels for a mere fraction of what custom window treatments would cost. We chose IKEA’s RITVA panels which are 100% cotton and come in packs of two for $29.99.

Feeling used

Being used never felt, or looked so good. Flea markets are the most cost-effective source for unique outdoor furniture. We scored these rather comfy 1960’s Asian scroll back chairs for $25 each.With some sanding, priming and high-gloss white spray paint, the team revitalized the entire set’s graphic lines. I always splurge on custom, professional cushions to assure a comfy seat and save by spraying the bases myself [and by myself, I mean my carpenter]. When shopping for upholstery fabric, keep in mind that a yardage chart is your budgetary BFF.

What lies beneath

Aunt Fanny’s recipe ain’t the only secret at this table! Although flea markets are ripe with unique vintage furniture on the cheap, there’s always the downside of finding table bases without tops. The quickest and easiest fix? Use a pre-cut piece of plywood and cover it with an eye-popping tablecloth.

Paper mates

If you know how to push a pushpin, you can handle this. Hang inexpensive paper lanterns above the table to ground the space and erase any memory of this traditionally being a car’s home. Is my carpenter, Brian Bell, tacking these up for me because I am insanely lazy? No. Is it because I am accident prone and have a fear of ladders? Yes.

Bordering on style

There’s a shortage of cool looking tablecloths out there.  To give any standard table cloth a custom touch, simply add a 2 inch solid border to the existing edge to lengthen the overall cloth and create instant posh detail. Got enough skills to sew a custom cloth yourself? IKEA’s MINNA fabric is only $6.99 a yard, its 100 percent cotton and super durable. In addition to orange, it also comes in blue, light green, red and a bleached effect.

Outwardly expressive

To add another layer of the indoors to your outdoor area, use a masonry nail to hang art on the exterior wall. This project is pretty hard to mess up; the only tool necessary is a hammer. I commissioned this graphic, Americana-inspired piece from New York City artist Rodney White back in 2006. Rodney juxtaposes the look of weathered storefront signs with messages scribed in stunning typefonts.

Take it outside, fellas

Forget dashing in and out of the kitchen and interrupting conversations; keep it all within reach. Add a chic and functional serving area or bar to the fete for free. By temporarily moving a dresser outside, you instantly add a sideboard to keep drinks, ice and garnishes close at hand.

Welcoming drama

While the crisp draperies add a dramatic, enveloping statement, they also offer VIP privacy from nosy neighbors.

Friends in low places

After a day of creativity and light labor, relax and enjoy your newly claimed square footage. Temporarily replace four-wheeled confidants with warm-blooded friends. And until tomorrow, no cars allowed.

]]> http://www.decordemon.com/2009/03/09/park-recreation/feed/ 5