RoomRecipes » The Kitchen Sink

Is that your house or are you happy to see me?

Krista Watterworth — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:19:15 +0000

A floating glass house jutting off into a rock hill leaves one hoping that an avalanche is not popular to these here parts. Yikes! Yes it’s very cool looking. Almost too cool for school. Who are these people? She is a violinist who plays with the Boston Symphony, and he – well – an architect. How come the old adage “a good cobbler has no shoes” never applies to architects? They always have the most amazing homes, this Berkshire cantilevered beauty is no exception. Since the industry of architecture is often infused will male talent and wisdom, I find many of the homes a bit angular and – excuse me but – phallic? Am I alone on this one?

In “A Cantilevered Glass House”, the Wall Street Journal offers ten beautiful views of this floating glass structure. Check it out. And feel free to pass on any other homes that you may feel fall into this category.

Project Videos!

Room Recipes — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:19:02 +0000

Due to all your requests, I finally have a DIY Project Video Library in the works. This showcases many of the projects I’ve done on my HGTV shows. Everything from making floral sconces out of place mats to hand painted tile wall hangings! So check back soon for more…

Top Ten Staging Tips for Vanilla Ice

Krista Watterworth — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:09:03 +0000

When I got the call to stage the latest home flipped by Rob Van Winkle for The Vanilla Ice Project on the DIY Network, right away I contacted Pier 1 Imports to provide all the furniture and home accessories. I love the accessibility of the Pier 1 product. It’s one of the few home lines that is both colorful and chic. On my shows on HGTV I’ve styled rooms with an eye toward functionality without suffering style. In staging, the number one rule is simplicity.

1. Eye Candy
Each room should contain at least one colorful accessory. When a potential buyer walks into that particular space the eye shoots directly toward an item that stands out, and that makes it memorable.

Sanctuary Dinnerware

2. Set the Stage
What is it like to eat dinner in this particular 7,000 square foot home? Tables, a cocktail bar and breakfast bar are simply set with glassware or china, and chairs informally staged so anyone can have a seat, relax and envision themselves casually entertaining.

3. Have Purpose
There’s nothing worse than an interested home buyer walking into a room and wondering: what do I do here? The take away is confusion. Each room, large open space or lonely looking nook needs a definitive purpose.

Celestial Art

4. No Naked Walls
Art should be interesting, colorful and not too personal. This home has twenty and thirty foot ceilings. Art had to have impact and be large enough to draw the eye to the grandeur of high ceilings and open space.

5. Warmth Goes a Long Way
Colors should be neutral – that’s not a new concept in staging. But this should never mean boring or devoid of panache. Introduce neutral toned but bold patterns through upholstery, table linens, and area rugs.

Floral Cream Rug

6. Give it Some Life
Plants, florals, and even fruit can provide some much needed life to barren corners, desolate nooks and empty tables.

7. Style Statements
Architectural vases, a few large scale furniture selections, and dining and/or occasional tables with character will provide an elegant flair while upholding the cardinal rule: simplicity. Choose each piece carefully.

Ashworth Bed

8. Budget Friendly
We had a $7000 budget for this home staging, however the entire first floor of a 7,000 square foot home needed to be furnished and accessorized. Maintaining a budget is important so over styling is avoided.

9. Choose Your Battles
Not every room needs to be staged, just the most important ones including the master, family or great room, and dining areas. One’s best advised to stick to the first floor since an impression is already set by the time people wander upstairs.

10. Keep it Clean
Don’t forget to mop floors, dust furniture and wash windows. No matter how beautifully a home is staged, if interested buyers see the remains of construction that could turn them off. Remember, people want to feel at home so they’re prompted to drop some serious cash.

Tune in to watch the finale episode at:

January 01, 2011 at 2:00 PM e/p, 9:00 PM e/p

January 02, 2011 10:30 AM e/p and 8:30 PM e/p

February 03, 2011-9:00 PM e/p
February 05, 2011-11:30 AM e/p
February 07, 2011-1:30 PM e/p
February 11, 2011-1:30 PM e/p
February 12, 2011-11:30 PM e/p
February 20, 2011-11:00 AM e/p

Thanks to Ginger de Vegh Photography and Pier 1 Imports

I’m thankful for cheap stuff that looks expensive

Krista Watterworth — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:22:17 +0000

As we approach the wonderful holidays, we’re all focused on the things we’re thankful for: friends, family, loving relationships, a roof over our heads, food on the table– those sorts of very important elements to a happy life. Well, I got to thinkin’ about today’s post and I realized after a quick peruse through my 5,000 mailed catalogs and all the ideas flowing from the beautiful colorful images that filled the pages, that I’m very thankful for great knock offs. Stuff that looks like it cost a million bucks but it only cost five. Well, you know what I mean. Here are a few favorites:

Draper SLEEPER Sofa, CB2

Draper SLEEPER Sofa, CB2 $698

Marissa Dining Chair, SET of TWO, Chiasso

Marissa Dining Chair, SET OF TWO, Chiasso $268

Short Drum Pendant, West Elm

Short Drum Pendant, West Elm $149

Bosc XLarge Scale Custom Artwork, 48″ x 48″, Home Decorators

Bosc XLarge Canvas Art, Home Decorators $298

Klubbo coffee table, IKEA — two put together

Klubbo Coffee Tables, IKEA - two put together $79 each

Heavy Metal Decor

Krista Watterworth — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:17:33 +0000

I don’t rock out to Metallica as much as I used to, now that I’m a mommy. But I don’t want to end up wearing mom jeans and sportin’ pale yellow high top Reeboks from back in the day. I do what I can to let that rocker chick out of the cage every once in a while.

Metal Decor offers a pretty cool product that is so easy to use. Perfect for you DIYers out there. It’s essentially peel n stick metal tiles in various shapes and sizes to decorate lonely walls. According to the website they can be used in kitchens and bathrooms. But some of the more modern, simple styles are the ones I really like. These ladies were nice enough to stop by and see me at the Miami Home Show, and send me some samples of the product.

My favorite is the white and silver square wall art. I like transforming rooms for the holidays and this is a wonderful, non-permanent way to create a festive environment. Not sure if any damage is done to walls upon removal, that would be a question to pose on their website.

But it looks like they are easy to cut and customize. So have it! And post your pics here! Also it’s pretty inexpensive, depending on the size of your project – 5 textured rounds and rectangles for $25. Not bad.

Fancy House for Little Critter

Tom Zemon — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:12:01 +0000

I love getting emails asking me how-to do fun projects around the house. Especially if it means the use of power tools. So when Krista received this email about my Guinea Pig house I wanted to post the instructions ASAP!

“I got the tail end of your August 24, 2010, Splurge & Save HGTV episode: Timeless Traditional Family Room (HSTEL-110). I would love it if you would send me a picture of the guinea pig house that you created for the Tuckman family on that episode.”

Recipe for Guinea Pig House:

• Make some different sized boxes with lids out of ply or MDF
• Don’t forget to put ample air holes in the lids
• Instead of a front wood panel, make a dado cut wide enough to accommodate a piece of plexiglass
• Attach the boxes and make sure that you create a passageway from any given box to its neighbor.
• I also added a dado cut to the back so that we could insert a piece of 1/8″ Masonite with the kids artwork on it – that allowed for changing the backdrop – scenery – whatever you want to call it of each box. It would be fun to do one that had home, office, grocery store, school, park, disco – different places for the little guy to go depending on his mood.
• Use a low or no-VOC paint to finish it off

The Miami Herald Flirts With Me

Krista Watterworth — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:03:34 +0000

Thank you Laura Sampler for a beautifully written article in the Miami Herald entitled “She’s all about repurposing, accessorizing“. The article was a flatter piece for me, and I loved it! Check it out…I reprint below:

BY LAURA STAMPLER
lstampler@MiamiHerald.com

Who doesn’t want a beautiful house?

In spite of tough economic times, remodeling spending is on the rise, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Anyone can put together an aesthetically pleasing room without having to break into the rainy day fund, said renovation guru Krista Watterworth, an HGTV host who will be giving design tips at the Miami Home Show next weekend.

“Even if someone is style challenged, they can still create a simple room with an easy budget,” Watterworth says.

Ginger deVegh Photography

When it’s time for an aesthetic change, Watterworth finds that many people are faced with the decision to “move or improve.”

“I think that most people just want to improve,” Watterworth says. “Take unloved spaces and give them love. Then you end up having more space in the home to play or get away in.”

What better to fill a newly renovated room than with stuff you already have and love? You could probably decorate a room with extra furniture and accessories from around the house, Watterworth says, particularly if the items are touched up.

Recalling a particularly difficult job, Watterworth remembers using a lot of hand-me-downs. “We took a room and took a bunch of old accessories and painted them all white,” Watterworth says. “What that does is modernize and repurpose what you have.”

If you browse garage sales, go Dumpster diving or want to make use of your own old furniture, you can cover up an old chair or table with contact paper. There are a lot of cool patterns that can be used to improve that old, beat-up dresser.

THE BATHROOM

You don’t have to start from scratch, says Watterworth, co-host of HGTV’s Save My Bath for four seasons. Work with what you have if you don’t have the money to replace a worn-out item. Retro is in, so you can work with ’50s and ’60s features.

A paint job can go a long way. Set the mood with a cooler and calmer palate of greens and blues. These are also spa favorites.

Textiles also contribute to a more stylish bathroom. Use bamboo shades or linen curtains on windows, and don’t forget about new shower curtains, bathmats and towels. Swapping out linens every six months is a cheap way to keep things from getting boring.

If fixtures need replacing, a white sink, white toilet and white tub will not only look crisp but are also the least expensive pieces. Lowe’s and Home Depot are full of great deals, she said.

Hardware can be replaced with polished chrome — which is cheaper than nickel — for a newer and shinier look.

When it comes to floors, try peel-and-stick tiles. Some laminate tiles look like stone. This trick can work in the kitchen as well.

ACCESSORIZING

It’s the little things — area rugs, accent tables, lamps — that fill a space and make it feel homey.

And little touches can make your home feel more aesthetically pleasing, like keeping the table set with nice china and linen.

“I really believe that a home is a reflection of your inner life,” Watterworth says. “If you live in a home filled with your personality and your character and that has warmth, you are going to feel that way inside.”

Decals and stencils are a great alternative to buying expensive wallpaper, she said. Swap pricey damask paper for a damask stencil and do it yourself. Urban Outfitters sells decals that can give your room character for less.

But remember: saving money sometimes take patience and time. Realize that stenciling an entire room is going to be a labor of love.

“If you get sick of it halfway through, it’s not going to work,” Watterworth says. “[The project] will be falling apart while you’re falling apart.”

GREEN TREATMENT

The right window treatment can do a great job of framing that beautiful Florida view.

But South Florida’s flora doesn’t have to stay outside. You can incorporate flowers, trees and lush greenery into your home decor.

“It creates life to bring life into your home,” Watterworth says.

Putting palm fronds in a floor vase is an instant conversation piece.

STAY ORGANIZED

There’s nothing appealing about waking up to a cluttered house with toys on the floor and dishes in the sink. But with kids, work and other day-to-day obligations, you often have to stash and dash.

A trip to the Container Store (there is one at the Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach) is an easy fix for the average living room mess, she says. Stackable storage boxes and shelving units can help get things off the floor and make every room livable again.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/29/1793178/shes-all-about-repurposing-accessorizing.html#ixzz0yEeLVLwg

Quicker Than a Ray of Light

Krista Watterworth — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:17:30 +0000

Forbes.com writer Bill Watkins posted a great piece called The Future of Lighting. It describes “why LED will change the world”.

Watkins sums it up simply in two sentences: “An LED (light-emitting diode) is a solid-state semiconductor device that converts electricity into light. It consumes far less energy and has a substantially longer lifespan than traditional lighting.”

The next question is, why aren’t we all converting? Are you doing your job in your own home or business to “make the switch”?

Some cool LED offerings:

Raimond Suspension Light

LINK Small Table Lamp

Abyss Table Lamp

Check Out the Nook While My Designer Revamps It

Room Recipes — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:26:17 +0000

Ok so the lyric is “check out the hook while my DJ revolves it” I took some creative license. I did a project with Vanilla Ice aka Rob Van Winkle recently. You know, Ice Ice Baby. God I was in love with him back in the day, and when I look at that video I’m reminded of his total hotness and how much I wished he was my boyfriend (or at the very least my booty call.) He’s still pretty sexy. Don’t we make a cute couple?

Me & Rob

But now he flips houses. He did a show for the DIY Network called The Vanilla Ice Project to air in the Fall 2010. I staged his 7000 square foot flipped home in Wellington Florida. So stay tuned!

Pier 1 Imports provided $7000 of furniture for my staging efforts. It was very tough, we had a dining room, master bedroom, formal living, eat in kitchen, home theater and family room to stage. You would be surprised at how fast items add up.

Photos by Ginger de Vegh

What Do Ceiling Fans & Badonkadonk Have in Common?

Krista Watterworth — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:36:08 +0000

Yes, I did say badonkadonk… check your urban dictionary if you aren’t hip to it. I came across this advertisement for Big Ass Fans and I thought that’s my kinda company. They used a catchy name that will surely gain attention especially if you like big butts and you cannot lie (thank you Sir Mix-a-lot).

Who can argue with a company who names one of their ceiling fans Isis, the Egyptian goddess of magic and light. Whoa. That’s crazy talk. I can say all this because their product represents quality. Interior Design Magazine gave Big Ass Fans the Best of the Year award in 2009. Not too shabby. Anyway, check them out and tell me what YOU think.