Do you enjoy putting a paintbrush to a piece of furniture? Always on the lookout for pieces you can repurpose? Then you will love knack studio. Barb Blair has a great eye for matchmaking furniture with the perfect paint color, sanding all the right angles, and adorning her pieces with the perfect hardware. Lest I...Read More

Shutters can add character, charm and overall curb appeal to any house. But after a hard winter, those quaint shutters may be in need of a little TLC. Or maybe you are just ready to update the look of your shutters by changing up the color. Either way, all it really takes is a fresh...Read More

There’s new energy in the air.  It’s time to open the windows, let in some fresh air, get out in the garden, and get cranking on that spring cleaning.  I’ll admit I’m not particularly excited about spring cleaning—on a sunny day, I’d much rather kick back on the deck with a good book and a...Read More

It was manna from heaven when I received today’s e-mail from Thibaut introducing the Shangri-la Collection. The room sets in this collection are the best I have seen from Thibaut. I always love a little  mix and matching of design styles to keep it fresh. Noticed… and liked… Greek Key tape on the sheers like...Read More

Chinoiserie is one of my all time favorite words…I like how it looks on paper and I love the way it sounds (sheen-waz-a-ree). Chinoiserie, according to Webster, is a style that reflects Chinese qualities or motifs, an object or decoration. Europe fell in love with the Asian influence of China and Japan in the early...Read More

Choosing exterior paint colors doesn’t have to be rocket science.  Our expert Mark Masica of the Edina Hirshfields teaches us some new things about color that will help you the next time you’re up to your ears in paint chips. Use the LRV (light reflective value) rating of a color. LRV is sometimes found on...Read More

Choosing exterior paint colors is among the hardest decisions a homeowner can make. After all, everyone else seems to have an opinion about the outside of your house – because they have to look at it all the time. But choosing the right color scheme is of top importance according to exterior paint expert, Mark...Read More

Faux Bois is french for “fake wood,” as it looks like wood but it’s not.  Replicating the faux bois look appears to be easy, fun and fairly inexpensive. These photos are showing a painted base, then one or two (I can’t remember what the Old Masters rep said, I’ll find out) layers of stain that...Read More

March Madness is once again upon us. As millions of hoops fanatics are swept away by college basketball euphoria, it may be time to try to make sense out of the madness that can be your children’s trophy collection — by creating displays that will make those victories live on. Here are some creative ideas...Read More

Choosing the perfect shade of paint to use in your home can be challenging, especially when you have to consider all the other things going on in your space – lighting, flooring, furniture, etc.  Here are some things to think about when choosing paint colors: Just because you think a color is great doesn’t mean...Read More