Robotic movesWendy and her 3 year old Ikea hacker, Satch, made this robot out of Ikea boxes. So don't throw away those flat packs just yet. Of course, this can be done with any other cardbox too.
They painted the boxes with non-toxic silver paint and added a few tiny LED lights to illuminate the bottle cap eyes
and the top of his head. Way cute.
See more of Satch's
recyclobot.
Frame up funKristin had a fun activity for her kids. She says, "We collected all kinds of leaves both from the ground and foliage. The boys placed them where they wanted on the back of these frames from Ikea, add the plexiglass top and screw frame together to press. Couldn't have been easier and the boys are proud to display them."
See more of her
kids' leaf art.
Baby and toys can now share a bedDot's got a toddler bed but a crib sized mattress. So rather than rushing out to buy a new mattress, she converts the end space into a stuff toy compartment. Neat idea! An extra bar is added to the end of the
Kritter toddler bed to fit a crib sized mattress.
See more of Dot's
toddler bed with stuff toy compartment hack.
Roll out underbed book storageSmilla from Iceland needed some storage to fit under her daughter's bed to hold all her books, be able to roll out easily and look nice, not like a 5 year old had done it. I must say Smilla did a pretty fine job.
She says, "I prepared myself to build something from scratch and I was confident that it would definitely look awful considering that my building skills are none whatsoever. I didn't want to spend a lot of money so I went to Ikea and found this great
Apa storage box in the kid's department. I also bought
Slugger wheels.
I put it together and painted all the wood with light pink wall paint so it would match her room better (it's all white, pink and brown...no wood). Fastened the wheels under ...well, not the bottom...uhhmm...on one side! Or it's supposed to be the side of the box. And to get a better grip when rolling it out under the bed I put a handle at one end (well not from Ikea but you can find lots of handles in Ikea)."
Crayon proof those tables!Though the
Ikea Latt kids' table set is "wipeable", you don't want to spend all afternoon scrubbing crayon marks off the white surfaces. So, Faith, the Design Momma decides to "reupholster" the top and and chairs with some cheery wipeable laminate.
See more of Faith's
laminated kids' table.
I couldn't wait to get to talk about some of the larger rooms at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House which include spaces designed by the Juan Montoya, Jamie Drake and Charles Pavarini III. The first room here designed by the handsome and charming Juan Montoya (above) is just calling out for a cocktail party!
When I went to his website to learn a little more about him, I read this description that seemed especially apt for this room..."The exquisite juxtaposition of textures, colors and volumes, together with thoughtful attention to shadows, scale, and spatial quality, result in interiors that exude refinement and elegant simplicity. Through the careful placement of objects that often reflect his interest in a variety of cultures, Montoya enhances the inherent qualities of a room."
The furniture in this room includes many Swedish pieces including the side table above that sits next to a long custom designed sofa upholstered in a Juan Montoya fabric. You can see the texture of the wall treatment and the Willy Rizzo photograph displayed on a easel that all somehow work together.
The main focal point of the left wall is the large blue painting. When I asked Juan Montoya about it, he replied that he painted it himself. He could have borrowed an expensive piece of art but decided in this economy to do something different.
He mentioned being influenced by the Dada art movement which is seen in the light fixture he designed.
This room has a wall of windows that are open to the outdoor area below and let in a lot of light. There was originally dark wood paneling in this room and Juan Montoya said he wouldn't do the room if he couldn't paint it. 
On this side of the room, two chaise lounges are upholstered in the same fabric as the sofa. The blue of the sculpture on the mantle and artwork on the side wall also relate back to the other wall with the large blue canvas and sofa.
This room is really beautiful and serene but also full of so many interesting details. I loved how the antique Swedish furniture worked so perfectly with the modern art and sculptures. As I told Mr. Montoya, the room is just as handsome as he is! 
Another fabulous large room was designed by the King of Color, interior designer Jamie Drake. He designed it as a chic studio with a queen sized upholstered bed in the middle that acts as seating during the day and a bed at night. It was his reaction to the current economy.
When I first walked into the room, I wasn't sure what was on the walls. From far away they almost looked like a Chuck Close painting! In reality, it is a hand painted wallpaper from Alpha Workshops, the "only not-for-profit organization in the country that trains and employs people living with HIV/AIDS in the decorative arts." I love that Jamie Drake had one non-profit work on the room in a show house that benefits another wonderful organization! It doesn't get any better than that!
The room is full of rich pops of color that Jamie Drake is known for and create a cheerful yet elegant room.
There seemed to be a circle motif going on but I don't remember him talking about it so I'm not sure if it's purely decorative or has more meaning. Either way, it's an interesting contrast to the squares of the wallpaper pattern.
The bookcase is filled with Papier-mâché books/sculptures by artist Jean Lowe with very interesting and humorous titles that are perfect for this room since it doesn't take its self too seriously! Although the design is seriously chic!
The largest room extends the width of the townhouse and was designed by Charles Pavarini III. I didn't get to speak with Mr. Pavarini but I was told that the room was inspired by the iceberg photo on the far wall. Everything is the room is shiny and slick. The glass tables and chandelier remind me of ice and the cool tones of the upholstery are snowy. The fur upholstered ottoman won't keep you warm but it adds to the cold climate inspiration. 
The challenge in this large of a room was making it feel cozy and I think Mr. Pavarini succeeded. It doesn't seem cavernous or too open. There are many wonderful intimate seating arrangements that would be perfect for a swanky cocktail party.
The Steinway & Sons piano also has a swanky feel to it as does the glittery fireplace. Each large room in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House is elegant and chic in it's own way but they all work and I would be happy to sip a cocktail in any of them! Does the house have a closing party?
Maybe instead of separate bathrooms, the key to a happy marriage should be separate bedrooms but only if they look like the ones designed by 
When I visted the show house, the weather was grey and ready to rain and the light from large windows made the room feel as though it could have been in Paris. Considering what a Francophile Ms. Moss is, it seemed especially fitting. The color palette for her room is French blue, mauve, ivory, pale pink and celedon and even though there are a lot of colors, the room is quite soothing. "Drama is created with contrast - in the case of these rooms, a light blue is used in the sitting room and a dark blue in the bedroom. The depth of color suits the room's use - dark for sleeping, light for reading, relaxing and conversation."
The darker walls of midnight blue DeGournay Teapaper and canopied bed definitely add drama in the bedroom. 
I love my birdies AnNicole! Now if the cat would just stop eating the flowers, that would be nice: 
