DIY with Kate Pruitt from DesignSponge

Q&A: Bravo’s ‘Top Design’ judge and author of ‘Hue’ L6

Golden Gate Gardener: Solutions for sooty mold L3

Home&Garden San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com | Sunday, November 21, 2010 | Section L

Mike Kepka / The Chronicle; styling by Meg Mateo Ilasco

This holiday table features four DIY projects that upcycle castoffs, including assorted glassware, mismatched chairs, leather belts and sconces.

DECORATING

A feast for do-it-yourselfers Designer’s projects repurpose castoffs for a festive table

By Chantal Lamers SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICL E

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

Design Sponge editor Kate Pruitt transformed an old picture frame into a serving tray.

Whether you’re a first-time hostess or seasoned at all things soiree, the aspiration is ultimately the same: Throw an inspired, inviting shindig that sets the mood and gets guests swooning. In celebration of the impending holiday season, we asked Design Sponge Senior Editor and freelance interior designer Kate Pruitt to share some do-it-yourself tricks for injecting repurposed castoffs into a holiday tabletop.

The effect is a composed yet laid-back tableau that brims with novelty thanks to reimagined salvage finds that convey warm heirloom quality with carefree spirit. “In winter I become drawn to darker, moodier materials, and I wanted to use those elements to create a table with a rough yet elegant feel,” says Oakland resident Pruitt. With her fondness for natural and textured materials, wood and cork were obvious choices. To imply the richness of a luxe den, Pruitt incorporated a

Mike Kepka / The Chronicle

Pruitt shows off coasters made from slices salvaged wood covered in fabric.

1 Inside: For the step-by-step instructions, see pages L4-L5

Table continues on L4

CRAFT CLASSES

Homemade for the holidays

By Chantal Lamers

Festive florals

S P ECI AL TO THE CHRONICLE

Rather than hit repeat on a typical holiday season of party hopping, ever-growing gift lists and baking angel-shaped sugar cookies, consider the alternative. When it comes to the do-it-yourself movement, San Francisco is a crafter’s dream, and there’s no better time to take advantage of seasonal class offerings.

Whether you choose to give handmade presents or simply utilize class time as a therapeutic break from the holiday chaos, these artful lessons will last beyond New Year’s Eve.

Put down the foilwrapped poinsettia. In Studio Choo’s floral-centric classes, taught mainly by owners Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo, you’ll learn to transform fresh stems and foliage into seasonal wreaths and centerpieces. Start off with the fundamentals of arranging, from bloom selection to color palettes, and then get to work. You’ll learn the essentials from forming a base of greens to adding focal flowers and finishing with wild bits and vines. Or try your green thumb at

wreath making, where all sorts of greenery and dried bits — from berries to succulents, branches and nuts — are fair game. For the noncommittal types, consider one of Studio Choo’s 30minute weekend drop-in classes on olive oil and herb cocktail infusions, wreath adornment or bulb forcing.

Studio Choo at Prairie Collective; 262 Divisadero St., San Francisco; (415) 624-5981; www.prairiecollective.com or www.studiochoo.com. Call or go online for class times.

Classes are $150, drop-ins start at $10.

Classes continues on L6

Photos by Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Learn how to force bulbs at one of Studio Choo’s drop-in classes.

L4 | Sunday, November 21, 2010 | San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com

HOME

Feast of projects for do-it-yourselfers Table from page L1

fitting palette of navy with modest glints of gold and touches of bright green.

While appropriate for holiday fetes, the added appeal of Pruitt’s six (simple to advanced) projects is that each can be used collectively or individually year round. Her instructions also allow plenty of wiggle room to inject personal taste and interpretation. “If you stick to what you love — colors you like and materials you’re drawn to — it will come together.

If dark and moody isn’t your thing, go with warm and bright and cozy.”

Pruitt, 28, has always been resourceful. Growing up, she saw beyond the intention of her father’s office supplies. Scotch tape, paper clips and the click of a stapler were all fair game and ultimately elements in an assemblage of her daily art projects.

“I’ve always made things and I have always loved art,” says Pruitt. “When I left school, I wanted to find something creative that I could do as a career while I made my own artwork.”

After graduating from Stanford University with degrees in art and art history, she joined the visual display teams at Anthropologie in San Jose and then Berkeley. “I learned a lot in the four years I was there about different artistic mediums, how to build structures and create largescale installations using inexpensive, everyday materials.”

About two years ago, Pruitt moved on to pursue her own projects: artwork, reworking found furnishings and freelance conceptual interior design. Shortly before making that transition, she submitted a design project for a do-ityourself contest through the blog Design Sponge.

Recognizing Pruitt’s easy knack for rethinking found objects, the blog’s founder invited Pruitt to become a regular contributor.

For more on this connoisseur of salvage, take a peek at her up-and-coming projects at www.katepruitt.blogspot. com or read her whimsical adventures in art and design at Anthology magazine (www.anthologymag. com), where she’s an online editor.

E-mail comments to home@sfchronicle.com.

Photos by Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle; styling by Meg Mateo Ilasco

A closer look at three finished products: the serving tray made from a photo frame, stenciled glasses and fabric-covered coasters.

Old picture frame serving tray Pruitt utilized a vintage oilcloth on her tray but vintage scarves, photographs and homemade artwork can be incorporated in this project and swapped out seasonally.

Large picture frame (see note) Piece of mat or poster board Fabric Spray adhesive Narrow leather belt Hole-punch kit Four screws and bolts (same depth as thickness of belt and frame) Small adhesive furniture pads Drill Instructions: Take a firm piece of mat or poster board; cut to size of glass. Lay fabric over board, cut to approximate size of board leaving a 1⁄8-inch overhang an all sides. Use spray adhesive to attach fabric to board.

To make the handle, cut about two 6-inch pieces from the belt. Use hole punch to make holes in each side of leather strip.

Center leather strips on opposite ends of frame, then mark insert for screw about ¼-inch inward to create handles. Use drill to insert screws.

Attach nuts; attach felt pads to corners. Insert glass and fabric-covered board; replace backing.

Note: If you have a frame without glass, take it to a frame shop for new glass and a backing, about $12.

Reupholstered mismatched dining chairs You can whip up a set of chairs with unifying fabric. (We adore this combination of wool and tartan.) Choose chairs with similar wood tones and removable seat cushions.

Chairs Non-stretch fabric High-density foam, muslin and batting fabric (optional, as needed) Fabric scissors Staple gun Instructions: Take off seat cushions by removing screws on the underside of the chairs. Measure seats. Purchase enough fabric to cover the seat plus an additional 6 to 8 inches on all four sides.

Remove old upholstery; inspect foam. If it appears to be crumbling, add a new layer before recovering seats. Cover high-density foam with muslin to create seat shape; add a thin layer of batting fabric.

Using fabric scissors, cut pieces of cloth for each seat. Place fabric on flat surface, centering the seat on top with underside facing up. One side at a time, pull fabric tightly and staple it to the underside of the seat.

Give the chairs a good dusting and replace the seats.

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Photos by Mike Kepka and Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle; styling by Meg Mateo Ilasco

San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com | Sunday, November 21, 2010 |

L5

Salvaged wood coasters Cast-off pieces of wood are a cinch to unearth at salvage yards (look for pieces without nails or screws). Otherwise, purchase wood at a lumberyard and stain it to achieve the desired color.

4-by-4 piece of wood Chop saw or miter (see Note) Medium- and fine-grit sandpaper Stain Sealant Fabric Fabric scissors Glue Medium art paintbrushes

Sconce centerpieces

Instructions: Cut the 4-by-4 into ½- to ¾ -inch-thick pieces.

Sand wood with mediumgrit, then fine-grit sandpaper until surface is super smooth.

Using a paintbrush, stain wood; let dry. Apply a coat of sealant or polyurethane; let dry overnight.

Center coaster on fabric, cut fabric slightly larger than coaster.

Using a clean paintbrush, apply a layer of glue to bottom of coaster; apply fabric to coaster; press around edges to seal seams.

Interior and exterior sconces not only have great shapes, they’re also a bargain at a couple of bucks apiece. Repurpose these beauties into functional terrariums and hurricanes by constructing oversize cork stopper toppers and bases. Fill with a votive or with branches, moss or small plants.

Glass sconces or wide-mouth decanters Cork stoppers Cork contact paper Scissors Ruler Instructions: Measure opening of the sconce or decanter for which you’ll create the oversize cork.

Then measure the height of the wine cork.

Roll out a few inches of contact paper; cut several strips of contact paper that are the same height as the wine cork.

Remove paper; coil around cork slowly. Make sure top is flush with cork; squeeze firmly as you wind. Continue with strips until oversize cork is desired diameter.

Place cork on underside of contact paper; trace.

Cut out circles; peel away contact paper; place on both sides.

Plug into base, adjust for stability. Fill as desired.

Note: If you don’t have proper wood-cutting tools, take it to a lumberyard (cuts cost about 50 cents apiece).

Mixed silhouette glassware Take a grouping of plain, mismatched cocktail or wine glasses and quickly create a set by adding a graphic.

Think up your own image or check out the Dover Pictorial Archive (www.doverpublications.com) for copyrightfree art and illustrations.

A few sheets of scrap paper Glassware 1 jar and 1 pen of Pebeo Vitrea 160 glass paint in glossy black (available at art supply stores) Small craft paint brush

Instructions: Trace images onto paper. If you choose to make silhouettes, use a mix of different profiles. Cut image out; tape image to the inside of the glass.

Dab pen on scrap paper. Trace the outline of the image with the pen. Let dry, about five minutes. Dip paintbrush in paint; paint inside the lines.

Lay glasses flat on soft surface to dry for about 15 to 20 minutes. If necessary, add a second coat of paint and let dry again.

To set paint, lay glasses on rack inside a cold oven; turn oven to 350 degrees; set timer to 35 minutes. Turn off oven, and let glasses cool inside oven. Glasses will be dishwasher safe.

Leather napkin rings The worn, textured nature of a few old leather belts is a sweet juxtaposition to a silk or cotton napkin at the dinner table.

Used leather belts (6 inches per napkin holder) Kitchen shears Hole-punch kit Leather snap kit Hammer Brown paint (optional) Instructions: Using the kitchen shears, cut belts into 6-inch strips.

Mark position for each snap; using the hole-punch kit, hammer a hole where the snap will go. Add snaps, following kit instructions.

Extra credit: Rub a dab of brown paint onto shiny brass and silver snaps to match the belts’ aged look.

The DIY toolbox Inspiration is just the starting point for a DIY project. We asked Kate Pruitt for her list of essential tools for getting the job done.

Jigsaw: “I know some people are a little shy around saws, but the blade on a jigsaw is small and allows for easy maneuvering and versatility.

You can use it to create all kinds of wood shapes, which will come in handy for working with furniture.”

X-Acto knife and cutting mat: “Useful for precise cuts and smallscale projects. You can easily cut framing mats, create cut-paper artwork and cut intricate shapes and thicker materials with much better accuracy. And for being such a versatile tool, it’s also quite small and easy to keep in a desk or with pens and pencils.”

Glue gun: “A glue gun is great to have around the house.

Hot glue can be used on a wide range of materials including cardboard, paper, wood and all kinds of fabrics.

The fast adhesion time allows you to get projects done quickly.”

Cordless drill: “Pick a lightweight drill with multiple speeds and 14- to 18-volt batteries. With the huge amount of bits available, drills prove useful when it comes to working with wood, metal, plastic, and even ceramic and tile.”

A good pair of scissors: “A durable, quality pair of scissors (sharpen regularly) will make every project easier and result in a much more accurate, precise level of craft. If you work with different materials, purchase a good pair of fabric scissors and a sturdy pair of general-use scissors, and don’t mix them up. Ever.”

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