Design Envy

As a new blogger, I am constantly reading other people's blogs to gain ideas and inspiration. The blogging world, much like facebook, is an intricate web of people who know people and I always get a kick out of which blogs are followed by the people whose blogs I follow. (Make sense?) For example, designers usually follow other design-based blogs, new Moms follow the adventures of other new Moms and cooks follow fellow cooks through their culinary trials and tribulations. Since I am all of the above (well, I'm not a new Mom, but I still like to see what that breed is up to) I enjoy the blogging of all kinds, yet am always drawn to the talent and creativity of the do-it-yourself designer.

Our sister, Jackie, recently made the transition to graduate student, single living and I am ever so impressed with what she's done with her place! She has really turned me onto the idea of painting larger pieces of furniture in funky, off-beat colors. I mean, get a load of this:

*Before & After*

Vote for Jackie's talents in the CB2 Design Contest here!

I then stumbled across this incredible before and after from the blog Three Men and a Lady:

*Before*

*After*

I was especially intrigued with the above yellow piece because the Santa Monica Luskeys are the proud owners of two buffets and one hutch that eerily resemble the before picture. Could we (or better yet should we) throw caution to the wind and paint our humdrum, estate sale furniture funky and wild colors?! Should we copy this amazing yellow statement piece and go even crazier by, say, painting the buffet and hutch... RED?!

Let us know what you think!