By Katie Laughridge From Tribune News Service Have you ever heard the saying, “you either love it or hate it, there is no in between”? People usually use the phrase when talking about something unconventional or controversial they adore (or loathe). While I believe things are rarely black and white (we all know I need…

Goodbye, rainy spring; the long, sunny days of summer are here and it’s time to move things outdoors. But what if your backyard furniture isn’t ready? Don’t throw away that weathered wood bench or distressed patio set—revive it! Sometimes the simplest solution is best, and all you need to do is spring clean your summer…

Not long ago I got a request from reader Kelly R., for a DIY recipe for furniture polish. She said that she uses a lot of it and it is so expensive. My first thought was, of course, to suggest she time her purchases for when furniture polish goes on sale, and then to stock…

By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson From Tribune News Service (Editor’s Note: This article was originally published Dec. 2, 2019.) Dear Helaine and Joe: I wonder if you can identify the period, style and approximated age of the bedroom furniture in the attached photos. The pieces were found in the attic of an old house…

An upholstered piece of furniture is usually a large-ticket item that we hope will retain its beauty and functionality for many years. Enter O. Henry House, a North Carolina furniture manufacturer that creates upholstered pieces to last, not just years, but a lifetime. In fact, the bench-made quality of materials, combined with Old World manufacturing…

According to Sally Jane Linville, the egg came first. Well, at least it does at The City Girl Farm studio in Kansas City, Missouri, where Linville has perfected what she calls “the art of chickening.” Just peeking through the window, you’ll receive a warm and whimsical welcome from a flock of beautiful, larger-than-life chicken sculptures….

A first-time mom with a creative streak is revamping broken and discarded furniture and, in the process, is making hundreds of dollars. Her venture has become so successful that she’s now teaching others how to do it. Maggie McGaugh, 26, lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with her husband and son, Harrison. She discovered her talent…

With these furnishings, Cas Gasi Ibiza’s cozy, rustic settings can be recreated with your own patio, or any other outdoor space—perfect for spending your days soaking in the sun. Sunbrella White Sand Patio Umbrella by Crate and Barrel, $459, CrateAndBarrel.com  Seek shelter from the sun with this 9-foot-wide umbrella in a chic white shade. The…

A zero-waste project from the Netherlands is using 3D-printing technology to turn plastic trash into stylish urban furniture. Zero Waste Lab by The New Raw, a collaboration between Rotterdam-based architects Panos Sakkas and Foteini Setaki, makes everything from park benches to work stations to dinner tables, encouraging people to think about the impact of single-use…

The Swedish giant IKEA is equipping a Costa Mesa homeless shelter with all the necessary furnishings. The store is donating furniture, fixings, equipment, and a large mural artwork for the city’s new 70-bed bridge shelter, city officials said during a Feb. 16 meeting. City manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said the shelter could be the first…