Home & Design Space Invaders

Project snapshot: An Adam Wallacavage valance.
Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Twelve design pros reveal the secrets of cheap chic.

by Brian Howard

With spring allegedly on the way, many are looking forward to a respite from four long months cooped up inside. But not you. With warmer winds blowing, you're thinking of spending even more time in the house or apartment. Time to throw the windows wide and fix, build, spruce and generally invigorate your living space. Whether you've owned for years, are part of Philadelphia's new wave of home owners, or are a renter with flair (and a flagrant disregard for your security deposit), nothing says spring like a coiffure full of sawdust and fresh splatters on your painting jeans.

Project snapshot: Joy Feasley and her gazing disco ball.
Photo By: Michael T. Regan

For you, Donald and Dolores Do-It-Yourselfer, we present this year's Home & Design issue with an eye toward inexpensive paths to what they're calling cheap chic. You shouldn't have to take out a second mortgage to change up your surroundings.

We kick things off with a feature on local, up-and-coming sustainable design firm Mio Culture (those are their products prettying up our cover), whose inexpensive, stylish and earth-conscious furnishings — lamps, stoops, 3-D wallpaper — will change the way you look at hats and recycled paper, and hopefully, the way you look at your world.

Project snapshots: Candy Depew gilds a doorway.
Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Got too much or not enough light? Short on closet space? Is your studio apartment hopelessly undivided? Are you drowning in CDs and DVDs? We made a list of common city-living dilemmas and sent our crack correspondents out in search for advice from experts. You'll find answers to the aforementioned problems and more on p. 24.

If you can't stand to throw out a perfectly useful piece of junk, you'll read with interest our interview with Nava Lubelski. The author of The Starving Artist's Way has tricks up her sleeves for all manner of home improvement projects that make use of things you once might have thrown away.

And for the grand finale, we found four local artists — Adam Wallacavage, Joy Feasley, Candy Depew and Shelley Spector — with home improvement yens and asked them to pick one project they've done around their homes to share with you.