tables, too. T hey can be repainted or
re-covered in endless w ays to create fresh
looks. I’ve seen them in halls w ith pegs on
th e wall above for an ad hoc m ud room , at
th e foot of a bed to hold blankets or books,
o r even as a spot to pull on pants or shoes in
a m aster bathroom or closet dressing area.
Andrea Nordstrom Caughey, Regional Editor,
Better Homes and Gardens,
Del Mar, CA
■ C H EST OF DRAW ERS
I love a nice chest of d raw ers—vintage, new,
painted, classic w ood. T hey can be found at
flea m arkets, unfinished furniture stores,
antique shops, or new at retail stores. M ost
o f us think that th e chest o f draw ers is m ade
for the bedroom , but it’s great in any room
th at needs storage. In th e dining room it’s
perfect for holding silverw are, place m ats,
napkins, and candles. Plus, the top serves as
a buffet. In the living room use it as a console
table w ith books and fram ed photos on top;
use th e draw ers to hold papers, letters, and
photo album s. Place a chest o f draw ers
u n d er a w all-m ounted TV, then stash your
DVDs inside. It can also be an entry table
w ith fram ed art on the wall above it, a vase of
flow ers on top, and keys, m aps, dog leashes,
and handbags in th e draw ers. M udroom s
alw ays need m ore storage—add a chest and
give each fam ily m em ber a draw er.
Karin Lidbeck-Brent, Regional Editor,
Better Homes and Gardens,
Woodbury, C T
■ CRED EN ZA
A cred en za—a short, n arrow cabinet
w ith draw ers, eith er w all-m ounted or
freestanding—adds ch aracter w ithout
breaking th e bank o r com prom ising style.
It can w ork in alm ost any room . T he obvious
placem ent for one is behind a sofa—w ith a
lam p, stack o f books, and unique decorative
accessories to evoke a casual, m ore collected
feeling—b u t th ere are m any o th er options.
Add a tray w ith an assortm ent o f spirits,
left
,
and a credenza becom es a b ar in a dining
or sitting room . C onsider having a m irro r
cu t and applied to a credenza to m ake a
glam orous focal point for an entryw ay. Or
rem ove the legs and attach it directly to a
wall for a m ore m idcentury m odern effect.
Paint a credenza classic black or w hite to
cover a bad finish or to m ake th e piece w ork
seam lessly into a room ’s decor.
David Jimenez,
djimenez.com,
Kansas City, M O
■ SIDEBO ARD
T he hardest-w orking piece o f fu rn itu re I’m
using frequently is th e sideboard. I love the
decorative elem ent—and the storage—th at
sideboards bring to a space. I use th em in
dining room s, living room s, entries, offices,
fam ily room s, and even pantries. In a dining
room , a sideboard can serve as a focal point
w hile offering additional en tertain in g and
storage space. In com bined living and
dining areas, a sideboard acts as a room
divider. It’s also a great alternative to the
usual sofa table. It offers concealed storage
for toys, books, and a rt supplies, m aking
th e piece perfect in a fam ily room o r office.
And th e surface is usually at an appropriate
height for placem ent o f lam ps, flat-screen
TVs, or o th er m edia.
Kirsten Hollister, Hollister Interiors,
Minneapolis, M N
)
CAN I PAINT
OVER
WALLPAPER?
Home improvement
expert Danny
Lipford says: If the
wallpaper comes off
easily, it’s better to
remove it. However,
if the wall wasn’t
primed or “sized”
before the paper
was applied, it may
be very hard to
remove, making
painting over it the
only option.
■ Before painting
wallpaper, check to
be sure it is firmly
attached and re-glue
any loose seams.
■ Prime it with an
oil-based primer to
reduce the chance
of loosening the
glue. Test the primer
first on a small area
to make sure it’s
compatible with the
wallpaper.
■ Add a topcoat of
latex paint over the
dry primer.
Danny is the host
of the nationally
syndicated show
Today’s Homeowner
with Danny Lipford
(dannylipford.com).
84
MARCH 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHO TO : (CREDENZA) BOB GREENSPAN
