That old table or hutch or lamp might have life in it yet, especially with some help from Ellicott City's Deerfield Designs. The company, which specializes in decorative painting on furniture and other home decorations, is holding an open house Nov. 9 and 10 to show how worn furnishings can be turned into home-painted treasures.
The company works with customers to create a personalized look. But if you want to try some restoration on your own, here are suggestions from the company for choosing a piece for makeover:
* Look for an item that's unique with interesting lines or an unusual shape.
* Find a piece that can be used for something other than its original function, such as turning a 1930s radio cabinet into a bar.
* Look for an item in reasonably good condition built of quality materials.
Hours for the open house are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday at the Deerfield Designs studio, 3625 Cameron Court in Ellicott City.
For more information, call 443-535-9000 or visit www.deerfielddesigns.com.
A place for 'tweens
At a certain age, kids no longer want bedrooms decorated with cartoon characters or toys, but they aren't quite ready for a totally grown-up look, either. That's where Brewster Wallcovering Co.'s new line for 'tween consumers comes in. The line's wallpaper and matching borders let girls ages 8 to 14 decorate their rooms with cuteness and color.
The Whimsy collection (above) features purples, pinks and aquas decorated with bright hearts, stars and flowers. The Can You Imagine? series by International Wall-covering takes its inspiration from tie-dye fashions and butterflies (below, right). Jack & Jill (below, left), also by International, features a "groovy girls" border that alternates drawings of six different young girls striking different poses and dressed in various styles.
To find a nearby retailer, call 800-366-1700 or visit www.brewsterwallcovering.com.
Stabilize your laptop
Portability is one of the features that draws buyers to laptops. But balancing your laptop on a TV tray or your lap can be awfully precarious. California company Offi has an answer in the Mag Table ($129-$159, depending on finish) -- a hybrid that functions as a table with a built-in magazine rack (above) or, when standing on one end, a laptop stand (below).
Then there's the Overlap Tray, which lets you use a laptop comfortably while sitting on the floor. The tray retails for $127 for birch and $151 for walnut. To order, call 800-383-6334 or visit www.offi.com. Offi products are also available at Baltimore's Nouveau Con-temporary Goods, 519 N. Charles St.
Event
* The second lecture in the Con-temporary Architecture in Washing-ton series, the host of which is Contemporaria in Bethesda, is scheduled for Nov. 14. Speakers are Therese Baron Gurney and Robert M. Gurney, whose topic is "Color and light enhance texture and form to create spaces rich in material and clean of line." The event is 7 p.m.-9 p.m. RSVP at contempo@erols.com, or for more information, call 301-913-9602 or visit www.contemporaria.com.
Home Front welcomes interesting home and garden news. Please send suggestions to Liz Atwood, Home Front, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, or fax to 410-783-2519. Information must be received at least four weeks in advance to be considered.