It was something they’ll “chair-ish” forever, these local creative designers who recently gathered at a fundraiser to showcase their clever-and-sometimes-offbeat talents and raise funds for a local cause. The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Michigan Chapter, recently hosted its “Chair-ity” fundraiser at Leon & Lulu in Clawson for its annual community service project. The ASID organization partnered with Turning Point, a domestic violence shelter in Mount Clemens, to raise funds for a long-term renovation project in which Michigan designers assist in creating functional living …

Some of interior designer Caroline von Weyher’s favorite furniture finds have been at a variety of Metro Detroit’s thrift shops and garage sales. With a little elbow grease, a bit of creativity and vision and an open mind, von Weyher, owner of Von Haus interior design firm in Birmingham, has transformed many a castaway from dull to divine, from plain to pleasant. “Garage sales and thrift and/or consignment stores can be great places to find a vintage light fixture or a piece of furniture that (with a little refinishing or reupholstering) can make a great addition to your home,” said von …

Two tasks rolled into one often is a nice way to get things done. That’s what Kim Boudreau Smith was thinking when she knew it was time to clean out her closet, but also call on an image consultant who would help her turn over a new leaf, so to speak. Smith, of Birmingham, had met Patty Buccellato, a Rochester Hills-based image consultant who runs Refined Images, at a wine tasting fundraiser (for Women Offering Help & Hope— WOHH). Smith won a gift certificate for Buccellato’s services at the event. Buccellato’s Refined Images business offers people of all ages tips on how to arrange closets, …

If you’re one of the countless people who buy flowers for Mom on Mother’s Day, good for you … and great for Mom! There’s nothing like a big bouquet to brighten the day. Area gardening experts suggest taking Mom’s love of flowers a few steps further by picking up a plant for her that she can enjoy, perhaps as a centerpiece on Mother’s Day but then on her patio or deck as an added adornment this summer. And while plants in pots are great, so are blooms that brim from the new vertical, wall trays. Consider giving Mom gardening tools or even a big pile of mulch. Seriously, some mothers have …

At this time in May, those driving down Adams Road in Troy may be tempted to slow  down, thanks to a riot of lush lilac blooms that adorn the grounds of North Hills Christian Reformed Church. The head-turning, enticing grove isn't just any patch of lilacs. Located in the churchyard on the east side of Adams just north of Big Beaver Road, the remaining lilac patch, about 150 by 60 feet, once stretched across what is now Adams Road. When that road was built, much of the grove was torn down. Then came the church. “For some reason or another, every time we expanded the church, we had to cut down …

Spring is a great time to sell your home, according to lendingtree.com.  If you’re getting ready to sell your home, Andrea Wolf wants you to do a knick-knack check, among other things. Wolf, who has been a professional organizer for the past four years and runs Huntington Woods-based NEAT — Need Everything Away and Tidy, says even just a few knick knacks can break a sale, especially if they’re ultra-personal. Here, she shares her best home-staging and de-cluttering tips. Oh, and if you’re not selling your home, some of these insider secrets could still work for you. • Scale down the amount of…

I just stopped at Hollywood Market in Troy to pick up some chicken, cilantro, rice, limes, tortillas, tomatoes and more. Tonight, we’re having tacos. While perusing the chicken prices, I thought about what I had heard earlier Tuesday at the Women's Power Breakfast, a fund-raiser for Gleaners: "314,000 kids in Southeast Michigan participate in special, school-meal programs because their families can’t afford to feed them properly." Thousands of parents in Metro Detroit aren’t lucky enough to stop at Hollywood or Kroger on the way home to pick up healthy fare for their young ones. And without …

Having just returned from a trip to Ireland, I am especially excited about this Saturday’s “Small Giants” seminar at Heavenly Scent Herb Farm in Fenton. The event is all about miniature gardening with gigantic possibilities and will draw everyone from dwarf-gardening enthusiasts to faerie fans. I wasn’t a true faerie believer until recently strolling the grounds of the John F. Kennedy Arboretum in County Wexford, Ireland. There, I stumbled upon a tiny faerie fort without knowing it. A little moss-covered opening at the base of a towering tree beckoned me to come closer. Up against the …

One of the state’s best orchid shows is getting ready to sprout for its upcoming colorful extravaganza. The 50-plus-year-old Michigan Orchid Society Palm Sunday Show features free admission and runs 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Building, 876 Horace Brown Dr., Madison Heights (the first block east of I-75, south off 13 Mile  Road). “Last year the judges looked at over 600 orchids for judging,” explained Diane Burton, the society’s show chairwoman and a White Lake resident. “This doesn't include those that are not registered to be judged nor …

Gardeners who dig comedy and have a sense of humor will enjoy this year’s Spring Home & Garden Show March 30-April 1. Filling the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, the home-and-garden event blooms with all kinds of comic shows, fun-loving presentations and more. Take, for example, The Backyard Theater, where eventgoers will hear informative and interesting seminars on curb appeal and sustainable landscape practices, presented by Plymouth-based Michigan Landscape Design Services. Its "Bloomsday Preppers" show, hosted by Bryan Mitnick, will provide an entertaining and animated twist to …

HGTV's Showhouse Showdown, a new show that pits designer against designer in a showhouse competition, will feature two local interior designers, including Corey Damen Jenkins of Design with Vision: DWV Interiors in Bloomfield Hills, and Michelle Mio of Rariden Schumacher Mio in Birmingham. The showhouses are based in Midland, where the episode was filmed. Watch the two designers battle it out for the winning spot March 24 at 2:30 p.m. An encore broadcast will run March 30 at 1:30 p.m. The designers take over two newly built and identical homes with the same budgets to create a winning …

You’ve likely heard or read all about the benefits of eating locally grown food and  supporting area farmers. Flower enthusiasts can also jump onto this regional wheelbarrow of sorts by cultivating local, as in native, blooms. "The benefits of growing native plants are many,” said Maureen Tobin, manager of the Garden Mill in Chelsea. “They are hardy and flourish with less fertilizer and watering, provide food and habitat to wildlife and contribute to biodiversity. Also, they're beautiful." Tobin’s favorites (Available at the Garden Mill in Chelsea): • Primroses• Bluebells• Cardinal flowers• …

With temperatures climbing into the 60s and 70s these past several days, we’ve enjoyed a downright heat wave — plenty warm to start sprucing up your lawn and gardens. “People are getting anxious,” said Deborah Lee, owner of Shades of Green in Rochester.  “We have delivered a load of mulch already —  a bit too early for me.” Lee said lightly raking the lawn to remove debris and some dead grass is OK to do now.     Added Doug Conley, director of landscaping at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores and resident of St. Clair Shores: “While nice days are here and ‘things’ are …