I’ve been looking for a bench / catchall to put in front of a floor-to-ceiling window in my entryway. I found this hall tree from West Elm, which manages to provide storage and a coatrack without blocking light. Of course, at $500, I’m wondering if I could make this myself for less. I may have to pay a visit to Home Depot.

There aren’t a lot of details on the German blog that featured this fantastic Ikea hack, but what is clear is that they used Ikea’s EKBY TÖRE brackets ($5 each) to create this architectural shelving unit. For the shelves, it appears they used oak lumber. Having built a shelving unit before, I would recommend using a vibrating sander on the boards even if they seem smooth. For this natural look, I’d go with a Danish Oil finish. It’s a lot easier and less messy than a laquer.  And if you don’t have a table saw, don’t worry. Most hardware stores will cut lumber to order for free.

Via Apartment Therapy.

JC Penney has been undergoing a big makeover. They’ve ditched their big sales (although they’ve recently gone back to having some clearance). They’ve also got some fresh style in their home department. I found this awesome modern chair for just $550.

It’s also available in leather for just $950. Their site is definitely worth a second look.

West Elm has really pumped up the color in their spring catalog. These prints have an Anthropologie-like boldness to them. I also noticed that they currently have all upholstered furniture 15% off and throws and pillows for 20%. Sounds like a good time to add a little color to your home.

Deco glam from Anthropologie – the Odette Chair, $998.

Via Blood & Champagne.

This weekend, I went to Target for the first time in a long time. Let’s just say that when you routinely go in for paper towels and leave with new sheets, a comforter and a sweater, something has to give. But, I was delighted to find that Target as refreshed their housewares department with lovely, on-trend pieces from Threshold, a brand I haven’t seen there before. As always, I’m glad to see more affordable decor options (though my wallet probably isn’t).

Above, Threshold 5′x7′ chevron shag area rug, $280.

Threshold stoneware canisters, $12-$18.

Threshold cheese board, $20.

Here’s another lovely reminder that we have watch that Anthropologie sale page like a hawk. The Kistler Chair, marked down from $1700 (gasp) to $800 (a truly reasonable price for a leather chair).

Solid maple shelf with polished edge mirror, $271. A perfect catch-all for an entryway.

I ran across this amazing Flying Shelf on Pinterest (via sfgirlbybay) and fantasized about how amazing it would be if I could make this myself. After letting Google translate the page for me, I discovered that it was, indeed, a DIY, complete with a link to detailed measurements. Now I just have to convince someone handy to help me out.

Via the South German Times Magazine.