Jane::

Why did you start doing home improvement? Was it a matter of desire or necessity?
Winnie::

Three years ago, for the first time in my life, I had a place I could truly call my own. No parents, no roommates, and no landlords! It was my first home purchase. To commemorate this milestone, I wanted to do things with my home that would have "Winnie" written all over it.

Jane::

What was your first home improvement project?

Winnie::

My first project was to make a storage cabinet in the shape of a giant wedge of cheese. Being a big time cheese lover, what could be better than having a huge piece of cheese in my living room?

Naive as I was since I didn't have any home improvement experience, I figured this project couldn't have been that hard. Boy, was I wrong! The project turned out to be quite complicated and took a few weekends to finish. It was a labor of love though.

Jane::

What's the one project you are the most proud of? Or what was your favorite project?

Winnie::

Favorite projects? I have so many! One of my favorites is the mouth chair. It's cool because when you sit in it, it looks like you're being eaten alive! The best part about this project is that the total cost of all the materials was less than $20. I made three of these mouth chairs. Together, they make up the "chat corner" in my living room, and create conversation when friends come over. No pun intended.

Jane::

Where did you get your inspiration? Was it a certain look you were going for? A function, mood, or feeling?

Winnie::

Since my first project, the cheese storage cabinet, ideas are now constantly brewing in my head on how I can make my space alive and fun. Ideas literally come from everywhere: pictures in a magazine, a movie scene, nature. Over time, I developed a skill for making furniture from scratch, or buying basic pieces of furniture and modifying them. Every piece of my furniture essentially becomes a funny piece of functional sculpture, and not just something that serves its furniture function.

Jane::

What did you do once you finally finished? Celebrate? Relax?

Winnie::

After I finish each project, I take pictures and send them to my family and friends. One day, I came across a website called Ikea Hacker which showcases hacked or mashed up Ikea furniture. I submitted pictures of one of my Ikea "hacker" pieces to them, the chocolate sundae toppings footstools. The person running the website told me that the footstools cracked her up, and featured it on the website homepage. That made my day.

Jane::

What did you learn from your projects?

Winnie::

Get permission. I live on my own now, but my boyfriend and I will be moving in together in a year or so. I've learned to get him involved with my furniture projects and essentially get permission, since the furniture pieces that I make now will end up in our future home. He has to get permission from me when he wants a night out with the boys, so it's only fair that I get his permission, too.

Jane::

Describe any future projects that may be happening soon.

Winnie::

I'm finishing up a bookshelf now that is made to look like Rapunzel's tower. Rapunzel has always been one of my favorite fairy tales, and I wanted it to be part of my home. Thus, the Rapunzel tower bookshelf. Other future projects? I have a few on the drawing board, but I won't tell you about them just yet. Stay tuned.

Jane::

What advice would you give budding Janes?

Winnie::

To me, home improvement has become an art form, an indulgence. It's about transforming your space into a place that you truly adore, a place you can't wait to come to after a long day of work. When you come up with ideas and use your hands to bring those ideas to life, you form an emotional bond with your home that is absolutely priceless.

Winnie Lam's Fairy Tale Furniture