The Stain Remover Leanne Ford Relies on When Her Daughter Draws All Over the Furniture

Which is totally allowed, according to the designer’s new magazine.
portrait of Leanne Ford
Sarah Barlow

Share

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Leanne Ford is launching a new product, but this time she wants you to destroy it. Despite living in the digital age, the interior designer has decided to go totally analog and release a quarterly art-centric magazine called Feel Free. Once you’re done reading through the artist profiles, beautiful home tours, and tip-filled stories on how to get creative with your space, Ford asks that you go ahead and tear out the pages. Yes, really. “I wanted it to feel loose and not so precious,” she says. “It’s a tactile experience.” You can make a collage with them, frame them, post them to a mood board—whatever your inner rebel desires. Our favorite part of the first issue: It’s chock-full of DIY inspiration that we’re itching to try out, starting with a clever way to put a canvas drop cloth to use after you’re done painting. 

cover of leanne ford's magazine feel free

One Man’s Trash Is Another’s Cure for a Blank Wall

bedroom with large canvas art
Photography by Nicole Franzen
wooden credenza with marble bust
Photography by Alexandra Ribar

When you’re done swathing your walls in Ford’s signature white hue (Crisp Linen by Behr), don’t toss the drop cloth. Instead, grab some more paint (or charcoal sticks, per Ford’s recommendation) and turn it into a personal masterpiece. The result: large-scale statement artwork on a budget. 

Some Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

baby drawing on white sofa
Photography by Amy Neunsinger

In the Ford household, paper isn’t the only art supply 3-year old Ever gets to leave her mark on. The furniture (well, some of it at least) is also on limits. “We had a sofa that she could draw whatever she wanted on when she was little,” Ford explains. “And now she has a few doors, which in my opinion look better with her Cy Twombly on them!” And when it’s time to start over, Ford relies on the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (yes, it even works on upholstery) to make the surfaces look as good as new again.

Assemble Inspiration With What You’ve Got

collage wall
Photography by Taylor Swaim

Between dreamy shots of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Fallingwater property, sketches from the designer’s Crate & Barrel collab, and punchy text overlay, Ford’s debut issue provides plenty of options for you to get started on a collage of your own. “I like when they look seasoned,” she says. “And to hang, I use whatever is handy: a nail, tape, a pin, staples, glue, a paper clip.” In other words, it’s okay to be messy.

Kate McGregor

Writer/Editor

Kate McGregor covers everything related to the home, from design inspiration to IKEA hacks. She has been the market assistant at ELLE Decor where she focused on curating product for the print magazine’s market pages.