Flip for It

When space is at a premium, turn over the leaf on the Flipper table designed by Joan and Steve Osburn of Osburn Design in San Francisco.

The table, which was made to follow the curves of a window bay, can be custom designed for any nook or cranny.

When the table, which has a maple-veneer surface and ebony-stained maple legs, is not extended, it can be used for a small group or as a snack bar. Opened up, it has enough room to comfortably seat 10.

The halves of the table are hinged, making it easy to flip into use. Two sets of legs help to support the center of the table when it is extended.

The Osburns, a husband-and-wife team of interior designers, are specialists in cutting-edge works.

They have designed interiors for a number of commercial facilities, including conference rooms for the Xerox Corp. and a video store that is scheduled to open next month, both in the Bay Area.

Their work has appeared in publications such as Sunset, House Beautiful and Better Homes & Gardens.

You can call the Osburns at (415) 487-2333.

Pottery Shacks

When the new holiday toys have lost their magic, and the kids don’t want to play outside, Color Me Mine, a paint-it-yourself ceramics shop, might be the way to regain some sanity.

The premise of the shop is simple; choose a piece of unfinished pottery, then finish it off to your liking. With more than 400 pieces to choose from, there’s plenty of pottery to please any palette.

Color Me Mine shops feature natural wood furniture and shelves, big picture windows for gazing and contemporary music to keep the creative juices bopping.

The costs cover the price of the ceramics and a $6-per-hour painting fee. However, the clock doesn’t start until the paints are picked up. So if it takes all day for you to design your piece, it won’t cost your anything for being slow. Typically, an average cost for painting time is 1 1/2 hours. If your want your piece glazed, that’s an additional $3.

If you can’t find inspiration, the shop’s staff can help, using their design computer, which has more than 25,000 stored images.

There are two Color Me Mine shops in Orange County, with two more--in Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills--scheduled to open in 1997.

Call the shops--in Costa Mesa at Triangle Square, 1870 A212 Harbor Blvd., (714) 515-8612, and Laguna Niguel, 32411 Golden Lantern, F, (714) 240-6884--for hours and classes and events.

Color Vive

Give your drab rooms a color make-over, and they’re sure to come to life.

Krylon’s Living Color, the first latex enamel spray paint, is a quick, inexpensive way to stir up excitement on piece of furniture or in a whole room.

The spray paint has very little odor and is easy to clean up with soap and water. It is as durable as most latex paints; 27 colors are available.

To assist with decorating projects, Krylon offers a free idea booklet to get you going. Call (800) 457-9566.