interior design ideas: February 2009

Pretty Rugs from Safavieh

Spring is in the air! Can you just smell it? In Los Angeles where we live, it was the perfect 75 -degree, clear blue sky, sunny day. The hills are green and the wild flowers are blooming. It's so pretty we can hardly stand it. Despite what people say about LA, parts of it are quite stunning.Spring also makes us want to clean up the house,...

Five Good Things About A Bad Economy

Can you not open a newspaper or turn on the TV without hearing more bad news? You'd think the world is coming to an end or something. We just see it all over now, don't we? In our conversations with friends and family, not one passed without comments on the economy and how terrible things are.But you know what, comes with every hardship there are things to be learned and treasured. Our lives are changing, but it is changing for...

EARTH DAY: Green Generation Campaign, Tuesday, April 22, 2009

This year, Earth Day, April 22, 2009, will mark the beginning of the "Green Generation Campaign", a two-year initiative to encourage action and civic participation in a sustainable future by supporting the campaign’s principles: To create a carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including...

Great Source for Home Decorating Pictures

We have to confess, we are a home decorating magazine addict. We subscribe to every single one there is, but the truth is, we never read the text. We just look at the pictures. What's the point of reading if the pictures are enough, no?If you are looking for inspirational home decorating pictures, we have a great source for you. Check out...

Z-Gallerie to close 25 stores

Z Gallerie announced it will close 25 stores across the country today, citing deteriorating business conditions. The company will still have 52 stores and its web site.We love Z Gallerie. It has affordable, stylish merchandise at very reasonable prices. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this tough economy will pass and all of our favorite stores will survi...

Love This Loft!

The New York Times recently featured a wonderful loft in New York City that we just love. Loft decorating is tough. It is usually just a blank, open space and most people find it a challenge to make it cozy, warm and inviting at the same time. There is also the issue of spacing--you have to divide and conquer creatively.Here are some pictures...

Best Practices in Sustainable Building

Green home design is only one part of the sustainable building equation. Equally important are the methods and practices your contractor uses during the construction process in order to minimize impact to the site environment. Two main areas that should be given attention are pollution prevention and site protection. These should be discussed...

Water Conservation in a Green Home

Water is one of our most precious resources. While the surface of the earth is composed of 97% water, less than 1% suitable for human consumption. Right now, over 40% of our seas are damaged and global warming, over usage, and pollution continue to make the problem worse. Building a new home presents a unique opportunity to reduce energy...

Comfortable Chairs & Lounges from Jessica Charles

We like furniture that is made in the US. We just do. There are two reasons for it: 1) we are patriotic and 2)they are just made better.Jessica Charles, a division of Hancock and Moore, is one of those. They specialize in only one thing, chairs (which include dining chairs, lounge chairs and occasional chairs) and oh they do it so well...Here...

Dining Chairs We Love-Jessica Charles

We love these chairs from Jessica Charles. They are so well-made! We have chairs that are 15 years old and they are still in super good shape.Here are some new styles that are totally adorable. The chairs are expensive (ranging $600-800 per chair depending on fabrics), but we think they are worth it.You can see the rest of the collection...

Hollywood Regency Style Defined

Most people don't know this, but the persons most responsible for the Hollywood Regency architectural style were John Woolf (died in 1980) and Robert Woof (died in 2001 at the age of 81).The definition of Hollywood Regency, according to the New York Times, is as follows:"synthesized 19th-century French, Greek Revival and Modernist touches into a heady mixture that has since been christened Hollywood Regency, which foreshadowed...

So Chic, So Cool-The Mercer Collection from Safavieh

We just go back from the Las Vegas Furniture show last week. These shows are usually really fun. It's a chance see new things and old friends.There are a few vendors that we really like this year. We'll be writing about them in the next few days....The first vendor you might want to check out is the new Mercer Collection from Safavieh. Known...

Energy Efficient Home, East Machias, Maine

Here’s a plan for our clients, Pat & Andy, who are building a vacation / retirement home in northern Maine. Wanting a home that was both energy efficient and comfortable in all seasons, Pat and Andy met with us to talk about their ideas and budget last fall. They own an existing cabin, which will remain on the property as guest quarters....

Fabulous Stationary

People don't mail anything anymore, do they? But don't you just love getting a hand-written note once in a while instead of email? A real invitation instead of an evite?Here's this adorable stationary company that makes wonderful, modern stationary. They are not too expensive; and they are so chic, so cool. It's a great line to use for invitations...

Solar Water Heaters

Looking to cut your water heating energy costs by 50%? Think about installing a solar water heater. Solar water heaters are designed to use with an electric or gas back-up water heater and can literally cut your water heating bill in half (about $190/year combined with a gas water heater and $250/year with an electric water heater). And,...

Seminar: Building a Green Home, Newbury, NH

We had an overwhelming response to our Green Home Seminar in Newbury, NH this past weekend, with over 80 guests and standing room only! In fact, we had so many people sign up we had to close registration early. So – if you missed the seminar and you are planning to build a new energy efficient home, please bookmark our Green Events page to...

Win this Pillow! February Give-Away

We never hear anything from our readers. What's up with that? We know from our web analytics that we have hundreds of you coming to our site a day, but the only comments we ever get is from people who are looking for free links. Now, there ain't nothing wrong with asking, but what we really want for comments are fun, interesting, thought-provoking,...

Sad News-Shabby Chic in Chapter 11

Things have been tough all over, especially in the home furnishing industry.A few days ago Shabby Chic filed Chapter 11 bankrupcy protection. See the complete posting here...Shabby Chic was a pioneer in its time twenty years ago. Making slip-covered furniture into a style that is widely-copied, it made girly decorating into a huge trend that...

Modern Wallpaper from Astek

We've been seeing a lot of Astek lately. From "Top Design" to "Elle Decor", we see their products featured everywhere. No wonder, as the company makes some wonderful wallpapers with a wide range of styles. We particularly like their modern collection. It totally rocks!Pricing is reasonable too (about $50-60/roll). You can buy them directly...