Friday, November 30, 2012
Foyer Entryway Furniture
There is a general belief that the first impression is the last impression. It holds true in the case of your home also. Entryways and foyers create the first impression about your home when your guests come visiting you. That makes it imperative for you to keep this area well-decorated with stylish and fashionable pieces of furniture. Though a large number of online stores are available who deal with such items, it is a daunting task to find quality pieces at reasonable prices for your hallway. We at Lifestyles Home Décor offer you a huge collection of innovatively designed and trendy pieces for an outstanding décor of your foyer entryway. We offer items suitable for any style of décor, traditional, contemporary or modern. Our vast and varied range has tastefully crafted pieces like console tables, foyer tables, Bombay chests, foyer benches, hall trees, coat racks, umbrella stands, and a whole lot of other attractive and functional items. We have products keeping in mind the décor aspect of variously sized entryways. So, whether you have a large area as your entryway or a small foyer, our items are sure to suit the need of your hallway. Our items are manufactured using various materials like wood, metal, wrought iron, etc. and are available in a large number of finishes. You will be impressed with our accent pieces which have been skillfully crafted by expert craftsman to suit your specific needs. We offer quality pieces from brand manufacturers like Coaster Furniture, Butler Specialty and Uttermost. Check out our various categories below to discover splendid furniture pieces for your home at affordable prices.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
How To Use a Blue Color Scheme for Country Style
When decorating your home, one of the most popular themes or styles to choose is country. It’s warm, inviting and easy to do. It’s perfect for many American homes because of the style’s comfortable and universal appeal.
It’s important to use color properly when decorating. For example, you can use a blue color scheme when decorating your space with a country style. Here are some ideas for you to try:
1、Use blue paint on the walls. The easiest way to incorporate color in a space is to paint the walls. There are many shades of blue, but the soft muted tones such as cornflower blue or sky blue are most often found in country style spaces. To have a bit of contrast, blue works great with a bright white wainscoting on the walls.
2、 Use blue linens. To spice up any space with the color blue, you can use fabric. In the bedroom, use a denim-colored bed sheet and comforter. In the bathroom, opt for blue towels, blue shower curtains and a matching blue bathroom rug in the same tones or shade. In the dining room, use a blue tablecloth with matching table napkins. When decorating the living room, you can use the color blue by having either a blue colored sofa, or blue throw pillows and curtains. The great thing about using fabric to introduce color is that you can easily change and clean it.
3、 Have a contrast color. Break up the monotony of the color blue by using a second contrasting color. For example, blue looks simply beautiful with white. If you are decorating a boy’s bedroom, why not go with red, white and blue? Having your predominant color as blue will be further accented by another color.
4、Use blue as an accent color. If you want to use the color blue in a more subtle way, you can use blue not as the predominant color, but as the hint of color in the space. For example, you can have yellow as your main color palette, but accent a room with blue throw pillows or a blue vase. Place some bright fresh cut flowers in a royal blue vase. In the dining room, use white china accented with blue designs or patterns. You can also use blue colored stemware. In a white or yellow kitchen, you can add some color buy using blue pots and pans, as well as navy blue kitchen towels.
5、Use country style furniture to keep the theme. To keep the theme in mind, your furniture pieces must be in the country style. Use wicker furniture, or pieces made of light colored wood. Keep the angles soft and the edges rounded.
It’s very easy to decorate with a country style approach when beautifying your space. You can easily use the theme in any room in your home, be it in your living room, dining room, bedroom or kitchen. When using the color blue in your country style approach, you’ll be able to create a space that is warm, comfortable, relaxing and beautiful.
It’s important to use color properly when decorating. For example, you can use a blue color scheme when decorating your space with a country style. Here are some ideas for you to try:
1、Use blue paint on the walls. The easiest way to incorporate color in a space is to paint the walls. There are many shades of blue, but the soft muted tones such as cornflower blue or sky blue are most often found in country style spaces. To have a bit of contrast, blue works great with a bright white wainscoting on the walls.
2、 Use blue linens. To spice up any space with the color blue, you can use fabric. In the bedroom, use a denim-colored bed sheet and comforter. In the bathroom, opt for blue towels, blue shower curtains and a matching blue bathroom rug in the same tones or shade. In the dining room, use a blue tablecloth with matching table napkins. When decorating the living room, you can use the color blue by having either a blue colored sofa, or blue throw pillows and curtains. The great thing about using fabric to introduce color is that you can easily change and clean it.
3、 Have a contrast color. Break up the monotony of the color blue by using a second contrasting color. For example, blue looks simply beautiful with white. If you are decorating a boy’s bedroom, why not go with red, white and blue? Having your predominant color as blue will be further accented by another color.
4、Use blue as an accent color. If you want to use the color blue in a more subtle way, you can use blue not as the predominant color, but as the hint of color in the space. For example, you can have yellow as your main color palette, but accent a room with blue throw pillows or a blue vase. Place some bright fresh cut flowers in a royal blue vase. In the dining room, use white china accented with blue designs or patterns. You can also use blue colored stemware. In a white or yellow kitchen, you can add some color buy using blue pots and pans, as well as navy blue kitchen towels.
5、Use country style furniture to keep the theme. To keep the theme in mind, your furniture pieces must be in the country style. Use wicker furniture, or pieces made of light colored wood. Keep the angles soft and the edges rounded.
It’s very easy to decorate with a country style approach when beautifying your space. You can easily use the theme in any room in your home, be it in your living room, dining room, bedroom or kitchen. When using the color blue in your country style approach, you’ll be able to create a space that is warm, comfortable, relaxing and beautiful.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Bo featured in White House decor
"Bo-flakes" featuring the first dog and ornaments fashioned from zippers are among the new twists on traditional favorites at the White House this Christmas season.
First lady Michelle Obama unveiled this year's decorations before an appreciative crowd of military families Wednesday and then spent some time doing holiday crafts with military kids.
The theme for this year's decorations is "Joy to All," but first dog Bo seems to steal the show.
There are 40 "Bo-flake" ornaments throughout the White House that feature cutout images of the dog.
There's a life-size replica of the dog, with a string of lights in his mouth, in the East Garden Room.
And there's an outsized statue of the Portuguese water dog next to the 300-pound gingerbread house in the State Dining Room.
Mrs. Obama said that reflects Bo's high standing at the White House.
"He's almost as big as the house," she declared. "He is such a huge personality."
"Bo-flakes" featuring the first dog and ornaments fashioned from zippers are among the new twists on traditional favorites at the White House this Christmas season.
First lady Michelle Obama unveiled this year's decorations before an appreciative crowd of military families Wednesday and then spent some time doing holiday crafts with military kids.
The theme for this year's decorations is "Joy to All," but first dog Bo seems to steal the show.
There are 40 "Bo-flake" ornaments throughout the White House that feature cutout images of the dog.
There's a life-size replica of the dog, with a string of lights in his mouth, in the East Garden Room.
And there's an outsized statue of the Portuguese water dog next to the 300-pound gingerbread house in the State Dining Room.
Mrs. Obama said that reflects Bo's high standing at the White House.
"He's almost as big as the house," she declared. "He is such a huge personality."
First lady Michelle Obama unveiled this year's decorations before an appreciative crowd of military families Wednesday and then spent some time doing holiday crafts with military kids.
The theme for this year's decorations is "Joy to All," but first dog Bo seems to steal the show.
There are 40 "Bo-flake" ornaments throughout the White House that feature cutout images of the dog.
There's a life-size replica of the dog, with a string of lights in his mouth, in the East Garden Room.
And there's an outsized statue of the Portuguese water dog next to the 300-pound gingerbread house in the State Dining Room.
Mrs. Obama said that reflects Bo's high standing at the White House.
"He's almost as big as the house," she declared. "He is such a huge personality."
"Bo-flakes" featuring the first dog and ornaments fashioned from zippers are among the new twists on traditional favorites at the White House this Christmas season.
First lady Michelle Obama unveiled this year's decorations before an appreciative crowd of military families Wednesday and then spent some time doing holiday crafts with military kids.
The theme for this year's decorations is "Joy to All," but first dog Bo seems to steal the show.
There are 40 "Bo-flake" ornaments throughout the White House that feature cutout images of the dog.
There's a life-size replica of the dog, with a string of lights in his mouth, in the East Garden Room.
And there's an outsized statue of the Portuguese water dog next to the 300-pound gingerbread house in the State Dining Room.
Mrs. Obama said that reflects Bo's high standing at the White House.
"He's almost as big as the house," she declared. "He is such a huge personality."
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
How To Choose a Flatware Set
I have used, purchased, broken, cherished, tried and discarded many different styles and types of flatware in my lifetime. And I have learned a secret: 'Not all flatware is created equal.' Even comparably priced flatware varies in several important ways. And nowhere is it so evident as it is in flatware options, that you get what you pay for. Here are some considerations for anyone planning to begin a bridal registry, set up housekeeping, purchase new flatware or replace flatware.
Explore flatware craftsmanship. The metal used in flatware is developed into utensils by two different processes.
Drop-forged or forged: In this process the piece is made individually by a molding process. Forged or drop-forged flatware is heavier, denser and has smooth rounded edges. Forged is a higher process and generates a safer utensil that resists chips, breaking and contamination. Forged flatware is stainless as well. The forged piece is treated and sealed to stay smooth and untarnished. Look for flatware labeled as 'forged'. Feel the pieces; you will notice the smoother metal.
Die-cut or stamped: In this process, flatware pieces are cut or punched from a sheet of lower quality pot-metal and then formed. The process leaves rougher edges that can be sharp. The metal is less pure and will discolor. It is usually not sealed or heat-treated to resist damage from heat, chemicals and daily use. The metal is also pitted and can retain contaminants. Die-cut costs less but is not worth the savings.
Compare alloys and metals used in the flatware. When I was young, people had everyday flatware, made of stainless steel or pot-metal, and good silver, made from nickel, sterling silver, pewter or even gold-plating. We've looked at why pot-metal is not a wise choice for an eating utensil. Let's look at the other choices.
Stainless: The least expensive of the better flatware choices, stainless is a good choice for daily use because it doesn't require polishing. Stainless resists stains and of course germs as well. It is dishwasher safe.
Nickel-plate: This is an attractive, dull silver color. It does require polishing and studies are showing that constant exposure to nickel can be dangerous. Nickel silverware also retains its value. Nickel should not be used for everyday use.
Explore flatware craftsmanship. The metal used in flatware is developed into utensils by two different processes.
Drop-forged or forged: In this process the piece is made individually by a molding process. Forged or drop-forged flatware is heavier, denser and has smooth rounded edges. Forged is a higher process and generates a safer utensil that resists chips, breaking and contamination. Forged flatware is stainless as well. The forged piece is treated and sealed to stay smooth and untarnished. Look for flatware labeled as 'forged'. Feel the pieces; you will notice the smoother metal.
Die-cut or stamped: In this process, flatware pieces are cut or punched from a sheet of lower quality pot-metal and then formed. The process leaves rougher edges that can be sharp. The metal is less pure and will discolor. It is usually not sealed or heat-treated to resist damage from heat, chemicals and daily use. The metal is also pitted and can retain contaminants. Die-cut costs less but is not worth the savings.
Compare alloys and metals used in the flatware. When I was young, people had everyday flatware, made of stainless steel or pot-metal, and good silver, made from nickel, sterling silver, pewter or even gold-plating. We've looked at why pot-metal is not a wise choice for an eating utensil. Let's look at the other choices.
Stainless: The least expensive of the better flatware choices, stainless is a good choice for daily use because it doesn't require polishing. Stainless resists stains and of course germs as well. It is dishwasher safe.
Nickel-plate: This is an attractive, dull silver color. It does require polishing and studies are showing that constant exposure to nickel can be dangerous. Nickel silverware also retains its value. Nickel should not be used for everyday use.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Scotland's Meldrum House Country Hotel attends International Golf Travel Market
One of Scotland's most celebrated country house hotels has confirmed its attendance at this year's International Golf Travel Market which is being held from 12-15 November in the Algarve, Portugal. Meldrum House Country Hotel, which was named Scotland's best country house hotel by leading tourism trade body Golf Tourism Scotland at its Gold Standard Awards last year, will have a presence on VisitScotland's stand (530) throughout the week.
The announcement follows an extraordinary year for the hotel during which it was awarded four-star gold status by VisitScotland; an honour reserved for accommodation providers that excel in customer care, hospitality and staff development. Meldrum House also hosted The Northern Open for the third consecutive year and received a hat-trick of accolades at the Scottish hotels awards. Indeed with the official opening of the near-by Trump International Golf Links this summer, 2012 has been a year to remember for the award-winning hotel.
"It has been an incredible 12 months," admitted the hotel's head of operations and development Andy Burgess. "It started last November with the GTS award which was quickly followed by our four-star gold status from VisitScotland. Add to that the increased attention Donald Trump's new course has brought to the area and confirmation that the Scottish Open will come to Aberdeen in 2014, and you can see the north-east of Scotland is booming. We certainly hope to finish it in style at IGTM, which should be a fantastic show."
In recent years, Meldrum House has completed an ambitious expansion plan that included a £2.5 million redevelopment of a wing of contemporary rooms, the opening of a multi-purpose conference facility and the establishment of a state-of-the-art green-keeping centre. The 18-hole, 7,010-yard championship course has also seen changes with further improvements being made to playing surfaces and conditioning. The most recent work has included rebuilding a number of bunkers and improving drainage across the site.
Located just 15 miles from Trump International and a host of other top-quality courses, including Cruden Bay, Murcar Links and Royal Aberdeen, Meldrum House is ideally located for a golfing break to the north-east of Scotland. With direct flights from across Europe and a world-class golf practice facility, it's easy to see why Meldrum House has become one of Scotland's most prized country house hotels.
1) Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course is renowned as one of the finest golf clubs in Scotland with its practice facilities and magnificent course situated in secluded grounds adjacent to the Aberdeenshire town of Oldmeldrum.
2) It includes an 18-hole private members golf course, extensive golf academy, 27 hotel bedrooms all of individual character, two conference suites, a marquee that holds weddings and corporate events, unique whisky bar and an award-winning restaurant.
3) Meldrum House was recently awarded a Four-Star rating by VisitScotland as well as an EatScotland Silver Award and a coveted Taste of Grampian Award. It also went through a £2.5 million redevelopment plan which introduced a new conference facility and a wing of stylish, contemporary rooms.
4) The Northern Open was first played at Royal Aberdeen in 1931 and is one of the oldest professional golf championships in Scotland.
5) For more information, please visit www.meldrumhouse.com
The announcement follows an extraordinary year for the hotel during which it was awarded four-star gold status by VisitScotland; an honour reserved for accommodation providers that excel in customer care, hospitality and staff development. Meldrum House also hosted The Northern Open for the third consecutive year and received a hat-trick of accolades at the Scottish hotels awards. Indeed with the official opening of the near-by Trump International Golf Links this summer, 2012 has been a year to remember for the award-winning hotel.
"It has been an incredible 12 months," admitted the hotel's head of operations and development Andy Burgess. "It started last November with the GTS award which was quickly followed by our four-star gold status from VisitScotland. Add to that the increased attention Donald Trump's new course has brought to the area and confirmation that the Scottish Open will come to Aberdeen in 2014, and you can see the north-east of Scotland is booming. We certainly hope to finish it in style at IGTM, which should be a fantastic show."
In recent years, Meldrum House has completed an ambitious expansion plan that included a £2.5 million redevelopment of a wing of contemporary rooms, the opening of a multi-purpose conference facility and the establishment of a state-of-the-art green-keeping centre. The 18-hole, 7,010-yard championship course has also seen changes with further improvements being made to playing surfaces and conditioning. The most recent work has included rebuilding a number of bunkers and improving drainage across the site.
Located just 15 miles from Trump International and a host of other top-quality courses, including Cruden Bay, Murcar Links and Royal Aberdeen, Meldrum House is ideally located for a golfing break to the north-east of Scotland. With direct flights from across Europe and a world-class golf practice facility, it's easy to see why Meldrum House has become one of Scotland's most prized country house hotels.
1) Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course is renowned as one of the finest golf clubs in Scotland with its practice facilities and magnificent course situated in secluded grounds adjacent to the Aberdeenshire town of Oldmeldrum.
2) It includes an 18-hole private members golf course, extensive golf academy, 27 hotel bedrooms all of individual character, two conference suites, a marquee that holds weddings and corporate events, unique whisky bar and an award-winning restaurant.
3) Meldrum House was recently awarded a Four-Star rating by VisitScotland as well as an EatScotland Silver Award and a coveted Taste of Grampian Award. It also went through a £2.5 million redevelopment plan which introduced a new conference facility and a wing of stylish, contemporary rooms.
4) The Northern Open was first played at Royal Aberdeen in 1931 and is one of the oldest professional golf championships in Scotland.
5) For more information, please visit www.meldrumhouse.com
Sunday, November 25, 2012
A Fendi Casa Penthouse; Crate and Barrel's New Teapots
NYC—One of the penthouses at Manhattan luxury building 400 Fifth Avenue has been decorated in more than $620K of Fendi Casa furnishings plus $240K in modern art. The three-bedroom unit, which boasts the Italian fashion house's signature "F" logo in rug form, is now listed for about $17M. Let's get some handbags with that, please? [CurbedWire Inbox]
EVERYWHERE—In honor of its 50th anniversary, Crate and Barrel has enlisted 12 designers, including architect Paola Navone and wallpaper goddess Julia Rothman, to create limited-edition teapots inspired by Arzberg's Bauhaus classic. The retailer plans to release one a month from Dec. until Nov. 2013. More info, right this way. [CurbedWire Inbox]
EVERYWHERE—Pantone has announced its top color for spring 2013: Monaco Blue, which is apparently "not a bright cobalt or sapphire blue" but "falls somewhere in between with a shot of sparkle." Get those walls ready, people. [CurbedWire Inbox]
THE INTERNET—Redfin has launched School Search, "a new feature that enables users to find ALL the homes for sale based on a certain school attendance zone," according to the release. Unlike search tools that focus on district, School Search allows prospective buyers to "see all the homes for sale served by [their school of choice], as well as sign up for alerts that let them know when a new listing comes on the market in the specified school zone." Read more. [CurbedWire Inbox]
NYC—DwellStudio is gearing up for some big sales this weekend, an Urban Tag Sale (Saturday) in which folks like New York design editor Wendy Goodman and Veranda editor in chief will be selling pieces from their personal collections, and a Warehouse Sale (Saturday and Sunday), where the brand's furniture, decor, bedding, rugs, and more are all ultra-discounted
EVERYWHERE—In honor of its 50th anniversary, Crate and Barrel has enlisted 12 designers, including architect Paola Navone and wallpaper goddess Julia Rothman, to create limited-edition teapots inspired by Arzberg's Bauhaus classic. The retailer plans to release one a month from Dec. until Nov. 2013. More info, right this way. [CurbedWire Inbox]
EVERYWHERE—Pantone has announced its top color for spring 2013: Monaco Blue, which is apparently "not a bright cobalt or sapphire blue" but "falls somewhere in between with a shot of sparkle." Get those walls ready, people. [CurbedWire Inbox]
THE INTERNET—Redfin has launched School Search, "a new feature that enables users to find ALL the homes for sale based on a certain school attendance zone," according to the release. Unlike search tools that focus on district, School Search allows prospective buyers to "see all the homes for sale served by [their school of choice], as well as sign up for alerts that let them know when a new listing comes on the market in the specified school zone." Read more. [CurbedWire Inbox]
NYC—DwellStudio is gearing up for some big sales this weekend, an Urban Tag Sale (Saturday) in which folks like New York design editor Wendy Goodman and Veranda editor in chief will be selling pieces from their personal collections, and a Warehouse Sale (Saturday and Sunday), where the brand's furniture, decor, bedding, rugs, and more are all ultra-discounted
Friday, November 23, 2012
Design Ideas: Tiny houses for one
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design recently hosted Mark Rios, founding principal at Rios Clementi Hale Studios in Los Angeles. Rios was the first visiting designer in the school’s Creativity Series, founded by MIAD board chair Madeleine Kelly Lubar and her husband, David Lubar.
The program, which will bring a few internationally known designers to Milwaukee each year, seems like a wonderful complement to the Marcus Prize at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It’s one of the most important architectural prizes in the world, bringing one emerging architect to Milwaukee several times in a year.
There are many great things about these programs. One is the way these professionals respond to our art schools and reflect their culture back to them.
One of the more poignant aspects of Rios’ public talk on Nov. 15 was his description of MIAD’s students.
“The first word I want to use is confidence,” he said, adding that he’d visited art and design schools around the country and the world and found a confidence here that was unique.
“Somehow the students here have this kind of amazing sense of confidence and self-worth.-.....-They have this kind of, not a cocky confidence, but a really beautiful confidence that comes from being nurtured. There is this curiosity that’s evident from just walking down the halls.”
This had me looking a little closer at what I saw in MIAD’s hallways. One of the things I discovered and was enchanted by were the models made by Bob Lynch’s students for a class called “The Art of Inhabited Space.” Students created one-room houses, solitary, isolated and perched above the ground. They were supposed to function as lanterns in the landscape at night.
Maggie Patnou’s model, like a wedding cake or a tiny stack of crowns suspended in a large dish, created all kinds of play with light. Vanessa’s Sunta’s was a wonderful play of natural forms and Art Deco-like lines with small doors and a great use of the color purple. Cassie Rogala’s model could inspire a great use of a water tower.
These incoming students looked at the home as a medium unto itself. I found their models wonderfully poetic. Each one seemed to tell a story of its own.
Images from top: Detail of a model of a suspended house by Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design student Maggie Patnou. A model of a small, suspended home by MIAD student Amanda Graham.
The program, which will bring a few internationally known designers to Milwaukee each year, seems like a wonderful complement to the Marcus Prize at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It’s one of the most important architectural prizes in the world, bringing one emerging architect to Milwaukee several times in a year.
There are many great things about these programs. One is the way these professionals respond to our art schools and reflect their culture back to them.
One of the more poignant aspects of Rios’ public talk on Nov. 15 was his description of MIAD’s students.
“The first word I want to use is confidence,” he said, adding that he’d visited art and design schools around the country and the world and found a confidence here that was unique.
“Somehow the students here have this kind of amazing sense of confidence and self-worth.-.....-They have this kind of, not a cocky confidence, but a really beautiful confidence that comes from being nurtured. There is this curiosity that’s evident from just walking down the halls.”
This had me looking a little closer at what I saw in MIAD’s hallways. One of the things I discovered and was enchanted by were the models made by Bob Lynch’s students for a class called “The Art of Inhabited Space.” Students created one-room houses, solitary, isolated and perched above the ground. They were supposed to function as lanterns in the landscape at night.
Maggie Patnou’s model, like a wedding cake or a tiny stack of crowns suspended in a large dish, created all kinds of play with light. Vanessa’s Sunta’s was a wonderful play of natural forms and Art Deco-like lines with small doors and a great use of the color purple. Cassie Rogala’s model could inspire a great use of a water tower.
These incoming students looked at the home as a medium unto itself. I found their models wonderfully poetic. Each one seemed to tell a story of its own.
Images from top: Detail of a model of a suspended house by Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design student Maggie Patnou. A model of a small, suspended home by MIAD student Amanda Graham.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
What's new in the home furnishings market
In interior design, it seems like everything old is new again. That was especially evident at this year's international home furnishings market in High Point, N.C. There's a twist, though. Old and new, as well as other seemingly opposing styles, are being paired together for a fresh, very individualized look. At the biannual market, manufacturers from around the world show their wares to interior designers, retail buyers and trend-spotters before they hit the furnishing stores. Here's a sneak peek at some of the budding and building trends.
UP AND COMING COLORS
Gray has been one of the dominant colors. Now it's poised to become the new neutral, replacing the long-running taupe. However, this market saw fresh combinations with the ubiquitous color: gray with yellow, gray with green, gray with orange and, yes, gray with gray.
Emerald green (remember the '70's?) is showing a resurgence, as are red, navy and turquoise. Orange is going strong as an accent color.
RAISING THE BAR
Bar cabinets are no longer tacky little liquor cabinets. Now they're full-fledged, often full-sized pieces. Traditional cabinets are being covered in fabric with nailhead trim. More casual, industrial-inspired cabinets are being made of reclaimed wood, often with raw or irregular edges, and accessorized with industrial hardware and heavy-duty wheels.
IN STYLE
For the 30-and-under crowd, midcentury modern and Danish-inspired furnishings continue to be all the rage. Softer, coastal looks that emphasize painted finishes in a host of colors also are coming on strong. Classic contemporary remains a staple. Look for upholstered pieces with beautiful detailing paired with both traditional and contemporary case goods.
UP AND COMING COLORS
Gray has been one of the dominant colors. Now it's poised to become the new neutral, replacing the long-running taupe. However, this market saw fresh combinations with the ubiquitous color: gray with yellow, gray with green, gray with orange and, yes, gray with gray.
Emerald green (remember the '70's?) is showing a resurgence, as are red, navy and turquoise. Orange is going strong as an accent color.
RAISING THE BAR
Bar cabinets are no longer tacky little liquor cabinets. Now they're full-fledged, often full-sized pieces. Traditional cabinets are being covered in fabric with nailhead trim. More casual, industrial-inspired cabinets are being made of reclaimed wood, often with raw or irregular edges, and accessorized with industrial hardware and heavy-duty wheels.
IN STYLE
For the 30-and-under crowd, midcentury modern and Danish-inspired furnishings continue to be all the rage. Softer, coastal looks that emphasize painted finishes in a host of colors also are coming on strong. Classic contemporary remains a staple. Look for upholstered pieces with beautiful detailing paired with both traditional and contemporary case goods.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
A new home for syrupy WaPo essay on popular Obama photo
By now, you've probably seen the most popular image in Twitter history. The photo, which was reportedly retweeted hundreds of thousands of times on the night of the election, was taken in August and captures what appears to be a warm exchange between the president and his wife.
The final clause of that last sentence is how most journalists would describe this moment frozen in time. But not Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post. Kennicott sees more in this simple arrangement of pixels than most mental patients see in your typical Rorschach test. So much does he read into it that he was able to cobble together a 938-word homage to the image and its subject. And not just any words either, but 938 of the smarmiest the English language has to offer, strung together in a bizarre flight of verbal fancy that rivals the most insipid drivel ever written.
View slideshow: "The Kiss"
Ultimately Kennicott’s meandering prose brings him out to the even weirder conclusion that the hug is somehow an affirmation of gay marriage.
A sample of the essay will suffice, though those into self-flagellation will probably want to read the thing in its entirety. As you peruse the words that follow, try to see them in the context of the replacement image proposed here. It seems far better suited to Kennicott's tribute.
It also appealed to the almost cultlike sense of affection many Americans feel for the couple. Surging through social networks commonly used to keep people in touch with family and friends, it offered a sense of intimacy....
But the photograph has a remarkable and specific latent message, too. Unlike many images of political marriage in which the man lays claim to his wife through a symbolically possessive gesture—touching her shoulder, raising her hand up or kissing—the embrace between these two people seems mutual.
The president, if anything, seems to need this hug and appears almost dependent and vulnerable. The obligatory masculine markers of leadership—resolve, self-sufficiency and emotional equanimity—dissolve into the obliterating communion of two people lost in their own love world.
The Obama photograph shows another reality, what might be called the limitless possibilities of true mutuality, of marriage beyond strict definitions. The Obama marriage appeals to many people, because it seems so comfortable, as if no one is worried about who wears the pants in the house, which is the reality of many healthy marriages today. In a healthy marriage, the partners don’t simply step into ancient gender roles and enact a drama of fidelity and obedience, they invent their own roles in the manner that serves both people best. Marriage is improvisatory, and every marriage is unique. Variation flourishes, and people work it out.
The final clause of that last sentence is how most journalists would describe this moment frozen in time. But not Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post. Kennicott sees more in this simple arrangement of pixels than most mental patients see in your typical Rorschach test. So much does he read into it that he was able to cobble together a 938-word homage to the image and its subject. And not just any words either, but 938 of the smarmiest the English language has to offer, strung together in a bizarre flight of verbal fancy that rivals the most insipid drivel ever written.
View slideshow: "The Kiss"
Ultimately Kennicott’s meandering prose brings him out to the even weirder conclusion that the hug is somehow an affirmation of gay marriage.
A sample of the essay will suffice, though those into self-flagellation will probably want to read the thing in its entirety. As you peruse the words that follow, try to see them in the context of the replacement image proposed here. It seems far better suited to Kennicott's tribute.
It also appealed to the almost cultlike sense of affection many Americans feel for the couple. Surging through social networks commonly used to keep people in touch with family and friends, it offered a sense of intimacy....
But the photograph has a remarkable and specific latent message, too. Unlike many images of political marriage in which the man lays claim to his wife through a symbolically possessive gesture—touching her shoulder, raising her hand up or kissing—the embrace between these two people seems mutual.
The president, if anything, seems to need this hug and appears almost dependent and vulnerable. The obligatory masculine markers of leadership—resolve, self-sufficiency and emotional equanimity—dissolve into the obliterating communion of two people lost in their own love world.
The Obama photograph shows another reality, what might be called the limitless possibilities of true mutuality, of marriage beyond strict definitions. The Obama marriage appeals to many people, because it seems so comfortable, as if no one is worried about who wears the pants in the house, which is the reality of many healthy marriages today. In a healthy marriage, the partners don’t simply step into ancient gender roles and enact a drama of fidelity and obedience, they invent their own roles in the manner that serves both people best. Marriage is improvisatory, and every marriage is unique. Variation flourishes, and people work it out.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Tonic Design + Tonic Construction Wins AIA NC's Only Residential Design Award
Tonic Design + Tonic Construction, an award-winning design/build firm in Raleigh, NC, has received a Merit Award from the North Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA NC) for its design and construction of the “Crabill Modern” house in Hillsborough, NC.
It was the only residential project to win an AIA NC design award this year.
This simple, modern home is located in a clearing amidst a lush, five-acre forest. The Crabills wanted the house to disturb the natural environment as little as possible and to accommodate local wildlife.
“They also wanted a unique live-work house that provides interesting spatial overlaps,” said project designer Katherine Hogan, who co-owns of Tonic Design + Tonic Construction with her husband, designer Vinny Petraca. “And they wanted it to be constructed in a simple and cost-effective way.”
The house is sited to avoid disturbing the environment, to maximize natural lighting and ventilation, and to frame views of forest, including a three-trunked tree.
To reflect the rural setting, the design references regional agricultural structures yet renders them in a modern composition using simple, inexpensive materials. Recalling old farm sheds, the house’s skewed cubic form is clad in solid and perforated COR-TEN®, a steel alloy developed to eliminate the need for painting. The steel forms a stable rust-like appearance when exposed to the weather. As a result, the house will be a constantly evolving element in the landscape as a rich patina develops over the years. The COR-TEN also acts as a rain screen, canopy, sunshade, and visual screen.
Spray foam insulation, tightly sealed ducts, low-e glazed windows, and Energy Star® appliances contribute to the home’s energy conservation. Despite the fact that their new house is 800 feet larger than their previous house, the Crabills report that their energy bills are, on average, 30 percent lower.
The first floor includes the entry, a spacious kitchen/living/dining room, a studio/music space, and two decks. The second floor includes the master bedroom suite and two bedrooms for the Crabills’ children, who share an extra loft space and bath.
Tonic Construction completed the home for $155 per square foot, due in large part to the design/build process and the creative use of materials.
The annual AIA NC Design Awards celebrate the achievements of architects across the state and recognize a select group of diverse projects that distinguish themselves both in response to their clients’ needs and design excellence.
It was the only residential project to win an AIA NC design award this year.
This simple, modern home is located in a clearing amidst a lush, five-acre forest. The Crabills wanted the house to disturb the natural environment as little as possible and to accommodate local wildlife.
“They also wanted a unique live-work house that provides interesting spatial overlaps,” said project designer Katherine Hogan, who co-owns of Tonic Design + Tonic Construction with her husband, designer Vinny Petraca. “And they wanted it to be constructed in a simple and cost-effective way.”
The house is sited to avoid disturbing the environment, to maximize natural lighting and ventilation, and to frame views of forest, including a three-trunked tree.
To reflect the rural setting, the design references regional agricultural structures yet renders them in a modern composition using simple, inexpensive materials. Recalling old farm sheds, the house’s skewed cubic form is clad in solid and perforated COR-TEN®, a steel alloy developed to eliminate the need for painting. The steel forms a stable rust-like appearance when exposed to the weather. As a result, the house will be a constantly evolving element in the landscape as a rich patina develops over the years. The COR-TEN also acts as a rain screen, canopy, sunshade, and visual screen.
Spray foam insulation, tightly sealed ducts, low-e glazed windows, and Energy Star® appliances contribute to the home’s energy conservation. Despite the fact that their new house is 800 feet larger than their previous house, the Crabills report that their energy bills are, on average, 30 percent lower.
The first floor includes the entry, a spacious kitchen/living/dining room, a studio/music space, and two decks. The second floor includes the master bedroom suite and two bedrooms for the Crabills’ children, who share an extra loft space and bath.
Tonic Construction completed the home for $155 per square foot, due in large part to the design/build process and the creative use of materials.
The annual AIA NC Design Awards celebrate the achievements of architects across the state and recognize a select group of diverse projects that distinguish themselves both in response to their clients’ needs and design excellence.
Monday, November 19, 2012
The Bathroom Makeover: Contemporary Hotel Bathroom Designs
The next time you check in at a luxury hotel or resort, you may notice a bathroom makeover when entering your room. Hotel bathrooms are getting bigger, bolder and more luxurious than ever before.
Life Goes Strong spoke to architect Gene Kaufman about trends in hotel bathroom designs. Kaufman is the founder of NYC-based Gene Kaufman Architect (GKA) and principal of Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman + Associates Architects (GSKA). His firms are currently working on an extensive portfolio of boutique and international brand hotels as well as the restoration of two of New York City's landmark hotels – The Hotel Chelsea and The Hotel Bossert. Mr. Kaufman is an expert on hotel architecture and has written about hotel bathroom design for Hotels Magazine.
What are some of the changing trends in hotel bathroom design?
Bathrooms are changing shape and integrating with bedrooms through the addition of glass walls, inset windows and other features. They have become part of the overall room rather than the small, private, functional spaces they once were.
Glass showers have been accepted as stylish, liberating, romantic and a way to simply make small spaces feel larger. The hotel room is evolving toward making the night's stay an experience one doesn't have at home, and the open bathroom is part of that, something you might enjoy as a diversion as opposed to the every day.
Has bathroom size changed relative to the size of bedrooms?
Bathrooms are big. Literally. Bathrooms used to occupy 15% of the guest room and have now grown to 20%, 25%, 30% and even more. They are beginning to shrink back a bit, but they remain considerably larger than in the past.
What are the big changes in terms of bathroom fixtures (sinks, tubs, etc.)?
Stall showers with glass walls are replacing tubs in most guest rooms visually connecting them with the bathroom and often the guest room. Lavatories, which were for a long time shielded from the rest of the space, are reemerging and sometimes in the open area of the guest room. Only toilets have not really changed, and are in some cases becoming more private, being set behind walls or enclosed completely.
What have been some of the nicest hotel bathrooms you have visited?
Among many others, my favorites include: Hotel Armani Milan (modern), George V (traditional), and Royal Monceau (unusual) in Paris.
What do you think of the automatic toilets like those made by Toto showing up in some upscale hotels in the States?
We worked on a budget Japanese hotel, where automatic toilets were considered necessary, but they are still very uncommon here, and seem likely to remain that way. It is not often a topic of conversation in our society.
Are hotel bathrooms going green?
Green bathrooms are easily achievable with low-flow fixtures, especially shower heads. But guests want that luxury experience of high volume water in the shower. More often than not, the accent on luxury prevails.
Life Goes Strong spoke to architect Gene Kaufman about trends in hotel bathroom designs. Kaufman is the founder of NYC-based Gene Kaufman Architect (GKA) and principal of Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman + Associates Architects (GSKA). His firms are currently working on an extensive portfolio of boutique and international brand hotels as well as the restoration of two of New York City's landmark hotels – The Hotel Chelsea and The Hotel Bossert. Mr. Kaufman is an expert on hotel architecture and has written about hotel bathroom design for Hotels Magazine.
What are some of the changing trends in hotel bathroom design?
Bathrooms are changing shape and integrating with bedrooms through the addition of glass walls, inset windows and other features. They have become part of the overall room rather than the small, private, functional spaces they once were.
Glass showers have been accepted as stylish, liberating, romantic and a way to simply make small spaces feel larger. The hotel room is evolving toward making the night's stay an experience one doesn't have at home, and the open bathroom is part of that, something you might enjoy as a diversion as opposed to the every day.
Has bathroom size changed relative to the size of bedrooms?
Bathrooms are big. Literally. Bathrooms used to occupy 15% of the guest room and have now grown to 20%, 25%, 30% and even more. They are beginning to shrink back a bit, but they remain considerably larger than in the past.
What are the big changes in terms of bathroom fixtures (sinks, tubs, etc.)?
Stall showers with glass walls are replacing tubs in most guest rooms visually connecting them with the bathroom and often the guest room. Lavatories, which were for a long time shielded from the rest of the space, are reemerging and sometimes in the open area of the guest room. Only toilets have not really changed, and are in some cases becoming more private, being set behind walls or enclosed completely.
What have been some of the nicest hotel bathrooms you have visited?
Among many others, my favorites include: Hotel Armani Milan (modern), George V (traditional), and Royal Monceau (unusual) in Paris.
What do you think of the automatic toilets like those made by Toto showing up in some upscale hotels in the States?
We worked on a budget Japanese hotel, where automatic toilets were considered necessary, but they are still very uncommon here, and seem likely to remain that way. It is not often a topic of conversation in our society.
Are hotel bathrooms going green?
Green bathrooms are easily achievable with low-flow fixtures, especially shower heads. But guests want that luxury experience of high volume water in the shower. More often than not, the accent on luxury prevails.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Time to turn on heaters, geysers
KANPUR: Sale of electrical appliances like heaters and geysers has picked up with the advent of winter.
With a dip in mercury (minumum temperature 10 degrees), there is a chill in the air and cold winds have started flowing in the city. Heaters are, therefore, in demand and shopkeepers selling home appliances informed that people were visiting them in big numbers to buy heaters and geysers.
Priced from Rs 250 to Rs 1,000, a heater is available in Sagar market, Gumti No.5, Lal Bangla, Kidwai Nagar, etc. "Heaters of various companies are available in a range of prices and features, therefore, people buy according to their needs and budget. Heaters help keepg rooms warm," said an electronics shop owner talking to TOI. The electrical appliances were of immense help in extreme weather conditions, he added.
Interestingly, sale of geysers run on electricity and gas has picked up too. Geysers help in heating/boiling water for various needs. Office-goers, students and the working women are all utilising these geysers to get hot water for bath, cleaning utensils, etc.
Explaining the functioning of both types of geysers, Tarvinder Khanna, an electrical appliance store-owner in Govind Nagar, says, "The electric geyser functions only when power is switched on.
Gas geysers are also available with us. Gas geysers run on LPG and boil water according to one's needs. The demand for gas-geysers has increased manifold due to the fact that it does not require electricity to boil water.
But with limiting of the subsidy on LPG cylinders, people are once again inquiring for the electricity operated gysers or some other new technology driven gadget," said Tarvinder.
Tarvinder added the immersion rod is yet another device available in the market with which water can be heated and is being preferred by the denizens.
With a dip in mercury (minumum temperature 10 degrees), there is a chill in the air and cold winds have started flowing in the city. Heaters are, therefore, in demand and shopkeepers selling home appliances informed that people were visiting them in big numbers to buy heaters and geysers.
Priced from Rs 250 to Rs 1,000, a heater is available in Sagar market, Gumti No.5, Lal Bangla, Kidwai Nagar, etc. "Heaters of various companies are available in a range of prices and features, therefore, people buy according to their needs and budget. Heaters help keepg rooms warm," said an electronics shop owner talking to TOI. The electrical appliances were of immense help in extreme weather conditions, he added.
Interestingly, sale of geysers run on electricity and gas has picked up too. Geysers help in heating/boiling water for various needs. Office-goers, students and the working women are all utilising these geysers to get hot water for bath, cleaning utensils, etc.
Explaining the functioning of both types of geysers, Tarvinder Khanna, an electrical appliance store-owner in Govind Nagar, says, "The electric geyser functions only when power is switched on.
Gas geysers are also available with us. Gas geysers run on LPG and boil water according to one's needs. The demand for gas-geysers has increased manifold due to the fact that it does not require electricity to boil water.
But with limiting of the subsidy on LPG cylinders, people are once again inquiring for the electricity operated gysers or some other new technology driven gadget," said Tarvinder.
Tarvinder added the immersion rod is yet another device available in the market with which water can be heated and is being preferred by the denizens.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
At Home With Pucci On Madison Avenue
“I’m kind of in love with it.” Emilio Pucci’s Peter Dundas was in New York yesterday, prepping the label’s new flagship at 855 Madison Avenue for its first shoppers, and he couldn’t hide his enthusiasm. The corner store, up the block from Tom Ford and across the street from Céline, was designed by the French architect Joseph Dirand, a man whose aesthetic is so in tune with Dundas’ own, he says, “I want him to do my flat.” But first things first: There’s a store in Shanghai to open at the end of this month, and others in the works, plus overhauls of the company’s 50 existing stores. “This is the first time the Pucci girl has a home,” Dundas explains. “It corresponds with the show, the showroom, the collection; it’s a reflection of the woman, and that is brand new.”
The boutique mimics Dundas’ successful approach to rebranding the heritage label—by playing with and breaking the rules. As with the clothes, there are reminders of Emilio’s trademark swirling and geometric prints, but they are modern interpretations, subtly done. Evoking the house’s famous Florentine palazzo, the terrazzo floor was laid in a graphic Pucci pattern that’s also echoed in the labyrinthine layout of the store’s rooms. Cabinets are made from unpolished purple-veined Breccia di Medici marble. “I think we depleted the stock for the moment,” Dundas joked. The marble’s colors informed the shop: the lilac couch that sits atop an aubergine silk carpet, the walls that are painted rich shades of cream and gray, and the changing rooms lined in pink velvet. The feminine, boudoir-ish feel is intentional, says Dundas. “I wanted it to feel like a place my girls would like to hang out.” His muse Amber Valletta is hanging out in the store windows, or at least larger-than-life-size artist’s renditions of her eye and lips are. The window display is more whimsical than Dundas’ Pucci is perhaps known for. Inside, though, the clothes give off serious heat. Just like Dundas and his girls like it.
The boutique mimics Dundas’ successful approach to rebranding the heritage label—by playing with and breaking the rules. As with the clothes, there are reminders of Emilio’s trademark swirling and geometric prints, but they are modern interpretations, subtly done. Evoking the house’s famous Florentine palazzo, the terrazzo floor was laid in a graphic Pucci pattern that’s also echoed in the labyrinthine layout of the store’s rooms. Cabinets are made from unpolished purple-veined Breccia di Medici marble. “I think we depleted the stock for the moment,” Dundas joked. The marble’s colors informed the shop: the lilac couch that sits atop an aubergine silk carpet, the walls that are painted rich shades of cream and gray, and the changing rooms lined in pink velvet. The feminine, boudoir-ish feel is intentional, says Dundas. “I wanted it to feel like a place my girls would like to hang out.” His muse Amber Valletta is hanging out in the store windows, or at least larger-than-life-size artist’s renditions of her eye and lips are. The window display is more whimsical than Dundas’ Pucci is perhaps known for. Inside, though, the clothes give off serious heat. Just like Dundas and his girls like it.
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