I knew I was in trouble when Traci’s back stiffened while she slowly turned her head, in the same way that little girl did in the first Exorcist movie, and with nothing short of Asp venom spewing from her mouth proceeded to tell me that in no uncertain terms was the room only about the chandelier. She went on about the way the couches were of a certain height, so not to block the windows, that the flow of the room was very feng shui, that the natural light reflected so well off the yellow which made the room a very happy place to be while, last but not least on her list, was the fact that the dark green of the Palms co-existed so well with the pillows and throws that everyone loved to snuggle up to. I could only laugh nervously. I contemplated giving her a valium and the name of a good therapist since she obviously had some anger issues that morning, but I held my tongue.

Fearing for my own safety, since she was already deep into punishing a loaf of white bread that was now rendered unedible and blocking the only escape route, I agreed that the room was beautiful and that yes, all the things she said were true. She had truly done a beautiful job of redecorating. But I reminded her that she purposefully kept this very large and quite spectacular hand blown glass and antiqued wood chandelier that she found at a flea market in Paris, shipped back to her home in Boston and had restored for quite a bit of money. I had actually offered to buy it from her when she started the remodel, but she said then that the whole room was going to revolve around this grand dame of lighting. During dinner parties that she and her husband throw periodically, the chandelier dominates the conversation whenever first time guests arrive. It’s like having a best friend or sibling that is smarter or better looking than you. You hate them for a while but come to admire them as you grow older. Well, some of us do, but that is another story. This chandelier is sort of the same thing for Traci. All her hard work and people will still only notice the chandelier.

I personally love taking one special piece of furniture and create a story around it. You don’t need much. A few well placed and well thought out pieces will do more to make people feel comfortable or inspired in your space than if you loaded it up with jumble. The fact that Traci carefully “curated” her living room, showed all the way through the footprint, right down to the tassels on the window coverings. I use the word curate because that’s what she did. Traci took into account the chandelier and chose furnishings and accessories that added to the story. She noted the light painted hues on the wood stem and the raw curvilinear shape of the small glass bowls surrounding the bulbs. Her sanctuary is a place where great conversations will be started, cocktails will be drunk, sleepovers will be had and books will be read. All the while, that Parisian chandelier will be keeping vigil over the stories yet to be told.

Oh, and in case you are wondering Traci and I are still great friends. I just don’t talk about you know what anymore!

Unable to score a coveted poolside cabana during high summer season, my husband convinced us that we were better off lounging under a sunbrella stuck on the Wailea sand and call it a day. I may have been deprived of a cabana that humid day in July but that didn’t stop me from wanting one. Cabana, which means a hut in Spanish, has always been associated with Hollywood glam. Despite its lightweight structure surrounded with cloth panels, having a cabana or a pool house or a guest house at your residential property is really about having the luxury of an extra outdoor room. Although a pool house and guest house are in the same premise, I just prefer the word cabana and I might as well throw in the word cabana boy while I am at it. But in all seriousness, if an outdoor room is on your wish list (and who doesn’t want one?) and you already have a back or a side yard, it is very possible nowadays to have that addition without the long wait and the annoying permit. Welcome to the wonderful and eco-friendly world of modern prefab.

Imagine an outside room to meditate, lounge, work, play or isolate yourself or your guest all within steps from your home. This is definitely not your garden shed variety of 10 years ago or the tough shed as seen on TV. This is a modern, clean and green architecture Joseph Eichler or even Richard Neutra would approve of.There are several design houses that make or carry this outdoor room among them is Design within Reach or DWR which exclusively has the kithaus k3, designed by Tom Sandonato and Martin Wehmann.

The kithause is a 9′ x 13′ preassembled room that can be tucked into any outdoor area without the need of a foundation or heavy equipment. This structure is made of lightweight and anodized aluminum that has a unique clamping system for easy assembly making this outdoor room almost waste-free. With prices ranging from 29K - 44K, this modern unit equipped with a deck, canopies and louvers can be your quick outdoor getaway. If a one stop shop is really what you want, add another 7-19k and the kithaus k3 can be packaged with DWR furnitures to customized your kithaus as a workspace, a guest room, a sleep pad or a pool pavillion.
Another company, metroshed.com, is a website based in Seattle, Washington that also offers an extensive choice of modern pre-assembled units such as the standard metro shed for the garden, metro play, a metro cabin for the true outdoors and a metro ship for the modern nautical, a luxury condo on water - their antithesis to the rv’s of the seas. Metroshed offers ‘style, space and value for one day’ and no building experience required.

A variety of prefab units can also be found at Modern-Shed.com by Grey Design.

This company, like metroshed offers the basic 6′x8′ unit to the garden and studio shed to the fun play shed for the modern tots but puts one up by offering the biggest dwelling of all, a whopping 1260 square feet that has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a living room, kitchen and optional deck. Who says a shed has to be small? Modern shed also offers the most eco-options such as a denim wall insulation, cork or linoleum floor tile, trex decking and green roof - a modular grid roof system that allows you to plant the entire roof with vegetation i.e. grass, to help cool the structure and help manage rainwater run off. With the many options this company offers, they make it somewhat easier by tossing in free shipping in all of their sheds.

One design house that puts to good use my favorite word for outdoor room is from the San Francisco based company, Modern Cabana. Designed and pre-made by contractor, Nick Damner and designer,Casper Mork-Ulness, modern cabana is ‘designed created, contractor built.’ 

Their cabanas are affordable and easy to install and like the kithaus, depending on the environment, does not need a foundation. Modern Cabanas offer several sizes and options from a standard cabana to an upgraded one ranging in prices from 11-30k, all insulated and wired. A couple of years ago, upon learning of this company’s name, concept and local location, I couldn’t resist contacting them for more information. But because I couldn’t at the moment afford one, I ended up passing this opportunity to my mom and dad who ended up purchasing 3 units and made them into one! So, even if I cannot enjoy one at my property yet, I can at least secure reservations for a cabana at my parents house, guaranteed.

Basically and fortunately, these modern design houses have the same philosophy which is offering an eco-friendly, affordable, modern and tasteful outdoor retreat. They all believe that their shed or cabana not only look fabulous and chic but is easy to install plus it makes a great addition to one’s home that increases the property’s value and space. If you have the need, the funds, the space, I say go for it. My brother once said to me when I moved to my home that ‘space is gold.’ I couldn’t agree more but this time space is better green.

Author’s Bio:  I work for a pan-asian resaurant in the peninsula and I am a wife and mother of 2 girls plus a pug. I love design and style and have a Bachelor of fine arts degree but I equally love writing. Nothing like thoughts put into words. Email:vivsanchez@aol.com

Clay Furniture: dining chair (red)
designer: Maarten Baas

Walking into Moss, a gallery of bespoke table top, furniture, lighting and jewelry, with locations in New York City and Los Angeles, you are instantly confronted with some of the most original pieces of art on view anywhere. Yes, I said art, since even a simple vase, which at Moss is never simple, is a gorgeous architectural statement. Most pieces are functional and should be used, but at the same time they are beautiful enough to frame or put on a pedestal.

Maarten Baas is a furniture superstar from the Netherlands who makes some of the most imaginative pieces of furniture around. The Clay Furniture was first introduced at Salone del Mobile, Milan, 2006. This dining chair, as all the other pieces are made from industrial clay, hand-modeled on top of Baas-designed metal ’skeletons’ surface and painted with colored lacquer. The Clay designs are mass produced, but in this case, “mass” is a much smaller number.

Moss: Clay Furniture address the issue of form-giving in industrial design, revealing, literally, the designer’s ‘hand’ in this intimate process, today normally concealed through the use of a computer (but there, none-the-less).
Price: $2,900 per chair. Assorted colors, styles.
www.mossonline.com

TAKASHIMAYA DEPARTMENT STORE - ORGANIC TEAS

 

A high-grade young leaf tea with fresh aroma, full-bodied taste and pale green color. Grown on an organic tea plantation in Hunan Province, China; certified by U.S.D.A. This tea is absolutely delicious and the tin it comes in is not so bad either!
50g (1.8 oz.) in black tin - $18. Per tin.
www.ny-takashimaya.com

Giorgio Fedon

Clean-cut and essential designs are the hallmark of the Giorgio Fedon brand, established in 1919. This business and credit card holder is made from hard bent aluminum covered in Fedon’s signature orange or classic black. Compact enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Made of PVC. Stylish, different and sure to make a statement.
www.giorgiofedon1919.com

Bordoni Leather at Richard Shapiro

Richard Shapiro Antiques and Works of Art, one of the premiere art, antiques and furniture galleries in the country scored a major coup when it was named the exclusive representative in the United States for Bordoni Leather, a family owned company headquartered in Bologna Italy and overseen by Cecilia Bordoni. This leather is like nothing I have seen or felt before.

It is stunningly sumptuous, soft and altogether luxurious, no doubt because the family has been working in leathers for centuries providing bespoke wares to people truly in the know. What is so wonderful about Bordoni is that the carefully curated collection of leather is equally at home on contemporary and period pieces of furniture a like and fits well in any style of home. Colors range from subtle to HELLO!!!! Look at me.

www.rshapiroantiques.com

I was lucky enough, several years ago, to move into an apartment that has private outdoor space. When spring came, I immediately set to work on a garden; entertaining dreams of a luscious harvest and visiting my neighbors with armfuls of ripe tomatoes, zucchini, freshly cut flowers and herbs. Sadly, this was not to be. Evidently you need experience to pull a garden off, particularly on a small city deck, and my garden was an utter and embarrassing failure. I think we got a single tomato off of about 7 plants that I couldn’t even bring myself to eat.
The following year I was much better prepared.

First of all, it is vital to the garden output that you begin with sprouts. Most gardens stores, Home Depot included (though I prefer smaller mom and pop garden shops) will have sprouts of your favorite vegetables and herbs. If you are in New York, The Union Square Greenmarket is the ideal place, as they have all the plants you can find at the more generic shops, as well as heirloom varieties and substantially lower pricing. If, however, you can’t find the sprouts you want, you can make your own with this little contraption:

The (unfortunately named) Burpee seed tray takes your seeds to sprout (even if you start outside after first frost) in less than two weeks. Less than two weeks! This speeds you towards the neighborly, arms as cornucopia of earth’s bounty fantasy, decreasing the amount of time you have to wait for your first little harvest to about two months.

Regardless of whether you are living a city or a country life, surrounding yourself with beautiful, growing things is always a healthy choice. Beautiful smelling and tasting herbs can be kept in most windowsills throughout the year, adding a scent to your home and some zing to your meals. Who knows, you may end up with your own little urban paradise:

Author’s Bio: Blythe T Hurney is a writer and poet, living the sweet life in East Harlem, New York.
 

What ever happened to the good old fashioned hardware store? The one you went to, to get a ½ lb of finishing nails or a washer for that drippy faucet, then walked out with just that, ten minutes later. You then went home, finished that chore and went onto the next.

No, today’s hardware and lumber yards cover at least eight city blocks. Naturally what you need is in the furthest corner from where you’ve entered. Even being determined to just get the nails and the washer is of very little use. I now have to stop and admire the most fantastic hardwood flooring. Man-o-man look at those shades in that carpet. You have to be kidding me, Italian ceramic tiles on sale, only while supplies last?

Enough of this, next time I have to remember to wear a bib. Next isle…Wow! Just imported from Brazil, the newest of new marble countertop…Hmmm! How would that look in my kitchen? Would it match my cabinets? No that will never do. You just can’t put in a fabulous new countertop with 18-20 year old cupboards can you? I guess that calls for new cabinetry too. Now where is my booklet with the room sizes? Ah! Here it is. Now for an associate…Oh alright! Let’s plot it all out on the computer. How much?…How long? Ya right! Unfortunately that’s no-where near my budget.

Concrete Counter tops: DIY Project
Now what’s this? —A display of concrete counter tops: pamphlets, books, video and catalogues all here. Hmmm! This just looks like my next DIY project. I can definitely see this in my kitchen. Wow it can be as shiny polished or rustic as I want. The concrete can be pigmented or tinted to quite a few colors too…Now the only problem I can see is that my counters are not just a straight slab but wrap around with a cornered double sink. According to the pamphlet it should be anywhere from 21/2 to 6” thick. Okay lets take the middle ground about 4” thick the standard countertop is 25” wide I need 161/2 feet + the corner…each bag mortar mix covers slightly more then 2’x1’x4”…that seems affordable.

Trying to think back when I was a kid and of all the times I spent with my Dad pouring concrete here and there. Do I dare try??? The kitchen being the focal point of the farm house, can I live with something that might not turn out just so? Now on the other hand I could definitely do a small trial piece and see if I’m up to the challenge. The downstairs bathroom needs a new countertop and that is only 4 foot section…hmmm.

The Necessities
What would I need for tools etc?
• A counter top mold. Needs to be strong enough to hold the weight of the concrete and not buckle or bow. A ‘box’ that is water resistant and smooth surfaced…I could use the old formica from the laundry room that’s smooth and the right size has two ends I just need to add a front. That will work. The powder room has a real rustic theme so the finished top surface will only need to be only slightly ground and polished but not glass smooth so it can be cast with its right side up and hand troweled. Again that’s do-able.
• A sturdy strong “table” to hold the whole affair until it’s all finished. What did that pamphlet say? Oh here …will weigh up to 140 lbs/cubic foot when wet. 4’x2’x4” = 8 over3= 2.7 cubic feet x 140 lbs…so we’re looking at 380 lbs or so. I think I will need to give the work table in the garage an extra centre support. Again do-able. (need to make sure it is level too as the counter top should be even thickness)
• I can rent a mortar mixer.
• I have a roll of chicken wire that can be used as reinforcement material. To strengthen the whole counter as it supposedly will hold up to 5000 psi.
• The counter will need two holes one for the drain the other for the water supply. I’ll need a couple of chunks of doweling the right diameter. (with other words I’ll need to buy the “bowl-sink” and taps now to make sure of the right size holes.
• Trowel and smoothening devices.
• I can rent the grinder and polishing equipment. (water cooled type)
• Diamond Grinding pads for the grinder and for hand use. From rough to smooth (200 – 800 as I still want the rougher kind of finish) The hand ones are to smoothen burs and what-not’s when de-molding.
• The right amount of bags of fine mortar mix or counter top concrete mix.
• Sealer and finishing wax.
• Plastic sheeting to allow the concrete to cure slowly (less chances for cracks)
• Book with all the how-to’s and tricks or do I want the DVD? Both I guess, the better prepared I am the better the chances for success. And if the bathroom counter works out great I could be doing more than just the kitchen…

Now for that clear ‘ bowl sink’…yup. Yes, I like the brushed nickel finish for the taps. Well would you look at that, the set comes with washers…yeeha I can take the washer off my list. Load it in the van.

So much for only buying finishing nails and a washer. As I said that was the list for today nothing more nothing less. I might as well give in to the inevitable. Being just at the beginnings of fixing up an old farm house. I will lose a lot of hours trekking through the Home depot, looking for inspiration. A different point of view, being the Hands-on-Gal that I am, walking around collecting ideas is really not such a bad thing. The home deco magazines are great starting points but when re-doing an old home not everything in the pictures will be possible. Seeing things up close will most definitely help. I will jot down this time spent as research. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it…lol. Darn I forgot the finishing nails. (Deep sigh here)…I’ll have to go back, maybe I’ll go to Rona this time. 

Author’s Bio: Suzanne, having been a single parent for many years, considers her biggest success having raised her three children to become upstanding adults. As she recently became an ‘empty nester’ she’s now following her lifelong dream of writing. Although she will always try to combine it with her knowledge of sewing and home décor, which she gained by being a self-employed tailor for many years. Her passions and hobbies are wide ranged and focus on areas that include faith, humor, disease prevention through nutrition and the use of herbals. Organic gardening, home decorating and many DIY projects of an old farmhouse are her main objectives at the moment. She is most passionate about all aspects of the Eco-movement from Vermi-composting to all the steps of living green. She has articles published at Hubpages under her pen name Zsuzsy Bee.

http://hubpages.com/profile/Zsuzsy+Bee
 

I am simply a person who loves high ceilings, miles of clean surfaces, ultra white walls and brushed gun metal grey concrete floors. Is that really so bad? I can’t tell you how often I get razzed by my friends for living like a monk. But with that said, their next words usually are, “I wish I can live here…” “In my monastery,” I say, as I pour them a glass of my favorite Cabernet with a great Cesaria Evora CD playing in the background. It’s not that my condo is barren, the kitchen has poured concrete counters, an island that is 6’ x 6’ in stainless steel and appliances that hide behind walls of lacquered cabinetry that shimmer in the sunlight. The brushed concrete floors that I mentioned, carry through the full 1500 square feet of living space. Large windows also add light and because I don’t have curtains or shutters, makes the space look even larger since the sight lines are not blocked.

As for the living room I have only four pieces of furniture, five if you count a large arc lamp that kind of just hangs out. I love it because more than anything else, it is a sculptural piece of functional art. A sofa and love seat are both very linear and low lying in white leather from Patrona Frau, the cushions are soft and virtually melt around you, so yes… they are extraordinarily comfortable The two other pieces were flea market finds. They date to about 1940 France. The simple yet masterfully designed chair would play well with others in art deco surroundings, a room of shabby chic or mix and match from Ikea. In other words, it is perfect for any situation. I reupholstered the chair in a very loud red Donghia fabric, just to shake things up a bit and to have something else for people to talk about. The cocktail table I think has been added too over the years, but its chrome legs, mirrored tray and the graceful figure eight shaped legs are just this side of weirdly beautiful that it works. Now mind you my living room isn’t overly large by any means, but it looks and feels loft like because of the lack of walls defining dining and living spaces and except for some art and a flat screen TV, which also looks like a contemporary painting when it is not on, it is a space that hopefully is contemplative, yet comfortable and a space where my friends and family can sit for hours on end and talk about everything or just enjoy the silence and each others company.

Why write about my rather spare aesthetic? Because the next time you walk into a room, I hope you can look around with an open mind and think about the personality of the person living in it and step out of whatever comfort zone you have lived with all your life and decide how you could make it your own. Now, excuse me while I turn on my highly polished Nespresso, Cappuccino and Espresso machine and make myself a tropio. ONLY KIDDING… but hmmm, how much would that cost, it would fit so nicely on my counter-top. Well, let me rethink that… I can’t have clutter. Enjoy your day and smile.
 

13 summers ago, as my then fiancée and I were closing escrow on our first home, my mother gave us our very first house plant. Not a fern, mind you but an almost 6 feet tall Raphis Palm Tree. I loved that plant, it complemented my then shabby chic furniture style with its fan like leaves shading my rustic armoire until those darn mealy bugs became uncontrollable that when its last frond fell so did my penchant with palm plants. It took me quite a while to find the right house plant up to the time I walked into this urban garden center and saw a plant hiding in a corner sporting obviously large leaves that was squished by twine. As we unraveled our new purchase at our now second home, the leaves blossomed out grander than I expected, kind of like how Dumbo the elephant’s ears were first revealed to his mother. I was immediately smitten and thus, began my love affair with Ficus Lyrata aka Fig Tree aka Fiddle Tree.

The Fiddle Tree is actually a popular banyan tree in the subtropical and tropical gardens that can grow outdoors up to 40-50 feet tall and though it does produce figs they are not the edible ones. Ficus Lyratas have shiny green leaves that have a broad apex and a narrow middle, the leaves vary in sizes but they all somehow resemble a fiddle and because its large scale leaves can grow up to 15 inches long, the plant makes an excellent home accessory juxtaposed next to a small sized furniture such as an Eames wooden lounge chair. I have seen several photo shoots in magazines and in catalogs featuring this wonderful tree that it has become the “it” plant in home decor. Like any trend that starts at a low inventory and then escalates into the mainstream, the fiddle tree was initially only available in selected local nurseries but since its popularity has soared, this indoor tree is now available at the greater Home and Garden centers such as Lowes and Home Depot. For about $125-$160 a tall fiddle tree can be yours to put at any sunny corner of your home and for less money you can even have a 4 feet mini-tree but I personally prefer these plants high.

But what do you do once you have a fiddle under your roof? You need of course to have an equally amazing container. Depending on your motif and ceiling height, there are several planters to house these ficus plants, DWR.com sells overscaled containers such as the Grand Vas-One  by Luisa Bocchietto and the New Pot 50, 60 and 70 by Paulo Rizzatto. These modern pieces are made of recycled polyethylene that makes the containers lightweight and easy to move around. They make quite an impression because these roto-molded planters are all conventional in style but they are larger than usual in size especially the Grand Vas-One  that is almost 4 feet tall! Another DWR product called the Gratia Planter    by Chris Collard is handmade of natural and synthetic materials and hand polished to achieve a substantial finish, and depending on the salt content in the air (if put outdoors) the bronze pot will form a patina and the black planter will develop a white matte finish. For a more traditional take, SmithandHawken.com is a sure bet, the Terra Blend Planters and the Hexagon Zinc Planters will both contain the fiddle tree nicely. Another website Simplyplanters.com is what it is, planters but definitely not in a simple variety. This website offers containers of different materials and colors ranging from natural, resin, cast stone, ceramic, fiberglass, terracotta and wood. An enormous planter called Ceramic Aegean   could hold your 6 foot plus fiddle tree easily but wieghing at a whopping 115 lbs. you better make sure you like where you put it.

With that said, house plants in general are a great way to bring the outdoors in, they not only filter the indoor air but they also soften the architectural lines of ones home. Ask any Feng Shui expert and he or she will tell you how important a plant is at home because not only will it bring in harmony but it also helps attract the good chi (energy). Who doesn’t want that? Fiddle tree is just one of the many indoor trees out in the green market, I like it for its simplicity, its easy maintenance, and of course, its Dumbo sized fiddle shaped leaves…now, if it can only fly.

Grand Vas-One                          Gratia Planter                        Aegean
 

Author’s Bio
I work for a pan-asian resaurant in the peninsula and I am a wife and mother of 2 girls plus a pug. I love design and style and have a Bachelor of fine arts degree but I equally love writing. Nothing like thoughts put into words. Email:vivsanchez@aol.com
 

On holiday from a year at Oxford, I visited my grandmother in Worthing, England where she had recently taken residency. Worthing is a quiet beachfront town near Brighton, on the southernmost shores of England.

One afternoon, I happened to pass by an arcade and, having recently studied their significance to modern thought in philosophy lectures, stopped to take notes and snap pictures. I was surprised to find this cosmopolitan architectural embellishment in such an unlikely place, and was impressed by its singular beauty and appeal. The arcade (pictured) was a fashionable and fascinating detour, and made my modest promenade all the more enjoyable. Far from being a piece of archaic indifference, the arcade was buzzing with activity, and all of the shops were replete with customers.

Walking into an arcade is like discovering a private universe. From the outside, one usually has the impression that the construction is simply another building entrance among many. In Worthing, the arcade was especially interesting to explore because it bent gradually, connecting two streets with an eccentric angle. I was struck simultaneously by the high ceilings, which gave the expression “hallowed halls” new meaning, and the way the building pulled me in almost subconsciously from the street. Once inside, one feels both relaxed and inspired- the enclosed ceiling makes for a cozy shopping experience, while the design and ornamentation of the arcade is especially remarkable to survey. Of course, Oxford boasts a variety of gothic structures, but there is something surprisingly personal about the arcade that is entirely exclusive to the structure itself, and I was astonished to find out that arcades had spread to such an unlikely location. I felt as though I had happened upon the remnants of Atlantis, with the exception of fifty or more denizens who were lazily walking the corridor purchasing ice cream sundaes and afternoon papers.

An arcade is an indoor walkway covered by a row of vaults supported by tall columns. The idea for an arcade came from gothic architecture, where the arcade is literally the lowest part of the wall of the nave (area leading up to the alter), which supports the triforium and clerestory of a cathedral. The more elaborate of Europe’s arcades are long and intricate, some of them stretching for several city blocks and resembling elongated train stations. Glass ceilings, which are typically comprised of a patterned set of panes inserted into a metal frame, create a classic, brightly-illuminated effect and drawing shoppers off the street to browse the compelling corridor. Arcades often contain a row of shop windows facing opposite to one another and presenting themselves to the whim of wandering tourists.

Since my trip to Worthing, I have learned that arcades have migrated to nearly every continent in the world. From the ornate Paddock Arcade in Watertown, New York, to The Strand in Sydney, Australia, arcades have proven to be one investment a city can count on for returns. They blend the intrigue and complexity of a church with the accessibility and utility of the every day, and are unrivaled in their ingenious rethinking of the common shopping experience. 

Author’s Bio:
April Nieuwsma studied English literature and Philosophy at Boston College in Brighton, Massachusetts and Oxford University in England . She currently lives and works in the Bay Area and enjoys experimenting with formal elements of poetry as well as fiction and playwriting. She can be reached at indoapril@hotmail.com .
 

“New York state of mind” “Baltimore sky” “Crystal Springs” “Key largo Green.” No, these aren’t destinations for a travel site but rather the names from Benjamin Moore’s color palette. Painting our walls, especially with descriptive names as mentioned is a definite way to empower a room. Done with the right color, walls can calm, comfort, energize and inspire a homeowner’s mood. Simply put, house painting is such a quick and affordable way for anyone’s home improvement that it has become a given in the decorating world, just watch any HGTV or Discover Home episode where a paint job is certain.

 "sparrow" by ferm-living.com

However, painting can also have its faux pas, remember the sponging effect back in the early 1990’s? Fortunately, I did not join in this billowy trend but I do remember one summer afternoon in 1995 when I almost added faux crawling ivy vines to my dining room wall with the aid of a precut sponge (the sponge broke into pieces). Nowadays, walls in some homes and in many shops are given a bold shot of color as a highlight of some sort. For instance, a garnet colored wall in a relative’s powder room, Kelley green color on the display wall of a juice bar and retro orange painted on the back wall of a furniture store. Despite its daring effect, a jolt of color has somehow gotten to be predictable and ordinary in highlighting a room. What was once different and daring has become to me somewhat stale and expected in addressing a particular wall.  Until one Sunday afternoon in January, on an open house excursion with my family when we randomly decided to check out this 1900 remodeled Victorian home in San Francisco. I was greeted with white creamy walls in the living room and a rich espresso color all over the family room but what brought me to a design epiphany was none other than wallpaper. There by the stairway leading to the downstairs rooms was a wall papered in a graphic black and white modern heirloom in velvet no less (swoon!). What a visual treat to see an often ignored wall covered in art. As my luck would have it, I soon entered the rooms only to be further enamored with more wallpaper. The guest bedroom had half the room papered in an exotic green and cream damask design with peacocks (regal!), the bathroom had a copper metallic textured design (luxe!) and last but not least, the master bedroom had its headboard wall decorated in a modern brocade wallpaper in canary yellow (chic!). I have seen this kind of style before but more on a Palm Springs vibe, this house was more Italianate Victorian meets Hollywood Regency Style amongst the streets of San Francisco. Needless to say, I left that open house in awe of its style and in a wallpaper high.

My suburban design eyes were now wide open and so I began to revisit my library of design magazines only to realize these cool and modern wallpapers were already gracing pages 62-66, 100, 125 and then some! And now I want some, wallpaper that is, but until uber-stylish interior designer Kelly Wearstler takes me in, pro-bono, as her client, I have to face my reality with a do-it-yourself budget and the internet as my guide. I found www.Ferm-living.com has a great collection of wallpapers and even wallstickers (for the less committed) with nature inspired names like “Wilderness” “Family Tree” and “Sparrow.” They even have a whimsical wall sticker called “Coat Tree” that really lives up to its name once you add some hooks or pegs on the branches…great for the entryway. www. DesignPublic.com carries Graham and Brown wallpaper with literary names such as “Drama Midsummer”    and “Hemingway Macintosh Rose.”

 Drama Midsummer      Hemingway Macintosh Rose

Other favorites are from the retro-modern man himself www.jonathanadler.com where you can find wallpapers named “Nixon” “Bamboo” and “Ropes.” For an absolutely vast selection of wallpaper with designs like “Cherry Blossoms in Retro” “Blue Aqua Madison” “White Fleur de lis velvet” check out www.designyourwall.com. This site has about 2500 in stock with an array of wallpapers ranging from vintage to velvet to metallic to custom. With so many choices, I soon realized how overwhelming this project can be…do I do graphic, damask or nature inspired?   At the moment, we are in residential transition which sadly means I have to wait but that doesn’t stop me from checking out the many fabulous wallpapers out there. And to not be such a diva, I may paint a wall or two or three because let’s face it, nothing beats new paint on an old house. My two daughters are also excited with their upcoming wallpapered room, much to their delight, feminine floral designs in pinks are plentiful in this design department. As for my future master bedroom, I have yet to tell my non-stylish-beige-is-ok husband that I will defer his painting skills because this time around we will be wallpapering our room in a “Tempting Chrysanthemum in Chocolate and Turquoise.” Much better than stamped ivy vines.

Author’s Bio
I work for a pan-asian resaurant in the peninsula and I am a wife and mother of 2 girls plus a pug. I love design and style and have a Bachelor of fine arts degree but I equally love writing. Nothing like thoughts put into words. Email: vivsanchez@aol.com
 

Designer Davy Groseman is based out of Belgium, but brings his highly stylized look to the world via the Conran Shop. No doubt, this is one hell of a showy umbrella with fringes and tassels galore. Talk about jaw dropping and extravagant. As the wind blows, so do the fringes, making for nice calming sounds and interesting undulations. And with a price tag of $3,995 you want it to do more than just sit by your pool looking pretty!
www.conran.com

Famos Vegetable Peeler

I know what you are thinking… A vegetable peeler? Well, yes! Just look at this metal gadget from Germany. It’s sleek, pared down appearance can proudly stand along side, or for that matter stand out from your other architecturally designed kitchen paraphernalia. If you are skinning carrots, cucumbers and the like, why not do it in style? US$15
From www.kioskkiosk.com Brick and Mortar store is located at 95 spring Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY. The website might take some getting used to, but that is half the fun.

Wild Bunch Juice
Organic juices with killer packaging makes a sensation!

I will honestly tell you that I have never had any of the Wild Bunch Juices, however, the packaging is enough to make me want to order a case from Singapore and display it on my counter at home. Talk about sexy! The fact that the juices are fresh pressed “capturing the earthy flavors and aroma”, 100% organic and good for you, are obviously added benefits. But back to the packaging… Delicious! These are containers that I would use again and again, without even thinking about it. If you happen to be in Singapore check out there offerings.
From www.wildbunchjuice.com (Singapore)