WALLPAPER IS STRONGLY MAKING A COMEBACK

Wallpaper is making a strong comeback. The wallpaper of today is not like the wallpaper we remember in our childhoods. No more wallpaper borders or velvety raised designs on metallic backgrounds. This year glass and beaded embellishments, metallic filigree, animal prints and large bold prints are the styles that are popular. Such a pattern is used to attract attention not only to the furniture but also to the walls, especially if you choose contrasting colors and new textures. Some ideas to consider for wallpapering your space. Cover more than just an accent wall (unless your trying to draw the eye to one main wall as a focal point), why not wallpaper the entire room? Most wallpaper manufacturers have coordinating fabric, use them to tie the room together. Wallpaper a ceiling, it is a cozy look,but use a thick, beautiful crown molding with it. Here are some great examples of the current looks:

Maya Romanoff wallpaper

Maya Romanoff wallpaper

Maya Romanoff wallpaper

Graham and Brown wallpaper

Thibaut wallpaper

Schumacher wallpaper

Schumacher wallpaper

Schumacher wallpaper

Schumacher wallpaper

Anna French wallpaper

Anna French wallpaper

Thibaut wallpaper

Thibaut wallpaper

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

I have the best Vendors/Suppliers and as appreciation I will be highlighting their businesses every once in a while. Please visit their websites and business locations. Today's Vendor is The Bath And Kitchen Showplace. 10005 W Sam Houston Pkwy Houston, TX 77064 (832) 237-8200

They have a beautiful showroom with every plumbing related product imaginable. They have the largest Kohler product showroom I have seen. The staff is wonderful, friendly and knowledgable. The showroom I use is centrally located at Beltway 8 and Fallbrook, although they have many locations around the Houston area.

Doing The Right Thing Four Our Environment and Our Futures

Doing the right thing for our environment and our futures. How do you know whether a product is eco friendly when it's become popular to put the "green" label on so many products. What is the difference between Trendy Green design vs Sustainable design? Sustainable design is a kind of design meant to yield products that are made only of renewable resources, are intended to not seriously impact the environment either when they are being created or when they are being used. These products are also often designed to allow the users to feel more connected or to relate more closely to the natural environment. Common types of sustainable interior design methods include the use of alternative energy systems, energy-reducing design, and the use of low-pollution, recycled, or sustainable materials. Some interior spaces may use one primary type of sustainable interior design, while others may incorporate several components to create a fully green space. Sustainable design is good for the environment, saves money and reduces health issues. The labor employed must be treated fairly and provided safe, healthy conditions in which to work.

Green design products are those that "undergo minimal treatment, or those certified as low-emission products."(source:wisegeek.com) Green design incorporates recycled materials for interior and exterior walls, countertops (concrete countertops with glass chips embedded)for example. When shopping "Green" you should purchase items from the most local source possible in order to cut down on fuel costs and the carbon footprint. Choose building materials that do not deplete the natural environment more than necessary, for example, using plantation-grown timbers and recyclable building materials. Improve your indoor air quality by choosing low volatile organic compound, waterborne alkyd, latex or recycled paints. Designing for sufficient airflow such as using passive design for ventilation and cooling, and lowering the need for mechanical ventilation are also ideas for your construction project. Consider using passive solar energy and windows and floors designed to retain and maximize sunlight to reduce energy costs. Where possible strongly consider the placement of the house and overall good house design. Furniture recycling is another way you can have a positive impact on the environment. The old side table you picked up at a garage sale can be updated with a fresh coat of low VOC paint. And don’t throw out that hand-me-down bookcase. Give it a healthy, new finish and re-use it in your décor. "interior-design-tutor.net" Some products you can purchase for your home Remodeling or New Construction project are energy star appliances, and tankless water heaters (which are a good choice because they heat water only when you need it thus are energy efficient and water conserving). Compact flourescent light bulbs, halogen or LED lights, and other energy efficient lighting solutions are green. Organically grown cotton for home products (which doesn't require chemicals or leakage into water supplies),cork, bamboo, recycled and reclaimed fir, and reclaimed Hard Rock Maple gym flooring are all examples of sustainable flooring products harvested from deconstruction or renewable resources.Cork can be harvested and re-harvested repeatedly over time without destroying the tree it comes from. Bamboo is very durable, easily sustained and looks really great in interior applications. For any wood flooring product, check to see if it’s FSC-certified. The Forest Stewardship Council designation ensures that it has been grown and harvested in a way that protects woodlands. "interior-design-tutor.net" Carpeting can be manufactured from a variety of sustainable materials, such as wool, cotton, sisal (agave), sea grass, and jute (burlap.)

With the droughts we are facing each year it is crucial to conserve water and with high energy costs it is important to use products that result in lower utility bills. High efficiency 1.28 gallon vs 3.5 gallon toilets to save up to 16,500 gallons of water per year.There is evena toilet by Separett which is a urine diverting composting toilet which uses no water and keeps solids seperate from liquids. It makes it possible to use the waste for composting and fertilizing. Purchase products with the WaterSense Logo, they have significant water savings and meet strict guidelines. Replace 2.75 gpm showerheads with 1.75 gpm showerheads to save more than 7,700 gallons of water per year.Purchase faucets with water saving aerators or hand free technology to prevent water waste.Using water economically such as installing a tank to collect rainwater for irrigation and flushing the toilet, and installing systems to recycle waste water.

A great source to find Green and Sustainable products is www.homedepot.com where they have a large database featuring more than 2,500 products geared toward green home building, many of which can contribute towards earning points for the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED for Homes rating program.

Contemporary Dining Tables design by Uhuru

Contemporary Vases design by Williams-Sonoma Home

Traditional Buffets And Sideboards design by Crate&Barrel

SOME BEAUTIFUL GREEN PRODUCTS

Beautiful Ironwork for every area of your home

Looking for a way to dress up those awkward shaped art niches in your home? How about those arched transom windows that you never know what to do with? Do you still want light to come through vs covering it all up with a shutter? Do you have a large wall (like that large empty space over your fireplace) that needs something special to create a focal point? 

I have the solution. Use a beautiful wrought iron art piece for these areas. It is inexpensive and will really finish off those awkward areas. Look at these examples

BEAUTIFUL WINDOW EXAMPLES

 

 

ARTWORK FOR YOUR WALLS-WE CAN DO FRAMED OR UNFRAMED

A BEAUTIFUL NICHE

 

 

HOW ABOUT ON YOUR CEILING?

 

 

HOW ABOUT A PLAIN BACK DOOR THAT NEEDS A LITTLE PIZZAZZ?

Famous TV and Movie houses

Do you have your favorite TV or movie home?
As I was watching the original Home Alone yesterday with my sons I was thinking about what a beautiful classic home that was and how I love to check out homes in the movies.
What about TV homes?
How about the Brady Bunch's House? The house from Eight is Enough?
The house from Father of The Bride (one of my favorites), the Sleepless in Seattle Houseboat?,The Twlight House?
check out these famous houses on shelterpop.com
http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/02/11/houses-from-famous-tv-shows-and-films

It's Time For Fall Decorating

Ok, It is officially Fall now.
Yay, that means time to bring out new decorations to change things in your house up a little bit.
I love any excuse to decorate.
The front porch is an important location to start with.
Buy some pumpkins, some mums, get some pretty branches, pinecones, acorns and leaves from the yard, or decorate some grapevine wreaths. These are simple ways to bring the Fall season to your porch. Here are some cute examples below:

 

Another easy way to decorate for Fall is to create a centerpiece. These can be used in many different areas of the home-whether it is a Dining Rm table, Coffee table, or a Fireplace Mantlepiece. As you see most of these are assembled by using items you probably already have in your home such as candles, glass globes or containers, and natural Fall elements from your yard or local craft store.

A really cute trend is to apply your own creative skills and add painted touches to pumpkins or gourds. I love these examples below. I've seen some with plaid painted

on them and some with vertical stripes which follow the grooves in the pumpkin painted

on as well recently.