Articles by Thoub1977

Bliss Out on Your Toilet: 18 Ways to 'Spa Up' Your Toilet

Eclectic Homes
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True confession: Sometimes when I want a break from work, I look up the most luxurious spas out there and emphasise I have a trip planned. Truth means that the trip would max out my credit cards, so instead I attempt to bring a number of that spa style residence. Though a number of the baths on are larger than my bedroom, others seem to be considerably larger than they are. Today we’ll have a look at lessons we could remove from spa-like baths to use to our own, whether that means a complete bathroom remodel, replacing a vanity or just picking up some new towels. Listed below are 18 ways to deliver spa fashion to your home.

NB Design Group, Inc

1. Add wood accents. Wood slats offer this minimalist room a relaxing Asian feel.

Rockefeller Partners Architects

2. Reflect character with materials. Natural textures such as stone and wood breathe life into a bathroom. A pebbled tile flooring feels amazing underfoot.

When a brand new floor isn’t in your budget anytime soon, treat yourself to a pebble bath mat.

Carpets and Beyond Design Studio

3. Float the vanity. These vanities allow the flooring expand all the way to the walls and give the room a more open atmosphere.

ZAK Architecture

4. Open the vanity. As long as you are using it only for storing items that could seem neat, such as towels or products corralled in baskets, an open vanity makes things seem bigger.

Betty Wasserman

5. Use crisp white. Nothing says “relaxing spa” such as light and bright ceilings and walls.

Hint: Rolled-up towels how you see here is quintessential spa.

Switch Collaborative

6. Create continuity. Continuous light tile from floor to ceiling makes the room look bigger.

Giambastiani Design

7. Use glass. Another element that creates continuity is transparency. It makes the bath look a lot larger and retains a shower stall from visually chopping up the bathroom design.

8. Sink the bathtub. Stepping down into a bath recalls stepping right into a whirlpool after a spa massage.

A Collaborative Design Group

9. Insert a fireplace. This version is two sided and could be enjoyed from two rooms.

Logue Studio Design Inc..

10. Choose a fashionable toilet. “Stylish toilet” is no more an oxymoron. Hatbox styles, wall-mounted versions and infamous Japanese versions that do a lot more than flush are just some of the many choices on the market.

Meet the New Super Toilets

11. Open the view. Obviously, this is a very striking example, but even a small window in your shower stall or adjacent to the bathtub will let you relax and look outside while rinsing or soaking.

Abueg Morris Architect

12. Let natural lighting in. If your bathroom’s location means opening the view would turn into an exhibitionist, choose glass that lets in the light but disappoints the peeping Toms.

Amelie de Gaulle Interiors

13. Decide on a vessel sink. This is a good chance to add a pure feel like stone. If you are trying to keep things clean and open, opt for glass.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

14. Get particular about tidiness. Neatness counts. When you walked into a spa full of sloppily folded towels put willy-nilly, it could bug you so much that it might save you from relaxing during your massage. Apply the same rules to your bath: Keep products tucked away in drawers or cabinets, and fold or roll your towels in an orderly fashion. I recommend fluffy white towels, but if this is not sensible for you, buy towels that are all the exact same color. Donate your raggedy old towels into an animal refuge.

Studio One-Off Architecture & Design

15. Give your head a break. This bath headrest is a lot better than rolling up a towel underneath your head.

Gauhar ZH

16. Keep a fluffy white robe near hand. Consider logistics when picking a spot for robe hooks and towel bars. If you want to go for a complete spa outfit, then treat yourself into a spa shoes.

John Senhauser Architects

17. Insert an orchid. It’s possible to pick up these gorgeous exotic blossoms in the supermarket for approximately nine dollars, and they will last for months.

Belzberg Architects

18. Light some candles. However small your bathroom, you could always give your bathtub a more relaxed feel with the glow of candlelight. Playing an Enya record is optional.

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Cozy Retreat at Texas

Eclectic Homes
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Surrounded by lush bamboo, this quaint and also gathered distance feels right at home in South Austin’s eclectic Bouldin Creek area. Austin native Andrea Pimental was thrilled to get the perfect home in one of her favourite areas of the town, and in the last year she has transformed it into a colorful and peaceful retreat.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Andrea Pimentel; dog Harley and kitty Mr. Gray
Location: Bouldin Creek area of Austin, Texas
Size: 750 square feet; a single bedroom; one bathroom

Kara Mosher

The property’s entrance becomes apparent on a meander through the yard. “I love that it’s this superb surprise that people see if they come in the backyard for the first time,” Pimentel says. “You do not expect to discover bamboo in an Texas lawn, and because it’s a very drought-tolerant plant, ” I love that it can bounce back in the summer heat with just the tiniest bit of rain.” Throughout the seasons, it only takes just a little water to refresh the lawn with a burst of bright green.

Green mosaic table: Pier One Imports

Kara Mosher

Harley appreciates the smooth indoor-outdoor transition of this dark green- stained concrete floors. “I like the openness of the living room area combined with all the French doors which extend in the backyard,” says Pimentel. Texas weather means the rooms are always flooded with light.

Kara Mosher

Pimentel chose a bold red as an accent wall color in the main living room and framed vinyl records to break up the sound wall.

The classic wooden carving over the couch is one of Pimentel’s beloved pieces. “It was badly weathered and falling apart when I discovered it, but its delicate carvings still retained its own unique, great beauty,” she says.

Throw cushions: Pier One Imports; couch: Gage Furniture; listing frames: Michael’s

Kara Mosher

“Most of this time I purchase items with minimal regard to how they’ll fit with the rest of the decor,” Pimentel says. “Every one is something which I’ve found myself attracted to. They just somehow wind up fitting well together. All my rooms are a mix of antiques and contemporary products.”

Dark wall shelves: Ikea

Kara Mosher

“Once I moved in, the home had two fixed colors: the teal kitchen countertops and dark green-stained concrete flooring. I adored the teal from the kitchen,” she says.

Dining room dining table: Furniture in the Raw

Kara Mosher

Pimentel select a muted green to her bedroom walls. “I’ve always loved green and have utilized it as a paint colour many times through the years, playing about with various shades,” she says. “This has been one of my favorites — not too powerful or too bright, or so the art can really stick out.”

Bookshelf: Oak Express

Kara Mosher

The metal bird sculpture over her bed is one of Pimentel’s favorite art pieces. “I think that it’s a gorgeous makeup and is the central piece to the room,” she says. “I think whatever you put over your mattress is usually something which is extremely special and speaks to you in some way.”

Rug: Pier One Imports

Kara Mosher

“I love that I can relax with a book in the hammock, sit with a bunch of friends at the picnic table, sip coffee in the morning at the Adirondack chair or have a chat over a glass of wine in the bistro table,” she says.

Kara Mosher

Pimentel appreciates that every one the homes in her area were constructed in the 1950s and ’60s, many still inhabited by the original owners. “It’s wonderful to feel like I’m a portion of Old Austin,” she says.

Do you live in a small, creative area? Share it with us!

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Eliminate Your Lease's Green Element

Decorating Guides
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From solar panels and reclaimed wood floors to recycled tile and low-E windows, homeowners have plenty of options nowadays in regards to green layout. However, what about tenants? If you lease your flat, some of these larger-scale changes may not be an alternative, but there are still adjustments you can create on your own (or with your spouse’s permission) that will decrease your energy needs, save you money and make for a healthier house and world.

Have a look at these 16 great ways to start.

Studio D – Danielle Wallinger

1. Put in a toaster. In case you have access to your own thermostat, replacing the regular controls with a programmable variant (such as this one) can save you a bundle in energy costs. See the Energy Star website for more information and tips about how best to plan your thermostat. Ask your landlord and see whether you can get reimbursed for the update.

Kristen Rivoli Interior Design

2. Use power strips — and turn them off if they’re not in use. Power strips can help avoid”vampire” energy usage that happens when devices are still suck power even if they are off. Have trouble remembering to change them off? For a little additional cash, you can purchase a”smart strip” (such as this one from Belkin) that can automatically shut off power.

Gut Gut

3. Ask your landlord to lower the water heating temperature. Shifting the water heater into the”warm” setting with a maximum temp of 120 levels will save energy and prevent accidental burns. This is especially important should you have small ones around the home!

Union Studio, Community & Architecture Design

4. Use caulk or weather stripping around windows and doors. Make your flat warmer in winter and cooler in summer by filling gaps where air escapes. In case you have a fireplace, make certain the flue is closed.

Leclair Decor

5. Seal over VOC-containing paint. If you become aware of a strong chemical odor from the paint on your walls when you move in, look at getting permission to repaint yourself. If you receive the go-ahead, use a nonbreathable primer such as B-I-N shellac-base primer at first to pay the old paint; it will seal from the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and also prevent additional off-gassing. Then, follow that with a coat or two of low-VOC paint.

Notice that while B-I-N primer itself is not eco friendly, it finishes off-gassing in a matter of hours, whereas conventional paint can keep on emitting poisonous fumes for ages.

Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture

6. Install dimmers or detectors on light switches. Not only are dimmer switches helpful for creating a wonderful ambience, but they can also help save energy by letting you keep lights at the lowest level required. As an excess step, you can ask to install vacancy detectors, which automatically shut off lights if no one is in the area.

7. Switch to CFL or LED bulbs. In case you have not completed it yet, change over all of your bulbs from incandescents to CFL or LED bulbs, which last much longer.

8. Open windows and use fans to improve airflow. New furnishings, paint and other finishes can all impact the air quality in your property. Even if you live in an urban region, air quality is generally much better outdoors, so make sure you open your windows for a little while every day in most seasons.

9. Get an air conditioner. To really improve the air quality inside your flat, put money into an air cleaner with a HEPA filter, and make sure you keep on top of filter replacements.

Brennan + Company Architects

10. Create a DIY water displacer to your bathroom. Reduce the amount of water your toilet uses per flush by putting a liter bottle filled with water inside the tank.

11. Put in a converter to your bathroom. For much more water-saving potential, you can put in a dual-flush retrofit in your current bathroom. Run this repair by your landlord — he or she could even be prepared to reimburse you.

12. Switch into some low-flow showerhead. It might appear a bit intimidating, but replacing a showerhead is a fairly simple procedure, and you can even eliminate it and take it with you when you move.

Scheer & Co..

13. Reuse water onto your houseplants. A simple method to save a bit of water is to pour all of those half-drunk glasses of plain water in your watering can instead of down the drain. You won’t need additional water for plants again!

Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture

14. Utilize your window coverings to regulate temperature. During the summertime, shut up windows and shades to keep the flat cooler during the heat of the day. Fling open the windows during the evenings to refresh the atmosphere and allow in a cool breeze.

15. Hang blackout curtains. This add-on for drapes or shades doesn’t only keep it dark from the bedroom in the early hours, it can also help insulate your flat.

Aidan Design

16. Check if your utility company provides a more”green power” option. Some towns are currently offering renewable energy. If it’s offered in your area, it might mean that a part or all of your electricity could be bought from wind farms and other renewable sources.

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Green and Clean: Ecofriendly Bathroom Sinks

Decorating Guides
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If bathtub sinks haven’t made your heart, remain with me, friends, because the toilet lav doesn’t have to be this ho-hum. Plus, a few of the sexiest sinks are green to boot up. In reality, these salvaged and recycled-content lavs may leave you gazing down instead of at the mirror.

Minarc RUBBiSH sink

Recycled rubber sinks. Hubba hubba! Minarc’s sleek and renewable RUBBiSH recycled rubber sink starts with old rubber tires which are melted and purified, then shaped into a sheet that is stretched over a base framework and anchored to the drain collar to shape the sink. My tires must be so lucky.

Salvaged sinks. Using salvaged materials provides a chance to get creative. Nearly anything bowl-like can be a sink, even so long as a hole can be drilled in it and a drain can be connected. This salvaged cast-metal basin makes a stunning and character-rich counterpart to the mod orange partitions.

Bathtub Vessel Copper Sink

Engineered aluminum sinks. Timeless and durable aluminum is a natural at the bathroom, with its inherent antibacterial and antifungal properties. And it may be an ecofriendly choice too once you use a recycled aluminum sink, like people from family-owned Premier Copper Products, whose sinks are comprised of 99.9 % recycled copper. The wealthy character of the sinks comes courtesy of hands hammering by artisans and preaging the aluminum over an open fire to develop its heavy patina.

Eleek Inc..

Eleek’s Zazen Sink

Recycled bronze countertops. Amp up your bathroom’s elegance with inimitable bronze. Eleek a certified B Corporation whose cast bronze countertops are made of 90% recycled content, recommends leaving the bright metal raw and uncoated, adding that ” … a living patina is a manifestation of the lifetime of the object. Use it. Enjoy it. Allow it to tell its story” You can slow down the patina process or preserve the patina with the occasional use of wax, or remove it with a secure abrasive like Bon Ami or a scrubby sponge.

Tracy Stone AIA

Recycled aluminum countertops. Need further incentive to throw that soda or beer can into the recycling bin? The end product of your recycling may be sleek, modern recycled aluminum sink like this one. Postconsumer and industrial scraps frequently contain nearly all of the aluminum used in those sinks.

Alchemy

Velvet Cienega Sink

Recycled glass sinks. A luminous jewel for your toilet, a recycled-glass sink looks terrific in a very simple design which showcases the artisan stone. Alchemy Glass, one of several recycled-glass-sink manufacturers, has many sinks which feature recycled glass, including its Cosmic Burst, with shards of recycled glass fused into the container.

Contemporary home architects

Cement-based sinks. Cast-in-place concrete sinks, every poured for a special installation, offer ultimate flexibility to design the perfect sink for you and your toilet. Green your concrete with recycled aggregates like glass, porcelain or coal fly ash (though bypass the fly ash if coal isn’t produced in your region, since the transport energy interrupts any green cred).

Instead, Lithistone’s ceramic cement utilizes roughly 20 to 40 percent less electricity than Portland Cement, thus decreasing the sinks’ carbon footprint. The rest of Lithistone’s matrix consists of natural mineral ore, different levels of stone and sand, recycled material and natural mineral pigments.

DuChateau Floors

Wood sinks. Your lav may be an unexpected place for connecting with character by integrating natural materials, like wood. Just make sure connection is ecofriendly by seeking wood that is either salvaged or licensed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which implies, in part, that wood products come from responsibly harvested woods. And make sure you seal it with a no- or – low-VOC (nontoxic) sealer.

Gaspar’s Construction

Salvaged ceramic countertops. Traditional ceramic sinks aren’t bad — they’re certainly durable, lasting a hundred years or longer. And porcelain is largely made from natural substances applied to either a cast iron or stainless steel base.

But we can save those natural resources and maintain aged lavs from the landfill by seeking a salvaged porcelain sink; they’re plentiful at architectural salvage shops. If the surface is a small grubby or matte, get in touch with a local refinisher and request that a low-VOC finish.

More:
Guides to greener construction and decorating

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An Architect's Contemporary Green Home

Coastal Style
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Solar panels on the roof, radiant heating and cement flooring are just a flavor of the sustainable features in architect Otis Bradley’s Ojai, California, house. Bradley designed the house to be as efficient as you can in Ojai’s ironic landscape, while incorporating the aesthetic demands and needs of his family. “I like to blend practical building materials and methods in a exceptional way,” Bradley says. “The great thing about designing and building your own house is that you get to experiment with your thoughts.”

in a Glance
Who lives here: Otis Bradley, his wife and two children, and both puppies
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 3,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
That’s intriguing: Bradley wants to design his next house to be more sustainable — something that sinks to a hillside, for instance.

Lynn Malone

As opposed to going with a traditional floor plan, Bradley designed a great space for many different functions. The kitchen, dining room and living room are on the top floor, making a spacious yet intimate space.

Lynn Malone

Lynn Malone

“Every room gets used frequently,” Bradley says. “There are a great deal of cool areas to hang out.”

The home’s clean lines are softened by warm hues and the textured wood and tile surfaces. The kitchen features a modern feel but is still designed to feel inviting and functional.

Lynn Malone

Lynn Malone

After seeing a number of Bradley’s renderings, a family friend and artist developed a choice of color palettes for your family to select from. The outcome is a combination of rich colors of blues, reds, and greens.

Bradley created ample built-in storage area, such as this shelving unit in the living room. “My spouse likes clean lines and no mess,” he says.

Lynn Malone

“I enjoy a great deal of construction exposed in my layouts,” Bradley says. “There are plenty of rectangles and square borders in the home, but I really don’t like sleek, crude lines. There’s a lot of patterning and richness.”

The property’s staircase leading to the upstairs living area has nothing to hide. The structure’s beautiful combination of wood and steel is fully exposed.

Lynn Malone

Lynn Malone

Everybody in Bradley’s family had their requirements, including the children. Both teens desired their own bathrooms, large built-in desks along with a room in the house to call their very own. A rock climbing wall gives a punchy accent in their shared bedroom.

Each bathroom features two button bathrooms to help reduce water waste.

Lynn Malone

A top slanted roof helps to keep the sun out in the summertime and the interior of the house cool. Bradley installed lots of windows, fostering the energy of the open plan using natural light.

Lynn Malone

The master bathroom fits all of the couple’s needs using a large open shower and his and her sinks lined with vibrant blue and green tiles.

Lynn Malone

Bradley built these bunk beds to the wall in an excess room leading outside. These are an enjoyable and efficient solution for additional sleeping demands, such as when his two children host sleepovers.

Lynn Malone

Lynn Malone

“The design of the house is directly linked to the surrounding climate and environment,” says Bradley. “it’s a lot more difficult to come up with an idea that works with your own parameters, than simply copying another style.”

Among Bradley’s favorite places in his house is the deck. The slanted roof provides shade, and a cool breeze constantly flows through.

The surface of the deck is made of Trex, a durable, low-maintainance mix of plastic and wood.

Lynn Malone

The pathways and patios found throughout the house are manufactured of repurposed slabs of concrete from old sidewalks and drives. It was significant for Bradley to be conscious of the environment with his design. The landscaping includes all native plants that don’t need irrigation.

Lynn Malone

“It is an wonderful site,” Bradley says. “It is close to town but feels far off and has a secluded feeling. There is nothing here but us and the hawks.”

Do you have a creative, eco-friendly residence? Show us your house and it may be featured on !

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Designer Eclectic Pink California Adobe

Coastal Style
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Neva Williams desperately wished to glimpse and see what had been concealed behind this home’s imposing wall. After passing, she finally had her opportunity once an open-house hint appeared out front. Although Williams, a designer and builder, wasn’t in the market for a new home at the moment, the beautiful adobe house grabbed her. She walked in and said to herself, “This is it — this is my house.” While still holding true to the first California adobe design, Williams has included her own private spins to make a home representing her classic yet eclectic fashion.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Neva Williams
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 3,300 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
That’s interesting: Almost all of the artwork in the House is by local designers.

Shannon Malone

Williams’ love of bold colours is observed both inside and outside the house, with its own bright pink walls and blue doors and windows. In regards to the colour palette, Williams did not have to make very many changes. “Everything was ideal for me,” she states. “This house found me”

Shannon Malone

The outside walls of the home are 22 inches thick (two adobe bricks), and the inside walls are 12 inches thick (one adobe brick). The first beams throughout the home are redwood. “The open beam arrangement is wonderful. You simply can’t rebuild that today,” Williams states.

Shannon Malone

The home is full of bold colour — a mix of Craftsman, Southwestern along with various different styles. “Design should be classic,” Williams states. “Don’t follow trends.”

The pew in this area is in the Ojai church. A striped Navajo rug has been thrown for a dash of colour. The dining table and seats had been passed down by her parents.

Shannon Malone

Although Williams does not specify her fashion since Southwestern, the effect is found throughout the home’s colorful coral walls, fabrics and pottery — such as this classic lawyer bookcase full of multicolored dinnerware.

Shannon Malone

Williams’ ex-husband, Bruce Williams, crafted many of these furniture pieces, such as this hutch in the dining room. Williams discovered this collection of pottery in the Southwest and complemented the display with framed local artwork.

Shannon Malone

Williams utilizes thick curtains rich with texture as an alternate to doors in several rooms.

Shannon Malone

This spacious room generally acts as a home office, however, Williams was preparing to sponsor a wedding when this photograph was taken and was using this space for additional guest sleeping.

Shannon Malone

Over the years Williams has obtained many pieces of furniture out of reveal places and retail spaces she designed within her 30-year design livelihood. This ottoman is from a Guess retail shop she worked on.

Shannon Malone

The past homeowners installed the bright red kitchen flooring. Although it’s a bold choice, Williams loves them. “There is no such thing as an ugly colour,” she states. “It all depends on how it’s used.”

Shannon Malone

Williams did not make any changes to the kitchen since the timeless design and bold colours matched her personal style. All the cabinets in the kitchen have earthquake latches to accommodate Southern California’s notorious quakes.

Shannon Malone

The patio is one of those few places where Williams made significant structural alterations. In adobe houses, outside patios and spaces often lead to different sections of the house. Williams wanted access from the inside, so she enclosed the patio, making an additional interior space for a guest bed.

Shannon Malone

Using its chandelier, flowery fabrics and soft colours, the master bedroom is an ideal manifestation of Williams’ classic fashion.

Shannon Malone

The master bathroom is warm and welcoming with its soft pink hues.

Shannon Malone

When Williams bought the house, there was a lawn in the yard but small other landscaping. She planted a lovely garden with everything from roses to orange trees, including much-needed life and colour to the outside space. “Being from Pasadena, I have to have roses. I really like them,” she states.

Shannon Malone

Williams wanted to create a pool long enough for laps, but nothing too big or broad. She calls the effect “the goddess pool” She built and designed the pool and spa in 2003, using tile from RTK Studios in Ojai.

Shannon Malone

Williams always wanted a red barn, also assembled what she calls for the “Barn House.” The barn attic is fully equipped with a kitchen and bathroom, and is currently inhabited by a renting tenant.

Shannon Malone

Williams’ love of adobe homes stems from time spent in New Mexico learning to build them together with her ex-husband. Although the house wasn’t on document until the 1950s, Williams thinks it was built from the late 1920s. “I’ve had people who used to live here a long time ago stop by and ask to see the home,” she states.

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Feast on Farm-Fresh Color

Color
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Whoever pointed out that we eat with our eyes as well as our mouths must go into sensory overdrive in the local farmer’s market. From glistening tomatoes and dusky peaches to heaps of squash and peppers, the natural colours of summer produce add up to a breathtaking effect — which goes for your home as well. Get a basket and then pluck a little inspiration!

Glenn Gissler Design

Tomato

Ripe, red berries, plump with juiceare the quintessential sign of summer, and their abundant hue looks equally as mouthwatering in interiors as about the plate.

The key is not to go forward — a little of the vibrant shade goes a long way. In this dining area, the crimson walls draw attention to the artwork by echoing among its colours, even as the neutral wooden furnishings maintain the tomato hue in check.

Burnham Design

Tomato gets a milder spin in this area, like the creamiest summertime soup you can imagine. The curtain edging and ikat couch fabric add a shot of vitality without creating too much noise.

omnidome

On a side note, how fun are those prefab tomato-shaped cottages? My fantasy playhouse once I was a kid would have looked like this.

Andrea Meyers

Blueberry

These power-packed gems reach their summit at the exact same time that the thermometer does. Their luscious color, somewhere between royal dusty and blue indigo, makes a room richer just by showing up.

Nina Jizhar

Occasionally just a little dab will do ya. A blueberry-tone pillow along with a petite vase lend only a sign of trendy, controlled color to the bedroom, however they do not thwart its serenity.

Elad Gonen

Or you may go the other route and drench the space from pure blue. I’m digging the vivid, saturated color of the tile it makes the bathroom feel so splashy and lush.

Amoroso Design

Blueberry understands a dignified, conventional spin in this dining room, but it nevertheless feels fresher than a natural wood tone or white paint. If you are not sure about committing to brightly colored cabinetry, a smaller section such as this is a great opportunity to road test it.

Watermelon

What is summer without sinking your teeth into a giant slab of watermelon, juice running down both arms? This sunny room feels every bit as refreshing and crisp as the real thing.

A dose of white cuts the pink inside this bedroom also keeps it from appearing too sweet.

Creative Decor by Mandi

Strokes of watermelon, coupled with the exact same bright green you’d see about the rind, create a perennially summery air in this area.

Mary Evelyn Interiors

Corn

It’s the season for stunning golden ears, shucked and plunged in a pot of boiling water tossed on the grill. That same yellow shade offers a feast for the eyes just look how these pale maize draperies glow against the window and beckon you in.

Donna DuFresne Interior Design

Cornsilk-colored cabinetry cloaks this kitchen in sunlight. It’s less anticipated than white, but impartial enough not to overtake the space.

Kathy Morgan

The color of the dhurrie rug is really called Corn and Cream. I’m not sure about you, but it makes me want to sink my teeth right into the area.

ARTISSIMO – Idit Deutsch

Apricot

that I love to munch on apricots in the summertime, but when it comes to utilizing them in design… well, let’s say I’m not a lover. After the hue is borderline orange, though, like in this sitting place, I find it much more palatable.

Paul Rice Architecture

I could also live with only a touch of apricot, such as this particular drum pendant.

VisuaLingual

Avocado

From refreshing cakes to guacamole, avocado gets a summer celebration began. This 1970s favorite has made a roaring comeback — it adds instant character and a hipster advantage to this little vignette.

Kenny Craft, CNU LEED AP

What is far better than 1 avocado? Two. The double-tone paint treatment on the house is indeed fun and flirty. If those were my neighbors, I’d invite them over — they must be interesting men and women.

Crisp Architects

A group of avocado retains an otherwise white kitchen from setting one note.

Amoroso Design

Eggplant

Just try to resist that glistening purple. Eggplant has a gravitas and a royal air that few other colours can match.

Rachel Reider Interiors

Just how many folks would think about eggplant for a kid’s space? It’s an inspired choice — sophisticated, but playful enough that it totally works.

Alexandra Torre Design & Interiors

Overscale eggplant blossoms make this seat feel lively and lively.

Inform usWhat is your favorite farmer’s market color? Share it in the Comments.

More: Ideas in the most vibrant homes on

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Guest Picks: Valentine's Day Entertaining

Eclectic Homes
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I’ll admit it. There is something so perfect about a holiday strictly dedicated to love. And may I add that any holiday revolving around a pink and red colour scheme is a winner in my book. Here are my picks for fashionable and entertaining in enjoyable ways this Valentine’s Day. — Rhiannon from Hey Gorgeous Events

Paper Source

Kisses & hugs Garland Kit – $10.50

Hugs and kisses. X’s and O’s. Forever loved by all and fashionable. I believe I would love to have this garland hanging across my fireplace mantel.

Etsy

Printable Naturally Sweet Fruit Stickers from Twig & Thistle – $6

Do not overlook the kiddos on Valentine’s Day. Send them a little extra love within their lunch boxes using these adorable Twig & Thistle fruit decals. Even I would eat a plain old apple using a decal this adorable on the medial side.

Super Rural

For Just Like Ever Poster, Pink & Red – $65

I have been a lover of the punchy and fun typography print for a few years now. Decorate your living area with it, and you will be set come every February 14th. Here’s a fun tip: change up the frame color to coordinate with the season or occasion.

Sweet Lulu

Pink Chevy Chic Treat Bags – $7

The chevron trend is still going strong, so I think these pink chevron handle bags are so sweet. Shop Sweet Lulu has lots of goodie bags in every colour, print and style available also, so don’t fret if hot pink chevron is not your style.

Anthropologie

Fleur-De-Lys Tumbler – $8

If I were able to stock my kitchen cabinets with only tinted glass pieces, I would be one happy girl. These Anthropologie tumblers are so totally and festive.

Pottery Barn

Love Letter Table Runner

For the hostess who would like a less flashy approach to observing February 14th, this Love Letter Table Runner is the perfect accessory.

Rifle Paper Co..

Love Card – $4

Rifle Paper Co. gets the most whimsical and delightful paper products I have ever observed. These Love Cards are the perfect way to invite friends over for the holiday. Or use just one to share your love with your significant other.

Etsy

144 Pink Heart Stickers by Knot & Bow – $12

Holiday cards, love letters, handcrafted menus — where can not you use these super adorable pink heart decals from Knot & Bow? Plus, they also come in red and Kraft brownish.

Cost Plus World Market

Heart Cake Mold & Cookie Cutters

It’s not a whole Valentine’s Day party without heart-shaped treats. This cake mould and cookie cutter set will ensure all your sweet-toothed guests are fulfilled in the most festive of ways.

BHLDN

Cross My Heart Coasters – $14

Coasters are this easy method to put in a bit of holiday spunk to any house or holiday get-together. The classic cross-stitch detailing on those BHLDN coasters is so sweet.

Layla Grayce

Rosanna Decor Bon Bon Pink Round Cake Stand – $75

I am a firm believer that you can not have too many cake stands. I particularly love the soft pink hue of the one. It can be used for a lot of distinct occasions long after Valentine’s Day also.

West Elm

Felt Hearts – $5

How cute would these small felt hearts be at each person’s plate for Valentine’s Day dinner? Or hung from front door knob to put in a subtle but festive touch to your home? They are so sweet and cheap too.

Anthropologie

Bronze Age Flatware – $36

While the rose-gold hue of the Anthropologie flatware set initially caught my attention, the special form of each piece actually adds dimension and texture to any location setting.

Terrain

Pink Himalayan Salt

This is the perfect hostess gift: pink Himalayan salt to the cooking-savvy host or the homeowner who likes pretty things sitting in the pantry.

Urban Outfitters

Smell the Roses Pillowcase Set – $34

Not everybody loves roses for Valentine’s Day, but those quirky Urban Outfitters pillow cases are certain to please many.

Etsy

Heart Pillow Cushion Red Love by Sewn Natural – $45

Classic doilies and lace cut collectively on one adorable heart-shaped pillow? I’ll take two, please.

Cost Plus World Market

Rosso Ceramic Dinnerware Sets of 4 – $27.96

Maybe you’re not to heart-shape decor or anything overly pink. If so, shifting out your regular dinner plates for something in a punchy red hue may be exactly the correct touch.

Anthropologie

Live Love Pillow – $68

This is, hands down, one of my most-coveted goods from my favorite retail shop. This Live Love Pillow is so perfectly classic and pretty, and the traces of turquoise in the floral pattern make it acceptable to have on display yearlong.

Etsy

Conversation Hearts Valentine Soaps by Thus Stinking Sweet – $15

Do not forget about the toilet when you decorate your house for Valentine’s Day. And do not forget to inform guests (or your children ) that these adorable Conversation Heart Soaps are not edible!

Crate&Barrel

Sweet Heart Large Mug – $4.95

I would not mind drinking my morning cup of joe in a pretty mug such as this. I love the way you can pick from two dimensions to fit your drinking style.

Next: 50 Valentine’s Day Decorating Suggestions

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Bring the Optimism of Art Deco and Art Moderne Back

Traditional Architecture
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In the years after the”war to end all wars,” the world enjoyed an economic boom in the Roaring Twenties, followed by the Great Depression. Not surprisingly, these years of boom and bust took bodily form in the two great design tendencies of these decades: art deco and art moderne.

Now we associate those enduring styles together with the iconic Chrysler Building, Hollywood’s golden age, transatlantic steamship travel aboard liners such as the SS Normandie and high-speed intercontinental travel on trains like the 20th Century Limited.

In the elegance and monumental symmetry of art deco to the fluidity and optimism of art moderne, we can learn much from these styles — lessons which may be apropos, as we also have only gone through our own decade of economic boom and bust.

Peterssen/Keller Architecture

Deco or Moderne — What is the Difference?

From industrial items to household accessories to architecture, the art deco and art moderne styles became all encompassing in the’20s and’30s.

This house has all of the identifying elements of art deco design as it pertains to art moderne. Rigid, rectilinear geometry gives way to soft, flowing curves, while cantilevered, pipe-railed balconies combine with porthole doors to evoke the air of transatlantic voyages on the great ocean liners of the period.

Generous use of luminous and decorative glass block — a timeless cloth of the art deco and art moderne styles — brings abundant light to the interior by day and generates drama at night when the result is reversed.

artyfactory.com

Cassandre Classic Art Deco Poster – $90

Industrial and graphic design were heavily influenced by the art deco and art moderne aesthetics. While these styles share similar ideas of symmetry and boldness, items in the’20s are more severe in their geometry, while the artwork moderne of the’30s is more curvilinear.

Radically different in their Victorian and Edwardian predecessors, new boat, train and auto designs of the 1930s exemplified rate, elegance, power and elegance with their streamlined hulls, swept-back superstructures and softly curving forms. Nothing exhibits this fashion better than the poster for the SS Normandie in the mid-’30s.

Interior Styles, Inc..

Pure Art Deco

Having an emphasis on abstract geometry as well as bold shapes and colours, art deco at its heart is a highly stylized and decorative aesthetic ideal for underfloor surfaces. The style’s painterly effect is suitable for dressing up doors…

Kelsie Hornby, ASID, Elegant Designs, Inc..

… as well as walls and floors to form richly decorated surfaces. As the Great Depression deepened, the design waned in popularity in the 1930s.

Tongue & Groove

When they decorative and were not patterned, art deco interiors were colored. A metallic sheen and darker colours created intimate and cozy interiors. While trimming still was used, it was more rectilinear and severe than previous variants. The cove and ogee moldings of yesteryear were substituted with stepped and square profiles.

Erik Johnson and Associates

From Deco to Moderne

I can not stress enough that these styles epitomize the zeitgeist of the’20s and’30s. While both art deco and art moderne relied upon daring shapes and charm, the harshness of the geometric shapes and richly decorated surfaces of art deco gave way to the less gilded, more fluid and gentler qualities of art moderne as the Great Depression lasted, creating ostentatious displays of wealth undesirable.

And while art deco furniture might be too large and plush, like marshmallows on steroids, relaxation and elegance did not disappear in art moderne — they simply became somewhat thinner and more linear.

TEA2 Architects

A Combination for Today

The essentials of art deco and art moderne are as important in modern designs since they were in the’20s and’30s. The simple, clean, white cubic types and ziggurat roof of art deco, combined with cantilevered, pipe-railed balconies of art moderne, hark back to that age, while an asymmetrical massing and articulation of kinds upgrades and freshens the whole.

Mal Corboy Design

Now we could use a number of that forward-looking, optimistic fashion. Whether it’s through a mix of old wood, contemporary laminates and classic appliances and accessories which brings us ahead…

Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers

… or even the exuberance of stainless steel and highly reflective surfaces, so our houses can give us the sense that we’re going someplace.

Like passengers around the 20th Century Limited producing our way out of New York to Chicago in the age of streamlined design, we’re hurtling forward to the future. It might be a future where our houses express precisely the same sorts of can-do spirit and limitless chances as the houses of their art deco and, particularly, the art moderne styles did. What will the houses we find there be like?

More:
A Guide to Art Deco Style
More Architectural Styles

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Have a Rockin' Summer With a Hammock

Fireplaces
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On a recent trip to Mexico, I had two things in my must-buy list: an authentic mortar and pestle along with a severe hammock. Classic hammocks are a staple in Mexico — you’ll see them in places from the simplest shack to the most luxurious mansion. After viewing the great number of styles, shapes and hangings, I had been determined to snag one of my very own.

After purchasing my hammock, I was thrilled, but suddenly had a great number of questions. Where should I hang it? Does it fit together with my decor? Is there room on the porch for it? Obviously, once I got the barn home, we found an ideal place and now it’s a favourite hang-out space for the whole family. For less than $20, we have an outdoor mattress.

If you’re considering a hammock for summertime, maybe you’re worried about fitting it in your space or your style. No need — here I address the objections you might need to a hammock swinging in the eaves. Can not you join me?

HighCraft Builders

Objection: I do not know how to hang a hammock.

Reality: Hammocks are simple in design and require only two things to work properly: solid supports 10 to 20 feet apart. To approximate the distance you will need, assess the hammock and add 1 or 2 feet to the complete length between articles.

The traditional hammock is hung between two trees from articles in a courtyard, but you can use any service you might have. In this case, a solid tree and a hook attached to the house are utilized. Observe that the duration of this hammock generates the proper sag in the center.

Ike Kligerman Barkley

Blessed with palm trees and a view? You’ve got the ideal location for a traditional hammock.

From the towns of Mexico, we saw hammocks strung from post to post in internal courtyards similar to this one. The curve of this hammock mirrors the arched openings perfectly, and also the courtyard breezes blow through these passageways all day. Layout and function meet to produce the ideal place for a hammock.

Rina Magen

When a traditional hammock isn’t in use, it can be hung on a single post tucked out of the way or simply allowed to hang freely. The cotton weave slips and extends easily to save space.

Aiken House & Gardens

Objection: A hammock does not work with my fairly decor.

Reality: Want a place to relax, but do not want to give your fancy laces and frilly decor? No worries — this attractively designed hammock gets the best of both worlds to you.

Give a nod to the floral designs on the pillow prints by attaching the hammock to a vine-covered post. Clematis is a superb choice, with a vast range of pinks, purples and whites to choose from and also a graceful twining habit. Other blossoms might take over your hammock, but clematis will grow peacefully and stay in its place.

Can’t make it to the shore this summer? No worries. Section out a piece of your lawn for your very own private beach and hang a swinging hammock from a faux palm tree. This setup is ideal for parents who want a little comfort while the kids play in the elongated sandbox.

MCM Layout

Objection: I despise lying down while reading or chatting.

Reality: Dual-seat hammocks and cradle hammocks can be found. Face the hammocks in opposite directions to speak freely with the person sitting next to you without craning your neck.

Objection: I do not have some trees.

Reality: Freestanding hammocks operate just Too. Be certain to plan for shade with an awning or a roof edge to keep from baking in the summer sun.

Inga Romberga (IngaBerga)

Objection: I do not have outdoor space.

Reality: A chair hammock is the perfect addition to your kid’s area instead of a traditional rocker. Ensure that you join the hammock to a secure joist.

Dana Frieling Interiors

Chair hammocks are available in all shapes and sizes; this smaller variant fits well in a corner. Adding a hammock to some room can bring a beach theme to life, without your resorting to stick-on surfboard stickers.

Maybe you have a large space where your kids like to hang out. Maybe you’ve just refinished your loft and have been searching for the perfect couch. Consider a large-scale mattress hammock rather for cuddling and snoozing.

Hayneedle

Objection: Hammocks cost too much.

Reality: It’s correct, hammocks can be expensive. But not all of these. I snagged mine in a Mexican market for a song, but you can also find inexpensive models on the internet. Try a two-person hammock for $25 or a cradle hammock for about $30. Stick with a cotton ribbon and also you won’t be let down.

Whether you want to relax with a novel poolside, cuddle with your newborn in the nursery or create your loft to the kids’ playhouse, hammocks would be the answer. Get 1 today and spend summer time swinging in the breeze.

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