Wednesday, December 27, 2006

New Planters and Container Designs

From Garden Decor,
New planters and container designs seem to fit into two categories these days antique, distressed interpretations and contemporary styles. There’s room for both as homeowners interpret their gardens to reflect their own styles and taste.

Beaded rim detail and a scroll leaf band accents classic pottery from Pacific Rim. Made of glazed ceramic, the collection is available in eight pieces and five colors.

Pacific Rim is carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Bev & Mike

Friday, December 22, 2006

Amelia Update

Nice write up in The Oregonian's A&E about our favorite Portland group, Amelia.
With a new CD and a national push planned for 2007, everything seems to be falling into place for Amelia. "You know when a band is working when you can't tell who wrote the song," (guitarist Scott) Weddle says.
See them 10 p.m. Jan. 27, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi Ave., 503-288-3895

Online: To listen to Amelia's songs or watch a concert video clip, go to A&E Now at www.oregonlive.com/entertainment.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Bridget Otto Thursday

In Thursday's Homes & Gardens section Bridget Otto features the collaboration of Eric and Angelika Holzapfel
and designer Joelle Nesen of Maison Inc.


Red rose hips create a natural wreath in a traditional holiday color.

I was particularly struck by the rose-hip wreaths that "whispers tradition with their rich, red seedpods." Just this morning as I walked the dog, I noticed that our rose bush in the front yard needs cutting back, but it has such a wealth of rose-hips that it gives color to the winter bleakness.

Interior designers Joelle Nesen and Alexandra Reck started Maison Inc. in 2003 and is located on Northwest 21st Street in Portland, Oregon.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Judy Sturm Redecorates A Loft

When last we wrote about Judy Sturm, she had just completed a year in a guest house while creating a little piece of Italy in a 1950s-era clapboard house in the heart of Portland Heights.

Today, Carolyn Donohoe Marieb has written about Judy Sturm, owner of Judy Sturm Design Studio, in the latest Homes & Gardens section of The Oregonian. Sturm has just moved into a chic one-bedroom loft in the heart of the Pearl District she has decorated.
When she started planning changes, she took into account what would work well for everyday living and entertaining. Judy's approach was to establish distinct areas, defined by carpets, which flow from one to the other. The result: Her L-shaped main room successfully plays the role of kitchen, dining room, living room, office and TV den.

Judy didn't stop there; she made numerous visually appealing, party-friendly alterations. For instance, in the Old World kitchen she designed -- she likens it to a kitchen in an upscale Italian apartment -- Judy removed a large, square island. In its place, she positioned a pair of Italian chests, forming a long, slim island that occupies little real estate yet serves as both an extra kitchen work surface and a dining buffet.
How to make a loft inviting

Judy Sturm offers some tips for creating a loft that works well for everyday living and entertaining:

Establish distinct areas within the open space. Because most lofts have few rooms, Sturm advocates creating areas defined by carpets or a screening element, such as floor-to-ceiling curtains (much like those installed in Pearl restaurant Bluehour). In her loft, Sturm has strategically placed area rugs and furniture groupings within the open, L-shaped space. This way, she says, "During a gathering, people can be together, yet doing different things -- like a good beach house."

Opt for fewer, larger furnishings. Resist the temptation to decorate with small furnishings. Slightly oversize furniture, and less of it, can make a smaller place appear more spacious.

Consider architectural embellishments to soften the hard edges. Sturm's goal was to moderate the industrial look of her loft. She added details you'd expect to find in a traditional house, such as tall baseboards, a concrete-and-plaster faux fireplace and a built-in bookshelf capped with substantial crown molding. Well-chosen elements, such as midnight-blue silk drapes and a romantic chandelier of rock crystal and beaded iron, complete the eclectic interior.

Make sure you have extra seating handy. Sturm has accomplished this with her whimsical grouping of suspended dining chairs, but you can simply use folding chairs that tuck away in a closet. One tip: Choose narrow chairs so you can fit more around the table. Sturm says it's perfectly fine, and sometimes adds to the fun, if guests have to crowd in, bumping elbows.

Have fun. Whether decorating for the holidays or the other days in the year, feel free to inject some humor. "You've got to take chances or it's boring," Sturm says.
Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery


Sunday, December 10, 2006

Outsourcing the Ornaments

A special section in The Oregonian called Ultimate has an article by Cathy Lamb that features interior designers Susie Buchanan and Richard McQuerry who can decorate your home for Christmas. They have some tips for decorating:

You can reach Richard McQuerry at Linde Ltd. - (503) 299-6655.

Susie Buchanan can be reached at Finishing Touches - (503) 203-1273

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery


Update 1/24/07 at the request of Cathy Lamb

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Have You Heard Ray LaMontagne?

The Washington Post has discovered Ray LaMontagne. Mike and I found his first album, the one with the song "Trouble" on it and it gets played in our store. Then his second album came out, Till the Sun Turns Black and "Can I Stay" just tears out my heart. WaPo says
According to LaMontagne, such soulfulness was there "even on the first demos I made. It's just the way I sing. In order to get a note out, I have to dig deep, and I mean that on an emotional level. To physically sing, I have to get somewhere deep before I can do it. I can't dial it in is what I'm trying to say. It's just impossible, and I think that's what has translated live."

LaMontagne will be in concert Monday at the "9:30 Club" in Washington D.C. and will be streamed live on NPR starting about 9 p.m. EST and archived for on-demand listening at http://www.npr.org/music.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery