Lighting From Global Views

One of our clients just ordered this beautiful lighting fixture made by Global Views.

Take a look at all the other lighting fixtures from Global Views.

Sitcom

Sitcom is a vendor we love.

Sitcom is the leading designer and manufacturer of contemporary, transitional furniture and accessories. We offer fun and functional designs to really make your living space special!

Sitcom is a privately owned company whose first product release was a single folding chair that won “Best Furniture Design” by International Design Magazine, and is in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Today, Sitcom and its in-house design team have a well-established reputation as a leading supplier and designer for major lifestyle retailers throughout the world such as West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Macy’s and Z Gallerie. Sitcom won the prestigious “ADI Award” in January 2008.

Here's a wonderful antique distressed round table in solid elm with an acid washed zinc top perfect for the breakfast nook:

Sam Moore Builds Comfort !

Part of the reason I'm attracted to this great occasional chair includes the many functions and possibilities that it allow it to be integrated into your room.  You can go contemporary; note big graphic design.  Transitional, or updated traditional with the wings. Sam Moore builds comfort into every chair.

(click on photo for larger view.)

Relaxed Or Informal Dining

Stanley Furniture is releasing a 22-piece expansion of its Classic Portfolio line.  The dining line has entry level pricing in three styles: the industrial-influenced Artisan, the European-inspired Old World and the sleek Modern line.

Why? Stanley believes there is a void in the market for affordable fashion-forward everyday dining. Formal dining is a slow seller. Maybe because, as the previous post pointed out, home owner needs for formal dining are changing.  We are moving to smaller homes and the formal dining room is wasted space.  Maybe, it has to do also, with no bottom seen in casual dining pricing.

Stanley Furniture "... is focused on delivering really great finishes that require an artistic hand to apply; great classic styling that really feeds someone's creative sense and then trying to do it at a price that's attainable."

Want to see more? Go to Stanley "New For Fall.".

The House Of 2015

Zillow has an interesting post outlining the way our new homes in 2015 will look.  You might be surprised who the buyers are and what has disappeared.

New From Bernhardt Interiors

Bernhardt Interiors has had a sofa in this style for years, now they've brought out a loveseat measuring 59 inches long shown here in leather:

In addition, all upholstery pieces come in either leather of fabric.

Another new item is the trestle-style dining table with hand-hammered stainless steel top featured here in House Beautiful in a sandblasted Driftwood finish.

Sherwin-Williams Launches iPad App

Jean Nayarat contract magazine writes:

Got an iPad and need a little color inspiration? Then take advantage of STIR, a new iPad application from Sherwin-Williams. The new app is actually a digital magazine specifically developed for design professionals. A free tablet tool, STIR was created to help designers and architects easily access inspiring color and design content, including innovative project features, color-trend stories, product and technology news, and interviews with creative professionals.

Among the many features the app will offer to enable architects and designers to make the most of the tablet experience will be project slideshows, videos featuring behind-the-scenes experiences with designers and creative thinkers, links to the company's site for specific colors and product specs, and opportunities to chat with other designers in real time. 

The STIR app can be downloaded for free from the Apple iTunes store or www.swcolor.com. An Android version will also be available soon.

Local Artist Featured At Apartment Therapy

Name: Laura Leon
Location: Kerns neighborhood — Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,010 square feet
Years lived in: 2 1/2 years — rented
Laura's a color and materials consultant, trend forecaster and photographer. Another notch to her freelancing belt she should think of including? Interior designer! With her eye for quality vintage, simple colors and personal details, this woman is an artist with her home.

Window Coverings And the Holidays

I wrote this post for interior designer Suzanne Simon and it was lost on her site so I'm reprinting it here: 

I love to help my clients with their window coverings.  There are so many designs in fabric and blinds and color combinations that to the inexperienced, choosing what’s best for your home can seem overwhelming.  I can help you. 

Now’s the time, before the holidays and cold weather to make some changes.  Window coverings can make your home cozy, improve lighting, and save energy.

Now, before the holidays when the little ones come to visit, is also a good time to make sure your window coverings are safe.  Just as we hear every year about babies falling through second-floor screened windows, so do we hear of children and pets getting tangled in window cords and choking. 

The Window Covering Safety Council has some tips to make sure your children and grand kids are safe:

• Never place a crib, playpen, bed or any type of low-standing furniture near a window. In exploring their surroundings, young children can accidentally fall through an open window or window screen, or become tragically entangled in a nearby window cord.
• If you have looped pull cords, retrofit the cords for safety.

·        Rapidly gaining favor in today's window fashions, are cordless designs. They are the best choice for use in children's bedrooms and any area of the home where children spend time playing.  In fact, cordless designs are favored by consumers and decorators. They love the "clean" look and streamlined design.

Most traditionally corded window fashions, either vertical or horizontal, are available in "cordless" styles through the use of spring-loaded mechanisms, battery- or motor-operated lift controls, or simple wand pulls.  I will be happy to talk with you about your windows, and budget.

Hire An Interior Designer

The following article originally appeared on interior designer Suzanne Simon's blog, but was lost recently. I am republishing it here:

A recent article at MoneyExpert.com says that Brits spend near 60,000 pounds or about $90,000 in a lifetime improving their homes.  Here in the U.S. a recently released report from the 2010 Census, informs us that almost half of Americans (47%) have not updated their home décor in the last five years and 9% have not done anything in the last ten years.

That tells me two things: for most people $90,000 is a lot of money and there’s a lot of pent up demand for home décor in the U.S.  Doesn’t it make sense to hire an expert to avoid mistakes and to be sure the money is spent wisely?

Hiring an interior designer is not more expensive.  I ask a lot of questions about your likes and dislikes and what moves you.  When we are done, we will be on budget and will have avoided expensive mistakes.  In addition, when the project is complete, the rooms will reflect your style, and your home will be a haven where you can shut out the craziness of the world. 

~Mike Landfair

Nanotechnology In Fabrics

The world is changing rapidly in textiles and clothing with nanotechnology and you are likely seeing these innovations with performance fabrics for upholstery.

Nanotechnology (sometimes shortened to "nanotech") is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres.

Three firms in Iran have made clothes by using nanotechnology that require less washing. Moreover, characteristics such as anti-microbe, anti-virus, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungi can be created in the clothes by using nanotechnology. The resistance against depreciation increases in such products due to nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology has also enabled scientists to make material for raincoats, for example, that will not get wet.

"Eddie Bauer... is currently using embedded nanoparticles to create stain-repellent khakis. This seemingly simple innovation will impact not only khaki-wearers, but dry cleaners, who will find their business declining; detergent makers, who will find less of their product moving off the shelf; and stain-removal makers, who will experience a sharp decrease in customers."

A new nanotechnology-enhanced fabric tag by Odegon Technologies...could help us ditch chemically iffy deodorants without leaving innocent bystanders gasping for oxygen.

The hooks of nanowhiskers (1 x 10-9m) are bonded to fibers, rather than finishes that are topically applied and can be worn down, cleaned off or otherwise chemically compromised.

In upholstery, the influx of nanotechnology ...can mean lower cleaning costs for end users and new products for upholsterers to offer their customers.

An Adobe Styled Farmhouse Built With Rammed Earth

Back in July of 2009, I posted about "rammed earth" construction. I just came across an adobe farmhouse in Texas home built in the rammed earth technique using pulverized granite and cement. It was then decorated with touches of Mexico and the Southwest. I love the design and you can have the 3,762-square-foot house centered on a courtyard with stone, potted native plants and brick fireplace for $1.275 million.

Sam Moore Division Creates New Website

The Sam Moore division of Hooker Furniture has launched a new website reflecting the company's direction toward fashion-forward, transitional styling and its custom-hand-crafted-in-America story.

The Sammoore.com site, which has a similar look and feel to the Hooker Furniture website and features robust links to the company's other branded websites and social media venues, is part of Hooker Furniture's strategic plan to better integrate its wood furniture and upholstery divisions. Along with custom seating specialist Sam Moore, the upholstery division also includes upscale leather specialist Bradington-Young.

The websites' Options section allows users to view and zoom in on a sample of the company's over 500 fabric choices as well as all of its custom finish and nail head options. The sites' Crafted in America section tells the Bedford, Va.-based company's made-in-America since 1940 story. Other features include printable product tear sheets for every item, furniture care information, a What's New section and the ability to download high resolution images.

Call or email Bev for help with your Sam Moore selections or pricing.
503-249-7951
blandfair60@comcast.net