Tour Of Remodeled Homes

Are you going? Going where? To the Professional Remodelers Association's Tour of Remodeled Homes on

March 10th and 11th, 2012 10:00 am - 5:00pm

Kathy Fuller of Fuller Spaces is once again a participant.

You are invited to view this whole Lake Oswego lake front remodel at 4272 Lakeview Blvd, by Fuller Spaces, in collaboration with Remodeler Steve Pruitt of Cascade Restoration and Remodeling. Make sure you put this on your agenda when you buy your tickets.

Here's the before!

Tickets available at www.HBAPRO.com

The Final Day of Our White Sale

 

1 More Day- GLASS RECYCLED's WHITE SALE promotion is coming to an end on February 29, 2012.
They are offering an iPad2 with an order of a GlassSLAB that has a white resin base; yes, this includes all custom designs. They are working hard to provide one of a kind pieces art for your home or office. Place your orders by February 29, 2012 and receive an iPad2!

On Downton Abbey

Have you been as taken by Downton Abbey as we have?  Last nights two-hour finale was the best of them all.  I won't spoil the ending for you, but we were smiling as the show ended.

Susannah Buxton, Downton Abbey's Costume Designer, was interviewed by Time about the show and costumes. The interview gives us some great background on how to dress like an Edwardian and the changes that WWI brought to England.

More Couples Are Sleeping Apart. They Don't Need to!

Myles Black, Surgeon at The Private Clinic of Harley Street, writes at The Huffington Post that more and more couples are sleeping apart because of snoring and fidgeting and flopping and sighing and talking. Bev and I sleep together, however I accuse her of stealing covers on a cold night when Ralph the Golden Retriever jumps up on the bed. Once in awhile we might say to the other, "Honey, you are snoring!" Myles Black has some sleep recommendations for kicking the snoring habit:

• Avoid alcohol
• Stay on your side, not on your back
• Identify and understand the root cause of your snoring
• Investigate permanent solutions
And
• Change your bedding at least once a week, and hoover regularly: it might sound odd, but it can make a real difference. Dust and other tiny particles in the air can lead to irritation in the nasal passage. As a natural reaction, the body creates more mucus to block the nose, and this leads to you sleeping with your mouth open, so exacerbating a snoring problem. Fresh sheets and a bit of dusting can work wonders for keeping your nose clear, your mouth shut, and your partner asleep. I also recommend buying the cheapest pillows you can find and disposing and replacing them regularly - around every three months or so.

Here's where I part company with Myles Black. I just tried Claus Pummer's Delta high pillow made by Samina and my sleep has been excellent. Key advantages include construction, size, use of natural materials and the variety of fillings ranging from virgin sheep’s wool to spelt and millet and even stone pine shavings. The Delta pillow is all natural cotton with a highly elastic natural rubber core, adapted to the neck-head line, orthopedically effective. It prevents positional strain in the neck and it's ideal for people who sleep on their side.

The Delta pillow retails for $350, but unlike cheap pillows that you throw away every three months, it doesn't compress and force me to sleep with my arm under my pillow for the proper height to support my neck. In addition, my Delta pillow doesn't harbor dust mites. Dust mites like the moisture that gets trapped in pillows and they thrive in the moisture causing us to wake all stuffed up. The Delta pillow exhales the moisture into the air and I wake up breathing normally.

Next, I'll buy a pillow for Bev. I can't wait to change the mattress for the whole sleep-healthy system from Samina.

"Mad Men" Is Back Next Month

"Mad Men," the TV show about Madison Avenue in the late fifties early sixties, will be back soon and already the PR machine is ginning up interest. 

The Baltimore Sun has one article about Bryan Batt, the actor who played Salvatore Romano, the closeted art director. Batt gave a "...sensitive, nuanced portrayal of a married man struggling to deal with his gay identity." He is an interior designer in real life and lives with Tom Cianfichi, his partner of more than 20 years. He opened Hazelnut, a home furnishings store in New Orleans, in 2003.

Then we learn that Paul McCartney may make a  cameo appearance on "Mad Men" because the Beatles were big in the 1960s




 Banana Republic has already featured their Fall 2011 'Mad Men' Collection.

New Paris Designs From Pummer Natural By Design

We have exciting information about the January international furniture show in Paris. Clause Pummer tells us that these are new designs that will be featured in his showroom and available for North American buyers.

Consumers will be looking for “Natural Luxury” seen as security and simplicity in one’s home and a slowing down to offset the fast and confusing world outside. The home becomes an oasis of peace and tranquility – a private mental spa.

“Natural Luxury” is seen as a harmony and balance of nature and complements this with a clear combination of colors and elegant materials. Stony shades of grey are accentuated by delicate and classy hues of coral and red, while a luminous red combined with classic black in wood and lacquer provide for the intended elegance.

Pictured here are some new designs that exemplify the “Natural Luxury.”

The Darius chair with its straightforward and classical silhouette fits in nicely with other designs and woods. Lacquered in stone grey or black, this stylish chair made of solid beech wood is brought out to its full beauty.

Timeless in design, extraordinary in the mix of materials and elaborate in production, the Stanley desk and tall sideboard perfectly reflect the “Natural Luxury” theme. European wild oak is combined with black linoleum and forged iron to make a practical and stylish line of furniture. With two deep drawers and a linoleum-covered writing surface the Stanley secretary desk is the deal workplace for your office at home. The two-door sideboard offers useful storage space in all living areas.

 

The teardrop-shaped lights of the Fadi series are uniquely pieced together with deep black soapstone and polished aluminum. Through a painstaking process holes are drilled nto the stone and then filed and polished. Traditional craftsmanship implemented with the modern design makes for an exciting mix, taking up the cross-cultural concept. Fadi creates a unique play of lights as an individual lamp or as a chandelier with five fixtures.

Inspired by nature, the spherical lampshades of the Colon lamp hang like a bunch of grapes from the ceiling and with six or twelve lampshades provide the right amount of light for living rooms. The Latifa pendant lamp with its calabash shape appears rather classic and timeless and reflects the light to provide a unique ambience through high-gloss nickel-plated lampshades.

Follow Pummer's tweets at  @pummer_inc

Like  Pummer Natural by Design on Facebook

Best of Paris: 2012 Maison & Objet

Dwell has a slideshow of the Best of Paris: 2012 Maison & Objet and when I saw this makeup table, I wondered why somebody hasn't thought of this before now.

The Princess table by Olgoj Chorchoj is now being produced by Process after its debut at 100% Design London last year.

Introducing Sara Palacios Designs

Gerald Celente is one of the foremost trend forecasters.  He expects the emphasis going forward in this economy will be on Quality and Style.  He believes that today’s economy is like the 1930s, a time when people dressed to the nines and danced to the hottest, happiest music.  A period of affordable sophistication! What better time to take note of our newest advertiser SaraPalacios Designs.

The proud owner of any of Sara Palacios’ pieces knows with absolute certainty that there is none other like the one they own.  There’s an evocation of The Renaissance and the Baroque eras infused with elements of modernity and the avant-garde.

Each panel of fabric in her creations is viewed primarily as a work of art, which, in turn, is made into functional objects; window coverings, pillows, wall hangings, tablecloths, lamp shades, upholstery, chairs, sofas, etc. A wonderful dialogue results from her fabrics on upholstered pieces, whether traditional, transitional or contemporary. 

While most of Sara’s designs are sold at retail, she does have an interior designer policy.  Interior designers share their specific color palette with Sara who then provides hand-painted samples from which the designer can choose.  She may work with pieces brought to her by a designer seeking an upholstered piece in her fabrics that will create a unique accent to a room.

Cuban artist Sara and her husband Rodrigo Palacios arrived in Los Angeles after spending four years in France and Italy. They hand paint silks, linen and cotton resulting in textiles that are transformed into one of a kind pieces.  Their designs have been featured in Home Accents Today and they have collaborated with Cisco Home and an American interior designer and fashion designer Kelly Wearstler.

Sara and Rodrigo would like to think that collectors of their pieces do not want to be bound by trends, but want to express their unique selves by surrounding themselves by art. Isn’t that what quality and style are all about?

Bernhardt Interiors

One of our interior designer clients recently ordered this Bernhardt Interiors sectional. Shown here is the  Kelsey Left Arm Loveseat and Kelsey Right Arm Return Sofa. S/H 19in. / A/H 25.5in. / S/D 24in.

You can choose from Bernhardt Interior's fabrics or use your own.

BERNHARDT INTERIORS allows classic and contemporary to mix and mingle and have fun in unexpected ways. And with more than 225 pieces for the whole home, this eclectic collection lets you create a style that's all your own.

Living room upholstered items feature sumptuous, softly-colored fabrics and leathers with surprising energy. Accent items such as ottomans, benches, tables, and screens add whimsy as well as function.

Ordered From Stanley: Winemaker's Tasting Table

As any good vintner knows, half the enjoyment of a given wine is in the ritual of its presentation. That's why in vineyards across the country, tasting tables like this one are carefully arranged in a secluded part of the winemaker's cask room, offering a select few the chance to heighten an already magical experience. And whether you use it for serving drinks, sharing cocktails or just for casual gatherings and entertaining, Stanley'sr Winemaker's Tasting Table is sure to bring the same level of import to the activities in your own home. 

Carved to emulate a continuous disk of solid Dutch white cedar, the generous 42" top delivers an unexpected bit of drama to contemporary spaces. The stave-like lower supports recall the iron barrel bands used to support old oak casks, complete with vintage-look rivet rows on the base, center band and apron. Curved metal feet and hand-rubbed terrain finish complete the lost-in-time look.

Tempo Barstools Are Ordered

One of our clients just ordered Brazilia barstools made by Tempo; two with backs and two without.We've been ordering from Tempo for years.  They are reasonably priced and powder coated.  They have a great choice of finishes and fabrics.  COM is available at no charge.  Bar height and counter height all come with the same price. And we have an outstanding price for designers!

Introducing Sealy

Sealy is the bedding industry’s largest global manufacturer with sales of $1.23 billion in fiscal 2011. The Company manufactures and markets a broad range of mattresses and foundations under the Sealy®, Sealy Posturepedic®, including SpringFree™, PurEmbrace™ and TrueForm®; Stearns & Foster®, and Bassett® brands.

Sealy, available globally, is striving to help the world sleep better. So no matter if you’re across the globe or across the street, you can expect their legendary commitment to excellence in everything they do for you. Be it the comfort, durability or affordability in their mattresses or their customer service. Their aim is to meet customer needs, wherever they’re needed.

Recently, I posted about the fast-growing gel bedding arena.  Sealy is debuting two new lines in Las Vegas Market this week. One new line uses an innerspring core and the other a foam core. Both deliver optimal temperature, comfort and support levels for the best sleep experience possible. The new lines feature Opticool, Sealy’s name for a gel memory foam that is fused with Outlast, a phase-change material, in an application that is a Sealy exclusive. 

Some owners of plain foam complain that the bed is too hot during their sleep.  Sealy claims Opticool is 12 times more effective than standard foam or gel alone in removing excess heat during the night.

In the UK the place to go for Sealy mattresses is Furniture Choice where they also have a large selection of sofas. Is this a great place to shop?  Why not read their customer comments here.

GLASS RECYCLED Update

GLASS RECYCLED's White Sale

Missed Out on a FREE iPad2?

GLASS RECYCLED is extending its WHITE SALE promotion for another month. THey are offering an iPad2 with an order of a GlassSLAB; yes, this includes all custom designs. They are working hard to provide one of a kind pieces art for your home or office. Place your orders by February 29, 2012 and receive an iPad2!