JB: The simple solutions are generally the most effective and cost efficient. This applies to so many aspects of the design of a home; the first, quality of space over quantity of space truly does have a great impact on the livability of a home. A well-designed, efficiently planned home will address all of the same programmatic requirements as a larger home, yet will cost less to heat and maintain over its lifespan, as well as offer more to the family in terms of comfort, warmth and shelter.
Second, building a sustainable or energy-efficient home should start with keeping whatever energy is expended in heating and cooling in the home. The shell or envelope of the home is where to address this: A timber frame home with SIPs (structural insulated panels) is one of the most impressive and effective ways of going about building a more efficient shell. A SIPs enclosure has minimal thermal bridging as compared to typical conventional stick framing, higher R values and are substantially tighter, allowing much less air into and out of the building through gaps in the construction. SIPs may also be used without a timber frame or as a hybrid, where minimal timber is used in conjunction with the SIPs.
If conventional construction is used, the method of insulating the building may be altered from the conventional fiberglass batt insulation. Using sprayed in expanding insulations such as icynene or other products such as blown-in batt (BIBs) insulation have higher R values and dramatically reduce air infiltration and exfiltration, and also are more efficient. Combining the more efficient and better-insulated shell with high-quality windows and doors results in more of the energy expended to heat and cool the home being kept indoors.
The third aspect, no matter what you choose to do in terms of sustainable options, is to remember to start with the simple solutions. For example, while photovoltaic panels (PVs) are great and the allure of producing your own electricity is strong, if you haven’t situated the home properly on the site to maximize solar gain for both daylighting and passive solar heating, you are spending a substantial amount of money to produce electricity while you are wasting electricity or a fossil fuel to light and heat the home. Daylighting and passive solar heat are free - they need only to be considered while designing the home.
The clean-lined design for Hekman features American Cherry veneers with walnut accents and a natural cherry finish.We now have pictures of the designs on the Hekman website.
“I think what’s happening is we’re slowly seeing a transition to another generation of potential customers. It’s a customer who is more interested in an urban lifestyle within their home than an actual urban geographic location. It’s cleaner lines, cleaner finishes and less encumbered.”
In Oregon Norwalk is located in Lake Oswego, Eugene, Bend and Glen Eden Beach. The stores in Oregon are franchises and while Norwalk supplies the upholstery products, the stores carry vendors for bedroom and dining furniture, window treatments and rugs. If Norwalk ceased manufacturing upholstery, the franchisees would be looking for a vendor to replace Norwalk.Losing Norwalk upholstery would hurt, just like losing Nichols & Stone did for us at Landfair Furniture. One is never happy at losing a vendor.
...does a thorough safety inspection of each client’s home, reviewing more than 50 different items. Areas such as the bathroom, bedroom or kitchen often receive additional scrutiny, as these are usually areas where the client spends the most time.One of the most dangerous items is a simple throw-rug.
Things like safety bars in the bathtub, or removing trip and fall hazards might be obvious, but other items to consider are adequate lighting, lifting recliners and an elevated toilet seat.
LF+DG: We know you have a very interesting background. Please tell us about what you did before becoming an Interior Designer and your design credentials.
Lisa: People are usually a bit surprised when I tell them my background. I have a Ph.D in immunology and spent several years doing research.
LF+DG: In fact you and your husband share a common background.
Lisa: My husband is a radiation oncologist. He also has a Ph.D. We met doing research in the same lab in Chicago.
After finishing high school early, he enrolled at Columbia University in New York City to study interior design, graduating at 18, his brother (Nickolas) said.Isn't that amazing, two doctors and both end up as interior designers!
But Mr. Ashford, an African-American, found it difficult to find work as an interior designer, (Carol) Green, (a client and friend of Mr. Ashford for nearly 30 years) said, and opted to return to school to study microbiology.
After receiving a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a professor there asked him to help his wife decorate their home, reawakening his love of interior design, his brother said.[...]
Over his career, he did design work for Whitney Houston, Maya Angelou and such athletes as Sammy Sosa and Jalen Rose.
The family room off the kitchen has a row of windows that allow lots of natural light, a fireplace to warm the room and adequate wall space for a flat-screen TV.Enter interior designer Celeste LeDuke, who has a store in the southeast called Designing Women. Julie stopped in to talk and they immediately hit it off.
...but it set up the perfect storm: competing focal points, awkward furniture placement and glare from the windows on the TV. The placement of the cable and the fireplace sticking out from the wall almost asked for little kids to bang their heads. There was no place to put toys away and limited ways to arrange furniture.
"It's functional, but not too fussy," Kihlstrum says. "We watch TV with the kids and I love it. ... The built-ins are done so beautifully. The girls play and then put their things away. The ottoman has storage in it. ... And the swivel chairs? Love those. Absolutely just love it."The designer: Celeste LeDuke
"Clients want to do business with people who exhibit passion. Your enthusiasm for what you do is contagious."Seems like great advice!
..if you know anything about carpet, you know that no matter what it’s made of, even if it’s recycled or otherwise eco-friendly in terms of materials, it is one of the most unhealthy (though affordable) floor coverings you can have in your home.I enjoyed that article. What else does this website offer. Then I was stopped in my tracks
Visiting Jennifer and Justin Leonard’s garden in Portland yesterday, it occurred to me that this renovated garden is so inviting partly because it offers so many delightful places to sit.Here Jennifer is pictured with her dog:
Susan Dickenson writing for Home Accents Today reported that the President and CEO of Martha Stewart Living, Susan Lyne, resigned and Mike followed up with some wall street takes on the resignation.
Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery
Chic cushion
Woven of natural abaca, the Aqua Bead Circle pillow from Palecek showcases an embroidered bead design ($138).
GOBLET-SHAPED VASE
with Brushed Silver Trumpet-Style Base and Turquoise, Beige and Chocolate Finish, 5.5"D x 11.25"H, For Decorative Purposes Only, Glass, Brass, BB, Cs pk/4, ©2008, CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $60.00.
WAVE-SHAPED TRAYS
with Light Blue and Light Green Reactive Glaze Finish, Set of 2, Lg: 20.75"L x 4.75"W x 4"H, Sm: 12"L x 3"W x 3"H, Ceramic, BB, Cs pk/4 sets, ©2008, CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $34.50/ea. tray.
Clients include women escaping domestic violence, individuals and families who have been homeless, elderly persons on limited incomes, people with mental and physical disabilities, refugee families from all over the world, youth and adults recovering from substance abuse, and the working poor.
Nichols & Stone, the only sizable furniture manufacturer still operating in the "chair city" of Gardner, is poised to quit making products from scratch.
Nichols & Stone is a premier manufacturer of furniture and the only sizable furniture manufacturer still operating in the "chair city" of Gardner, Massachusetts.
Back in January 2006, we wrote a post entitled Eight Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Interior Designer. The eight questions were part of an article in Home magazine and we linked to the magazine.
We like to link to an article and highlight several questions in our post, rather
than list all the questions. That way people go to the linked site and we both benefit from the traffic. One of our frustrations looking back at some of our posts is that not all articles are archived. If you click on the link above, you land on the magazine’s website, but it’s the June 2008 issue and the “Eight Questions…are gone!
It’s been awhile, so, because of inflation, we’ve come up with our own eleven questions:
1. Do I like the designer? Can I spend a lot of time with him/her? Good communication is a must. Working with an interior designer involves some give and take. You will share ideas, and the designer will contribute insights and advice based on his or her talents, knowledge and experience. Depending on the scope of the project, you could be working with your designer a couple of weeks to many, many months.
2. Do I get that he/she is trying to understand me by asking a lot of questions? The key to success is really getting to know you in the early stages and how you and your family use your home and your interests.
3. Does the scale of my project really warrant an interior designer? Even if you think you could accomplish the redesign, do you have the time and inclination? You need to be realistic about how much money you are willing to spend. Include in this estimate the cost of all raw materials, new furniture, labor for installations, and possibly a designer.
4. How do you charge for your time? Designers may charge by the hour, which can be anywhere from $35 to $300, and these costs can quickly mount up. Others may offer a free first consultation, and then quote you a flat fee on the basis of your discussions. Some may charge for the first meeting in advance and then a fee for the whole project based on the estimated hours. Some may bill you for hours used each month. Some may bill each month a level amount. Some may get a designer discount and pass some or all the savings on to you. Whatever the basis on which your interior decorator is paid, make sure you both agree on the budget.
5. Can we accomplish the redesign and stay within my budget?
6. I can’t decide if I like the design. Do I still have to pay for it? “Yes! When you decide to hire an interior design firm, you have decided to trust the design recommendations of that firm.”
7. Are you available for conversation about changes and fine tuning? A good designer knowing you may present you with several options and give you the choice of one or the other. ASID recommends: “Minimize changes to your plan. Each part of the design will affect the whole. Changes or special requests can require any number of adjustments that will add time and expenses to your project.
8. My friend doesn’t like your ideas. Why shouldn’t I listen to her/him? If you have to ask this question you should probably have hired your friend.
9. Can I go to the local Design Center? With or without you? Of course, just let them know that you are working with a designer and his/her name.
10. What if a piece of furniture comes damaged? The furniture store should inspect the furniture when it arrives. The designer should also inspect the furniture before it goes to the client. If something is missed or it breaks when it is used, the designer and the furniture store will work together with the vendor to resolve any problem.
11. How long does it take to receive things, once they are ordered? Here’s a guideline (though individual vendors may vary):
Upholstered Furniture: 10-16 weeks depending on vendor.
Casegoods – Chests, bookcases, tables, hutches, etc.: 8-12 weeks depending on vendor.
Window Treatments: 6-8 weeks depending on size of job
Accessories, Lamps, Art Prints, Silk Flowers/Plants: 4-6 weeks or less.
Rugs: If machine made, 2-4 weeks. If hand knotted, 3-4 months
Wallpaper/Fabrics: 3-5 days.
Several websites contributed to this list of questions and their answers:
Apartment Therapy LA Good Questions: Hiring an Interior Designer
ASID Working with a Designer
Nancy Werneken Interior Design Frequently Asked Questions
Lynle Ellis Designs Before You Hire an Interior Designer
NWSID Why Hire an Interior Designer?
CCIDC Frequently Asked Questions About Certified Interior Designers
Directory M articles Interior Decorator
Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery
The editors considered all items in the "art of making" which include architecture, interior décor, home furnishings and gadgets.
Global Views 8.80818 Surfboard Cocktail Table 60"L x 28"W x 19.5"H Retail Price $1,050.00
Sherrill CTH 310-822 Small Oval Cocktail Table Wooden Occasional Tables W28 x D20 x H21 Retail Price $920.00
Hammary Opus Collection Round Cocktail Table W38 D38 H19 Retail Price $599.00
Moondance 2 x 2 Cocktail Table 2 cushions with Bellagio Crosta leather 44 1/2"W x 44 1/2"D x 15 1/2"H
MSRP: $1,199.00
Hudson Street Warm Cocoa Oval Cocktail Table One stationary shelf 46"W x 28"D x 19"HAlexander lists a few things to consider when you buy a coffee or cocktail table. My main hint: If you are going to prop your feet on the table, make sure it doesn't have a raised lip. Otherwise, it will be very uncomfortable on the backs of your feet.
MSRP: $929.00
Trish Beaudet - Owner and Designer of Finishing Touches Interiors by Design, Inc.The winner will host their own show on HGTV. In addition, starting June 6th, viewers can begin entering for a chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree to Sears or a $5,000 gift card from Lumber Liquidators.
D. Paul DeRouen - Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Profession: Architectural Designer
Matt Locke - Bachelor's degree in history from Princeton. Current Job: Designer
Michael Stribling - Interior design major from Wade College. Current Job: Interior Designer/Business Owner
Jennifer Bertrand - Bachelor of Arts in education with an emphasis in ceramics; master's degree in teaching and leadership from University of Kansas. Current Job: Interior Decorator/Owner of Bertrand Designs
Tracee Dore - Bachelor of Arts in interior design from the University of Kentucky. Current Job: Residential and Commercial Interior Designer and Builder/Renovator, Tracee Dore and Company
Jerome Scottie Miller - Master of Science in civil engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. Current Job: Regional Property Manager at Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Schools.
Mikey Verdugo - High school diploma from Hialeah High School. Current Job: Police Officer
Photos by Marv Bondarowicz THE OREGONIANIt's an article by Bridget A. Otto on the Pearl Design Center.
Moving to the Pearl Design Center allowed Bev Landfair to more than double the space for her store, Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.
Debbie Madden, whose husband, Mark, is a principal in the development company Stark Group LLC, had spent an entire day crisscrossing the greater metropolitan area to look at fabrics and furnishings. After cruising nearly every county -- and enduring a car accident to boot -- she lamented Portland's lack of a design district where a person could see all these things at once -- hopefully without incident.Bev is excited about the opportunities to be part of a Portland Design Center and is enthusiastic about the coming housing planned for the Pearl.
So, in classic Portland fashion, Stark Group bought a city block under the trusses of the Fremont Bridge and transformed buildings that once housed Quimby Welding into the Pearl Design Center.Photos by Marv Bondarowicz THE OREGONIANSet between Northwest 14th and 15th avenues and Northwest Raleigh and Savier streets, the approximately 34,000-square-foot showroom and studio space opened last spring and is about 60 percent full, says Tami Wood of Stark Group.
Studios and storefronts now occupy the Pearl Design Center. The space used to be Quimby Welding.
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, a showroom of furniture, fabrics and accessories, is its largest tenant. A handful of other businesses -- Architectural Elegance, Quince Flowers & Events, Studio Olivine, Northwest Framing Commercial, Progress Construction, Intrinsic Design and WDC Properties (which manages Stark Group) -- are scattered about the complex.
Successful designers have systemsLots of great advice!
What do you do when a call comes in? When you measure a room? When you hire a contractor? Do you have specific steps to follow for every part of your business? Or do you wing it? I used to! But I learned that "winging it" leads to chaos and confusion, and you certainly can't grow from there. Successful designers handle each part of their business the same way every time. They follow a system for everything. Systems lead to consistency, organization, and effectiveness.
Successful designers study marketing
Unfortunately, being a terrific designer doesn't necessarily make you successful. In order to succeed in business, we need to be super marketers. Successful designers are either great at marketing, or they hire people who are. The most lucrative design firms actually spend more time and energy on marketing than they do on studying design.
Successful designers are detail- oriented
This may seem obvious, but are you doing it? Successful designers take care with every detail of the business - from all aspects of office work to each element of design projects. This doesn't mean they do it all themselves (in fact, profitable design companies delegate a lot of the details.), but they always make sure that every part of their business - down to the smallest details - supports their exceptional image.
Unfortunately, he says, the execution of the design was not very good. Take the relationship -- or lack of it -- between the living room and adjoining TV/office space, which was accessed from a hall around the corner from the living room.I love to read about the design process and the problem resolution. The clients are happy and have handed out NORDBY DESIGN STUDIO cards to all their friends.
I consider myself fortunate to have so many close friends. These three women have been my close friends since the eighties (Gail on the left), since the seventies (Sandy on the right), and Marsha in the middle since first grade. That's me in the yellow coat.
The four of us have been in a book club for too many years and recently, Gail moved to Boise. Do we replace her? We decided no, we will just all fly to Boise once a quarter and have our meeting there.
It's not all work. Here, we visited a winery and posed in the sun.
The book club has been wonderful. We've each read books we might not ever picked up, both fiction and non-fiction, our friendship has deepened, and we are the richer for it.
Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery
It's as simple as soap and water. It's all you need for most outdoor furniture. You may want to ...pick up a power washer.She covers cleaning
The only maintenance we recommend for your teak furniture is occasional cleaning. This should be done with a mild soap (such as gentle hand cleaning soap) and warm water to preserve its natural elements.There are some new ideas in outdoor furniture from The Modesto Bee, for example:
Chat tables are new this year, says Jan Booth of Patioworld in Fresno. These tabletops are higher than coffee tables but lower than dining tables. "It's high enough that you can put a cup there, but it's not like sitting at a dining table," she says.Bev & Mike
Mesh on metal or wood pieces: Patio pieces that have mesh-type material over metal or wood frames also are popular.
"You can lay a towel on it or go without a towel, and you can lie on it. You don't stick to (the mesh), and it's very comfortable. You don't lie there and get sweat on your back and tush."
When a residence or business is blocked by clutter, emotional residue, incompletion, or actual furniture placement, a less than excellent quality of life is experienced.The blogger Vikki Anderson writes about chi or positive energy that needs to get stirred around. Here are some of Vikki Anderson's summer tips to bring about positive energy:
• Keep a small overnight bag packed for you and your family and place it in your car’s trunk. If an unplanned getaway or you get an overnight invitation for your kids (or an emergency arises), you will have all essentials already in the car and ready to go.With all the earthquakes in some parts of our country, this is a great idea for any time of year.
• Let the light into your home. Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and immediately feel re-energized.
• Hang beautiful chimes from your deck, trees or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you. Always have a book on hand that you’ve always wanted to read and didn’t have time. The sound of the chimes will de-stress you and you will be learning from or enjoying a good book at the same time.We have a wonderful wind-chime on our deck outside our bedroom. Every time Mike hears the soft, gentle chime he gets a smile on his face.
• Have your home and deck power washed. Then you can seal your deck for many hours of fun without damaging it.Bev & Mike
1. invest in the best
Instead of filling a room quickly with things you can afford, enjoy the process and slowly add pieces you absolutely love.
2. borrow your own clothes
If you love the hue of a blouse (or anything smooth-textured), bring it to a paint store to be scanned and reproduced.
3. lighten up
Reflective, sparkly fabrics and wallpapers draw light into any space.
4. work with what you've got
Play up a room's assets. If it has high ceilings, put up really tall curtains. If it's a dark box, don't try to alter it—painting it bright white will only make it seem dingy; instead, go for cozy.
5. lights!
Even in small rooms, aim for at least three light sources—ideally a floor lamp and matching table lamps—to banish gloomy corners.
6. go antique-chic
Invest in one fabulous antique per room, to set the tone for the entire space.
7. think outside the welcome mat
Don't neglect your entryway! Think of it as an appetizer for what comes next. It should reflect your home's overall style but also contain something special, so guests want to see more.
8. collect more
Collect something that speaks to you. No matter what it is, there's impact in numbers.
9. skirt the issue
Skirted tables in offices or entryways can hide all manner of ills: shoes, kids' backpacks, mail—even filing cabinets.
10. beyond wallpaper
Upholstering, rather than papering, walls yields a layer of softness and luxury for about the same price.
...to establish an elegant alternative for urban dwellers. Made up of 23 luxurious town homes and flats, the development has the familiar feeling of tradition with modern-day conveniences.Several things stand out in the tour and the photo tour here:(The) magazine called on renowned Atlanta interior designer Dan Carithers to oversee the home's interiors. A walk through the home is a visual feast of design finery, with everything from floors to ceiling provided by vendors like Stone Age Designs and Hickory Chair. Carithers' own furniture line by Sherrill Furniture is on display throughout the home
• Fabric, fabric, fabric: Carithers uses repetition of fabrics on linens, upholstery and walls.Bev & Mike
• Seats for all sizes: Little ones like luxury, too. Throughout the home, child-size chairs were sprinkled among traditionally sized pieces.
• Button-tuft this: Carithers' use of button-tufted pieces gives the home an instant dose of comfort and glamour.
PowerBlog Review: Landfair Furniture
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