Fresh and Exciting Garden Design Ideas

You are individual and unique so why shouldn't your garden and patio areas reflect this? Of course, being original these days can be a difficult task, as so much has already been done before. But with a little thought and plenty of creativity, you can still find exciting ways to improve your garden that are fresh, easy, cost effective and not least importantly, very pleasing on the eye.

Upcycle Your Way to a Brand New Garden

All that 'junk' that's just been laying around in the shed for years gathering dust, is in fact a potential garden design goldmine. Upcycling is the process of transforming all of your broken or unwanted pieces of household debris into attractive, artistic or even practical objects, effectively giving them a second life. In garden design, previously useless objects can become creative and original centrepieces. Who needs a conventional flowerbed when you've got a broken down VW Beetle rotting in the garage? Remove the hood and engine and plant colourful flowers inside! Overrun by old unwanted crockery and plates? You'd be amazed what some paint and a little super glue can do. Stack the plates and cups on top of each other in the right order, apply a little glue, some paint and eureka: You've just made your first ceramic bird bath! Broken old chairs, ill-fitting rubber boots, car parts, ancient television sets, retired electrical appliances, home brew bottles, shelves, tables – you name it – just about anything can be upcycled into an impressive garden or patio design piece.

Balance Your Creativity

Even with all these great creative ideas, you still need to be a little mindful of what type of 'look' or scheme you are creating for your garden. If you merely throw all of your design ideas randomly together, your garden quickly becomes less of a design and more of a random collection of objects, patterns and installations. Be sure to think stylistically about how you combine the various elements of your design motif. Sometimes building your garden around a more conventional structure can give it the grounding it needs. Don't be afraid to use some plain outdoor decking, or even some quality uniformed paving from Milford. With one of these as your foundation, you can then begin to construct a more bohemian garden landscape that doesn't look out of place. On the contrary, it will look fabulous.

Creative Headboard Ideas

Do you remember your college dorm or apartment? How about the first home as a couple? I remember building a shelving system out of concrete blocks and a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood 5/8 inch thick split into three pieces 16 inches wide. It was sturdy enough to hold the stereo and books and some newly-acquired art.

That same Ana Duovska who writes for Architecture Art Design, has a nice article about headboards. They can be just a personalized and fcreative as that that first book shelf or can be vintage. I always read in bed before the light goes off. Here's my favorite for reading:

This just looks downright peaceful:

Ombre Style?

Ana Duovska writes in Architecture Art Design that Ombre style is still going strong and it has  a lot of fans.  Ombre is a style that uses multicolored vibrant stripes, with a color gradient that progresses from lightest to darkest. 

Luxurious light to dark shades creates a dramatic effect wherever they are used. Ombre style can be found everywhere and on everything, from fashion to home decor and even to walls. It can be incorporated on various styles fading from dark to light or light to dark. Gradient furniture and decorations can be beautifully displayed in modern and traditional houses and residences due to their versatility and visual appeal. You can enjoy this modern style using it from furniture and textiles to walls and other artistic decorations for your home.

I've picked a few of her examples of the style. See the article for many more.

 

6 Reasons You Shouldn't Ignore Google+

Why You Should Be Using Google+ In Your Design Business By Laurie Laizure Founder of www.customizedwalls.com

Customized Walls prints custom wallpaper and wall murals for the residential and commercial markets. They  offer Interior Design Professional discounts and will help you with your other marketing needs (Portfolio books, signage, tradeshow signs, etc.)

Sure I share things on Google +, but I just haven't taken the time to see how I can use it for marketing. Laurie Laisure has done us that favor.

1. Your Google+ Profile Page is where all things Google can be found
2. Circles - Think of circles as address books. You might have one for your personal contacts or your business contacts and so forth.
3. Authorship - Google has established a way where your blog and even your Google+ posts can show up in Google search results with your cute profile picture right next to your post.
4. Business Pages - You can only add people who circle you first. A great way to get more followers on your business page is by posting interesting content and participating in communities related to your business.
5. Communities - it's like a watercooler for your business
6. Google Tools

I would like your feedback. Is this another Facebook? Do you have the time to do it justice? Do you see this improving your social media marketing?

TRAVEL + LEISURE

America's Best Hotels for Fall Colors Includes

Courtesy of Columbia Gorge Hotel

Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, OR

The Columbia River Gorge was the country’s first declared National Scenic Area, and it’s easy to understand why when you gaze at the majestic confluence of mountains and river. Overlooking the gorge, the 39-room Columbia Gorge Hotel supplies the comforts of homemade granola, spa treatments, and stately touches like canopy beds and Art Deco tiling. Doubles from $239.
Room to Book: Ask for a River View Fireplace Room, with a gas fireplace and a panoramic view of the Columbia River Gorge.
Get Outdoors: This is a fantastic place to windsurf and kite board; be prepared to get wet with a rental from Big Winds. If you prefer wine to water, explore local vineyards during their harvest season.

 

America's Strangest People

No. 2 Portland, OR

 

 

Up two rankings from last year, this Oregon city is home to the Unipiper, a unicycling bagpiper fond of dressing as Darth Vader or Santa—and he’s just another denizen of this earnestly out-there town. The east side has a high concentration of mustachioed, fedora-wearing folk, at spots such as Voodoo Doughnut, the vegan mini-mall on SE 12th, or the nearby food truck pod, at Hawthorne.

TRAVEL + LEISURE

America's Best Sandwiches includes:

Bunk Sandwiches, Portland, OR: Pork Belly Cubano

 

 Jannie Huang

Co-chefs Tommy Habetz and Nick Wood change their blackboard menu daily, but know to keep favorites like this pork belly cubano in regular rotation. Their version of the Cuban workman’s lunch is improved by swapping out roast pork for house-cured, molasses-rubbed pork belly, slow roasted until fork tender. Ham, Tillamook Swiss, and pickles round out this pressed sandwich on a mustard, mayo, and hot sauce–doused French roll. Customers can add bacon, anchovies, and/or hot peppers to any sandwich, and every order comes with kettle chips.

10 Fastest Growing Cities in the US

Portland is Number 10

Best Chicken Dishes in The US Includes

Pok Pok; Portland, OR

 

America's Best Bakeries includes

Pearl Bakery, Portland, OR

 

Pati G.

This Pearl District institution (est. 1997) has been a training ground for many of Portland’s new artisan bakers and remains on top of its game thanks to family involvement, ingredients sourced weekly from a farmers’ market, and commitment to quality control. The smell of fresh-baked baguettes wafts through the light-filled bakery, and the pastry case teems with chocolate chunk cookies, Danishes, and gibassier, a treat from Provence made with fruited olive oil, anise, and orange flower water.
Must-Try Item: A seasonal fruit tart like fresh rhubarb or summer berries in a buttery pie crust. pearlbakery.com

AND

Pacific Way Bakery, Gearhart, OR

 

 Paula K. Niziolek

Baker and co-owner Lisa Allen works through the night to bring this Oregon beach town pastries on par with those found in France. The results are displayed in a case of rustic fruit tarts and croissants as well as American-inspired goodies like sticky buns. The self-taught baker makes everything you see—as well as desserts in the adjoining restaurant. Black-and-white-tiled floors and gilded mirrors lend a fitting French country look.
Must-Try Item: The not-too-sweet scone loaded with fresh Oregon marionberries.

Top 10 Trending Smart Gadgets

Digital Cutting Board

 Yanko Design

The Almighty Board is the ultimate kitchen assistant. This smart-board will simultaneously serve as your cutting board, display your recipes, provide step-by-step directions and weigh your ingredients out for you. After you wash it, it will even tell you if it has been cleaned enough to avoid cross-contamination or food poisoning. If only it could do the dishes too!
Designer: Jaewan Jeong

FOOD & WINE

Best Sandwiches in the U.S. includes

Portland, OR: Bunk Sandwiches 

 

Photo © David Reamer.

Sandwich: Oregon Albacore Tuna Melt
At Bunk, co-chefs Tommy Habetz and Nick Wood reinvent iconic American foods. That means transforming biscuits and gravy into a sandwich filled with braised rabbit leg, or preparing luscious melts, like this version packed with locally canned albacore and finished with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Tillamook cheddar. bunksandwiches.com

 

Secret Rooms

Don't we love the idea of secret rooms? If building from scratch, I would have a secret room in the library with a rotating door or a secret room behind the fireplace. Inthralled has an article titled Hidden Gems: 15 Houses With Secret Rooms. 

It's fascinating to see what others have come up with to hide their secrets.

TRAVEL + LEISURE

Best French Restaurants in the U.S. includes

David Reamer

 

Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Carnivores and adventurous eaters will appreciate chef Gabriel Rucker’s creations, which add whimsy and decadence to traditional French recipes. Beef-cheek bourguignonne, rabbit-in-a-pig-blanket, and foie gras profiteroles are among the quirky edibles. The chef’s counter puts diners ringside in the busy kitchen, and the brick-wall dining room’s three communal tables are often filled with both locals and international clientele. Le Pigeon’s first cookbook comes out in September 2013—for you try-it-at-home types.

FOOD & WINE

Best Taco Spots includes

Portland, OR: ¿Por Que No? 

 

 

One bite into a taco in the Mexican town of Morelia and Bryan Steelman had an epiphany: Why not open a taqueria of his own? The resulting ¿Por Qué No? (“Why not?” in Spanish) now pulls out-the-door lines with stellar tacos that emphasize local ingredients: house-made chorizo made from pork from nearby Carlton Farms, chipotle-rubbed chicken from Draper Farms in Washington. porquenotacos.com

Photo © Bryan Steelman.

Go To Portland, OR: ¿Por Que No?

F&W Bucket List

Best Summer Restaurants includes:

Bowpicker Fish & Chips; Astoria, OR

 

Photo courtesy of Bowpicker

  

At Bowpicker in Astoria, fish and chips means albacore tuna. Beer-battered, it crisps up golden and, once bitten into, gently separates into meaty, steaming flakes. Served with steak fries, vinegar and tartar sauce, it's all you'll find at this fishing-boat-turned-kitchen—a former gillnet trawler that almost looks like it ran aground. Bowpicker stays open through the winter, but given the picnic-table seating and the near-constant threat of bad weather in cooler months, warmer times are the better bet. bowpicker.com

TRAVEL + LEISURE

America's Best Outdoor Restaurants includes

Bridgewater Bistro, Astoria, OR

 

 Bridgewater Bistro

Seafood items like Pacific Bay oyster shooters and Scandinavian-style pickled herring reign supreme at Bridgewater Bistro, a former cannery along the Columbia River. From the deck seating at the edge of the harbor, you can see Washington across the way while enjoying one of nearly 30 wines by the glass. When the weather gets chilly, there’s no need to head indoors—just request one of the complimentary lap blankets. bridgewaterbistro.com

Noble Rot, Portland, OR

John Q. Porter, JQP Design

For one of the best views of Portland’s iconic White Stag sign, head to Noble Rot’s fourth-story patio, one of the only restaurants with a skyline view—let alone one that faces the sunset every night. The LEED Platinum building has its own 3,000-square-foot rooftop garden, whose ingredients find their way into dishes like the Roof Salad, which tosses seasonal produce in a pickled rhubarb vinaigrette. Pair it with one of the restaurant’s 40-plus wines by the glass. noblerotpdx.com

Salon Features The Look Of Metal

The AP writes about the new look of brass, copper, bronze and nickel in this fall's decor.

The finishes are warm, without the kitschy clash of some previous go-rounds. You'll see these softer, richer-looking metals -- joining gold and silver on the decor stage -- as accents on accessories, as furniture embellishment and as a brushed finish on textiles.

It's a classic look that can work in both traditional and contemporary spaces.

The new catalog from Bernhardt has just arrived and featured is Salon. A taste of Salon is featured here:

We invite you to browse the catalog of Bernhardt's Salon.

New Items From Our Lines

From Uttermost:

Arig Candleholder

Cat: 19368

Size: 6" w x 6" d x 14.5" h; 

Explore Catalog

From Raschella Home Decor, Inc.

Mirror with Bevel - #3

Cat: MFD0013466

Size: 60" x 100"

Finish: Antique Gold Leaf

Explore Catalog

Impressions on Purposeful Entryways, Hallways and Foyers

Photo via The Enchanted Home.

Your first impression upon entering a home will most likely stay with you throughout your entire visit.  Perhaps without even being aware of it, you'll take in the decor, admire (or grimace) at the style of furniture, unique accent items, artwork, lighting, and an array of other details put together by its owner.

Photo via The Enchanted Home.

A home's entrance and foyer can be quickly dismissed in design plans, as it is too often passed through hurriedly throughout the day.  However, it can potentially be one of the greatest and memorable spaces in a home.  Not only does this area greet your guests as they enter your home, but what you will arrive to after a hectic day of facing the outside world.  The space then, should signal a comforting refuge, and whatever you encounter there should feel like a warm welcoming.

Photo via Interior Designipedia.

You may keep things as simple or as elaborate as you wish, but if there’s one thing to keep in mind, it is that this area will be your first visual and “feel” for the rest of the home.  A beautiful console and bench may be all that you find necessary for your entryway.  Add a few accents such as vibrant potted plants, an accent mirror and lighting to brighten and widen the space.  As you'll be passing through the entrance more frequently than other areas of the home, allow sufficient space for foot traffic, and designate storage space for items frequently used when coming and going.  For example, if you live in an area with frequently changing weather patterns, you may wish to provide an umbrella holder and coat rack near the doorway.  By appointing storage areas for articles based on your lifestyle, you'll be able to fully appreciate the convenience this space has to offer.

Photo via freshome.com.

Photo via Home Designing.

Hallways are other areas of the home that are commonly overlooked.  However small these less lived-in areas may be, they can potentially become noteworthy passageways that connect spaces together, and this connection can contain just as much meaning as any other area in the home.

Photo via Home Design Love.

Photo via Home Design Love.

As hallways tend to be narrower areas, the décor and furniture pieces you choose to place within it should be selected with care.  Be sure to allow plenty of walk-through space and do consider the dimensions of furnishings prior to purchasing.  Since hallways connect rooms together, you may wish to use them as extensions to those rooms, and continue with similar themes and design elements.

Photo via Home Design Love.

The hallway above is an awe-inspiring example of blending elegant, modern decor with efficient design.  To keep the area airy and spacious, lighting is built flush with the ceiling which creates a clean and minimal aesthetic. This also cleverly highlights the focus below:  an unforgettable compact lily pond.  The self-contained pond imparts a tranquility that sets the ambiance for the rest of the space.  This magnificent hallway is further illuminated by transparent pedestals lit from the bottom, and each one displays a simple, yet elegant floral arrangement.

So before dismissing any area of the home simply for lack of space, re-imagine these areas as purposeful and inspiring greeters, connectors, and passageways for the special people who pass through them.  To quote British architect and furniture designer, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings: “Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.”

Take a look at this updated look at entryways with this article from 

Designrulz: Entryway Bench Ideas

FOOD & WINE

World's Best Food Markets includes

Portland, OR: Portland Saturday Farmers' Market

 

What started in the early-’90s with only a dozen vendors has grown into locavore heaven with hundreds of farmers, vintners, foragers and prepared food stands. Walking up and down the rows, you’ll find everything from organic and heirloom produce of the Hood River and Willamette valleys to killer grab-and-go bites. On a Saturday morning, I’m headed to Pine State Biscuits for one of Portland’s iconic sandwiches—the Reggie Deluxe... fried chicken, bacon, cheese, gravy and a fried egg all piled onto a fresh biscuit.

Business Booming at World Market Center

8 News NOW

TRAVEL + LEISURE

America's Best Pies includes Random Order Coffee, Portland, OR

www.tsWhalen.com

Random Order Coffee, Portland, OR

Best Pie to Try: Tahitian Vanilla Salted Caramel Apple Pie
This Portland favorite serves a lovely version of the classic American apple pie. But after you’ve tasted their other apple pie, you might decide that the original is a bit dated. This version is oozing with caramel, spiced with vanilla, and sprinkled with salt. It proves that time-old techniques and recipes can coexist with unexpected, mold-breaking tweaks. It’s not so much reinventing the wheel as giving it a makeover. (1800 NE Alberta PDX 97211, Portland OR; 971/340-6995; randomordercoffee.com) —Charlotte Druckman