November 17, 2010

Cleaning and Protecting a Hardwood Floor

Products

Anyone with a newly installed hardwood would do well to keep it in the best possible shape. And Bona, the Swedish floor care company, has mastered the preservation wood floors. Its three-part cleaning and care system includes one swivel-head mop, two cleaning and polish solutions, and three cleaning and care pads that are cost efficient, eco-friendly and super-easy to use. Here’s how it works: Daily: To reduce dust and allergens that accumulate on your floor, you simply apply the fluffy, white dusting pad to the mop head and use it to dust the floor. Its electrostatic charge attracts dust and … Read Post

November 15, 2010

Thanksgiving with a Twist

Products

Interested in the idea of serving a traditional feast with a modern twist? Picture fresh bread or rolls served up in this clever “Wicker Basket” or a yummy dessert offered up in iconic “Tapio” cocktail glasses, designed by the great Finnish designer Tapio Wirrkala in 1952. Both are available through yoox.com, a ten-year-old virtual boutique established in Italy that offers multi-brand fashion and design objects from a wide range of companies like Muuto, which offers the work of contemporary Finnish designers, or Iittala, a contemporary design brand based in Finland that produces products by design greats like Aalvar Alto, Aino … Read Post

October 29, 2010

Customs Closets Can Change Your Life

Products

Thanks to some good advice from organizing expert Lisa Zaslow, the owner of Gotham Organizing in New York, as well as some help from Kioka Abbott from California Closets, a shallow linen closet in this New York City apartment was converted into a built-in bookshelf with made-to-order shelves. Books may be relics of a bygone era to a lot of people these days, but to others they’re like old friends—always ready to inspire or comfort. At the same time California Closets created two custom wardrobe closets: One includes two hanging rods, one on top of the other, for the husband’s … Read Post

October 21, 2010

Window Treatments That Can Help You Sleep

Products

If you or a family member are light sleepers, consider installing a shade with a premium blackout liner, which can help a person get an extra 45 minutes to an hour of sleep each night. This shade is from Budget Blinds (don’t let the name of the franchise fool you—the window treatments the company offers are high quality—it makes curtains, shades, shutters and blinds for every budget—low to high—and provides top-notch custom service, too). And according to Budget Blinds expert Suzi Carragher sleeping problems aren’t uncommon. In fact, she notes that 65 percent of respondents to a 2008 Sleep Foundation … Read Post

October 14, 2010

An Eco-Friendly Way to Dispose of Old Appliances

Design, Products

Whether you’re simply replacing an appliance or two or starting from scratch on a kitchen renovation, consider recycling products in reasonable shape rather than sending them to the landfill. DiggersList.com offers ways to donate old appliances along with elements like countertops or shelves to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. DiggersList.com is a free online classified site, where you can buy and sell affordable remodeling products, such as flooring, fixtures, appliances and other used and new excess supplies left over from remodeling projects. The site also lets you search for service providers, such as contractors, floor refinishers, painters and the like. And … Read Post

October 12, 2010

Maximizing Storage Space with Affordable Organizing Systems

Products

Ready to organize your hall closet? Then consider Ikea’s Pax organizing system, which can help you maximize the “vertical real estate” (see our post on Clearing Clutter with organizing expert Lisa Zaslow). You can use the store’s handy online tool to pick out the components you want to create a super-efficient utility or coat closet in the hall. These units are tall and meant to be standalone storage systems in a room, but if your closet is deep enough they can work as internal closet organizers, too. They arrive flat-packed, so you’ll need to be prepared to put them together … Read Post

September 1, 2010

Decorating Ideas That Ease the Transition from Summer to Fall

Interiors

Now that the unofficial end of summer is right around the corner, I’m starting to think about ways to ease the transition from one season to the next in my living room and terrace. I asked Susan Feldman, one of the founders of One Kings Lane, an online home furnishings resource, for ideas on keeping spaces comfy and beautiful as the days begin to shorten and cool off. Here are her tips: 1. Toss lightweight throws on chairs. “These are a must this time of year—my favorites are ultra-versatile Turkish textiles,” says Susan. “I tend to keep them draped on … Read Post

August 17, 2010

Chic and Affordable Organizing Systems

Interiors

So far, the most challenging of my home improvement projects has been the process of sifting through our closets and drawers and de-accessioning the things we no longer need. On the other hand, exploring the range of systems for better stowing the things we intend to keep has been fascinating. After looking into the organizing and storage options from several different companies, I’ve been amazed to see how many nooks and cubbies and hooks and drawers and built-in hangers and shelves there are in the world to choose from. And the range in prices for these storage elements is astounding, … Read Post

August 9, 2010

Living with Art

Interiors

My husband, Anil, and I are great art lovers—not so much from an academic perspective, it’s more of a visceral thing for us. In other words, we know what we like when we see it. Still, it’s always interesting to learn about the ideas behind good art, so we’re lucky to have Sundaram Tagore as our friend. Sundaram represents some of the most talented contemporary artists in the world and enriches us with a generous dose of culture whenever we see him. I don’t think I’d be happy without art in my home, so we’ve acquired some of our favorite … Read Post

August 6, 2010

Improving Sleep with the Right Mattress

Interiors

What a difference a mattress makes! Overnight, I went from tossing and turning on a mattress that was hard as a rock to slumbering like a baby on one that is soft as a cloud. I’m also pleased to report that Wish #1 on my Wish List has now been fulfilled thanks to Anthony Page, the creative owner of a mattress company in Massapequa Park called SleepWorks. My husband and I stopped there to test a NaturaWorld mattress we were interested in that was priced within our budget. The mattress we tried was made with layers of plant-based foam along … Read Post