January 11, 2018

Art de Vivre

Inspiration

Anyone looking for a touch of France in Miami would do well to visit the new Roche Bobois showroom on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami. The French furniture maker hosted an event here during Art Basel last month showcasing the vision of tennis star/designer Venus Williams, whose firm V Starr Interiors sportingly turned out the showroom for the exclusive dinner party with a lively mix of furnishings from some of its newest collections. Known for its new and classic pieces by big name and emerging designers from all over the world, Roche Bobois has worked closely with renowned designers, such as … Read Post

September 29, 2011

Creative Ways to Stow Books

Projects & Tips

Before you part with a collection of favorite books, consider these creative ways to stow them offered by writer Megan Fulweiler. She and her husband began what she calls “a new chapter” in their life-long love affair with books: We’ve come to the conclusion our books are a lot like our relatives. There are those we love, those we like, and a good many we, well, tolerate. Still, we could no more sever relations with the last group than we can—it’s obvious—winnow down our books. Both the relatives and good-but-not-favorite reads are family. Someday we might have better communication—more time, more … Read Post

August 6, 2011

A Bathroom in a Box Becomes a Reality

Baths

Looking for an easy way to renovate your bathroom affordably? Richmond-based designer/reporter William Weathersby tells you how. If you have ever survived your own bathroom remodeling project, you’ll likely recall the many hours spent searching through the dizzying number of choices to select each necessary component—from your favorite faucet and tub to just the right light fixture and shade of grout. After you or your designer took care of orders and waited for deliveries, the clock kept ticking while electricians, plumbers and tile installers coordinated schedules, more than likely running late on the job, especially if a piece of the … Read Post

May 22, 2011

Anna French’s New Aria Collection of Fabrics for Thibaut

Inspiration, Products

Looking for an easy way to freshen your rooms for spring? Then consider making some cushions or easy-to-sew curtains from fabrics from Anna French’s new Aria Collection by Thibaut. The fabrics’ poetic patterns and beautiful colors have been woven into luxurious cut velvets, gauzy madras, and embroideries, and printed on luscious linens. The lovely fabrics also balance masculine and feminine tones that work well in both modern and traditional settings. Known for her courageous use of color and flair for the dramatic, Anna French has been designing and producing fabrics since 1976, when she and her husband, John French, moved … Read Post

May 16, 2011

The Happy Home Project

Inspiration, Projects & Tips

A year ago yesterday, author Jean Nayar assigned herself an ambitious project that served as the starting point for this blog. She developed a Wish List of home improvements that she’d hoped to undertake over the course of a year. And, after applying the wisdom of experts across many disciplines and taking their ideas for a test drive in her own home, she also hoped to distill a list of key ingredients that contribute to the making of a happy home and write about them here. While some of her dreams were deferred due to substantial unexpected interference—see her post on her adventure in … Read Post

May 13, 2011

5 Easy Spring Spruce-ups for National Home Improvement Month

Inspiration, Interiors, Projects & Tips

Did you know that May is National Home Improvement Month? Consider these five easy ways to give your space a seasonal update without taking on a major overhaul.                         Slipcovers: If you’re tired of your living room and want to give it a summer feel, keep your vacation budget in tact by updating chairs with slipcovers. Sure Fit has hundreds of light and bright options to take your living and dining rooms through summer.                         New Bedding: The quickest … Read Post

May 9, 2011

5 Eco-Friendly Ways to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Outdoors

Now that Memorial Day is right around the corner, everyone will be spending more time outdoors. To help keep a yard looking its best, Lou Manfredini, host of the Mr. Fix-It Show radio program in Chicago and the official home expert for NBC’s Today Show and Ace Hardware, sent us this post on boosting curb appeal. They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The same holds true for your home. Your front yard is the first impression so it’s important to put some energy into making it look its best. As companies come out with more and more eco-friendly products … Read Post

April 26, 2011

Incentive to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Outdoors

Ready to take on a little yard work? Here’s an extra incentive to keep you motivated. Ace Hardware has teamed up with The Weather Channel to launch their “Restore Your Outdoors” contest, which will reward one deserving homeowner with a customized outdoor makeover. “People often underestimate the amount of damage winter weather conditions can have on their lawns, and no one wants to sink all of their free time into repairing these issues,” said Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s home expert. “Our partnership with The Weather Channel not only offers us the opportunity to makeover a deserving outdoor space, but also … Read Post

April 10, 2011

A Tea Towel To Commemorate the Marriage of William & Kate

Inspiration, Products

Two weeks from now, designer Maggie Carey plans to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to watch the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29. “Maybe it’s my British background,” she told us, “but I just can’t miss it.” She woke up early to see the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1981, too. In addition to sharing her passion for royal weddings, she also showed us tea towel commemorating the marriage of William and Kate. Designed by Emma Bridgewater, a well-known English potter, who has produced a line of earthenware … Read Post

March 22, 2011

Cleaning Silver, The Perfect Chore

Projects & Tips

Even though it doesn’t quite feel like it yet in New York (a layer of soggy snow is coming down as we write), it’s spring—the season for cleaning. And, if you’ve taken on a renovation project recently, then the lighter housekeeping duties one normally undertakes this time of year seem like a piece of cake by comparison. The one exception is cleaning silver, the only chore many of us truly dread. But author Megan Fulweiler has a totally different take on this impossible job. She actually enjoys it! She told us so in a post she sent us yesterday. How refreshing it … Read Post