June 23, 2011

Architect William Rogers Designs a Green Oasis in the Village

Architecture, Homes

Thanks to thoughtful architects and forward-thinking lawmakers and city planners, New York City keeps getting greener, particularly in the Battery Park City neighborhood (take a look at a piece in the summer issue of Downtown magazine on the greenest community in the city and its impact on the real estate market—the magazine is due out later this week). The newest buildings, like the Visionaire or Riverhouse in BPC where actor Leonardo diCaprio lives, are as green as they get. But talented architects like William Rogers are building green in other parts of the city, too. Will shared images of a … Read Post

June 19, 2011

Beautiful New Rugs from Shaw and the Designers at HGTV

Design, Interiors, Products

Looking for a way to sweeten your home for summer? Then consider adding a new rug from Shaw. The company recently entered into an exclusive partnership with designers from HGTV to create a gorgeous assortment of rugs in transitional, contemporary, and traditional patterns (they’ve produced some beautiful new wood floors, too). The rugs are divided into two collections, Haven, which offers fresh takes on old world traditional patterns and gives a give a nod to classic global influences, and Inspire, which includes a vivacious mix of transitional and contemporary designs in bold colors. The Haven rugs are made from Shaw’s EverTouch nylon, … Read Post

June 11, 2011

5 Ways to Help Sell a House

Market Watch

Any good estate agent knows that getting your home in order and staging it well before selling is not only an option, it’s a must. If you’re planning to sell your home, here are five tips from Trulia’s spokesperson and real estate expert Tara-Nicholle Nelson on elements that can get it sold: 1. Good neighbors. Well-kept neighboring homes can make or break the sale of your own home. “Many a buyer has pulled up to an amazing house, viewed it, and left shaking their head with woe because they just can’t cotton to buying the place on account of the shoulder-high weeds, car … Read Post

June 5, 2011

Celebrating The Happy Home Project

About Town, Events

Last week author Jean Nayar’s book, The Happy Home Project (Filipacchi Publishing), was officially released—and to celebrate its publication her friends at Wood-Mode hosted a party at the InHouse Kitchen Bath Home showroom in the New York Design Center, where she was joined by good friends and colleagues, some of whom are pictured here. If you’d like to enter to win a copy, please email us at [email protected]. Happy June!

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

May 3, 2011

Win a Karastan Rug!

Interiors

Spring has sprung! And that means now’s the perfect time to liven up your living spaces with a little fresh style. Leading rug manufacturer Karastan is offering a Spring Awakening contest, which will give one contestant’s home a fresh lift with a new Karastan rug. To enter the contest, submit two photos of any room in your home that is in need of an update. Share with us your “happy home” vision for the space, and how you feel can you make a statement with Karastan. Send your photos to [email protected] before Friday, May 20, 2011 for consideration. The winner will be featured … Read Post

April 30, 2011

Beverly Hills Condo Designed by Erinn Valencich

Interiors

This beautiful condo, designed by L.A.-based Erinn Valencich, a designer, stylist, and frequent television host, reveals how textures and subtle patterns can boost the character and warmth of modern rooms. Erinn designed the space for a newly married couple, who appreciate good design. “She loves soft colors, and a modern yet feminine approach with texture and subtle prints to bring some style and pizzaz into the space,” Erinn told me. “He is a furniture maker, so I designed nearly all the pieces and he built it all,” she says. Some of the pieces will be included in Erinn’s new Erinn V … Read Post