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Designing a Green House
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m a believer in green living, though my efforts to this point can best be described as chartreuse.
I’m in the process of converting all the incandescent bulbs in my house to CFL.
But I doubt my floors are made of sustainable hardwood.
I purchased a high efficiency washer.
But I haven’t convinced myself that investing in thermal or insulated drapery is a stylish option.
I’ve stalled on painting my walls because while I want to use low/ no VOC paints, I’m terrified that it’s harder to get the look I want with them.
That’s about where my eco-friendliness (as far as my home is concerned) hits a wall, mainly because I haven’t quite figured out how to make an environmentally responsible choice that is both stylish and affordable.
Things are changing, I know. And I’ve recently discovered sources like IdealBite, which gives free daily e-mail tips on eco-living.
But I’d love to know what fellow Atlantans are up to.
How have you greened your home and done it with style?
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: design trends
Where do you go for inspiration?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My friend Heather just moved into a new apartment and asked for my help in making it her own. I knew that she and I have different tastes — I’m going through an ultra-girly French-meets-modern stage, while she definitely likes things with less frills and cleaner lines.
To give her a quick design overview, we drove through the Howell Mill district before heading to Buckhead. We toured Savvy Snoot for high-end Mid-Century modern design consignment, Ballard Backroom for affordable European knock-offs, and Bungalow Classic (website under construction) for its clean, classic yet ethereal feel. Next stop was Design Within Reach to test her contemporary and modern tolerance, and we finished the day in the brand spankin’ new Pottery Barn at Lenox, as well as Anthropologie for a healthy dose of feminine furniture comfort.
We didn’t buy a thing, but that was the point. For her to envision her new space, she needed to see and touch and feel some real product and design. The result? She discovered she likes Barcelona chairs (photo from Knoll.com, she fell in love with Madeline Weinrib’s carpets at Bungalow, and can get down with a Chesterfield sofa. What did I learn? Don’t pitch any product that is ornate or particularly curvy, and focus on darker woods for her pad. (I also decided that I should just save my pennies and buy those incredible Emeco Navy counterstools for my kitchen. They will last forever!)
When you are short on ideas, where do you go for design inspiration?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: "Roominations"
A Guest Room that Works
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When my sister and her family recently came to visit, I scrambled to pull together the guest room.
An AeroBed (the one that actually sits 22 inches from the ground and comes with a bed skirt) solved my immediate problem, but the question remained about what to do with the study/ bedroom.
If 90 percent of the time the room is used as a study, and 10 percent of the time it is used as a guest room, is it worth it to invest in a sofa bed?
I’ve explored all manner of day beds, some of which I think would create a nice sitting area when not in use, but most will only accommodate a twin sized sleeper.
I’m sort of into this leather look sofa bed from Apt for $898 (the chairs are nice too), but it looks a little futon-ish.
How have you turned a room that is primarily used for some other activity into a welcoming guest room?
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: design solutions
A two-timing table - bachelor’s dream come true?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Flipping through my “Furniture Today” newsmagazine, my gaze fell upon a slick metal and wood dining table. It’s clean lines reminded me of something I might find in Design Within Reach or a contemporary furniture store of the like.
Then I noticed inset pictures of this four-legged wonder transformed into a pool table. Apparently, you just flip the top and voila! A pocket billiards game, or perhaps a boards game, depending on how you customize the piece.
I think this is a grown up frat boy’s dream, maybe one even I can buy into. The Fusiontable by Aramith (a Belgian company) is marketed as a table for all rooms - everywhere from your dining area to office conference room. (I imagine this puppy in a cool downtown loft where space is of the essence.)
If you’re a serious pool shark, you may be able to win back the money it’ll take to make one of these yours. Available in a number of wood, cloth and base options, the table retails anywhere from $5,995 to $8,995, a spokesman said.
The table was introduced in the United States just last month. For more details, check out www.fusiontables.com.
What are your thoughts on this kind of double duty dining? Finally, incentive to keep the kitchen table clear of clutter?
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: design trends
How to Lose a Sofa in 10 days
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In keeping with yesterday’s theme, here’s Keep, Spruce or Pitch, Part II
I’ve lived in every region of the country and at some point in move, I’ve had to shed furniture.
In Chicago and LA, getting rid of unwanted furniture was all about the yard sale…and when that failed, you called Goodwill, Salvi or some such, to come cart the stuff away.
In New York, my first moving sale involved hanging five signs on a college campus. About 2 hours later, the apartment was empty. For my second NY “sale,” I left a lamp and table on the curb and watched as two dudes stopped, examined and strolled off down the street with my discarded items.
Here in Atlanta, I need to lose a sofa, and I’m not sure of the best way to do it.
I don’t have a yard, so that kills the yard sale. Craigslist seems a popular choice or ajc.com classifieds. And yesterday, after visiting Finders Keepers, a furniture consignment store, I thought maybe I should give that a try.
How do you get rid of furniture that you no longer want, but that you consider too valuable for a curbside donation?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: misc
Latest comments
For a contemporary and modern fix, I go to www.agilestcollections.com... read the full comment by Tonya | Comment on Where do you go for inspiration? Read Where do you go for inspiration?
I have a day bed in my study. It has another twin mattress underneath that pops up to make a king sized bed, if needed. We also have queen sized sleeper sofa in the family room, for times when we have more than one set of guests.... read the full comment by JT | Comment on A Guest Room that Works Read A Guest Room that Works
Sunny, I also have a nice wooden futon in my study — love it for curling up and reading on when there are no guests. And when the guests come, I, too, add a mattress for those not used to a futon, and it’s nice and cosy. But that futon was... read the full comment by fer | Comment on A Guest Room that Works Read A Guest Room that Works
I have a futon that I bought for a guest seven yrs ago; have not had any guests since then. I just decorate the room around the funky-print futon cover, I have a desk and study chair in there, a bookcase and a vintage dresser. If/when a guest ever comes,... read the full comment by futon and desk | Comment on A Guest Room that Works Read A Guest Room that Works