happy living Design

a little design for everyone (in a bag)

A few years back Target did that ad campaign they called 'Design for All" which I loved in concept and I hope in some way I am able to bring that idea to the architecture world (that everyone, not just the rich, should have access to well-designed homes).  The interior design industry I think is bringing it to us in a big way these days.  Yes, you can go hire Bunny Williams for a bazillion dollars per hour (she is that amazing!) or now you can work with a talented designer via phone or email room-by-room for much much much less.  And these designers have all come up with ingenious way to deliver their goods (floor plans, samples, etc.) to your doorstep.

design in a bag is a design service by Rebekah Zaveloff (of HGTV and Chicago's KitchenLab) that "puts professionally coordinated kitchen and bath designs in your hands" for around $100.  It includes cabinet, countertop, tile and paint samples, a shopping list and hand-drawn renderings.

The finish and material options these days for kitchens and baths are endless and overwhelming.  If you don't have time or just don't feel like spending hours going from showroom to showroom, you can pick from dozens of pre-selected palettes either by color (cool, warm or neutral) or collection (modern, classic or vintage).

I am actually considering this one for our kitchen (if we ever get to that project!).  Check out the site.  Find them on Facebook and Twitter too!

wallpaper by amy butler

at Graham & Brown

Have a look.

a nice vessel

or plant pot as Ikea calls them. BLADET plant pot with saucer by Ikea ($8.99)

Useful for containing all sorts of things.  I could use these all over the house.

As seen on Bethenny Getting Married? in the kitchen.  Did I just publicly admit to watching that show??

a white bathroom and a bold print

I know.  Another white room?  But with a Josef Frank textile as a shower curtain.  I think it's entirely perfect, although maybe not entirely practical.  I'm suspicious of white tile floors.  They show every spec of dirt.  But the owners of this house in Bel Air probably have a housekeeper to clean the bathrooms everyday.  I still love this bath.

by m. design interiors via Remodelista and Roseland Greene

P.S.  This Josef Frank fabric is $250 per yard and has a 3 yard minimum.  I would look at Ikea for something with the same impact but a bit more affordability.

clawfoot bathtubs - a little cost saving tip

I absolutely love the look of clawfoot bathtubs with their undersides painted black.  Matte, glossy, semi.  Whatever.  A high end fixture manufacturer (I won't name names) has been making this tub for awhile now and it. is. pricey.  Absurdly pricey.  On a recent restoration project I was working on, we proposed using aforementioned tub, which the client loved, but budget restrictions forced us to look for an alternative.

We ended up using a less expensive but lovely clawfoot tub with a white underside and had the painter paint it and the legs black.  It cost us one third what the other tub would have.  He used an industrial spray-on enamel, something you can find at a good paint store like Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore.  I also think it is something you could definitely DIY, with someone to help with the heavy lifting!

Credit: photos are from Living Etc. and Marie Claire Mason both via Design is Mine.

vipp : yellow cab line

Love these trash cans and storage pieces.

 

via danskdesign.nu

beautiful things :: Saffron Marigold

You must see these beautiful hand-crafted and block printed bedspreads, duvet covers, curtains and more over at Saffron Marigold.  I love the sari-inspired prints and the bright colors.

So pretty and so affordable.  Their 26" x 26" cushion covers are $20!  Saffron Marigold also supports Fair Trade.  I received the most lovely email from Anisha about how Saffron Marigold came to be and just had to tell you about it. 

Kitchen and Bath Business :: get info right from the pros

I received a package from the lovely Melissa at Kitchen and Bath Business last week. I have read the K+BB magazine before, but have never been on their website.

Over 6 million kitchens were renovated last year in the US and almost the same amount of bathrooms.  Whether you live in a house or an apartment, chances are you will do some kind of improvement to one of these two rooms in your home at least once in your lifetime, if not several times.  Whether your project entails changing a leaky faucet or a complete kitchen renovation, the choices are endless and sometime overwhelming.

Why not get your info right from the horse's mouth.  K+BB is geared towards those in the design and construction industries, but these types of publications and websites are great places for homeowners to get the best and latest information on products and services.  I think it's a good starting point if you are thinking about a kitchen or bath project.  Check out the buyers guide to search specific products and the projects area for inspiration. 

I have seen some refreshing and unique projects highlighted in K+BB.  This one at left is a bathroom renovation where the designer used a genuine antique medical artifact from Twenty Gauge as the cabinetry.  I love that!

Also check out their newly launched website K+BB Green - the business of building eco-friendly kitchens and baths.

Most of us spend so much time in our kitchens, that it is a great room to start thinking 'green' in.

(images from K+BB)

weekend & jersey city apartment tour

We went to the Yankees game on Saturday.

And then we spent the rest of the weekend with friends in Jersey City.  As promised, here's a mini tour of Annisia and James' great apartment.  You can see the full size photos and tour here.
 

my new favorite snail mail catalog :: at west end

Maybe I have have been living under a rock.  But before the at west end catalog arrived over the weekend, I had never heard of them.  Their address is from Mississippi.  Anyone there know of them?  Probably the slowest I've browsed through a catalog in a long time...move over anthropologie.  I was also pleasantly surprised by most of the prices.  Reasonable, I thought.  Shop online.  I am so in love with the bee hive baskets and birdhouse. But I can't decide if I love the products more or the location of their photo shoot!?  It's like breath of fresh catalog air. (all photos are from at west end)