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Interior Design

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COLOR • COLOR • COLOR

Friday, August 28th, 2009

My good friend Drake just sent me this… and since I trust her judgment and her ability to spot things that she knows I will love implicitly, I had to post it immediately.  [Forewarning style sidenote on Drake: She is a West coast East Coaster.  She pops the collar of her polos, loves Ralph Lauren more than she loves her own family, and would sell her soul to the devil himself for a palatial spread in the Hamptons, New England, or anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard. So keep that in mind whenever I show you her picks.]

The summer sand is quickly draining from all of our hourglasses.  Summer is full of life and freshness, bright vibrant colors, crisp clean lines, and airy light fabrics and feels.  But that’s just it… as summer winds down in the coming weeks, don’t let go of it!  If you play your cards right, you can keep a summer feel year-round in your home.

image - remodelista.com

image - remodelista.com

Ok ok ok… I know that yellow might not be for everyone, and maybe this is a little TOO much of a statement for some of you, but I think you get the point.  DON’T BE AFRAID OF COLOR!!!  If I walk into one more of my friends igloos to see beige walls with darker floors, maybe a gray accent wall, and all dark wood furniture… I am just going to snap.  Color is our friend.  It makes things more interesting, more eye catching, and most importantly… more fun!  Don’t be stupid with it though.  When my parents next door neighbors moved in to their house, the wife had the interior of the house painted top to bottom.  She did every room in a different color – and there are probably 10 rooms!!!  Walking through their home feels like you’re on a guided tour of the Crayola factory.  You want to do accent colors that catch the eye and change the whole tone of the house, like the yellow doors seen above which were done throughout the entire craftsman style home.  Maybe you can start slow with pillows, rugs, or drapery?

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SchubLaden Recycled Storage

Monday, August 17th, 2009
Recycled Dresser Drawers

Recycled Dresser Drawers

Towards the end of last week, I showed you a creative option for recycled shelving from old tables and desks… and here is something along the same lines that I love.  This piece is the work of furniture design company SchubLaden, from the Berlin-Kreuzberg´s Graefedistrict of Germany.  The word schubLaden translates to mean ‘drawers’ in German, as the company is entirely devoted to the reuse of old, unmated drawers.  This is new furniture with old drawers, ready-to-buy or custom-made for you. It’s recycling just the same, but in a more creative and useful way.

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A Recycled Bookcase?

Friday, August 14th, 2009

I always try to be environmentally conscious where I can – but normally this just means recycling plastic and aluminum cans, opting for online vs. print when possible, and carpooling on occasion.  To interior design specialist Isabel Quiroga, apparently recycling means something totally different.

Recycled Bookcase of Tables

Recycled Bookcase of Tables

Look closely at that picture – the floor to ceiling bookcase is made entirely out of used and antique tables.  Before you get huffy about the cost, notice that the wall fixture is made from no more than three tables, which were probably bought from a flea market or garage sale for a total of $60.  The tables are sawed down the middle and both sides can be used for the bookcase.  This is genius… it may get a ton of stares in your home (especially in purple), but that may be just what you’re going for.  Also, from where I’m standing, the easiest and most environmentally responsible thing we can do in these times is not add more ’stuff’ to the overpopulated planet we live on.  This concept accomplishes just that.

I’m going to the swap meet for some tables, you?

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Eva Mendes designs bedding?

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Apparently actress Eva Mendes has just released the SECOND line of her home decor collection at Macy’s department stores.

Vida by Eva Mendes

Vida by Eva Mendes

How did I not know this?  This is precisely the kind of thing that you guys should have known would get me all riled up (translation: you should have called this to my attention).  The line is called Vida by Eva Mendes, and her debut effort came out in October of ‘08.  I’m assuming the line is a collaboration with Macy’s themselves – ala. Target’s guest designer success.  If you’re still reading this with the intention of learning detailed information about the stylings of Vida by Eva Mendes, look elsewhere…  I’m just here to ask- what the hell is Eva Mendes doing designing crap for your home?  Did she have time to hit design school or gain some experience between her crucial roles in 2 Fast 2 Furious and Hitch?

It’s stuff like this that gives people the impression that there are absolutely no qualifications to design.  I think I’m going to design a line of prescription drugs and/or medical equipment. I have some creative ideas.

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