Stylish Design Bargains!
Thursday, October 16th, 2008
I’ve always been a sucker for a good bargain. Below are my top picks for design deals out there right now. Make your money go far in style!
Ikat Paisley Duvet Cover and Shams, $59 for Queen duvet at West Elm
Through-the-Looking Glass side table, $69 at Wisteria
Kulla table lamp, $49 at IKEA
Reunion Dining Table, On sale at CB2 for $199
Posted in Accessories & Lighting, Affordable Design, Furniture, Online Retailers | No Comments »
Bay Area Salvage Resources
Monday, October 13th, 2008
I received a few inquiries about where to find salvage and reclaimed wood so I decided to share a few of my favorite sources in the Bay Area. The wood used in the reclaimed wood bookcases I designed was from Heritage Salvage (www.heritagesalvage.com) a great source for all kinds of reclaimed wood species. They also have a showroom with furniture made from their wood. I particularly liked these quirky coat racks:
If you are looking for more than reclaimed wood you can head over to Urban Ore (http://urbanore.ypguides.net/) in Berkeley. They have everything from vintage sinks, doors, fireplaces, windows, and even some appliances and used furniture.
The Re-use People of America (http://www.thereusepeople.org/RetailSales/) in Oakland have a large selection of building materials, and their proactive mission of helping to save the environment with their own deconstruction efforts (which provide 90% of their stock) is commendable.
That’s just a short list to get you started. Click here for my overview of sources from a Green San Francisco Interior Designer!
Tags: bay area salvage stores, green design san francisco, heritage salvage, reclaimed barnwood, urban ore
Posted in Green Design, San Francisco Design Sources | No Comments »
Worst dressed list: 3 common interior design mistakes
Monday, October 13th, 2008
It’s about time we saw a worst dressed list for home design. There are certain things that people just can’t stop doing. Here are a few of my favorite offenders:
Traditional matchy, matchy bedroom sets. Who started this and why are people still doing it?
Swaggy valances have no place in the modern home
Need space planning? Sofas shoved against the walls is not the answer!
Tags: interior design mistakes to avoid, worst dressed list interiors
Posted in Decorating Do's & Don'ts | 1 Comment »
There’s Nothing Like Custom!
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
Today Niche Interiors brought two custom bookcases into this world. With a little inspiration and the help of EVG Designs (www.evgdesignsf.com) we were able to create these unique, solid steel and reclaimed redwood beauties.
The custom fabrication allowed us to design around the dimensions of the space, utilizing the beautiful high ceilings by pushing the height of the bookcases over 7 feet. The hard lines of the steel contrast well with the rough texture and uneven surface of the reclaimed barn wood.
Stay tuned for more custom furniture births in the near future.
Posted in Custom Furniture, Green Design | No Comments »
Get the Good Glow
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
Ready for a more relaxing and cozy home? Making good lighting choices is the easiest way to improve the feel of your space. Ever been to a restaurant that had delicious food but you couldn’t wait to get out? Fluorescent lighting, harsh direct light and overly bright spaces don’t make you want to linger. The same principle applies to our homes. The goal is to create a space that you love to spend time in. Read on for some key lighting basics to get you started on creating your new relaxing space.
Provide multiple light sources of varying types per room. Start with two table or floor lamps for ambient light, and add task lighting for reading or working as needed. This also allows for the use of lower watt bulbs since you are not relying on one bright overhead fixture to illuminate an entire room.
Use a dimmer. If your lamps don’t have a 3 way switch built-in (which requires a 3 way bulb to function) then buy a dimmer at your local hardware store. It’s an easy install and will only set you back $15-20.
Use 40 – 60 watt soft white incandescent bulbs for a cozy, pleasing light. Reserve compact fluorescents for hallways, laundry rooms and other utilitarian spaces. If you are determined to use compact fluorescents throughout your home try the n:vision TCP Home Soft White bulbs, they come highly rated for warmer light output.
Posted in Accessories & Lighting, Decorating Do's & Don'ts | No Comments »