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Celebrity Homes: Eco-Friendly Edition

Kristine Hansen — 2011-04-07T14:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Famous Homes, Celebrity Homes, Cool Homes

Celebrity homes are luxe, over-the-top and often expensive. And they're getting greener too, thanks to designer-to-the-stars Kari Whitman.

Interior designer Kari Whitman has a very cool job. Not only does she help celebs decorate their homes, she helps them create the green homes of their dreams. "I just don't do anything that's not green," she says. She'll help clients find salvaged or upcycled materials, help them choose non-toxic cleaning products and encourage them to reupholster an old sofa, rather than buy a new one.

"Any time you buy new, we have a problem," says Whitman, who has a knack for giving sparkle to tired old furniture.

Photo: Roger Snider

Whitman shared some of her favorite celeb decorating projects -- the homes of Jessica Alba, Emilio Estevez and Virginia Madsen -- and offers up tips to help all of us get a little greener.

Jessica Alba: Decorating With Curbside Finds
According to Whitman, Jessica Alba, a 29-year-old mom-to-be -- who already has a two-year-old daughter (Honor) with husband Cash Warren -- is gung-ho about creating an eco-friendly home for her family. Right down to the backyard grass that surrounds her outdoor pool. "Jessica is probably the greenest client of all my clients," says Whitman. "She really, really cares about the earth."

Photo: Gareth Cattermole, Getty Images

Alba chose Forever Lawn, a waterless "grass" that's created from recycled tires and has a 15-year guarantee. "It's expensive, but in Beverly Hills if you do something 'green', you get 25 percent off your entire water bill, excluding the pool," says Whitman. As for the pool, Alba opted for saltwater so when the pool is drained, chemicals are not released into the environment.

She's also quick to buy second-hand furnishings. "We were buying stuff off Craigslist and running down to the antique store. We were even finding stuff on the road that people were throwing away, and we'd take it home and redo it," says Whitman.

Alba paid attention to the smaller details too. To top off her eco-friendly home, Alba chose hemp and bamboo linens throughout her home.

Emilio Estevez: An Eco-Friendly Wine Cellar
Most people don't know that Emilio Estevez, that actor hunk who starred in "The Breakfast Club" and, most recently, "Bobby," doubles as a winemaker. He also owns a small vineyard. When he realized that he needed a wine room to store his oenophile interests -- a tasting area and temperature-controlled aging barrels, and bottles -- he turned to Whitman.

Photo: Henry Cabala

"He's fantastic -- he's my favorite client of all time," says Whitman. "Everything in that room is recycled except for the wine barrels that hold his wine." No-VOC paints were applied to the walls. An antique chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Molding was sourced from a train station in India that was going to be torn down. Whitman recycled a door that used to be the entrance to an antique store in Portugal as the wine room's door. And the piece de resistance? Gym flooring recycled from Stanford University is underfoot.

Together they bought antique smoking chairs and redid them with pleather; Whitman's has an interest in animal-rights activism. "The biggest harm for the environment is the bones of the furniture," says Whitman. "They're not made like they were 10 years ago."

Virginia Madsen: Green Flooring Fanatic
We know her as "Maya" in the film "Sideways" but until chatting with Whitman I didn't realize how passionate she is about eco-friendly design. "Virginia is pretty green," says Whitman, who started her home's renovation by looking to the floors.

Photo: Chris Covey

The two decided on bamboo flooring sourced from Hawaii for her first floor living room, dining room and entryway. The wood contains palmwood, which is sustainable because a palm tree lives at most 100 years. Whitman took the theme a step further and, taking a sheet of the same material, made a dining room table that converts to a pool table.

And just like with Alba, she encouraged her client to incorporate vintage finds. The women found an old couch online and reupholstered it.

Celebrity Green Decorating Tips for You
Whitman suggests making your home as sustainable as possible. Here's where to begin:

1. If you want an eco-chic kitchen countertop, choose one made from recycled glass as it offers built-in color and style. Whitman's favorite company is Coverings Etc. "Amazing products! They come in all different colors and they're all recycled."

2. Only use eco-friendly cleaners and clean often to remove toxic grime and dirt tracked in from the outdoors. "It's very important that you clean everything. Mrs. Meyer's is the best. I don't know what they put in their products but I just had a friend spill wine on my sofa and it pulled it right out."

3. The most eco-friendly insulation for the home is one made from old denim jeans. Not only is it sound-proof but it is 40 percent more effective that most insulation products sold, Whitman says.

4. For a cozy deck, fence or railing in the yard, ditch the thought of pure lumber and go with a product containing 12% post-consumer recycled plastic, the rest wood that is pre-consumer recycled. It's called TimberTech.

5. Opt for no-VOC paints for your walls. Whitman recommends SafeCoat. Whitman actually developed her own eco-friendly paint-mixing kit called WallMakeUp. "Most of the time the paint chips you get at the store are never the same on your walls."

Want to read more about celebrity homes?
Cheap, Chic Ideas from Charlie Sheen's Home
Katy Sagal's House on the Market
Jennifer Lopez's House in Veranda

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Make My Life Easy: The Happiest's Mom's Guide to Cleaning

Kristine Hansen — 2011-02-23T11:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Storage & Organization, Cleaning

Make my life easy, you say? No problem. First, forget the all-day cleaning sessions. "The Happiest Mom" tells us how to keep our homes clean, organized and happy -- the easy way.

Meagan Francis, a Michigan mom with five children ranging from 22 months to 13 years, has learned the hard way that keeping a clean, organized home requires staying on top of the small stuff. But she's no tiger mom. Francis, whose new book "The Happiest Mom: 10 Secrets to Enjoying Motherhood" (Weldon Owen, $14.95), believes there's a zen way to approach a chaotic home. She devotes a chapter to offering tips on how to run a smooth household without running yourself into the ground.

Photo: Jennifer Mayo Studios

We asked Francis to share her best tips on keeping a clean, organized and orderly home. Whether it's handling chores and tasks in a more efficient manner or ways you can teach the little ones to chip in, she's full of solutions:

1. Determine 'Stress Triggers'
When it comes to cleanliness, what spirals us into a frenzied mess - and consequently invites chaos - is different for each person. For some, a sink filled with dirty dishes might invite a panic attack. Others might stress out about stacks of unopened mail. "Focus on the things that give you stress," advises Francis. Throw pillows and blankets strewn across the living room floor drive her bonkers. So does a bathroom counter cluttered with toiletries. "If those two things aren't done right I feel really chaotic and can't relax." Dust and cobwebs? She could care less - and often does not even notice they are there.

2. Clean Daily
When the option to clean all day - or even a half day - is on the table, most of us probably find a way to get out of it. Francis can totally relate. Instead, she does a little bit of cleaning each day. "If doesn't have to be a chore if you stay on top of it," she says. She also avoids a Saturday-morning argument before a scheduled cleaning marathon by locking the kids into a routine ahead of time. Because the older boys in her family take out the trash and also do the dishes, there isn't a discussion or fight about doing so -- it's just expected behavior.

3. Make It Better
The rule in Francis' house is to never walk out of a room without first making it better. Don't leave dirty dishes on the table or books spread open on the couch or your sweatshirt in a pile on the bathroom floor. Sticking to this mantra eliminates little messes that can pile up around the home while doing normal tasks -- reading, eating or playing, for example.

4. The After-School Shuffle
When Francis' four oldest kids come home from school they dump their backpacks down and immediately begin to snack, play games, read or do homework. It's easy for them to forget, until later that night, about important paperwork sent home by the teacher that needs her attention. Now, Francis goes through each backpack within minutes of them barreling through the door. All of it goes in a designated "in-box" on her desk. This way she's aware of what needs to be done and can make the time to do it.

5. Teach Kids to Clean
It might be tempting to avoid giving your kids a detailed show about how to clean the house - and just clean it from top to bottom on your own. But the time you invest now can pay off big-time in the long run. "Take the time to make sure they do it correctly," says Francis. "Even though that might take time, it's going to be worth it." When she was pregnant with her fifth child she patiently taught the older kids how to load and unload the dishwasher, as well as operate the washing machine and dryer. This way she could recapture that time for feedings or much-needed rest.

6. Rearrange Décor for Happiness
When Francis noticed that her kids weren't reading much -- she looked to her home's layout for answers. Because there wasn't a central storage area for books, paperbacks and hardbound books were collecting underneath each child's bed and in spots throughout the house. So she set up a reading area with comfortable chairs and all of their books on one shelf. "Also, it makes it easy for me to keep an eye on it," she says.

She also relocated the board games from an upstairs closet, which was difficult for a small child to reach and often resulted in game pieces falling onto the floor. Now they are visible and within reach. "I want to set up the rooms in the way they want to be used," she says.

7. Purge, Purge, Purge
Even though Francis is not a recreational shopper, she's amazed at how quickly the rooms in her house can fill up, just from day-to-day activities. "Each time I go through the house I'm amazed at all the stuff I find," she says. Twice a week she searches for rarely-used items to donate, whether it's a book, sweater or bowl. Every little bit counts. And because she has realized that she's happiest in a home that's minimally decorated, it's an important habit to keep.

What do you think? Would you use Francis' advice for keeping your home clean? More importantly, what are YOUR best tips for cleaning with a house full of kids? Weigh in on our Facebook page?

Read more about creating a happy and loving living space with kids:
How to Be Easy to Live With
Kids Room Decorating Ideas: Project Nursery
Should Little Boys Play With Kitchens?

Here's a video about how to organize your pantry.

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The Best Pillow for Your Sleep Style

Kristine Hansen — 2011-02-21T11:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Furniture

Enough restless nights and cramped necks in the morning! We've got expert tips for buying the best pillows for all you tummy, side and back sleepers -- and yes, snorers and sweat-ers too.

I spend a lot of nights in hotel rooms when traveling for work, but even with all the pillows I've slept with, I have no clue what to buy for my own bed. From plushy down to foam inserts, I'm completely stuck. So I turned to the experts to find out what pillows are best and what are some dos and don'ts when shopping for the perfect pillow.

Alamy

"Looking for pillows sounds fun on the one hand, but it's also annoying and aggravating," says Sherry Solomon, of 22 Bond St. in Los Angeles, which is where celebrities like Sheryl Crow turn for bedroom-focused design advice.

There are some general rules to consider when buying a pillow. For one, shop at a store with a bed that's set up. Then you can try out pillows on an actual bed, says Kristi Witt, an interior decorator in San Francisco. Jeffrey Gornstein, founder of ComfortHouse.com in Newark, N.J, suggests that you don't buy a pillow that someone else recommends since he predicts you'll be disappointed. "Pillows are a very personal preference," he says.

Be wary of latex coverings. Low-quality latex often omits an odor and clumps up very quickly, cautions Lauri Ward, an eco-focused designer in Manhattan. She suggests investing in your pillows like you do bedding. (A pillowcase with a smooth feel also helps; those with a 300-thread-count or higher, she says, help decrease the appearance of facial wrinkles in the morning.)

Best Pillows for... Side Sleepers
What to Look For: Pillows that are firm, not soft. A memory-foam pillow accommodates for twists and turns throughout the night (common with side sleepers) and also protects the neck and shoulders from cramping.
Tips: If memory-foam isn't for you, try a pillow with a high quality latex cover. Don't pass over body pillows too. "A body pillow is a good idea," says Witt, "and it is also okay to sleep with a couple of pillows if you are a side sleeper, such as hugging a pillow or placing one between your legs."

Best Pillows for... Back Sleepers
What to Look For: The danger for those who sleep on their back is that the neck can easily be too high or too low. Pillows that allow the back of the head to comfortably sink into the pillow are perfect. It's even better if there is a defined indentation. "Something that's really lofty and firm," says Witt, will suffice. Wedge a bolster or pillow underneath the knees, advises Gornstein, to improve circulation.
Tips: Pillows made from contoured-memory foam allow the neck to comfortably rest under a raised portion of the pillow. "They're good for a back sleeper because they need the neck support," says Ward. Or, they say, go with a down pillow that has lots of down filling (more than the average down pillow; while in the store, if you can quickly reshape the pillow, then you have found one with lots of down). This gives you a lot to play with in terms of reaching your ideal comfort.

Best Pillows for... Stomach Sleepers
What to Look For: A flat pillow, or any pillow that does not have defined elevation, so that you are not forced to sleep at odd, uncomfortable angles.
Best Pillows: This is the most versatile sleeping position when it comes to pillows. That said, Ward advises her clients who sleep on their stomachs to go with the flattest pillow they can find, so that the body remains comfortable all night long. Lying on an upward angle, the result of sleeping on an elevated pillow, may result in pain. Ward particularly likes Pacific Coast pillows for their quality feather and down inserts.
Tips: "I can just imagine somebody's head sinking into the pillow in comfort," says Witt. Just be careful, she says, not to buy a pillow that is too lofty. It will likely cause neck discomfort.

Best Pillows for... Sweaty Sleepers
What to Look For: Outside of sleeping positions, there are sleeping quirks. If you tend to perspire while you sleep, seek out a temperature-regulated pillow, which Gornstein calls the hottest aspect in pillows right now (no pun intended).
Tips: ISO-Cool pillows -- offered in a variety of designs and fillings -- are one such option. Ward likes pillows featuring Cool Max fabric (from a variety of manufacturers); they wick moisture away from the pillow very quickly.

Best Pillows for... Readers
What to Look For: For reading in bed, Ward suggests buckwheat neckrolls (filled with buckwheat hulls), perfect for tucking under your lower back while sitting up. (Because buckwheat pillows tend to make noise when shifted around, they aren't a preferred option while sleeping, especially for light sleepers, says Witt.)
Tips: Wedge pillows or lumbar pillows also provide extra back support while reading in bed.

Best Pillows for... Snorers (And Those That Live With Them!)
What to Look For: If you have a partner who snores - or doesn't like the fact that you do - did you know there are actually pillows that can give you a better night's rest?
Best Pillows: Brookstone offers the Anti-Snore pillow, which has been clinically tested and is essentially a supportive memory-foam pillow that is adaptable to all sleeping positions. Otherwise, a firm pillow that enables the throat to fully open while asleep will often put an end to the snoring, says Ward.

Don't Forget the Cover
All of the experts we spoke with recommend using a pillow cover underneath the pillowcase. It provides a buffer against dirt and dust mites and gives the pillow a longer life. However, don't choose a heavy cover to go over a down pillow because it can crush the filling sooner.

For more on the ins and outs of creating a cozy, comfy bedroom read:
How to Green and Detox Your Bedroom
Tips from Ice Hotels: How to Warm Up A Cold Bedroom
A Grown-Up Bedroom Makeover

If the thought of new pillows gets you in the mood for a full bedroom makeover, check out our video:

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An Inspiring Man Closet Makeover

Kristine Hansen — 2011-02-17T11:16:00 00:00

Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Projects

What's a man to do when his ties, sneakers and T-shirts are a jumbled mess inside his closet? Read on for tips on how to spruce up a man closet.

Move over, man cave, the "man closet" is the new male-only space inside a house. And don't expect rows of shelves for all of his fancy shoes -- Men want different things in a closet than women do, says designer Lisa Adams of LA Closet Design, her custom-closet business and online boutique.

Light and bright, this closet, designed by Lisa Adams, is a delightful departure from the dark, dank closets in many homes. Photo: LA Closet Design

Men seek a no-fuss tone. Where a woman's closet might be cute and feminine and have dainty features and design touches, men care most about space; they like their closets walk-in big. And they appreciate gadgets like safes, bars (a refrigerator, breakfast station or coffee maker), and charging stations -- all designed to make their morning rush to the office and evening wind down easier. "Men tend to be the ones that are the risk takers in terms of design," says Adams, shown below.

The closet designing diva -- Lisa Adams of LA Closet Design -- inside a man's closet she designed. Photo: LA Closet Design

And she's enjoyed creating closets for them. For the 7th annual Esquire Design House in Hollywood Hills, California, last fall, Adams created two closets -- a 150-square-foot man closet attached to the master-bedroom suite and a "weekend girlfriend" closet. Relying on dark, straight-grained wood, satin-nickel accents and cream-colored accessories, the man closet is the kind of space that gets women drooling too. Think: Crocodile-leather walls, pull-out cases with glass tops to store jewelry and sunglasses, cubby-holes for sweaters, ties tucked into a hanging display case. Adams also added hanging rods with integral lighting, to avoid fumbling around in the dark for a specific shirt or pair of slacks.

Lisa Adams designed this glitsy and sophisticated yet practical man closet for the Esquire Design House last fall. Photo: LA Closet Design

Still, most men don't need this many bells and whistles to feel good about their closet. "Most men want organization -- a place for everything," she says. When Adams designed her boyfriend's closet, she gave him lots of places to keep things. "It is organized and functional. I believe he feels good every morning getting dressed and feeling like he starts off the day organized and in a positive state of mind," she says.

Think your partner would appreciate a man closet? Here's how to help him outfit one:

1. Synchronize
Change out all of the hangers to achieve a monochromatic, slick look. It doesn't matter if the hangers are wooden or metal. But definitely "get rid of the dry-cleaning hangers," says Adams. "Just changing that spruces it up."

2. Charging Stations
These days we carry a LOT of hand-held electronics each time we leave the house -- iPod, e-reader, digital camera, etc. With all of this comes the responsibilty of keeping everything juiced up. Add a charging station to your man's closet and he won't be disappointed. It doesn't have to be high-end, just a flat area near an outlet with enough plugs for a good charge. Adams loves the Stelton x-92 Super Charger XL, the BlueLounge "The Sanctuary" or the Kikkerland Charging Station. If there isn't an outlet in the closet, then this brand-new wireless charger is perfect.

Everything in its place. Isn't that how a closet should be? (And proof that a neat closet can be squeezed into a tight space.) Photo: LA Closet Design

3. Ties and Belts
Invest in a tie and belt organizer. It could be flat (where ties and belts are folded or rolled inside a pull-out drawer), a cubby-hole (stores like IKEA and The Container Store sell quality stand-alone cubicles that work perfectly, everything from wire mesh to bamboo wood), or wall-mounted, depending on the space available. You can also make your own tie or belt organizer, like this one on Etsy made with a bulletin board and mismatched drawer knobs.

4. Donate
Guys are packrats when it comes to old clothes. Periodically go through the closet and look for items that are rarely, if ever, worn. If the item hasn't been worn in the last 12 months, then into the Goodwill box it goes!

5. Add Scent
The easiest way to reinvigorate a closet is to apply a scent. Adams likes cedar or eucalyptus, which are masculine alternatives to lavender, which many women use to perfume their closets. (Very few men are going to feel at home in a closet that smells like a garden...) There's no need to light a candle or scoop potpourri into a bowl, however. Sachets tossed into the drawers will do the trick.

6. Lighting Options
Men love back lighting, says Adams. It's also helps men find their way around the closet. (If you've ever woken up to a flash of bright light in the bedroom, thanks to your sweetheart's earlier wake-up time, then you know that dim lighting is a lifesaver.)

And while women love, love, love the look of a chandelier, that's not going to bode well for men. "Men like simple, more masculine-looking light fixtures," says Adams, such as in-cabinetry lighting recessed into shelves and integrated into hanging rods. "Soffit lighting and dimmers adds mood and interest in men's closets," she says.

7. Deck the Walls
The easiest way to revitalize a closet is to paint the interior walls or apply a textural element. Whether it's a pop of tangerine or a subdued platinum grey, it's yet another opportunity to personalize.

Want to read more about closet organization?
Corral Your Clutter with Wire Shelving Systems
California Closets and Peter Walsh's Mega-Makeover
Five Things You Can Do (Today!) to Organize Your Closet

Have man caves on the brain? Check out this video.

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Even Candles Have An Expiration Date

Kristine Hansen — 2011-02-16T09:09:00 00:00

Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Storage & Organization, Cleaning

From a kitchen sponge to those candles gathering dust on your bookshelf, when home items should be tossed.

I don't play around with a product's expiration date. If that jar of peanut butter in my fridge has an imprinted date that is now in the past, then into the garbage it goes.

Photo: Getty Images

I suspect I'm not alone in this habit.

But it's easy to foget about products in the home that aren't ingested. I'm talking about all of the products we employ to clean, cook or beautify our houses as well as our appearance. Some of these come with an expiration date, but many do not.

We checked in with the Good Housekeeping Research Institute to find out when we should be tossing commonly used household products.

Baking Soda
It's a good thing that a box of baking soda is cheap because the recommended replacement time -- if you ask Arm & Hammer -- is every 30 days. We checked a trusted source for more details. "Baking soda is at peak odor-absorbing performance for the refrigerator within one month after opening," says Good Housekeeping Research Institute's Carolyn Forte, the Home Appliances and Cleaning Director. "It will continue to work after that, but perhaps not as quickly. It can still be used effectively after 30 days, however, for cleaning surfaces and deodorizing drains."

Photo: Corbis

Candles
If the candle no longer has an odor then it has gone bad. It isn't necessary to toss, but if perfume is an important part of your candle-lighting ritual then by all means do not hesitate to do so. Forte sums it up nicely: "A candle without a scent is not harmful if burned. You just won't get the full benefit of the candle experience."

All-purpose surface spray
I tend to snap up beautifully fragrant all-purpose surface sprays (preferably with natural ingredients, like those from Caldrea or Mrs. Meyer's) when they go on sale at discount stores like TJ Maxx. Right now I'm armed with two choices: lemongrass or citrus. Walmart's web site suggests replacing the spray every six months. It's a good thing that the product can be applied to most any surface -- bookshelves, countertops, windows, etc. - because otherwise it might take longer than six months to deplete the bottle.

Photo: Alamy

Dish Rack
If you can see cracks in the support system or rust (if it's metal), it is time to buy a new one -- you don't want the heavy dishware stacked in the drainer to suddenly drop onto the floor (because then you will be shopping for new place settings). You also don't want rust to attach to the plates and bowls you use for mealtime.

As for plastic dish racks, Forte has this to say: "Germs don't eat the plastic, but as the plastic ages and starts to break down, bacteria, with the right conditions of food and moisture, can grow in the cracks and crevices. When it reaches a point where it is worn and can no longer adequately be cleaned, it's time to toss it." So if you are scrubbing and scrubbing a yellowed dish rack, it's time to spring for a bright, white version!

Glass cleaner
Real Simple editors think that a bottle of Windex, or any similar product (perhaps under a generic name) used to clean any glass surface or window, can be good for up to two years. However, when we polled Forte, she expressed the contrary: "I have never heard that glass cleaner expires. I believe it is formulated to last longer than two years."

Kitchen sponge
We don't even want to think about the number of germs hiding in a sponge. After using it to wipe the kitchen table, countertops, the sink and the stove, a lot of bacteria can build up. And most of it is invisible to the naked eye. When you can see that icky grime, it smells disgusting (a sign of bacteria growth), or "the sponge starts to break down and cleaning is no longer effective," says Forte, it's definitely time to toss it.

But if you're keeping a clean sponge you will never know when it is that time. Forte offered up quick sanitizing methods as a safety net. Sponges should be sanitized weekly, she says, in a solution of bleach and water. Rinse well and dry before using again. "We have also found that putting sponges in the dishwasher with heated water and drying cycles sanitizes them almost as well, but not as completely as bleach and water," she says.

There is a lot of talk, too, about microwaving a kitchen sponge for 30 seconds as a sterilization method. Don't be afraid to do this. When scientists at Agricultural Research Science in Maryland put this to the test, they removed 99.99999 percent of the bacteria.

Mop
If you ask us, knowing when to replace a mop is among the biggest quandries when it comes to keeping or tossing household products. After just one use, a mop is going to look dirty no matter how many times it is rinsed. Forte helped us sort it all out by likening a mop to a cleaning sponge. Sanitizing regularly will prolong the life of your mop. "Sponge mops can be soaked in bleach and water; string, strip or microfiber mops should be washed in the washing machine," says Forte. "One of the reasons disposable and microfiber mops have become so popular is that they eliminate the cleaning issues associated with traditional mops."

Photo: Getty Images

Pot holders
I've often had a look-see attitude about my potholders. If I can see crusted remains of sauces or cookie batter on the fabric, then it is time to invest in a new hand mitt. (I still haven't converted to silicone.) Turns out that cleanliness is the key to longevity with pot holders. Sharon Franke, who is the Kitchen Appliances and Technology Director at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, urges consumers to keep pot holders clean and also neatly trimmed. Here's why. "Bacteria can grow on stains. Oil or sugar stains can catch on fire. If pot holders develop loose or frayed threads or ends, they should be discarded. The threads or ends can easily catch on fire," she says.

Generally speaking, your pot holders -- whether these are squares or oven mitts -- should be flame-resistant. It's also nice to have brightly colored ones so that you can find them easily when the pasta is boiling over or the chocolate-chip cookies baking in your oven are at risk of turning crisp. Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop in Philadelphia strongly urges you to look over the pot holders regularly. If there are any holes or tears, replace immediately. Otherwise, you may burn yourself.

Photo: Getty Images

Sink Drain
If you haven't replaced your sink drain in, oh, five years, here is where you can feel as if you have done something right. Forte, of Good Housekeeping Research Institute, says that as long as metal sink drains are kept clean and in working order, there is no need to replace sink drains. "If they malfunction and no longer hold water, then they should be replaced," says Forte.

Small Appliances
Now that we've covered common household products it would be silly to not touch on small appliances. Haven't you ever wondered when it's time to splurge on a new toaster or microwave -- and not just because you like the fancy-schmancy red chrome one?

We polled Good Housekeeping Research Institute for answers. "Small appliances do not need to be replaced as long as they are in good working order," says Franke. "Any appliance with a damaged cord or plug shold be replaced." Some other red flags and clues it is time to toss it: a coffeemaker that takes an unusually long time to brew; any appliance that gets hotter than it used to while operating; when the automatic shutoff feature no longer works; and if you can't properly close the microwave door.

For more about cleaning, don't miss these great stories:
DIY Detective: PAO Labels and Expiration Dates
Green Spring Cleaning: Disposing of Toxic Household Items Safely
The Do's and Dont's of: Choosing Healthy Cleaning Products

For more about expired household products, here's a video:

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How Broke People Are Buying Second Homes

Kristine Hansen — 2011-01-28T10:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Your Home, Projects, Design, etc, News & Trends

It may be out of reach, but I dream of owning a lake house someday. Here's how I plan to buy one.

I opened up a savings account yesterday -- to save for a second home. Since it's going to be a seasonal cottage, I'm looking at spending less than $200,000. So I'm trying to put in $100 a month for the next 20 years. In my account right now: a meager $200.

At this point in my life, I can only daydream about that cute little white house with Adirondack chairs facing a Wisconsin lake. And the awesome barbecues I'll host. And the canoe rides at sunset. I'm not ashamed to admit I spend many hours cruising real-estate listings. So I decided to at least try to make that dream a reality.

LakeHousesOfWisconsin.com

Turns out that I took the right first step. Ellie Kay -- author of the 2008 book "A Tip A Day with Ellie Kay: 12 Months' Worth of Money-Saving Ideas" and the upcoming "The 60-Minute Money Workout: An Easy Step by Step Guide to Getting Your Finances into Shape" says that the first step is often the most important. "People dabble," she says, but they don't often make a move. While it may take me a couple of decades to save for a down payment, it can't hurt, she says, to begin the process early.

It's not just me with a lofty dream. Many of my friends in their 30s and 40s are also pondering pre-retirement plans. After the kids are grown and their own student loans are paid off, what is it they want for themselves? For many, it's to have a retreat from the manic lifestyles we've all settled into. For one friend, it's a Chicago condo she's saving up for. Then she can hop onto the Amtrak from where we live in Milwaukee and less than two hours later be in her own urban condo, surrounded by hip bars and restaurants.

Financial expert and author Manisha Thakor and her husband, who live in Houston, just completed the construction of their dream vacation home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As founder of the Women's Financial Literacy Initiative and author of "Get Financially Naked: How to Talk Money With Your Honey," she will begin offering e-courses this month on a variety of topics, including saving for a second home. Drawing upon her personal experience, she was more than willing to dish about the ins and outs of having a vacation home -- and how to get ready for it.

Lakehouse.com

Don't dive into the dream too soon.
"We've seen how so many dreams can go awry because you don't see the specifics involved," says Thakor. A perfect example, she says, is the 45-day luxury cruise she just took for her 40th birthday. During her years of daydreaming she failed to inquire about the average age on a cruise; it ended up being 75 years old. "I was surrounded by people who were at a completely different stage of life."

Schedule a few vacations in the region where you might want to have a second place, just to confirm you like things. Test your access to the beach (it's not going to be fun fighting traffic for 45 minutes on a regular basis) and what's selling in the aisles of local supermarkets (your vegan diet might not be so easy to pull off). You could start slow by renting an apartment in your target area, taking note of the pluses and minuses, before you dump a lot of cash into a home that you own.

"Really explore the dream and make sure it is what you want. It's so easy to get caught up in what you think it will be," she says.

LakeHousesOfWisconsin.com

If you plan to rent it out, be realistic about when you'll get to use it.
Many people, says Thakor, turn their vacation home into a temporary rental during the weeks they are not occupying it. But this means being flexible, perhaps giving up some of the winter weekends in your Scottsdale ranch, or deciding to go down to Florida in spring and autumn. "The problem is that everybody wants to rent your place the same weeks you want to be there," says Thakor.

Even if you do snag vacationers to share your dream home, think about how you'll have to decorate it to suit their fancies. When people are paying $1,000 a week -- in lieu of a hotel with daily housekeeping services and top-notch decor -- they expect appliances and decorations to be higher-end and not show signs of wear and tear. One of Thakor's friends recently dealt with tourists who trashed the place, a situation you do not want to be in.

LakeHousesOfWisconsin.com

Scale back on current expenses.
We all know that the quickest way to put more money into your pocket is to use less of what you already earn. Evaluate your monthly budget. Is there anything you can drop or reduce the cost of?

Kay suggests looking at two big monthly expenses: auto insurance and homeowners policy. "It should be a once a year thing," she says. "Only one in four people actually do this." Hop onto Progressive.com where quotes from four providers (for auto insurance) are provided at no cost. Armed with a lower quote you can either ask your current provider to match it -- or move to a new provider. Kay estimates you can save between $300 and $400 a year by consistently searching for the best rate.

What vice can you pledge to give up in pursuit of your second house dream? It could be anything from ditching the monthly French manicure in favor of DIY nail-care to cutting down on the number of magazines you pick up off the newsstand (remember, subscriptions are always a better deal!).

You can also save on grocery bills by simply visiting Couponmom.com, say Kay, where when you enter your zip code all of the food sales in your area come up. Since food is estimated to be the third largest expenditure, and includes toiletries and household cleansers, you can always stock up when you see a sale. If you like to eat out often, don't think you have to give that up for the next 20 years. Subscribe to sites like Travelzoo.com, Restaurant.com, LivingSocial.com and Groupon.com -- deals are sent right into your inbox. (With Groupon, I got half-off tickets to Summerfest, an annual music festival in Milwaukee, so it's not just for dining out.) Also follow your favorite cupcake, cafe or coffee shop on Twitter for news about code words that can save you money on your next visit.

For me, I need only look at the cup holders inside my Honda Civic to see where I can best save money. I'm famous for pulling into cafes four times a week and ordering a latte or -- when I feel money is tight -- a plain old cup of coffee. David Bach, a financial expert, coined the "latte factor" as one piece of the puzzle in why we aren't flush with money. On his web site (FinishRich.com) is a link to an interactive calculator to help you figure out where your money is going each month, in terms of frivolous expenses, and how to reclaim it by funneling that cash into a savings account.

I bought a $15 stove-top espresso maker at IKEA ("Radig") last week and plan to prepare lattes with this, as well as milk in my Bodum frother, and I figure if I invest in some $5 bottles of syrups I will pretty much have a mini Starbucks in my kitchen -- but for a fraction of the cost.

When you save, really save -- Put it into your savings account.
Now that you've latched onto some savings, rule #1 is to not spend that money. Instead, put it into a savings account attached to your vacation-home dream. "I'm a firm believer that at the point of savings, you transfer the funds," says Kay.

Buy a cheaper first house.
Yet even with all these cutbacks -- and for me, that might mean taking fewer vacations -- the biggest thing you can do is not buy an expensive house as your primary residence. "The place where we live in Houston is well below what we can afford," says Thakor. "If you really feel strongly that you want to have a two-house lifestyle, unless you expect your income to accelerate dramatically, the best way is to be more conservative with that first home."

To read more about house dreams visit:
The Small House Movement is Gaining Momentum and I Want In
California Closets and Peter Walsh's Mega-Makeover
Real Estate Love: A San Francisco Dream

If you are considering buying a second home take a look at this video for more information!

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Need Wall Art? Rent Some of the Best

Kristine Hansen — 2011-01-27T14:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Your Home, Design, etc, News & Trends, Furniture

A new site allows you to borrow art for your home the way that Netflix allows you to rent movies. And it just might change the way you think about home decorating.

When Jason Gracilieri moved into a new apartment three years ago, he stumbled upon a business idea.

Frustrated that the art he adored in his old pad just didn't look right in the new place, he got to thinking about a company where you could rent art -- a mix of landscapes, portraits, contemporary minimalism, you name it.

From left to right, Jason Gracilieri, founder; Liz Hall, curator/artist community manager; and Matt Hodgson, CTO. Photo: Courtesy of TurningArt.com

"I got to a point in my life where I wanted to move past mass-produced pieces of art. I wanted something substantial, with more meaning. I love the idea of owning original artwork, but it's obviously very expensive," says Gracilieri.

TurningArt.com, which launched in August, allows homeowners to try out art. You sign up for one of three subscription plans; each allows you one piece of art (a print) per month with varying durations of borrowing (from two months to three months to as long as you want). All of the art is from up and coming, emerging artists.

We like that the monthly fees are affordable. They range from $9.99 to $19.99, depending on how often you want to rotate your art (but use code "SHELTERPOP" for 15% off your first month!). For the $19.99 fee you have an unlimited amount of times you can swap prints. But we love that you can convert these fees to credits, which you cash in to purchase original art (not a print) from the site. It might be the same art you've fallen in love with after hanging it above your couch for two months. Or you might take a chance on a piece you haven't tried yet.

And if you're worried about trolling stores for frames to match the art, don't. This is one-stop shopping. When you sign-up you pick out a frame -- black or gold -- and your first piece of art arrives in that frame. All future pieces you swap out by keeping the frame and mailing only the print.

"I can see the benefits of switching out and 'trying out new art pieces' until you figure out what you like and find the right piece for a certain room," says Kerry Schuss, who owns KS Art in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City.

But the idea has its critics. "Artwork for rent seems to be more of a 'fill the walls' decorating kind of thing, which goes against my idealistic collecting goals," says Nicole Reid, gallery manager at Tory Folliard Gallery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her 22 years of experience in showing art has shown her that art collecting is a very personal thing. Besides, she says, most galleries offer clients the opportunity to make payments over time, like TurningArt.com does.

For those new to collecting art, TurningArt.com is very approachable. "It's an original art savings plan," says Gracilieri, whose wife is a gallery director and consultant on the site. There are more than a hundred artists from across the country represented in the collection, which numbers at around 400 pieces. "We add new artists and new artwork every week," he says. He plans to expand to multi-print subscription plans soon. (Unlike Netflix, you can't check out more than one product at once although you do have a queue.) Each Sunday morning a newsletter is sent out to subscribers that contains info about the latest acquisitions.

We asked Jason to name his five favorite pieces of art within the TurningArt.com collection.

Artwork: Luca Ricco

1. Cambridge Plant by Luca Ricco (watercolor, $650)
Ricco started this painting after doctors discovered a tumor on his brain; he subsequently had surgery to remove it. After the surgery left him with limited use of his arms and legs, he re-taught himself to paint. He now paints with his left hand despite previously painting with his right hand. "Although the piece is of an industrial plant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I look at all of Luca's work as an example of our will and ability to overcome -- very important for an entrepreneur," says Gracilieri.

Artwork: Greg Mamczak

2. Untitled (Topiary Tiger) by Greg Mamczak (acrylic on canvas, $1,000)
Graclieri has long been fascinated with skateboarding, which is suggested in this painting. "The description that Greg gave us for this particular piece is 'The complications of a stripe-less tiger.' I'm not exactly sure what that means, but there's a certain fun, irreverence to it. I also like the patterned graphics. You could almost see it as wallpaper, which is a huge trend in art right now," says Gracilieri.

Artwork: Jodi Chamberlain

3. Lighthouse by Jodi Chamberlain (oil on wood, $2,300)
Chamberlain, who lives and paints in New York City, is one of the newest artists to join TurningArt.com. "There's just something very surreal and peaceful about this particular piece," says Gracilieri. "The first time I saw it, I imagined a very small person looking down on the world below, far, far removed from all the hustle and bustle. It's a similar feeling to looking up at a clear, star-filled night sky."

Artwork: Marianne Bland

4. F Line by Marianne Bland (acrylic on canvas, $1,800)
If you spot a San Francisco influence in this piece then you are absolutely right. Bland was born in the Bay Area during the '80s. By the age of 16 she had a business license for mural painting. "This painting is a wonderful snapshot of modern city life and very accessible for new collectors," says Gracilieri.

Artwork: David Robbins Estrada

5. Blue Ball with Stars by David Robbins Estrada (oil on canvas, $670)
Gracilieri was drawn to this piece because of its conceptual nature. "The rooster is often a very masculine symbol, and when paired with the blue and the stars, the entire piece can be seen as a commentary on an American society dominated by aggressive and war-like males," he says.

And good news, ShelterPop readers -- if you're interested in signing up, use code "SHELTERPOP" for 15% off your first month!

Read more about decorating your walls:
House Tour: Maria Brito's Art-Filled Apartment
Map Art: From Old Maps to New Decor
Wallpaper Trends 2011: New, Fresh and Fun Designs

Now if you're getting ready to display artwork, check out this video about how to keep picture frames from scraping your walls:

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How to Clean With Bar Keepers Friend

Kristine Hansen — 2011-01-17T09:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Storage & Organization, Cleaning

Housekeepers rely on it. Housewives probably haven't heard of it. But Bar Keepers Friend may just be the most important cleaner in your life.

New cleaning products are rolled out weekly, each batch smelling better than the last. And they all promise cleaner results, like none you've ever seen. But there are a few tried and true products that don't need any revamping.

Bar Keepers Friend has been in production since 1882, and with all of the products on the market, it still holds up as one of the toughest cleaners out there. Cleaning guru Rebecca Page owns Concierge Home Services in Ottawa, Canada, and cleaning house is among the company's specialties. She says that she and her staff rely on the product to get out the most stubborn stains on everything from kitchen fixtures to stove tops. "We do a lot of move-in and move-out cleans, and this is definitely in our kit," says Page. It does the job of baking soda, she says, only much, much better.

Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

You can use Bar Keepers Friend pretty much anywhere in the house, but especially in the kitchen and bathroom. It's really good at removing rust lurking inside cast-iron bath tubs and eliminating food messes that build up on a kitchen backsplash.
"The primary use is for hard, metallic finishes, like stainless steel, chrome, brass and laminate, which a lot of counter tops are made out of," says Page. "It also makes white fixtures sparkling and clean." And stainless appliances. It is also useful for polishing up brass doorknobs and letterboxes for your mail.

You can buy the cleaner in a non-bleach, powder-based cleanser at Williams-Sonoma, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ace Hardware, and many supermarket chains; a liquid option does the same job that the powder cleanser does.

Derek Christian, who owns Cincinnati-based My Maid Service, is a huge fan of Bar Keepers Friend. Here are three areas he suggests using the product. All you have to do is apply a little bit of the product (start with a teaspoon and then adjust based on the size of the area and how terrible the stain is) to a surface or to a wet sponge. (If you're polishing fixtures, you may want to squeeze some of the liquid version onto a sponge.) Then scrub! But not too hard. The product foams easily so that you don't risk ruining your house by injecting scratches and marks from the cleaning process.

1. Stainless steel surfaces
Those annoying scratches? Bar Keepers Friend will remove them. "This makes us a hero in many homes damaged by other products that scratch the surface," says Christian.

2. Glass shower doors
Bar Keepers Friend contains a mild abrasive to scrub off the soap scum and oxalic acid, which chemically dissolves the soap scum and hard water, he says.

3. Cookware
Who wouldn't want a set of pots and pans that look brand-new? "We clean furnished corporate apartments and Bar Keepers Friend makes the pots look like new," says Christian. "The abrasive removes the food residue and the oxalic acid gets rid of the water spots."

"On the flip side," says Christian, "Bar Keepers Friend cannot be used on pewter or natural stone like marble. The acid that makes it so effective can damage these surfaces. In cleaning homes it is just as important to know where not to use a product to avoid damages."

Want to be an even savvier cleaner? Read these articles.
The Dos and Don'ts of Choosing Healthy Cleaning Products
How to Clean Faster (and Smarter)
Cleaning Kitchens: Deep Clean Your Kitchen Sink

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13 Things You Can Clean With a Toothbrush

Kristine Hansen — 2011-01-13T09:10:00 00:00

Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Storage & Organization, Cleaning

One of the cheapest cleaning tools is also one of the most versatile. Do you know all the things your toothbrush is capable of?

Mary Findley ("Mary Moppins" of GoClean.com) has been a career housekeeper for at least a dozen years. She's also the co-author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cleaning" (2005) and wrote a follow-up four years later ("The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning"). It's the move-outs for private residences that allow her to do the best work -- and remove every single speck of dirt. About every four to five months at each of her client's homes she arms herself with a toothbrush and does a deep clean.

Photo: Getty Images

Here's are some areas of your home -- make that, 13 -- where a toothbrush will come in handy. In most cases, your favorite cleaning products or simply warm, soapy water over the toothbrush bristles will be enough to do the job.

1. Edges of the kitchen and bathroom sinks
"It's those little crevices where dirt goes. Toothbrushes work a lot better than toothpicks, which break off all the time and then get stuck," says Findley.

2. Sink drain
To clean out the drain in your bathroom or kitchen sink, simply pour vinegar (which Findley likes as it's less toxic than most other options) down the drain. Next, take your toothbrush and scrub, scrub, scrub until you don't see any more grime lining the drain.

Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

3. Stove and dishwasher knobs
If you've ever tried to take a sponge and swipe it over the knobs on your kitchen appliances, then you know this just does not work. The goal is to remove all of the dirt, not just some of it. That's where a toothbrush is your friend. It allows you to get under and behind those pesky little knobs, which is actually where dirt builds up, yes?

Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

4. Faucet base
Mold and mildew can easily collect on the base of a faucet, says Findley. Gently brush the wet bristles of a toothbrush over the base and more will come off than you could have removed using a rag or a sponge.

5. Linoleum flooring
Put a blob of toothpaste onto a moist toothbrush and get down on all fours to get stubborn stains out, especially marks made from boots or high heels. "That's the only way I get heel marks off my client's floor," says Findley. Note: Do not try this with hardwood or ceramic-tile flooring, however. The toothpaste could stain and the scrubbing leave nasty-looking marks on the floor.

6. Lampshade
Getting dust off a lampshade might require just a swipe with a microfiber cloth, but what about keeping the color pristine? Grab a children's soft toothbrush and gently rub it against the lampshade. "They are wonderful for cleaning the pleats in a pleated lampshade," says Findley.

7. Framed pictures or art
Take a small piece of gauze and cover the bristles, says Findley. "That does a good job of cleaning the corners of framed pictures." If you don't cover the bristles you run the risk of scratching -- and forever damaging -- a beautiful frame.

8. Toilet-seat hinges
Another tight space that a toothbrush has no problem fitting into.

9. Wall sockets for light switches
You're probably already thoroughly cleaning the socket, but what about the little "off" and "on" areas? The bristles on a toothbrush can get the dirt out of those little letters, no problem.

10. Sliding glass doors
You know the runners on a shower area's sliding glass doors? They get pretty grimy and they're a pain to clean. Findley suggests that next time you tackle this task with a toothbrush. "Runners get moldy pretty quickly. A toothbrush gets in the corners," she says. "Man, a toothbrush just zips that stuff out of there."

11. Window frames
Just like the sliding glass doors, the insides of window frames are prime real estate for collecting mold. Take a toothbrush over the cracks and crevices to do a better cleaning job.

12. Microwave or stove vents
Findley takes a rag (she' s really good at chopping up her husband's old T-shirts into 5" by 5" pieces) and gets it slightly wet with a cleaner before throwing it over a toothbrush. This is perfect for cleaning out microwave or stove vents. "You can't spray a cleaner back there because it will burn out the fan," she says.

13. Refrigerator vents and coils
Ideally these should be cleaned twice a year. "With the slats in those vents, it's real hard to get a cloth down there," says Findley.

Read about more surprising ways to clean:
Weekly Cleaning Tips Put to the Test
Mint Robot Cleaner: We Tried It, You Win It
Cleaning Kitchens: Deep Clean Your Kitchen Sink

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Why Celebs Flock to Necker Island

Kristine Hansen — 2011-01-10T09:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Famous Homes, Celebrity Homes, Cool Homes

Oprah, Jimmy Fallon and David Beckham have stayed at this Bali-inspired Caribbean resort. Why you'll want to too.

I've been to the British Virgin Islands. Tortola, to be exact, where I rented a house with two friends. It remains one of my favorite vacations. I loved the island's gentle ocean breezes, abundance of locally caught seafood and incredible beaches. Think: white sands, bright blue skies and the lush green hills of St. John in the distance.

Bali Houses -- half a dozen of them -- are one of the island's lodging options. Photo: Necker Island

If I were a celebrity that vacation may have been a wee bit different. I might have called Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire owner of Virgin Atlantic Airways, and inquired about availability on Necker Island, his 74-acre private island with super-luxe (and beautifully decorated) lodging. Located about 30 minutes from Tortola by private boat, Branson bought the island in 1978 and began renting it out in 1984.

A who's who of celebrities have stayed at the resort, everyone from Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson to Jimmy Fallon (he married here in 2007), Victoria and David Beckham (who rang in their 10th anniversary here earlier this year) to Princess Diana and Oprah Winfrey. We tried to get the goods on their stays, but a representative of Necker Island was tight-lipped: "I'm afraid that we respect the confidentiality of all of our guests."

The resort, the site of a 2010 Victoria's Secret catalog shoot, isn't cheap. If you rent the entire resort, it's $53,000 per night for up to 28 guests (5 night minimum). It includes all of your meals, drinks, boat transfers to and from the island and access to a 60 person staff. Still, you have to do your own laundry. Say what? The newest perk is a high-speed submarine dubbed "Necker Nymph."

In lieu of jetting off to this exclusive celeb retreat, we have photos of the property and the 14 rooms, which are divided between the Great House and six Bali Houses. While we really want to spend a night in this fantasy getaway, we'll settle for drooling over the photos and finding our favorite designer touch in each area of the resort.

Photo: Necker Island

What we love: Decor on the beach.
In a promo shot for the property, there are piles of pillows grouped together on a torch-lit beach, along with an exquisitely-set table -- the ultimate in outdoor living. I'm not going to say that you should try this at home -- it's pretty cold here in Wisconsin where I live. But here's an idea: Forget the hot chocolate. Mix yourself a tropical drink instead, and sip it in front of your roaring fire. It will lift the winter blues in minutes. Or, just beckon to a staff member, er, your significant other. "We try and provide a 'home away from home' style, but with the luxury of staff to answer your every need," says Leesa Jones, one of Necker Island's general managers.

Photo: Necker Island

What we love: Beachy colors in the bedroom.
In this master-suite room, located inside the Great House, decorative accents -- in this case, pale blue pillows, bright white bed linens, curtains and seating -- match the seascape outside. Since the Great House is on top of Devil's Hill and affords practically panoramic views of white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, a "clean cream and pale-blue color scheme was intentionally chosen," says Jones. The house's six rooms, including this one, have their own private terrace. All of the furniture and artifacts throughout the Great House were sourced from Bali, where they were handmade. Check out the vintage-look Jacuzzi (it looks like a clawfoot bathtub) on the suite's private terrace. We are so there!

Photo: Necker Island

What we love: Open air rooms.
There are six Bali Houses on the property. Some are situated on a cliff (offering amazing views and equally amazing sea breezes at night) and some are in the middle of the island (with a large private pool at each house). Built in Bali, they were then deconstructed so they could be transported to Necker Island, where they were reassembled. Inside one of the three cliffside homes (shown above), the open air room offers seamless panoramic views.

Ornately carved chairs and sofas are a nice alternative to the wicker popular in many seaside settings. White seat cushions and blue and green accents make the background stand out even more. Can't you see Brad and Angelina relaxing in this space -- talking about how they are going to change the world next -- after the kiddos are in bed? Or Oprah giggling with her BFF Gayle late into the night?

Photo: Necker Island

What we love: Carefully placed accents.
Okay, we get that this room -- in one of the Bali Houses -- looks completely staged. There is no way that a duo of straw hats are going to be positioned equidistant at the foot of the bed. No, they will be casually tossed onto the bed or the floor after coming in from the hot sun. But let's take a closer look. Objects in a room can tell their visitors a story and cultivate a feeling. Here, a straw hat like you might wear while lounging in a chaise on a sandy beach is displayed on the bed. Think about arranging a glass bowl filled with sand and seashells on top of a side table or dresser. Or a straw tote-bag slung over a door knob. It may make you smile when you walk in your own room.

Photo: Necker Island

What we love: French doors.
What I liked best about my vacation on Tortola was the ability to leave the French doors open at night while I slept. Nothing is more relaxing. In this Bali House room, neutral, lighter shades of wood keep up the relaxed vibe, but the real star is the view. Drool. Sigh. Book me a plane ticket now.

Want to see more Caribbean interiors?
Kelly Wearstler Makes Her Mark at the Viceroy Anguilla
Design Drool: Where Kate Moss Vacations
Far-Flung Friday: Grab Your Sunglasses

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Living in the Other Woman's House

Kristine Hansen — 2011-01-06T11:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Your Home, Storage & Cleaning, Storage & Organization, Furniture

My boyfriend and I live in the house he bought with his ex. I love the house, but I don't love the memory of her living there.

Each morning I wake up in a bungalow my boyfriend bought with another woman.

I won't lie: I'm a jealous person, and living in this house has made me even more jealous. At times, it actually got kind of ugly.

After moving in two years ago, I became obsessed with the idea that his first love - a woman I had never met and who he was no longer in contact with - had shared this space too. She had slept in my bedroom, parked her car in the garage and prepared dinner for my boyfriend, Tony, in the same kitchen.

The writer and her boyfriend in the backyard of their home. Photo: Courtesy of Kristine Hansen

Even though she moved out 10 years ago, there are reminders of her everywhere: I'd find junk mail addressed to her in our mailbox. Sometimes I even imagined their lives together in the house -- If I closed my eyes, I could see them walking into the house for the first time (it was during an Open House, where Tony says he knew right then and there, like love at first sight, it was the house). Later, they might have toasted flutes of sparkling wine after ripping up the carpeting and finding gleaming hardwood underneath. It got to the point where I couldn't even take a bubble bath without thinking about how she had once relaxed in that tub too.

When Tony asked me to move in with him a couple of years ago, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of living in a house that he'd shared with his ex-wife. But I was living in a one bedroom apartment with a strict no dogs policy; Tony had a 14 -year-old Golden Retriever/Border Collie mix named Augie. Plus, I worked at home. Even if the dog wasn't an issue, where would I fit a home office space?

Then there was the simple fact that I loved Tony's bungalow. It was south of downtown Milwaukee in walking distance to coffee shops and restaurants, Lake Michigan and parks. It had a nice-sized backyard and a basement to store my wine collection. I loved the living room's piano windows with leaded glass and the dining room's built-in buffet. The house had charm and character. Except for this one nagging ex-wife problem, it was perfect.

A view of the writer's happy home. Photo: Courtesy of Kristine Hansen

And so over Memorial Day 2009, we moved my clothes, books, furnishings and more into the house. But the more I arranged my belongings in the house, the more reminders of her I unearthed. While shelving my cookbooks in the pantry next to Tony's cookbooks, a piece of paper slipped out of one of his cookbooks; she had written a dinner menu. On the front page of another cookbook she had inscribed a love letter to Tony. I asked him to remove that page. (He did.) Every morning we used her ibrik (Turkish coffee pot) to boil our water for coffee.

To be fair, I had brought my own reminders of failed relationships into the house. Two cookbooks that were birthday presents from an ex, a cobalt-blue vase that another ex's step-mother had given to me, CDs purchased at concerts I had been to with other men, and shoe boxes containing photos of these past loves. But this was different -- I was moving into a house with my boyfriend's past.

Friends told me that over time the house would begin to feel like mine and Tony's, and I worked on letting go of her memory. Some of the asymmetrical pottery urns and mugs she left behind in a dark corner of the basement I considered taking to Goodwill, but in the end decided not to. Over many months, I realized that I didn't have to erase the memory of Tony's ex-wife to feel good about living there. Instead, we needed to fill the home with memories of our own.

Two years later, Tony and I are settled in, and while I am reminded of his ex at times, I shrug her memory away. I see the house for what it is today: our happy home. And we've decorated it so it reflects our life today.

We have a Scandinavian basket that we picked up in an antique shop on the way home from a camping trip in our living room. A vintage pewter vase is front and center inside the buffet, the result of our wasting away an hour at another antique store. There are framed photos of us on our vacations and at my brother's wedding. Trinkets from my travels are throughout, from the handmade dolls I bought from an artist in Belize to a framed tile of a ship that I purchased in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While on vacation in Mexico last year, Tony and I bought a piece of folk art (a cat) made in Chiapas. In the bedroom is a lawyer's bookcase left behind by his ex; we painted over it in a shade of light-green.

Recently an ex-boyfriend contacted me out of the blue to offer me first dibs on his espresso machine and coffee-bean grinder. He was moving to a new apartment and didn't want to lug items he no longer used. Remembering that I have a penchant for good coffee and don't mind tinkering around in the kitchen to make a cappuccino (after all, he and I co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Coffee and Tea!), he offered it to me. I decided to buy it. Never mind that we once used them together in the mornings at his house years ago. Tony didn't blink when I told him. He's just excited that we can move beyond French press coffee.

Maybe it's because we're in love. Maybe it's because we just love coffee and old houses and spending time together. Either way, our relationship is based on trust, and evidence of our past relationships aren't a threat -- they're just a part of our past now.

There are always going to be reminders of past relationships in our homes. But what I've learned is that they're just reminders. After all, what matters most is who we are in love with today.

For more great stories on ShelterPop, don't miss:
Naked at Home For a Week
The Case Against Cleaning
Always the Writer, Never the Client

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Design Drool: The Levi's Jeans-Inspired 25Hours Hotel

Kristine Hansen — 2010-12-08T10:15:00 00:00

Filed under: Design, etc

Slip into something a little more comfortable -- like your favorite jeans -- at the 25Hours Hotel Frankfort by Levi's.

Since we all pretty much "live" in our favorite jeans, one hotel decided to take the idea literally: With the 25Hours Hotel Frankfort by Levi's, Levi's has created a hotel inspired by the look and feel of the jeans that have been around since the company's founding in 1873 in San Francisco. The hotel, which opened in 2008, is near the new German headquarters for Levi Strauss in Frankfurt, Germany.

The exterior of this unusual hotel inspired by a pair of Levi's jeans. Photo: 25Hours Hotel

In designing the 76 rooms, sculptor Michael Dreher and artist Delphine Buhro tried to answer the question: How did blue jeans impact our lives in the last century? Because just like music, fashion, art and film weren't the same in each decade, neither were blue jeans. In the 1930s, people wore trim, preppy jeans, while in the 1970s, "bells" hung around the ankles.

After researching popular culture of the last several decades, Dreher and Buhro assigned each room to fit into a particular decade and decorated it accordingly. It turned into the ultimate challenge for a designer, since the only thing linking the rooms was the color blue. The only commonality in each of these rooms is the color blue. (There's also a pair of Levi's hanging in each room.)

The result is one really cool hotel. You will never look at a pair of Levi's jeans the same again.

Photo: 25Hours Hotel

A Room Inspired by the 1980s:
If you were cool in the eighties, it's probably because you sported a preppy look (remember how polo shirt collars had to be flipped up?). Your jeans were probably ironed, extremely tight and stiff to the touch. You might have even tucked in a crisp, white shirt and draped a cable sweater over your shoulders. Prep is reinterpreted in this room with a clean-lined bed, furniture painted true blue and a geometric-pattered carpet. The animal print lampshade is a flash of punk in an otherwise preppy space. The "boom box" -- the 80's iPod or Discman -- is featured in the artwork.

Photo: 25Hours Hotel

A Room Inspired by the 1970s:
An orange starfish design in the rug may be a modern take on orange shag carpeting, but it still screams 1970s. The designers also chose the ornate gold mirror, crocheted pillows and metal bedside lamps are also decorative reminders of the decade. The color, which you can easily imagine on a polyester disco shirt, was no doubt inspired by denim.

If you were putting on a pair of jeans during the time period, you were probably wearing jeans that were loose around the ankles and tight around the wasitline. You probably wore a turtleneck. Or a suede vest. Or a top exposing your midriff. As this room shows, there were no rules i the 70s.

Photo: 25Hours Hotel

A Room Inspired by the 1960s:
During the 1960s, boundaries were also pushed in terms of social norms and behaviors, and this included the world of design. Check out the white orb-shaped lamp on the desk and the psychedelic carpeting. Funky! The blue walls are a deep denim blue, seen in swimsuit designs and home decor alike from this era. And those chairs? Definitely an example of how radical you could be as a designer during the sixties, which Levi's designers totally picked up on at the time by offering embroidered jeans. (When is that trend going to come back? Huh?)

Photo: 25Hours Hotel

A Room Inspired by the 1950s:
A jukebox couldn't be more reminiscent of the fifties, a time when sock hops were a regular part of the social calendar. The white chair at the desk looks like molded-plywood, a material that furniture designers like Charles and Ray Eames and Herman Miller began using in the late '40s.

The darker blue chosen for this room's walls is sultry, like a smoky cocktail lounge, but the lighter color screams 50s housewife, since the light blue was a popular choice for everything from dresses to appliances. You might say that jeans were the star of the 1950s. Once people saw James Dean sporting them in "Rebel Without a Cause," they became a symbol of rebellion and everyone had to have them.

Photo: 25Hours Hotel

A Room Inspired by the 1940s:
The 1940s is often thought of as a classic time in American history -- it was the decade of "Casablanca" and Rita Hayworth, the end of the second World War when baseball was king. And this monochromatic palette of black and white captures the times perfectly.

It was a glamorous time. People wore black and white gowns and tuxedos to balls and parties. Old Hollywood style decor was popular. Photos were taken in black and white, and movies were released in the two colors. Notice: there's no blue in this room -- an ode to the lack of denim during the time period.

For more Design Drools, don't miss:
One Night in Paris at the Seven Hotel
Say Aloha to the Waikiki Edition
The Real Jersey Shore

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Gwyneth Paltrow and Ryan Reynolds Love This Furniture Designer (and We Do Too)

Kristine Hansen — 2010-12-03T11:14:00 00:00

Filed under: Famous Homes, Celebrity Homes

Have you ever wondered where the Hollywood elite pick up fab furnishings for their homes? Check out the goods of this Manhattan furniture designer.

Craig van den Brulle, a furniture designer who dabbles in acquiring unique antiques and limited-edition pieces, owns a 3,000-square-foot shop named after him in the Nolita section of Manhattan. It opened in 2007. But his creations have found their way out to L.A. and into the homes of a number of celebrities.

His client list includes designer-savvy folks like Kelly Wearstler, Tom Ford and Helmut Lung, as well as notable actors and actresses like Ryan Reynolds, Gwyneth Paltrow and Susan Sarandon. Oprah is also a fan.

We were able to get details on what these two celebs have bought -- and we're pretty impressed by their good taste!

Photos: Dave M. Benett, Getty Images | craigvandenbrulle.com

Actress (and now singer) Gwyneth Paltrow has always flaunted a minimalist, chic style -- she's often dressed in black and white or neutral tones. Naturally she's going to pen her country-music lyrics on a classy desk, right? van den Brulle's The Extrados Lucite Desk/Table is the perfect fit. She purchased the piece six months ago from the designer; the item costs $7,600. It can also be used as a table in a breakfast nook for morning coffee and croissants. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to clean if Moses or Apple spill a juice box on it.

Photos: Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images | craigvandenbrulle.com

Nothing but the best for this year's sexiest man, as deemed by People, right? Reynolds picked up this ornate metal sculpture on wood base from van den Brulle that is signed by the American artists (Belva Ball and Thomas Hibben). The 19-inch tall sculpture was created during the spring of 1968 and later exhibited in the Art Institute of Chicago until 1969. We wonder what Scarlett Johansson, his wife of two years, thinks of this work of art? In other words, is it in his man cave or in their home's entryway?

As a designer, van den Brulle is constantly at work on a new line of furniture that carries his name. His latest line is the Delaunay Collection, containing lamps, mirrors and chairs and employing a laser-sintering process on a Rapid Prototyping machine. Starting at $7,500 and going on up to $75,000, the pieces are available in steel, gilt bronze and chrome.

Want to read more about how celebs decorate their homes?
Tommy Hilfiger's Home at The Plaza
Fashion Designers Open Up Their Homes
Rob Lowe in Architectural Digest

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Tips From Ice Hotels: How to Warm Up a Cold Bedroom

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-29T12:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Design, etc, Architecture

There's nothing worse than a cold bedroom in winter, so we asked four ice hotels to share their secrets to a cozy sleep space.

During the long, dark days of winter -- and nights too! -- it can be difficult to sleep in a bedroom that is drafty or cold. It might lack a proper heating vent. Or you might be trying to save some dough by cranking down the heat at night.

Fortunately, there are ways to cope with undesirable temperatures in the bedroom.

And what better source of inspiration than from a seasoned pro -- a hotel constructed from blocks of ice or mounds of snow?

Four hotels around the world offer accommodations like this -- Hôtel de Glace in Quebec; Kirkenes SnowHotel in Norway; a property aptly named Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden; and Finland's SnowVillage. We polled each of the hotels for tips on what to wear to bed -- and the warmest, coziest types of bedding -- to help make your bedroom a blissful refuge during winter.

"Clients from whom we have received negative feedback have said that it was too warm to sleep," says Heini Korvenkangas of SnowVillage.

Layers is the name of the game when trying to keep warm. Photo: Kirkenes SnowHotel

Learn To Sleep In Layers
SnowHotel in Norway injects humor into the idea of sleeping overnight in a hotel made out of snow. "Remember, we are in the Arctic climate," reads a letter of introduction to all guests. "Take extra layers to keep yourself warm. This is not a fashion show; the purpose is to keep yourself warm!"

Not just for outdoor hikes and while downhill or cross-country skiing, thermal underwear is a blessing any time it's cold. Why is it a godsend? Simply put, it traps warm air from escaping your body. Go with not only long underwear but a long-sleeve top too. Add flannel pajamas on top and a tank top underneath, and you are all set to catch some zzzs.

Hôtel de Glace in Quebec coaches guests ahead of time on what to pack in preparation for a night sleeping on a block of ice. Three layers should be worn, with the exterior layer's goal to "shield wind and humidity;" the middle layer of wool, flannel or polar-fleece garments designed to isolate air and control humidity; and an interior layer of undergarments. And not necessarily the undies or undershirts you wear year-round. These should be a mix of wool or synthetic fabric and ideally not cotton. Cotton retains the humidity and then you have a new problem you did not anticipate: sweating. Also, shop for wool socks and a wool cap that fits tightly over your head (you'd be surprised how quickly it can fall off while you toss and turn -- or allow a draft to slip through). At SnowVillage in Norway each guest is provided with not only a sleeping bag but a wool hat and a pair of wool socks too.

And while we know how tempting it is to sleep in the clothes you wore during the day, try not to. The reason is that dry clothing -- garments you've not worn yet that day -- lacks humidity that can actually make you feel cool. Stick with dry layers, and you won't have this problem.

Photo: Xavier Dachez for Hôtel de Glace

Snuggle Into A Sleeping Bag
Because the beds at all of these hotels are constructed from raw, natural materials (snow and ice) that couldn't be any colder, guests are provided with fleece-lined sleeping bags. Now even though you have a base that includes a mattress, mattress pad and bed sheets, it can't hurt to add another layer next to your skin. Search for a sleeping bag that clearly states the outdoor temperatures it is guaranteed to succumb to. Ideally, that should be below freezing temperatures, because that's how cold it can feel at night, yes?

"Each guest is supplied with a sleeping bag meant for outdoor conditions," explains Korvenkangas. "These sleeping bags can handle up to -25 to -35 degrees Celsius. Yet it's never that cold at SnowVillage."

Take it to the next level -- if your bedroom is really cold -- and invest in a fleece inner sleeping bag, which is what SnowVillage guests also receive. You can either use it in conjunction with the sleeping bag or solo -- your choice and depending on your body's need for warmth.

Photo: Big Ben Productions for Ice Hotel

Think Exotic
If ever there was a reason to invest in high-quality, exotic materials for bedding, it's the fact that you cannot sleep because it is too cold. At Ice Hotel, reindeer skins are laid between the blocks of ice (that serve as beds) and sleeping bags for a cozy middle layer that traps heat and won't allow it to escape. Large pieces of animal skins are warm. So are leather and sheepskin. Take the problem of having a cold bedroom, and turn it into a positive by splurging on an exotic animal skin!

Photo: SnowVillage

Wake Up to Hot Beverages
Ice Hotel guests are provided with a small glass of "hot lingonberry juice" at their bedside. And at Hôtel de Glace you are greeted with warm beverages.

Think about how you can get hot tea or coffee going quickly in the morning by doing prep-work the night before. This might be as simple as grinding the coffee beans or cleaning out the coffee pot. If you are lucky enough to have a programmable coffee pot, put that high-tech function to good use so that you can wake up to the smell of brewing coffee.

Or, rummage through your cabinets before bed and lay out on the kitchen counter your favorite tea, a beloved mug and any kind of brewing tools that get the hot tea going. Then lay in bed sipping your tea to toast you up.

Want to read more about bedroom decor?
How to Green and Detox Your Bedroom
Solid Bedding: Making It Work
Bedroom Makeover: Make It Sexy & Tasteful

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A Custom Rug Inspired By Your Kid's Art

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-29T11:18:00 00:00

Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Projects, Furniture

Turn ordinary children's doodles into extraordinary custom rugs.

When you think about it, tacking children's art onto one's fridge with a magnet is a classic way to display your little one's masterpieces. But if you have bigger plans for those crayon scribbles and watercolor blobs, we've got an idea for you.

A new way to display kids' art -- and cover your floor. Photo: Carpetzz

Carpetzz.com has the perfect solution for today's style-conscious folks who want to link function with art. The result is hand-tufted rugs made from New Zealand wool that incorporate handmade art. This could be something you did as a tyke or the work of your own children. On Carpetzz's web site is a claim that all carpets are free of child labor and certified as such by RugMark International.

How does it work? Simply send along an image of the art to Carpetzz.com either via an online order form or through the mail to the company headquarters in Germany.

About 10 weeks later the rug arrives at your doorstep. The price depends on the rug size, although according to the company it costs 150 euros per square meter, plus postage (that cost depending on the rug's weight and size). Rugs will ship to the U.S.

So next time you're about to toss one of your kid's beloved finger paintings, take a second look: Could this little Jackson Pollack be ready to have his art turned into home decor?

You might also like:

Great Walls Without the Paint

A Rug that's a Jigsaw Puzzle: No Kidding!

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Kate Middleton's Parents Know How to Throw a Party

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-23T12:42:00 00:00

Filed under: Fun Stuff, Parties & Entertaining, Holidays

Photo: PA Photos / Landov

Thanks to their company, Party Pieces, Kate Middleton's parents will bring party planning know-how -- and perhaps some paper plates? -- to the upcoming royal wedding.

Any member of a royal family ought to know how to put on a fab party. Lucky for Kate Middleton, who recently announced her engagement to Prince William of Wales, her parents know quite a thing or two about entertaining. They own and operate a party company. And while the goods may not bring a smile to the Queen's face -- no fine china here -- they certainly made us happy.

The Middleton's mail-order company, Party Pieces, based in England, touts 60 different party themes for kids as shown in paper or plastic plates, napkins, party bags, streamers, centerpieces, etc. It also offers a mix of classy and funky party goods for adults. Much of it is disposable, so you won't have to slave over the dishes after everyone has gone home. They also sell unique gifts and baking essentials.

We took a tour of the site. Our verdict? They are tapped into the logos and designs that we love, whether it's for one-year-old babe (seriously, there is an entire section on the site devoted to this age group) or for grown-ups.

Would we use the site to buy party goods? Actually, we would, but not when you consider the awful exchange rate right now.

Still, here are a few "grown-up novelty gifts" you can give as pressies -- British slang for presents.

Photos:Party Pieces

Here are our top 10 wants!

1. Gold Lacquered Party Platter
If you have to use paper or plastic plates, fine. But don't look cheap! This "gold lacquer" rectangular platter, measuring seven inches by 10 inches, would easily hold crackers and hard already-cut slivers of cheese or cookies. And under dim lighting the gold surface will glimmer.

2. Camper Van Alarm Clock
Yes, the '70s are over. But the VW-van icon lives. This would be cute and groovy on a nightstand or packed into your suitcase for vacation. Which leads to this question: Do you think Kate brought this with her to the luxury log cabin in Kenya where Prince William proposed?

3. Chocolate Cake Candle
We all love the smell of cake baking in the oven, but on some days that just isn't going to happen. Life gets in the way. That's when you can fire up a few chocolate-cake scented candles, and take in the sweet smell. Light a few just before guests arrive, too, and no doubt they will be in a good mood.

4. Vintage Football Plates and Cups
The World Cup may have come and gone, but for a new take on a sports-themed party, dump an NFL match-up and instead, invite friends over to watch what Europeans call "football." These vintage-look plates and cups are perfect for folks who adore mid-century mod designs. (Note: the Brits might want to pick up Liverpool, Manchester, Chelsea or Arsenal party packs, which Party Pieces thoughtfully offers.)

5. Eco-Friendly Sky Lantern
Non-flammable, bio-degradable, wire-free and farmer-friendly (um, we're not sure what that means either), these lightweight lanterns float up into the sky as an ode to your party -- or to a personal celebration. An ancient Chinese tradition, this might be a fun way to close out the night.

6. Pink Cadillac Party Food Tray
Have you ever seen a cuter personal-sized serving tray? Even boring potato chips or chopped celery is going to look good on top of this pink Cadillac. We think you might even be able to insert a plastic flute into the cup holder ...

7. Pink Lace Cupcake Wrappers
Inject some fancy into your next batch of cupcakes by wrapping each little sugar-y treat into one of these. (Note: also comes in ivory.)

8. Hen Party Invitations
A Hen Party is what the English call a bachelorette party and, of course, that's the kind of bash Kate's going to be the guest of honor at soon. We think she should ask her gal pals to load up on these Hen Party invites.

9. Mini Cake Plates
Categorized under a girl's-party theme (Truly Scrumptious Tea & Cake Party), three Shabby Chic-type designs for a smaller-size paper plate come in one pack. Mix and match for a wine-and-cake night or your own take on afternoon tea.

10. Red Reindeer Plates
We would be remiss to not include a product we could use this Christmas. Our eyes fell onto this red-and-white reindeer design, a reminder of the traditional holiday and Santa Claus, but with a modern twist.

Looking for updates on the upcoming nuptials? Our sister site AisleDash has it covered! Check out details on the wedding venue, the dress and more details about the royal wedding.

Want to read more about throwing an awesome party?
Entertaining tips from Shelterpop & Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams' Party
The New Rules of Entertaining

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Could You Live in a Bubble Home?

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-17T12:18:00 00:00

Filed under: Famous Homes, Design, etc, Architecture, Cool Homes

Who doesn't love bubbles -- but would you model your home after one of them? Here are five ways we'd take advantage of these wonderfully weird structures.

When we saw these bubble-like domes and their translucent properties our first thought was, "Huh?" But think about it. Who wants to live in a house with the shades drawn 24-7? Sunlight can be your friend, and a definite mood-lifter, especially during winter when the days are shorter and sunset arrives sooner.

Photo: Solent News & Photo Agency

Here are five ways we would totally work these bubbles into our décor -- that is if we had 7,500 pounds (that's about $11,924) to drop on one of these "Bubble Trees," designed by Pierre-Stéphane Duma.

1. Playroom
What better way to keep an eye on the kiddos than to put them in a transparent playroom? This is especially great for micromanaging helicopter parents who want to seem aloof. They can sit in the backyard too, armed with a book, while still keeping an eye on things. We think there might even be a way to jigger these bubbles shut so that nobody can escape until playtime is over.

Photo: Solent News & Photo Agency

2. Home Office
I don't know about you, but my creativity seems to flow better when outdoors. Wouldn't it be perfect to work while planted right on the grass, snow or piles of raked leaves? Besides, most of my neighbors work the 9-5 grind and wouldn't see me pounding the keyboard inside a bubble anyway. (They also won't see me procrastinating with a game of Solitaire on my computer.)

3. Guest Room
Okay, so we all have house guests we'd, um, rather not have. In lieu of sending them to the nearest motel, show them your really cool new guest room: The bubble! After one night, it's a novelty. Two nights? You can be sure they won't wear out your welcome.

Photo: Solent News & Photo Agency

4. Yoga Room
Once, at a yoga retreat, we flowed in and out of a series of poses and postures in an octagonal-shaped room with sunlight pouring in through the windows. I felt alive and empowered, never tired or frustrated. Why not show the sun (or the starlight!) your lotus position -- we bet you'll feel more connected to nature.

5. Sun Room
Screened-in porches are so last century. In these modern times, the bubbles are in. With lots of rays bouncing off of the structure, you get the benefit of the sun, but also are protected from any breezes that might blow your newspaper out of your hands or wrangle the light blanket off of your lap.

Photo: Solent News & Photo Agency

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Design Drool: One Night in Paris at The Seven Hotel

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-15T07:12:00 00:00

Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Forget the Ritz. If you're looking for an unforgettable place to stay in Paris, the Seven Hotel is it.

Paris is known for exuding Old World charm -- cathedrals, cafes, cobblestone streets. History reigns and modern glam is mostly reserved for art and fashion movements in this French city.

The Seven Hotel, located near the Latin Quarter, is a total exception.

The unassuming exterior of this ultra-cool Paris hotel. Photo: Seven Hotel

The 28-room designer hotel has seven sexed-up suites -- and we are still deciding which one we would book! You've got serene palettes in the "On/Off" and "Sublime" suites, and sultry ones in the "007" and "Black Diamond" ones. In the "Marie Antoinette" and "Alice" suites, childlike fantasies are played out in the decor.

Here, we take a look inside a few of our favorites. Where would you prefer to bunk after gazing at art inside the Louvre or sipping a demitasse of cafe in front of a charming little cafe?

007 Suite

After a leisurely romantic dinner at a restaurant in the Montmartre neighborhood, take your man to this clever space. With purple walls, curvy trim and a television showing all of the films in the 007 series, this suite is a place to play. While 007 himself didn't have an iPod docking station or an espresso machine, you will.

And when you're ready to retire -- James Bond style -- go the mid-century modern lounge across the room from the sleep space. Check out pics below. We love the revolver turned lampbase, and the bathroom, which has a chair in the glass shower -- how risque!

The sleeping area inside the 007 suite. Photo: Seven Hotel

Inside the 007 suite is a little corner to kick back and discuss the next plot -- to explore Paris, silly! Photo: Seven Hotel

Check out the revolver-turned-lamp-base! And the bathroom is quite risque, no? Photo: Seven Hotel

Alice Suite

What makes this suite spectacular is that you get a choice of 10 lighting schemes. Feeling green? Switch on the pretty green lights. Want to be extra girly? Then turn on the pink. A play on the Alice in Wonderland tale, the room is filled with off-beat decorative elements like a stuffed rabbit protruding from one wall and a collection of various sized clocks hanging on another wall.

It won't be hard to feel like a kid again when staying in this room. Yet this time you have access to the mini-bar!

Inside the Alice Suite, where whimsy and color meet in a fun design by Paul Mathieu. Photo: Seven Hotel

In the Alice Suite, you can play chess while on the loo. Although the game may go on forever since there are only so many bathroom breaks in a day.

Fan of chess? It would be a treat to play a game on this luxurious chessboard! Photo: Seven Hotel

Marie Antoinette Suite

We can't help but recall slumber parties when we see the many plush pillows -- in bright shiny fabrics -- and dreamy drapes inside this room. It supposedly mimics the style of Marie Antoinette, the Austrian-born queen of France, later executed by guillotine towards the end of the 18th century.

There is a four-poster bed and clawfoot tub. Now all you need are a wedge of fromage, a few Dom Perignon knock-offs -- and ding! You've got a slumber party for the ladies.

Gab with your best girlfriends on this swank couch. Photo: Seven Hotel

Lovez-Vous Suite

An ethanol fireplace, Jacuzzi designed for two and a terrace. What's not to like? This is a suite designed for lovers. There are even two televisions, putting an end to fighting over which show to watch.

We love the funky soaking tub, which is covered in cowhide, best.

The funky soaking tub inside the Lovez-Vous suite, designed by Virginie Cauet. Photo: Seven Hotel

Sublime Suite

This might be a good suite for the solo traveler, one who wants to feel cozy and not cooped up inside a hotel room. At night, simply pull the drapes around the circular mattress and slip into slumber. The neutral palette is calming and soothing and will erase any travel-related jitters. You might even say this suite has good "chi."

Lounging area inside the Sublime suite, which Agence Bastie designed as a calming retreat. Photo: Seven Hotel

Don't miss these Design Drools:
-Inside Lotta Jansdotter's Inspiring Brooklyn Studio
-Arabian Delights

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Design Drool: Javier Senosiain's Snail House

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-08T11:32:00 00:00

Filed under: Design, etc, Architecture

For this totally offbeat home just outside of Mexico City, architect Javier Senosiain was inspired by a snail.

Architect Javier Senosiain was inspired by a snail's spiral shapel when he designed "The Nautilus," a residential property completed in Mexico City in 2007. "Nature is my biggest source of inspiration -- observing and not copying it," he says.

The exterior of a house called The Nautilus. Photo: Francisco Lubbert

And so the result is actually more than a snail, says Senosiain. It's about the fluid space along a coastline where that snail might lie, with lots of curves and hips in the home's shell, and the reflective sunlight bouncing off of the textured eggshell-colored walls and stained-glass windows. All of these elements remind Senosiain of an oceanfront setting where a sunrise might create colorful patterns on the grainy, sandy shoreline.

Owners Magali and Fernando Mayorga, who have two sons, requested a simple mother-of-pearl finish for their home's interior and exterior walls and ceilings, which Senosiain promptly delivered. The result is a walk through one of the oddest (and oddly beautiful) homes you've ever seen.

In looking over photos of this uniquely shaped home, we quickly came up with ideas on how to use the space.

Photo: Francisco Lubbert

Seriously, is there any room more colorful and sunnier than this one? The outdoors comes in, quite literally, with pockets of lush grass growing next to curvy couches. This is the ideal spot to sip morning coffee or afternoon tea. Even during a tropical rainstorm, one can keep dry indoors but still relish the sweet scent of rain.

Photo: Francisco Lubbert

I bet you've never seen a TV room like this one. We certainly haven't.

Senosiain calls this space the "belly" of the house. It's where the structure bloats outward. Perfect for hosting movie nights! Otherwise, the room could be used as a gathering space for a small, intimate party; the pinwheel seating style makes it easy to carry on a conversation with several guests.

Photo: Jaime Jacott

Peaceful naps and nighttime slumber wouldn't be a problem in this room since there is a lot less light than in other areas of the home.

The absence of stained-glass windows -- a dominant feature elsewhere in The Nautilus -- provides for more of a retreat-like space in the bedroom.

Photo: Jaime Jacott (left) and Francisco Lubbert (right)

The home was designed to invite waves of rainbow-like color, as seen in the photo above left. Wouldn't this be a sweet spot to host a dance party? Who needs disco globes and smoke machines when you've got patterns of colorful light zipping across the floor and walls as twilight approaches?

On the right, a sink displays exquisite handicraft with small blue stones molded into Grancrete, also used to construct the home's exterior. The trickling sound of water helps cultivate a relaxing feeling, sure, but it also helps us to imagine the sounds a snail hears along the water. Pull up a chair next to this stone-and-gem work of art. Who needs a spa?

Check out a few other inspiring spaces
-Cottage Living in L.A.
-The Real Jersey Shore
And we love the Awe-Inspiring American Architecture from AOL Travel!

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Five Ways to Bring Autumn Into Your Home (Today!)

Kristine Hansen — 2010-11-03T15:15:00 00:00

Filed under: Your Home, Projects, Fun Stuff, Crafts & Projects, Holidays

Before you rush out to buy seasonal decor, take a look at these easy ways to bring the autumn season indoors.

1. Turn a scarf into a table runner.
There's this striped J Crew scarf I own that, while I love the chocolate-browns, creams, turquoises and mustards, doesn't come out of my closet often enough. I was about to drop it into a donation bag for the local Goodwill store when a decorating idea spun through my head. Why not repurpose it as a table runner? No stitching or cutting necessary. I simply laid it horizontal across my coffee table. Voila!

Getty Images

2. Perfume your abode with apples and pumpkins.
I get tired of all of the fake smells that waft from candle wax, like "apple cobbler" and "pumpkin spice." Why not go for the real thing? Slice a pie pumpkin in half vertically, scoop out the seeds and stringy insides with a spoon, place the two shells in a shallow baking dish in the oven (pre-heated to 375 degrees) and drizzle them with maple syrup. In 90 minutes you will have the most delicious, warm pumpkin you have ever eaten. And it will make your home smell divine. Trust us on this one.

Short on time? Buy a frozen apple pie from your market's frozen-foods aisle and bake it in the oven. Mmmm. This scent throughout your house will beat out lit candles any day!

Photo: Anthropologie, Bloomingdale's, Williams-Sonoma Home and Crate and Barrel

3. Decorate with throw blankets.
Drape hand-knit, chunky, cable-knit, cashmere or mohair throw blankets -- the more texture the better -- over armchairs, rocking chairs and the backs of sofas. Or fold into large squares and arrange on top of ottomans. This is the time of year when there might be a chill in the air.

Red Throw, Crate and Barrel, $60

"Lauren by Ralph Lauren" Cable-Knit Throw (in tan, white or red), Bloomingdale's, $50

Cashmere Throw (in seven different colors), Williams-Sonoma Home, $298

"Quirky Heirloom" Throw, Anthropologie, $198

Alamy | Getty

4. Frame fall color.
What I like to do during autumn is pluck a few brilliantly colored leaves off the lawn of my favorite park, lie them flat between sheets of wax paper inside a book, and then frame those leaves after a few days of drying. You don't have to deal with matting or any kind of expensive frame. Just drop them into the picture window of any 5' by 7' frame. Even if you don't have leaves in your yard, chances are that a neighbor does. Take a few of those fall leaves without any guilt and use them in your framing project. It will be a reminder of this glorious season long after it's over.

If you live in a climate where the tree leaves don't change color, look to pine cones or any kind of tall grass growing nearby. For a reminder that the season is changing, arrange pine cones in a bowl on the living-room table or place the grasses inside a tall vase.

Photo: Williams-Sonoma and Restoration Hardware

5. Hang a wreath on your front door.
No, we don't mean an evergreen or cypress wreath for the winter holiday season. We mean one built from dried fruits, berries or vegetables, or pine cones, or even fake leaves. Above are two wreaths that we'd love on our front doors.

Mixed Leaf Wreath, Pottery Barn, $29

Corn Wreath, Williams-Sonoma, $70

Preserved Magnolia & Pomegranate Wreath, Restoration Hardware, $89-$199

For more ideas on how to ready your home for fall, check out:
-Fall Trends 2010
-Brights For Fall in Home Decorating
-Flowering Fall Herbs

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