Posts with tag buzz

Pretty patterns from Liberty Of London hit Target on March 14.

Mark your calendars: Liberty of London for Target hits stores this Sunday. The British company's line will be available for a limited time at select Target locations and on Target.com. The prettily-patterned line is Target's first collection to span such a wide variety of categories from home and garden to fashion for women, men and children.

A venerable brand, Liberty & Co. was founded in 1875 in England. The company is best known for its micro-floral prints, which are practically woven into English heritage. Unbelievably, Liberty of London has an archive of over 43,000 print designs (!), 25 of which they have handed over to Target for the partnership.

If you want to get a hold of these adorable goods, hit your Target early -- they're guaranteed to sell out quickly!

Above, clockwise from left: Media Bins $7 to $15; Quilt in Pink Floral Print in Full/Queen and King Sizes $50 to $60, Standard Sham $15; King Sham $25; 4-pk. Note card Set $6, Mugs in Teal Peacock Print, Green/Blue Print $5 each; Ceramic Teapots in Multicolor Floral $13;

Below: Liberty of London for Target Bike in Pink/White Floral Print $200

All photos courtesy of Liberty of London for Target.

Two new, innovative storage solutions? Yes, please!


Storage is one of those decorative elements that I just know I'll never master. How can I possibly organize an ever-evolving collection of... stuff? (Perhaps it's not an issue of storage solutions as it is my shopping addiction.) Regardless, I was excited to discover these two new storage solutions that are high on design and functionality.

When I spotted this prototype for the 'Hang On' wardrobe from John Caswell Design, my heart sang. I'm a sucker for user-interactive products, and the hanger wardrobe just screams "play with me!"

As you can see in the photo at right, the wardrobe has perforated hangers on its exterior; each hanger can be popped out of the wooden wardrobe and used inside. We think it's a pretty clever solution.

Not only is this a handsome piece of storage, it's also the ultimate conversation piece -- with built-in storage for your expanding trench coat obsession.

Source

The home and design news for the week of March 1 to 5.

From Martha Stewart paint to Esquire-branded furniture, there were a ton of exciting product launches and announcements. Here's a round-up of the major home and interiors news of the week:

1. Martha Stewart Living Paint has finally arrived at The Home Depot! There are 280 Martha-approved colors and a foolproof color key system to help you choose hues.

2. And even more exciting: Martha's launching a reality show! According the the Associate Press, in the forthcoming Help Me, Martha someone petitions for help "for a friend who's having trouble planning a wedding or a special meal or is facing some other lifestyle issue. The doorbell rings and - surprise! - Stewart and her team are there to take over."

3. We can all look forward to a Kate Spade New York home collection in fall of 2010, thanks to a partnership with CHF Industries to create sheets, duvets, shams, bedding accessories, bath accessories, bath towels and rugs.

4. Three cheers for Ikea: Furniture Today reported that the Swedish company raised more than $10 million for children's charities last year through its holiday season Soft Toy sales!

5. Sunbrella jumped on the app bandwagon and launched a mobile application.

6. The Kips Bay Decorator Show House announced this year's designers, among the 18 participants are Celerie Kemble, Vincent Wolf and Christopher Peacock.

7. Calling all gentlemen: Esquire magazine is going to have its own line of furniture through a partnership with Halo.

8. The Shabby Chic continues to heal after its troubles last year; the company has partnered with Miles Talbott for a line of furniture.

9. Former Queer Eye For The Straight Guy star, Thom Felicia, has launched his first furniture line.

10. Design stores were closing on both coasts as Design Within Reach closed its first store following leadership changes and West Elm shuttered a DC location.

11. Meanwhile, boho-chic Anthropologie opened up shop in New Orleans -- what a perfect pairing!

The top renovation and decorating trends for the bath in 2010.

I've always gravitated toward simple, white bathrooms in a more traditional style (think: pedestal sinks, subway tiles and white shower curtains). Recently, however, the trends have been leading me elsewhere. If you're planning a bathroom re-do (or just want to live vicariously through those that are!), be sure to keep these ideas in mind:

Eco-Friendly
With growing awareness of the environment, many consumers are starting to invest in more environmentally-friendly bathroom features. Low-flow toilets, energy efficient lighting and sustainable building products are popular green bathroom design elements that are easy to install and won't break your budget.

Floating Sinks
With the increasing popularity of stark and modern interiors, floating sinks and even floating vanities are a trendy way to keep a bathroom looking light and airy. For a great budget option, IKEA has a variety of floating models to choose from.

Mirrored Walls
Using multiple mirrors to create the illusion of greater space continues to be a popular choice for those of us cursed with teeny bathrooms. Artistic mirror effects such as piecing together smaller mirrors, hanging different shaped mirrors or installing mirrored collages are becoming increasingly popular.

Heated Flooring
What was once thought of as a luxury is now creeping its way towards becoming a necessity. Although radiant heating is a high cost up front (expect to pay between $15 and $20 per square foot), the benefit of floor heating extends beyond warm toes to economic benefits. Once floor tiles heat up, they continue emitting heat long after the radiant elements have shut off.
Luxury Shower Heads
High-end shower heads, like dual shower heads are rounding out this year's trends, as homeowners seek creative ways to make their showers more spa-like. Also high on the list? The ever-so-relaxing rain showers.

For more bathroom know-how, read on:
-Bathroom Hardware 101
-Space-Saving Bathroom Sinks

Miniature, modern furniture for kids from an Australian furniture company.

Always wanted your child's room to look like a mid-century masterpiece? Well, you're in luck: Little Nest, an Australian furniture company that manufacturers modern furniture designs for children, is now offering its wares in the United States.

The company makes child-sized reproductions of classic, modern furniture like Arne Jacobsen's iconic Egg Chair. These petite pieces are near facsimiles of the original designs, with exceptional attention to detail and multiple upholstery options. However, these perfect, pint-sized chairs and tables don't come cheap: Prices start at $89 for a replica of the 1952 Bertoia Child's Chair and go up to $899 for a Eames lounger look-alike. We suspect only die-hard modernists might be willing to take the plunge.

Above: A miniature version of Eero Aarnio's 1963 Ball Chair, $695, Little Nest.

Above: A pint-sized Egg Chair by Arne Jacobsen circa 1958, $585, Little Nest. For more sources of contemporary and mid-century modern furniture, check out some of the best sites for modern children's furnishings:

- DucDuc
- Ikea
- Kid-O
- Modern Seed
- Muu
- Nurseryworks
- Oeuf
- The Netto Collection

You can also read on for more posts about modern children's furnishings:
- Jonathan Adler has launched a children's collection.
- Six modern bunk beds.

Hip and luxurious design on the final episode of The Bachelor.

Tonight, the lush West Indies island of St. Lucia will be thrust into the limelight -- several local resorts are hosting dates and romantic rendezvous -- and who are we kidding, catfights! -- on the final episode of this season's The Bachelor.

Tonight, on the two-hour season finale of The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love, Jake Pavelka makes a decision between Vienna and Tenley -- and we've got the sneak peek at the very spots where he'll send one of them packing and the other into wedded bliss.


Instead of a cliff-side setting like last season's finale when Jason Mesnick chose Melissa Rycroft (later dumping her on television and asking Molly Malaney to be his wife); the final ceremony will take place on the rooftop at Jade Mountain.

Taking their cue from the tropical setting, the dining rooms, romantic look-outs and rooms are all stunning examples of design. (On February 15, St. Lucia's Cap Maison resort hosted the rose ceremony where Jake handed out the final two roses.)

For the season finale, an ABC stylist totally transformed the rooftop (the resort's Celestial Terrace) into a floral garden–which will be unveiled tonight.

Until the big reveal tonight, here's a look at the rest of Jade Mountain. Architect Nick Troubetzkoy strove for organic architecture -- and got it. Built into the hillside, views of the Piton Mountains (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the island's pride and joy) are accessible from most of the property.

Each of the 29 rooms has its own, very private infinity pool with three walls are built around the pool, with the open wall facing out onto the water.



At Club, the resort's restaurant with James Beard Award-winning chef Allen Susser at the helm, diners are seated around an infinity pool that has a kaleidoscope of colors that glitter and sparkle under the Caribbean sun.

Anse Chastanet, a 600-acre retreat with two beaches and also on the island's quiet Southwestern coast, is a sister property. it was also designed by Troubetzkoy. Tonight we'll see Jake and Vienna, exhausted from a day exploring the Sulphur Springs (the Caribbean's only drive-in volcano: How cool is that?), check into a suite for a chill evening.

A chic plaid motif, which is quite modern and a departure from the forced tropical décor hotels often turn to, decorates the rooms. All furnishings were constructed from island woods (such as teak, mahogany and wild breadfruit) and by the local population.

Finally, The Jalousie Plantation will host Jake's last-chance date with Tenley, where they will check into their new luxury villa after spending the day sailing on a motor yacht. Set in a 100-acre patch of tropical rainforest, guests are treated to butler service, private plunge pools and four-poster beds.

Who will Jake choose? We'll have to wait until tonight to find out, but in the meantime, we'll be daydreaming of these St. Lucia locations.

It's not easy being green, but with innovative design, it's getting a whole lot easier.

The new crop of environmentally conscious products on display at the Green Products Expo last week gave us hope that things are getting greener in 2010. Each exhibitor in attendance at the expo strives to find eco-conscious ways in which to produce, improve and/or deliver the products and services we use everyday.

Here are some of the innovative green products on display at the show:

Recylced Materials
Building suppliers like EcoStar, make slate and shake roofing tiles, among other things, from 80 percent recycled materials. The synthetic products look amazingly real, divert millions of pounds of waste from piling up in our landfills, come with a 50-year labor and material warranty and contribute to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements for tax credits. Just check out how amazing they look (above), which just goes to prove it's all in the re-thinking.

Plastics
TekPak, a packaging manufacturer has re-examined and re-thought the manufacture and degradation of plastic in our landfills and found that the introduction of certain microbials in the making of plastic yielded a product that breaks down naturally in the environment. This company's goal is make all our water bottles and take-out food containers 100% biodegradable in any environment -- we wish them luck!

Using plant-based plastics (PLA) is a different way to tackle the problem of plastic. Polylactide materials (PLA) also yield a product that can be recycled quickly and reduced back to their original form. One company using PLA materials, Re:newal, produces plant-based water bottles, with plant-based labels filled with pure water that are being distributed in Cancer Treatment Centers of America nationwide.

Re-usable Packaging
My first thought about Conserve Cleaners from BaumGartens was that they had designed a cleaner that effectively reduces the amount of product consumers will buy from them -- which must mean they really believe in saving the earth.

However, I realized I was mistaken: They are not reducing the amount of product, but merely the amount of waste. Their cleaners (multi-surface cleaner, glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, etc.) are sold in tablet form. Four tablets come with one plastic spray bottle, and one tablet dissolves in enough water to fill the bottle.

Think of the amount of plastic saved and the transportation waste eliminated with this simple concept! Plus the cost of the product is about 40 percent less than other cleaners!

Green Cleaning
Ecover has recently improved their formula to be safer and more effective in cleaning. The company has developed a green version of a surfactant (surfactants are the petroleum-based chemical ingredients that make cleaning supplies work).

This new "eco-surfactant" is made from a biochemical process activated by yeast that proves to be a powerful cleaner. Package all that in a polyethylene and refillable bottle and you have a company making huge strides in the reduction of chemicals in our eco-system.

Another greener cleaning choice is the Ionator HOM, a new appliance spray bottle from Activeion Cleaning Solutions. It ionizes tap water, rendering it an agent that kills bacteria and cleans without chemicals. The housewares industry has been using this technique over the past several years in the form of ionized water baths and sprayers to clean produce. This spray bottle takes the technology one step further in that it is always readily available.

Just how effective is it? Tests have proven it is effective in killing harmful bacteria, including the H1N1 virus. Personally, I'm not sure I'd be completely comfortable cleaning my bathroom with it, and that is a psychological hurdle an innovative company like this one ultimately faces.

The same is true with steam mops. Bissell demonstrated their newest steam mop that works magic on floors with results that can actually be seen, and with no chemicals. However, there's the hurdle of the unseen; customers will wonder: Is the bacteria gone? Is is really clean enough for the baby to crawl on? Going green is a battle of education, and I encourage you to try it yourself and see.

Freshwave, another exhibitor with a rather sweet-smelling booth, produces odor-neutralizing products made from water and plants. Extracts of lime, pine needles, aniseed and cedar wood are combined with water. The charged molecules attract and "grab" the odors in a room and neutralize them. The product is effective with a fresh scent that might take some getting used to, but lacks all the harsh chemicals of a traditional air freshener.

Conserving Water
What about rethinking the royal flush? Kohler, a premier faucet and fixture company, has released a redesigned flushing mechanism that does not rely on the traditional flap style of draining and refilling the tank, but rather on a cylinder which pops open and closed much faster. The mechanism allows for a powerful flush with less water.

Caroma displayed a fixture with a hand-washing sink mounted atop the tank of a dual-flush toilet. The idea being that the clean water would flow from the faucet and the gray water drained into the tank to be used to flush the toilet. Hmmm... we're not sure consumers will buy into this idea.

Another water saver was the LeakAlertor, a small, simple device that attaches to your tank and determines if there is a leak. The device periodically flashes with an indicator light and an audible alert. Fixing leaks can save both water and money.

As I would say to Kermit, it may not be easy to be green, but it is certainly getting easier -- and we must each keep doing our own part to help conserve and preserve our planet.

Brooks Brothers is bringing its iconic look to the home.

Watch out Ralph Lauren: Last week, a spokesman for the menswear powerhouse Brooks Brothers told The Wall Street Journal's Heard on the Runway blog that the company is planning to launch a home furnishings line in the fall.

The fabrics and striped patterns seen in Brooks Brothers clothing will be the inspiration for the pillows, towels, sheets and lampshades in the line. WSJ notes that the 192-year-old company has had these items for a while; however, they were not for sale, rather they were props used in displays, catalog shoots or fashion presentations.

Arthur Wayne, a spokesman for Brooks Brothers, told Heard on the Runway that, "We get asked [about whether the props are for sale] constantly. ... We finally said, let's just offer it."

We wonder if the recent trend of menswear-inspired home goods made the company decide to take the plunge?

Brooks Brothers isn't the only fashionable name to get into the home furnishings market. Read on for more fashion-meets-interiors pairings:

- Zac Posen is designing the interiors of a posh New York City condo building.
- Cindy Crawford is expanding her home line to include outdoor accessories.
- James Perse has created a line of indoor-outdoor furniture.
- Vivienne Tam has ventured into the world of furnishings, as well.

Actress Kirstie Alley will redecorate the home of one of Oprah's fans.

It's nothing new for celebrities to tackle business ventures outside their area of expertise, but in recent years, the trend seems to have spiked. Think of mini-moguls Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who design clothes, cosmetics and jewelry for the masses at Walmart or rapper P.Diddy, who may be better known as business mogul, producer and even designer, than as a rapper these days.

In the world of home decor, supermodel Cindy Crawford recently launched her own furniture collection with JCPenney. In 2004, retired football player John Elway launched a line of furniture for Bassett Furniture. Now, actress Kirstie Alley is following suit. She'll be tackling interior design after a recent gig on Oprah. It's hard not to wonder if these celebs are really qualified or if it just pays to know the right people.

Martha Stewart Built To Order Kitchens are now available through KB Home.

Earlier this year, we told you about Martha Stewart's partnership with KB Home to create pre-fab houses. Some of KB Home's customers in Florida can now get a taste of the domestic diva's kitchen style with Martha Stewart Built to Order Kitchens, a collaboration between the custom home builder and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

While money could never buy Martha's perfect taste or her chef-worthy kitchen skills, home buyers in communities in Tampa and Orlando have the option of choosing one of the Stewart-inspired offerings for their Built to Order KB home.

The three styles available are Katonah, Skylands and Lily Pond. All three are named for and based on Stewart's kitchens at her homes in New York and Maine.

George Glance, president of KB Home's Central Florida division, said in a company statement that, "By offering these exceptional designs in our communities as part of KB Home's Built to Order experience, more of our homeowners will have the chance to incorporate Martha's incomparable style and functionality into one of the most important spaces of the home--the kitchen."

Incomparable style indeed: The Martha Stewart Built to Order Kitchens Martha-inspired have glass doors and open shelving, a range of solid-surface countertops and pendant lighting, according to KB Home. There are also clever touches Martha might prefer for her own homes like single basin sinks for big jobs and drawers next to the range for convenience.

Now, if only KB Home could figure out a way to get Martha to come decorate, so that the Built To Order Kitchens could look like one of Martha's own kitchens, like the one at Skylands (above).

Martha Stewart is one busy lady, check out all her latest news:

- Martha Stewart Clean has hit stores -- and its eco-friendly!
- Martha Stewart Partners With Home Depot
- Martha Stewart Wants You to Move In

Fashion designer Zac Posen's first foray into the home.

Clothing, interior design: It's all about style, right? At least that seems to be the thinking behind hiring acclaimed fashion designer Zac Posen to design a condo development. In an interview with The Real Deal magazine, Posen talked about the upcoming unveiling of his interior design work at new condo development 16 West 21st Street in New York City.

The building is a new construction by Morris Adjmi Architects, which will feature nine full-floor lofts, a garden level duplex and a penthouse triplex. Real estate blog, Curbed, notes that this partnership was the first designer-architect pairing announced after the real estate crash. Despite the challenges the real estate market and new development condos are facing, Posen tells the magazine, "I see the recession as an opportunity to get into new ventures."

Details of the Posen-designed interiors remain hazy, but the 29-year-old said his inspiration for the look of the project was, "Mixing decorative whimsical gestures with clean, 21st-century high design." Posen also told the magazine he worked on the model apartment for the building, along with the kitchens, bathrooms, fixtures and finishes throughout, and oversaw surfaces for the gym and lobby.

While he kept most of his answers close to the vest, Posen did offer why he thought he was qualified for the job, "I was born qualified. I consider myself an aesthete."

Posen's not the only bold-faced name to dabble in design, read these posts for other celebrity home news:

Best and Worst Celebrity Real Estate Deals 2009
Fashion Designer Anna Sui Proves That Black & White Isn't Boring
Decorate Like Celebs

Why invitation-only sample sales should be high on your radar.

Online samples sale sites like the Gilt Groupe have been sweeping fashion lovers off their well-clad feet for some time now. The fun doesn't stop at fashion: Many popular sample sale giants are expanding into decor.

The invitation-only sample sale site Beyond the Rack recently announced its evolution into the wide world of home wares and decorative furnishings. With prices slashed up to 70% off from some of today's top trends (think Persian rugs, luxury bedding and more), we think the expansion is a smart move for sample sale retailers (and an even smarter move for you!).

According to Beyond the Rack, the next sale begins tomorrow, February 19th and runs through February 22nd. For this sale, Classic Coffee & Tea by Yedi Houseware will be marked down to half their usual retail prices..

Want to get in on the discounts? ShelterPop readers can sign up with code BTRACCESS to scour the deals now. Go ahead; we dare you to click empty-handed (wink!).






Or, check out a few other online sample sales:
Gilt
One Kings Lane
RueLaLa
Ideeli
HauteLook

Happy shopping!

For more shopping secrets, read on:
-One Kings Lane
-Go-To Source for High Style, Affordable Prices

NBA superstar LeBron James signs deal for a licensed furniture collection.


Furniture Today reports that basketball star LeBron James will develop a furniture line with furniture company American Signature. James's brand manager LRMR Marketing and his longtime girlfriend (and high school sweetheart!) Savannah Brinson will also collaborate on the line.

USA Today says that James will be, "sharing his family's lifestyle with fans and other consumers," through the line. The LeBron James-branded collection will launch in summer 2010 at Value City and American Signature stores (American Signature has 125 stores in 19 states).

This partnership marks the first licensing deal for American Signature. However, furniture collection and sports star pairings are not new; former quarterback John Elway has a line of manly furnishing with Bassett. Nor is a licensing deal new for James, who has produced a line of sneakers with Nike and has endorsed products from brands as varied as Bubblicious gum and State Farm Insurance.


We can't wait to see what the Cleveland Cavaliers start comes up with for his first foray into home furnishings.



More Fun Design From Our Friends Around the Web:

Alice In Wonderland-Inspired Mushroom Tables -- CasaSugar

Zipper Cups & Pumpkin Bowls (you've gotta take a look) -- Design*Sponge

Hip Houseplants: Making green thumbs cool -- PointClickHome

Time to Decorate the Nursery with...Cardboard? -- Shelterrific

Will our favorite modern architecture publication survive the storm?

Unhappy Hipsters, a site that mocks the neo-modern homeowners with sorrowful expressions often seen in the pages of Dwell Magazine, has thrown our favorite design magazine into the proverbial firing squad. While we can poke fun of listless models and quirky prop styling, the future of this modern architectural publication is no laughing matter.

In fact, Unhappy Hipster's popularity seems to suggest that the average American has grown tired of gravel yards and concrete floors.

I suppose there's always truth in numbers, so I dug a bit deeper to get the scoop on how Dwell is really doing. Is Unhappy Hipsters an omen of things to come, or is it simply another meaningless social media satire?

According to an article in Folio Mag, Dwell saw ad dollars sink 43.4 percent and ad pages decrease 46.4 percent in the first half of 2009 versus the same period in 2008. Of course, many publications have a recession to thank for such a decrease and the migration of readers from print to web, but could there be more to the story?

According to MediaFinder.com, Dwell's circulation is only 328,000, which is barely a third of Elle Decor's readership, one of its main shelter mag competitors.

Perhaps Unhappy Hipsters is right: America is tired of stark minimalism, tiger flooring and mid-century architecture. With the economy sinking quickly, the average homeowner can't afford the new $6,500 DWR sofa and are opting for a more traditional, hand-crafted aesthetic.

And with the rise of popular shelter blogs shelling out decorating advice for free, is there still a need for glossy design mags? Maria Niles writes at BlogHer, "It is quite the cruel irony - by blogging, [a blogger's] love inspired by shelter...magazines might be helping to kill the magazines they loved and from which their blogging was, at least in part, born."

I hope Maria is wrong. I hope Dwell triumphs on, unlike the numerous shelter magazines -- Domino, Metropolitan Home -- that folded in 2009. Dwell, we're rooting for you!

For more design and architectural news, read on:
-Breaking News: Diane von Furstenberg Home
-Wallpaper* Launches City Guide iPhone Apps

When pilot Jake Pavelka handed out the final two roses on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love, it was at Cap Maison, a stunning property in St. Lucia.

While we don't know yet if Jake will choose Vienna or Tenley on the March 1 finale, we do know that the trio spent some time at one amazing St. Lucia resort.

Cap Maison opened only one year ago in a location above Smugglers Beach on the northwest side of the island. It's a former sugar plantation with 1,500 acres of rolling hills. Flush with beautiful design – as well as ocean views that really are as beautiful as your television's pixels claim – the property is extremely lavish.

Accommodations are in three class levels: ocean- or garden-view rooms, junior suites and ocean-view suites. The more affordable of the rooms – with views of the ocean or gardens – feature hand-painted blue, mustard-yellow and white tiles and sinks in the bathroom, as well as private verandas to soak up the view.






Yet it's within the suites where the hotel is most luxurious.

While they all have hand-painted tiles and copper sinks in the kitchen, as well as tumbled marble and travertine basins in the bathroom (and a large soaking tub), the Oceanview Villa Suite totals a whopping 3,000 square feet. There's a private pool and terrace within that space too.

In the other two classes of suites is either a whirlpool (nestled into the private veranda, with views of the turquoise waters) or a private pool. Sheer white netting can be tied around the bed posts, too, for even more privacy. Warm tones of wood on the doorways and windows make all of the rooms a cozy enclave, which is probably the intent for The Bachelor contestants, of course.


A cave wine cellar houses 1,500 wine bottles to pair with a tapas menu (items like ceviche of island conch and a citrus fruit salad, or Jamaican jerk sausages with whipped sweet potatoes) at Cliff at Cap, which sources a lot of fresh produce and even has a "sweet memories" menu (including hot hazelnut and almond soufflé).

Guests at Cap Maison can even take a sail on the resort's own boat: a 46-foot Sea Ray motor launch, nicknamed "Cap Maison 1." It's got cherry-wood moldings, a foredeck to sunbathe on and a fully equipped galley.