House Crashing: A Luxe & Lovely Abode

Meet
Stacie. She lives downtown in a gorgeous home that we actually got to
help her decorate. And goody goody gumdrops, the time has finally come
to officially House Crash her. Fasten your seatbelts, people. This is
going to be fun.

Go to the Link to see some nice photos

House Crashing: A Luxe & Lovely Abode

Apartment Therapy Boston | Maja’s Color Intuition Room for Color – International #3
Name: Maja
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Type of Home: attic apartment

Color Inspiration: I am a huge fun of colors. A time ago I decided to have colorful walls but afterwards I had changed my mind and now I have white walls with a lot of colorful furnitures and accessorieses (only some walls like this lime one in my bedroom – reception stayed colorful).

A sienna-toned glaze on the exterior walls and a waterfall finish
flanking the front door and on planters in the courtyard, add color,
warmth and focus to the home. (GARAY ARTISANS / August 14, 2009)

Related link

• Garay Artisans: masters of the faux finish

  Photos

Regina Garay has made a career of faking things.

She fakes the look of marble, rust, metal, weather-worn plaster and
age-mottled glass. She makes painted designs look like wallpaper, and
fresh paneling appear decades old.

She is the founder of Garay Artisans, a company that specializes in
decorative painting and faux finishes on walls, floors and ceilings.
The business is based in Groveland, just west of Orlando in Lake County.

Earlier this year, the techniques Garay used to transform the
appearance of the Ocala home of Thomas and Amy Grabe won her the grand
prize in American Painting Contractor magazine’s national Top Job Awards.

For the project, Garay replaced the dull gray paint on the home’s
exterior with a rich, sienna-toned glaze. For contrast, she used
metallic paint and aging solutions to create a cascading patina effect
in shades of green and rust in the courtyard that leads to the home’s
front door.

Several rooms inside the house also received faux finishes. In the
living room and theater, raw paneling was given a distressed look with
alternating layers of black and barn-red paint. In a niche housing a
bronze statue, a combination of paint, glaze and gloss was used to
create the look of marble.

“Our favorite space is a small half-bath. The texture and color are amazing,” said Thomas Grabe.

In that powder room, a multicolored glaze and vertical plaster finish
are layered over a silver metallic-foil underlay. The baseboards and
crown molding have an aged-metallic finish and a niche has the look of
marble.

Garay is a talented painter “whose thorough knowledge of the history
behind her work allows her to truly bring old-world charm to every
job,” Thomas Grabe said.

Garay left her job in the New York music industry to start her
decorative-painting business in 1998. Shortly thereafter, she moved to
the Orlando area and was joined by her brother, Jason Rosales. Artisans
Monica Zeuli and Jeff Huckaby complete her team.

She and her team do both residential and commercial work. They recently
completed projects in the Grand Bohemian hotels in Savannah, Ga., and
Asheville, N.C.

The group takes classes every year to learn about new materials and
techniques. “But we also learn a lot on the job,” said Garay, 38. “It’s
quite an experience being on a scaffold, decorating 20-foot walls.”

For homes, popular finishes include glazes, which add a “warm, subtle
finish,” and Venetian plaster, which is mixed with marble dust.

“It has the look of marble but not the weight. When troweled on and burnished, it gets a beautiful sheen,” she said.

Other finishes include gold-leafing, freehand painting, stenciling,
cabinet refinishing, and verdigris or rust effects. Pricing starts at
$2 per square foot. For more details, visit garayartisans.com or call
407-839-4050.

Garay’s newest venture is adding an antique-looking patina to mirrors and glass.

“We spent countless hours perfecting this technique,” she said. “We lost quite a few mirrors in the process.”

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

A controversy over color in downtown Faribault September 30, 2009

A controversy over color in downtown Faribault « Minnesota Prairie Roots
MARIANO PEREZ, owner of Los 3 Reyes Bakery in historic downtown Faribault likes the bright green color of his bakery.

“In my country, they use this color every house,” says Perez, a native of Molinos, Mexico. It is, he adds, a “happy color.”

But not everyone in Faribault appreciates the vivid storefront in the 400 block of Central Avenue, an area of primarily neutral brick buildings. Perez was approached…..

Half a block from the bakery, Books on Central sports new coats of purple and orange paint. Will this building be next on those pegged for a paint make-over?

In the 200 block of Central Avenue, Banadir Restaurant offers a colorful storefront to those patronizing the Somali business. Will this be the next target?

I’ve never known what business occupies 117 Central Avenue, but the color choice certainly makes it stand out from other buildings. Should this get a face lift too?

Personally, I can’t stand the color of these government-mandated recycling bins, which clutter the Faribault landscape. I also don’t like the blue color the city paints bridge railings. And once my neighbor painted her house a hideous bright blue. I have nothing against blue, but this simply illustrates that everyone prefers different colors.

You’ll find brightly-colored buildings in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although primarily a tourist destination today, the area is surrounded by houses with painted sheet walls of varying colors. Photo by Miranda Helbling.

Argentina’s presidential palace is painted pink. This is the back of La Casa Rosada in a photo taken by Miranda Helbling. Different cultures, different colors.

So what do you think? Should Mariano Perez repaint his bakery a subtler green or leave the color he chose?

How to Redecorate a Kitchen for $100 In 2 Days: Paint, Hardware and Accessories Can Make Over the Hub of the Home | Suite101.com
How to Redecorate a Kitchen for $100 In 2 Days
Paint, Hardware and Accessories Can Make Over the Hub of the Home

© Tracey Drake
Oct 1, 2009
The Potrack is the Focus of this Renovated Kitchen, DIY Ideas
The kitchen is the heart of the home and the whole family uses it. Why not spend a weekend redecorating the kitchen so it is fun, functional and modern? Here’s how…

Families spend a lot of time in the kitchen; it’s no longer just a place to prepare meals. With the invention of great rooms that combine kitchen and family room, the kitchen has become the hub of the home. Kids do their homework at the kitchen table. Neighbors chat around an island or bar counter. Family gatherings in the kitchen have made this room an essential part of everyday living.

For a well used kitchen that is looking a little lifeless or is still sporting a 1980’s décor, it is easy to freshen the look and update the ambiance of a kitchen with very little money. The key is using paint, hardware and accessories to transform the kitchen into something modern, functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Paint Can Make a Kitchen Look Brand New

Painting a room is a good way to get an instant, dramatic change. When redecorating the kitchen, always start with paint. According to the painting experts at Sherwin-Williams, the hot trends in kitchen colors are blue, red, gray, yellow, and purple.

Gray walls will lend an industrial feel to the room. Yellow paint, of course, will add a touch of hominess and make the kitchen feel sun-lit even on a dark day. The point is: don’t be afraid of color when redecorating the kitchen. From understated to bold, anything goes.
Modern Hardware is a Must for Any Kitchen Update Project

Even if the kitchen cupboards don’t need paint or refinishing, changing the hardware will have them looking fresh and modern. Any home improvement store has a multitude of options when it comes to cabinetry hardware from sleek and modern for a NY loft look, to rustic and quaint for a French Country cottage look.
 

Materials range from chrome, steel, copper and more to plastic, ceramic and stone. Try and use the hardware as a way to individualize the kitchen and make a unique statement.
Well Chosen Accessories Brings the Whole Room Together

Kitchen accessories include everything from organizing pieces to decorative accents. The sky is the limit here as long as one simple rule is followed: less is more! The kitchen is where the cooking takes place which means grease and odor. It is important to keep clutter to a minimum and not fill the room with knick-knacks and unnecessary stuff. Remember that a cluttered kitchen always looks like a dirty kitchen – and no one wants that.

Artwork, matching the new color palette is a good starting point. Look for interesting pieces of framed art, sculpture, interesting compote bowls and baskets to add interest to the kitchen.

Lighting is not only functional but can be decorative as well. The added illumination will make the room warmer and more inviting. Under-cabinet lighting is one way to create a combination of the two. IKEA has a wide array of kitchen lighting solutions at very reasonable prices.

Pot racks are another nice touch to think about when redecorating the kitchen, especially in a shabby chic or English country style kitchen. Pot racks come in wall-mounted or hanging styles, and recently even bookshelf mounted. There are also lighted pot racks. Hung with gleaming copper cookware, a new pot rack can add instant snap to an old, dull kitchen.

New window coverings impart color and define the personality of the kitchen. Blinds, shades, or curtains can harmonize with the chosen paint color. Coordinating throw rugs work well. If the windows being recovered are close to cooking areas, stay away from fabric blinds that will trap odor and grease and will require regular cleaning.
Make the Hub Welcoming

It’s surprising how much time families spend in the kitchen and how it’s usually the last room that gets redecorated. Many homeowners feel the kitchen is just too costly and time consuming to renovate and that is simply not true. It can be done as a DIY weekend project, and could cost less than $100 if bargains are sources out.

It can also be a really fun and creative project, so consider getting the whole family involved. Even little kids could have a task such as removing hardware from lower cabinets. Have a ball with this project, get everyone involved and the kitchen will truly be a family space.
 

What’s hot and what’s not in design now – The Boston Globe
 
By Ami Albernaz
October 1, 2009
 
 
“Anaconda” gel printed chenille fabric at Berkeley House by Clarke & Clarke. 

There’s no crystal ball when it comes to predicting interior design trends, but chances are that soon, when you’re perusing your Crate & Barrel catalog or wandering through the home decor section of Target, you’ll notice pale shades have given way to bold, intensely saturated colors, that leather shows up in furniture a bit more than it does now, that Japanese motifs are popping up all over.
 

These are just a few of the home design trends now emerging from the major, high-end design houses, meaning that, as with fashion, they will eventually find their way into mass market retailers – and perhaps your home.

The process of divining trends in home design can seem mysterious. This summer, a Boston Design Center team led by Alexis Contant, the center’s vice president and general manager, pored over thousands of new products sent to BDC’s showrooms – everything from residential and commercial furniture to kitchen and bath fixtures to paint by some 200 companies all over the world. For the past few years, the Design Center has been pinpointing new trends in home design, and last week released its report outlining what looks will be hot in 2010.

As happens every year, common themes arose from designers separated by miles and oceans. They come up with similar descriptions for their creations, sometimes in different languages.

“When you’re seeing the same trends from different companies that would never speak to each other it’s really wild,’’ Contant says. “Clearly something is going on in the ether.’’

For next year, subtlety is out, at least in terms of color, replaced by luscious, rich tones that evoke a Cirque du Soleil performance or the dreaminess of “Alice in Wonderland.’’ Delectable citrus shades – mandarin orange, lemon yellow, and pink grapefruit – are in, too. And, for better or for worse, so is the “Miami Vice’’ look, the combination of lacquered whites and hints of neon.

The creative impetus behind these trends is hard to know. It may be tempting to wonder if gloomy economic times and restrained buying habits led to a design backlash in the form of joyful, exuberant colors. Contant emphasizes that she only identifies the trends, and is hesitant to speculate on designers’ motives. She allows, though, that many seem to have found inspiration in the technicolor ’80s, the years when many came of age.

“I don’t think it’s by accident that they’re evoking this time that they remember so well,’’ she says. “It’s a rose-colored-glasses view of the ’80s, a reflection on a time when people loved to dress up and have fun.’’

For trend followers, she adds, the emergence of new styles, colors, and patterns doesn’t mean that last year’s are done for.

“In fashion, if you don’t buy it this year, it’s over. That’s not the way it is in design,’’ Contant says. New fabrics and accessories can complement older ones. “You might be inspired by something today, but don’t have to rush to capture the entire trend today. It’s going to be there next year.’’

Before next year’s looks trickle into stores, here’s a first look at a few.

See photos and read about next year’s design trends