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Design and Image By Tomi of C design
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Design and Image By Tomi of C design
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
The Christmas House
I think in every area, there is someone who can hardly contain themselves when it comes to the joy of Christmas and sharing it with others. In my little city, just on the outskirts of Charlotte, NC, there is a house, in the historic district, we fondly refer to as the “Christmas House”. Of course, depending on the time of year and the holiday, it’s always decked out in the appropriate seasonal attire!
This evening, after having dinner at one of the local cafes, I asked my husband to take a drive by . . . you know, just to be reassured the holiday home spirit still lived on. It didn’t disappoint! Even though my night photography skills on my Droid phone couldn’t possibly do it justice, I just had to see if I could take a few shots to share with you.
‘Tis the season to be jolly!
This Victorian Era home is painted in shades of green and cranberry. All that has to be added is the icing.
I’m sure the owner experiences people getting out of their cars to take pictures, on a regular basis. I was hoping our local police wouldn’t be dialed up with the idea someone was casing the place!
The lovely iron gates were tastefully dressed with a pair of wreaths. These were some of the more subdued decorations. *wink*
Another small town, with a Victorian village charm, is Cape May, New Jersey. I made a quick stop over, many years ago, while visiting with a high school chum. The Bacchus Inn Main House is a vision in holiday red.
Another bed and breakfast, the Linda Lee, fits the description of a gingerbread house to a ‘t’. I’m not sure if it’s a reflection but I think the lap board siding might have a tint of pink. Suddenly I feel a peppermint craving coming on!
It’s always fun to share the holiday merriment. Do you have a special “drive by” on your list? Maybe it’s even your own home. If you see lights flashing outdoors, don’t be worried, it might just be an admirer!
Jingling all the way! ~ Wanda
As a consumer, if you aren’t familiar with the Sustainable Furnishings Council, let me take a brief moment to introduce you to them and why this connection will be a valuable tool as you make your next furniture buying decisions. I do promise to be brief as I’m working fast and furious so that I’ll be ready to get to all of the showrooms during my upcoming trip to the High Point Furniture Market. I’ll also give you great links so that you can further explore some of the details!
(A composite of manufacturers who belong to the Sustainable Furnishings Council.)
As a Charlotte, NC area interior designer, I know the jury may still be out, regarding green or sustainable design practices, mostly due to concerns about this being a “trend” or just some type of marketing tool, as well as the expectation it will create higher costs. I do find; however, when I have a client who is getting ready to plan a nursery or a small child’s room, there is great attention paid to the sourcing of the furnishings, the bedding, and how we treat surfaces, such as the floor, walls, and ceiling, so as to keeping the environment as non-toxic as possible. It’s certainly understandable that any parent would desire to provide their children with the best possible place to be nurtured, not only by them, but by their home. Here’s the catch . . . What’s happening in the rest of the house? Living goes on outside of the nursery and/or the playroom doors. And, shouldn’t the rest of the family members and visitors receive the best of which any interior environment can offer?
(Great examples of “pretty”, green design from SFC members. Click on a photo to visit their websites!)
Wouldn’t it be nice to take some of the guesswork out of the process of making selections? First, part of that responsibility falls on my shoulders, as your interior designer. My charge is to be sure I learn as much as I can about the various sources, not only from the way they manufacture their products, but equally important would be how they travel to get to the consumer. I also want to see if the vendor offers an aesthetic quality and comfort, which would be pleasing to my clients. What makes the process much easier is knowing about the Sustainable Furnishings Council and the manufacturers who have been able to join as members. Just being able to head to their website and browse the roster gives me a valuable tool to share with clients and the consumer public. (An important note: Some of the manufacturers, who are SFC members, may not have updated their websites, to acknowledge their memberships, and there are some manufacturers who do subscribe to green practices, who may not be members of the SFC.) The benefit I can share, from my attendance at the High Point Furniture Market, will be seeing most of these sources, firsthand!
I’ll admit, I’m a discerning client, too. I like to take my time to research and discover all of the details before I decide to make purchases, not only for my own home, but for my clients, as well. I’m easing into the world of green design and thank you for allowing me to share my newfound knowledge with you!
Take a softer step to leave a smaller footprint. All my best! ~ Wanda
I’m sharing a little side “trip” from my series, “Designing A Room At A Time”, by featuring a portion of a new-build project I completed, last year. Actually, my client and I are still adding personalized touches, due to the scale of the process, but the bulk of the work has been done. You’ll be able to view the architectural designer’s featured link to the home – Here. (It may be best viewed if you have Flash.) I was the project’s interior designer, from blueprint to finish, and from top to bottom. (The architect’s photography was done in an earlier stage, but you will have a good grasp of the overall design concept.) There were so many special spaces in this home! It has been difficult to decide which one is my favorite. Each area has its own little story.
One bath and bedroom area, in particular, required a little extra thought, given the overall design is an Italian Villa meets the French Mediterranean. This area was designated to be a guest suite, as well as to be a retreat for a daughter, during her visits home. She loved the aesthetic of a streamlined, fabulous hotel suite. As I was pondering how to create this area, while still honoring the areas leading into this space, I knew I could call on color to be my “first assistant”. I decided to focus on some of the softer palettes of green, mocha, and brick. I’m sharing with you the final results of the bath, and I do think “she” turned out to be a real bathing beauty!
The cabinet compliments the strié tile, with the sparkling deco inserts of crackled glass. The broad horizontal plane, painted in the same color of the trim, creates the perfect location for placing crystallized, tile-like color accents. It also brings a tall ceiling down to human scale. The vanity light defers to an iron scroll design, used in the bedroom window treatments.
A closer look at the crystallized accents. You can see the glimmer of green on top of the rust base. Every girl loves a little bling!
The location of the bedroom and bath faces a very sunny exposure. The mostly green palette virtually brings the temps down on a hot day.
This paisley bedding adds some feminine curves to the bedroom. We are still tweaking that area so watch for a future post on the completed look. The colors are spot on!
The starting point . . . This beautiful White River granite made us feel as if we were sailing on the Italian Riviera.
It was fun travelling with you, today! I would love to hear about one of the most beautiful bathrooms you’ve seen. Tell me what made it so special or about a favorite feature.
Con Grazie!
The prolific rains, from the El Niño effect, have provided much commentary about folks feeling as if they might be “growing moss”. Well, for me, it’s partially true, as I’ve looked at the effects it has rendered on certain woodland-type areas in my yard. The perfect degree of shade and moisture have created an abundance of the lovely, velvety textured growth.
Forest flooring at its finest . . . moss carpets in low-lying, shaded areas.
While in the world of botanicals, they are classified as bryophytes, and there are about 12,000 species, for simplicity sake, I’ll just zero in on the type I’m seeing spreading and creating lovely surfaces in my gardens. Most people are familiar with seeing this in a sheet variety, as it can be excavated and used in a multitude of ways.
If you love are a fan of green, an outdoor container can become it’s own little eco-system with the addition of a moss covering.
Not sure how to treat a wall? Forget the paint and paper, a vertical garden can be created with a moss foundation and plantings . . . and a green thumb!
Taking it to a whole other level . . . or two, or three!
And here are the steps to get there . . .
I love this application for the Athenaeum Hotel in London. What a great high rise alternative if planting trees may be prohibitive.
I want this interior tablescape! So interesting and yet so simple. A glass top makes for no fuss, no muss.
A designer’s dream! Architecture, combined with textural variances, sleek meets earthy - and the juxtaposition of a perfect pattern.
And to think it all began, here:
What are your favorite ways to use moss? Please do share!
Cheers from the woodlands! – Wanda
(Architectural photos are courtesy of Trendhunter Magazine.)
While some parts of the country may still be experiencing a few last wintery, weather events, we have now officially entered into the spring season, or the Vernal Equinox, the transitional period between winter and summer. As the days will become longer and we’ll have more temperate weather, many consumers begin to think about opening up the windows to let in the fresh air, as well as to catch up on spring cleaning and some household maintenance. Interior designers, remodelers, and other trades people know their phones will be ringing!
A lush, green garden. Wouldn’t it be nice for your interior spaces to feel this fresh?
My “dance card” has already begun to be filled with the process of project planning and implementation, for quite a few clients. Almost all of these projects are requiring either a refreshing of painted surfaces, due to lots of “love”, or it’s just time to change up the palette. I do love how paint can transform a room and give it a new lease on life, so to speak. I’m also more aware of how important choosing the right paint product can be. In this day and time of better home insulation products, and where tighter windows and doors allow for less outdoor air exchange, (great for energy efficiency but not so great for holding in toxic fumes), I make every effort to steer clients in the direction of low voc or no voc paints.
Sometimes there is a misperception of less color choices being available in eco-friendly paints. All of the colors of a spring bouquet, and then some, can be customized for your room!
I’ve found a great site, which shares a lot of information about these harmful compounds. Many of you may be familiar with these products, but this site shares an eco-paint primer, (pun intended), on terminology, facts, and sources. If you click on this > Simple Earth Media <, you can see more details. 
I’ve always been a big Benjamin Moore fan. Now, their Aura line really has me cheering!
As an interior designer, who likes to create healthy homes, I recognize how the walls, ceilings, and trim work cover a larger surface area than some of the other products I specify. If I can offer guidance, for just one element in green living, it would most definitely be the paint. Even though the initial cost-per-gallon may be off-putting for some consumers, those with allergy issues and asthma will make a few less trips to the doctor. On average, for eco-friendly paints, you could be paying $40-$55 per gallon, as opposed to $23 per gallon for a budget paint. Here is a 2008 comparison on the top four best paints, reviewed by Consumer Search. If you’ll notice, Benjamin Moore’s Aura was number one.
Sherwin Williams has stepped up to the plate with a real winner – Harmony. Their Green Sure designation indicates a paint which minimizes the impact on air quality and maximizes performance.
A slightly lesser known brand, Mythic, was recommended to me by my painters. This non-toxic paint, is minus the VOC’s, which can be off-gassed many years later, and can contain carcinogens. It’s low odor, too!
One more important note - if you are considering a remodeling project, requiring any removal, sanding or disturbing of a painted surface, you will want to check out the latest information in this EPA brochure: “Contractors Lead Safety During Renovations”. As of April 22, 2010, Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects in housing, child care facilities and schools built before 1978. They must also provide a copy of this Renovate Right brochure.
Aaaahhh . . . . a green springtime! Don’t you feel like you can breath a little easier?
Cheers to your health! Wanda 
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