We have a winner!
Melissa from the lovely blog Reverie is the lucky winner of my last week's give - away!
Congratulations, I hope this will be a guiding light during the move into your new home! New beginnings are filled with promise and are wonderful opportunities to turn a fresh - green page!!
Mel, please contact me for your address, so I can mail the book out to you!
I found a few other samples of green cleaning and an eco friendly lifestyle. You can find them online or at your favorite book seller!
There are many more, I just picked some I liked!
Here is to a green planet!
xx
Victoria
Image via Emily Anderson website and Amazon.com
Earlier this week, I attended a lecture at the 
Solis Betancourt has been operating out of Washington, DC for 20 years and to celebrate that landmark, they decided to publish a book of some of their favorite projects. One of the first in the book is also one of my favorites (which I've loved ever since I first saw it published), an elegant french styled house here in DC they did in collaboration with 
Above is the living room. In this remarkable renovation, the team turned a pokey little house into an airy and spacious feeling masterpiece with amazing views. One of my favorite parts of the lecture was that they showed the 'befores' for every 'after' which got a lot of gasps from the audience!
The use of natural materials and simple, modern furniture in a classical space was important to the client. Solis stated that their work at the firm is extremely client based and personal. This is evidenced by the broad range of styles seen throughout the book. He believes that the process should be 'amazingly fun' for everyone involved and that the client is the most important part of the process.
In another more recently completed project just outside of NYC, Solis collaborated with architect Ward Welch to create a soothing environment for the client as an escape from the city. Solis believes his training as a painter (and also as an architect at Cornell) has trained him to see his interiors as still-lives and he excels at creating vignettes, as in this bedroom above. One of my favorite spaces was a bathroom in the same house. The modern glass sinks benefit from tons of natural light and the contrasting ornate mirrors add a little excitement to the room. I also love when bathrooms are finished like real rooms with pieces of furniture.
In the end, Solis and Paul left us with some great points. The earlier an interior designer is involved with a project, the better and smoother the end result. Solis believes his training as an architect helped his communication skills with clients, architects and the whole building team and believes that a team process is needed for a coherent project. 
An intellectual as well as an architect, Pennoyer is able to work in many different styles and formats given his broad range of study. Showing this versatility, this 'camp' cabin from the section on country houses is designed in an Adirondack style.
Playing with traditional styles for this area of New York from architects such as Robert Robertson as well as utilizing traditional Norwegian and Russian styles, the house was designed to look like an assemblage of pavilions attached through a series of covered walkways.
You must get your hands on a copy of this book to fully appreciate Pennoyer's work -this is only the tip of the iceberg! Christmas list anyone?
![Snap18_thumb[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvfVCX_rX35KwDYwys13Q07s-7uOr0_I121ZNtNNHXmINsT7kmtvePnZJsUdWp0kzRdAs9k5lhPLU3f-p082Wj167W1M-FiQaHJA8LoV6i9ulpaPYqMHg8w4m7gk5jMO4LSMPUEJoZZc6/?imgmax=800 "Snap18_thumb[1]")
The incredible faux marble walls caught my attention first. I think I like them more than the real marble floors! The Louis XV desk in the entry hall is very useful, especially for hosts who keep a guest book, such as the Windsors.
