Have a fantastic and creative weekend everyone! I'm off to spend a tech-free couple of days in a cabin in the snowy woods. Leaving you with an image from ffffound, my new favorite inspiration hau...
Friday, January 30, 2009
creative headboards
My friend Melody sent me a message this week telling me how stoked she was about her new self-created headboard for her bed. She was shopping at a department store and found this 4-panelled image in the clearance section. She liked the look of it and the price of it and figured it looked about as wide as her queen sized bed, so she bought it, took it home and voila! I don't have a 'before' photo, but it's not hard to imagine how much oomph has...
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Architects Have Great Tools!
Architects have many great tools that they can work with. And under skilled hands they can be a great benefit to their clients. One such tool is a software program called Google Sketchup. Sketchup is a 3d modeling program that is surprisingly easy to use. The images you see below are of a house designed by Ron Brenner Architects in Stillwater, Minnesota. The images represent a series of color studies that were performed...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Architects are Sexy!
I ran across this totally factual article the other day. Could not resist posting the link.Architects are se...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
pretty much perfect
I love this image. I don't remember where I found it - probably on flickr somewhere. I tucked it away on my computer and just found it now. It's pretty much perfect to me. The feelings it conveys - romance, drama, stillness, emotion, closeness - and that sexiness that a cigarette always adds - no matter how 'bad for you' it is. I just really love this right n...
Top 10 Green Things to Do! When building your new home.
In my real job (non-blogging) I am finding that more and more people are interested in building a more environmentally responsible and healthy home. Leaving political discussions and arguments about “climate change” behind (I don’t like being preached to and I don’t like preaching), I believe there are many common sense reasons to build a “Green” home. Here are two pretty good ones:Save you money $$$ in the long run Reduce...
Saturday, January 24, 2009
thrifting
"I have a path of vintage shops in the East Village that I walk around to. The dress is from one them — Atomic Passion, I think. It was really long, like most Edwardian and Victorian dresses, and I cut off one of the tiers. The cardigan is part of my fall collection for Opening Ceremony. It has wool elbow patches and nice, big pockets to shove your hands into when you’re feeling awkward or insecure. My Chanel purse was a Christmas present to myself....
Friday, January 23, 2009
Small Bath Do's
Chances are if you have a small house you probably have a small bathroom. There are things you can do to make your bathroom feel larger. Use lots of white. Dark sinks can look great in a large bathroom, but if space is limited, go with white. Use lots of reflective and clear things. Glass shelves, large mirrors, all let light bounce around. If you have a window, let as much light in as possible. Lots of light always hel...
time for another step?
For all my 'green' talk about living lightly, setting up my own compost (indoors because I don't have another option) is something I haven't gotten around to doing yet. Shameful, I know! Part of it grosses me out - decomposing food in my tiny living space. But I think I need to give it a go - especially since I'll have a garden plot to dump it on in a few months. this easy start-up guide on planet green is going to walk me through it. I'll keep...
living small
I love this AT post about learning to live with less! It's so refreshing and inspiring. Last year I downsized from a two level luxury loft to my current small, but character-filled studio and it's been great. Sure, sometimes I miss the luxury of the last place, but my studio has charm and warmth and I'm happy in it (I'll be even happier when my landlord gets around to replacing my disgusting bathroom floor! but I digress...). The rent is HALF...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
it's a new day!
I am SO excited about today's inauguration and and SO hopeful about Obama's presidency! To all my American friends, congratulations and well done! Enjoy celebrating this d...
Friday, January 16, 2009
Inspired Dining
Try and make your surroundings as pleasing to the eye as you can when it comes to dining. Take advantage of a great view or fun seating. Sometimes a simple space that's easy on they eye is all you'll need...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
morning dreaming
It's 6:44am and as soon as I finish posting this I have to get ready for work which involves leaving my cold apartment for the even colder world outside my apartment. Ottawa is cold right now. Really cold. And so this post is dedicated to all those early morning, cold country people who wish they were somewhere warmer. Somewhere like this year-round outdoor dining room in Buenos Aires. Really - what needs to be said other than, "Who wants to pack...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
cycle chic
I LOVE that you can find any kind of blog you can imagine online. Like the Copenhagen Cycle Chic blog - fashionistas on bicycles! According to the Guardian (apparently), the blog is "The Sartorialist on two wheels." Yip-ee! Seriously loving this. And maybe it will inspire me to keep riding through the snow and -36 degree Ottawa weather (haven't been brave enough to pull the bike out in '09 yet...). Must do this. And must do it while making fashion...
Bayport Bungalow Animation
Another new animation has been added to the Simply Elegant Home Designs website and to You Tube. You can get more information on the "Bayport Bungalow" as seen below by following the li...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
New Animation Added
Simply Elegant Home Designs has added another Animation to their website. The animation is of the "Bayport Bungalow" in their design collection. The company plans on providing animations of their entire house plan design collection.&nb...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Exterior Animations of New House Plans
Simply Elegant Home Designs is now providing a new and better way to visualize new house plan designs. They are creating 3d animations of their designs. The animations will be posted on the Simply Elegant Home Designs website and on You Tube. The first animation to be published is this Modern Farmhouse plan design.Simply Elegant Home Designs will eventually be able to provide animations of their entire house plan invento...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Adapting architectural house plans to your needs
Hiring an Architect to design a one of a kind home for you can be a time consuming and expensive endeavor. The design process will take at least several months - maybe up to a year. And the fee can run from 8% to 12% of the construction cost or even higher. That being said I believe it is well worth it - but not everyone has that luxury of time and money. So what I want to do here is present you with an alternative approach...
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Top 10 house plan websites
There are probably a million house plan companies selling zillions of plans through the internet. Most are terrible. In my business I create one of a kind custom homes. I can't tell you how many clients of mine have come to me after being frustrated looking through one plan book (or plan website) after another. After exhaustive searching they will eventually break down and hire a competent house designer or an Architect.I definitely believe that if your needs are truly unique then you should hire a residential architect....
Monday, January 5, 2009
Happy New Year!
Well happy new year everybody! I apologise for my lack of posts. Between Christmas I had both my daughters birthdays to celebrate (one being a sweet 16) a wedding anniversary and so on. ANYWAYS...I hope a bit of Pottery Barn eye candy helps. I want to thank all of you for leaving me such nice comments. I read everything and appreciate it very much. I hope everyone has a great 200...
