Design for a Beautiful Life

2009 Idea Cottage: Space-Savvy Design

The next big thing in architecture is right-size living. That means using money-saving, environmentally sound materials to build a smaller but savvier house in which no square inch is squandered yet luxuries still abound. I’On, the idyllic 11-year-old village between historic Charleston and nearby barrier islands, is leading the way once again with its new Jefferson Canal Courtyards neighborhood. We show you how we achieved high style in a compact space.

Design Trend – Rough Luxe

These two words encapsulate a sensory mouthful of a design style that seems at first glance to be a paradox. Taking rough-hewn and well-worn elements and combining them with luxury textiles, antiques, and art to create an atmosphere that tells a story is the goal of those who love this style. Embracing the love of [...]

High-End Consumer Segment Shows Signs of Recovery

Source: CUSTOM HOME Magazine
Publication date: September 10, 2009

By Stephani L. Miller

Although many economists predict the economic and housing industry recoveries will be long and slow, glimmers of a rebound are emerging. The good news for the custom home building segment is that even though financial portfolios have been hit hard and lending institutions are continuing their tight grip on credit (particularly for large construction loans), affluent consumers still have money. They are being more selective in their spending choices, however.

12 Coolest Faucets

Take a look at this blog post from www.oddee.com that showcases faucets like you’ve never seen before or even imagined! For the guys there’s a faucet that looks like you’re driving a motorcycle and one that lets you change gears. For the women, there’s one that is a vase with a waterfall action on the faucet and I love the faucets that change the water to blue and red, depending on the temperature…

Video showcase of products from K/BIS 2009 (kitchen & bath products)

If you’re in the market for building or remodeling a new kitchen and/or bath, take a look at the latest and greatest new products that were shown at K/BIS 2009. These are the trend setters and the latest innovations from the best brands.   Even if you’re not in the market, it’s always fun to [...]

Ina Garten’s Kitchen of the Year

I’ve been a fan of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa for a long time and have all of her cookbooks. She’s shown me and others how to entertain easily and serve simple food that bursts with flavor. Now her latest kitchen in East Hampton has been replicated by designer, Robert Stilin for House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year 2009.

Kitchen With A Walk-In Pantry

Here’s a beautiful kitchen out of Traditional Home that you’ll love! The two levels of the kitchen island is a great idea, letting guests sit and talk with the cook while dinner is being prepared. The white scheme of the kitchen is also peaceful and calming.

The walk-in pantry is a 9’ x 8’ space off the kitchen. The mirrored doors make the kitchen seem bigger, while adding sparkle. Also, all the breakfast appliances are in there, such as the toaster, coffeemaker, etc. so they’re out of the way of the main kitchen. Great idea!