love is in the air

Tis the season for love....here are some beautiful and fun ideas to celebrate with the one you love. Courtesy of Hostess With The Mostess.

repurposing old subway parts

Architect Adam Kushner came up with some truly genius ideas to re-purpose old subway parts in his New York Penthouse. The entry door is even an old subway car door! All the salvaged parts that he carefully used throughout his house totaled a measly $200! Amazing.

colorado's home of the year

If you reside in sunny Colorado, now is the time to enter your home in their 2011 home of the year contest. Here are some stunning photos from the winner for Colorado's 2010 home of the year. Goodness gracious I love everything about this house! I think my favorite rooms are the dining room and charming little nook. I am crazy about the mismatched chairs and use of benches as seating. So comfortable and welcoming. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I did...makes me want to redecorate my house!

don't be afraid to go bold with color

Ellen Hamilton was featured this week on Decorati...and her portfolio has inspired me to not be so cautious of using bold colors! Life is too short to play it safe all the time - if color is what you love...I say go for it and go for it big! Why not? If you're using bold colors in paint and accessories it is an easy fix if you grow tired of it.

net-zero energy home

KB Homes built a remarkable Green home in Orlando Florida that opened this week for tours. Martha Stewart was among the design team that built this first time ever 'Maximized Energy-Efficient Home'. Over the course of one year, this home will produce more energy than it needs. A solar thermal water heater is just one of the innovative products used that KB Homes feels will be a standard feature in new construction in the future. I would absolutely love to be a part of a project like this...hopefully someday!

the future perfect

You absolutely must check out this company, The Future Perfect! They have an eco friendly laundry detergent sure to turn heads. A plastic ball filled with little beads goes in your washer, and it will wash up to 1000 loads - that's up to 4 years! It's better for the environment too because it is a soap-less detergent. Genius! Here are some other very unique finds from their website...great gift ideas!

Music Balloon Speaker

Antler Chandelier

Banana Bowl

Shovel Birdhouse

 

 

 

 

Knotty Bubbles Chandelier

 

pink is back

2011's color of the year is PINK! Pink bathrooms are even starting to make an appearance again...there are (believe it or not...) tasteful ways to incorporate splashes of pink into a room. If you love the color, don't be afraid to use it in your home - the bright, cheery hue is said to help lift peoples' self-esteem, spirits, and attitude. Color can have a dramatic affect on your mood...so give it a try! Here are some inspirational rooms from decorpad to help get you started.

Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe it is 2011 already! Hope you all enjoyed your Holiday...it's back to work and reality for me. This morning I have been inspired by these beautiful photos of a townhome in Amsterdam. My new years resolution is to plan our trip to Europe...and Amsterdam is on this list! Kate Hume has done a beautiful job using rich colors and texture to draw warmth and interest to the home. Absolutely loving the wallpaper in the bedroom - yummmmm! She has motivated me to to take a trip there and explore all that the city has to offer. Cheers to a happy and healthy 2011!