MORE DETAILS

I'm not at all afraid of color and thats why when we looked at this color for the bedroom...we were willing to risk it. As usual the safe call is to use neutral colors for the large pieces of furniture and for the most part we did..ivory bed....linen staw like duvet...cream and brown leather..and a subtle ivory and chocolate print on the chairs. Literally our color comes form the wall and some art. I love making a bath mirror larger (assuming that baths are generally smaller rooms) and taking light fixtures or plumbing fixtures out from the mirror...this gives the room an interesting depth perception and totally doubles your light from the reflection. You'll see pocket doors and if you can ..use them as often as possible....they just save so much on space. What I love about the tile in the kitchen photo is that it looks like small stacked stone. I wouldnt want to splash soup up against it and then try to wipe it off but its so sexy hot and urban.

Details..

Couple of things we did to add major interest was - not to do just another painting or canvas..but instead we did a narrow wall of vintage looking masks...all dark like the adjoining room's walls and stacked them to accentuate the ceiling height. Like drapery....the idea is to go vertical..making the room seem taller. We also wanted a conversation piece... the floors stole the show but the next most talked about piece was the root coffee table from our company Noir Furniture. Each one is a special unique piece and they'll start at just around 1850.00 (unless you take advantage of our sale) maybe you can get it for over half off!

naturally modern

This condo was by far a huge hit during the builder's open house. (Allen Plaza) We wanted to take a couple of risks in doing this relatively small unit. We chose a fairly distinct floor - not exactly subtle but the colors are super warm and we balanced it with darker walls to anchor the movement of the wood characteristics. We wanted to do a relatively inexpensive kitchen but still wanted it to look like a million bucks so we chose a wood veneer from our company Ultracraft and then matched it with a gloss white thermofoil. Glass fronts always make a kitchen look brighter. Initially I called for aluminum glass fronts but the ones we ended up using were a little less and have a more subtle impact...we just needed to use clear glass versus frosted glass.
We wanted the bedroom to feel warm even when the lights are off so we chose this amazing burnt red color. Our furnishings are fairly clean lines but we used a lot of textures...wood, metal, shag, graphic patterns, linen and leather...it came together perfectly. We also suspended the bath vanity to help make the space seem even bigger and white/off white trim (to me) makes any room seem cleaner and bigger. Details to follow.

HOT KITCHEN

Stay tuned to see more of this amazing home we've been working on for the past year and a half....

This is a custom kitchen with a stone veneer stovetop/adorned in amazing shell like copper and espresso tile. The wood is a custom cream color combined with and espresso noir stained lowers as well as a rubbed grey finished island. The cabinet doors are distressed and inset to make them feel vintage and old world. But the stainless appliances and mosaic tiles give this kitchen a contemporary boost. Also, check out the globe lights ....we (heart) them so much. I have a similar vintage one in my great room at home....I'll show you sometime. The counter top is an exotic granite that pulls in all the golds, cream, silvers, espresso and copper components. This kitchen comes with two dishwashers, a micro drawer, espresso maker, sub zero fridge, and all the pullout extras we love like the one by the sink....just for your towels. The sexy counter stools are cream leather with silver nail heads. Do you (heart) it too?

HIGH/LOW CHALLENGE:

here is Baker's mirror its supa expensive $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

here is our mirror...on sale 515.00 drop shipped to your door (63x63) come to the store & check it out. The internal mirror is smaller but the posts are much more substantial and less brassy....it would be my choice regardless of he price. What do you think? 614 mass ave 317.423.2331 (email us a new challenge)

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL published 16 sofas under 1999.00 in this month's issue. Among them was Kincaid's amazing transitional sofa...that could work in a traditional or contemporary mix setting. Save 30% this month and ask us details about saving 40 to 50%.

Its terrible ...now that we got started....its hard to stop imagining the possibilities. Imagine for a second...on our inspiration bed...this bold and beautiful duvet from Bliss Living. Oh so clean and sexy - yet light and airy like our inspiration photo. It would be super hot to paint the hall or bath a yellow like the one shown in the photo and splash the silver shown on the walls opposite of our Graham Brown wall paper! What works is the opposite contrast of the black wall paper back ground versus the white white duvet back ground. Switch out the Euros to a quilted yellow fabric and maybe add a tight yellow printed side chair or a yellow velvet chaise....you'll be in style heaven.

I want this look!!
I brought some old magazines to look at for my trip and came across this bedroom from a HOMES AND GARDENS issue. I love the graphic nature of the backdrop and the raw wood bed paired with super chic night stands and glass gourd lamp....such a cozy winter hidaway!!! (I could see it being brought to life in the summer with a shot of yellow or green in the bedding - so don't think its too limiting) Let me tell you how we can help you achieve the look - see below for details

Our sources give us:
For the same look, start with the Paris Loft collection from French heritage...one of the newest collections - made from reclaimed teak. Its a little less colonial and can be rustic or contemporary.
Pair it with the sexy mirrored casegood from Worlds Away and accompany the side table with the snowman glass lamp from Roost (one of our favorite accessory lines). We chose a great wall paper from our beloved Graham Brown and edited the look to a wall paper that might be less "winter" looking for all seasons. We are fairly assured we are well on our way to creating magic like our inspiration photo. Let us show you how you can customized our numerous bedding lines for a custom and budget friendly project. For pricing and availability...email shannon@interiorlife.net and send us your inspiration photos!

Green Think'n:
I suppose not being on a massive continent where you can bury heaps of trash and waste....gets you thinking about the environment quicker than most. These kiwi's are where we'll probably be in 15 to 20 years. The government limits the amount of trash that you can dispose of so....most people recycle their paper, glass, and plastic....dispose of their food remains via composts...and limit the trash to plastics that cant be recycled, personal care items, and random trash things. Its was astonishing what little trash 5 people created in a week when we emptied a bucket of food remains every other day. Pictured I showed a garden that is fertilized by the compost, solar panels, water storage replenished by rainfall off the gutters, and the water re-usage tank that takes water from showers and cleans it enough to use it to wash the clothes - totally nifty. Oh, and of course the clothes dryer (aka the clothes line)...when you live in the sun...clothes dry in a few hours and are oh so soft. Its amazing to think what entire countries do collectively to help fight world pollution and climate issues...especially considering the giant hole in the atmosphere over New Zealand and Australia was primarily caused by our continent...the hold just settled over someone elses "property". What can we do? Write me your concerns...lets talk about it!

Well, having friends and family in all the right places sure has worked out well for all of us. This holiday we spent 3 weeks in Opotiki New Zealand visiting Bob's family. This summer they completed their new seaside home and as promised we are taking you on a bit of a tour! This home features 4 bedrooms (one of witch is located with its own bath beside the detached two car garage - perfect for guests or lodgers), 3 full baths, a living room, family room, foyer, extra wide hallways, pocket doors, and an open living arrangement. 5 entire wall fronts extending 80 to 100 inches in width open up to expose the interior to the outdoors....something the residents find essential to living in a utopian paradise. Made with all natural elements or as many as they could work into their complex and ever extending budget - this family created an unusually large (in New Zealand terms) humble adobe they call home (and me too if I can get away with it) We will walk you through some green features in a future blog...now I just want to show you the home!

.....Ah true to America...the kitchen is still the heart of the home in New Zealand - at least in this contemporary getaway. New Zealanders love the open living concept and in this home, the kitchen, dining, office and living room are shared. The owner ordered kd kitchen cabinets (knocked down and un assembled) and carried the task of assembling his dream kitchen - for a non kitchen designer...he didn't miss a beat! Perfect work triangle (from fridge to stove to sink), trash and dishwasher surrounding the work area....nice deep drawers and workable corner cabinets...not a single blind cabinet to be found. He even tucked a few extra book shelves on the front of their bar - suitable for 3 to 4 counter stools. A couple of things you might not readily find here in New Zealand, microwaves (I'm still waiting for reports of what microwaves actually do to our bodies!), garbage disposals (thanx to their consciousness and use of composts) and appliance caddies - for a more open feel and not as strong of a need to be "show ready". Life here on this island is casual and luxurious....the only thing is....once you get use to waking up with ocean views....it could be assumed that you might eventually forget just what a luxury it is! The owners splurged on the granite island and chose a wood like veneer for the surrounding counters...kuddos to Kurt (Bob's brother) for picking this out on his own! Together Kurt and his wife Hine, have created a dream kitchen worthy of design recognition!

Here are some very good examples of modern New Zealand design. First we see some white square ceramic tiles found often in bath designs....clean simple and pretty economic. The splurge for the master was the stone floor which helped to continue the green story in this home. We also pictured the walkways...nice and wide (a luxury not too often found in New Zealand homes), made from poured cement and finished with a gloss finish. The stairs are complimented with the same native Rimu wood that the homeowners chose to create their custom vanities. Subtle opaque windows encase the tub - deeper then the current American trend of tubs - kiwis know how to relax!

Problem? SOLUTION!!
How can you make a small space look larger? Take a look at this example from a condo project we worked on. Situated neatly below a higher than usually hung light fixture (normal being usually about 30 inches above the table surface).....is our table from TAG - sexy and simple black legs with a glass top proving to be a key element in making this space look larger. Simple matching chairs..tucked in only two sides of the table also keeps less visual boundaries from distracting your eye. Next - our shallow console and large mirror gives scale without eating too much of this dining space ...no pun intended. Normally we love mirrors as a way to extend a space visually but so many things worked for us in this space we treated ourselves to a smaller reflective surface and a piece from Global Views that we've always loved. Yes...you may have seen this at WSH as well - we buy from the same vendors but our price was a couple of hundred dollars less. Total retail for this room would be around 4500.00 full price.....uh bargain!

We added NOIR furniture to our list of vendors a few months ago and are in love love love with their product. This table, made of a solid tree slab, is so hot I can't stand it. We have a couple of vendors who create looks like this but together with the "T" legs - this beauty is priced reasonably and can be custom stained to match your specific decor. The company also sells tables made from reclaimed bowling lanes and vintage wood beams. Dont miss their uphostery, lighting and accesories as well. go to.... http://www.noirfurniturela.com/ to view more designs and call us for pricing 317 363 1205 or email: shannon@interiorlife.net

*Save the Planet Fact:

According to scientists and weather experts: If every homeowner painted his or her roof white - we could neutralize the patterns of global warming and conserve energy!

happy new year

Happy New Year~ from New Zealand! Above you will see our family's new hilltop/seaside home just outside of a small town named Opotiki. Built this year - this home is an exquisite example of how to build a modern eco-friendly sanctuary. Built of all natural materials, cement floors, light metal roofing, solar panels, water rejuvenation system that catches rain water from the roof and a pump that recycles shower water to fill toilet tanks, and even a working compost.....this home is truly design worthy! More photos of this home to come - Since we are a day ahead...we had to wait about 5 hours to wish you a truly
Happy New Year!!!