Good with Style

Decorating How to: Replace Your Sofa Legs

Pottery Barn has been my default-go-to for home furnishings at various times in my life (what a surprise). Such was the case when purchasing a new sofa six years ago. It just seemed like the easiest thing to do (translate=I am lazy). Now, knowing more, I would have done things differently. For one--I prefer upholstered furniture so much more than slip-covered. Also, I would have chosen a different fill for the couch pillows. As it is, the down just isn't my thang. For one, I'm not patient enough for the constant fluffing, and also--have you ever noticed that the feathers poke through and prick you? It's like the goose is getting back at you posthumously or something. I also made a teensie mistake by letting my kids jump on the couch--it's a bit saggy in the middle. Not unlike my own middle. My point is--I'm looking to remake the sad overused wretch that is my sofa. First step--replace the couch legs. Of course, I want to use legs made from Sustainable Wood. I happily discovered BingLtd--an online shopping, bricks and mortar home furnishings business. Now, if I can just get my husband to turn the sofa over so I can check out those legs.

The next step: Replace the cushions and upholster (rookie style) the couch. Good luck with that, right? I do have a simple (really!) how-to upholster project in my Eco Chic Home book. I'll keep you updated on this little home decorating project as it progresses. 

*Photo: Atwood Sectional. $3199. 92"L x 65"W x 27"H. Available in Cabana Hemp (as shown) or Urban Tweed Ink. FSC-Certified Wood Frame. Available at Area 51 Furniture Store, Seattle.

More about the different types of sofa legs:

Kid Friendly Interior Design

 My mother had some pretty unique interior design ideas, and she wasn't afraid to try them out on us. Plus, it was the 70's--enough said. She was also really good carpenter--thanks to my Swedish Grandfather who had the most awesome working man's hands. Here's a photo of me about to slide down the fireman's pole that was in our living room. Like I said, the 70's. 

 

Friday Favorites on Pinterest

For more of my fabulous Friday Favorites please visit my Pinterest page...Happy Monday!

xo

Friday Favorites

I must say, I've never considered the idea of multi-colored mats, but leave it to Martha to show me a brand new supercute way to show off photos. Please visit my Pinterest board for more of this week's "Friday Favorites." Happy Weekend friends.

Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chairs

Source: unhappyhipsters.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Chairs for kids. Chairs for kids who live in apartments. Chairs for kids the grown-ups can sit in without breaking. All of these things make the Stokke perfect for my kids. Sturdy, convertible and nice looking. Yep, pretty much perfect.

Used Shipping Paletts + Creative Business Ideas

 

Lately, I've noticed a lot of things being made out of shipping paletts...which makes sense. Paletts are made to carry very heavy things, but are usually discarded after whatever they've carried has been delivered. This bed is such a simple, fabulous idea I think I may need to try it. Now, I just need to have something really big and heavy delivered to me ;) Actually, a quick Google search yielded the "Container Exchanger" site. Brilliant. Now for the used paletts...apparently this is a BIG business! Who says American Industry isn't creating ingenuous business ideas every day? Not me.

Northwest Palett

Paletts by IFCO

Millwood Inc

Paletts Unlimited

 *Above image from Pia Jane Bizkirk via Apartment Therapy

Paul Smith Designed Evian Bottle

Source: designboom.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

 

 

This bottle makes it so much easier to buy glass instead of plastic. Refreshing.

Yoga, Design and Living Off the Mat

Yoga helps me everyday and it has nothing to do with my yoga mat. While there are so many people in the world who have found and embraced yoga, there is so much misunderstanding about it by people who are not familiarized with what Yoga really is. But, I'm not going to get into that right now. For me, connecting Yoga and Design isn't about burning incense and incorporating an alter to Ganesh into a living room floor plan. It really all comes down to 1. Mindfulness: becoming aware, continuing to live in that awareness. 2. Intention: making a decision about who and how you want to be in the world. 3. Action: the most difficult part--actually getting up and doing it. Anyway, that's what it's all about for me. I make a connection between my Yoga practice and design, and ultimately, consumerism. I've put an excerpt (it's actually the introduction) from my book. Have a lovely evening.

XO

Emily

(Excerpt from my book Eco Chic Home)

No matter how great or how small, all living things are connected to one another. We are all connected. This a beautiful thing to realize. What I find fascinating is how we are able to stop and and acknowledge this connection, but in our day to day living, we forget, or ignore, how our individual actions are impacting our environment. I believe everyone wants to make the world cleaner, but not everyone knows how to get from point a to point b. Before any changes can really take affect, we need to help everyone move along to point b. We must bridge the gap between a few individual voices and the broader population.

Mindfulness is a practice that helps bridge this gap between knowing we are connected, and seeing that connection everyday. You can use mindfulness to live every moment understanding that you are a force in the world, and you make things happen, even with that one small choice, like deciding to put that bottle in recycling instead of in the trash. I began to embrace mindfulness a few years ago through my Yoga Practice.

(Read more here...)

Beautiful Blue Kitchen via House Beautiful

Source: housebeautiful.com via Beautiful on Pinterest

How pretty is this? I was just thinking the other day about things that are way overdone in many kitchens today...and then I came across this one. How beautiful, purposeful, timeless and pretty. Naturally, it's from House Beautiful. Designers: William Diamond and Anthony Baratta (DiamondBaratta Design)

XO Emily

 

Upcycled Screen Door for the Pantry

Source: google.com via Uncle on Pinterest

 

 

Sometimes I feel like I save things too frequently, thinking that I can up-cycle to turn it into some fabulous. As I've mentioned before, I often border on becoming a full-fledged hoarder. I have to work very hard to get rid of things, and to keep myself from acquiring too many things. But then I see something like this--A screen door for a pantry--how charming can you possibly get?

XO

Emily

elle decor concept house & restoration hardware

I've spent a week with a wonderful group of editors, designers, bloggers and design industry influentials via the one-of-a-kind Kravet Blogfest2011. There will be much for me to share, but I am still processing all the amazing events, photos, encounters. 

One of my favorite parts of the three-day conference in New York City was a visit to the ELLE DECOR Concept House. The house will be open to the public beginning tomorrow, and is well-worth a visit if you happen to be in-town. One of my very favorite items were the absolutely fabulous 18th Century Teak Wingback Chairs from Restoration Hardware. I also briefly met designer Todd Nickey, who's outdoor terrace design featured these chairs. He was is charming as he is talented. I hope you are having a lovely week, and I will be back soon with more fun details of the week.

XO

Emily

eco-friendly container and vase inspiration

Source: hutchstudio.blogspot.com via raccoon on Pinterest

I'm seeing a lot of newspaper plant containers, these with chicken wire are especially clever. I love to make designs using wire hangers (which can not be recycled--fyi). Here's my take on the wire container idea, which was inspired by Steaks Frites, which I believe are often wrapped in newspaper in their containers, n'est pas?

Photography Credit: Seth Smoot and Kendra Smoot from Eco Chic Home by Emily Anderson

touch wood video brings ryuichi sakamoto + rube goldberg together

It happens so rarely that I am on the cutting-edge. It's just too much pressure to always try to be ahead of the curve, don't you think? But I thought I'd share this...since it's been getting so much traffic here on the GWS blog...the Rube Goldberg inspired instrument I wrote about last week, featuring a silent forest filled with man-made music.

The video is actually an ad for the NTT DOCOMO limited edition Touch Wood mobile phone.

The project is a collaboration between Sharp Corporation, Olympus Corporation and "more trees," a reforestation project founded by musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and others. Sakamoto recently gave a benefit concert here in New York City to benefit Relief for Japan. Here is a quote from him:

NTT DOCOMO says, "The TOUCH WOOD is made from the surplus wood of trees culled during forest-thinning operations. This new commercial use for thinned wood, which traditionally has only limited applications, helps to preserve other wood resources while strengthening the health of overgrown forests."

If you visit the NTT DOCOMO site, and I suggest you do, you will see the Disaster Message Board which the company has created to assist victims and families impacted by the recent Japanese natural disasters.

Go here to read more about the Touch Wood project.

XO

Emily

 

decorating with flowers: hanging wall vase

Source: cupcakesandcashmere.com via vintage on Pinterest

Just because you don't have a garden doesn't mean you can't bring flowers into your day. This on the wall vase is a great reason to treat yourself to some blooms, just because. XO Emily

eco-friendly paint is good for you

Even if you aren't doing the actual painting yourself, you still should ask for No-VOC paint. There are fantastic options available, here are a few of my favorites:

Valspar Paint

Green Painting (a painting company)

Ecos Paints

Natura Paint by Benjamin Moore

GreenSure by Sherwin Williams

Freshaire

Environmentally Paint by The Real Milk Paint Co.

Yolo Eco-Friendly Paint

Also, read this round-up from Apartment Therapy's Re-Nest with an eco-paint review...it's from 2009, but still helpful.

 

danish design redefined with bornholm kitchen

bornholm kitchen

Due to the beautiful weather this weekend, as well as two children's birthday parties to attend, and a little house-hunting drama, I did not make it to the 2011 Architectural Digest Home Show. Of course I'm a little sad I didn't get to see some of the amazing new products from Designers that include Susan Serra, and her amazingly beautiful Danish-influenced new kitchen designs--Bornholm Kitchen. You can read more about her pieces today on Design Milk. But here's a little taste, so to speak.

Susan's pieces are freestanding, which is perfect for someone like me who loves an open floorplan and seamless integration of rooms. Go to her site, Bornholm Kitchen, for information about ordering.

Here are a few more great recaps of the Architectural Digest Home Design Show:

ABCD Design

Pretty Little Green Things

Home Improvement Ninja

New York Portraits

Decor Musings

Quintessence Blog

Leslie Fine Interiors

 

 

sustainable design for a crisp white winter day

Since it is a winter wonderland here in New York City, I thought some wintery design inspiration was in order.

1.Cairn Boxes by Constance Guisset

2. Hanging Lamp by Wis Designs

3. Elevation by Arik Levy

4. Bio-Polyester Resin Pieces by Confused-Direction Design Studio

5. Sea Sand Water & Concrete Clock by Johan Forsberg

6. Grandissant Candlestick by Jean-Charles Amey

7. Screen Printed Textiles by Dorte Agergaard

 

design bloggers are the new curators at nydc

What's New What's Next Event kicks off today at the New York Design Center, 200 Lexington Avenue (at 33rd). The "New Curators" will be live-blogging, tweeting, and doing what we all do best--sharing the newest design, products, and people in the world of Interiors.

I know a few of these talented bloggers, but I am looking forward to connecting with all of them in person. The great thing about blogging is that you can really "get to know" people from all over the world, which opens you up to so many more ideas and inspirations. As someone who has lived in New York for going on 20 years, I know how easy it is to get myopic in your thought process. And as a stay-and-work--at-home mom, it is ever so helpful for me to be able to "log on" and learn from all of these creative, clever, and unique voices. I often find myself living vicariously through some of their jet-setting lives as I hold a baby on my lap in front of the computer! I am very excited for a day of design, and I hope you will join us, live or in person.

Here is how to find the "Fabulous Fourth Floor Bloggers" around the web:

Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo/ABCD Designs

@abcddesigns/www.abcddesign.com

Liz Orgera/Shorely Chic

@shorelychic/www.shorelychic.blogspot.com

Nicole Gibbons/ So Haute

@SoHaute/www.sohautestyle.com

Camilla Pavone/High Heeled Foot in the Door

@highheelfoot/www.high-heelfootinthedoor.blogspot.com

Patrick Hamilton/Ask Patrick

www.askpatrick.blogspot.com

Tamara Stephenson/Nest by Tamara

@nestnestnest/www.nestnestnest.blogspot.com

Danielle De Vita/Design-Calendar for Inspired.talk

@kravet/www.kravet.typepad.com

Christina DeSmet/Christina DeSmet

/www.desmitten.wordpress.com

Jean Lin/Otto Design & Architecture

@ottodesign /www.otto-otto.com

Julia Paulino Yenicag/Belle Vivir

/www.bellevivir.blogspot.com

Erin Gates/Elements of Style

@elementstyle/www.elementsofstyle.com

Jodi Murphy & Lea Mcintosh/Nesting Newbies Magazine

@nestingnewbies/www.nestingnewbies.com

Suzanne & Laura McGrath/Good Bones Great Pieces

@goodbones/www.goodbonesgreatpieces.com

(Suzanne is a fellow-Martha Stewart Alumni!)

Carol Vanderkloot/2 Modern

@2modern/www.blog.2modern.com

My Home Organizing Tips

In honor of today, which I have designated as a day (week?) of organizing, here are a few solutions you might like.

 

Make it yourself, or find it at the.com.(This is no longer a working site--any ideas where you can find this?)

Here's another clever way to put vases or jars to work on your wall, via Postro Advintage on Etsy.

This Martha Stewart towel caddy looks really easy to make, and what a great thing to do with your old bath towels.

 

Never find yourself without entertainment for your kids--take this little drawing crayon pouch with you wherever you go.

One of my favorite ideas from the Editors at Martha Stewart--this is made with two identical bookshelves.

 

This is a project from my book, Eco Chic Home, and I actually have this hanging in my home. It's really useful for stashing receipts, sunglasses, money.

 

This is my little girl's "office" that I created for her right before my son was born so she would a space that was just for her (they share a room). I just used an Ikea table with telescoping legs, set it on the lowest setting. Everything else are items we had around the home that I repurposed--a muslin covered tack board, vertical files, and the table. These are my "Organized Monday" ideas. Please share some of your ideas (with photos!) and I'll post about them next week.

 

table setting with milk and honey home

My husband and I love the look of a wooden farm table, just like this one (below) in Julie's house on Milk and Honey Home.

 

It would be perfect in the dining room of our new house (more on that later) since that's where we will eat all of our meals--it's a working kitchen, no room for a table. I honestly don't mind having one place for meals--so often the Dining Room is a seldom-used room and basically just wasted space. I've begun my research into where to find the right table, of course I would prefer a second-hand in-keeping with my sustainable philosophy. I might have to be patient until the right one comes along.

I also love the bathroom in Julie's house--very "shabby chic". I'll admit I am a sucker for Rachel Ashwell. Even her stuff at Target is adorable. It is an unpretentious refinery, the likes of which you might find in an old English manor, like the one in the movie version of Atonement.

 

I think what I respond to in Milk and Honey's design aesthetic is the organic nature of her home--none of it is contrived, it feels authentic and filled with things she loves rather than following some sort of trend or design edict. Such is with the manor in Atonement, where Keira Knightly's character lives and floats around like a ghost.

Don't you think this Anna French wallpaper (above) could very well have been in the home of Briony Tallis and her sister, Cecilia (portrayed by Keira Knightly)? Nothing in the home is new, everything has an element of value, not like the throwaway items we all populate our homes with today. Wallpaper went up and there it stayed until it became water-stained, peeling away from the wall as if to escape certain death. 

Granted, it does takes extra effort to go beyond the easy as 1-2-3 furniture options you can find in catalogs and at the mall. I'm trying to avoid the "fast-food" approach to furnishing my home--McDonald's fries taste the same wherever you go, right? The same goes for certain furniture makers. When I'm more thoughtful (mindful) about what I bring into the my home, I tend to spend less, purchase less, and feel less guilt and anxiety. Keeping this in mind, I know my farm table is out there, and I'm going to make the effort to find it "off-the-beaten-path." Do you have any secret resources you think the world should discover?

(Take a look at this option I discovered online.)

 Image 1: Image by Patrick Van Robaey's via Alis 'le Cilga Cay Partisi

Image 2 & 3: Milk and Honey Home via La La Lovely Things

Image 4: Movie still, Atonement

Image 5:  Anna French

Image 6: Handmade farm table by Zephyr Tents for Martha Stewart Weddings.