AbbeyK — On Interior Design

Design Board, Bathroom Products

Here's an electronic design board I made for a client whose bathroom we are remodeling.
Quality products, all of them.

Let the Sun in -- Striped Canvas Fabric in NYC

Known as a manufacturer of espadrilles, this French textile company just opened in NYC in Chelsea.

Canvas has many great applications in your home -- from place mats to upholstery to roman shades. I always love a stripe on a roman. I have never felt this type of canvas. It may be too thick, so check with your work room first.

P.S. They sell beach totes and other accessories in the store.

Les Toiles du Soleil, 261 West 19th Street (Eighth Avenue), (212) 229-4730.

Baaaaad dog!

Here is the culprit

Here is the damage

You've heard of the dog ate my homework? Well, this one ate the carpet

We are sending it out to be re-bound. (the carpet that is)

But first it will be cut down so that the pattern matches on both sides. (There's a square with in a square thing going on that is hard to see in the picture.)

Who new a cute critter could cause so much damage?

First Night of Chanukah and it's all about Xmas lights

Somerville, MA, my old hood is known throughout the Boston Area for some of the's best kitchy Xmas displays around. We braved the bad roads last night for an impromptu tour, which basically meant we drove down streets, peeked as far as we could see and if we saw a glow, we headed that way.

With the big snow storm that just hit, it added an extra, wintry thrill. This home was on the intersection of Boston and Highland St (not Ave) in Ball Sq.

So bring in the festival of lights in anyway you wish. Happy Chanukah!

Good Things in 2008

The T.V. shows all do it, so now is your chance to claim your stake. What do you think are some of the best things to come out of 2008?

Here are 2 that come to mind for me:

LEED for homes A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. What started out for commercial space, has grown to incorporate single and 2-family homes as well. I look forward to new policies with the new President.

Green Screen at last a PVC free solar shade from Hunter Douglas. The product has no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) so no dangerous off-gassing. Solar shades are great when privacy is not an issue, but when a homeowner wants to keep the view and blocking light. Green Screen comes in many colors and openness. OOh I've been waiting for a product like this for a while now!

New Kitchen line at DWR

Design Within Reach is launching a new kitchen cabinet and island line starting in '09.

How exciting is that? Portable, modern and produced in the US, they have a Euro look without the needing the fuel or shipping time to get them here. When I lived in Somerville, which is known for kitchens without cabinets, I could really have used portable cabinets.

What they have to say on their own web site?

"Wondering if DWR: Kitchen is for you? The answer is yes if you’re looking for a smart solution that falls between the expensive European kitchens that take months to arrive and the DIY kitchens that are difficult to assemble and last only a few years."

I think I'll have to say "yes" to that myself. I'll have to check it out next time I am in NYC.

Test Your Color IQ

As if there weren't enough ways to waste time on the web, here's a new one that's bound to mesmerize. Click on http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?PageID=77 and arrange colors by hue to see how well you see colors.

How did you do? Have fun.

Living with Pets -- cool products from Denhaus

 

I recently did a project with 2 cats with claws. This poses special challenges. Many products are not appropriate (the cats will destroy them) and we limited our fabric choices on upholstery to mostly ultrasuede, which is considered cat friendly.

And then there's the issue of what to with the kitty litter box. But worry not!

An email from the folks at Denhaus arrived showcasing their furniture-like animal crates. They come in fiberglass, wood, and metal and are quite stylish don't you think? They even come in different sizes and different colors for a chic spin on living with pets. So you can match your haus to your house.