I love the idea of using repurposed and recycled materials in my interior projects, but I hate the idea of giving up great style. In my many trips to design markets and gift shows I have found some amazing recycled and repurposed products that are super stylish, easy on the eyes, and easy on the environment. I have managed to find pieces that are the true definition of green, no greenwashing here! One of the main benefits of eco-friendly furniture is that it means less material ends up in the landfill.... more

One of my favorite things to do at the end of a long day is to relax in a long hot shower. As one who, as a child, was taught the environmental benefits of a “military shower,” the occasional long hot shower is a luxury to me. Unfortunately the long shower sometimes becomes an opportunity to notice just how badly my shower needs to be redone. Yes, the old adage about the “cobbler’s kids needing shoes” does translate perfectly to a designer’s home. My house was built in... more

Almost all homeowners at this point have watched HGTV stage a home and imagined how they could magically transform their property using home staging techniques. It’s fun to see a dreary, cluttered, and dated interior become bright, fresh, and stylish. However, with the change in economic conditions comes a change in buyer demographics and preferences. New staging, clean, fresh, and upbeat. This condo had previously been on the market but withdrawn with no offers. Once staged it sold. What used... more

Remember the tree house you had growing up? Or the one you always wanted? You can have it now. In the summer of 2010, Matt Siegel and his company Building Blocks, LLC, were presented with a golden, albeit unusual, opportunity: to build a children’s playhouse. While Siegel is well versed in the construction and renovation of family homes, this particular kind of project was a first. The playhouse was planned to be auctioned at a fundraiser for Dornbecher Children’s Hospital. (It sold... more

When it comes to carpentry, I would have to say that stair building requires a very high degree of skill. It is generally not a do-it-yourself activity unless you have skill, patience, tools, and money — the latter because of the likelihood of miscuts and of needing to buy more parts. So it is generally advised, when redoing your stairs or building new stairs, to hire a carpenter who specializes in stairs. Stair components are the first elements in understanding stairs. Stairs have many parts and... more

Shrinking polar ice caps, rising sea levels, ever-riskier oil and gas extraction — how, as responsible home dwellers and builders can we respond to these problems? Certainly we reclaim and recycle materials and strive to meet green building standards like LEED to make careful materials choices for our homes. But what can we do to ensure that our living spaces are embedded in sustainable patterns of community life? And how, as we emerge from recession, can we also sustain ourselves and our local... more

I am lucky. I admit it. I am lucky enough to get to go to Paris once a year to visit the Maison et Objet show. This show is one of the world’s biggest furniture and accessories markets. This year is my second trip to this show and I found it to be just as exciting, if not more so, than the first. We started off in the outdoor section where I needed to visit with a bunch of my vendors, and meet with some new ones. EMU (www.EMU.it) had a stunning booth, as usual — lots of white wire and powder... more

More than 125 years have passed since the invention of the light bulb. With a multitude of fixture styles ranging from Classical to the Atomic Age, the opportunity to distinguish your home is endless. Northwest Renovation asks local lighting experts what’s hot in 2005. Visit inmod.com to find this lighting fixture and more great lighting solutions. Photo courtesy of inmod Ozzie and Harriet Make a Comeback If you want a table lamp like the one found in the living room of any 1950s family... more