Did Someone Say Countertops Are Boring? Not here!

Updating or renovating kitchen and bath areas are (as you probably all know) the most expensive rooms in the home to outfit.  The number of surfaces and fixtures that have to be selected can be overwhelming, especially as the industry keeps showing us newer, better, stronger, and more streamlined products.  Countertop materials used to be very limited (tile, laminate - remember when Corian (TM) was the new and most amazing product we'd ever seen for our counters?).  Check out the latest product from Caesarstone (TM) that combines texture, pattern AND the quality solid surface, low maintenance, durable materials that they are known for.

The new Motivo (TM) line shows us a feminine lace pattern or masculine crocodile print in quartz surfaces - instant design and texture.  I can't wait to see these in use and how the use of light and shadow can play off these amazing finishes.

Don't Forget the Windows!

WINDOWS... whether you have many or few, they make such a statement in every room.  They allow us to see the outside world, whether the sun is shining, rain is falling, or snow is piling up.  They show us the environment our home sits within, whether a beautiful beach or nosy neighbors in close-range.  For all of these reasons, in addition to considerations like heat control and UV ray protection for our interiors, there are a wide array of products available to dress our windows appropriately.

While there aren't any "wrong" or "right" window fashion designs, there are some key considerations when dressing them.  First, if you have a view that is one you want to enjoy and want to draw attention to (city lights, water or mountains, an emerald green lawn) then choose your window dressings in a color that is a soft blend with the walls and furnishings in the room.  If you decide on blinds, you will also want something that can easily be moved of off the window and out of the way of the view.  This keeps our eye moving past the window treatment and out to the view beyond it.  Conversely, in places where the view is not your room's best feature, you can choose something more dramatic or colorful or opaque to keep the focus on the inside.

Hunter Douglas (TM) has a wonderful website with a short survey to help you identify some needs and appropriate products from their line of window fashions, which can help get the process started if you're really not sure what features are important to you. http://www.hunterdouglas.com/

As any good cook knows, having good workspace in a kitchen is vital.  Solid surface countertops are very popular right now, mostly because they provide beauty, function and minimal maintenance - and for the cooks out there, it means a wonderful work surface free of grout lines (have you tried to roll out pastry over a countertop covered in grout lines every 4"?).   If you are not lucky enough to have solid surface countertops yet but have the room for a free-standing piece, this island by Crate and Barrel furniture stores is amazing.  It provides traditional French styling and the always-welcome marble work surface for the real baker in the family.  Marble is a porous surface though, which does require some diligence and care (especially when it comes to acidic foods which can damage it), but just imagine how this could conjure up images of a French bakery right in your own home when it is stacked with copper cookware on the bottom shelf and topped with a vase of fresh lavender stems and a domed plate filled with homemade croissants!

Chairs, Chairs Everywhere

I love how a single chair can make an enormous statement: it can capture an entire design aesthetic in just four small legs, a seat and a back.  Take these Louis XIV-style chairs - the same styling and yet completely different applications.  Finished in high-gloss, glamourous and dramatic black lacquer, or natural wood grain, or European modern acrylic make them all exquisite in their own right but each speaking a different design language.  Consider what a single desk chair can add to your bedroom, office or living area and choose something that tells the story of your design style.

Desk Obsession!

I am completely obsessed with this desk I saw yesterday at Room Service in Newport Beach (www.roomservice.com).  It has the right mix of mid-Century modern styling, classic form and a bit of glamour... and it would look amazing in my own office! I'm already scheming a jaw-dropping wallpaper to provide the right backdrop, and some striking color accents to give the right balance of contrast.  As I've mentioned before, you never know where inspiration can come from, whether it's a tiny ceramic vase, a piece of fabric, or a stunning piece of furniture that "speaks to you" and gets your creative juices flowing.  Keep your eyes and your mind open - just like looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right, these things usually appear when you least expect them and provide the catalyst for an incredible design scheme.