Saturday, June 30, 2012

Top 10 Must-Have Travel Apps!

It's vacation season and even when I travel for work, my iPhone/iPad take a central role in not just planning my trips, but also assisting me along the way once I'm far from home.

There are tons of travel apps that can help you on your trip. Here are a few that come highly recommended.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Dangers Lurking In Your Public Pool

I'm really not sure why some things must be said over and over, but use caution with public pools. Common sense goes a long way, folks.

It's summer time so more and more folks are taking the dip at the swimming pool. Take care of yourself!


Friday, June 22, 2012

Friday Find - Ting Leather Flooring

Ting was formed in 2000 with the mission of creating sustainable products from the onset. I would have likely never thought to take reclaimed leather and used belts(like the kind you wear) and fashion them in to flooring. Beyond that, I would have absolutely never thought it would look as good as this!


Thought I was kidding, eh? How awesome does that look?


Obviously this isn't a thrown together craft project. Each belt is carefully selected and chosen to fit each space in the floor.



I would imagine it knocks down sound much like leather walls do(which they do that, too). I can't wait to find a spot to use something like this!

Would you have it in your home?

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Staged & Sold: Sell Your Home Like a Pro

Staging one's home for sale is more important than you think. Recently I had a conversation with a realtor friend about this very issue.

The average home buyer has very little or no sense of scale. Seeing an empty house can give false senses of space and cause some buyer's remorse. Having your home staged can ease potential buyer's minds about a variety of issues. Furniture is smart, people...


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Faucet Love - Webert Arcobaleno

I love innovation. I also love when innovation allows for multiple users a different experience.

With the recent push for universal design and helping homeowners age gracefully in their homes, innovation has come in many shapes and in the case of the Webert Arcobaleno, colors.

The Arcobaleno is an LED faucet that shows(literally) users the temperature of the water they're about to use. For older and younger users(and me), it's a reminder of the water temperature so that one isn't accidentally burned or given a chill.

Take a look:



Obviously, blue is for cold and red is for hot. What makes the Arcobaleno unique is the ability of the LED to change with the temperature... What happens when you mix hot and cold? Purple!


The joystick adds a bit of whimsy to the otherwise modern faucet. Do you think you would use one in your house?

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sunday Inspiration - Balancing Barn House

Sometimes architects have a way of making homes appear to do more(or less) than they appear. The Balancing Barn House near Suffolk across the big pond from us over here in the US is one of those homes.

Seeming to teeter on the side of a hill, half of the home is above ground with no supports. Scary?

Check it out:


Check out that swing!


The house is built using a complex frame, along with heavier materials on the "ground side" so that the opposing end can remain open and obstruction free. The exterior is clad in silver panels that give the home a unique reflective quality that mimics the environment around it.




The house sleeps eight and is available as a short term rental. You can stay there! 


Perhaps my favorite feature of the space is the "floor light" in the living room. Those chilling on the sofa can look down beyond the coffee table and see the ground!



I'm ready to go!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Grocery Store GPS

This is a bigger deal than you think... Always reminds me of Dwight on The Office talking about staging the "Money Beets" close to the front.

There's a way to shop smarter... These are some great tips.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Friday Find - Traeger Lil' Pig Grill

It's squarely grill season in the Heart of Dixie. As much as I love pigs and grills, it was natural that when I saw the Lil' Pig from Traeger that I'd be in love.



Now, if you're not familiar with Traeger Grills and their pretty sweet Wood Pellet Grill system you should absolutely check it out. At first, I was a bit skeptical that it could beat out a traditional charcoal or even a big gas monster like the one I normally use at home, but look at just how the grill works...


Between an automatic start function and convection cooking(all you foodies just perked up, huh?), the Traeger system is easy to use and function extremely efficiently. Traeger Wood Pellet Grills use considerably less than most wood grills.

If you're in the market for a new grill(but can't handle a pig on your deck), contact your local Traeger dealer and get cooking!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Bolefloor: Life is not a straight line.

Any company that has uses the slogan, "Life is not a straight line" is going to be one that I'm going to like. Working in the design world, it's easy to know how that's the one constant in our industry. No lines are truly plumb.

Bolefloor is a revolutionary Dutch product that has the design world buzzing. 


Wait?! Those lines are going... Whoa.


You're seeing it correctly. The Bolefloor system allows for more planks to be cut out of the natural flow on wood. Awesome that more wood gets used, but even cooler is how awesome the finished product looks!

See how one can get more flooring?


Bolefloor is available in Oak, Maple, Ash, Cherry and Walnut. Beveled joints are available(which look sweet!) and the product installs much like a traditional wood floor.

Check this short video for an install:






According to the Bolefloor website, a California manufacturing plant will serve most of North America starting in 2012. I can't wait to get some of this in my area!

What do you think?

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Grills Gone Wild!

It's that time of year again... Time to break out the grill and fire it up! BUT... got to be safe. No sense in burning down the castle for a burger.

What kind of grill do you use?


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...