eat it up

Bellinzoni Mangia Macchia Stone CleanerLotion spilt on marble or red wine spilt on marble is always cause for concern if not caught in time.  We can call it patina or we can try to clean it up. Bellinzoni Mangia Macchia Stain Remover is an absorbing paste designed to remove most stubborn true stains on marble, granite and other stone surfaces. (Make sure you test it on an inconspicuous area first!) (For etching stains, you need a different treatment.)

Directions: 

Apply a thin layer of paste on the area to be treated (we suggest applying with a spatula), cover with a plastic film to keep moist. After 2 to 3 hours, remove the plastic film and let the paste dry.  The paste will have the appearance of dry, whitish mud; remove with a brush.  Ta Da!

easy redo for a small space

Country Living "Living with Yellow"Using similar colors throughout a small space from room to room makes the space feel bigger, creating a seamless and harmonious home.  Pick a color that you love and pick varying shades of that color for different rooms.  Select neutral pieces on your big, upholstered furniture and then add accent pieces in the selected color palate. For example, if you have chosen yellow, accessorize a coffee table with a stack of yellow books and add a few yellow throw pillows onto the couch.  Add a yellow cashmere throw to the end of the bed and get a yellow tea kettle to put on the stove. Have fun with it and envelop yourself with the color(s) that you love.

custom fabric

polka dance 462c by Carolyn Rebuffel DesignsI am in the middle of creating a new fabric line and am so excited about it.  The best part will be that each design will be fully color-customizable.  So you love the pattern but want it in a different colorway? No problem! We will create a test swatch for you and once you approve the new colorway, we will order the yardage you need.  This is going to be sooooo fun!!

let's go shopping for appliances

When you are looking for a new appliance, a lot of factors go into a purchase.  Budget and ease of use are probably at the top of the list for consideration, followed by how it fits into the decor (this comes in very closely after budget and ease of use for me and sometimes trumps them, but that is just me) and the energy use of the appliance (which also should be a factor in the budget decision).  We have all learned to recognize the Energy Star symbol and look for it so that we are making good energy usage decisions.

But sometimes one should look a little further.  The Department of Energy takes quite a long time to modify/revise these standards and the Energy Star logo is available to an appliance that uses  less energy than the federal minimum standard.  But what are the federal minimum standards, when are they revised, and how are they determined?  In the state of California, with Title 20 and other laws passed, our rules are more rigorous than the federal standards. So, it does pay (in energy cost savings) to do a little bit more research.

Organizations like Consumer Reports and The Green Guide by National Geographic give more in-depth information about appliance purchases and Consumer Reports tests to a more rigorous standard than the DOE. Other resources include the Consortium for Energy Efficiency  and The Green Home Guide. 

These resources can help make your decision process a bit smoother and take some of the mystery out of the selection process for you so that you can go shopping with ease and confidence.  Happy Hunting!

at the very least, understand your contractor's job

image from managemyhome.comAs a designer, I am constantly called upon to come up with creative solutions.  The challenge is always to solve a problem in a beautiful AND cost-effective manner.  If I do not understand the ramifications of what I want to do, I cannot serve my client very effectively.  This is why it is very important to have some idea of what the solution entails for the people who are going to create it.  I do not lay tile so when I create a tile layout, I have to take the installation into consideration so that I don't drive the installer crazy nor do I unnecessarily run up the client's bill.  A new site from Sears can help you understand the ins and outs of what you have in mind to do and will help you make adjustments accordingly.  Go to managemyhome and if you want to do the project yourself, they will give you all the steps, degree of difficulty and a checklist. How imaginative!