Dining Delights

I apologize for being so sporadic with my posts these last few weeks. While most people were Christmas decorating and shopping, I decided to make-over my daughter's room. Yes, I know I'm crazy, but look at it this way, I'll have posts to share during the long, cold days of January.I finally finished tweaking the decorations in the dining room. I hung little wreaths on the china cabinet, this time I used beads instead of ribbon. Actually the wreaths are hanging on those little stick-on hangers and the bead string is just taped to the backside of the door. In the kitchen, the wreaths are actually hanging by the ribbon that's tacked on the back of the cabinet.I placed some mirrors on the long shelf/mantle (I've been gathering mirrors to hang a wall of mirrors in the stairwell). I pulled together a bunch of apothecary jars and vases and placed them on the shelf. I poured "snow" into the jars, which is actually Epsom salt from the dollar store. I added strings of white lights along the shelf and trailing in and out of the jars and vases. Then I piled in vintage ornaments and strings of silver beads.
I love the finished look. It's even more beautiful at night.

Candice Olson-New Furniture Line

We love Candice Olson. She's quirky, funny and so down to earth. And don't you just love her show on HGTV? She is just SO good.

Recently she just launched a line of furniture for Revco International (a really small company out of Los Angeles). The stuff is very cute and affordable.

Here is a video of the showroom in High Point.

Also here are some representative products from the line...







We would say that the line is well-made and well-priced. It's really not "upscale" but it's very much Candy Olson-affordable approachable and user-friendly.

To see the complete collection, visit Revco International web site.

Best Swedish homes as cool house design

Sweden is the largest country in Scandinavia and the fourth largest in Europe, bordering Norway and Finland, within the Arctic Circle.
Sweden has large numbers of newly built properties, with over 50% of apartment homes being built since 1960 with the majority being mainly rented. Freehold individual properties are largely owner occupied.
Official language is Swedish with a minority understanding Finnish.English is widely spoken.
Capital gains should not be charged for the sale of privately owned property.

There are no restrictions on Foreign Ownership.

Property and Real Estate Prices in Sweden
Range Varies, for example:
From around £25,000 / $37,000 for a single family home
From around £25,000 / $37,000 for an apartment
From around £40,000 / $60,000 for a villa
From around £50,000 / $75,000 for a bungalow
From around £85,000 / $125,000 for city homes
Country homes vary from around £150,000 / $225,000

Locations to buy real estate and property in Sweden
Stockholm being Sweden's capital is popular and including the suburbs represents about 20% of Sweden's total population and with the growth of financial and technical companies around Stockholm this will likely grow. It is situated on the Baltic Sea, at the entrance to Lake Malaren and is built on 14 islands with many exceptional waterside buildings.

Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city on the West Coast of the country is a major port and industrial centre. Malmo, on the south coast is expected to grow significantly over the next few years following the completion of the 16 km bridge and tunnel linking to Copenhagen in Denmark.

Living Costs in Sweden
Sweden has enviable living standards supported by high tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits.

Buying property and real estate in Sweden
It is usual for a Real Estate Agent to be used for buying and selling of property in Sweden. They will handle the necessary paperwork and communicate buying and selling prices with all parties involved.
It is not contractual to have your property valued but fairly common for buyers to hire independent surveyors.
When you have satisfied any questions in respect of your purchase a completion date can be agreed through your Real Estate Agent.
It is the responsibility of the buyer to apply for deeds of title within three months of the sale transfer and submit for registration.

I found a couple of really great homes for sale on Stockholm real estate site Skeppsholmen. The first is a bit almost country/shabby chic, definitively Scandinavian and totally adorable.

This flat is definitively on the more rustic side. The exposed beams, height of the ceilings and that floating walkway are to die for.

Best architecture Australian house in streets of Fitzroy

What you see above is a 4 bedrooms home that packs an intelligent design by combining a living area with a truly amazing backyard garden. Located on the streets of Fitzroy, an inner city suburb of Melbourne, even though it’s not wide it promotes open space to make it look bigger, and packs some modern furniture to get your eyes with. May not be the home of my dreams, but it sure has lots of key elements to charm me with.

Today I'm stalking the streets of Fitzroy, an inner city suburb of Melbourne (and perhaps my favourite area in that city). This is the architect's own home. Which architect the real estate agent neglects to tell us but we are informed it has 4 bedrooms, open plan living, indoor outdoor living and intelligent design. I love the sense of continuity between the living areas and the garden so important in Australian houses. It's a normal working day here in Australia but I know that the States are celebrating Thanksgiving (not a holiday we have here). I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family today but if you're a Thanksgiving orphan or all "familied" out then pop on over and join me later for a virtual drink in this backyard.

Blessed With Good Friends

It's such a blessing when you find a good friend! Someone who is always there to laugh and cry with, to listen as you vent your frustrations, who cheers you on, and inspires you to be a better person.
It's an extra special blessing when your husband finds a good friend in your friend's husband.
What kind of Christmas gift do you give to your friends to show your love and appreciation?
How about a personally designed, hand built entry table made from a door.The shelf on the bottom is specially designed to house the family's shoes when they take them off as they enter their home.Don't be too impressed with our gift. We delivered this table unfinished, unsanded, and with a gallon of paint. Minutes before the delivery I called my friend. I told her that I had started too many projects and asked if she would be willing to help me finish one. Without hesitation, and not even knowing how big the project might be, she replied, "I'd be happy to help you out!" That's what I call a good friend!

Sustainable building of NJIT Campus Center

The NJIT Campus Center and Academic Building create an intervention into the existing University fabric, uniting the Campus Green with the eastern edge of campus. A third floor pedestrian bridge connects the two buildings physically and creates a visual terminus for a pedestrian street. It also links the Academic Building with both a new roof terrace and a new exterior stair leading to the Campus Green.

The fundamentals of Sustainable Design call upon the core principles of the Architect's craft: the careful integration of buildings within their existing natural and cultural context; the creation of a satisfying interior environment and sense of place for the inhabitants; a rigorously efficient approach to the use of resources and its effect on building systems design; and the consideration of the future evolution and re-use of the built environment.

The integration of sustainable design principles within a project's overall solution continues to be a natural extension of the holistic, collaborative design approach which is the foundation of Gwathmey Siegel's work. Central to every one of our projects, this fundamental process enables us to develop solutions in partnership with our clients, allowing us to meet the varied goals of the program, function, aesthetics and sustainability.

Architectural elements, such as the consistent, careful inclusion of natural lighting and solar control elements, along with the sensitive selection of the interior materials and color palettes, contribute to the quality of the indoor environment for the users. Energy efficiencies, from the proper engineering of the building systems along with artificial lighting and control systems designs, are integrated through the inclusion of the expertise of various related disciplines, brought together at the start of the planning and design processes to contribute to a unified architectural solution.

Beautiful design for belair residence in California

The buildable site, an existing two-acre plateau, set sixty feet below the access road, affords panoramic views of Westwood, the Pacific Ocean, and the Canyon. The program, orientation, and topography provoked a composite courtyard parti that layers the site through the house, integrating the terraces and lawns.

On a two-acre plateau in Belair, California, the contemporary Belair Residence by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects is a great mix of rounded shapes, amazing lighting and colors. Promoting open spaces, featuring wooden furniture in perfectly chosen places and an inverted cone that creates a contemporary focal point, we’re looking at an exquisite and tranquil home that many of us wouldn’t afford. The ground floor features a kitchen, a breakfast room and a glassed dining room, there are three children’s bedrooms and a games room at the first floor , while the top floor has the “creme de la creme”, a private guest suite and a massage room. Lovely, isn’t it?