home exterior: May 2010

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood
I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Open House: Custom Home, Sunapee NH

Custom Open House with Q&A with Green Building Experts

near Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire

Saturday, July 10, 2010

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

The Dartmouth - Lake Sunapee region in New Hampshire is a great four-season resort area to live, work, and raise a family! Whether you like swimming or skiing, hiking or biking, or any other outdoor hobby, you can find it here.

If you are thinking of building a home or are purchasing a home in Sunapee, New London, Newbury, or another surrounding town that needs a renovation, call to register to attend our next Open House near Sunapee Harbor on scenic Lake Sunapee!

Not only will you be able to tour a beautiful custom home, you'll be able to interview area green building experts at a Q&A discussion. Gather your questions and ideas for Green Architect Jeremy Bonin of Bonin Architects & Associates, Custom Builder Everett Pollard of Northcape Design / Build, and Dan O'Halloran of Colby Real Estate! Ask about:

Green building materials

Local construction costs

Green home design & why it is important

Solar and geothermal heating

Metal roofs vs. asphalt shingles

Shoreland Protection Act guidelines

and more!

Registration for the Open House is required, and the address & directions to the home will be given to registrants only. Register today by calling Bonin Architects at 603-526-6200!

Looking to relocate here? Watch a video tour of the Lake Sunapee - New London area, created by realtor Dan O'Halloran:

Show and Tell Friday

I thought awhile about whether I should share this here or not because I'm sure some of you are going to think I'm absolutely crazy! You may remember I bought a new-to-me car in January and shared it on Show and Tell. I loved that car but my dream car has always been a Jaguar. I even cut a Jag out of a magazine to put on my inspiration board, right next to my cute little dream house with the

Modern Bedroom Design Furniture with Cherrywood in Orange by Arredamentidiotti

Orange and white color combination become a beautiful theme in a modern bedroom, see these beautiful bedroom furniture set, designed by Arredamentidiotti, a company that create several modern bedroom furniture set. They Selling world-famous and less reknowned brands is complemented by direct production in their artistically laboratory, thus allowing a winning fusion among customization needs, the most recent trends of important designers and keeping costs low.

Random acts of kindness

(Photo Mosaic is from some of my photos and my Flickr Favorites)Last Friday I had to take a 2 1/2 hour drive to complete some paperwork on a new purchase I made. (I'll be sharing more about that on Show and Tell tonight...don't get too excited for me, it's not a house). On that trip I had to cross a toll bridge and when I pulled up to the toll booth the toll taker told me that the person in

Cabbages and Roses and a giveaway

I love everything about this bathroom! Please click here to go over to my product review/giveaway page to read more about this.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design with Natural Daylight, New York

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - Front Desk, New York

A modern office interior design, these beautiful office is the office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, designed by Gensler, a law firm's office with 100,000 square feet on three floors of The New York Times Building. Gensler’s design accentuates transparency, capitalizing on the building’s glass curtain wall to maximize natural daylight and frame skyline views. Perimeter private offices feature clear glass fronts, and all workspaces have visual access to windows. Public areas feature a rich, warm palette of brown, white and deep red, with walnut, anigre and zebrawood. A great room on each practice floor provides a welcoming space for informal conversation or quiet reflection.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - hallway, New York

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - hallway 2

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - front desk to meeting room

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - guest waiting room

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - meeting room

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - meeting room door

Seyfarth Shaw LLP Modern Office Interior Design - kitchen

Yummy Salmon Burgers

This weekend Lauren and I went to Whole Foods to get a few things. I'm on a nonfat Greek yogurt, honey and fresh blueberry kick right now and I had to stock up for the week! So, while we were walking by the meat counter we saw salmon, cilantro and garlic patties and Lauren and I both said Mmmmmm at the same time! They were formed into round patties but putting them on a regular hamburger bun

Amalia Hotel Cafe and Restaurant Lighting Design, Simple, Elegant and Modern

Lighting is an important thing in room arrangement, a simple, luxury or modern lighting system will affect in to the perform of the room, here are several sample of lighting design of Amalia Hotel cafe and restaurant. Amalia's decadent 7,000-square-foot bi-level layout is comprised of multiple distinctive rooms each with its own flair and unique vibe. The Portrait Gallery boasts intimate and richly textured enclaves evocative of a Baroque-inspired European palace. Amalia Bar has striking architectural elements with its leather clad barrel-vaulted ceilings accented with dramatic black Murano glass chandeliers, original brick and custom stone wall surfaces contrasted by a modern bar of glowing glass inset with antique lace. Saunter down the one of a kind backlit floating staircase to super sexy D'Or lounge, with its lustrous gold faced bar and its own private entrance for the ultimate VIP experience. All the facets for one of the hottest New Year's Eve parties in Manhattan are here for your pleasure to make your festivities shimmer and shine. newyearsevecentral

Checklist for Hiring a Builder or Remodeler

You have a home design you love - now it's time to find a builder. Here is great information from the National Association of Home Builders we want to pass on. If you are building a new home or addition, or remodeling your home, use this checklist to help you select a builder to perform the work.

Does the builder or remodeler have a permanent business location and a good reputation with local banks and suppliers?
How long have they been in the building business? It usually takes three to five years to establish a financially sound business. Will they be around after the construction is complete to service any warranties?
Have you called your local Better Business Bureau? They can alert you to any complaints.
Does the builder/remodeler have sufficient workers compensation and general liability insurance? If not, you may be liable for any construction-related accidents on your premises.
Will the builder/remodeler provide you with names of previous customers? Ask them if they would hire the builder/remodeler again.
Have you seen the builder/remodelers work, both completed and in progress? Check for quality of workmanship and materials.
Are you able to communicate with the builder/remodeler? Remember you will be in close contact with them throughout the construction process and afterward as you live in your new home.
Will the builder/remodeler provide you with a complete and clearly written contract? The contract will benefit both of you. Review it carefully.
Be cautious of unusually low-priced bids. If the builder/remodeler is unable to pay for the materials and labor as the project proceeds, this may indicate a potential problem.

Your architect can also refer builders in your area and set up interviews to match you with the best builder for can also refer builders in your area and set up interviews to match you with the best builder for your project.

Source: http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=125965

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! This week I decided to show what I have on my coffee table right now. I try to change it out often but I really like this display so it may be here longer than usual. Vanilla scented candles, shells and roses...Also on the table are two more of my favorite things, my large silver flea market-find tray and my beautiful apothecary jar that was a gift from my

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!!

Yesterday was my Mom and Dad's 65th wedding anniversary!!! As I typed that I just realized that my parents had already been married 15 years before I was born...wow! I don't know what is happening to my memory, for some reason I thought their anniversary was today, the 19th! Oh well, better late than never....Happy Annivesary Mom and Dad!!! I love you!!!

Just minutes away...

Lauren and I were out and about last weekend and I decided to take a short little detour home. Just 5 miles from my little apartment is all this beauty! We drove to Villa Montalvo (Saratoga, California).
It's a beautiful old mansion that is open to the public. They have art shows and music concerts and it's also available for weddings and private events. There are even beautiful gardens

Even more mood lighting

A few weeks ago my landlord had our trees pruned and it's amazing the difference it made on my patio. It really opened up the patio area once those low-hanging branches were cut! It inspired me to pull out my Christmas lights and wrap the branches. It will be so wonderful to sit out there in the evenings with all the white lights! It's looks so magical now!

Lounge and Bar Interior Design at Salzburg, The Coffe-In

Restaurant bar interior design - the bar in the Coffe-In is planned with wonderful color contrast and material-mixes became a tendencyful center of the entire restaurant cycle ' ' coffe-In '' in Salzburg.

Restaurant bar interior design - the Lounge is the maintenance area, bar and restaurant offers a really good feeling for the visitors.

this special Bardesk is the functional and visual center in the Gastro area of the Coffe-In. Here the coffee is prepared and beverages will be delivered.

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! This week I'm sharing some of my small lace pillows. These are a huge weakness of mine! When I see these at flea markets I have a hard time passing them up. They are just so sweet! The figural one above is one of my favorites!They aren't just for babies...they are the perfect size for a dining room chair. It adds just a little romance to the dining room...I

Solar Technology: Solar Shingles

Solar Energy is often incorporated into our residential architecture. Leading the pack in new solar technology is the Dow Chemical Company.

Dow has been developing Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) building materials that enable solar energy cells to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials such as roofing systems, exterior sidings, fascias and more. Dow’s BIPVs make solar power accessible and affordable for homeowners.

From solar product to an experienced solar support team, Dow offers an integrated, seamless solar solution that's intuitive to set up, install, use and maintain. Most importantly, it's backed by decades of innovation and on-the-ground R&D knowledge.

The Dow POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle delivers true building-integrated aesthetics by integrating PV functionality into an asphalt roof-shingle form factor. It utilizes high-efficiency, CIGS-based, PV cells manufactured on a flexible substrate. These cells are laminated and subsequently over-molded into the final shingle design using conventional materials and polymer processing methods. Dow's groundbreaking technology integrates low-cost thin-film photovoltaic cells into a roofing shingle design, which represents a multi-functional solar module. The innovative product design reduces installation costs because the conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously.

The DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle was named one of the "50 Best Inventions of 2009" by Time magazine, and is expected to be available in 2011.

Some exciting news!

My favorite neighborhood shop, Vintage and Vogue, now has an online shop!!! Now you can shop there too! Click here to go see their beautiful new website!

Banana Crumb Muffins

I had some overly ripe bananas but I didn't want to make the usual banana bread so I did a google search on "banana muffins" and found this amazing recipe!!! I was shocked at how good the reviews were. It seemed like everyone loved them! That's always a good sign...The cinnamon crumb topping is what makes these so good and oh boy are they ever good!!! I ran out of regular cupcake liners but I

A wonderful day!

I hope all the mothers out there had a wonderful day yesterday! My daughter and I drove to visit my son, who is about 1 1/2 hours away. We had a wonderful lunch with him and his girlfriend and I had the best sandwich ever! It was a rosemary flank steak sandwich with blue cheese! YUMMY!! Lauren found her favorite cookie, vanilla meringues, in pastel colors! They are perfect with the coffee

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom, my two former mother-in-laws and all the mothers and mothers-to-be out there!!! I hope you all have a beautiful day!!!

Show and Tell Friday!

This week for Show and Tell I'm sharing my Eden Rose! It's in its second year now and it's amazing how much bigger it is now compared to last year!
Most of the roses are turned to face the sun which unfortunately for me is on the other side of my fence. I walked up my neighbors driveway to take the photo below....
The good thing about it facing away from my house is that I'm not torn between

Honey Lavender Ice Cream

I bought the DVD of "It's Complicated" the day it came out (because I loved it at the movies) but I didn't get around to watching it until last weekend. In the movie Jane (Meryl Streep) serves Honey Lavender Ice Cream and it just sound so good so I decided to make my own.I found the recipe on epicurious.com which is my favorite source for recipes! I bought the culinary lavender at Whole Foods

Protect the Environment: Pick 5

Being green architects, we are very concerned about our ecosystem as a whole. All of us working together can make a huge difference in protecting the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a new “Pick 5” program designed to identify areas of improvement and take action. The object is to look at the list and pick five things you can implement in your daily life.

1. Use less water! Take showers instead of baths, fix leaks, and turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. And buy efficient fixtures by looking for the WaterSense label.

2. Commute without polluting! Use public transportation, carpool, walk, or bike whenever possible to reduce air pollution and save on fuel costs.

3. Save electricity! Do a home energy audit, get programmable thermostats, buy Energy Star products, turn stuff off when you’re done, and change your bulbs to compact fluorescents.

4. Reduce, reuse, recycle! Try to find products with less packaging, take reusable bags on shopping trips, creatively reuse other products, and recycle what's left.

5. Test your home for radon! Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless gas that can seep into your home and cause lung cancer.

6. Check your local air quality! When you exercise outdoors, use your local air quality forecast to help plan the best time for a workout or run.

7. Use chemicals safely! Read pesticide labels carefully. Lock up pesticides, paints, and cleaners where kids can't reach them.

8. eCycle! Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to a recycling center. This helps keep hazardous substances out of the landfill.

9. Enjoy the outdoors safely! Find out the quality of beach water from your state office and get the UV Index to protect yourself from the sun.

10. Spread the word! Teach others where you work or go to school. Encourage people to Pick 5 for the Environment!

Of course, this is a short list, feel free to add items you feel you can tackle to improve your local community and personal environment.

My 9-5 Cubicle

Last week my department moved to another building across the street. It's not a new building but they did redo the whole bottom floor for us so everything is nice and clean! A big improvement from our old building!!!The cubicle walls here are much lower than our old building. I'm also in a high traffic area now and in the old building I was in a corner where the only people that came by were

My Spring Hutch

I played with my hutch this weekend and added lots of Spring touches...
Tulips, nests, eggs, and birds...
Little nests tucked here and there...

I have so much fun playing with my things!

Did you notice that beautiful aqua and pink tea towel in the photos. That is from my newest sponsor. Click here to visit my product review page and see more of her beautiful merchandise...you will love it!!!