home exterior: October 2011

Nate Berkus Show

It's all about small spaces on small budgets!
This Thursday, November 3rd, 2011 the latest Nate Berkus Show will be aired at NBC at 2pm New York time. Check your listings.
For this episode Nate teamed up with the popular design magazine, DWELL, for their annual small space issue and helps them solve America's toughest small space dilemmas.
A few selected pieces will be used to create little space miracles.
Among the items will be:

A Rug (unifies small space to create illusion of size) --From FLOR tiles.

Two occasional tables (they serve double duty) -- from IKEA

Marimekko pillows (pattern draws eye into room) - MARIMEKKO from Crate & Barrel.

And of course there will be more, the studio audience, as always, will have many surprises and give aways awaiting them!

Click image to enlarge:

I am a fan of his show and his affordable and clean lines! Go, have a look! It looks like super fun!

PS: And don't forget to look at my children's book recommendations here! The holidays are just around the corner....

Image through Nate Berkus Show, items above via websites.

Black and White Bathroom Decor

Black and White bathroom decor ideas from this blog may inspire you to build your favorite bathroom design with black and white color. Black and white color combination may become one of best color combination that can bring a sense of sophisticated elegance and luxurious. Black and white bathroom decor is how to use black and white color combination as a basic color. Black color symbolizes a dark side and white color symbolizes a bright side, after that we can also adding more accessories with different color such as orange, purple or red, and here are the samples.

Black and White Bathroom Decor

This black and white bathroom decor is one of the best color combination, with minimalist furniture, this modern bathroom used an awesome decoration in each bathroom component.

black and white bathroom decor with tiles

There are a lot of way to give your bathroom decor with black and white, above picture is one of best black and white bathroom decor with tiles, choose the black tiles for flooring or wall. A black and white bathroom can be dramatic, elegant and timeless. This classic color combination has stood the test of time from the vintage bathrooms of yesteryear to today's modern bathroom.

black and white bathroom decor ideas

A touch of black and white in selected areas draws the eye and can enhance architectural features. Black will absorb light, whilst white is the ultimate reflector of light. Grey, being a combination of the two, can be ideal to create a softer effect.

Combine charcoal grey with the palest of silvery grey for a variation on the black and white theme. It can also be a great way to turn a standard bathroom vanity into a unique piece. Mask off areas to be painted in various patterns or have a look at the huge selection of available wallpapers or vinyl to spruce up a cabinet.

Single Bedroom Design for Apartment

Single Bedroom Design

Single bedroom design usually designed for small house too, apartment, guest house, small hotels, etc. On this time I will share you several picture of single bedroom design for apartment. As we know that an apartment is a single space, or small house that rented for single person or small family.

Before renting an apartment, people usually will asking about the bedroom, it's important to considering the convenience of the room such as the bedroom and another space on the apartment, because most of apartments have limited space, so most of apartments have single bedroom design.

Here are the tips for choosing an apartments even though they have just a single bedroom design:

Ensuring that the bedroom is convenience with sufficient lighting system, well air circulation and air conditioning system, good sanitary with indoor bathroom.
Try to choose an apartment with sufficient spacious, it's important because we will saving our goods in just one room.
The apartment should completed with sufficient furniture storage or wall storage to get more efficient spacious.
Choose a smart and good color of the room, it's important because specific color has special effect to the temperature and lighting system.

Small Bathroom Designs for Minimalist House

Small Bathroom Designs

Small bathroom designs are the best solution for minimalist house, in a small house, all of the rooms are important, so we should considering the detail size and design of the rooms. Here are several important steps to make your small bathroom with some refreshing shades. Apply Refreshing Shades in Small Bathroom

Apply blue color which is a receding color and always opens up small spaces.
Use light colors on walls and ceiling in small spaces so that your bathroom may look large, open and airy.
Small bathroom designs are sensitive in color choice, try to use soft and cool colors for doors, cabinets as it makes bathroom larger.
Avoid dark/strong colors in bathroom such as red, orange and bright yellow.
Use your space wisely In order to make the area look its best. Make sure you have a different area to store things such as deodorant and other toiletries.
Make sure that you choose items that are smaller than the average item when you are picking out fixtures and accessories.
Use of mirrors and lighting could make a huge difference in how the entire room looks when you install mirrors and the right lighting into smaller spaces

Small bathroom designs in black and white

Using your creative imaginations to decorate small bathroom designs are very important in order to get the look and feel that you want. If you don’t have money and live in a home with small bathroom, and you want to fix your small bathroom, take a look of these few-most basic small bathroom designs that will save your money.

Winter?

Reading the forecast there was snow mentioned.... End of October, are you kidding?!

I think I will need something for the season!

What do you think? And the place to go with it...

Or this?

And I love this!

From the Milli Collection. And the equally incredible timeless Stephen Gambrel! You can find it here and here!

To see some of the winter weather around here check out my other site! It's rather hard to believe!

All images via Milli collection and Stephen Gambrel websites.

A New Thermostat that “Learns”?

Some of us are frustrated at the changing of the seasons – not because it's time to bring out the sweaters and coats, but because we have to find the directions on how to reprogram the thermostat!

Nest | The Learning Thermostat

The new Nest Learning Thermostat might be the answer. Developed former Apple executives Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, the Nest is said to be user-friendly with updateable software and nominal installation requirements. Best of all, the Nest is easy to operate: simply turn the dial to set the temperature as each day progresses on the screen. After a week the Nest has stored and “learned” the data to keep replicating the first week’s settings. Better yet, it has a motion sensor that can detect when the house is unoccupied, called Auto-Away™. Auto-Away turns heating and cooling down automatically when no one is home, saving energy for you when no one is home.

Want to know if you’re saving energy? It’s simple: look for the Nest Leaf on the screen.

The Nest is a great way to see if you're saving energy every day. Whether you're putting it in your primary residence or vacation home, Bonin Architects gives the Nest a thumbs up!

New treasures

I scored two lovely treasures. I found a beautiful tea pot and a lovely silver tray for the holidays! My source for many hunts is Etsy and you can easily follow me there.
From Falcon and Finch came both: The tea pot looked like nothing much upon first seeing it, but I loved the shape.

This is what I'd gotten:

And the result after some really hard polishing: On the bottom it reads 1883
B. Rogers Comp. silver on copper 1200. And silver shiny it is now. The two dark parts on the handle seem to be bakelite.

The Reed and Barton silver tray was already beautiful, I just gave it a once over and voila! Perfectly ready for coming parties!

A little green next to it....

Right at my window!
And here one more look at the tray and tea pot!

I just love it!

PS: Don't forget to check out my House and Living part, where my latest post is all about recommendations for children's and teen books! Think holidays!

Have a wonderful last October weekend! Halloween is coming too!

: )

First image FalconandFinch, last four by V.Zlotkowski

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! Today I'm sharing some Halloween things my dad has made for me! Love this old crow with the cherry! Too cute!!!
...and my black cats! Thanks Dad!!!!

I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween!!!If you are joining in on Show and Tell Friday, please remember that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. If you would like to

The Cemetery at Yosemite

I know some people think cemeteries are creepy, scary places but I love strolling through the old ones! So much history!!! I still remember when I was a little girl my mom telling me that she loved old cemeteries and I think that's probably why I like them now.

When my guy and I were at Yosemite a couple weeks ago, we were riding our bikes and came upon this cemetery! I've been to Yosemite a

Living Room Decoration with Storage Furniture And Wall Units

Living room decoration

Living room decoration ideas are the most important things to make your living area become the most favorite place in your home, one of the basic ideas in living room decoration is applying a storage furniture and wall units. Extremely versatile both as components as color choices, living room decor and living room spaces that are beautiful, classy, trendy yet comfortable may not seem easy, but a look below will come in handy. These living room decor and storage solutions could please everybody.

Wall storage for living room decoration

These contemporary living room decor samples and examples besides being extremely practical also are aesthetic and highly customizable. Also we run a steady stream of cool posts like for different room decors and you could find many more ideas for decorating your rooms here. If you would like to get updated with new ideas for your living room, bedroom decor or bathroom decor or even outdoor furniture subscribe to our daily emails and read our new posts daily. Subsequently we would also send our readers a booklets with every 100 articles that we publish. Living Room Decoration section is one of the most important section of our blogs.

furniture storage and wall unit for living room decoration

Reading, writing and living

I can't say that fall lends itself more to reading then any other season for me. Although the notion sounds romantic, with days shortening and the fireplace beckoning.
There is not more time than on long summer days, beach side. Or snow covered winter afternoons, when others go skiing. Reading has been for decades on top of my priorities. It's what I do. My family will attest to it. And the dirt under the sofa as well.
I am also a survivor through reading. For books have always helped me cope. And imagine.

I have begun writing too, which now takes the other half of my time, after I care for my family. And read. I have become more reclusive, turn away from much entertainment and hole myself up, happily.
It's a strange state of affairs. I still can't fully think of myself as a writer.
But writing I do.

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I picked up a writer's magazine yesterday, showing a sad and painfully thin Joan Didion on it's cover.
I have read her haunting account of her husband's death in 'The Year Of Magical Thinking'. A book which filled me likewise with sadness and hope.

Joan Didion

She has an extraordinary eye for reality. Her essays have interested me more then her other writing, telling me of an America from the 6o's and 70's I never knew.
Now she has written a new memoir, about loosing her daughter. The book is called 'Blue Nights'. It will be out this November.
So many of my own fears and feelings, I imagine, will be touched.

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It reminded me also of the writer Isabelle Allende's daughter Paula and her untimely death at age 28 and Allende's subsequent book with the same name.
I always fear the loss of any of my four children, a fear, parents experience at many given challenges to let go. And yet, mercifully, we rarely experience the death of a child in our days, thanks to the advances in medicine and our daily awareness of luring danger. (I am aware that it is not so in many parts of the world until today)
When it happens, it seems, we are struck harder. Although I think of it as a misconception, since neither the mass death of children through epidemics or common childhood deceases could surely have had anyone getting used to it. Nor the death of a single child. Maybe hardened. I can see why mothers hardly smiled in pictures of long ago. How many of them experienced terrible losses?
Of course there are other ways of loosing children. Through divorce or alcohol, drugs or neglect.
Having experienced it myself I know what millions of divorced parents feel. Also as a child, coming from a family where divorce would have been a better choice for so many reasons.
So much is touched and broken open again.
Yet there is hope for me, all my children are well and my husband sitting next to me.
I am writing and filling in the pains of years past with my own magical thinking, my
writing and memories. I capture them and make them obey to the demands of my soul.

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There are other books which have given me a chance to think back to experiences I tried to come to terms with, the oddness I felt as a child, the not belonging, my teen years living with an abusive, alcoholic father and a weak, depressed mother.
Just a few days ago I finished reading Jennifer Haigh's novel 'Faith'. A book about keeping or loosing faith in people, a family under extraordinary circumstances. A book through our book club, which I liked against my previous thoughts.

A few days ago a 20 year old boy from our neighborhood was found dead on the street. A suicidal overdose after a short career of alcohol and drug abuse, a young mind criminalized through his habits, coming from a 'dysfunctional' family and what must have been unimaginable hopelessness and loneliness. I did not know the boy, nor his family, but it did not let me sleep. I kept thinking about him and his missed life.

And again I am pushing myself to think positive, stay optimistic and hopeful. Against doubt and the dark walls, which sometimes build themselves up around me.
These are the moments, when I feel the most connected to life, when I feel my soul intact and guiding me towards the future, my dreams and the one's of my husband and children. Where I see what's possible and what I still can do!
I am a reader.
I am a writer.
I am alive.

Autumn

This autumn has literally fallen over me, too fast, too unexpected. I know, I know, you might say, how is this possible? Halloween is just around the corner? School has began two month ago, summer far behind!
But it's all good and true, yet the summer had been lingering in my mind and mood.

Looking every morning out of my breakfast/lunch/dining/room window, seeing the sun I have ignored the dropping temperatures. But now I begin to feel the season. We had to bring our oleanders and ficus tree inside, the hibiscus is still holding out, but it's days are numbered too.

There are fat pumpkins reminding me every day that we are at the end of October. I shudder. Still, I walk in shoes without socks...
I haven't decorated for fall, as I usually do, and so far Halloween just looks from the outside in.

Today, walking through the garden on a somewhat blustery morning, I rescued the last fallen Dahlias, glorious yellow and pink tipped beauties, together with some reddish blue Hydrangeas they now brighten my spirits and smile at me:

Look at the glory of autumn!

We have been out for long walks with the dog, numerous 'last' sittings on our deck with hands around hot tea and still I had not felt fall.

Now suddenly I see the turning leaves, some trees almost bare. There are mountains of leaves on every corner in our neighborhood and I can smell the occasional firewood burning.
Oh, summer....my old friend!
Autumn has sneaked up on me, just as the years have. Perhaps I am holding on to that feeling of summer, realizing that my hair grows more gray under that layer of color.
Unlike fall, I do not become more colorful as I move into my next season....
But it is also time for bringing in the harvest.

I am slowly falling in love. I just need to change my mind set a little. Embrace the cooler air, the light falling golden through transparent trees. The mist in the morning and the high, star filled skies at night.
The promise of an golden autumn!

All pictures by V.Zlotkowski

Best Bathroom Design with Fengshui

Best Bathroom Design

Best bathroom design is the hottest trend and the most wanted bathroom design, the basic concept to build a best bathroom design is building the bathroom with the latest and the most wanted design, you can search the design via online search engine or reading some home design magazine. In China, most of building used basic concept of Feng Shui, and now Feng Shui become the basic principles to create and design a building. So, There are also much of best bathroom design that used Feng Shui principles too.

In Feng Shui, the bathroom is a sanctuary where you cleanse the body and nurture yourself. With Feng Shui, you can create the best bathroom design that refresh you in the morning, like spa atmosphere. The best bathroom design with Feng Shui has considered all aspects of bathroom needs, like lighting, coloring, ventilation, layout, etc. Here are pictures the best bathroom design with Feng Shui for your inspiration. For more details about the best bathroom design with Feng Shui.

It's Friday

Sometimes I need a little boost on Fridays, when I feel I want to hang loose but I can't....

So I collect some sunshine and preserve for later!

Happy weekend!

Picture my own window ledge.

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! This week I'm sharing my roses from my garden! They are blooming like crazy right now! These are my "Nancy Reagan" roses and they are a beautiful salmon color. They are one of the healthiest roses I've grown! The leaves are dark green and lush and it blooms profusely!

Please excuse the bad photo quality on this post. I was taking these photos with no natural

Connected

I have a longing interest for all things past. History, ranging from literature to art and architecture, from
grand homes to cottages, from antiques and vintage items to private treasures. The list is endless.

I am drawn to old china, transfer ware, blue and white Meissen or Delft, old silver, cutlery, dishes, old photographs and letters, books of course and many pieces, which do not always fit easy description.
Just look at the beautiful clock my husband brought back many years ago from Amsterdam. Somebody made it it, had it sold to a Dutch family, it was sitting on a mantle, chiming their times high above the canals....and finally it found its way to America! A small house in New York.
Although unknown to me, I think of all of them.

All these things hold beauty and collective memories. When I gaze at an old picture I am moved towards these times, try to imagine the lives and circumstances. It fills me with compassion and melancholy of sorts.
I love the stories I hear. I feel like a collector of worlds. Its looking into mirrors.

When I touch the handle of the wonderful silver coated coffee pot, I bought on eBay a few months ago, I think not only of the friendly woman who sold it and turned out to be of German decent and her mother, whom the pot belong to, but also the times it has been used. It is an elegant piece, used perhaps at weddings or birthday parties?

Now it sits heavy and pretty on my window ledge and gets used again at parties and just recently was a centerpiece at my birthday.
If these pieces only could talk...

I particularly love old silver. The knowledge of how many hands have held on to the knives and forks, the circumstances under they were acquired, the places they have been...
I bought vintage silver from Connecticut and the Midwest, china from Florida and photographs and letters from Brooklyn.

I have old roll clothes, used for pressing bedding and tablecloths from Germany and France, wooden candle holders from Belgium and vintage chandeliers found on City Island in the Bronx, NY.

And the books....well, this is another story!

There are also new things from our times, well made and precious to me. They also will be things of the past one day. I am keenly aware of this.
For that reason I try to look for lasting things, well made furniture, fewer but better.
I am less interested to collect as much as possible anymore. Though I used to...
Now I look for the quality and our needs. What sense does it make to have a cupboard filled with china I never use?
I am a collector of things, but I have learned to be selective.

I am also a caretaker, a keeper of things close to me and I will pass them on. There will be again some one to take them from me, when I am gone and just my touch and memory will remain. There will be a story added. This connects me and I love the thought of being a part of the long chain of time.

All pictures by V.Zlotkowski