Window of the Week

I love this cornice and balloon shade. They are the perfect adornment for this beautiful bathtub view. Makes you want to add bubbles and soak.

Update: I am so excited to learn from a reader, The Collettes, that her mother is the artisan who made this treatment! It's much easier to identify the designer at times than the workroom that actually makes these designs come to life. Without a talented workroom good design would be impossible.

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Cascade Coil - New Age Drapery

Over the past few years I have seen many applications of , wire fabrics, chain mail or beaded string draperies or room dividers in stark modern interiors of restaurants or nightclubs. Recently I ran across these installations from Cascade Coil that use the product in an almost warm and cozy way.



The soft draping of these long panels surrounds each booth providing the hint of privacy and intimacy without isolation.




I love the way the product has been used in this residential application. Separate panels are juxtaposed to provide separation while maintaining an open feel to the loft space.


The creative mind never ceases to amaze me. Just when you think you have a particular product figured out someone will come up with a whole new way to use it.

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Bedroom of the Week

Great use of contrast - even down to the slippers!

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Which Blue Will Do?

Ok my bloggers, I need help!!! I'm trying to decide which Robert Allen fabric to use as the background on the cover of my new book. I've narrowed it down to eight choices all in various shades of blue. ( Yes, I know they are sort of boring but the idea is to be classic and timeless and to not detract from the illustrations and look similar to the first book - Ugh) The illustrations and graphics on these mock ups will be changed so this is not the final cover design. I will draw a main image that will coordinate and contrast with the background once it is selected.

Please, please, please, comment and give me your opinions, which one do you like?

Choice #1

Choice #2

Choice #3

Choice #4

Choice #5

Choice #6

Choice #7

Choice #8

Here is a side by side comparison.

Thanks for your help................

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Widow Treatment of the Day

I love this idea! I don't know if the grille in front of this window is wood, iron, or faux iron but it makes such a great statement in this ethereal room. Go here to see more grille designs.

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Better Homes & Gardens, meet Walmart

It seems that BH&G has climbed aboard the over sized Walmart bandwagon. I know many of you have very strong feelings (many justifiably so) about the retail mega-giant and it's policies here and abroad. I personally do not answer the "attention Walmart shoppers" call to arms (I'm a Target addict) but I am curious to know more about this seemingly odd pairing. Walmart has purchased the Hearst publications (BH&G's parent co) 30 Days of Home Magazine which it will use to promote it's new line of home furnishings, so the segue into branded furnishings seems a natural progression for the two. I just wonder how this partnership will affect the BH&G's brand. Even Martha Stewart couldn't make a profit on the sale of her products at K-Mart but raked in a mint due to the solid nature of her contract.


The tag line in their ads in House Beautiful is:
"Make my bedroom look like a picture in a magazine and not lose sleep over the price."


I must say that judging from the very few products that I could find on the Walmart website there is no clear brand signature to these items. I put together the combinations shown here - there is no cross product marketing that I could see. It seems to be a jumble of the same product style and quality that you would already find at Walmart and does not seem to have a strong brand image or increased quality that you would expect from a BH&G product.


I will have to take a closer look at how it is displayed in the store but I think they may have missed the boat on creating a "collection". Perhaps they should have taken some lessons from Martha Stewart - at least you could immediately tell which products were hers at Kmart.

Let me know if what you think about these products if you take a trip to the Big W anytime soon.....

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I hate to beat a dead horse but.........

KW

Emerald City Munchkin

Emerald City Hat Lady

KW

Devo

KW

The FOL Guys

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