Posted
November 23, 2009 by
erin under
Space Redesigns Today I wanted a clean dining room design. I also wanted it to feel casual, yet elegant at the same time.
1. I chose the Contessa Chandelier-Amber from Kravet because it has a clean but elegant feel to it, and brings in the accent amber color that I’m working with in the space.
2. The Montego Pedestal Table from Pottery Barn was chosen because of it’s clean lines. The dark wood tone really makes the amber color pop too!
3. Nail Head Chair from Pottery Barn. I love the nail head detailing! Once again, chosen for it’s clean lines.
4. Safavieh Rug from Rugs-Direct. The pattern in the rug mimics the gentle curves of the chandelier and brings out the lovely amber color as well.
5. Top off your table with a table top terrarium and you’ve got a simple, elegant, clean dining room design!
Tags: dining room
Posted
November 20, 2009 by
erin under
Home Tour Look at this wonderful house from Japanese architects Y+M Design! Isn’t it great? The roof is a giant set of stairs. This allowed for lots of light to enter the house while maintaining privacy.
Tags: architecture, japanese
Posted
November 19, 2009 by
deb under
Inspiration 
I spotted these model houses the other day and immediately said that I need to move in! Are they wonderful? Michael Pfleghaar makes these 3D models from clay and is inspired by the homes he sees when he visits Palm Springs, CA. My husband and I have always wanted to build our own house, and maybe this would be a model would be a great start. You can find these model homes for sale in Michael’s etsy shop.
Tags: homes, mid-century, model
Posted
November 18, 2009 by
erin under
DIY Yesterday we talked about ceramic tile. Today we’re going to cover porcelain tile. Porcelain tile is actually very similar to ceramic tile! So much so that it’s ceramic tile with a water absorption rate of less than .5%. Due to the fact that porcelain is fired at temperatures of more than 2400 degrees, it’s usually more dense which results in the smaller absorption rate. Because it’s more dense, it also results in a tile that doesn’t stain nearly as easily!
The pricing for porcelain is very similar to that of ceramic tile as well. When you tile with either ceramic or porcelain tile you need to keep in mind that the floor will feel cooler than it normally would. So if you’re in a colder climate think about using radiant heat underneath your floor. There are many countries that make porcelain tile but some of the bigger ones include the U.S., Spain, and Italy. They can also be found in through-body color, which I would recommend. Here are some of my favorite porcelain tiles:
1. Dechirer by Stone Source
2. Orange Mod Dots from Mod Walls
3. Chartreuse Mosaic Tiles from Etsy Seller ChristinaRoot
4. Lappato from Clad Tile
Tags: porcelain, tile
Posted
November 17, 2009 by
erin under
DIY You’ve seen all the DIY shows that have home owners laying and installing their own tile floors. Would you like to do the same? (It’s actually not too difficult. I’ve done a few tile projects myself. I would give it a rating of medium difficulty!) One of the biggest challenges you’ll have is choosing out which tile you’d like! There are many millions of different tiles out there so how do you decide which one is best for your space? They’ll all be classified with terms such as ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, through-body color, recycled glass, terrazzo, etc… Let me see if I can help you! Over the next week I’ll provide a quick run-down of the different types and the pros and cons of each.
First on the list is ceramic tile. Most residential applications (as opposed to commercial buildings) will use ceramic tile. Ceramic tile is made from, well, ceramic. It has been heat treated to make it extremely durable and usually has a glazed finish on top. If you ever see what’s called through-body color ceramic tiles, it just means that the color you see on top of the tile actually goes all the way through the tile. Why is this important? Because if you chip it the glaze might chip off, but the tile underneath will be the same color and therefore, much harder to tell if it’s been damaged.
You can find ceramic tile at prices ranging from $1.50 a square foot up to $10 a square foot (and sometimes more). The maintenance is great! Just sweep and mop occasionally, there’s no special treatments that ceramic will need. It will stand up to virtually all traffic in and out of your home. Some ceramic tile is made to be decorative and will only be recommended for wall use. The tile display board that the samples are on will tell you whether it’s recommended for your floor, walls, or both.
Here are some great ceramic tiles I like:
1. Angela Adams Manfred Deco from Ann Sacks Tile. This would make a great accent tile for a back splash in your kitchen or on the walls in your bathroom. This one would not work well on floors.
2 . Fayette Tile from Dal Tile. This would work great on a large entry way or kitchen, either on the floors or walls.
3. Mizu Tile from Walker-Zanger. This would work well on the walls, but too glossy for the floor.
4. Dual Chains from Stone Impressions. This would work well on walls. Then you can choose a solid field tile for your floor.
I hope that this series will help you! Next up tomorrow is Porcelain Tile. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions you’d like answered or included in the next post!
Tags: DIY, tile
