Summer House Design - Entertain In Style!

No more of the those boring dinner parties for you this summer.  It's time to dress up those table tops and feel good about inviting your friends and family over for summer dinner parties.  It's the perfect time to host an intimate or fun and casual dinner party and there are 3 styles that will WOW your dinner guests.

1. Coastal Couture:
This theme will transport your body and mind to the Gulf breezes that blow off the most famous beaches in the United States.  You and your guests will feel the sun, sand and sea no matter the location of the dinner party.  You have tons of room for creativity.  Think seashells, sand and starfish that all allow the senses to pratically smell the pungent but arousing aroma of the saltwater.  Glass bowls filled with sand and shells along with pieces of found sea glass that naturally form from glass bottles being worn down by the currents.  The different arrays of dazzling colors will be a talk of the party and mixed in with votives floating in water in any color bowl of your choice will create that special intimate ambience. 




A play of deep coral in the napkins and place cards will complement your plates and glassware.  Another amazing touch would be to intermingle palm leaves amongst the table just to add that special touch.

 

2. Natural Beach

Give the whole party a natural, outdoors-y feel.  Choose whites as the main color scheme with light wood accent pieces.  Hang dainty lights from the trees if possible to bring an ethereal feeling.  Even on the hottest days - 98 degrees as I write this from Florida - the white colors will lower the temp and make it more comfy for your guests.  In Florida we do have the option of finding natural driftwood pieces that add a beautiful natural element as a centerpiece.  As far as colors go definitely incorporate natural linens, sea greens and ocean blues but very subtle throughout.  Matte ceramics and a few green potted plants for accents will top off the design.



Photo Credit occasionsonline.com



3.  Casual Cottage

Photo credit pepperdesignblog.com

When creating the dinner party inspired by a casual cottage setting it should be cozy.  When doing my research I found some interesting ideas for the cottage themed dinner party like adding cauliflower heads on a reclaimed wood table to add texture and create an unexpected centerpiece.  Use lattice panels to add a layer to the design.  Planted urns can be used as well for a different look.  You can even make a rug out of moss and throw in mis-shaped stones.  When creating the cottage look outdoors use rugs and sofas and even chandeliers.

Keri Hilson: Home Design

Keri Hilson who was born in 1982 in Georgia and has since become a major recording artist, began writing songs at an early age and since has began establishing herself within the music industry.  In late 2008 Hilson purchased a 2 bedroom 2 bath loft in Atlanta for under $280,000 which included a rooftop deck and a 2-car garage.  Check out the home design pics below. 


Keri Hilson Home Design







Home Design: Bringing In The Old With The New

Picture credit Comer & Co.

I recently found a perfect example of what is extremely popular in the home design world lately which is bringing in the old with the new as Comer & Co.  This is the latest design shop in the neighborhood of Georgetown in Washington D.C.  Comer & Co offers an extensive collection of antiques and decorative items.  The owner Fred Comer and his partner Mark Manoff are always looking for the best of the best in home design.  Their design concept specializes in authentic pieces of the 18th and 19th Century English & Continental styles. 

Home Design Going Green

Home Design - Going Green with the latest eco-friendly products.  Consumers more and more these days are starting to wonder how they can leave a more positive impact on the earth by starting with their home design and using more eco-friendly products.  Well here are some cool new and fresh ideas and products to aid in your search for green home design.

Let's start with the Caroma Eco-Friendly Water Saving Toilet with integrated sink.  If it's the environment that your thinking about then this is the ultimate space saver for your bathroom.  It has dual flush high efficiency - full flush/half flush.  This unique designed toilet with awards for innovative design and engineering from Popular Mechanis also comes with an integrated hand basin, which is so cool because after flushing the fresh, cold water is redirected to the faucet, then back into the tank for the next flush.

Next up let's take a look at the companies producing eco-friendly and green textiles.  One company that stood out for me in my research was Brentano.  It was founded in 1990 by Iris Wang and her husband E-Kwan Chen.  It has now become an in international presence in the textile community.  Their growing collection of eco-fabrics shows how they can meld environmental consciousness with their beautiful fabrics.  Brentano's variety of eco-fabrics are bamboo, eco-wool, recycled, eco-friendly faux leather and organic cotton. 



Photo Credit Brentano Fabrics

Harwoods specialty products and the environment.  We are trying to minimize our impact by making the environment an ongoing component of our house design decisions.  When researching for environmentally friendly wood subsitutes and the reliability of the sustainability of the forest products industry, look no further.  Kirei Board is one fine example of modern design, naturally.  It is a very strong, lightweight and durable subsitute for wood that is eco-friendly.  It is made from reclaimed sorghum straw with no added formaldehyde adhesive.


Photo Credit Kirei

Low Impact House Design Materials.  I want to focus on your kitchen home design for this particular section by making your space more efficient, livable and more earth-friendly.  Standard materials consume resources and contain tons of toxic chemicals.  Here's one idea of a product to promote a low impact kitchen design.
     Countertops: Terrazzo consists of recycled glass and crushed stone that's held together by cement or epoxy.  It is so beautiful with a smooth finish.  Enviroglas is one such company taking terrazzo back to its roots.  "Those glass bottles you're throwing away can be recycled...into beautiful...economical...sustainable...floors, countertops & decorative surfaces!" - Enviroglas


Photo Credit Klondike Contracting

Sustainable Furniture.


Photo Credit Vivavi





1. Hive Bench/Table by designer Arktura and can be used as a bench or table and has a unique generated pattern and is made with high recycled content steel construction, Zero VOC powder coat finish, and wind & solar powered production facility. 

2.  Light Block by Brave Space.  This pendant produces outstanding results by casting shadows in organic patterns and shapes with a wooden texture.  The walnut panels are from Ecoresin and has energy-efficient components.



Photo Credit Vivavi

3. Habita Collection by Ciscobrothers.com is a sophisticated furniture collection based on city living & specifically for those who are urban dwellers and a liking towards subtle, clean details and lines.  Cisco Pinedo is a leading designer of upholstered furniture and unique casegoods.  They created Inside Green which is their unique method of furniture construction that is 100% sustainable.

 



Photo Credit Ciscobrothers.com