Composite Decking: Stone Deck
If you are building a new home or adding outdoor living space to your home, here’s an alternative in composite decking you may not have considered: a low maintenance natural stone deck.
With no mortar or grout, StoneDeck combines premium-quality natural slates, granites and quartzite with a high strength composite backing. A fastening matrix connects to the deck frame while interlocking all structural panels in place. The panels and matrix form a structure that is flexible, yet strong enough to support 4,000 pounds per square foot.
StoneDeck can be installed by carpenters, deck or dock builders, and landscape contractors. An homeowner can also install the system with instructions and guidance.
Cracking is not an issue - the surface of the StoneDeck system will not crack. And unlike traditional wood decks, StoneDeck is a permanent surface that does not have the maintenance and deterioration issues associated with wood surfaces. The long-lasting components can handle the harshest climate conditions.
Our builder friend, Everett Pollard of Northcape Design in Sunapee, NH, installed it at his house and absolutely loves it! Want more information? Check out their website at http://www.stonedeckwest.com/index.htm.
Carmel River Beach Love (The End)
Now that I'm back in 98 degree Austin humidity, I'm longing to be back on the cool Carmel coast.
Missing this little Carmel Valley Coffee shop. Here comes hubby with our lattes.
read more "Carmel River Beach Love (The End)"
Missing this little Carmel Valley Coffee shop. Here comes hubby with our lattes.
Quaint Carmel Shops (Part 2)
Life is better at the beach. I agree!
Through their gates was the garden area.
Oh, how I loved the French inspired shop, Mimosa:
And my favorite window shopping of all, this paper shop, Spencer's Stationery and Gifts. Rows and rows of colorful wrapping paper!
ELEGANT TEEN BEDROOM DECOR IDEAS PICTURE
Spain is a country area ELEGANT TEEN BEDROOM DESIGN a lot of abundant kids appliance manufacturers are located. BM is one of those companies which aftermath appliance for kids apartment of all ages. Of advance they accept appliance for adolescence too. In adjustment to present this appliance they showed abundant pictures of boyhood bedchamber adornment account which could affect all of us. Adolescence aren�t accessible bodies to amuse and they usually already accept some taste. You can�t aloof put a bright and agleam appliance in their allowance like in a babyish room. Mostly they like avant-garde and affected appearance so back you adorn their allowance you should accede that. You should additionally accede that they charge some assertive things there like a acceptable wardrobe, a abstraction desk, some shelves and a bed. Of advance there are additionally some added appliance you could put there but that isn�t necessary. In adjustment to actualize a absolute affected boyhood bedchamber analysis out adornment account below.
Wordless Wednesday (Carmel)
In the lobby of our Carmel hotel, the Hyatt Highlands Inn.Quiet and Charming Carmel (Part 1)
We just returned from an incredible getaway to Carmel and Pebble Beach. Each morning while waiting for my coffee at the nearby Carmel Valley coffee shop, I peeked inside this darling little flower shop.
Flowers by the stem for sale and beautiful yellow orchids plants. I wanted to take them all home!
Look at the way they wrapped this hand tied flower bouquet in burlap. Oh, and isn't the chocolate brown settee in limed wood finish so chic and current?
An orchid plant in a tomato can. What a nice summertime touch.
Simple and sweet.
Too bad it wasn't open!
Morning 5. Still too early for opening. Completely new fresh flowers by the stem and rearranged tablescape. Rose Hip knows how to make window shoppers drool!
read more "Quiet and Charming Carmel (Part 1)"
Flowers by the stem for sale and beautiful yellow orchids plants. I wanted to take them all home!
Look at the way they wrapped this hand tied flower bouquet in burlap. Oh, and isn't the chocolate brown settee in limed wood finish so chic and current?
An orchid plant in a tomato can. What a nice summertime touch.
Simple and sweet.
Too bad it wasn't open!
Morning 5. Still too early for opening. Completely new fresh flowers by the stem and rearranged tablescape. Rose Hip knows how to make window shoppers drool!
Modern Bookcases
We've been struggling with the decision whether to buy an iPad or not. We are late adopter, or maybe even no adopter, type when it comes to technology. There is something about holding a book and flipping the pages that is really satisfying to us.
That is, until you want to carry ten books with you when you travel. And most of them are hardbacks. Times like that make us wonder if printed books are going the way of CDs, you know. Like, who buys CD anymore?
But as we were driving down the Melrose Design district the other day, this gorgeous bookcase from the Poliform showroom almost caused us to crash the car. It is STUNNING! It's huge and it's perfect if you have a loft with very tall ceiling.
We don't have the pricing information for this item, sorry. Poliform is very high-end and upscale, so it is probably really expensive. But, if you have a really good carpenter, it's probably really easy to build! And, wouldn't it be great as a room divider too? Just make sure your carpenter anchor it properly.
You see, there is always a place for books! Ipad or no Ipad.
To see more bookcases from Poliform, click here.
read more "Modern Bookcases"
That is, until you want to carry ten books with you when you travel. And most of them are hardbacks. Times like that make us wonder if printed books are going the way of CDs, you know. Like, who buys CD anymore?
But as we were driving down the Melrose Design district the other day, this gorgeous bookcase from the Poliform showroom almost caused us to crash the car. It is STUNNING! It's huge and it's perfect if you have a loft with very tall ceiling.
We don't have the pricing information for this item, sorry. Poliform is very high-end and upscale, so it is probably really expensive. But, if you have a really good carpenter, it's probably really easy to build! And, wouldn't it be great as a room divider too? Just make sure your carpenter anchor it properly.
You see, there is always a place for books! Ipad or no Ipad.
To see more bookcases from Poliform, click here.
Five Ways to Make Your House Younger
Did you see "Hot In Cleveland" last week? We didn't either, mainly because we don't even know how to find TV Land on our TV. If you miss it, you can see the full episode here.
Anyway, the reason we mention it is because reading a LA Times review on the show we saw one funny line-- "To think we spent all that time and effort and money trying to look 10 years younger and 10 pounds lighter," says Malick, a recently unemployed soap star now being offered grandma roles, "and all we had to do was crash-land in Cleveland."
You'll have to be at that age to know what we are talking about! You know, the age where we look at younger women more than our husbands do? The age that we keep saying to ourselves, man, if I can only have my old body back with my current brain?
Which leads us to this point, do you know your house can look 10 years younger too? Most people don't realize this, but the way we decorate our house is very much like the way we dress, it literally can add or subtract a few years.
Here are five ways you can instantly update your home:
1) Use fresh and happy colors via use of wallpapers, paints and fabrics.
Wallpapers are so in now. We love, love it. Not as much to wallpaper every room like they did in the sixties, but by wallpapering just one wall or a small bathroom or dining room, you can instantly freshen things up.
2) Get rid of things that are outdated.
You know how mom's jean just add 10 years to your age and 10 lbs to your butt? Outdated things like ivy silk plants, sofa arm covers, oak furniture, shabby chic sofas (so 80s!) are the equivalent of mom's jeans. Worse yet, it screams "grandma"!
3) Update your furniture
Furniture is like fashion. It changes with time. You probably notice that furniture are not as heavy as they use to be. The heavy, ornate look for furniture (think Real Housewives of Orange County/New Jersey/Atlanta) are as out as McMansions. Rather, look for furniture that are modern and clean-lined with fresh designs. If you have upholtery pieces with good bones (say, a very comfortable sofa), consider re-upholstering it with new fabrics. The fabric choices nowadays are amazing.
4) Get small little things that count.
Sometimes things are so tough that shopping is not an option (2008-2009, anyone?). But you know how sometimes a little thing can make us feel much better, say, a tube of pretty lipstick? It's like that for the home too. We spend so much time in our home, it's ok to treat yourself a little bit. Little things like dressing your bed with really good sheets, make your bathroom like a spa etc. goes a long way. You see this with a good hotel--it's the little details that make all the difference.
So consider buying a new rug, a couple of pretty pillows--it doesn't have to be expensive. Homegoods is a good store for bargains like this. Buy lots of books secondhand. They make you look smart (and great accessories too).
Note: A good source for hotel things is American Hotel Registry. They sell actual hotel sheets, pillows and mattresses and from what we can see, the prices are pretty good and that you can buy directly from them. (We are not affiliated with this site in anyway)
5) Go contrarian.
The problem with trend is that after a while everything looks the same. Remember how Juicy Couture was all the rage just a couple of years back? What happened now to those velour tracksuits?
Home trends are like that too. After a while everyone's house look the same. Enough with the granite counter already. Enough with one paint color for each room. And please, do we need 10,000 square feet home?
The best styles are the ones that buck against the trend, stay true to the classic, and retain its integrity.
Go with your personality and your style, unless, of course, you have no style (in that case, consider hiring help).
Just remember that simpler is better, and less is more.
read more "Five Ways to Make Your House Younger"
Anyway, the reason we mention it is because reading a LA Times review on the show we saw one funny line-- "To think we spent all that time and effort and money trying to look 10 years younger and 10 pounds lighter," says Malick, a recently unemployed soap star now being offered grandma roles, "and all we had to do was crash-land in Cleveland."
You'll have to be at that age to know what we are talking about! You know, the age where we look at younger women more than our husbands do? The age that we keep saying to ourselves, man, if I can only have my old body back with my current brain?
Which leads us to this point, do you know your house can look 10 years younger too? Most people don't realize this, but the way we decorate our house is very much like the way we dress, it literally can add or subtract a few years.
Here are five ways you can instantly update your home:
1) Use fresh and happy colors via use of wallpapers, paints and fabrics.
Wallpapers are so in now. We love, love it. Not as much to wallpaper every room like they did in the sixties, but by wallpapering just one wall or a small bathroom or dining room, you can instantly freshen things up.
Thibaut.com
2) Get rid of things that are outdated.
You know how mom's jean just add 10 years to your age and 10 lbs to your butt? Outdated things like ivy silk plants, sofa arm covers, oak furniture, shabby chic sofas (so 80s!) are the equivalent of mom's jeans. Worse yet, it screams "grandma"!
3) Update your furniture
Furniture is like fashion. It changes with time. You probably notice that furniture are not as heavy as they use to be. The heavy, ornate look for furniture (think Real Housewives of Orange County/New Jersey/Atlanta) are as out as McMansions. Rather, look for furniture that are modern and clean-lined with fresh designs. If you have upholtery pieces with good bones (say, a very comfortable sofa), consider re-upholstering it with new fabrics. The fabric choices nowadays are amazing.
4) Get small little things that count.
Sometimes things are so tough that shopping is not an option (2008-2009, anyone?). But you know how sometimes a little thing can make us feel much better, say, a tube of pretty lipstick? It's like that for the home too. We spend so much time in our home, it's ok to treat yourself a little bit. Little things like dressing your bed with really good sheets, make your bathroom like a spa etc. goes a long way. You see this with a good hotel--it's the little details that make all the difference.
So consider buying a new rug, a couple of pretty pillows--it doesn't have to be expensive. Homegoods is a good store for bargains like this. Buy lots of books secondhand. They make you look smart (and great accessories too).
Note: A good source for hotel things is American Hotel Registry. They sell actual hotel sheets, pillows and mattresses and from what we can see, the prices are pretty good and that you can buy directly from them. (We are not affiliated with this site in anyway)
5) Go contrarian.
The problem with trend is that after a while everything looks the same. Remember how Juicy Couture was all the rage just a couple of years back? What happened now to those velour tracksuits?
Home trends are like that too. After a while everyone's house look the same. Enough with the granite counter already. Enough with one paint color for each room. And please, do we need 10,000 square feet home?
The best styles are the ones that buck against the trend, stay true to the classic, and retain its integrity.
Go with your personality and your style, unless, of course, you have no style (in that case, consider hiring help).
Just remember that simpler is better, and less is more.
Masculine Furnishings for Men
Men usually don't have that much say in the decorating of your home, do they? We think because if we leave it up to them all they will buy is big screen TVs and Lazy Boy chairs. Say what you will about stereotype. It exists because it's usually true.
So consider this a "Straight Women for Straight Guys" intervention. Furnishings can be very masculine and stylish at the same time. Here are some of our favorite furniture lines that have that combination:
Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Chair:
This line is what we would describe as modern American classic. Very clean-lined. Solid, neutral colors. A little bit pricey, but it's the kind of furniture that won't go out of style for a long time.
Michael Weiss for Vanguard Furniture
This is another one of our favorite collection. Manly, but not overly so. There are some soft touches in the details that we like. Less expensive than Thomas O'Brien, and the quality is just as nice.
Brownstone Furniture:
If you are looking for an affordable line with coordinating and matching items, Brownstone is a good choice. Very inexpensive. They just added a new upholstery collection, which is really nice. We like the upholstery collection a lot more than the casegoods (industry term for wood pieces).
Bolier Furniture
If your man likes really, really simple, clean-lined things he'll like this line. Pricey (more on the wood pieces than upholstery-the upholstery products are a bit more reasonable). It could be a little severe (because it's all straight lines and geometric and muted colors).
As always, warm up these rooms with accessories--such as rugs, artwork, fresh flowers, books etc. We can't emphasize enough what a huge difference this would make.
read more "Masculine Furnishings for Men"
So consider this a "Straight Women for Straight Guys" intervention. Furnishings can be very masculine and stylish at the same time. Here are some of our favorite furniture lines that have that combination:
Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Chair:
This line is what we would describe as modern American classic. Very clean-lined. Solid, neutral colors. A little bit pricey, but it's the kind of furniture that won't go out of style for a long time.
Michael Weiss for Vanguard Furniture
This is another one of our favorite collection. Manly, but not overly so. There are some soft touches in the details that we like. Less expensive than Thomas O'Brien, and the quality is just as nice.
Brownstone Furniture:
If you are looking for an affordable line with coordinating and matching items, Brownstone is a good choice. Very inexpensive. They just added a new upholstery collection, which is really nice. We like the upholstery collection a lot more than the casegoods (industry term for wood pieces).
Bolier Furniture
If your man likes really, really simple, clean-lined things he'll like this line. Pricey (more on the wood pieces than upholstery-the upholstery products are a bit more reasonable). It could be a little severe (because it's all straight lines and geometric and muted colors).
As always, warm up these rooms with accessories--such as rugs, artwork, fresh flowers, books etc. We can't emphasize enough what a huge difference this would make.
Ultra Cool Barstool
We love this new modern barstool from Nuevo. It's so sleek!
The seat is upholstered in Italian leather and the base is a solid steel. Very substantial and heavy. The seat runs a bit small in size. Shown here in black, it is also available in white and brown leather. The base is hydraulic, which means you can adjust the seat heigh.
The price is $475.
read more "Ultra Cool Barstool"
The price is $475.
Lusting for Yellow
My sister has always admired yellow walls. These gorgeous spaces make me long for a yellow room of my own. 
Images via Traditional Home
read more "Lusting for Yellow"
Images via Traditional Home
