October 4th, 2011
At Styleture, our editorial team always stays attuned to the latest in interior design trends. We’re never too proud to benefit from the wisdom of other design bloggers – especially a blogger like Boston-based Linda Merrill (www.surroundings.net), who also happens to be a designer. For Fall 2011, she’s been generous enough to share with us her favorite trends and product picks for the upcoming season, including eclectic mixes, vintage looks and soothing styles for the spa:
Mix and Match
“From high-low pricing, to mixed finishes and styles, antiques and vintage mixed with modern forms – true eclecticism is taking hold in the design world,” said Merrill. It’s partly a response to the economy and partly environmental. “We’re all reusing and refurbishing what we have, stretching the budget, splurging on some items, saving on others, keeping things out of landfills,” she adds.
Mix and match Hastings Tile & Bath's GDO Raised Panel Ceramic Tile
With Hudson Valley Lighting's® Chatham
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September 13th, 2011
In the design world, bigger is not always better. After all, the smaller the space, the greater the innovation. Residential designers and architects in urban locations are no strangers to resolving the issue of compact lots and homes; but now small is becoming big due to the economic downturn. According to “20/20: IFDA’s Vision for the Future,” a new report from the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA), we can all look forward to smaller houses with smaller rooms by 2020: fully 76 percent of respondents said so, as opposed to only 49 percent at the last IFDA census. And with less square footage, wouldn’t it also follow that home products need to deliver a double-dose of functionality in order to save space? With that in mind, here are three clever products for the home that serve double duty:
1. Cache by Zephyr®
Cache range hood by Zephyr
Cache’s subdued and elegant design is only enhanced by its ability to eschew clutter and create ordered elegance in the kitchen. Cache offers a spacious storage compartment discreetly hidden beneath a sweeping, understated hood and utensil rail. Read the rest of this entry »
September 8th, 2011
Bamboo is making quite a name for itself as an eco-chic material used in the contemporary bath environments of discerning homeowners. Bamboo’s environmental benefits stem from the fact that it can grow and spread quickly without the need for much water or care. A bamboo grove can release 35 percent more oxygen into the air than a similar-sized lot of trees, and it matures within seven years as opposed to 35-plus years for trees. Furthermore, bamboo can yield 20-times more timber than trees planted in the same-size area. With a heightened awareness among consumers to be green in their bath environment, bamboo is undeniably a great design resource. Of course, bamboo would never fly in the bathroom if didn’t look beautiful, too – and that it does. The Styleture editorial team has zeroed in on some of our favorite bamboo products for the bath:
Xylem Bambu 36″ Vanity in Dark Bamboo
The Xylem Bambu 36" Vanity in Dark Bamboo
The eco-renewable bamboo veneer is the starting point for this versatile and fresh design vanity. Highlighted with natural bamboo accents, it can be wall mounted or floor-standing using either of two floor stands that provide comfortable heights for vessel applications or under-mount lavatory installations. Read the rest of this entry »
August 31st, 2011
It goes without saying that at Styleture, we love kitchens. We have a passion for amenities such as kitchen sinks that evoke a sense of time and place; and no sinks do a better job of that than farmhouse sinks. For those of you who don’t already know, a farmhouse sink (aka apron front sink) typically has one large bowl with an exposed front panel. It works especially well with a kitchen designed in a classic country style décor, however there are no hard and fast rules in regards to the environment in which they can be utilized. We’ve been keeping a keen eye peeled for the farmhouse sinks that we feel are of impeccable design and quality, and now we’d like to share our five favorite ones with you:
Stone Forest Versailles Farmhouse Sink
The Stone Forest Versailles Farmhouse Sink
This Stone Forest beauty features a polished inside and rim with raised carving on the front apron. Available in Beige Granite, Papiro Cream Marble, Black Granite, and Jerusalem Gold. External dimensions 10 × 33 × 22. Read the rest of this entry »
August 24th, 2011
The Styleture editorial team loves kitchens; and we’d be lying if we said we didn’t have a special place in our hearts for kitchens with islands. A well-designed kitchen island can greatly enhance storage, display, seating and all-around functionality of your kitchen, and look incredible while doing so. If you have your cooking range set up island style, then you also have the added benefit of featuring an island range hood in your kitchen. Chosen carefully, a quality, design-forward range hood can not only serve to keep the air in your kitchen and entire house steam, smoke and smell free, but it can also serve as an eye-catching focal point. As always, we’ve done our research on the best and most beautiful island range hoods out there, and we’d like to share with you five of our favorites:
Zephyr 36” Napoli Island Range Hood
The Zephyr 36” Napoli Island Range Hood
This range hood is part of Zephyr’s Next Generation Europa line. Napoli is a classic island range hood design. Strong with upwardly-angled walls, Napoli makes an impression in any kitchen. Upgraded with Zephyr’s DCBL Suppression System, Bloom HD LED bulbs and the unique Quick-Lock installation system, Napoli is as easy to install as it is to look at. A technological achievement, Napoli is a cut above the rest. Read the rest of this entry »
August 22nd, 2011
It’s true – the world of fanciful product design extends to the ice cube tray, and there may be no more an interesting way to freshen up that Silver Bullet cocktail than with a couple of bullet shaped ice cubes in your glass. The black, silicone, Bullet AK-47 Ice Cube Tray is a spitting replica of a magazine for the famed Kalashnikov assault rifle and it makes ice cubes shaped like the bullets that it spits out. Simply fill the tray with water, then “load” your glass for the ultimate gangsta drink. The Bullet AK-47 Ice Cube Tray is undoubtedly the ultimate way to make your party go off with a bang and at price point of around $15, it makes a great design-forward gift, too. Perhaps the following drink recipe will further entice you to want this nifty little tray with the cool design:
The AK-47 Bullet Ice Cube Tray
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August 8th, 2011
Zephyr's IMKDC (Inspire My Kitchen Design Contest)
Back in June, we told you about the IMKDC (Inspire My Kitchen Design Contest), brought to you by our favorite range hood innovator, Zephyr. The contest, in its second year, brings together culinary aficionados, and awards homeowners and professional designers with prizes for incorporating a Zephyr range hood into their kitchen. Even better, it enters those of you who participate, simply by voting or making comments on your favorite kitchen entries, into the IMKDC monthly prize give-a-way. The prizes include the Element Portable Grill by Fuego and the Beats Pro from the Beats by Dre line of headsets; both products are from the vivid imagination of Zephyr Arc Collection designer Robert Brunner.
The Element Portable Grill
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