The Bare Bulb Facts

Goodbye incandescent bulbs, goodbye...
Actually, that isn't entirely true, yet. But it is in our near future. California has already started phasing out incandescent bulbs. By 2014 they will be hard to get. 
That doesn't mean that you should run to your nearest Home Depot and stock up! You won't be stuck looking in the mirror and seeing your face bathed in an awful, sick looking fluorescent light. They have made progress using Halogen and LED's. Plus, they are working on better compact fluorescents.
I know it's hard to conceive, giving up incandescents even though deep inside you know it's the right thing to do for the environment. Yes, they will be more expensive, but they will last so much longer.
So let's look at some options:


    Light Emitting Diode (LED's)
Long lasting (up to 20 years!), low wattage (not hot) great for task lighting in kitchens and illuminating art. **Mercury-free**


    Compact Fluorescent (CF's)
Can be used in most household fixtures, uses 75% less energy then an incandescent, produces less heat and lasts up to 10 times longer then incandescents. Available in soft white, cool white and daylight. CF's do contain trace amounts of Mercury so be careful when handling and should be dropped off at a recycling center.


     Halogen  
Typically last 3 times longer then incandescents, more expensive then CF's, common in outdoor floodlights and small indoor spotlights (such as under cabinets)


One of the most common complaints about CF's is that they take several seconds to reach full light output. We are accustomed to instant light and the flickering can be annoying. Have no fear! GE has created the first Hybrid Bulb which is a combination CF and Halogen. When you flip on the light, the Halogen lights up for about 30 seconds while the CF reaches capacity! Genius!


You can also purchase LED and Halogen decorative bulbs for your chandeliers and wall sconces.
And for all the dimmer lovers out there, not to worry, Lutron and Leviton are introducing dimmer switches that work with CFL and LED bulbs along with the traditional incandescents and halogens.


Well folks, there you have it. All tied up in a neat little bow. But, if you're standing in the light bulb aisle of your favorite hardware store and can't remember anything you've just read, just remember: choose bulbs that give you more lumens per watt.

1x1 Tile Application

This photo of Hearst Castle's indoor swimming pool shows an impressive use of 1x1 tiles. Hearst was inspired by the 5th century mosaics of Ravenna and chose the cobalt blue and the gilt (22 carat) tile after being taken by the mausoleum of the emperor's daughter, Galla Placidia. It took 3 years to complete.

Who Needs A Designer Anyway!

Actually, you might. Many people today think that they either can't afford an Interior Designer or can do just fine on their own. In some cases that may be true but in many, they are selling themselves short. While it is true that some people have a "knack" for pulling a room together in their own house, it is quite different to design for someone else. Many Interior Designers I know will tell you that they would rather design for a stranger then for themselves! I am afraid that is true for me as well. It is so difficult to choose furnishings, paint, materials, etc. for my own home that I drag it out for months, years even! I have a theory about why this is. Designers have a wealth of knowledge inside them that continues to grow with every new furniture manufacturer, paint vendor, flooring company, lighting showroom, etc. that they know too much!
They are decisive about their client's projects because most clients like a certain style or want to evoke a certain feeling in their home. A good designer will be able to breathe life into the often cluttered words and images clients hand to them. Many clients simply do not know what they want or what is available. This is why people hire Interior Designers. Clients want someone to translate their 5 years worth of magazine pages and feeling words into their dream home. A good designer can do this for you and more!
Designers are here to help you in whatever way you need. If you want to hire a designer just to help you shop for or design the perfect dining table, that's fine. You can choose to hire professional help for certain parts of your project or for the whole thing. Just remember, you will get a more solid and cohesive project if you involve a designer from the beginning.

Ever Seen a Thatched Roof?

Seattle, Washington

Trends

Magazines have a way of making you feel bad about your home. Whether you recently remodeled or are in some various stage of completion, magazines have a "great new idea you must try" or a "new color trend you'll love." If you've just put the finishing touches on say, your dining room, and the next day you pass a magazine that says "smokey gray is the new neutral," for a split second, don't you feel like maybe you made a mistake and maybe you should think about repainting? You're not alone. Lots of people feel great about their space until the next issue of their favorite magazine arrives in the mail. 
Colors, styles and trends, are just that, trends. They are ideas, suggestions and inspiration. Powder blue libraries will be a thing of the past next month. There is no need to feel bad about your Tuscan inspired kitchen because the latest issue of House Beautiful has a "romantic island" inspired kitchen on the cover. Magazines are always looking to sell magazines! Of course they are going to put a beautiful room on the cover and claim this and that. It's what they do. It's your job as a consumer to say" that is a lovely room, not my personal taste, but lovely." Or maybe you love the room or the paint color and want to file it away for the future. Go for it! In two years when you want to repaint the guest room, if you still like the color, paint it! Don't ever feel bad about your space and don't ever compare it to a magazine! Use magazines as inspiration for your own personal spaces. Who wants an exact copy of someone else's room anyway? Unoriginal and boring!


What about if you love the current trend? Of course you can apply it to your current space. BUT you don't need to throw out everything and start over. Incorporate little things here and there. Toss pillows, candles, inexpensive knick-knacks, place mats and napkins. Hand towels, pretty bar soaps, a rug or lampshade, it doesn't need to be dramatic. Then in six months when you're tired of it or onto a new trend, it won't be as costly to replace them as it would have been if you had recovered your sofa in coral pink! You can do it, just be smart about it! And as always, if you struggle, there are people out there who can help you.


Now, that's not to say that magazines should not be highly regarded in some areas. Magazines are a good source to look for new companies and new products. Frog tape? Amazing stuff. Read about it in a magazine. Someone tested it against old blue painter's tape and was blown away! If I had come across it in the store on my own, I wouldn't have bought it. It's twice as much as the blue tape and how do I know it works as well as the label says?
Lightbulbs. Do you have buzzing lightbulbs in your house? Are they on dimmers? Me too. They used to drive me crazy. Then I read about a company that sells bulbs that have a thicker filament than your typical hardware store bulbs. I called and ordered some. No more buzzing! Those finds to me as a designer are priceless. That is information that I can pass on to my clients and friends to make their life that much easier.


Remember, not all ideas are good ideas for you!