I made it to New York today for the 2010 Business of Design Conference.  This is my third year attending this bi-yearly conference.  As a member of the Best Practices Network, I get the chance to put aside project work to work on the business, along with another 100 top interior design firms.  I came up a little bit early to take advantage of a private tour of the Kravet/Lee Jofa design studios.  And what a wonderful field trip it was. I definitely need to thank Steve Prada, Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Bob Beloff, Vice President of Sales for being our gracious hosts.  And a huge thank you to everyone in the studio who shared with us their work and progress.

We are escorted through each line’s design studio and able to look at fabrics that are literally launching today, as well as lines and books that will take a bit longer to get to market.  There are some exciting things coming to market, but I did see a few trends throughout the space.

The first is the use of yellow & gray color scheme.

Traditional Home - Decorating With Sunshine!

One of the studio’s highlighted Thom Filicia’s work with Kravet, which has some lovely yellow, grays and Ikat prints – Check out this video about the collaboration –

The other line introduction that I am very excited about is the partnership with Oscar de la Renta – very fashion inspired. Check out Kravet’s celebration of Oscar de la Renta.

Not directly on our tour, I was shamelessly snooping at all the fabrics around and found this lovely.  This shot shows the Kravet fabric based on Oscar De La Renta’s skirt (on top).  My mind is still spinning with fun ways to put this new design to work.

A beautiful embroidered and pleated silk from Kravet, based on Oscar de la Renta's design.

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call Leslie Hassler, at 281-701-2461.

I know everyone has those days where all you think about is going to bed at night.  When you finally get through your busy, crazy, and hectic day why not go to bed with organic cotton?  I recently switched from my old bedding to clean and fresh organic bedding.  It not only looks plush and dreamy; it feels like it too!  So why did I switch over to organic bedding?  If you are anything like me, concerned about health, have allergies, and want to work with the environment then try considering organic cotton!

Organic cotton is a beautiful material and is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment.  It is mind-blowing to hear that more chemicals are used on cotton than any other crop.  This sends up a “red flag” in my mind because allergies are often a direct result of chemicals.  So do yourself a favor, give you and your bedding a breath of fresh air!

Taking care of organic bedding is just as easy as anything else you have to wash.  It is machine washable in warm water and put on a cool tumble dry.  You can use non-chlorine bleach, if it is needed.   In my opinion the organics wash and wear better than anything else I own.  They always come out the same way I put them in.

The bedding by Coyuchi draws its inspiration from nature.  Your moods, emotions, and stress levels will improve when entering another world for luxurious 6-8 hours you sleep.  When you spend that much time with your bedding, why not be mindful of creating a plush and dreamy space.

Imagine a graceful morning, spring air, the windy point, or a rocky shore.  Coyuchi has taken these “moments in time” and brought them to your bedroom.  Moments in time that can enhance your restful experience.  The blankets, duvet covers, and quilts give you rich texture and natural color to put your mind at ease.  This luxury continues to the sheets that are lustrous and somehow make you forget about your entire day.  Who doesn’t want bedding that speaks to you and creates an indoor environment that is truly harmonious?  Check out these “moments in time” and don’t tell me you wouldn’t want something so beautiful and comfy in your room!

Rocky Shore Organic Bedding from Coyuchi

Organic Bedding Sateen Quilts from Coyuchi

Graceful Morning Organic Bedding from Coyuchi

Organic Bedding Blankets from Coyuchi

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call Leslie Hassler, at 281-701-2461.

Filed under: Bedding, Houston Interior Designer ]]> /blog.php?page=2010/08/23/luxurious-organic-bedding/feed/ 0 luxuryforthehome Rocky Shore Collection coyuchi organic cotton sateen quilts in stone ivory graceful morning duvet coyuchi organic cotton jacquard blankets /blog.php?page=2010/08/04/luxury-living-outdoor-furniture/ /blog.php?page=2010/08/04/luxury-living-outdoor-furniture/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:25:55 +0000 luxuryforthehome /blog.php?page=?p=825 ]]> By Leslie Hassler, Houston Interior Designer

So our next step starts with the fun part of the plan, selecting the furniture.  There are many things to keep in mind when selecting your furniture.  The climate, the exposure to the sun, materials – steel, aluminum, all-weather wicker  and teak for example.  You also want to consider the maintenance of the pieces.  This is generally where I lose people.  Maintenance for outdoor furniture, won’t it last forever? Nope.  It is durable, but if you sat 365 days a year outside in the elements, I doubt you would be looking so fresh in a few years.  So, invest in covers for the furniture and make the investment last longer.  Also, consider the manufacturers warranty – sometimes the difference in pricing isn’t just quality, but it also maybe the warranty behind the product.

So along our journey with this project, we have an inspiration and a fabric scheme (click the links to check them out), so here are two options that would work for the project.  Do you have a favorite?

Lloyd Flanders – Mandalay Collection, Restoration Hardware – La Jolla Collection, Dedon – Marrakesh Collection

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call me at 281-701-2461.

Today we are looking at the fabrics we want to incorporate into our outdoor area.  Why do you want fabrics that have special treatments to be outdoors?  Because you want them to last.    Fabrics that have been designed to withstand the outdoors are often more colorfast, sometimes act as UV filters, and are more durable than their interior counterparts.  Advancements in digital printing has created a vast array of design choices and styles. The hand – that is how a fabric feels – has become softer too.  In fact, you can get a variety of chenille, suede and velvets that are both durable and beautiful. Many of the fabrics also come with treatments that help resist stains due to spills and moisture.  In addition, some of these fabrics are machine washable (although not dry-able) or clean up easily with a non-chlorine bleach solution.

So how long can they last?  Well, that depends on a myriad of variables.  What is your climate?  Tropical, humid climates will wear harder on fabric than more temperate climates.  What is the sun exposure to the fabrics?  If your fabrics are exposed to the UV, all day long, all year-long.  Well, don’t expect them to last all that long.  They are fabrics, not kryptonite. To extend the life of the fabrics, protect them when they are not in use.  (PS, this will help your furniture too).  Also be sure to turn or rotate the fabrics so that the exposure is even on all sides.

Outdoor fabrics also have special treatments which help resists moisture and spills. They are very easy to clean with a non-chlorine bleach solution. Ok, so now for the fun.

Do you remember our inspiration?  If not, check back to this post.   Now take a look at the fabrics we’ve pulled together for this outdoor area.  The client’s home already has a French Country feel, but more with the yellow and red colorations, versus the inspiration’s blue and yellow colors.

So will we use all these fabrics, probably not.  But they are the foundations that flow from one to another, with some variations.  I’m excited about the next step, furniture.  Aren’t you?

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call me at 281-701-2461.

Welcome to our second installment of planning your outdoor space.  This article deals with determining the style for your outdoor area.  The outdoor area can be an extension of your indoor space either toned-down or pumped-up, it can be a transition point between your home and your landscape, or it can blend with the rest of your landscape design.

What I do recommend to you is to whichever way you choose to go, go with style!  Seems like a strange comment?  Well while doing research for this blog,  I found the same style or cookie-cutter approach, over and over and over.  Take a look at this.

I really want to encourage you to be inspired and think of new ways to use materials to support your PERSONAL style.    A designer that I look to for inspiration outdoors is Jamie Durie.  One reason to look to his work for inspiration is the amazing amount of personalization he gives his client’s spaces.  They are original and that is what your area should be ~ a personal statement of luxury.

A casual Tuscan feel to this dining area, welcomes you and your guest to a wonderful dinner.

This outdoor mecca, really brings the indoors out. It is sheltered with all the convenience of an indoor gourmet kitchen. The multiple levels to this area are just splendid and makes entertaining here an event. I especially loved the arc shaped firewood storage area.

A contemporary design that creates something special for the homeowner.

So what will our inspiration be for this project?  It will be this lovely french country inspired veranda, featured in the June/July 2009 issue of Southern Accents Magazine (sadly a magazine no longer in production).  I love the airy mood that is punctuated with the intense blue and vibrant yellow.  I also love the bee hive scones – simple, elegant, and fresh.

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call me at 281-701-2461.

Although it is a bit warm (or wet, depending on the day) in the Houston area to entertain outside, we still do take advantage of the extended daylight and casual summer attitude. And if you have a pool, you are definitely taking advantage of the outside. Regardless of how much or little you are entertaining outside right now, most of our year is perfect for being outside.

Creating your outdoor oasis involves more than some tables and chairs, it involves the same planning as you give to your kitchen, dining and living areas.

We’ll go through the basics of planning your space, then head on to the thrill of bringing in style and finding the perfect products and solutions for your space.

For the next few series of articles, we are going to work with an actual backyard we consulted on.  The client had the same desires as many people have.  The needed an area for sitting and viewing the game on the TV, they wanted a dining area, a cooking area, a place to relax around the pool, and something pretty to look at while we’re at it.

So join us as we create a little magic.  Grab some pictures of your own backyard and a notebook to keep your ideas in as we virtually transform this yard.

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call me at 281-701-2461.

If you follow my blog frequently, you know how much I love art, from classics to contemporary – I love looking and admiring art.  This past Saturday I had the chance to attend the Arts Houston 2010 event.  I have to say, I didn’t make it to nearly the number of galleries that I wanted to.  But here are some of the highlights from a few galleries I did make it to.  Enjoy the view!

Pauline Ziegen, "rain" Laura Rathe Fine Art. Rep - Kathy Dimmit.

Mary McCleary. "Trotline". Moody Gallery. Collage on paper.

A classic, James McNeil Whistler. "Rotherhithe" Parkerson Gallery. Rep. John Parkerson

Rusty Scruby. "New Car" photographic reconstruction. McMurtrey Gallery.

Karen Hollingsworth. "Drifting In A Dream". Dean Day Gallery

If you are looking for a guide to Houston’s art and galleries; or are looking to enhance your home with original art, we would love to be assistance.

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call me at 281-701-2461.

The economic situation of the past couple of years has created a culture where we pay more attention to what we spend and where we spend it. Personally, I practice what I preach here. For the home, I believe in investing in quality pieces that will last.  I’d rather have a few great pieces versus lots of “stuff” that will fall apart within the year.

But the recent times has also created a bit more nesting in us – staying home and enjoying what we have, as well as clearing out what we don’t use.

While all of this staying home may be enjoyable, it also reminds us more of what doesn’t work very well in our homes – an awkward kitchen, a bathroom that’s too small or a poorly designed closet. Rather than move, it’s a great time to invest in remodeling.

While you are spending money on an interior designer (we hope you consider calling us) and the remodel, the investment will pay off in dividends. Not only will you add to the value of your home should you want to sell it, you will receive greater value from the remodeled spaces every day. That is worth every penny that you invest in the project!

With that – here are the top 10 areas/items that you should consider improving in your home

1.   Kitchen – This is still the heart of the home, the room remembered the most by your friends and family.  Simple improvements in design and technologies can change this room from a room where you work, to a room that works for you.

BEFORE

AFTER

2.   Flooring – While you should be maintaining your floors at least once a year.  Consider renovating them through re-finishing and replacing at least once every 7-10 years.  Remember stained carpet isn’t exactly welcoming.

3.   Walls – Many people move in to a home, only to never repaint the interior to the home over the years.  Enamels yellow and walls become marred with time.  Painting your home is an instant makeover.  Love your furnishings, but feel the need to freshen it up?  Painting is the first step.

4. Master Bathroom – Let’s face it, life isn’t becoming any less demanding between work, family and extracurricular activities.  Shouldn’t you have at least one room that helps you to relax and retreat from the outside world?

BEFORE

AFTER

5.   Entertainment Rooms – Do you happen to have one of those rooms where the cords from the Wii hang out everywhere, 10 remotes for the electronic equipment and never enough space to play a game?  Consider the improvement that an entertainment room can have on your home and your family.

6.   Home Office – The complexity of our lives and the flexibility of work today means that the desk in the kitchen just isn’t going to cut it anymore.  The luxury of the home office helps to provide solitude to work and a central hub to all of your homes and families activities, finances and schedules.

7.   Outdoor Entertaining – My husband and I laugh at our parties. They are very rarely small, with people everywhere.  As we continue to entertain our friends and family, the outdoor arena is increasingly more important for seating, play and cooking.  It is also a great way to increase the livable square footage of your home.

8.   Window Treatments – The sub-tropical climate of Houston sends our power bills skyrocketing every summer.  The sun’s rays also create havoc on the fabric of our drapery treatments, whether through fading or through fiber erosion.  Invest in drapery treatments to act as a barrier between your power bill and the heat of the summer.  Simple renovations are panel rotations and regular cleaning of the drapery treatments.

9.   Kid’s Bedrooms – Always a popular project, help your child’s room grow and reflect their personality and needs as they themselves grow.

10. Master Bedrooms – Usually the last project for most people, it can be one of the most beneficial to your sanity and even your marriage!

If you are in the Houston area, we’d love to talk with you about areas in your home that need some attention. Whether you use us or not, we would love it if you could share your before and after pictures from your remodel. We all love inspiration from others!

Luxury For The Home believes that true luxury is not about ostentation or expense.  It is about simplicity. Sanctuary. Comfort.  It’s the beauty that happens when everything, including you, has its own ideal space.

Are you ready to bring luxury into your home?  For more ideas sign up for our newsletter, or to schedule a consultation, please call me at 281-701-2461.

What can you do for wood that has lived many years before you and has waited for the moment when you decide to take it home?  Is there really beautifully unique wood that has meaning and can customize your home?  Yes, reclaimed wood has a story to tell and can make your space instantly come to life.  You can make your fireplace a conversation piece by adding reclaimed wood to the mantle.  Add detail to your existing ceiling and you will say “WOW” every time you walk into the room.

You will be blown away by how many detailed options and applications reclaimed wood has.  Really, the sky is the limit and no one project looks like the next.  In a Traditional home, adding a wood countertop will give your kitchen character and provide a durable workspace.   The contrast of smooth wearing and rough cracks makes me want to knead bread, adding to the surface’s character.  This countertop was created with antique timber from France, helping to complete the character of this kitchen.

Reclaimed Timber from France creates the prefect island countertop for these clients.

To give your Contemporary space a “lived in look” that so many of us are used to, add antique stair treads that will add a clean and bold element to your staircase.

Reclaimed Antique Stair Treads from Elmwood.

These are all simple reinterpretations for reclaimed wood, as the pieces basically retain their original shape.  But there are a few manufacturers who seem to live to reinterpret reclaimed wood.  One of my favorite lines is The Old Wood Co. The line carries everything from rustic wine tables, to sleek and refined contemporary pieces like this table.

The Woodie Collection of Tables from The Old Wood Co.

But to really bump the “eco” value of your reclaimed wood, search for local manufacturers.  One such craftsman in Houston is Bob Card with Greenwood Bay.  This is one of the pieces he created for New Living, a green building resource, also in Houston.

A platform bed crafted from Spalted Pecan by Greenwood Bay.

When you are working with the manufacturer make sure to ask if they have environmentally friendly finishes, stains, and adhesives to choose from.  They should also provide you will all the information about warranties, quality assurance, and project conditions.  Make sure you do your research on wood cleaners and restoration products so you can keep your reclaimed wood looking fabulous!!!  Who knows it may end up in someone’s interior in the future!

Luxury For The Home is a Houston Interior Design firm specializing in remodels, kitchens and bathrooms.  We bring the luxury of value and quality to your home through considered choices and with a new standard of customer service.  Contact me at 281-701-2461 to discuss your next project.

Filed under: Houston Interior Designer, Reclaimed Wood ]]> /blog.php?page=2010/07/06/luxury-living-reclaimed-wood/feed/ 0 luxuryforthehome Reclaimed Timbers Contemporary Antique Treads Woodie Collection Reclaimed wood bed /blog.php?page=2010/05/04/the-luxury-of-time-off/ /blog.php?page=2010/05/04/the-luxury-of-time-off/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 11:55:56 +0000 luxuryforthehome /blog.php?page=?p=659 ]]> By Leslie Hassler, Houston Interior Designer

Well only rarely do I get time off from work and from being a Mom.  But that happened last week, thanks in part to my mother , as my husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in Puerto Vallarta.  I think the PV may be my most favorite city I have visited in Mexico.  There is a slightly European feel to the city, walking is easy, everyone is fairly friendly.  During our visit, I had two revelations.

The first is that Puerto Vallarta is a city of textures and patterns, from the sidewalks to the river and everything in between.  The second revelation is that if you want to experience every sales technique in 3 days, PV is your city.  That’s not a knock at the town.  The people of PV work very hard, they know that their economy is supported heavily by tourism.  It just struck me how technically skilled they are at the art of sales.

But the textures of the city are really what would occupy my walks.  Take a look at these pictures.

The raining white flowers at Cafe Des Artiste. What a better way to celebrate your anniversary than to have a lovely meal outdoors while white flowers fall from the sky?

I loved the combination of green and yellow. The colors are bright and abstract all at the same time.

A view of balconies off the River Cuale. The patterning to the open tile walls changed every unit or two, creating a patchwork quilt effect. Quite the contrast to the "Cookie Cutter" approach of building.

While enjoying an ice cream cone along the Malecon, I marveled at the vibrancy created when the surf splashed along the stones.

The tile floor from the lobby of the hotel. PV stone work includes a variety of ways to incorporate pebbles (a local resource) into their floors. This pattern is probably the most popular pattern in PV.

Palm Tree bark. I kept trying to sketch the texture and variations that exist in a single truck of a Palm Tree.

Another photo from the restaurant. I loved the dappled leaves of this tree. It made for a gorgeous canopy these images and from the sketches of the city's ironwork.