Minute Makeover: A Small Kitchen Saved by a 'Culinary Man Cave'

June 23, 2011, 7:14 am

≫ Next: Daily Sampling: Fab.com's Chandeliers

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Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, Projects

"We love our kitchen and we love to cook together. But there's just not enough room!"-Sylvia O'Hara

The O'Haras

BEFORE
How do you solve the problem of a small kitchen without knocking down an adjacent wall? Some serious storage. We gave the O'Haras the gift of space by bringing in an extra workstation on wheels -- Pat's own "culinary man cave." Not only does it give the kitchen extra counter and storage space, it can be rolled to the dining area and used as a serving station.

To clear up even more space on the original counters, we brought in mounted storage for knives and utensils so that they're only taking up room on the wall. Easy, right?

AFTER
The O'Haras have an organized kitchen with ample counter space.

Before you go: Are you a fan of ShelterPop on Facebook? Head over now and you could win a laptop!

 

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Daily Sampling: Fab.com's Chandeliers

June 24, 2011, 3:26 am

≫ Next: Crazy/Sexy/Cool? Decorating With Your Own Face

≪ Previous: Minute Makeover: A Small Kitchen Saved by a 'Culinary Man Cave'

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Don't have time to browse all the online sample sales everyday? You're in luck: We searched them all and brought back the best.

Editor's Pick: Avenue's Chandelier 8 in Casablanca, Onyx and Sunset Drive, $536 each, Fab.com.

Fab.com

Glossy, glamorous and just the thing to make you look about 1,000 times fancier than you feel. Yes, technically these chandeliers will light up the room but they'll also make you feel all glow-y.

Want to snap this up? Move quickly. Sale ends Sunday, 11am. Check back tomorrow for the next Daily Sampling!

 

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Crazy/Sexy/Cool? Decorating With Your Own Face

June 24, 2011, 3:26 am

≫ Next: House of Worship: Jonathan Adler & Simon Doonan's Home

≪ Previous: Daily Sampling: Fab.com's Chandeliers

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Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Living Room

Lindsay does it. Paris does it. But would you ever splash your photo on the walls of your home?

Life&Style via Gawker

There's even a name for it: Autodecorating. And Gawker's calling out the worst offenders: Along with Lindsay and Paris, Kanye West, Padma Lakshmi and Real Housewives of Atlanta's Kim Zolciak are guilty of filling their houses with paintings, photos and -- most notoriously -- pillows with their likenesses. Now, I kind of understand celebrities' motivation here: These are people who are accustomed to seeing their faces on billboards and in magazines. They're desensitized to it. Right? Or maybe because they make their living off of their faces they're just excited to pay tribute to their moneymaker. In any case, it's hardly surprising.

I'm more interested in the rules of face-centric decorating for us normal, non-famous people. So I turned to two friends who own self-portraits. Hear them out:

Pro-Autodecorating: Jordan Reid of Ramshackle Glam

"I've been lucky enough to have a couple of amazing photographers send me prints of shots they've taken of me and/or my family. And yeah, on the one hand they're enormous photographs of ... you know, my face. But on the other hand they're works of art that I not only own, but am actually a part of. So of course I'm going to display them in my home. It's artwork that's deeply personal, laced with memories and associations. And to me, that's exactly the kind of thing that should be on the walls of your home."

Anti-Autodecorating: Kristin Newman, TV writer/producer

"We had a family friend who paints portraits and my mother commissioned him to paint one of our whole family. But after the portrait was finished, he just kept painting me. One portrait of me as a gift for my mother. And then one for me, as a housewarming present. It's a life-sized picture of my head ... and then, over my shoulder, a picture of me laughing as a little girl, as if to represent my inner child. No, it's not on display. I felt like maybe as a single woman, the combination of a portrait and my cat wasn't going to lead to a super great lovelife. So I gave it to my friends. And it was a white elephant gift for awhile. Last time I saw it, it was in my friend's guest room closet. But whenever I come over, I move it to his pillow."

What do you think: Would you ever decorate with your face? Weigh in in the comments!

And if you want to tip-toe into the trend, check out our picks for the best ways to auto-decorate (think: Silhouettes and illustrations, not sexy-eyes portraits like Lindsay's).

 

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House of Worship: Jonathan Adler & Simon Doonan's Home

June 24, 2011, 3:26 am

≫ Next: Plant of the Week: Stewartia

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Filed under: Famous Homes, Celebrity Homes, Cool Homes

A peek inside the New York apartment of two New York City design icons and their eclectic, color-splashed collections.

If I could trade places with anyone, it wouldn't be designer/leader of the "happy chic" movement Jonathan Adler or his husband, author/Creative Ambassador-at-Large of Barney's Simon Doonan. No, it would be their dog, Liberache. Because he gets to live with both of these guys. And perhaps more exciting: He gets to live in this place.

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Our friends at The Coveteur are running the full Adler/Doonan tour on Monday and because they know I can hardly wait, they've so kindly shared these nine photos with us. Scroll through them out, drool over them, then head to The Coveteur on Monday for the full piece, including Adler and Doonan's terrific quotes (personally I can't wait to see what the guys have to say about that rainbow-colored gun!).

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Jake Rosenberg, The Coveteur

Looking for more sneak peeks into inspired interiors? Check out the envy-inducing closets of Nicky Hilton and art dealer Price Latimer Agah. And if you missed it earlier this week, let 11-year-old Kiernan Shipka show off her organizational skills.

 

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Plant of the Week: Stewartia

June 25, 2011, 1:51 pm

≫ Next: Daily Sampling: One Kings Lane's Portable Picnic Table

≪ Previous: House of Worship: Jonathan Adler & Simon Doonan's Home

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Filed under: Gardening, Flowers

Each week, bring something new to your garden/windowsill/favorite vase -- and impress your friends with your ahead-of-the-curve picks.

Stewartia pseudocamellia. Photo: Marie Viljoen

After spring's flush of flowering trees it's good to know that it is not all over. Plant Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia) for its large, pure white flowers that open in midsummer. The tree is also renowned for its silky bark and beautifully intense fall color. If you prefer to plant a native tree, look for Stewartia ovata (Mountain stewartia). Both species like rich, well drained soil with plenty of moisture. Hardy from Zones 5-8.

 

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Daily Sampling: One Kings Lane's Portable Picnic Table

June 25, 2011, 1:51 pm

≫ Next: A Fashionable Room Inspired By Naomi Watts

≪ Previous: Plant of the Week: Stewartia

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Don't have time to browse all the online sample sales everyday? You're in luck: We searched them all and brought back the best.

Editor's Pick: Portable picnic table, $94, One Kings Lane.

One Kings Lane

Not quite equipped for the onslaught of barbecues, picnics, and afternoons in the park this summer? Check out this wood-and-aluminum portable picnic table for four. It's durable and easy to transport, but most of all it's going for a great price. And setting up is a cinch!

Want to snap this up? Move quickly. Sale ends Monday, 11am.

Check back tomorrow for the next Daily Sampling!

 

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A Fashionable Room Inspired By Naomi Watts

June 25, 2011, 1:51 pm

≫ Next: A Well-Suited Room Inspired by RuPaul

≪ Previous: Daily Sampling: One Kings Lane's Portable Picnic Table

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Filed under: Design, etc

We love the StyleList's "It Happened Last Night." We love decor. So why not put them together in a shoppable, fashion-fueled room?

This Weekend's Pick: Naomi Watts

Of course celebrities look amazing on the red carpet in glamorous dresses: It's their job. But Naomi Watts' effortless street style has us dreaming of a patio that's as expertly decked out as the actress.

Getty Images; Courtesy photos

And you can get the look in your home with these products:

Clockwise from top left:
Golden Lantern Pendant, $762, Horchow.
Eyelet Garden Seat, $245, Williams-Sonoma Home.
Rectangular Umbrella in Red, $199, Pottery Barn.
Weber Grill, $149, Macy's.

And now, because female stars aren't the only fashion icons we look to for inspiration, check out our brand new column: A Well-Suited Room. This week, we're kicking it off with (who else) RuPaul.

 

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A Well-Suited Room Inspired by RuPaul

June 25, 2011, 1:51 pm

≫ Next: Unexpected Newsmaker of the Week: Candles

≪ Previous: A Fashionable Room Inspired By Naomi Watts

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Filed under: Design, etc

You've seen our Fashionable Room column where we look to some of the best-dressed starlets for decor inspiration. Now we're turning to the best-groomed men for some pointers.

This Weekend's Pick: RuPaul

This past week the famous RuPaul showed up in rare form at The Critic's Choice Television Awards. Dressed in a blue-tartain suit and a red button-down shirt, it's clear that his taste for bright colors and patterns it got us pondering a room that is as daring in style as it is full of personality.

Portrait: Jon Kopaloff, FilmMagic. Images of lamp, pillow, rug, and settee: Courtesy photos.

And you can get the look in your home with these products:

Clockwise from top left:
Carbon Rug, $299-$1,199, Crate & Barrel.
Old Hickory Tannery Arizona Settee, $3,639, Horchow.
Bright Purple Square Pillow, $99, Wisteria.
Rectangle Wood Floor Lamp, $199, West Elm.

 

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Unexpected Newsmaker of the Week: Candles

June 26, 2011, 1:12 am

≫ Next: Green Spotlight: Flowers Along a Red Brick Wall

≪ Previous: A Well-Suited Room Inspired by RuPaul

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

The most noteworthy part of all the candles in the news this week is the fact that ... candles. Were in the news. Multiple times.

I don't have a Google Alert for "candles". So maybe every week there's actually tons of candle-related news that I'm missing out on. But this week, here's what caught my eye:

Vittorio Zunino Celotto, Getty Images; Bondtoo; GF/bauergriffinonline.com

1. The introduction of the "Times of New York Candle", artist/designer Tobias Wong's posthumous project that's now been realized by his friends at Bondtoo. The candle has notes of guaiacwood, cedar, musk, spice and "a powdery note and velvet nuance" -- all meant to mimic the scent of newsprint. Only 1,000 have been made and they're selling for $65 a pop.

2. Kate Middleton shipped in £900-worth of candles for her new home at the royal residence in Kensington palace. They smell, apparently, like "aromatic, woody and spicy undtertones that will seduce women and men alike."

3. Courtney Love's West Village townhouse experienced a small disaster after a candle lit her curtains on fire. Luckily, Love and her houseguest were not hurt and the fire was taken care of quickly. Knowing that Love's a major design-phile, I'm betting those curtains were terrific and am sorry to hear this.

A close contender for unexpected newsmaker? Bed Bath & Beyond, for launching not one but two new high-profile lines: Unltd. By Marc Ecko and Diane Keaton's K by Keaton.

 

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Green Spotlight: Flowers Along a Red Brick Wall

June 26, 2011, 4:31 am

≫ Next: In the Market For: Glasses-Inspired Decor

≪ Previous: Unexpected Newsmaker of the Week: Candles

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Filed under: Gardening, Flowers

Like any great room, a great garden needs to balance style and substance. Here, the spaces that do it right.

St Luke's in New York City. Photo: Marie Viljoen

The most important element in this simple but arresting planting in a narrow space is architectural -- the cross-hatched brick wall. It acts as a textured red canvas backdrop for the strikingly erect blue Agapanthus (African lily) and soft mounds of yellow Hakonechloa (Japanese forest grass). Sometimes, restraint pays off: The red, yellow and blue are pulled together by the lilies' green strappy leaves and the variegation in the grasses.

The cultural fusion works beautifully, if unexpectedly. Hakonechloa likes shade. Agapanthus likes sun. But along the wall, facing north, the flowers are protected. They're receiving enough eastern sunlight to bloom, while the grass is shaded from the southern heat.

Functional. Simple. Clever. Interesting. High marks.

 

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In the Market For: Glasses-Inspired Decor

June 27, 2011, 4:15 pm

≫ Next: Daily Sampling: Gilt Home's Iittala Taika Serving Dishes

≪ Previous: Green Spotlight: Flowers Along a Red Brick Wall

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

A genius, unexpected way to bring summer style into your home? With sunglasses on your pillows, towels, trays and more.

This summer, I'm spotting the best sunglasses all over the city. But I'm not satisfied with simply snapping up a pair of two for my face, I want them all over the house. And these spec-tacular (ha!) picks are just the pieces to do it. Check out the best and the brightest along with the glasses to match.



For Your Home: Shades Beach Towel, $50, kate spade new york, 800-519-3778
For Your Face: Glasses: 04N BF6-5P1 by Prada, $245, Sunglass Hut




For Your Home: Miss Shady pillow by Tara Bernerd, $315, The Rug Company (therugcompany.info for locations)
For Your Face: CH 3210 763 by Chanel, $340, ILORI (iloristyle.com for boutique locations)




For Your Home:Antique Spectacles Tray, $64, Ben's Garden
For Your Face: 2388S by Persol, $205, Sunglass Hut





For Your Home: Giant Coaster, $29, BlueOrder
For Your Face: 04M by Prada Linea Rossa, $250, Sunglass Hut




For Your Home: Sunglasses Pillow, $35, Switchbladeandcookie
For Your Face: Persol PO2996V 95 by Persol, $265, ILORI (iloristyle.com for boutique locations)

 

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Daily Sampling: Gilt Home's Iittala Taika Serving Dishes

June 27, 2011, 4:15 pm

≫ Next: 6 Non-Cheesy Ways to Decorate With Flags

≪ Previous: In the Market For: Glasses-Inspired Decor

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Don't have time to browse all the online sample sales everyday? You're in luck: We searched them all and brought back the best.

Editor's Pick: Iittala's Taika porcelain dinner plate, $32, and serving bowl, $68, Gilt Home.

Gilt Groupe

The Taika collection of porcelain serving dishes is designed in Finland by Klaus Haapaniemi and made in Thailand. There's a cute storybook quality to Klaus's designs and we especially love his owl pieces.

Speaking of owls, last week we had a sneak peek into the owl-loving ceramist Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan's Manhattan apartment. Check it out here!

Want to snap this up? Move quickly. Sale ends Thursday at noon. Check back tomorrow for the next Daily Sampling!

 

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6 Non-Cheesy Ways to Decorate With Flags

June 27, 2011, 4:15 pm

≫ Next: Home Remedy: How to Stop Fighting

≪ Previous: Daily Sampling: Gilt Home's Iittala Taika Serving Dishes

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Filed under: Fun Stuff, Holidays

The secret to patriotic decor that doesn't go out of style on July 5th: Interesting textures, shapes and treatments.

Leave it to our friends at "Country Living" to pull together a mix of flag-inspired home accessories that never gets stale -- these piece will look as elegant on the 4th as they will year-round. Forget the drugstore-bought flags and garland -- if you're looking for a statement piece that does Americana right, go with one of these.

Country Living

Feeling smitten? You can see more of their great ideas in the July/August issue when it hits newsstands tomorrow!

 

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Home Remedy: How to Stop Fighting

June 27, 2011, 4:15 pm

≫ Next: Inspired: Rachel Bilson's Adorable Gardening Date

≪ Previous: 6 Non-Cheesy Ways to Decorate With Flags

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Filed under: Your Home, Living Room

What is it about living with another person that makes your home a breeding ground for fights? Luckily, you can fight back. Four designers weigh in on how your home can help.

We've already explored how your home can make you look younger, help you wake up early and destress after work. Now, we're putting it to work again. We reached out to the New York Design Center's new Access to Design designers to get their thoughts and tips on how your home can help you stop fighting. (You can also get great advice and find a designer at accesstodesign@nydc.com.)

Courtesy of Lisa Laserow

Liza Laserow of Laserow Antiques is all about the work-life balance.
"Create a room where you can laugh, relax, play and have a good time together. A cozy sofa and calming colors are a good start. Spend your Sundays laying on the sofa talking, reading your books and having a drink together. Make the living room your zone where cocktail hours occur more often than work talk."

Courtesy of Robert Passel Interior and Architectural Design

Robert Passal of Robert Passal Interior and Architectural Design recommends plenty of space -- and then, dinner.
"When attempting to resolve a dispute with your spouse or roommate, I find it best to take some time for yourself to clear your head. Perhaps curl up with a calming book of poems in your study, light a relaxing scented candle to take the tone of the room down and dim the lights. Internally revisit the chain of events that lead to the problem, and dissect. Consider ways of avoiding these types of situations. Then: finish your day over a peaceful meal together and remember: "Never go to bed angry."

Tucker Robbins bangle stools

Kirsten Brant of K.Brant Interiors reminds us to pay attention to corners.
"According to Feng Shui, too many pieces of furniture with sharp corners can lead to conflict and disharmony in the home. Be sure to add in pieces with rounded corners and soothing shapes into the space to keep your relationships in harmony."


And Glenn Lawson of Glenn Lawson Inc. says: Clean, clean, clean!
"Invest in Fantastic, Windex, Ajax, Palmolive liquid, sponges & paper towels. Keep these products in an easy-to-remember place -- or keep them out, if necessary. When someone else leaves a random glass around or some water on a counter, take that extra one or two minutes to clean it up and then get on with your life. By practicing this bit of goodness, not only will your housemates recognize your largess, you'll also benefit from a cleaner home."

 

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Inspired: Rachel Bilson's Adorable Gardening Date

June 28, 2011, 3:33 am

≫ Next: Inside the New Menlo Park Facebook Office (and How to Get the Look)

≪ Previous: Home Remedy: How to Stop Fighting

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Filed under: Gardening

Last weekend, the actress took her little sisters vegetable picking at a family farm. Here's why you should steal her idea.

Next time a friend/family member/suitor calls you to make plans, skip the routine dinner/movie/coffee date and instead ask them to meet you in the dirt. And maybe -- just maybe -- you'll look as perfect as Rachel Bilson and her sisters on their weekend gardening date. I can't get enough of these photos of the lovely Rachel Bilson and her sisters Hattie and Rosemary at the Underwood Family Farm.

Fame Pictures

Not only will you skip the calories, the cost and that creeping sense that you're doing the same thing over and over again -- you'll get all sorts of benefits from the gardening. Time in the sun (just wear a hat, like Rachel), a light workout, healthy goodies to take home and major bragging rights. "Oh what did I do on Saturday? Just some gardening with a friend. Oh, you watched TV? Yeah, that sounds nice."

Fame Pictures

If you're not lucky enough to have a garden in your own yard, head over to the American Community Gardening Association to find your closest community garden.

 

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Inside the New Menlo Park Facebook Office (and How to Get the Look)

June 28, 2011, 3:33 am

≫ Next: Crazy/Sexy/Cool: Living On The Newest Luxury Yacht

≪ Previous: Inspired: Rachel Bilson's Adorable Gardening Date

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Filed under: Famous Homes, Design, etc, House Tours, Cool Homes

Peek inside the new Facebook office and see how you can recreate the modern, electric-hued look at home.

When we heard Facebook moved to new, fancier digs, we had all sorts of visions. Would it be all decked out in blue, the site's signature color? Would there be concept furniture like "Like" button-shaped chairs and giant white boards with "What's on your mind?" written at the top?

Not quite. Instead it's thoroughly modern, exceedingly bright (we counted at least four different oranges) and surprisingly easy to copy if you want the Facebook spirit in your home. Minus, of course, the 57 acres that the Menlo Park facility sits on.

Facebook

The front of the building matched the inside -- lots of geometric shapes and bold hues...

Facebook

Orange and yellow get (slightly) toned down by grays and light wood.

Facebook

A plush chair gives employees a place to relax ... but no napping! Check out that very straight back.

Facebook

Industrial, modern pieces in cold gray. Hey Facebookers, where's the pop of brights in here?

Now: Check out the pieces that make the place shine. If you bring one into your home office, maybe it'll being you good luck (or if you're lucky, an Aaron Sorkin-penned biopic).

Courtesy photos

Clockwise from top left:
Bertoia Side Chair by Knoll, $481, All Modern
Etch Pendant Shade by Tom Dixon, $375, DWR
1006 Navy Armchair by Emeco, $570, DWR
Molded Plastic Side Chair by Eames, $249, DWR
Bantam Armchair (get it in orange), $1,238, DWR
Knitted pouf, $90, CB2

Courtesy photos

Clockwise from top left:
Molded Plywood Lounge Chair by Eames (in Ebony), $909, DWR
Capel Tropical Rug in Bright Yellow (Regtangle), $71, Rug Studio
Autumn Blaze Paint, Valspar
Case Study Daybed by Modernica (in Orange), $1,698, Hive Modern

Want to see Facebook's old office? You'll see a lot of the same colors...

 

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Crazy/Sexy/Cool: Living On The Newest Luxury Yacht

June 28, 2011, 4:47 am

≫ Next: Daily Sampling: One Kings Lane's Round Glass Mirror

≪ Previous: Inside the New Menlo Park Facebook Office (and How to Get the Look)

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Filed under: Fun Stuff, News & Trends

Why live on shore when the newest luxury yacht comes with the fanciest Italian furnishings, state-of-the-art technology, and just as much surface area (if not more) as any city apartment?

While installing a swimming pool in your living room is clearly a luxurious design statement, nothing (as I'm sure you will agree) exemplifies extravagance and the high life like having your own personal yacht. And after we saw the world's 20 biggest yachts, we were even more intrigued, so we did some digging and found our favorite new luxury yacht to hit the waters: Pershing 108'.

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Although Pershing 108' doesn't have a swimming pool on board, the super sleek yacht does have some hard-to-pass up amenities. The polished bedrooms and baths are more than spacious, there's also a VIP room and a media room, and there's enough Italian leather and furnishings by high-end brands such as Poltrona Frau, Armani/Casa, B&B Italia, and Fendi Casa to make up for any other shortcomings. No surprise then that this luxury yacht can easily host up to 20 people. Did we mention that there are also three flat-screen TVs?

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Equipped with three engines, Pershing 108' can move as fast as 1000 miles at 10 knots or slow to a gentle glide. Of course extra precautions have been taken, like locking systems that make sure doors and cabinets don't slide open at high speeds. And on a side note, from what I can tell even the engine room is bigger than my apartment.

But the selling point here is the view from the upper deck. Even if you're not an ocean person, who can pass up seeing the sun set in the distant horizon in the middle of the ocean?

We're itching to jump on board, but tell us...do you think this envy-inducing luxury yacht is plain crazy, real sexy, or way cool?

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

Courtesty of Pershing S.p.A

 

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Daily Sampling: One Kings Lane's Round Glass Mirror

June 28, 2011, 6:10 am

≫ Next: Just In: A New Study That Will Make You Want to Change Your Pillows

≪ Previous: Crazy/Sexy/Cool: Living On The Newest Luxury Yacht

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Don't have time to browse all the online sample sales everyday? You're in luck: We searched them all and brought back the best.

Editor's Pick: Multi-colored glass mirror by Ashton Sutton, $24, One Kings Lane.

One Kings Lane

The bold primary colors on this 20"-diameter glass mirror are sure to punch up any wall in your home (or loft!). We love the glass mirror's thoroughly modern look, and we can see the round multi-colored frame becoming an instant focal point in any space.

Want to snap this up? Move quickly. Sale ends Friday, 11am. Check back tomorrow for the next Daily Sampling!

 

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Just In: A New Study That Will Make You Want to Change Your Pillows

June 29, 2011, 4:01 pm

≫ Next: Boutique of the Week: Rummage

≪ Previous: Daily Sampling: One Kings Lane's Round Glass Mirror

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Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home

You already know that dorm room beds aren't sparkling clean. But after hearing all the details about the bacteria, yeast and mold colonies you might think twice about sending your kids to college.

Getty

This week, our friends at SleepBetter.org sent over a study that's still making us shudder (and throw out old bedding). They tested the pillows and mattress pads from 50 college students around the country and found that they had, on average, 350,000 potential live bacteria colonies and 91,000 potential live yeast and mold colonies. And the mattress pads? 2 million potential bacteria colonies and 330,000 yeast and mold colonies.

It sounds incredibly gross, yes, but we'll admit we don't actually know what dangers these bacteria and mold colonies bring. Is it serious? Or does it sound a lot more disgusting than it actually does? We spoke to Dr. Lisa Shives to find out.

Yes, this information is gross but if everyone has these mold and bacteria colonies, how bad are they for you?
Most of these microbes are part of the normal human condition, so if you're 25 and healthy as a horse, then this probably won't affect you. But for the millions who deal with conditions like chronic sinusitis, allergies or asthma -- this is data that they should pay attention to and get rid of their old pillows and mattress pads, anything over one year old.

Short of doing your own microbial study, how can you assess how dirty your own pillows/mattress pad?
The college students we tested had their pillows for, on average, 4.5 years. And the study found that the age of the pillow trends with the total amount of bacteria, yeast and mold.

If you aren't prepared to buy something new, what can you do to clean things up?
Make sure you know the proper cleaning technique for pillows. Also, keep the pillow as dry as possible. Shower at night to cut down on the dead skin cells, oils and dust-mites on the bedding, but make sure your hair is thoroughly dry before crawling into bed.

 

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Boutique of the Week: Rummage

June 29, 2011, 4:01 pm

≫ Next: Plant of the Week: Silk Road Lily

≪ Previous: Just In: A New Study That Will Make You Want to Change Your Pillows

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Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Don't let yourself fall into a shopping rut. Instead, explore some of the best boutiques around the country. This week: Rummage, 7374 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA.

Los Angeles interior designer Kishani Perera brings her refined eye and eclectic sense of style to her first home boutique, which recently opened. Stocked with a high-low mix of vintage and custom-made finds, it's easy to see why celebrities like Kate Bosworth and Josh Duhamel are fans of Kishani. We got you a snapshot of the new store and chatted with Kishani to find out how it all came together.

Jean Randazzo

Evans Vestal Ward

1.What was the inspiration for opening Rummage?
I've been a collector my entire life, scooping up vintage gems, diamonds in the rough, curios and innumerable oddities! Although my design business has been my primary focus, opening a shop has always been a secret dream. And apparently I've been shopping for it all these years as evidenced by my many storage spaces!

2. What have the most popular pieces in the store been so far?
The custom toss cushions made from vintage textiles have been a huge hit! It's really difficult to find interesting and unique toss cushions that don't cost a fortune. I knew that there weren't that many resources, so when I decided to open the store I made a conscious effort to source and fabricate loads of toss cushions. I think it's a fun and easy way for people to change the look of their home.

Evans Vestal Ward

Jean Randazzo

3. What keeps the visitors coming back?
We literally have something for everyone with items ranging from $25 to $10,000. So regardless of your budget, you will always find something. And the shop is a lot of fun--there's just so much to look at. I had a customer tell me the other day that every time she comes by she notices something different.

4. Do you have a favorite item in the store?
Oh, that's hard because I don't buy anything for the shop unless I'm totally in love with it myself! But there is a custom-designed floor lamp that I made from a vintage dress form. I've always loved vintage mannequins and dress forms, and I've always thought they could be more functional instead of being just purely decorative. So I decided to turn one into a floor lamp, and I put a large, old-school-style light bulb in place of a head. And voilà, a fun floor lamp was born!

Jean Randazzo

Jean Randazzo

5. What do you like most about your store?
I love the store's aged vibe and how it feels like home. It's inviting and filled with personality, and we're always cranking good tunes!

6. Fun fact:
Although the shop sells predominantly vintage pieces, there are several items from my custom collection thrown into the mix, such as a distressed-zinc console, a 1920s-inspired disco ball, and a distressed chandelier made with rustic tin.

On ShelterPop's wishlist: Vintage spice bottles with gold handwritten lettering, $15 each.

Evans Vestal Ward

 

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