Something about these single digit temperature days that just makes me want to hibernate till spring. It’s tough getting out of bed when the wind chill is below zero… but we do and we rally. But thinking about it this morning, made me realize how many different bedrooms styles I’ve been able to work on. Each space is different and has their own unique flair. Here are a few I’ve done… Pull up the covers and enjoy :)
2019 AWARDS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN CLIENTS
2019 was a big year for many of my interior design clients for awards! I’m so happy when a client calls to tell me their place has won an award. I have to say… it ‘s a BIG THRILL to be a part of it!
BEST HOTEL VERMONT: MAIN and MOUNTAIN
Main and Mountain Bar and Motel
Best of New England | 2019 Editors’ Choice Awards
Our 2019 editors’ picks for the best dining, lodging, and things to do in New England. Vermont’s pick…
NEW HOTEL
Main & Mountain, Ludlow
Old-school accommodations take on a polished sheen at Ludlow’s hip boutique motel. Wood-slab headboards lend rustic charm to standard queen rooms, while family accommodations include bunk beds for kiddos and suites that sleep up to seven. There’s no restaurant, but food trucks frequent the patio year-round, and weekend patio parties put a cool spin on the campfire jams of yore, with live music and seating around a masonry fire pit. 802-242-1608
COUPLE’S CHOICE AWARD: BEAR MOUNTAIN INN
Wedding Wire’s Couple Choice Award
BEST OF THE BEST VERMONT: PRIVATE RESIDENCE
CHEERS to ALL WHO MADE THESE AWARDS A REALITY!
XOXO JOANNE
2020 is the Year of Sustainable Design, 5 Easy Ways to Add it to Your Design
5 EASY WAYS TO BE ECO-CONSCIOUS IN DESIGN
Beyond thrilled to see articles and posts from Lonny and Forbes for 2020 design trends to Los Angeles Times’ article about second-hand gifts for the holidays. Many other popular sites, including Apartment Therapy, believe eco-friendly and conscious design are here to stay. I’m thrilled to see the industry making changes and moving in the right direction. Even a little bit of change, can make a huge impact. Here are five easy ways to incorporate sustainable design ideas into your renovations, new builds and design decisions.
Happy New Year to You All! xoxo Joanne
REPURPOSE WHAT YOU HAVE
Rather than buying something new, is there a way you can reuse what you already have — or at least some of it? Dark wood cabinets can be sanded and painted, or moved to the laundry room or craft areas. Can you paint that shiny brass fixture black… can you reuse that chair but have it reupholstered? Think about ways you can reuse what you have or repurpose it into something else.
REUSE STUFF
This has been my mantra for as long as I can remember. (Heck, I was picking up old bottles near my families home as a kid.) But more recently… I’ve written a few books on Salvage Design and how to get great design looks with reusing, salvaging and recycling. There are so many salvage stores, rebuild centers and second-hand shops (not to mention online sites (and many local ones that share stuff folks are selling). Flooring, fixtures, doors , applications, tile, furniture and much more can be reused. This Old House Online has a list of Architectural Salvage Shops across the nation. They are really fun to check out! Chairish and other second-hand furniture shops are great to look at — as well as local online sites such as Craigslist. Reclaimed wood is a big part of this reuse section — one our largest recycling opportunities. Companies such as Salvage Works ,are all around the country and can help you pick out the best reclaimed materials for your project. The great thing about reclaimed wood is it can look anyway you want — for any style.
SOMETHING NEW OUT OF RECYCLED MATERIALS
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of products out there made with recycled content. Interface, FLOR and other carpeting companies does a fabulous job of making carpeting, area rugs, carpet tile out of recycled content. Then there are recycled content tiles, glass or porcelain, such as companies Fireclay and Bedrock Industries. Insulation, countertops, light fixtures, glassware, hardware and more can be found with recycled materials — it is not just about the recycled contect but also, most of the time, these recycled “new” products use less energy to create.
GREEN PRODUCTS
From H & M Home to West Elm, Pottery Barn, and other furniture lines, (see the Good Trade website for a list of them), companies we know and love that have sustainable lines, you just need look for them on their sites and at their stores. The more you demand eco-friendly FSC furniture and sustainable practices in businesses, the more they will supply! :) It is basic economics.
LOCAL PRODUCERS AND ARTISANS
When you can work with local folks for materials, products and fixtures. This keeps travel and shipping to a minimum and you are supporting artisans and businesses in your own community. It doesn’t get any better than that! Cheers!
In the Kitchen with Family
As Thanksgiving approaches, I think about all the memories of all the places and people we have had the honor of sharing this special day with from large family gatherings at my parents’ house when we were all young, to small gatherings with friends at their homes, and everything in between. What I remember most is the beautiful chaos in the kitchen while the meal was being prepared. Here are a few kitchens I’ve had the honor of designing and/or renovating and feel so grateful to be a part of their families lives, if only for a little while, and can just imagine them all enjoying their special places with their family and friends. Embrace the chaos, the craziness, the piles of dishes — but most of all, embrace your family and friends.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! xoxo Joanne
Fall is in the Air
It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that my favorite season is fall. I love the cooler weather but not so cold that I’m scrapping ice off my car. The spellbinding colors, the smells of wet leaves on a hiking trail, crisp apples, apple cider, apple cider donuts :) … pumpkins, pumpkin patches, Halloween and my birthday (and my twin sister’s) happens to be in October as well — a happy coincidence. So I thought I’d do a blog post that celebrated the season with some pictures from my books, some DIY NETWORK DIY’s , and some fun fall pics. Enjoy the season! Cheers. Joanne