My International pick today is from one of the most exotic places~ Bali.
Villa Balquisse- a tropical retreat set between coconut groves & mangroves in Jimbaran. The retreat has old Balinese Villas that have been restored and decorated in an eclectic style.

I found a cute fabric company, Nuno, which makes kid's fabrics and trims. The company hails from Japan, but ships all over the world.

Their fabrics are cotton and linen. They're sold by the square (50cm x 55cm) or (19.5" x 21.5"). Some are also available in traditional widths and are sold by the meter. Their designs are quite unique, with a Japanese twist that has become very popular.

These would be perfect for quilters and other home-dec projects. They also don't have to be limited to children's things. Tea towels, placemats, and other things with a funky twist to them would be great. Nuno's prices are good, too. The Little Matryoshka print sells for about $5.00 per square.

Nika Stewart has an email that echoes some of the thoughts of KP in The Luxury Consumer Part 2: Interview With Kathie Pozarich

Stewart, Designer' Success Coach, tells us "if you want to run a successful design business, copy what successful designers are doing, and you'll achieve the same success." So, what are successful designers doing? How do they work, think, act? Here are Stewart's three traits that are common to successful designers:

Successful designers have systems
What do you do when a call comes in? When you measure a room? When you hire a contractor? Do you have specific steps to follow for every part of your business? Or do you wing it? I used to! But I learned that "winging it" leads to chaos and confusion, and you certainly can't grow from there. Successful designers handle each part of their business the same way every time. They follow a system for everything. Systems lead to consistency, organization, and effectiveness.

Successful designers study marketing
Unfortunately, being a terrific designer doesn't necessarily make you successful. In order to succeed in business, we need to be super marketers. Successful designers are either great at marketing, or they hire people who are. The most lucrative design firms actually spend more time and energy on marketing than they do on studying design.

Successful designers are detail- oriented
This may seem obvious, but are you doing it? Successful designers take care with every detail of the business - from all aspects of office work to each element of design projects. This doesn't mean they do it all themselves (in fact, profitable design companies delegate a lot of the details.), but they always make sure that every part of their business - down to the smallest details - supports their exceptional image.

Lots of great advice!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Klein Bottle House, Rye, Mornington Peninsula (outside Melbourne), Australia.

More photos, text and link, below.

TEXT:

The Klein bottle is a descriptive model of a surface developed by topological mathematicians. Klein bottle, mobius strips, boy surfaces, unique surfaces that while they may be distorted remain topologically the same. I.e. a donut will remain topologically a donut if you twist and distort it, it will only change topologically if it is cut.
The surfaces that mathematicians have developed hold intrigue for architects as they hold a promise of new spatial relationships and configurations. Technology (CAD) has played an important part in all this, it is now more possible to efficiently describe more complex shapes and spaces and communicate these to the build. Previously the more orthogonal means of communication ? plans, sections and elevations naturally encourage buildings which are more easily described in these terms, i.e. boxes.
This holiday house is situated on the Mornington Peninsula 1.5 hrs drive from Melbourne. It is located within the tee?tree on the sand dunes, a short distance from the wild 16th beach. From the outset MCR wanted a building that nestled within the tree line. That talked about journey and the playfulness of holiday time. What began as a spiral or shell like building developed into a more complex spiral, the Klein bottle. MCR were keen to be topologically true to the Klein bottle but it had to function as a home. We thought an origami version of the bottle would be achievable and hold some ironic fascination. (The resulting FC version also has a comforting relationship to the tradition of the Aussie cement sheet beach house).
The building (we think) is also within that tradition of the use of an experimental geometry that could be adapted to more suitably meet contemporary needs, and desires. In that sense it is within the heroic tradition of invigorating the very nature of the home, most notable of this tradition would be the great experimental heroic houses by Melbourne architects in the 50?s (McIntyre and Boyd in particular).
The house revolves around a central courtyard, a grand regal stair connecting all the levels. There is a sense of both being near and far to all occupants.
Its endless, curling shell-like quality particularly in the tee tree brings about a comforting togetherness.

Materials
Exterior: Metal sheet, Lysaght ?Cladding Profile? Night Sky / Fibre Cement Sheet/ ?Pomegranate?
Tretford Carpet / Bamboo Veneer (BT Bamboo, Eco Flooring Systems P/L)/ White Signorino Tiles/
Glass Mosaic Tile/ Paint colours: Elephant, Antique White 50%, Pearl Ash, Red Clown, Spanish
Olive, and Black

Klein Bottle House
Floor Area: 258m2 approx
Principal Architects: Rob McBride, Debbie-Lyn Ryan
Project team: Drew Williamson, Fang Cheah
Clients/Builders: Donna & Mark

McBride Charles Ryan, Architecture and Interiors

Are you frustrated by the limited color options out there for kitchen appliances? Not into stainless steel, white or black? Join the club. Reader Denise wrote to me, asking for some advice:
To help tackle Denise's appliance quandary, I brought in the help of the very talented and knowledgeable kitchen designer, Susan Serra, author of the blog The Kitchen Designer.
Take it away Susan!

Colored Appliances, it's all the rage now. Color is in our lives as never before, and has entered our kitchens, often with gusto! And, why not? We are loving our strong, pro, appliances and often want to showcase them in an equally strong way, or, for that matter, in a whimsical way. The rules for blending and matching color have been continually redefined, and not by the "experts" but by you. Individual expression now trumps "safe!"
Appliance manufacturers have gone color-crazy! We have purples, we have bronzes, many colors of blue and on and on.
I consider Viking to be a leader of color appliances, going back quite a few years now. Viking has only expanded their colors for their appliances year after year.
Aga, always into color, brought in a soft purple, called heather.
note: AGA discontinued the yellow and royal blue and added pillar box red which does not appear on their site
And one sees lots of color in retro appliances, such as the very cool Big Chill line of appliances. I'm not a retro fan, but this line is awesome.

And, talk about color? What about Blue Star? Sit down for this one...190 colors!

It's all good. Or, is it?

Of course, the appliance manufacturers would just love for you to buy a whole suite of appliances in the color of your choice. And, so, one will see this concept in manufacturer's advertising. But, wait, what happens if, down the road, one appliance needs to be replaced and that color is no longer available? Something to think about, to plan for.

Or, another elegant way to incorporate color, short of an entire suite of color, is to choose one appliance, perhaps the range, which may be situated as a focal point, and select a color that will be picked up elsewhere in the kitchen. Thus, the color is isolated, yet, significant. Yet, another idea is to have an appliance painted locally, via a special process just for appliances.
As the color story for 2008 moves toward nature, such as greens and blues, even elegant shades such as our old friends, black and white, take care not to follow trends solely because the colors look fresh and new. Appliances are not pillows...they may last you decades!

Here's my advice...follow your heart, keeping one foot solidly on the ground.

Added thanks to Danielle from Canton Kitchens for additional picture links

The LAX Series is Zen like furniture that is both refined and relaxed. It's sleek minimal lines are paired with beautiful wood for an organic looking modernism. The metal doors slide to give a multitude of storage and display options in this cleverly designed group of furniture.

: : found these wonderful and warm kitchen pieces by architect .knud kapper. for .hansen living. when I was browsing .inhabitat. today. beautiful pieces in oak, maple and teak. the first image is called an instant kitchen meant for studios and small apartments, just hook it up to water and electricity and you have a kitchen ready.

and I fell in love with the yellow on the walls in the last photo. I like the contrast between the yellow and white, and the yellow is so warm, reminds me of spring......or maybe I'm just in easter mode.

Upon the event that you are in West Hollywood this Saturday, put on your swankiest designer walking gear (ha!) and head to the 11th Annual Art & Design Walk. This is the must-do event on the calendar of style conscious Angelenos and is staged along Melrose Avenue and Robertson and Beverly Boulevards—the favorite shopping destinations for LA’s celebrity and design elite.

The skinny:

what: 11th Annual Avenues of Art & Design Art Walk, a mile long open house of over 300 fashion boutiques, interior design/furniture showrooms, fine art/antique galleries and restaurants. Over 90 events, including exclusive receptions, personal appearances, food and entertainment hosted by individual showrooms, shopping discounts and other special surprises.

where: Along Melrose Avenue, and Robertson and Beverly Boulevards

when: Saturday, May 31, 2008. 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

how much? Free! Meters on the Avenues will not be enforced during the event.

For the full scoop check out the Avenues of Art & Design website.

It was back in December that she had first heard of her.  Ingrid Pullar.  Ingrid was  photographing a story that the New York Times was running on Marrakech.   No slouch, in addition to the New York Times, she had taken photographs for Time Magazine. 

The blogging girl took one look at Ingrid's portfolio and emailed her.  The email didn't have to go far- - only to Casablanca where the Swedish photographer had lived for years.   Ingrid was friendly, and they exchanged a number of emails and phone calls.

Life hadn't been easy for the blogging girl recently, and so she turned to Ingrid's photos for beauty therapy.  Then she thought that perhaps, just perhaps,  you might be in need of a little beauty therapy, too...

*

Picking Moroccan saffron.  The poetic spice culled from an equally poetic flower.....

A tagine, the ubiquitous Moroccan stew seen bubbling all around the city.  Cooked in a conical dish by the same name.  So delicious.

Moroccan roses in a hammam bowl......... Morocco has valleys filled with roses.  No wonder that Moroccan souks are filled with rose soap, rose cream, and rose oil, made fresh.

JBL just launched a new set of speakers that are uniquely shaped to provide multiple installation options depending upon your space. They are called the Control Now speakers and they are priced at around $250 each ($280 for an outdoor version). The Control NOW speakers feature a quarter-round shape which means the speakers can be mounted between a ceiling and a wall or between two walls, or horizontally/vertically on the bookshelf, a few examples of how these speakers can be used you can see in the image below. The 8-Ohm speakers offer a frequency response from 80 Hz to 30 KHz, and can handle up to 300 Watts at peak, although 150 Watts is a more realistic maximum power. The speakers offer an integrated 2000 Hz crossover that divides the work between the main drivers and the 3/4-inch high-frequency horn, and they feature removable push terminals for connecting speaker cabling. You can buy them from here. - Via - Gearcrave & 71grandos

Post from: Interior Design, Home & House Design, Furniture

Anna introduced me to MOP, or Modern Organic Products. I first fell in love with the packaging design. Then, after doing some research, I learned that their curly hair products are well-reviewed. Now I own a trio of pretty-looking, yummy-smelling hair products. I don’t talk about beauty products much here, so I’m really posting about MOP for its lovely packaging design. If you’re interested in my results, contact me here.

http://www.mopproducts.com

Dazzling acrylic paintings by Brandy Saturley of Sol Sugar Designs here in Victoria... I showcased some of her colourful, curvaceous pieces from her Toe collection awhile back.
Literally a neighbour of mine (James Bay... yah!!), Brandy's art is incredibly vibrant and full of exquisite detail. She is inspired by the ocean and the colour blue which resonates as a dance of rigorous patterns throughout her pieces. So lively and whimsical... I adore her work.

I just heard from reader Casey, who wrote to give me the heads-up about a fabulous floral artist, David Stark, who created an amazing display for the Macy's Flower Show "Bouquet of the Day".
I'm told that most event designers participating in the event chose traditional interpretations of floral decor. David took it in a different direction with a birch paintbrush and 6-foot tower of red carnations and paint cans.
It's a pretty bold use of color in a space dominated by spring pastels. I want to know how on earth he got the paint brush to "hover" like that. Must be attached with strings to the ceiling, wouldn't you imagine?

Have you ever heard of the Macy's Flower Show? Evidently, it's a pretty big deal, with cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Minneapolis participating. It took place over the last two weeks (Sunday, March 16th – Sunday, March 30th).

Here are some pictures from this year's event:
Such edible colors, I love the bright oranges and yellows paired with the more subdued green.
Pink and green-you just can't go wrong with this pairing. I'm sure it was quite amazing in person.

one of my most favorite things to say is "i'm going home" ~ because it's one of my most favorite things to do. this afternoon i'll be flying out for a family-filled fun 4 days . . . . . and i'll be bringing exciting news along with me to share. in a few short hours, thanks to the modern marvel of 3-d ultrasound technology, i'll be able to see my lil' baby-peach again and hopefully, if it isn't too shy, we'll be able to see if it's a boy or a girl. to say that i'm excited is an understatement. ants in the pants doesn't begin to describe it. so much to look forward to wrapped up all in one day!
i wish you all a delightfully delicious memorial day weekend!

Just spent a few minutes browsing Etsy this morning and found this darling potential valentine's card. Lots of other "sweet" cards at this Etsy shop. Hmmm, I better get busy. Valentine's just around the corner. k

san francisco-based designer lisa neimeth just released a beautiful new collection of homemade “diner” plates. available in a wide range of rich, earthy colors (i love the deep orange hue), lisa’s diner plates are available at stores across the country, or via email at lisa’s site. want a little more lisa in your life? click here to check out lisa’s home and converted chicken coop studio.

I used to love shopping for stationery… But I swear the cash registers at Target and Trader Joe’s are the only places I check out in person anymore, mostly due to my 3-foot shopping companion, whose idea of fun is removing absolutely every product from the shelves. Trust me, this type of behavior is not conducive to picking out a belated birthday card. Then a few months ago, my favorite stationery designer Cheree Berry told me about Redstamp.com, an online boutique that truly mimics the go-to neighborhood stationery shop?where the owners source all the best current designers (Cheree, of course, plus Thomas Paul, Snow & Graham, Egg Press, Russell + Hazel, Night Owl Paper Goods and dozens more), and will actually talk to you in person if you have pressing questions (no 1-800 number here).

As busy moms and business women, the owners Erin and Renee understand that service is as important as style, and that’s where Redstamp soars in my book. You just can’t top their “send for you” service, where an anonymous someone with impeccable penmanship will hand-write, hand-address, and mail your cards for you. Definitely worth an extra $5 if that belated birthday card is at risk of hitting way-beyond-belated status. ? Megan K.

Välkomna på vernissage på manos torsdag 24 april kl 16-19. Vi bjuder på vin och choklad! Hitta hit.

Our latest reader design dilemma from Sarah on the Chesapeake Bay. This one is a little different because the space is still under construction, so you'll have to use your imagination!

I have a loft-like space (a large living/bedroom above the garage) near the Chesapeake Bay. The room has high vaulted ceilings (about 10 feet, though of course the peak is higher), lots of windows, and board and batten extending to 7 feet on the walls. The space has windows on all sides, so gets plenty of light. There is a desk/bookcase unit that divides the space into living and sleeping areas. The furnishings are going to be low and modern.

The space, under construction

In terms of color, I was thinking of a soft grey/blue for the 7ft board & batten section of the walls (something along the lines of Boothbay Gray from Benjamin Moore) and a deeper color above that extending up across the ceiling (perhaps Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy). The color would extend throughout the space (only the bathroom will be different). I will also need an accent color for the central bookcase/desk and the trim.

Alternatively, if we decide not to paint the ceiling, perhaps the Hale Navy for the central bookcase/desk. I would love some more color options for the walls, trim, and central architectural component.

Is this a workable scheme? Or would a dark ceiling feel too oppressive? Do you have any color suggestions? -Sarah

Here are my initial thoughts on Sarah's dilemma. Some things to consider:

1.) How are you going to use the space(s)?

In Sarah's case, it's a multi-use space, with one side dedicated to sleeping, and the other for living. So, given that each side of the space has it's own purpose, it makes sense to divide the space with appropriate colors for each end. This will visually set up the two sides, as well as emphasize the desired mood for each space.

2.) What are the architectural needs of the space(s)?
This expansive loft space has a high peaked roof. If she paints the ceiling dark, it will achieve one effect, while if she paints it light, it will present a totally different solution. Does she want to emphasize the ceiling, drawing attention to it's "loftiness" with a light hue, or does she prefer to make the space feel cozy and intimate, and visually erase the ceiling with a dark tone?

*There is no one right answer, as everyone has different design goals.
For example, here's a really bad picture I shot at my favorite little gelato shop in Baltimore (yum!). They have soft custard yellow walls, and jet black ceilings that just simply disappear. It works really well in this scenario.
As for colors, each one will have a different effect, depending upon the particular space. What looks bright and fresh in one space might appear dark and somber in another. If you have enough light in a space, it will be able to hold darker colors like Hale Navy.
As a rule of thumb, the spaces you see in glossy magazines are generally professionally lit and styled, so don't take the color you see in print to be the same you'll see once it's up on your walls. Always take the chip home, or paint a 2x2' test board first.
Gray is a tricky character, and will shift depending upon the type of light you get, as well as what it's up against. There are cool grays, warm grays, brown grays, blue grays, green grays... the list goes on. So be sure to look at it's undertone to make sure that's the look you are going for.

What else can I offer... I'd like to get everyone else's opinions and design suggestions on this dilemma. What would you suggest?

Dear reader, I changed the RSS feed for my blog.

For further updates from At Home with Kim Vallee, please use the following feed:
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Thank you.

Merci bien for your kind words and comments on manos! I'm just enjoying all this so much, it feels like things are falling into place and it feels really inspiring. I guess you've seen Camilla's preview of our collaboration? We're having so much fun with it!! I'm struggling with the large ...

...wondering what I am talking about?

Today I am sharing with you not one but two great spaces which have got imprinted on my mind ever since I saw them a couple of days ago. The first on, is designer Jivi Sethi's ultra-stylish residence in Assagao in Goa.Jivi Sethi's home which is featured in Vogue Magazine, this month is an eclectic blend of antique objets d'art with contemporary furniture. He has styled his home with loads of glass, mirrors & chandeliers. I love the way he had brought in the old goan charm by using antique chandeliers, old wine bottles & loads of floral arrangements:-)Look at the fusion of antique goan wooden cupboard with contemporary glass & lacquer coffee table designed by him:-)
Flowers everywhere...*sigh* Love the way he floats the 'Parijat' flowers with the orange stalk upwards adding colour & texture to the arrangementAnother thing striking is the use of vibrant colours, his home is filled with art from his friends blending in with his own pieces of heirloom from his family home in Amritsar & Delhi.There is something fun, colourful, vibrant & eclectic in this space which reflects the personality of this very creative & stylish designer.