Have fun with your house

Never underestimate the value of having fun in your home. It's your castle, build it the way you want to live. Maybe it's an atrium that you love, or an elevator so you don't have to climb up the stairs. Maybe it's a beautiful mural that transports you to another place. It doesn't really matter what it is that makes you happy but the value of something that makes you happy is priceless.

There are several companies that do some really cool unexpected things...hidden doors, that lead to secret stairways or rooms. Fireplaces where the backwall turns around and is an entrance to another space. A portrait that opens up to reveal another room.

Another really cool find, a staircase/slide. http://gizmodo.com/009866/spiral-stair-slide. What a great way to get up in the morning...don't take the stairs, take the slide and get some adrenaline going. Great idea for kids too, they'll be going down it all day.

Have some fun! Be daring, adventurous. You're house doesn't have to look like everyone else's on the block. You are a unique individual and your home should reflect the things that make you unique.

Cool Faucet

The Pasadena Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers is always working towards education and making it's members aware of new products on the market and their benefits. I went to a meeting this week and they had a couple of really fun items. One was a kitchen faucet that you can turn on and off by touching it anywhere on the spout or the temp control. This is neat and techy for many people but that's not the only benefit. Yes, it also makes life easier and makes using your sink faster. However, it is also really great for Universal Design. Imagine if you had really bad arthritis or if you didn't have as much control over your hands, this would be a huge change in your life. It would eliminate a great deal of pain. The faucet is by delta. http://www.deltafaucet.com.

There's no place like home

Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz taught us all that there’s “no place like home”. There’s great power to the word home. What does “Home” mean to you? Is it a bed, your sink, your shower, a favorite blanket, a favorite picture or vase? We all have something that whether it’s an apartment, a condo, a house or an estate, that something makes it home. It’s what we miss when we go on a trip.

For many people “home” means a house. I remember how excited I was to get out of an apartment and buy MY house. Suddenly something just fell into place, a part of me that had been missing was there. It wasn’t my dream house, but I had a mailbox right on my own porch. It’s the little things that are important. After years of living in an apt and having to walk to get the mail, that was something that I wasn’t going to budge on. The fireplace, attached garage, fancy kitchen all had to go. But I got the mailbox. Next time we will work on the fireplace and attached garage. I did create a fantastic kitchen in this house and that can be done again. For me, a house is about good bones. The colors and fixtures can change. It always amuses me on these shows where they are house hunting and they don’t like the house because the bedroom is a bad color or the bathroom sink is ugly. These are easy fixes. If you like the layout, paint is easily changed. Kitchen and bath remodels are big projects but if the rest of the house has good bones, those can be repaired eventually.

For someone else a dream house could be an amazing view. Some people are very connected to the outside and if there are a lot of windows and an incredible view, other details may less important. However if you put them in a home with no windows, they will wilt like a flower with no sun.

Making a house a home is important. Adding your own personal touch that makes it look like you. Maybe it’s as simple as a picture or your favorite chair. Maybe it’s painting a color on the wall that makes you feel comfortable. Add some draperies, or throw pillows. A room should create a feeling, if you have a busy work life, then maybe you need your home to provide some calm for you. Are you a writer or do something creative? You need a space to inspire you. Do you want a more romantic bedroom? Maybe a living room meant more for entertaining. All of these are possible. Your home should reflect how you live

Our homes are mirrors of ourselves and a place we look for refuge and inspiration. Everyone has a different item that gives them that peace. When the whole room and/or home is designed with these thoughts in mind it is a place that can nourish you, calm you down, inspire you, give you whatever you need to take on the world. So yes, Dorothy, there is no place like home, because home is where your heart is.

chairman of the board

In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair. Chairs were very expensive and not everyone could have one.
Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used
for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was
usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit
in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one
sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the
expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'