A DEVELOPER who made alterations to two houses he was building without submitting new plans is set to be granted retrospective planning permission.

Garage spaces were converted into extra living accommodation at the plots in Blinkbonny Gardens in Breich, West Lothian. And separate detached garages were built for each house without permission.

An objector to the application was concerned that the new garage would be accessed from a private road, over which the applicant did not have right of access. Read more…

A DESIGN for a new home inspired by the work of three of the great architects of the 20th century is set to be refused by city planners.

The house, earmarked to be built in the grounds of the A-listed Belmont House, Murrayfield, was based upon the styles of top architects Mies van de Rohe, Le Corbusier and Adolf Loos.

But council planning chiefs, who are set to consider the Ellersly Road proposal at a meeting this week, have recommended the application is refused. Read more…

Alberto Alessi always dreamed of becoming an architect. Instead, he joined the family firm—upscale Italian homewares company Alessi—and did the next best thing: hired them. In his 36 years as CEO, Alberto has tapped some of world’s best known architects, transforming Alessi from a manufacturer of boring stainless steel tableware into a design powerhouse. “Architects are our source of inspiration,” says Alberto.

It was Alberto’s desire to “do something a little less boring” that brought the brand into the avant garde. Founded in 1921 by Alberto’s grandfather Giovanni, the business began as metalworks factory, manufacturing basic copper, brass, and nickel-plated tableware. But Alberto’s decision to enlist some of the world’s best-known artists and architects including Salvador Dali, Michael Graves, Aldo Rossi, and Philippe Starck helped Alberto and the company turn everyday household items into attention-grabbing works of art—albeit at tabletop scale. Read more…

Jeffersonville’s move to a new government building on Aug. 7 is shaping up to reflect two decorating styles — one with new furniture and one without.

The seven members of the City Council have agreed to spend about $21,350 to outfit their new personal offices with cherry-laminate desks, vinyl chairs and bookcases.

And Clerk-Treasurer Peggy Wilder has ordered $54,000 worth of furniture, including mahogany end tables, a three-seat sofa and desks.

But Mayor Rob Waiz said in an interview that other areas of government — including the city engineer, the planning and zoning office and the building commissioner — will be asked to haul their current furniture to the new building at Quartermaster Station on 10th Street. Read more…

Melanie Messenger worked in her grandmother’s drapery and upholstery shop when she was a preteen.

Now a grandmother herself, Messenger, of Wilmington, decided she needed a second career. She will graduate from Joliet Junior College’s interior design program in December.

Before she does so, though, she and five other students in the program were able to get some real-life experience.

Six students from the program collaborated with Ivy Home Builders to decorate the Garnet model, which will be included in this weekend’s Springbank Cavalcade of Homes in Plainfield.

Eleven homes will be showcased, including one ranch house. Read more…

Plan your home office carefully and enjoy the best of both worlds. Jodie Thomson looks at the three most common scenarios.

It’s no longer a luxury or something only for people who work from home. These days, a computer is an essential home appliance, along with the colour TV, dishwasher and microwave. More than two-thirds of Australian households had a computer at home in 2005, the Australian Bureau of Statistics says, and more people are working from home than ever before.

But all this creates a tangle of design dilemmas - where do you put the computer and all the gear that goes with it? And how do you make it all blend with your interiors so it’s not just a slice of the corporate world? Read more…

After World War II, redecorating a house became cheaper and easier thanks to the invention of vinyl, which remains the cheapest flooring available and the easiest to install. The only problem is that vinyl is so durable that it’s nonbiodegradable. Besides, the manufacture of it creates dioxins, one of the deadliest toxins on the planet. Today, the world’s landfills are bursting with over 300 billion pounds of vinyl waste, which is impossible to dispose of without releasing dangerous pollutants. With its low cost, along with its tendency to lose shine and show scuff marks, vinyl flooring is often replaced without much thought. However, since the mid-1990s, when home restoration became a national pastime, good old-fashioned natural linoleum has been making a steady comeback. Read more…

Sloth, gluttony, covetousness … those seven deadly sins are so over. According to the Bishop of London, what’s really wicked now are holiday flights and gas-guzzling cars. But Lucy Mangan has other ideas

It is a sin to cause misery to others, you would agree, yes? And yet I bet that at this very moment you are sitting on a train or in an office where people can clearly see your - jeez, I dread to think - snub nose? Crow’s-feet? Spludged thighs? Small tits? I’m sorry, I can’t go on, I’m feeling quite sick.

Sicker still when I think how easily this could all be remedied, how swiftly the aesthetic suffering of multitudes could be alleviated by just a few surgical procedures or voluntary ingestions of poisons, if you would just summon the necessary moral fibre - and £10,000 - to erase these hideous signs of human variation and imperfection. Read more…

Properties are not getting multiple offers and selling within hours of listing anymore. Things have calmed down a bit across most of the country, and properties are now sitting on the market. The traditional method of listing your property with a real estate agent and waiting for people to buy isn’t going to cut it anymore, unless you price very aggressively.

What can you do? The market has gotten a bit cold - showing a definite slowdown. If you insist on hollding out for top dollar, you may get a bit creative Read more…

‘Carpets are a quick, hassle-free and comparatively cost-effective solution for most Dubai residents who are constantly on the move and looking for temporary yet modern home decorating solutions,’ says Raj Jhaveri, Designer at MyDesign Centre, the design centre of IDdesign at Mall of the Emirates.

From fine paintings, glass art, antique furniture, decorative lamps to vibrant shades of dining ware, carpets are yet another way of giving your home an uplifting look without actually burning a hole in your pocket. At the same time, it can enhance the feel of your home and be a statement of your personality. Read more…