Tiles come in a variety of colors and sizes and you can do a great deal to incorporate your favorite color into a stylish design. Contemporary decorating bathroom ideas put the emphasis on a sleek, streamlined look, and a minimalist design. The size and arrangement of your bathroom tiles should be your next consideration. Bathroom tiles can be made from ceramics, glass, stone, metal and other natural materials. A modern bathroom could have mirrored tiles or designer italian glass tiles for a contemporary finish. (more…)
M ost of us have had the experience of visiting a home that exudes so much warmth and coziness that we curl up on the sofa and find ourselves falling asleep.
But what is it that makes guests feel comfortable and want to linger? Is it the inviting colors, the clutter-free surfaces or the lively conversations around the kitchen table?
And how can you get that feeling in your home? You’ve painted the walls, purchased some decent furniture and hung some art on the walls and bought accents from Ikea and Pier 1 Imports, but you silently wonder, “Why doesn’t my place feel like that?”
Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, author of “Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure” (Bantam Dell, $14), says making your apartment or house feel more homey doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. The solution could be as simple as re-arranging your furniture for better air flow, deep cleaning, cooking more often and adding small touches such as displaying fresh-cut flowers and burning candles. (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. (more…)
A prototype dream bath, designed for Sarah Ferguson and with her help, is a beautiful private spa, a haven of pure relaxation. The Duchess of York, once married to England’s Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth, is a mother of two and an international spokeswoman for Weight Watchers.
For her, bathroom luxury means a huge free-standing tub on its own platform, a doorless walk-in shower big enough for two — with a sizable bench — and a comfortable chair to relax in after bathing. She worked with interior designer Ingrid Leess to outfit this display bathroom with everything she would want in a pampering retreat. (more…)
The human home is now just as much the dog’s. Homeowners who are building or remodeling have taken to considering their pets’ needs as much as they do those of their biped family members, turning “pet-friendly decorating” into industry buzzwords.
This is about more than stylish dog beds that cost upward of $350; this is about stain-resistant fabrics, scratch-resistant flooring, colors that match a pooch’s coat, or out-and-out design and architectural elements.
In Chris Rudolph’s case, the Chicago architect put in “dog overlooks” and a “Doggy Detox,” a large porcelain-tiled shower with hand-held showerhead, when building his Michigan home. (more…)
