Diva Design Diary

By Holly Peterson

Diva Design Diary is about bringing the latest interior design trends and tips to our existing clients, as well as future clients...enjoy!

Another Round

By Holly Peterson

Uhuru Reclaimed Barrel Table

Some bourbon barrels find second lives moonlighting as flower planters or scotch casks. Some get tossed. And occasionally, a very lucky some make their way to Red Hook, Brooklyn to be up-cycled by Uhuru, an environmentally conscientious furniture company that utilizes the ends of the unwanted barrels to make their Cant End Table (above). Shipped from Bardstown, Kentucky (the bourbon capital of the world), the solid white oak is sturdy and quite stunning after it’s gone through the aging and bourbon-making processes. Add a little black steel and the result is a great table that is just one of the many fine pieces born of Uhuru’s desire to use “reclaimed, recycled, re-purposed, reused or otherwise rejected” materials whenever possible. It's also the only way some can be near bourbon without getting a hangover, so it's thumbs up from me.

See the entire line of reclaimed furniture at uhurudesign.com

Cool Concept: Wooden Bath Tubs

By Holly Peterson

One more thing that makes me HAPPY!
Check out these very cool bath tubs... Does it get more zen than this?

WS Bath Collections

WS Bath Collections


Hopfoot


Please contact Design Diva Interiors for more information.

Outside The Box

By Holly Peterson

Jason Schneider Cardboard Furniture

It’s easy to see the holes through the whole cardboard-furniture trend – most designs resemble our weekly recycling collections more than they do furniture and the rest seems awfully overpriced for things made of a material most of us deem worthless. But these misconceptions are what Colorado-based Jason Schneider is trying to dispel with his handmade corrugated cardboard furniture. Schneider uses the undulating patterns of stacked cardboard to mimic the patterns found in natural wood. The result: neat little chests and funky drawers that convert a throw away material into something really worth looking at. Made of uncoated cardboard and wood varnished with natural milk paint, the pieces are not only chemical-free but also recyclable. How’s that for thinking outside the box?

To learn more visit JasonSchneiderfurniture.com

A Kitchen "Fit For A Minimalist"

By Holly Peterson

A Kitchen "Fit For A Minimalist"


Also known as the Kitchen Workshop, Bulthaup’s new b2 system consists of a workbench and two wooden boxes. At once beautiful and austere—–even monastic—–it melds a Shakerlike simplicity with a rigorous approach to storage calibrated down to the last espresso cup. Opened up, the boxes are the kitchen. Closed, they’re a sculptural installation.

The Appliance Cabinet contains the oven, dishwasher, and European-scale fridge (American behemoths may need to chill outside the box). The Tool Cabinet unfolds like a magician’s trunk to reveal deeper and deeper layers for utensils, dishware, and food. The workbench—–a kind of freestanding island—–may be customized with various cooktop and sink modules and with materials such as stone for baking and wood for chopping. Rolling garbage carts reside respectfully below.

Like many things that appear simple on the surface, the b2 may demand too great a level of discipline for some. If you’re the type who leaves no pot unsullied when concocting your signature paella, you may wish to manage chaos containment with a more forgiving system. (Ditto if you are one to collect stray bits of crockery.) However, as something to aspire to, the b2—–with its reassuring message that there’s a place for everything and everything has its place—–exists in a league of its own.


To find a Bulthaup dealer near you visit Bulthaup.com

Showering Can Be FUN!

By Holly Peterson

A shower should be something that you look forward to,
so why not maximize the FUN with fixtures like these...


The above fixtures can be found @ Brizo

Please contact Design Diva Interiors to speak with a designer
about YOUR options for a new "Shower Plan".

Kohler....Brilliant!

By Holly Peterson

This message is to commend Kohler for coming up with clever ways of advertising...
I LOVE what they've done with these ads... Absolutely brilliant!



To see more visit Kohler or look for their ads in your magazines!
I don't know about you, but I'm specifying Kohler on my next kitchen and/or bath remodel!

How Hot Are These?

By Holly Peterson

I'm always amazed at the furniture designs that today's artists are coming up with.
So much that I had to post these pics...




If these aren't sexy then I don't know what is?!

To view more please visit FY2K or contact Design Diva Interiors on how to order!

Eco Wallcoverings

By Holly Peterson

Graham & Brown Eco Wallcoverings


Wallpaper has come a long way since grandma’s house. Oranges and browns have given way to hipper hues and florals have graduated from daisies to more sophisticated peonies, mums, and fleurs de lis. Most importantly, gone are the VOC-, solvent-laden vinyls and in are the greener options like Graham & Brown’s Eco Wallcoverings. Their whimsical designs are printed on paper from managed timber sources using water-
based inks and produced in waste-to-energy plants that use heat from burned rubbish to help fuel production. That way, Graham & Brown keeps toxins both out of your homes and the atmosphere. All you have to do is unroll, apply a non-toxic paste (that you can make yourself using flour, alum, and a few drops of clove oil), and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive, healthy, easy-peasy way to jazz up any room.

Find a print to match your pad at grahambrown.com

New Televisions are SKINNIER & SMARTER

By Holly Peterson

Slim profiles

There's no such thing as too thing. Really. Today's flat panels just keep getting thinner, with many new models of LCD TV's measuring just a half-inch thick. (Sharp Aquos is shown here.) Lighter weight and easier to mount on a wall, these beauties have the added benefit of being better for the environment. Using fewer raw materials and packaging products helps streamline production and shipping, reducing the overall carbon footprint of the product. Even the bulkier plasma TVs are getting trimmer, with Panasonic introducing a model that's just 1 inch thick.
These newest TVs offer even sharper pictures, too. Companies have increased what they call the "refresh rate" on LCD TVs, meaning the images are clearer, brighter, and truer than ever.


Internet on the big(ger) screen
For a while now, we've been able to watch on a computer content that was originally intended for TV viewing. Now, companies have reversed that path as downloadable content comes to the TV. The coming year will bring widgets to the TV screen. (Panasonic with Viera Cast interface, above.) Widgets are those icons on the bottom of a computer screen you click to launch a program or application. Remote controls offer easy navigation of onscreen menus, but this is not a workspace desktop. The icons and content are specifically geared toward entertainment and customized content. TVs and computers are far from interchangeable, and none of these new screens are true open platforms. All depend on partnerships with companies like Yahoo! for customized weather reports and news feeds. Even better, Netflix, Cinema Now, and Blockbuster are pairing up with TV manufacturers to deliver movies directly to your TV.


Smart and green
Just about every electronics company has some kind of eco message. Most are touting TVs that consume less power, based largely on smarter technology. Others have features that let the TV sense the lighting in a room and adjust accordingly so colors are truer, contrast better, and the TV doesn't have to work as hard, using less power. Sony's Bravia Eco TV (shown here) goes one step further: A motion detector senses if there's been no movement in a room for more than 30 minutes and turns off the TV. According to the company, it's so sensitive that there's little chance that even a true couch potato will ever be inert enough to risk shutting off the television.
Companies are pledging to reduce emissions, make better use of sustainable resources, and expand recycling programs. New battery technology holds promise for greener power sources, too, with solar cells popping up on portable devices.

Back to Black: How to Make Black Walls Work

By Holly Peterson

Black is the new white...
Check out the latest on how to achieve a stunning look with black (yes, black) walls!
Learn more @ Sherwin-Williams

HUNTER DOUGLAS Promotion...Ends 4/30/09!

By Holly Peterson

Don't let energy dollars escape through your windows.
SAVE WITH HUNTER DOUGLAS.

SAVE $50-$300
PER WINDOW ON
ENERGY-EFFICIENT
WINDOW FASHIONS
(10 max per product)

OFFER ENDS APRIL 30, 2009!

Participating products may include:
DUETTE VERTIGLIDE HONEYCOMB SHADES
LUMINETTE PRIVACY SHEERS
SKYLINE GLIDING WINDOW PANELS
SILHOUETTE WINDOW SHADINGS
PIROUETTE WINDOW SHADINGS
DUETTE ARCHITELLA
VIGNETTE MODERN ROMAN SHADES

Please contact Design Diva Interiors to get your Hunter Douglas Quote TODAY!

Barking Up The Right Tree

By Holly Peterson

Renewable Forestry Furniture

If you've ever wanted a puppy, but haven't had the time or space for one, this is perfect! You can satisfy your dog-owning dreams with Proteak’s Pack of Dogs teak furniture. The canine-shaped wood pieces come in different sizes and poses and can be used as shelves, benches, bookends, stools, or whatever else you command. While they’re not exactly the cuddliest things, they are really good at “sit” and “stay” and help absorb CO2 emissions from nearly 15,000 cars a day. See, Proteak is also a 7,000-acre organic forest built on Mexican reclaimed ranch land. Besides planting a tree for every one it cuts down, Proteak also makes it a priority to protect the 1,000 acres of virgin tropical forest that surround their plantation. Not a bad day's work for people who make wooden puppies named after Mexican wrestlers, eh?

Meet Aguayo (left) and friends at proteak.com

Join The Club

By Holly Peterson

Green Your Home with sierraclubgreenhome.com

It’s nice to be proud of your home. That’s why you clean the bathroom and fluff the cushions. But if you go through such lengths to keep your house looking clean, why wouldn't you put in the extra effort to make sure it’s running clean as well? Chances are, you just don’t know where to start. Well, whether you are still learning about CFLs or shopping for solar panels, the Sierra Club is here to help. Their robust new site, sierraclubgreenhome.com, boasts everything you’d need to green your home – a carbon counter, educational literature, a video library, a database of nearly 1,000 service providers in 47 states, and more. Whether they succeed as the WebMd of the green-home world remains to be seen. But they definitely know more than the high-school kid working at Home Depot.

Spruce up your home @ sierraclubgreenhome.com

The Big Bam...Bamboo!

By Holly Peterson

Greenington Bamboo Furniture

Get bamboo, not bamboozled, the next time you're in the market for new furniture. There are many eco-friendly options out there but the best type of furniture for you remains the kind made from the quick-growing, air-purifying mighty bamboo plant. Unlike other comparable hardwoods, bamboo emits 35 percent more oxygen. That means less carbon dioxide in your home, more room for you to breathe. For those seeing flashes of ugly wicker-looking furniture in your future, don’t panic until you've checked out the fine bamboo pieces by Washington-based Greenington. From clean and simple dining sets to Zen-inspired end tables, each piece is made using maturated Moso bamboo that is 20 to 100 percent more durable than oak. Furniture that will not only make you feel better but actually last longer is definitely something to breathe easy about.

Learn more at bambooathomes.com

FURNITURE SAMPLE SALE IN L.A.

By Holly Peterson

1933 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90007

Don't miss this fabulous opportunity to browse the exclusive trade showrooms of the L.A. Mart Design Center during their special sales event and purchase designer furnishings for the home at up to 70% off!!!


Designer Preview (Contact me if you'd like to go before the general public)
Friday, April 17, 2009
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Open to the public
Saturday, April 18, 2009
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

&

Sunday, April 19, 2009
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Admission $10
Parking $5

Finally...A SMART Wiring Solution...NO WIRES!

By Holly Peterson

For all the children and adults that forget to turn the lights OFF when leaving a room/home...


LEVITON WIRELESS OCCUPANCY SENSOR
Read more @: Leviton.com

How to GO GREEN!

By Holly Peterson


Check out these super savvy & helpful tips on GOING GREEN...
GO-Green-GO!