http://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-home-pinterest-100-story.html
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How I Get More Done 2 Days Than Most People Do In 2 Weeks
There’s one thing that I do better than most people.
I’m not smarter than most people. I’m not more talented. I don’t have some Ivy League education. I don’t get a lot of lucky breaks.
But it’s not a real secret. I’ve taken the time to research productivity hacks, and use some of the most advanced …
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Pinterest predictions: The top 10 home and design trends for 2017
Pinterest, the online visual-bookmarking website, has revealed the Pinterest 100, a prediction of 100 design and lifestyle trends that are expected to rock our world in the year ahead.
Trends are identified according to their percentage of year-over-year growth in popularity, which is based on the number of times the ideas have been searched, saved and shared on the site.
In the Home category alone, Pinterest users have saved more than 8 billion ideas to their virtual inspiration boards — and in doing so provided a glimpse into how they want their homes to look and feel.
“The first overarching trend we’re seeing is that homes are moving more toward a warm, lived-in feel and away from the minimalist feel,” said Stephanie Kumar, the head of category insight at Pinterest, “and the second is an emerging trend that borrows from fashion. It’s an intersection of personal and home style.”
The No. 1 trend is hygge referring to the Danish word (pronounced “hue-gah”) that means a feeling of warmth, welcome and coziness in a home that celebrates simple pleasures, family and friends.
“We have seen clean, Scandinavian design in the past,” said Kumar of the blockbuster style, “but now we’re seeing that look pivot to incorporate rich textures and faux furs to make the home warmer and more inviting.”
As for fashion influences, they are being injected via copper and marbleized finishes, Lucite accessories and deep, moody colors.
“Copper is something we’re seeing as an offshoot of fashion’s rose gold,” said Kumar, “and we’re also seeing marble wallpaper. Marble is having a moment in everything from computer covers and phone cases to tabletops and picture frames. And now we’re also seeing it on the walls as an accent.”
“There is definitely a departure away from minimalism,” said Kumar, “and we’re seeing a move toward more approachable, muted tones, textures and designs.”
The following are 10 trends the Pinterest populace has identified as home design goals for 2017, plus a few of the many retailers and designers bringing it all to life:
No. 1. Hygge
Danish-inspired coziness that revels in the beauty of everyday moments and is sometimes referred to as “the art of creating intimacy.” Think: candles, cozy throws, faux-fur accessories, simple comforts and good company. Tavi Mongolian faux-fur stool, $249. potterybarn.com
No. 2. Nightstands
New nightstands can transform a bedroom with minimal investment. Devon Campaign bedside table, $399. potterybarn.com
No. 3. Marble wallpaper
Marbleized wallpaper interprets fashion trends for home. Here’s one we like at theartofwallpaper.com, prices available upon request.
No. 4. Indoor plants
Climbing vines and potted plants add life to any interior. A little TLC can yield impressive results. Brown thumb? Consider adopting a pothos vine. Designer Kathryn J. LeMaster created this lush, interior landscape.
No. 5. Copper
Borrowing from fashion’s rose gold trend, copper offers a similarly warm, burnished look for the home. Winding Course table lamp, $248. anthropologie.com
No. 6. Moody blues
Representing a departure from last year’s sleek, white-on-white interiors, moody blues and rich, dark colors — such as these, from Benjamin Moore — are making a comeback.
No. 7. Wood tile
Here’s a popular DIY project: Rustic or reclaimed wood boards installed on walls, backsplashes, kitchen islands and more. Chip and Lisa McCarthy used reclaimed wood to create rustic charm in their Long Beach home office.
No. 8. Heated floors
Radiant heat sources installed beneath the flooring keep toes cozy and provide an environmentally conscious alternative. The radiant heat installed beneath this master bathroom’s modern, concrete flooring was designed by Cornerstone Architects.
No. 9. Acrylic decor
Clear Lucite home furnishings and accessories create a sense of style and work well in small spaces. Oscarine Lucite bar cart, $698. anthropologie.com
No. 10. Farmhouse chic
Classic shapes, rustic simplicity and natural materials celebrate country-inspired elegance. Warm wood walls and a cowhide-covered chair evoke urban country style in this master bedroom, also designed by Cornerstone Architects.
Day Trip lidded baskets conjur images of country romance. $39.50-$149. potterybarn.com
For more musings on all things home design and lifestyle follow me on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome.
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15 smart home gadgets you can set up in 15 minutes or less
homify's Garden Ideas of The Year 2016
We think a few of you have been waiting for this; our top picks of all the garden projects we saw in 2016.
We talked a lot about gardens, including maintenance, creative ideas and protection for the colder months, but there were always a few wonderful projects that simply wouldn’t leave our mind. This must be what it feels like to have the brain of a landscape architect!
If you have some firm favourites, let us know what they are, but for now here are our top picks!
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With these tricks, your home could be clean in just 3 hours!
With everything tidied away, you need to start with your dusting. Always do this first, as by the time you’ve finished, any rogue particles will have settled, which means you can grab the vacuum cleaner! Give curtains a cursory once over with an attachment before moving in to your sofa and finally, the floor. If you have wood flooring, you might want to mop as well, but always do this last!
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5 kitchen renovations to inspire your creativity
If you are tired of that boring and ugly, dreary kitchen that you inherited from the previous home owner, but you aren’t quite sure where to
begin with your kitchen revamp, then this homify feature is ideal for you. Our interior designers have considered the easiest ways to revamp that old cooking
space with lighter, brighter and sleeker ideas to get your home more
comfortable and elegant. The 5 kitchen renovations we look at today are sure to
inspire you… let’s see how!
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My Houzz: Calm Prevails in a Light-Filled Sydney Apartment (21 photos)
Photos by Ryan Linnegar
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Renjie Teoh
Location: Darlinghurst neighborhood of Sydney
Size: 678 square feet (63 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
Teoh, pictured, found his apartment in mid-February 2014. “I couldn’t believe my luck. A location to die for, top-floor position, rather spacious, and, despite the apartment looking rather tired and dated, it presented great redesign potential and a chance for me to leave my architectural mark,” Teoh says.
Teoh loved that many of the original 1970s features were still intact. The restored Georgian-style cornices, architraves and four large sash windows were particularly alluring. Aside from the kitchen and bathroom, however, the apartment was laid in thick navy-blue carpet. The unit was also in poor shape due to years of neglect.
The apartment’s inefficient floor plan also needed modernizing. Despite its large overall size, the bedroom was too big in relation to the living and dining rooms, and a tiny kitchen was squeezed into a corner.
Teoh gutted and renovated the apartment for about $80,000, including appliances and fixtures, before he moved in.
Recast sofa bed in Sand Begum fabric: Innovations; blue ottoman: Zanui; coffee table: Freedom Furniture; rug: Hali
Eco-conscious Teoh used dimmable LED lighting throughout the apartment, and had energy-efficient Aeratron ceiling fans installed. “Ceiling fans work very well in Sydney’s climate, and are perfect for passive ventilation and cooling in summer while providing assistance to heating in winter,” Teoh says.
Oslo mirror: OZ Design Furniture; goblet on stand: National Palace Museum shop in Taipei, Taiwan; pair of Japanese Bizen-style sake bottles: gift from a friend
Teoh’s biggest splurge in the renovation was the floating Tasmanian oak floor he laid throughout the apartment at a cost of about $22,000.
Eames dining table and Saarinen Organic chairs: Glicks Replica & Designer Furniture
The apartment receives lovely natural light, one of Teoh’s favorite things about the home. “Whenever I spend time at home, whether on weekends or if I work from home, I just appreciate the way soft daylight filters through the tree canopy outside and in through the four large windows,” he says.
Side table and shelving: Ikea
Teoh’s Chinese heritage is reflected in the home’s decor. The staggered built-in bookcase is decorated with traditional teapots, origami sculptures made by Teoh, architectural figurines and flower stalks.
The bonsai and pebbles placed on the windowsill give the apartment a dose of personality.
The single-wall kitchen from Ikea cost $4,400. Teoh says he felt lucky to find a design with a rough-cut, oak-veneer finish that works well with the Tasmanian oak flooring.
The Ikea cabinetry system is designed in standard-width modules and is compatible with most other manufacturers’ built-in appliances, sinks and plumbing fixtures. This made it simple and more economical to fit into a space than a custom design, Teoh says.
A Japanese-style sliding door connects the hallway to the bedroom, and stream-lined built-in closets provide ample storage.
Natural light floods into the bedroom, which Teoh decorated in neutral tones to create a calming atmosphere.
Studio love seat in Arena Cement fabric and Aberdeen Ivory blockout curtain: Freedom Furniture; Guido upholstered bed frame: Iniko; throw pillow on bed: West Elm
Bedside table: Freedom Furniture
The bathroom had a preexisting skylight thanks to its location on the top floor, which makes it a bright and airy space.
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Room of the Day: A Media Room With Mystery and Moody Details (8 photos)
Photos by JVLphotography
Basement at a Glance
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Size: 1,040 square feet (96.6 square meters)
Designer: Norm Lecuyer of Just Basements
The homeowner wanted a retreat in which to watch the big game and relax with friends, but Lecuyer and his team fought the term “man cave.” Instead they strove for a “subterranean penthouse,” as Lecuyer calls it, that would feel current and modern.
To achieve this, they focused on sophisticated materials, such as reclaimed vintage wood for the big-screen backdrop, wire-brushed hardwood floors and cold-rolled steel panels that surround the fireplace and TV.
Couch, coffee table, side tables and armchair: Structube; wood: Atmosphère & Bois; steel: Black Truck
The homeowner can control the fire, dim the lights and close the blackout shades from his smartphone.
Fireplace: Napoleon
The reclaimed-wood feature wall has hidden compartments for gaming equipment, remote controls and audiovisual wires.
Steel I-beams provide structural support near a reclaimed-wood-clad bar area, which features its own TV and refrigerator. Hand-sawn wood beams above the bar, Edison bulb-style pendant lights and a rolled steel backsplash continue the industrial-meets-rustic theme.
A hidden door allowed the owner to have a little fun with the design, Lecuyer says, even though the passage leads only to a hot-water heater.
Pendants and bar stools: Restoration Hardware
Near the bar sits a pool table, extra seating and a foosball table in an alcove to the right.
Lights, table and chairs: Restoration Hardware
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