Did you know?!?

"In the early days in Europe, people would put wreaths on their doors to identify their home in the same manner that house numbers are used today. Each house would have a different wreath made of quite exotic flowers, most likely grown by the home owner right on their own land. Today, wreaths are a common custom in New England, with a different wreath for each season." (http://www.northwoodsinspirations.com/wreath%20History1.htm, November 2010)

What more reason do you need to have your very own wreath for your space? Christmas, Seasonal, Interest-related....

Check these out!

Bedding & Paint Selection

This project was a simple sprucing up of a bedroom-- new paint, drapery and bedding. The inspiration piece is the "3 Tulip" painting. From there we look for bedding that would pull the colors out and brighten up the space. Purple had yet to make its full sweep to the residential textile market, so we used other colors in the piece- greens, golds and blues.

Mixing patterns and colors creates a full picture when coordinating bedding. Here we used different scales of prints, colors and even textures to bring it all together. The perimeter of the room is rich gold, while the headboard wall is an apple green color. The adjoining master bath brought in the airy ice blue color for the walls. It has high ceilings and plenty of light to handle the drama of the colors. Not only do these colors brighten up the space, but they also give a fresher feel to the rooms. The recessed ceiling was painted a lighter shade of the gold and was repeated in the toilet room. All of these colors can be combined thanks to the inspiration piece and bedding that tie them all together to create a fabulous master retreat.

The owner used her own art and furniture for this project. She also made the valances, but hired out the bedding. Possible more pillows to come!

Foyer Before and After

Natural Stone

White Marble Countertops...the newest trend and rightfully so...they are beautiful! practical? no.

Since my last entry, I have learned more about natural stone. Thanks to working at The Gallery at ISC Surfaces, I am now able to inform you of all the properties and differences between each stone. Here is a brief rundown...and some information on marble.

Slabs come in 3cm & 2cm thickness. The thicker slabs are used for kitchens to create a more ornate edge. The 2cm slabs are used for bathrooms and other applications: fireplaces, buffets, etc.

Kitchens: Granite, Soapstone
Bathrooms: Granite, Marble, Travertine, Limestone, Soapstone
Vertical Applications: any stone, Onyx

Despite what HGTV and many ads convey, Marble is not an acceptable stone for kitchens. Believe me, I wish it was, because Calcutta Gold-- awesome. Marble is softer than granite and porous. It will stain. It will etch. It is not acid resistant. One wrong squeeze of lemon for your iced tea and your slab is etched.

"But Lauren, it is used all over Europe?"
True. But Europeans, unlike Americans, like their materials aged with a patina look...they are ok not having it look like it was installed yesterday 30 years down the road.

If you must have marble...have it honed. Then it can't etch...but it is still not advisable.

Want more information? Visit us at the showroom.
The Gallery at ISC Surfaces
www.iscsurfaces.com