For decades, product licensing was a game of whales, a business dominated by marquee designers signing gargantuan contracts with national brands to launch sweeping, whole-home collections. The general idea being: If youre bothering to set the great wheels of production and promotion in motion, youd better come to market in a big way.

Big-name designers still do sign blockbuster contracts, and High Point sees plenty of star-powered licensed collections making a splash each season. But as barriers to entry have lowered and the rise of social media has shifted incentives, its starting to look more like a game of nimble minnows. The market is increasingly full of small-scope collaborations between designers and regional brands. Instead of a small line, it might be a one-off capsule collection, or maybe just a couple of SKUs, or maybe even one SKU. Call it the era of the micro-collaboration.

In the thick of pandemic last year, interior designer Katie Rosenfeld did what a lot of Americans did: She moved. Crammed into a Boston apartment with her husband and two kids forced home from college by COVID, she went looking, and found an old Tudor in the suburbs (Its our Grey Gardens house, she jokes). First order of business? Restore the kitchen.

I wanted something that felt authentically British, but with [many English kitchen brands], you end up with something thats quite attractive, but doesnt work for Americans. People in Europe dont live like we live. They dont go to Costco. They dont have a 60-inch range, she says. So I started working on making something that has all the asymmetrical charm of these English kitchens, but could work in the U.S.

Excited about the concept, Rosenfeld approached a local high-end kitchen design and millworking shop, Bespoke of Winchester. Rather than just having Bespoke execute her kitchen, Rosenfeld suggested a collaboration: The company would build a model of the kitchen in their showroom, and Rosenfeld would promote it to her 25,000 Instagram followers, many of whom are locals.

Designer Katie Rosenfelds kitchen collaboration with Bespoke of Winchester blends English charm with American storage needs.Courtesy of Katie Rosenfeld Interior Design

Rosenfelds kitchen is a perfect example of a micro-collaboration. It is limited in scope (essentially, one product) and targeted to a specific, regional audience that is reached through social media. Crucially, the objective of the collaboration isnt to make huge amounts of cash, but to generate buzz. Its not going to be a humongous moneymaker for me, says the designer, who will receive a small royalty payment every time Bespoke sells one of her kitchens. But its great exposure.

As part of the promotion, Rosenfeld has been releasing weekly HGTV-style narrative videos about the kitchens design and creation. In an era when so much business is done through social media, collaborations are as much about content as they are about product. That naturally incentivizes smaller collectionsafter all, if the point is to generate attention, you dont need to make a whole homes worth of stuff. It also changes the metrics of success.

If someone goes into the [Bespoke showroom] because they want to see my kitchen, but then they turn around and buy a white kitchen, honestly, thats great! says Rosenfeld. Im helping [Bespokes owner] grow his business, and in the process Im creating a product that is enhancing my brand.

Collaborations are as much about content as they are about product.

Similar logic led to Houston-based designer Marie Flanigans collaboration with Texas-based natural stone showroom Aria. Flanigan has a licensed collection for Visual Comfort that is sold nationally, but she was attracted to the appeal of working with a regional company as a brand and marketing play. I wasnt necessarily focused on generating a large amount of income or huge sales, she tells BOH of the stone line. Its more about marketing and partnering with a brand I believe in.

With just six slabs, Flanigans collection with Aria is small in scope. The material is also strictly limited by the amount of raw stone that was available. Its not an open-ended national endeavor, but rather a regional partnership designed to drum up mutually beneficial excitement around designer and brand.

Of course, theres a danger that in doing too many small, regional collections, designers risk diluting their brands. Flanigan, who is pursuing additional national licensing agreements, says shes mindful to take on only partnerships that fit the high-end aesthetic she has cultivated. You have to be Isaac Mizrahi before you can be Isaac Mizrahi for Target, she says.

However, there are good reasons to pursue small regional partnerships beyond sales and brand buildingthere may be a client lurking in the wings, as well. [Im looking into licensing deals], but the biggest part of my company is working for clients and creating custom homes, says Flanigan. When possible, I like to do that in my own city, and the people who buy Aria slabs are absolutely the people I want to work for.

For showrooms and makers, the rewards of a micro-collection are fairly similar. The risks are a little different.

A selection from Houston designer Marie Flanigans collection for Aria Stone GalleryCourtesy of Marie Flanigan Interiors

Collaborating with a designer has some obvious upsides. Theres the marketing boost. Then theres the fact that youre growing a relationship with one of your customers (never a bad thing). However, for regional brands and showrooms, such collaborations with designersespecially local onescan be politically fraught. Saying yes to one will likely mean having to say no to others. And while the imprimatur of a popular designer can drive sales, it can sometimes present a challenge because of an open secret of the industry: Designers dont always like to spec each others collections.

Stacy Waggoner, the owner of New Yorkbased boutique textile and carpet showroom Studio Four, recalls with a laugh: When I was working for Larsen, there was a furniture collection [architecture and design firm] SheltonMindel did, and I remember showing it to [interior designer] Stephen Sills, and he said, Stacy! Why would I ever buy Lee Mindels furniture? Hes my competitor! Ive always kept that a little in mind.

However, Waggoner is no stranger to the marketing power of a great designer collaboration. Her in-house brand has produced minicollections with designers ranging from Amanda Nisbet to Katie Ridder to Amber Lewis. Some of them sell all right and others dont, but theres always a good reason to keep doing them. Magazines love a collaboration, so theyre always asking, Who are you doing a collaboration with? says Waggoner. The marketing part is really significantits about brand awareness.

That basic equationdesigner collaborations are essential marketing tools, but they can be fraught and dont always sell wellcreates the perfect incentive for brands and showrooms to pursue small one-offs as opposed to big collections. The goal: Maximize the benefits of a collaboration without getting in too deep.

Those incentives have always been there. Whats changed is that the constant churn of social media demands more and more newness, and regional brands now have to compete online in ways they wouldnt have 10 or even five years ago. In 1990, for example, a millworking studio in suburban Massachusetts might have seen limited benefits by collaborating with a nearby designer on a kitchen model. But when that designer brings 25,000 followers to the table and the studio is also looking to fill up its own feed with beautiful images, the equation is different.

Clever showroom and brand owners find ways to work the variables. Waggoner says one of Studio Fours most successful collaborations involved working with designers outside of New York (no local competition!) on a line of wallpaper designs. Those designers were at least partially chosen based on their Instagram savvy and follower count. Shes also had success bringing in fine artists (again, no competition) like Wayne Pate to create small collections.

Grove Citron wallpaper, from Studio Fours line with fine artist Wayne PateCourtesy of Studio Four

Jessica Pinzon, founder of the Dallas-based multiline showroom Pholio Co, is looking to find micro-collaboration success by representing a line of fireplaces, Strike, created by designer Chad Dorsey. For her, the familiar incentives are in place. Dorsey is a friend and client with a rising profile in the Texas design scene, fresh off a buzzy room at the Dallas edition of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House last fall. I knew from an exposure standpoint it was really good for our brand, says Pinzon.

However, she is hoping Strike will be a revenue driver, too. Fireplaces, while somewhat of a niche product category for a collab, are costly and carry a good margin, making them an attractive proposition from a showroom perspective (better to sell one fireplace than make 10 tiny fabric sales). Small designer collections, she says, will help her strategically fill the calendar with newness in between bigger collections from anchor lines. Strike in particular is a deliberate step toward establishing a bigger presence in the residential market (Pinzons background is in contract design).

Even though micro-collaborations are low-key compared with the launch of a major collection, brand owners and showrooms still have to figure out how to stock and sell themtheres a little more risk than there is for designers. As a consequence, savvy showroom owners are generally looking for partnerships that deliver in more than one way. So far, for Pinzon, its been working: Over the past week, a dozen designers have checked in about the collection!

Micro-collaborations work because they have the spark of novelty, and there are limits on how many of them the market can handle. As the practice gets more common, it will seem less fresh, dulling the impact. If every showroom is constantly releasing one-off collabs with designers, itll be harder for any one of them to stand out.

Brands and designers are also limited by bandwidth. It takes time to develop even a small collection and bring it to market (figuring out the sales process for a fireplace, which requires exactingand high stakesmeasurements and specifications, is no easy task, says Pinzon). Theres only so much sweat any company can put into a product thats not likely to become a profit center.

Jessica Pinzons Dallas showroom Pholio Co is representing Strike, a collection of fireplaces by Chad Dorsey.Courtesy of Pholio

However, theres reason to believe that we havent reached peak micro-collaboration yet. As technology makes it easier and easier to develop and market product, more designers will start to get into the game. And as local brandsthe more old-school among them just now getting into social media in earnestlook for ways to stand out in a crowded landscape, collaborations will continue to present a compelling option.

Plus, theyre a weapon the big guys cant use as effectively. The beauty of a bite-sized collection, says Waggoner, is that it works for a boutique showroom in a way that it cant for the giants of the industry. I cut my teeth at David Sutherland, [which carried] huge lines, [where] a line with 10 or 12 SKUs would get lost in the showroom and moved to the back corner, she says. Whereas virtually all of the lines we represent here at Studio Four are small lines, so each one stands out.

The bottom line: Expect more micro. When I asked Pinzon if she was planning on doing more designer collaborations if Dorseys line is a hit, she started to laugh. Just this week Ive had a couple of pretty big designers contact me and ask me about that! she said. Well see.

Homepage photo: Marie Flanigans collection for Aria Stone Gallery | Courtesy of Marie Flanigan Interiors

Link:
The rise of micro-collaborations - Business of Home

Even if black is your color, you can still make your closet the most organized part of your house. InStyle explains that coordinating your items based on their hue can make your search for the perfect top that much easier. So, instead of having a rainbow of colors, you can have a gradually shifting palette; darkest colors go towards the left and the lighter shades stay on the right. "Organizing guru Marie Kondo, whose method I'm certified to teach, says the resulting palette reminds her of the crash of a wave in the sea," Diana Horn, founder of Room to Thrive Home Organizing tells the outlet. "While you might not need ocean-specific imagery for you to love your new wardrobe, we could all use a light and welcoming vibration, like a breath of fresh air, when we go to our closets."

But, if you do go the multi-colored route, organize by the colors of the rainbow ROYGBIV, the Closet Factory explains. This offers the greatest contrast in hues and is easier to remember when you're putting your clothes back in their respective places. And, when you run into your multi-colored sweaters and other items, just go by the main color present on the garment, the outlet recommends. You can even syphon off a section for patterns and prints if you have a lot of them.

Who knew that your closet could be as aesthetically pleasing as your clothes?

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The Color Coordination Tip You Need To Know For A Perfectly Organized Closet - The List

Just about every film and show would not be complete without the furnishings that help bring their fictional worlds to life. Needless to say, there are plenty of individual pieces of decor that stand out to us while watching movies and series alike, to the point where these items stay ingrained in our design-filled minds for years (and maybe even decades!) to come. Below, House Beautiful has rounded up some of the most iconic furnishings in film and TV history, including ones from Game of Thrones, Friends, Knives Out, Emma, and more.

The Orange Velvet Couch From Friends

Warner Bros. Television

Probably the most famous piece of furniture from Friends is the orange velvet couch that sits in the fictional coffeehouse known as Central Perk. This piece is so well-known, in fact, that replica versions of it went on a global tour in 2019 in honor of the shows 25th anniversary, making appearances at various landmarks so that fans could see it up close and personal. The real sofa sold at auction for an estimated $4,000-$6,000 in 2011, but you can still bring the Central Perk aesthetic into your own home thanks to similar couches, which can be found here.

The Knife Display From Knives Out

Lionsgate

We know that the Massachusetts houses that acted as the fictional Harlan Thrombey residence in Knives Out are impressive in their own right, but the most standout piece of decor in the film has to be the massive display of kniveswhich is said to be a mix of real and fake, at least in the world of this film. This knife donut, as Daniel Craigs character calls it, is not only a unique furnishing in the houseit also plays a key role in the many plot twists of the film. As set decorator David Schlesinger told House Beautiful, this piece was custom-made for Knives Outand it was even mentioned in the script.

The Bocca Sofa From Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

New Line Cinema

Ever since Salvador Dal painted a portrait of actress Mae West in 1936titled Face of Mae West Which May Be Used as an Apartmentin which he depicted her lips as a sofa, numerous tangible versions of this furnishing have been created. One of the most notable variations can be seen in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, where it is complemented by multi-colored walls and flooring in vibrant primary colors, and an Andy Warhol-esque serigraph of Austin Powers himself. Dal-inspired lip-shaped sofas exist beyond the film world, of course Christian Diors French chteau was home to one, and Diane von Furstenburg has a pink-and-white version in her Manhattan penthouse.

The Wardrobe From The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media

Although The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is technically a childrens movie, there are numerous reasons for adults to watch it as wellincluding the English manor houses used as filming locations and, of course, the hand-carved wooden wardrobe that the famed story revolves around. In the film, the wardrobe depicts scenes from the sixthand second to lastbook in The Chronicles of Narnia series, The Magicians Nephew.

The Iron Throne From Game of Thrones

Helen Sloan/HBO

It wouldnt be right if we didnt mention the iron throne from Game of Thrones, which is easily the most coveted piece of furniture in the entire eight-season series. Given how sought after this throne was, you might expect it to look a little more comfortablebut this is Game of Thrones, after all, so daunting appearances trump comfort levels. In real life, the iron throne is made of just under 200 swords, but in the show, legend has it that its made of a thousand swords, which were surrendered to Jon Snow (AKA Aegon Targaryen) in the War of Conquest.

The Egg Chairs From Men in Black

Universal Pictures

Given that the fictional government agency in Men in Black first makes contact with aliens in 1961, it only makes sense that the decor of the film pays tribute to this mod eraincluding a black and white, space-age, egg-shaped chair (not to be confused with Arne Jacobsen's famous Egg Chair), which Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones lounge in, in both the film itself and its promotional poster. The chairs seen here are the Ovalia Egg Chairs, which were created by Danish designer Henrik Thor-Larsen in 1968.

The Many Screens of Emma

Universal Studios

Design lovers everywhere rejoiced when Emma hit theaters last year, given its sumptuous filming locations and vibrant interior setsand that includes the brigade of patterned screens that Emma Woodhouses father (played by Bill Nighy) surrounds himself with when he feels even the slightest draft in the air. Firle Placean English manor house that doubles as a museumacted as the Woodhouse residence in this film, which made for the perfect backdrop for Mr. Woodhouses design preferences.

The Thinking Chair From Blue's Clues

Nickelodeon

Its possible that Blues Clues inadvertently helped shape the design aesthetic of millennials and Gen Zers thanks to elements like a striped pink wallpaper and complementary carpeted floors of the same color. But, the most recognizable piece of decor in Blues Clues is, of course, the Thinking Chaira red velvet armchair thats trimmed in black and swathed in a swirly pattern all over. There are even kid-sized versions of the chair for sale through eBay and Walmart! In the show, the Thinking Chair is where the host (Steve, Joe, or Josh) takes a moment to solve a problem, which usually involves writing in their Handy Dandy Notebookand it just so happens that this notebook has an illustration of the Thinking Chair on its front cover.

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The "Game of Thrones" Throne Is Made With 200 Swordsand more Crazy Facts From Famous TV and Film Furniture - HouseBeautiful.com

One of these so-called small vessels is the one you see in the cover photo. Its known as the Prestige X70 and it should be ready this year. But I warn you, it may not the only one.

This ravishing creature is created by Prestige-Yachts. This company traces its history back to 1957 when Henri Jeanneau decided to take the powerboating business into his own hands. However, it wasnt until 1989 that the first Prestige vessel, the Prestige 41, was launched.

Since then, this company has embedded itself into the minds and pockets of some of the wealthiest humans on the planet. After all, if youve had a look in the gallery, you understand why. Just look at what over 30 years of yachting experience can achieve.

Now were starting to get an idea of what were in for. The first trait to note about this vessel is its size. Rather than being some gigantic, no-room-to-park-it kind of beast, its a reserved luxurious craft fit for some of the most intimate weekends youll ever experience.

What I enjoy the most about this freshly launched vessel is the actual acquisition experience. More specifically, what happens if you try to buy one. Well, the first thing to note is that this vessel is meant to be mass-produced. As a result, we should see more than one racing around the Bahamas. But not all is lost.

If you check out the manufacturer's website, what happens when you show interest in this vessel is that Prestige will have you run through a configurator so that you can create your own unique X70. For example, you can select the number of staterooms and the woodwork while even being able to select the number of staircases that lead to the flybridge. Even things like upholstery, exterior layout, whether you want a grill or not, and even household appliances are things you can customize from an array of options Prestige puts at your disposal.

However, it seems that this particular yacht Prestige presents in the photos includes several options in order to show potential customers the level of comfort that can be attained with this company. At the rear, we can see the beach club option in full swing, ready with a folding lounge bed and aft platform to kick your feet in the water.

At the bow, we can see a forward-facing lounging area being overlooked by the flybridge up top. It's also on the highest deck that we find space for an outdoor dining area and more lounging aft. The main deck, too, includes an array of options for the floorplan. For example, you can choose to include an interior dining space while offering outdoor lounging or vice versa.

If this boat winks at you and you end up buying one, do let us know how much you ended up spending on it. Weve done a bit of research, and even though its hard to pinpoint an exact price for this highly modular vessel, we find an average rate of 2.1 million, which is the equivalent of about $2.89 million. Now go get one.

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Freshly Announced Prestige X70 Yacht Is the Fully Customizable Boat of the Year - autoevolution

You dont have to be a design professional or style expert to know what some of the biggest decorating trends are for this year. Chances are, youve probably already used one or two of them in your home without even realizing it.

In 2021, thanks in large part to a pandemic that has all of us spending more time at home, people are clamoring for versatility, comfort and a return to tradition. Think of these as anti-trends trends.

Heres what design experts had to say about how the emphasis on comfortable, user-friendly spaces will affect home design in the coming year:

Goodbye, single-use space

At the top of the trend forecast for 2021 is the extinction of the single-use room. The pandemic has transformed our homes into a hub for everything we used to seek elsewhere: gym, movie theater, restaurant, office, classroom, vacation spot. Your dining room or guest room (if you are fortunate enough to have either) is probably doubling as an office, classroom or gym. And this is not a trend that seems to be short-lived.

The big trend is being at home, says Todd Klein, a New York-based decorator. Klein, who has clients all over the world, has been swamped with requests to create multipurpose rooms and, importantly, spaces that can serve multiple generations. Klein says its not uncommon for three generations to be living together as a pod under one roof right now, so versatility has never been more important. Ground-floor family rooms have been transformed into spaces where an elderly parent can sleep, for example, and bedrooms have been rejiggered to house gym equipment and desk setups.

Wall-to-wall comfort

Not surprisingly, comfort is also trending. Alessandra Wood, vice president of style for Modsy, an online interior-design service, predicts that the old-school Pottery Barn vibe, which was popular in the 1990s picture Monica and Rachels apartment on Friends will make a strong comeback.

She says to look for overstuffed furniture with softer curves. Think sofas, sectionals and armchairs that have a comfortable look and feel, something that you could really curl up on and binge-watch TV or read a good book, she says.

Tori Mellott, a longtime design editor and current style director at Schumacher, agrees that comfort is king for 2021. She predicts this will translate into a resurgence of people wanting wall-to-wall carpet.

With everyone spending so much time at home, I think homeowners are desperate to maximize comfort and coziness in their space, and one way to do that is using wall-to-wall. It unifies a space and provides ultimate luxury underfoot, Mellott says. Wall-to-wall got a bad rap years ago because many manufacturers used subpar materials, she says, but there have been so many advancements in stain-resistant fibers and treatments that wall-to-wall has never looked or felt better.

To grandmothers house we go

Mellott also says that traditional furniture is rising in popularity. Mid-century furniture has reached a fever pitch with consumers, and its starting to feel tired and cold, she says. The market is saturated with knockoffs, and that particular style doesnt feel special anymore.

What people want, Mellott says, is classic antique furniture. The pandemic has unwillingly thrust us into a chaotic and manic state, and for right now, brown furniture feels solid, sturdy and stalwart, she says. There is sometimes a comfort attached to something that has been passed down from generation to generation, something that has weathered many storms, so to speak.

The preppy woven furniture associated with the Palm Beach style from the 60s is also back in the form of pieces made from natural materials like cane, jute, wicker and rattan. This is in part thanks to designers including Amanda Lindroth, Celerie Kemble, Aerin Lauder and Sarah Bartholomew, all known for their breezy, island-inspired rooms.

Rattan dining chairs or a woven reed coffee table can give a vacation-like feel to a room a vibe that is very much needed now. Using natural items has a calming effect and gives rooms oodles of texture, Wood says. She also notes that the use of natural materials is in keeping with a rising interest in sustainability. People are starting to think more and more about the environmental impact of home design, and many natural fibers are sustainably produced without leading to deforestation.

Interest in traditional elements started well before the pandemic; wicker, rattan and brown, classic furniture are all primary design elements of the grandmillennial style. Many people find comfort in the familiar elements of their grandparents homes and want to replicate it in their own space. Wood predicts the granny style will be stronger than ever in 2021.

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The hottest decorating trends find comfort in traditional elements - The Keene Sentinel

When the pandemic hit, you started off strong: You nurtured a sourdough starter and baked your first Instagram-worthy loaf, finished the books on your "to-read" list, cleaned out your pantry, reorganized your closet by color, and maybe even indulged your inner interior decorator through hours of Animal Crossing.

Now, my friend, its time to graduate to the big leagues of domestic hobbies and start growing your own edibles. No, not those greenswere talking about herbs and vegetables that will elevate your home-cooked meals for months to come.

Starting an indoor herb garden is such a no-brainer that it often starts as a happy accident. Youre preparing dinner and toss a few scraps of celery or green onion into a cup of water for freshness, only to discover that theyve grown back a few days later. Fennel and baby bok choy are also extremely easy to grow from discarded ends, only requiring water and bright sunlight. Garlic and ginger can also be coaxed back to life: Just plant each piece in potting soilgarlic facing downward, ginger facing upand keep them well lit and lightly watered. In a little over a week, youll have edible green stalks to use as a flavorful garnish.

If you live somewhere temperate and have a little outdoor space to call your own (even if its just a porch or balcony), consider setting up a mini greenhouse. Otherwise, there are several indoor garden kits that can help even the blackest of thumbs reach their green potential. The key here is to start simple and begin with kitchen scraps. You can save the serious gardening for Animal Crossing.

Link:
Dwell On This: Start an Indoor Herb Garden - Dwell

Lighting in a home serves both practical and aesthetic purposes. Its easy to maneuver around a well-lit home, reducing the risk of slips and falls, and the right lighting can help homeowners create their desired ambiance, which typically changes depending on which room youre in.

When choosing lighting for their homes, homeowners must walk a fine line between appearance and functionality. A fixture in the foyer that instantly impresses visitors likely wont prove as awe-inspiring if its installed in the living room. When choosing lighting for a home, some general rules about what works in each room can help homeowners make the most informed decision.

Kitchen

Kitchens are often the busiest room in a home, so lighting here can be especially important. A kitchen often benefits, both practically and aesthetically, from different types of lighting. For example, pendant lighting above kitchen islands can make meal preparation easier and safer, but such lighting likely wont work in breakfast nooks and informal dining areas in the kitchen. Recessed lighting works best in such areas. In kitchens with no island, under-cabinet lighting can be used to illuminate countertops and simplify meal preparation.

Formal dining room

Many people enjoy the look of chandeliers in formal dining rooms, and such fixtures can be installed directly above the dinner table. The interior design experts at Better Homes & Gardens advise hanging chandeliers roughly 33 inches above the table in dining rooms with eight-foot ceilings, adding three inches for each additional foot above eight feet. Darkened dining areas may be ideal in restaurants, but homeowners may want to split the difference at home and choose dimmable chandeliers for their dining rooms. This allows homeowners to dim the lights for romantic dinners but turn them up for family gatherings with lots of people around the table.

Living room

Adaptability also is important in the living room, where homeowners may host anything from movie nights to book clubs to parties for the big game. It can be a tall order to accommodate such a wide range of activities, and many homeowners come down to deciding between recessed lighting and track lighting. If the living room currently has neither style, homeowners should recognize that it will cost considerably less to install track lighting than recessed lighting. Better Homes & Gardens notes that flexible track lighting provides ambient, task or accent lighting, and track lights can even be moved to change lighting schemes at any time, making them a budget-friendly option for homeowners whose living rooms are multi-purpose spaces. Recessed lighting also works well in living rooms, especially ones with low ceilings. Thats because recessed lighting is installed into the ceiling, meaning it does not take up any visual space in the room. That can help living rooms feel bigger.

Bedroom

The home improvement experts at BobVila.com note that bedroom lighting should provide enough light when getting dressed, but also be able to be toned down as residents prepare for their bedtime routines. Both portable and installed lighting can be used in bedrooms to serve these various functions. Recessed fixtures that dim can ensure theres ample light to get dressed in the morning, but they also can be dimmed at night as residents try to get ready to sleep. Portable nightstand lights can make it easier for couples sharing a bedroom, allowing one person to stay up and read while the other goes to sleep.

Homeowners have many options and many needs when choosing lighting for their homes. A professional consultation with a lighting expert or interior decorator can help homeowners find lights that provide both practical and aesthetic appeal.

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How to choose the right lighting inside your home - Daily Herald

Twinkle Khanna shared this post. (courtesy twinklerkhanna)

Twinkle Khanna, in her latest Instagram entry, wrote that "it's not so bad being named after a nursery rhyme after all." What prompted her to say that? Well, let's just say it has something to do with her daughter Nitara. On Monday evening, Twinkle shared a video on her Instagram profile, in which her daughter Nitara can be seen playing the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a guitar. Sharing the video on her profile, Mrs Funnybones wrote in her caption: "And she plays for me... It's not so bad being named after a nursery rhyme after all." The comments section of her post was filled up with heart emojis.

See Twinkle Khanna's post here:

Nitara frequently features on her mom's Instagram profile. Last week, Twinkle posted a picture from her reading session with her daughter and she wrote: "You have a quota-25 pages a day and so do I.' She asks, 'But who gives you the quota mama?' 'That's the tricky part of being an adult. You have to give yourself these tasks and make sure you stick by them.' With brushed teeth and uncombed hair, we begin our mornings in the best way possible. It may not be 25 pages every day, sometimes it's merely 5, but it all adds up eventually."

Twinkle Khanna is a celebrated columnist and the author of bestselling books such as Pyjamas Are Forgiving, The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad and Mrs Funnybones. She is also an interior decorator, the owner of The White Window, and a film producer. Twinkle Khanna also runs a digital content company called Tweak India.

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Twinkle Khanna Shares The Perks Of "Being Named After A Nursery Rhyme" - NDTV

Showy. Splashy. Sunny. Sentimental.

by Bruce Hope

ORANGE PARK Annabelle wears multiple hats at Annabelles Interiors. She is an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, a small business owner and a talented interior decorator.

Her store, located at 38 College Dr., has been around for 45 years. It has many products and designs, with ideas and demonstrations for Halloween, Harvest, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Its Christmas Shoppe has been awarded, and people can even take designing and tree decorating classes.

We change the store out twice a year, said Annabelle. We go from winter to spring. So, we do a whole different presentation throughout the store. This is 4,500-square-feet, so I do all the design work, all the decorating. I just have an idea in my head of what we want. Were known for our trees and our toppers.

Its easy to see Annabelles unique and intriguing design style in the many rooms with different themes.

Every room has a different theme. There are different themes throughout the store, she said.

The themes often have to do with the colors, of which Annabelle has many variations in her Christmas themes.

There are also many different items, from lamps and fragrance oils to personal safety handbags, including purses with special pockets for concealed handgun carry. She also works with the NRA and is big on the Second Amendment. There are also many Trump memorabilia, such as MAGA hats, mugs, bobbleheads and more.

One of Annabelles distinct tree styles is that she never puts an angel on top of the tree.

I never put them at the very top of the tree, she said. I dont want this to be a teepee. If I put an angel, shes going to be here in the body of the tree, so I dont have to look up; shes right there at my eye level, and I can enjoy her.

Even the bathroom at Annabelles is decorated. Not only does she sell, but one of her goals is to provide different ideas for customers on how to decorate their homes.

She is also a supporter of the military with tree decorations representing all the branches of the Armed Forces.

The store takes pride in the fact that its designs are atypical.

Why come here and see what you can see anyplace else? Annabelle asks while customers walked through the store.

The answer is simple: when you go to Annabelles, you wont see what youll see anyplace else. The friendly staff, innovative designs, and great variety of merchandise make the shoppe live up to its billing.

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Annabelle's Interiors offers creative imagination to unique styles - Clay Today Online

B-Towners have been jet-setting to various holiday destinations with the lifting of lockdown. Most seem to have headed to beach destinations, especially either to Maldives or Goa. Not Sussanne Khan it seems, who is posting pictures of her vacay, but refusing to divulge the name of the destination. Looking absolutely beautiful in a single-shoulder top, with hair tied back in a ponytail and tinted sunglasses on a boat, she wrote: "Once upon a boat. #islandgirlforlife". The interior decorator seems to be having a ball of a time with her close friends there. Sussanne recently celebrated her birthday on October 28. Looking stunning in a mustard yellow dress she wrote : "Thank you dear Life for giving me the best of chances, the best of grace, the best of guidance and most importantly the best of humans that surround me with their love. My sunshine ochre birthday dress is from our very own @thelabellife. This birthday I have the most grateful heart for all that the universe has blessed me with. All that we are is a result of what we have thought -The Buddha. Work with your heart, to give back to the people around you, think with kindness and nothing will stop you from manifesting your path #kindessisasuperpower #ilovemybirthday #happyheart." However, the wishes didn't end there, the picture went viral and received a lot of comments. The one comment that caught everyone's attention was that of her former husband, Hrithik Roshan. He wrote: "Love it (sic)" and followed it up with another comment where he wished her a "happy birthday".

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Is Sussanne Khan holidaying on an island? - Times of India