Lancaster, Pa. | $725,000A circa-1900 eclectic brick house with seven bedrooms, three full bathrooms and two half bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot

This property is in School Lane Hills, a neighborhood about a mile west of the city of Lancaster, so it is within walking distance of Lancaster Central Market, the Fulton Theatre and numerous shops and restaurants. It is a few blocks south of Buchanan Park and the campus of Franklin & Marshall College. Wheatland, the Federal-style house to which President James Buchanan retired after failing to prevent the United States from descending into civil war, is a mile down the road (you can visit the house virtually during the pandemic).

Size: 4,514 square feet

Price per square foot: $161

Indoors: The sellers renovated the house in two phases, followed by updates. In the first phase, from 2002 to 2010, they concentrated on the first-floor public rooms and a second-floor bedroom and study, removing century-old wallpaper, repairing plaster, refinishing floors and cleaning, restoring or replacing period glass, built-ins and lighting. They also did roof repairs, painted interior and exterior woodwork, and renovated the entire third floor.

From 2012 to 2013, they got really serious and renovated five bedrooms, two bathrooms, the sunroom, the grand stairway and the kitchen (with breakfast room). They also rebuilt all three rear entrances, enclosed a porch and a balcony, and landscaped three sides of the house, adding a stone retaining wall and 45 arborvitae trees. They estimate their total renovation investment at more than $500,000.

The entrance is through a deep, covered, wraparound porch, into a vestibule ornamented with chestnut wood and leaded glass, a recurring theme. The foyer that follows has a chestnut fireplace with a tiled surround and hearth and chestnut columns supporting the mirrored overmantel (additional columns introduce the grand chestnut staircase). Turning left upon entering takes you into a living room that has a fireplace with a marble surround. Beyond that is a library with a bay window and floor-to-ceiling shelving. And beyond that is a formal dining room with a paneled wainscot and a crystal chandelier. All of these rooms can be closed off with pocket doors.

Italian marble covers the floor, and granite covers the countertops, in the updated kitchen. The cabinetry is Shaker simple and includes a central island with a sink and dishwasher. A commercial-grade Viking range is tucked into a niche. The breakfast room effectively a sunroom is also connected to the dining room (the subfloor here and in the kitchen is heated). A half bathroom is next to a rear staircase.

The second-floor bedrooms extend along a hallway and occupy either end. The primary bedroom includes a bay window, window seat and double closets. Another roomy bedroom has a curved wall of windows. A third bedroom, also spacious, opens to a sunroom. A fourth is fitted out as an office with extensive built-ins, including a closet converted into an inset bookcase. All of these rooms have hardwood floors, doors with transom windows and folding shutters. Of the two hall bathrooms, one has marble floors, a large stained-glass window and a marble counter with double sinks; the second contains a soaking tub.

Two additional large bedrooms, separated by a sitting room, are on the third floor, along with full bathroom. The basement includes a laundry room, a half bathroom and direct access to the rear garden.

Outdoor space: A wrought-iron gate encloses the deep front lawn with its arborvitae border. Additional grassy areas and plantings are in back, along with a detached one-car garage with a matching flared roof.

Taxes: $14,923 (based on a tax assessment of $404,500)

Contact: Anne Lusk, Lusk & Associates Sothebys International Realty, 717-291-9101; sothebysrealty.com

The 11 units in this ornate brownstone building are staggered on half floors, and each occupies its own level. This unit is at the front, a flight and a half up from the entrance and facing West 84th Street to the south. The American Museum of Natural History and two subway stations are five minutes away on foot. Restaurants, cafes and shops are strung along nearby Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. And a highly rated zoned public elementary school is half a block from the front door.

Size: 385 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,948

Indoors: The living-and-dining room has hardwood floors and an exposed-brick wall with open shelving constructed with pipes and boards. At one end is a south-facing window bay; at the other, a galley kitchen with tile floors, wood cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

A rolling ladder takes you up to a sleeping loft above the kitchen and adjacent bathroom (which includes a small vanity and sink and a combined tub and shower).

The bedroom is a windowed 9-by-8-foot room off the living room; it has a closet but currently lacks a door. Free laundry facilities are in the buildings basement.

Outdoor space: This home is less than a block from Central Park, near the 86th Street transverse, a couple of exceptional playgrounds, the Arthur Ross Pinetum and the Great Lawn.

Taxes: $8,700, plus a monthly $506 homeowner fee

Contact: Kimberly Chestone, Compass, 973-670-5536; compass.com

Paul Marcarelli, an actor and screenwriter known for asking, Can you hear me now? in Verizon Wireless TV ads, has owned this condo with his husband, Ryan Brown, since 2017. The home also has the distinction of being across the street from the Unitarian Universalist Church associated with the composition of Jingle Bells (a long and complicated story that involves competing claims from Medford, Mass.).

The building, which has five units, is smack in the middle of the historic district, a couple of blocks from the writer Flannery OConnors childhood home and less than half a mile northeast of Forsyth Park. It is an easy walk from there to the campus of Savannah College of Art and Design.

Size: 1,400 square feet

Price per square foot: $536

Indoors: One enters through a private street door and climbs a flight of marble stairs to reach the second-floor unit. French doors lead into a living room with original heart-pine floorboards, a fireplace with a neo-Classical mantel and a second set of French doors opening to a covered balcony overlooking East Charlton Street. The balcony, which is framed by a brick arch, can also be entered from an adjacent kitchen and dining area with wood cabinets, marble countertops and wood knobs and pulls. (As specified by the apartments decorator, Kelly Woodton of New Jersey, the gray-and-green palette was meant to evoke grand country-house kitchens from the Victorian and Edwardian eras.)

On the opposite side of the foyer is a double closet with a stacked washer and dryer, followed by the bedroom wing. The guest room, staged here as an office, has heart-pine floors, marine-blue walls with white trimming and three sash windows with shutters. The guest bathroom, which opens from the hall, includes a tiled tub-and-shower combination. The primary bedroom is white with wood floors and includes a private balcony overlooking Troup Square, an en suite bathroom with a walk-in shower faced in glossy dark-green subway tile and a windowed, walk-in closet.

Outdoor space: Every square in Savannah has its own night for socializing, and Troup Squares is Thursday. The little park is distinguished by its armillary sphere, which alludes to the cosmos and is supported by six tortoise sculptures. It also has a drinking fountain for dogs.

Taxes: $6,105 (2019, based on a tax assessment of $483,400), plus a monthly $371 homeowner fee

Contact: Staci M. Donegan, Seabolt Real Estate, Christies International Real Estate, 912-247-2052; stacidonegan.idxbroker.com

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What $750,000 Buys You in Pennsylvania, New York and Georgia - The New York Times

The latest political upheaval to shake the British prime minister, Boris johnson, the controversial works carried out at his official home in Downing Street, has put the leader and the Conservative Party under the suspected violations of ethical rules.

The scandal involves a colorful gallery of characters, from the prime minister to a decorator to a billionaire lord. These are the protagonists of the so-called Wallpapergate (the case of wall paper):

The prime minister is at the center of the controversy for not having declared how he paid for the renovations undertaken at his residence in Downing Street, subject of an investigation.

The conservative leader has insisted in recent days that he paid personally for those jobs and is trying to get out of a scandal that could affect your popularity levels, when there are just days until the next local and regional elections in the United Kingdom.

The scandal adds to other recent leaks that Johnson has had to deal with, such as the one that claims he claimed that prefers to have piles of corpses to decree a new confinement in October.

Doubts about the controversial reform of the official apartment of the premier and his partner, Carrie Symonds, soared last week, when the former Johnsons main adviser and Brexit ideologist, Dominic Cummings, accused him in an inflammatory message from have searched last year that donors pay secretly for the works and claimed that he had warned him that this would be probably illegal.

Under British law, Heads of Government receive up to 30,000 pounds (34,500 euros) to decorate his official Downing Street residence. In this case, the national media assured that the reform in question undertaken by Johnson and Symonds far exceeded that figure. until reaching an additional 58,000 pounds (66,000 euros).

After his controversial November exit from Downing Street, Cummings has become with his leaks a spanking for johnson and in an even greater threat than that of the Labor opposition.

Johnsons partner and mother of their young son, Wilfred, was reportedly the works supervisor in the official apartment.

His known differences with Cummings caused him to leak pearls to the media aimed at damaging Symonds reputation. Among them, he commented that Johnsons then fiances taste in interior decorating was inspired by designer Lulu Lytle, and that she set out to eliminate the nightmare of John Lewis-style furniture (popular department stores) from the time of ( former Prime Minister) Theresa May.

Lytle, 49, is the designer who is behind the refurbishment work performed at Johnsons home.

She is co-founder and director of the company Soane Britain, a firm that, according to its official website, designs and manufactures furniture, upholstery, lighting, fabrics, wall-papering and interior needs.

Born in Worcestershire and specializing in Egyptology from University College London, she also has a background in antiquities.

Lytle is married to Charles Patrick, a veteran investment banker at Goldman Sachs, and the couple have three teenage children. They live in a valued property at 4 million pounds (4.6 million euros) close to the central London park of Hyde Park.

According to the latest list of the richest in the United Kingdom released in 2020 by the British Sunday The Sunday Times, Lord Brownlow has an estimated fortune of 247 million pounds (284 million euros).

It was he who allegedly donated the 58,000 pounds (66,784 euros) to the Conservative Party to pay for the controversial works, an amount practically insignificant to him compared to the almost 3 million pounds (3.4 million euros) that over the years he has donated to the Tories.

According to a source well connected with that party mentioned in the newspaper today The Times, the donor has gone to great lengths to cheat on all the Conservative prime ministers in recent years.

Ben Elliot, co-chair of the Tory Party, was apparently always aware of plans to finance the renovation undertaken at Johnsons apartment and he was also aware of the donation of 58,000 pounds provided by Brownlow.

In this gearing of political connections, Elliot, co-founder of the London-based company Quintessentially which offers luxury concierge services moves like a fish in water through social circles in which members of the royal family, characters of the City of London financial center and the governing Conservative Party.

He is also the nephew of the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, wife of the heir to the British throne, Charles of England.

Your email address was copied to a email sent by Brownlow to the person in charge of raising funds for the tories, Mike Chattey, accessed by the British tabloid Daily Mail, dated October 14, 2020.

According to Thursday The Times, in that email the donor Brownlow expresses his intention to donate 15,000 pounds, but also refers to the aforementioned sum of 58,000 pounds for cover payments the party has already made on behalf of the soon-to-be Downing Street Foundation.

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Who is who in the "Wallpapergate", the scandal that puts Boris Johnson on the ropes - Tallaght Magazine

Interior design is the art and sciences of improving the layout of a structure so that the people in the house can enjoy a cleaner and more stylistic atmosphere. An interior decorator is somebody who designs, explores, manages, and oversees individual ventures for change. Interior design is a diverse discipline that involves design creation, planning of spaces, site preparation, scheduling, analysis, coordination with project partners, product development, and design execution. The society of Japan is among the worlds most influential and fascinating cultures. Their practice has dramatically influenced the robust and reliable design and decor since the beginnings of their times. It created a unique, stylish style that inspired the entire world. Among the most significant parts of the house is a communal area of the Japanese household. That is where the family comes around, tells their experiences, and even eatsthe location where Ocha, the Japanese tea ceremony, is also located. For more than 1000 years, it has been in Japanese society. For the tea ceremony to be performed, plain and modest designs must be put in line with Japanese architecture standards.

First of all, the natural surroundings implementation into architectural configuration is characterized in a Japanese living area.

It utilizes organic elements such as twigs, timber, and stones, which have natural colors and textures. Ornamental nature components such as the renowned bonsai tree and bamboo are also added. If high ceilings or sliding doors are possible, which open to natural landscapes, the Japanese will undoubtedly use them, inviting nature into their homes. The color scheme is essential in every Japanese design, as it can make the room comfortable or not. Consequently, the most frequently used color palette is cheerful and relaxing. This color combination also included white, beige, brown, and some green tints to represent the vegetation. The principle of modernism has prevented the Japanese from using any color palette beyond the natural worlds fundamental shades.

An instantly recognizable Japanese screen is called Shoji and a significant design feature of Homes today.

Because of the rising mortgage costs, the Japanese residences tend to be small, and many citizens are renting houses, it is essential to keep every rectangular inch of space. Contrary to the doors, these Shoji move backward and forwards, improving safety for a swinging door. A genuine Japanese screen usually is a fine-textured sheet on the inside of a wooden board. However, current models of these screens are available on the internet and typically consist of a timber grid of window panes. Another essential feature of these screens is to prevent direct sunlight and outdoor environment, except doors. Trying to replace a big wall with a glass-paneled sliding door might be an excellent way to add this aesthetic to your whole residence. The living room design for a house in Japan is crucial. All furnishings must be well thought through. It needs to be as minimal as possible to the floor. After the idea of less is more, much room is unoccupied in the house. Only the light fills it, enhancing the feeling of spaces calmness.

In Japanese Traditional residences, sofas are not embraced even though theyre in more Japanese Culture residences.

The dining room would be made of clean-geometric timber, which remains in its natural shape or is painted colorfully. Either reduced seats or puff pillowcases will be around the table. Tatami, which is rice straws tapes, would be the carpet tile underneath the dining area. As we said, ornaments always are minimized inside the Japanese Style. Just hang scrolls with famous quotations or aphorisms, and candle holders with plain ceramic plates will often have been found on the wall. Parents photographs cant be found in Japanese Traditional residences; sofas are not embraced even though theyre in more Japanese Culture residences. The dining room would be made of clean-geometric timber, which remains in its basic shape or is painted colorfully. Either reduced seats or puff pillowcases will be around the table. Tatami, which is rice straws tapes, would be the wall paneling underneath the dining area. The entry is known as a genkan by the Japanese. This region welcomes guests and where sneakers are chosen to take off instantaneously and usually substituted by indoor flip flops. The entrance has shelves or an office called tobacco, which is used to store shoes. The door is simplistic with wooden elements and a lot of artificial sunlight, as you will notice. In these houses, especially the entrances, stone tile carpeting is also widely known.

As we said, ornaments always are minimized inside the Traditional Japanese home. Just hang scrolls with famous quotations or aphorisms, and candle holders with plain ceramic plates will often have been found on the wall. Japanese design is clean and stylish; you can already tell. In these residences, Mess is not included. As we mentioned above, in a real Japanese house, sometimes there are not even many furnishings. The point is to keep your design realistic and uncut. This Style is easy to recreate for most modern design lovers. Contemporary, spotless furnishings and wood laminate should be available. Early and modern lights should be. Or illumination could also imitate a true Japanese lantern style. Look at this sleek, minimalist Style in western life design elements overall!

Slowly, this idea was introduced into the living room to express the Zen-philosophical thoughts.

They are thinking about Scandinavian or Japanese interior design as of Zen or minimalist living. The Japanese society pays attention to old practices, instills modernism and Zen, and lives in harmony with nature. They sure should use trees and flowers in their fashion concepts as often as practicable. A lot of open fields and direct sunlight would still be available. Fine art also takes precedent from Japanese architecture and design. Their elegant arrangements of furniture are made of organic materials in a custom engraving workshop.

Style of architecture and interior decorating focuses primarily on the natural realm of possibilities. Organic fibers are used in living rooms: Tatami mat, walls, and floors in Shoji style, bamboo chambers, and bamboo blinds.

Real wood furnishings are well suited to both classic and contemporary decorations.

They make a room look more sleek and typical. You may use wooden armoires, cabinets, frames for kitchens, etc. The living room with timber works, including wall slopes and wood lamps, can also be occupied. To add a Japanese flair to your furniture decorating, you dont need a natural wooden bath. Classic Ofuro styles are also available using granite or ceramic materials. When the ancient Japanese rituals are introduced to the Western World by the home interior scheme, just put a big bathroom in the house. It replicates the theme of a spa where citizens can swim for an extended period. If your bathroom is tiny for a big bath, you can opt to make it a little bigger. Keep tidy and bare in the remainder of the area in the toilet.

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Living in a house inspired by Japanese culture - - VENTS Magazine

Gauri Khan shared this image of AbRam. (courtesy gaurikhan)

Gauri Khan's latest Instagram entry is adorable in every sense. On Wednesday, the interior decorator shared a super cute picture of her and Shah Rukh Khan's son AbRam. In the picture, AbRam, can be seen looking at the camera as he sits wearing boxing gloves on his hands. Referring to boxing legend Mike Tyson, Gauri Khan captioned the post:"My Mike Tyson." Just like us, Gauri's Instafam also loved the picture and the comments section of her post clearly reflects that. "Cutie," wrote an Instagram user. "Cutest," added another fan. In no time, Gauri's post was filled up with heart emoticons. Gauri Khan and SRK are also parents to Aryan (their eldest child) and Suhana. Both Aryan and Suhana are pursuing their higher studies abroad while AbRam stays with his parents in Mumbai.

See Gauri Khan's post here:

AbRam frequently features on his mother's Instagram profile and we simply love it when that happens. See some of the posts here:

Gauri Khan is an interior decorator and she owns the plush Gauri Khan Designs in Mumbai. She has given makeovers to several suburban Mumbai restaurants and celebrity homes over the years. She has decorated homes for several Bollywood A-listers such as Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor and Karan Johar among others. She has designed restaurants like Arth and Sanchos. She also designed Alia Bhatt's vanity van. She is the author of the book My Life In Design.

Shah Rukh Khan was last seen in the 2018 film Zero, co-starring Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif. The actor produced several projects which include Netflix's Bard Of Blood, Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu's Badla and Kaamyaab. He also produced the film Bob Biswas, starring Abhishek Bachchan. The actor has signed a film titled Pathan.

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"My Mike Tyson": Gauri Khan's Caption For This Adorable Pic Of Son AbRam - NDTV

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