TheDesignFile

Crate & Barrel launches new cleaning, organization line

Crate & Barrel is out with its new Clean Slate collection, a grouping of organiational and cleaning products.

Not suprisingly, it's an effort to make the everyday stuff we all use look as stylish as the furnishings and accessoreis we choose.

Crate & Barrel labels the collection above "artisan brushes" that are handcrafted in Germany by the Redecker family.

"Distinguished by the finest craftsmanship and the integrity of all-natural materials, our curated Redecker collection will serve you and your family for years and generations to come," Crate & Barrel says of the collection.

They are pretty handsome, much nicer than the plastic-handled tools I'm typically using. 

I also like the new MAX modular chrome shelving system, which combines utility with a sleek and modern style. You buy these pieces separtely and put together your own system.

And Crate & Barrel also has a new like of cleaning products - called Better Life - that are not so much about looks but utility. Still, they promise to be good for those of who suffer from allergies!

What do you think? Any of this worth the extra cost?

Add green to your home for St. Pat's Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I spent last night at my friends’ annual St. Pat’s dinner, which was delicious as always and put me in the spirit.

So I thought I’d offer up a few green rooms – and I don’t mean eco-friendly – to get you in the spirit too.

I admit to using very little green in my own home. I have a few green accents in our master bedroom.

But I do love the color – in all its varied shades.

So check out some of these examples of great green rooms.

The room at right is from MyHomeIdeas.com. It is green, green, green – probably too much for most of us!

But I do love those striped chairs, the painted coffee table and the great pink accents. (See that little pink chair there in the back?)

Want a little less green? Check out the room below from Sunset.

A tray, lamp and a few pillows and you’ve got some great touches of green – without going overboard.

I mentioned above how much I like the pink accents in that green room and here’s I’ve got another example of that pretty color combination.

This sweet room is from Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com.

My favorite part of this room is that great wallpaper.

I love that it’s so graphic and still sophisticated. Yet, it remains youthful and fun.

I can’t imagine any young girl who wouldn’t love this room – and especially that pink chandelier.

Adorable.

Southern Accents does a far more adult room in green – and still with a canopy – below.

A fishy bedroom design from Land of Nod

I got this photo of an adorable kid’s room in my inbox today from Land of Nod. I thought it was so cute!

There was a version for girls as well. But frankly, I thought this was plenty gender neutral and much cuter.

So what would this set you back? Here’s how I have it figured:

IndyStar features fun, sophisticated nature-inspired home

I remain so bummed that IndyStar.com no longer allows other websites to embed its photo slideshows. It means I can't show you firsthand some of the great home tours The Star does.

But the Broad Ripple home featured on Sunday was just too hard to pass up. So I'm showing you these thumbnails in hopes that you'll click on over to the IndyStar to see the full-size images of this great home.

Nate Berkus launches fabric line at Calico

I love when two of my favorite things come together and that’s what happened today when designer Nate Berkus launched a new line of fabrics at Calico stores.

The new collection includes lots of browns, golds and grays with some great patterns that seem ready to be soft neutrals in any room. It includes 24 styles and – with all the colors – more than 100 different options.

Berkus says that fabric is the first thing his firm’s designers reach for when they begin a project.

"It adds depth and texture in a way that no other medium can. It's critical to the way we build a space."

The Nate Berkus collection starts at an affordable $14.99 a yard – although you’ll find choices that top $80 too.

Calico plans to carry the line in all of its 75 stores across the country. 

The company describes the collection like this: “Beautiful constructions with metallic embellishment and rough-hewn linen burlap marry with ethnic inspired jacquards and menswear herringbone for upholstery.”

Berkus says he wants home decorators to “see how diverse fabric can be.”

"I've covered walls, created headboards, transformed lampshades, all with fabric,” he says.

“People should feel empowered by the fact that whether it's one yard or ten, they get to decide the impact it will make in their room. That's what makes fabric so great."

I went to the Calico website to get some addition looks at the collection. And here are some of my favorites:

 

Julie Morris, the vice president of Calico merchandising, said the launch comes at a time when consumers are showing a renewed interest in better quality home design projects.

"Younger shoppers are showing more interest in custom product," she said. "Their tastes tend to represent a convergence of classic and modern styling, and Nate is a master at striking that perfect balance."

Try some upholstery with a simple project

Have you been looking for a way to sample some upholstery without a long term commitment?

Then my upholstery guru – Shelly Leer at ModHomeEc Studio – has the perfect option for you.

Shelly has added a one-day, button-tufted ottoman class on Jan. 26.

She calls it a “light, one day workshop.” You bring a yard of fabric and a 3-inch piece of foam. You leave with a fully upholstered ottoman that is 17 inches by 22 inches wide and has four wooden legs.

”This one day workshop will provide you with the knowledge, skills and techniques  you’ll need to design and create ottomans, benches and footstools forever,” Shelly says. “These make fabulous wedding,  house warming, baby nursery, holiday or birthday gifts. Knowledge is power.”

Get more info and sign up at the ModHomeEc website.

Tip 25: Make a last-minute, simple centerpiece

Merry Christmas!

Wow. We’ve been through 24 decorating tips to get ready for the holidays. But I promised 25 and I’m going to deliver.

So today – Christmas day – I figure at least a few of you are trying to throw together a last minute centerpiece.

Never fear!

Tip #25 on our list of decorating ideas for the holiday is making a quick and easy centerpiece.

The Southern Living/ MyHomeIdeas.com photo at right is a perfect example.

This is just a couple footed pedestals or bowls loaded up with tiny wrapped gifts and a bit of greenery. Just pull out the smallest gifts from under your tree – you know, the gift cards and the jewelry boxes – and use them for your centerpiece.

Below are a couple of similar ideas from Better Homes and Gardens.

In the picture at left, bowls are stacked and filled with ornaments and treats.

Use smaller bowls– turned upside down – between the layers to keep the larger ones separated.

Below right, a dessert pedestal holds beautiful, glass ornaments.

Sometimes creating a quick centerpiece is as easy as looking around your house and your yard – and through the boxes of ornaments that you’ve stopped using over the years.

Or just pluck and ornament or two from your tree, mix it with some greenery from the yard, and a few elements and – voila! – a centerpiece, like the one below from HGTV.

I love that this grouping includes old books. The candles are made more special simply by wrapping some twine around them. And the greenery can just be cuts from the yard.

Tip 24: Add tidbits of Christmas all over the house

So your guests are coming tonight – or maybe tomorrow morning – and you really want to add just a few more touches to your holiday décor.

If you’re like my friend Keith, that means putting at least a tiny touch of something in every room. It’s a great idea and keeps the holiday spirit alive all through your space.

But who’s got the time now to do anything complicated? Not me and probably not you.

Tip #24 is to put small, simple Christmas vignettes throughout the house.

These are not ideas that will take your home from undecorated to holiday cheer. These are tips for adding a special touch here and there that will take your decorating to the next level.

One of the quickest ways to add a touch of Christmas to other rooms is to use a poinsettia, amaryllis (see the BHG photo above) or some greenery.

It’s Christmas Eve and so the stores are open. Head over to the closest grocery store and see what they’ve got. Look for small poinsettias. They’re perfect to set on the bathroom vanity or on the kitchen island.

Or if you have a poinsettia already, snip off some off a few of the blooms and add them to a vase in another room. Look how pretty these poinsettia blooms look against a silver tray. So simple.

Ornaments are another fantastic way to add some holiday cheer to any room. You can nab some of your leftover ornaments or even grab a few off your tree (I just did that for my centerpiece)

Tip 23: Turn off your flash to take holiday photos

So today’s tip is not so much about decorating as it is about capturing images of your holiday decorating. Maybe that’s a cheat on my part but I wanted to write about it and so here we are!

To me, photographing your decorations is almost as important as putting them up. After all that work, you want some evidence that you did a beautiful job.

So here’s the most important part of the tip: Turn off your flash.

I drive my family and friends crazy with this. But it was something my great friend Andrew – a professional photographer – told me years ago and it’s something I practice now in nearly all situations.

The flash on your camera – particularly those on point-and-shoot cameras and smart phones – just wash everything out.

They make your subject appear flat. They either add harsh shadows or they remove all of them, which means you can’t see the subtle contours of people and things.

Also, the flash makes everything appear the same color. And in life, that’s just not the way things look.

Yes. Sometimes – especially when photographing Christmas decorations – you can end up with pictures too dark.

That’s why you have to experiment. Turn on a lamp in the room to cast a little more – but not too much – light on your greenery.

Light some candles. Or play with the settings on your camera just a bit. Or change your angle to incorporate just a few more Christmas bulbs. You’ll be surprised what you can do if you’re creative.

The photos in this post were taken with a basic point-and-shoot camera during a get together at the home of my friends, Keith & Joe, who go all out with their gorgeous decorating. The décor is fancy. The camera and the photography was not.

Here’s another tip: Get closer.

Tip 22: Wrapping paper isn't just for gifts

I attended a beautiful Christmas party this week and was struck by a fun use of wrapping paper that prompted today’s post.

Ellen has a great kitchen with some upper cabinets that have glass doors. Inside, she typically displays a collection of floral plates. For Christmas, she added some holiday dishes but thought something was lacking.

Then she saw a roll of wrapping paper she thought would be a perfect backdrop and she used it to line the inside of the cabinets.

The paper has a white background and features branches with berries in an extremely simple but striking pattern.

Can you believe I didn’t take a picture? I am so mad at myself. So you’ll have to trust me: It was beautiful.

So that got me thinking about creative ways to use wrapping paper, which led to Tip #22: Use wrapping paper for decorations, not just gifts.

Check out the example at right from Better Homes and Gardens. You can recreate this great look with some papier mache letters from a craft store. Cover them with some pretty wrapping paper and you’ve got a striking decoration.

Below is another example, although this one doesn’t actually use Christmas paper. use wrapping paper to decorate some soup and vegetable cans to make planters. The idea below came from Apartment Therapy.

I found the pretty ornament below on HGTV, although it was actually uploaded there by Nikki at NikkiInStitches.com.

The cool origami craft is made from wrapping paper scraps. Check out Nikki’s post to get the detailed how-to.

Wrapping paper is a great way to dress up furniture and accessories.

Below left, wrapping paper scraps are used to dress up a frame in a BHG photo. Easy and beautiful!

Above right is cabinet that’s been decked out with decorative paper or fabric (BHG photo). This is a perfect project for wrapping paper. Use Mod Podge to apply the paper, brushing the clear glue on the furniture piece first. Apply the paper and then brush over it as well.

Do you use wrapping paper in creative ways? Tell us about it.

Tip 21: Use creative gift wrapping

Are you doing some last minute wrapping?

Are you running out of boxes or looking for something a little more interesting?

Then you need Tip #21: Get creative with your gift wrapping.

Earlier this month, we talked about using natural elements to make your wrapping a little prettier.

But this tip is more about being creative with the kinds of containers you use and the wrapping itself.

I love the idea at right from Sunset and MyHomeIdeas.com. Jewelry or other smaller items can be wrapped in white tissue paper, tucked into jars and the lid wrapped with blue felt.

A ribbon and tiny ornament finishes off the look.

Below are two ideas from Better Homes and Gardens. A green take-out style box – available at craft or organization stores – makes an unexpected package. And below right, the buttons, ribbons and picks dress up these cute paper bags.

I like the idea of just looking around the house to see items you might otherwise get rid of.

Check out the tins at right, an example from HGTV.

All that’s needed is the ribbon and bow to make these tins look elegant.

You could also use baskets, small canisters, even spice jars for the tiniest gifts.

The gift “wrap” works even better if it’s something the receiver can reuse.

Of course, sometimes it’s not the container but the wrapping itself that makes a gift unusual.

Tip 20: Use branches to enhance your decorations

Ahh! I’m behind – and at the most crucial time, just days before Christmas.

So let’s get down to it.

Today we’ve got Tip #20: Use branches to enhance your holiday décor.

In the Better Homes and Gardens photo at right, several branches tucked into in a vase have essentially become a little Christmas tree.

My favorite part of this vignette is actually the red ornament placed in the vase. It’s a great pop of color.

Plus, those cute tiny ornaments are adorable.

There’s a similar example below Cottage Living and MyHomeIdeas.com. Frosted vases with painted branches make up the centerpiece in this gorgeous dining room.

A few crystal ornaments and stars make these branches just sparkle.

The great thing about branches is they’re so easy to find.

If you don’t have larger trees in your yard, just head to a local park and take a look around – particularly after a little bit of wind. You’re bound to find something you can use.

Above – in yet a couple more BHG photos – are more good ideas for branches. Above left, painted white branches add some height and drama to a pot of evergreens.

Above right, winter berry branches wrapped with ribbons, berries and Christmas ornaments decorate a staircase.

Tip 19: Replace your artwork with holiday themes

A quick way to give your home a holiday kick is to switch our your art and photographs with Christmas-themed works.

Slip some holiday photos into the family frames that line your hallways. Use the prettiest Christmas cards you received last year or this year to spice up picture frames or small art frames.

Or buy holiday-themed posters to replace your larger art.

You’ll be surprised what a big impact the changes can make in your décor.

Plus, when the holidays are over and you return to the original photographs and art, it will be like you have something new again.

That’s why replacing your art with holiday themes is Tip #19 in our list of 25 decorating tips for Christmas.

The frame above right – in a photo from Better Homes and Gardens – shows off a beautiful Christmas tree that was handcrafted from fabric scraps and buttons. It’s adorable.

But you don’t have to go to that much work or be so artistic. You can use a pretty or funny Christmas card in the frame to get the same idea.

In the BHG photo below, a fantastic vintage poster of Santa adds to the traditional Christmas décor. It looks like the spot was made for the Santa. But when the holidays are over, it can go in the attic while another vintage poster is hung in its place.

If you’re crafty, you can turn old Christmas cards into art work to display in your frames.

Here are two BHG examples:

Tip 18: Light your holiday decor with candles

There are few things that create a nicer mood for the holidays than candles and there are so many things you can do with them for Christmas.

That’s why Tip #18 in our series about holiday decorating is to use more candles.

Of course, candles are fabulous on a mantel or as part of a centerpiece or even as luminaries along a sidewalk.

And they’re easy.

So let’s look at some photos for inspiration.

Personally, I love to see candles tucked into a firebox.

For years, my chimney was unsafe and therefore I couldn’t light a fire. So I filled the firebox with candles and just loved the look – although mine didn’t look nearly as good as the example above from Better Homes and Gardens. That is truly a holiday display!