TheDesignFile

New links: Contests & giveaways

You may have noticed that I recently added a new set of links to the blog. Over there to the right, you'll find the Contests & Giveaways list, under the green title.

I'm the eternal optimist about winning contests so I'm forever searching for the right ones. I thought you might be too. So I'm going to be culling through some of these online giveaways to find some that might interest you -- including the MetHome giveaway of four of these Lou Lou Ghost Chairs, shown at right. Just follow the links and the directions to enter.

These contests are not sponsored by The Design File, so make sure you read all the fine print before you enter. Good luck!

A finished home needs a great bookcase

A bookcase is as essential to a home as a bed or a sofa (or in my case, the TV). It's the place you store and show off your favorite books, of course, but it's more than that. The accessories you use to fill in the spaces between the books and the way you arrange all the contents say much about you.

Are the shelves cluttered with picture frames, books, vases and nick knacks, each with its own story and memory?

Are they filled with tomes and the journals that represent your career? Is the space sparse, with a few carefully placed, precious items, a sign of the streamlined, uncluttered modern design you cherish?

Regardless of how you fill the shelves, though, it helps to start with a fantastic piece of furniture.

Above left is the Libri shelving system available through the Hightower Group. It was designed by Michael Bihain from Stockholm and awarded the Forum AID #1 Award at the Stockholm Furniture Fair as the top new product introduction of 2008. Two are shown. Each is $1,295.

In the middle is Pottery Barn's Collins Room Divider, available in antique white or mahogany stain, as seen here. This photo shows two pieces. Each costs $1,199.

Woodruff named a best old house neighborhood

This Old House magazine has named Woodruff Place -- which just finished its annual home tour yesterday -- to its list of the Best Old-House Neighborhoods, which appears in the July/August issue of the magazine. The issue is available on newsstands today.

Magazine editors tracked down 51 great neighborhoods in the United States and Canada that have "promising futures and homes that truly deserve a long-term commitment." They were looking for unique, tight-knit neighborhoods, "places might not be on your radar, but deserve to be."

They were looking for spots that fit the following criteria: Architectural diversity, craftsmanship of the homes, and the preservation momentum in the area as well as neighborhood amenities including walkability, safety and community. With the help of PreservationDirectory.com, neighborhood groups, real estate agents, and preservation societies, This Old House compiled their list of the best places to track down, fix up, and fall head over heels for.

So why Woodruff Place? Here's what the magazine had to say:

Bring some modern style to the patio

With summer in full swing, it seemed time to take a look at some cool, modern outdoor products to bring a little style to your backyard. So I sat down with my good friend Deanna and we picked out some of our favorites.
Here's all the product info:

Sunday roundup: A fantastic living room remake

My good friend Julie turned me on to a great blog called This Young House and I like it so much that I wanted to make it the featured site in this week's Sunday roundup.

This Young House has a terrific tagline -- "one old house. two young people. plenty to do." -- and great photos of all the work that owners Sherry & John have done at their 52-year-old abode.

I encourage you to really peruse the site. But for today, I wanted to highlight one particular post from last Monday that features the redo of the couple's living room, which is shown at right.

Clearly, Sherry & John are great decorators. The colors, furnishings and accessories are spot on. But as Sherry points out in this post, the most dramatic change was achieved simply by moving the dining room table into the space. Read more about the changes the couple made here and then take a look through the rest of the site.

Here's what else to check out from this past week:

• The popular Design*Sponge blog, which always has something worth reading, has a great before and after post of a bedroom-turned-nursery. It's got a great outdoorsy theme but is definitely not your normal nursery design.
• What can Layla from The Lettered Cottage do with two dark smoky bluish-gray shutters,bought for just $12 a piece? Create a frame for an oversized mirror and make a wall look amazing. Check out her latest project here.

New book connects design, science and emotions

Worried about your dwindling nest egg in this dour economy? Replace the geometric wallpaper in your home office with paper that has curved shapes.

Losing sleep over your job woes? Wash your sheets with jasmine-scented detergent for a better night's sleep.

Want to improve your relationship with co-workers or the boss? Switch the fluorescent bulbs in your office to warm white light and soon everybody will be more agreeable.

OK, I know these suggestions may sound a little nuts, but according to a new book, they're actually rooted in science.

"Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture" (John Wiley & Sons, available now), says that introducing smells, switching light bulbs and re-papering walls are just some of the inexpensive ways that the "principles of environmental or place science" can be used to create spaces in which people thrive.

IndyStar gallery of Woodruff Place home

OK. I admit it. I'm pretty jealous that the talented Indianapolis Star photographer Frank Espich got an early look at one of the eight homes that are part of this weekend's 2009 Woodruff Place Home and Garden Tour.

Fortunately for you, though, the Indy Star makes its photo galleries available for folks like me to post. Thanks! So here's the gallery. And if you want to know more about the tour, visit an earlier post here.

At Home With The Harkes - More The Indianapolis Star Galleries

View this gallery at The Indianapolis Star: At Home With The Harkes

Local DIYer offers upholstery classes

My favorite local DIYer, Shelly Leer, will be teaching classes this summer on pillows and upholstering for all of you who want to become DIYers as well!

"Learning how to reupholster like a professional (well, almost a professional) will provide you with a skill you can use for so many things-chairs, ottomans, upholstered walls, three-way folding screens, pillows, outdoor cushions, headboards and more," Shelly said. "You'll save money, get it done the way you want it and it provides a tremendous feeling of satisfaction in a job well done"

If you're a regular reader, you've probably seen a number of Shelly's project. Check a couple out here and here. And to the right, you'll find an example of the kind of work you'll learn to do in Shelly's classes. You can get the full details of the project at right by going to Shelly's post on the do-it-yourself blog Curbly.

Shelly has classes scheduled in July, August and September and you can email her at flipt@att.net to get the precise days. Currently, the July classes are scheduled to be held at Susan VanHuss studio at The Monon Shoppes at 54th and the Monon Trail across from Reese Kitchens. She is also able to hold small classes in her home studio in Carmel.

Here are the class descriptions and costs:

Woodruff Place tour is this weekend

The 2009 Woodruff Place Home and Garden Tour will offer house lovers a chance to tour eight beautiful homes and six gorgeous gardens on Saturday and Sunday.

I didn't get the chance to tour a home in advance to give you a sneak peek of what to expect. But The Indianapolis Star had a nice story and photos about some of the gardens last week. Check out their photo gallery below.

Meanwhile, here are the details about this weekend's tour:

2009 Mysteries In History, Home and Garden Tour

WHERE: 136 Year Old Historic Woodruff Place

1700 East Between 10th Street and Michigan Street, Indianapolis

WHEN: Sat. June 27 and Sun. June 28, 2009
 Noon to 5:00 p.m. 

COST: $12.00 at the door

Woodruff Place Garden Tour - More The Indianapolis Star Galleries

View this gallery at The Indianapolis Star: Woodruff Place Garden Tour

Modern white pendants offer flair on the cheap

All these lights available for $200 or less!

I love modern lighting with its geometric lines, unusual shapes and striking profiles and there's no place it's more evident than in simple white pendants.

While I love a great red shade (like we featured here) or a sophisticated choice (like one we showed here), there's nothing like white to really show off a design. And so I had a lot of fun putting together this collection of great, inexpensive pendants -- all available for $200 or less!

Here's the product info for the photos above. Top row from left: Lights Up! Rex Pendant from 2modern, $200; ACafe Urban Skyline Nickel 36" High Ceiling Pendant Fixture from Lamps Plus, $170; Nuevo Cerebro from Inmod, $113. Bottom row from left: Innermost Delight Drum Shade from Design Public, $120; White Polka Dot Halogen Pendant Light from Lamps Plus, $129.99; Artecnica Garland Light in white from Design Public, $95.