Moving Life Outdoors with Seasonal Furniture



Outdoor wicker dining set from Padma's Plantation

Outdoor living spaces have been gaining enormous popularity over the past few years and I see this trend continuing.   People want the convenience of outdoor kitchens, patios and spas, therefore, creating a demand for fun, vibrant outdoor friendly furniture and glorious accessories. And, manufacturers of outdoor living products are incorporating bold colors, exciting prints and interesting finishes on outdoor furniture this year.

The hotest color of the year is tangerine, which means all shades of orange are popping up in every product, including outdoor lounges, shades and rugs.  Orange radiates warmth and energy. In either indoor or outdoor settings, orange brings a sense of harmony, accenting the natural greens of indoor plants or outdoor landscaping.  It’s perfect for summer, and especially striking when combined with other bright colors like turquoise, yellow and bright green.



"Avo" from East End Imports

In addition, metal--both steel and aluminum--is now more durable and lightweight than ever, and weather resistant when applied with a powder-coated finish. Wicker and rattan looks are now available in outdoor-friendly materials and offer an array of styles from traditional to contemporary. If wood is your preference, look for safe, environmentally-friendly products that are Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or wood that meets the standards of FSC.    As a certified GreenLeader and advocate for eco-friendly living, I advise and recommend options to my clients based on a solid understanding of the value of using eco-conscientious vendors.  The result is a unique, but distinctive look--both indoors and out.

For more information about how to create a beautiful outdoor space for your home, give me a call at (402) 593-6357 or send me an e-mail me at aboesen@decorandyou.com.

Recycling

Recycling Used Furniture and Other Home Items 

When undertaking new decorating projects, clients always ask me what to do with the castoff furniture and other unwanted items. 

Rather than letting those items rot in a landfill, give them a second life. Sometimes, you can even help someone in need at the same time. Here’s a list of places in Omaha that I’ve used:

Hand Me-Ups  --  Hand Me-Ups will send a truck to pick up clean, gently used furniture items and leave you with a donation receipt for tax purposes.  The stores are operated by Angel Guardians, Inc., a Nebraska nonprofit serving teenagers and adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities. For more information, go to:  http://www.angelguardians.org/Hand_Me_Ups.html

Habitat ReStore -- You can donate leftover building materials and home fixtures -- things like unused paint, extra floor tiles or doorknobs -- to this discount retail outlet benefitting Habitat for Humanity. The ReStore donates 100 percent of proceeds to Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that builds or renovates homes to build stronger communities. There is one Habitat Omaha ReStore at 1003 S. 24th St. and a second location is scheduled to open in summer 2012 one block north of 108th and Maple Streets. If you can’t deliver your donated items to the store, schedule a pick-up. ReStore accepts all home improvement items as long as they are able to perform their designed purpose. For more information, visit the ReStore website: http://habitatomaha.org/support_habitat.asp

Yesterday’s Best Thrift Shop -- This thrift store at 3569 Leavenworth accepts gently used men’s and women’s clothing, kick-knacks, household items, collectibles, linens and books -- but no furniture. Proceeds from sales of the items support the Assistance League of Omaha’s philanthropic programs. There is no pick-up or delivery service, so plan to drop off your items. For more information, visit the Assistance League of Omaha’s website:  http://omaha.assistanceleague.org/ps.yesterdaysbestthriftshop.cfm?ID=1385 (Full disclosure--I am a member of this organization and I can vouch for the quality of the donations sold at the thrift store!)

FreeCycle.org -- This website connects people in your community with your unwanted items. Someone doing a craft project recently wanted broken terra cotta pots. Another person sought twin mattresses, for example. My leftover upholstery samples were taken by someone who made hammocks for rescued animals! To participate, you’ll need to sign up as a member on the website. Then type in your city and join that group. Everything posted must be free, legal and appropriate for all ages.  http://www.freecycle.org

Under the Sink -- Douglas and Sarpy County residents can dispose of lawn chemicals, motor oil and other hazardous waste at the City of Omaha’s household hazardous waste facility at 4001 S. 120th St. Many items are not accepted, such as batteries, old medicine and devices containing mercury. Check out the Under the Sink website for hours and more information on what items will and will not be accepted. http://www.underthesink.org

EDT -- For 20-cents a pound (or 30-cents a pound for televisions), EDT will recycle your old electronics. This business at 10330 I St. offers a drive-up and drop-off service the first and third Saturday of every month. If you want the items picked up, it’s 35-cents a pound.  Electronics contain hazardous and non-biodegradable materials that are released into the environment when discarded in a landfill. EDT provides recycling services according to the guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Check out the EDT website for details:  http://edtshredding.com/electonic-recyling

Half Price Books -- If your remodel project required decluttering, you can take those books, music, movies, games, game consoles, e-readers and audiobooks to Half Price Books. The store at 12355 W. Center Road pays cash for these items. The price paid depends on condition and supply and demand. Overstock items are donated to nonprofit agencies or recycled. For more information, visit the Half Price Books website:  http://hpb.com

I hope this  list and the recent blogs inspire you to make earth-friendly decisions with your home decorating projects. If you want to include environmentally responsible practices in your next home project, contact me at aboesen@decorandyou.com. As a Green Accredited Professional through the Sustainable Furnishings Council, I can help.

I promise my next blog will return to conversations about and photos of "pretty, shiny things". In the meantime, I'd love to hear about any recycling resources you use that are not mentioned here.  Now, go forth into the world and decorate--AND recycle!

Happy Arbor Day!

If there’s one day to go faux, it’s National Arbor Day -- the day we celebrate our trees.

You can infuse the look of wood grain in your home decor with the so-called “faux bois” trend that is so popular these days.

Branch Cabinet from Global Views

Cyan Designs

Bronze Branch Candleholder from Global Views

Faux Bois Lamp from Cyan Designs

Side Table, Cyan Designs

Side Table & Hall Table, Global Views

Twig Candelabra, Global Views

But that’s not the only way to save old-growth forests when decorating and furnishing your home. You can turn to wood from certified sources or plantation-grown trees or use alternate sources, such as rapid renewables or recycled content.


Deforestation is the cause of 24 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming. (Source: Baumert, Herzog, Pershing Greenhouse Gas Data and Int'l Climate Policy 2007)  As I mentioned in my Earth Day blog post, if you can make  an eco-friendly choice in decorating, why wouldn’t you?


The popularity of the faux bois trend makes it easy. French for “false wood,” faux bois items are inspired by the look of wood but are made of materials such as concrete, metal and resin -- for example, a white ceramic vase made to look like birch wood. Or they can take the form of pillows, rugs or wallpaper. These items pictured here are available through Decor & You vendors, but they are readily available in retail stores, as well.

Faux Bois Concrete Chair, Currey & Conpany

Concrete Outdoor Bench, Currey & Company

Stores increasingly are stocking furnishings made from lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, an organization that promotes responsible stewardship of the world’s forests through every step in the manufacturing process. Look for this certification as you shop.


Or, look for furniture made from trees that are fast-growing, renewable resources. Mango, bamboo, rubber wood, wicker, rattan sea grass and abaca are examples of “green” alternatives to traditional wood products. Bamboo can grow more than one foot each day, and reeds commonly are harvested by small farmers and villagers.

Plantation-grown Mango Wood Tables from Uttermost

As a Green Accredited Professional through the Sustainable Furnishings Council, I work with suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and designers who are dedicated to promoting sustainable practices. Feel free to contact me at aboesen@decorandyou.com for more advice on wood-friendly decorating. Happy Arbor Day!

Decisions that Make a Difference to the Earth

I’ve never been much of a tree-hugger, but when I see environmentally sound options, I think: if you can make eco-friendly choices, why wouldn’t you?

That’s why I became a Green Accredited Professional through the Sustainable Furnishings Council, a non-profit coalition of suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and designers dedicated to promoting sustainable practices. The certification process involved learning about the hazards of chemicals in seemingly harmless items like carpeting, studying eco-friendly manufacturing methods and materials, and familiarizing myself with the array of green products that have emerged in recent years. 

Last week, I shared what I learned with the Women’s Council of Realtors, an Omaha group which invited me to speak at its monthly meeting and of which I am an affiliate member. Today and in coming blog posts, I’d like to share with you how easy making green choices can be -- a fitting topic with Earth Day approaching this Sunday!

I thought the best way to show this would be to walk you through some of the eco-friendly choices I made during a recent project at my own home.

Recycle carpet
Over 5 BILLION pounds of carpeting are dumped in U.S. landfills every year.  Instead of ditching our old carpet, we recycled it. Carpet and furniture stores increasingly have partnered with manufacturers to be environmentally responsible. While recycling carpet might not be available everywhere, it’s worth asking if yours -- and even the pad, too -- can be put to use elsewhere instead of landing up in a landfill.  Ask your carpet installer if they will take your used carpet to the recycling center for you or take it to your local recylcing center.  In Omaha, the place to recycle carpet and pad is the City of Omaha Southeast Recycling Center http://www.green-watch.org/take-action/recycling-center.cfm?centerID=195.  If your carpet is in reasonably good shape, consider donating it to the Habitat for Humanity Restore.  To find a Restore near you, go to: www.habitat.org/restores

Choose materials made from renewable resources
We replaced our kitchen’s wood laminate flooring with bamboo. It’s hardy, durable and looks similar to wood flooring but helps deter harvesting of old-growth forests. It also comes in a wide variety of looks.  We absolutely love it.

Use no- or low-VOC paints

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the gases emitted from certain solids or liquids, such as paints, furnishings, glues and building materials. Because they may have short-  and long-term adverse health effects, why not avoid them where you can? One of the easiest ways is to simply choose a no- or low-VOC paint. These are widely available today -- you just have to ask!  We used Sherwin-Williams' Harmony Interior Acrylic Latex in color Adaptive Shade.

Re-use furniture
I recovered several pieces of living room furniture instead of buying new. When you re-upholster, you  provide work for local businesses and avoid transportation impact -- gas emissions from all the boats and trucks that it takes to transport goods.  Re-upholstering is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but in my case the furniture was in good condition, the right scale for the room and of high quality.  It just needed some "refreshing" with fabrics in a new color palette and style.

Buy responsibly manufactured furniture
When I did buy new furniture instead of repurposing existing pieces, I purposely paid attention to how--and where--it was made.

A lot of furniture is made from forests that are “clearcut,” or leveled by giant machines, destroying entire forests and their diverse ecosystems. But some companies only use wood obtained from forests managed thoughtfully. Public outcry against destructive wood-mining practices has fed a healthy demand for responsibly forested wood furniture. It’s much easier today than several years ago to find furniture certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, an organization that promotes responsible stewardship of the world’s forests through every step in the manufacturing process. 

In the end, I bought end tables made by an American manufacturer using wood sources approved by the FSC.  Much like the paint, the recovered furniture and the bamboo flooring, the end tables don’t "scream" that they are environmentally friendly.

Use compact fluorescent bulbs
Compact fluorescent bulbs, commonly referred to as CFLs, save energy and last longer, therby minimizing impact on the environment.  CFL's can be safely recycled at any big-box hardware store, too, taking the worry out of how to dispose of them properly.

Here's the finished product--does it look like a tree-hugger lives here?






At every decision point in your decorating--and daily living--you can ask “is this the right thing to do for our environment.” And today, thanks to the many options available, you can make the right decision for Mother Earth while not sacrificing aesthetics. And of course, if you need help with your earth-friendly decorating, email me at aboesen@decorandyou.com.

Happy Earth Day!

Faux florals: no longer a no-no

If you think decorating with fake flowers is tacky, think again.  Today's offerings have come a long way from the plastic, waxy-looking florals you might associate with waiting-room lobbies or outdoor cemetery arrangements.

Case in point:  a sunflower arrangement in my home tricked my late father-in-law one Thanksgiving.  Because he was a country boy familiar with this summer flower, he couldn't figure out where I found a fresh arrangement in November.  He asked, "Where did you get sunflowers this time of year?"  That particular arrangement happened to be from NDI, one of the vendors Decor & You uses to supply clients with realistic florals.  The faux water in the vase of sunflowers, complete with "hair" from the stems really helped pull off this con job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of using real flowers in the home.  But yesterday's official arrival of spring doesn't mean the tulips and daffodils are ready to be plucked for a centerpiece.  So going "faux" is a perfect way to get your floral fix in the interim.  Faux florals are also cost-effective since you can use them year after year!

Here are a few tips on how to use faux florals:

1.  Buy the most realistic-looking florals you can find and can afford.  While some of the best ones may be pricey, consider them as an investment piece.

2.  Display only in-season florals (OK, maybe I should have put away those sunflowers before November!).  For spring, this means tulips, daffodils, forsythia, or hyacinth, for example.  If you want a faux flower that you can keep out year-round, consider a faux orchid.  Because they are now widely available at florists year-round, an orchid won't scream "I'm fake!"  While many flowers are available all year at florists, your trick to pulling off faux florals is to keep this rule in mind:  you want your arrangement to look like you just picked the flowers from the garden.  So don't display something like a tulip--a signature spring flower--in say, October.

3.  Think beyond the dramatic dining-room table centerpiece.  Consider using faux arrangements in a powder room or on a kitchen window ledge or on a bedside table.  Smaller arrangements scattered throughout the home help bring the outdoors in, even when the flowers aren't real!






4.  Give them as gifts!  If you're looking for a unique gift, consider a two-part, "now and later" gift:  a bouquet of fresh flowers for the recipient to enjoy now and a beautiful faux arrangement for later.

Now that you know these tricks of the trade, do you think you can spot the posy poseurs, the impostor impatiens or crocus con artists?  Still baffled by how to make it work?  Don't hesitate to contact me at aboesen@decorandyou.com.  I can help you find the right flowers for your space, considering size and scale--and your budget.  And if you want a truly unique piece, I can help you pick your favorite flowers and order a personalized arrangement through a vendor that makes custom faux florals for Decor & You.

Happy Spring!

Little Tips for a Big Screen Experience

By the time Sunday’s Academy Awards show airs, I will have seen seven of the 10 Best Picture nominees. How about you? If you plan to watch the nominated films on DVD or Netflix in the comfort of your own home, don’t think you need an expensive media room to enjoy the movie. Read my latest blog post to learn affordable ways to optimize your at-home movie-viewing experience!  http://decorandyouinteriormotives.blogspot.com/

Little Tips for a Big Screen Experience

We’ve all seen those over-the-top media rooms: the massive TV screens, surround-sound speakers, sound-proofed walls and stadium-style rows of recliners with cup holders in the armrests.

Impressive? Sure. But they aren’t necessarily in everyone’s style or budget.

Here are a few simple and affordable tricks to optimize the movie-viewing experience, whether in a designated media room or an everyday family room:

Place the TV on the same wall as windows to minimize glare. Light bouces back from a TV screen, so avoid having windows or lamps opposite the television.

Install room-darkening blinds. Also called blackout blinds/shades, these window coverings will prevent natural light from penetrating into the room. This creates the dark, easy-on-the-eyes atmosphere perfect for watching movies. (Even with custom-made blinds, some natural light can seep in around the edges -- consider decorative drapery panels on each side of the window to cover the light gap.)

Position furniture the appropriate distance from the TV. Take the size of your screen, multiply it by three, then divide that number by 12 to determine the optimum distance from the TV you should place seating. Example using a 32" TV:  32 x 3 = 96.   96 divided by 12 (inches in a foot) = 8. Place seating eight feet from the TV!

Place the largest piece of furniture in front of the TV. Usually, this is the sofa. Don’t feel like the room has to be set up for movie-viewing all the time. Chairs may be placed facing each other or the sofa in a conversation-style setup for everyday, and then swung around to face the TV screen when it’s movie time. 

Make sure every seat has a place to rest a drink and popcorn. In addition to your room’s existing end tables, place little garden stools, cube ottomans or footstools with trays so every guest has a home for snacks. Another tip: make sure each guest has comfy pillows and throws, too.

Minimize cords and clutter. You don’t want movie viewers distracted by that tangle of wires or precariously leaning tower of DVDs, do you? A console can be your best friend to hide clutter as well as store DVDs.

If you need help -- whether it’s creating an entire media room  or sprucing up your everyday TV room -- please contact me at aboesen@decorandyou.com. Decor & You is all about helping you, no matter what the size  the project.