So chill…

Thursday, September 15, 2011 by:Melinda McGarty Webb

Even when these last few days of summer have passed, outdoor living will continue.

That means we’ll still need somewhere to chill our drinks – until the air is so cold it does it for us.

So whether they’re of the non-alcoholic variety or it’s cocktail time, this beverage cooler from Alfresco Home is a chic way to keep things cool.

Shown in Antique Green, the ornate ceramic bowl sits atop an iron pedestal, with additional storage beneath.

$279. Porch & Patio, 67 Federal Road, Brookfield. (203) 740-8001. www.porchandpatio.net.

Categories: General, Window Shopping

Recycle That! Wall-to-Wall Carpet

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 by:Alison Grieveson

My sister and her family moved into their 1964 ranch a few months ago. Since then she has done a lot to bring it into this decade; removing dated wallpaper (although none of it tops my kitchen’s old wallpaper) and painting, replacing dated lighting and of course, the floors needed attention. Wall to wall carpeting has its time and place. As you can see from the photos below this carpet’s era has long since passed!

As you can see, this living room is fairly large and would require an equally large area rug over the hardwood she put down. She was thinking a 9 x 12- which can get pricey. Why not, she thought, keep this wall-to-wall carpet, cut it down, bind the edges and use it for the living room (and save the planet at the same time)? OK, she didn’t think that last part- that was me, but still, whether she meant to or not, she made a green choice by re-using this carpet! Continue reading →

Categories: General, Refurnished Living

Relax in style

Monday, September 12, 2011 by:Melinda McGarty Webb

This LC4 lounge by the Italian furniture maker Cassina is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Can you imagine having one in your own home?

The iconic lounge, designed in the 1920s by Swiss-born French architect and designer Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier, features a chrome cradle that rests on a black steel base with four choices of upholstery – the tri-color hairy hide featured here, black hairy hide, leather or canvas.

From $ 2455 to $ 3685. Signorello of Westport, 11 Wilton Avenue, Westport. www.signorellowestport.com.

Categories: General, Window Shopping

New Garden Barely Survives Irene

Friday, September 9, 2011 by:Amy Dolego

By Amy Dolego

Our vacation week went by in a flash. Although it was a working vacation to get some very important things done on the house, it felt restful simply because we weren’t rushing.

We couldn’t have picked a better weather week. The days were filled with clear blue skies and comfortable temperatures, perfect for outdoor projects. I wanted to start with cleaning up a perennial garden area adjacent to our stone patio. It was a mess. Lily of the valley had taken over and wild spirea bushes sprouted in between the flowers and weeds. Every time we sat on the patio, I secretly longed to attack that overgrown garden and create something more pleasing. Since we had a block of time to work without interruption, I was finally going to get my wish.

As soon as I jammed the shovel in the dirt and struck stone, I knew this project was going to be harder than it looked. Underneath about 5 inches of soil and a virtual tangle of roots, large flat stones lined the bottom. They must have been part of the original patio at one time. Dennis and I pierced through the mangled mess with all sorts of garden tools. We pulled out the lily of the valley and spirea and put them into tubs filled with water. I planned to transplant them along the North side of the house. It took us 2 days to dig down to the patio stones and Dennis spent hours lifting the stones out and transporting them by wheelbarrow to a remote part of the yard. Continue reading →

Categories: Architecture, Gardening, General, This Very Old House

A dose of color!

Thursday, September 8, 2011 by:Melinda McGarty Webb

The blood orange hue of this Margarita bistro set by Alfresco Home is deliciously lush. Plus, what better color than orange to usher us out of summer and into the fall? I know, we still have almost two weeks of summer. I shouldn’t be rushing things.

The set is also available in green apple and turquoise – both beautiful, vibrant shades. But beyond the colors, I think the painted wrought iron, interlocking flower pattern, and curvy, almost Art Deco-influenced contours make this bistro set particularly special.

$499. Porch & Patio, 67 Federal Road, Brookfield. (203) 740-8001. www.porchandpatio.net.

Categories: General, Window Shopping

Get to Know…Green Lunching

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 by:Alison Grieveson

Let me start with a few staggering statistics so you understand the impact going green at lunch can have on our planet.

The Container Recycling Institute claims that 2.81 million juice boxes were sold in the U.S. in 2006, most of which cannot be recycled due to the inseparability of the cardboard, plastic, and aluminum foil used in the product.
The average American school-age child throws away 67 pounds of lunch waste a year. With the population of kids in the US alone accounting for over 70 million, that’s over 4.6 billion pounds of waste that could be easily avoided.
Plastic cutlery is non-biodegradable, can leach toxic chemicals when handled improperly, and is widely used. Worldcentric.org estimates 40 billion plastic utensils are used every year in just the United States. The majority of these are thrown out after just one use.

Read more facts about disposable lunches here on reuseit.com.

Are you as shocked as I was after reading this? And you think I would be used to hearing these kinds of numbers bandied about, but no, my mouth still drops in surprise. So let’s jump right to a simple solution to this problem. Bring your own lunch containers. Wow – that’s it?

There are so many fun, cool options these days that there’s no excuse. Check these out:

I have been using these Kids Konserve sandwich wrappers and stainless steel containers for a few years since a friend gave them to me as a gift. All these products are free of BPA, phthalates, PVC and lead. My daughter uses them everyday at school now too. Gotta start ‘em early! I really like the whole set. (Is it me or is that a hec of a lot of nuts to eat for lunch? Just saying.)

This Acme Bags lunch bag made me laugh. A take on the “I’m not a plastic bag” bag that was so hot a few years ago. The benefit of this bag is that it is made from recycled cotton and polyester, printed with PVC-free ink and made in the USA. Delicious!

Continue reading →

Categories: Refurnished Living

Cool, Contemporary Lighting

Thursday, September 1, 2011 by:Melinda McGarty Webb

I love the simplicity of this Kamal Dark Walnut Wood Lamp by Arteriors, available from Country Design in New Canaan.

It’s fashionable and contemporary, but by no means stark. The rich-toned wood and lovely adjoining circles bring it warmth, accessibility and interest.

The dark base comes with a contrasting light beige linen shade with cotton lining, and stands 31.5 inches high.

$340.10. Country Design,150 Elm Street, New Canaan, (203) 966-9131. www.countrydesignonline.com

Categories: General, Window Shopping

Burn, Baby Burn

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 by:Alison Grieveson

So Irene has come and gone but she has left her mark. I have a burn down my hand from the candles I have been burning. It is day three of no power and as I write this I am relying on the light from my laptop to see the keys. I didn’t go out and buy any new candles- just scrounged the ones I had laying around. But as I smelled the fumes from the candles and felt the burn, it got me thinking that there has got to be a better alternative. Then I remembered that Jimmy Belasco who I met at a trade show a few years ago made beautiful soy candles and he told me all about the benefits of burning a soy candle. Paraffin (petroleum-based), what typical candles are made from “are toxic” he said and soy candles (at least his candle) are not. He explained that it also burns up to 50% slower than regular candles and produces little to no soot. Here are some lovely soy candles I found online.

Here’s one of Jimmy’s candles-lovely packaging, no?