COLORS COLORS & MORE COLORS!

I have been seeing a lot of colors lately and it makes me SO! happy.
Pantone is announcing colors of the year 2012 and it's new "Nylon Brights "
with it Tangerine-Tango, bright yellows, oceanic-blue,purple,terracotta,citrus-orange,bright red and many more.
Fashion designers as well interior designers follow this trend.
Both in Milano and Paris Fashion week, we could see all the colors for both men's and women's clothing and accessories.
Flooring company "FLOOR" is fast to adapt this trends and come up with there
own spine on it and here it is great floor that can be easy changed.
View there site www.floor.com
Is this a sign that we are done with the muted colors or that wee need
some more "happy" in our life's?
Here are some photos for you to enjoy.

Succulent Wall

Just wanted to share this picture and a great idea
for a wall. Succulents don't need a lot sun so if you have
a wall in your yard that is unused or you don't know
what to do there this may be something to do.
Try to plant a variety of succulents and there a many;
both hanging and as ground cvering ones.
GOOD LUCK!

The Deconstruction of a Chair

Last week I had a pleasure to attend a CEU class at "Century Furniture"-www.CenturyFurniture.com showroom at LA Mart. I didn't know what to expect and I got a surprise.
The class was held by Alex Shuford - 3rd Generation Furniture Maker at Century Furniture. He started the presentation by talking about the company history and how his grandfather started it.
Then he talk about the difference between a lower price chair and a high end chair,
and he did had a chair that was beautiful (unfortunately my before photo did not work.
And as the tittle of this presentation say he did deconstruct the chair by slashing it to shreds and pieces with his sharp exacto knife.
You all should hear our loud reaction to that, LOL!.
I attach some photos and a YouTube videohttp://youtu.be/vEKLNGMnwZQ that will explain more about what "Century Furniture" stand for.
And if you ever have a chance to see his presentation take it.

Lead-based paint.

Recently I had a friend that asked me what's the danger that lead paint can be in her new rental apartment.
We all know that lead was used in paint before 1960 in US and we here lots on TV about lead used in toys for kids but do we know what it can do to our health?
Here is some info about lead;
Lead was used as a pigment in "alkyd" oil based paint. About two-thirds of the homes built before 1940 and one-half of the homes built from 1940 to 1960 contain heavily-leaded paint and only some homes built after 1960 also contain heavily-leaded paint.
It could be used on interior or exterior surfaces, on woodwork, doors and windows.
In 1978 the US Consumer Product Safety Commission lowered the legal maximum lead content in most kinds of paint to 0.06%
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends that action to reduce exposure should be taken when the lead in paint is greater than 0.5% by lab testing or greater than 1.0 milligrams per square centimeter by X-ray fluorescent.
Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for children and adults, in children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and can impair mental functioning.
In adults,it can cause irritability,poor muscle coordination, and nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves controlling the body, in rare cases even can cause problems with reproduction or increase blood pressure.
The current blood level which defines lead poisoning is 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.
What to do if you have lead-paint;
1) Have the painted item replaced.
2) Cover the lead-based paint,you can spray the surface with sealant or cover it with gypsum wallboard.
3) Have the lead-based paint removed by a professionals trained in removing lead-based paint do this work.
4) Reduce lead dust exposure.You can remove a small amount of lead-based paint if you can avoid creating any dust.
You can periodically wet mop and wipe surfaces and floors with a high phosphorous cleaning solution (5%)
Government officials and health professionals continue to develop advice about removing lead-based paint but you can contribute to it by choosing products that are healthier to us and the environment.

LA'S MOST EXOTIC SETTINGS FOR SALE

One of the most exotic setting is the Sowden House build in 1927 by Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright's son) and restored by designer Xorin Balbes (2002, 2009.
John Sowden house is also known as The "Jaws House" and noted for its use of the ornamented concrete blocks and for its unusual facade, resembling either a Mayan temple or the gaping open mouth of great white shark.
The original owner, John Sowden (painter, photographer) hired his friend Lloyd Wright to build the home in Los Feliz.
The house has been recognize as one of Lloyd Wright's most important works and a landmark in Los Angeles.
From 1945-1951 the house was owned by Dr. George Hodel, a prime suspect in the "Black Dahlia" murder. The doctors son Steve Hodel Los Angeles homicide detective claimed in his 2003 book "Black Dahlia Avenger" that the victim Elizabeth Short, was tortured, murdered and dissected by his father inside the Sowden House in 1947.
You my recognize the house from as home of Ava Gardner in the movie "The Aviator".
Like to share some photos from the house as I had the pleasure to visit it before the sale, the house is offered at $4,200,000. Small price for a historic gem.
If you drive by the address is: 5121 Franklin Ave. Los Feliz, CA

PARIS; LIFE & LUXURY

For a few days now I have been seeing around Los Angeles banners advertising exhibit at The J. Paul Getty Museum "PARIS; LIFE & LUXURY" and today I decided to go and see it.
And what a day it was! The weather was perfect, the gardens in fool bloom and the exhibit fantastic.
A little note from the museum about this exhibition; "Evoking the elegant, prosperous world of Rococo Paris, this major international loan exhibition brings to life activities that took place inside a Parisian town house over the course of a typical day-from dressing and letter writing to dining, music, and other evening entertainments. It brings together a wide variety of objects-from candlesticks and firedogs, to furniture and clocks, dressing gowns and jewelry, musical instruments and games-all from elite society in Paris, The fashion and cultural epicenter of Europe at the time."
"Paris was a center of great cultural achievement and artistic creativity during the reign of Louis XV from 1723-1774" and I am so grateful to be able to see master work of some of that time under appreciated man.
The exhibit is until August 7, 2011 but if not just to see the artwork go and see the gardens or just have a minute seating and taking in the beauty of that place.
I did had more then a minute looking at the architecture of the Getty Center, the views over Los Angeles and just think about why I moved to California, and I now know why......

Bungalow Heaven

It dose sounds fantastic and it was! On Sunday, April 10.2011 I had a pleasure to view Arts and Crafts homes in beautiful city Pasadena California. It was amazing weather to walk from home to home. The organizer of this yearly event i a home association 'Bungalow Heaven"- www.bungalowheaven.org Here is some info from the association web " Tucked in the deep of the California Oaks that line the streets is a bit of paradise, Bungalow Heaven residents say".
I got to know that the neighborhood was added to the U.S National Register of Historic Places, and as a member of national Trust For Historic Preservation makes me glad to know that we have some think like that at our door step.
I hear all the time that investors/builders demolish beautiful houses just because of the cost to preserve the old house and it makes me think how come that we can go to other country's and admire the historical sites but here at home we demolish them!!
Maybe it's time to live some history for the kids to be proud of.
On that Sunday I seen eight homes and many of the homes maintain the authentic Arts & Crafts style some of them even had Mission- style furniture and decor of the period.
My self guided tour ended with a "Living History" with actors portraying homeowners of the period, in a 1912 bungalow furnished with authentic mid-century pieces and mid-century inspired decor. This is what the proud homeowner talk about; " This eclectic mix of arts & crafts architecture and mid-century furnishings works beautifully, as several of the elements of both architectural styles have commonalities". Unfortunately pictures were not aloud inside the homes.
In did everything blended well together even me!..