August 19th, 2014 at 4:00 pm
Nature might just be the ultimate design muse. It makes perfect sense – nature is vast, ever changing, continuously offers new perspectives and allows designers to work in a variety of dimensions. Concepts can come from vegetables, animals, shapes, textures, etc. The possibilities are endless. Elements of nature can have a calming, peaceful and welcoming effect in the home and are an essential part of creating a one-of-a-kind design aesthetic. Accomplishing this in your own home may be easier than you think.
Start by looking at your own walls. Do you have any exposed stone or brick? Using your natural walls as a backdrop is a great way to add texture to any room.
Bring the outdoors into your living room with this stand out coffee table. Not only does it add color and vitality to your room, but it will also be a topic of conversation
Emily Wettstein
August 14th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
By now it’s no longer news to anyone living in Southern California that residents are in the middle of an extreme drought. New restrictions have been enforced and government and community leaders are urging residents to conserve whenever possible. Although the need to comply with new restrictions is paramount, don’t miss out on the potential savings opportunities available to you for your conservation efforts!
Our current drought is one of the worst in California’s history and we are currently depleting our reserves. Conservation is the key to getting through the drought and recovering quickly. In an effort to encourage conservation participation local and state authorities are offering rebates and incentives for residents that meet certain criteria.
To see if you qualify for rebates or incentives, start first with your appliances. High-efficiency washers, toilets, rotating nozzles, weather-based irrigation controllers and soil sensors may all qualify. If your home uses turf grass, now is the time to replace it! Turf removal rebates start at $2.00 per square foot from SoCal Water$mart, but other local authorities, such as The San Diego Water Authority offer additional rebates. If you’re going to replace your turf be sure to apply for all qualifying rebate programs. (more…)
August 14th, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Although the details of the first garden may forever remain unknown, it’s safe to assume that gardening has been around for hundreds of years. For many, gardening is seen as an art form and an expression of self and home. Gardens can be made to be beautiful, filled with flowers and trees to provide shade on a sunny afternoon, but a garden can also be a source of food and in the past, maybe even survival. Traditionally, gardens were fenced off in some way to provide a barrier of protection against animals. The practice of fencing off a garden led to the art of espalier.
Espalier is the training and pruning of a plant (typically a tree) to grow flat against a barrier such as a wall or fence. This art form can be used in your home garden as an architectural accent. Use it to dress up stone walls or a fence. Try using fruit bearing trees such as apples or pears to add a pop of color to your perimeter.
Some garden centers sell plants that have already been trained, but if you’re looking to train a plant start by planning out your pattern. Common themes include traditional designs that have the plants growing horizontally, vertically or crisscrossed. Once you’ve planned your pattern determine a suitable location and what type of plant you’d like to use. Depending on your pattern, additional equipment may be required such as posts or wires. Consider talking to a local professional at your garden center for additional information and advice on your specific property. Remember, training can take months to years, so be patient and continue to prune as needed!
August 7th, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Each year we look to the future wondering what will come next – flying cars, the ability to teleport – but what we often forget is that the future is right in front of us, in our architecture. As we think about the environment of the future, our buildings shape more than we think. Architectural Digest recently put together their list of “The 14 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2014” and the future is clear in each intricate design.
Certain themes are substantiated throughout. Each building has an underlying humanitarian tone coupled with unique edifices and visual illusions. For example, the Jockey Club Innovation Tower in Hong Kong maximizes an irregularly shaped piece of land with a stunning building devoted to none other than design students. Many of these buildings are designed to maximize space; like the Shanghai tower which stretches through the sky over 121 floors. Our favorite might just be the dissevering foundation illusion created at the Broad Art Museum in Los Angeles.
These stunning buildings will not only shape architectural trends as they open, but continue to shape the future. To see the full list of anticipated buildings, visit http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architecture/2014-02/tallest-best-new-buildings-towers-in-2014-slideshow.print.
July 29th, 2014 at 8:30 am
It’s no secret that California has been experiencing a record breaking drought. In fact San Diego County and parts of Orange County are currently classified as D3 on the drought scale and parts of Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are classified as D4. According to The National Drought Mitigation Center a D4 is considered the highest drought level possible.
In an effort to conserve water and prevent excessive waste the Governor asked California residents to reduce their water use by 20%; however, that goal remains unmet. To further conservation efforts The State Water Resources Control Board drafted emergency regulations. The new regulations prohibit the following water-related activities.
These regulations come with a fine of up to $500 per day and tickets will be distributed by law enforcement personnel. (more…)
