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NORTHERN COLORADO Issue 3 2009

Home Style Magazine

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A quarterly magazine published by the Loveland Reporter-Herald

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Page 1: Home Style Magazine

NORTHERN COLORADO

Issue 32009PAGE 21

HOMESTYLEMAGAZINE

GREEN IN THE

BATHROOM

Page 2: Home Style Magazine

DOMESTICODY’D23Fixing up Saudi Arabia isn’t an easy thing to do

inside this issue 2009, issue 3

CREATIVE WALL ART 9Use photos, artistic elements to create appealing wall decor

ROOM TO GROW6Build a bedroom children won’t outgrow

FIRST IMPRESSIONS12Create a charming front porch

STAGED TO STAY16A home stager transforms homes for the people who live there

A guide to literature about reinventing your home.............................pg. 4Enjoy a clutter-free bedroom.................................................................pg. 510 hot kitchen trends...............................................................................pg. 9Start living green............................................................................pgs. 19-22

Cover photo courtesy CTW FeaturesALSO INSIDE:

NORTHERN COLORADO

STYLEMAGAZINE

Northern Colorado Home Style is a quarterly magazine produced by

the Loveland Reporter-Herald.

For advertising information, call 970-669-5050.

For editorial information, e-mail editor Jade Cody at [email protected]

or call 970-635-3656.

Contact reporter Rhema Muncy [email protected]

or 970-635-3684.

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 2 2009, issue 3

Page 3: Home Style Magazine

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Page 4: Home Style Magazine

Home Style bookshelf

For people looking to enhance their home, plenty of ideas exist in the form of literature. Use the following lis of books to get some innovative ideas to spruce up and personalize your home.

100+ Tips: Ideas - Contemporary Houses by Fernando de Haro & Omar Fuentes (AM Editores, 2009) $11.95

The Kitchen: Creating Contemporary Homesby Vinny Lee (Aurum Press, 2009) $24.95

1,000 New Eco Designs and Where to Find Themby Rebecca Proctor (Laurence King Publishers, 2009) $35

Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures by Amanda Blake Soule (Trumpeter, 2009) $21.95

Newly Weds’ Guide to Setting Up Home by Gail Abbott (Cima Books, 2009) $24.95

Table Decor Studio-Soiree: Create a Style Sensation with Festive, Reversible Place Settings and Accessories by Demetria Hayward(C&T Publishing, 2009) $19.95

Reinvent your home, room by room

Loving Your Home: An Upbeat, No-Nonsense Guide to Simplicity, Order, and Care by Carol Showalter & Mary Jane Preston (Paraclete Press, 2009) $16.99

Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environ-mentally Friendly In-formation, Products, and Services by Adria Vasil(W.W. Norton & Co., 2009) $17.95

The Picture Framing Hand-book: Matting, Mounting, and Framing Tech-niques for Profes-sional Resultsby Andy Parks(Watson-Guptill, 2009) $24.95

150 Best Kitchen Ideasby Montse Borrs & Aitana Lleonart(Collins Design, 2009) $29.99

The Making of a Houseby Janne Faulkner & Harley Anstee (Hardie Grant Books, 2009) $59.95

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 4 2009, issue 3

Page 5: Home Style Magazine

The bedroom is meant to be a sanctu-ary, a place to retreat for relaxation and escape. “[But] it often isn’t a sanctuary; it’s a dumping ground,” said Vicki Norris, a Sherwood, Ore.-based professional orga-nizing expert, speaker and author.

“Make sure you reclaim adult space,” Norris said. “If it’s supposed to be a space for husband and wife, it’s time to get toys and donated items out.” She suggested taking advantage of hidden spaces such as those under the bed or behind doors.

Norris also noted that it’s important to customize the bedroom to your personal needs, whether that involves adhering to traditional design principles or not. “I see a lot of people spending money on things like chaise lounges they hardly sit in,” she said. “Even if your bedroom has a little nook, you don’t have to set up a sitting room if you’re not going to utilize it.”

When purchasing furniture, look for pieces that can double as storage, said Audrey Long, owner of New Hope, Penn.-based Audrey Long Interior Design. She recommended armoires with shallow divid-ers so you can easily see everything. Store extra linens under your bed, or use a chest at the end of the bed that can double as seating. “Then when you take pillows and all that fluff stuff off of the bed, you’ve got some place to pile it,” she added.

“Use gift boxes or shoe boxes within deeper drawers to hold sweaters and socks in neat piles,” she suggested. “It holds things together, and you can see them better.”

clutter-free bedroomJessica AbelsCTW FEATURES

CTW photo

Northern Colorado Home Style Page 5 2009, issue 3

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“Even if your bedroom has a little nook, you don’t have to set up a sitting room if you’re not goi ng to utilize it.”

— Vicki Norris, a Sherwood, Ore.-based professional organizing expert, speaker and author.

Page 6: Home Style Magazine

An all-adult brainstorming ses-sion is what the parents of a three-year-old expected to take place when they hired Judson Beaumont to help them create a whimsical, one-of-a-kind bedroom for their daughter. Brimming with ideas of their own, they were bewildered when Beaumont got down on his knees and asked the little girl’s opinion. She said she liked bumblebees, so Beaumont built her a bed with a hive-shaped headboard complete with honeycomb cubbies.

It’s more often the case, though, that moms — and to a lesser extent, dads — make the decorating deci-sions for young kids’ bedrooms. On the whole, sales of kids’ room decor are down due to the recession. But in any economic climate, “There’s an elite group that wants their chil-dren to have these ultimate fantasy bedrooms,” said Beaumont, whose ironically named Vancouver-based company, Straight Line Designs, sells surreal pieces ranging from $1,500 for an askew accent table to $9,000 for a seasick-looking dresser that seems to wobble and sway on stubby legs.

Home-makeover shows featuring highly conceptual children’s bed-rooms probably catalyze more than

room to growHow to build a bedroom kids won’t outgrowBy Dawn KlingensmithCTW FEATURES

CTW photoDresser by Straight Line Designs

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 6 2009, issue 3

Page 7: Home Style Magazine

a few spending sprees, but Beaumont said safety concerns also come into play. Less comfortable allowing chil-dren to roam outdoors, parents trans-form their rooms into imagination sta-tions. But the economy is forcing some changes in children’s bedroom design.

“It used to be the sky’s the limit, espe-cially with nurseries, because people were having babies later in life. They had the money, and they just wanted to do it up because they’d waited so long,” said Beth Keim, whose Charlotte, N.C.-based interior design firm, Lucy & Co., specializes in children’s bedrooms and playrooms. “Now, people aren’t doing full-blown rooms anymore. They buy key pieces and leave out the finish-ing touches.”

Elaborate, over-the-top designs are out of reach for many parents, but even in a pinched economy, it seems the last thing they want is a room that looks cheap. In fact, the latest trends in children’s decor are sophisticated color palettes, understated patterns and sumptuous fabrics, which can be expensive up front but cost-effective over the long run. Ralph Lauren

Home’s line of children’s textiles, for example, includes textures and pat-terns that would look right at home on a college-bound senior’s bed — her-ringbone, plaid, tartan, stripes, paisley, toile. Likewise, PoshTots, Glen Allen, Va., sells children’s bedding lines such as Cambridge Prep, which features a

subdued chocolate-brown and cream-colored plaid pattern and optional decorative pillows with leather buttons and toggle closures.

The advantage of such timeless styles is that they need not be switched out as a child matures, unlike pastel pinks and blues or garish primary colors, Keim said.

“I haven’t done a primary-colored room in a long time,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s because of input from moms and dads or if kids are getting more sophisticated because of what they see in magazines, but it’s good because the newer colors have more staying power.”

Disney icons aside, even bedroom furnishings featuring licensed char-acters tend to be less cartoonish and more subdued. Through a license agreement with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Trend Lab — a Burnsville, Minn.-based nursery decor manufacturer — is launching a line of crib bedding this fall starring Theodor Geisel’s odd-ball characters, but they’re curiously behind the scenes, peeking out from between stripes.

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Northern Colorado Home Style Page 7 2009, issue 3

Page 8: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 8 2009, issue 3

“You don’t look at the design and say, ‘Oh! It’s Dr. Seuss!’ It’s not overly character-driven,” said Audra Simmering, vice president of business development, Trend Lab. “We’re offering a trendier, modern style that pulls in just a little bit of the character elements.”

Reflecting the latest color trends, the crib bedding is predominantly chocolate brown, brick red and sage green — not the sorts of hues you’d associate with typical Seuss characters such as the blue-haired twins Thing One and Thing Two.

“There’s a combination of class and whimsy,” Simmering said. “But I think what’s really great about it is it’s not what people expect.”

A taste for the unexpected is what keeps Beaumont in business. He has custom-built beds shaped like castles and trains emerging from tunnels, but he tends to push his accent pieces, which appeal to a broader range of ages, and discour-ages parents from getting too car-ried away with themes.

A fairyland or fire station theme might be enthralling for a year or so, “Then the child gets sick of it or

outgrows it, and you have to redo the whole room,” he said. Because little kids fixate on things like dino-saurs and princesses for relatively short periods, and older kids tend to be fickle, Keim also avoids overly themed room designs.

“You want the room to reflect the kid’s personality,” she said, “but you don’t want to overdo it. If a kid likes skateboarding, I might use a couple of skateboards as shelves, but I don’t go too far with it. Kids are into what they like, but what they like changes from year to year.”

Beaumont explained: “The pieces I make are meant to be kept in the family as heirlooms that pass down from one kid to another.” He understands parents want to sur-round their children with special things, but spending a lot of money on babies’ and toddlers’ furniture likely will prove to be wasteful, he said. Parents should “keep in mind that kids’ furniture is disposable furniture. Kids put stickers all over it and mark it all up with their crayons. You don’t want to spend a fortune on something you’ll be hauling out to the trash two years later.”

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Page 9: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home Style Page 9 2009, issue 3

FUnky Art

rt gallery strolls often leave me wistfully dreaming of where

to hang each piece that strikes my fancy. My tastes range from soft water color landscapes to bold dramatic pieces. But as a recent col-lege grad just starting out in the world, my art fund is not yet up to par. For now I am my own artist and I created three pieces of funky art ready to add a little splash of color without the hefty price tag.

My inspiration stated with an art class at the Artist’s Nook in Bellvue. Taught by Kelly Kilmer, a travel-ing mixed media artist who holds workshops all over the country, I learned a few altered photo techniques. I printed a few vintage im-ages from www.shorpy.com. Then I sent them to a print shop because the emulsion chemicals on the photos are needed for the altering techniques. A home printer will not create the same components.

One of the basic meth-ods Kilmer taught was taking a dark photo (either black and white or color) and dip-ping it in water. Then with sand paper, rub away on the back ground or write words to reveal colors underneath.

Then pat the photo dry with a paper towel. With walnut oil, water based markers and spray photo dyes, color-ize different aspects of the picture as desired.

After working on the photos, I hit up Hobby Lobby to hunt down some of their seasonal sale items. I found three small prints on card-board blocks ready to hang for 90 percent off the original price. That way I didn’t have to construct a frame or pull canvass.

Using the prints as a base, I pulled out textured papers, ribbons, fabrics, altered pictures and other collage epherma to construct the art pieces. Some of the fabric came from a favorite dress I had that was un-wearable after rips to the seams. Gadgets came from garage sale earrings and other odds and ends found around the house.

To arrange the funky col-lages, I started with cutting and placing the fabrics. To keep the art interesting, don’t always use straight lines. Then tuck some photos in and leave other photos out. Overlap with ribbons and papers — the colors don’t even need to follow a theme. I find this form of art relaxing and releasing, as I do not have to imagine with rules in mind.

Before gluing anything, put

the whole piece together and make sure the proper elements pop out. Then start attaching. I use hot glue and gel medium. For arranging inspiration, check out Kelly Kilmer’s blog at www.kellykilmer.blogspot .com.

With a little bit of time, treasured and funky items from around the house and an some style experimenta-tion, I have three cheap but meaningful art pieces ready to add some new color to my home. Don’t be afraid to ex-periment with picture memo-ries. Building hanging art pieces would also work well for scrap booking in a new way, especially if the book-shelf is already crammed full with those swimming lesson pictures.

Take collaging to a new level by creating personalized wall pieces

Rhema MuncySPECIAL SECTIONS REPORTER

A

RH Photos / Rhema Muncy

StyleH

Page 10: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 10 2009, issue 3

The good news from the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s annual show held recently in Atlanta was that homeowners still want to build snazzy new kitchens and baths and remodel existing ones, despite the downturn in the economy. But in many cases, they want to do so less expensively because of slimmer wallets and a growing concern about recouping those costs down the line.

How are they cutting back? Some are going back to the basics and purchasing fewer appliances — perhaps just one sink and dishwasher after years of two and even three as kitchens got larger and mul-tiple cooks picked up aprons. Others are forgoing bells and whistles, or including just one — maybe a built-in $2,000 coffee center.

Concern nowadays isn’t just about dollars. Many homeowners want to incorporate something green when they select cabinets, countertops and floors. Others seek equipment that speeds up cook-ing and cleaning because of busier lives, which is showing up in ovens that can cook a 12-pound

what’s cookin’?Follow these 10 hot kitchen trends to save money, time and your sanity

By Barbara BallingerCTW FEATURES

CTW photoBlack appliances by Jenn-Air.

Page 11: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home Style Page 11 2009, issue 3

Thanksgiving turkey in 42 minutes, like the Atlanta-based TurboChef’s 30” Double Wall Speedcook Oven. One of the latest ovens by Jenn-Air, which is based in Benton Harbor-Mich., can be programmed to make food come out to the right “doneness” based on preferences and the pan, and even show a photo on the oven’s panel of the finished recipe.

While all-white kitchens have become popular again, black is coming on strong, as are primary colors. A more modern kitchen is also gaining fans, and it may mean anything from fewer corbels on hoods to less detailing on cabinet fronts and more modern sculptural drawer pulls.

But the best news, according to Suzie Williford, 2009 NKBA president and the vice president of sales for Houston-based Kiva Kitchen and Bath, is the whatever-goes philosophy that’s been popular in fashion. “There are trends for eco-friendly efficiency and quality, but these trends aren’t trendy. They’re classic trends that will last for years,” she said. Her advice to homeowners is to invest in timeless pieces with staying power. Mark Karas, president-elect of NKBA and the general manager of Adams Kitchens in Stoneham, Mass., agreed and added that he sees interest in convenient stor-age, more built-in clean lines beyond refrigerators including flush ovens and sleek ventilation units.

An industry show with more than 600 exhibits makes pick-ing favorites difficult, but we pared down our choices to the following 10 hot product and trends:

1. Heated luxuryMany homeowners know the luxury of heated towel racks

in their bathrooms, but they’re available now for kitchen use, which makes sense for drying dishes and glasses. Myson, based in Colchester, Vt., offers traditional and contemporary designs, a variety of finishes, wall, floor and plug-in, electric or hydronic models.

2. Textured tilesBacksplashes have become a way to personalize a kitch-

en, with some manufacturers, like Dallas-based Daltile, embracing a more contemporary direction with long, narrow tiles. Other companies favor huge rectangles and squares, sometimes with hand-carved or textural designs, like Portland, Ore.-based Ann Sacks’ “Charles Stone” tiles that mimic crocodile and wood.

3. Compartmented, fancier sinksThe kitchen sink has never looked so good or been so

CTW photoCosentino USA’s manmade Silestone countertop.

Page 12: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 12 2009, issue 3

practical. Besides double bowls, and deeper models in thick 16-gauge stainless steel, companies like Hayward, Calif.-based Dawn Kitchen & Bath Products Inc., are providing removable stainless steel grates, built-in knife racks, sliding cutting boards and soap compartments.

4. Moderately priced cabinetsKitchen cabinets represent 60 percent of the typical kitchen

budget, so going with a less-pricey-but-still-quality box is music to the ears of value-conscious homeowners. Fu-Tung Cheng designed the modern, affordable “Elements” line with flexible components in Forest Stewardship Council-certified, low-VOC wood boards for TONUSA. Ashland, Ala.-based Wellborn Cabinet debuted a less costly laminate line with modern flat fronts in four colors and stainless steel trim.

5. Beyond granite countertopsWhile granite still garners great attention in countertops,

other materials are edging their way in, including Teragren LLC’s bamboo, Cheng Design’s unique concretes and Cosentino USA’s manmade Silestone. Each has pros and cons, so know how you work and how much stains and nicks bother you.

6. Organizing inserts With possessions increasing, more homeowners want

cabinet interiors outfitted to maximize space. Rev-a-Shelf, in Jeffersontown, Ky., makes organizers like a 24-inch base cabinet that holds up to 12 lids in the top tier, and a bottom tier that groups pots and pans in individual compartments.

7. Integrated fireplaces and waterfallsSlimmed-down gas or electric fireplaces that are built into

a wall add instant warmth and contemporary cachet — al-most like a piece of live art. Ontario, Canada-based Napo-leon Fireplaces caters to Feng Shui design, as well, with their encased waterfalls.

8. Artistic range hoodsWhat looks like oversized pendant lamps and disco balls

are actually hoods that provide high-efficiency ventilation and light, courtesy of Italian company Elica Inc.

9. Clean induction cooktopsInduction cooking offers greater efficiency than gas or

electric. Because some homeowners worry about keeping these cooktops clean, Kenyon International offers a silicone mold to cook on and protect the surface. “People have to be educated on how induction works; it’s a fabulous cooking medium since 80 percent to 90 percent of the energy goes directly to the pan,” Karas said.

10. Outdoor cookingRoanoke, Va.-based Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens makes

doors and drawer fronts from moisture-resistant bamboo, teak and cypress. Lynx Professional Grills, Commerce, Calif., has expanded accessories beyond grills to include removable smoker boxes, cocktail stations, refrigerators, warming drawers and burners for shellfish boils. “This inter-est is only going to get bigger,” Karas said.

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Page 13: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home Style Page 13 2009, issue 3

Forget the days of the solitary porch swing — today’s front porches are hubs of full-fledged outdoor living. With five simple ideas, you can make yours the hottest spot on the block.

1. Extend the garden“There’s nothing like wildflowers to give won-

derful sparkle to a porch,” said Audrey Long, owner of New Hope, Penn.-based Audrey Long Interior Design. Liz Ryan, owner of Tucson, Ariz.-based Liz Ryan Interior Design, suggested creating a porch garden with oversized pots of perennials.

2. Spin the color wheel “All the colors for this spring and summer are

more alive than they have been,” Long said. “Go for something that works with the feeling of the house.”

3. Light it right“Lighting is always a wonderful way to create

moods,” Ryan said. She likes solar-powered lights — “You get a really soft glow at night,” she noted. If your porch has electric outlets, Long said outdoor lamps are a fresh and homey ap-proach to lighting.

4. Stay grounded“An indoor/outdoor rug to knit your furniture to-

gether is absolutely great, and makes the porch feel cozy,” Long said, adding that the outdoor rugs on the market are quite durable.

5. Save a seatPatio furniture has come a long way, Ryan said.

“Outdoor fabrics are very textured - like velvets and chenille,” she said. “It feels more like living room furniture. The all-weather wicker that is so popular right now is great because it’s safe for all of the elements.” The most important thing, she said, is to “create an extension of the house; blur the space between indoor and outdoor, making it more like an outdoor room.”

Easy, Breezy, BeautifulLet your porch do the talking. Give a first impression that exudes comfort, style and charm

By Jessica AbelsCTW FEATURES

StyleH

Page 14: Home Style Magazine

2009, issue 3 Northern Colorado Home StylePage 14

New Apron Strings

ombining color, style and a nod to nostalgia, the age-less apron had a facelift.

Here’s how a piece of the past makes a cool comeback in to-day’s kitchens.

For Margo Witzel of the Web-based specialty cakes company Edith+Ethel, her love affair with the apron began in culinary school. This apron enthusiast now makes the classic cooking cover-up for herself and friends.

“I started by giving one that I had made to a friend and the response was so great, it’s now my go-to gift and I have friends requesting me to make one for them all the time,” said the Chica-go-based baker. Tim Bayless, the marketing manager of Jessie Steele, a Berkeley, Calif.-based family-run, vintage-inspired hostess and kitchen aprons business, observes a similar personal appeal with the popularity of their aprons.

“As we started, we saw more and more people taking interest in the nos-talgic heirloom aspect of

the apron. They remem-ber their grandmother baking an apple pie and want a piece of

that memory.”And for those not lucky

enough to have Witzel in their inner circle? Bayless finds that his team produces the personal touch without being custom made.

“All styles tie vintage and contemporary together by pay-ing tribute to the heyday of the apron,” Bayless said. “Back in the

‘60s, an apron might have had a bundt cake print. We’ve up-graded this look with a modern-day nod to the popularity of the cupcake.”

Who wears whatLove them or hate them but real-

ity television’s spike in cook-off competitions motivate the masses to move back into the kitchen. “Our client base today is a younger audience,” said Bayless. “People are now remembering just how fun it is to cook.”

Form meets functionA good apron includes the

original purpose of keeping clean while cooking in its design. “I recommend the full chef style,” Witzel said. “Most stains happen on the front of a person while leaning in to taste something. The full apron covers the shirt and the pants or skirt.” Look for one that

has pockets, ties in the back, goes around the neck and is

washable. Whether cooking alone or

for a crowd, always have more than one at arm’s

reach. For a fancy fete, Wit-zel dons her dressy apron. Think ruffles or a layered, skirted style for when guests arrive. And when not hosting, guarantee an invite back by mov-ing past the traditional

bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers and opt for an apron as the hostess gift. “For a rela-tively inexpensive price, it’s the cute piece anyone can afford

that looks as great hanging in a kitchen as it does when worn,” Bayless said.

Looking the part of chic chef has never been easier.

C

CTW PhotosJessie Steele aprons StyleH

CTW FEATURES

Page 15: Home Style Magazine

Northern Colorado Home Style Page 15 2009, issue 3

RefreshingWhite

Splashes

olor experts say white is where it’s at this season. Go bright and upbeat with stark white, or mel-

low out with softer tones — the choice is yours.

“White is so fresh and clean. It retracts the sun, keeps you cool and brings out all those qualities that remind you of summer,” said Ann McGuire, color consultant for Minne-apolis-based Valspar and founder of Pennsylvania-based Beehive Studios Decorative Painting and Murals.

The great thing about white is it’s ver-satile, whether you use it for summer or

winter, or if you accompany it with cool or warm tones.

“For summer, it is great with any bright color; and of course, black and white remains a popular combination with splashes of bright colors as ac-cents,” said Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams Paints.

Then, too, there are the cerebral color combinations of white in ivory or taupe tones mixed with accent colors like lavender or blue. Color experts like McGuire and Jordan are thinking along the lines of soft purple tones or bright sky blue for an at-the-beach feel.

“There is also the minimal approach with white for a more contemporary

feel,” Jordan said. “Or simply change the texture of various elements in the room to make white the theme.”

As an accent color or the inspiration for a room, white in its myriad uses can work as a chameleon to boost your color scheme or to create an ambiance within itself. “I love a room with white, white, white,” McGuire said. “White bleached floors, white slip covers on furniture and throw pillows — there are so many directions you can go with white.”

Soothe your soul with a creamy white combined with deep chocolate tones, or, to liven things up, “You should bring in warmth with a cinnamon or rust,” McGuire said.

Redecorate with one of the brightest stars of summer’s color

Morgan McMillanCTW FEATURES

C

Take the bedroom down a notch with small white decor pieces, such as this Martha Stewart lamp.

CTW photo

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Page 16: Home Style Magazine

could not have been more excited. My husband and I had been planning redecorating our home for several months now but didn’t know where to start. Most of everything we

owned had some sentimental value attached to it, and we just couldn’t bring ourselves to pack away even one artifact. We were getting bored of seeing the same things every day, how-ever, and knew that we had to reenergize our home to make it fresh again. That’s when the surprise package named Kathy Lanning arrived.

Lanning stages homes for people living in them. She works

with the home owners to give the space a new look and feel without expensive remodels. She uses what the home own-ers already own and arranges them in a way that makes the space look new and decorative. With over 11 years of expe-rience serving Northern Colorado, Lanning is an expert at giv-ing homes a new look that the owners may enjoy for years.

This was just what I wanted. I didn’t want to break my bank by buying expensive furniture or new anything. I just wanted to use whatever I owned and had collected quite a few things over the years. I also wanted to maintain the uniquely Asian

STAGING Meghala DivakaranSPECIAL TO THE RH

FOR LIVING

Photos by Rhema MuncyTop, the living room after staging; Above, the living room before staging.

I

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 16 2009, issue 3

Page 17: Home Style Magazine

Indian flavor that made my house a home. I also wanted to make it look well appointed and clean. This posed a prob-lem, however, since I wanted every single piece I owned to have a spot of honor in my living room. That made every sur-face in the living room so full of stuff that there was no room anywhere to even rest a cup of coffee. I was skeptical at first when Lanning said that she would be able to not just keep the “Indianness” of our home but enhance it. She also said I wouldn’t need to buy anything to stage my home; we already had everything to make it come alive.

Lanning’s initial consultation involved walking around the home and looking at everything from a design perspective. She had wonderful comments about every room and I knew in our first meeting that I had a professional who knew and loved her job. She and I developed a rapport in our first meeting that made the whole process enjoyable and satis-fying. Lanning decided after the first walk-through that our living room would be the most appropriate one to redeco-rate since that was the focal point of the home and also the space that would get the most help from redesigning. I couldn’t agree with her more, my husband and I loved our living room — it was the largest and most used room in our home, and we had spent quite some time trying to figure out how to make it more appealing. The kitchen was attached to the living room and as a bonus, Lanning decided to do up the kitchen as well and I was left silently clapping my hands in glee.

After the initial consult, Lanning left me with some home-work. She said I would have to unclutter the countertop in the kitchen as a first step. She asked me to pack away some

of the appliances I rarely used to clear up the space. She also said that I would have to remove some items from the living room. I was dreading that, but Lanning, the ultimate professional that she was, sensed my discomfort and said she would do it for me in our next meeting.

In the following week, Lanning came dressed in sneak-ers and work clothes. We went to work immediately. While I concentrated on getting the kitchen cleaned up, Lanning removed items from the living room and put them on the dining table for packing away. This made my job a lot easier since I didn’t have to battle with myself about what to remove and what to leave behind. After I had put all the extra stuff in a box, I felt a lot better. As long as I didn’t have to see them, I wouldn’t worry. And, the living room looked a lot cleaner already. I knew that once Lanning gave it her final touch, it would be a new room altogether.

At the third and final meeting, Lanning arrived with a few knick-knacks of her own. It was nothing obtrusive or that would spoil the Indian look of the living room. She brought a couple of plants that really enlivened the space. She also brought a plastic grape wine that we used in the kitchen. Just placing the wine atop our cabinetry gave the kitchen a new look and made it look less dated.

Initially I thought I would not keep the wine but after I saw the final effect, I changed my mind. I was going to keep it, and I developed a new respect for Lanning since I knew she had helped me change my mind without imposing on me or making me feel like I didn’t know how to decorate my home. She was extremely polite and clearly knew her job.

She breathed new life into the living room with just a few

36-3

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JOHNSONCUSTOM FLOORING& DESIGN

oodile

Natural Stones

SCOTT & LYDIA JOHNSONOwners

2093 East 11th StreetLoveland, CO 80537

ph: 970.663.1265johnsoncustomfl [email protected]

SCOTT & LYDIA JOHSCOTT & LYDIA JOH

Love YourHome

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Northern Colorado Home Style Page 172009, issue 3

Page 18: Home Style Magazine

touches. We covered the furniture in the living room with some red fabric that I had, and that helped bring out the bright red and maroon colors that I had going as a theme. She helped me lower the main painting in the living room and replaced some of the artifacts in new angles and that sim-ple act literally transformed the place. I am used to thinking in straight lines but Lanning helped me learn that some things look better askew and that not everything has to be uniform. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen the magical effect that had on the final redesigned living room. It looked less busy. It also made the eye focus on the beautiful fireplace that looked hidden prior to the makeover.

Another thing Lanning did to the living room is arrange the furniture in such a way that there was a clear de-marcation between the dining and liv-ing areas.The octagonal dining table and oversized chairs were placed very close to the loveseat prior to the makeover; by separating them, it made the room look bigger and more functional. Overall, the living room looked cleaner, better appointed and easier to navigate. I wouldn’t have

dreamed that just moving the furniture around would have such a tremen-dous impact. I was thrilled.

The total time Lanning and I spent redecorating the living room and kitchen was around five hours and in those short hours we managed to stage the living room in a manner that I could not have done in ten hours of cleaning or brainstorming with my dear hubby.

Lanning took up a challenging task and completed it with élan. This was the first Indian home Lanning had staged but that didn’t stop her from putting her keen design sense to use. To top it, I was extremely hesitant about taking away some of my favor-ite pieces from the living room but Lanning showed me that less is more and by placing a few items in strate-gic corners, my guests would appreci-ate them more. Besides, every few months, I can bring things back from storage and redecorate my home all over again. By rotating items every few months, you have an inexpensive and effective new look.

Lanning may be reached at [email protected] or at 970-225-2284.

Photos by Rhema MuncyAbove, kitchen before staging; below, kitchen after staging.

Northern Colorado Home StylePage 18 2009, issue 3

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Northern Colorado Home Style Page 19 2009, issue 3

CTW PhotosAu natural: Harness mother nature’s readymade green qualities to make the home healthier and cleaner (and keep bills in check). Let natural light and sustainable, repurposed woods and materials reinvent space.

Go-toGreen

Morgan McMillanCTW FEATURES

iving green has taken a sharp turn in the last few years and bowled itself

right down consumer lane. Once the archi-tect’s tool, green living has expanded itself to where tips and products are readily available in your local home store.

Jean Nayar, author of “Green Living by Design: The Practical Guide for Eco-Friendly Remodeling and Decorating” (Filipacchi Pub

L

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Northern Colorado Home StylePage 20 2009, issue 3

lishing, 2009), said she has been writing about living green for a long time. “I look forward to the day when green is not the new black, as it has been so often described lately, but rather the old blue, tried and true,” Nayar explained in her book’s introduction.

Tips like the ones she presents in her book as passive techniques of-fer to help the everyday consumer live a little bit greener.

“Now is the time for green,” she said. “I think any kind of help the average person can get on sifting through the maze and misinformation is better for everybody.”

Elements of an eco-smart homegreen home may include any number of health-promoting, ener-gy-saving, environment-preserving features. Here are just of the

few of the specific elements you might find in a green home:

over south- and west-facing windows

and other water conservation features

sustainably managed forests

AFrom “Green Living by Design: The Practical Guide

for Eco-Friendly Remodeling and Decorating.”

“I look forward to the day when green is not the new black.”

– Jean Nayer

“Any kind of help the average person can get on sifting through the maze and misinformation is better for everybody.”

– Jean Nayer

CTW Photos

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Northern Colorado Home Style Page 21 2009, issue 3

Jeff SchnauferCTW FEATURES

hen someone mentions green-ing the bathroom, most people

think of changing the wallpaper color or adding a fern.

Think again.Transforming your bathroom into an

eco-friendly oasis doesn’t only help keep the planet green; it can keep more green in your wallet.

“People don’t realize that there are money savings involved with greening

the bathroom,” said Sean Miller, direc-tor of education at Earth Day Network in Washington, D.C., a non-profit organization that seeks to broaden the environmental movement worldwide. “If the average American household installed low-flow toilets and low-flow showerheads in their bathrooms, they could save up to $60 annually on their water and energy bills combined.”

From LED lighting to partially recycled cabinetry, Americans can update their bathrooms with green products for a variety of budgets.

“There are so many companies out there now,” said winner of the 2009

National Kitchen and Bath Design Competition of sustainable bath Brian Johnson. “If you’re not on board with the green movement, you’re going to go out of business.”

In his winning design, Johnson, who is an architect with Collaborative Design Architects in Billings, Mont., created a state-of-the-art bathroom that saves water, energy and utilizes recycled materials.

This included a Kohler dual flush valve toilet, which has the option of using a .8-gallon flush or a 1.6-gal-lon flush. The cabinets, from Dewils, featured recycled content in the boxes, as well as bamboo veneers. Cambria supplied the quartz counter top, which is composed of a manmade granite that includes pieces of rock that would normally go to waste, Johnson said.

The bathroom is warmed by grey wa-ter that is heated through a boiler and then pumped back into the floor slabs.

“Heating a floor slab is one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat a home,” Johnson said. “You’re probably going to end up saving 40 to 50 percent

Above, TOTO USA shpwer head. Left, a $40,000 “Best Sustainable Bath” by Brian Johnson features recycled cabinets, a dual flush valve toilet, a quartz counter top and energy-efficient floor heating.

CTW Photos

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Easy Greens

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Northern Colorado Home StylePage 22 2009, issue 3

on a normal heating bill.”The entire cost for the bathroom,

Johnson said, was $40,000. If this seems a bit too expensive, consider the Kohler MasterShower ultra low-flow, two-way body sprays and shower head, which Johnson said actually soak you as they regulate the water flow. Combining the Kohler toilet and shower system can save between 15 and 20 percent on the water bill, he said, which is a savings many Americans can really appreciate right now.

“The average American shower is seven minutes per day,” Miller said. “A low flow showerhead cuts down water use in the shower by 70 percent.”

With the average American us-ing 100 gallons of water per day per household, every little drop counts, Miller said. And while most consumers have heard of recycled toilet paper by companies like Seventh Generation, not as many know of other eco-friendly products for the bathroom, said Me-lissa Rosen, co-owner of Locali, the first eco-convenience store in Los Angeles.

“Given the choice, people are picking the biodegradable, cruelty-free, natural hygiene products over their counter-parts at increasing rates,” Rosen said. Take, for instance, Preserve tooth-

brushes and razors, whose handles are made from 100-percent recycled plastic. Or Tea Tree Oil Mouth Wash, Sapothocary Handmade Botanical Soaps, Periobrite Toothpaste, Anti-Body Green Tea & Mint Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner, Kill It Dead Natural Deodorant, and Eco-Dent VeganFloss. And Locali even sells its own unique brand of Soy Candles.

“You can use it as a light source and, as it melts, the soy becomes a skin cream,” Rosen said.

To save water while you are in the shower, Rosen suggested Locali’s two-bucket water collection set, which can catch several gallons of cold water a day in the shower while you wait for the shower to warm up.

“The recycled bath water can be used to water the plants or wash your bicycle or car, and also serves as a powerful reminder of just how much precious water we use or waste daily,” Rosen said.

Lighting can also add a green hue to your bathroom, said Sara Ann Busby, the 2008 NKBA president.

“There’s a lot of great LED lighting out of there for bathrooms,” Busby said. “And LED uses less energy than a compact fluorescent, with better

color rendition. We use it a lot for under cabinet lighting and for some accent lighting.”

Speaking of color, be sure to explore low-VOC or no-VOC paints for your bathroom, said Valerie Reddemann, president of Greenfeet, a supplier of eco-friendly products in Chico, Calif.

“VOCs, or volatile organic com-pounds, are nasty chemicals that can cause headaches, cancer and other bad things,” Reddemann said. “Nearly every building materials store carries eco-friendly alternatives. These are much better for your lungs and your home’s indoor air quality, which can be up to 100x worse than the air outside.”

When cleaning the bathroom, keep in mind that there are many effective eco-products and tools on the market. “Brands such as Seventh Generation, Bi-O-Kleen and LifeTree have proven themselves effective and affordable without polluting the air or ground wa-ter,” Reddemann said.

To keep the bathroom smelling sweet, Reddemann suggested phthalate-free air fresheners such as those by Illio.

“Pure essential oils are best, but chemical-free fragrance oils are the next best thing for your nose and the air around you,” Reddemann said.

CTW PhotosMore than meets the eye: A green bathroom doesn’t just mean low-flow toilets and show-erheads. Think low-voc paint, energy-efficient lighting, heated floors, sustainable materials like bamboo and eco-friendly personal care items to promote better health.

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Home Style adventures in domestication

I’ve never really sold anything — I’m just not good at it. Which is weird, because one of my uncles is an auction-eer. Seriously.

Unfortunately, I do have to sell something — my house. In order to sell this house in what seems to be the worst market since this little piggy went all the way home, un-sold mind you (thanks a lot swine flu), I will need to spruce my house up. Even though the house is only two years old, there are plenty of items that could use improvement.

Dirty little secret From the front, my house looks great.

A green lawn, some flowers, every-thing looks normal. But I have a dirty little secret in the back. The back yard, or as I like to call it, pasture world, is lacking in luster.

Sure, pasture world features fun rides including a galloping St. Bernard puppy, the wheelbarrow of awesomeness and the Mississippi mud pit (available only after rain storms).

But some people are looking for a little more — perhaps a lawn, some flowers, a windmill/bridge setup com-plete with garden gnomes and a rock river (some assembly required).

Unfortunately, that just isn’t going to happen. I don’t do gnomes. I need a cheap, quick way to transform this sucker into something a little less Saudi Arabia-ish. No offense intended

to those currently living and/or playing in sandboxes.

Feel free to send me your sugges-tions. Keep in mind, my number one priority is that it is nearly free.

Clean as a whistle ... but really are whistles even that clean?

So apparently another important part of selling a home is keeping the house from looking like a boy lives there. Since I am, in fact, a male, this presents a problem. For the next couple months, I will have to go against my best instincts and pick up my under-wear, put dishes in the dishwasher and make the bed.

I hate cleaning. Especially the bath-rooms. Remember the good old days when you had a mom, and she kept everything nice and orderly? What I would give to have that back.

The hardest thing for me is to remember that things need dust-ing and stuff. I don’t even know if I have a duster. Even the min-iature spiders that live at the top of my walls have been complaining about their living situations. It’s hard being a landlord.

Dirty little secret No. 2OK I have two secrets. Secret num-

ber two is that a mouse has taken up residence in my garage. I noticed the little fella the other day while driving my Chevelle a couple blocks for my house.

It was a nice warm evening, and I was putzing along through the neigh-borhood, feeling all tough (you can’t help it — it comes with the Chevelle). Right as I was driving past a bunch of guys out washing their cars and doing other outdoor guy things, I caught a glimpse of a little brown mouse, pok-ing it’s head out from under the dash board.

To say the least, I panicked. The mouse panicked, too, and ran straight towards my toes (yep, I had on san-

dles). I lifted my legs up, still rolling down the street, and opened the door, contem-plating whether or not to just jump out.

The mouse dissapeared back into the dash area, and I managed to get the car stopped and gather my men-tal facilities for a moment.

The drive back home was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Once the car was parked, I hustled inside and did my rendition of the willies dance (it was better that I did that in private, trust me).

So now I guess I need to remove my little furry ten-ant before he causes more willies dances. I can just imagine him running out the moment a potential buyer comes to look at the house.

FarewellSince I am selling the house, this

column will have to go too, so this will be the final one. I’d be sad and sentimental, but this is only the fourth column, total, so I’m sure we will all be able to move on with our lives.

It was fun, though, and hopefully enjoyable to read, as well.

Jade Cody can be reached at [email protected].

Northern Colorado Home Style Page 23 2009, issue 3

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Secrets of SellingJade CodyLOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD

It’s time to sell my home

CTW PhotosThis is a recent photo of the mouse that lives in Jades house.

Jade Cody

Page 24: Home Style Magazine

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