tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62509380611023855862024-02-07T19:07:56.743-08:00Interior Design ThoughtsBeverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-84557555205737463882014-08-21T20:20:00.004-07:002014-08-21T20:20:25.054-07:00To Rug or Not To Rug - the sequel! So today my client and I met and I showed her the purple zebra rug and she loved it but her daughter didn't like it at all. She thought it was too busy and too flashy and she wanted a rug that was simpler and less contemporary - not a traditional rug, but a transitional rug that would be in style for many years to come. Well, I couldn't argue with that. So we looked and found a fabulous gray Tibetan rug that was 9' by 12' with a lot of texture and brought it first to the mom's home to see if it matched the baby grand piano that we were going to put in under yesterday. It did! So we brought it to the daughter's home and low and behold, we decided that it looked perfect in her family room - NOT the room off of the entryway with the piano. So we bought it! And the great news was that the Design Center in Houston was having a fabulous sale, so we got a great deal on it as well. Here it is!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOu9LK6UHcKi6KdwVVJ6jyBDhJzGQ-vGAGqTEFYSjHARUJ57WWhnIof_b3eUCXJZzff-8nlAsHn7goX8ZVidSRo8N4OCdPQ_wxTUFi1wblMAONS8n5mZ2HWAp0vRQ7r1gJgOwyC-DZEU/s1600/Gray+rug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOu9LK6UHcKi6KdwVVJ6jyBDhJzGQ-vGAGqTEFYSjHARUJ57WWhnIof_b3eUCXJZzff-8nlAsHn7goX8ZVidSRo8N4OCdPQ_wxTUFi1wblMAONS8n5mZ2HWAp0vRQ7r1gJgOwyC-DZEU/s1600/Gray+rug.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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The only problem is that we still need a rug to go under the piano. So
the saga continues! We will keep looking and I will keep you posted! Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-3769096843009601202014-08-20T21:24:00.005-07:002014-08-20T21:24:57.155-07:00To Rug Or Not To Rug?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14pigAYGK5AG5DAddha-V76uoTl2WKN70OASJ0PxB5XyP28yyciJuTUxyspexdTjy_kuCiQSIVza58NFsNcYJqZJlyArWwbc9Gtrfizd3XQLSjgMgQ_LRtujVqq7w6FSFO6pZO9MfIgM/s1600/0545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14pigAYGK5AG5DAddha-V76uoTl2WKN70OASJ0PxB5XyP28yyciJuTUxyspexdTjy_kuCiQSIVza58NFsNcYJqZJlyArWwbc9Gtrfizd3XQLSjgMgQ_LRtujVqq7w6FSFO6pZO9MfIgM/s1600/0545.jpg" height="230" width="320" /></a></div>
Today one of my clients called me and asked me if her 30 year old daughter who is remodeling her apartment should keep her gray stained concrete floors or replace a section of those stained concrete floors off her entryway (which will house a baby grand piano) with carpet. I was surprised. For the last few years my clients were only calling to ask me to rip out their carpet and replace it with either wood floors, natural stone floors or stained concrete floors - so I wondered if people are beginning to want a softer, more comfortable look or if my client was just not familiar with the new anti-carpet trends. I decided to be honest and told her that in my opinion, if her daughter wanted to carpet her bedroom, I'd agree that was a good idea but that most people and especially most young people today prefer stained concrete floors over carpet. I recommended that if she wanted to soften up the look of the stained concrete, that her daughter get a rug to put underneath her baby grand piano. And since her daughter is young and fun, she should purchase a fun looking rug like this marvelous purple zebra rug that I saw at Post Modern Traditions in the Design Center today. I think purple and gray look wonderful together so this rug will look fabulous atop gray stained concrete floors and I think the fact that the rug has black accents means it would complement and look fabulous sitting underneath an ebony baby grand piano! What do you think? Let me know at beverlyvosko@gmail.com<br />
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Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-90405879979152922862013-03-09T09:57:00.001-08:002013-03-09T10:08:28.877-08:00What's wrong with our plumbing fixtures?I am an Interior Designer who also teaches Continuing Education to Interior Designers and one of my classes this year is a class on Water Efficiency in the Home. I was surprised to discover that home owners today consume so much water… supposedly 400 gallons of water per day per home, which means that an average family of 4 consumes 100 gallons per day per person! While in Africa, some people don’t even get allotted 1 gallon of water per day! We consume way too much water! And since only 1% of all the water on earth is actually potable or drinkable, we need to stop depleting our water supply if we wish to have enough water to support our earth as we know it, for future generations. The government has mandated that we use “Water Sense” plumbing fixtures which use up to 32% less water than conventional toilets and plumbing fixtures, but many of these “Water Sense” plumbing fixtures don’t really do what they are supposed to do. “Water Sense” kitchen faucets and lavatory faucets sold in the U.S. are now required to have flow rates that are no more than of 2.2 g/pm (gallons per minute), many have flow rates as low as 1.5 g/pm and pressure-compensating faucets have flow rates as low as 1.0 g/pm. Shower heads and spray rinse valves sold in the USA are also required to have flow rates that are no more than 2.5 g/pm and now have flow rates as low as 1.5 gallons per minute per 80 psi (pounds per sq inch). All these “Water Sense” plumbing fixtures use up to 32% less water because their flow rates are lowered by the aerators, laminar flow devices and restrictors placed in them , that constrict their water flow. Aerators add air into the water stream to increase the sensation of flow, laminar flow devices force the water through small openings to produce dozens of parallel water streams, creating a more uniform flow and potentially reducing splash, and restrictors control water flow through other means. But we all know that most people take those aerators and restrictors out as soon as the plumbing has passed inspection …so once those aerators and restrictors have been removed, those plumbing fixtures don’t really save ANY water at all. We need to both create plumbing fixtures that actually DO conserve water and simply tell our clients not let the water run for such a long time, when they wash their faces, brushing their teeth and clean their pots and pans. Don’t you agree?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-82169679032202447352013-02-14T18:45:00.003-08:002013-02-14T18:45:21.562-08:00Trends for 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have been
an Interior Designer for over 25 years, and in the beginning of every year, my
clients always ask me “what is trendy this year?.“ My first reaction is that
they should do what THEY love in their homes and not worry about trends, but
realistically everyone wants their home to look “in style”, so knowing and
keeping up with today’s trends is very useful if not essential. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So what is
trendy in 2013? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today people want their homes to be clean, simple and sparsely
furnished. Negative space is in… and clutter is totally out. First and foremost,
homes need to be open and spacious; they need to exude an aura of comfort and
well being and make people feel welcome. People want their homes to be a haven
of refuge that shield them from the outside world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today people
love texture rather than lots of color; monochromatic color schemes with lots
of texture<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is “in”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everywhere you look in a home, everything is white….
white… white; white walls, white trim, white upholstery and even white
cabinetry which exudes a clean, pure yet comfortable feeling.. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And everything that is not white is gray…Gray
is the new black <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- especially a soft
light<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>blue grey… which is soothing and
restful and makes people want to sit down and relax. For awhile color was “out”
altogether, but today some color is back and people are complementing their
monochromatic color schemes with punches of color. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pantone color for 2013 is emerald green
and greens of all shades are soothing, restful, calming and natural and look
fabulous juxtaposed against a white background. So the trend is to upholster
your large soft furnishings in white or grey and add green pillows, green accents
and maybe even green chairs to create the “punch”. Below is a photo of a family
room in the heights that I just finished with exactly this color scheme. It is
clean looking yet fresh and welcoming. </span></div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7AOqygrW6oKIuzXHyybRxoWS0eXnJytWZWL0AMolHCiKKG6nBXVW5h0Mb83ZdzVxR3HCbmiAZgpxa3ZVB79rWLa7InaZjMbuOWzNa4DJh-Osc3PqXUkzovYp-e2nZPPDCq_uZ-OrywU/s1600/Conchi's+Living+Room+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7AOqygrW6oKIuzXHyybRxoWS0eXnJytWZWL0AMolHCiKKG6nBXVW5h0Mb83ZdzVxR3HCbmiAZgpxa3ZVB79rWLa7InaZjMbuOWzNa4DJh-Osc3PqXUkzovYp-e2nZPPDCq_uZ-OrywU/s320/Conchi's+Living+Room+.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And to
contrast with the all this white and light gray, all the floors are now dark
and wood. Years ago, people ripped out the wall to wall carpet in their
downstairs areas, their living rooms, dining rooms and family rooms and
replaced it with wood flooring. Now wall to wall carpet is being touted as a
harbinger for mold and bacteria and is considered “bad” for sick people,
elderly people, babies and people with allergies. So people are ripping out the
carpet in their master bedrooms and in their entire upstairs –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and replacing it with wood flooring – and
they love wide plank (5” or even wider) dark<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>wood floors. Another new trend is “green design” and people are<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>either re-using old wood floors from
dilapidated homes…which look marvelous and make the home seem “lived in” or
purchasing new hand scraped floors which give off the same “comfortable, lived
in look”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only problem with dark
wood floors is that they make a space look smaller and darker… so beware of
installing dark wood flooring in small dark spaces as they will look smaller
and darker. I have found that using a medium colored stain such as a walnut will
still look dark enough to look “trendy” without being so dark as to shrink the
space. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once the
wood flooring has been installed, people realize that from both a visual and an
acoustical viewpoint, rugs are a welcome addition to warm up the space. Rugs
are also soft to the touch when we walk barefoot, so are comfortable and make
us feel good and today everyone wants to “feel good”. Years ago people loved
Oriental Rugs but today they can be too patterned and appear busy. New Tibetan
wood/silk rugs that are textured rather than patterned, or that have some
pattern but lots of negative space are very popular and are in keeping with
this open uncluttered un-patterned look that is so popular today </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dark kitchen
cabinets are also very popular today, especially if paired with white
countertops. White carerra marble countertops are very popular but they are not
such a good choice for a busy active family that actually cooks, because they
are porous and will absorb oil, dirt, wine etc and stain easily. A new popular
choice that is “sustainable and green” as well as “white” is using white quartz
countertops that are not porous so will not stain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-17555032875453487922012-09-05T20:15:00.000-07:002012-09-05T20:15:07.985-07:00 Repurposing - The New Black<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Repurposing - The New Black</i></div>
<br />
<i>Today we are really finally beginning to Go Green! Instead of continuing to fill our landfills, people are finally beginning to do something "Green" from a design point of view! Now</i> <i>for the first time, when an item breaks, instead of just throwing it out, people are thinking of ways to reuse it and </i><i>instead of discarding items that have lost their use, people are coming up with new uses for that item that really work! For example, we are re-using <span id="goog_1779725294"></span><span id="goog_1779725295"></span>antiques such as this tall candle-stand, combining them with popular circular drum lamp shades and giving them new life by making them into floor lamps.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOueUtGFy5Un-HC1SqDSRIwOQXqWRp0j-KXqLF8iFUXjHfPn1z-qF1AagoPf0m8hBMOwKh86n_WgrFwm2tt6CkkFzfS3s-4xlArylSqukepu3lVf6pdh53Dd5T1A-aX63g3f4XZDjcSI/s1600/Floor+lamp+made+from+old+candelstand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOueUtGFy5Un-HC1SqDSRIwOQXqWRp0j-KXqLF8iFUXjHfPn1z-qF1AagoPf0m8hBMOwKh86n_WgrFwm2tt6CkkFzfS3s-4xlArylSqukepu3lVf6pdh53Dd5T1A-aX63g3f4XZDjcSI/s320/Floor+lamp+made+from+old+candelstand.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>
<i>But re-using antiques is something that we have been doing for ages. </i><br />
<i>We are now taking this "re-using" concept one step further, and creating fabulous lamps from discarded old pipes, topping them with trendy circular drum lamp shades and creating lamps that are focal points that add interest to any room, like this lamp below.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPHpsY3Fo3lWhJfz1etDbndkBNyYi6K9s0Yjw5VHAeFLlX0a7MpzOfx8fJesQhC2fyGkSx7iy-mhoTkYPeUA3gadNwPZasgOV1eQ5kYIZ4ypcGBXV0WkFAkWbABeXyzSWxZSnbJPrb1E/s1600/table+tamp+made+from+old+pipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPHpsY3Fo3lWhJfz1etDbndkBNyYi6K9s0Yjw5VHAeFLlX0a7MpzOfx8fJesQhC2fyGkSx7iy-mhoTkYPeUA3gadNwPZasgOV1eQ5kYIZ4ypcGBXV0WkFAkWbABeXyzSWxZSnbJPrb1E/s320/table+tamp+made+from+old+pipe.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>
<i>And we are even converting old discarded pipes into marvelous new ceiling fixtures that we think are so trendy today</i>! <i>Once upon a time, this pipe would have gone into a landfill but today it has been converted into a trendy lamp that will grace someones lovely home. </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCNNflrq1R46fzDHiDC0c8To9xFFuVlQpQB2laVKmINPaf_AWcfaC_CaUZwaZPNb4wJ2POiC8xwvchNWfvu2km1jkdSdE9Sf6nAS5yFWFIFcH0yVTOPpudWZl4GcxLBaNV3AXmEIr0DE/s1600/Lighitng+made+from+Large+Pipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCNNflrq1R46fzDHiDC0c8To9xFFuVlQpQB2laVKmINPaf_AWcfaC_CaUZwaZPNb4wJ2POiC8xwvchNWfvu2km1jkdSdE9Sf6nAS5yFWFIFcH0yVTOPpudWZl4GcxLBaNV3AXmEIr0DE/s320/Lighitng+made+from+Large+Pipe.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And these discarded old pipes have been converted into pendants that may light a lovely kitchen island or decorate a fabulous restaurant or trendy bar...</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZj81miDwZ1P0pfsJF4l7sJ183A1UoOa4Sk-e-sJSzTZZtd9ju6TqExt8yyLow9gsylnFn8ezV7-cH02530-_axSw8RYd4SAb_394BSYWiNEb1xfnh64GddXM7Qf1LNn5CnTyaDDcLPgs/s1600/Pendants+made+from+old+pipes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZj81miDwZ1P0pfsJF4l7sJ183A1UoOa4Sk-e-sJSzTZZtd9ju6TqExt8yyLow9gsylnFn8ezV7-cH02530-_axSw8RYd4SAb_394BSYWiNEb1xfnh64GddXM7Qf1LNn5CnTyaDDcLPgs/s320/Pendants+made+from+old+pipes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What a wonderful new concept this is! And what fabulous new items we have!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Don't you agree? I'd love to hear your comments..... email me at beverlyvosko@gmail.com and tell me what you think...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i><br /></i>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-61468323153933634412012-07-18T08:32:00.001-07:002012-07-18T08:32:39.648-07:00Whats new in Lighting? Everything!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Lighting has come a long way in the last few years! We used
to only want to use incandescent bulbs because of their wonderful warm
glow, but now we are getting used to LED’s which are so much more energy
efficient! We used to only use very typical lighting fixtures such as crystal
or wrought iron chandeliers and lamps, and now we are experimenting with
repurposed items such as old used discarded pipes, old used discarded conveyor
belts, old used candle-stands and virtually old used discarded anything and
converting them into fabulous new lighting fixtures. Interior Designer Beverly
Vosko of Beverly Vosko Interiors has long believed that re- using Antiques and
discarded used items in her Interior Design schemes means giving those items
new life, but ever since she became a L.E.E.D. Green Associate and a Certified
Green Professional, “Designing Green” has taken on a new meaning for her. She
loves Designing and Remodeling Green and incorporating these unique one of a
kind re-purosed items into her design and remodeling schemes. Not only
can using repurposed lighting help the environment by keeping those repurposed
items out of landfills, but if used creatively, they can become focal points
that add interest and excitement to her clients rooms! Look at these
wonderful photos of new repurposed lighting! And if you like her ideas, please
view her website <a href="http://www.vosko.com/">www.vosko.com</a> to see some
examples of her work and then phone Beverly Vosko Interiors at 713
464-0055 or email <a href="mailto:beverlyvosko@gmail.com">beverlyvosko@gmail.com</a>
to have her create a marvelous unique look for your home as well. </div>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-22451319555716540622012-06-29T16:22:00.001-07:002012-06-29T16:22:31.347-07:00Designing Green - The New Black<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have a responsibility
to sustain if not enhance our earth’s natural environment and our nation’s
economy for future generations</span>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs</span> We can do this by:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Limiting Resource Depletion</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Avoiding Environmental Degradation</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Preventing Habitat Loss and
Extinction</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Working to Control Sources of Waste </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>which goes hand in hand with…. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Utilizing Materials that are recycled
or that can be reclaimed and reused so they don’t end up as waste in our
landfills and instead have new life<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>How can we make our earth Sustainable for future generations?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Designing Green today!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Designing Green is
becoming so popular today that I call it “the new black”!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So how can we “Design
Green” today?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1. Designing Green Is Using Rapidly
Renewable/Sustainable Products that grow<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>quickly – have a 10 year life cycle or less and
that we can easily replenish - without using up the world’s natural resources </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- Some sustainable/rapidly renewable
products are: bamboo, cork, linoleum, natural rubber, straw board and wheat
board </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- All solid surface products and all
quartz products are also sustainable!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">- We can purchase Certified Wood
which is wood grown in a sustainable manner under the auspices of the Forest
Stewardship Council which means that every time we cut down a tree, we replant
another one but <i>NO WOOD </i>is Rapidly
Renewable because to date we haven’t figured out how to grow a tree back within
10 years or less</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2. Designing Green Is Using Sustainable Fabrics
such as linen, hemp, wool, silk, cotton, soybean, bamboo</span> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> - These fabrics are made from high
quality natural sustainable fibers which are better for everyone and better for
the environment as well</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3. Designing Green is Repurposing used things! </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have a problem today- so many
broken/discarded items end up in our landfills – Repurposing is the answer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What does repurposing mean? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Repurposing” is using things for a 2<sup>nd</sup>
time and giving them new life - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>converting
them from their original use which is no longer viable into something new, different
& totally wonderful that people will use and also keeping those items out
of landfills</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A. Repurposing” is re-using Recycled
and Reclaimed Materials </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is the difference between
recycled and reclaimed?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-Recycled means crushing/breaking down
an item and making it into something else such as glass being crushed and made
into kitchens countertops or backsplash/border/wall tiles</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-Reclaimed means re-using something exactly
as it is , for a 2<sup>nd</sup> time – such as finding used stone tiles in one
home and using those tiles again in another home</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we remodel or redecorate a home,
many used items such as used wood, used steel pipes used glass, used brick and
other used building materials, end up in a rubbish heap –we need to recycle and
reclaim those items instead</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And when we redecorate another home,
rather than only use new items, we need to incorporate some of those reclaimed items
into our overall design schemes<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">B. Repurposing re-using Antiques/Used
furniture/artifacts/architectural elements</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It Items such as old doors, old brick,
old stone, old wood, old hardware, old artifacts and Antique Architectural
Elements such as Antique/used columns and Antique/used fireplaces that come
from buildings that are being remodeled or dilapidated buildings that are being
torn down<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">. </span>These pieces are being discarded /thrown away and would otherwise end up
in landfills</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">. <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Re-using them is giving these items a
new life! And combining two used pieces is a double good green thing to do!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What are some things we can do to re-use
them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1. Restore them to their
original splendor as we have been doing for centuries</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2. Paint/Strip/Bleach them to give them a
fresh look</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Painted covers a lot of ills, so you
can instantly cover over whatever marks and stains <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were on a piece and make it look new</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, dark wood finishes are not that
popular, so stripping a piece and refinishing it in a </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lighter finish or in white or black or
bleaching them, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can update it
tremendously</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>3. Combine 2 used pieces or mix old and new parts on one piece to create
a new more </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>exciting piece that becomes a focal
point and add interest to a room </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes a used piece is either severely
damaged or just ugly, boring an/or out of style </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and won’t be popular as it is no matter what
finish it has</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a piece can often be dramatically
improved by using part of it, and combining that </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>part with another new or used section
of piece such as taking an old table top and mixing </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it with a different more interesting base
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be it old or new, (or vis versa) which adds<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>interest and creates an exciting “new”
piece</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C. Repurposing is finding a new use for items
that no longer have one <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>such as
industrial <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>machinery parts, old
newspapers, old paperbacks, old steel pipes, used bowling alley flooring and discarded
chain link fences </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: +mj-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mj-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-We can take discarded items from a
trash heap and create amazing things</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-Combining a lovely old table top with
a used machinery part base creates an </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>amazing “new” table.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- And creating a table out of a used chain link fence or a used conveyor
belt, or creating a </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>headboard <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>out of
a discarded bridge railing both creates new exciting “one of a kind” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>items designed in shapes and textures that couldn’t
be found using anything else and keeps<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>those discarded items out of our
landfills</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: +mj-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mj-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: +mj-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mj-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">-We taking this one step further, such as
a</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: +mj-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mj-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">work of art made from a collage of
used </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>paperback books </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- If we use our imagination, we can
make something beautiful out of almost any discarded </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>item <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: +mj-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mj-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">D. Repurposing
is using items found in nature such as shells, driftwood,</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: +mj-cs; mso-fareast-font-family: +mj-ea; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">petrified wood stumps and storm felled trees and conveting them into furniture and accessories</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We now realize that anything and
everything can be repurposed!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4. Understanding how to Design Green
is a complicated thing </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If an item has to be shipped from far away, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(wasting energy to get it from one place to </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>another)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or requires a lot of
energy to be created <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then it has a large
carbon footprint </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and it is not as “Green” as a
similar item or substitute item<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>found
locally<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>near where you </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>will be using it</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So items that would otherwise be “Green” such as Seagrass, or Sisal, or
Jute are not as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Green”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as we thought they were,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if they have to be shipped long
distances from where </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>they are made<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to their ultimate
destination which is to your client’s home</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conversely something that is built locally
and is created by hand without expending a great </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>deal of energy, has a small carbon footprint
and is Green </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what
is Green to one person in one location may not be Green to another person in a </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>different location! </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">5</span>. Designing Green is buying the Best Quality you can afford</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we purchase good quality merchandise, it lasts many years</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we buy inexpensive merchandise, much of
it is meant to be thrown out after a few </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>years and repurchased<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- made with
what we call build in obsolescence </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These items then end up in our landfills so are not at all “Green”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">6. There are various shades of Green</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are just learning how to design Green – so Designing Green is a
process …</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And there are various shades of Green – meaning that there are various
degrees of what is </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>considered “Designing Green” and they all work…</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some clients love the industrial look and want to incorporate repurposed
products that </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>utilize
industrial machinery parts throughout their home while other clients don’t like
that </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>look at all</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whatever degree you and your clients choose to “Design Green”,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it is better that doing </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>nothing!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> I am an Interior Designer/remodeler who specializes in Green Design. If you have any questions or comments, please email beverlyvosko@gmail.com, call 713 269-6909 or visit our www.vosko.com website! </span></div>
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<br /></div>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-89359848999762954592010-09-20T17:38:00.000-07:002010-09-20T17:48:53.086-07:00Amazing Chuck Close Prints exhibit at Corcoran Gallery of Art<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE5NvzkJlk-S_JFSV8ny0zhuSui4POuPS1P2U8kO95B3_0JYSalmFVlOtwM3PNxlnHQ_GW7oiG1jVm7mklBsLjXepKWgUa4PVd39JyzmZiapfTY880gs7FIoiBmGDLlCemzs4VuI_ApQ/s1600/Chuck+close-header.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE5NvzkJlk-S_JFSV8ny0zhuSui4POuPS1P2U8kO95B3_0JYSalmFVlOtwM3PNxlnHQ_GW7oiG1jVm7mklBsLjXepKWgUa4PVd39JyzmZiapfTY880gs7FIoiBmGDLlCemzs4VuI_ApQ/s320/Chuck+close-header.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519161819056456930" border="0" /></a><br /><span id="profile_status"><span id="status_text">I am in Washington DC getting ready to teach my Go Green & 7 Steps to Successful Marketing CEUs tomorrow. I was walking around admiring the fabulous weather, the gorgeous architecture and especially the amazing museums in DC. I had never been to The Corcoran Gallery of Art before so I decided it was time for me to go see what it had to offer. And what it had to offer was the awesome Chuck Close prints exhibit! Chuck Close creates art that from far away look like huge portraits of his family....himself, his wife, his daughter, his niece and his close friends - but from close up, look like circles, squiggles and potato chips!<br />What's more, he uses the silk screening process to create art - adding layer upon layer - the way some fabrics are created. A work starts off with one color and looks fairly simple. He then adds another color and then another until the work looks as real as a photograph.. Unbelievable. Check him out! And then email me and let me know what you think at beverlyvosko@gmail.com.<br /></span></span>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-89398527188339561102010-09-12T07:39:00.000-07:002010-09-12T08:02:23.056-07:00Thank you Cote De Texas!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWQsLqFdnvBjRVerOzob5a_p85I52COpoCugKWKxQj1Z039DLe6kKsAOfe6VkcmlX1C35K9c8C1MmE12dT_tB_bsodHCOzXi7n2YKwmrp8dTAbIV9H5BZOBssLxX5c7g_MrA6b0ldD8k/s1600/Voskol+iving+room+good.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWQsLqFdnvBjRVerOzob5a_p85I52COpoCugKWKxQj1Z039DLe6kKsAOfe6VkcmlX1C35K9c8C1MmE12dT_tB_bsodHCOzXi7n2YKwmrp8dTAbIV9H5BZOBssLxX5c7g_MrA6b0ldD8k/s320/Voskol+iving+room+good.JPG" 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font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I was reading the Cote De Texas blog, and I love the West University homes that were chosen to be featured today - in fact I live in West University and have a home filled with Antiques that looks a lot like the first home<span style=""> </span>featured. The West University <span style="">homes are cosy, warm, and traditional and remind me of the home I lived in when I lived in Belgravia London 20 years ago. </span><span style=""> </span>I also really love the furniture from Olivine in Rice Village. I am an Interior Designer who specialized in Antiques and who conducts local tours called Houston Luxury Tours. The next Houston Luxury tour will be held October 6th and we are going to do a Rice Village Walkabout and I am going to try and schedule a stop at Olivine to see their fabulous merchandise - after seeing the Cote De Texas blog. Thank you Cote De Texas! If you'd like to see more pictures of my home on my website.. visit www.vosko.com<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="file:///C:/Users/Beverly/Pictures/3807%20Riley%20St/Vosko_006.JPG" alt="" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="file:///C:/Users/Beverly/Pictures/3807%20Riley%20St/Vosko_006.JPG" alt="" /></p>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-91864301228451727992010-09-10T14:00:00.000-07:002010-09-10T14:14:34.672-07:00How to create a home theater!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Many people want home theaters even in this economy...but most people do not have a clue how to do this...so I got my "media man" Amir to tell you all his tips on how to create a home theater that works...<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Not long ago home theaters were reserved to celebrities. How would you otherwise utilize 30,000 sq ft of home space? With the ever increasing standards of living, the entertainment world and the electronics world have brought affordable cinema-like experience to the average home. Vivid detailed images and clear enveloping sound deliver unprecedented immersive entertainment. But be warned! A big screen HDTV and a few speakers around the room falls way short!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So, what does it take? First, the design (or re-design) of the room: the physical dimensions, the placement of seating, speakers and screen, the acoustic treatments and the aesthetics and feel of the room. Second, the selection of equipment, its placement and set up. And finally, the calibration and tuning of the overall system.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The room:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is a critical design element. Certain dimensions are favorable. One example would be 8 (H) X 20 (W) X 24 (L). Other “good” ratios are also in use, but always try to avoid square rooms – or even worse cube rooms. Bad room dimensions will cause different sound quality at different positions in the room (specifically at low frequencies). For example, some seats will hear a very deep guitar while others will hear a fluffy “light” guitar. None will hear the accurate realistic sound. (Note that position of seating area and position of subwoofers will both have similar effect).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>But what if I’m working on an existing space that does not satisfy these requirements? Well, creativity and compromises are your answers. Sometimes we can build a wall that would shorten one dimension by a foot or so – just enough to make it sound better. Other times the use of acoustic treatments may reduce some of the undesired effects. In all cases, we would need to adjust seating and subwoofer positions depending on room dimensions. You will need to talk to a professional certified home theater designer.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Next, seating and speakers placement… stay tuned to my next blog.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-91169510825032360602010-08-30T16:25:00.001-07:002010-08-30T17:05:06.253-07:00The World's Loveliest Libraries<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R8GT3RIt1E1Jjmushbs0l7Vrp-n6IdS2FtThC5TmdzkYSrzAYgQGGaWb5L3kesmlzpjv6oxzbLvD3vZq6spv1pxF3uUFbXWfRT0SIAv-MlrtxZHKN5lqFkkZ6H3Ifc2YNjKEep4baHg/s1600/LibraryOfCongress.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R8GT3RIt1E1Jjmushbs0l7Vrp-n6IdS2FtThC5TmdzkYSrzAYgQGGaWb5L3kesmlzpjv6oxzbLvD3vZq6spv1pxF3uUFbXWfRT0SIAv-MlrtxZHKN5lqFkkZ6H3Ifc2YNjKEep4baHg/s320/LibraryOfCongress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511354927908695778" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Today I was honored to discover that Imago Dei wrote their August 30th blog on me - called Classicism Redefined! I do love Classicism and thought they did an incredible job and if you would like to look at what a great job they did, please visit </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.imagodeiblog.com/2010/08/29/classicism-defined-beverly-vosko/">http://www.imagodeiblog.com/2010/08/29/classicism-defined-beverly-vosko/</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> . When I went to look at their write up about me, I saw a blog they had written a few days ago, that also impressed me - which they call The World's Libraries as Art, showing several libraries around the world that are magnificent works of art in and of themselves. Look at the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.loc.gov/visit/" target="_blank">Library of Congress in Washington, DC</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, which opened to the public in 1897, and which represents in its interior design the works of almost 50 American artists. Especially beautiful is The Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building which offers a perfect example of the incredible workmanship done creating "an unparalleled national achievement” and the “largest, costliest and safest” library in the world. How majestic it is , yet it is the perfect place to sit, read a book and relax! I have never been to the Thomas Jefferson Building in the Library of Congress before, but I am going to Washington DC to teach my Go Green, 7 Steps to Successful Marketing and Aging in Style .8 CEU and I am surely going to try and see it in person. Here is a photo of the Thomas Jefferson Building in the Library of Congress. Isn't it lovely! That is Classicism at its best</span>!<br /></span>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-21845905462159215632010-08-24T06:17:00.001-07:002010-08-24T06:46:42.973-07:00Do's and Dont's of Renovating a Master Bathroom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnDKNc-z0a-aPn5a593DAaJlEAg1TDGVChaNwU1k7qE2ZGPk9kGMfV5Lv69qXsA2nlgAxpD9mFh0aB3CFFHV0-NaoW4xSYYSAqVhhX0Gevpsn8u_p-mt138E9g7VyTfdz6M4oI_RqJf0/s1600/19-thumb.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnDKNc-z0a-aPn5a593DAaJlEAg1TDGVChaNwU1k7qE2ZGPk9kGMfV5Lv69qXsA2nlgAxpD9mFh0aB3CFFHV0-NaoW4xSYYSAqVhhX0Gevpsn8u_p-mt138E9g7VyTfdz6M4oI_RqJf0/s320/19-thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508972028946869170" border="0" /></a><br />I called an acquaintance of mine this morning and she told me that she was renovating her Master Bathroom and had hired another contractor ( not me) to help her with this project as she thought of me as purely an Interior Designer rather than an InteriorDesigner/ Remodeler who teaches about Universal Design and Green Design nationwide. As I spoke with her, I discovered that neither she nor her contractor had done their homework about this bathroom renovation and were going to make several major Faux - pas that could prove very dangerous later on.<br />Here are some things to remember to do to insure that your bathroom will not only look pretty - but function for you.<br />1. Always use a non-slip tile since otherwise, if a few drops of water from the tub or shower get on the tile, you can slip and fall and get badly hurt! And since there is no tile designated "non-slip" for some reason - always either purchase a tile with texture ( with raised sections that you can feel) as the texture causes resistance and reduces slippage, or purchase a small 1" by 1" or 2" by 2" or 1" by 2" tile where you use a lot of grout and the grout will serve to create a less slippery floor surface.<br />2.Reinforce your walls around the toilet, shower and tub areas with 2" by 12" plywood that should be placed in between the studs prior to re-tiling the walls, so that you can install grab bars wherever you need to later if you should ever need them. If you do not reinforce your walls and ever do need grab bars, you may have to remove your beautiful tilework if your studs are not in the exact location where you want the grab bars to be placed. And if you install grab bars without first reinforcing the walls - and someone actually leans heavily on those grab bars, the grab bar and even possibly the wall will come falling down - and potentially hurt the person who happened to lean on it.<br />The photo above is of my Master Bathroom - where I used non-slip tiles and reinforced the walls so it is both beautiful and safe! If you have any questions or comments, please phone me at 713 464-0055 or email me at beverlyvosko@gmail.com.Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-83780591963879510072010-08-17T14:45:00.000-07:002010-08-17T14:45:29.150-07:00Download<a href="http://media.ccomrcdn.com/media/station_content/676/plp_1281892135_26599.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=HOUSTON-TX&NG_FORMAT=&SITE_ID=676&STATION_ID=KPRC-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Purchase_Like_Pros&PCAST_CAT=Talk_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Purchase_Like_Pros">Download</a><br />Here is a podcast of the KPRC 950 AM radio show that I co hosted with Mike Landry - discussing Design Faux pas made by people who think they know how to design an home as well as a licensed Interior Designer!<br />Please feel free to listen to it, and comment on its content!Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-19957803344289181972010-08-17T07:10:00.001-07:002010-08-17T07:27:31.895-07:00Design Faux- PasI was asked my Mike Landry, the radio show host of Purchase Like Pros KPRC 950 AM to be on this show last Saturday, August 14th from 2 PM -3 PM. What did we discuss? Design Faux- Pas - all the things people do wrong when they decide that they can design their home by themselves. When anyone wants to add a shelf to their home, they very carefully measure the space where they wish to install the shelf, before purchasing the $20 shelf. Yet people will go out to a store and on impulse, purchase an entire bedroom suite, or an entire room full of furniture without ever measuring their space and only call me when it doesn't fit. At that point, there is little that I can do about that mistake, I can't stretch their room and I can't shrink their furniture! We have to purchase all new furniture which is both expensive and wasteful! Better to call in a good designer FIRST, and not make that mistake! I have a story for you. I had a client who wanted to purchase a sofa for a small study. I found her a sofa that fit and gave her the dimensions, saying that the sofa shouldn't be any bigger than 76". She called me a few days after I gave her the tear sheet with the sofa photo and dimensions, and said that she had found a similar sofa on the internet and she wanted to purchase that sofa instead, because it was available quicker than mine was and because it was a bit less expensive. I asked her how big the sofa that she had found was, and she said it was "A little bit bigger" than mine. I asked her "How much bigger" and she said that she didn't know, but she thought it would be "OK". When the sofa arrived, the "little bigger" difference in size meant that my sofa would have fit on the wall in her room, while hers did not and stuck out about 8" into the doorway preventing egress into and out of the room. She was mortified and had no choice but to get rid of that sofa - ultimately paying for both it AND the sofa that I had given her the tear sheet for. She learned a lesson, and promised not to purchase something on her own and especially without measuring, again! How many of you have purchased something without measuring and regretted it?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-25659008060242843182010-08-04T20:20:00.000-07:002010-08-04T20:50:41.627-07:00I just visited Susan Foxes blog www.thegreenplum.blogspot.com "Love Where You Live" and thought it was wonderful. Susan's<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"> latest <b>"Her Personal Space"</b> </span>featured Kelly of the Polished Pebble blog's ranch in Ojai, California just south of Santa Barbara! I can see why Kelly goes to her Ojai ranch to unwind and relax! It is so charming, picturesque and inviting! The juxtaposition of green and white throughout looks so fresh and lovely! I adore her white picket fence and her simple yet elegant alfresco table setting with white wicker chairs and white wicker baskets filled with herbs surrounded by all the greenery of her backyard! I would love to cuddle up in the white slip-covered chair on her porch, sip a cup of tea placed on the Antique ( ?) green table and smell the white roses sitting in the old blue bucket... I could spend an entire afternoon reading a book with my head resting on the pink and white striped pillow! In fact, I could stay there forever! Thanks Susan for sharing this with us! Go visit her blog www.thegreenplum.blogspot.com and see for yourself!<br />beverly vosko<br />beverlyvosko@gmail.comBeverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-27232668589108898102010-08-03T08:40:00.000-07:002010-08-03T08:59:16.320-07:00Living by the Lake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp-tS-iXZDd5pOGN2uc-sXKVs1fc7E6xlIIDvG7MIfp8rymRz1KeKzMRkcGDIp4a7EPfU5xQtW4r6X9Ct22y4p46FjAqrC9kpCb7foqWn_rAdhSZCpsZ8OdAsCTDNFGhbEx8DDMMYgKw/s1600/P4220122.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp-tS-iXZDd5pOGN2uc-sXKVs1fc7E6xlIIDvG7MIfp8rymRz1KeKzMRkcGDIp4a7EPfU5xQtW4r6X9Ct22y4p46FjAqrC9kpCb7foqWn_rAdhSZCpsZ8OdAsCTDNFGhbEx8DDMMYgKw/s320/P4220122.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501210040406014658" border="0" /></a><br />I was reading the La Dolce Vita Blog and I agree with Paloma Contreras that Laura Trevey's blog Bright, Bold and Beautiful has the ideal name and I too love many of the things that they both love- I love eating outside! I love all things nautical, and living by the water. We live in Houston TX but keep a 40" Hunter sailboat at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook Texas and spend most weekends on it. Many of my clients and many of the homes that I have designed/remodeled have been in that area by the water and living by the water makes such a difference. Just looking out the window at the water is soothing & relaxing. And using blues, greens, grey-blues and colors that are reminiscent of the water help bring the outside in. Before I remodeled this Seabrook kitchen, it had a tiny window over the sink on the wall facing the water, and you couldn't even see outside. So we ripped out the existing cabinets, installed a huge picture window on that exterior wall and placed a table and chairs right in front of it to my clients can sit at the table and enjoy the view. We then reorganized the kitchen cabinet layout to have the cabinets on either side of the window - and not on the exterior window wall - which we reserved for viewing outside! What a difference that made! <br />The kitchen in the photo has soft colors, which my client liked. But I teach Interior Designers for Continuing Education nationally and I love to teach in Florida! I was just teaching in Estero, DCOTA and Boca Raton two weeks ago in mid July, and I love the colors shown in both the Miromar Design Center and DCOTA. They love bright colors in FLorida- bright turquoise, bright orange... and these colors seem to go with being near or on the water - they are happy colors and being on the water is happy! Don't you agree?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-32561469775786613672010-08-02T20:29:00.000-07:002010-08-02T20:30:11.499-07:00I agree totally with Material Girls "Reinvented chairs"... I also adore chairs: big chairs, small chairs, tall chairs, in fact.. all chairs. I love the book "Chairs" by Judith Miller..When I was a little girl, I used to walk up and down Madison Avenue in NYC and gaze into the windows of all the Antique shops, drooling over the magnificent Antiques - especially the sets of English Period Chippendale Dining Room Chairs that I saw inside. As life would have it, I moved to London, studied at Sotheby's London, became an Interior Designer who specialized in Antiques, and was lucky enough to find and purchase a harlequin set of 11 1760's English Chippendale chairs, which I still own and cherish. Did you know that most chairs made today are adaptations of Period Antique Chairs? Period Chairs. be they English, French or American, gave us the great designs that inspired many of the chairs made today - we just pared them down and gave them cleaner lines...But I totally agree - that "old style" fabrics make even the most beautiful chairs look dated.. while putting a "new" trendy fabric on them, gives them new life and makes all the difference! www.vosko.comBeverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-38414622765855350092010-08-02T20:11:00.000-07:002010-08-02T20:26:21.787-07:00<h3 class="post-title"> Tune in to Houston KPRC 950 AM radio show Purchase Like Pros on August 14th from 2 PM -3 PM </h3> <div class="post-body"> <div> Today I spoke to Mike Landry the host of Houston KPRC 950 AM radio show Purchase Like Pros at length and we discussed the show be to aired on August 14th from 2 PM -3 PM. We decided that the show will be about remodeling vs Tromp L'Oeil - which literally means "to fool the eye" Design. The topic in question is "Why spend all the money remodeling a home, if you can actually achieve the same results simply with good Design... And can you really achieve the same results." It is true that lighter colors and smaller furniture and less furniture make a room look bigger. So if you have a small dark room filled with lots of furniture, you can create a totally new, larger, better "look" by painting the room a light color and taking out some of the furniture! But it is not that easy! The best way to achieve that great "Look" is to hire a professional licensed Interior Designer who is trained to take your ideas and make them work. A good licensed Interior Designer knows exactly where to go to get the most up to date and most beautiful products for the best prices - be it the latest, most unique and highest quality furniture, accessories, paint, appliances, plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures, the countertops, wall tiles and floor coverings, or the most stylish cabinetry and coordinate it all so that it all blends into one lovely harmonious whole. What do you think?I would love all of you to join us and listen to it, and even to call in a question for me, if you have any Design vs Remodeling questions or any opinions on that subject. The number to call in for the show is 713 212 5909. </div> </div> <p class="post-footer"> <em>posted by Beverly Vosko at <a class="post-footer-link" href="http://beverlyvosko.blogspot.com/2010/07/tune-in-to-houston-kprc-950-am-radio.html" title="permanent link"> 9:07 PM </a></em> <a class="comment-link" href="http://beverlyvosko.blogspot.com/2010/07/tune-in-to-houston-kprc-950-am-radio.html#comments" href="http://beverlyvosko.blogspot.com/2010/07/tune-in-to-houston-kprc-950-am-radio.html#comment-form;"><span style="text-transform: lowercase;">0 Comments</span></a> <span class="item-control blog-admin pid-346708657"><a style="border: medium none;" href="post-edit.g?blogID=6250938061102385586&postID=4828296708175446446" title="Edit Post"><img class="icon-action" alt="" src="img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif" width="18" height="18" /></a></span> </p>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-48282967081754464462010-07-29T21:07:00.000-07:002010-07-29T21:42:08.586-07:00Tune in to Houston KPRC 950 AM radio show Purchase Like Pros on August 14th from 2 PM -3 PMMike Landry the host of Houston KPRC 950 AM radio show Purchase Like Pros has invited me to be on the air on August 14th from 2 PM -3 PM discussing Remodeling from an Interior Designer's point of view. I am very excited to be the Interior Designer chosen to be on this show and would love all of you to join us and listen to it, and even to call in a question for me, if you have any Design/Remodeling questions. I would like to take a minute and discuss Remodeling. Why do people remodel their homes? People remodel their homes to increase the value of their homes. The most common remodeling projects are kitchens and bathrooms - which cost a significant amount of money but people supposedly can recoup 75% of the cost of these kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects, and even more if they look really good. So how can you get your kitchen and/or bathroom to look really good? One way is to hire a professional licensed Interior Designer who is trained to take your ideas and make them work. A good licensed Interior Designer knows exactly where to go to get the most up to date and most beautiful products for the best prices - be it the latest and highest quality appliances, plumbing fixtures and/or electrical fixtures, the prettiest counter-tops, the most unique wall tiles and floor coverings, or the most stylish cabinetry and coordinate it all so that it all blends into one lovely harmonious whole. What do you think?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-29327670977710703032010-06-30T07:47:00.001-07:002010-06-30T07:56:45.013-07:00Living it up in New York!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xSVb3_ITjiO_9njS6utoimbOHInI3zkZ_spQUjKhgyQHJtS7LcrpCa6kT0t2tgIjeIWVK62yLPO22xlsEVd3waionQau8KlXtFC3uH3BbrMWJ4MyYU5PhuS8mEIflEA-iZDE7eG_vWM/s1600/scan0005.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xSVb3_ITjiO_9njS6utoimbOHInI3zkZ_spQUjKhgyQHJtS7LcrpCa6kT0t2tgIjeIWVK62yLPO22xlsEVd3waionQau8KlXtFC3uH3BbrMWJ4MyYU5PhuS8mEIflEA-iZDE7eG_vWM/s320/scan0005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488580783764871362" border="0" /></a><br />Last Thursday evening I was honored to be invited to a cocktail party hosted by the French Trade Commission- Ubifrance and Veranda Magazine at Maison France in NY. Considering the fact that I live in Houston TX, and was only in NY because I was teaching the Period Rooms at the Metropolitan Museum the next day, this was a very special treat! I flew in and arrived at La Guardia airport at 5 PM, got to my hotel at 6 PM, dropped off my bags and went directly to 10 West 56th Street to the Felissimo Design House to "see what I could see". The furniture on view was AMAZING! There was a magnificent Louis XVI style "Chest of Drawers Rousel" that could have been made by Louis XVI's Ebenist du Roi Henri Reisner and found in the French Period Rooms! This gorgeous 3 panelled commode/chest has beautiful rosewood, fruitwood, mother of pearl, and ivory inlay displaying an Italian landscape including a styalized version of the Castle of Saint Anne in Rome, a lovely Sarrancolin marble top and finely chiseled gilt bronze mounts that look like jewelry including rosettes, garlands and musical trophies. WOW! Up until now I didn't think we could make furniture to equal that made in the Golden Age of Furniture which is France existing from 1643- 1830, but now I may have to change my mind. What do you think? Isn't it lovely? All I need now is a client who wants to purchase it!<o:p></o:p><p></p>Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-20304895766756741642010-06-23T02:10:00.001-07:002010-06-23T02:10:25.350-07:00Today many people are replacing their doors and windows with Green Low-E ones. Did you know that Grogan Building Supply Co. in the Heights sells remodelers (to the trade only) Low-E retrofit windows and doors for less money than Lowes - great for the price conscious remodeling client! Retrofit doors have to be a bit smaller ( 34" ) than the standard 36" doors and are hard to find. They often have to be ordered custom and take weeks to arrive. Grogan Building Supply Co. can get them in just 2 weeks and only charges a bit more for them than for standard doors. As an Interior Designer and Remodeler, I just ordered fiberglass French doors - which never rot and have the added advantage that they can be painted on both sides, for a client who is replacing very poor quality aluminum doors with these great "Green ones" and am happy to pass on this information! But is it really "Green" for everyone to replace their windows and doors? Wouldn't that add a lot of windows and doors to our landfills? What do you think?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-49004708391644376272010-06-22T15:56:00.000-07:002010-06-22T16:02:47.590-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrki571VZGAm57uvrCBBANEx2IBRtf-ciRmYhlATi8Z4G1Nzz2OzGk7vesJiGrMB7R1sOKQY7X9Lw236mtBn5lL_iwBav7fxpcJNeMFUjEKJPi-61ZXCIu26aBy-7YWp0P17b_3PH-dVI/s1600/10+07+09+083.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrki571VZGAm57uvrCBBANEx2IBRtf-ciRmYhlATi8Z4G1Nzz2OzGk7vesJiGrMB7R1sOKQY7X9Lw236mtBn5lL_iwBav7fxpcJNeMFUjEKJPi-61ZXCIu26aBy-7YWp0P17b_3PH-dVI/s320/10+07+09+083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485736309043373794" border="0" /></a><br />This Friday I teach Interior Designers one of my favorite CEU's -Antiquing in NY -studying the Period English and French rooms at the Metropolitan Museum in NY. I adore teaching these rooms, especially the spectacular Louis XV Rococo rooms. This photo of one of French Rococo room at the Metropolitan Museum captures the essence of the Rococo style. The Louis XV Rococo Era is famous for its elaborate gilding, its luscious serpentine curves, and its asymmetry where straight lines were eliminated whenever possible! Look at these magnificent curvaceous gilt chairs, the red lacquer and gilt desk that was owned by Louis XV himself, the huge mirrors that make everything shimmer and shine, the fabulous chandelier, the Savonerie Rug, and the elegant gilt boiserie walls! Though I have taught this class many times before, whenever I teach these Period Rooms, I am always awed to be in the presence of such great design and furniture construction. The ebenists were able to create masterpieces by hand that are so much better than we can ever create today - even with all our machinery, Though I wouldn't want to actually live in this room on a full time basis because it is a bit too formal for me and for most of my clients lifestyle's today - I can't but help marvel at its beauty and magnificence. Don't you agree?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-36434570373062180222010-06-21T23:40:00.001-07:002010-06-21T23:41:52.948-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgcrOr3gSNFgaXms4-8M0rmY-1uSf3Wu0WPMIpn-jG64iwG2_1ApU4aezDfKx9gL4YfVoT6CbawUQRKOFBkgCmM4nhwzJ3Kx5aZqMAo2YhPCKM2y40INqMvreSWh7D4_OkT-ikQW6ysE/s1600/10+07+09+085.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgcrOr3gSNFgaXms4-8M0rmY-1uSf3Wu0WPMIpn-jG64iwG2_1ApU4aezDfKx9gL4YfVoT6CbawUQRKOFBkgCmM4nhwzJ3Kx5aZqMAo2YhPCKM2y40INqMvreSWh7D4_OkT-ikQW6ysE/s320/10+07+09+085.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485484438371378834" border="0" /></a><br />I am so excited! This Thursday I am flying from Houston TX to NY to teach Interior Designers from around the U.S. a CEU entitled Antiquing in NY which I will teach from 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM on Friday June 25th. I will spend 7-8 glorious hours instructing my group on the Period English and French rooms at the Metropolitan Museum in NY. I adore Antiques, especially the Louis XV Rococo furniture by Vanrisamburgh II and the Louis XVI Neoclassical furniture by Reisner. The Louis XV Rococo Era was so amazing with its magnificent, asymmetrical serpentine curves, its red and black lacquered furniture, its handmade paper-thin veneered polychrome marquetry that can't be replicated today despite all the technology that we have, and its elegant gilt boiserie walls - that it was copied all across the rest of Europe for decades! I have taught this class many times before, yet I am always awed to be in the presence of such greatness when I am teaching these Period Rooms. Look at this photo of one of the rooms at the Metropolitan Museum that we study, with the lovely curvaceous Rococo red lacquered table by Vanrisamburgh II juxtaposed against the straight-lined Neoclassical Louis XVI chair - both sitting on the spectacular Savonerie rug from the collection by Charles Le Brun from 17th C Versailles - It is incredible... Don't you agree?Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-14947720477126381422009-01-25T12:16:00.001-08:002009-01-25T12:16:45.302-08:00Trends for 2009<br />2008 was not a great year for many people. So we are all looking forward expectantly, to 2009, which promises to be a better year. So what are the Design trends for 2009? Since 2009 is starting out in economic shambles, most people are wanting “clean lines”; they are going back to basics, using tried and true designs and furniture forms that will be in style for a long time, rather than avant guard styles that go in and may soon go out of fashion. The old adage that if you buy good quality, it will last forever, is as true today as it was when it was invented. And it works! I have furniture that I purchased 25 years ago and it still looks good and is considered “trendy” all these years later– first because it is good quality and second because it is relatively simple and traditional – so it can’t be easily dated. The premise is, that if you buy simple clean lines, the piece will never go out of fashion. So clean, straight lines have come back into fashion on sofas and chairs – and, especially the backs and arms of these pieces, have gotten squarer . People today also want a little bit of luxury in their lives, so a little bit of “glitz”, especially the 1940’s glitz, is now popular as well. We are in a similar situation historically and economically now as we were in 1940 after the war – a recession - and people need to “feel good” when they come home – because they don’t necessarily “feel good” anywhere else! So 1940’s styles such as round curved chair backs are now back in style as well. Going along with this “Feel good attitude”, the new pantone color is Yellow. Yellow is like the sun, shining down on us with its warm, bright light – and is the ultimate “feel good” color. Yellow will brighten up a gloomy grey day and a gloomy grey life. So look for solid yellows, and also yellow as part of the overall color scheme of patterned fabrics. Even if you don’t like yellow as a solid color by itself, it is great mixed with other colors in a pattern in a room – or used as a soft yet sunny wall color that functions as a neutral like a beige, and doesn’t have to match the rest of the colors in the room.<br />The other big trend is “Green”! We now are far more aware than ever before, that we must do something about “climactic change” – to insure that the world as we know it, will be in good shape for our grand kids . So we are getting “Greener”. But we are just learning what Green means and most people still have no idea how to make their homes “green”. Many Green products are expensive, and though people have great plans, end up using non green products which are cheaper, in order to save money and yet carry out their design plans. So what is good, green and trendy? Bamboo is great as a wood substitute for flooring – and it is good and green because it can easily and quickly be replenished so it is sustainable – meaning that even if you cut it down, if you replant it, it will grow back quickly –unlike trees that take a lifetime to grow back. Sisal, sea grass and jute are green, sustainable and trendy as well – both as area rugs and even, in their solid forms, as wall to wall coverings. All these items are plants that are mashed down into pulp , made into long strands and then woven as a fiber would be – into whatever we deem popular at that moment in time. There are now even fabric pillows made of bamboo. Are they pretty? You bet! And they are simple and neutral enough that they can be mixed with almost anything. This versatility is what makes them so attractive and so “popular” so “in style” today.Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250938061102385586.post-72297174150324918572009-01-10T14:40:00.000-08:002009-01-10T14:41:50.371-08:00With the economy going crazy, many of us have decided to just stay at home. If you are going to be spending a lot of time at home, your home needs to be a "haven of refuge", a "cocoon" , a place that you love to come back to after a hard day’s work... a place that feels so comfortable and so wonderful - that you never want to leave it!<br />Today, many people are thinking about remodeling their home to make it exactly the way they want it!<br />But if you are going to spend some money remodeling, you want to make sure that you are doing it right!<br />I believe in Specialization of Labor... in order to get the best design for your remodel and make it look fabulous- you shouldn't design the space yourself! You need to hire a specialist to help you design whatever room you are redoing, be it a kitchen, or a bathroom or even simply removing a wall to make your family room larger. My advice is to hire a good, licensed Interior Designer who is also a space planner to help you achieve your goals and dreams- a person with many years experience, who knows the pitfalls and will help you avoid making mistakes...Good licensed Interior Designers are visual people who can see what it will look like in their minds...Most people ARE NOT VISUAL, and can't really see what their project will look like until it is already done, by which point, if it isn't done to their liking, it is too late!<br />For a fee, Interior Designers will have a CAD drawing made for you of your existing space... and another of the proposed changes...and together you can go over this drawing, make all the necessary changes - even if it takes several re-dos... until you come up with a final plan that really works! Only then should you proceed with your remodel!<br /><br />I am a licensed Interior Designer with 25+ years of experience - doing Interior Design, Space Planning and General Contracting/Remodeling and I have a great example to illustrate my point. Last week my construction crew began a remodel and removed/added several walls in the entryway/living room/family room and dining room in one of my client's homes- and when she came home to see the changes - she was so happy and excited, that she literally "jumped for joy"! And she said to me " Wow - this looks fabulous! Now that the walls are down, I can see what you mean" but I really didn't see it before... I could never have created such a beautiful floor plan without your help!"<br />She and her husband approached me to remodel their home by copying a neighbor's floor plan - which they liked well enough- but which really didn't suit their particular needs. By themselves, they couldn't invision anything on their own, so they wanted to copy something they had already seen! But that is not the way to acheive a gorgeous home! Together, we came up with what I thought was a much better floor plan for their home remodel, since they had different requirements from their neighbor -especially the fact that they wanted a TV cabinet to house 2 TV's for the man of the house to watch football in the fall, which the other family's floor plan didn't have room for. Also, the other family had a large closet in the entryway immediately opposite the front door, that was the first thing that you saw when you entered the home - and we both thought that was ugly! So, we drew up a CAD drawing so they could see what I was invisioning, made a few modifications to create a space that was perfect for them (rather than for their neighbors!), then hired a Stuctural Engineer to both make sure that we could implement our new plans and also tell us what size beams etc. we needed, and then we began to implement those plans! What a difference specialization of labor and a little bit of forthought makes!<br /><br />If you have any comments or questions about this blog<br />please call me at my office 713 464-0055 or on my cell 713 269-6909<br />or email me at <a href="mailto:beverly@vosko.com">beverly@vosko.com</a> or <a href="mailto:bvosko@sbcglobal.net">bvosko@sbcglobal.net</a> or check out my website<br /><a href="http://www.vosko.com/">www.vosko.com</a> for a gallery of pictures of my work, my resume, and more information!Beverly Voskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287557481704948191noreply@blogger.com0