Home In Style

FALL 2011 T H E B RYA N - C O L L E G E S TAT I O N E A G L E

AN ILLUMINATING ECO APP Want to ease your environmental impact?

There’s an app for that

TEXAS REDS CHILLS OUT

Annual steak and wine festival moves to the fall

MINIATURE WORLDS

An elegant terrarium brings nature into the home with a touch of wonder

WIN A ROOM MAKEOVER

Enter to win a room makeover from The Eagle and Amazing Space

excellence A TrAdiTion oF

Aggie Family’s Home Away From Home

Contents excellence

10

A Tradition of

Aggie Family’s Home Away From Home

4 Take the heat off

20 cultural couture

6 Relaxing with the Arts

22 greening the kitchen

Forget the A/C: Ceiling fans keep temperatures steady for less

Arts Council project brings benches to life

8 Texas Reds chills out

Annual steak and wine festival moves to the fall

18 local digs

Bold colors and patterns inspired by vibrant cultures are back in home décor

A sustainably designed kitchen is smart, lean and lasts a long time

23 Win a room makeover

Enter to win a room makeover from The Eagle and Amazing Space

An Old Bookshelf Earns Its Stripes

Celebrating 135 Years in Business! all is my favorite time of the year and my favorite time to decorate. I love the crisp feel in the air, the smell of chimneys burning and picking out the perfect pumpkins and gourds at the farmers market. Most of all I love how Hermann’s looks this time of year, dressed in the rich shades of Autumn and holiday décor.

F

This year, we have a particularly fantastic Fall in store for you at Hermann Furniture, so you have got to join us for all the fun!

Mark your calendar for Saturday September 24th for our Fall Open House. I will be throwing open the doors of my home in Brenham and welcoming you and your friends. From the front door of my English Carriage Style Home, through all of the rooms on my main �loor, and out into my patio and garden, you’ll be treated to a cornucopia of new ideas for Fall and Halloween decorating. Each room will be �illed with delightful and exciting ideas to make your home it’s most beautiful this Fall and everyday of the year.

Of course, the store will be �illed to the brim with many of the same decorating tools and Fall accents I’ll use to decorate my home. You will have everything you need to make magic at home this Fall.

Home Furnishings & Gifts 135th Anniversary Bash Tuesday, November 15, 2011 | 4:00 – 7:00 pm Appetizers and Live Entertainment

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Fall Open House and Home Tour Saturday, September 24, 2011 11:00am – 4:00 pm Home Tour

Home in Style FALL 2011

The Fall Open House is just one of many events we have in store for you in the coming months. Hermann Furniture is celebrating it’s 135th Anniversary on November 15 and we’re having a party!

But don’t just stop by for our special events this Holiday Season! Plan to spend time in our store shopping with friends and let us help get your home ready for this spectacular season. The Hermann family and it’s talented team are ready to help you transform your home into a beautiful retreat to celebrate the season with friends and family.

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1729 Briarcrest Bryan, Texas 77802 Publisher Jim Wilson Display Advertising Manager Joanne R. Patranella 979.731.4719 joanne.patranella@theeagle.com Special Projects Coordinator Dawn Goodall Creative Services Manager Jim Bob McKown 979.731.4706  jimbob@theeagle.com

By AFI-ODELIA E. SCRUGGS CtW FeatUReS

Take the

Heat Off

Special Projects Editor Billy Mau 979.731.4704  billy.mau@theeagle.com Section Designer Courtney Lewellen For questions or comments, please call: 979.731.4738 or email: homeinstyle@theeagle.com www.theeagle.com

advertise your company in the premier home magazine in the Brazos valley.

Publication Date: Thursday, November 24, 2011 Space Reservation Deadline: Friday, October 14, 2011

4

Home in Style FALL 2011

Forget the A/C: Ceiling fans keep temperatures steady for less

A

t one time, the ceiling fan seemed headed the way of miniskirts and gogo boots. But when the energy crisis of the ’70s arrived, complete with blackouts and long gas lines, the mousy brown wallflower of its time got renewed respect.

Now, ceiling fans are a stylish mainstay of homes and businesses and are more energyefficient and quieter than before, says Colleen McCracken, a spokeswoman for Lumens, the lighting products company.

“Advancing technologies are making fans consume less power and run smarter, on top of the fact that fans are already more energy-efficient than air conditioning,” McCracken says.

RULES FOR THE ROTOR In the summer, the blades should turn counterclockwise to push air downward and force cool air to the edges of a room. (Reverse the direction in the winter to redistribute warm air.) Following these rules can make a fan a useful supplement to an air conditioner. The California Energy Commission estimates that a ceiling fan can make a room feel four degrees cooler.

“That means if you’re using air conditioning along with your fan, you can set the thermostat at a higher than normal setting to save on energy,” according to the organization.

The fan doesn’t actually decrease the overall temperature of a room, it simply cools off the occupants like a cool breeze. Because heat from the motor can make a room hotter, it’s best to turn off fans when a room or building is empty.

HOT OR NOT? To find the most energy-efficient ceiling fans, look for the Energy Star rating. These fans have met efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and are up to 50 percent more efficient than conventional fans. Lists of qualified products are listed at www.energystar.gov.

Although the Energy Star site doesn’t say which fan is the most energy-efficient, Hansen Wholesale does. The retailer recommends Emerson’s Eco fans with direct current motors. Fans with direct current motors are smaller, lighter and more powerful than fans that run on alternating current.

Based on Energy Star ratings, Eco fans are three to four times more efficient than their competitors.

KEEP IT CLEAN Any fan needs proper installation and maintenance. The fan should be anchored to a ceiling joist. If that’s not possible, use a ceiling fan mounting bracket. Dust the fan regularly and clean the blades with a damp cloth. Never use water or liquid on the fan motor.

an illuminating CtW FeatUReS

eco-app Want to ease your environmental impact?

There’s an app for that ooking for a handy app to give you lighting advice on the go? Light Bulb Finder by Eco Hatchery (free for iPhone or Android) lets individuals find the perfect environmentally friendly bulb for your usage and region.

Start by inputting a ZIP code to generate the average kilowatt hour cost of electricity in that city; adjust that cost as necessary. Then it asks users to input various criteria, such as the type of lighting fixture being used, bulb style, wattage being replaced and number of hours the bulb will be used.

Light Bulb Finder then generates a list of recommendations for bulb type with a summary of the savings that will result. Users can then buy bulbs directly through the app or save recommendations for shopping later at local retailers.

The app uses information from the Environmental Defense Fund, the Green Education Foundation, TreeHugger, eBay Green and others.

Light bulb choices will become even more important by 2012, the year that bulb manufacturers have to meet certain efficiency requirements and discontinue inefficient products. By 2020, bulbs must be 70 percent more efficient than they are now.

Other countries are following suit.

Watch a video about Light Bulb Finder for Android phones and iPhones or download the app at www.lightbulbfinder.net.

The Light Bulb Finder application for iPhone and Android can help you choose the right bulb for your needs and location whether you’re at home or on the go.

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Relaxing with the Arts

i

the Eagle

Arts Council project brings benches to life

f you’re out around town enough, you’ve probably seen some of Arts Council of Brazos Valley’s latest public art project.

There is a chance you’ve even sat on some of it.

The “BenchMARKING the Arts” program was initiated to help celebrate the Arts Council’s 40th anniversary. Local artists combined to paint 20 steel benches that are currently on display by sponsors.

The benches are in various locations around town and have already been met with plenty of interest.

Chris Dyer, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, said the idea came from the popular Bush Train Project a few years earlier.

“The Arts Council Board wanted to come up with some creative ways to get more public art in the area,” Dyer said. “We really liked the Bush Train Project, but thought that functional art that people could sit on and enjoy would be really well received.”

The Arts Council started searching for both artists and sponsors for the project, and found plenty of both excited to get involved. Russel Cushman, a Navasota sculptor and artist who runs Blues Alley in Navasota, had been serving on the Arts Council Board and was part of the early discussions on the project. He was very excited about the possibilities and painted two benches, which can be found at ANCO Insurance in Bryan and Brison Park in College Station.

“I got a lot satisfaction doing this project,” Cushman said. “They’re a commercial concept and sometimes artists may feel like they don’t have a personal sense of expression or that they are just a hired gun when they do something like this. In both of my situations, though, I was able to do work that I really am proud of.”

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By BILLY MAU

Home in Style FALL 2011

The project presented a unique challenge to most of the artists. Not only were the benches not the flat canvases, but they also have lots of tiny holes in them. Nancy Elliot also did two benches (located at Jacque’s Toys & Books in Bryan and the BryanCollege Station Convention & Visitor’s Bureau) and said the unique surface was part of the fun of the project.

Both of Elliot’s benches involved a lot of detail work. One of her benches has a Rosie the Riveter character and the other was done in picture-postcard fashion. She said she tried her best to not think about the holes while others had to plan parts of their design around them.

“On my first bench, I tried to incorporate the holes into the design and used a very cartoon-like style,” Elliot said. “On my second one, I tried to just ignore the holes. I did a postcard design on that one and it came out really well.”

The shape of the seat actually worked to many artists’ advantage. Both Cushman and Guy Benson discovered that it gave their work a very threedimensional quality. Both artists did benches that featured large landscapes and were able to use the shape of the benches to enhance the perspective of the painting.

Benson, whose benches can be found at Birdwell & Wright Dentistry and the Tower Point Market H-E-B, was especially happy with how the curves of the bench matched with his design without him even realizing it right away.

“I sketched out my ideas on paper and then shaped the paper to the bench,” Benson said. “I’d step back and look at it from a few angles to see how it would work. Especially with my Hill Country landscape,

it created a very neat visual effect. Since it was the Hill Country, I wanted it to have this rolling effect like the hills themselves, and the curve of the bench worked perfect with that.”

Twenty benches have already been finished and the response is strong enough that Dyer is getting ready to set up another round for next year. The plan is to make the benches a must-see for visitors to the area and to continue to expand the amount of public art in the B/CS area.

“The art we have around town enhances our public spaces,” Dyer said. “It helps promote tourism and creates a community identity. It’s also great exposure for our artists. This is really the best advertising an artist can have because thousands of people will see these benches because they are in public, high visibility areas.”

The exposure was something that excited Cushman. All of the benches have nameplates identifying the artist and the sponsor. It’s not often that an artist can get that kind of visibility without being featured in a heavily trafficked museum.

“What’s great about this is it gives artists a chance to show their skill on everyday objects that will be seen all throughout Bryan-College Station,” Cushman said. “I think most artists hunger for that audience. Most of the time, an artist sells a painting to a collector who will take them home and put them in their private collection. In that case, our works are seen by very few people.”

For more information about the BenchMARKING the Arts, including a full listing of benches and locator map, visit www.acbv.org and click on the programs tab.

Opposite Page Far Left) “40 Years & Beyond!” by

Nancy Elliot. Located at Jacque’s Toys & Books.

Opposite Page Second from left) “Hill Country Heaven” by Guy Benson. Located at Birdwell & Wright Dentistry. This Page Top Left) “Greetings From Bryan-College Station” by Nancy Elliot.

Located at Bryan-College Station Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. This Page Top Right) “Tip Tap Tap Art” by Becky Eddy Phillips. Located at Children’s Museum of Brazos Valley. This Page RIGHT) “Hayhaulers - Holding Back the Rain” by Russel Cushman. Located at ANCO Insurance.

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Texas Reds

CHILLS OUT Annual steak and wine festival moves to the fall

By BILLy MAU

Co

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in g

So

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the eagle

Emerald Ridge Estates A Gated Acre-Homesite Community Centrally Located in College Station For More Information Call: (979) 774-2900 8

Home in Style FALL 2011

There will be 20 Texas wineries represented at this year’s Texas Reds festival. Visitors to the festival enjoy the wine tastings throughout the day.

T

he Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival is getting a lot cooler this year, and that’s not just because the popular Bryan event has been moved from the scorching days of June to the milder days of October. Festival organizers are sure this year’s Texas Reds will be bigger and better than ever with a larger festival site, special places set up to watch football and Grammy-nominated music headliner Joe Nichols.

Gwynne Shillings, Special Events and Marketing Coordinator for the City of Bryan, said she is expecting this year’s Texas Reds to thrive with the changes.

“June was not conducive to steak and wine,” Schillings said. “We did a lot of research and found October was a good fit. October is also Wine Month, which makes sense for having a wine festival.”

Texas Reds was designed to be the City of Bryan’s signature event when it was started in 2007. The festival has been used to highlight the work done in the downtown renovation, and has been successful in bringing people and businesses back in the area.

For as popular as the event has been, one of the most common complaints the city received was that it was always so hot during the festival.

After looking into both fall and spring dates, the first Friday in October was settled on for the opening night. Not only does this let the Texas Reds Kickoff Party team up with the Downtown Bryan First Friday activities, it also provides a lively setting to debut the new Friday Texas Reds offering.

“Our Friday night event has changed quite a bit,” Schillings said. “We’ll be serving steaks this year on Friday, which we haven’t done in the past. The full festival grounds will also be open on Friday night, and many of the downtown merchants will also have their regular First Friday entertainment going on, too.”

Friday’s entertainment schedule is headlined by The Landsharks, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band that should bring a little island flare to the event.

Admission to the Friday night festivities will be free, but organizers have decided to charge a $5 admission fee on Saturday to visitors 13 and older this year. It was a tough decision since the event has always been free on both days, but it was decided that charging admission would help cover festival costs and aid in the expansion of both the festival grounds and the added activities to fill that larger space.

“A lot of people think the cost is to see Joe Nichols,” Schillings said. “That is not the case at all. The charge is simply to get into the festival and it will help us recover some of the costs of putting on the event.”

As usual on Saturday, there will be 20 Texas wineries represented at the festival and 20 cookoff teams vying for best steak honors. There will be the Kid Zone for younger visitors and a special tailgate area set up for college football fans.

The tailgate area is a feature Schillings is expects to be a big hit. This large tented area will feature multiple televisions showing college football games. It’s going to be located near food and drink vendors, making it a must see spot for any sports fan.

“Hopefully we’ll have an A&M game to play in there,” Schillings said. “If not, there are other big games that day like Texas-Oklahoma. There’s going to be seating in there and I think it’s going to be a very popular area.”

The big draw is expected to be Nichols performing Saturday night on the main stage. The four-time Grammy nominee has 14 Top 40 singles and three Number Ones with “Brokenheartsville,” “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall

Off ” and “Gimme That Girl.” With music that appeals to fans of both old and new country alike, Nichols could prove to be the festival’s most successful headliner.

“We’re really excited to have Joe Nichols,” Schillings. “We wanted to bring in someone who doesn’t usually play in this area and Joe was a perfect fit. It’s also great because our Aggies are going to be in town. A lot of them have never been to Texas Reds because it happens when most of them are gone for the summer and Joe Nichols is very popular with that age group.”

For more information on the Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival, go to www.texasredsfestival.com.

Crowds gather on Saturday night for the headline entertainer. This year’s headliner Joe Nichols is expected to draw a large crowd.

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excellenc A TrAdiTion oF

Aggie Family’s Home Away From Home

By BILLy MAU the eagle

PHOTOS By CHANDLER ARDEN

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Home in Style FALL 2011

ce Far Left: The backyard waterfall with a beach entrance and waterfalls gives the feeling of a tropical paradise. Center: The living room fireplace – one of 11 in the house – also serves as the entertainment center. Far Right: The wine room features 14-foot tall, etched glass doors and can hold up to 2,000 bottles.

eter and Lisa Currie wanted a home that could serve as a place to entertain their Aggie friends and family. That’s exactly what they had by the time their sprawling Traditions home was finished in 2008. With space enough inside and out to accommodate more than 100 party guests, the Currie’s six-bedroom home has become a hotspot for special occasions and post-game football parties.

The A&M ties run deep in the Currie family.

Both Peter and Lisa are Aggies, as are their three children – Jordan, Mitchell and Josh – and Lisa’s father was one of Bear Bryant’s Junction Boys.

Even though the Currie’s live and work full time in Houston, they knew a house in Aggieland would not go unused. The couple frequently came back for A&M functions so building a home in the Traditions community was a natural choice.

Interior designer Paula Wyble was involved with the building of the home from the early design phase and continues to update her work during regular visits.

The home is situated on two lots that back up to a creek running through the neighborhood.

Plenty of mature trees dot both the front and backyards, something that attracted the Curries to the location. Visitors to the home are treated with great views of the natural setting, whether they are indoors or out.

Stepping through the front door places visitors in the large common area that serves as the heart of the house and is where people spend most of their time. The common area is made up of three distinct areas: the living room, the game room/wine room and the kitchen/dining room. There are no walls separating these areas, but each has its own unique setting thanks to the use of furniture or design elements.

The living room is at the center of the common area. The wall opposite the front door features a large, frameless window that opens into the back patio and pool area. This creates a depth beyond the physical boundaries of the room and affords both great views and natural lighting. A freestanding fireplace at the right of the room as viewed from the front door serves three purposes. The first, and most obvious, is as a fireplace. The Currie family really enjoys their fireplaces, with a total of 11 gracing the house. Secondly, the fireplace serves as the television stand with a flat screen unit built into The eAgLe www.tHeeagle.com

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Home in Style FALL 2011

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Top: The poker table in the game room also converts into a billiard table and gives players a panoramic view of the backyard.

Bottom: The pool area is a popular destination for Aggie football post-game parties.

the stone finish of the chimney column. Lastly, it serves as the boundary between the living room and the game room.

The highlight of the game room is the large, walk-in wine case capable of holding approximately 2,000 bottles.

As impressive as the capacity is, it’s the doors that steal the show here. Standing 14 feet tall, each of the four panes of glass was carefully etched with a grapevine pattern. As involved as Wyble was with the design of this area, she did not want to be here when those large glass doors arrived because she was worried something might go wrong.

“The day they came to install those doors, I had to leave,” Wyble said. “We’d waited a long time for those and it was so nerve-racking that I couldn’t watch. But everything came in beautifully.”

Across from the wine case and straddling the game room/living room line is a circular wet bar. Its position allows whoever is playing the role of bartender to have equal access to guests in either area and has its own great view of the backyard.

At the opposite end of the living room is the kitchen and dining area. Since the house is used for entertaining, space is very important. A long serving bar separates the kitchen from the living room and serves as either a place to eat or a serving line for large gatherings. A large island counter in the middle of the kitchen is positioned to also operate as a serving station for gatherings with the wide walkways around it. When it’s just the family or student occupants around, the ample counter space gives the cook plenty of prep space whether he or she is cooking on the heavy-duty gas range or baking in the twin ovens. The large Kent Moore kitchen cabinets provide plenty of storage space that keeps the room free of clutter.

The dining area is a very unique feature in the house.

The circular space actually pushes out into the back patio area and the frameless, rounded windows give the effect of being outside.

The backyard serves as an extension of the indoor common area. The same color schemes and stone patterns from the home’s interior and exterior are continued throughout the patio and poolside areas.

Closest to the house is the main patio, which features an outdoor kitchen, cozy outdoor seating, a fireplace and a television. This area is great for watching the game on mild evenings or having a summer cookout.

A walkway from the patio leads right to the hot tub and pool. The hot tub comes first, with its relaxing water and nearby fire pit, and is always popular with guests.

Across the walkway and situated above the hot tub is the conversation pool. The conversation pool features in-pool seating and a great view of the rest of the backyard. Water from the conversation pool cascades down into the main pool. This deceptively large pool features a beach-style entrance, three waterfalls and a grotto. A large fire pit sits The Eagle www.theeagle.com

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Clockwise from Top Right: The master suite designed for the Currie's daughter, Jordan, features vibrant colors and crystal light fixtures. The other master suite was designed for their son, Mitchell, and features an earthy, outdoors motif. This close up of the coffee area in Mitchell’s suite shows the ornate tile work that also surrounds the fireplace.

The theater room welcomes viewers with comfy seating, an old-style theater feel and a 300-pound sliding door that keeps unwanted noises out during movie time. The upstairs landing has a sports bar feel with a pool table, dartboard and plenty of Aggie memorabilia.

at the far end of the pool along with poolside seating, making it a social hub at the far end of the yard.

“This is such a great place for after a football game,” Wyble said. “After an Aggie game, there may be 100 people over here. The fire pits will be going, we’ll have tables set up all around here and kids will be playing on the putting green. It’s a lot of fun and guests really enjoy this area.”

For those looking for more climate-controlled entertainment, the second floor of the house is the place to go with its billiard room and sound-insulated media room. The billiard room is decorated with Aggie memorabilia and connects to the second floor balcony that overlooks the backyard. Family and guests alike are able to enjoy a game of pool on the maroon pool table or play a game of darts in a relaxed setting full of Aggie spirit.

No matter how lively the games in the billiard room get, people in the next room over can watch a movie without interference in the media room. This beautifully decorated room recreates the feel of an old-time theater with its rich colors, heavy draperies and quiet comfort.

The theater-style room can comfortably seats 10-12, but Wyble said it’s not uncommon during parties to see 2025 taking up every bit of floor and seating space.

Each of the six bedrooms has its own bath and plenty of closet space, but the prime spots are the two master suites at opposite ends of the first floor. At one end is the room designed for Jordan and the one for Mitchell at the other end. While the rest of the house features warm, earthy and understated tones, the master suites come alive with bold colors and unique atmosphere.

Jordan’s suite is known in the family as “The Princess Suite.” The colors in the room pop with bold turquoise and shining gold, highlighted by a crystal chandelier and large fireplace.

“The color scheme for this room came from two small fabric samples I showed Lisa and Jordan,” Wyble said. “Jordan picked out those colors and said she wanted that for her room. We always knew this would be ‘The Princess Suite,’ so the colors played in well with that.”

Mitchell’s suite was decorated with his love of the outdoors in mind. The walls are a deep forest green and the tile work around the fireplace sports raised tree designs.

“We wanted it to feel like we were pulling the outdoors into the room with the colors we used in Mitchell’s room,” Wyble said. “He has such a great view from the windows here, so the greens and golds play well with what you see outside.”

There’s no doubt that this house built for fun delivers on that promise. Whether they are guests for a party or one of the lucky students getting to live there, this house is bound to leave an impression well after they leave.

Top: The backyard has a lush lawn and a putting tee that is always popular with young visitors. Bottom: Visitors cross a small footbridge and pass through a lovely flower garden on their way to the front door.

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15

World MINIATURE

An elegant terrarium brings nature into the home with a touch of wonder

By AFI-ODELIA E. SCRUGGS CtW FeatUReS

16

Home in Style FALL 2011

ds

Author Amy Bryant Aiello guides readers through the intricacies of creating beautiful, terrariums like “Drifting Reef,” pictured on left.

A

terrarium is a plant grown in a transparent container. But the terrariums that Amy Bryant Aiello creates turn simple containers into elegant environments.

She uses jars, parfait glasses and bowls to house assemblages of crystals, finely ground rock, sand and plants. She looks to the desert, the beach and the forest for inspiration and materials.

“A terrarium is a snapshot of that perfect array of natural elements, somehow contained yet still wild at the core,” she writes in “Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds,” Timber Press, 2011.

In making terrariums, Bryant Aiello is continuing a gardening craft that reaches back to the ancient Greeks.

Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward is credited with developing the modern terrarium.

The London physician was studying a chrysalis he’d buried in moist earth in a closed jar. As he watched the insect develop, he noticed two plants sprouting.

Intrigued, he kept the plants in the jar and watched them grow for four years.

He experimented further and published his findings in 1842. The book sparked the development of “Wardian Cases,” large enclosed containers for growing or transporting delicate plants.

Bryant Aiello says she didn’t know about terrariums when she first started creating them. But she grew up around art and nature. Her mother is an artist and her father is a naturalist.

“We always gardened,” Bryant Aiello says. “I feel like I have this innate

Neil Sperry Texas Gardening

understanding of plants and animals, just from them being part of my life.”

After graduation, she went into landscaping and garden design, where she rediscovered her love of plants.

When she opened a shop, Artemisia, she began exploring ways to combine plants and other materials. “I knew enough about plants and about plant design to put (plants) together in a way that they would grow.”

Bryant Aiello avoids giving hard-andfast rules for creating terrariums. She prefers that people experiment and play.

But she does have advice for creating the best environment for plants.

First, match the plant with the correct growing medium. “Succulents want to be grown in a substance that dries out pretty quickly, “ she says. “House plants will tolerate potting soil.” She also suggests placing closed terrariums in indirect light.

Moist terrariums have a tendency to mold, so Bryant Aiello plants the roots in moss rather than in wet soil.

She uses sand from a nursery or home improvement store. Beach sand contains salt that would kill plants.

Bryant Aiello offers workshops at her shop in Portland. She hopes her creations will spark another way of viewing the craft.

“I think the lovely thing about having a revival of something, is that the younger generation rediscovers something and reinterprets it,” she says. “I like the idea of pushing the envelope on terrariums.

Charla Anthony Texas AgriLife Extension Elmer Krehbiel Vegetable Gardens Check out the Gardening Page at

www.theeagle.com/gardening Participate in the social group activities where you can post events, discussions, questions, photos and videos.

The eAgLe www.tHeeagle.com

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local digs!

An Old Bookshelf Earns Its Stripes

T

hough the summer heat may have been unbearable at times, we are all a bit disappointed when fall comes knocking at our doors.

No more afternoons by the pool, or evenings at the grill, and watermelon dripping down your face. We wave goodbye to the lazy days of summer and welcome fall with a fresh (and hopefully tan) face.

Thanks to a drop in temperature, paint might actually dry in a normal fashion and you can stay outside long enough without melting into the pavement.

Rejoice! The upcycling season has returned with full force. Now don’t get me wrong, you will definitely still find me out in the backyard in 105-degree heat with an electric sander, but I much prefer a cool fall breeze when tackling a project.

I am always encouraging readers, and myself, to try something new. Get out of your comfort zone and don’t always follow directions exactly. Do what works for you and get the best results for your project. As a design blog addict, I see

BEFORE

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Home in Style FALL 2011

what designers from New York to Los Angeles are putting in homes and lofts and practically drool over the expensive pieces and tasteful simplicity. But I am a Do-It-Yourself-er, through and through, and a cheap one at that. So my browsing merely serves as research and inspiration, and I encourage you to approach design with the same tactics. Find a piece, or a fabric, or a style that you love, and recreate it. After all, that is what upcycling is all about.

This project begins with a piece I bought months ago, but stashed in the backyard until a brilliant idea struck for its transformation. This is something I hardly ever do. If I bought every hideously beautiful piece that caught my eye, I could easily have started my own thrift store by now. But for $7, I let this awful turquoise bookshelf slide right into the trunk of my SUV. The sad little thing sat for two whole months, but the wait was worth it. One day on a fancy designer’s website, I saw a whole wall painted with grey and white stripes. My immediate reaction was “Yuck. That must have been a big headache.” But as I looked at the

stripes and subtle contrast in color, I was hooked. I was determined to make “striping” easy and still have bold and beautiful results.

The piece had to be taken apart for this style of painting to work most effectively. Surprisingly, the deconstruction wasn’t so difficult.

To remove the side panels, I used a wrench to unscrew 8 bolts.

Always keep all bolts, washers and extra parts in a plastic baggie so you have everything when it’s time to put it back together.

I was fortunate enough to use my parents’ electric sander on this project. The work and effort was cut in half and I hope to purchase one very soon. Whether manual or electric, use a very coarse grain (such as 50 or 80) to remove old paint and imperfections in the wood. The surface needs to be as smooth as possible for a fresh coat of paint. Wipe the wood clean with an old towel and keep a few of these handy for painting.

When covering a piece that has an existing paint color, it is worth it to invest in the new paint + primer hybrid. It costs a few dollars more, but it will save several steps to get the coverage you need. As always, use a clean, dry brush and paint even coats in one direction. The light grey paint I chose for the base color only took two coats, thanks to the paint and primer combo. When all of the pieces were dry, I began the true steps to create my “Chic and Stripey” bookshelf.

STRIPES MADE EASY I decided to only stripe the shelves and used the width of the green painter’s tape as a guide for each stripe. This took out any math and made for very easy taping.

AFTER

1) Start at the bottom and tape a straight line all the way across, leaving extra tape on both ends.

Use a small piece of tape on both sides to measure the width of the “negative” space between your first line and the next (this will be painted white and turn into your stripes) 2) Tape another straight line all the way across, using the small pieces on both sides as markers 3) Repeat these steps until you have covered the desired “striping area” (the end result should be green and grey stripes) 4) When all tape is in place, rub it a few times to make sure it is flush with the wood. Use a clean, dry brush to paint white over the exposed grey stripes (let dry completely, repeat if needed) 5) Peel the green tape from the wood and use a small brush to make any touch-ups 6) BEHOLD! Clean and simple stripes without the headache. I reassembled my bookshelf to see the final look.

In one afternoon, and for around $20, stripes made this thrift store throwaway a designer’s dream. The steps are simple enough for anyone to tackle and the price is hard to beat. Upcycling has endless possibilities. Take a look at the local junk and a treasure is sure to surface. To purchase handmade and custom items by Mollie Dean, visit comeandtakeitdesigns.blogspot.com or email molliekdean@gmail.com.

AFTER

coutu

CULTURAL

By J. JEWELL BATES CtW FeatUReS

A classic hardwood arm chair is embellished with tribal designs inspired by ornate tribal robes.

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Home in Style FALL 2011

I

ntegrating culture into home design items is back with a vengeance. Options abound from many of the vibrant places of the world – India, Africa, China, Russia, Latin America (and more) are all being represented this season.

True, the world is getting smaller and people are becoming more globally minded. But is the growing global mindset the reason behind the re-emergence of this trend that had, until recently, fallen out of favor?

Patrick Charles, president of the rug and tapestry design company Patrick Charles, thinks the focus on bold colors this season is influencing cultural home items.

“It is more of a color trend – color is really what is selling, and cultural pieces are typically very vibrant,” says Charles.

He also believes people are looking for positivity in challenging times, and thinks that using bright colors and bold patterns are just the thing for a bit of cheer in home design.

Andrew Palecek, vice president of Palecek, a furniture design company, believes the fashion industry sparked the use of cultural influences in home design.

“It starts in fashion then migrates into the home,” says Palecek.

So now that the trend is here in full force, how do you globally upgrade your home with the electric colors and bold patterns tribal design offers?

The first step is to jump in and not be afraid to experiment with different hues and patterns to discover what feels best in your home. Palecek advises to be bold and choose items that tell the story of your travel, life and interests.

“My travels inspire me, and your home should feature an eclectic array of items that showcase your travel experiences,” he says.

If traveling overseas is not in your immediate future, your mother, grandmother or another relative may have a cultural piece, complete with an amazing story ripe for the telling, for your use. Charles suggests using

ure Bold colors and patterns inspired by vibrant cultures are back in home décor

Turkish mosques and tribal Central Asian garb were inspirations for this lamp and pillow from Palecek.

a carpet as a great start to your cultural design journey.

“Because of the colors, a tribal carpet will fit nicely, even in neutral environment,” says Charles. “Before we could speak, we used drawings to communicate; a great cultural pattern could make you smile and encourage positivity and good energy.”

Last piece of advice? “Don’t over do it,” cautions Palecek.

Homeowners new to home design can start slowly with a piece that means something to them, get the feel for how it fits into the environment, then try another piece. A little goes a long way.

The eAgLe www.tHeeagle.com

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Reduce, reuse, reforest: Valcucine cabinets are designed to use less material than typical models. The company supports reforestation efforts and uses sustainably harvested wood.

Greening the

Kitchen

By J. JEWELL BATES CtW FeatUReS

A sustainably designed kitchen is smart, lean and lasts a long time

G

one are the days when “green kitchen” just conjures up visions of hemp dish towels and reused wood for floors.

Thanks to extensive research and new technology from companies who take sustainability seriously, kitchens can reflect a person’s style and environmentally conscious preferences.

In a room that’s becoming more and more hightech, both the manufacturer and consumer need to be smarter about what kitchen materials and appliances are best. So what makes a well-designed green kitchen?

MATERIAL HEALTH Keeping people healthy is top of mind for Lana Gomon, showroom manager for Valcucine.

Avoiding toxic varnishes and glues, and choosing eco-compatible, low toxic emissions materials and natural finishes is a priority in their kitchen designs.

Valcucine offers clients “kind-to-the-

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environment” cabinets with doors designed using a car dashboard construction technique. They are made of high-pressured sealed layers, and include an external veneer and inner sheets of a special micro-fabric that guarantee elasticity and sturdiness. Laboratory testing guarantees that these materials can withstand the heat, steam and general abuse of the kitchen environment, and they are 100 percent recyclable.

Specially shaped countertops featuring an aluminum structural frame topped with a thin glass, steel, laminate, cristalite or stone top allows for a 60 percent material savings.

EMBRACE INNOVATION Basman Metti, president of GCS Corporation loves saving clients money by installing energysaving heating and cooling products.

“Thirty to forty percent of your energy bill comes from heating and cooling your space,” explains Metti. “To reduce energy consumption

(thus saving costs), I like to use exhaust systems with the thermostat in the hood that adjusts the air flow based on the amount of heat generated by the burners.”

MAKE IT LAST Keeping the design simple is key; sustainable designs should last a long time to mitigate waste and ensure a small carbon footprint. Kitchen designs should not bow to fads, but instead feature clean shapes, simple lines, attention to detail and workmanship that will ensure a chic kitchen for years to come. Gomon believes that this creates a bond of affection between the kitchen and its user.

But prepare to pay – sustainability isn’t cheap.

Prices will decrease as demand goes up and sustainable products are more widespread.

“Everyone wants the dream kitchen, until they find out how much it costs,” says Metti. “Then they scale back. Manufacturers have not caught up with technology.”

The Eagle www.theeagle.com

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