3 Key Feng Shui Kitchen Design Principles

Irwin Weiner ASID - An open fire once cooked early man's food; now all of that meal prep is done in a modern kitchen. The hearthside or open fire may now be replaced by a modern oven and cooktop, but the principle of "fire for cooking" is the same. We still need air to prepare a meal - a well-ventilated place to cook our food is vital to avoid cooking fumes, smoke, and grease getting into other rooms of the house.

Feng shui has been applied to the kitchen - many times called "today's hearth" or "the heart of the home" - and we wanted to highlight 3 practical tips to help maintain this room as an inviting and comfortable place where people can gather, eat, and talk.

• Natural light - This is the best possible lighting for any kitchen. There is so much fire energy in the kitchen with the concentration of appliances that traditional feng shui advisors believe it's better to go with weaker fluorescent or natural light - as opposed to strong lights and particularly focused spots.

• Water and fire - Feng shui advises us to separate appliances that embody fire (stove, cooktop, extractor fan) and water (sink, dishwasher, washing machine, water purifier). If they can't be on opposite walls from one another, try putting them at right angles. As one feng shui book says, "The main principle to respect is never to put them side by side lest, like racing camels, they begin to fight." (from The Feng Shui Kitchen: The Philosopher's Guide to Cooking and Eating by Master Lam Kam Chuen with Lam Kai Sin)

• Calm atmosphere - Due to the strong concentration of opposing energies in a kitchen (think five versus water), feng shui experts advise that calm wall colors be used in a kitchen. Many consider white to be better than any other color; it's always a color that signals purity and cleanliness. Beige and pastels are fine, too. Earth tones work well in creating a good work atmosphere, e.g., light browns, beige, yellow. 

Perhaps your kitchen is A-OK, and you've gotten the feng shui in proper balance. What then? Design2Share's Feng Shui 101 columns provide monthly inspiration on the subject, along with easy-to-tackle "homework" projects. Check out March's new post from Franca Giuliani, our Feng Shui expert: 7 Ways to Better Feng Shui in Your Bathroom.

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5 Accessorizing and Decorating Tips from Bradley Thiergartner

Irwin Weiner ASID - We started Design2Share many years ago to showcase the best of interior design, and to "share" the projects, tips, and solid experience designers have had with clients and their homes. That's why I'm so excited to showcase some of the beautiful projects from the two designers behind NYC firm Bradley Thiergartner, Benjamin Bradley and David Thiergartner.

Their 20-year collaboration has produced a number of impressive "tailored traditional" homes with precision and contemporary overtones. You can view some of their featured projects and read what this decorating duo has to say about them in our D2S Scrapbook photo essay- Bradley Thiergartner: Accessories at Work. And we asked them about the oftentimes difficult step of accessorizing a room. First, they commented about the interior shown in the top photo.

The power of accessories! Built-in bookcases provide a natural display space for a variety of accessories. Books, boxes, and objects create a visual feast. Our standard accessory - throw pillows - invite you to sit. Colorful artwork in multiples hang above the sofa.

 And here are five accessorizing tips Benjamin and David wanted to share with you.

1. Add your personality to the accessorizing process. After we provide many of the basic accessories for a space - artwork, lamps, throw pillows, throws, etc. - we then like for the client to purchase things on their own so that the room takes on a personal feel. Many times a room lacks personality if all of the items are selected by a designer. While the room will undoubtedly be beautiful, how it reflects its owner is a crucial factor to the success of the “feeling” of the room. Accessories are such an important element. They add tremendous warmth and interest. They provide “eye candy” and allow you to discover elements of the room long after you have taken in the feeling of the space. They also give us great insight into whom the room belongs, what are their interests, hobbies, etc. Finally, accessories can add comfort to a room ... a wonderful down-filled pillow, a cashmere throw, a good reading light, the soft sent of a candle. All of these accessories add to the comfort of any home.
2. Sprinkle in the unique. We love to haunt antique shows, antique malls, and flea markets for one-of-a-kind accessories. Many times we will have already spoken with the client and reviewed where we need accessories and what we might generally be thinking. We let them know that we will be attending an antique show or such and we'll discuss a budget. We find that, in most cases, the client is thrilled to know that their designer will be selecting unique and interesting objects that none of their friends will have. 

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Eco-Friendly Outdoor Heating for Patios and Decks

Irwin Weiner ASID - There are many nights when we'd love to have more patio or deck time outdoors with just a bit of heat on our legs or bodies - all the better to enjoy the crisp outdoor air during spring and fall months (or winter nights in warmer climes). GreenChance Inc. offers a line of Vireoo tables where the bases have safe, eco-friendly infrared heating units built into the bases. You can avoid bulky, unsightly gas-powered heating units.

I also like their Heatscope products which can mount onto wall or ceiling surfaces - excellent for heating outdoor overhang porches, lanais, and decks. Click on any of the photos for more product information.

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Video Walking Tour of Paris Design District

Irwin Weiner ASID - Thanks a million to the folks at EditorTV for bringing us some of the best interior design "happenings" on video. In these two featured videos today, they've taken two of the most iconic names in textile design today - Crans Baldwin of Donghia and Ludovic Darricau of Elitis - and brought them to one another's showrooms (and also to Donghia's Rubelli showroom) to see the latest textile designs (along with the cool 3D wall murals from Elitis) and landmarks of the Paris design district. 

In this first video, we begin our walking tour and showroom field trips ...

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