Wood Wonders from J.B. Blunk

Irwin Weiner ASID - The epitome of 1960s counterculture artists, J.B. Blunk is now revered for his sculptural forms in wood. We wanted to feature this silent video overview of Blunk and his work to underscore his talent and vision. He wasn't just expressing himself or rebelling against an established art culture; he let the wood do the talking. Go to the J.B. Blunk website for more information. 

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CB2 Shakes the Interior Design Establishment

Irwin Weiner ASID - Did that headline get your full attention, home designeristas and -istos? With the opening of the new CB2 store at the front of the D&D Building in NYC, Crate & Barrel is signaling to the pillars of the design world that their lower cost, trendy, more youthful brand of interior design is knocking at your door. The styles and trends were fresh as Jay and I explored the new store on 3rd Avenue last week - but the immediacy of sales to anyone off the street or on the Internet challenges interior design professionals that here is yet another high design resource that is no longer only "to the trade." 

Not that the quality of manufacture was flawless as in higher-priced custom furnishings ... we saw the occasional askew legs on a cabinet which brought to mind clients receiving catalog merchandise in the past in all stages of disarray. Many of the pieces are made in India, which means a lower price but considerable shipping distance. One designer told me recently that she had a table shipped from one company (not CB2, to be clear about it) that looked as if the trucker had punched a hole through the box and put a huge dent in the tabletop. You take your chances when you avoid white glove home goods treatment. But all in all, sprinkling some of the beautifully designed objects you can get via catalog with other higher end custom pieces can create a pretty compelling look for most homeowners.

You'll get a great idea about the store's edge and younger vibe in this video of the grand opening at their Georgetown/DC store.

Here are some of our favorites from CB2

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Irwin's Kitchen Remodeling: Scope of Work

Irwin Weiner ASID - We're a bit behind in catching up our readers on the progress of our home remodeling project in rural Pennsylvania. We really miss our kitchen, and the novelty is fast wearing off of having to eat out all the time on the weekends when we're in our weekend house. Part of our Weekend Therapy is to plan a meal and cook something spur of the moment, so we'll be happy when it's all over. In this video, I'll take you through our emptied kitchen, laundry room, and powder room and describe the scope of work - and next week I'll show you two videos with substantial progress made on the project. Whenever homeowners begin an extensive remodeling or renovation project, however, always plan for the process to take longer than you expect. In our case, this is holding true and we expect to be without a kitchen through the months of January and February and sometime into March. It's the nature of the beast, even though every contractor we interviewed told us the job would take only 6 weeks. 

 

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Our Top Tips: How to GREEN-UP Your Home's Interior

Irwin Weiner ASID - There's little excuse ... well, maybe inertia ... for not jumping on the GREEN bandwagon with your home design and decor. If you want to think ahead and plan for your family and planet's overall health and wellness, GREEN is the answer. We've come up with a list of eleven tips on how to go more eco-friendly around the house.

• Engineered quartz countertops made with recycled materials are scratch resistant, stain resistant, scorch resistant, chemical resistant, mold and mildew resistant, and stronger than natural stone or other solid surface materials. Use them on countertops throughout the house, including kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, and mud rooms. 

• Always use highly rated Energy Star appliances to save energy.

• Air purifiers and humidifiers ensure optimal indoor air quality regardless of the weather. An ERV (energy recovery ventilator) works with the purifier and humidifier to make sure fresh outdoor air circulates year-round and indoor air is kept fresh and clean.

• Traditional vacuum cleaners actually pollute indoor air. A central vacuum system is 5 times more powerful than handhelds, eliminates 100% of the dirt it comes in contact with, and reduces allergy systems up to 60%.

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