Fireworks for Grand Opening of World's Tallest Building

Irwin Weiner ASID - With the sad tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center Towers in NYC, the Pentagon in Washington DC, and the crashed flight in Pennsylvania, I wanted to look for anything to do with skyscraper design and construction. I found this silent time-lapse video footage of the grand opening two years ago of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (a last-minute change from its original Burj Dubai name). Wrapping the building in fireworks, smoke, and lights was an exciting way to capture the soaring, graceful structure. While our hearts are heavy with the loss our Twin Towers and the many lives suffered in the 9/11 attacks, it still amazes me that we build taller buildings and push our engineering and architectural skills to new plateaus of achievement. The human spirit can't be vanquished.

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Update on September 8, 2011 by Design2Share

Super King Size Leather Beds: We just found a great collection of sleek leather bed designs. They add sophistication, whether your bedroom decor is traditional or modern. 

Featured Project: DIY Painted Headboard

Now is the perfect time to think about freshening up your interior space. With a splash of color here and a new piece of furniture there, it's easy to redecorate. Here's a quick, budget-conscious DIY design idea to help get you started.

Paint Your Own Headboard

Chances are if you if you purchased your bed frame as part of a bedroom set, the headboard is already included. If you don't want to put forth the extra cash, especially after paying for a pricey mattress, no problem! Painted headboards are a great way to add a pop of color to your bedroom.

Step 1: Measure the width of the head of your bed and mark it with blue painter's tape from floor to ceiling. Now, choose your color based on your desired color scheme. You obviously don't want it to be the same shade as your walls, but it should complement that color.

Step 2: Once you have your color, paint the wall, staying within the blue painters tape. Once the paint dries, if you choose to do so, you can detail with paint or with some removable wall decals from a company like Blik. For as little as $40, Blik makes easily removable wall decals in fun shapes like bookshelves, chandeliers, birds, etc. If this sounds like too much work, don't worry and leave your wall a solid color.

Step 3: Simply position your bed up against the painted wall, prop up some decorative Euro pillows in coordinating colors and patterns, and you have yourself a headboard. You might want to take this opportunity to invest in a new comforter or duvet in fun, light, spring colors. You'd be surprised at what a little bit of paint and some new bedding can do for your space!

Contemporary vanities and more at Decor Planet for your bathroom needs.

Feng Shui Steps to Prepare for 2012

Franca Giuliani - Based on 9 Star Ki astrology, the month of September in general will tend to be a quieter month … just in time to regroup and get back to the basics.

It’s a good idea to add a water feature or some item or painting that represents water in the North section of your home, and leave it there until the beginning of October.

"Out on the Water" / Painting by Elizabeth Robinette Tyndall

This is also a time when interested people tend to seek a consultation by a feng shui practitioner. A consultation can really help one get ready for 2012, since your current environment can be assessed and recommendations can be offered to help you better prosper in this upcoming year - or at least save you from some unnecessary angst.

If you're seeking a practitioner, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Find out what school of feng shui they follow, as there are many different ones with different approaches. One is not better than the other; however, there could be discrepancies in opinions, so it's just good to know what school the recommendations were based on.
• Ask if they also energy clear. Any space can benefit from having it cleared before applying feng shui recommendations.

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World's Largest Trade Fair + Clocks That Knit

Irwin Weiner ASID - The Salone del Mobile in Milan is the largest trade show in the world and, of course, its focus is on design. I smugly say "of course" because design impacts the most important elements of our life. We take for granted how we sit, how we use tools, what shelters us from the elements, how we see things in a dark space, how we sleep, how we prepare and serve food, and basically the shape and substance and utility and beauty of everything made by humans.

I love TheDesignVlog.com for covering important trade shows like Il Salone and coming back with their curated looks at what they love, what's hot, and totally unique in design. I think you'd have to go pretty far to find a more interesting designer working today than Berlin-based Siren Elise Wilhelmsen, and I was blown away by her 365 Knitting Clock which tells time by the length of a scarf that it keeps on knitting. How fantastic, tactile, and surprising! Watch the video for more Wilhelmsen surprises and a wonderful overview of Il Salone.

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Don't Design Boxes Cutting People Off From Nature

Tony Cenicola / The New York Times

Irwin Weiner ASID - Look at the beautifully designed apartment in the photo above. They live in the country, right? Well, not really. They're on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and the principles of biophilic design are hot at work here (click on this link for a scholarly explanation, but click on the photo above for a less academic take on the subject). This school of design tells us (here I paraphrase) that when humans are cut off from nature, we start to feel sensory deprivation. How many of you stuck indoors during the recent Hurricane Irene blow felt extreme "cabin fever" and couldn't wait to get outdoors. That is exactly what we're talking about with biophilic design. Watch this video to learn more about how incorporating nature into residential and commercial architecture is imperative to bringing us back to a more natural, humane, enjoyable living and work experience. The goal is to create spaces where we want to stay, work, play, and live - and it will be healthier for everyone. Even though I can't keep a single houseplant alive for more than a week, I second that motion.

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