Leta Austin Foster: Time to Rebuild and Help Our Neighbors

Irwin Weiner ASID - With the one-two weather punches of Hurricanes Irene and Lee, the eastern seaboard of the United States was hit hard with property and home damage. We know many people who have mud in their dining rooms, trees down in their yards, and dehumidifiers going round the clock in their basements (we're one of those). We received this lovely note from interior designer Leta Austin Foster, telling us of her experience, and throwing out an enterprising idea:

HI IRWIN: WE, TOO, WERE LUCKY TO GET THROUGH IRENE WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE - WE HAD A HUGE TREE GO DOWN OVER THE DRIVEWAY HERE IN MAINE WHICH HAD TO BE CUT UP AND CARTED OFF IN ORDER TO GO IN OR OUT - WE HAVE 40 ACRES HERE, AND ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, TOO, SO THIS WAS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY, AND WE LOST POWER, BUT ONLY FOR A DAY. IN FLORIDA, A LOT OF RAIN WAS DUMPED ON OUR GARDEN WHICH WAS SORELY NEEDED, DUE TO OUR EXTENDED DROUGHT.  
 
 

MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FARMERS ALONG THE HUDSON WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN SUFFERING FINANCIALLY FOR OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, AND VERMONT - WHAT A DISASTER.  
 
 

I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK THE CCC (CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS) OF THE DEPRESSION YEARS - IT WOULD HELP CREATE JOBS, AND IT WOULD PUT SOME SORELY NEEDED REBUILDINGS WHERE THEY ARE GREATLY NEEDED. LET'S GET A "REBUILD VERMONT'S BRIDGES AND ROADS" PLAN GOING. AND LET'S ALL HELP.  XOXOXOXO LETA

Leta, hugs and kisses to you, too - and thanks a million for writing in and sharing your thoughts. Are there others who are reading this post - homeowners and professionals and vendors in the Interior Design Community - who would join with Leta and me in supporting an industry-wide effort to help rebuild? Anyone out there with some great ideas for how we can make this happen?

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Update on September 14, 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.

Right Time to Consider a Small or Micro House

Irwin Weiner ASID - Victorian homes and McMansions - why are these two large-scale family homes relics of the past? First, they waste space. Many supersized homes are beyond human scale. They dwarf the inhabitants and oppress the spirit. I've seen it happen so many times. While it's good to have a enough space to avoid getting on one another's nerves, large homes have a tendency to promote isolation and weaken the fabric of the family unit ... you stay in your rooms and isolate yourself, you don't come together for meals. Microhomes and small homes are an antidote. They use far fewer building materials so are cheaper to build, they take up a smaller land footprint so you can incorporate more yard and outdoor rooms into your lot's building scheme, and they're infinitely more energy efficient and cost less to maintain. I have two featured videos for you today. One is a new microhouse, built quickly and efficiently on a concrete pier anchor (no basement).

And this video shows a Maine couple's bungaloo addition, giving us new perspectives on small homes - start small, get to know your home, center your family, and plan the ideal dream addition (in other words, add only what will add value to your home and to your lives once you get to know the space you're in).

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Update on the Three Little Pigs' Straw House

Making This Home

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's impressive to see natural and local building materials used for new construction. The carbon footprint is tiny when eco materials like soil, flowers, straw, and local timber are used to build a new home. Hats off to blogger Katie and her Making This Home blog for inspiring us with many different eco-house stories (the blogger lives in a home made from recycled tires, bless her heart). In the above photo, the blog shows you a home with bales of straw for cozy insulation (click on the photo to learn more). And in our featured video, an architect and family in the Czech Republic build the natural house of their dreams using straw and other local, natural materials. What a wonderful example they're setting for their children, too!

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The Golden Rule and General Contractors

PLP Contracting  

Irwin Weiner ASID - I've seen my clients hire contractors that have caused them nothing but problems. A great general contractor will hire a reliable, hard-working, ethical, and honest group of subs; they'll mirror the honesty, integrity, and skill of the gen con.

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