Michael Graves Warehouse Home in New Jersey

Irwin Weiner ASID - There are a handful of superstar architects and designers. Of course, Michael Graves is one of the few, and I was just directed to his Dwell video interview where he talks personally about the discovery and renovation of a Tuscan style warehouse in Princeton, NJ that he looks forward to returning to whenever he's able to get off the world-travel merry-go-round.

Photo: Ben Hoffman for Elle DecorIt's instructive to see where creative people live, knowing that the design elements of their own homes will help them recharge and get on the creative path once again. Mr. Graves' home features privacy, clean lines, beautiful landscaping and gardens, and soothing water features. I'd be happy to trade homes with him at any time! Visit the Michael Graves website for more information on this legendary designer and his work.

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New-Look Residential Architecture Crops Up in Rural Areas

Irwin Weiner ASID - I enjoy seeing new home architecture pop up in unlikely places. Rural, farm country is usually a bastion of older vernacular styles, but homeowners and architects are changing the landscape, dotting it with newer homes that fit in with the old, but provide sly twists that give them startling contemporary features.  

OFIS_Architects (Slovenia) designed their Alpine Hut to fit in with other rural buildings. They used local wood and timber. But there are energy- and water-saving features and clean, fresh lines and windows - not to mention a Dwell-like interior that's anything but "rural" - that make this project starkly modern. (And as you can see at top, Dwell magazine showcased a modern Missouri farmhouse style home on a recent cover.) Explore the Alpine Hut project from OFIS in today's featured video.

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Behind the Scenes at DwellStudio

Buck Ennis
Irwin Weiner ASID - Behind every great interior design manufacturer or vendor, there are one or more people with great artistic vision. For DwellStudio, one of those people is founder and Creative Director Christiane Lemieux. A fan of Paul McCobb and classic mid-century modern design, she helps drive a multi-industry platform that ranges from private-label work for firms like Target and Urban Outfitters to nursery furniture and bedding. This video lets Christiane take us on an intimate behind-the-scenes tour of her SoHo headquarters studio and learn about the tastes and processes that drive her business forward. I particularly found these four comments revealing (my paraphrasing):

"Grays and browns are our best sellers."

"The most important qualities in our business are creative thinking and originality."

"Focus on the two places where you spend the most time: your bed and your couch."

"Our overall look is global mid-century."

DESIGN2SHARE VIDEO: Watch our interview with Dwell Media President and Publisher Michela O'Connor Abrams as she looks back at ten years of magazine publishing success - and the future.

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Update on June 2, 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.

Dwell Media

There are now ten candle on Dwell Media's birthday cake, and we helped celebrate by interviewing Publisher and President Michela O'Connor Abrams at the Hafele showroom, all part of the festivities surrounding ASID NY Metro Chapter's 2010 Design Walk.

Michela shares her vision for Dwell and the home design industry, giving her updates on Dwell's future, the importance of technology, and some exciting forays into television, conventions, and other media.