Plan Perfect Playdates for Your Kids

Megan Gates - There’s no doubt that playdates are beneficial to kids. No matter how old your children are, playdates encourage sharing, taking turns, and socializing with others. But when it’s time for you to host the playdate, it can be challenging to know what to do! While there’s no need to throw a party-like atmosphere, a little preparation can go a long way.

There are a few things you’ll want to handle prior to the playdate to ensure that you get started on a good note. First, make sure your child puts away any toys that he or she doesn’t want to share. You may also want to place a few activities within reach for the kids, such as those that encourage them to play together. Good examples include arts and crafts, puzzles and board games. And of course, make the playdate suitable for the ages of the children. If you’re inviting a toddler, 45 minutes is adequate. Even older kids can get overtired, so limit the playdate to 2 hours or less.

One of the best places for a playdate is outside! Not only do you minimize a messy house, but being outside always seems to make kids play better. Don’t think you need to arrange an outing at the park, either. Open up the sandbox, play a round of catch or drag out the soccer nets. This fall, it's fun to

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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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Each Glass of Wine is a Taste of Place

 Irwin Weiner ASID - I was extremely moved by the videos produced by Wilson Daniels Films. They specialize in capturing the essence of a winery, and that includes generations of tradition, passion for growing quality grapes, families living in the main house (and what beautiful homes indeed!), and a lifestyle that respects both land and grapes. 

In this first video, you'll meet the Schram family behind Schramsberg Vineyards, dubbed America's House of Sparkling Wine. Try not to swoon too much when you catch glimpses of the family's historic Victorian home (see photo above).

You'll see a lot of the same patterns of storytelling in this next vineyard video, which showcases the Alsace based Marc Kreydenweiss vineyards. Perfect shadows cast on a perfectly dressed family, well-posed people and beautifully turned phrases. Wine documentaries are meant to be set pieces that try to capture the essence of a family's wine business, so you'll see similarities from one vineyard to the next. But you absolutely get a sense of the family and the pride of heritage that uniquely combines everyday life with business. Where they live is all about how they earn a living and why they love living there. And I also wouldn't mind living in the Kreydenweiss family home, with its hundreds-of-years village history.

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Update on July 28, 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.

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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