Thick as a Brick

Irwin Weiner ASID - Remember when you first became aware of bricks? It might have been your Legos or building block sets, and the wonderful sense of accomplishment as you stacked these little rectangular units to form walls and whole structures. My partner Jay grew up in a brick house in Peoria, Illinois and has fond memories of it; his mother kept the family's brick tradition going when they moved to Iowa, putting up a brick front porch with "sloppy mortar" squeezing out between the bricks like whipped cream. 

It's fascinating to see the way architecture for both homes and commercial structures is evolving with brick as the primary construction material or external cladding.This video shows off the best of brick-inspired architecture, and you'll see everything from an amazing home in the German countryside (see above photo) to a brick museum that I wouldn't mind moving into! Thanks to Wienerberger, the UK company that's the largest manufacturer in the world of bricks and their annual Brick Awards.

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Update on June 17, 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.

Classics in Contemporary Bedroom Furniture

Neville Johnson

Irwin Weiner ASID - Many visitors come to Design2Share looking for design help with the bedroom. We spend a good percentage of our lives in this single room, and nowadays it's become the new living room and an adult retreat center. Contemporary bedroom furnishings add sleek, modern elements to the bedroom, whether it be a guest room or a master suite - or as one frustrated wife labeled in the architect's plans for a new, separate room designed for her husband, the "Snoratorium."

With contemporary furniture of any kind, good designs rarely date. I like fresh, clean lines and sculptural forms on any piece, and they don't have to be hot and of-the-moment to catch my attention and merit a recommendation to clients. So here are a few random modern bedroom classics you'll want to look into further.

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Do You Like the New Contemporary Architecture in Town?

Habitables

Irwin Weiner ASID - Contemporary architecture is often used by a city or town as a drawing card for tourists and a lightning rod for other urban design projects, e.g. a corridor of art galleries and museums. Bilbao is probably the most famous example, with Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao kickstarting that municipality's reputation, all of a sudden plunking down a modern, spaceship-like building in the midst of traditional architecture.

I like the way Nottingham Contemporary, the art museum in the England (see photo above), shot a promotional video and used

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Turn Your Home's Spring Cleaning into MISSION POSSIBLE

California Closets

Irwin Weiner ASID - When was the last time you did a proper spring clean at home and had a really good clear out? If it's been a long time, then choose a weekend, organize the family, and decide to do it - you have no idea how good it feels!

We asked a British friend to describe her family's spring cleaning mission:

"The biggest challenge in my house was

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