Banisters/staircases

Ashley emailed looking for some inspiration for a new banister in her home. I dug through my photo stash and thought the following photos of staircases might get her creative juices flowing, and mine too for that matter. (In conversations with Jo about what to do with my new house, she thought I should take down the wall going up the stairs and do something funky to open the stairs up a bit). So Ashley, hope this leads to a fabulous banister (which of course you've got to send us before and after photos of).

Chicago Home + Garden	30e design
Christoff:Finio Architecture	Tsao & McKown
Alchemy Architects	Murray Fredericks
1100 architect	Salon Interior
Alexander Gorlin	Guard Tillman Pollock/Mark Guard
1100 architect	BKSK Architects
Alan Tanksley	This Old House
1100 architect	D'Arcy Jones Design
Décormag	Thom Filicia

Hurry!

Just a quick reminder that Swank Lighting's amazing contest to win this beautiful pair of Barovier & Toso lamps is closing today January 15. What do they say? You've got to be in it to win it. OMG I love these vintage murano glass lamps! Here's the link to the entry page. Winner drawn Friday January 18. While you're there drool over the rest of Doug and Ed's inventory.

Bachelor pad

Desire to Inspire reader Jordan Denmark sent a tempting picture of his über cool bachelor digs along with a link to further photos. Now before you all despair that this really is a reader's home as you look around your own place in comparison take heart in the fact that Jordan is no ordinary reader. He's just starting his own interior design business RECESS Design in Seattle, Washington. No website as yet but if his moody, urban loft vibe is ringing your bells email him. Good luck Jordan can't wait to see more of your work!

Photos by Nick Onken Photography

Your favourite white paint

Bolig Magasinet

This post is a request for help. I think I want to paint the main floor of my new house all white (and one day hopefully the icky hardwood floors). Colours I will save for the bedrooms and bathrooms. But the living room, kitchen and office I think I'd like to keep white (and maybe the stairwell and upstairs hallway). My problem is I have never found a white I love. In my last house I used Ultra Pure White or whatever the base is for Behr paints. That was a tad too bright. Then I repainted my living room in Benjamin Moore's Cloud White, and I thought that was a bit too off-white. So if anyone out there has a white paint they swear by, please leave the name and brand in the comments. And if there's anyone who wants to come by and help paint.....

Fireplace

The other day I wrote about my sister's co-worker who had a kitchen dilemma. He also has a fireplace dilemma. He isn't sure what to put over his fireplace (by the way, he just moved a few months ago). He is thinking about hanging some art. I found some photos to inspire him to make his fireplace a spectacular focal point.

Alex Papachristidis	Caldwell-Beebe
Homes & Gardens	Jonathan Adler
Your Home and Garden	Your Home and Garden
Barry Mason	Robert Passal
Robyn Karp	Richardson Sadeki
David Netto	Aero Studios
Homes & Gardens	Elle Decor
Glenn Gissler	Stephen Roberts