Displaying posts labeled "Sponsored"

A pile of new books – part 3

Posted on Fri, 16 Dec 2022 by KiM

This is the last of the pile of books, starting things off with what might possibly be my favourite book of 2022. Another book by Catherine Scotto (photos by Nicolas Mathéus), Morocco: Destination of Style, Elegance and Design is everything you envision Morocco being (for those of us not fortunate enough to have ever traveled there) – colourful, filled with vegetation, tons of textures, rustic, earthy, tiles and marble and all the wonderful things that makes this country so magical.
Discover the colors and textures of 21st-century Morocco in this enticing collection of lush and inviting photographs of homes, gardens, hotels, and historic sites. Brimming with inspiration, this guide introduces readers to the next generation of interior and landscape designers, architects, and stylists who are transforming and reinforcing the country’s reputation as a center of cultural and historic discovery. Combining modern technology with a deep respect for tradition, these locations and influencers incorporate natural materials such as earth, wood, and bamboo into buildings that are both simple and elegant, and into landscapes that honor a fragile ecosystem. Armchair travelers, environmental designers, and anyone looking for a colorful immersive experience will find much to discover in this celebration of a country at once rooted in tradition and eager to embrace innovation.

The next book is The Sustainable Home: Easy Ways to Live With Nature in Mind by Ida Magntorn. This is a great little inexpensive book featuring some really pretty spaces and had lots of ideas on how to live greener. Most books I come across are pretty coffee table books so this one was refreshingly educational and a handy reference.
A beautifully produced book on interiors with a focus on sustainability and wellbeing and creating a home with the environment in mind. Inspiration and tips for creating a sustainable home without compromising on style. In The Sustainable Home, interiors writer and photographer Ida Magntorn shows how to create a harmonious, beautiful and functional home that is sustainable in the long run. Taking inspiration from real homes, and following the motto reuse, reduce, recycle – Ida shares new ways to think when decorating – combining low environmental impact with individual style. Room by room, she offers practical and positive advice to create a greener home.

And last but certainly not least, we have Romancing the Home: Stylish Interiors for a Modern Lifestyle by Stewart Manger, with Jacqueline Terrebonne. This one didn’t really grab me as much as some of the others but if contemporary design tickles your fancy, I think you’ll like the spaces Stewart has created. There are some really bold, graphic and colourful elements that really pop and are quite unique.
Stewart Manger is regarded for his bespoke interiors in which exquisite craftsmanship and a classic-meets-modern flair. This rising star’s first monograph showcases his imaginative ways to create vibrant and stylish rooms. His surehanded approach that seamlessly melds the contemporary and the Old World is fresh and inviting, and his affinity for seeking the best artisans and workrooms for custom work results in impeccable homes. Whether a restored late nineteenth-century house that embraces the warmth and comfort of an English country house, or a white-washed hillside house overlooking the sea—Manger singles out a theme that is carried throughout the design. He illustrates the mixing of exotic and playful patterns and discusses how quality antique pieces can add character to a room.

A pile of new books – part 2

Posted on Wed, 14 Dec 2022 by KiM

If a well designed bathroom gives you heart palpitations and has you dreaming of soaking in the most luxurious tub surrounded by the prettiest marble and tile and mirrors and sconces then this book is absolutely for you.
The Ultimate Bath (by cofounder of Waterworks Barbara Sallick) devotes its elegantly illustrated chapters to the most luxuriously designed bathrooms from a wide-ranging list of contributors, including Gil Schafer, Nickey Kehoe, Brigette Romanek, and Miles Redd. These are baths that, while grounded in timeless elements, surprise and enchant. There are grand baths of high style with elegant mirrored and marble surfaces. There are bold rooms of rich maximalist pattern and color. There are strictly tailored spaces of great restraint and serenity. And finally, there are baths with restorative views to the garden or forest—or in the middle of nature themselves. Gathered together, these spaces seduce, delight, and serve as a visual blueprint for readers looking to create rest, refuge, and beauty at home. The end result is a book that celebrates the unexpected and inspires readers to bring a magical quality to their own baths, no matter how modest or grand.

Another book that ended up in my mailbox was Soul: Interiors by Orlando DIaz-Azcuy (written by Jorge S. Arango and Orlando Diaz-Azcuy). Contemporists/modernists this one is definitively for you. This one didn’t really tug at my heart-strings as my style leans more vintage and eclectic but there are some really unique spaces featured here I had not seen before. A great coffee table book.
San Francisco–based Orlando Diaz-Azcuy’s mastery of the home interior has made him one of America’s most renowned designers. Regarded by professionals as a “dean of interior design” and a pioneer of minimalist design since the early 1980s, Diaz-Azcuy has been a major influence in the worlds of interior architecture and design. Bringing soul to modernism is Diaz-Azcuy’s greatest legacy, as well as the subject of this book. Each residence featured in these pages is essentially simple, functional and beautiful, achieved with exactitude, attention to detail and craftsmanship. Diaz-Azcuy’s elegantly composed rooms speak volumes for his spare, intelligent, and disciplined touch. His interiors—located in Miami and New York as well as San Francisco—combine architecturally clean lines and an urbane sensibility with smart flashes of bold color or a pedigreed period statement piece to balance a curated look. By orchestrating textural richness, honest materiality, and judiciously deployed global artifacts and art in perfectly calibrated measure, Diaz-Azcuy transforms modernism into something eminently livable, pioneering a new style that has become ubiquitous today.

A pile of new books – part 1

Posted on Mon, 12 Dec 2022 by KiM

Several new books have popped up in my mailbox lately and they really make me want to have a proper library to store them all. I am a book-aholic of epic proportions and I have happy to share my latest treasures with you all.

First up is French Chateau Style by Catherine Scotto with photos by Marie-Pierre Morel. A MUST HAVE. 150%. I loved this so much I read it twice in a row. As you all know j’adore les châteaux and this book is about “ordinary” people having the absolute privilege of living and restoring some of the most beautiful châteaux I have ever seen. (This book was tough to photograph because the pages had a matte finish but that made the photos that much more beautiful in person).
The doors of centuries-old French chateaux are thrown wide open in this sumptuous photographic cross-country tour. Readers will gain entry to a stunning array of stylish private homes within beautiful restored buildings, each one representing very different approaches to décor and preservation. From Normandy to Provence and everywhere in between the owners of these chateaux—including decorators, antique dealers, artists, and collectors—represent the epitome of French culture and taste. There’s something for everyone here—whether it’s homes where simplicity and minimalism reign, rooms as exuberantly busy as a 17th-century tapestry, or interiors transformed by surprising, era-bending feats. 

Next is a book as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. Currently Classic: Jonathan Rachman Design by Jonathan Rachman and Dean Rhys-Morgan with photographs by Douglas Friedman and Suzanna Scott, and illustrated by Marc-Antoine Coulon. The homes in this book are luxurious and decadent, but there is so much inspiration in each of the projects on how to use colour, how to be adventurous and displaying collections seemingly effortlessly.
Jonathan Rachman’s instantly classic designs come to life in vibrant and sumptuous color in this first monograph on the Sumatran-born, San Francisco–based interior decorator. He opens the doors to his universe in this volume illustrating his eclectic, vividly colorful, and markedly refined style, through various projects undertaken for prestigious clients. Rachman injects his projects with his own wide-reaching, worldly experience, his explorations into provincial flea markets, and his taste for textiles, leather goods, handicrafts, and art objects. In each of his designs, he combines the best materials from the East and the West, devising personalized plans for his clients and creating a timeless approach to interior design.

When it comes to your health, there are definitely a lot of things that can affect it. For instance, your diet and your lifestyle can have a major impact on how you feel, and neglecting either (or both!) of them can wind up hurting you in the process. Conversely, making your health a priority can have numerous benefits for you, allowing you to live a better, more robust life.

However, did you know that your environment can actually be a significant contributor to your wellbeing? This isn’t just about avoiding pesticides in the air around you or veering away from garish upholstery, either. In fact, research has shown that your immediate environment can impart direct and far-reaching benefits to your health, and choosing specific elements can have notable positive effects.

Even better, you don’t even have to break the bank to test out certain design ideas, either. Many can be quite affordable, meaning that you have no excuse to not try them. If you’re looking to find ways to help boost both your physical and mental health, why not take a look at the room around you? By choosing one – or more! – of these specific design options, you can start making your health a priority once more.

Embrace Your Green Thumb

Sure, admiring your garden after you’ve carefully pruned away rogue thorns or wilted petals can make you feel a tinge of pride and even admiration, but did you know that plants can also give you quite a few health benefits, too? Studies have shown that having potted plants and flowers scattered throughout your home can help reduce both your stress and your cortisol levels.

Why does this matter, though? Cortisol is your body’s stress hormone, and if it is left elevated, it can start leading to a myriad of harmful health conditions. These can range from everything to insomnia (in the short-term) to even cardiovascular disease (in the long-term). Finding ways to reduce these levels, therefore, can help improve both your quality of life and your longevity.

Some of the other benefits of having plants in your home include better air quality and sharper focus. Because plants can help draw environmental toxins out of the air, which means that the air that you breathe in can be that much better for you. Plants can help you recover from any existing illnesses, too, allowing you to get back on the mend that much faster.

Sweat Out the Toxins

There’s nothing quite like sitting in a steamy sauna after exercising to help you recover your muscles and bring them back up to par after you use them. However, the benefits of enjoying a session in a sauna are more than just that. Yes, they can help you feel invigorated after you have a good workout, but they can also help bolster your general health, too.

Research has shown that enjoying time in a sauna can also help you relax (reducing those dangerous cortisol levels), improve your circulation (allowing you to enjoy better cardiovascular health), and it can also help encourage your thyroid to work at optimal efficiency by raising your core temperature and reducing the amount of effort that your thyroid expends.

The signs of an impaired thyroid include feeling cold all the time, thinning hair, and constant fatigue. While it’s important to not self-diagnose your thyroid health, being aware of these symptoms can get you back on track to optimal wellness. Scheduling an appointment with your healthcare provider, or undergoing at-home thyroid testing, can give you the answers you need.

Let In Natural Light

Natural light is another one of those not-to-secret ingredients for a healthy life, but it’s not one that we all realize is so important. That said, designing your home to let ample natural light filter in through the windows can help create significant improvements in how you’re feeling. The first benefit is the most obvious: natural light is beautiful, and it can help make your home look more beautiful, too.

That’s not the only advantage of letting in natural light, though. Another key benefit of enjoying those lovely rays of sunshine is that it can help your body produce more vitamin D. This vitamin is essential and works to help make sure you don’t get sick as easily. Being deficient in it, though, can affect your mood and your health and lead to feelings of depression and malaise.

While dazzling natural light can seem counterintuitive toward getting a good night’s rest, it can also actually help manage your circadian rhythms. This means that when the sun does slip beneath the western horizon, your brain can more easily make the transition to alertness to prepare for a good night’s rest. All in all, the importance of natural light simply cannot be overstated.

Make Sleep a Priority

Finally, if you’re looking to design your home with your health in mind, then you should absolutely take a closer look at your bedroom and how it’s currently designed. Many people focus on style over function when decorating their bedrooms, but what you should really be doing is merging these two concepts to turn your quarters into an inviting sleep oasis.

The dangers of poor sleep are well-documented and unambiguous. Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can affect your mood and your mental health, leading to depression. It can also raise your cortisol levels, making you more susceptible to long-term health issues in the months and years ahead of you. Chronic insomnia has also been implicated in cognitive decline in advanced age.

Ways to help improve the ambiance in your bedroom include focusing on the layout, swapping out your bedding, and using blackout curtains. For instance, feng shui has historically been used to create a better mood. Using breathable bedding with natural fibers can help you sleep better without overheating you, and blackout curtains mean fewer sleep interruptions and longer rest.

Designed For Good Health

Trying to stay healthy can be challenging in today’s modern, hustle-and-bustle world. Between your career and your personal life, it can easily get overwhelming and your health can fall by the wayside. But by taking charge of the things that you can moderate, you can help ward off many of these issues. Not only will you have a more beautiful and inviting home in the process, but you’ll also enjoy better wellbeing, too!

A roofing system repair or replacement is an essential and costly investment. The roof contributes to the aesthetic appeal of your home, increasing your property’s value, not to mention protecting your home from external elements. 
However, when a roofing repair or replacement project is not handled appropriately, your home will sustain extensive exterior and interior damage, and you could incur significant expenses in correcting the mistake. For this reason, you should leave all your roofing projects to a professional contractor instead of going DIY. An expert can ensure the job is done well. 
Determining whether you are hiring the best roofer before signing the contract can be challenging. Read on for nine questions to ask a roofing contractor before hiring them for roof repair and replacement.

1. What kind of work do you do?

Your roofing system is the primary defense against external elements, including mold, mildew, and moisture. For this reason, you want to entrust repair and replacement to someone who specializes in roofing, not a general contractor. An expert in roofing has extensive knowledge and skills in repairing or installing new roofs, so you are guaranteed a quality job. 
Be sure to avoid contractors with general knowledge about outdoor home improvements. Instead, opt for a company such as Landmark Roofing with an extended track record of repairing and installing new roofs, job after job.

2. Are you licensed?

Most states require contractors to have a license before handling any projects, so you should establish that the potential roofer is licensed before hiring. A permit shows the roofing system contractor has undergone the required training and performed well in the competency tests, so they qualify to take on any roofing project.
Be sure to request potential contractors to provide verification of their licensing requirements to enable you to stay clear of roofers who may be cutting corners. Hiring a contractor not eligible for a legal license could leave you with unsatisfactory results and make you vulnerable to legal suits for not complying with your local building codes.

3. Are you insured?

Roofing system repair and replacement are among the most dangerous home improvement projects. The contractors and their employees are susceptible to slips and falls and sustain severe injuries when handling your project. If the contractor does not have insurance coverage, you will likely assume the liability for medical expenses. 
The contractor could also damage your property when handling the roofing system project. If they do not have insurance to cover the damage, you will have to fund the repairs or spend a lot of time and money on a fruitless lawsuit. For this reason, demand that potential roofing contractors provide proof of their liability and worker’s compensation insurance coverage.

4. Will you be handling the project?

Some roofing contractors maximize their profits through subcontracting. Subcontracting involves winning a contract and selling it to another roofing company at a discounted rate. This way, the roofer still gets proceeds from your project while handling another job. Be sure to ask a potential contractor whether they intend to pass your job to someone else before hiring. This will ensure the roofer you hire will be the one that shows up for the project.

5. Is your business local?

If you search for a roofing contractor online, you will likely get leads to professionals from across the globe. However, you should ensure you only hire a local contractor. This is because a roofing contractor within your region is familiar with your local building codes. This means they will handle the project in the confines of local rules and regulations, protecting you from legal implications. The local authority is also less likely to demand that you halt or demolish the roofing system project if you comply with your region’s building codes.

6. How long have you been in business?

You will likely establish how long a specific roofing contractor has been in business from their website. However, if you cannot determine this information by browsing through their site, do not hesitate to ask them during the interview. It is best to work with a contractor who has been in the industry for an extended period as they are more experienced. 
However, it is worth noting that some contractors open their businesses, handle a few projects and stop operating for a couple of years because they cannot sustain the business or due to lawsuits. Hiring such a roofing contractor could mean you will have no recourse should you discover faulty installation or your roof leaks. For this reason, partner with an established company with a proven track record to ensure upfront quality and continued support.

7. Can you provide some references and reviews?

An effective way to establish you are working with a credible roofing contractor is by checking reviews and testimonials from previous clients. Reviews and testimonials show customers’ experiences working with a specific contractor, enabling you to make an informed decision. You can find online reviews on Better Business Bureau or Google. 
Consider asking a potential roofer for references if you prefer a physical roof inspection. A physical inspection can help you decide whether or not a specific contractor’s quality of work suits your needs.  Be wary of contractors who do not provide references.

8. How will you protect my property?

Apart from establishing your contractor has liability insurance coverage, you should determine other measures they intend to take to protect your property. Before signing the contract, ensure you understand how the contractor will protect your landscape and driveway from roofing refuse and vehicles, shield gutters from ladders, and clean up nails and material waste. You should ensure you will not have to worry about more property damage at the end of the roofing system project.

9. How much will my roofing system project cost?

Before signing the contract, you should establish your project’s cost. Roofing contractors differ in price ranges, so you need to partner with a professional that fits your budget. Be sure to ask for a free estimate of your project, then compare and contrast pricing to settle for an affordable roofer.

Endnote

Hiring the right contractor is the first step to investing in a high-quality roof for your home. Before hiring, conduct in-depth research on the roofing companies within your state and ask the above questions when interviewing potential contractors to get the right level of service.