Friday, December 29, 2006

Italian furniture's leading edges

Followers of Italian design are familiar with the big manufacturing names such as B&B Italia, Cassina, and Kartell, but many believe it is the many small and medium-sized furniture companies that form the backbone of the Italian sector due to those companies' particular attention to materials and new product development. As design legend Gaetano Pesce has noted, "The owners of (smaller) companies fuel the progress of design through research, experimentation, and the use of new materials." Read More

A manly office for a manly man

New Jefferson County Commissioner Bobby Humphryes is spending $15,000 on new office furniture because former Commissioner Mary Buckelew's office needed a more "masculine lean" to it. This, coming from someone who claimed he wanted to cut spending and reduce debt.

Bobby Humphryes, manly man.

None of that girly girl furniture for the new Jefferson County commissioner. No siree, Bobby.

Humphryes, elected last month, assumed the office of Mary Buckelew, who retired after four terms on the commission.

"I took over an office that had been occupied by a female for 16 years and it just had to have something done to it," Humphryes said. Read More

Find out Chris Madden's vision of the perfect Florida interior

Chris Madden is often dubbed "the next Martha Stewart" because, like Martha, she has made the home her business. Unlike Martha, who sees home as a place of endless activity, Madden views home as haven -- a place of retreat, a private cocoon, a nurturing world of one's own.

She is the author of 10 lifestyle and decorating books, former host of an HGTV show and a syndicated columnist. In November 2006, Madden and Good Housekeeping magazine joined forces to create Your Good Home, a supplement sent to 1 million subscribers. Two more issues will follow during 2007. Read More

Designer on the Move Puts His Life on Wheels

THE phrase “bachelor pad” may evoke shag rugs, an oversize bed and an overwrought and conspicuous sound system — or perhaps for the contemporary bachelor, coolly minimalist modular seating, an oversize bed and an overwrought and inconspicuous sound system.

But two young New York bachelors, one in real estate, one a designer, have found new ways to mark their territories. Read More

A loft of their own

Columbus couple transforms gutted building into stunning loft apartment downtown

As Jim and Patti Thorsen were deciding where to create a home for their new life together just before their marriage in 1999, they kept feeling the lure of downtown, where they both enjoyed attending shows at the River Center for the Performing Arts and the Springer Opera House on an almost weekly basis.

Patti's children were grown, and their options were wide open.

"We knew we didn't need a traditional three-bedroom house... " Jim said. "We knew we wanted to be downtown." Read more...

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Find the absolutely perfect shag rug for your space!

Try considering the floors of your home as the anchor of your interior design schema. While floors are probably the most overlooked piece of your home interior, its brings the a room together. Well, I recommend looking at Plaza Rugs. They have an excellent selection that will make it easy to buy shag rugs. They have some excellent choices a large choosing of styles, colors, shapes and shags. Most people think that you have to pay $$$$ for pricey rugs and obscure tapestries to obtain a chic and slick look but there are cost effective alternatives like Plaza Rugs.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Who's going to buy all the new condos?

With 16 condo projects under construction and another 20 in the planning stages, the Minneapolis market is poised for a shakeout. In some slow-selling buildings, developers are bringing in new marketing teams to boost sales.
Read More

Planners OK luxury apartments in old factory

City planners OK'd a request to rezone a century-old factory to build luxury apartments.

The former American Seating #2 factory, built in 1904, is now owned by Bob Israels. The building takes up an entire square block, bordered by 6th, 7th, Seward and Muskegon NW. His idea to revitalize his childhood neighborhood includes building luxury apartments on the second and third floors of the building.

Thursday, the city planners gave him the first of two approvals he'll need. His request now goes to the full City Commission for a final vote on September 12.

If his plans are allowed, Israels will put 26 units on the second floor and 13 more on the third floor. Those will be larger lofts and may also include indoor parking garages. Some of the apartments and lofts will be a "work at home" style between 2000 - 7900 square feet.Read More

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

STLLoftStyle.com Update

Hello fellow loft people! Based upon reccomendations from clients (yes we listen to our clients), we have decided to overhaul the user interface of modern furniture retail site, STLLoftStyle.com. The site is cleaner and has less cluttered. When you have a moment, please checkout the redesign at STLLoftStyle.com

One of slickest bassinet's that caught my eye...


Ooba’s Nest Bassinet was born from the desire to have a bedside sleeping option for babies. This room-sharing solution brings peace of mind to parents, so they can rest soundly knowing their baby is safe and comfortable next to them.

Read More

Downtown St. Louis on upswing

hen Brad Fratello and his partner moved into their downtown loft, the vista from their picture windows featured abandoned, graffiti-scarred buildings.

Now, the sound of jackhammers rings out like a serenade as long-empty spaces are reborn as posh lofts and new neighbors walk streets that only recently were desolate after nightfall.

Each day brings signs of progress, said Fratello, a professor of art history who moved downtown three years ago.

"New windows were put in. Somebody scraped the paint off this old sill. Just little things that mean they're getting cared for again," he said. "It's definitely a palpable, real feeling of a neighborhood springing up around you."

Read More

Buyers snapping up lofts - NY

Some people quietly wondered if upscale loft condominiums would sell in Lansingburgh.
For the Powers Park Lofts, the jury is in.
"The big news there is we only have six units left to sell," said developer and Troy native Deane Pfeil. "The most expensive ones are going first."
The historic four-story building at 387 Third Ave. between 109th and 110th streets is known as the former Ready Jell Products building. Around the seven-story brick tower are 18 loft condos, approximately 1,300 to 2,100 square-feet, that sell for $161,500 to $292,000.

Read More

About 4,000 people interested in Stadium Lofts - ANAHEIM, CA

Stadium Lofts at the corner of State College Boulevard and Katella Avenue are generating a lot of interest.

About 4,000 people are on the interest list – 10 people for every condo. About 2,500 of those came in the weeks after the 390-unit complex converted from apartments to condos.
Read More

Monday, May 01, 2006

Lofty Plans Unveiled for New Housing, Lakeland, FL

A second residential project is coming to downtown Lakeland.

Bruce Lyon and two other investors have announced plans for Carriage Lofts, three townhome loft units on North Tennessee Avenue.

"There used to be homes all around here," said Lyon, project manager for Carriage Lofts. Read More

Urban pioneers tout loft living in Phoenix

PHOENIX Living in red-brick warehouses has been en vogue for decades in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.
Now, a loft building in Phoenix may herald the trendy living style in the desert.

The Stadium on South Second Street opened in 2004 and is the first and only loft building in the downtown Phoenix warehouse district. Two high-rise condo projects are planned nearby. Read More

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Indoor style is making the outdoors greater

There are few wallflowers among this year's most fashion-forward furnishings for "outdoor rooms."

The hottest look in alfresco seating is contemporary, and these pieces - often with sculptural profiles - are practically upstaging lush landscaping and fancy barbecues. They are edgy but not at the expense of comfort. They are bold but not overpowering. Understated yet sometimes daring, they complement many architectural styles.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, consumers annually spend more than $40 billion upgrading outdoor living accessories and garden amenities. A fully equipped outdoor room might include furniture, lighting, area rugs and accessories such as throws, weatherproof art, televisions and sound systems. Rounding out amenities: kitchen appliances, bars, fireplaces and pavilions.

Following an indoors trend toward less fussy, more streamlined looks, modern style is also blossoming outdoors. That translates into sleek, sexy lines, sweeping curves and sculptural shapes.

Outdoor design styles are also taking inspiration from the 1940s, '50s and '60s, as well as from Italian Riviera, Japanese and Hawaiian influences.

Contest seeks the smallest coolest apartment

NEW YORK -- Rob Radencic's apartment in Portland, Ore., would get an interior designer's seal of approval. With sleek stainless steel kitchen appliances, a modern black fireplace and a burgundy-canopied bed, it bears the hallmarks of an impeccably designed pad.

But as equally impressive as the apartment's furnishings is the fact that Radencic, a 34-year-old Web designer and freelance radio producer, managed to arrange them to stunning effect within just 488 square feet of rented space. With fishbowl-like floor-to-ceiling windows, "Rob's Apartmequarium," as he calls it, squeezes maximum style into minimal space. Read More

Vintage vogue: Mining a one-of-a-kind antique mall

John Sommers pops into the Pacific Galleries Antique Mall in Seattle's Sodo district on a weekly basis to hunt for midcentury modern finds.

Rourke Smith comes in less often to check out Victorian and folk pieces he may be able to resell.

Amanda Copeland just started shopping at Pacific Galleries with her mother to learn about silver antiques, and she also has her eye on a rug.

Its customers' tastes may be distinct, but with more than 200 designers and antiques dealers, Pacific Galleries accommodates just about every shopper's style.

In two years, Pacific Galleries Antique Mall has become one of the premiere destinations for antiques and vintage items in the Pacific Northwest.

The mall, which is an offshoot of the auction house (see story on page 8), has done so by offering a staggering variety and depth of antique and vintage styles in its expansive warehouse space. Read More:

Guide To Outdoor Furniture

The warmer days are here and the summer months are on their way. At this time of year the attention shifts to outdoor spaces. Here are ten of our favorite picks for living a fabulous life outside. Read More

Knoll, Inc. Reports Strong Start to 2006

Knoll, Inc.
(NYSE: KNL) today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31,
2006. Net sales were $218.1 million for the quarter, an increase of 21.8%
from first quarter 2005. Operating income was $21.9 million, an increase of
28.8% from the first quarter 2005, net income was $10.2 million, an
increase of 47.8% over the first quarter 2005, and adjusted earnings per
share was $0.20 compared to earnings per share of $0.13 in the prior year.
Quarter ending backlog was $174.1 million, an increase of 48.6% over first
quarter 2005. Read More:

Monday, April 10, 2006

You Call This a Loft?

Loft living used to be reserved for some of the most down-to-earth people I know with modern furniture everywhere.

In the late 1970s and early '80s, artists flocked in increasing numbers to inner-city Los Angeles. Their neighborhood, near Traction Avenue and Hewitt Street, was anchored by Hilbie's (now Bloom's General Store), the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art and Lili Lakich's neon gallery. A surreal, multihued airplane hung precariously above Al's Bar on Hewitt, a beacon for bohemians. Read More

Living and loving the loft life

Let's face it: there's something undeniably sexy about warehouse lofts.

Open-concept living makes an exhibitionist of even the most timid homeowner and a voyeur of any unsuspecting guest. If you'd rather your top-secret bedroom shrine to Billy Ray Cyrus stay top-secret, you are clearly not a loft person.

Calvin Hwang, on the other hand, thrives on the loft lifestyle. In November 2004, after a lot of shopping around, he nabbed his 1,200 square feet of former-factory heaven in south Riverdale. Read More

Creative Loft Living

Bryce Gahagan chose a 900-square-foot loft to be his first home without roommates and probably his last as a bachelor. While his bedroom is walled off, the rest of the home is basically one open room.

Gahagan, facing a problem common to loft owners, needed to figure out how to separate the areas for cooking, eating, working and relaxing.

Three lights hang over the island in Gahagan's kitchen to define the counter eating area. A rug sets apart his living area, which is oriented toward the windows and a plasma screen on the wall. A palm tree Gahagan calls "Fred" serves as a screen between the living area and his computer workstation. Each space is defined yet open. View more

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Refunds sought in the raffle of downtown loft

Attorney general says organization breached state laws. Read more

How to make a loft livable

Any open plan requires creative ways to deliver privacy and visual transitions without walls. Read more....

Company backs out of loft deal

A planned 10-unit loft development at the Hilliard Lyons building, which represented 40 percent of the city's Downtown grant program, will not happen. Read more...

Carving up loft will reduce living space

High ceilings, large windows add volume. Keep kitchen open but invest in upgrades. Read more...

The room planners: how to transform a loft into practical space

Paula and Phil Robinson, an interior design team, offer space-saving solutions, architectural advice and style tips. This week: how to transform a loft into practical space. Read More

Furniture business lures couple out of retirement

ALGOMA TOWNSHIP -- They thought they were done working. Knock on wood.

Instead, two pioneers of Amish furniture sales are back in business on M-57.

"Hayseed" Bob and "Grandma" Betty Truesdale have taken over The Hay Loft two years after selling it. Read More

Loft Development Falls Through

There's no future for the loft development planned for the Hilliard Lyons building in downtown Evansville.

An attorney for the developer, CEEM LLC of Evansville, says his client backed out because of economic concerns.

The 10 unit project accounted for 40 percent of the city's downtown grant program. Read more...

You Call This a Loft?

They started out as bohemian art spaces in low-rent places. Now they're crafty conversions and bold new construction—and they aren't cheap anymore. Read More...

Thursday, January 12, 2006

New Busch Stadium Photos

New Busch Stadium is something all St. Louisans have been looking forward for a long time. It has been a long time coming but you will be surprised by it's progress. Go to http://www.babybrains.net/busch_011106/