House Beautiful articles from March 2007

House Beautiful archives from March 2007

Never too many bowls ...(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... How much fun are these? Melamine bowls (very practical) line with photos that look good enough to eat. Just fill them up to match the pictures. Photo Bowls, in 5 1/2- or 10-inch diameters, $12 or $23. E.A.T. GIFTS: 212-861-2544.

1 Bottle holder.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... Sometimes plastic just ruins the mood. Set the perfect bedside table with this elegant 9-inch-tall silver-plated Water Bottle Holder, $55. CAROLYNE ROEHM: www.carolyneroehm.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

2 Rug.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... With that of-the-moment laser-cut look, these high-tech rugs are soft as felt, but tough enough to work outdoors, too. Dimensions Falling Leaves and Scallop rugs, in 8 colors and multiple sizes, starting at $90 for a 2-by-3-foot rug. LIORA...

3 Vase.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... The color of fresh spring grass, Lalique's limited edition green glass even sprouts a bouquet of dandelions. Petit Bucolique vase in Meadow, 5 1/3 inches tall, $295. BLOOMINGDALE'S: 866-593-2540. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

4 Bed.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... Can Chinoiserie feel modern? Absolutely, in this Orienta Chinoiserie four-poster from Martha Stewart's new Katonah Collection that's dusted with gold ginkgo leaves, $1,595. MARTHA STEWART FURNITURE WITH BERNHARDT: 888-562-7842. ...

5 Wallpaper.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... Textured wallpaper is hot, but nothing beats this for three-dimensionality. Made of natural cane, with a choice of four colors that pop underneath. Kansu Cane, through designers. F. SCHUMACHER & CO: 800-332-3384. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

1 Holloware.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... These remind us of the kind of quirky silver pieces you might find in your grandmother's attic--only they're made of paktong, a white metal alloy you don't have to polish. Why not mix them with the real thing? Paktong Collection, from $45....

2 Storage rack.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... This versatile wire unit has a lovely vintage look, and also looks properly industrial in a modern setting. Since it's see-through, it hardly seems to take up any space. With 12 cubbies to help you get organized. 64-by-24-by-12 inches, $335....

3 Book.(THE BEST!)(et's Get Comfortable, by Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... For 18 years, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams have been designing the kind of beautifully proportioned, easygoing furniture we love. Now they've written their first book, and it's packed with practical advice on how to put together inviting...

4 Pillows.(THE BEST!)
March 1, 2007... Bet you can't buy just one. Especially, since they're only $13 each for a colorful 16-inch pillow--and guess what? They're made of indoor/outdoor fabric. With 24 styles to choose from, you're certain to find just the right mix to transform your...

Color taking the plunge: if only you weren't so timid about color, you'd have the rooms you really dream about. Let these designers ease the way--it's not as scary as you think.(interior design colors)
March 1, 2007... MADELINE STUART FARROW & BALL LIGHT BLUE 22 I'm always surprised when clients balk at color, and never surprised when they realize the difference it makes. In a transitional space like a stair hall, you have more freedom, so we tried, a...

Instant room a journey to Japan: a master of color and pattern, Tricia Guild translates the beauty of spring in Kyoto into the ultimate East-meets-West fabric line. Here's her idea for a sitting room.(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... HOW SHE'D DO IT Using fabrics from Designers Guild's new Oriental Gardens collection, Tricia Guild combines cool and warm tones and matte with sheen to create a textural, tranquil sitting room. Shimmery TSUGA (1) for accent ows. TAISHO...

I want to buy a globe: eagle-eyed Carol Prisant shows us what to look for.(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... Black ocean globes are particularly desirable, and depending on size, condition, and extras, can fetch from $100 to $1,200. Although this globe doesn't have one, look for a horizon ring that would be found here surrounding the equator. ...

I'm looking for a bench: add books and a breakfast tray. They're so civilized (and sexy) at the foot of a bed.(household furniture)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... 1. RUFIO BENCH, from $799. DREXEL HERITAGE FURNITURE: 866-450-3434. 2. 1070-89 BENCH in Elani Spring, $1,300 as shown. LEE INDUSTRIES: 800-892-7150. 3. VERSAILLES BENCH, to the trade. DONGHIA: 800-366-4442. 4. BERGMAN BENCH, $1,150. JONATHAN...

Maintenance wood floors: take off the stilettos and put that plant on a trivet. Architectural restorer James Boorstein wants you to preserve the beauty of your floors before it's too late.
March 1, 2007... Are there common mistakes that I should avoid? Yes. Overly aggressive sanding. If someone drops a cast-iron skillet that creates a dent a quarter-of-an-inch deep, and then sands a quarter-inch off the whole floor to smooth it out, that will...

Ask the dog shrink: start her out with that carrier bag inside the house ... How to buy the right one.(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... Q I want my puppy to go everywhere with me, but when I put her in her travel bag, she barks. How can I get her to love it? A THIS IS A CLASSIC example of: All dogs love their travel bags--unless they don't. Here's my tried-and-true T.R.I.R...

Weekend project/instant moldings: Trading Spaces design whiz Leslie Segrete thought her quest room was unexciting, so she added a few decorative architectural details--with paint, and a very free hand.
March 1, 2007... WHAT LESLIE WANTED When I saw a picture of a trompe l'oeil doorway that the designers Jean-Michel Frank and Christian Berard painted in the 1930s for the Guerlain boutique in Paris, I decided to steal the idea. I liked it because it was...

Technophobia high-speed ovens: baked potatoes in eight minutes? A rack of lamb in four? Thanks to the latest hot air and microwave technologies, there's always time to cook. Sallie Brady tests the sprinters.(microwave ovens)(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... for the snacker BLACK & DECKER INFRAWAVE SPEED COOKING COUNTERTOP OVEN WHAT'S NEW While most high-speeds use some kind of microwave radiation, this high-tech toaster oven regulates electromagnetic light waves and can cut cooking times for...

Ask the Barefoot Contessa: Ina's secret weapon--honey vanilla pound cake.(Recipe)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Q What can I make and freeze that I can serve to last-minute guest who drop by? A I rarely make something just to freeze it, but I do have two exceptions: I always have homemade chicken stock and honey vanilla pound cake in my freezer to...

Cookbook: you don't have to live south of the Mason-Dixon line to love the region's irresistible classics. That's what our reviewer discovered with The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook.
March 1, 2007... WHEN MRS. LEE SENT HER ADORABLE BOYS off to Harvard and Amherst, I am sure that she was envisioning doctors and lawyers, academics, or Supreme Court judges being returned to her. Never in her wildest dreams can she have imagined that her boys...

I've just had a color adventure.(cottage decoration)(Editorial)
March 1, 2007... I've just had a color adventure. This week the great decorator Albert Hadley took me to visit an old friend. I can't get her little cottage out of my head. It had painted floors the color of fog, and a dining room the color of putty, and the...

Color is dreamy.(Myra Hoefer)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... MIMI READ: You've given this charming 1920s Mediterranean house in San Francisco an unrepentantly sumptuous Continental interior, yet it's not at all forbidding. Can you explain that trick? MYRA HOEFER: I chose really relaxed colors. In the...

Color is earthy.(Douglas Durkin)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... CAROL PRISANT: I don't think I've ever seen an arrangement like this family compound on the Kona coast. It's practically a small Hawaiian village. DOUGLAS DURKIN: It is. The owners, who live in Northern California, wanted a separate...

Color is subtle.(Franklin Salasky)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... CHRISTOPHER PETKANAS: You make a very persuasive case FRANKLIN SALASKY: Gray, lavender gray--in this New York pied-a-terre. Even the Brita water pitcher is gray! FRANKLIN SALASKY: Gray--mixed with white and flashes of silver--was a...

Color is fun.(Angle Hranowsky)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... FRANCES SCHULTZ: I know this is your mother's house, but it sure isn't your mother's house, if you know what I mean. ANGLE HRANOWSKY: I know. People have said to me, 'Man, your mom's pretty cool.' But when she moved from Louisville to...

Color is pretty.(Suzanne Kasler)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... STEPHEN HENDERSON: Sea Island, Georgia, has a distinctive residential style, doesn't it? SUZANNE KASLER: Yes, this is a beach community with enormous historical longevity that has moss-draped oaks, wide marshes, shady lanes. The houses...

Kitchen of the month/Chappaqua, New York: you can have a new kitchen and still get that soft, mellow look. The secret is old wood and vintage marble--found on the Internet.(Brenda Kelly Kramer)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... CHRISTINE PITTEL: I would never have guessed that this old-fashioned kitchen with plain-Jane white cabinets and a country-style sink is actually a new addition to your 1931 Colonial. What inspired this particular look? BRENDA KELLY KRAMER:...

The look kitchen of the month: a dual-control toaster, an old-fashioned sink with a modern appeal, amazingly realistic laminate flooring ... retro style can bring a lot of warmth to a kitchen.(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... 1. First made in Dundee, Scotland, back in 1797, DUNDEE MARMALADE is still a favorite. Look on eBay for the old stoneware crocks, or buy a new 1-pound jar for 37 and reach for the toast. TEA & SYMPATHY: 212-989-9735;...

The last words: Los Angeles rosarian Jamie Wolf loves these roses for their beguiling color and fragrance.
March 1, 2007... NEW ZEALAND HYBRID TEA/McGREDY/1991 If you had to limit yourself to growing only one rose, this would be the one to choose. A soft peachy-coral, with taffeta-textured petals and glossy, healthy foliage, it's incredibly productive--a...