I Love Lighing...

I cannot have enough lighting in my home!

Lamps serve as accessories pulling in color.

The options are endless.

Flush mounts have changed so much.

The wow factor.

So elegant.

My favorite is pendant lighting.

Reade more >>

BULB MANIA

In my last two newsletters I have been writing about CRI, Kelvin, Lumen, light layering and what colors of bulbs to choose for different rooms of the home. If you have not had the opportunity to read up, go to my website for the link at the bottom of the home page www.embraceyourinnersnob.com. Over the next five blogs I will be offering more tips, suggestions and my favorites in lighting.

Today is about choosing bulbs. Walking down the isles at the store there are so many choices... color, size, shapes, what does it all mean? Hopefully this will light the way on your journey.

Traditional Incandescent

Color: Standard incandescents cast a glow known as war or soft white. The light created by these bulbs is also closest to daylight, this makes them a popular choice for the home.

Description: Up to 90% of the energy generated by incandescent bulbs is output as heat, making it a big energy waster. The higher the wattage, the more energy the bulb uses. At 50-75 cents apiece, they are the least expensive on the market, but they also have the shortest life span (750-1,000 hours).

Halogen, Krypton, Xenon

Color: The light most closely resembles that of daylight.
Description: More efficient than traditional incandescent but less than a CFL, halogen bulb last 2,00004,000 hours. Krypton and xenon last up to 10,000 hours. None of the three currently qualifies for the Energy Star program, and at about $4 per bulb, all are more expensive than a traditional incandescent bulb.

Compact Fluorescent(CFL)

Color: CFLs have a yellowish glow that consumers have generally shunned. However, warm-white CFLs as well as those in the daylight range are now more widely available.
Description: The bulbs are more expensive, about $2.50 each and last 6,000-10,000 hours, cutting replacement costs significantly. When retrofitting an incandescent fixture with a CFL bulb, go for a wattage that’s about 25% of the original.

I would love to hear from you, please leave comments or questions.

Reade more >>

Contemporary Designer Recliners

 
Orbit  Contemporary Designer Recliners

I am not usually a fan of recliners.  The traditional overstuffed giant recliners tend to be a white elephant in a room.  So needless to say  I was very happy  while researching seating for a media room to come across these contemporary well designed recliners in the UK.  They describe this recliner as: "One of their best selling recliners which reclines, swings, swivels and orbits to your desire"....and it claims to be "seriously comfortable".

Dakota Contemporary Designer Swivel Recliners

The mechanism for these contemporary designer recliners operates by leaning back on the chair and using your body weight to hold back.

What do you think? 
Would you have one of these seriously fun contemporary designer recliners in your home?

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

Reade more >>

the san jose

hey everyone i'm out of california traveling in austin this week and wanted to share one of my favorite hotels with y'all. the san jose hotel hotel is one of the coolest places to stay in austin. i highly recommend it. amanda

have a coffee have a beer! relax on the pool deck or one their ultra cute patios.

Reade more >>

How Far Would You Swim?

More fun and daring ideas for your home. I love horizontal stripes painted on a wall. Decorative and functional...take a bowl down when you need to use it.

Reade more >>

How High Will You Climb?

It really is amazing just how creative someone can be! Those are climbing men...made of metal. They are climbing over filled vases and then hung on the wall. The options are endless. How daring are you in your own home?
These climbing men are available at What's In Store 719-633-4582.

Reade more >>

LoftLife Magazine

For those of you who haven't checked out the magazine LoftLife Magazine - The Loft Style Guide to Life in the City, it is a must read. And I don't say that only because I am on their 'Board of Experts' - the Editors and Creative Directors at LoftLife Magazine are top notch. Their style and editorials are fresh, relevant and timely. Last fall Kyra Shapurji, Managing Editor and Linden Hass, Photo Editor of LoftLife Magazine paid me a visit at my office in Vancouver to firm up a feature they were doing on favourite shopping spots of mine and a few other Design Professionals in Vancouver. Linden Hass shot a few pictures of me and the drawing below is what resulted.

 
Patricia Gray on LoftLife Magazine Board of Experts

I love the illustrations for LoftLife Magazine done by the talented Graham Smith from San Diego. He illustrates the masthead and the Panel of Experts for LoftLife Magazine. This month LoftLife Magazine is going to be on national newsstands: Borders, Barnes and Noble, as well as Hudson News. So pick-up your copy and read their articles. In the current Summer 2009 issue of LoftLife Magazine I particularly like:

• LoftLife - Allure of Amsterdam: Dutch Design Beyond Droog. (I am lusting to visit Amsterdam)
• LoftLife - Paper or Plastic? (really gets you thinking and hopefully acting)
• LoftLife - Big Blank Wall: The mirrors on our minds. ( Love this round-up of mirrors)
  among others..........
  LoftLife Magazine also has a great Blog.
  
  Happy Reading!
  Please let me know if you have read a copy of LoftLife magazine and what you think of it by leaving a comment.
  

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

Reade more >>

i wanted to post today about something i lack>>accessorizing. yep, you read correctly. for some reason i just don't accessorize. perhaps it's the tomboy in me, or maybe the extra 1 second it takes, but either way i need to improve. so, per say i were to accessorize more, here are some of the items i would choose. not all at once. enjoy. jolene.

Reade more >>

fashion favorites

hi readers. i want to apologize for not posting until now. it's been a crazy week, so here is a catch-up blog post. a little fashion for your weekend. these don't really have anything in common with each other...except that i love them all. embrace the beauty and non attainable as much as i am! jolene.

the iconic fashion blog

the sartorialist blog

elite choice
filippa kjulie fagerholt

polyvore.com

Reade more >>