Concrete Sinks: Designer Styles & Colors

Bradley Hughes has created a line of concrete products that can be shipped anywhere in the world. Their products range from contemporary to historical to traditional. Concrete offers a wide range of colors, a unique appearance and durability. The sinks below come in 18 different colors as well as their other products too. They sell fire surrounds, concrete countertops and concrete flooring as well as the sink collection seen here. They seal and wax all concrete products and also sell an eco-friendly stain for the flooring. Beautiful products that can be used in any style of home! If you need more information on any products seen here, just contact us. All products can be purchased through The Designer Insider, just email your needs.

Colors available: Algae, Bone, Brick , Deep Persimmon, Dune, Guinness, Heather, Ink, Lemon Grass, Midnight, Mustard, Olive, Paprika, Pecan, Saddle, Sandstone, Smoke and Tortoise Shell.
Row 1 - "Bert" round vessel sink; "Chloe" trough integrated bowl.
Row 2 - "Cindy" oval integrated bowl; "Douglas" hand textured trough.
Row 3 - "Bill" farmhouse sink; "Izzy" stand alone vessel sink.
Row 4 - "Lulu" square sink; "Luna" demilune integrated sink.
Stella Sink - A stand alone rectangular sink. Custom sizes available in all sinks.

Photos and information courtesy of Bradley-Hughes, Atlanta.

Hand-Crafted Wooden Boxes

Boxes have been used since ancient times to store, separate and protect things. They can store common things like corn flakes or sugar. Or they can store very precious items like jewelry and mementos and separate them from the every day items. These specially crafted storage boxes are the objects of my interest. They can be made of metal or glass; of plastic or cardboard, but it seems that the vast majority of these types of specialty crafted boxes are made from wood.

Storage boxes are somewhat of a dichotomy. They conceal, yet at the same time, they invite you to open them. When you open such a storage box it is usually to remove some special object. It can be an important moment in time. You are revealing the concealed. You are resurrecting objects and memories that have been hidden for a period of time, perhaps even a long period of time. You may be seeking a piece of jewelry to wear at a special event. You may be searching for answers to questions about the past. You may be in financial need and looking to sell something that has great value. Or, you may be simply getting out a good cigar for your enjoyment.

If the box has hidden its contents for a long period of time, opening it might produce surprise and excitement. It also may produce many other feelings. You may not remember what you put into the box. Once you open it, memories come to life. Each of the objects has its own story attached to it. Do you remember where you were when you first received that object? Do you remember who gave it to you? Do you remember the feelings at the time?

Crafted wooden storage boxes are indeed a very special part of everyone’s life.

Candice Olson Furniture: Great Styles For All Styles

The Candice Olson Collection is sold through Norwalk Furniture. Norwalk closed their stores this past year, but are still open for business through selected retailers and designers. Below are some of Candice's most popular styles and you will see them often on her Divine Design program. Candice has selected all styles of furniture for her clients but most have a contemporary flair. All of the pieces you see here are covered in Gibson Velvet, #IM0630. You have a choice of over 600 fabrics and 9 wood finishes. Contact your designer or check out the website for Candice's collection, Norwalk Furniture.
Gretta Ottoman - Great contemporary styled ottoman available in different finishes. 43"long x 18"high x 23"deep.
Margo Chair - Tufted with five buttons. 25"wide x 38"high x 27"deep. One of the most popular pieces in the collection. Perfect for a desk chair or dining chair.
Bette Sofa - 86"long x 36"high x 37"deep - Beautiful curved back for open settings.
Naomi Sofa - 76"long x 40"high x 37"deep. A great height on this sofa!
Jean Chaise Lounge - 29"wide x 32"high x 57"deep.
Maxine Skirted Ottoman - 27"wide x 19"high x 18"deep.
Marlo Chair - A larger sized chair 37"wide x 44"high x 32"deep.

the Hope Box - Part 1

I make band saw boxes. I call my latest project “the Hope Box”. I got inspiration from a design, by an artist by the name of Ron Lowe, which I saw in the book called “400 Wood Boxes” by Lark Books. (Check out this book if you want to get blown away by wonderful creative design in wooden boxes.)

I first made a Hope Box out of basswood as sort of a prototype. There was a lot of tricky work involved, on the drill press, the band saw and with hand rasps and carving tools. I stained the resulting box to cover a few errors, but overall, I was pretty pleased with it. See the photo on the right.

I had a nice chunk of black walnut that I bought from the local sawmill for a few bucks. I thought it would be ideal for making a “good” Hope Box or two. The photos show the walnut block with the openings rough drilled. The next step is to cut the outer profile with the band saw. I’ll keep you up to date on my progress with photos.

black walnut block (left) with basswood "prototype" (right)

block with openings drilled through

Kravet Smart - New Program From Kravet

What is Kravet Smart? This is a new program through Kravet that includes fabric, furniture, trimmings and carpet. What makes this program different? Below is a list of the perks of this program!
1-Free fabric on Kravet furniture.
2-Over 60,000 fabrics to choose from Kravet.
3-Environmentally friendly furniture.
4-Over 900 Kravet Smart fabrics.
5-Guaranteed selection of in stock fabrics and trimmings.
6-In stock luxury carpets with wool and viscose options.

We are highlighting for you some of the selections available in this program. Above: Emory Value Leather Sofa (LB-S803S Smart Classic). Feel free to go to the website KravetSmart for more information. If you would like to purchase any of these products just email us for information.

Kravet Smart Furniture - Tulane Settee available in leather or fabric. Style shown: S882-ST.
Kravet Smart Carpet in Shimmer. Colors: Beige, Blue, Olive, Chocolate, Sienna, Ivory & Gold.
Kravet Smart Textures. Patterns: 30666-821, 30667-1616, 30630-23,30667-106,30667-412.

Kravet Smart Weaves. Patterns - 28037-1516, 26603-613, 29995-5,27970-106,30136-5.

Kravet Smart Window Sheers. Patterns: 9790-1616, 9786-16, 9782-1,9783-16,9779-116.


Thank you to the Kravet Smart website for all the information and photos.

Designer Fabrics: New Popular Design! IKAT!

What's an IKAT (ee-kat) ? This is a style of weaving that uses a dyeing process similar to tie-dye before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. This pattern is very popular right now and is being used by designers everywhere. Below are some great Ikat patterns for your inspiration! Above: Lee Jofa Fabrics - Pattern: Hisari Ikat in Pink. This 100% silk fabric comes in four colorways. Contact us for more information on any of these fabrics.
Lee Jofa Fabrics - Pattern: Westmount Wall in Lake. This David Easton designed fabric comes in a linen/cotton blend in five colorways.
Lee Jofa Fabrics - Pattern: Sassari Ikat in Clay. This rayon/cotton blend can be used for upholstery. Comes in seven colorways.
Owens & Perry Fabric through Ernest Gaspard - Pattern: Vieux Carre in Eggnog. This 100% linen fabric comes in a luscious eleven colors! Also available in 100% silk in 10 colorways.
Kravet Fabrics - Pattern: Tilbury in Jasper. This 100% cotton fabric from Laura Ashley comes in five colorways.
Kravet Fabrics - Pattern: Corren, color 316. Linen/cotton blend that comes in three colorways.
Kravet Fabrics - Pattern: Abrbandi in Sky. Fabric blend okay for upholstery. Museum of New Mexico fabric that comes in four colorways.

Quadrille Fabrics - Pattern: Cintra in 100% linen, available in six colorways. Designed by Alan Campbell.
Above: Cintra in Multi Blues/Navy on Tint.
Middle: Cintra in Tangerines/Jungle Green on Tint.
Bottom: Cintra in Multi Brown/Turquoise on Tint.

All of the above fabrics can be ordered through The Designer Insider. Just contact us for more information. Email: TheSource@numail.org.

Decorative Mirrors: All Styles For Your Home Decor!!

Beautiful mirrors are a great accent that can be very affordable. Add a mirror to each room for an impact! Here are some of our newest you will find for sale on our site The Designer Insider, just use the item number in the Search box on the site. Above: Sunburst Nickel Mirror - 39" diameter - See the article below for photo in a room setting. Item #GV990326.

Mirror above as seen in the September 2009 issue of Better Homes & Gardens.

French Country Mirror - 35" high x 23" wide - Item #GJKS57.
Black Round Mirror - 27" diameter - Item #PG8854.

Star Mirror - Antiqued silver leaf - 28" diameter - Item #UT13623.
Frameless Rectangular Mirror - Beveled border - Item #UT08052.
Swirled Oval Mirror - Burnished silver - Item #UT11831.
Iron Rivet Mirror - Dark iron mirror with riveted straps - 32" diameter. Item #GV991015.
Contemporary Iron Mirror - Distressed Nickel finish - 30" diameter. Item #GV991261.
Fluted Stained Wood Mirror - 15" round - Item #GV991049.

All items can be found on The Designer Insider website.

Muskegon Museum of Art

A couple of happenings at the local art museum in Muskegon.

The Muskegon Museum of Art Regional Art Show is kind of far away, in May, but if any of you are local artists- this provides a great venue to get your work out there. I, myself, should start focusing on a new piece for spring.

Artful Adornment

Wall Lamps - Shaded Sconces Are Stylish

For an updated look, try for a shaded sconce in your hallway, baths, dining areas, etc. Sconces with shades are very popular especially with the younger crowd. They come in modern styles, transitional styles and traditional styles. We have listed some of our favorites for you. If you need more information or would like to purchase any lighting seen here, just contact us. Email: TheSource@numail.org. Above: Roswell Sconce - A "Suzanne Kasler" design that is unique and stylish! Wrought iron in rust (above) or old white. Choose your own shade of blue linen (above), taupe linen or natural paper. Size: 27" high x 11" wide.

Sunset Plaza Sconce - An elegant sconce in four unique finishes, shown in black/silver with grey silk shade. Size: 14"high x 9"wide. Contact us for more info.
Ring Sconce - A modern styled sconce in four different finishes. Shown in antique brass. Size: 19"high x 13"wide. Contact us for more info.
Aspen Sconce - A twig like design in bronze with natural paper shade. Size: 18"high x 9"wide. Contact us for more info.
Aspen Iron Wall Lamp - A mission styled wall sconce with natural paper shade. Size: 15 1/2" high x 7 1/2"wide, only comes in bronze finish. Contact us for more info.
Classic Sconce - Two light classic sconce in four different finishes. Shown in polished nickel. Size: 17"high x 13"wide. Contact us for more info.
Boston Wall Sconce - A single arm sconce in four different finishes. Shown in hand rubbed brass. Size: 9"high x 17"ext. Contact us for more info.
Calliope Wall Sconce - A three light sconce in four different finishes with paper shade. Shown in polished nickel. Size: 20"high x 11"wide. Contact us for info.

Iron and Crystal Wall Lamp - Traditional crystal wall sconce with silver and gold accents with antique white shantung shade. Size: 27"high x 10"wide. More info: www.TheDesignerInsider.com, item #C05415.
Faux Horn Sconce - Rendition of a black antelope horn trimmed in nickel with a poly/cotton shade. Size: 29"high x 10"wide. Comes in a right or left style, left shown above. More info: www.TheDesignerInsider.com, item #C05024. Right style - C05025.
Brass Modern Sconce - A one light sconce. Size: 19"high x 8"wide. Only comes in brass & black.
More info: www.TheDesignerInsider.com - Item #C05021.

Contact us about information on any of the above light fixtures. TheSource@numail.org.