Mary’s Color Presentation was a BIG hit! Mary’s extensive background in color theory and color therapy gives her a unique view of how we use color in our designers. We had great feedback from other designers and we are playing with the idea of having the CEU available for purchase online…please let me know if you’d be interested!

Toni and I were lucky enough to attend a blogging seminar given by Alexandra Gibson of Gibson Design Management at the Grange Showroom. When we were in the planning stages of starting our blog I attended one of Alexandra’s tele-seminars on Social Media and I can’t tell you enough how helpful it was! This time she focused specifically on blogging and while I was hip to most of her advice I picked up a few new tips and was thrilled to hear directly from Alexandra…and she agreed to a quick picture following the seminar.

As always, the ASID Colorado Crystal Awards were a great time. It is always exciting to mingle with other designers and to see the projects that everyone has been working on. I was especially impressed by the level of quality of the student projects! I remember the hours and hours I used to spend in the computer lab when I was in college so I can only imagine what it takes to do all of the 3D Renderings they do now! Loved it! The event was at the Sherman Street Event Center and the committee did a great job with the food and flowers. All-in-all it was a great evening!

Stay tuned this week for a more ‘informational’ post…hopefully this week won’t be quite so nutty for us.

Posted by Elizabeth M. Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)

Color has more impact on a space than most people realize…every color evokes a different emotion and as designers we carefully consider this in our projects. Without giving away TOO MUCH of the information that Mary will be discussing I thought I’d give you a taste by talking about my favorite color-green. 

Clockwise from top left-Ann Sacks 'Beau Monde Grace 2' in Tourmaline; J. Crew 'Sophia' Dress; Kate Spade 'La Casita Josephine;' Kravet Textiles 29025.323

Whether I’m designing with it or wearing it (like I am today) I love green for its intrinsic ability to be calming and cheerful all at the same time. Green surrounds us in nature and is a symbol of life. It is also the easiest color on the eye and is often used in hospital and spa settings due to its ability to relax people.

 What is YOUR favorite color? Why do you think you are drawn to it? I would love your feedback!

Posted by Elizabeth M. Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)

I have included a few interior design related items that have come across my desk this week as well as few things that are simply gorgeous and remind me of spring. It’s been a little gloomy in Denver the last few days so this should help brighten things up!

 Enjoy!

 Posted by Elizabeth M. Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)  

I am in LOVE with this chair from Anthropologie and this Designtex fabric would brighten up any space!

No description necessary-these are just both FANTASTIC light fixtures!

Flowering trees are my favorite part about spring in Denver. And I can just imagine frolicking about in this adorable outfit from Whitney Port!

I’ll admit that knowing what I do about LED technology I’ve been a little hesitant to jump on the LED lamp bandwagon but Pharox might have me convinced.

A collaboration between Lemnis Lighting and Digital Light, LLC, Pharox LED lights are made to replace incandescent and compact fluorescent sources, which are rumored to be obsolete in the not-so-distant future. The Pharox60 is a 6w, dimmable lamp available in warm white and is meant to replace 40-60w A-lamps in table and floor lamps, recessed downlights and any other open fixtures that typically use incandescent sources. They are not recommended for enclosed fixtures, as the heat diminishes the life of the lamp.

 The price point is currently around $49.95 HOWEVER the average life of these lamps is estimated to be 35,000, or about 25 years for fixtures used 4 hours/day. 25 years. Imagine installing one of these lamps in a nursery in 2010 and never having to replace it until well after the child goes to college! Plus, that $49.95 could save you $280 in energy and replacement costs over the life of the lamp. I would say this is well worth the extra expense.

So why not just purchase a screw-in compact fluorescent fixture for a quarter of the cost, right? Did I mention Pharox lamps are dimmable and instant-on? So unlike the many of the CFL’s available you won’t have to wait for them to warm-up and it doesn’t matter how often you turn them on or off. PLUS they do not contain any mercury so they are completely recyclable.

Still not convinced? Try their Energy Savings Calculator-the hard numbers can’t lie. Neither can the fact that Google gave one to each employee on Earth Day! I plan on ordering some for my place ASAP!

Posted by Elizabeth M. Dosher (Elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)

Planetreuse was started in 2008 as an internet-based material brokerage for salvaged materials and has morphed into a consulting and brokering firm that connects designers, builders and owners with reclaimed materials or a means to share reclaimed materials that they are removing from a project. I’ll spare you the details (because I want to encourage you to check out their website) but I think the concept is just BRILLIANT. If you’ve ever tried to source reclaimed materials you know it isn’t an easy task. The idea that they help coordinate the process is ingenious. Not only will it encourage the use of reclaimed material, reducing waste, but it will also save the design industry a LOT of time.  

Whether you’re currently working on a project where you could use their services or just want to know more about the premise behind Planetreuse I highly recommend that you take a few minutes to peruse their website. www.planetreuse.com

 PS-What are you doing on a DAILY basis to save the planet? Here are a few easy things that we should all be doing on a regular basis…and will have a BIG impact on Mother Earth! http://www.earthday.org/node/418/actions

Posted by Elizabeth M. Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)

EcoSmart Fire is fuelled by Denatured Ethanol, a renewable energy source that burns completely clean. The main by-products are carbon dioxide, water steam and heat so no flue is required for ventilation. Developed in Australia, these units do not require a utility connection, making them feasible for any environment-whether it is new construction or a modeled space, indoor or outdoor. 

Not only are EcoSmart Fire products efficient, functional and environmentally friendly but they architectural statements in and of themselves. Designed by award-winning industrial designers and architects, many of their products are dramatic, aesthetic additions to any space. Whether you are looking for a simple open flame, a low fire pit or a decorative lantern style flame, EcoSmart Fire has an option for you.

So where do the tax credits come in? The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a stimulus bill signed in February of 2009 that qualifies consumers for Tax Credits for purchasing Non-business Energy Property. One type of Energy Property that qualifies is outlined as follows:

 “a stove which uses the burning of biomass fuel to heat a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer, or to heat water for use in such a dwelling unit, and which has a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75 percent, as measured using a lower heating value”

The Denatured Alcohol burned in the EcoSmart Fire products complies with the biomass fuel requirement as outlined and all of their products have a minimum thermal efficiency of 90%. The maximum Tax Credit allowed is 30% of the cost or up to $1500 and all products must have been purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010…so you have a few more months to take advantage of this opportunity.

If you are even entertaining the idea of updating your outdoor living space I highly recommend checking out EcoSmart Fire’s website. They are a work of art and a heat source all wrapped up in an efficient little package. I know I would LOVE to have one on my patio!

Posted by Elizabeth Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)

The 21^st Century has provided us with an immeasurable amount of technology and opportunity. But with the good come the bad-decreased air quality, diminished natural resources, and negative impact on human health. The Earth Awards encourage the use of ‘design as a tool of positive action.’ How can we use it to improve our living environment and extend the life of our planet? The ultimate goal of the awards is to connect the world’s greatest innovators with investors so that the most viable innovations can be realized and made available to the public.

 Submissions are being taken in six categories:

1. Built Environment
2. Product
3. Future
4. Systems
5. Fashion
6. Social Justice

 The selection committee-a team of 29 designers, architects, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, humanitarians, environmentalists and spiritual leaders-will be evaluating all of the categories in six areas:

1. Ecological
2. Original
3. Measurable
4. Achievable
5. Useful
6. Scalable.

It’s hard to say which is most important and in fact, I believe, that they all go hand-in-hand. Without any one of those characteristics the final product is unlikely to be successful. $10,000 will be awarded to the winner of each category and the Grand Prize winner will receive a total of $50,000. The culmination of the Earth Awards will be in London in September of 2010, where 2 representatives from each category will have the chance to showcase their project to an international audience.

Last year’s winner was Neri Oxman, a Resident Scholar at MIT and founder of Materialecology. Her project, FAB.REcology, discusses the  looking to ‘nature for practical design answers.’ Click on the link to check out the brief video-I was enthralled!

One can only begin to imagine the ideas that will be submitted this year…oh to be a fly on the way in London this September!

Posted by Elizabeth Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com or on Twitter @edosher)

It all started innocently. Mary and Toni started noticing this cute little squirrel in the window and began feeding it granola occasionally. Soon she had a name. Mary started bringing in nuts to feed her which encouraged her to start returning daily for treats. We have casement windows, without screens, so it is as easy as slipping a few nuts through a small crack. Small being the key word in that statement. Open it too wide and Charlie can get a LITTLE too excited…which Mary found out the hard way.

One day she was chatting away with Charlie, giving her a little treat when Charlie got a little too eager and slipped through the window. After a four day long ordeal (complete with squirrel tracks around the office, potted plants being dug up and animal control chasing her from room to room) Charlie FINALLY came out of hiding and made her way into the cage set out to catch her. Mary came into the office to find her terrified and took the cage outside to release her. It took an hour of coercing but she finally tempted Charlie out of the cage and she took off. Mary didn’t expect to see her again but just a few days later she was back at the window

My first experience with Charlie came shortly after this mini-drama, when I started at NWD. We were in the conference room having a meeting and suddenly there was Charlie at the window. I noticed her over Mary’s shoulder and when she saw where I was looking Mary said, ‘Oh, that’s just Charlie.’ Her little paws were on the window and she was watching us intently, just waiting for some nuts…and of course Mary got up to appease her.

Now we see Charlie almost constantly during the day. She goes from window to window to see who is here and beg us all for nuts. She has to be the best fed squirrel in Denver. On one occasion she even followed me to my car when I tried to leave the office without feeding her. Mary keeps the best stash but we all spoil her. I mean, who could resist a cute little squirrel sitting in the window staring at you longingly?

Romo is one of my favorite lines and I love their new Sapota collection. The color combination on these prints isn’t one that you see everywhere. There is something refreshing yet relaxed about the fresh magenta against the warm gray with hints of spring green. These aren’t colors I would automatically envision together but they truly are stunning. AND Romo offers coordinating wall covering, which is just luscious!

So the next time you’re ‘stuck’ while creating a color palette consider taking a trip to look at the latest textile collections.  You never know what unusual yet fabulous combinations you might find!

PS-What do YOU use as your source of inspiration? I’d love to hear what everyone else uses to spark their creativity!

Posted by Elizabeth Dosher (Elizabeth@n-wdesign.com OR on Twitter @edosher)

Coco+Kelley

Cassandra LaValle’s lifestyle blog is just plain fantastic. Her philosophy is ‘Life is in the details. Style accordingly.’ I couldn’t agree with that statement more. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that I too have a passion for interior design & planning events. Kudos Cassandra!

http://cocokelley.blogspot.com/

 Seth Godin

I recently started following this bestselling author/marketing guru and he has reignited my interest in marketing tenfold! I’ve even started emailing his blog to my coworkers and posting quotes from his book around his office. He inspires, motivates and regularly makes me laugh out loud. I’m certainly not the first to tout his ideas as brilliant.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/

Design Sponge

When we decided to start a blog the first thing I did was look at what else was out there…if you Google Interior Design blogs Design Sponge always comes up near the top and it’s pretty clear why that is. They have a MUCH larger staff specifically devoted to blogging thus they are WAY out of my league but I’m addicted to their DIY and Before & After postings. Love, love, love!

 http://www.designspongeonline.com/

Those are just a few to get you started. Stay tuned for more!

 Posted by Elizabeth Dosher (elizabeth@n-wdesign.com  OR on Twitter @edosher)