Bedroom Vanity

Buying a new bedroom vanity set need not be so unmanageable and costly if you only consider purchasing second hand items. Naturally, new vanity sets probably cost astatine least over $100 or maybe even more. If you choose to buy from online furniture retailers, then you should also take into account the cost of shipping and taxes. Obviously, this option may be too expensive for you especially if you are residing far from the retailers area.

However, there are also furniture stores which you should personally visit to see the actual cost of new vanity sets. Their prices may be substantially higher compared to online retailers but the good thing is that you need non pay for shipping charges. Once again, it is still a wise option to but a second hand vanity set when your main concern is the price.

Retailers of used vanity sets can be found in any city. Another commodious way to locate a particular furniture store is to use the Yellow Pages. You also make use of the Internet by typing ‘second hand furniture shops’, followed by your location, into major search engines like Google and Yahoo.

But on the other hand, buying from an individual seller can be a lot easier and more convenient. You can do some research first like looking astatine website such as craigslist. This way, you can instantly get several options. It is possible that some of the vanity sets may have a great deal of abrasions or maybe some are not in perfect condition anymore. But there ar also vanity items which ar sold in almost perfect condition. If you think the product needs a new coat of polish or varnish, then you may do so.

After you have elect your desired vanity set, set an appointment and check out the item before purchasing. This is very important because you can no yearner return or demand for a refund after buying a second hand item. See to it that you make a personal visit and make sure that you have taken a good look. It pays to be careful when buying these bedroom items, especially it is made from wood. You should check if there ar obvious damages caused by water or termites. These kinds of damages ar severe and irreversible.

You should also negotiate the price with the seller and try to get a discount. Some sellers may not grant your wish but there ar also many individual sellers who have been waiting for concerned buyers for quite some time. You can also get a discounted price from sellers who want to sell their items immediately.

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Cheap Bedroom Designs

Want to get a new look in the bedroom that doesn’t cost a bundle and reflects your style? Try these nifty thrifty interior designs to transform the look of your bedroom floor.

Uncover the Floor
In these allergy conscience times, carpet is one of the biggest known causes of house hold allergens. Pull it up and get it out of the room. Sometimes what you will find beneath is a hidden treasure. Some older homes that have beautiful terrazzo and wood floors were covered up in the 1970′s and 80′s with carpet because it was the bedroom or living room design trend astatine the time. If the floor is concrete underneath do non despair, there are several ways of making plain concrete fashionable for less.

Painting the Floor
Remove all furnishings from the room. Tape off any trim and molding you don’t want to get paint on. Vacuum the concrete first, then mop with a clean mop head, using a solution of half vinegar and half water. Allow the floor to dry-using a couple of large high powered fans can speed this along. Choose a latex satin paint or semi-gloss enamel type paint. Apply concrete paint with a nap roller and long handle to save your back. Work from the back of the room towards the door. Cut in around kitchen and bathroom designs with a small angled paintbrush. Allow to dry thoroughly about 24 hours.

The Feel of Carpet
If you have wood floors or tile and you like the feel of carpet under your feet, try some area rugs. You may also want to try remnant carpeting pieces to make an area rug if you want to cover a large area in your bedroom design. To make an area carpet out of remnant carpet you will want to create a trim around the edges to keep it from unraveling and snagging. With the use of a hot glue gun and some heavy upholstery fabric like denim, gunny or tweed, you can create a custom area rug to match the décor of the bedroom. Remnant carpeting is well cut with a utility stab to make it a custom fit.
Self-Adhesive Floor Tiles

The option of self-adhesive floor tiles is affordable as well as easy to install-some floor tiles can even be purchased at the local dollar store. To install these tiles in your kitchen or bathroom design, you will need to clean the surface as declared above for picture the floor. If you are pulling up old laminate floor you will need to scrape off all the old glue first. Follow installation directions on the product package and measure the area to know how much tile you will need, leaving some left over-about 10 to 15 tiles-if you need to replace any or make a mistake. Find and share decorating ideas and bedroom design inspirations from around the world on Design Shuffle!

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Theme Ideas For Decorating Your Kids’ Rooms

The use of pictures in a kids room enhances its appearance and gives it a casual look. Kids adore fairy-tales, different stories about pirates and cowboys and surely cartoons. They often imagine themselves heroes of them. All children have their own identity, personality and lifestyle, so it’s certainly not a given that interior design which works for one will automatically be pleasing and functional to another. You could make your child very happy by creating a bedroom which take ideas from his or her favorite character. Nowadays it is not very difficult and usually only depends on your imagination.

There are available a lot of different themed furniture and accessories in the shops. One of cool and easy solutions to create a right atmosphere are various wall stickers, which also have great advantage – they are not very expensive. Although you could be more creative and try to find some unusual bed which will add more originality to you kids bedroom design. Below on photos you could find many interesting ideas and probably choose something what might be liked by your child.

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New concepts in bathtub design by Hoesch

The bathtub is a place to relax. I like the look of clean, Glass/acrylic facing is available for all the models as design accessories in black, white and silver. Be it in the oval, rectangular, square or corner version, the new bath tub family design by Hoesch is impressive as a standard, and also makes special concessions to individuality.

This is because each tub can be equipped with an LED lighting pack comprising up to 4 tub spots and a light strip which is integrated in the overflow groove. The various color changes of the light cater to your need for relaxing sensuality with seven moods. We’re bringing you some new designs and new approaches to this staple of modern life. An ergonomic aspect that can be perceived as a shining example.

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Design Bathroom Furniture

Ka presents it’s new collection with a whole new set of modular design bathroom furniture and independent pieces together collection offers several choices. There are several high, width and depth sets to a dynamic effect and aesthetic value to the bathroom space to obtain, through design and quality. The special feature of this collection is that the possibility of different combinations in line with the rest of the furniture that makes this space.

Combinations made from the choice of colors and finishes, invites you to a personalized environment, where items such as furniture, bath, mirrors, etc. come together in an area of ??undulating lines and square shapes to create re-create a harmonious and elegant.

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Armchair design innovation-Ribbon Chaise Lounge Chair

Innovative vision in the form famous bands lazy chair is one of the most beautiful statue of a beautiful example of applied art. This is one of the important classics in modern furniture history. Ribbon chair, designed by Pierre Paulin for Artifort in the Netherlands in 1966. Metal frame with a horizontal spring, covered with foam and stretch fabrics. Pita recliner chair that is clean, simple form sculpted ergonomic space age to fit the body. Pierre Paulin’s Ribbon chair made from a metal frame with a horizontal spring, covered with foam and fabric stretch and pressing lacquered wooden base. Ribbon optional Ottoman sold separately.

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Contemporary Bedroom Suite

Contemporary stylish furniture makes adequate provision for open spaces, as it consists of small sizing comfy with classic furnishings. Modern furniture lends a feeling of snugness and the whole atmosphere remains peaceful. Modern bedroom furniture adds a beautiful look to bedrooms. It makes the room look bigger, clean and uncluttered. Many bedroom furniture galleries offer variety of home trappings styles including contemporary and traditional with a huge selection of platform beds and mattress sets astatine very reasonable and affordable rates.Choosing furniture for bedroom requires careful and perfect provision and many factors need to be borne in mind like bedroom interiors, expenditure, personal taste etc. The tips that require for purchasing furniture is one should ne’er compromise on quality even if there is any need to pay an extra price for it. It is highly advisable to do a close supervision, while selecting the bedroom furniture.

And it is due to the fact that there is a likeliness that one should find both, the good quality as well as bad quality furniture being sold under the same roof. Now, it becomes of prime importance to ensure that the furniture that is planned to buy is made using quality material.One should give high importance to fine craftsmanship, as it will also ensure the durability and save repair expenses. Other important step is while shopping for bedroom furniture; place a higher grandness to comfort than anything else. Select bedroom furniture that can accommodate a moderate sizing lamp, which can provide a person with adequate light to read during the night time.

Many bedroom furniture sets are designed to assist people in effortlessly creating a complete matching bedroom. Every piece is manufactured to compliment and match every other piece both in look and color and every set incorporates a queen or king bed, matching night standards and variety of dressers.
Contemporary bedroom furniture pieces ar very warm and livable, which allows them to fit into any number of interior living environments. Only high quality European ironware and Baltic Birch hardwood drawers ar used in making modern bedroom furniture. Most of the contemporary furniture’s are extremely well made and built to last. High quality lines of contemporary home furniture and neo classical home furnishings ar extremely manufactured for the convenience of people. Apart from bedroom furniture, many design tables, dining sets, pedastools and desks are available in new models and styles.

Get the contemporary bedroom furniture suite from many modern galleries to select affordable modern bedroom furniture sets and suites, unique retroactive bedroom furniture set, and bedroom chaise lounge. Choose a modern bed, contemporary bedroom suite or bedroom armoire and dresser from exclusive European designer collections. Contemporary bedroom furniture sets and suites ar unique in designs.
High headboards are upholstered and can now be made to order in colours of ones own choice.

Contemporary bedroom furniture sets and suites from modern galleries ar elegant, stylish, and yet very well fulfills every single need of the modern, contemporary bedroom furniture where one can select and make orders online.

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Inspecting your Swimming Pool

With the varied availability of swimming pool equipment and designs, you have a lot to think about when it comes to safety. Whether you use different types of swimming pool liners, or think about purchasing a new swimming pool toy, there are a lot of pool inspection tips you should consider. It may also help to ask questions at your local swimming pool supply shop, because talking to experts face to face about your swimming pool safety needs can help you in the long run.

Your swimming pool design and capacity: A lot of things depend on your pool's design and capacity. Some of these things include the amount of water treatment chemicals you'll need, the type of liner you should have, as well as the aesthetics of your swimming pool. It's important to calculate the average depth of your pool using this equation: Deep End (feet) + Shallow End (feet) ÷ 2 = Average Depth. It will help you determine your swimming pool capacity. The swimming pool design you choose will also aid you in buying the proper swimming pool covers that you will need during different seasons. Leaf-catcher covers are effective during summer, fall and spring, while a different swimming pool cover is available for winter. These allow you to keep your pools in top shape despite the seasonal and climatic changes. Almost any swimming pool supply shop has a good stock of covers for your swimming pool. Keep in mind that a well-covered swimming pool is a safe pool.

Getting the ideal swimming pool liner: The quality of your swimming pool liner is essential to your pool's water quality. This is because it prevents the water from being contaminated. It also maintains your water's pH, and helps keep algae and mildew from growing. Also consider the type of material used for your liner. Swimming pool liners are usually made with vinyl or plastic, and can be quite decorative.

Inground Swimming Pool Safety: The elegance of inground swimming pools attracts a lot of buyers. However, it is important to keep in mind that inground pools have their own safety risks. It is important to always have someone watch the pool such as a "lifeguard" or simply an adult who can swim. This is because children (and unmindful adults) have a higher tendency to fall into an inground swimming pool as opposed to an above ground swimming pool. It will help to keep your inground swimming pool covered when not in use, or fenced off in certain areas.

Safe swimming pool toys for added fun: While purchasing fun and colorful swimming pool toys can be exciting, there are some accessories that can be considered as a "must-have". Goggles are important, especially for children. There are also special swimming pool toys and floats available for toddlers. Swim aids such as swimming pool floats, swim belts, and water wings, are also considered as safe swimming pool toys. Your local swimming pool supply shops probably have a good toys department - take a look around in order to get the best prices.

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Modern living room design ideas

Living room serves a lot of purposes at home, may be it watching television, listening to music or welcoming guests. The living room should be designed in such a way that it is spacious, attractive and most important - it should be comfortable. Whatever theme you use in designing the living room, it should be easy to maintain.

The living room design should be appealing to everyone who visits your house. Hence you need to give special attention while designing the living room. There are plenty of living room interior design ideas and you need to choose one that will fit in your budget and one that can be implemented well in the living room space available. Modern, Rustic and Eclectic living rooms are some of the popular living room decorating ideas implemented by many home owners. Let us have a look at each of these living room designs ideas below.Modern Living Room Modernizing the living room is the latest trend for improving the home decor.

A modern living room is functional and uses the living room space very efficiently. These living rooms are spacious and uncluttered. Almost every modern furniture is simple, functional and mainly serves the purpose of storage. Many of the furnitures used are geometric in shape. The cabinets used are closed types that store things and at the same time give uncluttered look to the room. Modern living rooms make use of very bright colors.

The furniture color and the color of the walls should contrast each other to give an ultra modern look to the living room. The colors used should be bold, yet pleasant. See that you do not modernize the living room to a great extent. Add some antique frames or art pieces to improve the room décor.Rustic Living Room Rustic living room is the best way to give your living room a natural feel. Rustic decor has always been a favorite choice of homeowners when it comes to giving a unique look to the living room. A rustic living room is very comfortable and the best place to relax. There are number of ways to give rustic feel to the living room.

The colors used for rustic living room should be ones that are more prominent in nature. Red, wood tones, brown are the colors that are widely used for such type of living room design. Cover the flooring with area rugs. Wall hangings like antlers, animal heads, old lamps and old rifles have a special place in rustic living room design ideas. Use quilts to cover your sofa and other furniture of the living room. Rustic living room is the best way to reflect your personal interests.Eclectic Living Room Designing an eclectic living room is nothing but mix and match of various themes that includes traditional and modern designs. Eclectic design is basically a combination of art forms of all the eras. The combination should be done in such a way that the accessories used blend well with each other without ruining the beauty of the living room.

The furniture and the accessories should be placed such that the combination does not look random. There should be a proper planning to pose them at the right place.Living room design ideas are endless. Living room should be designed properly, it being the place where maximum time is spent by the family. While designing the living room the factors that should be considered are space and comfort. In addition to that, you can use your own creativity that will reflect your interests and style to give it a more personalized look. Happy "Living"

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Pink and Green Bedroom Designs

Spring is fully in blossom and, with solid consistency, the cherry trees around our district ar covered with beautiful, fluffy, pink blossoms. The grass is a fresh, young green and tiny spring green leaves perk up the trees and bushes. Pink and purple tulips from Holland ar crowded into buckets in front of the local florist, looking lavishly generous and full of that vibrant energy so typical for spring. Although this scene repeats itself every year, it always seems so refreshfully new. Perhaps because it only lasts for such a short time. Fortunately, astatine least the color scheme, can be unbroken spirited for a yearner period. These ar excellent colors for using to add a joyful lightness to a small bedroom.

Pink and spring green will transform a small, boring room into a bright space full of joy and fun. They emanate sheer optimism. Especially the stronger sunglasses of purple pink will give an extravagant authenticity to a room and make it somewhat charmingly naive. They are naturally excellent colours for a young girl´s room.

As an adult theme, there ar lots of modern designs in this color scheme. Splashes of bright pink together with spring green can look extremely expressive and dynamic. Care has to be taken, non to overpower the small room. This can be achieved by just adding a few accents of the strong pink in compounding with the fresh green, and additionally using lots of off-white.

Using the softer sunglasses of pink in compounding with a muted, light green will create an entirely dissimilar energy. Like the exquisite cherry blossoms, the room will look dainty and demure. By using modern, sporty textiles, this will help this picturesque color scheme non to be too sweet. If care is taken to use a balance of green and pink in the textiles and accessories, a small room can look exceptionally elegant, somewhat reminiscent of times gone by, bringing old values back to life. Too much sweetness can be counteracted by using coarse linen, clear lines and limiting the small space to basic needs, avoiding clutter and too many ornamental items. It is always interesting to experience how even small suite can be transformed into exceptional spaces when applying colors. Because purples and greens ar so vast in the shades that they offer, it is possible to create a great many imaginative and expressive variations of this color theme, that will certainly add vigor or charm to even the smallest bedroom.

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Design Girls Bedroom

Whenever you make the decision to redecorate a room, it can take days and weeks before you actually decide on the color and a design you’re happy with. Decorating a girl’s bedroom, however, opens up even more problems, especially if the girl in question is a teenager. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways that you can make the often-thankless task of girls bedroom design easier.

If you’re the parent of a young girl, then the first thing you should do is discuss her ideas. Although it’s your house, it is her bedroom after all, and she still needs to feel comfortable in what is essentially her haven. So if she likes a lot of cuddly toys, incorporate soft cushions into the final bedroom design. Work the color scheme around her favorite posters, whether it’s of bands or celebrities, so that you have an all-encompassing mix of your choice and hers.

It’s also a great idea to work with what she already has in her bedroom. Remember, this room is the equivalent of a comfort room for the girl, so any new bedroom design should try having a happy mix of the old and the new. Simply spruce up existing furniture with little touches here and there. If she has a favorite dresser or desk, for instance, use of stencils to transfer various shapes onto the frame can make a huge difference in appearance. A little board for writing notes or simply doodling on can be a good personalized addition.

ONe thing you need to be careful about with girls bedroom design is when the girl is slightly older. Like anyone, a girl will change her mind as to what she likes one moment to the next, especially if she’s approaching her teenage years. That fairy-themed design that you initially helped her make may not seem as cute and adorable now that she’s turning into a young woman, so make sure that any design you settle on for a girl’s bedroom is reasonably future-proof.

A good approach is to make the room fairly neutral, and then changes can be made along the way. Making any design temporary or easily changeable is relatively easy, yet can still add a touch of style to the overall feel. Rugs are a good way of filling a room yet are also easy to remove should they need to be. Drapes and furniture throws are another excellent method of changing the look of a girl’s bedroom, but their very design also means they can be changed quickly and effortlessly for a different look altogether. At the end of the day, as with any room, redecorating a girl’s bedroom can be a strenuous and time-consuming project. However, with just a little forward planning and discussion of ideas, girls bedroom design can be a pleasant task for both parent and daughter.

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Fitted Bedroom Wardrobes

Going for a fitted bedroom is a wise decision. Not only does it provide you with ultimate utility in terms of space and clearance it can also provide you with the ultimate style. With the kind of variety of styles and designs available out there people are increasingly going for fitted bedroom furniture. You can employ fitted bedroom furniture whether you require a single bed and closet space or a room for two.

Fitted bedroom furniture has many benefits. It keeps everything in order and you don’t have to worry about planning where to keep the closet and how to set the bed. Everything is carefully planned out once and then the furniture is fitted and remains that way relieving you of the trouble for good. It is much easier to keep your bedroom neat and tidy with fitted bedroom furniture. The other, perhaps the biggest benefit of fitted bedroom furniture is the utility and space efficiency.

Fitted wardrobe designs

The wardrobe is the main feature of fitted bedroom furniture. There are three different types of fitted wardrobes that you can go for depending upon your requirement and taste. The three styles are the full carcase built in wardrobe, frame construction built in wardrobe and sliding door built in wardrobe. Each one of these designs has its own benefits in terms of utility and design Carcase built in wardrobes are perhaps the easiest to incorporate into your bedroom. They are generally simpler in terms of looks design and utility as compared to the other two and can be dismantled easily in case you need to shift.

Whether you can make use of this kind of a built in wardrobe depends on the kind of room you have. They will not work with sloped ceilings plus it is difficult to find carcase wardrobes that are built around obstructions such as a chimney breast etc.

Frame construction wardrobes on the other hand give you maximum storage space and are highly versatile, meaning they can be used in a room with sloping ceilings as well. You can set the depth of this closet to your liking and the kind of designs available in the market cover for obstructions. But since these kinds of wardrobes don’t incorporate a backing panel you will first need to prepare your room wall. Frame construction wardrobes are generally difficult to install and can give you trouble when it comes to over the bed layouts.

The sliding door design gives you maximum ease and space utility. They are easy to manage and easy to install and come in handy in bedrooms that are cramped for space. Another advantage of having a sliding door design fitted bedroom wardrobe is the fact that you can install a huge mirror on it which makes the whole room look bigger. Sliding door designs are also likely to be slightly cheaper than the other hinged door design wardrobes.

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Perfect Lights for Living Rooms

The lights in living room should be both decorative and functional. The required lights must be selected with an aim to complement the room’s Decor too. It might be a tricky situation, but its important as living rooms reflects the lifestyle of the family, personality of the homeowner and also plays a key role to make guest feel warm and comfortable while making a style statement.

Nowadays Classic and contemporary ceiling lights are quite popular these days, blending in the traditional trends of the room, with elite decorations the room gives a rich feel. In a competitive world, astute developers will always look for a point of difference. Customized layouts, energy efficiency and other expected client advantages now have another winning attribute ranking alongside them – comprehensive home automation built into the bones of the residence.

The common traditional yellow bulbs are popular, and inexpensive, while the halogen bulbs are much brighter and almost seem to give natural light. The best ones are the Fluorescent bulbs, which are bright, requiring very low wattage being energy-efficient and also have a long life. The lamps for the room must be carefully chosen, as to combine the theme, suit the design and setting of the living rooms.

A contemporary life room can use steel lamps, while the classic living rooms can use lamps with bronze of wood body. The best choice would be the lamps with rotating shades that would allow you to direct the light and change the look and the feel of your living room on very instant basis.

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Study finds Solar Panels increase Home Values

All those homeowners who have been installing residential solar panels over the last decade may find it was a more practical decision than they thought. The electricity generated may have cost more than that coming from the local power company (half of which, nationwide, comes from burning coal), but if they choose to sell their homes, the price premium they will get for the solar system should let them recoup much of their original capital investment.

That is the conclusion of three researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who looked at home sales — both homes with photovoltaic systems and homes without — in California over an eight-and-a-half-year period ending in mid-2009. The abstract of their study states, “the analysis finds strong evidence that California homes with PV systems have sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems.

The premium ranged from $3.90 to $6.40 per watt of capacity, but tended most often to be about $5.50 per watt. This, the study said, “corresponds to a home sales price premium of approximately $17,000 for a relatively new 3,100-watt PV system (the average size of PV systems in the study).”

And the bottom line: “These average sales price premiums appear to be comparable to the investment that homeowners have made to install PV systems in California, which from 2001 through 2009 averaged approximately $5/watt.”

If the California findings can be extrapolated nationally, it would mean that the owners of 139,000 homes can collect a premium at resale time. For those who promote photovoltaic systems, it is a second line of defense against the argument (and reality) that the initial cost of installing the solar means using it for many years before the savings on electricity are enough to pay back the investment.

But there is a caveat. Homeowners who install solar on existing houses get nearly three times the premium of homeowners whose house came with solar panels. The study speculates about the reasons, suggesting that “new home builders may also gain value from PV as a market differentiator, and have therefore often tended to sell PV as a standard (as opposed to an optional) product on their homes and perhaps been willing to accept a lower premium in return for faster sales velocity.”

Residential solar installations have been growing at an average 51 percent rate annually for the last five years, according to Larry Sherwood, a consultant to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, a nonprofit group that works on helping interested parties navigate various legal, technical and economic aspects of renewable energy. As of 2010, the total capacity of these systems was 677 megawatts, he said. (His most recent report can be found here.)

And Jared Blanton, a spokesman for the Solar Energy Industries Association, reports that in 2010, the residential market was 30 percent of the national solar PV market, above the utility market (28 percent) but behind commercial installations (42 percent).

A news release on Thursday from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said that over all, approximately 2,100 megawatts of grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems (residential and nonresidential) have been installed across the country, almost half of this total in California.

The growth in residential solar systems, of course, is taking place on a tiny base. About a tenth of a percent of all households have photovoltaic systems, and all solar systems combined — industrial and residential and everything else, as well as concentrated-solar plants in the California deserts — amount to about two-tenths of 1 percent of all renewable electricity in the country, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. Renewable electricity, in turn, makes up about 8 percent of the electricity used in this country. But the backers of solar power might talk about thousand-mile journeys beginning with a single step.

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Martin Davidson, Sandy Davidson hope to sell home in West Hollywood Hills

Director-writer Martin Davidson and his wife, residential and restaurant designer Sandy Davidson, have put their West Hollywood Hills home on the market at $1,995,000.

The 1940 house was designed for a sculptor, and the two-story living room served as a studio. The open-plan residence, with 1,864 square feet of living space, has a sky-lit dining room, a loft/bedroom, two offices with built-in furniture, a master bedroom suite and two bathrooms. A rounded deck with a mature tree in the middle leads to a lawn and swimming pool. There are panoramic views of the city and ocean.

This is the only house that the New York couple looked at when they arrived in L.A. They bought the property in 1975 for $120,000, according to public records. Their attraction to Art Deco and Midcentury modern inspired a remodel and renovations, including the streamline/modern built-in furniture.

Director Paul Mazursky shot the romantic comedy "Blume in Love" (1973) at the house. Davidson, 71, co-wrote and directed "Lords of Flatbush" (1974) and "Eddie and the Cruisers" (1983). Shirley Sherman and Lloyd Sherman of Westside Estate Agency, Malibu, are the listing agents.

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In South Delhi, a Home for Three Generations

From the moment they decided to build a house on a wide dusty street lined with eucalyptus trees in this teeming city of about 17 million people, Manit and Sonali Rastogi knew it would have to meet the needs of not only six different people, but three different generations.

Multi-generational households were once quite common in India, but the tradition has faded somewhat among the upper class as the country has modernized, especially in families concerned about the messy squabbles that might arise over varying lifestyles.

But the Rastogis, the co-founders of the architectural firm Morphogenesis, wanted to mix the best of both worlds — maintaining their independence and a degree of privacy while having their children, ages 12 and 15, grow up around their grandparents.

The three generations of Rastogis — the couple, their children and Mr. Rastogi’s parents — now live in a 15,594-square-foot house on three levels in Panchsheel Park, a well-heeled neighborhood of South Delhi. The building, which has a facade of limestone and Ipe wood, cost about $620,000 to build and was completed in December 2006.

The Rastogis say the living arrangement satisfies their needs. “Everybody really does need to have a space of their own and needs to interact at leisure and not just be in each other’s face the whole time,” said Ms. Rastogi, 43.

The couple designed the house to accommodate the three generations. As the grandparents, ages 72 and 68, become unable to climb the stairs, the house design will adapt to those needs. And while their young children enjoy having a small terrace next to their adjoining bedrooms — so they can spy on each other — they will likely demand more privacy in a few years. “This is our laboratory,” said Mr. Rastogi, 41. “And we’re living in our experiment.”

The Rastogis set out to design a home that would have shared intergenerational spaces like the family room, kitchen and dining areas, but also places to retreat when family members needed privacy. Then there are the shortcuts for the children — the wood-and-steel spiral staircase that quickly brings them down to their grandparents’ quarters on the lower level.

“The children form the link between the two generations most efficiently,” Ms. Rastogi said. “We realize that over a period of time, generations will age, so we have ensured that there is a direct quick shortcut method for the parents also to come up whenever they want.”

The house is entered through a huge black wrought iron gate, which is manned around the clock by a security guard. The house opens up into a foyer, which, in turn, leads to the kitchen and the rest of the house, including an indoor garden. The house, which they have fondly named N85 after its address, took 18 months to build.

The couple also designed the building to house their architectural firm, which is attached to the home but reached through a separate entrance. Mr. Rastogi said the couple is always is design mode and multitasking, and it was important for their house to reflect that concept.

“We were just not able to do all the multiplicity of things from where we were before,” he said. There are a couple of private pathways from their home to their busy ground-floor office, which is visited by as many as 100 people each day.

The house gets ample sunlight from its many large windows. But the ceiling is also dotted with circular skylights, which track the sun’s movement at different times of the day and focus the beam on an internal garden so that it gets sun naturally. And if they are in the mood for wide open sky, there is always the rooftop swimming pool, which attracts a wide range of wildlife — parrots, peacocks, monkeys and bats. “The bats play a game on the pool at twilight, coming and just touching the water and swooping off back into the air,” Ms. Rastogi said. “My son loves it.”

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Illumination paves the way for a funky living room

These days, if you want to keep up with the Joneses or even outdo them, then you must have some sort of hard hitting financial firepower – or plenty of creativity, of course. When it comes to taste in home furniture, that is a very subjective topic, but Hammacher might let you have a winner on your hands with the aptly named Illuminottoman. Gotta love the creative slant to its name, that’s for sure.

This weatherproof ottoman will be at home (no pun intended) indoors as well as outdoors, illuminating with a color-changing soft glow or a vibrant luminescence. With a grand total of 58 LEDs within the leg rest to produce green, white, red, blue, yellow, purple, or light blue hues, you can always make full use of the included remote control to adjust the brightness to three different levels.

The more settled among you might want the ottoman to cast a constant glow in one color, while others might opt for transitioning seamlessly through the hues, or have it flash quickly in each shade if you’re throwing a party. With a 3-hour timer and a rechargeable battery that delivers up to eight hours of light after a six-hour charge, your party will be the most colorful on the block. The Illuminottoman can be yours for $149.95, so getting a bunch of these ain’t gonna come cheap, either.

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Tiny classroom furniture in primary schools is a health hazard for teachers

A survey has shown that two-thirds of workers in primary school and early years have received treatment for back and joint problems as a result of working in child-sized environments. More than two-thirds of those taking part in the survey had taken time off because of work related joint or back pain.

The study of more than 700 teachers found that lifting children, working at child-height computers and desks as well as standing all day was contributing to their ills. One teacher said she had to lie down on the floor at break time and others had left to teach older, taller pupils.

The research, whose findings were revealed in the Times Educational Supplement, was carried out by Lorna Taylor, a physiotherapist, and the Voice union for education. They believe a teacher will spend an average of 20,000 hours sitting on furniture designed for children over a 30-year career.

Ms Taylor said: "There's an attitude that it's part of the job – they accept back pain and take painkillers to keep going. "It's taboo to complain. People don't want to be seen as whingeing or letting their team down. I don't know who's been planning these classrooms, but no one's thought about this issue properly."Philip Parkin, general secretary of Voice, said: "Primary and early-years settings are naturally designed for children, but more thought needs to go into the needs of the adults who there, too."

He said that every workplace was legally obliged to have a reporting system for injuries and that teachers should let someone know about any aches and pains. "If these were people working in county hall or any office, these issues would be taken seriously or not happen in the first place."

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Furniture and electrical sales slide

People also drank less in bars last month with bar sales down 2.6% in February compared with the previous month. Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) called on the Government to speedily implement a series of reform measures to allow Irish retailers to adjust their cost base. REI chief executive, David Fitzsimons, said Ireland’s retail industry is in the 38th consecutive month of decline.

"February saw the rate of retail sales decline increase again. One of the leading reasons for this trend is the introduction of the Universal Social Charge. "Reforms, such as banning upwards-only rent reviews and modernising the industry wage-setting mechanisms, will be crucial if large sections of Ireland’s retail industry is to survive.

"With retail sales continuing to fall, retailers must be facilitated in adjusting their cost base to the hugely changed trading environment," said Mr Fitzsimons. Chambers Ireland said that the decrease in the volume of retail sales in February once again highlights the pressures retailers face at this time. Chambers Ireland deputy chief executive Seán Murphy said retailers need costs, such as local government rates and charges, reduced further. "Any cost savings local authorities achieve must be passed back on to hard-pressed retailers in the form of rate reductions now," he said.

Overall the volume of Irish retail sales rose 3.2% in February from the previous month and fell 0.7% from a year earlier. However, excluding car sales, which have been boosted by an extended scrappage scheme, retail sales fell 0.3% on the month and dropped 3.2% compared with a year ago. Last year retail sales rose 1% and economists expect retail sales to grow 1.8% this year, according to the latest Reuters poll.

Chief bond economist with AIB Global Treasury, Oliver Mangan, said the strong February figure reflects good car sales on the month and "... when you strip that out, core retail sales are sluggish enough and have been flat to declining in recent months," he said. Davy economist, Conall Mac Coille, said the outlook for consumer spending remains weak.

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'I was getting headaches . . . my clothes and furniture have been wrecked'

JOHN KINSELLA moved his bed into his kitchen when the dark-green and black mould reached four feet up his bedroom walls. “I was getting headaches from sleeping in there,” he says, pointing to the fungus, which is almost reaching the light-switch on the wall.

A potent, musty smell is the first impression as he leads on to the bathroom, which he says he avoids using as much as possible. Mushrooms up to four inches across are sprouting from the skirting board around the floor by the toilet.

Mr Kinsella moved into the one-bedroom dwelling in the Tor an Rí estate in Balgaddy in September 2008. “There have been leaks almost since I moved in. I have never had hot water here and I have to keep the windows open most of the time because of the sewage smells.”

In the open-plan living area he points to water marks down the walls and all over the ceiling. He has been sleeping on a mattress on the kitchen floor for the past year, due to the mould affecting the walls in his bedroom. “My clothes and furniture have been wrecked by it too.”

He says he has had constant colds since moving in and says his landlord, South Dublin County Council, has responded intermittently to his requests for the damp to be addressed. He says now he just wants to be rehoused.

A few doors away, Mary Cooney moved into her house four years ago. Again one is struck by a damp, musty smell upon entering her two-bedroom home. She points out dark-yellow damp marks over the living room ceiling, particularly around the central light, which she says she has been unable to use since Christmas.

“There is damp all over the ceilings and upstairs too. The damp runs down the walls when it rains, so there’s no point putting shelves or pictures up. The council came out and looked at the roof outside but they haven’t been back yet.”

Her mother Brigid Cooney (59) lives nearby and also moved in four years ago. There’s dark green mould on her bathroom walls and she says the ceiling in the bathroom collapsed five months ago. It has been fixed by the council. Marks left by water flowing down the living room wall are clearly visible. “Whenever it rains there are pools of water coming down the walls to the floor.

“I am sick, sick, sick of it. I’d like to put my own colour on the walls and hang up my photos of the grandchildren. I can’t. I can’t put lino on my floor. I do get depressed because it’s all that’s been happening since I moved in. I just feel like the place is filthy all the time.”

In the Meile an Rí area, Deborah Gaffney is standing in her doorway as we pass. Asked her views on the area she says she “felt like [she’d] won the Lotto” when she moved in. “Now look at the state of the place,” she says, pointing to damp marks on exterior walls, plaster crumbling away. “I love living here but the houses are falling to pieces. The smell of sewage every summer is awful. My daughter won’t bring friends home she’s so ashamed of it. It’s so sad really.”

South Dublin County Council said it was working with all tenants to resolve issues. “The overall scheme is properly designed and constructed, particular building faults are, as previously stated, being evaluated and addressed on a house-by-house basis.”

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What You Get for ... $280,000

WHAT: A town house with two bedrooms and two-and-a-half-baths HOW MUCH: $269,000 SIZE: 1,380 square feet (estimated) PER SQUARE FOOT: $194.93

SETTING: This stand-alone town house is in Thomas Square, a neighborhood just south of 30-acre Forsyth Park. Since the neighborhood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, many of its homes — including this one — have been renovated. There are several art galleries within a half-mile, and shops, restaurants and grocers around Forsyth Park (including a farmers’ market inside the park itself).

INSIDE: Built circa 1910, the house was renovated by the owner, who bought it as a shell in 2004. Enough of the original heart pine flooring remained to install it throughout the main level. Other salvaged materials include chalkboard slate in the sunroom and glass Vitrolite tile, taken from a condemned building, in one of the bathrooms. On the main level, a long open living area, once two distinct parlors, leads to a kitchen and an adjacent sunroom with floor-to-ceiling windows. The two bedrooms, both upstairs, have en suite bathrooms, one with a walk-in shower stall, the other with a salvaged claw-foot tub.

OUTDOOR SPACE: Off the dining room, there’s a deck with a metal pergola. TAXES: $1,666 annually (estimated) CONTACT: Scott Hinson, for sale by owner (912) 484-2840; historicproperties. ST. LOUIS WHAT: A three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath house HOW MUCH: $279,900 SIZE: 1,904 square feet PER SQUARE FOOT: $147

SETTING: This house is in Compton Heights, a neighborhood of brick homes set on curving streets in southern St. Louis that dates back to the late 1890s. The house is about two blocks from Compton Hill Reservoir Park, a 36-acre space containing playgrounds, decorative fountains and a nearly 200-foot-tall water tower built in the late 1800s. South Grand Boulevard, a mix of the alluring (martini bars) and the everyday (barber shops), is a half-mile away.

INSIDE: The house was built in 1921, and has been occupied by the owner for over 25 years. The main level is built around a center hall, with a living room (and fireplace) on one side, and a dining room and kitchen on the other. There’s a sunroom off the living room. All the woodwork — including the floors — is original, and the kitchen retains its original glass tiles. Off the master bedroom is an office, reached through a set of French doors. The finished third floor could be used as a playroom or an office.

OUTDOOR SPACE: There’s a deck accessible by the sunroom and kitchen. There are also front, back and side yards. TAXES: $2,986 CONTACT: Dawn Griffin, Circa Properties (314) 413-7086; 2941russell. SEATTLE

WHAT: A one-bedroom, one-bath co-op HOW MUCH: $268,000 SIZE: 734 square feet PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $365.12 SETTING: This 1909 building is in Eastlake, a neighborhood on the eastern side of Lake Union. The area is residential, with many smaller, early-20th century apartment buildings, duplexes and triplexes.

Eastlake Avenue, two blocks away, is lined with restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, florists and home décor boutiques. The University of Washington campus is about five minutes away by car.

INSIDE: This second-floor unit is one of 21 in the building. At one end of the apartment, there’s a living and dining room with a closet, a bay window and an arched doorway leading out to a deck. At the other, there is a bedroom with a closet and view of Lake Union. A bathroom and a kitchen separate the two spaces. The walls are 22 inches thick, which, according to the agent, helps keep the building quiet. The unit comes with a storage locker in the basement.

OUTDOOR SPACE: There’s a deck off the living and dining room. The building also has a front porch, and a communal patio that can be reserved for parties.

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Towers Built for the Poor Hear Call of the Condo

For generations of space-starved New Yorkers, Cobble Hill Towers has been an affordable oasis. More than 130 years ago, its architect, Alfred Tredway White, designed its nine low-rise, red-brick buildings to demonstrate that housing for the poor could be both humane and economically feasible. The buildings were known for their distinctive wrought-iron breezeways and features that were considered amenities at the time, like cross ventilation and access to sunlight. Rents were $1.50 to $2 a week. Today, the buildings are perhaps better known for a less attractive feature: the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which was built in the 1950s and sits right across the street.

Still, the realities of real estate have finally arrived at Cobble Hill Towers, as it goes through the gallstonelike and quintessentially New York process of conversion. In 2008, Frank Farella, the local developer who brought the property back from the brink in the 1970s, formed a joint venture with Hudson Companies to turn Cobble Hill Towers into condominiums. A number of rent-stabilized tenants have already taken buyouts and left, and renters who remain have until March 22 to decide whether to accept an offer to buy in at a discounted price for so-called insiders.

So far, the 188-unit building has accepted offers from nine residents, said Debbie Bhatt, Hudson Companies’ project manager for the towers. Residents who do not take a buyout or buy-in can remain as tenants, and Hudson estimated that about half the building will do so.

Amanda and Jonas Abry said the deal offered them a rare chance. “We never, ever thought we would be able to buy in the neighborhood,” said Ms. Abry, who added that they were paying less than $500,000 for the two-bedroom apartment she, her husband and their 2-year-old son, Elijah, live in. “We never were able to save that much money.”

They currently pay a market-rate $2,500 a month in rent, she said, adding that they had thought of the apartment as “one of those places where you may be able to rent, but just not buy where you live.”

Ms. Abry said her family was happy with the apartment because it was newly renovated when they arrived in June 2009. Most apartments there are walkups, but the Abrys have a ground-floor apartment so they do not have to carry Elijah up stairs. Their apartment also sits on the building’s inner courtyard, which Ms. Abry said makes her feel as if she is living on a college quad.

Ms. Bhatt wrote in an e-mail that the insider’s price for each apartment was “based on its layout, location in the complex and views” and that the average offer, if enough people bought apartments, could drop to $459 per square foot, “a fantastic opportunity when the Cobble Hill market” is $800 per square foot.

But there are also residents who say they have been soured by the buying process. Some tenants pooled $6,400 to hire an independent engineer, who reported that the building needed $6 million in repairs, including new roofs, windows, balconies and stairs. Hudson said that the developer had committed to making most of those changes, but that it had not agreed to replace balcony drains and cellar and crawl-space floors. “We just drew our line at taking care of lots and lots of things and not feeling that some items they mentioned were worthy of replacement,” said David Kramer, a Hudson principal.

Carl Rosenstock, a resident since 1997, said he wanted to buy at Cobble Hill Towers. At first he was offered a price of $300,000 for his one-bedroom, or about $627 a square foot. He estimated that the apartment needed $50,000 to $75,000 in updates.

Ms. Bhatt said the latest insider price for the apartment could become $270,000, but Mr. Rosenstock said he found an even better opportunity: he bought a two-bedroom condo in Park Slope that records show cost him $527 a square foot. He has already moved into his new home and is getting ready to return his keys at Cobble Hill Towers. “You’re talking about a fourth-floor walkup with a view of the B.Q.E.,” he said about his old apartment. “I ended up with a duplex and a backyard patio.”

Parental Assistance: For New Yorkers wondering how their underemployed friends can afford a SoHo loft or a Park Avenue Classic Six, one comment on the real estate section of the parenting blog Urban Baby gives a clue:

“I posted a few weeks ago about my guilt around having my family subsidize my life by giving me enough money to buy a new larger apartment in Manhattan. I always wondered what friends or colleagues secretly thought but by hearing from anon strangers who had no need to ‘be nice,’ I realized that people don’t think less of me (I do work and we pay our monthly bills) and I should shut up and enjoy it. “It has been genuinely more liberating for me than years of therapy, so THANK YOU UBERS!!!”

And That’s Not All: Apartment 47G at the Excelsior on East 57th Street has 2 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, expansive East River views, a sauna and 4,800 square feet of terrace spaces that “conjure lawn bowling, a pergola and daydreaming.” Topping it all off is a private glass-enclosed “skytop” pool.

Still, the lure of the high life has not spared the apartment from price cuts. Halstead first listed it in summer 2009 for $5.75 million. Sotheby’s could not sell it either, and now Core is looking for swimmers and sunbathers with $4.75 million.

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Towers Built for the Poor Hear Call of the Condo

For generations of space-starved New Yorkers, Cobble Hill Towers has been an affordable oasis. More than 130 years ago, its architect, Alfred Tredway White, designed its nine low-rise, red-brick buildings to demonstrate that housing for the poor could be both humane and economically feasible. The buildings were known for their distinctive wrought-iron breezeways and features that were considered amenities at the time, like cross ventilation and access to sunlight. Rents were $1.50 to $2 a week. Today, the buildings are perhaps better known for a less attractive feature: the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which was built in the 1950s and sits right across the street.

Still, the realities of real estate have finally arrived at Cobble Hill Towers, as it goes through the gallstonelike and quintessentially New York process of conversion. In 2008, Frank Farella, the local developer who brought the property back from the brink in the 1970s, formed a joint venture with Hudson Companies to turn Cobble Hill Towers into condominiums. A number of rent-stabilized tenants have already taken buyouts and left, and renters who remain have until March 22 to decide whether to accept an offer to buy in at a discounted price for so-called insiders.

So far, the 188-unit building has accepted offers from nine residents, said Debbie Bhatt, Hudson Companies’ project manager for the towers. Residents who do not take a buyout or buy-in can remain as tenants, and Hudson estimated that about half the building will do so.

Amanda and Jonas Abry said the deal offered them a rare chance. “We never, ever thought we would be able to buy in the neighborhood,” said Ms. Abry, who added that they were paying less than $500,000 for the two-bedroom apartment she, her husband and their 2-year-old son, Elijah, live in. “We never were able to save that much money.”

They currently pay a market-rate $2,500 a month in rent, she said, adding that they had thought of the apartment as “one of those places where you may be able to rent, but just not buy where you live.”

Ms. Abry said her family was happy with the apartment because it was newly renovated when they arrived in June 2009. Most apartments there are walkups, but the Abrys have a ground-floor apartment so they do not have to carry Elijah up stairs. Their apartment also sits on the building’s inner courtyard, which Ms. Abry said makes her feel as if she is living on a college quad.

Ms. Bhatt wrote in an e-mail that the insider’s price for each apartment was “based on its layout, location in the complex and views” and that the average offer, if enough people bought apartments, could drop to $459 per square foot, “a fantastic opportunity when the Cobble Hill market” is $800 per square foot.

But there are also residents who say they have been soured by the buying process. Some tenants pooled $6,400 to hire an independent engineer, who reported that the building needed $6 million in repairs, including new roofs, windows, balconies and stairs. Hudson said that the developer had committed to making most of those changes, but that it had not agreed to replace balcony drains and cellar and crawl-space floors. “We just drew our line at taking care of lots and lots of things and not feeling that some items they mentioned were worthy of replacement,” said David Kramer, a Hudson principal.

Carl Rosenstock, a resident since 1997, said he wanted to buy at Cobble Hill Towers. At first he was offered a price of $300,000 for his one-bedroom, or about $627 a square foot. He estimated that the apartment needed $50,000 to $75,000 in updates.

Ms. Bhatt said the latest insider price for the apartment could become $270,000, but Mr. Rosenstock said he found an even better opportunity: he bought a two-bedroom condo in Park Slope that records show cost him $527 a square foot. He has already moved into his new home and is getting ready to return his keys at Cobble Hill Towers. “You’re talking about a fourth-floor walkup with a view of the B.Q.E.,” he said about his old apartment. “I ended up with a duplex and a backyard patio.”

Parental Assistance: For New Yorkers wondering how their underemployed friends can afford a SoHo loft or a Park Avenue Classic Six, one comment on the real estate section of the parenting blog Urban Baby gives a clue:

“I posted a few weeks ago about my guilt around having my family subsidize my life by giving me enough money to buy a new larger apartment in Manhattan. I always wondered what friends or colleagues secretly thought but by hearing from anon strangers who had no need to ‘be nice,’ I realized that people don’t think less of me (I do work and we pay our monthly bills) and I should shut up and enjoy it. “It has been genuinely more liberating for me than years of therapy, so THANK YOU UBERS!!!”

And That’s Not All: Apartment 47G at the Excelsior on East 57th Street has 2 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, expansive East River views, a sauna and 4,800 square feet of terrace spaces that “conjure lawn bowling, a pergola and daydreaming.” Topping it all off is a private glass-enclosed “skytop” pool.

Still, the lure of the high life has not spared the apartment from price cuts. Halstead first listed it in summer 2009 for $5.75 million. Sotheby’s could not sell it either, and now Core is looking for swimmers and sunbathers with $4.75 million.

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Recording an album in your bedroom

Be prepared for a new generation of musicians who create magnificent pieces of music from the most comfortable place on earth: Their bedroom. Armed with a laptop and simple musical instruments, these amateur musicians are brave for entering the harsh music industry from performing live in front of their pillows.

They haven't seemed to give much thought to album releases or music distribution. As long as they have a fast Internet connection in their bedroom, all problems will be settled. If not, they can just contact netlabels that will gladly do the hard work for them for free.

Among the options, there is Jakarta-based netlabel Inmyroom Records, which was set up to accommodate the needs of bedroom musicians. No one knows the current number of bedroom musicians in Indonesia. But many people believe that the number continues to grow as the Internet is getting easier to access and software is becoming more user friendly.

Ridwan Yuniardhika, the founder of Inmyroom Records, believes the existence of bedroom musicians in Indonesia dates back to early 2000 when the Internet boom was happening. "It all started from a hobby. People who like to play music and do it in their bedrooms," he said.

There are 35 artists currently affiliated with Inmyrooms Records. "The enthusiasm is there. We are still receiving around 20 demo tracks for upcoming releases," said Ganesha Mahendra, who is also the founder of the netlabel.

Some of these bedroom musicians have low-quality recordings and so-so music, but others have offered masterpieces, bringing them into the industry spotlight. Adhitia Sofyan is a good example of a bedroom musician-turned-professional, receiving job offers to perform on local and international stages. So get in your room and start playing music, folks.

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Chicago Flower and Garden Show 2011 Goes Sustainable

Chicago Flower and Garden Show 2011 was a breath of "green" Spring air. Featured this year at the event were several incredible displays of green and sustainable garden solutions which helped consumers see how they might apply green living ideas in their gardens.

Above you see a special fountain at the Aquascape Inc. garden display. While it looks like rock, it is actually made of made from post-consumer recycled plastics. Putting the fountain on top of a rain water collection system is a super green garden idea. Contact the Aquascape Inc team via their website to learn more.

Below you see the Conservation Home displays featured by The Conservation Foundation promoting the use of rain water, native plants, and organic gardening. The sustainable chicken display was delightful to see as many cities allow you to own your own chickens now and they offer a lot of "green" value for your investment. You can compost the chicken waste for your garden beds, plus having the organic chicken eggs every morning for your family is simply priceless!

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Living Room new concept for Crystal Lake

One of the owners of a former nightclub in Schaumburg is reinventing the concept for Crystal Lake and believes his dream that’s been 10 years in the making will fill a niche in the community. Robin Ahmed started out at the Living Room as a doorman in 1998 after becoming bored flying commercial planes six days a week. Before it closed in 2007, Ahmed had found his wife, started a family, owned a portion of the business and started plotting about running a new version elsewhere.

“The Living Room changed my life,” said Ahmed, 40. “This is my dream, to open another Living Room. I want to bring a sexy night out to McHenry County.”He believes he’s found the right spot — the former Porter’s Oyster Bar at 446 W. Virginia St. — for his combination steak and chophouse, martini lounge and VIP room.

“What this county needs isn’t just a good eatery,” Ahmed said. “It needs a place you can finish your evening no matter what the occasion. “Lakewood, Woodstock, Crystal Lake, Barrington, Bull Valley, Elgin — all these places have the 25 to 35 year olds covered,” Ahmed said. “That older crowd doesn’t have a place to go.”

He and many former Living Room employees from Schaumburg are renovating the building, something he learned a thing or two about since he started buying older properties in Dubai, rehabbing and selling them after the restaurant closed.

The concept is to offer dining in a restaurant featuring high-end steaks, seafood and wine, live music and martinis in the lounge, and finally dancing in the C.R.U.S.H. VIP Room. Although all ages in any attire will be welcome to the restaurant, the martini lounge and nightclub will be geared toward the 24 and older crowd and have a dress code. More than 40 couches will create a living room-like experience, Ahmed said.

Arlington Heights resident Barb Holmes, 41, frequently visited the Schaumburg location. “I didn’t feel too old or too young,” she said. “I’m very excited to hear it’s opening up in Crystal Lake. Us 40 somethings need a place too.”

Chicago resident Tracy Geving, 41, agreed. “It’s nice to have a place to go and not feel too old to be out,” she said. With any nightclub, problems can arise, so Ahmed said he’s working closely with the Crystal Lake Police Department and has hired a security staff of 15 to check IDs and create a safe environment.

“It’s always important to be close to the security personnel and police with an establishment like this. If we’re not on the same page, it’s going to be hard for me,” he said. The concept is new to Crystal Lake, leading police to keep a close eye, Deputy Police Chief Eugene Lowery said.

“We’ve had numerous conversations with the owners of the new Crystal Lake location, and we don’t expect any problems,” he said. Schaumburg Police Sgt. John Nebl said the former location never had problems. City officials see potential in the new business. “I’m interested to see how it pans out,” Mayor Aaron Shepley said. “I haven’t heard anything but good. I hope it’s every bit as successful as it was in Schaumburg.”

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European Modern Furniture from Domodinamica, Italia

Are you looking for a statement piece that you not only sit on, but one that you can talk about? For furniture with an ultra modern flair, check out these cool finds by Italian furniture maker Domodinamica. These European modern furnishings are “outside the box” pieces boasting unconventional shapes, colors and finishes. Inspired by art, and playful by design, this Italian furniture design company has more than 10 years under its belt, and in that time has established itself as the no-fail cure for the mundane.

From the Morfeo pull-out sofa with built-in lighting, to the Calla arm chair that literally can wraps its flexible arms around you, this is European modern furniture with a twist. The Autumn bookcase shatters convention with its unique shelving concept. The Swing chair will leave your head spinning with its awesome swivel design, and let’s not forget about the Pastille, which is your footrest, stool and side table, all in one. To view the full collection, visit Domodinamica.

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Chef builds kitchen of chocolate and sugar

He has built a 20-foot-tall skyscraper of chocolate in New York, a 22-foot-tall chocolate Christmas tree in Hong Kong and a 1,250-pound chocolate cake on "The Martha Stewart Show."And now chef Alain Roby's latest foray into extreme sweetness is a life-size chocolate kitchen in downtown Geneva.

Roby, 55, is a master pastry chef and Food Network regular who has concocted sweet creations for royalty and dignitaries around the world. Now, the French-born Roby is following his passion of constructing amazing works of chocolate and sugar in Geneva, where he and his family have lived for 10 years.

"I like breaking the records and crossing the lines," he said recently, as he worked on more chocolate molds at the display space at 507 S. Third St. "As you build something that has never been done, it pushes you to explore, to push the envelope."Roby, formerly the senior pastry chef for Hyatt Hotels, holds two Guinness World Records designations for tallest chocolate building (20 feet, 8 inches) and tallest cooked sugar building (12 feet, 10 inches). He is hoping Guinness officials will make the trip to visit his kitchen, a replica of his home kitchen. Cabinets, a stove, a sink, a tiled backsplash, teapots and dishes — all are made from more than 2,000 pounds of donated chocolate and sugar.

A few women stopped by the space on a recent Friday morning, oohing and ahhing at the kitchen and checking out the different confections he has for sale. Roby also has a life-size chocolate Blackhawks player, astronaut and dinosaur on display, along with a cookbook he wrote.

"I've always told the people that have worked for me that we are in show business," Roby said. "Yes, the food has to be great, but you also have to make it an experience."

Roby said that the celebrity chef phenomenon has led to an increased awareness among the passers-by who stop in, looking for the drama that they see in the kitchens on their televisions. Average Americans now eat up cooking shows on channels such as the Food Network and aren't intimidated by terms such as blown sugar, Roby said. In recent years, Roby has made several appearances as judge on Food Network challenges and has been featured on specials such as "Extreme Pastry" and "Sugar Rush."

Roby set out to build a life-size kitchen after he decided he wanted to raise awareness for a charity dear to him and his wife, Esther Roby: the Saving Tiny Hearts Society.

Roby became involved with the organization after his son Jonathan collapsed at age 16 on a football field in Geneva in 2007. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, which was treated. He's now a college student.

But as the Robys dealt with their son's condition, they were surprised to discover that congenital heart defects are the No. 1 birth defect and that one of every 125 babies is born with a heart defect. Roby decided to raise awareness and money for the grass-roots volunteer organization that funds research by doing what he does best: constructing extreme creations of chocolate. A portion of all the proceeds of sales from the cookbook and the store goes to Saving Tiny Hearts.

Jonathan Roby said he used to take for granted the incredible creations his father would construct for birthdays and Halloween, such as gigantic birthday cakes and huge sugar ghosts. Once, his dad asked to borrow a toy gorilla, he said, and when he went to his dad's workplace weeks later, he found a life-size gorilla made of chocolate.

"It's always been that way. He gets an idea, and then he is taking on some new challenge. But I no longer take it for granted that he has the ability to make masterpieces of chocolate and sugar," Jonathan Roby said.

The process of building the kitchen started last year with chocolate donated by Callebaut. Roby melted the chocolate into molds he designed, then connected the pieces by using more chocolate. The dishes were made of sugar, and the tiles made to look like tiles by glazing and sculpting. It took months to do, and Roby still has to tweak it now and then. One recent day, he was bustling to repair a door that had cracked. Roby said the chocolate won't melt unless temperatures reach into the 90s.

He said that while the artistry of the kitchen is a challenge, the engineering it takes to build can be just as complicated. When he is executing his visions, he is in a zone, he said. Jonathan Roby described him as looking like a scientist figuring out equations in his head.

"I don't hear anything, I don't see anybody," Alain Roby said. "It's like I'm a movie director making sure that all the parts come together. Then, you just hope it is well-received."

The response to the kitchen has been enthusiastic, and the local developer who donated the open retail space in a development downtown is allowing Roby to stay through the spring. Jean Gaines, president of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, called the chocolate kitchen a unique destination for Geneva residents and visitors that added something special downtown during the Christmas season.

Roby said that after he is finished with his all-chocolate kitchen project, he is sure he'll have another extreme chocolate challenge to tackle. "It's in my blood," he said. "I don't have blood. I have chocolate running through my veins."

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Furniture Sector

Furniture sector is one of the oldest sectors in the region, and has flourished during the last few years to become one of the major promising Palestinian industrial sectors. Prior to the political crisis and economic recession beginning in 2000, the sector witnessed the establishment of many firms as a result of the growth of the Palestinian economy and the development of this industry to include new categories like interior design, hospitality and commercial furnishings. In addition, advancements took place in design and manufacturing. More than 67% of local manufacturers are specialized in home furniture production, 21% are specialized producing office furniture, and almost 12% producing construction related components.

The industry has developed significantly to include 1100 establishments that utilize high manufacturing techniques and employ more than 10,000 labors, the estimated annual sales of manufacturers is estimated at US$ 110 million; where around 50% of that is destined to Israel for sale in the Israeli market or export to other markets, It is also worth to note that the sector has recently faced a dramatic recession due to the closure of Gaza trade terminals, while there has been some temporary growth in the West Bank.

Strengths of the furniture sector are mainly typified in high carpentry workmanship skills, good factory conditions, fine quality of produced furniture and the newly emerged Palestinian original designs. Opportunities for furniture sector are foreseen in development of new original and ethic designs, accessing target market with appropriate marketing tactics, upgrading utilized technologies and techniques to further increase competitiveness of products.

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House Tour: Pound Ridge, N.Y.

WHAT A four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath house with 3,771 square feet and a detached two-car garage on 3.5 acres. ABOUT Open living spaces combined with charming nooks make this cedar-shingle house feel like a European farmhouse. The kitchen is in its own wing and features a floor-to-ceiling hearth with an antique mantel. Two banks of large windows offer, in one direction, views of stone walls, mature trees and the property’s pond; and in the opposite, the home’s interior stone courtyard. From the kitchen, across a brick landing, is a sprawling, informal living area with a dining area surrounded by windows.

At the heart of the house is the original parlor from 1769. Intimate in size and suitable as a library, it has a large fireplace and a Dutch door with the original hardware. The walls, coffered ceiling and stair banister leading to the second floor feature hand-hewn wooden planks and beams. Beyond the parlor, through pocket doors, is a sun-filled guest suite with courtyard access.

On the second floor are a laundry room, the master bedroom and two additional bedrooms. The master bedroom is defined by vaulted ceilings and architectural details like a round window. Its bathroom includes a claw-foot tub. Also on the property is what was once a small barn but is now the garage.

THE AREA The house is in Westchester County, about 50 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Village services are 3.5 miles away in Pound Ridge and 9 miles away in New Canaan, Conn. Trails, water access and other outdoor recreation are attractions at the 4,315-acre Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, about 10 minutes’ drive from the house. THE MARKET Properties in this area typically list for between $1.2 and $4 million.

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Chance to win a new living room

Imagine winning a living room makeover complete with furnishings, flooring, paint, accessories and labour. Thanks to Summerside Home Furniture and Callbeck's Home Hardware, that dream will come true for one lucky person.

The two city stores, in partnership with the Journal Pioneer and Ocean 100, have come up with the $10,000 Dream Living Room Makeover Contest. “I don't think there are too many people that couldn't use a $10,000 new living room makeover, myself included,” said Home Furniture manager David MacDonald.

He sees the contest as a way to cross-promote the stores. “What we are trying to do is become a one-stop shop for everything. You can basically build your whole home from foundation up with us.”There are several ways to enter the contest, which runs until April 9.

You can fill out a ballot at Callbeck's Home Hardware or Home Furniture while the Journal Pioneer and Ocean 100 are holding online contests where people can submit photos of their outdated living rooms for judging.

Twenty qualifiers from each of the contest partners will be selected to take part in an elimination draw on April 16 at 11 a.m. in the Hot Spot at Waterfront Mall. “When we get to the final 10 we are going to do a reverse draw,” explained MacDonald. “The last one in the pot is going to be the person that is going to win.”

There will also be prizes, yet to be determined, for the final 10 finalists. The winner will receive a three-piece leather Canadian-made furniture set valued at $4,000 from Home Furniture and select items such as coffee and end tables, rug, lamps and accessories for their new living room. At Callbeck's Home Hardware, the winner will select paint and laminate flooring to complete their new look, with help provided by the stores' interior designers.

“You don't have to do a thing,” said MacDonald. “We'll lay the floors and we're going to paint it and pull it all together.”Entries are already flooding in at both stores, he said. “The more times you get your name in, the better the chance that it is picked out,” he added. “We're hoping this could be an annual event.”

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Gallery Furniture fire trial set to start

The man accused of burning one of Houston's most recognizable retail icons — Mattress Mack's Gallery Furniture store — is expected to go to trial this week in a Harris County courtroom.

Robert Carroll Gillham, 68, wants to take the extraordinary step of serving as his own lawyer in the high-profile case. Gillham, a former Gallery employee, is expected to "vehemently" defend himself in the trial, his attorney said last week.

He is accused of setting ablaze a warehouse at the Houston institution, causing more than $20 million in damage nearly two years ago. "Yes, there was an arson," said Gillham's current court-appointed attorney Brett Podolsky. "The issue is the identity of the arsonist, and Mr. Gillham vehemently declares his innocence."

Gillham, a former salesman, quickly emerged as the No. 1 suspect in the four-alarm fire on May 21, 2009, that damaged Jim McIngvale's flagship store and adjacent warehouse in the 6000 block of the North Freeway near Parker.

McIngvale has earned fame locally with his colorful commercials and self-imposed moniker of Mattress Mack. McIngvale also made headlines when he gave 22 Houston firefighters flat-screen televisions and other gifts after the fire. The firefighters had to give the gifts back because state law prohibits public servants from receiving gifts. After he was arrested, Gillham's bail was set at $500,000 because he told a relative visiting him in jail that he was going to kill McIngvale, prosecutors said.

Gillham has remained behind bars since his arrest. Pretrial hearings, set for Tuesday, have been delayed because the defendant has been hospitalized for an unknown illness.

Assistant Harris County District Attorney Steve Baldassano said he expects the trial to last about a week, depending on how Gillham defends himself. "I've never had a pro se defendant, I don't think ever," the 20-year prosecutor said. "I wouldn't feel comfortable representing myself."

Gillham began working at the store in 1989 and was fired Feb. 7, 2007, for allegedly running a de facto loan sharking business for fellow employees down on their luck. Charges of slashing other employees' tires were filed then dismissed against Gillham.

Months later, Gillham was accused of threatening an employee at the store, and the company obtained a restraining order against him. Gillham then solicited two former co-workers to burn down the store for about $3,000, according to court documents. They refused.

Gillham told a girlfriend he would do it himself, authorities said. If convicted, he faces a sentence ranging from probation to life in prison. He is being tried on first-degree criminal mischief, not arson, Baldassano said.

Arson, if no one is injured, is generally a second-degree felony with a punishment capped at 20 years. Criminal mischief with damage of more than $200,000 is a first-degree with a maximum of life behind bars.

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Malaysian Furniture: Export Quality, Local Prices

Malaysia actually produces export-quality furniture at very low prices, but its people only spend an average of RM120 a year on furniture, says Datuk Dr Tan Chin Huat, Managing Director of the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF).

Europeans, in contrast, spend an average of 400 euros while Americans on average spend some USD300 a year on furniture. "Furniture in Malaysia is very cheap. You can pay RM1,000 for a piece of furniture here, while the same piece can easily fetch RM1,600 in Taiwan and RM2,500 Hong Kong.

"However, many Malaysians still prefer to buy overseas products. That is why many local manufacturers are forced to export," he told Bernama in an interview on the upcoming MIFF next month.

Also present at the interview were Managing Director of MIECO Manufacturing Datuk Yong Seng Yeow and Jemaramas Jaya Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Roland Law.

GOOD EXPORT POTENTIAL IN ASIA

Tan says although Malaysia produces world-class furniture, a hefty 85 per cent of it are exported.

Statistics from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry show that the United States is the biggest importer of Malaysian-made furniture, with exports to the country totalling RM1,982.7 million between January and October last year. This is followed by Japan (RM573 million), Singapore (RM477 million) and the United Kingdom (RM407 million).

Malaysia's other top furniture export markets within the period are Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, India, Saudi Arabia and Germany.

Tan acknowledges the number of western countries in its top 10 export market. However, he feels that the Asian market should also be explored.

"Traditionally Asian countries tend to export to the west. They rarely look at their Asian neighbours. Actually, there is great potential there.

"China has about 1.3 billion people, and India's population has also reached a billion. There are around 550 million people in the ASEAN region as well."

He therefore urged the industry to explore non-traditional markets as such, and to even go as far as Russia.

"I think there's a good market potential there," he says.

The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) last month revealed that it approved 42 industry projects last year that created employment for 5,163 people. The projects garnered RM218 million in local investments and RM241.2 foreign investments. Of this was an investment of RM443 million on the furniture industry alone.

ADAPTING TO CHANGES

Meanwhile, Yong says the local industry has been able to compete with the rest of the world because of the reliability, quality, competitive pricing of its products.

"We are known for it too," he says.

Malaysia currently ranks number nine in the world in furniture exports.

He says the industry has come a long way from the cottage industry it was 30 years ago. Today, the industry boasts world-class manufacturers.

Aside from the 2009 global financial crisis that has hit the industry hard, the furniture industry today also faces challenges that hardly existed a few decades ago. How does it deal with scarcity of good timber and rising prices of materials like steel?

Tan says it is indeed a problem, but one that is faced by the industry worldwide. He says it is a matter of how fast one can adapt to the changes.

"No doubt, solid wood is depleting. But there are alternative material that can be used, that are also environmentally-friendly."

Yong himself is in a business of recycling waste materials from the industry to produce eco-friendly alternatives like Mieco's wooden panel and chipboard.

"I would say I'm like a "scavenger". Whatever people throw away, I take. This includes raw material like off-cuts and branches, so you can say that my materials are 'green'.

"Today, we can produce a comfortable and sturdy chair using less timber than in the olden days. For example, we can make kitchen worktops using chipboard instead of solid wood. The quality is just as good."

He says the speed at which industry players can adapt to the changes of material, design and even in marketing, also plays an important part in keeping alive in the industry.

KEEPING UP BY GOING GREEN

Going green is also part of keeping up with the changes.

"I would say more local furniture manufacturers are gearing towards that. The government also plays an important role as they have a certain control in stopping the felling of trees."

So does that mean the industry is going green because they have their backs up against the wall? Or is cost affecting their choice?

"It's not just that," says Tan. "The market also plays a part, as more and more people are now looking for environmentally-friendly products."

He says going green is not just about building with "green materials" but also choosing green packaging options.

"Nowadays if you want to export to countries like Japan, they wouldn't like you packaging your products with plastic sheets, because plastic is just so bad for the environment. So you have to ensure that even your packaging materials are green."

MIFF 2011

On about the upcoming MIFF 2011, Tan says it offer a great avenue for the Malaysian furniture industry to showcase their products at a nominal cost of RM550 per square metre.

"Compare this to international fairs where it is much costlier - the Dubai Furniture Fair demands USD750 per square metre, in Russia it's USD1,350 while in Europe you have to pay 700 euros per square metre".

In addition to that, he says, it also brings revenue for the exhibitors and the publicity it will receive will also add extra value to them.

He says MIFF is targeting more than the USD755 million it receives in export sales in last year's fair.

Some 15,000 visitors turned up at last year's fair with the most numbers of visitors from Malaysia, the Asean region, Europe and the Middle East.

This year's fair is the 17th and will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre from March 1 to 5 and the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Tan says to date 450 exhibitors have confirmed their participation and free shuttle buses and coaches will be provided between the two venues for the convenience of visitors.

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