Vote for Style

Since this election drew record numbers of voters and volunteers from both sides it's safe to say to everyone, "congratulations" on simply surviving all of it. The debates, the news programs, Joe the Plumber and Joe the Biden, Palin's wardrobe, Biden's gaffes. We're done, at last.

Now comes the fun part. Nevermind whether President-elect will repeal Bush's decisions on foreign policy and the economy, the big question for design afficionados is whether the Obamas will make changes in the White House decor.

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Feng Shui Brings Cash

Well, okay, maybe that headline is a bit of a stretch. But the folks at the Sheffield School of Interior Design (www.sheffield.edu) are very proud of Jennifer Ellen Frank, their own Feng Shui instructor, who will be featured on Monday night at 6 on NBC news.




The story they'll run is on a woman who consulted with Frank years ago, and now, having cleaned up her space inside and out with Feng Shui, she's re-inventing herself so she can continue to flourish as the economy melts down faster than a popsicle on a New York sidewalk in August.

So tune in and get some tips, and see how great the Sheffield teachers are!

How Artists Think

The Stylehound loves the work of individual artists and artisans. We admire the artists who pour their creativity into their work, often without much compensation---we all know that just about anything pays more than creating gorgous pillows or hand-stitched cloth napkins. Well, anything except working in the financial world.

And without the work of artists, our homes would be pretty dull places indeed.

That's why we really enjoyed reading this interview on Indie Fixx with Shanna Murra, one of those infuriatingly creative people who works her designs in painting, sewing, embroidery---nothing is safe from her creativity. She can even make a plain paper bag look classy. And she can make a simple throw pillow a must-have.



You can read her thoughts on inspiration, being organized, and

running an artist's business at http://indiefixx.com/category/home-stuff/

Rock-A-Stylish-Baby

In case you think decorating a nursery for a new baby is a matter of pink, blue, and kitchsy-looking duckies, think again. You can do just as much with decorating a nursery as you can with any other room in the house---provided you have the basic furniture that’s tiny-sized.

In our on-going search for interesting new takes on baby design, we were delighted to see “Kara’s Nursery,” at
http://sweetiepiepumpkinnoodle.blogspot.com/2008/05/karas-finished-nursery-aka-worlds.html
Here's baby's little bed:

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It’s A MAD, MAD, MAD Museum

When you live in New York City, you catch on pretty quickly to the fact that the city is constantly morphing its look, in ways both dramatic and small. You get used to walking under scaffolding and dodging construction vehicles. And you get used to coming up out of the subway and saying, “Hey! Where did THAT come from?”

The other day I was sitting with a   friend  at the little tables on the northeast corner of Columbus Circle, looking at one of the newest buildings in the city. Everyone I know has been calling it either “the new design building” or “the crafts museum,” but once it opened last month  it’ll be known as the Museum of Arts and Design, a name more befitting its elegant look.

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