Distraction & Blinds

Great response from a reader, Carmen, who points out the possibility of distracting the eye from the unsightly air conditioner---a technique that's useful for taking attention away from all kinds of design flaws in ones home.

As we move further into summer weather, it's time to start thinking about keeping the heat out. The more you can prevent the heat from getting into the home in the first place, the less you'll need the air conditioner, whether it's nicely disguised or not. There are two major ways to keep your place cool without resorting to the A/C: good blinds on the windows, and fans.

Check out what Kristen Sue found when she went looking for blinds.



We found this bedroom to be particularly cool and inviting. The blind is from Bruce Blinds. You can see the other blinds of his, as chosen by Kristen Sue, at her blog at  http://www.6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com/

More on Seasonal Swap

So, Marie writes that she is no stranger to the seasonal make-over, even in a Manhattan apartment. And in fact, even in Manhattan (especially in Manhattan, this week of 90-plus temps) the demands of weather force us to make changes in the decor. Any tips on this? How to hide that ugly A/C, for example?

Goin’ South

I just got back from a visit to my cousin Pam (I still think of her as "Pammy," but really, a grown woman should have a more distinguished name; hence, "Pam"). She lives in a gorgeous cottagy house outside Washington, D.C. surrounded by peonies and lilacs and wisteria.

When I arrived, the living room was a wreck---chairs half-dressed in their slipcovers, furniture in disarray, cats flying out the doors to escape the chaos.

She explained this was the bi-annual changing of the look of the house. Every spring, the winter slipcovers --- dark maroon, deep blue, rich cream --- come off, the decorative things on the bookshevles come down, even the dishes go into the cupboards. Out come the springtime things, the slipcovers in floral chintz, the pale green throw rugs, the white porcelain vases.

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Green Bride Book

Okay, you can use up a lot of electricity browsing the Internet for information on greening your wedding, or you can buy a book on the subject and buy yourself a little computer-free time. Or, actually, you can do both. Here's a book we like: the Green Bride Guide by Kate L. Harrison, recently published by Sourcebooks.The book grew out of Kate's experience planning her own wedding and finding a dearth of green information and resources.Not only can you buy the book, but when you get that itch to go back to the computer, you can send in your question to her about your own wedding. You can find Kate at thegreenbrideguide.blogspot.com/

Great Timewaster. I mean, Great Decorating Site

Warning: this site I've found is guaranteed to easily kill several hours in one sitting at the computer. That's the bad news. The good news is it's not only really fun, it also will help you hone your decorating skills.

It's called decornextdoor.com . The idea is this: you can join the site (it's free) and then post a photo of a problem area you have. (No, not your cellulite in the pre-suit season; that's another site). Let's say you've got a living room that you can't seem to whip into shape. Post a photo, and readers will chime in with their ideas of how to improve the look.

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