How Green Is Your Home? Time to Make an Eco Effort!

 

It used to be a rarified few who were interested in green principles for their homes. Now, it's commonplace, and it's common for interior design clients to expect their designers to know about green design. We're talking about low carbon impact, sustainability, using recycled materials, saving energy (in some cases, generating it with wind, solar, passive solar, and geothermal systems), reducing the use and wastage of water, and other means to lessen our homes' impact on the environment. A good designer is able to help a client select building materials, furnishings, and home systems that are eco friendlier. That might mean utilizing  local-made materials that save transportation costs, using natural and sustainable materials, and covering the walls with no-VOC paints. Here's a video tour of a green home in Chicago, IL, showing off various energy-saving features.
 

 

How can you get up to speed on all-things green around the house? Subscribe to EcoHome Magazine - and visit their website for more information on green products and technology that will boost your design awareness and resourcefulness.
 

Interested in learning more about green design, and the field of interior design? Explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.

Video Inspiration - Interior Designers and Social Media

Ever wonder if some of your favorite Top Tier interior designers - those talented folks whose work we've all come to drool over online and in shelter magazines - use Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social media? A recent Donghia sponsored seminar featured some great designers and social media experts, and we're featuring a great video that should inspire you and other creative professionals to be more social and use all media outlets to best advantage. You have a brand to build (whether you're an interior designer, a jewelry designer, or an event or wedding planner), and it's important to take the time for social media. 

As mentioned in the video, designer David Scott has a nifty book we can recommend to you. Outside the Box shows you the factors that inspired David's top design projects. Very inspirational.

If you're interested in learning more about interior design and decor, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.

Wedding Inspiration Video from Macy's

If you're thinking of great wedding and event planning inspiration for this summer or early fall, look no further than 100 Layer Cake - one of our favorite wedding and event blogs. They cover a variety of weddings and feature top wedding vendors, from the best photographers to the best florists. The folks at "the Cake" are serious about showing us the latest wedding news, and they just tipped us off about a new bridal registry. Say "I Do" to Macy’s Wedding Registry!

Macy’s Wedding Registry recently released this adorable rooftop wedding inspiration video. Right away a few ideas started running through our minds (tell us these didn’t pop into your mind too!): refreshing summer cocktails, hosting a rooftop celebration and wearing flowers in your hair.

We already know you’re excited about saying "I do"; now we want to make sure you’re prepped for all the parties you’ll be hosting as newlyweds. We’ve prepared a little kickstart for you … our favorite products from Macy’s Wedding Registry that are a bride-to-be’s must-have!

1. Godinger Westbury Drink Dispenser 2. Prepara Ice Balls 3. Le Creuset Enameled Stoneware Serving Platter 4. Fiesta Dinnerware  5. Mikasa Cheers Glassware

Thanks to 100 Layer Cake for their beautiful photographs, posts, and wedding and event inspiration. 100 Layer Cake is a unique, comprehensive wedding and event planning resource for and by thoughtful, crafty modern women. Their vendors, projects, weddings, resources, sponsors, and marketplace are hand-picked and thoroughly researched with the hope that every single one is a truly unique addition to both your wedding and your planning process. Visit the 100 Layer Cake website today.

If you're interested in learning more about wedding planning and decor, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.

Video Fun - She's Making Jewelry Now

Have you ever watched Portlandia, the funny, tongue-in-cheek television series on the IFC cable net? It always features strange, yet ordinary topics and carries them to extremes, very much in the same vein as Seinfeld, but without the New York snarkiness. Thanks to Keith on the Sheffield staff for bringing this video to our attention - an episode of Portlandia that features a (spoiler alert!) "She's Making Jewelry Now" song that you won't be able to get out of your head. And since one of our popular Sheffield School courses is in Jewelry Design, we thought we'd share this video with you.
 

 
 
Bonus

Click here to learn more about Debbie Bruce, a Successful Sheffield Student and Jewelry Designer.
 
 

We encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.

Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.

Here's How to Be An Event Planner

Eventique NYC

There's nothing more fun than attending a successful event, and nothing more disastrous than being trapped in a going-nowhere-fast event. If your event doesn't have its main objectives clearly spelled out, it's doomed - but there are so many other moving pieces to coordinate beyond the initial planning stages. Event planning is an exciting business; the stakes are always high - and it may be your dream profession.
 

Eventique NYC

If you're well organized, enjoy working with people, love to collect the best vendors in your community in order to help others pull off the perfect event, and were born loaded with patience and perseverance and a strong eye for detail, this may be the profession for you. In today's featured video, join Liron David, an event planning with Eventique, a New York City event planning company, as he takes you through a typical event, describes how he became an event planning, and shares what it takes to be a success in this important field.
 

Event Planning Bonus

Click here to read A Week in the Life of a Wedding and Event Planner (and mother).

 

As lead curriculum developer, I attend as many events as possible to learn more about what makes for successful event planning. If you're interested in learning more about the exciting world of event and wedding planning, then we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

• Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our distance education courses.
• Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter.