Design2Share Q&A Interior Design Podcast
Design2Share Q&A, the video podcast series that answers all your interior design related questions. Our co-hosts, Irwin Weiner and Ni...Video Episodes:
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10:01:25 04/23/12
Irwin Weiner Interiors in Spring 2012 New York Home Observer
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 10:01:25 04/23/12
Irwin Weiner ASID - What a pleasure to be one of the featured designers in the latest issue of The Home Observer from the New York Observer! I love my clients' beautiful home, a great reflection of their energy, vitality, fun, and artistic natures. When an interior designer clicks with a client, magic can happen, and their space truly reflects their personalities. You can click on the e-version of The Home Observer below and use the page-find feature at the bottom of the screen to scroll over to pages 50-53 to see our feature story, "On a Pedestal."
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14 Views
11:00:31 01/31/12
Wood Wonders from J.B. Blunk
[LESS INFO] 14 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:31 01/31/12
Irwin Weiner ASID - The epitome of 1960s counterculture artists, J.B. Blunk is now revered for his sculptural forms in wood. We wanted to feature this silent video overview of Blunk and his work to underscore his talent and vision. He wasn't just expressing himself or rebelling against an established art culture; he let the wood do the talking. Go to the J.B. Blunk website for more information.
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13 Views
11:00:59 01/20/12
Online Design Kit Helps Newlyweds Mesh Furniture and Decorating Styles
[LESS INFO] 13 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:59 01/20/12
Irwin Weiner ASID - Overhearing couples discuss decorating their home - when they think you're not listening - is one of the most fascinating experiences ever! With their guards down, decorating can be a huge, contentious issue between married folk. New York interior design Ada Gonzalez kept overhearing newlyweds talking about "your furniture" and "my furniture" and couples qualming over how to incorporate two sets of clashing furnishings and accessories into a consolidated interior design scheme - so she developed an online e-decorating service she calls the Dream Design Kit to help couples decide what to keep, what to toss, and what to add in a new living space that they'll be sharing. She explains more in the following video interview with Daryn Kagan .
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12 Views
11:00:22 12/28/11
Trends from Latest AD Home Design Show
[LESS INFO] 12 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:22 12/28/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - The Architectural Digest Home Design Show isn't the sole arbiter of style trends for the home, but it's interesting each year to see who exhibits and is putting money and public relations into their product lines. Will someone new break through the noise and become a standout and a true trendsetter? The following LifeMinute.TV video shows their favorite trends including some mid-price pro ovens and a refrigerator solution from Jenn-Air , US-made shagreen furniture from Skatemoderne , fascinating stereo speakers turned into high art from TON Art (each piece combines gold and light), and indoor-outdoor furnishings from Oasiq Outdoor Furniture .
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3 Views
11:00:30 12/19/11
Our Eight Hanukkah Favorites
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:30 12/19/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - I come from South Africa, as our D2S readers know, and grew up in the small Jewish community in Cape Town. Hanukkah (or Chanukah) was never a big occasion, being a relatively minor religious holiday, but here in the States, it's become an alternative to Christmas festivities - a No Child Left Behind program for the holiday season. I wanted to salute Hanukkah in our daily blog, and you'll find Hanukkah features all over the site - but our editors have found eight fun and insightful ways to celebrate the season this year. Click on each photo or video below to check out their favorite online treasures, including recipes, projects and crafts, holiday information and quizzes, a special event, and Hanukkah decor.
Hanukkah gift baskets galore from The Sweet Shoppe
There are over 840 pages of Hanukkah decor and crafts on Etsy
How to make a Do-It-Yourself Eco-Friendly Hanukkah Candle
Maurice Sendak picks 33 favorite menorahs for this year's NYC Jewish Museum display
The Enchanted Cook goes all yummy with a luscious potato latke recipe
And we loved these 8 different variations of the Potato Latke recipe for each of the 8 nights of the holiday!
How much do you know? Take the Hanukkah Trivia Quiz at Beliefnet.com
We thought the following video on the Origins of Hanukkah was well done - and you can go to History.com for other Hanukkah related videos, including how-to recipe videos.
We loved these modern Hanukkah tabletop ideas from Apartment Therapy
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7 Views
11:00:34 11/16/11
Train Your Brain to Be More Creative
[LESS INFO] 7 VIEWS | ADDED 11:00:34 11/16/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - Recent studies into what the human brain can do and how people learn show us that being in a rut isn't very good for your head. You need to break out of old patterns and try doing things in new ways ... every so often ... to stimulate your brain and stay on your toes. Here's an example: Neurobics is a system of brain training and fun learning exercises that can keep your brain stimulated (at any age). I believe they can help stimulate creativity, too. One neurobic exercise is to shop at a different grocery store. Think about it - that will cause your brain to make new associations and become more perceptive and sharper. Or I like the neurobics exercise of combining two different senses at the same time, like closing your eyes and listening to music while smelling a fragrant flower. Brain studies show that you're stimulating your mind and helping to strengthen your ability to perceive, understand, and process information. There's always an interior design application for me in this type of activity! I believe it's a valid neurobics activity to look critically at a room that's been undecorated for more than 10 years, and think of ways to freshen it up, change things around, or move out art, lighting, and furniture that's been in place forever and bring other items into the room. Decorating equals brain stimulation. And that's a Dr. Irwin Weiner prescription for all of you at home today.... Today's featured video is about a brain training center in California that helps stimulate the brain. I found this stimulating and informative enough to make me want to redecorate the kitchen in my country house. Seriously! I look forward to sharing more about this new project with you in the coming weeks. It will keep my brain well stimulated for years to come.
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3 Views
10:00:45 10/31/11
Happy Halloween: Do You Live in a Haunted House?
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:45 10/31/11
Jay Johnson - Is your house haunted? Are you experiencing the presence of others ... with no logical explanation? About a third of the population believes in ghosts, and according to a USA Today article on the subject, that's about the same number of people who are baseball fans.
Well, Happy Halloween to you! On Design2Share, we look at home design in a very serious way, and we wanted to acknowledge that for some people, their home may be an uncomfortable, fearful place due to reasons other than a bad decorating job we can blame on the previous owners.
We spoke with a feng shui expert last weekend, and she says that she now combines her practice with "clearing" procedures, to help rid a home of what's called predecessor energy . That's a fancy term for ghostly residue or unresolved issues from folks who used to live on the land or in your home. Even if you live in a new-construction home, you can be dealing with predecessor energy. We know a couple who just moved into a just-opened condo building in lower Manhattan. Nothing has gone right for them, and living in their ultra-modern apartment is supremely uncomfortable. When they found out that their home was built on the grounds of an old churchyard, they said "Ah ha!" and asked us for help finding someone who could clear the energy and help them restore normalcy in their home.
As our feng shui expert told us, > If I don't deal with house clearing issues, it's like putting fresh flowers into dirty water. What's the sense of that? I grew up in a small Midwestern neighborhood where most everyone believed in the paranormal (it's a long story!). Let's just say that set of beliefs was part of the history of our community of 30,000 people. Many people I grew up with can personally attest to the presence of an invisible world, and I've come to think that science just has to catch up with some explanations of what's going on. My mind is open to accepting many beliefs and respecting what others are experiencing firsthand. The following video shows you some practical advice if you find yourself experiencing what you think is a ghost or paranormal presence in your house. If you're in that third of the population who believes, then this may be for you. If you're not, then this should be entertaining fiction. But I thought, being Halloween and all, that this would be an appropriate "holiday video pick." Please leave a comment telling us of any experiences you've had in your home. Thanks for sharing.
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12 Views
10:00:40 09/19/11
Designer Jonathan Adler "Faces Off" with Morgan Fairchild!
[LESS INFO] 12 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:40 09/19/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - We all have our design muses, and in this video, master interior designer and potter Jonathan Adler was inspired by his husband's window store mannequin head ... and Morgan Fairchild 's classic facial features. Jonathan was the first of our Design2Share Designers We Love , truth be told, back in 2007, and he's continued to delight us. Enjoy this Plum TV video interview where he discusses his unusual inspiration.
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Source: Plum TV (http://www.plumtv.com/index.html)
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10:30:26 09/15/11
Plan Perfect Playdates for Your Kids
[LESS INFO] 20 VIEWS | ADDED 10:30:26 09/15/11
Megan Gates - There%rsquos no doubt that playdates are beneficial to kids. No matter how old your children are, playdates encourage sharing, taking turns, and socializing with others. But when it%rsquos time for you to host the playdate, it can be challenging to know what to do! While there%rsquos no need to throw a party-like atmosphere, a little preparation can go a long way.
There are a few things you%rsquoll want to handle prior to the playdate to ensure that you get started on a good note. First, make sure your child puts away any toys that he or she doesn%rsquot want to share. You may also want to place a few activities within reach for the kids, such as those that encourage them to play together. Good examples include arts and crafts, puzzles and board games. And of course, make the playdate suitable for the ages of the children. If you%rsquore inviting a toddler, 45 minutes is adequate. Even older kids can get overtired, so limit the playdate to 2 hours or less.
One of the best places for a playdate is outside! Not only do you minimize a messy house, but being outside always seems to make kids play better. Don%rsquot think you need to arrange an outing at the park, either. Open up the sandbox, play a round of catch or drag out the soccer nets. This fall, it's fun to rake leaves and jump in the piles! Have fun treats on hand such as popsicles, frozen lemonade, apple cider, or fresh fruit slushies. You can even let the kids help make some of these fun treats.
While outdoor playdates are always a hit, the weather may not cooperate. And some kids simply don%rsquot enjoy what the outdoor has to offer. As long as you don%rsquot mind the mess, opt for an arts-and-crafts playdate. Take out the play-doh, fun cookie cutters, and plastic utensils. For added fun, bake the kids%rsquo creations so that they harden. If you have an easel, let children paint with tempera paints. Or, simply set out coloring pages that can be printed online for free, along with crayons and markers.
You can also bake treats with the kids and take pictures to email to the other child%rsquos parents. Have the ingredients for cookies or brownies measured out. Then let the kids mix the ingredients and wait for them to bake up. Just be sure that the child you're hosting doesn%rsquot have any allergies you should know about. You can also let the kids pick their own ingredients such as white chocolate or milk chocolate chips, dried fruits, and different colored sprinkles.
If you have an active playdate on your hands, encourage the kids to build a fort. Drag out blankets and pillows, as well as old boxes and containers. Let the kids use plastic dishes and pots and pans to %ldquocook%rdquo with inside their fort. Or let the kids put on a dress-up show and provide them with fun clothes, shoes, and jewelry to inspire their imaginations. Take pictures, upload them to the computer, and you can all make a slideshow with music.
To bring the playdate to a close, clean up the toys and set out a quiet activity such as books.
Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to New York Real Estate , Suffolk Rentals , home improvement and the latest architecture, design and fashion. Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.
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2 Views
10:01:02 08/31/11
Fall Wine Tours & Parties Coming Up!
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 10:01:02 08/31/11
With Labor Day coming, it's time to be thinking about the upcoming wine season this fall. Summer is a time for outdoor parties, white wines, BBQs, and delicious snacks. But with fall getting closer, wineries are gearing up to harvest their grapes for the fall wine tours, and you should start thinking about planning as well.
To enjoy great wine doesn't mean a vacation to international wineries in France and Italy. Napa Valley, California is one of the most noted wine regions in the United States - but there are many more wine producing regions in the country worth visiting. The Finger Lakes in upstate New York is another distinguished wine region. (And on and on....)
A great way to try new wines and decide what your preferred wine will be is to take wine tours and go to wine festivals. Here are a few tips.
* For any wine aficionado, a great vacation idea is to visit wineries instead of visiting resorts. For example, on Long Island in New York there are many wineries to visit near the coast.
* A vacation idea would be to rent a Long Island property , tour a few wineries, and enjoy an upcoming festival like the Long Island Wine Country Annual Harvest Fest Celebration.
* When planning a wine tour, make sure there's a responsible driver for all those who are drinking.
* A lot of folks trekking to wine country prefer to order a limo or bus service.
* Do some research on what wineries are nearby and the most popular to visit. Plan to go wine tasting at 3 to 5 wineries for the day and that should suffice.
* Wine touring doesn't have to be expensive; as a matter of fact, most wineries offer samples of 5 to 8 wines for $5 or less!
Hosting your own wine tasting party is a great way to try new wines from a region and to spend time with family and friends. Host a theme party by either choosing one type of wine served or by choosing different wines produced by the same winery. Depending on the wines chosen, certain types of cheese and chocolates can be paired for an even greater treat.
Share any other great ways to enjoy the upcoming wine season with us!
Thanks to guest blogger Megan Gates, who is an active blogger and handles communications on behalf of Elliman.com. She provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to New York City Real Estate , Long Island Rentals , and the latest in architecture, design, and fashion. Follow her on Twitter @ MEGatesDesign.
Design2Share Video Pick: Here's a great basic how-to video from The Cheese Impressario on pairing wine, cheese, and condiments for your next wine tasting party at home.
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6 Views
10:00:59 08/15/11
Designer Eva Zeisel Keeps It Playful
[LESS INFO] 6 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:59 08/15/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - If you live to be over 100 years like ceramics and home goods design master Eva Zeisel (her 2001 Centennial Goblets are pictured above, inspired by an original martini glass design she made for Bombay Sapphire), you have to keep finding ways to reinvent your spirit. Every creative person, from writers and photographers to interior designers and architects need to return to the well of creativity, dip their cup, and drink until they are thoroughly refreshed. It's easy to burn out in any creative career - well, any adult life, for that matter - and Ms. Zeisel's video from the famed TED Conference circuit, is a priceless reminder of how we need to keep on ticking with joy, playfulness, and good will. Very inspiring, and you can read more about her life and see further samples of her work in Design2Share's Eva Zeisel: Designer We Love article.
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Source: Eva Zeisel Originals (http://evazeiseloriginals.com)
4 Views
10:00:03 07/15/11
Freshen Up Your Lighting with DIY Paper Lampshades
[LESS INFO] 4 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:03 07/15/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - Even though Louise, the maker of the punctured paper lampshade in the photo above, is no longer making lampshades and selling them in her Etsy store, she left behind a legacy of DIY inspiration in the following video. Louise will guide you through the various steps of how to make a paper lampshade. You can choose any color paper, wrap the lampshade with trim or fabric, and create your own look - puncturing the paper so the light shines through and creates a pattern is optional. I glue-gunned thick white pom-pom trim to the bottom edge of a pre-made oversized coolie shade for an amazingly large ginger jar lamp I found in a Lambertville, NJ antique store; it was retro Seventies reborn. Many thanks to ThreadBanger for this great how-to weekend-project video.
Click here for their inspiring DIY Lighting Roundup. Have fun making paper shades and freshening up your lighting!
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Source: DIY Lampshades (http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/i-love-lamp-do-it-yourself-nyc-skyline-paper-lamp-shade/) Source: ThreadBanger (http://www.threadbanger.com)
11 Views
10:00:29 06/06/11
Design Favorites Abound in 2011 Wallpaper Magazine Awards
[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:29 06/06/11
Irwin Weiner ASID - Awards are oftentimes a silly exercise in mob voting, but I admire the way Wallpaper* Magazine showcases top designers from a variety of fields who select The Judges Awards in all areas of design. Villa Metamorphosis in Woodstock, NY (see photo above), captured one of the judges' fancies and she or he chose a beautifully designed, sculptural home that functions as art in the woods. Go to the architect's website for more information: Ben Ryuki Miyagi Architects. The following video details some of the design picks from one of the Wallpaper* judges. Click here for more about The Judges Awards 2011.
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Source: Wallpaper Design Awards 2011 (http://www.wallpaper.com//designawards/2011)
1 Views
10:00:03 04/29/11
Austrian Artist Plunges Into Lighting and Furniture
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:03 04/29/11
??? Manfred Kielnhofer
Irwin Weiner ASID - Austrian artist Manfred Kielnhofer makes a spectacle of himself - and that's in a good way. I like the moxie of any creative soul who makes daring and bold statements, then puts them out in public for all to see. And Kielnhofer puts them out there, such as performance art in public parks and plunking his ethereal Time Guardians/Light Guardians sculptures into different settings taken from movies, posing wounded angel models with the ghostly figures, and photographing them in settings all over the world - see slide show below. The artist just sent us photos of a new series of tables, lighting, and chairs - see above and below - that follow his fascination with tubes (he made his Interlux chair out of industrial cardboard tubes). I applaud the creative audacity that keeps artists and designers experimenting and challenging our comfort zones.
Manfred Kielnhofer
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3 Views
10:00:10 04/28/11
Taste Buds on Alert: Tomatoes You'll Love to Grow and Eat
[LESS INFO] 3 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:10 04/28/11
Growing Wisdom
Irwin Weiner ASID - Even if you've only got a small pot near a sunny windowsill, you've got to try growing tomatoes this time of year. The return is well worth the effort, as you can tailor your tomato variety to your culinary tastes, from perfecting the perfect sauce to slicing whole tomatoes for salads and sandwiches. In our featured video, Dave Epstein of the great garden blog Growing Wisdom, guides us through a few top tomato varieties, including some intriguing heirlooms. And here are two other inspiring tomato features from our archives:
* Watch our featured video on Making DIY Raised Beds for Tomatoes and Potatoes.
* Read our guest feature as SheSez.com's Linda Grasso asks, How Can I Find Perfect Heirloom Tomatoes?
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19 Views
10:00:58 04/21/11
Do You Like the New Contemporary Architecture in Town?
[LESS INFO] 19 VIEWS | ADDED 10:00:58 04/21/11
Habitables
Irwin Weiner ASID - Contemporary architecture is often used by a city or town as a drawing card for tourists and a lightning rod for other urban design projects, e.g. a corridor of art galleries and museums. Bilbao is probably the most famous example, with Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao kickstarting that municipality's reputation, all of a sudden plunking down a modern, spaceship-like building in the midst of traditional architecture.
I like the way Nottingham Contemporary, the art museum in the England (see photo above), shot a promotional video and used young filmmakers and a series of interviews on a striped sofa and a bit of street circus to get the community talking about the new gold metallic building in town - both the good and the bad - and what's going on inside. Masterful public relations, and as you'll see in this video, a jolly-good interactive way to explore contemporary art and design.
DESIGN2SHARE BONUS: See a photo show of contemporary residential architecture - what happens when ultra-modern hits the home front?
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Source: Nottingham Contemporary (http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/) Source: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao)
12/28/11