Apps.  are great, but who has time to search for them? Here is my favorite handy design app.: iHandy Carpenter, a handy tool app for  your smart phone has five different tools.  My favorite is the bubble level, great for hanging small pictures in a pinch.  You can also just get the level app. which is a free download. Other tools include a plumb, protractor, ruler, and a surface level (you know for checking up on the tile guy).  What is your favorite phone app.?

Thanks to Tech Style for turning me on to these new Solar Powered Lamps from IKEA.  I love the idea of Solar Powered items, and these lamps are decents looking enough to find a use for.  I am thinking maybe kids rooms, or I could see a black and white patio lit up for summer evenings.  The future is upon us.  So run out and get one and try it out, I will. 

Runs on solar cells that transform sunlight into electricity; helps you save energy and reduce your environmental footprint.
Solar cells transform sunlight into electrical energy – requires no electrical connections.
Uses LEDs, which consume approx. 70% less energy and last 20 times longer than incandescent bulbs

I was looking for a logo design for my blog header today, and came across some great hearts.  So being Valentine’s Day is just a skip away, here are some heart images to share with you.  Happy Heart Day! P.S. If you have any great ideas for a logo design for me send them my way.  I was thinking of a heart, hence the heart searching.  Enjoy!

When buying Antiques and Art always buy from a reputable dealer.  The most important thing to remember when investing, is buy only what you love.  Unless you have the storage and are buying with the intent of reselling rather then passing them on, don’t buy pieces solely because they are a good value.  To make sure that you buy pieces that work well with your interiors, take along an Interior Designer with you on your buying trip, that way you don’t end up buying that piece of furniture on impulse that you have no where to put when you get home.

One fun way to buy art and antiques is from an auction house.  You can also usually get the best deal there as well, and sometimes you even get a steal.  Some reputable auction houses such a Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco, and Chrisie’s and Sotheby’s in New York, hold auctions several times a year.  If you can’t make it to New York you can sign up to bid by phone, but that kind of takes the fun out of it in my opinion. 

When looking for Art to invest in, consider some of the undervalued works of Bugiardini and van Baden.  And don’t forget about Prints and Photographs.  Several good-quality Kertesz prints sold last fall for in the $5,000 to $12,000 range.  And according to Stephen Perloff, editor of the The Photograph Collector, the number of collectors interested in them is growing.  If you do plan on buying pieces for investment, stay away from anything that is not in excellent condition or needs reupolstering or refinishing, as doing so could considerably lower the value of the item.  For more information on how to buy at an action house check out my blog on How to Have Fun and Buy Furniture and Art at an Auction House.

1.  Hiring an Interior Designer will save you money.    How many times have you purchased something and have no where to put it, or purchased something and it doesn’t fit or look quite right and you end up getting rid of it shortly there after?  Hiring an Interior Designer can help save you money by suggesting purchases that will work and fit into your home decor.  A Designer will help you purchase quality items that will last longer and can transition with moves or changes.   Designer’s also have trade access and discounts that are often passed on the client, so you can purchase higher quality items for the same or lower than you would pay buying retail.  An Interior Designer can help you get it right the first time.

2.  An Interior Designer has access to trade only showrooms and products.  Buying retail is like have a choice of vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry ice cream.  But buying through an Interior Designer opens the world to a whole rainbow of colors.  When you purchase through an Interior Designer you have access to a fabulous world of fabrics, furniture, and other products that cannot be found in retail.

3.  Designers have an array of associates.  One of the biggest challenges facing homeowners and business when deciding on a new project or remodel is how to find quality craftsmen and trades.  Designers work with the trades daily, and they often know the best of their craft, from general contractors to upholsters to custom woodworkers, a Designer has contacts that will help ensure your project is done professionally.

4.  Coordination and Project Management.  Projects such as renovations and remodels can involve a lot of different processes and a lot of different people working on the same space.  A Designer has experience coordinating such projects, and can facilitate the work flow and timing of the installation.  A Designer can also act on your behalf to manage and oversee the project, and ensure that the work is proceeding according to schedule and most importantly correctly.

5.  Fresh ideas and perspective.  Sometimes it doesn’t matter how talented you are and how good your taste is, when you live in a home for a while, you can lose the ability to have an objective perspective.  Bringing in a Professional can give you a new and fresh perspective of the space.

6.  You’ll get more use out of your furniture.  A Designer can help you make quality choices in furniture that will last decades.   With such quality and classic pieces, you may only need occasional reupolstering to refresh your look.

7.  You’ll get more use out of your space.  A Designer can help you get more use of out of your space by designing a space that is functional and useable as well asesthically pleasing.

8.  Free marriage counseling!  Some couples have differences of opionions and tastes when it comes to buying something as simple as a couch; image the complications that arise when redoing a whole room or renovating a home.  Hiring a Designer can help find keep your marriage sane, by offering an outside perpective and recommeding materials that you will both love.

9.  You’ll have more time to do the things you love.  Let’s face it not everyone loves designing and buying for their home.  Hiring an Interior Designer will allow to you avoid the things you dread, and move on to enjoy the things you do love.

10. Your home is still not done.   And it may never get done!  Give your home the priority it deserves.  Bringing in a Professional Interior Designer to get those rooms and projects done once and for all, and enjoy your home the way you dreamed it to be.

By: Zarita de la Cerda, an Interior Designer in San Diego and San Franciscio areas.

Housewives of Kravet Holiday

This retro glam window display at Kravet in Manhattan, is a real hoot.  I love it, creativity is alive and well at Kravet. Even the photos look vintage.

Click on the photos to go the Kravet site and see more.

Watch the Living Christmas Tree Video

Here I will aspire to inspire my love of interior design.  I am an Interior Designer based in San Diego,  and I started this interior design blog to share my love of all things about interior design with you, and my longing to write.  Although there are many other elements of design I would like to share, this blog will focus mainly on Interiors, but don’t hold me to that.   Here I will share items I stumble on,  other sites I love and come across, items to desire, interior design photos, news and happenings in the interior design world,  tips, trends, green interior design, and questions that you have about projects you are working on.  Basically anything that strikes my fancy and makes my heart sing.   Hopefully you will be inspired and share in the love for well designed homes, commercial spaces, furniture and decor.  So please share with me your links and questions, and I will do my best to post them.  Hope you like my blog, if you do, I would love to hear from you.