Category: Shop for a cause
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 12:03 AMHelp IKEA help children while finding holiday items for your home
Here's a feel-good proposition for the holidays that's a win-win all the way around:
For each soft toy/stuffed animal you buy at IKEA now through Dec. 24, the Swedish-based home furnishings emporium will donate $1 to Save the Children and UNICEF to help needy kids around the world. So far, they've raised nearly $17 million since the initiative started in 2003.
And, while you're at the Canton Township IKEA, you can stock up on pretty lime-green, 5 1/2-inch Florera Fin pillar candles for $3.49, NISSE folding chairs for $12.99 each and other items you never can have enough of for the holidays.
Check here for more details.
Category: How To
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 3:37 PMSpring forward, fall back: remember 'daylight saving time' this weekend
Don't forget to set your clocks back by one hour before you hit the pillow Saturday night so you can arrive on time wherever you go on Sunday morning and beyond.
But don't stop there. Over the years, daylight saving time -- aka "Time Change Sunday" -- has become practically synonymous with changing smoke alarm batteries, too, thanks to educational outreach by fire safety organizations and safety product manufacturers.
More than 79 percent of Americans changed the batteries in their smoke alarms last year, according to a recent study by First Alert, a leading manufacturer of safety products.
But the company says simply changing batteries isn't enough if a smoke alarm isn't working properly.
It's just as important to regularly assess the age and condition of smoke alarms throughout the house.
First Alert recommends testing smoke alarms monthly and replacing them immediately if they fail or if they're more than 10 years old.
To test, simply press the "Test/Silence" button on the front of each alarm. If functioning properly, the alarm will make a beeping noise. If there's no sound, try changing the batteries -- and remember to replace the unit completely if it is 10 years old or more.
Basic battery-powered smoke alarms start at about $14 and range upward to $100 for more high-tech, multi-function versions.
Category: Vintage
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 7:22 PMEnjoy a blast from the past at vintage clothing and jewelry show
You might find me checking out the baubles and retro goodies at the Bloomfield Hills Jewelry & Vintage Apparel Show Saturday at Birmingham Unitarian Church.
Dealers will display vintage apparel (Victorian through mid-20th century) and jewelry, including antique, costume and designer, at the show, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 adults, kids under 12 free.T he church is at 38651 Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills.
See you there?
Category: Stylin' fundraisers
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 9:36 PMArt-centric 'Dine & Dash' benefits Arbor Hospice Foundation
Dianne Brainard has a soft spot in her heart for the Arbor Hospice Foundation, which cared for her mother and sister.
That's why the Ann Arbor artist donated three works, including "Flower Burst," a one-of-a-kind antique, hand-painted table, to the nonprofit organization's upcoming "Dine & Dash" fundraiser.
The Oct. 23 event, showcasing hundreds of works by Brainard and other local artists, sounds like great fun for a great cause. Here's how it works:
After a gourmet dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. at Ann Arbor's Travis Pointe Country Club, guests' names are drawn and the dash is on for a work of art of their choice. Every couple goes home with a piece valued at $250 or more. Also in the mix: a raffle and auction.
Patron tickets are $350 per couple (good for one dash); benefactor tickets are $500 per couple (good for one dash plus recognition at the event). Tables of eight are available for $1,600 (four can dash).
Visit the Web site here or call (734) 794-5152.
The nonprofit Arbor Hospice Foundation provides end-of-life and grief support services to children, adolescents and adults in seven Michigan counties.
Category: Workshops
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 6:54 PMLearn how to organize your media space at Metro Detroit Ethan Allen stores
Is your living room or family room cluttered with CDs, movies, magazines, books and everything else? If so, you may want to attend the fourth in a series of workshops being held next week at Ethan Allen stores throughout Metro Detroit.
"The Well-Designed Media Space: How to put it Together" is the theme at the following sites (refreshments will be served and there will be drawings for Ethan Allen gift cards):
Ann Arbor: 820 W. Eisenhower Parkway; Sat., 10 a.m. - noon. RSVP by Thursday, (734) 995-5585
Auburn Hills: 100 Brown Rd.; Wed., 6 - 7:30 p.m.; (248) 393-6600
Sterling Heights: 13725 Lakeside Circle; Saturday, 10 a.m - noon. RSVP by Thursday, (586) 566-9999.
Novi: 42845 12 Mile Road, Novi; Saturday, 10 a.m. - noon. RSVP by Thursday, (248)-380-7900
Birmingham: 275 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham; Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m.;(248) 540-8558
Category: Remodeling
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 5:46 PMUse incentives to remodel in October, National Kitchen & Bath Month
It's October and that means, drumroll please, National Kitchen & Bath Month. And there's a new twist this year:
Inspired by the resounding success of the recent "Cash for Clunkers" program, the U.S. Department of Energy has launched a "Cash for Appliances" campaign, providing nearly $300 million in stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to consumers who purchase new energy-efficient kitchen appliances.
"These rebates will help families make the transition to more efficient appliances, making purchases that will directly stimulate the economy and create jobs," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu in a statement announcing the plan.
The new rebate program is in addition to several U.S. tax credits on energy-efficient products for homes introduced earlier this year. They include many gas, oil, electric, and solar water heaters, which are reimbursed at 30 percent of their purchase price, up to $1,500.
Many energy-efficient windows, skylights, exterior doors, insulation, and HVAC systems are also eligible for a 30 percent tax credit, up to $1,500 per home (note that this $1,500 limit is the total for all credits applied to the home across all categories of eligible products).
"With so many government incentives now being offered for home renovations, there has never been a better time for Americans and Canadians to remodel their kitchens and bathrooms," said Suzie Williford, National Kitchen and Bath Association president.
She noted that many of the stimulus programs won't last long, so homeowners should act fast to get their remodeling started.
Here are some helpful resources:
Category: Sales
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 12:15 AMShop Gorman's annual "Fall Warehouse Sale" this weekend
Everyone loves a sale, and one of my favorites, Gorman's annual "Fall Warehouse Sale," is taking place from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, at the company's warehouse, 23231 Industrial Park Drive (between 9 and 10 Mile roads) in Farmington Hills.
Discounts ranging from 40 percent to 75 percent will be offered on one-of-a-kind merchandise, including customer cancellations and "as-is" bedroom furniture, sofas, dining room sets, upholstered furniture and entertainment centers, as well as odds and ends and back-up inventory. Sale items include a selection of contemporary and traditional living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, chairs, tables, desks, recliners, lamps, pictures and accessories.
"As metro Detroit's style leader, we must continually sell-off perfectly good samples and back-up inventory to bring our clients the very latest in home décor," says Tom Lias, president of Gorman's Home Furnishings and Interior Design.
Expect brand-names such as Baker, Better Homes & Gardens, Henredon, Sherrill, Stanley, Bernhardt and Natuzzi from Gorman's four locations to be sold "near, at or below cost," he says.
For more information, check Gorman's Web site, here or call (248) 473-9131.
Category: Colors
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 6:52 PMFind fresh ideas, colors at potterybarn.com - and end-of-season sale, too
If you're seeking inspiration to give your home a modest boost as summer moves into fall, check out the Pottery Barn Web site.
It not only offers a good end-of-season sale, but also features a Stylehouse area with virtual room tours, plus a section with lots of good Design Tips on such topics as how to make a small bedroom look bigger.
My favorite part is a fall color wheel showcasing a fresh palette of 28 Benjamin Moore paints that run the gamut from a striking Alfresco blue to dramatic red Caliente, complete with a "Why We Love It" section that shows the color in a furnished room.
I clicked on "Sparkling Wine," for example, and found a lovely dining room arrangement with a Benchwright dining table, Grayson chairs and an unusual wine bottle chandelier ($399) set against the soft, faintly blush-colored white walls.
Clicking on one color leads to another and, before you know it, you've got plenty of ideas to help transition your home from one season to the next.
Category: Gadgets
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 8:41 AMTailgating time: Keep it simple with the instant EZGrill
As much as we all hate to see summer end, fall has a lot going for it, starting with those fun-filled, pre-game festivities before each big game. Yep, it's tailgating time again and what could be easier than an all-in-one, 100% recyclable, disposable, instant grill?
The self-contained EZ Grill comes equipped with 100% natural charocal -- i.e., no chemicals -- and can be used not only for football tailgates but even grilling out on campus or in the back yard.
They're available online for $19.99 (plus shipping), which includes four small individual grills or two bigger "party-size" grills. Check here
Category: Designers
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 11:33 PMSpend the weekend on Mackinac Island with Carleton Varney, the Grand Hotel's colorful interior designer
If you've ever traipsed through the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, you couldn't miss the vibrant colors and bold florals on everything from the pillows and draperies to the wall-coverings.
Those memorable design elements are the signature of Carleton Varney, internationally-known designer and president of Dorothy Draper & Company in Manhattan, the nation's oldest established interior design firm. Its namesake, Dorothy Draper, was considered the grande dame of design from the 1920's to 1960's.
As her protege, Varney has left his mark on everything from celebrity residences (including that of Joan Crawford) to the official Vice President's Residence in Washington D.C., and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
He also glammed up numerous resorts and hotels, most recently the penthouse suite at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas, but also, years ago, Dromoland and Ashford Castles in Ireland; the Greenbrier in West Virginia, the Waldorf Towers in New York and The Breakers in Palm Beach.
I had the pleasure of meeting Varney several years ago during a conference at the Grand Hotel, and he is as flamboyant a character as his trademark designs. He wore a striking white suit accented with a bright turquoise tie and had a penchant for quick, sometimes outrageous, quips.
Well, Varney is due back at the Grand Hotel next month, Sept. 18-22, for the 20th annual "Carleton Varney's Antique and Design Fall Festival." He'll share his expertise on decorating and, no doubt, sign copies of his recent book, "Houses in My Heart: An International Decorator's Colorful Journey." He even may bring samples of his own line of fabric design, Carleton Varney by the yard.
Also featured at the weekend event will be antique dealers from across the U.S., who will answer questions and display their wares.
For more information and rates, check the hotel Web site here
