Freshen Up...For only $6.

March 4, 2011

All the spring blossoming branches are here, but only for a couple more weeks. The fastest and easiest way to make your home feel fresh and beautiful is with flowers.  Having guests? Don’t have time to dust? No problem.  A simple arrangement will distract and disguise most anything.  




Blossoming Branches are the easiest.  There are several at the flower shops right now; Cherry Blossoms, Redbud, Pussy Willow, and more.


Just grab a bunch,





Clip the ends off the branches and then split them with your clippers (this allows the branches to absorb more water and stay fresh longer)


 



Pop them in a vase filled with luke warm water (add a teaspoon of bleach to keep the water fresh longer)



 


Place them just about anywhere. In the middle of your coffee table, dining table, kitchen……the possibilities are endless!





There are a wide variety of prices on branching blossoms (most are from $15. To $25. a bunch).  But right now, Eraj at Ashby Flowers in front of Whole Foods Market on the corner of Telegraph and Ashby in Berkeley will give you a wonderful bunch of extra tall Cherry Blossom branches (above) for only $6. to $7!


Posted by Lori Pepe-Lunche. Posted In : Flowers 

 

Made in Italy

February 28, 2011




When I came upon this window display on an evening stroll in Milan, after my initial "Wow! Now, that's fabulous!" reaction, I couldn't help but shake my head.  Leave it to the Italians to design a bathtub in the shape of a shoe.  My attention was immediately captivated and saw that everything about this tub screams Made in Italy.

This tub is designed by Sicis which was founded in Ravenna, Italy.  Ravenna has long been famous for tile mosaics, going as far back as the 5th century, as a number o...

Continue reading...

Posted by Janelle Renée. Posted In : Italian Design 

 

The Pits!.....(Turn Pits Into Pretty Platters)

February 23, 2011

Do you remember the garden fire pits that were all the rage a few years ago? It sounded wonderful and warm for one of those spring or summer evenings in the garden under the stars. Some people still use theirs, but I think for most, it was just a little too much trouble for not enough warmth, not to mention the risk of instant hair loss while trying to warm your hands over the fire.



Actually, I never purchased one, but a friend of mine who was one of the first to purchase hers at Smith and Haw...

Continue reading...

Posted by Lori Pepe-Lunche. Posted In : DIY (Do It Yourself) Projects 

 

Join Us! **Updated**

February 21, 2011
**Please note that Lori and I changed the time for this event.  For more details, please visit the Meetup page.**

Do you have a blank wall that is begging for something unique, or is it time to finally put a lamp on that bedside table to complete the look or help you to read at night? Join Lori and me on March 6th at the acclaimed Alameda Antiques Point Faire to search for fabulous finds and treasures; plus, get tips from us on how to re-purpose or restore any item you might find!





 
For more i...
Continue reading...

Posted by Janelle Renée. Posted In : workshop 

 

Spotlight On...Deals and more at Urban Ore.

February 16, 2011

Urban Ore on Ashby Ave. in Berkeley hasn't changed too much since my first visit there nearly 10 years ago.  It still has an earthy smell twinged with the smell of "old"--not unlike the smell of the home your grandparents have lived in since 1953.

Urban Ore's website claims that on an average day, they save 20 tons of material that would have otherwise been lost at a local dump.  Granted, some of the items you find at Urban Ore might feel more at home at the dump, but then again, one ...
Continue reading...

Posted by Janelle Renée. Posted In : Second-hand shops 

 

Succulent Fun

February 14, 2011

Although the weather here in California could not be nicer, especially for this time of year, it is still a bit too cold to be planting wonderful summer vegetables and beautiful spring flowers.  It certainly feels like spring though; so why not do a quick spruce up of your containers and planter boxes?

I’ve found that keeping some containers filled with succulents satisfies me year round.  They are virtually effortless and extremely forgiving: they grow in the shade, if you forget to water t...
Continue reading...

Posted by Lori Pepe-Lunche. Posted In : Garden 

 

Spotlight On... Architect Ken Martin

February 11, 2011

Welcome to our first ever "Spotlight On..." interview.  Today we have the pleasure of presenting an interview we had with Ken Martin, an architect from Berkeley. 





Lori met Ken about 15 years ago when she moved to her home in the Elmwood District of Berkeley.  He was working on several home renovations on her street at the time, including his own.  Lori describes Ken as thoughtful, generous, and witty, with a very dry sense of humor.  Above all, she said, he is very down to earth and accessibl...
Continue reading...

Posted by Janelle Renée. Posted In : Architects 

 

Welcome!

February 2, 2011
Welcome to the Design Salon Blog!  We hope to inspire you to create the home you've always wanted with our Monday and Thursday weekly posts where we will cover just about anything and everything related to residential design.
 
The glue of the Design Salon Blog will be our "Spotlight On" series:

Spotlight On... Artisans, Tradesmen, Contractors:  Each month we will interview at least one independent artisan, contractor, or skilled person of a trade, like a tile mosaic artist, a metal craftsmen, c...
Continue reading...

Posted by Lori and Janelle.

 
« Newer posts

About Me

As an Interior Designer, I am constantly looking for new ways of re-purposing and re-using what people already have as well as finding new resources for affordable furnishings. This is just a place to share great resources, ideas, information about the trades, and ways of doing things yourself to help make your own home fabulous! 

- Lori Pepe-Lunché,  more about me...


 Design Salon Shop

Follow Me on Pinterest

 E Mail Me

Subscribe To Design Salon

Get our posts delivered to your inbox free!

Be sure to look for your verification e-mail from FeedBurner once you have subscribed. Just click on the link in that e-mail and your post deliveries will begin!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Fabulous DIY Tutorials

 Media Mentions