A Cool Fireplace to Warm you up this Winter…

In my latest residential project I am planning to use a Decoflame® fireplace… They are just beginning to come to North America… I am crossing my fingers that they come as soon as possible! I love them and I want them!

Decoflame® is committed to exceptional design and quality. The Danish craftsman and designer Kjell Thomsen started to draw his first range of bio-ethanol fireplaces in 2007.

Today, Decoflame® is the registered trademark for eco-friendly, contemporary, cutting edge fireplaces which add a style statement to any home.

A BEAUTIFUL CEILING LEAK

Searching for a ceiling mounted fixture for a residential project I found these beautiful ones for another project! Aren’t they seducing? I can’t stop looking at them!

Glo by Danilo de Rossi - LEUCOS


Cascada by ET2


Ether 90 S by Eurofase


Galassia by Eurofase


Martellato by Eurofase


Mercury by Artemide


Anemome by Robert Abbey

A SHELL = A HOUSE

Shenker Architects’ beautiful house (see below) is designed by the inspiration of a “shell". A SHELL has always been an inspiration for designers and architects because of its perfection and harmonious structure and natural design.







RG Art & Design is recommending Shenker Architects, located in Brooklyn, New York. Shenker Architects is a firm that provides services in building design, construction management and interior design. The firm is striving to solve clients' needs with innovative design, taking responsibility for most intricate space planning, technical and aesthetic tasks, all within realistic budget and schedule limits.
The firm offers extensive experience in a broad spectrum of architectural project types ranging from medium and high-end residential to small medical and corporate offices, restaurants and retail spaces to religious buildings and concert halls.

G’OLD _ (Good Ol’ Time) CARNAVAL IN BRAZIL

It’s Carnaval in Brazil until this coming Wednesday! The country stops for 4 days; and in some places for a week! For a lot of people this is the time to “free their spirit” and have a lots of fun! For others, it is just time to take it easy, enjoy the long holiday and relax…

Carnival Roots: (In my opinion, it’s a very interesting history)

“The origins of carnival date back to the ancient Greek spring festival in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine. The Romans adopted the celebration with Bacchanalia (feasts in honor of Bacchus, the Roman equivalent to Dionysus), and Saturnalia, where slaves and their masters would exchange clothes in a day of drunken revelry. Saturnalia was later modified by the Roman Catholic Church into a festival leading up Ash Wednesday. It quickly evolved into a massive celebration of indulgences - one last gasp of music, food, alcohol, and sex before Lent - before the 40 days of personal reflection, abstinence, and fasting until Easter (not exactly what the Church probably had in mind). 40 days of purging sins, preceded by a week filled with virtually every known sin. The word itself comes from Latin, "Carne Vale" or "Farewell to the Flesh"”. (Taken from the website _ www.afropop.org)

I picked some images I found on the Internet to show you a little bit of the power of the Carnaval in Brazil! … A long time ago I used to have “a g’old…a good ol’ time” for 4 days every year!

Enjoy the ENERGY!!!

3D RUGS

Award-winning TOP FLOOR’S Rug Collections was founded by Design Director Esti Barnes in 1998. Esti Barnes also designs bespoke rugs and carpets for residential and commercial clients. Too bad the company is located in London… a little too far from New York! For me to make a decision to buy a rug, I need to not just see it… I need to use my five senses. I would say I need to pretend to be my like my little kitty cat… to roll around on it, sniff it, and even maybe scratch it! Well, Esti, on second thought, maybe it is good that you are too far from me…!?

Below my favorite rugs from the company:

Eventaille Rug


Ethereal Rug


Enmeshed Rug


Endless Nova rug


Elise Rug

ATTENTION!!! To All Brides To Be!

A little while ago I met Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo from ABCD Designs _ http://www.abcddesign.com/ in an elevator, in Manhattan. We were both leaving from a Vicente Wolf event… the launching of his Blog. I was there to meet Vicente Wolf, and I think Amy was there to meet Vicente’s Blog… I met Vicente that day… but I also met Amy, her designs and her BLOG! We came out from the elevator and walked for a block together and then we stood at the corner of 39th Street and 8th Ave (I think), and we chatted lively about design, Vicente, art, where originally we were from, etc, etc, and about BLOGs. I remember she was passionate about blogging… It was contagious! She was the first “Blogger” I’ve ever met! From that day on I started getting more curious about blogs… and now, I am blogging and having so much fun! I wanted to thank you Amy to have shared that passion with me that day. Here I want to celebrate your beautiful designs… sharing with others. This is just a little sample of her
infinite creativity!

Beijos & Kisses!

_ Renata Gross _

WHAT IS YOUR STYLE? Take the test!

Today I found this fun quiz! A lot of people can't define their style... Here is an easy quiz to help you to find your style: http://www.sproost.com


According to the quiz my personal style is...


Rustic Revival
You can take kid out of the country but you can't take the country out of the kid... or is your theme "you can take the kid out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the kid?" Either way you play it, you are one of the unique individuals who loves a mix of modern and country. The clean lines of the modern softened by rustic /vintage elements is the perfect mix in your mind. And can we blame you? You've taken the best aspects of two popular designs and mixed them in a manner that appeals young and old alike. A subtle background of white or light colors provides a nice canvas for all the wonderful flea market, eBay or garage sale finds as well as the classic modern pieces that you love.

HIGH TECH FOR KITCHEN & BATH

Media-Center Vent
Listen to CDs, watch a DVD as you cook, or tune in to PBS for your favorite This Old House episodes (of course) with the avant Garde vent hood by Siemens: It has a 17-inch flat-panel LCD screen built in. For use with electric or induction cook tops only. Approx. $3,499 - Siemens



Tumble Out Creases
A steam generator in LG's latest and largest (7.3-cubic-foot capacity) dryer helps rid cotton shirts of wrinkles, odors, and static cling at the touch of a button. Pair it with LG's steam washer, in white, cherry, or stainless steel. From $1,149 to $3,499 - LG




Touch, Slide, Cook
Scroll your finger along the circular grooved control panel—just like the one on your Apple iPod—and set Siemens's iSlide convection oven to roast, bake, thaw, or perform in any of 16 preprogrammed cooking modes. From $2,999 - Siemens



Big Drum, No Bang
Like a luxury car, Samsung Electronics's VRT front-loading washer is engineered for ultra-quiet performance. Stainless-steel ball bearings in its outer ring offset uneven clothes distribution, while an automotive damper absorbs spin-cycle movement—perfect if your laundry is upstairs or near the kitchen. And with 3.8 cubic feet of interior space, it can handle even a king-size comforter. Approx. $1,299– $1,399 - Samsung



Sanitation Cycle
Germs don't stand a chance in Sears Kenmore's water-efficient Elite 1315 dishwasher, which blasts dishes with a sustained 15-minute hit of 167-degree steam after the rinse cycle. Starting at $1,099 - Sears



Stellar Showerhead
Hansa's pole-mounted shower wand aims to please: Upright, its 9½-inch spaceship-shaped head delivers a gentle rain; tilted down, it sends out a cascading stream. $198 - Hansa



Tricked-Out Shower
Kohler's DTV shower lets you program your ideal water pressure and temperature, chromatherapy, steam, and your favorite tunes with a built in stereo system, all controlled from a LCD screen that can be mounted on the wall. The price for the DTV II (includes the media server, valve and digital interface) is approx. $3,900. The chromatherapy shower panel Ambient Rain is approx. $2,500, and a pair of SoundTile shower speakers is approx. $295- Kohler



Now You See It, Now You Don't
If you think cleaning your gas stovetop is a drag, you will love Fisher & Paykel's Project Luna stovetop. A frameless piece of 36-by-16-inch black glass supports three individual glass burners that, when not in use, retract flush into the surface. A button prompts them into place for cooking. The Aero burners offer a sparkless ignition and an instantaneous flame, ideal for precision cooking. Due out in the U.S. market next year - Fisher & Paykel



High-Def
Ever dreamed of having high-definition television right in your own fridge? Okay maybe not, but you can skip the dream anyway and get right to the reality shows with LG Electronics HDTV refrigerator. The side-by-side model incorporates LG's fifth-generation digital television tuner to deliver digital broadcast to a 15-inch screen. Other features include remote-control operation, cable and DVD connection, and FM radio. The left side of the door has a 4-inch weather-center LCD display above the ice and water dispenser. Approx. $3,999 - LG Electronics'



I got 9 high tech products for the kitchen and bath? Do you know the 10th one?