Wallpaper Revolution!

It used to be that if I needed to avoid wasting my day away perusing products for hours on end, I would just avoid the mall... or the bookstore... or Staples... But now that shopping is part of my professional job description it's become more of a challenge to walk the straight and narrow.

Today I veered off course at the Laguna Design Center... I was supposed to be looking for outdoor fabrics - but I got distracted by GORGEOUS wallpaper - EVERYWHERE! So I grabbed a few samples, I'm hoping to start a wallpaper revolution - no more plain flat walls (or ceilings!) The problem will be widdling down the selections to ultimately choose just the perfect one...


Love this one by Neisha Crossland - it's flocked! Stark Wallcoverings, Flamante - Moreska


Or this one... comes as linen panels - growing up the wall. Stark Wallcoverings, Loui Loui.


Love the geometric pattern of this one by Romo Wallpapers.


Unfortunately wallpaper has lost it's appeal over the years for several different reasons, one - it's RIDICULOUSLY hard to get off, two - it reminds people of their grandmother's house (not in the fresh-baked cookie way), and three - it yellows and curls at the edges as it ages.

Have no fear - that WAS your grandmother's wallpaper, and the paper available today is the latest and greatest, next-generation wallpaper. Most of the products available now are peelable, and the yellowing and curling was due to mold and mildew that grew behind the wallpaper. Most paper (or vinyl) products today are either breathable or micro-perforated so moisture can not get trapped in the wall, causing mildew.



Wallpaper (both paper-based and vinyl-based) are more durable than paint. They are scrubbable, easy to maintain and offer a ton of possibilities in texture, pattern, color and even acoustics. I used a fabric wallcovering backed with paper in my powder bath (which is next to the dining room) to ...ah... how you say - transmit less noise ...ah-hem.

There are many options to choose from when it comes to wallcoverings...

Wood Veneer Wallcoverings:


Sharkskin (Shagren:)


Uh - Safari:


Grasscloth with Embroidery (one of my all-time favorites, and new contender for my own kitchen ceiling:)


(Resposibly GATHERED - they promise...) peacock feathers:


Metal:


3-D linoleum mimicking plaster panels (absolutely gorgeous, especially painted):


OK - I could go on for days... but hopefully you can see that the possibilities are endless! So - Just a few notes to wrap up, some wallpapers show wall imperfections - so consult a professional wallpaper hanger, go to: http://www.ngpp.org/ to find one in your area.

If you're a little weary still - try wallpapering an accent wall (usually works best on the wall directly in front of you when you enter a room, or the wall behind the main focal point, like a fireplace.) The easiest rule to follow is to paint the other walls in the room the background color of the wallpaper.

If you STILL need more convincing that wallpaper is FAB-U-Lous - check out this one of a kind, 3D installation in NYC at the Kipps Bay Showhouse by Amy Lau of her namesake firm, and acclaimed paper artist, Jo Lynn Alcorn:


For more images go to: http://www.mayaromanoff.com/pages/kipsbay.html

Bringing the Outdoors In!

Growing up in Orange County, CA I took for granted the mild weather, the rolling landscape and even the vast expanse of ocean. Coyotes howling in the night and raccoons tipping over the trash cans were an everyday occurrence. It wasn't until I left for design school in NYC that I realized that in MOST parts of the country you have to design around nature, making an effort to bring nature in!

On my evening walk with the dogs I was reminded of a recent trip to Vegas. Daisy almost nabbed a mouse, Fischer barely avoided a kiss from a fat lizard, and I was so distracted by the most beautiful butterfly that I nearly stepped on a rabbit carcass. Ew, ew, ew... back to the butterfly.

I was entranced by the whimsical butterfly theme at Wynn's newest property Encore. So delicate and intricate - the motif is happy, whimsical and carefree - perfect for a luxury vacation spot.



There were butterflies on the floor...



In minute detail...



Butterflies peeking over the tops of walls...



And of course, butterflies on ceilings...



This one is a stretch... it's just cool!

Don't be afraid to decorate with what you love. The Encore does it well, the butterflies appear sporadically, in unexpected places - but when they do, it's in exquisite detail. This makes the use of a theme feel luxurious and planned rather than kitschy and surreal.

Homemade Dog Food

Warning: this recipe isn't for everyone. It's only recommended for the sweetest-smartest-best dogs in the whole world. Only the ones that deserve nothing but the best!

Of course I'm exaggerating - a bit. I developed this recipe out of sheer frustration, you see, without getting too descriptive - my dogs have, ah shall we say - very sensitive stomachs. So finally after about 2 1/2 years of trying dog food after dog food, everything sort of, ah - irritated them.

The first few times I served this to them - I had to retrain them not to jump on me or the counter to get to it! A big change in dogs that would sometimes skip 3 or 4 meals in a row.

Through an excruciating process of elimination experiment (and of course some world class googling)we discovered that they are grain-sensitive. Most dog foods contain some source of grain because it is a cheap filler and bonds the dry food together. Unfortunately grain - one of the major ingredients in dog food has no nutritional value for dogs, and is never eaten by wolves in the wild.

There are a few grain-free options available through the larger petstores, Wellness Core Ocean is the one we chose to supplement our doggie-casserole. It's a great option - they love the taste, and the fatty white-fish formula makes their coats oh-so-soft, they even shed less!

I make a large batch once a week - it all goes in a big stew pot, and simmers for a bit, it's that easy!

6lbs ground turkey (ground Chicken can also be used)
4lbs of sweet potatoes (most stores sell pre-cut and pre-skinned bagged versions)
4lbs of food processed carrots (I buy bagged, shredded)Food processing is a must - dogs cannot break down the cellulose in the veggies on their own.
1/4 cup soy sauce (for flavor!)

Throw the ground turkey and sweet potatoes in a large stew pot. Add 1/4 cup of low-sodium soy-sauce, enough hot water to fill about 1/2 of the pot and bring to a boil. Boil vigorously for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

After it has cooled, I divide the stew into 4 Ziploc containers and add equal parts of the processed carrots to each container. Not cooking the carrots allows them to retain all of the vitamins and benefits that are cooked out in commercial dog food.

My 50lb, very active dogs get about 1 scoop of casserole mixed with 1 cup of dry dog food (Wellness Core Ocean) 2 times a day each plus 1TBLSP of their vitamins - it's no secret that most of our food was grown in land that has long been stripped of it's nutrients by overfarming. This supplement assures me that they're getting all of the trace minerals and vitamins they need.