House to home: Artifacts from around the world can accent home decor

If you love to travel, as I do, you are sure to come across items of special beauty and interest that you’d love to take home. Fabulous finds that will fit into luggage present no problem. A few yards of Moroccan textiles, or a collection of beaded napkin rings are easily transported.

But what about that 17th-century, hand-carved Spanish trunk that you can picture in your family room, or an intricately wrought Indonesian entry door you would give pride of place, repurposed as a handsome headboard, in the master bedroom?

Once home, how would these items mix and mingle with your existing furnishings?

These are challenges that designer and author Sandra Espinet has met and solved over and over again. Espinet brings the exotic home to North America and creates stunning interiors that champion the blend of traditional style with prized pieces from other cultures. In her book The Well-Traveled Home, with photography by Hector Velazco and published by Gibbs Smith, Espinet shares her passion for seeking out the rare and exquisite in places less travelled. Then, small or large, each piece is integrated into home and family life thousands of miles away.
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Exotic tabletop items intersperse with the homeowners'f fine plates and cutlery to create a charming setting as seen in the book The Well-Traveled Home by Sandra Espinet. zoom

If you are more of an armchair traveller, but long to have art and artifacts from other lands in your life, the rooms on these pages will inspire you to find a resource close to home that imports these gems.

The author has showcased each room to illustrate the versatility and repurposing of objects that are both practical and works of art. The hallway marks the entrance to the house and delivers a welcome message to family and guests. It is an exciting place to showcase unique cabinetry, a console with curved supports, a framed mirror, and works of art and sculpture that bring stories of different cultures together.

In the dining room shown here, hand-painted dishes from a street vendor in Hanoi and iridescent mother-of-pearl napkin rings set a casually elegant scene on a travertine tabletop. On other pages in her book, light fixtures set the style and tone, from delicate glass sconces to oversized iron chandeliers. Chairs are upholstered in a mix of fabrics new and old — leather seats with tapestry backs.


“Every great living room should have a dramatic moment, a stellar piece or something unexpected,” says Espinet. This can be an imposing fireplace with a carved fireplace hood, a large iron-and-glass coffee table or an Italianate console. Scale plays an important part, so the seating will have a balancing weight, but plain lines allow the eye to rest.

A bathroom can be as uniquely fitted out as you please. Espinet shows a rustic antique Afghan cabinet fitted with a bowl from Thailand and repurposed as a vessel sink. Wall-mounted faucets and the drop front of the cabinet keep the plumbing pipes hidden.

Bedrooms lend themselves to an eclectic array of dramatic and romantic elements that relate to your ideal of a restful space that welcomes dreams and repose. Shown here, simple bedding in bright blue is enlivened by vibrant pillows made from vintage textiles — Guatemalan stripes and Mexican florals. The headboards are antique Guatemalan screens. The wall colour glows with the same tone of dark honey gold found in the woven chair and footstool.

Spice up your home with orange decor

Editor's note: Welcome to CNN's Open House, an interactive, online tour of iReporters' houses that showcases incredible decor. Space by space, we'll feature beautiful design moments and learn from decorators' experience.

(CNN) -- It wasn't so long ago that orange fell off the home decor color wheel. After a decade of being associated with popular appliance colors like "avocado green" and "harvest gold" (ah, the '70s), orange became outdated and was quietly dropped from the roster.

But, as Mark Woodman, the president of the Color Marketing Group points out, a color as bold as orange is never gone for good. (He should know. The Color Marketing Group forecasts the colors major industries, manufacturers and services will use one to three years in advance.)

In recent home decor trends such as "modern global" and the Chinoiserie revival, orange has been a key player in shades of pumpkin, cinnabar, terra cotta, vermillion and coral.

"The beauty of orange is its energetic appeal in almost all of its values," Woodman said. Especially in its brighter spectrum, orange is considered fun, upbeat and unique, he said.

But even as colors come and go in popular use (orange is already beginning to cycle down in popularity, with cooler blues taking the forefront in design and color news), orange always comes to mind as the weather cools down.

"Fall decorating will often take its clues from the natural world," Woodman said. "As leaves change color, we are introduced to a collection of reds, browns, golds and, of course, oranges. Of them all, the orange seems most to be the last vestige of summer joy. So it becomes a bridge color, hovering between the golds and browns with a hint of the past season marrying the coming season."

Perhaps it won't be so easy to let go of our orange decor as fabric and furniture trends continue to evolve, Woodman said.

While orange is the natural complement to the brand new blues soon to be seen in the home furnishing aisles of major retailers, the real future of the hue, Woodman said, is metallic: Think "copper."

"It is poised to be the metal to embrace in coming years and will keep orange alive," he said.

"In the end, orange has been embraced by so many that we won't want to see it go," Woodman said. "It may step back for a bit and become more subtle, but we will always want its bit of fun and energy."

Want to add orange to your home's color palette? Here are anecdotes and advice from this week's Open House contributors:

Take inexpensive risks
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"If you're afraid to use color in your home, choose an inexpensive way to add color like pillows or bedding. These things can be replaced (more) easily and effortlessly than, say, an expensive orange couch or chair. Using neutral elements like gray curtains and white walls gives a bold color a resting place so that the room isn't too overwhelming. It also keeps the look fresh." -- Holly Modica, Old Lyme, Connecticut

Less is more

"Pair orange with cooler colors, and use it more as an accent to add a small dose. It also works well with metals: copper, gold and brass. With black or darker colors, orange can be a bit too 'heavy.' " -- Emily Clark, Charlotte, North Carolina

Mix it up

"My husband loves bright orange, not the muted fall orange, because bright orange is represented in his school colors. I fell in love with the color, too, and wanted it somewhere else in our home. I love the combo of pink, gold and orange, and that's what inspired me to paint the little box under our coffee table in that color combination. It is eye catching to say the least. While it's not for everyone, I have to say that I love it." -- Julie Konya

Modern home decor comes with imbedded technology

It's one thing to have a beautiful, comfy bed. But what if it also included a TV screen, game console and dimmable, color-changing lights?

Or say you've got just enough room in your apartment for a credenza or speakers, but not both. How about one piece that includes both - and a whole media system?

The integration of technology into home decor has come a long way since clunky TV screens peered out of armoires and media cabinets. Today's super-thin screens can come embedded in the bathroom mirror or attached to the wall like pieces of art.

The "wallpaper" mode on Sharp's new, high-definition Aquos TV (www.sharpusa.com) lets you display photos, paintings or other images as wall art when you aren't watching television. You can set a clock for display times, and the light level is reduced to get rid of glare.

Samsung's four-door fridge (www.samsung.com) has a Wi-Fi enabled screen that you can load with photos, news, calendar, notepad and recipes.

Want to stay on top of the morning news? Seura's TV screens (www.seura.com) embed in the bathroom vanity mirror. Robern's embed in the medicine cabinet. (www.robern.com)

As for sound systems, Symbol Audio of New York has a New Audio Desk that incorporates high-quality speakers into a slim writing desk crafted from maple, walnut, oak or cherry.

Baby boomers may remember the family's old hi-fi system. While iPhones and iPads can now hold the equivalent of hundreds of Mitch Miller albums, there are still those among us who like the midcentury chic of a retro-styled system. Symbol Audio (www.symbolaudio.com) pays homage to the hi-fi with the Modern Record Console, a walnut cabinet outfitted with a hand-built turntable, amplifier and built-in wireless router.

"The act of removing an album from its sleeve, cleaning and placing it on the turntable is interactive and physical. There is an undeniable charm to vinyl that's more than just a fascination with the past," said Blake Tovin, Symbol's founder.

Connecticut-based Salamander Designs (www.salamanderdesigns.com) conceals high-performance loudspeakers in elegant cabinetry. The Chicago model is clad in striated black oak, evoking the prairie grass of the Midwest. There are versions in walnut, American cherry and high-gloss white lacquer.

Italian designer Edoardo Carlino's spacy-looking Hi Can canopy bed (www.hi-can.com) incorporates a theater screen, integrated PC and game consoles, and built-in lights to create a self-contained bedroom/playroom.

Ready for entertaining? Just hit "party" on Lutron's new Homeworks system (www. lutron.com). It sets the mood of a room with spotlights, dimmable overheads, music and thermostat settings. The company offers customized lighting options for a variety of moods and rooms.

Bed-Stuy Couple Brings New Home Decor Shop to Former True South Storefront

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A new home decor and gift shop is opening just in time for the holidays in Bed-Stuy, occupying a storefront that fomerly housed an independent black history bookstore.

Peace & Riot Pop-Up is owned by longtime Bed-Stuy resident and business owner Achuziam Maha and husband Lionel Sanchez, who say they're trying to fill a void for everyday gifts like greeting cards, candles and bath and beauty products.

"We're really trying to fill a lot of holes I think are in this neighborhood," said Maha, who previously owned the African home decor shop Ibo Landing. "We can't fill everything, but I definitely want to fill some of them."

The shop opens on Black Friday at 492 Nostrand Ave., the former home of the True South bookstore. The independent book seller, which focused on black history and culture, was threatened with eviction shortly after shop owner Monroe Brown was sent to the hospital with a stroke and brain anuerysm.

Brown's son, Ajamu Brown, tried to save the shop by holding a fundraiser, but ultimately couldn't afford the newly-raised rent. It closed in late September.

Now Maha and Sanchez hope they can bring a new sense of community to the area. In addition to selling gifts and furniture, the two plan to hold events in the space, including Easter egg hunts and concerts for kids, as well as art exhibitions.

Maha said she was inspired to create a more community-focused space by her grandmother, who lived just a block away in the house the couple now shares, and who every week opened her doors for community members to share her meals.

"I feel like it's my job to continue some of the stuff she was trying to do," Maha said of her grandmother. "[Making] sure we're tied to the community is important."

The two owners met at a concert 13 years ago and "haven't stopped talking since," Maha said. They were bandmates, started dating and were married four years ago.

Maha, an interior designer by trade, began looking for a location to open her new shop last year, and she jumped at the opportunity when the Nostrand Avenue location opened up.

Sanchez, who was laid off from Universal Music last year, decided to bring his social media and design skills to help the shop grow.

"I was always helping her whenever I could anyway," Sanchez said. "It was her vision that brought us to this place. I wanted to support it.'"

Now the two are each bringing their own spin to the shop, using the message in the store's name — Peace & Riot — to focus on the contrast in the items they sell: Maha focuses on more traditional items like furniture and candles, while Sanchez will stock the store with useful knick-knacks like novelty USB hubs and cooking equipment.

"We collaborate in everything," the Bronx-born Sanchez said. "We collaborate in life, we've collaborated in music— we just know how to work together."

Death Star wall tiles show home decor's dark side

Created for an uber-luxe home theatre project, these custom Death Star-themed wall tiles are the decor we've been looking for.

Why would you ever want to clad your kitchen or bathroom in anything else if you could have the Death Star available? Unfortunately, they aren't — but we can still imagine.

These wall tiles were actually created for one of those jaw-dropping themed cinema projects. This one, of course (in case you hadn't guessed) was themed after a space ship, and features red LED wall panels, suitably evil-long chairs — and relief tiles created by Tom Spina Designs, a company that specialises in custom themed sculpture, furniture and props.

The company proposed the tiles as a means of subtly introducing a fan element into the wainscot. "These would give a sense of 'tech' to the decor and, while recognisable to the avid fan, they would not be an over the top, obvious themed element," the company wrote. "The end result blends wonderfully, with our pieces being a subtle accent, just one part of a large and awe-inspiring themed home theatre."

The team created 14 master tiles at 12 inches square (30.48 centimetres) and with a depth ranging between three to four inches (7.62 to 10.16 centimetres). These tiles were cast in tinted resin, and details were painted in to add a sense of variation. In total, 120 tiles were made. Tom Spina Designs made no mention of how much the client spent, but we're willing to bet it was a pretty penny.

Tom Spina Designs also created some custom mannequins for Star Wars replica costumes belonging to the client, but alas, we could find no further details about the project.

We feel, however, that the tiles are little lost in the darkness of a home cinema. They'd look much better decorating our kitchens. Dibs on not cleaning them, though.

Upcycle Your Home Décor

There is a lot of buzz in the air about upcycling. Upcycling lends a jazzy new twist to the “reuse” part of reuse, reduce, and recycle. From turning old maps into wallpaper or window shades to creating funky furniture from shipping pallets, I’ve found plenty of creative and resourceful upcycling ideas on the Web. It seems that no matter the “junk” material I have on hand, there is a craft that can make use of the refuse to create a functional, fabulous addition to my home. Here are some of my favorite upcycling projects that nearly anyone can attempt. Try them out, and make your home all the greener with some eclectic flair.

Homemade Paper

You need plenty of pulp to make your own recycled paper at home, but look no farther than your paper waste bin. Recycled paper pulp can be made from tissues, computer paper, photocopier paper, wrapping paper, brown paper, note paper or envelopes — all used on their own or in combination. First, you’ll make a mold for your paper based on the dimensions you want your finished product to be. The mold requires a metal mesh screen, so you can use an old window screen for this (even more upcycling!), secured by a wooden frame. See paper-maker Marianne Saddington’s mold design here.

Tear the paper into pieces measuring approximately 1 inch square and soak in water overnight. Paper-maker Marianne Saddington offers an example:  ”Tissues can be torn into quite large pieces and soaked for only 30 minutes, while watercolor paper needs to be torn into pieces less than 1 inch square and soaked for two or three days. If you’re in a hurry, pour boiling water over the torn paper and allow it to stand for an hour or two.”

During the soaking period, you can dye your pulp various colors. (Natural dyes are safe and easy to make.) When your paper is soaked, pour the mixture in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds, or just long enough for the fibers to separate. Figure that one load in the blender will make one thin sheet of 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper. Add a little water if necessary to reach a workable consistency that allows you to spread a layer of the pulp over your screen mold. Allow the water to drain and then you are ready to start drying in the sun or wind. On a sunny day with strong wind, your paper will dry in around 2 hours.

Make handmade envelopes out of your paper and you’ll really wow your friends.

Recycled Window Coffee Table

If I had dozens of old windows to make use of, I’d build a recycled window greenhouse. But more often, I fall in love with a single window in a frame that I find at a thrift or reuse store. In this case, I still have several options for upcycling. One of the easiest is to make a coffee table. All you’ll need to add are legs and you are good to go. Either use the legs from an existing table that is on its way out anyway, or you can try this oh-so-easy design that uses legs cut from cardboard boxes. They may not last as long as the wooden legs, but you’ll have your table ready in time to impress a date.

Option 2: Make wall art! If you collect sea glass, glass gems, clear beads or other artifacts that are opaque or transparent, you can glue these bobbles to your window in order to produce a faux stained glass effect. Experiment with colors and sizes of your materials. These window “mosaics” make great gifts that can be completed in little time.

Shopping Cart Furniture

It sounds unbelievable — or at least uncomfortable — to make furniture out of an old shopping cart, but it can be done in a modern, tasteful fashion with a little elbow grease. First, find a shopping cart. Many grocery and big-box stores retire shopping carts long before their useful life is complete. Inquire with their customer service to find out when they will cull old shopping carts that may be rusty or have bad wheels (you can paint your cart and you’ll be removing the wheels anyway). Here’s a plan for an outdoor lounge chair.

First, you’ll use a Dremel or hacksaw (or any tool strong enough to cut through steel) to cut your cart into shape. Remove the front wheels and rear wheel brackets. Bend the side panels into place in order to make armrests. You will bend these side pieces around PVC pipe to give it an armrest shape. Take off the handlebars, sand down the rough edges, and voila! You have a wire chair. But is it comfortable? It will be after you throw your handmade pillows on it!

You’ve already got your steel-cutting tools out. Why not make some oil drum furniture? Yes, it can be done.

Satellite Dish Gazebo


Every now and then, I see an old 1980s-style satellite dish hanging out in someone’s yard. It is clear the thing hasn’t been used for years. Are you one of these people? If so, you can upcycle that dish into a lovely grape-arbor gazebo. Flip the dish so that its convex-side-up. This will form the roof of your gazebo. Lance Larson’s gazebo uses warehouse storage-rack legs for the gazebo legs, lifting it about 10 feet off the ground. Larson used three-quarter-inch conduit as braces, cattle panel fencing for the railing, and 1-inch plastic pipe to top off the railing. He painted the whole gazebo black to give it a unified appearance.

CH House by GLR Arquitectos

n a privileged site occupied by an old and obsolete house , we face a dilemma: renovate or demolish such house in order to make way for a new residential project . In conjunction with the client we decide to go for the latter alternative and go ahead with the demolition, adjusting the topography according to the new scheme, which will seek to benefit from the wonderful city views.
The rear garden almost disappears, leaving only a narrow contemplative garden, which acquires a very special character due to a beautiful original existing rock.

The kitchen, breakfast room, family room and master bedroom enjoy this visual effect. Towards the front of the property, a large semi-covered terrace is built around an infinity pool, which makes us forget for a moment the urban condition of the project, thanks to the large green areas of a park just in front of the property, which visually joins the huge greenery of the Country Club golf course.
Inside the house, a large double height living room with a set of exposed concrete skylights becomes the heart of the project, due to the interesting effect of the controlled natural light that floods the whole area. Around such space, the bedrooms, decks, home theater, and home office complete the program.
In the last level , such home office enjoys the splendid views of the city, in addition to being visually connected through a large window towards the double height living room, acquiring a condition of great transparency and giving the sensation of being a floating bridge over the terrace.
The materials, mainly the gray exposed concrete , the gray oak wood and the black granite facades, as well as the indoor and outdoor white stucco , contribute to the project a both refined and contemporary character.