The Entryway

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Architecture, Build, Construction, Design, environment, Home, Homeowner, Houses, real-estate, Residence, Shelter, style

Though you live in your backyard, the world inevitably beats a path to your front door. Well-designed entryways can offer, privacy, light, charm and character to your home – without breaking style or the budget.
A new door, some well-placed windows or a fresh coat of paint can work wonders on a tired façade or an out-of-date entry. According to architect Richard Hartmann, “The ambiance of your home actually starts outside. It’s a whole sequence of events. Meandering through landscaping on a slightly curved path, for example, enhances the experience. ”

Here are a few tips for adding style:

* Add window boxes. They add color to a plain exterior when they’re overflowing with plants or flowers.
* Replace old hardware with brass numbers, handles, a mailbox or kick plate. Ceramic or hand-painted house numbers are good alternatives.
* Add a new front door, sidelights or transom. If you can’t afford to replace the door, add decorative molding around the one you have.
* Use clay pots or sculpture to spark an uninspired entry.
* Add an awning over doors or windows. With Florida’s seasonal rain showers, it’s practical as well as pretty.
* Add carriage lights on either side of the front door or low-voltage path lights along the walkway. They can help bring your best foot forward.

Sweet Beams: Inspiring everyone who lives under a new roof! is available on amazon.com.

Tips on tapping

Tags

Conversation, dancing, exercise, fashion, Ginger Rogers, Humor, Memories, style, tap, tap dancing

I never knew that tap dancing involved math.
When I signed up for a class, I was looking for a fun cardio-vascular workout…something I could do at home with the radio on. After all, Ginger Rogers made it look easy.

According to the brochure, “Tap dancing is a vigorous form of dance, requiring a great deal of physical fitness. Many kids as well as adults tap dance for fun and exercise. It builds aerobic fitness as well as muscle control.”
In addition, it also involves COUNTING combinations of steps – 4 of this, 2 of that – then, break! (I confess I was an English major …math always has been my nemesis.)

Hoping to lower my risk of dementia, I persevered and learned that tap dancing consists of several basic steps that can be done as slowly or as quickly as you wish: 
Stamp (heel and toe at the same time on the floor, shifting weight.)
Stomp (same as “stamp” except with no change of weight.)
Brush (involves gently brushing the ball of your foot against the floor.)
Ball change (shifting your weight to the ball of your foot for a split second.)
Heel tap (strike the heel on the floor and release it immediately.)

The best part, of course, is the noise – tap dancers use their feet like drums to create rhythmic patterns. The term “tap dancing” is derived from the tapping sound produced when the small metal plates on the dancer’s shoes touch a hard floor.
On a positive note: I’m proud to say that I made a lot of racket.

A typical tap class like mine lasts about an hour, beginning with a warm-up to stretch the muscles of the legs and feet. We learned a series of basic steps, adding more difficult combinations as we (theoretically) became more proficient.

“Your knees and ankles should be relaxed at all times,” our instructor (a former Broadway dancer) declared over the microphone. She must be kidding…

Actually, they were sort of relaxed until my weight shifted from the ball of my foot to the heel, causing me to fall backward – with arms flailing – until the saintly woman standing next to me stopped my fall. I imagine we looked at bit like an elderly version of “A Chorus Line” at their retirement party.

Later, as I untied the ribbon of my shiny tap shoe and pulled on an Ugg boot, a charming lady named Rita whispered into my ear. “I took my first tap lesson when I was 62,’ she said, patting my arm. “Don’t worry, honey. You’ll get it.”

I hope Ginger Rogers started this way…

On the heels of fashion week

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5 inch heels, clothes hangers, dress code, fashion, New York Fashion Week, runway surfaces, style, wardrobe

Watching professional models (essentially, living clothes hangers who are paid to walk) stomp down a runway in stilettos can be interesting. However, when the professionals can’t manage the death-defying heights and/or weights of their shoes, it’s time to reconsider the term “fashionable.”

Granted, designers may feature 4- or 5-inch heels in their runway shows as a theatrical overstatement. Commercial interpretations – the shoes sold in department stores to folks like us – are far less dramatic. It’s similar to sheer clothing appearing on the runway that, ultimately, is manufactured with a nude lining for the general public to buy.
Unfortunately, many young women don’t make the distinction and attempt to wear shoes that might be described as “a podiatrist’s dream.”

Most runway surfaces are hard and white, but every now and then designers get more creative – which makes it even more challenging for the models. (Waxed wooden floors can be treacherous and Phillip Lim offered a runway made of salt crystals for fun.)

That’s why it’s nice to hear a voice of reason, like Trish Wescoat Pound, the founder and creative director of Haute Hipppie, who recently told the Wall Street Journal, “Fashion doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.”

Amen.

A brush with color

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Architecture, color, Design, Home, Homeowner, Houses, Memories, Paint, style

I’ve discovered my dream job: Naming shades of paint.

Sherwin-Williams offers 1,500 different colors of paint and the Cleveland-based company relies on just one woman to name them all. Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing, draws inspiration from foods, books, song lyrics – pretty much everything.

Jordan has been with the company for 27 years and has come up with more than 10,000 paint names. “Blue Sky,” Cherry Tomato” and “Stolen Kiss” are a few of the easy ones. “Wall Street” refers to a dark gray shade, while “Indulgent” is actually lavender. The intention is for homeowners to develop an attachment to their chosen color.
“It’s an emotional thing,” Jordan says. “People like to have an association with a particular color.”

Most colors have a life span of 10 to 12 years, but the names stick to their respective hues forever. However, they can’t have too many letters or they won’t fit on the a paint card. Names with three or more words are rare, making up only 3 percent of colors.

The longest? “Colonial Revival Green Stone.” (I’d definitely keep ‘em short and sweet.)

Where do I apply?

Live with what you love

Tags

Collections, Conversation, decor, Design, diy, Florida, Home, Houses, style

Less isn’t always more.
Arranged on a fireplace mantel, hung on the wall, or displayed on a console, collections of objects and art can bring a living room to life by injecting it with the homeowner’s personality. Adding collections to a home’s interior design scheme not only communicates individual passions, but also creates a distinctive decorative statement that visitors won’t see anywhere else.
Happily, they don’t have to be expensive.
I began collecting tin sand toys from the 1940s-50s while living in Michigan – I missed the white, powdery sand of Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches. (Walking across dirty brown gravel to plunge into the icy waters of Lake Michigan wasn’t much fun for me.) Today, sand pails, sifters and shovels cluster atop my kitchen cabinets, where I enjoy them every morning as I make my coffee.
Regional design celebrity and author of “The Collected Tabletop,” Kathryn Greeley defines collecting as, “The passionate search for items that speak to you, that you can use on a day-to-day basis…or enjoy as art.”
I’ve seen unusual items add zip to a home:
– Antique musical instruments suspended from tall ceilings.
– Rubber duckies nesting on bathroom shelves.
– Model trains running on suspended tracks around a family room.
– Large antique apothecary jars holding rocks, shells, marbles, or other small objects in a single dust-free display.
Collections are an ideal way to fill the void in any room. They add interest, spark conversation and bring your personality into what could otherwise be a sterile decorating scheme.
According to designer Greeley, who has created uniquely personal environments with collectibles in the Southeast for more than 30 years, “It’s of no joy to you wrapped up and packed away in a closet.”
I read somewhere that everyone collects something…how about you?

Rapunzel, Rapunzel

Tags

aging, baby boomers, beauty, fashion, Hair, skin care industry, style

Psssst – does my hair look old?

Neither wrinkle creams nor treadmill time will diminish the latest worry for aging baby boomers. That’s why the number of anti-aging hair care products is growing on supermarket shelves near you.

One of the biggest complaints mature adults have about their hair is that it gets thinner. (That actually starts happening in our late-30s, due to a decrease in the number of active hair follicles according to scientists at Procter & Gamble.) But after 40, our locks also become more brittle and fragile. And if we color our gray hair or use other chemical treatments, we damage it further.

Voila! The beauty industry is pushing new hair products to the 82 million of us between the ages of 45 and 64. And they’ve learned a thing or two from the skin-care industry:
To attract older men and women, skin-care products developed new language cues. Most avoid the words “old“ and “age“ and focus on “results.”

If only our younger selves had known about the preventative steps which can be taken to maintain our hair’s soft and shiny appearance… We would avoid anything that causes repeated tension or pain – like aggressive brushing while drying or tugging with a flat iron. Thankfully, Floridians of all ages learn to stay out of the sun because UV rays damage our hair as well as our skin.

I guess I’ll just have to shampoo, condition, add volume and shine to fool Mother Nature (and the general public) for one more day.

Like the wrinkles on my forehead weren’t enough to worry about….

Gentlemen, pop your collars

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clothing, fashion, leisurely sport, style

Brace yourself, Muffy – preppy style is back.

Menswear designers from Giorgio Armani to J. Crew popped the collars of their Spring 2013 sport coats and suits in a style reminiscent of the 1980 bestseller, “The Original Preppy Handbook.”

Designer Michael Bastian admits that his versions were inspired by issues of GQ magazine from the early 80s. But there are practical reasons for the trend, too. Frank Muytjens, head of men’s design at J. Crew, told the Wall Street Journal that a turned-up collar “is rooted in functionality. It’s another layer of protection against the cold of winter.”

True, but the popped-up collar actually began as primitive sun protection: Tennis champion Rene Lacoste designed a polo shirt in 1927 for himself. Lacoste wanted a flexible collar that could be flipped up to prevent sunburn on his neck. The style grew popular in Europe as well as the United States, because it came to evoke a life of leisurely sport.

The look took a rebellious turn in Hollywood when James Dean sported it in “Rebel Without a Cause,” followed by Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront.” (Remember Fonzie’s leather jacket on “Happy Days?” He was hardly a prepster.)

A word of caution, gentlemen: When popping your collar today, it’s preferable for it to look a little imperfect. Perhaps one collar point could stick up slightly higher than the other? Or a little bent?
Consider it as a nonchalant flourish meant to give your outfit a bit of flair.

It’s all about lips

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fashion, glossy lips, lipstick, makeup, makeup artists, NYFW, style

Makeup artists are giving a lot of lip next fall. Faces feature strong lips in plum or red that dominate muted cheeks.

“Classic red always looks good, though younger women may want to experiment with shades of plum or purple,” said Jeanine Lobell, who did makeup for several New York runway shows this season, and predicts glossy lips. “When you face the mirror this fall, lips will look more naughty than nice.”

But if lips are the focal point, take it easy on your eyes.

“For a dramatic effect, you must emphasize the eyes or the lips – not the entire face,” advises Dalia Caro of New Woman Studio in Tampa, Florida. Caro has spent more than 20 years teaching women about skin care and makeup application. “I recommend using a lip primer, which is rather like a foundation, to eliminate those feathering lines around the mouth. It’s so important to fill in those lines when you’re wearing darker shades of lipstick.”

However, deep, murky eye shadows also are a good bet for fall: Lots of eyeliner appeared regularly on runway faces, angled thickly for a cat-eye effect.

Good news: achieving the look doesn’t necessarily require buying new products.
“Eyeliner can be done with a pencil, then blended with a brush for a soft effect,” Caro says. “Or, get a tiny brush, wet it, and dip it in the corner of any eye shadow. It becomes a liquid liner without buying a new product.”

Setting the mood

Tags

decor, Family, Home, relationships, style, Valentine

TAMPA – Lou and Carol Radwanski know how to set a mood.
The creative couple – Carol sells visual merchandising to department stores and theme parks, while Lou owns The Arrangement Florist – will be married 42 years next month.

“We’re both workaholics,” Lou admits. “So we schedule a weekly date night and we share the chores. But the real secret to our marriage’s success is that we’re best friends.”

Their instincts were good from the start – the couple became engaged just two weeks after meeting. And like many lovers, they prefer to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home.
“It is the biggest, single day of the year for florists,” Lou explains. “We’re usually working around the clock in the days leading up to it. ”

Once, years ago, the couple decided to celebrate the holiday with a few friends.
“I fell asleep in my mashed potatoes,” he says. “I learned that Valentine’s Day is not a night for florists to go out.”

So Carol pulls together the perfect romantic celebration at home by decorating a few key areas with symbols of love:

1. The Entrance – Decorating your front entrance starts the night with a nice surprise for any Valentine. Carol hangs a sparkly heart wreath trimmed with white silk flowers and ribbon on the door. For added color, she plants pink, red and white flowers by the walkway, along with a tiny cupid flag.

2. The Dining Room – Nothing is more romantic than having an intimate dinner with the one you love. In lieu of a runner, Carol scatters rose petals along her black lacquer dining table. Red chargers beneath white plates, red roses in glass cubes and red candles add to the affectionate atmosphere.

3. The Bath – The Radwanskis enjoy red walls, a golden baroque mirror and antique fixtures in their bathroom all year long. For Valentine’s Day, Carol adds a vase with red roses, red hand towels and a sexy note written in lipstick on the mirror! Heart-shaped soap dishes and aroma candles also are inexpensive ways to add a bit of love to your bathroom décor.

4. The Bedroom – Two red robes lay waiting by a dessert tray topped with Valentine coffee mugs and a box of chocolates. “Carol knows I love eating chocolate and watching Jay Leno,” Lou says, with a grin.
Scattering rose petals on the floor might indicate a slightly different program…

Think pinky

Tags

14 karat gold, aristocrats, cameo, fashion, nobility, ring, signet, style

My mother always wore a pinky ring.

She may not have known that, for centuries before it became a chic accessory for modern women, an engraved signet worn on the little finger was a symbol of family and social status for kings, queens and European aristocrats. According to Keith Penton, head of the jewelry department at Christies in London, noble families would have their coat of arms or crest which they would press into wax to seal letters.

Wealthy people (who didn’t have a crest) began to engrave their initials on rings instead. Penton says many Englishmen – including Prince Charles – even wear their wedding ring on their pinky along with their crest ring.

Of course, not everyone who sports the style is nobility: Al Capone wore a 14-karat gold pinky ring bearing the letters “AC.”

But whether you’re an heiress or a hitman, the key to wearing a ring on your little finger is finding the right style.

Mother alternated between an oval cameo in summer months and a diamond ring in winter. I have them both and have discovered that virtually any stone looks bigger on a pinky.

“Women who wear pinky rings have lots of style and self-confidence,” she once told me.

I hope it is true.