From: marina
Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 4:08 PM
To: AskADesigner
Subject: Weblog - Ask a Designer

i have a white tiled bathroom with peach tiles behind the bath.what colour shower curtain& bath mats can i buy to make it stand out?

Dear Marina,
 
It sounds like you are in luck because peach and coral are hot colors right now!  There are two directions that you can choose to go (other than the safest, most obvious solution of white!)  First, you can work within the family of peach and coral, but because you have both white and peach tiles, and since it can be difficult to match your peach tiles exactly, I think you would do best to try to have a print or pattern which includes a lot of white and if possible several different shades of peaches and corals.  This way you won't have a problem even if the exact tile color isn't in the print!  The second option is to come up with an accent color.  Peach can have a variety of shades and accenting it can create different moods.  I would have two first choices:  You could pair it with aqua for a fun, retro or even a tropical resort look, or with chocolate brown for a more sophisticated (and unisex) look.  And don't forget that you can also have fun with the other accessories in the bathroom.  Good luck!
 
Meg, Design Director, Echo Home

PS> Here are some images from Color At Home that illustrate the peach / aqua and peach / chocolate / white color combinations.  They are images from other rooms in the house but you will see how beautiful the effect is.  Enjoy!

How did you spend your morning?  Was it spent standing in front of your closet, cereal bowl in hand, pondering the eternal question "What should I wear today?"  I know we'd rather wrestle with more pressing issues (Am I recycling enough? Can we save the Galapagos?) but this universal problem has the tendency to interfere with us actually leaving the house so I wanted to share some tips with you on those days you need a little inspiration. The Today Show ran a segment this morning on 4 different ways to wear one 36" square silk scarf.  These are also great tips for stretching an existing wardrobe on a tight budget.  Starting with one of these 4 different ways to wear a scarf is a great way to build an outfit. For me, the headband is my 'ace' in the 'deck of cards.' What's your favorite way to wear a scarf? Is it your fail-safe, you're sure-thing when you need a great outfit?

A halter top
1. Lay the scarf down, with the dull side facing up (36" inch square — if you want more coverage, go bigger).

2. Take the middle of the scarf and tie a small knot (right in the middle).

3. Tie two of the corners around your neck and the other two corners around your waist. Pair this with a flowy skirt or pair of pants and you are set! This look is also great under a suit jacket or a bomber.

A belt
1. Lay the scarf out flat.

2. Fold the scarf into a triangle and roll it, starting at one corner, until you have one long, tubelike scarf.

3. Put it through the loops of jeans or slacks and tie a knot in the front.

A purse
1. Take any square scarf (36" by 36" is standard — go bigger if you want to go bigger). Lay it with the dull side facing up.

2. Take two opposite corners and tie them into a square knot.

3. Then take the last two opposite corners of the scarf and tie those into a square knot. This will become the handle for the bag. Voila! You have a purse!

Headband
1. Start with a square scarf. Fold it in half to form a triangle and then fold inward until you get the desired width. Smooth the long portion across your forehead and tie the ends in knot under your hair.

If you've been to Soho - in New York city or in London - you know that half the fun of shopping is in the people-watching. Thanks to Elizabeth M. for pointing out this great picture from BeautifulStranger.tv of Katie K. who was spotted wearing an Echo caravan patchwork scarf today in SoHo - NYC. 

Summertime is great for so many reasons, but one of my favorite reasons is that the warm weather allows us to integrate nature and the arts.  In New York City, nature is a hot commodity: a 4' x 4' foot roofdeck with grass and a tree is considered exotic.  But city planners have granted us several beautiful and spacious parks right in the middle of all this concrete for all visitors to enjoy.  Central Park is by far the largest and most elaborate of these parks and Conservancy has quite a schedule of summer concerts.  Tonight the New York Philharmonic will be performing Mahler's Symphony #1 and Copland's 'Old American Songs.'  Also tonight outside in the Sculpture Garden at MoMA,  Brazilian pop singer/guitarist Adriana Calcanhotto will be performing as part of MoMA Music: BRAZIL.

So whether you are in the city and are already planning your trip to the 'Great Lawn' this evening, or if you are in another town, I hope you get the chance to enjoy music at sunset, with the blades of cool grass between your toes and fireflies in your hair.   Remember, every occasion calls for the right clothing ensemble so here's a tip from one of our designers, Hannah, on what to consider when planning your evening outside under the stars.

I always make sure to wear something feminine and summery, but totally easy and comfortable.  A knee-skimming dress or full skirt usually works best to stay lady-like when sitting on a blanket.  A wrap or cardigan is essential, not only to stay warm, but also to protect from mosquitoes!!!   Although I always have had aspirations of being "that girl" and packing the perfect picnic basket, I usually end up picking up last-minute fresh sushi, a florally and crisp bottle of Viognier, and a bar of dark chocolate.  Lastly, I always pack a deck of cards for the impromptu game of Rummy.

The hot air balloon may be something of an old-time, traditional form of travel gone the way of the unicycle (the first manned balloon flight was in 1783) but with today's new amazing designs and colors, they are truly a impressive sight.  Balloon festivals happen all over the world and we have some coming up here in the New York area this summer. People come from miles around to arrive in the early morning hours to witness the 'inflation' and the 'ascension.'  Sounds religious - and my guess is that when 25 to 40 of these massive colorful shapes take flight against a brilliant blue sky, one may feel like there is a higher power. In this case, propane, nylon and a basket capable of carrying almost 3 tons.  These balloons come in all shapes and colors (Darth Vader, honeybees, cartoon characters) but I prefer the simple colors and patterns and beautiful silence as they seem to simultaneously hover and soar.   And there is no match for the view from the basket. Take a look at this great shot of a red balloon and it's reflection in a pond below. Hope you're having a beautifully colorful summer!  Check for any balloon festivals in your area and if you capture any great color, send us a picture. We'd love to share it!

Bohemia is actually an area within the Czech republic – surrounding Prague -  and bordered by mountain ranges and the Bohemia forest.  As it was formerly known,  The Kingdom of Bohemia covered all of the Czech territory including Moravia. The derivation of the word, Boiohaemum, is from Germanic Boi-Heim, "home of the Boii", a Celtic people.

The term Bohemian was first used in France in the early 19th century.  It was used to describe the untraditional lifestyles of marginalized and impoverished artists, writers, musicians, and actors in major European cities –when they began to concentrate in the lower-rent, lower class gypsy neighborhoods.

Today, that meaning still persists but tends to have a much more rich and exotic flair to it.  In design, the term Bohemian applies to art and clothing with intricate details and bold but natural colors – as opposed to day-glo or synthetic color schemes.   Also, bohemian design conjures elements of the gypsy’s nomadic lifestyle: patchwork fabrics and scarves, handcrafted embroidery, beading, braided details, coins and tassels.  It's touches of crochet and / or embroidery on top of prints. The idea is that there are no rules: layer a paisley scarf with a floral headband…..  wear halter dresses layered with cardigans and wraps.  The fun is in the freedom to mix and match.