This beautiful hand-painted mural sells for $139. Enter below to win!
Congratulations to Lynnette V. from Melvin, Michigan for winnng the Jerusalem Pottery giveaway!
Brothers Stepan and Berge Karakashian, and Hagop Karakashian, are a family on a mission: Bring gorgeous, hand-painted tiles to the world. The craftsmanship they offer goes back to 1919 when the brothers’ father, Megherdich Karakashian, and several other Armenian potters were brought to Jerusalem from Kutahia, Turkey. These craftsmen were appointed to repair the tiles covering the external walls of a treasured cultural landmark, the Dome of the Rock. To escape persecution, which many Armenians experienced in Turkey during this time period, they settled in Jerusalem. Today, the family tradition continues and has extended its reach to the United States. They still craft tiles that are prominently featured on the street signs throughout the Old City, but lucky for us they are also creating gorgeous accent tiles and backsplash tiles that we can purchase for our own homes!
An example of the street sign tile the brothers have created
Their shop is a sunny space in the Old City filled with unique plates, bowls, candlesticks, mugs, and tiles in many shapes and sizes. These tiles are a unique way to add a splash of color to your kitchen tile or bathroom wall; with motifs of peacocks, trees, flowers, and animals. The designs are graceful and the colors are vibrant and rich. They can be used in kitchens, bathrooms, gardens, fireplaces, or for table tops.
A joyful colorful garden scene - a pomegranate tree with peacocks. This tile mural is hand painted on 12 six inch tiles.
All the decoration is done by hand. The tile murals are first designed on paper with pencil, and then they are hand painted on the tiles, glazed and fired using traditional methods. The colors are still mixed according to the same recipes that their father used fifty years ago. The Karakashians take great pride in their work (it shows) and in maintaining their standard of craftsmanship. They look to the future with the hope that Karakashians will continue to supply their unique pottery for generations to come.
Would you like to win this Hand Painted Tile Mural?
Congratulations to Claire H. from Santee, CA, winner of the Caribbean Houses Book Giveaway!
The summer has officially ended and fall is now upon us. In the last few weeks, I am sure that some of you have already seen the temperatures plunge where you live. In fact, we just had our first cool front blow through. In South Florida, you can rarely call it a cold front! The temperature dropped a few degress giving us a hint of what is to come over the next couple of months. Many people welcome this change of seasons with open arms while others have already started longing for the hot days of summer. If you would prefer summer year round, you are going to love the book that we are giving away today!
Caribbean Houses is a lavishly illustrated account of the development of historically significant houses in the West Indies. Author Michael Connors, a West Indian decorative arts scholar, examines venerable houses that remain as a testimony to the rich history and vibrant lifestyle that was, and continues to be, an important part of Caribbean culture.
The book is divided into five chapters, one for each European heritage: the Spanish Antilles, the Dutch Leewards, the English Islands, the French Lesser Antilles, and the Danish Virgin Islands. The authoritative text sheds light on the area’s rich architectural and interior design history and gives the reader a unique view of houses that combine the tradition of European styles with the vernacular island forms and decorative motifs.
The lavish new photography captures the stunning exteriors and provides a rare look into the interiors of these historic houses, with exotic tropical hardwoods, indigenous stone, and a blending of local crafts and handiwork with antiques and contemporary furnishings.
With the disappearance of so much of the Caribbean’s historic domestic architecture, the colonial residences that still exist represent an important historical record of the Caribbean’s material culture.
Would you like to win a copy of
CARIBBEAN HOUSES ?
To Enter Simply…
Leave me one comment below telling me what you are going to miss about the summer months.
One entry per person. You have until 11:59PM EST on Wednesday, October 14th to enter. One random winner will be chosen and announced soon after.
And on another note…
We have recently re-launched My Secret Database and it is truly the best tool on the Internet for helping you find online home furnishing sources. With your membership, you will gain 24/7 access to my exclusive database of 400+ interior decorating sources; including their price ranges, sample product photos, and other helpful information. You’ll also receive my monthly members-only newsletter featuring the best design tips and tricks that I have discovered in my professional career. Plus, when you sign up now, you will instantly receive this special guide: “7 Great Ways to Stretch Your Home Decorating Budget!”
Stop endless internet searches and start spending more time decorating and enjoying your home! It’s the perfect solution for the do-it-yourself decorator.
I started My Design Secrets more than a year ago with one goal in mind: Help people who love home decorating by giving them professional advice and easy access to the best online interior decorating sources. After receiving a lot of wonderful feedback and learning that close to 100,000 people visted the database last year, I realized that My Secret Database was the answer to many of your decorating prayers! So, I was determined to continue sharing my interior design advice and resources.
A couple of months ago, I announced that we would be making some upgrades to the website. Now, the time has come! We wanted to make My Design Secrets even more useful, interesting, and fun for all of you decorating enthusiasts. (And for those of you who don’t know, my husband, Tim, is the what turns “me” into “we”.)
So, here is what’s in store…
Improvements to My Secret Database *
The new database is PHENOMENAL.When it comes to home decorating, My Secret Database blows any search engine out of the water. Take that Google! Here’s why:
Search through hundreds of online retailers for the product(s) you need and in the specific style you want.
View a wide assortment of photos of specific products from the vendors in My Secrets Database.
Check out the the handy $-$$-$$$! These icons will help you stay within your home decorating budget.
*While we wanted to keep doing all this for free, a girl has got to make a living! With all these great new features, we are confident that you will recognize what a great value it is. So starting this Wednesday at noon, My Secret Database is going to become a membership only site. We are sure you will agree that the nominal charge of $9.95 per month is a fair price for access to this incredibly valuable, time-saving database.
Hot New Topics and Inside Tips in the Blog (Free)
The blog will continue to be free of charge and will offer my professional design tips as well as introductions to some of the hottest new decorating sources on the web. I have lots of great ideas for new topics and, as always, you are welcome to make suggestions. Feel free to search my existing blog entries covering over 350 decorating topics!
Great New Giveaways
We know you all love a Great Giveaway, so those are definitely going to continue. We have some great ones lined up for high quality paint, gorgeous home furnishings, and fabulous interior decorating/design books. And remember, your paid membership will automatically enter you into the giveaways.
Thank You…Thank You…Thank You
I have appreciated your support over the last year and sincerely hope that you will find these upgrades very helpful as you continue to put your personal decorating stamp on your home.
The simple design of the Audrey Bedroom set works with many color palettes and styles. Plus, a platform bed means you don't need to buy a boxspring!
You have finally decided it’s time for some new bedroom furniture and you deserve it! You are done with the lumpy mattress, sick of the broken drawers, and frankly you are ready to select furniture that suits YOUR style (even though the hand-me-downs were great at the time!). So where do you go? Well, sometimes when you shop at a furniture store that carries everything, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or distracted. This is not the case at BedroomFurniture.com. They specialize in, you guessed it, BEDROOM FURNITURE.
Their site is super simple to navigate and allows you to search by the item or brand. Their finish swatches are large and easy to see, so you know what you are getting. They give you stock information right away PLUS you get free in-home delivery and set up. They carry top brands like Stanley, Tommy Bahama, Lexington and Broyhill; and at great prices. They have everything from luxurious canopy beds to bunk beds (I won’t tell the kids).
I love the hand painted details on the Froggy Book Case. Imagination on the oustide and books on the inside.
The folks at BedroomFurniture.com would really like you to get to know them so stop by the site and have a look around. And becasue they are so generous, they are offering this darling bookshelf to one our lucky readers. A kid can never have too many books, but they can certainly have too many books on the floor.
Check out the hand painted details. The colors would work for a girl or boy.
Would you like to win this bookshelf for a kid you know?
Congratulations to our most recent giveaway winner, Jenny Gaskins! Jenny won the Thompson’s WaterSeal prize package that was valued at more than $100!!
As many of you know by know, I am a big fan of Thompson’s WaterSeal products. Whether you need help with your wood deck or concrete patio, Thompson’s has got you covered!
Thompson’s WaterSeal waterproofers protect your surfaces from the elements and provide the highest level of waterproofing protection available. With the complete line of Thompson’s WaterSeal deck cleaners, depending on the deck’s condition and the cleaning level needed, you can choose exactly the right cleaner for the job. Each product in the line satisfies a specific need. Thompson’s WaterSeal Deck & House stains include their complete wood protection heritage combined with vibrant colors to keep your home looking great through every season. Thompson’s WaterSeal Concrete Care provides a complete program to give your concrete the beauty and protection it deserves. Concrete Care provides superior products to clean, prepare, protect and beautify your concrete, masonry and stone surfaces.
Right now is the perfect time to buy Thompson’s Water Seal Wood Protectors! Not only will you get a rebate*, but additionally, $1 per gallon will go toward Niagara Falls State Park, Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. This deal is only available until July 5th.
*Get up to $12 as a rebate by mail-in offer. $4.00 back on every gallon of Thompson’s® WaterSeal® Advanced Wood Protector or $3.00 back on every gallon of Thompson’s® WaterSeal® Waterproofer PLUS Wood Protector. Limit of 3 gallons and maximum of $12.
With the Deck Days offer, you can SAVE money on Thompson’s WaterSeal Wood Protector purchases and feel even better by helping to fund protection and preservation projects. Now, that is a great offer!!
Farm Sinks are gorgeous and super practical. You can fit a roasting pan in them and when the suds overflow they don't touch your cabinets.
Quality Bath is the place to go for anything you need to create the ultimate bathroom or kitchen. They have gorgeous tubs, sinks, vanities, faucets and accessories in the styles and finishes you need. Whether you are going for a traditional look or crave something cutting edge, you will find it there. Plus, they have all the creature comforts including towel warmers, steam showers and hot water dispensers. Take it from a designer, these are the little details that make your bathroom feel like a spa.
Inject some style into a small powder room with a vanity that has style and storage!
Take the time to relax your mind, body, and soul in a high-quality whirlpool from Quality Bath.
And I know we all like to save $$$!!So it’s a nice bonus that there is free shipping on many of their products and no sales tax outside of NJ.
So, here’s the deal. Quality Bath is giving away 2 Luxurious Bath Robes to two of our lucky readers. Spa treatment, anyone?
Would you like to win a Luxurious Bathrobe? To Enter Simply…
Are you married to a slob? Are your children sloppy? Does your dog and cat spend more time on the couch than you do? Coming home after a hard days work, would you be just as likely to find food on the floor as you would in the refrigerator? If you have answered yes to one or more of these questions, then you need a copy of Slob Proof! Real-Life Design Solutions.
Debbie Wiener, the book’s author, has a decorating style that is influenced by the World Wrestling Federation. What does that mean, you ask? In her own words…
“My decorating style is made to survive whatever life throws at it, including incontinent pets, food fights between siblings, vomiting babies and extremely sloppy spouses (here I really mean husbands) who leave tomato sauce spots from pizza on the arms of the sofa.”
Debbie’s basic guiding philosophy is simple- you shouldn’t have to work at keeping your home stylish and comfortable. Your home should work for you.
The whimsical. Like a treehouse, everyone is enchanted by the idea of having a garden shed-one’s very own private retreat. Whether a room of one’s own for quiet, much needed “personal” time away from the family, a hobbyist’s den, or an extra play space for the children, these picturesque structures can accommodate any purpose.
The shed-that charming cottage-like outbuilding-is coming into its own, and this detailed and wonderfully illustrated guide will inspire anyone interested in adding a shed to their home or redecorating an existing one with its vast array of design ideas. Whether you want a personal getaway, a studio for creative endeavors, a home office, or a traditional potting shed, this book is sure to inspire with details about planning, building, and decorating sheds.
Included are a series of sample cases highlighting the multiple uses possible along with wonderful interior and exterior photographs.
Would you like to win a copy of Shed Chic? Simply follow the directions…
How can the database be improved? (In our efforts to improve the site, could you please take 5 minutes to look around the database? Please provide a thoughtful answer. We value your input and appreciate your time. Thank you!!)
To enter, type your answer in the comments section below. If you are receiving this via email, go back to the site to enter. Replies by email will not be accepted.
One entry per person. You have until 11:59PM EST on Wednesday, May 20th to enter. We will pick a winner soon after.
Today’s giveaway is sponsored by Jenny Lee-Katz Designs. Born in Wales, Jenny Lee-Katz is an award winning textile designer. Now, working from her own studio in Pennsylvania, Jenny offers a variety of collections and standard products including pillows and eco-friendly floor cloths.
The beauty of the Welsh coast line, and a photograph of a seagull taken on a visit to Newport, Rhode Island, inspired many of the shapes and patterns used in her latest collection, called Glan y Môr, which translated from Welsh means Seaside.
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Jenny designs are printed using eco-friendly textiles. Both the hemp and 100% certified organic cotton have been whitened without the use of bleach. The water-based pigment inks contain no volatile organic compounds (VOC’S), and there are no post-printing chemical finishes applied.
Jenny’s bespoke designs have won international design awards, been auctioned internationally to support African charities and have been created for one of kind corporate gifts.
Gwylan Pillow - $126
Would you like to win the Gwylan Pillow? To Enter Simply…
Today, I want to share a video tour and some photos of the 2009 HGTV Green Home with you. In case you haven’t heard, HGTV is giving away a 2,430 square foot, eco-friendly, three-bedroom, three-bath home. And if that wasn’t enough, they are also throwing in a new 2009 GMC® Sierra Hybrid. It’s a grand prize package worth $750,000!
This idyllic, eco-friendly home can be found in the town of Tradition, which is located in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Tim and I live about 60 miles south of Tradition and we are very familiar with this area. Lately, most news regarding real estate and the city has been, putting it mildly, awful. According to a recent article in the Palm Beach Post, there are more than 10,000 empty, bank-owned houses in Port St. Lucie. The area has the 10th highest foreclosure rate in the United States. Frankly, the growing hype about the home could not have come at a better time.
Livin Room - HGTV Green Home 2009
Master bedroom - HGTV Green Home 2009
Master bathroom - HGTV Green Home 2009
The house recently won platinum-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program. Here is a short list, compiled by the experts at HGTV, of some of the very cool eco-friendly features that can be found both inside and outside of the home.
Water Efficient Fixtures – Using low-flow toilets reduce water usage while maintaining water pressure. Aerators on sinks and showers are added to reduce water flow. (Products from sponsor KOHLER.)
Water Heating- By using both solar and tankless water heaters the home will save energy by allowing the sun to create hot water, and any additional heating will be generated by the tankless heater on an as needed basis. Also, a recirculation pump has been installed to ensure that all fixtures and appliances receive hot water on demand, which increases the water efficiency of the house.
Solar Power – The house includes a photovoltaic (PV) system that provides about 40% of its required power.
Countertops- The countertops are not only gorgeous and durable, but are also made with recycled glass.
Permeable Pavement- Allows rainwater to naturally seep into the ground rather than running to the stormwater system.
For your chance to win, click here to enter! Rules allow for you to enter the giveaway once daily. But you better hurry though, this giveaway will end at 5PM EST on June 5th.
The temperature dropped a few degress giving us a hint of what is to come over the next couple of months. Many people welcome this change of seasons with open arms while others have already started longing for the hot days of summer. If you would prefer summer year round, you are going to love the book that we are giving away today!
