Get some fresh air
Expanding your living space out into your backyard is a no brainer in our warm climate. But don’t limit yourself to lounging on the porch and dipping in the pool. Maximize your square footage by adding a gourmet outdoor kitchen, a swimup bar, or even a putting green. Local pool builders such as Premier Pools and Spas offer their expert advice. Check out their Outdoor Design Center (3901 N. Oracle Rd., 292- 0205, www.ppas.com) for more information.
Brand-new boudoir
Did you know that bedrooms are usually the last rooms to be decorated? Whether modern and simple, classic and romantic, or a little bit country—knowing who you are will help determine your style of choice when it’s time to redo your most intimate space. Consider the following design ideas:
- For the romantic and formal by nature, choose a rich brocade for a custom duvet or a pretty damask for a quilted coverlet. Top the coverlet with a velvet bolster and add soft pillows accented with a decorative trim.
- Like the tailored and contemporary look? Consider brass nailheads on a headboard upholstered in taupe linen for a bed with clean lines. Add colorful accents with pillow shams and bands for draperies to enliven a neutral color scheme.
- Is country your look? Try a textured linen fabric in denim blue for a quilt to anchor a blue or yellow floral-stripe print on the shams and bedskirt. Or how about a welted coverlet made of a jacquard floral? Whether you prefer English or French country, there are hundreds of fabric schemes to choose from.
Courtesy of Calico Corners. For more design inspiration visit their Tucson store in St. Philip’s Plaza, 1980 E. River Rd., Ste. 100, 577-9200, or visit www.calicocorners.com.
Calling the kettle black
Oaxacan pottery is a popular home accessory in the Old Pueblo, but how is that shimmery black luster created? That’s not paint or dye—after hardening in the sun, the clay is carefully smoothed using a broken shard then baked in a ground-level kiln for hours. The type of kiln used starves the fire of oxygen, creating a high level of carbonrich smoke that is absorbed by the clay. Much of this black pottery comes from San Bartolo Coyotepec, Oaxaca. But if your travels don’t take you there, search locally at Tolteca Tlacuilo (in Old Town Artisans, 186 N. Meyer Ave., 623-5787), or Zócalo (3016 E. Broadway Blvd., 320-1236).
New & notable
Sunset Interiors & Design Studio has taken over a 5,000-square-foot showroom in the Fort Lowell Furniture District, formerly occupied by Norwalk. Pampered- pet favorite Paws & Claws Pet Boutique & Grooming Spa has relocated to the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Fort Lowell Road. Local builder John Wesley Miller Companies was one of five national companies awarded a Livable Communities Award by AARP and NAHB for Armory Park del Sol. This new award honors builders and developers that create well-designed homes and communities for people of all ages and abilities. Also on a winning streak, interior design maven Lori Carroll, ASID, won first, second, and third place awards for the three powder rooms she submitted for the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s 2008 Design Competition. The local culinary scene heated up recently at the 2008 Iron Chef Tucson, where Albert Hall of Acacia at St. Philip’s successfully defended his title against competitor Michael Brown of Metro Restaurants.
Building confidence
Many homeowners are unsure what to expect or even what questions to ask an architect when considering remodeling or building a new custom home. Architect Gerald Lee Morosco, AIA, answers these questions and then some in his guide to forging a successful relationship with your architect in How to Work with an Architect. With chapters such as “Do You Really Need an Architect” and “The Six Phases of Working with an Architect,” Morosco walks anyone working with a professional—or just thinking of hiring one—through the process.
How to Work with an Architect, by Gerald Lee Morosco, published by Gibbs Smith, Publisher. Available at local bookstores or www.gibbs-smith.com. $24.95