Star Signs

If you are anything like us, you do a LOT of your shopping online. It’s easy, convenient, and can be accomplished wearing pajamas from the comfort of your bed or sofa. But it isn’t always the best way to get a feel for the quality and functionality of a piece of furniture or technical device. Sites that post customer reviews are automatically showing a certain confidence in their product, but they are also providing a lot of information that can be tough to muddle through.

Here are a few tips and tricks for getting the most out of product reviews.

Negatives always outweigh the positives online.
Satisfied shoppers rarely take to their online megaphones to praise their new acquisitions, though you can be sure friends and family will hear about it. More often than not, it is the people who are unsatisfied who take to the soapbox in an attempt to get a fix. Take everything online with a grain of salt.

Read between the stars.
Even when the majority of reviewers award a product the maximum number of stars, it's worthwhile to read through the reviews to see how your personal preference matches up with the reviewers' tastes. Always put more weight in the reviews that add comments, and go beyond a simple star rating.

Read the negative reviews first.
If an item has some deal-breaking flaw—faulty drawers, buggy applications—the weaker reviews will reveal it quickly. Keep in mind, though...

Skip one-star reviews.
The most useless ratings are almost exclusively 1-star reviews from buyers who had extremely bad experiences—usually due to poor shipping or a product anomaly—and became emotionally reactive in turn. Begin with the two star reviews to find the most honest critiques about a product's performance.

Don’t skip long reviews.
Brief is better, most of the time. But when it comes to user-submitted product reviews, wordier entries tend to touch on more aspects of a product’s performance, and might include more of the specific details that will be relevant to you.

Compare reviews across multiple sites.
Shop around for reviews the same way you’d shop around for a specific item. An Amazon shopper may still want to venture over to another site's product page to check the reviews from a different set of buyers. Social networks can also be gold mines for bigger purchases worth devoting a bit more time to. Take a look at Twitter feeds and Facebook pages for a fuller picture.

Are you a regular product reviewer? Do you review for both positive and negative experiences?

Going to the Dogs

Here at Hillsdale HQ, we’re pretty crazy about our dogs. (And yes, most of us have one…or three.) So considering our field, and our pet obsession, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that we’re always looking for tasteful ways to incorporate canines into our home décor. Here are a few unique examples on how to incorporate YOUR pet into your style.

• We’re loving artist Erin Rea’s Modern Pet Portraits Etsy shop.  She creates modern prints custom designed from your pet's picture and a wide choice of pop art-inspired backgrounds. 8" x 10" prints are only $55. And if a portrait on the wall might be too much for you, she also can adorn coffee mugs, iPhone covers, totes, pillows and much more. 

  

  Photo Credit: Erin Rhea Modern Pet Portraits

• Artist Dyanna Bruno uses vivid colors to create beautiful paintings and sketches of your beloved pet. Custom sizes and styles are available to suit your décor and your pet's personality; 8" x 8" paintings begin around $200. These are a great way to add a pop of color in foyers, bedrooms or powder rooms. 

  

  Photo Credit: Dyanna Bruno My Paw Portrait

• Le Papier Studio offers sturdy, 100% cotton totes with silhouettes of your favorite breed of dog, or you can send in a pic and have your dog's image forever embellished (silhouettes stay on file so you can put it on other products too). These are ideal for beach goer’s and grocery shoppers alike at $30 for a standard design tote or $40 for a custom creation.

  

  Photo Credit: Le Papier Studio

• Need more snuggling time with Bailey or Scout? Curl up with a few of these felted wool pillows custom designed from your supplied picture. Bonnie Fowler crafts these cozy pillows in several sizes, with the smallest, 8 " x 8" pillow selling for $58. Throw pillows are always a fun, low end commitment way to add a touch of whimsy to your home. 

  

  Photo Credit: Bonnie Fowler

• For classic, realistic oil on canvas portraits, check out artist Steven Morrell’s gorgeous, museum-quality paintings you'll be proud to display above your fireplace, in the bedroom or in some of the more lovely spots in your home. 

Do you own a dog? What kind? Have you ever considered putting your pooches mug on a painting or pillow? 

Resident Wanderlust

This time of year we get hit hard by wanderlust. Summer’s coming to an end, school’s getting ready to start (if it hasn't already), and all we can dream about is one last respite from routine. Lately, we’ve been eyeing some of the fabulous places we’d stay if given the opportunity—hotels and abodes abroad that pack a particularly interesting design punch. This is partially influenced by our dedication to local travel beacon the 21C Museum Hotel, recently named to Condé Nast Traveler's prestigious Platinum Circle. Here’s a bit about the 21C, and a few others at the top of our list:

The 21C Museum Hotel

Louisville, KY

Created on Louisville’s busy downtown Main Street from abandoned tobacco and bourbon warehouses, this remarkable property doubles as a contemporary art museum with more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space, and artwork in every room. The hotel also boasts reclaimed-wood floors, hand-blocked linen upholstery, exposed brickwork and timber trusses, and glass transoms.

Photo Credit: cntraveler.com

Hotel Viura

Villabuena de Álava, Spain

Named for a white grape widely planted in the Rioja wine-producing region of Spain, Hotel Viura sits beside a 16th-century church in Villabuena de Álava. The contemporary structure of concrete cubes is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside’s wineries and small towns. 

Photo credit: elledecor.com

Alila Villas Uluwatu

Bali, Indonesia

Situated high on a cliff more than 300 feet above the Indian Ocean, this resort was designed using locally sourced materials that blend seamlessly with the serene setting. Each of the 84 villas—decorated with traditional Balinese accents—has a pool and cabana, making it perfect for that tropical getaway of your dreams.

Photo credit:  elledecor.com

Opposite House

Beijing, China

Tucked away in a relatively quiet corner of Sanlitun Village in Beijing’s diplomatic quarter, the Opposite House features an eye-catching angular emerald-glass exterior. The guest rooms, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, are calm and serene, with oak wood soaking tubs and sleek minimalist furniture. The 2,153-square-foot, two-level penthouse comes with an expansive outdoor terrace, an indoor-outdoor reflecting pool and use of a Maserati Quattroporte.

Photo credit: departures.com

Torre di Moravola

Umbria, Italy

A half-hour drive from Perugia, the Torre di Moravola offers a world of contrasts: ultramodern interiors and amenities within a 12th-century watchtower. In the tower’s atrium, a frosted glass and steel staircase is blended in with ancient stone walls, while the sitting room boasts hefty wood beams high above mahogany and cream colored sofas.

Photo credit: departures.com

 What hotels are on your bucket list? Consider adding the 21C and visiting us here in Louisville, KY!

 

Book Nooks

This time of the year we always find ourselves hard charging through a giant stack of novels and non-fiction as we soak up our remaining weekends by the pool. But we like to consider ourselves year-round readers, so we’re always looking for inspirational photos of really great reading nooks. We’ve found quite a few dream-worthy book nooks around the internet, so here’s a round-up of a few of our favorites.

We adore this hall library, complete with its own window seat reading spot. It’s bright and airy, but comfortably cozy.

Alcoves, for those lucky enough to have them, make ideal reading nooks, whether off a kitchen, living area, bedroom or hallway.

For those that need to be craftier about it, some gauzy drapes, twinkle lights, some pillows, mattresses and blankets can do the trick.

Isolated shelving, combined with some bench seating, can also make a lovely spot to take in some chapters.

When the weather is nice, outdoor nooks and crannies can make fabulous reading spaces, especially when paired with a unique set of outdoor-specific furniture.

Transform that closet space underneath the stair case into a cozy little reading nook for maximum space efficiency. 

Where are your favorite places to read? Reading anything particularly good this summer? Please share!

Instagram Inspired

Instagram Inspired

These days, we’re all plugged in a bit more than we care to admit. From our laptops to our iPhones, we get a whole lot of screen time. It doesn’t all need to be a time suck though.  If you aren’t familiar, Instagram is a fun (and free) photo and video sharing app that allows you to share and see snapshots and short videos of those that you follow. For the most part, we’ve been using Instagram to share dog photos and check in on our baby niece, but we were recently turned on to a few public accounts that can inspire fresh ideas for interiors. Here are five of our favorites:

Instagram Handle: EddieRoss

 Quirky, well-known Interior designer Eddie Ross fills his feed with eye-catching decor, style, and interior shots, as well as personal snapshots of his daily life and travels. His favorite finds are elegant with a touch of whimsy.

Instagram Handle: CreatureComforts

Are you into fun DIY projects and just looking for a little inspiration? Ez Pudewa of Creature Comforts translates her lovely blog into a beautiful Instagram feed, where she gives brief looks at clever, colorful DIY projects.

                                          

Instagram Handle: AnthologyMag

This quarterly print magazine is so stunning it’s sold in Anthropologie stores. Not yet ready to commit to a pricey subscription? Get a taste of their good eye for design, fashion, culture and entertaining via their fabulous Instagram feed.

Instagram Handle: MrsLilien

Another great website turned photo feed, the aforementioned Mrs. Lilien fancies herself the ‘Bon Vivant of the Internet,’ and it shows through on her fanciful, free-wheeling Instagram edition. Think boldly patterned rugs, clothing and accessories.

Instagram Handle: JonathanAdler

In need of no introduction, this iconic potter and designer has made his way into many homes via his home store or appearances on Bravo TV. His Instagram feed gives a behind-the-scenes look at his busy life, complete with silly outtakes and plenty modern design inspiration.

                                     

What are some of your favorite Instagram feeds?

Nautical Miles

One of our favorite ways to enjoy the summer sunshine is out on the water. Not just at the neighborhood pool or country club, but out on the open water, preferably on a large sail boat or catamaran with our hair blowing the salt-filled air. Alas, the sailing excursion of our dreams isn’t likely to happen this summer, so we’ll have to make up for it in other ways. One of our favorite ideas is to inject a little nautical style into our homes. The theme relies on simple colors and motifs that are easy and affordable to acquire and add, and thus switch out with the changing seasons.

State the Obvious

Add maritime touches—particularly the most obvious—on coffee tables, desks, nightstands and shelves for an instant hint of beachy nostalgia. Sea shells, fish motifs and even pretty sea glass jars of white sand (with a pretty label marking where it’s from) are ideal, but beautiful photographs of boats, lakes, oceans and sea shores can accomplish the same thing.  (Photo credit: houzz.com)

Striped Explorations

A favorite of fashion enthusiasts and designers the whole world round, bold stripes are another great maritime motif. Try using them in unusual places. Avoid the same old striped throw pillows and blankets, and use the pattern on window treatments, shower curtains and even upholstery. (Photo credit: houzz.com)

Capture the Flag

Beautiful, bright and fun, nautical flags are a fun way to liven up a child’s bedroom or guestroom. Once upon a time, before radios and cell phones, the only form of communication between two vessels or the shore was through the use of nautical flags. There are actually 36 of them-- 26 different square flags each representing a particular letter of the alphabet plus 10 pendants representing the numbers 0 to 9. So you can have fun creating a banner that spells out a name, or a birth date, or a special word or phrase. Click here to get an idea.  (Photo credit: houzz.com)

All Aboard

Repurposing old canoes, rowboats or boat parts as home décor can be an authentic way to add nautical style to a living or guest room. Canoes can be refinished into creative shelving, while oars, sails and steering wheels are all interesting options for wall adornment. Keep an eye on eBay and local flea markets to see what crops up. (Photo credit: houzz.com)

Navy Blues

Navy blue and white is a classic color palette but in general, as it’s ideal for nearly any room in the home, but it also carries with it a heavy dose of nautical nostalgia. If you haven’t used navy in your home before, try it out first in a powder room with a pretty oil painting or photograph of the sea, and a few sea shells on the shelves. (Photo credit: meredith.com)

Are you spending any time out on the water this summer? Tell us about it, so we can live vicariously through you. 

Petite Pads

Many of us, especially those in urban centers, often find ourselves dwelling in small spaces, where we find life a bit too cramped at times. Fortunately, making the most of a small space is one of our favorite design challenges, and here are a few suggestions that might help you get more mileage of little square footage.

Double Duty

We love furnishings that serve more than purpose, and we actually make a lot of them at Hillsdale. Ottomans and beds with built in storage sections are great for keeping pillows, blankets and linens out of the way.

Shelf Help

Add shelves above doorways or windows, whether a single shelf or a whole bookcase to keep books, media and miscellaneous items in check, and ensure even everything has its own place. Also consider vertically stacking shelves as high as possible, putting items that won’t be needed very item on top, in order to maximize storage space. 

Diet Regime

Clutter is the #1 enemy for small spaces. Take a rigid approach and only add things if you’re subtracting them. This is easy with closets—donate or toss one item for every one you add—and can be just as easily applied to home furnishings. Don’t keep the old lamp when you buy a new one if it’s just going to sit in a closet.

Clean Lines

Eliminate visual obstructions, whether they are entire walls, large entertainment centers or superfluous book cases. Allow yourself to see as much of your space as possible (including keeping the floor free from clutter), and it will seem much larger and open than it actually is.

Consider Stripes

…on the ceiling. Painting stripes on the ceiling of a small room or studio apartment can have the same lengthening and widening affect that exposed beams give to a space. Try it out as another way to visually open your space.

Closet Case

Have a half full closet? Consider converting it into an office or nursery space. Book cases, desks and even cribs (when children are infants and toddlers) can often fit into modern closets when they aren’t overflowing with closing items, and it will free up office and corner space in the more important living areas. 

How do you maximize small spaces? Whether square footage is at a premium in your kitchen, bedroom or entire home, what strategies do you use get the most out of it?

(Photography from apartmenttherapy.com)