Unique wall shelving system for your house plans

I ran into this interesting new wall shelving system the other day and thought I would let you in on it. The product is called Vita and it is produced by an Italian company name MDF Italia. It is a modular system made from medium density fiberboard (mdf). The system includes wall panels, shelving units and cabinet boxes. You can seemingly produce endless configurations based on how you put the modular components together. I think it is very cool and would be a great way of dressing up one of those blank walls in your house.

For more information on this see MDFITALIA VITA. Go to "products" and then find to "Vita".

The wall system is obviously quite contemporary but I think it would look great in a number of the Simply Elegant Home Designs house plans including the "scandia modern cottage" and the "marine farmhouse".

Three ways to wrap a chord instructional video

Fine Homebuilding has a series of instruction videos that I find interesting. Many of the videos are intended for professional carpenters. They illustrate tasks that the average layperson is not likely to run into. But they also have some videos that are good for the weekend carpenter or the handi-man. I'll post a few of these as I run into them.

The first one I will post a link to is "Three ways to wrap a chord". I like this one because it is one of the most frustrating things for a man in his garage. Check it out below.

Three ways to wrap a chord

Another New Garage Apartment Plan Unveiled!

Simply Elegant Home Designs is unveiling "The Minnetonka Garage Apartment"; the second in a new series of Garage Apartment Plans that they are developing.

The idea of an above garage apartment is not new, but it seems especially appropriate for the times we are in. Families are struggling with reduced income, or are looking for alternative housing solutions for their aging parents. An apartment garage plan can be a perfect place to house the still active mother-in-law, or it can used as an income generating rental unit.

The Minnetonka Garage Apartment as seen below incorporates a studio apartment space above a generously sized three car garage. The apartment plan accommodates a kitchen, eating area, living / media zone, bed area, storage and a full bath. The dormer placements create distinct spatial zones for the kitchen and sleeping areas. Bead-board paneling used as a wainscot and within the cabinetry brings a cottage charm to the interior. The exterior is a modern interpretation of the shingle style incorporating clapboard siding, cedar shingles and a metal roof. For more information on this plan click the following link:

Minnetonka Garage Apartment Plan

Simply Elegant Home Designs will be developing additional garage apartment plans over the next several months so stay tuned.

New York Interior Designers Celebrate Elle Decor

It was one of the biggest events of the year for New York interior designers and it all went down on Tuesday night at Bergdorf's.

From the New York Times:
Elle Décor, the unstuffy, vaguely urban interior design magazine, is 20 years old next month; the evening’s party was in honor of that birthday, a particularly important one given that during those two decades, its competitor House & Garden folded, was resurrected and folded again, and the ingénue-competitor Domino was shuttered last January. So the night was a bit of a victory lap: In a year of dismal numbers, Elle Décor had inched ahead of the shelter behemoth Architectural Digest (now the only decorating magazine in the Condé Nast stable) to hold the No. 1 spot in the shelter category. It was a heady feeling, Ms. Russell had said earlier.

Elle Decor has come along way and interior designers descended upon Manhattan to recognize the design mag and to meet Margaret Russell, author of the new Best Of coffee table book that shows off some of its best work.

Full Article:

The Design Universe Lines Up at Bergdorf's (NYT)

For a list of Manhattan Interior Designers:

Manhattan Interior Designers

New Garage Apartment Plan Unveiled

Simply Elegant Home Designs is unveiling "The Marine Garage Apartment"; the first in a new series of Garage Apartment Plans that they are developing.

The idea of an above garage apartment is not new, but it seems especially appropriate for the times we are in. Families are struggling with reduced income, or are looking for alternative housing solutions for their aging parents. An apartment garage plan can be a perfect place to house the still active mother-in-law, or it can used as an income generating rental unit.

The Marine Garage Apartment as seen below incorporates a studio apartment space above a generously sized two car garage. The apartment plan accommodates a kitchen, dining area, living / media zone, bed area, storage and a full bath.

Simply Elegant Home Designs will be developing additional garage apartment plans over the next several months so stay tuned.

Interior Designers Inspired by Craigslist?

This story perfectly encapsulates the struggle going on between the design-conscious homeowner's unceasing desire for pleasant surroundings and the sorry state of his or her finances in 2009.

Not content with wallowing in self pity and hopelessness, designers are increasingly turning to internet resources where bargains are to be found for aesthetic elements and furnishings, according to the Baltimore Sun:

Interior designers nationwide are increasingly turning to unique, low-cost and unexpected sources -- including Craigslist, estate sales and Target Corp. -- to create high design on a dime and generate business as recession-weary homeowners scale back their decor ambitions. The result: less expensive and eco-friendly rooms that reflect their owners' personalities rather than cloning catalog or magazine pictures.

Call it creative survival.

Don't give up people. Where there's a will for fresh interior design, there's a way!

Full Article:

Craigslist and eBay Become Interior Design Muses (BaltimoreSun)

Bark Siding

I just ran across this new product that is really very old - Bark Siding. It is made from bark that is harvested off of trees that are felled for other purposes. The bark is then flattened and kiln-dried and that's it. No preservative treatments or special coatings. You install the siding and leave it alone. See photos below.

The look is definitely on the rustic side, so it's probably not a great candidate for your urban infill projects. But it does look at home in a wooded setting, which might make it a good choice for your cabin plans.

The product is touted as being long lasting and sustainable, although I am always wary of manufacturer claims. You can check this out at the manufacturers website Bark House Siding

Anybody have any experience with bark siding? Please throw your two cents in.

simple house plans and unique house plans

September NYC Design Links

If you're like us, you're getting prepared (at least mentally) for the annual switching of the clothing, taking out the heavier fall and winter stuff whilst organizing and storing the summer stuff. Well if so, you're in luck, because the New York Times just went shopping with Ann Sullivan, a leading New York Closet Organizer, and in the article, she highlights exactly what you'll need to get your home organized and ready for the new season.
Shopping with Ann Sullivan (NYT)

When designing a New York City apartment, one of the most interesting aspects you can play with in terms of shape, color and texture, is the headboard behind your bed. HGTV posted a cool gallery of really out-there headboards for your viewing pleasure.
No Run Of The Mill Headboards Here (HGTV)

Now this is cool...solid wood flooring by Waldilla - with curves! If you're looking for an exciting new style of wood flooring in NY, you could do worse than this product, featured on Apartment Therapy today. This one will really elicit a great response upon your guests' noticing it.
Curved Wood Floor (AT)

House Plans_ Good Design Illustrated 1

Last week we announced we are now selling house plans designed by Larson Brenner in Stillwater, Minnesota. We think that these designs are special in the way they cleverly pack function and convenience within a fairly modest floor plan. In order to convey that idea I am today beginning a series of postings on planning features. The idea is to illustrate good design principals by highlighting features on the plans. So this will be the first in the series.

The floor plan shown below is the Prescott Cottage, designed by Larson Brenner Architects. My comments are shown right on the plan. You can get a little better look by going to the Simply Elegant Monthly Newsletter.