By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

Our Menlo Park Idea House is located in a planned development where the houses are located thisclose to one another. Window privacy is one of our main design challenges. Being that this is an Idea House, we're compelled to show privacy solutions that go beyond the standard curtain and rod. Our friends at Design Public, one of my favorite online arbiters of modern style, have come to the rescue. They just launched these plastic adhesive window coverings from British designer Emma Jeffs.

It's like wallpaper for your windows! Just add water and apply.

And, they even feature a Moroccan-style design. As I posted earlier, the look is everywhere!
Check out Design Public's blog for more of what's new and hip in home design.

By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer

Deterred by the upfront cost of solar panels? Always wanted an eco-friendly natural-latex bed mattress, but can't get over the pricetag? Ever said something like: "If I only had an extra $600—or $1200—laying around I'd make some bigger, greener, lifestyle changes" ? Ever wished a seemingly random check showed up in your mailbox?

For some of us, that day has come. And though I heard a woman on the radio this morning say she's on her way to Las Vegas to party away that extra cash pool-side, some of us are enlightened to invest in greener values.

Here, associate editor Jennie Nunn has compiled a few cool ideas for making those green dollars work a little harder. Tell us your own ideas by clicking on the comments link below. Now, go get your green on.

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

The pace is picking up at our Menlo Park Idea House. Tile in the bathrooms is going up fast (stay tuned for a sneak peek later this week!). In the family room, the fireplace facade is almost finished. We used a stacked stone veneer from Eldorado Stone.  It looks fabulous and, seeing how quick and easy it went up, is a great DIY project. We left off the mantle and let the stone take center stage. We're having the mason come back and stack the vertical pieces horizontally for a more cohesive look. The sunny wall color is Benjamin Moore's Safari AF-335 from their eco-friendly Aura line.

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

I went to Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley last weekend searching for vintage hooks and knobs to create a DIY coat hook project for our Menlo Park Idea House. This place is a candy land of all things old and salvaged. I found plenty of hooks, after being distracted by many treasures that I wasn't looking for, but all of the sudden had to have.

For example, I have no need for a pastel-colored toilet, tub or sink, but these look so delicious! There's a great idea waiting to happen here.

I don't need a table full of Pyrex flasks either, but this is inspiration for displaying a collection.

We are looking for old tile for a DIY table idea at the house, so I did have reason to salivate over these friendly numbered tiles. They look so sunny and Parisian to me.

I was accompanied by two eight-year-old female shopping companions who thought this magazine stand was fabulous. Since my little shoppers are about the same age of the hypothetical girl that lives in our Idea House, I gave up the ten bucks for the magazine rack. We'll probably repaint it white. Suggestions welcome!

Okay, so back to the original intent of this shopping expedition: the coat hook idea. Here's a sampling of potential hooks. We'll nail them to a piece of salvaged wood. Send us your ideas!

Our dynamic(!) Home & Garden executive editor, Irene Edwards, starred in a segment on the TODAY show this morning, demonstrating the ideas behind the "I found it on Craigslist!" makeover story in our May issue (on newsstands now).

View the segment here.

Check out the bonus chandelier project we posted earlier this month here.

(IMAGES ABOVE: Before and after shots of our side table makeover.)

By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
Photo by Dominique Pandolfi

One of my favorite eco-style heroines, Renée Loux, is debuting her latest project, It’s Easy Being Green, tonight at 9pm EST (check your local listings) on the Fine Living Network. Loux, a Maui-based chef, author, and now television host, will share inspiring sustainable stories through eco-conscious celebrity interviews, and discuss green trends and technologies both big and small—from food and clothing to furniture and vehicles. The show aims to inspire viewers to make simple choices to green their own lifestyles.
Tonight’s show is a “Celeb Special” with a stellar line-up that includes interviews with Paul Newman, Helen Hunt, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Daryl Hannah, RFK Jr., David Duchovny, Esai Morales and Alice Cooper. If you miss it tonight (so many great Earth Day events!), and like me, you don’t yet have Tivo, it will also air tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday.
Check out the teaser here.

INFO: It’s Easy Being Green, 9pm, Fine Living Network

MORE INFO:
Loux’s website - Euphoric Organics
Loux’s new book -  Easy Green Living
Loux’s eco-chic picks - Sunset’s March 2008 issue

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

I went on a scouting-trip to LA a few weeks ago with Kelly, the interior designer for our Menlo Park Idea House, to source furniture for the house. We visited Rooms & Gardens in Santa Monica (celebrity alert: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen are partial owners of the store). At first glance I thought the style would be a little too beach cottage cozy for the theme of the house, but the longer we lingered the more stuff I found that would be perfect for the house.

Kelly spotted this Moroccan side table right away. My first thought was no way, too ornate. Since then, I've seen many iterations of the traditional Moroccan side table in magazines, catalogs, stores, and blogs. The tables shown below are from ZGallerie and Room Service.          

       
So yes, I've grown to like the table. It's such a versatile, go-to piece of furniture. Of course, now I'm seeing Moroccan style everywhere. So, if you need some great curtains or a bolster or even a purse to match your  Moroccan side table, check out these trend-setting choices:

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

Former Sunset home editor (and Idea House architectural guru) Daniel P. Gregory has just published a book on Cliff May, the founding father of modern ranch house design and architect of Sunset's headquarters here in Menlo Park, California. Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House gives an inside look at nearly 20 of May's designs, which in the 1950's and '60s popularized the casually elegant indoor-outdoor floor plan now so familiar to the pages of Sunset. The photography is luscious enough to make me want to fork over the $60 for this beautiful coffee table book. For more of Dan's musings on architecture, check out his blog here.

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

This was an exciting week at our Menlo Park Idea House. After months of looking at raw Sheetrock walls and naked rooms, the house is now starting to take shape with the arrival of the cabinetry and the painting of the interiors.

We're getting a clear idea of the kitchen. All walls and cabinetry are painted in Benjamin Moore's Steam  AF-15 from their eco-friendly Aura line. It's a nice, warm white. We're topping the island with butcher block bamboo and the perimeter counters with a white quartz from CaesarStone.

I was thrilled to see the paint in the living room. Believe me, this wall color has kept me up at night. Our painter called it black, it's real name is Flint AF-560, from Benjamin Moore Aura. It reads as a dark steel blue and is a dramatic contrast to the fireplace paint, Buttered Yam, AF-230, a favorite from our San Francisco Idea House. The mantle is bamboo from Teragren.

We carry the same Buttered Yam color into the Family Room media wall. All shelving and cabinetry are made  of bamboo from Teragren. We'll top the cabinetry with Bottlestone, a recycled glass countertop from Fireclay Tile. 

Stay tuned for the tile installation!

By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
Photos by Thomas J. Story

Think ideas for green living are just for homeowners who drive hybrid cars? Meet Eszter and Dan Rabin, San Francisco renters who bike like nobody's business and thrift like it's going out of style.

Eszter owns Emma Rose Papery, where she takes her eco-friendly values to work: she uses soy-based inks and recycled paper, cleans her letterpress with vegetable oil, uses energy efficient light bulbs in her workspace, and of course rides her bike to her office in downtown San Francisco. I love her aesthetic, which she calls “European classicism and modern American simplicity.” A very unique, clean and delicate style accented with design elements from nature.

Look for our story about the Rabin's easy (and budget!) ideas for eco-friendly living in Sunset's May issue.

Here's a teaser:

(Above left) Repurpose furniture: Two bedside tables serve as a console in the Rabin's dining room.

(Above right) Buy in bulk: The Rabins keep bulk pantry items in glass jars stove-side.

(Above left) Shop second-hand: Estzer loves flea-market shopping. Here, some collected treasures artfully displayed in built-in shelving (with low-VOC paint).

(Above right) Green your bedroom: The Rabins invested in an eco-friendly mattress made of material derrived from fair trade rubber trees. Their bed frame is family heirloom.

Dan and Eszter Rabin

“It’s just about taking that little extra step,” explains Eszter, of the Rabin's eco-conscious values. “Whether it’s researching the sources of where our food comes from and how it’s produced, finding ways to reuse packaging material, or deciding to ride our bikes to work, it’s important that our daily lives impact our environment as little as possible.”

We're so inspired! And hope you are too.

Their little green book
Some of the Rabin's favorite eco-businesses (in San Francisco and beyond): 

SF Green Clean - Non-toxic dry cleaner
A Happy Planet - Organic linens
Spring - A healthy home store
Yolo Colorhouse - Environmentally responsible non-toxic paint
Rainbow Grocery - Natural and organic foods and products
Blue House - Environmentally-friendly home products
Rose and Radish - Home, art, and floral gallery
Flora Grubb Gardens - Incredible plants and outdoor furnishings
Relish at Home - Local and handmade art, crafts, and home accessories
Etsy - Handmade art and crafts

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

The hunt continues for an outdoor chandelier for our Monterey Idea House. There was hope in re-using some vintage lighting from the Sunset building that we have stashed away in our warehouse.

The fixture shown in this photograph was under consideration, but it's a bit too Bonanza-feeling for the house. Look at the enormous shadow it casts on the wall. This is on our entertainment patio at Sunset.  I've  never seen so many suits, or men, in our building!  Would love to know what Mr. Chef Hat was preparing for lunch that day. No doubt, something delicious!

A not-so-blind item: Which former television super-villainess relaxes in this beautiful bath?

Head over to Fresh Dirt to find out!

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

All that's new and fabulous in kitchen and bath products made an appearance at the annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago last week. It literally is everything AND the kitchen sink. Aisles and aisles of toilets, refrigerators, washers, dryers, hoods, cabinetry, ranges, etc. It does become mind-numbing after a while, not to mention sheer torture on the feet. Here are some memorable highlights from our field trip (food-eating excursions not included, although I highly recommend Shaw's Crab House for an authentic Chicago culinary experience).

Shameless promotion of Chicago. One of the great American cities.

Hands-down, the articulating Karbon faucet from Kohler had the most interactive display at the show. Beautifully architectural and a kitchen tool that literally goes where you want it to go. The small joy stick is the on-and-off lever.

We're featuring this yummy Ann Sacks Sakura mural tile in the master bath at our Monterey Idea House. Every time I see it, I love it even more.

Made of marble, limestone and gold leaf, this Tesoro tile by Walker Zanger made its debut at the show.  Handmade in Italy, skilled artisans carefully apply gold leaf to each tile. Truly, a work of art! 


Here's a GE washer after my own heart. Detergent dispenses from a pedestal that holds up to  700 ounces.   That roughly translates to six months worth of laundry. Available in October.

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

We're on the hunt for an outdoor chandelier for our Monterey Idea House, that will hang in a covered dining space in our gorgeous reclaimed wood building. I was scouting in San Francisco last week and found this spectacular fixture at Cisco Home. It's made from reclaimed wine barrels (coincidentally, so is the barn building we want to hang it in!). It's a bit too refined for the space, but we may find a spot in the house.

Love this mirror, too.

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

I'm becoming more and more enamored of the Hollywood Regency look. It's sexy, fun and fabulous. You know the style is becoming mainstream when it hits the aisles at Target. Check out the new DwellStudio for Target bedding collection. High glamour for the masses!

By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
Styling by Miranda Jones and Birte Walter
Photography by Rob Brodman

Ever scanned the furniture listings on Craigslist, seen an item that looked a bit dilapidated, but that you could tell had good soul? Well, look out fancy vintage refurbishing stores—our upcoming May issue features five Craigslist castoffs that just needed a elbow grease (paint, fabric, love) to take on a whole new life.

Above is a sixth before & after transformation (that didn't see the printed page) that makes quite a statement as a living room centerpiece. Instructions below. Look for our May issue on newsstands around April 19th. And if you have your own Craigslist makeover story, tell us about it through the comments link at bottom.

Fresh take for a chandelier

CRAIGSLIST: $10

All this rusty worn lamp needed was a little TLC. First we took off all removable parts (bulbs and sheaths) and used small plastic bags and painter’s tape to carefully cover all exposed electrical parts (bulb bases and main cord). Next we hung the chandelier outside from a plant hook. After dusting with a damp cloth, we covered it with a light coat of spray paint, holding the can 10 to 12 inches away. After letting it dry (at least 10 minutes), we sprayed a second coat, ensuring that all surfaces were evenly covered. Finally we took the chandelier to a lamp repair shop for new energy-efficient, flame-shaped bulbs and candle sheaths, and found some killer mini shades at Anthropologie.

FINAL COST: $98, plus $38 per shade (optional)

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

Fun days at our Monterey Idea House! Here's how you pour 100 cubic yards of concrete, in the rain. The guy in the yellow jacket is standing right about where our gourmet kitchen will be. See the completed building in late August. Really!

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

Hello sunshine! Who wouldn't wake up with a smile on their face, greeted by this sweet collage art?

Created by Petit Collage in San Francisco, each piece is handmade using found, recycled, painted and vintage papers pasted onto a maple plywood box. See similar stuff here

by Elizabeth Jardina, Sunset researcher

If you fell for Eli Halpin's gorgeous paintings featured in our January 2008 issue — and who didn't? — I have great news. She's now selling completely affordable prints, including prints of the original paintings that Sophie Fauveau and Mark Williams (below) have hanging in their Portland home.

You can order prints, starting at $19, here.