Asparagus Interiors

With all the political hullabaloo going on this season and the push for grass roots involvement. I’ve decided to get out there and become involved in my community.

The Naperville Centennial Beach Bathhouse is going to be reworked and I’ve decided to join the community based feedback team. My involvement is two fold:

1. I’m a member of the Naperville Centennial Beach and a mother of two young girls who benefit from the pubic recreational facility
2. I’m a designer at heart and any opportunity I can get in some design recommendations, and green ones at that, is a source of great enthusiasm and passion for helping to solve a public need

I’ve decided that my husband and I have lived in Naperville too long not to get involved, and join the ranks of other townies that make Naperville a great place to live.

What’s all the buzz about purple this season? It’s back and it’s popping up everywhere.

In the past couple months I’ve had 3 clients ask for a deep darker tone of the jelly colored favorite.  Similar to the Tokyo flag shown.  We have paired the purple with deep chocolate brown, butter yam and deeper teal green. Another favorite cropping up is a lighter purple with a cold gray accent paired with brown or natural steel gray add a crisp finished look to a room.

Check out what’s happening in the fashion world and we’re now seeing it in on the interiors side. Take a deeper look a purple. It may just be the regal punch your looking for.

Origins of Purple

Look for me at the 2nd Annual Waubonsee Community College Renewable Energy Fair.
I will be presenting design examples and discussing ways to make your home a more eco-friendly place to live.

The Second Annual Renewable Energy Fair
Featuring renewable energy, organic, and green products
Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove Campus
Saturday, October 18, 2008     9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Erickson Hall Gymnasium

Last week we vacationed in Holland, MI.

We visited the beaches, Windmill Island, Saugatuck and Grand Haven.  But no trip to Michigan is complete with out doing a little local shopping.  The artist community in Saugatuck and Douglas is a great way to find unique art, garden features and housewares.

Shopping locally not fuels the local economy, but mixes up your decor with unique items that become little treasures.

We visited the Holland Farmer’s Market to check out the fresh produce, flowers, plants, pastries and goodies that the locals bring to table.

I found this wonderful deep purple sage wreath for my front door.  The crafter also made very cool wreathes out of dogwood sticks and other branches to form almost a lacy puff ball effect that jumped out at you.

I love the farmer’s market vibe.  It feels good to buy from your neighbors and support the local community.

Thinking about adding texture to your walls or ceiling?  How about adding a relief on a column, pattern up a staircase or emphasize a focal wall.  Looking to add a little shimmer with seashells or texture with cork or silk?

This week I’ve been introduced to new methods of adding natural materials to the walls and ceilings creating texture, pattern, color and drama.

I spoke with Karen Navaro, of Twig & a Feather , this week.  She is a faux finisher who works with eco-friendly finishes from American Clay , Modern Masters and concrete.  Karen is one of 20 people world wide that have been selected and trained to install the following products from Modern Masters:

- KORUKU: A cork-like substance made from the Japanese Cypress tree bark
- KAI: A shimmering seashell based mold and mildew resistant finish
- KYOTO: A gorgeous nubby silk fabric like feel can be achieved with a plaster like finish from small bits of recycled plastic

In addition to the plaster and mixed mediums above, Karen also uses concrete to create wall accents (wall bling! and stained concrete surfaces.

I’ve wanted to use American Clay for some time in my home to create a focal wall and add emphasis to the fireplace.  I’m now thinking of a much more dramatic approach.  An intimate use of the shimmering sea shell product may be just the ticket to spice up my bedroom.  After all, why can’t my sleeping quarters become a sanctuary?

Margarido House .  The first new home in the country to be LEED-H certified by the USGBC , and GreenPoint Rated by Build it Green .

A beautiful custom home comprised of my favorite architectural details, the use of eco-minded and sustainable materials and finishes plus super energy savings.  Could this dream house become our future reality?

After shopping this past weekend at my favorite home store, Dwellings in Le Claire, IA, I stumbled upon a Marooshka graphic print.  Marooshka, that’s funny, my last name is Marusin.  Art inspiration or serendipity?

We picked up the Bittersweet print with it’s striking orange screen print on a natural linen fabric.  Bittersweet is shown above next to the vintage sand dollar Marushka. The designs are similar to the Marimekko designs we love. The new print is a great addition to our living room.

After doing more research, I found that Marooshka originated as Marushka.

Marushka prints were made by Michigan in the 70’s and 80’s by Michigan Rag Company in Grand Haven.  Founded by Richard Sweet, the graphic prints were simple designs mounted on linen and fabric canvas.  Inexpensive prints that featured many sea side creatures and natural themes.

We’re heading to the Grand Haven area in August, I’m gotta be on the lookout for some vintage finds.

Sites, I found related to the Marushka / Marooshka art work:
The Art Farmer
http://marushkaprints.blogspot.com/

Ahh … mixed mediums. I’m all about mixing it up this year. Art on the wall can be more than a framed picture. Consider other mediums like wool tapestry, metal art, ceramic or wood. These tactile pieces of art add texture to your walls and interest to your spaces.

A friend and favorite local Artist Susan Waldron , inspires me with her Alpaca wool tapestries. Susan raises the Alpacas on her farm, harvests the wool and dyes the color to create these beautiful tapestries. Her work looks like a pastel painting constructed with wool felt.

Susan’s artwork can also be found at: Gallery 28 , Geneva IL

Chicago’s Green Exchange building will soon be home to "the country’s largest sustainable business community", according to their website. Reaching for the highest LEED Platinum rating, the building will retain it’s original facade design. The design has implemented environmental building practices and materials. According to the site the building will "offer 272,000 square feet of convenient one-stop shopping options where the public can engage directly with the country’s leading green businesses, eco -speakers, events and ideas."

Keep and eye out for updates on this building and their eco -minded tenants.

Looking for a relaxing seat to kick back?

I’ve recently been introduced to the Ekornes line of recliners and sectionals. The Norwegian based furniture company offers ergonomic furniture in a variety of leather colors and styles as well as wood finishes. The molded beech bases support a "stressless" seat creating a cozy spot to relax. They are committed to recycling their waste w/ attention to environmental concerns.

I’m excited about this product offering European design with ergonomic and environmental sensibility.