5 Interior Design Styles - Part I

A gorgeous example of a traditional style

Have you ever been asked what the design style of your home is? I have and it makes me ponder. Occasionally I've asked friends to tell me the answer. I know what my style isn't but I can't exactly define what it is. Usually, guests describe my decor as classic modern which I agree with, and yet perhaps the description is too general for a decorator. Why don't we outline a few popular interior decorating styles over 3 blogs this week? I'll briefly depict 5 per blogpost...

Click to enlarge photos. - The interior design names follow the images.

1) Art Deco - Art Deco began around 1910 in Paris and became very popular throughout Western Europe in the 1920s - 1930s. Its longer French name is Arts dècoratifs. The style has its roots in the Industrial Revolution. Symmetry is key. Geometric shapes, shiny metals, mirrors, and acrylic are common. Typical patterns include chevrons, zigzags, waves, and sunbursts throughout a room.

2) Bohemian - Sometimes shortened to Boho style is a free-spirited look that mixes culture, color, patterns, metals, woods, textures, animal hides, and trinkets while placing an emphasis on organic motifs and nature.

3) Traditional - The style is timeless and welcoming. You can mix vintage and antique furniture with a few of-the-moment pieces for a look that never goes out of style. Layered in color, pattern, texture, and history, traditional style often includes silk, linen, and velvet upholstery. Patterns include florals and stripes, and there can be ornately detailed dark wood inspired by the 18th and 19th centuries in a room. Traditional design can embrace formal and cozy together. 

4) Cottage - This style uses natural themes and airy colors to infuse warmth and comfort into any space. You see pillows and throw blankets piled on sofas and chairs, weathered knickknacks, wicker baskets, and woven fabrics throughout the home.

5) Eclectic - William Carroll Pahlmann made vogue the eclectic style in the 1950s. It's about harmonizing unlike elements such as time periods, color, texture, or shapes. Oh, what a fun style that when mindful is not messy!

Have you found the tone of your home yet?

Part II with 5 more interior design styles will publish on Wednesday. Stay tuned!

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Cook's Country Drop Meatballs

Never in my life have I made meatballs. Too much trouble! Always I brown ground beef and onion in a skillet and then add my spaghetti sauce. At times I've turned crushed tomatoes into pasta sauce, but frankly often use Whole Foods 365, Barilla, or another commercial brand of tomato sauce ... I'm not gonna lie!

After watching an episode of Cook's Country I'm now interested in trying its easy (Philadephia-inspired) recipes for drop meatballs and homemade tomato sauce. There's no bread to break up and no browning of the meatballs! Despite the simplification of steps, the dish is fancy enough to serve dinner guests, so I'm putting it on the blog with plans to invite friends over for a taste test!

Here's the episode and below is the recipe written out for our convenience  ...

Cook's Country Drop Meatballs and Pasta Sauce

Ingredients for the meatballs:

22 square saltines

1 cup milk
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Fresh chopped basil.

Directions for the meatballs:

1) Crush the saltine crackers using a rolling pin with the saltines inside a sealed plastic bag.

2) Empty into a mixing bowl and add a cup of milk. After the crackers soften mix it together into a paste.

3) Add the 2 lbs of ground meat and 2 oz of grated Parmesan cheese to the cracker-milk mixture.

4) Toss in the garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. 

 

5) With your hands combine the meatball mixture but don't over mix or the meatballs will get tough. No eggs are needed because the hot sauce will provide the structure for the meatballs to hold them together.

6) Form into 24 - 1/4 cup size meatballs.

7) Skip the browning. Instead put the meatballs in the refrigerator while making the tomato sauce.

Ingredients for the tomato sauce:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions for the tomato sauce:

1) Mash 10 garlic cloves and toss into E-V olive oil in an oven-safe-pot. Turn on the stovetop and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes until the garlic is golden brown on both sides. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. Next, add salt and pepper.

2) Retrieve the uncooked meatballs from the refrigerator and lay them one by one in the sauce which is still in the pot.

3) Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and place in a preheated 400-degree oven to cook for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with fresh chopped basil if you wish.

4) Meanwhile make 2 lbs of spaghetti pasta. You'll need 4 quarts of water, 1 tablespoon of salt and to boil the pasta for 7 - 8 minutes for al dante noodles. Also after draining the water, put a spoonful of tomato sauce into the pasta and mix to keep it from sticking.

Plate your food and eat! The recipe is for 2 pounds of pasta. Feel free to make one pound of pasta and freeze half the tomato sauce with drop meatballs for another day.

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Surprisingly Effective Hair Tamers

I'm wearing my hair longer than usual. Penny, my longtime hairstylist retired, and I've been slow in finding a new hairstylist. Luckily the Rapunzel hair trend is on! You don't get the bounciness of should-length hair, yet longer hair is easy to care for requiring just a tad of extra conditioning to maintain its health. 

Years ago I stopped buying special hair smoothers to tame my hair. Often the additional products left an undesirable stickiness, stiffness, or residue without really improving my hair. You do need a good hair conditioner after shampooing ... and on days I style my hair with the hot air of a blow dryer, I also spray on Tresemme Thermal Heat Protectant which leaves strains clean.

So what do you use to slick down those flyaways?

Two surprisingly effective hair tamers are, in fact, skin moisturizers that are not marketed as hair treatments. But when used in moderation they do an excellent job of calming frizzies while leaving your locks of hair clean. I use them every morning after showering.

1) CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (with hyaluronic acid and ceramides). Why it works on hair: It's light, oil-free, and fragrance-free. By dabbing a dime-sized amount on the ends of my hair, the cream combats dryness. It also reverses the negative charge in your hair that causes flyaways and frizzies.

2) Body Oil - Try coconut oil, baby oil, or any light oil you use to lock moisture into your skin after showering. Why it works on hair: It's heavier than a strain of hair. I use just the residue left on my hands after putting it on my skin. A little goes a long way. Avoid your scalp and focus on the middle and ends of your hair. Don't use more than a tiny amount ... or you'll weigh down your hair for a greasy unwashed look.

If you think about it, the ingredients that go into moisturizing your skin are many of the same ingredients that go into products that tame your hair, namely water and conditioners. You can simplify your life by finding effective personal care products that multi-task for your skin, hair, and nails! Skin moisturizers are cheaper than hair moisturizers and come in larger sizes also.

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Taaffeite Is A Rare Gemstone

Taaffeite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. It was first discovered as an already cut, polished, and misidentified "spinel" in a Dublin, Ireland jewelry shop by gemologist, Richard Taaffe who bought a cluster of gems in October 1945.

Taaffe noticed some inconsistencies in his "spinel" and sent a sample of the stone off to a London lab which in 1951 verified that its main components were beryllium, magnesium, and aluminum, making the hexagon crystal a newly found mineral later named taaffeite (BeMg3Al18O16).

Unlike spinel, which is only singly refractive (like diamonds and garnets), Taaffeite is doubly refractive (it blends and reflects light in all directions). Taaffeite is a transparent gemstone with a vitreous shine (like glass in appearance or physical properties).

This beryl forms in carbonate rocks in Sri Lanka and Southern Tanzania (alongside the gemstones fluorite, mica, spinel, and tourmaline). Some poor-quality taaffeite has also been discovered in China. 

Because of its rarity, taaffeite is only used as a gemstone. Registering an 8 - 8.5 on Moh's Scale of Hardness, the jewel comes in colorless, violet red, pink violet, red, light green, and mauve. Taaffeite costs an average of $1,500 - $2,500 per carat, although top-grade taaffeite can fetch $35,000 per carat. The best quality taaffeite gets bought quickly. Pink is the rarest and most expensive color.

This beryllium-magnesium-aluminum-oxide mineral is clean of inclusions, and the red is gorgeous. Imagine ... a jewelry lover wearing it would bling all over the place!

Have you ever heard of taaffeites?

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Why Aren't Soap Dishes Designed Better?

Although I use rose-scented liquid soap to wash my hands, I like bars of soap too. I have yet to find a soap dish that keeps the soap from becoming a soft, soggy mess. The top wire dish would keep the soap from resting in a puddle of water, yes, but while drying, moisture would drip leaving a mess below, no?

Does the slant (↑to the left) make this the perfect soap dish? Again, where does the drip land? I have a soap dish similar to the one on the right, and it's functional.

I also have 2 soap dishes like the style to the right ↗. They work well enough, but why hasn't anyone come up with a better design than what's on the market? A design where soap scum doesn't accumulate in the soap dish?

This last red crab soap dish is so darn cute. Available on Amazon and Home Depot, but, it won't do the job any better than the others. 

Alas, we need a soap dish innovation soon! Meanwhile, will you settle for cute?  A fish, duck, or crab holding up your soap?

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Poison Ivy Is My Enemy

One of the many things I love about living in Manhattan is I'm never exposed to poison ivy. Not so in the suburbs. I've read that birds eat it and then spread it throughout a neighborhood. Do these 3-leaf plants, so vibrantly green, look evil to you?

Over the weekend I helped my mother weed her yard. I put on garden gloves and after working in her yard, I came into the house to wash my hands and arms up to my elbows with soap and water. I also dabbed on 70% alcohol and still got poison ivy. I was very careful and don't remember any plants touching my legs. Well, they got me!

The poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to urushiol oil, which is found in the leaves, stems, and roots of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. It only takes a small amount, the size of a grain of table salt to cause an allergic reaction in 85% - 90% of people. 10% - 15% of people are not allergic to urushiol oil.

Urushiol oil can remain potent on clothes and any objects it comes in contact with for as long as five years. Experts say wash contaminated clothes with regular detergent or bleach separately from other laundry in hot water and clean surfaces with disinfecting cloths. Don't touch the side of the cloth you have used to wipe a surface. Also, give your dog a bath wearing gloves if he's out in poison ivy. He'll be spared, but you'll get poison ivy if you touch the urushiol resin on his fur.

A poison ivy rash takes 3 - 4 weeks to heal. The itching is intense. New blisters can appear for up to 2 weeks, first in areas with the most exposure and later in areas with the least exposure [see Prevention]. Frankly, nothing takes away the itch of poison ivy, though you can ease it some by keeping the affected area moist. I use body moisturizers and body oils. I apply Noxema, Cetaphil, CeraVe, and baby oil. I haven't found any special products that do anymore to promote healing or relief from the itching. The secret ingredient is t-i-m-e!

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Plantar Fasciitis Relief Shoe Insoles

The pain of plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation after tiny tears occur in the plantar fascia, the tissue that connects our heels to our toes. These tiny tears are very painful and slow to heal.

Suddenly in November 2023, I  could barely walk! One day I walked without pain, the next day I limped!! Plantar fasciitis had developed in my right foot. Friends and friends of friends who also have the condition have gotten better. So I tried to make myself better. I pulled out a pair of custom orthotics a podiatrist had made for me years earlier which were so chunky I couldn't fit them into ANY of my leather shoes. They lay dormant collecting dust. I started wearing them in my cloth houseshoes around the house. The practice worked as long as I didn't leave the house.

So I began looking for orthotic insoles much like custom orthotic insoles that would fit into my shoes to wear outside of my home on city pavement.  

The following are 2 brands of orthotic insoles that ease pain and fit into my shoes. I'm listing them in the order of which I wear the most:

1) Samurai Insoles Ninjas Plantar Fasciitis Relief Arch Support Shoe Insoles - The insole was designed by Dr. Tom Lembo, a board-certified podiatrist. It supports my arches and absorbs shock by having a bit of bounce when my feet hit the concrete. They are 3/4 length and made of durable polypropylene (hard plastic), so they won't smell, get wet, or wear out. They go under the factory insoles of a pair of shoes if removable, otherwise, just insert them inside your shoes. These are slim and will fit into your narrower shoes.

2) PCSsole’s 3/4 Orthotics Shoe Insoles High Arch Supports Shoe Insoles for Plantar Fasciitis - The 2nd option of insoles is hard like super expensive custom orthotics. A 3.5 cm (1.38 inch) EVA high arch provides arch support to reduce the pressure on the heel. More similar in structure to custom-made orthotics than insole #1, wearing these insoles takes some getting used to before they feel comfortable. Wider than insole #1, they fit in sneakers and most shoes, and are as effective as my custom orthotics.

Although not completely pain-free, I can now walk again. The pain is less intense which I hope means my plantar fasciitis is healing. I suspect I'll need to wear orthotic insoles for the rest of my life.

For sure, if you develop plantar fasciitis, you need to find orthotics that are several grades above $10 drugstore orthotics. Also, I can't say based on personal experience that custom-made orthotics do a better job. Non-custom orthotics have come a long way in recent years! I'd recommend spending $29 on non-custom orthotics to see if they alleviate your pain before ordering $300 custom orthotics since custom orthotics may not give you more support or relief. You'll also need more than one pair unless you want the inconvenience of removing them each time you change shoes.

Moreover, I've seen custom orthotics you can buy by pressing your feet into a mold outside of visiting a podiatrist, which I think is a waste of money. If you're spending $100 - $200 a pair anyway, get yourself to a podiatrist!

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Which Length Of Shorts Are You?

All photos and shorts courtesy of Land's End - 5" shorts

The length of shorts reminds me of The Three Bears story. Different heights for different likes. Depending on stature, weight, age, and preferences, one length may be too long, another too short, and still another just right. 

3" shorts

Nowadays I favor 5" shorts as just right. 5" shorts are forgiving and versatile. If you show too much skin, leg, and flesh, you can't wear your shorts everywhere ... certainly not sightseeing in Rome if you expect to enter St. Peter's Basilica. 

8" shorts

I'm not sure I like 8" shorts, although at 5' 7'' I'm tall enough to wear them. Shorts should not look like grandma's bloomers and you want to keep cool in hot, humid August. A try-on would settle it.

9" shorts

Certainly, you don't want your shorts too tight or too loose either as they'll look like they don't fit. Too wide and they'll look frumpy, and if the rear doesn't fit, Fuhgeddaboudit!   

Which length of shorts are you?

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Part II: Gown Styles I Like And Would Wear