Tangerine Tango = 2012 Color of the Year

I am not suggesting that you go out and buy a tangerine colored sports car, but then again why not? If you drive one around just tell everyone to follow, because it is the official color of 2012 according to Pantone. 

Who is Pantone? They are the "world-renowned authority on color." Maybe the sports car idea is not correct, but don't hold back in adding a splash of color to your life. 

According to the article, "Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy." This sounds like reading the back of my Herbal Essence shampoo bottle in the shower. The color is a hue of red and orange that can be used to infuse any space with a burst of color.

Pantone predicts that the rise in popularity in the past years of the orange color tones will continue to impact our fashion trends, wall colors and even appliance colors. Adding accent colors like Tangerine Tango can bring some life back to an empty space. I wanted to illustrate this month that trends in fashion and interior design also impact the products that we promote and sell in our showroom.

I have attached multiple images of stone finishes that can be added to your space as an accent color. Most people think of stone as very traditional and gray in color with little asthetic value. The pool below was designed by local architect Whitney Powers of Studio A Architecture.   

The minerals that seep through the cracks of a stone formation sometimes give the stone a beautiful rustic red stratification.

The appeal of stone can also be used to texture an accent wall to add dimension as well as color.

Adding architectural depth can also be created using stone facades. 

With todays technology all of the stone images included here can be adhered to an interior wall without structural support or additional framing just as tile would or paint.

A bland fireplace can be transformed just by adding an accent stone. 

 

There are endless examples of how stone can be used to accent our lives.  Browse the pictures below to see how these colors are impacting our lives. 

DIY Firepit

One of the biggest prides I have in the stone business is helping our customers solve problems.  A homeowner came into our showroom a few weeks ago and said that he wanted to create a firepit on his deck like the picture he had in hand.  He wanted to know if it was possible to build in his space and if he needed to hire a professional.  Here is the picture the homeowner was wanting to recreate. 

After speaking to the homeowner at length about the steps involved, he had a pretty good idea that it was possible to tackle as a DIY endeavor. 

The homeowner first cut a whole in his existing deck and made sure to leave enough support for the new opening. 

After a solid foundation or footing was poured at the base of the firepit the homeowner used 8x8x16 concrete block to build up the firepit to the height of the existing deck. 

We talked extensively with the homeowner about using firebrick on the interior of the firepit.  This is a commonly missed step and although it will still work the possibility of cracks deterioration of the concrete block is possible.

The homeowner placed a pipe through the block and firebrick to allow for drainage of the firepit. 

We recommended saw back natural thin veneer stone to be used as the stone facade.  You can see in the picture below the use of a tack strip to support the stone initially as you begin the stone installation. 

Several large pieces of bluestone were cut to size and placed on the top to cap the firepit. One thing to not of the cap is that there is not an overhang on the inside of the firebox where heat could possibly be trapped and crack the stone.   

The deck was then rebuilt and now the homeowner has a brand new firepit as seen in his original picture to entertain his family and friends. 

Operating Instructions

Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year by Anne Lamott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Anne Lamott's writing. She is so matter of fact and witty in her delivery. In college I read bird by bird and truly enjoyed how she made it seem easy to write create and imagine. I would reference the book often when tackling a paper or exam. "Just take it bird by bird" I read this book because I figured it would be a relief from all the boring baby books about what to do and not to do with an infant. I feel like I sit awake at night stressing that I am going to inflict irreversible damage on my child-to-be even before it is born. Well I am finally relieved. Anne gives it to you straight and doesn't hold back in saying that parenthood is difficult especially as a single mother. She cites many examples of things they don't tell you before you are pregnant or a parent for that matter. I also enjoy her thoughts on faith. She makes you feel like Christianity is not a cult but just something that you believe in to get you through the hard stuff. You have to make it what you want. There is no right or wrong way to be faithful to GOD as going to church will sometimes make you believe. Lastly, her stories are so memorable and some roll on the floor funny. There are many takeaways in all her books that help get us through our everyday lives. And one of my favorite lines of the book is always remember to start the day of slow and taper off. We need to always remember that life is there for us to enjoy it and not live for the future but live in the now.

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Artistic Pool Design

A Historic beach cottage on Sullivan's Island was transformed this summer using a classic tumbled marble paver around the pool. Evan Diament of Diament Builders renovated the main house several years ago and was asked back by the homeowners to add a garage addition/ poolhouse and a spa-like pool area. 

A large barn door style gate is used to open the poolhouse space up onto the pool deck adding visual interest with hand craftmanship. 

The attention to detail is evident in the hardscape and landscape selections installed by local contractor Kevin Francis of New Leaf Landscapes. The blend of grays whites gives a sense of clarity and serenity in this beach house retreat.  

 

I really enjoy how they were able to create a pool that blends into the landscape as if it were a pond or tranquil stream. 

The cylindrical hallway leading out to the parking area is paved with the same marble used on the pool deck. 

The calming monochromatic colors of this marble pavers has become a very popular trend.  It exhibits clean lines and has a very classic look. 

The marble pavers are good to use around a pool deck because the temperature in the summertime is still cool to the touch for bare feet. 

This beach cottage is another one of Sullivan's Island's hidden treasures.

Below are a couple of the Before pictures of this renovation