the cityhammer blog

For those of you who haven't heard of David Beahm, he's an event designer who has planned the look and aesthetic feel of many of the biggest galas and parties in New York.

At the opening of the Plaza Hotel’s renovated grand ballroom last year, he bathed the space in a purple glow, hanging a mobile of crystal, glass and orchids, and directing a spotlight to splash shadows against the ceiling.

He is also known for his interesting use of lighting, especially candlelight.

One of Mr. Beahm’s favorite forms of lighting is the humble candle. For safety reasons, candles weren’t allowed at the Diffa event, he said, although candlelight “makes everyone look beautiful, and if people feel like they look nice, they’re going to have a good time.”

The New York Times recently went shopping with Mr. Beahm, hitting up antique and design stores in Greenwich, Connecticut along with Restoration Hardware. There is an accompanying multi-media piecewith the article to show off 9 of the best lighting items they came across.

Full article: Shopping with David Beahm

Multi-Media: 9 Lighting Objects

To achieve these looks for your own home or apartment, here are cityhammer.com's New York Lighting Companies.

Labels: Candles New York, David Beame, Lighting Contractors New York, Lighting NYC, New York Lighting

Everyone in New York is cost-conscious and trying to be smarter about their money these days. This extends to pretty much every aspect of life and home improvement spending is no different.

That said, Better Homes & Gardens has put together a slide show featuring low-cost architectural touches that can make a big difference for your home even if you're on a tight budget. These updates add value as well, which is helpful if you plan to sell your home or you can see this possibility coming.

Among the 10 ideas in the article, you'll see ceramic tile updates, a wainscoting shortcut, carpeting for the master suite in lieu of hardwood floors and an idea for varied lighting fixtures.

On cityhammer.com, you can find NY Interior Designers and General Contractors to help you achieve these looks and put these ideas to work in your house or apartment.


Read the full article here: BHG on Low-Cost Remodeling Projects

Labels: Better Homes and Gardens, Cheap Remodeling, NY General Contractors, NY Interiror Designers

Last April, ThreadBanger posted a funny and informative video full of Spring Cleaning and organization tips for apartment dwellers. I thought it was definitely worth a re-post.

One of the items on the list was installing blinds which let you enjoy a more restful sleep. There are tons of Window Treatment companies in New York, so this project should be pretty easy to get started with, just in time for the longer daylight hours.

Enjoy!


Visit ThreadBanger

Labels: Closet Organization in New York, New York Window Treatments, Spring Cleaning, Window Treatments NYC

Paulette Cole, the founder of ABC Home is serious about her company's green sourcing initiative, unlike many of the retailers and home furnishing companies who have only claimed to be eco-sensitive.

Every time we buy something for our homes, we have a chance to invest positively in the planet,” observes Paulette Cole. “That gives retailers an enormous opportunity—and responsibility—to influence the earth and its people for the better.”

The above is a quote from the most recent issue of NY Spaces magazine. According to the article:

Wood is reclaimed or harvested from responsibly managed forests; organic fibers and feathers are used in chemical-free upholstery; and a well-curated collection of vintage and artisan-made accessories fosters a connection to cultures around the globe.

Now that the national focus is on whether or not consumers will even show up at the store, its nice to see that someone is still taking their green initiative seriously and is not letting the economy stateside be an excuse to cut corners in merchandising.

Read the full story here: ABC Home in NY Spaces

Here's a list of New York Interior Designers

Labels: ABC Home, Green Decorating, Home Furnishings NYC, New York Decorators, NY Interiror Designers

Hope everyone got out from under the 63 million inches of snow we woke up to this morning...

There was an interesting article in the Daily News he other day that really illustrates how dangerous mold in the home can be to your family's health and it happened to involve a celebrity, which helped it get serious attention.

Campbell Brown, an anchorwoman on CNN and 11 year veteran of NBC News, went for weeks without a rational explanation for her newborn baby's illness:

Last September, her son, Eli James (now 14 months old), developed a cold that wouldn't end.

"It was crazy to me," Brown said. "The doctors couldn't figure it out. I would get home at 9:30 or 10, and he would wake himself up with these horrible coughing attacks."

But Brown noticed two days into a trip to Florida, the symptoms stopped.

Later, she spotted something on the wall of their apartment that looked odd. After some research, she was convinced it was mold - and her son was showing the symptoms of exposure.

Mold specialists confirmed her findings and had them leave. Once they were out, her son immediately got better.

"It was the not knowing - and as a mother, to know something's wrong with your child, you instinctively feel, this wasn't right," she said. "Finding out, there was a great sense of relief."

Campbell was told to "get your baby and get out," and she realizes how fortunate she is that she has the wherewithal to do that financially. She's been at a hotel since January with some of her belongings and husband Dan Senor.

Listen up New Yorkers, we have a fantastic community of abatement and environmental specialists here in our area, use them!

Click here for a list of environmental and mold companies in New York



Full Story: Campbell Brown in the Daily News

Labels: Mold Abatement New York, Mold New York, Mold Removal NYC, NYC Mold