It is that time of year to start planning your summer vacations. I happened to find a nice little deal that Hotels.com is offering. Basically, if you book your hotel by May 31st for travel through the end of July, you will get $20-$100 back via mail-in rebate on a 3+ night booking.


UP TO $100 BACK MAIL-IN REBATE HOTEL DEAL

• Get $20 off with a 3-night booking.
• Get $30 off with a 5-night booking.
• Get $50 off with an 8-night booking.
• Get $75 off with a 10-night booking.
• Get $100 off with a 12-night booking.

If you are having a hard time dreaming up of the perfect hotel to visit, here is my suggestion: The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. It is the number 3 ranked luxury hotel according to Travel + Leisure. Feast your eyes on some the luxury amenities and interior designs the hotel offers.

I don't quite know how to describe it, except to use the words "barnacle-like" and "coral-esque". Both very beachworthy words if you ask me. Now if I can just get my hands on one of those cd's with the ocean sounds...

Since HF Guy beat me to the chase at publishing an Earth Day blog, I decided to make my own holiday: Earth Day After. It's like Earth Day, but one day late (and no, it doesn't come with any early morning regret).


Wood is probably a major component of the furniture in your home, if not the only component. So why not seek out woods that are stylish, durable, and eco-friendly. It's easier than you think to find sustainable wood designs that will decorate your home, keep some moola in your pocket, and do their part for Mother Nature. Read on...


Teak? Good. Reclaimed teak? Even better. Teak is fantastic because of it's strength and resistance to weather, making it a popular choice for outdoor furniture. It is also strong even when it is not treated with any varnishes, so that is less to worry about as well. This Meg chair is made from reclaimed teak.


Peroba wood is one of my favorites because of its interesting texture and patina. The wood for this Lotus bed was recycled from old barns in Brazil. You can still see the paint on some of the wood chips. The peroba color varies from light to dark within each piece and is accented by responsibly harvested Mahogany.






Acacia wood, which makes up the Montana Dining Table, is another fantastic hardwood that hails from India. Its fast growth time makes it environmentally friendly, but its smooth surface and warm color make it perfect for a home. Another fun fact: Acacia wood is revered in India for its power to ward off evil.


BambooTimbre is, in a word, unique. It's all about texture with striated lines running through the piece. The lighter finishes espceially bring out the look. Bamboo also grows exceptionally fast and is durable enough to last for decades. The Carmel Media Cabinet is only one of many BambooTimbre pieces available at our store.


Did you know that once the fruit is picked from a Mango tree, it does not bear fruit again? That is why using the wood from the Mango tree is an eco-friendly move. Instead of pitching the wood in the garbage, farmers can make a profit from the barren tree and we can have beautiful furniture made from durable and water-resistant Mangowood. The Congo bed is a great example.

I'm on a mission. In college, I bought a table and four chairs from Ikea for $129. It served its purpose and now it is falling apart. Literally. So, I took a particular interest in seeing what kind of dining finds our owners bought for the store. And so, I give you, Best of Dining from High Point, NC. In the illustrious words of Fergie, "Check it out!"




I love the cute winged shape of this dining chair. I'd put a cute striped fabric on it and pair it with a subdued, dark finished table. Now that's what I call fine dining.




The main reason I love this table? It reminds me of Gumby. I would love this for a kitchen table. That finish is also one of my favorites. The light toffee color shows off the striations in the BambooTimbre wood. Another excellent choice!



You don't see a finish quite like this one every day. It's deep and warm with a slightly burgundy tone to it. The striated top is an interesting addition to an otherwise plain table. A little bit rustic, but a little bit modern.


If you're in shabby chic mode, try this two tone table and chair set on for size. Beige and grey laquer give this set a warm, lived in look. Wicker on the back of the chairs seals the deal. Put this one in your beach house!


This has to be one of the funkiest tables I've ever seen. How do you make a round table for four large enough for eight? They answered it. Create leaves to fit around the edge of the table. Great for those of you (and me) doing double duty with your living room. I don't need a huge table for one or two people most nights, but I'd still like to be able to invite people over for dinner once in a while!


Tomorrow's Preview: Best of the Sofas!

In celebration of Earth Day, find out about 50 ways in which you can help the planet courtesy of Wire & Twine.

Be sure to check out our previous post "How To: Green Your Furniture" to understand what you can do to make eco-friendly furniture purchase. Happy Earth Day everyone!

The American Institute of Architects selected the top 10 green projects in 2008 as outstanding examples of sustainable design.


The Queens Botanical Garden has propelled itself into the front ranks of its field as the first botanical garden in the country devoted to sustainable environmental stewardship.


The Nueva School's Hillside Learning Complex was designed to integrate straightforward, appropriate and cost-effective sustainable design solutions within the broader language of contemporary architectural expression.


The MacAllen Building Condominium features many green elements including innovative technologies that will save over 600,000 gallons of water annually while consuming 30 percent less electricity than a conventional building.


The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center is the first building recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council LEED program as carbon-neutral in operation.


The Lavin-Bernick Center was stripped to the concrete frame, expanded by 33 percent and redesigned with a variety of environmental systems.


Garthwaite Center for Science & Arts is a LEED Platinum certified building. Fifty-five detailed sustainability goals included renewable energy, no water to be discharged to the local sewer, 100 percent storm water infiltration on-site, artificial lighting designed to less than one watt per square foot and minimal maintenance for 20 years.


Pocono Environmental Education Center is a flexible, multipurpose gathering space for dining, meetings, lectures and other environmental learning activities.


The Discovery Center at South Lake Union was designed to be demountable, separating at three integrated joints to break into four separate modules capable of being transported along surface streets.

As promised, Part Two of the High Point series. Up now? Chairs. I have to say that this category was a bit more challenging due to the sheer volume of pieces to choose from. I liked a lot of the ones we got for the store. However, I don't want you readers to collapse from boredom, so I've narrowed it down to five of the best of the best chairs. What to you think of these?



It's tough being the new kid on the block, but I have a feeling this guy will fit in just fine. An armless design makes it modern, but sleek wings bring it down to earth. A simple chair like this can handle any pattern or print you throw at it, so have fun with this one!


There's no need to crane your neck to watch your latest Netflix delivery when you've got a couple of swivel chairs in your living room. Slick black leather chairs (that are oh so comfy) hide a swivel mechanism on the bottom, so you can converse like a pro in the living room, dining room, and the kitchen



Any chair that combines a waxed finish leather with nailheads is alright with me. I love the greyish blue color of the leather (It's perfect for my color scheme at home. Hmmm...) I can't wait to get this one in the store!



So maybe you don't want to go full on leather, but want a little touch of it. This chair combines the comfort of a neutral linen with the chic-ness of waxed leather. Sophisticated shape, great attention to detail, and tons of fabrics and leather to choose from means this chair will totally bend to your will, not ours! On a side note: I love the kind of southwestern, rustic pillow. I wonder if that's for sale too?!

Apparently, I have a thing for leather chairs lately. Funny, because I'm definitely not looking to buy one for myself (A room can only take so much leather and I have a GIANT leather sofa). However, if this chair comes in fabric (it does), I will be all over it. So 1800's library-esque! Just what I need to de-college-ify my apartment for good! I also love the table. Alas, we won't be carrying it on the floor, but maybe I can change some minds...

I hope you liked my chairs picks! Tune in tomorrow for Part Three: Best of Dining!

The Real World: Hollywood just premiered a few weeks ago. The show is typically all about drinking, fighting, regretful hookups, jealousy, backstabbing, cavorting, and a whole lot of family therapy. Now you can throw in eco-friendly trend-setter.

In a groundbreaking initiative for MTV, this new season will go "green" and introduce their young viewers ways in which they can incorporate environmentally-friendly household items and make eco-friendly lifestyle choices, as seen on "The Real World" into their everyday lives. 

"The Real World" house will include everything from solar energy solutions to bamboo flooring, recycled glass counters, some sustainable furniture and recycled vintage decor, energy star appliances, a solar heated swimming pool and energy efficient lighting.


MTV worked with a wide range of environmentally-friendly manufacturers, including Environment Furniture. The Santomer Bed, shown above, uses reclaimed Peroba wood from old barns, house, and bridges in Brazil. It's furniture that sets the standard for aspirational interior design with an eco-friendly twist. You can also check out some of their other great, eco-friendly furniture products such as the Santomer Dining Table, Laurel Dining Table, Santos Dining Table, and Santos Coffee Table.


MTV is also allowing fans to interact in a Sims-like fashion with the Virtual Real World. In the Virtual Real World users can create their own avatars to learn about environmental facts, create eco-friendly virtual clothing and share stories about what they've done to better the environment.

Our fearless leaders made their triannual trek to High Point, North Carolina for the big furniture market. As usual, they are on the hunt for new, innovative pieces to bring some extra punch to our showroom floors. I got to peruse through their purchases and pick out my favorite pieces to share with y'all. So, without further ado, here is Part One of the High Point 2008 series: Best of the Beds.


The deep tufts on this headboard make this bed ultraclassic- like a Chesterfield Sofa in bed form. Upholster this one with a smooth textured fabric like velvet to add to the luxuriousness.




What a standout piece this is! If you're looking for a bedroom focal point, your search is over. The carved wood looks worn in and comfortable. Top this bed with earthy sheets and blankets to complete the rustic look.

I am someone that is constantly on the lookout for new sources of inspiration. Not for any project in particular. Just because I love the feeling of finding something that really perks me up and imagining the possibilities. That's why I love checking out the goodies at Etsy. A while back, I was seeing the name Etsy everywhere, but had no clue what is was. When I finally made that click to the site I found my own personal heaven. It was all of the quirky, eclectic, handmade treasures I could ever imagine! Now I check it out daily to see their items of the day and browse each category. Here are some of my favorite recent finds:



I love these little sewn birds by Cotton Bird Designs. They would be perfect on bookshelves or on a vanity- just to brighten up the place. Not to mention the fact that it's Spring. No better time to add a little chirp to your pad.


Another Springtime jewel called Poesia by Robert Socha. I love the intensity of the pink petals against a bright blue sky. At 8x8, this photo would be best in a small nook like above a bedside table or grouped in a cluster of art.


So maybe this isn't so Spring related like my first two finds, but it's adorable nonetheless. Tiny little nature charms in gold with freshwater pearls complement anything you choose to wear. Find this one and other charms at Luxe Charms.


The greatest thing about Etsy is finding some really unique items that would go for hundreds of dollars at a little boutique for just a little dough. And they're handmade with care by someone. I love the collage pieces from Silvery Moon Art. I am a lover of knick knacks and I would love to add this one to my collection.


For those of you who live in cold climates- I think these brooches would be fantastic on a fuzzy wool hat or coat. The Brooch Boutique's brocade brooches are also beautiful. And at $10 a pop, they won't break the bank.

Every single day, I find something on Etsy that I love. Just browse through it, check back often, and make sure you snag what you want before somebody else does!