Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Inspiration Newsletter

Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House
10 Ways to Enlighten your Home Using Yellow
Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design
How to Choose the Perfect Range Hood for your Kitchen

Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

Posted: 23 Oct 2010 01:13 AM PDT

Achieving homes with a minimal environmental impact seems to be the major architecture trend of the last years. For today, we bring you the Chuckanut Ridge House, a building designed by Prentiss Architects in Washington state. The architects respected the wishes of the clients, a large family with a strong East Asian heritage and culture, to develop a sustainable home: “The goal of minimal environmental impact and off the grid living led to, among other things, photovoltaic panels to provide the electrical power for the house and the collection of rain water as the water source“. Many people fear that the addition of solar panels might interact with the architecture design in a negative way. In this particular case, the panels are independent and we consider this to be an original alternative solution. Moreover, the floor to ceiling windows ensure good natural lighting throughout the day and transform some of the rooms (particularly the living and bedroom) into front row seats to the fascinating landscape outdoors. cr 221010 02 940x705 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 01 940x705 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 03 940x539 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House
cr 221010 04 940x1253 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 05 940x625 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 06 940x1253 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 11 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 12 940x625 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 10 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 09 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 08 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 07 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

cr 221010 06 940x1253 Elegant Design, Asian Influences and Sustainability: Chuckanut Ridge House

Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !

Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

10 Ways to Enlighten your Home Using Yellow

Posted: 22 Oct 2010 02:30 PM PDT

When you ask anybody what color of the spectrum exudes cheerfulness, it has to be yellow! As this color is symbolic of the sun and the warmth and cheer it brings the Earth and its inhabitants. The yellow color family spans from bright sunny yellow to more muted gold and umber. If you are stressed and overworked, yellow will help you change your disposition and make you feel happier. If one color can do all of this, shouldn't you have yellow in every room? Read on to see 10 ways to enlighten your home with the color yellow.

yellow decor focal point e1287443214322 10 Ways to Enlighten your Home Using Yellow

1.) Yellow and black are sophisticated: Consider adding a punch of yellow in all black room. A yellow couch, desk, or wall art can take your room from boring in black, to sleek and modern.

2.) Primary yellow loves kid's rooms: Ever noticed that primary color yellow is used in childcare learning centers and children play areas? Yellow sparks creativity and imagination. Use it in their rooms to let kids do what they do best – learn and create!

3.) Brighten up your neighborhood: The exterior color of your house can brighten a neighborhood street with yellow instantly. Try using it as the field color of the entire house, or use it for trim or window shutters. Pale yellows are beautiful on older homes, and brighter yellows coupled with browns look great on beach and tropical homes.

yellow decor exterior e1287443517982 10 Ways to Enlighten your Home Using Yellow

4.) Enliven your home office: If your home office is feeling uninspiring, add some yellow to the color palette. While a all yellow office may be distracting, try coupling it with espresso brown or moss green to spark your creative juices flowing!

5.) Living spaces are inviting with gold: Rich shades of gold and marigold are welcome colors in living and dining rooms. Since bright yellow can be fatiguing to the eyes, opt for muted tones of the yellow family. Consider using yellow as an accent in décor and throw pillows on a dark couch, or in an accent rug.

6.) Get cooking with yellow in the kitchen: From yellow bananas to orange-yellow summer squash, your kitchen will feel inspiring with yellow. If your kitchen is the main hub of your house bring yellow into décor as a conversation starter. Your guests will love how lively your kitchen is every time they visit!

yellow decor kitchen 10 Ways to Enlighten your Home Using Yellow

7.) Yellow and blue are tranquil in the bathroom: If you're looking to create a getaway in your bathroom, consider using pale yellow and blue to remind you of sky and beach. With bath towels, area rugs, and spa inspired décor your bathroom can feel like an oasis.

8.) Use yellow as a backdrop: On the pale side of the spectrum yellow can be mixed with white and bring a hint of color to a room. In rooms that you want to have decorative colors have a playful backdrop – yellow is a perfect color. It provides a subtle brightness to blues, greens and looks sublime with red!

9.) Bring yellow into your creative space: Do you have a creative space like a scrap booking or crafting area? Bring yellow into your work area, wall décor, and storage bins for a burst of color and creativity!

yellow decor living room e1287444647378 10 Ways to Enlighten your Home Using Yellow

10.) Yellow in your yard will brighten up your curb appeal: Yellow flowers, yard accents, and porch furniture will add a cheerful disposition to the exterior of your home. A yellow mailbox is a welcomed treat to the sea of black mailboxes in your neighborhood!

Every space in your home could use yellow in the décor. In the winter, consider adding yellow pops of color around your home to keep it bright and cheerful. Once the cold sets in, welcome signs of spring may be months away. With yellow in your home, every day can feel like a welcomed day of spring.

Freshome readers tell us how you change the mood in your home. Have you tried using yellow? The result may be exciting!

Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !

Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design

Posted: 22 Oct 2010 09:21 AM PDT

Keith Moore created for Pilot Design a collection of beautiful, modern clocks that can be purchased from Etsy. Often using bamboo or other sustainable materials, Keith Moore has been building modern furniture for almost 10 years. The collection gathers round and square clocks, but also clocks with a beautiful coloured pendulum. The clocks are made from MDF and some of them have colourful laminates in red, blue, green bamboo, Kona, Kentucky Craftwood etc. Beautifully crafted, the clocks come in two dimensions: 10" and 22".

10in Dimitri Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design Really Big Drip Modern Wall Clock 22in Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design Honeycomb Modern Wall clock1 Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design Honeycomb Modern Wall clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design Stella Negra Modern Wall Clock with mirror and pendulum Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design Cornell Dark Modern Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design 20in Square Roland Modern Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design

The Honeycomb clock has an unusual patterned lattice design that casts beautiful shadows on the wall and creates a sophisticated contrast on a dark wall. The Cornell Dark Modern Clock, for example, is made from a Kona pattern laminate with silver metallic numbers. The red hands are bright enough to pop out and tell the time. Some of the clocks have cutout patterns while others symbolise the natural transition of day into night with the help of vinyl. Moore`s love for typography led him to adorn some of the wall clocks with contemporary vinyl numbers that stand out on any of your home`s walls. A gear-shaped clock is definitely one of the most beautiful in the collection and will surely decorate the walls of your home with a surprising visual detail.

Addison Bamboo Wall Clock1 Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design Addison Bamboo Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design 22in White Splat on Green bamboo Modern Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design 10in Kona Splat on Blue Modern Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design 16in Round Roland in Living Color Modern Wall Clock Colourful Contemporary Clocks Collection from Pilot Design

Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !

Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

How to Choose the Perfect Range Hood for your Kitchen

Posted: 22 Oct 2010 08:06 AM PDT

Your kitchen stove or range is an integral part of your kitchen. Most likely if you're an avid cook you use it several times a day and for the novice cook a few time a week. Regardless of the frequency, your range hood above your stove helps filter out smoke, grease, moisture and odor. The decision on how to choose one for your cooking lifestyle and the style of your kitchen could be a hard decision. Here are tips on how to choose the perfect range hood for your kitchen and for your family.

range modern e1287512193809 How to Choose the Perfect Range Hood for your Kitchen

Assess the cooking lifestyle of your family: Depending on how often you cook can help you choose a range hood that fits your cooking lifestyle. For those who only cook a small meals a few times a week, a cabinet mounted hood may suit your lifestyle. While if you have grilling, frying, sauteing and boiling on the stove, a higher end professional range hood should be considered.

range shaft e1287513161592 How to Choose the Perfect Range Hood for your Kitchen

Determine how much space you have: If your stove is located in a kitchen island without cabinetry above, you will want a range hood with an exposed shaft. While if your range is located on a wall your range can have an exposed shaft, or it can be designed into an architectural feature. The amount of space that you have vertically and horizontally will dictate your options of hoods.

range artistic e1287512817169 How to Choose the Perfect Range Hood for your Kitchen

Decide where it will vent to: Range hoods can vent to the outside, or inside. The most advantageous venting option is to vent to the outside. This will help moisture, smoke, and grease get taken outside of your home. In other scenarios, venting to the outside many not be an option. Multi-story homes may not have the option to vent to the outside, and the inside vent will filter out odor and smell, but moisture can circulate back into your kitchen. In time this could affect your finishes.
Choose a décor style that fits your kitchen: Range hoods styles come in sleek and modern low profile models to elaborate architectural enclosures that are masked behind wall features. Take time and look through options that fit your kitchen and decorative tastes. Modern and contemporary kitchens may opt for minimum detailing, while an ornate and detailed kitchen may want the range hood to be a focal point. Look through home décor and kitchen magazines online to get inspiration.

range ornate e1287512567764 How to Choose the Perfect Range Hood for your Kitchen

Seek advice of a professional: If you have a comfortable knowledge of how to choose a range hood for your kitchen this will help in designing your kitchen. While if you have questions, or would like help in making a final decision, consider asking a professional. Your local home improvement store that sells kitchen appliances may be a great place to start. While if your kitchen is more elaborate, or you want a designer's eye – consider hiring a kitchen designer who can take the reins and ask you for guidance in your preferences.

Like any appliance, a range hood should be thought through carefully. Worldwide appliance manufacturers make beautiful range hoods and your cooking and decorative lifestyle should guide your decision. Visit appliance showrooms that you can test the functions and speed of the fan. Test which ones are louder than others and which have whisper quiet operation. The rule of thumb – the louder it is, the more powerful it may be, or the cheaper it may be. Whichever is the case, try before you buy!

Freshome reader's how did you choose the range hood in your kitchen? If you chose it yourself, share with us what factors guided you to your decision.