Photographer Victoria Pearson gives her recipe for a calm, relaxing living room in the August 2008 issue of House Beautiful. Begin with walls painted in pure white with "just a drop of ochre." Add natural linen-look upholstered or slipcovered seating, natural textures via baskets and perhaps a sisal area rug. Finish with green accents (think plants if you've a green thumb or use colored glass pieces, bowls of apples, etc.) and a touch of lemon yellow from real lemons, artwork, or throw pillows. Some nature drawings will complement the fresh, homey look.
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Decorate your home and help other women!
Nonprofit Nest (BuildaNest.com) offers one of a kind handicrafts from women around the world. Proceeds are pooled into a fund which provides micro loans to needy artisans who continue to sell until they have earned enough to pay back the loan and make a sustainable living. The shopping web site also features work from U.S. designers who have pledged 25 percent or more of the price to the micro loans project. I spotted this in August 2008 Domino.
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Great Affordable Pillows!
Accent your home while helping craftswomen in villages of Vietnam, Thailand and South Africa. Their textiles are forwarded to regional fair-trade organizations who transform them into decorative pillow cases. The finished products range from $20 to $40 and half of the profits help fund two children's charities (Know One, Teach One and Open Arms Malawi). Check them out at PillowDreamsProject.com. Spotted in the giving back article Philanthropy for under $75 of August 2008 Domino.
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