Nothing goes together like a recession and a paint brush.

If you can’t afford to remodel (and who can?) and are stuck with a peeling, fiberglass clawfoot tub, tap into some ingenuity and resource non-toxic paints and supplies, pure shower curtains, an organic floor mat and go to town.

If you’re opting to go the DIY tub redux route you will want to bone up on stripping off the old finish first. You can visit many good how-to tutorials at sites like ehow. Or,  if you have the …

Tags: 2009 , bathroom , clawfoot tubs , decor , design , DIY , low VOC , organic , paint , redux , refinishing , restoration , salvage , shower curtains , stripping , sustain , tubs , yellow

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We have long sung the praises of Midwestern textile designer, Amy Butler, who introduced an exotic, Indian-inspired organic bedding collection of five designs this year. She even rolled out rugs to match!

The lovely and much needed bedding (still can’t find organic in many of my favorite haunts) includes 400-thread count sheeting, elegant embroidery and paisley flourishes woven without harmful dyes.

Among my faves is the Bucharest motif (above) with patterns found in Romanian embroidery and the flourishes of formal gardens. While modern and bold, the charcoal gray and ivory palette …

Tags: Amy Butler , bedskirts , Bucharest , carpet , decor , design , duvet , flowers , garden , gray , Indian inspired bedding , organic bedding , paint , paisley , rugs , sheeting

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So you let the 10-year-old choose her own, low VOC wall paint. Your therapist tells you to be compassionate with yourself. You didn’t know it would turn out to be the most powerful pink shade on the swatch sheet. “It must be very hard for you.”

Hard doesn’t describe it. It’s not like an insufferable PG-13 movie you can return to the rental bin after one painful viewing. That touch of pink swatch in the corner didn’t seem so offensive, but suddenly the bedroom has morphed into a …

Tags: colors , eco friendly , furniture stripping , how to , interiors , paint , paint removers

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Chocolate’s a wonder. Recently elevated to superfood status, the world’s favorite luxury foodstuff (making up half the candy sold in the U.S.) is so complicated and versatile that we’ve barely scratched its surface. It’s a dessert? Tell that to anyone who puts dark chocolate in their chili. It’s unhealthy? In moderation, it’s good for your heart, your skin and your brain. If you think you know chocolate’s role in the world, here are 15 facts that might surprise you….

Tags: chocolate , food , fuel , health , lifestyle , paint , perfume , pets , wellness

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