I have just returned from the 2012 Atlanta accessory and furniture market with the newest home fashion trends. I was excited to see all the amazing new furniture and accessories collections! Here are some of the highlights of my journey.

One of the hottest new design trends shown can be summed up one word – reclaimed. Almost any piece of wood that has been salvaged, painted, worn, washed, scraped or distressed has been made into furniture. Exciting new collections for bedrooms, dining rooms and occasional table pieces lined the showrooms floors. Oak has returned and made a big showing with light driftwood and charcoal finishes framed with metal accents. Recycled glass and metal were also thrown in the mix of accenting wood pieces. Natural fibers of cotton and linen in neutral colors adorned with large nailhead trim blanketed upholstery pieces. The Parisian French flea market look is still showing strong with the addition of color accents by layering large throw pillows in navy, turquoise and coral.

The most exciting trend was the return of the coastal inspired collections. This look has always played a large part in the design scheme for our local area, but has now landed on the national scene. Shades of navy and tranquil blue-green colors mixed among sand colored linen fabrics complemented distressed furniture pieces. A few star highlights that grabbed my attention were nautical rope tables, stacked abundantly with coastal accessories. Aqua colored sea glass, driftwood, coral and tortoise shells are some of the sea inspired accessories that were beaming like jewels lying on the beach.
The coastal design trend has always been a staple look for clients here – these natural ocean gems are in our lives every day. The coast is happy, relaxing and comforting! No wonder the rest of the world wants to decorate their homes like this as well.

We’re lucky to live at the beach!

Echelon Custom Homes offers Holiday Incentives available to prospective new clients!

Sign a design contract with Echelon Custom Homes by Dec.31th, 2011 & sign your construction contract by Feb.28th, 2012 and you will  RECEIVE A $20,000 CREDIT TOWARDS FURNITURE PURCHASE for you new home at Echelon Interiors.

hat if you were renovating a house and found a safe that had obviously been there for years? It’s been there so long, no one in the house knows who it belongs to. The safe is old, 30 years, 50 years, more? It’s hard to say, but the tumbler is broken and it hasn’t been opened in a long time…
Now suppose it was found inside of a house worth about $2,000,000, and that house had previously belonged to a wealthy family for multiple generations. Even the most innocent of folks find their minds wandering to the land of what if…. Wondering…. What Could Be In It? Diamonds, jewelry, stock certificates, wads of cash, a treasure map, an undamaged copy of the declaration of independence, a lost artifact???

WHAT IF ?
Now imagine you could buy one of a limited number of boxes, and one of those boxes is guaranteed to hold the key to opening that safe. How much would it be worth for the chance, $200, $500, $1000 a box?
What if I told you for $50 you could buy one box that will have the key to opening the safe. You can buy as many boxes as you want and all of the proceeds will go to a wonderful Meals on Wheels & Read Aloud Delaware event right before the holidays!
Oh, and did I mention you will also get a fantastic RENEW/Echelon party at the design center with cocktails and hors d’oeurves, and a unique setting for all of our clients to get together and catch up?

Welcome to the safe cracker party!
You are invited to a party, where someone will be opening that safe and will become the proud owner of whatever is inside. Will it be you?

When: Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Where: Echelon Design Center (20184 Phillips Street, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971)

Time: 6:30PM – 9PM

Porter, my dog, and I have a great love for the beach, he likes to chase birds, play with other dogs, dig and will chew just about anything! I like the ability to enjoy both my passion for the beach as well as my puppy Porter. We live in an area that surprisingly to me, has no dog parks. There are so many rules and regulations about when and where we are allowed to have ours dogs, that when we are allowed on the beach we take advantage. October 1^st is the first day of the “off-season” that we are allowed to have our dogs on the beach any time of day.  In Rehoboth however, your furry friend still has to be on a leash. If you go to Dewey, your dog does NOT have to be on a leash. I do not live “in-town” Rehoboth, so I drive to the end of the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk (Prospect Street) and walk into Dewey (to the right).  During the week I am usually on the beach after 5:30 pm, but on the weekends I am there by 8:00 am.  In the “off-season” it is easy to find a parking spot, but “in-season” (May 1^st to September 30^th) if you do not have a Rehoboth Beach Parking Permit, make sure you are off Prospect Street by 9:30 am or you will be ticketed! Also, in the “off-season” you can pull up let your dog out unleashed and walk to the beach, not the case during the “in-season”. In the mornings there is usually a Police Officer that sits at the end of the Boardwalk to make sure that your dog is leashed and that you walk TOWARDS Dewey beach. Rehoboth Beach law says your dog has to be leashed and curbed at all times, no matter what season it is.

Sometimes we like to take Porter other places around town that we can enjoy him “off leash”. One place that we found that is completely gated is the Little League Fields, off Holland Glade Road. Not all dogs can go off leash and come back on command. The Little League Fields allow Porter and his friends to play off leash, in a safe enclosed environment for them. If you do go to the fields just make sure to clean up after your dogs. There is more than one field there, so we try to stay on the back field that is not used as much as the front two. We also try not to use the fields when there is a game going on. We try to get there early in the morning when the fields are not in use.

There is one more place where you might find Porter and me, which is Rehoboth Elementary School. They also have multiple closed in fields that we can use. Once again, I do not use them when kids are in school using them. When they are not in use I use them as well as during the summer months. However, there are other leagues that like to use the fields as well. I try to make sure that there is nothing going on when I am there with Porter and his friends. Just make sure you clean up after your furry friends!

There are other places that Porter and I like to go, but we need to stay on leash. One that is convenient to me is the Junction and Breakwater Trail; this is a bike path that connects Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. This is a trail that is considered a state park, and your dog must be on a leash unless otherwise specified. There are areas in the state parks that allow dogs off leash. There will be specific signs that say where and when you’re allowed.

There are few places we can go and enjoy our furry friends; if you do go to these places make sure you clean up after your pet. If we do not take care of these places we will not be able to use them.

Where: CLAWS (167 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971)

When: Friday, November 11th

Time: 4:30 – 7PM

I have long admired the quaint story book homes big and small in the East Falls section of Philadelphia.  So last Sunday I  jumped at the opportunity to spy inside a few on a neighborhood tour.

The 8 houses ranged in age from the early 1900’s to the late 1950’s.  Architecturally they ran the gamut from Spanish and Georgian Revival, English, Victorian and Craftsman, but by far the most exciting stop on the tour for me was a home designed by modernist architect Richard Neutra in 1959.

Over the past 5 years, the house has gone through a major renovation to restore as many of its original features as possible.  A labor of love, the current owners have done extensive research to help aid them in their quest.  Nestled in a secluded, wooded area just steps from the local University, the Hassrick house is an excellent example of the International Style Neutra is so famous for.

From street view the house appears as an unassuming solid blocked massing similar to that assembled by a child with wooden blocks.  It is this simplicity that makes the modern style of this home so appealing. Neutra’s thoughtful design sensibility creates a flowing open floor plan.  A quick tour around the perimeter of the home reveals the architects goal of blending interior living spaces with the natural setting while retaining  the privacy of the inhabitants. Neutra used the term “biorealism” to describe his work, emphasizing the relationship between man and nature.  The rear private elevation of the home is created by a floor to ceiling 40’ wide monumental sliding window, opening seamlessly to blur the lines between inside and  out.  This theme is repeated in the bedrooms lining the rear of the structure.  Though a home like this is not for everyone, you can’t help but admire the bold choices the architect made and the trust the homeowner placed in him to create the design. As you walk around the natural setting it is hard to believe the hustle and bustle of center city Philadelphia is just a short 10 minute drive away.

It was interesting to note and hard to ignore on this beautiful Fall day, though all the homes on the tour were unique in their own ways, nature was important to each and every one of them.  From small postage size patios on the traditional Philadelphia row homes to the sprawling private back yard oasis of the Hassrick house, one cannot deny the importance of having an outdoor space to call your own.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a crisp beautiful October day.

Last week my husband and I discovered this beautiful nature trail right at sunset.

Overlooking Gordon’s Pond. If you look closely you can see the towers on the beach.

The view from the look out platform. At Sunset this is the perfect spot to see the Atlantic. This is also a favorite to bird watchers!

Looking west toward Cape Henlopen State Park the sun goes in for the evening.

As we were leaving the ducks were enjoying themselves in the twilight colors of the sunset.

Furthermore, Rehoboth and Lewes come alive in the Fall with numerous festivals, concerts, and other events unique to this area. I’d suggest visiting BEACH-FUN.com for more information on all the local happenings. One of our area’ s greatest assets are the State Parks, with my personal favorite being Cape Henlopen in Lewes. It offers such variety in activities, wildlife, and events that keep you wanting to come back for more. I like the CHSP best in the Fall because crowds are light, camping is at it’s best, and ocean/bay temps are very comfortable. This park is truly a gem and a place not to be missed! So, think of the Rehoboth/Lewes as you are planning your Fall getaway this year…you’ll love it.

Oh, and don’t forget to stop by Echelon Custom Homes if you are ready to make Rehoboth/Lewes your new address.

Camping at CHSP.