Dyson's latest fan....

I really don't do reviews of things unless I really, really, really love something... so here it goes.

I've always loved the Dyson brand of vacuumes. They're sleek, do a more-than-adequate job, and who wouldn't want one? Well now... they've outdone themselves. They have a line of fans? That's right, fans. A friend of mine forwarded me a photo of one, then I had to do more research. 

The Dyson Air Multiplier™ fan is simply amazing. First off.. wowie zowie on the design. It looks like a large magnifying glass without the glass. I was a little perplexed... where are the blades? There aren't any. The technology allows it to draw in air into a brushless motor then amplify it 15 times before expelling it from the machine. It's draw into the base which activates the technology inside the cylinder and then, in turn, it pulls air through the ring.

A very similar technology happens with turbochargers and jet engines. Amazing. 

Another feature is that it's totally safe. A child, pet or even yourself can touch, pick up the fan, and it isn't going to zap you, cut off an appendage, or hurt you in any way.

It comes in three sizes and a few, limited colors including one with a blue ring (see above). Great for that gadget person you know and any sort of interior space... it's something you'll want. 

It's only available through dyson.com or through authorized retailers.

Dyson... another fan (figuratively) happy. 

I LIGHT YOU... Artemide Lighting

I'm working on this incredible, modern project right now and part of the process is the lighting plan. I was going through binders, websites, and even going to my favorite places for lighting. I came across some really great products and wanted to show you some really neat, new things from one of my favorite manufacturers, Artemide (pronounced ar-TI'-mi-dee).


The first is the Alicudi ceiling fixture. Finding flush mount fixtures is hard enough, but this is a gem and it's just gorgeous, don't you think? It's not glass, it's stretched fabric, diffusing the light evenly.



Aqua Cil is another series from Artemide. The influence is, of course, water. Each piece is molded specifically to be organic, flowing, just like the waves of water. Amazing! It comes as a pendant, a floor and a table lamp.



The Cabildo series is also amazing. Look at that great circular design, very unusual. It comes as a wall mounted fixture, a floor lamp and as a suspended chandelier. It has a halogen light. It's one of my new favorites... yum!



Artimide's Droplet light is another fascinating design. It couples this giant disc with three smaller baby ones that are suspended illuminating up, reflecting off the larger disk. It's like hanging a piece of sculpture. Amazing.

Lighting doesn't have to be boring. And whether you have a very traditional, transitional, or modern home, good lighting is important for both functionality and visual interest/design.

Althorp House and Earl of Spencer

A few weeks ago I shared with some Facebook friends my upload of my visit with the Earl of Spencer (Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's brother). There were about 30 of us at a showroom in Chicago as he spoke about and discussed pieces from Theodore Alexander, the company that is reproducing nearly all the antique furniture in the Spencer family home Althorp House.

Althorp House is a family home, owned by the Spencers for 5 centuries and 20 generations. Through the years they have amassed a huge collection of art, furniture and accessories. The story Spencer delivered is that the owner of Theodore Alexander (this is a spin off of Maitland-Smith) and he met and after a great afternoon of meeting the Earl invited David Koehler the president of the company to visit for a few days and take pictures of the furniture in the house. The result? Over 10,000 photos including detail shots of the furniture were taken.

The Earl of Spencer looks at all the designs and approves or disapproves each drawing and sample. So far he claims he's never rejected a piece of furniture.

An assumption people have is that the Earl is making millions off of this for his own pocket... uh... not really... Charles Spencer admitted that the house is so large and such a maintenance expense (for example, the house sits on 14 thousand acres which have to be maintained as well) that besides the annual revenue from visits to the house/musuem and to Diana's memorial, the proceeds go directly to the upkeep of the house.

The Earl put it this way "The House has been protecting 500 years of rare and special furnishings, it's now time for this furniture to take care of the House..."

You can read more about Althorp House by going online at www.althorp.com

New Classes for Fall!!

WELCOME TO DESIGN GUY UNIVERSITY FALL 2009

We have new offices and a new classroom all in one!
Tjaden Interiors & Design Guy University
4703 McPherson Ave; St Louis, MO 63108

Close to restaurants and shopping! You can have lunch afterwards if you take the day class or dinner before/after class if you take the evening class.

The following classes will be offered as a series of five for only $98. Times available for classes will be Tuesdays 9-11am and each class will be repeated again from 7-9pm. Please choose one time only to show up.

Payment can be made by cash/check/money order. Please make out to: Scott Tjaden. Mail to: Design Guy University; 2433 McNair Avenue; St. Louis, MO 63104. (please mail here as we're not quite moved in yet)

All classes but the October 13th class will be at the new location at 4703 McPherson Ave; St Louis, MO 63108. Map to Design & Detail will be handed out the first day of class.

1. Downsizing. September 29th: I’ll show you some examples of downsizing and how anyone from down-sizers, empty-nesters and seniors don’t have to sacrifice style for a smaller space. I’ll have a testimonial and some photos/floor plans.

2. Color 102. October 6th: Color is often the point that one begins to start any project. In Color 101 we discussed how colors are determined, but this time we’ll abbreviate that process, talk quickly about the colors for 2009/10 and then we’ll take some examples on how to colorize your space. We’ll even go online with my new projector and look at some great websites to help you along in the process. I’ll even give you a list to take with you on some great ideas/techniques teaching you how to maximize color.

3. Design & Detail. October 13th: We’ll go to Maplewood as a fieldtrip to learn about new fabric and wallpaper lines. Design & Detail; 2731 Sutton Blvd # 100; St Louis, MO 63143; (314) 781-3336

4. Design History 101 October 20th: Chairs. We’ll look at the history of interior design through a quick overview of chairs. We’ll show the earliest known chair from Egypt housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art to contemporary examples. You’ll get a timeline of styles and get an understanding of changes in human taste over a period of six-thousand years through this unique approach.

5. Staging and Curb Appeal. October 27th: Sell your home in a flash! Follow these techniques and list that I’ve prepared to make your selling process a success. I’ll have advice from realtors, and pairing those up with the Design Guy to help you make the right choices. Everyone will receive their own DGU Staging Card to remind you of everything you need to remember. Also included will be curb appeal. How you can make the first impression, the right impression as potential buyers see your home from the street.

Kitchen Design and Trends

As promised although a bit tardy in this posting, I wanted to talk about Kitchen Design. When I saw the movie Julie & Julia, I was inspired by this blogger who daily wrote about her trials cooking through each recipie appearing in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. With that said, let's move onto THIS blog and talk about Kitchen Trends and what's new in today's Kitchens.

1. Earth-friendly: Bamboo is the natural choice for kitchens. Whether it be a countertop made out of this material and used as a butcher block or if it's floors. This is a renewable resource. You won't find this in a lot of choice colors only because bamboo is such a dense material that using dyes is almost impossible. So, cleaning up after a wine spill, isn't going to be a problem.
Check out: http://www.teragren.com/

2. High-tech: This is where high-tech goes green. Bosch makes a great line now of dishwashers that not only have 'E" or evironmental settings that control temperature/energy, but also have settings for 1/2 loads. At prices that won't break the bank, this is how high-tech can help you in your kitchen plan. Like TV? Siemens' created a multi-media hood that features a 17-inch LCD screen with the options for watching television and DVDs or listening to music. TV dinners couldn't be better. LG even makes a television outiside the door of the refrigerator. Ice on one side, Oprah on the other.

3. Colorful: I have never seen so many options for kitchens now. As part of its Preference collection, Dacor recently introduced 24-inch dishwashers in an array of colors. A floating glass front panel is available in six colors: anthracite gray, sterling gray, titanium silver, blue water, slate green (shown), and black. BlueStar produces a gas range, available in 190 colors. How's that for cooking up some color?

4. Healthy: Copper's natural antibacterial properties make Native Trail's offerings especially alluring. The Farmhouse Duet recycled copper sink with a double basin and exposed apron front. Who'd know that copper not only looks great, but is good for you too!

5. Convenience: Convenience and making sure that everything is in reach and organized is the key. Making sure that everything is stored with everything from garages for all that stuff like mixers to ones for recycling and garbage. Storage makes a good look, a clean look, and it makes life a lot easier when everything is in it's place.

Reinvention of Design Guy University

Greetings!
I had been really busy and had all but abandoned this blog, but when I saw the movie Julie&Julia this weekend, I was completely inspired to reinvent and continue with this blog about design. Later this week as I return from vacation, I'll be talking about kitchen design in honor of Julia Child herself. I was recently at the Merchandise Mart and want to share what I found.

Also, I want to talk about Design Guy University. I've developed a fall class which I think will be spectacular and interesting to all of you. With that, the website has taken on a new design and will be uploaded within the next few weeks. I'm really excited about it. And, I have two announcements already: We will be going to the Merchandise Mart again in late September and visiting some great new vendors I've used recently and we'll be visiting some old friends and see what's new for them.

On the docket for that Chicago trip is Holland&Sherry (they're not just fine suit makers anymore), the brand new Donghia showroom that will absolutely knock your socks off, Brunschwig & Fills, Scalamandre and a few other surprises that will be in store~~!! Even I can hardly wait.

So happy Summer... the best of design and continuing your degree in design confidence is on it's way!

Regards,
Scott Tjaden

Welcome to the second year of 

Design Guy University!
I can’t believe it!

Design Guy University Classes -
New for March. 24th - April 21st.

March 24, 2009
Color 101: Color for 2009.
Learn what new colors are in store for the
year from the leading color resources and
the Color Marketing Group. 

Centennial Commons, 7210 Olive Boulevard, 

UCity, 63130; 314.862.2037.

March 31, 2009:
Big Design, Small Spaces.
Learn how even the smallest péid-a-térre
(like mine of only 150 square feet) and
small spaces don’t have to be difficult with
just a few hints. Centennial Commons,
7210 Olive Boulevard, UCity, 63130;
314.862.2037.

April 7, 2009:
Design History 101:
The history of interior design via the
design of chairs. We’ll look at the earliest
chair known from the Metropolitain Museum of Art 

(Egypt 4000BC) to present-day designer Phillipe Stark.
Centennial Commons, 7210 Olive Boulevard, 

UCity, 63130; 314.862.2037.

April 14, 2009
Construction 101.
Real costs revealed as you see what’s
involved when adding on or building a new
home. Learn how Green design can save
you money down the road.
Boa Construction Company, 8417
Chapin Industrial Dr., Saint Louis, MO
63114, 314.524.0203
Feb 10, 2009

April 21, 2009:
Design & Detail.
We’ll go to this two-year-old showroom
located in Maplewood where we’re in for a
show of Osborne and Little’s new fabric line.
Design & Detail, 2731 Sutton Blvd
Suite, 100, St Louis MO; 63143;
314.781.3336

Note: Maps to Boa Construction and Design
& Detail will be given out the first day of class

along with your folders and the ever-popular Design Guy pencils.