The Perfect Shade

May 14, 2011

Lamps are not only functional lighting, but also an important interior accessory.  They provide a sense of character that can set the mood for any room.  Lamps and lampshades come in so many styles and materials that it quickly allows for personalization.  Though trends come and go, well chosen lamps will remain a timeless piece [...]

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LightenUp – The Facts of Light: Banning of the Incandescent Lamp

March 22, 2011

There is rumor spreading that our beloved warm glowing incandescent light bulbs are being banished from earth.  They try to convince us that CFL’s (compact fluorescent lamps) are a good replacement.  The current buzzword is LED (AKA Solid State Lighting) but is this just a fad? Well the fact is that incandescent bulbs are not [...]

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Tid-Bits: Up on Down

January 18, 2011

As times goes on, I find that I desire fewer things….but the things that I do desire I have become much more selective about.  First I became a “coffee snob” then I became a connoisseur of olive oils and my latest fanaticism has to do with pillows. Down pillows are the best.  That is the [...]

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Five Cool Things – Cool Store of the Year

August 8, 2010

1: Take-Your-Breath-Away Entrance On entering Cornell’s, customers pass through a small antechamber that leads to the main showroom — an airy chapel-like space with a soaring double-height ceiling and huge suspended light so!t. Olivia says the dramatic transition still takes her breath away and validates their decision to invest in the complex engineering that was [...]

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Cool Store of the Year Award

August 1, 2010

A two-year remodeling mission results in one of the most jaw-dropping stores in America. There are remodels that are a little like a scheduled maintenance upgrade. And then there are those that go far beyond a lick of fresh paint or a new coffee corner and become an all-consuming life-changing adventure. The two-year renovation of [...]

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When Only The Finest Will Do

June 1, 2010

A visit to Cornell’s jewelers has always been a magical, wonderful experience. Expect it to be even more so now, thanks to a grand renovation completed in the Fall of 2009, just in time for the holidays. David and Olivia Cornell welcome you to their brand-new showroom at 3100 Monroe Avenue, in suburban Rochester. As [...]

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East Ave. Kitchen Project – chapter five

May 10, 2010

~Chapter Five: Wining and Dining~ Old house restoration is often a balancing act between creating a museum and creating a comfortable home.  Just as there are levels of skill based designers and craftspeople today, so it was with the past.  Even famous architects do not always produce great works. This kitchen was originally design for [...]

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East Ave. Kitchen Project – chapter four

March 26, 2010

~Chapter Four: The Big Squeeze~ Renovating an historically significant home can be difficult since often times people feel a sense of stewardship rather than a sense of ownership of such properties. Finding the right balance between charm and function usually boils down to sacrificing one thing to gain another. In this chapter of our kitchen [...]

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East Ave. Kitchen Project – chapter three

February 27, 2010

~Chapter Three: Romancing the Stove~ One of the challenges in designing this kitchen was finding the space to add a center island and additional counter space with stools for casual dining.  The existing kitchen and laundry room were to remain as two separate rooms.  Since we were not building an addition to the kitchen, we [...]

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East Ave. Kitchen Project – chapter two

February 6, 2010

~ Chapter Two: No Turning Back Now ~ Let’s face it, some people like to cook, but we all love to eat. As they say: “food is the great equalizer” (I love that expression).   The dining experience is the main event bringing friends and family together.  Not only do my clients love to cook but [...]

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