Coastal Living's 2009 Idea Cottage: Space-Savvy Design

Right-Size Living

The next big thing in architecture is right-size living. That means using money-saving, environmentally sound materials to build a smaller but savvier house in which no square inch is squandered yet luxuries still abound. With its eco-friendly construction and beach-chic feel, the Idea Cottage in South Carolina, shows how to live large in a small footprint.

Design Trick: Pull the palette all the way through a room―essential for cohesion in an open space. Here, a poppy-orange chair and plum pillows echo the stairwell and den beyond.

Favorite Detail: The bold portrait by Molly B. Right, fashioned entirely from bottlecaps (even the eyes!). So intricate up close, so striking from afar.

Favorite Detail: tiling an entire wall, not just the backsplash.

Designer Trick: Paint every surface―walls, trim, and bookcases―one rich color like this dark eggplant for a seamless look.

Favorite Detail: Planting between pavers. Soften hardscape with low-maintenance strips of green between easy-to-install concrete squares.

Coastal Living's 2009 Idea Cottage: Space-Savvy Design

Right-Size Living

The next big thing in architecture is right-size living. That means using money-saving, environmentally sound materials to build a smaller but savvier house in which no square inch is squandered yet luxuries still abound. With its eco-friendly construction and beach-chic feel, the Idea Cottage in South Carolina, shows how to live large in a small footprint.

Design Trick: Pull the palette all the way through a room―essential for cohesion in an open space. Here, a poppy-orange chair and plum pillows echo the stairwell and den beyond.

Favorite Detail: The bold portrait by Molly B. Right, fashioned entirely from bottlecaps (even the eyes!). So intricate up close, so striking from afar.

Favorite Detail: tiling an entire wall, not just the backsplash.

Designer Trick: Paint every surface―walls, trim, and bookcases―one rich color like this dark eggplant for a seamless look.

Favorite Detail: Planting between pavers. Soften hardscape with low-maintenance strips of green between easy-to-install concrete squares.

Marina Bay Village in Malaysia

Looking for a great holiday rental? Or just want to dream about a nice long getaway...

A luxury fully staffed private villa estate on Pangkor Laut Island with superb facilities and spa.

Marina Bay is a group of nine villas on a tiny 120-hectar island situated along a secluded bay and set away from the main resort of Pangkor Laut. The bay has white-gold sand and is surrounded by rainforest. Each estate is individually designed in typical Malay style. Bedrooms and living areas are housed in individual pavilions and are connected by pathways and courtyards. The villas are surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, each with their own private infinity pool. The Estates also come with butler, maid and a private chef.

If you need to escape this unadulterated luxury for a while, you can hire a yacht or motorboat for a day to explore nine uninhabited islands nearby for picnics, or go trekking in the jungle. The best season to go is December through to February (summer months can be wet).

Guide price £3475 per person for 7 nights based on 4 people sharing a 2 Bed Estate on a full board basis including Malaysia Airlines international flights and transfers from England. Check out Scott Dunn for more amazing holidays!

Marina Bay Village in Malaysia

Looking for a great holiday rental? Or just want to dream about a nice long getaway...

A luxury fully staffed private villa estate on Pangkor Laut Island with superb facilities and spa.

Marina Bay is a group of nine villas on a tiny 120-hectar island situated along a secluded bay and set away from the main resort of Pangkor Laut. The bay has white-gold sand and is surrounded by rainforest. Each estate is individually designed in typical Malay style. Bedrooms and living areas are housed in individual pavilions and are connected by pathways and courtyards. The villas are surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, each with their own private infinity pool. The Estates also come with butler, maid and a private chef.

If you need to escape this unadulterated luxury for a while, you can hire a yacht or motorboat for a day to explore nine uninhabited islands nearby for picnics, or go trekking in the jungle. The best season to go is December through to February (summer months can be wet).

Guide price £3475 per person for 7 nights based on 4 people sharing a 2 Bed Estate on a full board basis including Malaysia Airlines international flights and transfers from England. Check out Scott Dunn for more amazing holidays!

Home Remedies for Cellulite

Cellulite is a term used to describe the pocket of fat, water and any other substance (e.g. waste material) i.e. trapped or imprisoned in the connective tissue under the skin layer.
Cellulite is a skin problem where in craters or dimple like bulging/pitting is observed in the skin. Cellulite is mostly formed in the buttocks, thighs, hips, abdomen and pelvic region.
Most of the women face cellulite problem in their lives at some point of time (approx. 80% of women) and almost all the obese people have cellulites.

How to get rid of cellulite

1. Lose weight

Since cellulite is fat pocket you should take up a good exercise program (mainly cardio vascular exercises) and lose weight.
Once you have burned good amount of fat than move towards muscle toning exercise. This will help to fill out the tissues where you had cellulite.
Massage the area where you have cellulite this can be a supportive act for your muscle toning exercises.

2. Have Balanced Diet

Balanced diet plays a significant role in getting rid of cellulite and reducing the chances of developing cellulite.

Eat high fiber food. Intake of 30-40 gms of fiber is a must for good health
Eat plenty of green vegetables.
Take lots of whole grains and cereals in your diet. (e.g. oat cereal, bran)

3. Fight back constipation

If you very often suffer from constipation than try to get it cured as you are more likely to build cellulite due to constipation.

Chew your food thoroughly.
Don’t eat snacks late at night.
Don’t eat immediately before going to bed.
Take your meals in time and in proper intervals.

4. Keep your waste removal system intact

If your body is flushing out toxins properly than you are less likely to develop cellulite.

Drink lots of water. 8-10 glasses of water should be consumed everyday. This is the universal key to good health.
Kick your coffee, cigarette and alcohol consuming habit as these substances constrict the blood vessels and may increase the chances of building cellulite.

5. Practice Yoga.

Yoga is an effective way to treat many health ailments.
Yoga poses like Standing Bow (Dandayamana Dhanurasana), Plough pose (halasana)
Floor Bow (Dhanurasana), Shoulderstand, modified (ardha salamba sarvangasana)
are very helpful in getting rid of cellulite.

Home Remedies for Cellulite

Cellulite is a term used to describe the pocket of fat, water and any other substance (e.g. waste material) i.e. trapped or imprisoned in the connective tissue under the skin layer.
Cellulite is a skin problem where in craters or dimple like bulging/pitting is observed in the skin. Cellulite is mostly formed in the buttocks, thighs, hips, abdomen and pelvic region.
Most of the women face cellulite problem in their lives at some point of time (approx. 80% of women) and almost all the obese people have cellulites.

How to get rid of cellulite

1. Lose weight

Since cellulite is fat pocket you should take up a good exercise program (mainly cardio vascular exercises) and lose weight.
Once you have burned good amount of fat than move towards muscle toning exercise. This will help to fill out the tissues where you had cellulite.
Massage the area where you have cellulite this can be a supportive act for your muscle toning exercises.

2. Have Balanced Diet

Balanced diet plays a significant role in getting rid of cellulite and reducing the chances of developing cellulite.

Eat high fiber food. Intake of 30-40 gms of fiber is a must for good health
Eat plenty of green vegetables.
Take lots of whole grains and cereals in your diet. (e.g. oat cereal, bran)

3. Fight back constipation

If you very often suffer from constipation than try to get it cured as you are more likely to build cellulite due to constipation.

Chew your food thoroughly.
Don’t eat snacks late at night.
Don’t eat immediately before going to bed.
Take your meals in time and in proper intervals.

4. Keep your waste removal system intact

If your body is flushing out toxins properly than you are less likely to develop cellulite.

Drink lots of water. 8-10 glasses of water should be consumed everyday. This is the universal key to good health.
Kick your coffee, cigarette and alcohol consuming habit as these substances constrict the blood vessels and may increase the chances of building cellulite.

5. Practice Yoga.

Yoga is an effective way to treat many health ailments.
Yoga poses like Standing Bow (Dandayamana Dhanurasana), Plough pose (halasana)
Floor Bow (Dhanurasana), Shoulderstand, modified (ardha salamba sarvangasana)
are very helpful in getting rid of cellulite.

White Picket Fences

Looking at the picture of my little girl in blue, I was inspired to write a post about white picket fences. I don't know about you, but I have always had this secret dream about living in a house with a white picket fence. Having watched so many american movies growing up, I believed that every house in the US had a white picket fence and a front porch. When my husband and I moved to Tulsa in 1998 I was so disappointed to find out that there were hardly any white picket fences in that area. All the fences were gray, dull and made of cedar. Our realtor tried desperately to find me my white colonial with all the trimmings, but no such luck... Now back in Norway I'm still hoping that one day I will be living in a house with a white picket fence and a pretty garden gate. If the house had a front porch with a swing too, life would just be perfect!

To keep the dream alive I walked around today and took some pictures from my neighborhood here in Norway. Enjoy these charming picket fences!

All pictures by me. Please contact me if you would like to use any of them:-)

White Picket Fences

Looking at the picture of my little girl in blue, I was inspired to write a post about white picket fences. I don't know about you, but I have always had this secret dream about living in a house with a white picket fence. Having watched so many american movies growing up, I believed that every house in the US had a white picket fence and a front porch. When my husband and I moved to Tulsa in 1998 I was so disappointed to find out that there were hardly any white picket fences in that area. All the fences were gray, dull and made of cedar. Our realtor tried desperately to find me my white colonial with all the trimmings, but no such luck... Now back in Norway I'm still hoping that one day I will be living in a house with a white picket fence and a pretty garden gate. If the house had a front porch with a swing too, life would just be perfect!

To keep the dream alive I walked around today and took some pictures from my neighborhood here in Norway. Enjoy these charming picket fences!

All pictures by me. Please contact me if you would like to use any of them:-)