Category: Design

Allegedly, on his death bed and with his last breath, the great writer Oscar Wilde said, “This wallpaper is dreadful; one of us will have to go.” The quote conjures a mental picture: Wilde, pale and bedridden, propped up on massive Victori…

Of all the responsibilities that come with being a board member or manager of a residential building, few are as important as ensuring the safety of your residents. Making and clearly communicating emergency plans, marking entrance/egress …

 In New York City, people spend a lot of time looking around. Tourists gaze at the  skyscrapers, fashionistas window-shop and traders peruse the markets. But not  much thought is probably given to our homes and the floors beneath our feet.…

 It's a sad fact that the artisans and craftspeople who created some of the most  beautiful, distinctive interior and exterior architectural elements for New  York's residential buildings are an endangered species. The proliferation of  sl…

 Walls are the only separation between you and your neighbors when you live in a  densely-populated area like Manhattan, and sometimes, it feels like privacy  goes out the window. People hear their next-door neighbors talking, footsteps  f…

 Call it the Ikea-fication of America. It seems that more and more people are  getting interested in design, especially when it comes to their own home. In  decades past, household furniture and decorations didn't vary a whole lot.  Growin…

 It many circles it’s considered socially or politically correct to “go green” when embarking on new construction projects or updating an existing property.  Cost-saving initiatives include solar roofs, energy-efficient lighting and  appli…

 The earliest windows were literally holes in walls—maybe covered by animal skins, if the owner was ambitious, or the weather was  chilly—and were useful only for allowing a little air and light into the living space.    Eventually,…

 Whether indoors or out, few design elements are as dramatic and arresting as a  waterfall or fountain. According to the blog The Bowery Boys, the very first  decorative fountain in New York City was the City Hall fountain, unveiled on  Oc…

 Whether you live in a towering mid-block high-rise or a sprawling suburban  development, landscaping not only helps a co-op, condo or HOA increase and  retain property values, but has a positive impact on residents themselves—beautiful, f…