'A Green, Lean Rental'

Much of my decorating decisions do not take my landlord into account, or whether the future occupants would approve.

That’s because as a homeowner, I don't have to worry about this.

But for those that shuffle between a new address each year (like my girlfriend now with her Chelsea apartment), it’s one of many rental realities.

How can a renter keep their living space eco-friendly without breaking the terms on a lease?

It can’t all be about energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. Or can it? Here’s what I discovered during my search. Some results might surprise you:

Paint

Most paints contain some level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), deemed potential carcinogens that contribute to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Natural paints - whether made of limestone, milk or clay do not contain any lead or VOCs. The result is color found in paint, primer, finish and sealer options for an environmentally conscious household.

Heating and Electricity

Yes, you’re right. For more energy efficient options you can look for Energy Star certified appliances like CFL (compact fluorescent light) and LED (light emitting diode) bulbs. The bulbs last longer and are more efficient than other lights.

But for other ways to reduce heating costs and conserve energy, don’t underestimate the power of window treatments.

Blackout curtains not only maintain privacy and block out noise, blackout curtains also help insulate the home during those colder months. Look for various styles like shades, grommet or tab top curtains in all your favorite color choices.

One of the greatest things about being a renter is that you’re already more green than the average home, because most renters share their utility costs with the rest in the building.

Get Clean

“Could you get Seventh Generation handwash or soap for the office,” my boss asked me while I was compiling a supply list for the office.

At the time, I hadn’t the slightest idea what Seventh Generation was.

Besides donating 10% of its profit to non-profit environmental and health groups, its line of products (dishwashing, baby, household cleaners, laundry, etc.) are non-toxic and made from recycled and/or organic materials.

Being green doesn’t mean you have to own your home, renters are welcome too.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of greenyourdecor; clayinteriors.com; decorinnovation.com; seventhgeneration.com

'Picture Perfect'

A picture is worth a thousand words.

For a picture by the legendary fashion photographer Irving Penn, it’s worth that and anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000 at a Christie’s auction.

The death of Mr. Penn two weeks ago, as he preferred to be called, signaled the end of a fashion era – having been to Vogue what photographer Richard Avedon was to Harper’s Bazaar.

Striving for perfection using minimalist forms, Penn’s photographs showed an appreciation for still life through his careful manipulation of light and shadow from a controlled studio space. Some of my favorites include that of his wife and muse, model Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn (above) in a sleek mantel coat or in a gown with large tufts of fabric by Balenciaga.

I spent a solid afternoon clicking my way through his other works: portraits of butchers, boxers and maids in a series titled ‘Petits Metiers’; the indigenous Indians of New Guinea; and a collection of nudes including Kate Moss. And I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have a book of Mr. Penn’s photography or even a reproduction of one of his prints?’

I realized that if I was to decorate my wall or coffee table with some great Penn photographs, I would need to know a thing or two about some of the other top photographers of the 19th century.

1.Ansel Adams (1902-1984)

Billowing clouds over a Golden Gate Bay Bridge expanse. Vertiginous waterfalls at Yosemite National Park. A sunbathing white branch on a rocky Mono Lake shoreline. Adams (above) has captured the American West in all its grandeur, from the smallest flower to the highest mountain peak.

2.Edward Steichen (1879-1973)

Emotions run wild when looking at a photograph by Steichen (below), whose portraiture work was published in magazines like Vanity Fair and Vogue (a former Condenast employee). He reveled in Symbolism, playing with dark romanticism and dreamlike imagery in his New York City cityscapes and landscapes.

3.Robert Frank (1924-present)

Considered one of the influential photographers, Frank’s photographs ('Candy Cigarette' below) of post-war America are unlike any of his contemporaries in that there is always an element of irony and contrast. His work is remarked by the response of his audience, whose reaction he so eagerly seeks.

Want to more about the world's leading and/or up-and-coming photographers? Popular Photography Magazine can point you in the right direction.

Now that's picture perfect.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of www.liveinternet.ru/; www.flickr.com; archives.gov; andrewward.com; photography-collection.com

'House Menagerie'

Planted on 90 acres of Catskill farm and woodland, this 18th century farmhouse is a study of geographical and anatomical proportions where clutter isn’t the exception – it’s the rule.

Meet Sean Scherer, an artist turned store owner, whose home was the subject of a guided tour in the New York Times on Thursday, Oct. 8.

The artist, who moved upstate after 9/11 paralyzed the New York City art scene, said he had waited his entire life to refurbish and expand the 1,000 square foot, Cape-style farmhouse from the 1840s.

He rebuilt parts of the house by hand, having also designed an addition that would triple the house's size. During shopping visits to the Brooke’s Variety, Scherer uncovered a selection of crude farm furniture with what he said were “clean, modern lines.”

“I don’t care about the pedigree,” he told The New York Times. “I like the fact that the objects were made for a specific purpose.”

Much like designers mix high with low, Scherer pairs the rudimentary wares with the unexpected: medical illustrations, anatomical models and even Soviet agitprop posters from Moscow in the late 1980’s.

The combination can be as eclectic as a collection of curvilinear ceramics on a tabletop, underneath an image showing a cross-section of the human head and an Industrial Revolution diagram of pulleys. Or it can be as simple as a series of mirrors hanging over a bed with a quilted duvet.

The artful clutter (as The New York Times called it) grew from years of years of collecting, since he first moved to the area.

One thing is for sure: The clutter in every corner and on any wall was no mishap. Carefully staged and beautifully staged is this artist’s approach to decorating.

And it is the same reasoning found at Kabinett & Kammer, Scherer’s own furnishing store complete with “dead animals, rocks and anatomical charts.”

Who knew that clutter could be so key?

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of The New York Times

'And Step On It'

For not being considered a room in the house, the stairwell sure does get a lot of traffic.

Think about your Sunday morning, otherwise known as “laundry day,” and all the tugging/pulling/falling of laundry on your trip to the basement.

You’ve decorated the walls with artwork or photographs. In the photographs, there’s mom, dad, sister and the always present Uncle Tom (even when he’s least welcome). But after the fourth or fifth trip, you’re probably not looking at Uncle Tom anymore. Your tired limbs have you staring at the mission – or steps, ahead.

You know what this means, right? Time for a home decorating project!

To make the trip up those stairs worth taking, how about adding bands of unexpected color to the risers?

Supplies you will need:

- Medium-grain sandpaper

- Painter’s tape or duct tape

- Wood primer

- Paint(s)

How to start:

1.Take medium-grain sandpaper and sand the surface of the riser you intend to paint.

2.Use painter’s tape or duct tape to tape the edges where the riser meets the step and the wall.

3.Remember to apply a coat of primer to the riser. If the wood is a dark finish, you might have to apply two coats. Let dry for 30 minutes.

4.After washing the brush, make sure to organize the paint colors before you start painting. If you are using a different color for each riser, the best idea is tape a color sample to each riser. This way you know which color to add on next.

5.Start from the top. Apply the desired paint color to each riser. Let dry for 30 minutes. Then, apply a second coat of paint.

6.Peel off the tape along the edges and you’re finished!

If you can’t settle on what colors to paint each riser, try using a color strip from a hardware store to provide the palette for this project.

Be creative! Some of the best stairwells (included in this post) applied just one bold band of color in the center of a flight of stairs. Another used stencils to create an indoor trellis of climbing ivy. And one stairwell had a number decal on each riser.

Come to think of it, the numbered steps might not be such a good idea – especially if you hope to survive “laundry Sundays.”

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of www.tchochkes.com and rockybella.blogspot.com