RoomRecipes » Gotta Have It!

Coolest Chair

Krista Watterworth — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:16:30 +0000

We all know and love the Barcelona Chair designed in 1929 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It’s modern and chic in chrome and leather. But this very cool company, Viva Terra, offers an eco-earthy version. Built from FSC-certified machiche, a tropical Guatemalan hardwood, with cushions covered in either reclaimed jute coffee sacks or organic color-grown cotton fabric.

This is one chair I GOTTA HAVE!

Change Out the Old Cans

Krista Watterworth — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:25:48 +0000

If you’re like me, you’ve got old “can” recessed lighting that’s about 8″ in diameter (exaggerating a little). I just ordered these instant adapter kits that actually turn this old lighting into a nice drop pendant. I saw them and said I GOTTA HAVE IT!

Adapter Light Kit from Ballard Designs

Plus, they’re affordable… ranging from $79 to $99 at BallardDesigns.com. That includes the adapter and the drum shade. And they come in a nice variety of colors and textures.

Great colors!

Hearts for the Home on Valentine’s Day

Krista Watterworth — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:04:56 +0000

I love hearts. Is that an oxymoron, like jumbo-shrimp? Hearts represent love, what’s better than that? And they’re often red or pink, two of my favorite colors to design with. Here are some of my favorite heart inspired home accessories. Happy shopping!

1. Orrefors My Heart Clock is beautiful and unique ($75). The entire My Heart Collection has great stuff including vases, bowls and votives.

2. My Beating Heart pillow is not only an adorable accessory, it also simulates the heartbeat from deep meditation. Form AND function!

3. Have A Heart plate is made from recycled glass and it’s a chic way to dress up a romantic dinner on Valentine’s day, an anniversary, birthday, or “just because I love you”.

4. Aptly named Heart of the Home offers a variety of different heart stencils. Less is more with a stencil theme this specific. Or try Wall Words for an inspirational love themed quotation like “Enter with a happy heart”.

5. Heart Art in New York City is a spot I pass by often. They have the coolest framed 3D hearts with tons of themes to choose from. I bought my mom a heart covered in a subway map. She loved it!

Would love your thoughts and comments, but these are some things that I GOTTA HAVE!

Jason Sheftell: A Passionate Writer

Krista Watterworth — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:17:51 +0000

Jason Sheftell

A wonderful writer Jason Sheftell of the NY Daily News did a beautiful and humbling piece on me and my design philosophy in today’s edition. It is called Set the scene: HGTV host Krista Waterworth uses Method acting to give room soul. The title, the words, the entire piece is well done, and I was enthralled and enticed by Jason’s talents. You must make the NY Daily News Real Estate Section a regular read — for me — I GOTTA HAVE IT!

He also gave a few shout outs to Room Recipes, here’s a snip:

“Not just a pretty face, Watterworth tears up when talking about the reveal, the moment clients see a finished project. She works as hard as most construction workers. Pregnant for the second time, she has a blog called RoomRecipes.com, is working on her first book and runs her own design business. For “Save My Bath,” just taken out of syndication, she worked 12- to 14-hour shifts for 10 days at a time in people’s houses, renovating bathrooms.”

This experience, and our work together on a charity event for NY Moves Magazine, taught me what real passion is. Jason works hard and loves what he does. He also does regular commentary on the WPIX show Metro Residential on Sundays at 11am. He’s fun, flirty and fabulous! Take a more personal look here in Meet Jason Sheftell by Greg Gattuso.

Thank you Jason! You rock and I only hope to work with you again so I can experience the power of your enthusiasm, whit and wonderment.

On The Throne is Where I Do My Best Work

Krista Watterworth — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:56:27 +0000

Unlike others, I am not afraid to talk about toilets. I designed more than fifty bathrooms on my show SAVE MY BATH on HGTV and run my own design business, so there is nothing I haven’t seen. But there is one toilet seat that stands high above the rest.

Brondell Swash 800

If there were Toilet Seat Oscars, this one would win hands down. It’s the Brondell Swash. It speaks to me. It says, “have a seat, stay a while, I’ll take care of you, don’t worry about a thing.” It has a night light, heated seat, spray n’ wash, remote, front and back bidet, it is loving, kind and compassionate (did I just write that out loud?)

All I know is: I GOTTA HAVE IT! I highly recommend one. For a better quality of life. And don’t forget to position a flat screen television on the opposite wall.

Top Ten Home Improvement Trends for 2010

Krista Watterworth — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:35:18 +0000

I recently spoke with RTA Cabinets, a great discount source for cabinetry, and offered my Top Ten Home Improvement Trends for 2010. I don’t know about you but this is something I GOTTA HAVE! I gotta know what’s next, what’s hot, what’s new and what’s not! Would love your thoughts…

1. Harmony and serenity is what people want. A natural flow of items that creates a sense of peacefulness in the home is essential.

2. Recycled or repurposed is where it’s at. For this reason, antiques are making a comeback in younger homeowners. Objects that were passed down are getting a new life and surround people with a connection to family.

3. Warm is in! Colder, more minimalist spaces are less appealing. I find that my clients want to be surrounded by more natural, cozy colors and textures.

4. Tradition is on the rise. When the world seems to be in a place of social unrest, people return to a traditional, safer sensibility. It’s like comfort food for the home.

5. Organic, green and low VOC products will no longer be just an interest or a fad. They will be part of the regular course of business for everyday home renovation.

6. Wallpaper is cooler than ever, and people are enjoying the variety of choices out there. You can get more creative with pattern and texture than just utilizing paint.

7. Hard geometric shapes are out. Flowing, more organic, curved and soft lines are more pleasing and gaining popularity.

8. DIY is bigger than ever. With the economy in flux, homeowners are researching ways to do their own home improvement projects, and upgrading their current homes as opposed to buying new.

9. Big box and online retailers have an edge. The choices in furniture, home accessories, lighting, flooring and window treatments from large scale manufacturers are endless and more affordable than custom.

10. Mixing it up is more fun. My current clients request that I choose a few inspirational items for a splurge, and then fill the rest of their spaces with affordable choices.

Eight Easy Family Friendly Tricks for Kitchen Organization

Krista Watterworth — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:57:51 +0000

When I design kitchens and bathrooms I spend most of my time planning out the use of every square inch of the space to keep it efficient and practical. The most important thing to remember when organizing your home is understanding your family’s needs. If you are successful here, then you’ve got an easy road ahead. I GOTTA HAVE the pull out drawers from ShelvesToDrawers.com — they are the perfect solution for cabinet organization.

A minimal style is clean living.

I recently designed a child friendly playroom and I dedicated an 8×10 matted frame to the “Art of the Month Club”. The rest of the collection is kept in a kitchen drawer and on New Year’s Eve there’s an Art Show, then it’s all discarded to make way for the new pieces.

Endless piles makes a haven feel like a padded cell!

In each kitchen I design I leave a gift – a large, flat box labeled Our Year of Memories. I have one in my house and all year long we toss all kinds of things in there – postcards, ticket stubs, artwork, funny photos, cards from friends and family, and cool menus. On New Year’s Eve we sit around drinking champagne as we open the box and share the memories. Then we toss it all and begin again.

Easy Access Food Storage

Put bulk items like rice, cereal and pasta in clear plastic or glass storage boxes. It’s a great way to know what you’re running low on at a glance.

The Junk Mail Drawer

Storing Tiny, Little, Small Items

For a cheap-chic look I cover old shoe boxes and cardboard boxes from delivered goods with fun paper to store tea lights, magazine clippings, trinkets, and recipes. It’s all kept neatly in a kitchen cabinet. When I buy wrapping paper I stick with the color scheme of blues and greens, and I never buy paper that is so specific (ie. Happy Birthday, Congratulations) I can’t use it for other projects.

Family Filing

A vertical file in the kitchen is a great place to store bills, receipts and notes. Keep it tucked away in a kitchen cabinet. My clients’ agree that this is the best spot for these items, not the home office (funny enough).

A Pantry with Punch

Half-eaten snacks clutter everyone’s pantry. So brown bag it! Label a brown bag or glass container for each family member – avoiding the habitual snack hog– portion it out after each grocery trip. Also whatever canned goods won’t get used, donate to your local food bank. Keep a small chalkboard on your pantry door with the date of your last pantry cleansing.

Too Many Storage Containers!

Nothing looks great if it accumulates! Decide on the number of boxes that’s right for your stuff and stick to that. Labels should be dated and a system set in place so that the box contents is regularly purged.

Martha Sells Birds!

Krista Watterworth — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:49:01 +0000

Martha Stewart, the icon of turkey basting, doily pasting, costume making and baking caking (creative license!), is now selling Thanksgiving Day turkeys in 12 or 18 lbs. Is she not super smart? Always one step ahead?

But they’re aren’t cheap…between $70 and $90 bucks a pop (plus $31 for shipping), now that’s a designer Thanksgiving dinner! They cost half that at Stop n’ Shop! So there must be something very special about these turkeys. Anyone care to try and give us some serious feedback? It is free of antibiotics and growth hormones.

Despite all Martha’s drama (past and present), I GOTTA HAVE one of her turkeys!

Recipe for Gut Busting Monster Laughs!

Krista Watterworth — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:29:45 +0000

I know you’ve all seen the JibJab vids that you can personalize to mortify your friends and family as they wiggle their butts and grab their crouch. It is side splitting good fun. I don’t know about you but I’ve GOTTA HAVE IT!

I highly recommend the Monster Mash! It’s a recipe for good Halloween fun!

Shout out to Haylie, thanks for the tip!

Eco My Party & I’ll Recyle If I Want To

Krista Watterworth — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:56:31 +0000

We threw an entirely eco-friendly, earth-themed, gluten/dairy free birthday party for the anniversary of my boy’s first year of life. It wasn’t easy but I felt an obligation – for some reason – to begin instilling some cool green thoughts early on. I wish I knew of this fab VerTerra dinnerware created from fallen palm leaves. I found this awesome site called MyEarth360. And the Fiberactive Organics linens are so fun and colorful with names like Graceland and Aqua Whisper. They are hand-dyed certified organic sateen. So… I gotta have it!

Fiberactive Organics

VerTerra dinnerware