KAZA, local design shop and entreprenuer extraordinare, was recently chosen NH Hampshire Magazine’s “Editor’s Pick for Shabby Chic Revival!”  But wait – there’s more!  Home Accents Today (a national publication) also named KAZA as one of the 50 Retailers for 2010!  (I am so proud, I am busting!)

Located at 202 South Main Street in Concord, KAZA is an absolute gem.  Stop by or visit www.kazadesigns.com to see for yourself what all the buzz is about.  You’ll be a raving fan too!

KAZA:  Recycle.  Trade Fair.  Live Funky.

Where do I begin?  Just the thought of writing this post has my mind racing with excitement!!!  That, or perhaps I’ve had too much coffee.  Either way, Target is a fantastic resource for just about everything.  Rather than walking you through, aisle by aisle, I will do my best to focus on that which is most relevant.

The images below reflect a lot of my own personal style.  Aren’t they fabulous?!  If you happen to disagree, don’t count them out alltogether.  Between their retail stores and online, Target has a huge selection of bedding, lighting, window treatments, home decor, tableware, and the list goes on…

During the month of October I was a very busy bee developing a design proposal for the office of Main Street Concord, Inc.  This non-profit group, responsible for maintaining a healthy downtown community, had extended an invitation to local designers to offer a solution for their own office in need of a fresh start. 

To make a long story short, a well established design firm and myself each presented our suggestions for this project.  After careful consideration by numerous committees, the vote overwhelmingly fell in my favor!  What a wonderfully exciting opportunity   

One feature of my design is to have the exterior walls painted to resemble a brick facade (quite fitting for Main Street Concord, huh?)  I am delighted to say that Sherry Burnett of Burnett Designs will be facilitating this element of my design.  She is a remarkable artist, to say the least.  Sherry is available through her website www.sherryburnett.net.

Stay tuned for updates on the project’s progress – Cheers!

After what has been nearly a lifetime (I’ve been known to exaggerate), I am finally graduating!  The past 4-years studying Interior Design at NH Institute of Art has been nothing less than sensational.  My path to higher education took a slight detour before I realized the artistic direction I wanted to take in life.  NHIA provided a challenging opportunity to study Interior Design in New Hampshire while continuing to work full-time.  I encourage anyone and everyone to consider NHIA for pursuing their own creative interests.

For the “senior” project, we were given a general footprint of a house and required to either use Universal (handicap accessible) or Green design principles.  Being the green enthusiast that I am, you can guess which option I went for. 

My concept for the project was “A Walk In Nature”.  Elements of nature and New England landscape served as inspiration for each room of the house.  In other words, the living room used colors, textures, and patterns found in the forest.  The kitchen, a field of tall grasses.  The bathroom, a flowing stream.  The bedroom, sunset in the mountains…

Visit www.nhia.edu for more information.  (ID is available through the Continuing Education Dept).

Spring is just around the corner — and not a moment too soon.  After another dreary New England winter, I have a serious craving for color.  Delicate and subtle shades are all well and good, but right now I want bold, delicious, breath-taking color.  Below are a few designs to help shake those winter blues.  Enjoy!

Shown are images from Domino and desiretoinspire.blogspot.com – love them!

Located on South Main Street in Concord (next door to Vinnie’s Pizza), KAZA is a sensational addition to the Downtown community.  They offer a variety of home decor products including organic, mid-century modern (my favorite!!!), international merchandise, and much more. 

For those of you who are wondering, the name KAZA means “fortunate accident” in Turkish.  And how fitting — it so happens that a catalyst for Lisa Swan to open the store was the availability of cowhide rugs from family friends in Turkey.  These extraordinary rugs and other Turkish furnishings are exclusive to KAZA.

What I love most about KAZA is the style that they bring to Concord.  For someone who leans in the funky/eclectic/modern direction, KAZA is a breath of fresh air for New Hampshire.  Also, the variety of international products are genuine works of art from countries such as Mexico, Peru, Morocco, Bulgaria, Italy, and Turkey.  In addition, KAZA features the talent of local artisans regularly.

I highly recommend that you take a trip to visit the shop.  You can also go to www.kazashop.blogspot.com.

First and foremost, I wanted my business name to reflect nature.  After all, it is my strong appreciation for the environment and sense of responsibility that prompted my focus on Green Design practices.  Also, considering a few of my favorite things in this world are flowers, color, and art, this name worked well.

Lavender:  an herb known to possess relaxation properties (where better to relax than in your own home!); a pale purple color (not only a favorite of mine, but considered the color of creativity).

Lotus:  family of water lilies; an element of nature that has been represented in art and architecture in several cultures since ancient Egyptians; a cross-legged sitting position used in yoga.

Baha’i House of Worship, India is referred to as the “Lotus Temple”