Designer touts personal flair

Designer touts personal flair

In barely more than a decade in the business, Celerie Kemble has become an interior-design luminary. Now she’s added a book to her list of accomplishments, “Celerie Kemble: To Your Taste.”

Kemble, the daughter of another well-known designer, Mimi McMakin, has developed a following among fans who love the way she blends modern and traditional styles. Her book demonstrates that flair and gives guidance on expressing personality through design.

In the book, Kemble introduces readers to the quirky but well-loved house where she grew up, a former Episcopal church that her mother decorated in exuberant style. She also shares her decorating preferences, helps readers sort out what they need and want in their own homes and offers tips — all accompanied by dozens of photos of homes she’s designed.

“Celerie Kemble: To Your Taste” is published by Clarkson Potter and sells for $45 in hardcover.

Create, upload fabric design

Become your own fabric designer with help from Spoonflower.

The online business (www.spoonflower.com) lets you upload a design to be printed on cotton fabric, which you can use to make your own projects. Picture a throw pillow with your child’s drawing, curtains adorned with photos from the Hubble telescope or a retro apron made from a scan of a vintage fabric.

Designs can be created using Photoshop or one of several free design programs.

You can order an 8-by-8-inch swatch for $5, a 21-by-18-inch fat quarter for $11 or fabric yardage for $18 a yard, plus shipping.

SpaceMaker helps eliminate clutter

The most defining feature of your kitchen isn’t the clutter, is it? Well, the Black & Decker SpaceMaker Plus and Traditional lines can help you take care of that.

You can redecorate and reorganize with under-the-cabinet appliances, which include a coffee maker, mini food processor/grinder, can opener and toaster oven. This allows you to clear the kitchen countertop, giving you more space for cooking and entertaining.

Check out BDSpacemaker.com for more ways to simplify. The site offers interactive tools, feng shui tips for the kitchen, a counter-space calculator, and five experience sections that can help you choose appliances that suit you best.

SpaceMaker products are available at Target, Kmart and Sears stores.

Products are sold separately and start at $24.99 for the Traditional line and $29.99 for the Plus line.

Book outlines what makes up pure style

Is there such a thing as pure style? According to Jane Cumberbatch, there is.

In “Pure Style Home & Garden” (Ryland Peters & Small; $29.95; hardcover), Cumberbatch outlines the details that make up pure style.

The book offers ideas for indoor and outdoor spaces, along with a visual display of the components that make up pure style, including highlighting colors, fabrics, textures, scents, items of furniture, decorative and functional objects and lighting.

In addition, she defines each element and shows how to bring them together to achieve your desired results.

Sorry, Joe the Plumber

At about the time the nation met Joe the Plumber, Moen released results of its in-the-aisle survey concluding that most consumers buying faucets plan to either install them themselves or enlist a family member’s help, and not hire a professional. In fact, just 13 percent would hire a plumber for this job.

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