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Leisure Interests One of Domino’s nominations came in the leisure interests category for a three-part series called “Domino’s Big Black Book,” in which design experts gave tips on decorating, renovating and entertaining. The pieces ran in the August, October and November issues, here’s an excerpt from the web portion of Domino’s guide on decorating: Many of the best decorating sources have traditionally been available only to professionals. domino shows you three points of entry. 1. Hire a decorator Depending on how much work you're doing, decorators can actually be cost-efficient. They get better pricing than the average consumer can; bring you samples; make purchases; oversee custom work, shipping and installation; and, most importantly, offer their expert guidance and opinion. Decorators vary widely in how they charge for services: You'll pay anywhere from 30 to 50 percent over their wholesale price for the goods they're purchasing for you, and you may also be charged a project or hourly fee. 2. Turn to a middleman Decorators aren't the only option. Most showrooms are located in large regional design centers, many of which have on-call staff (usually decorators) who can make purchases on your behalf. Think of these staff members as concierges-they can take you around, point you in the right direction and place orders for you. If you have a specific item in mind, or at least a good idea of what you're looking for, this is the way to go. In general, expect to pay around 30 to 50 percent above the wholesale cost for purchases made in this way, though prices and policies vary from center to center. Many offer a free one-hour consultation and charge an hourly rate ($75 to $200) after that. 3. Seek out a retailer For those who know the exact Scalamandre fabric they want and are confident in their choice, a few retail sources, such as Gracious Home and Janovic, sell A-list fabric and wallpaper straight to the public at up to double the wholesale price. And there's always the Web-discount central. But buyer beware: Do some investigating before you order (know the brand, pattern name and number) so you don't end up with an unexpected color or graphic. Single-Topic Issue Domino’s other nomination came in the single-topic issue category for its March edition called The Green Issue. Below is an outline of the purpose of the issue, followed by the magazine’s tips on eco-friendly transportation: Our Criteria Products had to be made from materials that are rapidly renewable (such as fast-growing bamboo), responsibly grown (wood from a socially and environmentally managed forest, for example), reusable (can be recycled after use) and/or biodegradable (able to be safely returned to the soil). Bonus points were given for durability (well-built things that won't have to be replaced frequently). No off-gassing (materials and finishes that can pollute the air inside your home) was allowed. We embraced relativity (a Prius may be better than a fuel-gulping SUV, but it's still pretty dirty compared to a totally electric car or, for that matter, a bicycle) and gave gold stars for good manufacturing practices (such as wind-powered factories and fair labor conditions). And last but not least, we decided that vintage counts! Convert a traditional car to biodiesel. Believe it or not, retro diesel cars are ideal for running on biodiesel: a domestic, renewable fuel made from nonpetroleum sources (even old cooking oil!). Once you replace the fuel lines, the only challenge is finding the juice (about $3.50 per gallon) nearby. For more info, go to biodieselnow.com. Buy a new biodiesel or hybrid car. Quiet and powerful, the Mercedes Bluetec runs on new, eco-friendly biodiesel fuel and looks fantastic while doing it. And props to Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid and love object of celebrities and environmentalists. Ride a bike. Tired of a good old cruiser? Try a tricked-out, upholstered trike from Workman Cycles or a Schwinn electric bike with an innovative battery that takes you 60 sweat-free miles. © 2008 Media Life |
