Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts

Saturday, 28 January 2012

Lisa Bakamis, Senior Designer at Green Couch Interior Design, Discusses Design Inspiration

San Francisco, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) February 22, 2011

Lisa Bakamis, senior designer at Green Couch Interior Design in San Francisco, loathes the overuse of the word ?hipster.? However, the cultural reference conveyed by the term in a physical form is definitely an inspiration point for her design aesthetic. The innovative and energetic designer, who joined Green Couch in 2009, discusses her starting points for her popular retro-, vintage-, and yes, hipster-inspired designs.


?I love the Bohemian, Brooklyn vibe in all its rustic yet urban eclecticism,? she muses. ?There is something about bringing in a ?retro? or vintage aspect into my designs that adds layered character to a space.?


Lisa shares few pieces of inspiration that she says ground her in a space and get the creative juices flowing, and provide her clients with Green Couch flair:


1.????Start with fabric. ?I?m obsessed with fabric,? says Lisa, while sitting in front of eight overflowing storage boxes of every imaginable textile. ?I designed my entire house around a pair of Chiang Mai Dragon pillows by F. Schumacher. The vintage-y Asian-inspired linen fabric has bold colors expressed with a modern feel of vibrancy. I also love mixing modern patterns with a more traditional pattern for extra character and heritage.?


2.????Be bold. Paint in unexpected hues and areas. Use a dark charcoal in the living room or delight with a vibrant color in an unexpected place. ?One of our clients was particularly thrilled with the burnt orange that we recently painted on the ceiling of his office,? she says.


3.????Change the space, not the place. ?Sometimes we get bored of the spaces where we live, so we consider moving. By changing the way you look at things, you can add a new perspective. Move your furniture around a bit or add a new pillow or accent piece for inspiration.? Lisa?s trick was to paint a pair of oversized speakers in her own living room with red lacquer to give a hideaway piece some star quality.


4.????Be artistic. Bring in a colorful art piece. It doesn?t have to be overwhelming, large or expensive to hold a room. Wander through vintage shops and keep an open mind to the possibilities that a French-inspired piece or abstract may have. Additionally, personalized black and white or sepia tone photography can add a personal touch. Using old eclectic frames from a flea market to mix and match shapes, sizes and frame style is an inexpensive method to achieving innovative artistry.


5.????Think Fashionably. Fashion can offer inspiration to interior design. Pinstripes are dapper on gentlemen, and also surprisingly well ?suited? to the dining room wall.


Lisa joined Green Couch during the summer of 2009 and has accelerated the team?s ability to service a larger variety of interior design clients. Her vast experience with design showrooms and trade resources, organization and interaction with clientele has greatly enabled the company to meet additional demand for their approachable and lively design services.


For more information about Lisa?s design approach or any other services offered by Green Couch, call them at (415) 867-7664 or visit their website at http://www.greencouch.com.


About Green Couch

Green Couch Interior Design was launched by San Francisco interior decorators Jeff and Tray Schlarb in 2002. Jeff and Tray?s intrinsic understanding of San Francisco home remodeling and Bay Area lifestyles has been gained through their combined years of interior design. The team is comprised of talented individuals who work together to create sophisticated, relaxing and inspiring interiors. Quality is not just a major tenet of their craft, but a measure of the company?s daily pursuit. An appreciation for clients, family, friends and the work itself propels them to reach higher, work harder and respect each other.


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Related Black Market White House Press Releases

Local Linen Supply Service ?Goes Deeper Green? with Help From Berkshire Gas

Adams, MA (PRWEB) February 6, 2011

David Desmarais, president of ALADCO Linen Services, is committed to making his business a leader in the ?green? movement in linen rental. The very nature of the linen rental business is green when compared to the alternatives of paper products or on premises laundry facilities. Taking an existing linen service company and driving the operations in a green manner is a win / win for everyone including local businesses that are enthusiastic to support the partnership. ALADCO is the first Hospitality linen Rental facility in the nation to make this commitment.


The move to being green involved investing in a new Pulse-Flow, continuous batch washing system that replaced multiple industrial washer/extractors. Gutting the heart of the business and retrofitting a nineteenth century building was no easy feat. The project took much of November and December to implement and to work out the kinks of a completely new laundry operation. At a cost of $ 700,000, Desmarais sees it as a ?great investment in the business and the community?.


ALADCO currently processes 600,000 pounds per month of linen products. The old process used about 2.5 gallons of water per pound or 1,500,000 gallons per month. Today, ALADCO is using 0.4 gallons of water per pound, a savings of 1,250,000 gallons of water per month. In addition to the reduction in water usage, the effect is compounded by a significant reduction in natural gas and electricity required to heat 84 % less water than the old system.


Customers of ALADCO appreciate the fact that one of their key suppliers has made these energy efficiency efforts. The industry has not created the equivalent of carbon credits or a market in ?greenness? but long-time customers of ALADCO appreciate the continuous improvements to its processes and its vision and commitment to a greener, sustainable environment.


John O?Neill, Director of Finance at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, an ALADCO partner since 1983 states, ?With a 600-bed retreat center that is often full of program guests, our organization requires quality linen service. ALADCO has provided us great service for many years, and their new environmentally friendly washing system aligns with our organizational values. We are very pleased that we have products available to us that are handled in such an environmentally sustainable method. We salute their choice to be a leader in green technology, and their commitment to the environment makes them an even better business partner for Kripalu.?


Berkshire Gas? Energy Efficiency Department worked with ALADCO every step of the way. After participating in Berkshire?s Commercial & Industrial Energy Audit Program, ALADCO developed a long-term plan to increase its energy efficiency. Working closely with ALADCO, Berkshire Gas committed $ 50,000 in energy saving incentives to this project. Michael Sommer, Manager of Energy Services at Berkshire commented: ?This is the type of energy efficiency project we are excited to be part of. The projected savings for this project of over 67,000 therms and nearly 1.7 million therms over the life of the equipment, are impressive, to say the least. To put this into perspective, the annual savings from this one project equates to the amount of natural gas needed to heat approximately 70 homes per year?.


Buy local ? Even though the installation required very specialized rigging and plumbing services, ALADCO was able to keep that work local as well employing Adams? own Atlantis Equipment Corporation and Adams Plumbing and Heating.


No sitting still - Not satisfied that the new equipment and process is enough, ALADCO recently introduced three new options; a lint?free microfiber wiping towel, microfiber mop system and the Environap, an environmentally friendly, smaller napkin that is designed as a cost effective alternative to paper napkins. The program shows that a quality cloth napkin can be rented for the same cost that many restaurants spend on disposable paper napkins. The cloth approach heightens the dining experience and removes an entire stream of trash from the table to the landfill.


About ALADCO

The production and main distribution center of ALADCO Linen Services is in Adams, MA. A second distribution center was added in Holyoke, MA as a result of the acquisition of Highland Laundry in 2008. ALADCO provides Star Quality linen services throughout Western Massachusetts, Southern Vermont, Northeastern New York and Northwestern Connecticut., as well as service all along the route 91 corridor. ALADCO provides table and kitchen linens, bed linens, uniforms, entrance mats and dust control to restaurants, hotels, motels, hospital, medical service providers and schools and colleges. ALADCO provides continuous employment to over seventy people and is a partner in numerous charitable organizations, as well as a member of local Chambers of Commerce. ALADCO is also a member of the Greater Springfield Visitors Bureau and Friends of Tanglewood.


Contact:

David Desmarais

David(at)aladcoservices(dot)com

82 Commercial Street

Adams, MA 01220 USA


http://www.aladcoservices.com


800-698-0505


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