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Beat the Heat – Summer Styling Tips!

Let’s face it—we wait for summer all year long, but by mid-July we find ourselves quietly wishing for fall. It’s ok! Summer in Nashville is hot, humid, and intense. Here are some styling tricks to help you beat the heat and enjoy! Edit, Edit, Edit Stacks of magazine and piles of mail do more than just clutter your home; they make the space feel full and heavy. Clear surfaces in your home with abandon. Half-burnt candles don’t need to be displayed, they need to be stored. Gold metallic accessories are nice but best saved for cooler months when the warmth …

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What Is Better—Recycled or Natural?

Is it better to choose materials made of recycled content or raw, natural materials when selecting products for your home? What came first, the chicken or the egg? A lot of designers and experts will agree that in most projects, there is a need for both types of materials. Natural hardwoods from the Forest Stewardship Council on the first floor, recycled content fiber carpet on the second; recycled content, high performance fabric sofas with organic down cushions; and so on. There is no blanket, one-size-fits-all when it comes to building products and design products for your home. The smartest way …

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Green Interiors: Traditional Versus Sustainable Flooring Material Guide

Green Interiors: Traditional Versus Sustainable Flooring Material Guide Whether you are dealing with new construction or you are contemplating a renovation, flooring is an important area in which to “go green.” Not only do floors cover, by definition, a large area in your home, they are some of the most heavily used materials you will install in your home. By selecting a sustainable, responsibly manufactured product, you will increase indoor air quality and eliminate unnecessary harm to the environment. The best part is, you don’t have to make any tradeoffs. Nothing is off limits and there are options for all …

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Green Design: Top 5

Green Design: Top 5  Last year introduced a whole host of newly created products and newly discovered products for the designers at Beth Haley Design. We’ve narrowed down all of our favorites to five different products we look forward to using. Fireclay Tile has been making beautiful handmade ceramic tiles for the past 22 years. Each year the company has made its tiles more and more sustainable. Starting with lead-free glazes, over 80 colors from which to choose, and including recycled content, the company doesn’t waste an opportunity to capture our attention with these handcrafted beauties.  The Debris series boasts …

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Green Interiors: add a little green to your life

Winter’s Best Décor Ideas – add a little green to your life Plants do more than provide an organic lush quality to the indoors, they help filter and purify air. Whether you have a tried-and-true green thumb, a black thumb, or want to try tending houseplants for the first time, we’ve got you covered. Split Leaf Philodendron / Monstera Plant If you have ever had the pleasure of visiting New Orleans, you will recognize the oversize, eye catching tropical leaves anywhere. These might be the most fun, charismatic houseplant you can have and are low maintenance to boot. Water them …

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Green Interiors: Ingredient List

Green Interiors: Ingredient List While green design is becoming more and more mainstream, there are still hurdles left to cross. Classification and transparency are two important factors that, when ironed out, will go a long way in establishing green design as the norm.  For a long time, companies have been issuing green products and giving general, non-descript labels like “natural” or “earth friendly. Think of it like the debate surrounding our food chain and what is classified as organic or natural. Organic food is the most black and white because it must meet specific standards to be classified as organic.  …

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Energy Efficiency for the Summer

Energy Efficiency for the Summer As interior designers, we know the importance of laying a good, efficient foundation for your home. After all, beauty isn’t skin deep, it comes from the inside. Why bother making a house pretty if there are underlying problems that will stick-out like a sore thumb till corrected? Here are tips to keep you cool this summer! Top ways we’ve found to increase efficiency are insulation, windows, and doors. For insulation, think of your crawl space, basement, attic, fireplace, and even your walls. Are they drafty? It might sound silly, but do you feel “sheltered” from …

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Green Interiors:Philosophy of Green Design

Philosophy of Green Design  Discussions about green design often get technical, but rarely do they get philosophical. We all want news about the latest and greatest sustainable resources, methods of installation, and the hottest new products, but sometimes it is nice to step back for a second and consider why it is important to “go green” in the first place. As you can imagine, there are many answers to this question, but the bottom line is green design can make you feel better, healthier, stronger, and more at ease. Biophilia, a term describing the extent to which humans are hard-wired …

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Green Interiors: The Three Rs of Green Design

Green Interiors The Three Rs of Green Design Now more than ever, we’re seeing green and sustainable designs in new construction and remodeling, both commercially and residentially. Artfully selecting earth-friendly products for your own project can seem challenging and confusing, but there are easy applications and many options in today’s market. No matter the age or style of your home, you can fit green design in easily! Here are some examples of how our clients have added beautiful and unique materials to bring warmth, character, and/or texture into a space. These designs are from drastically different homes: a Brentwood 1980’s …

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Green Interiors: Five Steps to a Greener Kitchen

Green Interiors: Five Steps to a Greener Kitchen Whether it’s the renovation of an old home or designing a new-build, kitchens always seem to be a top priority. This is due, in part, to the current popularity of the open-plan concept, a layout that puts the kitchen in the center of the plan, making it a hub of activity within the home. With its many plumbing fixtures, appliances, and lighting demands, the kitchen is also one of the easiest rooms to make more sustainable when updating or building. By considering a few simple things throughout the design process it’s not …

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