It's not often that an idea as sexy as Solar Ivy comes along, but Samuel and Teresita Cochran, St. Louis natives now living in Brooklyn, started Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology (SMIT) which offers design-worthy sustainable solar energy to buildings of all types and configurations. Clusters of custom-colored "ivy leaves" collect sunlight, provide shade, and can generate enough power to cool an average home at a price of $7-10 a leaf.

Linda Grasso

I was inspired - not only be the lower cost - but by the opportunity to get a little eco-friendly with my pantry. I've noticed recently how much trash my family creates. Our blue recycle bin is overflowing each week with gorgeously labeled, pristine containers I'm just tossing into the world's massive collection of trash. I thought to myself: why not reuse some of the containers I already have and simply re-fill them when they're empty?

That impromptu Henry's pit-stop inspired me to re-do my pantry - transforming it from a cluttered closet into an eco-friendly collection of reusuable, re-fillable containers. I had quite a few glass containers on hand that I'd bought through the years at stores like Tuesday Morning. When I ran out of the glass containers in my reorganizing frenzy, I started using these Royal Blend rice and grain containers I'd gotten at Surfas in Culver City. They were just the right size to hold three or four cups of grain. I knew they'd come in handy some day!

My new pantry (see top photo) is not only environmentally friendly, it's more "user friendly" because it's easier to spot something when I need it. I don't feel as overwhelmed when I look at the shelves of neatly stacked glass containers, which are clearly marked with the white strips from my label maker. It's green and it feels good.

Linda Grasso is the energetic engine that drives SheSez. Her site exemplifies great living, with a California flair, for women of style and substance. Its mission is to inform, inspire, and entertain. Linda says,

We love sharing the unique, interesting, cutting-edge things west coast women are doing. Women all over the world look at California for ideas and inspiration from beauty to health to style. They want to replicate our open-air lifestyle, amidst such breathtaking natural beauty: the ocean, sun, mountains, warm weather. Let's face it, west coast women lead the way for progressive living - whether it's practicing alternative medicine or the latest type of Yoga, we aren't afraid to try something new.

The three Benedictine sisters at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, WI are great stewards of the planet. Their new renovation project almost totally recycled their old building and created the greenest building in America, according to their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum rating of 63 out of 69 points for sustainability, energy efficiency, and choice of materials. When asked why the sisters went gung-ho for green, Sister Mary David Walgenbach said, "We are charged to tread lightly upon the earth."

This powerhouse trio of women designed an entirely new monastery center that uses solar panels and windows that maximize natural light everywhere, bamboo flooring, two green "prairie roofs," geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater recycling, and other innovations. Any homeowner will gather inspiration from this green project, and you can learn more about its features at Architecture Week.

DeAnna Radaj

Well, at the recent KBIS show, I discovered a great way to have a neat closet and care about the environment at the same time. Erring on home remodeling and renovations that utilize GREEN products is always better, right? Guilt-free organization rocks! Check out Closet Works and explore their storage and organizational systems. Everything is made from GREEN products that have certified as Environmentally Preferable Products by The Composite Panel Association. This certification covers Closet Works' shelving, stains, and adhesives.

The company can also design custom shelving and organization systems for your closet, garage, wall beds, and home offices. Here are a few solutions from the Closet Works design portfolio.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Healthy Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.

Take Charge of Organizing Your Home: Design2Share heartily endorses and recommends The Clutter Code Six Step Organizing System DVD. If you don't have a system, you'll never conquer your inner packrat - and the only way to begin that new remodeling or room makeover is to first get everything cleaned up and organized. Visit the Design2Share Store at OpenSky for other home decorating solutions.

DeAnna Radaj -

• You can utilize the WEALTH/ABUNDANCE, RELATIONSHIP, SUCCESS, CAREER & HELPFUL PEOPLE Life Areas to promote positive energy for your office space.

• WEALTH/ABUNDANCE is activated by the color PURPLE/METALLICS, the WATER element, and free-flowing/organic shapes. Personal accessories should be around success, wealth, and abundance - so you must think about what represents these things to you! One of my friends thinks of fields of sunflowers to represent abundance. To me, it's the beach. Figure out what abundance and wealth look like to YOU.

• RELATIONSHIP is activated by the color RED for legally-binding (incorporated or business partnerships), PINK if a solo-preneur or free-lancer, ORANGE/CORAL if solo-preneur and you want a partner. Also incorporate the EARTH element, the shape of a square, and EARTH items (stones, tile, figurines, globes, and so on).

• SUCCESS is activated by the color RED, the FIRE element, and triangular shapes. Items such as diplomas & certificates should be displayed here, as well as any trophies and awards you've received.

• Your CAREER Life Area is activated by the color BLACK, the WATER element, and free-flowing/organic shapes. Your business logo, cards, or other business representation should be placed here!

• HELPFUL PEOPLE is activated by the color GRAY, the METAL element, and the shape of a CIRCLE.  Items here should include pictures of you and your staff, clients, vendors, or other business associates (these can also go in the RELATIONSHIP area as well). If you want more spiritual help, metal figurines of angels & fairies can also be placed here. If this isn't your speed, metal windchimes will work as well.

• A good color scheme for your office is a neutral/earth-tones as the primary color, then incorporate some yellow (for mental agility) and something blue (for concentration). If your company has a color scheme/palette as indicated by your logo, incorporating this will help to activate your "business energy." If loud, vibrant colors are what's indicated, this will NOT work in your private office space. Save them for a reception or other public area!

• Your desk and office needs to be CLUTTER-FREE! Everything  must be up and off the floor. If something is not applicable to WORK and your office setting (e.g. laundry that needs to be folded, unused exercise equipment, children's toys . . .) it must GO! Your office needs to project a SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS person, not a "starving artist" or someone who approaches work as a "hobby."

• Next, look at what your office furniture says about you. Is it damaged? Are there tears in the seats? Fix everything and make the necessary repairs or get new furniture that states you are to be taken seriously. Can't afford new furniture? Then get slipcovers and/or sand and stain the furniture. You must work in an environment that is supportive of you as a SUCCESS and surround yourself with all the outter trappings that you are worthy of succeeding. 

• Inspirational artwork (think Successories or the inspirational materials at Art.com) or inspirational quotes that are painted on the wall (I love doing this as a border!) help to create a wonderful work environment.  

• Your desk should be placed in the Power Position of the room (in the diagonal corner facing IN to the room) as this is the most psychologically secure place. You should NEVER face a wall (blocked opportunities) or a window (too many distractions). If you can't help but face a wall, then have detailed artwork placed there to help "draw you into" the picture and not have you facing a "brick wall" and blocking you.  A picture of a mountain should be hung behind you to give "support."

• If you really want to maximize Feng Shui energy in the space, tie a red thread (yarn, string) in 9" increments (9, 18 or 27 inches) around the hand-set of your phone to activate your "phone ringing off the hook" with new clients and orders.

Employ these quick tips with the intention of a creating and maintaining a steady, strong business. (Click here to link to my earlier article covering the different Life Areas if you need a basic introduction or a refresher.) Good Luck!

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Healthy Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.

Feng Shui Office Accessories: We found the perfect inspirational, motivational paperweights for your home or worksite office, perfect for implementing some of DeAnna's feng shui tips. The Full Circle Studio Decoupage Paperweights carry a bevy of inspirational messages, like the Gratitude message at right (notice the energizing RED type). There are others, ranging from Believe and Joy to Inspire and Peace (plus many other beautiful images, ranging from Buddha and Mother Mary to nature images of birds and insects. Click here to learn more about Full Circle Studio Decoupage Paperweights.

Now there are other "teachings" of Vastu (similar to the 3 schools of Feng Shui) which are based on different family lineages, although they’re not "formal” schools as referred to in Feng Shui.

According to Vastu, here's your key to front door placement: EAST = enlightenment; and NORTH = happiness & prosperity.

For bed placement: EAST and SOUTH are good arrangements for positioning your headboard.

Harmony Tip: Neurologists have studied subjects who had properties and sleeping alignments that faced EAST. These subjects showed more coherence & cognitive activity! Heart disease, depression, and anxiety are also being studied in terms of the effects that direction has on injured or ailing people and their recovery.

Feng Shui Versus Vastu

Feng Shui (Compass & Black Hat Sect) use a Bagua Board to "activate" Life Areas and help determine space planning, colors, and accessories. The Compass School uses the person(s) and the building's birth dates to determine good and bad directions, and then orients the Bagua according to that. The Black Hat Sect does not; the Bagua is oriented to the entryway of the space. Vastu only orients to the EAST, or in some cases NORTH. The birth dates of a space's owners only come into play when determining dates for various construction projects. Once the space is complete, then only the cardinal directions come into play.

Feng Shui is concerned with room and furniture placement to help increase/decrease energy. Vastu is only concerned with room placement within the space.

Feng Shui traditions state that a person's intentions, emotions, and activities play a part in their fortunes and health. Vastu takes the position that if the space is built according to Vastu principles, then good health and fortune will be had regardless of belief.

In Feng Shui, there are "cures" - or "tweaks" as I call them - that you can apply to your space to create positive energy flow and make your space work for you. Vastu does not. Your space is either built according to principles . . . or it's not. Vastu principles lead you to believe that it’s better to tear down a structure and begin again instead of tweaking.

In both  traditions, however, proportion is important. Your own space, surrounding buildings, and landscaping all come into play to ensure proper energy flow.

Both are concerned with the surrounding influences of the neighborhood: neighboring homes, noise, landscaping, and water features.

You really can't use both traditions in the same space. Although it’s been done, you must be sure that the schools are compatible! For instance, you could use the Black Hat Sect school of thought as long as your home lines up with the EAST for the front door. You could NOT use  the Compass School and throw in Vastu if you're a WEST-oriented person. So do your research, find a philosophy that corresponds to you and where you live, and pursue a discipline that meets your particular lifestyle and values.  

For more information on Vastu, explore Jon Lipman and his Fortune Creating Buildings website. You’ll find beautiful portfolio pictures, articles, and more background information. All the photos in this article are from Jon and his Vastu-based business.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Healthy Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.

• Making your home energy efficient will always recoup any investment by lowering your energy bills and adding value to the home’s worth. This includes windows, appliances, and lighting (even changing the bulbs to energy-saving models will help).
• If you're adding insulation because it doesn’t currently exist or you want to increase energy efficiency and sound-proofing, look for high-efficiency insulation products like those made from cellulose and/or spray foam. There is even insulation made from recycled blue jeans!
• Reuse as many items as possible when you remodel. You’d be surprised what some sanding, stain, paint, and some new hardware can do to spruce up what you already have.

• Check out a Habitat for Humanity ReStore resale store, architectural reclaimation store, or any local salvage/consignment store for remodeling materials. I like Architectural Antiques in Minneapolis, MN for their ever-changing assortment of items.

• How about using GREEN products as often as possible when you remodel? Look for materials that are VOC-free. Also look for recycled glass and natural fibers.
• Please recycle all waste from your remodeling project. You can donate old cabinetry, vanities, or other household items to Habitat for Humanity, unused or old furniture and accessories to a consignment store . . . heck, you can even cart sawdust to a dairy or other kind of farm to use as bedding for the animals! [Design2Share note: Our resident designer Irwin Weiner remodeled his home several years ago and he and his contractor old sidewalk chunks and stones from demolished chimneys to build up a raised lawn area around a swimming pool. Fill was dumped on top of the carefully positioned mound of rubble and grass was sewn over the fill. It now looks lush and no one would know that this grassy deck was built on top of salvage.]
• Radiant heat from a high-efficiency boiler will not only keep you warm but also help lower your heating costs.

• A water filtration system is a must nowadays; there are many options, from water filtration pitchers to units that attach to your faucet or right to your plumbing fixtures.
• Low flow or dual flow toilets and showerheads from your local plumbing supplier will help lower your household's water usage. TOTO and Kohler have a great selection of eco-friendly supplies.
• When choosing lumber for your project, look for wood certified from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or reclaimed wood
• Finally, include lots of ventilation in your remodeling project and make use of whatever natural light you can. Providing natural circulation and letting the sunshine in will reduce your heating, cooling, and lighting costs.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Healthy Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.

So how best to do both? The answer is to focus on your home, your most expensive investment, and do a Home Efficiency Check-up. What is this, and what are the benefits of completing one?

• More than likely, we're paying more than we should to run our homes and offices, and this accounts for 40% of our national energy consumption.

• With new legislation being proposed, and higher energy taxes a certainty, we'll need to start thinking about our homes as an “energy saving, eco-friendly organism” and not just inanimate objects.

• A Home Efficiency Checkup takes about 2 to 3 hours, involves an expert coming to your home to go through the checklist with you, and all you need to do is have your most recent utility bills on hand. Part of the checkup includes a 1 Hour Rescue which consists of 12 tactics that take five minutes each. These can save you up to $500 or even more in some cases. Look into this checkup and click here to read more about the checkup and sign up for $75 off the service charge (the total checkup cost is $320, which is the regular $395 charge less the G&S discount).

• Look into the G&S Eco Academy where you can train to perform these energy audits, Home Efficiency Checkups, and other GREEN jobs and professional certifications for the New Year! G&S is linked to the American Institute of Architects and the National Association of Realtors who use their content in their GREEN trainings.

• The GreenandSave.com website is one of America’s leading free GREEN resources for anyone who wants to “save money, the environment, and create a healthier home and lifestyle.” G&S is also the first to offer comprehensive Return on Investment (ROI) rankings -- you can see how certain home improvements will give you a good return on your investment -- and Take Action recommendations on multiple ways to Go GREEN with your home and office. 

For the complete ROI tables and topic page with details on over 50 ways to SAVE Money and the Environment visit: Home Remodeling ROI.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Healthy Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.

Peacock Alley

Next up is your blanket. Pick your weight depending on geographic area or season. Fleece or cotton are the most popular choices in the North Country this time of year but in other parts of the country and world, a light cotton coverlet is more appropriate. Next, layer is the matalaise blanket.  Matalaise can also be referred to as blanket cover or coverlette. Think of this as the "little black dress" you have to dress up. The matalaise is to be placed and draped over the blanket and is meant to hang over the mattress. There is usually a 15 to 16 inch drop which places it right where the dust ruffle starts.  

Finally, add a comforter. This can be down, down alternative, fleece, cotton, or whatever. The comforter is folded in a "burrito" fold or in thirds and is placed at the end of the bed. Feel free to add shams, accent, and throw pillows depending on your decor and style. Voila! You have a beautifully dressed bed.  (There is an art as to how to place or stack pillows on your bed, whether your decor is traditional or contemporary. See the Peacock Alley website for ideas!)

Decorating Tip: When buying down or down alternative, make sure to look at the FILL and the WEIGHT as they are different! Fill is the SIZE of the down cluster; so you can have a larger FILL which gives you more LOFT (i.e. poof) but you won't suffocate under the WEIGHT of denser packed fibers. Read the product label, and if you have any questions, ask a salesperson.

Peacock Alley's Krista shocked DeAnna by telling her that "thread count doesn't matter." DeAnna wanted her to explain. She said that the thread count of any bedding product is how many threads per square inch. When there are claims of 5,000 thread count, be sceptical! You simply can't have 5,000 threads in a square inch unless you're pulling the thread apart and making 3 to 10 pieces out of the original one. To illustrate, think of a piece of yarn that you can unravel; one strand of yarn can become many. This is the same concept. Your one strong piece of thread has now been divided into many pieces thereby lessening the strength & durability of the original fiber. Again, Krista advises to read the product label carefully. Look for QUALITY of yarn (100% Egyptian cotton for example), CONSTRUCTION of the weave, and finally the FINISH (percale, sateen, etc.). Feel the fabric to see if you like it. Is it constructed well? If there are no samples available for you to actually touch, ask someone to open a package for you to test.

Peacock Alley News: Krista will be on Home Shopping Network on Jan 4th showing off more of her exclusive line for HSN shoppers.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Healthy Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.