Articles by Hilary

The Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado reveals the answer to environmentalists’ most burning holiday question: Real or artificial?

After all, cutting down a perfectly shaped, growing tree to deck it in lights for two weeks and then send it to the trash heap sounds like a desecration of nature akin to Aztec sacrifice.

Doesn’t basic logic suggest that using the same tree year in and year out would be much more sustainable than cutting down a new tree and disposing of it every year?  While the logic seems plausible, the reality just isn’t so.

An artificial tree must be used and re-used for 20 years to have a lower carbon footprint than a real tree.  Grown trees, on the other hand, support the earth the whole time they are growing by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.  One acre of Christmas trees creates enough oxygen to support 18 people.

Trees grown on Christmas-tree farms are also managed sustainably.  For every tree that is harvested at the holidays, two to three more seedlings are planted.  The cycle of life continues.

What about all those discarded trees the first week in January?  Sending them to the landfill is not a sustainable option.  Since most cities have tree recycling programs, however, you can extend the value of your tree through local recycling which will likely turn it into mulch for gardens, hiking trails and animal stalls.

How to select and care for a real tree:

• Do the freshness test by pinching a needle.  A rich fragrance indicates a fresh tree.

• Remove a needle and bend it.  If it snaps like a carrot, that’s another sign of a fresh tree.

• Maintain freshness by cutting an inch off the base and setting the trunk in a stand that holds at least one gallon of water.

• Avoid the increased fire hazard of a real tree by adding water daily and switching to LED lights.  They don’t heat up to become a fire hazard.  LEDs also use 90% less energy than traditional lights which adds even more to the tree’s sustainability factor.

Want to cut your own tree?
The U.S. Forest Service manages 17 national forests throughout the Rocky Mountain region and issues permits for residents to cut down trees within the forests.  Learn more.

Need help creating outdoor holiday décor?  Go to the ALCC’s website and click on “Find a Pro.”

Good lighting makes all the difference in a home. What good are beautiful furnishings, smartly paired accessories, the perfect wall colors and just-right fabrics if you can’t see them?

So I’m always on the hunt for new and interesting lighting, and just today, I discovered the work of Lisa Spinella and Paulo DeLima of Boston-based Studio Bel Vetro. The duo specializes in blown glass, but they deftly use a range of techniques to create their jewel-like pieces.

I love rooms that have an unusual piece of lighting, something just beyond what you would expect. The lights don’t need to be the center of attention, but since they’re necessary pieces, shouldn’t they also be lovely? What do you think?

You can order directly from Studio Bel Vetro’s website. Let me know if you do: I want to know which piece you chose!

Wondering what to do this weekend? If you’re on the Front Range, swing by the first-ever Colorado Children’s Campaign Showhouse at 20 Clermont Street in Denver, open from noon-4:00 both Saturday and Sunday.

You’ll find a bright, fresh space designed for a young–and growing–family; brilliant ideas that you can implement right now in your own home; and a room-by-room guide that reveals the designers’ secrets for each space.

Unlike most showhomes, where each room is designed by a different firm, this home is the product of the designers at Scott Wolfe Interiors. I love that the spaces feel coherent, like one thoughtful whole instead of a bunch of lovely but disparate parts. This isn’t an I-could-never-live-in-a-home-like-this showhouse; it’s a I-want-my-house-to-feel-this-fabulous showhouse.

The tour is a fundraiser; the proceeds from your $35 ticket support the Colorado Children’s Campaign, which aims to expand access to high-quality health care, early childhood experiences and K-12 education for all children. A gorgeous home, inspiring ideas and a great cause. What more can you ask for?

I peeked into the space this afternoon, and here are a few snapshots of the almost-completed home.

Hello, beautiful little family room.

Now I want bold green built-ins for my house. What do you think?
This dining room is just a pretty place–full of nice light and a view of the front yard. Trust me: This photo doesn’t do it justice; you want to see it in person.

The master bedroom is a vision of comfort and style. I almost refused to leave. Almost.

The master bathroom is bright and spacious without being ostentatious. I loved it.

If you go, post a comment here about what you loved best and what you learned. I’ve already planned to steal a few ideas from this home for my own house. Happy Friday!

One of my favorite bloggers, Gabby Blair of the very popular DesignMom.com, moved to Denver just over a year ago, and on Thursday, we photographed and interviewed for her a story in our January/February issue.

My favorite Gabby-ism of the interview: “When I launched my blog, ‘design’ was this buzz word. People were learning to be deliberate about what they included in their lives, how their homes and clothes and books even reflected who they were. Design was and is everywhere. I mean, you go to Target to pick up toilet paper, and suddenly you’re learning about Liberty of London. It’s wild.”

So Gabby, a graphic designer by training and profession, filters her life as mom to six  kids through her design lens and–viola!–you get DesignMom.

Pick up our Jan/Feb issue or visit coloradohomesmag.com in early January to learn more about Gabby’s life as a mom, wife, blogger and designer.

First, I love the Blairs’ table. Here’s how they made it. Second, the Blairs do not typically have a large piece of white cardboard on their dining table. We use the white board to bounce some natural light from the windows behind Gabby onto her face while we’re taking photos. Third, I do not usually sit six feet away from people I’m interviewing. We were just trying to get a few candid shots of Gabby without yours truly in them.

We love Ellie’s for their (relatively) reasonably priced eco-friendly stuff. It’s great fun to cruise up and down the aisles of the Boulder store and check out the latest green products.

So we have good news: Starting Nov. 2, Ellie’s will hold community events every Tuesday night to teach you and me (and anyone else who wants to swing by) about green living. Topics include “Get Down With Worm Composting” (Nov. 2), “Go Solar for 0 Down” (Nov. 9), “Toxins: How They Affect Aging”  (Nov. 16), “Overcoming the Colorado Winter” (Nov. 23), “A Place for Everything” (Nov. 30) and “Intro to Permaculture” (Dec. 7).

I’m pretty exciting about “Get Down With Worm Composting.” (Note to self: I never imagined I’d write those words.) See you there.

I admit it: I’m a Mac addict. I work on a Macbook at home and an iMac at work, and I pity my friends (and husband) who have to slog through life using PCs.

So I was excited to get this news from Laufen, the Swiss manufacturer of sleek, contemporary bathroom fixtures: German-American designer Hartmut Esslinger, whose design strategy invigorated (some might say “launched”) Apple’s brand in the ’80s, has designed a new line of bath fixtures for Laufen. The name even sounds Apple-esque: mylife.

The designs look simple, symmetrical and sophisticated. What do you think?

We’re in party-planning mode at the CH&L offices, preparing for our fabulous 30th-anniversary bash next Friday, Oct. 15. We’ll be celebrating three decades of our publication, but more importantly, we’ll be raising money for The Denver Hospice’s new care facility. The funds we raise will help purchase furnishings and finishes for the facility, set to open in early 2011.

Tickets are still available. Join us, would you?

I want to thank a few of the companies that have donated items for our raffle.

• Hotel Teatro. If you want to give yourself a real treat, check into the Teatro for a night. You’ll find luxurious rooms decorated with costumes and photographs from productions of the Denver Center Theatre Company. You’ll also find TWO restaurants operated by renowned chef Kevin Taylor: PRIMA and Kevin Taylor Restaurant. (Not long ago, I had the most luscious, fantastic Butternut Squash Gnocchi with roasted apples and truffle blue cheese cream. Truffles and blue cheese=one happy editor.)
• Colorado Symphony Orchestra. I have been to the Symphony here a handful of times, and every time I go, I leave feeling the urge to create something beautiful. I’m not particularly musically gifted (read: not at all), but when I watch and listen to the Symphony, I always promise myself I’m going to learn the play the cello, for heaven’s sake. It’s good to be so inspired.
• The Golden Bear. I love that the Golden Bear reflects a particular place–the Vail Valley–with its signature jewelry line. Their donated item (you’ll have to come to see what it is!) is a tribute to timeless design the way a little black dress is a tribute to classic attire.

We are truly grateful for donations from these companies, and we hope that you’ll join us in supporting them–and in celebrating our birthday next week.

Want to know more? In the coming days, I’ll preview the rest of the businesses who’ve partnered with us to support the Denver Hospice. Think luxury!

We just finished our November/December 30th-anniversary issue, and I admit: I’m thrilled with the result, but very happy to have it done! As a gift to myself, I always swing through some of my favorite websites to look at pretty things. (I’d like to reward myself with chocolate, but I’m trying to show some restraint, so I opt for eye-candy instead.) They aren’t all home-related, but I like inspiration from all sorts of places…

I’ve discovered Australian designer Paper Wings, a source for darling kids’ clothes, and I love this little dress from their Little Wings line. (The dress is officially the “Organic Elf Dress,” which makes me wonder where they found organic elves…)

Next, I swung by Bainbridge Blues. The fabrics are woven from environmentally friendly materials, beginning with hemp. They remind me of summertime in Maine. I spent a few happy minutes imagining myself taking a nap in a room filled with these fabrics while rain fell outside my window. Random, but true.

Then it’s off to New York designer S.R. Gambrel’s website for some room photos to make you weep, they’re so lovely:

Have you noticed birds everywhere? I’m particularly fond of these little purses from Reverie-Daydream.

And in case my husband is reading, I really love these necklaces from The Vintage Pearl.

Ooh! That reminds me: Our November/December issue includes our annual gift guide. We asked some of your favorite Coloradans what they’re planning to give and hoping to receive this year. The entire CH&L team weighed in, too. If holiday shopping stumps you, don’t miss it on newsstands or in your mailbox by the end of October–in plenty of time for your holiday shopping.

Do you have favorite places you go to see beautiful things? Share them with us by posting a comment. We design-lovers have to share, right?

I just got word that Red Varden Studios in L.A. is looking for a dynamic female landscape designer for an upcoming national TV show. Prior television experience is not required, but you need to be comfortable in front of the camera. They want someone who can talk about landscape design, gazebos, pools, decking, barbecues, etc.

Wouldn’t it be great if that someone came from Colorado?

Go to Red Varden’s website for more details. And let us know if you’re chosen!

As I was digging out of my email this morning (those East Coast PR firms get an early start), I found this squeal-worthy bit of news: The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust is offering Architecture Fantasy Camp at Wright’s home and studio in Oak Park, IL from Oct. 3 to 6. Each participants gets to plan and design a structure of their own creation with help from real-life architects. (Camp is only for non-architects.) Maybe you want to build an addition onto your home, or redesign your kitchen. Can you imagine how fabulously inspiring it would be to create the plans for those spaces in Wright’s original drafting room?

I really want to go.

If you want to go, too, check out GoWright.org for more information and to make your reservation.

P.S. I lived in Chicago for six years, and nearby Oak Park is a charming locale. I spent many a happy afternoon leading friends and family members along the walking tour of Wright’s homes, which fill the neighborhood.

The dining room in Wright’s home. How fabulous are those chairs?

One of Wright’s designs, now a private home in Oak Park.