Show #301 — Unique Digs
Explore unusual homes and the design dilemmas that come with them.
SEGMENT 1
Rustic Furniture From Rituals With Marty Frenkel
It's "a hunting we will go" — for furniture! Christopher takes a tour of Rituals in Los Angeles, Calif., where the rustic furniture selection evokes the Old West and hunting lodges. Store owner Marty Frenkel explains how their one-of-a-kind furniture selection can help fill out any space.
Marty Frenkel
Rituals Store
756 N. La Cienega
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Phone: (310) 854-0848
SEGMENT 2
Alan Hess, Photographer/Author/Architect
Rancho Deluxe author Alan Hess joins Christopher in the studio and shows off his photos of homes in the Western motif.
Alan Hess
Phone: (248) 637-1584
Email: AlHess@aol.com
Book: Rancho Deluxe: Rustic Dreams and Real Rustic Living
By: Alan Hess and Alan Weintraub
SEGMENT 3
Home Tour With Thomas and Betsy Salm
It's off to Interlaken, N.Y., where Thomas and Betsy Salm invite us into their Federal-style home from the early 1800s. Their décor proves that living inside a piece of history doesn't mean you have to live in a museum.
SEGMENT 4
Barbara Butler and Butler's Playhouse Studio
Barbara Butler pays a visit to do a show and tell of elaborate and fantastic playhouses for kids. A trip to the back yard reveals one of Barbara's creations.
Barbara Butler
325 S. Maple Ave. #37
San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone: (415) 864-6840
Web Site: www.barbarabutler.com
SEGMENT 5
Dome Dome on the Range With Creig Lasley
Creig Lasley, of Nevada City, Calif., gives a tour of his amazing "dome house" and
explains its creation and benefits. Back in the studio, Christopher explains how to
approach an L-shaped living space.
SEGMENT 6
Michael Jantzen and the House of Tomorrow
Michael Jantzen shows us his unique M-house in Gorman, Calif. Jantzen's metal home is
unlike anything you've ever seen: energy-efficient, eco-friendly and poseable!
Michael Jantzen
Phone: (661) 513-9901CL SHOW SEASON THREE
Show #302 — Hi-Kitsch
Learn how to make outlandish and fun design work in your home.
Segment 1
Victoria MacKenzie-Childs' Home Tour
It's a visit to the Aurora, N.Y., home of Christopher Lowell Show frequenter Victoria
MacKenzie-Childs. No surprise to find her living space reflects the Alice in Wonderland
charm that her company is known for.
Victoria MacKenzie-Childs
MacKenzie-Childs, Ltd.
69th St. and Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10022
Telephone: 1-800-640-0546
Email: customerservice@mackenzie-childs.com
Web site: http://www.mackenzie-childs.com
Segment 2
The Creator of the Plastic Pink Flamingo, Donald Featherstone
The creator of the first plastic pink flamingo, Donald Featherstone, and his wife Nancy
join Christopher in the studio to share some hilarious pink flamingo photos from The
Original Pink Flamingo: Splendor on the Grass.
Book: The Original Pink Flamingo: Splendor on the Grass
Donald and Nancy Featherstone
Fitchburg, MA 01420
Telephone: +1 (978) 342-1222
Segment 3
Christopher Demo: Flamingo Table
To learn how to make this table, go to Step-by-step instructions
Keeping up the high-kitsch theme, Christopher shows how to make a table from plastic flamingos and indoor-outdoor carpet. This table was inspired by the winner of the Pink Flamingo Photo Contest in Fla., 85-year-old Patricia Duncan.
Segment 4
Christopher Demo: Tail Fin Bookshelves
Christopher demonstrates how to make the retro-style tail fin shelves featured in his 1950s-looking kid's room.
Demo Directions:
Begin with the upright pieces. Make a template from paper to create the curve of the outer edge of the support, starting narrow at the bottom and curving outward at the top. Cut the desired number of upright pieces from 3/4-inch medium density fiberboard (MDF). It is recommended that there be one upright piece for every two or three shelves. Mark the location of the shelves along the upright pieces. Cut notches slightly larger than 3/4-inch high (to accommodate the thickness of the MDF shelves) and slightly less than halfway through along the back (or wall) side of the uprights. Cut shelves approximately 10 inches wide and desired length from MDF. Cut corresponding notches to match the ones in the uprights halfway through the shelves. Interlock the shelves and uprights. Attach to the walls.
Wood Promotion Network
Web site: www.beconstructive.com
Segment 5
Demo: Decoupaged Walls
Straight from The Christopher Lowell Show art department, Steven Lee Burright joins
Christopher in decoupaging photo copies of family photos onto a wall and then tablecloth patterns onto a tabletop.
Demo Directions:
Wall: Have family photos copied at a copy center. Choose black and white, sepia or a single color. Use water-based polyurethane to adhere the copies to the wall. Use a color wash over the top if desired.
Tablecloth: Use the design from a tablecloth and have it copied at a copy center. Cut out the design from the copy. You could also use motifs from wallpaper. Base-coat the wall with desired color. Coat the back of the motif with polyurethane. Coat the portion of the wall where it will be placed with polyurethane. Adhere the motif to the wall. Cover over the motifs with polyurethane. Tint the polyurethane and wash over the entire wall.
Segment 6
Kitschy Furniture
Before we end with viewer mail, Christopher does a little show-and-tell of some unusual
furniture pieces, including a chair made from a VW bug, a gas pump TV stand and
another chair made from a shopping cart.
Automoda Love Bug
417 Roswell Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90814
Telephone: +1 (310) 837-5541 Web site: www.luvbug.com
Calphalon Pot Chair
Telephone: 1-800-809-7267 Web site: calphalon.com
The Original Shoe Chair Susan Kotora
Horellas
480 S. Fair Oaks
Pasadena, CA 91105
Telephone: 1-888-577-5756
Gas Pump
Classic Couches
624 N. Main St.
Chadwick, IL 61014
Telephone: +1 (815) 684-5310 Web site : classiccouches.com
Ball and Glove Chair
Fine Custom Upholstery
8929 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Telephone: +1 (310) 837-5541 Web site : www.finecustomeupholstery.com
Show #303 – Bright Ideas
It's time to turn on your light-love!
Segment 1:
Lighting from the Plug Store
Christopher visits Lori Bush at Plug in Los Angeles, Calif., and gets the scoop on cutting-edge designs in home lighting.
Lori Bush
Plug, Inc.
8017 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Telephone: +1 (323) 653-5635
Segment 2:
Dressing Up a Lamp with Scott Jillson
Back in the house, antique lamp restorer Scott Jillson demonstrates how to make an Art Deco-inspired lamp shade. Scott also brings in some of his own lampshades that are inspired by various design movements.
Scott Jillson
163 Islington St.
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Telephone: +1(603) 431-9088
Web site: www.scottjillson.com
Email: jillson@attic.net
Segment 3:
You Did It!
It's off to Charlotte, N.C., for today's "You Did It!" segment. Newlywed Cheryl Ledford managed to make the furniture she and her husband each brought to their new home work together. She also shows off her impressive bar and porch makeovers!
Segment 4:
Demo: Tap Light Projects
Then, it's more bright ideas from Christopher as he demonstrates a fun project for those battery powered "tap" lights.
Segment 5:
Demo: Veneer Lamp Shades
Christopher shows how to construct a box-shaped lampshade out of veneer wood.
Segment 6:
Zen Stone Lighting
Christopher then does a little show-and-tell of new and unique lamps from Lucifer Lighting and Zen Stone Lighting. Finally, the show wraps up with a little viewer mail.
Zen Stone Lighting
40 Likely Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Telephone: 1-888-334-9168
Email: info@zenstonelighting.com
Web site: www.shadesbycleo.com
or zenstonelighting.com
Lucifer Lighting Company
Telephone: 1-800 879-9797
Web site: www.luciferlighting.com
Show #304 — Color Me Christopher
On this show we learn how to muster up some color courage! Nothing more affordably — and easily — changes the look of a room than new wall color.
SEGMENT 1
Decorating With Color and Texture: Home Makeover Before
Imagine yourself wearing the same drab, colorless outfit day after day, year after year. Doesn't sound too exciting, now does it? Well, the same goes for your environment. The number one fear when it comes to decorating is color. The reasons range from not knowing what color to choose to fear of making a mistake. But when provided with knowledge about color, the fears go away. For inspiration, Christopher shows us some photos that are great examples of color in the home. They include color blocking for separating spaces, bold colors in small spaces that change the dimensions of the room, light beige that appears white when paired with dark trim color without being stark and sterile, and monochromatic color. Next, we're off to an empty home with white walls everywhere. In addition, the floor plan is very open with a large two-story center foyer. The living room, dining room and family room open into the foyer and the faces of the arches can be seen from all rooms. Where do you stop and start color? By using the same hue values, Christopher will show how to layer color on top of color on top of color.
Book: Decorating With Color and Texture
By Ann McArdle
Color Healing Home
By Catherine Cummin
SEGMENT 2:
Breaking Color: Paint Layers in the Makeover Home
We see the home from the first segment painted in a palette of California-inspired colors that brings out the architecture and creates a lovely layering of spaces. All are from the same hue value, meaning that even though they are different colors, they all coordinate.
The honey-colored wood baseboard was kept the same; the spindles on the stairway were left white, as was the trim in the rooms. The ceiling color (Cream of Mushroom) went throughout the entire space. The foyer was painted Pumpkin Pie; the dining room was painted Creamed Leek and a putty color called Potato was used in the family room. The color breaks at the arches in each room. The green of the dining room is painted on the face of the arch leading into the room. The opening arch between the living room and dining room was painted the green from the dining room. While in a room, all you see is the color of the room. Looking through the archways introduces another layer of color from the next room.
Paint from The Christopher Lowell Designer Paint Collection
Web site: www.christopherlowell.com
Walls: Pumpkin Pie, Potato, Creamed Leek
Ceiling: Cream of Mushroom
Trim: Arrowroot
SEGMENT 3
Completed Home Makeover
Christopher returns to the home to describe how the painted walls look in the completed makeover. Remember that wall color is just the background. There are six more layers to come! Color is still the most economical way to bring warmth and drama into any room of your home. When adding fabric, the light has something to bounce off and the depth of the wall color doesn't seem as dark.
SEGMENT 4
Revolving Color Wall
Back in the studio, Christopher uses a room display with a rotating wall to show how much a room can change just by switching wall colors. In the foreground of the vignette, Christopher has placed a light gold leather chair, a wood cabinet and a honey-colored side table with accessories containing turquoise, brown and yellow. The first wall color is very a neutral, safe, light beige color. The wall accessories appear as a foreground element against this wall color. In the next color, a deep moss green, the wall accessories blend with the color and become part of the background. Because we've minimized the contrast between the wood cabinet and the wall color, they eye focuses on the lightness of the wood in the cabinet. The chair and side table appear lighter also. The turquoise vase is less visible because of the similarity in color with the wall. Be sure to paint the ceilings. You've heard it a million times: if your ceilings are white, it's like hanging a bed sheet over the room. The final wall color is Lowell Lavender. This creates an exotic feeling. The dark part of the wood grain in the cabinet becomes prominent. The foreground seems more integrated into the background. The chair remains primarily the same but the eye goes to the pillow color on the chair.
Paint from The Christopher Lowell Designer Paint Collection
Web site: www.christopherlowell.com
SEGMENT 5
Color Energy With Designer Alexandra Stoddard
Then it's a visit from author and interior designer Alexandra Stoddard to discuss her inspiration from color and nature. Alexandra has written 21 books and is inspired by nature. Christopher was introduced to Alexandra when he read her first book, which presented a very visual picture of home decor without images. Bringing colors from nature into your home makes decorating foolproof. Color makes you happy (after all, color is composed of wave lengths of energy!). People who are dreary live in dreary environments. Alexandra showed the image of a kitchen in a New York apartment that was filled with light, nature-inspired colors. Even the refrigerator was blue! In another image, designed glass panels filter the light from windows. Alexandra believes every room should have some yellow in it. Always remember the light when dealing with color. Beautiful hand-blown glass has a fun, whimsical look. Alexandra brings her ribbon box to clients and has them play. It inspires them. It helps Alexandra know what her client's likes are. In an image she shows a stack of marbleized boxes all tied with ribbons.
Book: Open Your Eyes: 1,000 Simple Ways to Bring Beauty Into Your Home and Life Each Day
By Alexandra Stoddard
SEGMENT 6
Room Recipe Cards
Christopher takes some time to review how to choose paint and high-ticket upholstery items. He follows this with a helpful session on how to use the recipe cards from his paint line.
Room Recipe Cards are no longer available.
The Christopher Lowell Designer Paint Collection
Web site: www.christopherlowell.com
Show #305 – Industrial Living
Learn great ideas for industrial-style decorating!
Segment 1:
Spectrum Hobby Greenhouses
We get a tour of a Spectrum Hobby Greenhouse in the backyard. Christopher sets it up to use as a shelter for a sushi lunch. Christopher used terra cotta stepping stones on the floor with black polished pebbles in between. He used red and white checked floor pillows to kneel on. The table was made from decking boards with legs attached and industrial-looking wheels on the ends. The table was only about a foot high. Placemats were made
from Astroturf. White plates painted with bright-colored glass paint adorn each place setting. An interesting centerpiece was made from graduated sizes of duct caps stacked from large to small. Fresh flowers were placed in small tin buckets on the serving area. Shutters from the hardware store were spray-painted silver, then suspended from wire in each panel of the greenhouse. Moss-lined, half-round planters were hung from the top of each shutter and filled with pansies.
Dick Hanning
Spectrum Hobby Greenhouse Co.
P.O. Box 5491
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
Telephone: 1-800-724-2659
Email: SpectrumHobby128@aol.com
Web site: www.spectrumgreenhouses.com
Segment 2:
Craftsman Cottage Home Redo Tour
John Fox lets us into his modernized Craftsman-style home in Los Angeles, Calif.
Segment 3:
Rust Texturizing Effect
Back in the studio, Christopher demonstrates how to texturize wood surfaces with sand and paint.
Demo Directions:
Prime the surface with non-porous stain-blocking primer such as Binn or Kilz. Let dry. Mix black latex paint with water-based satin finish polyurethane. Paint two coats of the mixture on the surface, letting it dry between coats. Allow to dry thoroughly after the final coat. Sprinkle a little playsand over the surface. It will be used to block the spray paint, so determine how you want the final surface to look. Use a dry paint brush to distribute the sand over the surface. Spray over the sand with rust-colored spray paint. Use a dust mask and spray in a well-ventilated area. Be careful not to blow the sand off the surface with the propellant in the spray paint. While still wet, brush off the excess sand. Brush the surface with orange shellac to blend the black background color with the rust. Spray with polyurethane.
Segment 4:
Car-part Sculptures from Sean McNairy
Sean F. McNairy brings in his industrial-looking sculptures and then shows how to make a metal candle holder.
Demo Directions:
Use safety glasses and gloves. Cut a piece of copper sheeting 17 inches long by 6 inches wide. Place sheeting on a piece of scrap wood. Drill three one-inch holes with a hole maker five inches from one end. File the edges of the holes with a metal file to smooth them. Hammer the hole edges flat. Bend the sheeting through the center of the three holes by placing it on the edge of a table and pressing down. Put another bend in the metal six inches from the first one to form a triangle. It's best to use a tabletop that is open on the sides. Clean the copper with a Scotch Brite scouring pad. Spray with antique brown aging liquid. It will turn in about 10 minutes. Spray with polyurethane. Place candles through the holes.
Segment 5:
Metallic-look Valance with Steven Burright
Straight from the Christopher Lowell Show art department, Steven Lee Burright joins Christopher in making a wooden valance with a metallic look.
Demo Directions:
Construct a cornice box from plywood or MDF to fit the window. Apply a basecoat of black latex paint. Form large upholstery tack-shaped pieces from polymer clay. Bake according to package directions. Paint them black and hot glue them to the cornice along the outer edges. Wet a sea sponge and sponge on some silver paint. Let dry. Coat with orange shellac to add an aging effect.
For an aged metal look, base-paint the wood with bright aqua paint. Mix some of the aqua paint with orange paint, and paint over the aqua.
Segment 6:
Industrial Black and White Photographs with Doug Hill
Douglas Hill instructs how to shoot artistic photos of machine parts and then frame them with style.
Demo Directions:
Photograph objects against a seamless background. Overlap objects slightly when setting up the composition. Zoom in so that only portions of the objects are visible. A nice look is to have objects going out of the frame. This can be accomplished by cropping as well. Mount photo on foamboard. Mount the foamboard onto a board of 3/4-inch plywood previously spray-painted black. Mount the board onto a quilted-steel panel using Velcro.
Douglas Hill
2324 Mareno Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Telephone: +1 (323) 660-0681
Email: odouglas@aol.com
Web site: www.doughill.com