Just the right bed

'Member that trespasser Goldilocks? Breaking-and-entering, filching food, then having the audacity to take a nap, only falling asleep after she pawed her way through every bed in the house and found "just the right one."

Well, I HAVE found just the right bed for a 500 square-foot Manhattan apartment, from the functionally reliable folks at West Elm. I'm FINALLY replacing that hideous Ikea bunk bed I bought 6 years ago with a West Elm storage platform bed. Comes in all sizes; twins are priced at $1200, kings $1500. Headboard is optional and extra. Works with a mattress/box spring or mattress solo. 6 big drawers to hide your stash where you crash.

Oh, and don't neglect to buy an alarm system for your cave.
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FREE 8'x11' RUG PAD with purchase of any rug sale-priced $599 or more at macys.com! Valid 22-Nov-2008 through 1-Dec-2008.

Loom with a view

Kaoud Oriental Carpets has been an interior design staple for over 50 years. Randy, Fred and Abe Kaoud began as rug cleaners, and now rule the Northeast with the largest and most affordable selection of hand-woven and power-loomed floor drapery.

A focus on the Kaoud Brothers continues my series on superstar Connecticut retailers. Located in Orange and Guilford, Kaoud installed wall-to-wall carpeting in my parent's first home in 1972. Gorgeous and durable, it survived the rearing of three very, um, active children.

In addition to showcasing rugs for every room and budget size, services include appraisals, cleaning (just had mine done, looks showroom-new), design consultation, installation (including custom staircases), restoration, worldwide shipping, in-home rug showings, custom weaving and repair. Kaoud's antique gallery boast collections from the world over, in patterns ranging from traditional Shirvans, Heriz, Kazak, to tribal Kerman, Sarouk and Keshan.

Randy's son and owner, Jim, vows to meet the best price of any legitimate competitor. His contact information follows; let him tell you, even in a downturned economy, why a Kaoud Carpet is a beautiful, smart and lasting investment that only accrues value.

Kaoud Brothers Oriental Rugs
463 Boston Post Road (Exit 41 off I-95)
Orange, CT 06477
203-795-5264
jim@kaoudrug.com
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Shop For the Home at Macys.com today!

Alchemist For Hire

Sorcerer, artisan, collector, stylist...Corey Grant Tippin is an amalgam of these disparate and arcane occupations. Not to mention interior decorating's sub-rosa savant.

With a resume spanning three decades, Tippin's creative roots reach back to his days as a Warhol Factory model and actor. His unique genius lies in synthesizing faunal and oceanographic elements with classical French, Georgian, Deco, Mid-Century and Modern furniture periods. Horn, shell and animal print motifs take center stage in many of Corey's found and self-crafted pieces, wood framings dominated by an alternatural palette of celery, ercu, eggshell and sorrel.

Major brands such as Ethan Allen have co-opted Tippin's vision, along with Martha Stewart's television and magazine properties. He's been covered by numerous home & garden publications (Moffly Media's atHome) and featured in Oprah's O At Home Fall 2007 issue.

Visit his work at Stamford Antiques and Westport's Dovecote.
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Let There Be Lighting...

Fairfield Lighting and Design, opened in 1972, is a landmark in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Long recognized as an industry leader by regional media, FL&D takes a boutique, collaborative approach to home and office lighting solutions. The 14,000-foot warehouse showroom houses renowned brands such as Casablanca and Schonbeck, not to mention a seasoned staff of sales consultants.



FL&D's founding family, the Zemolas, has served homeowners and trade professionals for over three decades. Siblings Jimmy, Sandy and Sharon Lynn share operating responsibilities...Sandy had her own lighting store in Wilton, CT, for years, and Sharon not only oversees Fairfield Lighting's sales and marketing, but also runs a freelance interior and graphic design business.

Shopping for lighting can build up an appetite. After touring FL&D, be sure to stop by Gary Zemola's restaurant right next door.

Fairfield Lighting & Design
356 Black Rock Turnpike
Fairfield, CT 06825
Phone: (203) 384-2209
Fax: (203) 368-1976
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