Avant-Garde Modern Homes Blog

Kitchen storage spaces

2015-02-26T17:43:00.000-05:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Today I am re blogging this article on kitchen cabinet ideas that makes you get more usage out of your kitchen storage. I found it very interesting and very surprising on how much space these designs really add to your kitchen storage.. WOW is all I have to say. Enjoy the pics and post

As the home of appliances, cookware and every specialty gadget under the sun, the kitchen is and always will be a perplexing place to organize. The never-ending accessories and endless food cans, boxes and bags easily fill up every nook and cranny, especially in a not-so-big kitchen .

Houzz users have been finding and creating innovative organization techniques to help solve their kitchen dilemmas, from storing pots and pans to organizing a messy walk-in pantry. The favorite solutions below, pulled from our list of most popular photos on Houzz, have been added to tens (and in some cases hundreds) of thousands of users’ ideabooks. See if one of them will inspire an idea for your own kitchen.

Marie Newton, Closets Redefined

1. Custom pantry. More than any other storage solution, Houzzers dream of a perfectly organized walk-in pantry. More than 410,000 users have saved this photo to their ideabooks, thanks to its pullout baskets, pocket doors and abundant shelf space.

“People love pantries because they house everything all in one place,” says storage designer Marie Newton, who designed this pantry. “You can see it all, so you don’t end up buying something you already have.”

Glenvale Kitchens

2. Corner drawer. Ingenious corner drawers are a creative solution for awkward corners, which is why 250,000 Houzzers saved this photo. The drawers run diagonally into the corner, which makes them deeper than most and therefore lets them pack a bigger storage punch.

WoodWorks INC.

3. Utensil drawer. This clever utensil built-in keeps serveware and silverware conveniently in check. Added to more than 230,000 ideabooks, this image is one of the most popular on Houzz. If you want the look but can’t afford custom, take the DIY route by placing stainless steel pots in a deep, empty drawer.

Design Set Match

4. Undersink drawer. The deep cabinet under the sink can seem like a bottomless pit, so it isn’t surprising that 187,000 readers love this easy solution. The drawer keeps cleaning supplies visible. DIY by purchasing and installing your own chrome sliding organizer.

Mullet Cabinet

5. Pullout trash can. More than 180,000 Houzzers love the simplicity of this pullout trash can. It hides unattractive bins and frees up floor space, while the side nook can house trash bags and ties (or an air freshener).

Schuler Cabinetry

6. Cookie sheet drawer. More than 179,000 users agree that this divided drawer is the solution for a range of muffin tins, broiler pans, cooling racks and cookie sheets. If you don’t have a drawer to spare, try a narrow pullout near the stove or add wood or metal dividers to the cabinet above your refrigerator.

Sawhill Kitchens

7. Appliance garage. Just about all of us could use a clutter-free countertop, which is why appliance garages are popular. More than 135,000 users like this design, which keeps a blender, toaster and mixer nearby but out of sight.

More ways to keep small appliances handy but out of the way

Bill Fry Construction - Wm. H. Fry Const. Co.

8. Deep cabinet organizer. This pullout pantry organizer, paired with cabinet door racks, is a favorite for 127,000 Houzzers. “Many of our clients don’t have room for a walk-in pantry,” says Rhoda Fry, CFO at Bill Fry Construction. “Having storage on the doors and inside keeps everything organized and within easy reach.”

Mascheroni Construction

9. Rolling cabinet or cart. Acting as both counter and storage, this accessible rolling cart is worth adding. It can work as a kitchen island, especially in a small space, or a bar cart when rolled into any room. Nearly 100,000 people have this in their photo collections on Houzz.

NWC Construction

10. Spice drawer. This handy spice pullout and cabinet rack design has been saved to more than 90,000 ideabooks so far, mostly because it’s so practical.

Nathan Cross, president of NWC Construction and contractor of this kitchen, believes that builders should adapt to each individual homeowner instead of creating a one-size-fits-all space. In this instance the client loves to cook, so he ensured that an expansive spice collection was on hand at all times.

Hamilton-Gray Design, Inc.

11. Kitchen mail station. About 74,000 community members long for this kitchen command station, complete with bookshelves, mail slots and a desk. It’s a great way to avoid that midweek paper pileup, and it conveniently lets someone supervise homework time while cooking dinner.

Pacific Northwest Cabinetry

12. Dish drawer. Some 59,000 users love this sturdy, deep drawer, which keeps plates within reach for even the shortest members of the household. This one can hold 75 to 100 pounds, and adjustable pegs let you easily fit in all your breakables.

More ways to create a custom dish drawer with pegs

Intimate Living Interiors

13. Pet bowls. Pets are such an important part of many people’s lives, and more than 53,000 Houzzers think these built-in dog bowls are a great kitchen feature. To keep your pet from tripping you up while you cook, you can also add a dog or cat bed to your kitchen.

Taste Design Inc

14. Open shelves. This look is one of the most popular trends on Houzz, and 57,000 love this kitchen in particular. These stainless steel shelves can display decorative accessories or store daily dishes.

Al Williams

15. Pullout shelves. Saved to more than 52,000 ideabooks, this pullout shelf provides easy access to pots and pans. This system works great for reaching those back corners in deep cabinets: The front tray pulls out vertically and allows the back tray to slide over to the right.

AG Home Goods

a bunch of really cool things

2014-10-16T23:51:00.001-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

a bunch of really cool things

An eco-sensitive pre fabricated house designed by Philippe Starck—which made the trade show rounds in 2013—has been fully constructed on the outskirts of Paris. PATH (Prefabricated Accessible Technology Homes), the acronym assigned this prototype, brings to life Stark’s dream of a “deeply modern” and environmentally responsible prefabricated house, one that can conceivably be ready for shipping in 6 months, and requiring no more than 2 weeks for onsite construction.

A collaboration with Slovenian engineering firm Riko and a team of French ‘green’ technology experts, PATH is a decidedly modern glass and aluminum two-story house outfitted with a host of energy-efficient and energy-producing elements, including solar panels, wind turbines, rainwater collection devices, and heath pumps—all strategically chosen to help the house yield twice the energy required for its operation. While this prototype—which features the kind of light-saturated, open-plan interior, and smart storage solutions to warm the heart of any modernist—will eventually be occupied by the designger and his family, Stark’s vision for PATH is a good deal more inclusive. The PATH concept is intended to be widely adaptable to a range of home models, each customizable to desired size, floor plan, individual features, and, consequently, price points.

Glamorous though this house is, Starck is modest about his aspirations, qualifying PATH as ‘not an architectural work. It’s very humble and just made with the best engineering and the best technology.’

Elegant Concrete Dog Bowls

Never mind the dogs; design-minded humans are the ones likely to fall for this pair of elegant dog bowls from The Urban Animal Scientist. The Atlanta-based canine company makes good on its promise to make products with “masculine lines…built to last,” by foregoing happy colors and doggie motifs for cool, monochromatic concrete, hand poured into simple, geometric forms that don’t belie their function one bit. So much so, in fact, that we can think of plenty of uses for these handsome vessels, and they won’t even involve dog food.

Wall Paper Graphics

When a dash of retro-centric flair is called for, optically dizzying wallpapers from Quirk & Rescue may offer a solution or two. The London design studio, who we discovered at ICFF this year, specializes in a range of home products which count typography and graphic design among its influences, along with a dose of 60s Op Art. The latter, primarily expressed as wallpaper, features original geometric patterns and a refined sense of color, both of which elevate Quirk &
Rescue’s designs from retro kitsch to contemporary polish.

Hope all of you enjoyed the pics and post..

Come again as articles are posted often and enjoy more from

AG Home Goods

Three things that caught my attention this week and are worth taking a second look at...

2014-09-29T08:21:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Three things that caught my attention this week and are worth taking a second look at...

Today we will be looking at three different homes, all in their own right simply amazing. Either because of the design elements used by the designer or the simplicity of the designs themselves they are todays things that are worth taking a second look at...

Reductive Simplicity’ Transforms a Brooklyn Home!!!!!

Architect Chris Cooper and interior designer Jennifer Hanlin had the built-in advantage of both vision and good taste on their side when they renovated the two floors of their Brooklyn duplex. Who else but spatial esthetes could have envisioned a dark, utilitarian crawl space as a mezzanine-in-the-making, ready to house a library and TV room? Cooper and Hanlin did, and thanks to that bit of visionary thinking, added a whopping (by New York City standards) 325 square feet to an already sizable (by New York City standards) family home.

A gut renovation that included judiciously adding and subtracting volume (to create both perceived and actual space) has given the couple and their two young children a thoughtfully edited family home conducive to both communal living and privacy, replete with both light and textural richness. Cooper’s fondness for “reductive simplicity” and Hanlin’s desire for a “neutral, contemplative and calm” home made for an esthetic meeting of the minds, tastefully expressed in the curated selection of Modernist and contemporary furnishings that enhance the home’s new parameters. If only it were as reductively simple as this for the rest of us.

I hope all opt you enjoyed the first item I found interesting.. Here we go with number two..

An exclusive sale for a very nice lighting concept.. If you ask me its still way to over priced but It is exquisite in every detail...

Fabian Italy goes on sale in The United States

Italy’s rich tradition of glass making is given a contemporary spin by Fabbian, the Italian lighting brand that has taken the craft to new heights with a range of luminous modern lighting fixtures. Collaborations with a team of international designers and architects has produced a collection of glass pendants, wall and ceiling fixtures, and floor and table lamps defined by their visually striking forms and technologically advanced manufacturing methods. 2Modern is welcoming Fabbian to its family of stellar lighting brands with an exclusive sale that begins today, and lasts through August 24th. Take 15% off and get free shipping on all Fabbian lighting models, including the ethereal Lumi and Cloudy collections.

A new kind of impact furniture..

Definitely likely to cause a big Wow with any of your guest.. These pieces stick out immediately when walking into a home that displays them. They are colorful yet graceful and adequate for today's modern home..

Taking furniture to artful heights, quite literally, is Italian brand Casamania, which, in collaboration with Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune, has released a collection of cabinets that derive inspiration from the great abstract painter Ellsworth Kelly. Casamania’s Legato cabinets (Legato, in Italian, translates as ‘tied together’) are clean rectilinear pieces, rendered striking for their brightly colored front doors of varying sizes, crafted from MDF, and given the rounded corners common in the flat shapes that Kelly made famous. This isn’t the first nod to Kelly by Claesson Koivisto Rune. The studio’s 2013 Kelly seating collection for another Italian furnishings brand, Tacchini, appropriated the same expanses of segmented monochromes seen on the Legato cabinets. Nothing wrong with melding art with craft, we say.

Hope of you enjoyed the three things worth taking a second look. The home was spectacular, the lamps exquisite, and the colorful furniture, well what can be said.. Its simply amazing... and a great tasteful way of introducing color into your modern home...

Hope you enjoyed the pics and post!!!

The horrors of loosing a pet

2014-09-21T21:36:00.003-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

The horrors of loosing a pet in a fire.... but not by the fire itself...

I am writting this article today to comment on the mix-ups and the consequences of people that have no right to interfere taking matters into their own hands.

Has anyone reading this ever had a bad day, and made a decision based on what the person in front of them said or represented as facts.. And in the end find out that the person did this to deceive and was actually already planning with ulterior motives..

Well pet owners beware, in Miami Shores, miami there is a place where this happens and here is one such case.. A case where a great injustice is being committed and a loving pet owner is in danger of loosing his most prized possession, not only his beloved pet but his best friend..This comes after a house fire almost destroyed his home and the pet was taken away by animal rescue and delivered to this so called animal clinic in Miami...

And all because of a lying, worker at Miami Shores Animal Clinic, who made false statements and promises to a concerned and loving owner...

Please read below and if any of you find this as bad as I do, please write the clinic on their google local page and tell them... if you can show support and that would be greatly appreciated...

Here is a link to the Animal Clinics website: miamishoresanimalclinic.com

Happier Times in Antonios life: Still a puppy and with his loving owner

Still more pictures of this wonderful dog growing up...

From the pet owners own mouth:

I will never understand how and why the entire team at this clinic would set out to make sure I lost the only thing left after the fire at my house, my dog Antonio. The Miami Shores Animal Clinic (MSAC) received Antonio by way of Animal control. I called their establishment and spoke with one of the staff who told me I had ONLY TWO OPTIONS with regards to Antonio. I could receive Antonio by paying what was sure to be a bill they had taken liberty of assuming I could not afford only to have the police come fine me and remove the dog days later. My other option was to sign a release of ownership over to the clinic so he could then be transferred out of Miami-Dade County and to the Broward Humane Society where I could then readopt him. I couldn’t understand why a release was necessary, but I was absolutely assured by their staff member Jennifer that I would have the chance to get my dog back as I would be included on knowing when the exact moment Antonio would be transported to the Broward facility. I visited him over the next couple days and the clinic saw firsthand the special relationship I had with this animal. I met the veterinarian caring for him and asked him what was next for his recovery. I was saddened to hear that it could possibly be weeks before he would get released. Strangely, hours after I left the clinic that same very day as the news from the vet, I received “the warning call” that Antonio was being release to Broward the very next day given his progress. I did not get that call the next day so I called and strangely Jennifer was off. I was devastated when Jennifer called me upon returning to the office where she said he had been transported to Broward already and that’s all they could say since I signed the release! I spent the next 7 days scouring Broward shelters for my dog. NEVER did ANY shelter receive Antonio, especially the one in which I was assured he went to. I was back at Miami Shores Animal clinic meeting one of the managers name

Outside, Outside, & more outside... all about outdoor decor

2014-09-13T11:24:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Outside, Outside, & more outside... all about outdoor decor

Today we will be talking about the great outdoors and the need for the use of Grays and neutral colors often times. I found three articles that better explain this usage. Two by Frank Organ and one by Laura Gaskill.. Here they are.. Enjoy them.. They are well written and informative.

Does Your Landscape Need a Little ‘Cosmic Latte

By: Frank Orgon

neutral color palette creates a calm and stylish environment in our homes and provides a harmonious backdrop for furniture and decorations. Can the neutrality of beige and its various cousins do the same in garden design, allowing us to create a compelling landscape and backdrop for plantings and garden furniture?

Astronomers have discovered that the real color of the universe is beige, or “cosmic latte,” as they’ve dubbed it. If the universe is beige, what’s wrong with having a beige garden? Let’s look at a few examples of how beige can be far from bland and can, in fact, be a great building block for contemporary gardens.

Baldinger Studio

Save

Concrete is often a contemporary garden’s main source of beige. Its industrial look suits minimalist designs, in which shape and mass take precedence over color and pattern. In this landscape, shadows and tonal variations on the differing planes of the structure create interest as the light changes throughout the day.

Beige can help emphasize clean lines in a landscape’s design. The lack of bright color or decoration really allows the structure of the design to show through, even in the simplest patios.

The restriction of color in this patio allows the creamy-smooth texture of the paved walkway, the dark taupe of the canopy and the lines of the cobbles to shine through. In the same way that beige is used in interior design as a backdrop to brightly colored furnishings, here the beige enables the bright red garden furniture to pop in the design.

jessop architects

Save

One definition of bland is “lacking strong features or characteristics.” Yet here the beige, which some would call the blandest of colors, emphasizes the striking lines of this design. As we’ve seen, strong modernist design has no need for color or decoration to succeed. Beige allows the wall shapes, sizes and textures to show clearly.

Terry and Terry Architecture

Save

This meticulously crafted concrete staircase provides the perfect neutral beige background for the simple planting in front. The texture and variation in the concrete walls add interest, while the glass balustrade has a subtle graduation of color, as it covers some of the concrete while allowing light through to the stairway. It all creates an interesting feature, far from bland, without the use of bright colors or ornamentation.

Giulietti Schouten Architects

Save

The repeated plantings of soft rush (Juncus effusus) alongside this walkway and steps are brought to the fore because they’re set against beige concrete panels. The neutral color provides a blank canvas to plant against — so much better than the browns of traditional fencing or the terra-cotta color of brick walls.

It is worth remembering that green is generally considered a neutral color in garden design, so it is no wonder that it combines so well with beige.

CORE Landscape Group

Save

In designs where more plantings are used, any thought of blandness from beige goes out the window. The tones in the coloring of the tall, creamy stone wall and the brighter ivory coloring of the large floating slabs over the water feature set a great skeleton upon which the formal planting can hang.

Gray, the great companion of beige in the neutrality league, completes this calm and composed landscape.

180 degrees

Save

This entry is a celebration of the beige family and shows all the ways these colors and tones can be winners in the garden, from the sandy-colored walls to the dark buff of the formal pool. Not only do the tones create a calm and restful setting, but they are also the perfect companion for all sorts of natural elements, from the purple ground cover creeping over the blush-pink concrete slabs to the clear water reflecting in the raised, formal pond.

ras-a, inc.

Save

You don’t have to use just one member of the beige family. From muted cream to almost khaki, these wall panels seem to echo interior wall stripes in creating a decorative yet neutral-colored boundary.

Suyama Peterson Deguchi

Save

Have I convinced you that beige and its colleagues can be anything but bland? When used with skill, these neutral colors give us great building blocks for our garden design and help create a wonderful theater in which to display a wide variety of plant material. We see in this stunning example how rust-colored boulders blend seamlessly with the beige hardscape and the skillful plantings surrounding them.

DWY Landscape Architects

Save

Finally, I just love this celebration of the beige family, from the ivory dining set and sand-colored seating to the crisp, clean paving. Bland? I don’t think so.

10 Gorgeous Courtyards From Mod to Moroccan

By Laura Gaskill

Some have pools or fountains; some are awash only with greenery. These courtyards run the gamut of styles but have alluring looks in common

A house with a courtyard just may be the (totally unofficial) dream home in temperate locales the world over. An area without a roof, enclosed either completely or partially by the walls of a building, provides a cool, secluded space for outdoor lounging and entertaining. Beyond the appeal of the courtyard itself, including this design feature means a boost in natural light and indoor-outdoor flow. See if one of these 10 homes with courtyards, from one with a cool pool in Miami to a tiled Moroccan oasis, is worthy of your style file.

Balfoort Architecture, Inc.

Save

1. Miami Mod

With views of the pool from nearly every room in the house, this Florida home is all about indoor-outdoor living. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors can open up to create a seamless flow. And check out that walkway right across the pool!

Balfoort Architecture, Inc.

Save

Here you can see a view of the pool from inside the home — notice how the slick white floors and tall pillars echo the reflective pool and palms outside.

Artisan of Seagrove

Save

2. Glamorous Pool

Arches adorned with flowing blue curtains, high balconies and an unusual C-shaped pool make this space especially captivating. Imagine sitting on the upper balcony, catching a cool breeze, while gazing at the pool below … bliss!

Artisan of Seagrove

Save

In another part of the same courtyard, a tree adds shade and lush green color, while a tall table and grill provide everything needed for al fresco feasts.

Artisan Books

Save

3. Moroccan Tiled

In this traditional Moroccan courtyard, pattern upon pattern of hand-painted tiles are layered to stunning effect. Want to bring this look home? Tile is a natural complement to white stucco — try mixing two to four different patterns in the same colorway. Finish with a boldly patterned rug and low-slung, loungeworthy furniture.

Klopf Architecture

Save

4. Eichler Cool

This classic midcentury Eichler home was updated with a sleek courtyard makeover. A Japanese maple was added for color and shade, and simple, streamlined furnishings were brought in.

WA design

Save

5. Contemporary Courtyard

Stretching the boundaries of what a courtyard is, this spacious outdoor dining space is set between two buildings on the property.

Houzz Tour: Stunning Berkeley Courtyard House

Thompson Custom Homes

Save

5. Stately Arches

Columns and arches set the stage for a luxurious courtyard pool in this grand Houston home. Climbing vines suggest coolness — a much-desired feature in the hot Texas summers!

Thompson Custom Homes

Save

Taking a step back, we see a spacious dining area beneath the eaves of the house, with a view of the pool.

See more of this project

Allen Construction

Save

6. Classic Mediterranean

This Santa Ynez, California, home has a central courtyard complete with a tiled fountain, about as classic as it gets. The shade provided from all four sides of the house (plus the lush plantings) keeps the interior of the courtyard cooler, even when it’s scorching outside. In a space like this, you could set up small tables for dining on the stone patio or beneath the overhangs close to the house.

Cassy Aoyagi, FormLA Landscaping

Save

7. Rambling Patio

With a home this large, the courtyard has room to sprawl out, forming several distinct outdoor rooms — dining area, fountain and fireplace. Mood lighting creates a warm and welcoming ambience for evening entertaining.

Drawing Dept

Save

8. Zen Garden

Austere in its simplicity, this enclosed courtyard garden would make a wonderful spot in which to decompress. A single Japanese maple and a low row of hedges are the only green spots in this Zen-like space; the crisp geometry of the stone and gravel completes the picture.

Drawing Dept

Save

Looking from inside the house during the day, you can see how light pours from the courtyard into the interior rooms, and how the courtyard provides an enticing private outdoor spot in which to relax.

See more of this project

Diamond Homes, Inc.

Save

9. Urban Courtyard

Having a private outdoor space in the city is something many urbanites dream of. This courtyard gets a boost in character from vibrant blue trim on the windows and from climbing vines.

HABITAT Landscape Architecture

Save

10. Hidden Entrance

Come through the gate into this entry courtyard and you feel instantly transported to a serene hideaway. Paths, pines and native plantings create a beautiful, drought-tolerant landscape.

Tell us: Share a photo of your own courtyard — or your dream courtyard — in the Comments.

Dare to Go Gray in the Garden

By: Gary Orgon

Use neutral gray as a soother, a buffer and a framework for plants in many colors

Gray has become a popular color choice for interior walls, as it combines so well with many colors without overpowering them. It is what is known as a neutral or achromatic color — that is, a color without color. Gray can adapt to colors adjacent to it, becoming lighter or darker, creating a calm and contemporary living space.

There are many other reasons that using gray in our gardens can also be beneficial. Gray and silver plants have been written about because they tend to be suited to dry climates and because they can create a monochromatic silver-gray garden. But gray can also create a framework for other colors, allowing features to blend or toning down bright-colored plants while acting as a buffer between colors that otherwise might clash.

Dotter & Solfjeld Architecture + Design

Save

Neutral colors, including gray, can cool or intensify the impact of stronger surrounding colors. On its own this lime green wall could have been too intense, but it’s muted by the gray paving and blocks of darker gray gravel.

Save

Neutral colors can create the framework that holds a garden together. The poured concrete slabs and fire pit here act as the framework for the surrounding plantings and patio furniture — they do not dominate the design or fight the colors of the plants.

Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design

Save

The decking and furniture on this wide balcony, in a restrained palette of warm grays, has an elegant, formal look that shows off the clipped boxwood (Buxus sp) topiary. Lime green joins in, in the almost urn-shaped containers.

ModernBackyard

Save

The neutral colors, especially gray and green, we have seen here so far are part of the framework that holds the garden together. The same concept can apply to planters and containers. This mixture of edible herb plants, especially with the differing variegated foliage, feels cohesive — it might have been confused if brightly colored or patterned containers had been used.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

Save

Neutrals, including gray, brown and green, provide a perfect backdrop for other colors. This is especially useful in garden design, where bold-colored plantings can take the front of stage against the gray garden framework of paving, fencing or walls. Here spurge (Euphorbia characiassubsp. wulfenii) and New Zealand wind grass(Anemanthele lessoniana) pops against the muted paving, while the gray paving tones down the intense colors.

Secret Gardens

Save

These wooden steps, weathered to a silver-gray, rise through the bright-green Brazilian tree fern (Blechnum ‘Silver Lady’) and the red and white flower spikes of the Heliconia angustifolia ‘Red Christmas’.

REMARK

Save

Barriers can be part of the decorative scheme, whether they’re made of intricate wrought iron or they’re an ornamental trellis, but there are situations when barriers need to recede. Taut wires on this trellis support climbing plants as they grow up and fill out the space, creating a living fence and allowing the wire and gray painted support posts to blend in with the background.

debora carl landscape design

Save

This warm gray gate blends into the garden without overpowering it. The gate, though still a prime feature in the design, takes second place to the plantings — perhaps it would have dominated the plantings and design had it been painted or stained in a brighter color.

I think this use of gray shows how well the color works in contemporary garden design, where it softens bright colors and helps create a peaceful and calming garden layout.

Sarah Greenman

Save

To let surrounding designs stand out, blend house extensions, sheds and other outbuildings into the garden and overall landscape design by painting them gray.

Save

These raised concrete beds, though interesting with their patina, recede behind the plantings in them. The gray concrete blends with all the foliage. We tend to put flowers in vases that do not overpower them, and it is the same with raised beds — generally we want the plantings to take center stage.

Tim Davies Landscaping

Save

Gray and other neutral colors tone down adjacent colors, and they also create buffers between neighboring colors that might otherwise have a tendency to clash. This gray retaining wall separates the gray-hued agave and bright green Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) while complementing both.

Gray-leaved evergreens, such as daisy bush (Brachyglottis greyi), lavender cotton(Santolina chamaecyparissus), lavender (Lavendula spp) and silverbush (Convolvulus cneorum) are perfect plant buffers.

Ibarra Rosano Design Architects

Save

Gray can also be used as an exterior feature color. This entry’s design interest comes from various shades of gray in a variety of textures. The sparse planting picks up the muted tones, and the foliage’s shape and movement overcome the need for flowers.

Cornerstone Architects

Save

A neutral gray palette has again been used here exclusively. There is a wide variation of tones, from the deep hue of the gravel and raised planter to the warm hue of the concrete paving and limestone walls.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

Two interesting houses

2014-09-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Two amazing totally different homes...

Two interesting homes.. One small and made to play in and the other humungous and designed on Fire Island in New York by Richard Meier, a well known architect.

A set of lucky kids.. in a most amazing little house

One can only hope that the children of artist Jerome A. Levin will someday have a full understanding of how lucky they were. Levin, a father of three, has built a backyard house for his kids by employing the kind of careful consideration and meticulous attention reserved for full-sized contemporary homes—without extracting an iota of its child-like magic.

Levin, who trained as both artist and philosopher, sees great merit in small spaces—(“it enables you to think differently about your surroundings and your peers”)—and, not surprisingly, approached this 125 square-foot, year-long project in the backyard of his Long Island house from a perspective both esthetic and esoteric.

His self-titled “Metapod,” is deliberately ‘monastic,’ with furnishings edited down to a boat-like minimum, creating a serene, contemplative counterpoint to its lush and leafy garden setting. The house’s carefully chosen orientation affords the children (and their sleepover friends) bucolic views of the sun’s rising and setting, and plenty of uninterrupted internal space supremely “conducive to daydreaming.” Lucky kids.

A Richard Meier Fire-Island Home

It’s a measure of contemporary sizing standards—or just the tony circles in which Richard Meier travels—that a recently-designed 2,000 square foot beach house by the New York-based architect qualifies as ‘modest.’ By summer house standards, 2,000 square feet is a bit beyond modest, we think, but on New York’s pretension-free Fire Island, a barrier island with no inclinations to become the Hamptons, a house comprised of 25 tons of glass, and boasting 1700 square feet of decking is, no doubt about it, a very big deal.

But if there’s one thing Meier—who isn’t one to bother himself with pre-conceived notions about what any house should be—knows about, it’s how to go big. So it’s little wonder that the beach house he designed for clients who happen to be long-time friends, is a showstopper. Towering above the low-profile bungalows on the shoreline of an island conspicuously devoid of designer boutiques, and where residents saunter barefoot to local watering holes, Meier’s signature all-white, transparent cube of a house flies in the face of local architectural vernacular. But when a house is this ravishing to look at, maybe that little detail is wholly beside the point.

Hope you enjoyed the pics and post....

2014-08-24T08:26:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Ultra-Modern House Of A Hydraulic Power Station

Today I am talking about surprises when looking at spaces from the outside.. Imagine looking at a castle, a fire station, a florida home... What would you think the insides woulds be like.. Fire Station would be rustic contemporary, castle would be mid evil, the florida home, rattan furniture, etc.. This would be my guesses.. Now imagine if all three of them were and hard modern contemporary interiors.

Here is one such home and the amazing look and feel it brings..

This ultra-modern house in the north of England is redone of a hydraulic power station. Who could imagine that such an old building could be turned into a cool house? There are 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 living rooms. Outside it’s a usual brick old building but inside it’s an amazingly modern space and because of the difference the effect is so striking. Each corner of the house is thought over; the main color used is beige. Modern technologies like IR cameras and electric gate combine well with exquisite things like Italian marble and natural wood floor. The house is now on sale for 725,000 euros

An amazing unexpected home...

AG Home Goods

30 Modern Bathroom Design Ideas For Your Private Heaven

2014-08-19T08:34:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

15 or so Modern Bathroom Design Ideas For Your Private

Heaven

Today I am throwing out there some bathroom design ideas for all of you to think about.. There are many different types of bathroom designs all designed for specific types of homes.. Take a look and let me know what you think..

Bathrooms are spaces that we use everyday, so their importance is far greater than we give it credit for. From bright and cheery to sophisticated and imposing, modern bathrooms have long gone beyond the limit of space. Creative solutions for small bathrooms have completely changed the way we look at spaces, while the endless design possibilities for spa-like environments have surpassed our wildest dreams. In between, details transform dull bathrooms into fantastic relaxation and refreshing spaces.

When your home displays vaulted cathedral ceilings in the master bedroom and porcelain floors throughout, you know you’re surrounded by high quality and ask nothing less than that in the bathroom, too. This is one of the four bathrooms in the Elysium Penthouse located in the Grace Tower building in Vancouver. It flaunts a free-standing bathtub right next to the window overlooking the city, so that a bubble bath is a sensory and visual experience.

When your bathroom employs a natural color palette backed up by warm materials, relaxing baths are surely part of your routine. With a modern rustic appeal, the bathroom shown above makes use of wood to create a pleasant ambiance basked in natural and artificial light. If you’re looking to get the best use of space in your bathroom, try using mirrors, good lighting and a monochromatic palette that can balance a small bathroom.

Showcasing a crisp interior design, this modern bathroom is part of the 813 Laurel Avenue House. Within a luxurious home like this one, the bathroom had to be spacious and induce a feeling of openness. The wall acting as a background for the freestanding tub was not only painted dark, but also fitted with a window that frames the natural outdoors – that’s an interesting idea to apply in your own large bathroom to add character.

Making the most of your bathroom requires careful planning before inspiring decorating. An efficient layout stabilizes the overall appeal, leaving room for moving around freely, as we can see in the Mandeville Canyon Residence‘s bathroom above. Use a practical bathroom layout guide to help you define the areas in your bathroom that necessitate attention so that you can enjoy the results with no regrets.

Luxury bathrooms like the one in this stunning Aspen home is an example for those of you who aspire to live in a sumptuous environment. Contemporary bathroom design is made up of carefully chosen details, colors and textures and defined by the use of space and light.

When your home is a chalet-inspired modern villa in Madrid, the bathroom conveys a sense of luxurious relaxation. Greenery makes the space more welcoming, while the bathtub is basked in natural light coming through a floor-to-ceiling window.

Modern spaces that inspire our own fantasies of what a bathroom should be like are only a click away. The contemporary bathroom seen in the elegant Punta Brava 2 Residence merges a spa-like environment with finely crafted details and glimpses of an outdoor green area that balances intimacy and openness.

Moving on to a more minimalist bathroom design, this warm and inviting bathroom seems defined by the presence of French oak both on the floor and the ceiling. Part of the Naramata cabin, it showcases the use of wood as a softening element and manages to “achieve a sense of simple luxurious comfort, that feels curated rather than designed”.

Inspiration can come from all sort of sources. Displaying all things needed to leave this room refreshed, the luxury Malimbu Cliff vacation villa in Indonesia flaunting this modern bathroom was imagined as a cheery space that provokes you to leave worries behind.

Finding the perfect tiles for your bathroom could mean the difference between kitsch and luxury. Seen on Fap Ceramiche, the exemplary bathroom above transposes us into a world of perfection, where colors and patterns collide to shape an inspiring bathroom design.

Wood can completely transform your bathroom. This has been proven not only by South African Metropole Architects, who imagined the Albizia House as having a comfortable bathroom mirroring the design seen in the rest of this amazing residence. The carefully planned bathroom looks as inviting as a living space – isn’t that something you would want in your own home?

Wood and brown hues compose an almost surreal comfort zone enhanced by the use of a frameless mirror that runs the length of the raw wooden basin support. Photographed by Rachel Lewis, this monochromatic modern bathroom is a provocative example of today’s design possibilities.

Overlooking nearby Lake Tahoe in Nevada, the bathroom in the impressive dark-skinned Lake House seen above provokes our senses and inspires our minds. This spacious private room displays a large shower area dressed in glass and a free-standing bathtub so that the owners can choose between a quick shower and a long bath while enjoying panoramic views over treetops and the sparkling lake.

When your home is a luxurious Penthouse in Budapest, high-quality materials and perfectly fitted details come with the territory. Deep chocolate hues employed in the apartment were also used to create a sense of belonging and comfort in the bathroom.

This spacious bathroom is found on the French Riviera, in the beautiful Villa in Cap Ferrat. A fresh design and good lighting create a sense of cleanliness. Storage underneath the sink was ingeniously continued to shape a powder table and a round stool was fitted underneath. Hope all of you enjoyed the post and pics.. Until next time..

AG Home Goods

A getaway in the heart of mid beach!!!

2014-04-16T15:20:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

A getaway in the heart of Mid Beach....

After being gone for a while from my official blog, I am coming back with a new series I am writing, featuring homes that stand out in the south Florida community.

I was lucky enough to spend the day a few days ago with some really good friends, lucky guys that have created an oasis in the middle of mid beach, Miami Beach. This is a 1940's restored residence that is not only exquisite but a gem of a house - complete with sun roof, main entry room, and real 1920's-40's antique pieces, this is one of a kind home.

Hope you enjoy the pics and post.

The front outside of this beautiful house and the main room once you enter this home... Simply amazing.. It looks both cozy and very classy... it also feels like a home and is very functional

Beautiful Sculptures all around this home are simply amazing

One of a kind antique pieces are common throughout the home as well

This beautiful piece is from the 1930's

The office area overlooks the beautiful pool

The exquisite dining room

But the true fantastic part of this home is the pool and sun deck located on the roof complete with artificial TURF AND AMAZING DECOR.. THESE TWO AREAS OF THE HOME are not only the most used, but the most functional. Please see pics below...

Upstairs sun deck recreation area

Upstairs sun deck sitting artea

This vase is at the entrance outside of the entrance to the upstairs sun deck

And finally I will present pictures of the master bedroom, and front of this house. They have really created a beautiful oasis full of period details from the 1940's.

The master bedroom

The beautiful chandelier in the dining room

Master Bath

exquisite pieces from the 1930's

And finally the front of the home, which is every inch as classy as the inside...

I would like to thank John and Scot, the owners of this beautiful home for letting me enjoy a day here..

Hope all of you enjoyed the blog post and pics...

AG Home Goods

2014-01-28T15:23:00.001-05:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

A bunch of really cool things that are different.. Here they are enjoy the pics and post.. They stuck out at me and I felt like sharing.

AG Home Goods

PS Don't forget to check out our new improved website and store

AG Retail Store

AG Homesite

The Maison et Objet design fair kicked off in Paris last week, and Kartell unveiled something new for the occasion. In celebration of the 10th birthday of the Italian brand’s wild (and wildly successful) Bourgie Lamp, Kartell invited its team of 14 designers to reinterpret the lamp, a fanciful design by Ferruccio Laviani. It helps, of course, that Kartell’s roster of designers includes names with undeniable star power: Philippe Starck, Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola, and the singerLenny Kravitz. Being exhibited during Maison et Objet at Kartell’s flagship store in Paris, the 14 new Bourgies span a range from completely deconstructed (Urquiola) to head-scratching (Starck). Here, the original Bourgie, above, and a half dozen pretenders.

A fantastic Housing Project

A housing project on the Big Island of Hawaii—labeled Lavaflow—has given San Francisco-based architect Craig Steely an ideal backdrop against which to practice his self-described brand of “reductive architecture,” distinguished by few materials and simple, clean forms. With their linear, horizontal profiles, flat roofs, and vast expanses of glass, Lavaflow houses make an obvious nod towards Mid-Century Modern architecture, but Hawaii’s particular climate injects other concerns into the building process.

“Building near the ocean, with the volcano close by and the acid rain that comes from the volcano, adds another whole level of complication.” That level of complication necessitates mitigating solutions: steel framing to combat termite infestation; orienting the houses to maximize the benefits of ocean and wind; and structural elements that leverage Hawaii’s natural resources smartly and sustainably.

“The fact that every room is located along a spine makes it really easy to activate cross-ventilation and to cool off the entire place,” Steely says. “The idea of aloha really exists. It’s that caring for people, for the land, and for each other…if you really want to understand a culture and a place, build a house there.” Don’t we just wish we could.

The Luxury Dogbowl

Traditionally low-cost gingham has gone seriously upscale. Zurich-based brand En Soie has made the provincial pattern one of its signature motifs, applying it to a line of accessories and porcelain tableware—including these food bowls, for the over-indulged canine. Hand made, hand painted, and edged in 18k gold, En Soie’s Dog Bowls are unreasonably precious enough to tempt buyers to set their own tables with the checkered beauties. Alas, that doggie bowl shape is a barking giveaway.

Sputnik Chandeliers

We’d barely finished waxing poetic about Sputnik chandeliers when we spotted this starburst-shaped kaleidoscope by interior designer Kelly Wearstler, who knows a thing or two about luxury goods. Hand-crafted in Los Angeles, and given a lustrous bronze finish, this “jewelery for the home” accent piece is decidedly not for the budget-conscious. But we do appreciate its intricate ornamentation and pitch-perfect holiday glamor.

Thanks for reading

AG Home Goods

A few things that caught my eye

2013-12-01T11:32:00.000-05:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

A few things that caught my eye

Today I am writting about a few things that have cauught my attention.. These are all classified as Modern items and minimal in nature. Hope all of you enhjoy them.. They are amazing....

Enjoy the pics and post

Fabric Architecture

It’s possible to read many things into Home Within Home, the ethereal installation by Korean-born sculptor Do Ho Suh, currently on view at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. But duality, and its accompanying tensions, are clearly a central theme for the Korean-American transplant. Duh, whose preferred medium is translucent silk, has replicated, to jaw-dropping 1:1 scale, two seminal houses from his life: his childhood home in Korea, and the 3-story Providence, Rhode Island townhouse which became his home upon immigrating to the U.S. The installation merges the two houses, with the modestly sized Korean house floating in mid-air, suspended from the ceiling of the mammoth American house which completely encases it. Home Within Home, Duh’s largest sculpture to date, is dreamy and wistful, fleeting and soulful—much like houses and homes, and the lives lived inside them.

A look inside....

Mediocrity, it’s safe to say, was never to be the destiny of someone with a name like Toogood; still, we should have known that the home of the British designer Faye Toogood would have style to burn. Toogood—whose peripatetic resume includes editorial, industrial, and interior design—defines her aesthetic as “the combination of the unexpected and the theatrical with something tactile or handmade, even painterly.” All of which, happy to say, are abundantly evident in her elegantly refurbished London home. Her particular talent, befitting the eye of someone who studied art history, lies in creating still life compositions, poetic vignettes of carefully curated, seemingly unrelated objects. “I like to combine the precious and the raw,” she says—and here, she does, to splendid effect.

Black Archetecture

The color black, with all its ominous implications, is, in fact, tailor-made for 21st Century architecture. While a black-washed Victorian or Tudor morphs into an architectural cliche of foreboding doom, black lends the clean lines and geometric volumes of modern architecture a stark, sophisticated dynamism. This summer house in Tjajkovski, Sweden is one of many examples of contemporary architecture which showcases black as an aesthetic feature—and it’s a personal favorite here at 2Modern. Designed by architectural firm Tham & Videgård, the already striking angles, extreme horizontal profile and external detailing of the glass and wood Archipelago House are rendered only more dramatic by its rich black stain. As an even more dramatic counterpoint, the inside of the Archipelago house is predominantly white—but today being Halloween, it’s only black that has us transfixed.

Hope all of you enjoyed the pics and post..

AG Home Goods

A bunch of cool things

2013-11-16T21:42:00.001-05:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents
Interesting places, sites, sounds..

Today I am just going around in circles and writing about all sorted of things in the design world.. No direction just things that caught my attention...

Sydney's Apollo RESTAURANT....

“For me, Greek food is something you have at home. It’s not made to look refined,” says interior architect George Livissianis, who translated some of that simplicity and lack of pretension to his design for the Greek restaurant, Apollo, in Sydney, Australia. Livissianis, an Australian of Greek descent, was lucky enough to find fortuitous architectural details beneath the dropped ceilings and plasterboard of the existing space, and had the vision to know what to do with them.

“Our intent was to expose the carcass of the building and encourage the inherent Mediterranean feel of the existing arched windows, the hidden decorative ceilings and stripped finish of the existing walls.” Wabi-sabi rawness and a dearth of color—Livissianis refers to the color palette asdesaturated and dusty—recalls the rocky, sun-bleached Grecian landscape; and Artemidesuspension lighting and pale Thonet chairs inject contemporary elegance. Pretty refined, we’d say.

A Water filler

We’ve written about the lovely glass carafe and sustainable water filter designed by San Francisco-based Soma in a previous post, but it’s worth noting their current collaboration with Charity: Water, the non-profit group which has made clean drinking water for everyone its goal. Soma has launched this limited edition yellow filter to help raise funds for Charity: Water’s initiatives in Cambodia. For each Soma carafe and limited edition filter purchased, Soma will donate $12.50 towards providing clean water to every family in 3 Cambodian villages. If you weren’t tempted to buy a Soma water filtering system before, we hope you will be now.

Interior designs Line Item Rack...

Interior Design Magazine has announced its “Best of Year” 2013 Finalists in a broad range of categories that includes furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories. A finalist in the accessories category is Line, the elegant storage piece designed by North Carolina’s Davis Furniture—and no design enthusiast would argue the selection. An impossibly slim, wall-mounted slat of oak, walnut, or painted MDF, outfitted with 3 steel pegs and a separate pull-down lever, Line is a visually striking hold-all for clothes, coats or small accessories, whether used singly or in a group. The only conundrum we see is in having to choose amongst the gorgeous selection of colors.

Mexican Hospitality...

Anyone in the mood for the vibrant brand of Modernism exemplified by Mexican masters Luis Barragan and Ricardo Legorreta will have to look somewhere besides Mexico City’s new Distrito Capital boutique hotel, a ravishing Modernist nirvana with nary a nod to Mexican culture in sight.

French architect Joseph Dirand, whose previous hospitality venture in Mexico produced the austereHotel Habitat Monterrey, oversaw the interior design at Distrito Capital, and it shows. As with Habitat Monterrey, Dirand’s European flair is prominently on display, with furnishings by great Danes Saarinen and Aalto taking center stage.

Refinement and restraint, down to the monochromatic color scheme, reigns supreme—makingDistrito Capital a Mexican destination in which the only Latin reference point lies in its breathtaking panoramic vie

ws.

Hope all of you enjoyed the pics and post..

AG Home Goods

A bunch of things modern

2013-09-25T14:52:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

A bunch of things modern...

Today I am writting about the pantome color of the year 2014 Dazzling Blue, a few modern items, and Finland design week. Hope all of you enjoy the pics and post....

Modern Mirrors from our collection

Behold, Pantone's Color Of Spring 2014…

Who could forget Tangerine Tango or Honeysuckle? Emerald or Mimosa? Pantone's color of spring 2014 was just announced…and chances are you already own it. Introducing, Dazzling Blue, a peppy shade of cobalt that Pantone's executive director noted was a practical shade women were already likely to own (if you recognize it, Pantone states that it's also the color of Facebook and Citibank's bike-sharing program). Funnily, it's a shade less dazzling than Yves' Klein Blue, which was the hot hue in fall '11. A touch less blinding, we can definitely see this shade covering everything from structured totes to oversized topcoats to patent sandals that'd be just the ticket to elevating our spring outfit game (are you listening, designers?). And with Fashion Week just a day away, we'd be interested to see if Pantone's projections are correct.

The rest of the shades are in the same vein of slightly muted "brights" (we know this sounds like an oxymoron — but see them for yourself for evidence). With a witch's brew of Violet Tulip, Sand, Freesia, Hemlock, Cayenne, and more rounding out the top 10, the 2014 Pantone predictions present a calmer, more soothing palette for next year. See below to read up on the shades! (Racked)

Pantone's color of the year, "Dazzling Blue,"

is basically Facebook's signature color.

Resin Table, Accessories Included

The London Design Festival, which concluded yesterday, witnessed the debut of a wide range of innovative products, including this resin and wood table by Dutch designer Roel Huisman, which comes equipped with its own table lamp, storage compartment, and glass vase. Writing Table is comprised of a slab of pale green polyester resin, “cast, milled, sanded and polished” to desired effect, and supported by slender ash wood legs, the same material used to craft the attached lamp and sliding storage compartment lid. Huisman calls the table an “object you will enjoy for it’s humble aesthetics and elegant functionality,” and who are we to disagree?

Finlands design week

Finland's Design WeekOur coverage of Helsinki Design Week continues with vignettes from Habitare, the week’s primary exhibition space for furniture, lighting and home products by Finnish manufacturers and designers. We also made an illuminating detour to the glass factor, iittala, which has been in operation for over 100 years. More about that later, but for now, a few more photos to (hopefully) whet your Nordic appetite.

Marimekko display, comprised of new fabric designs and housewares.

Pendant lighting by Innolux

Double Bubble floor lamps by Eero Aarnio

Chair covered in Romo Textiles

The Artek booth at Harbitare

Fabrics by Normann Copenhagen

Plate display at iittala pavilion

Johanna Gullichsen rugs and textiles

Lighitng by Studio Eero Aarnio

Glassware at iittala shop

Hope you enjoyed the pics and post

AG Home Goods

Modern homes, and other interesting things..

2013-07-01T08:55:00.001-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Modern homes, and other interesting things..

Although its been a few weeks that I have written in my blogs, I am writing today because I have so many things to share with all of you.. I found some very interesting items and homes that I would like to share with all of you. I am sure that many of you will find these items very interesting.

Enjoy the pics and post..

A 21st Century Farnsworth House

What does a 21st Century version of Mies van der Rhoe’s exalted Farnsworth House look like? Thanks to Manhattan architectural firm Desai/Chia, we now know. The blissfully beautiful LM Guest House in upstate New York was built for a family requesting “an analog” of Farnsworth, and lucky for them (and us voyeurs), they got it in spades.

A modest 2,000 sq feet in size, LM, like Farnsworth, retains a low, horizontal profile with an all-glass exterior. But unlike Farnsworth, state-of-the-art green technology—geothermal heating and cooling; radiant floors; motorized solar shading; photovoltaic panels; rainwater harvesting; and sensitivity to the lay of the land—was thoughtfully employed to reduce the carbon footprint of an all-glass house.

“The LM Guest House celebrates the beauty of the surrounding landscape,” says Desai/Chia. Agreed—but we think it more potently celebrates the enduring, timeless beauty of Farnsworth House.

Headliner

At 83, Milton Glaser still knows how to stay design-relevant. The only graphic designer to have ever been awarded a National Medal of Arts (in 2009), he was also making news at ICFF 2013 recently. The Barcelona carpet brand Nanimarquina launched a collection of 3 wool carpets designed by Glaser, each bearing earth-toned, cross-hatch graphic patterns with tribal overtones. The star of the rug trio was Shakespeare in Africa, featuring the head of The Bard himself. Of his desire to reference a literary icon on a carpet, said Glaser, “I wanted to take two things that have no relationship with each other and do what art does: to unify the apparently unrelated.” Mission accomplished, we say.

Gus* Annex Cabinet!

The elegant Annex Storage Cabinet by Gus*! This versatile, perfectly proportioned piece is a generous 60-inch wide, with adjustable shelves and self-closing doors and drawers. Recessed handles, a warm walnut finish, and sleek stainless steel base make this thoughtfully designed cabinet an enviable addition to any modern furniture collection.

Indeed modern homes and a piece that is considered one of the best contemporary storage cabinets out there.

AG Home Goods.

Great Examples Of Modern Furniture Design

2013-05-21T13:47:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Great Examples Of Modern Furniture Design

Today we are going to talk about many modern types of furniture designs and the way they are applied by us in today's design world and the various design styles associated with said products.

You must have gotten tired of that old furniture you’re having or you have something new and exquisite and you’d like to see what else is on the market, one of these is the answer to the question ‘Why are you here?’. This is the first of many articles of its kind on the site, as we all try to improve our working space or home and some information about interior design ideas is always welcome. You must admit that the people who designed these interesting things are quite talented. For now, I’m delivering you solutions for tables, chairs and beds/sofas.

Contemporary Plastic Based Illuminated Table

The Static Table is a clever play on the word “table lamp” even though simply put it is an illuminated table. This distinctly modern table maybe made of plastic, however that hasn’t taken away from the general aesthetics. Designed and conceptualized by Dutch industrial designer Han Koning, the table’s futuristic look is no coincidence. The illuminated table no doubt speaks a modern visual language. There also seems to be a genuine attempt to reinvent the archaic even though the designer uses a taboo material like plastic.

An arresting juxtaposition of simplicity and complexity, the Static Table has an illuminated white thermo forced PET-G plastic base and a coated MDF tabletop. Available in three different shades of hues, the illuminated table is actually part of the designer’s Static Plastic lighting series, which is equally riveting.

Amazing & Unique Armoire from Studio Tord Boontje

There are two basic types of small space living in the world: the type necessitated by income, and the type that arises out of one’s environs — say, nestled into the heart of Paris or tucked away atop a tony skyscraper in some faraway metropolis. For the latter type, a standalone wardrobe is likely in order since a walk-in closet probably didn’t come with that pied-a-terre in the 4th arrondissement. But in instances in which an IKEA closet won’t do, enter the unique armoire selection from Studio Tord Boontje, including the stunning woodwork of his piece entitled “L’armoire.” As much a piece of art as it is a piece of furniture, although the armoire is perfectly functional, you might not even want to hang your clothing inside, lest it pale in comparison to the beauty of its captor. Per Boontje, “The particular Dalbergia wood selected is a silk-textured variety, richly brown in colour with rich highlights, and figured by a subtle, darker irregular weave throughout.” Sensuous indeed is this gorgeous wardrobe hearkening back to the classic 18th century silhouette but updating it was a bit of creative flair, and there’s no mistaking that the designer is a big fan of Rodin, given the boldly sculptural quality of his work. Standing 210 high × 110 wide × 80 cm deep, it’s a special set of somethings to be hung in such a masterpiece.

The Signs Mirror Collection Made Of Ceramic And Copper

It was once reported by the British newspaper Daily Mail, that the average woman spends around five days a year in front of the mirror. So no surprises then, that modern mirrors are fair as their users! The Signs Mirror Collection can be mistaken for an surrealistic art installation than an household object. The futuristically-styled mirror collection seeks inspiration from nautical flags and is broken into two parts: a base made of ceramic and a polished mirror sheet of copper.

Designed by Jeremy Murier and Daniel Martinez, the collection is an arresting medley of perception, perspective and reflections. It also has a rare blend of beauty and theatricality, that emanates a sense of magical realism.

“The cylindrical bases are concave in order to extend the angle of the mirror and give the feeling that they are floating over it. This shape permits the use of the mirror as a little tray for jewels, keys…” says Murier.

Hope you enjoyed the post and pics....

AG Home Goods

Modern items and being back..

2013-04-18T17:13:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Modern items and being back..

Today I am writting about modern items that just happen to catch my attention am HAPPY TO REPORT I WILL BE BACK TO REGULAR BLOGGING, AND to generally say that things are going well.. for the first time in a little while.. All is good from this front . I hope all of you enjoy the article and postings and of course pics...

Enjoy...

Modern lighting...

With summer, comes a life lived more fully outdoors. But even the outside world needs proper lighting. Our modern outdoor lighting collection has something to enhance any outdoor space, be it urban patio or suburban back yard.
From floor lamps to ceiling lights, illuminating the night has never been easier, and we’re not talking lanterns and torches (though, do have a look at our current Blomus sale for a few of those beauties). Why not make a dramatic statement with landscape lighting or kill two birds with one glowing piece of outdoor lighted furniture?
We guarantee you’ll be counting the hours until the sun goes down.
It seems like lit seating is the in craze wave at the moment...
A Great Redesign...

While we’d certainly turn our nose up at anyone who travels to a distant spot just to stay put on their hotel premises, we may need to make an exception for those staying at Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez. Continuing in a tradition started in the 1980′s, when Philippe Starck was given free reign over the redesign of The Royalton hotel in New York City, Hotel Sezz’s interior design and furnishings were placed in the hands of the French furniture designer Christophe Pillet—and why not?

For all their refined sophistication, Pillet’s furniture has always looked and felt comfort-conscious, with gentle curves and unusual organic forms that give off the air of having been born of careful ergonomic investigation. And there’s plenty of both sophistication and comfort on full display at this Hotel Sezz (Pillet has also outfitted the hotel’s Paris property), as one may expect from a hotel in wealthy, sun-drenched southern France.

But Pillet characteristically keeps things low-key, allowing Saint Tropez’s famously dazzling light to shine into (and on) a mostly muted color scheme and restrained furniture arrangements of soft leather, dark wood and burnished metals—a very Modernist brand of southern hospitality. Now, who’d ever want to leave all that?

A Great and very cool house ...

Who would have guessed that a mere 2-hour drive from Manhattan is a house partially designed by Ai Weiwei, the great Chinese contemporary artist, sculptor and sometime architect? Not us, frankly. But it turns out that Ai’s 2005 collaboration with the Swiss design firm, HHF Architects, is back on the market—and don’t we feel foolish for not having an extra $4.2M on hand.
40 pristine acres in upstate New York hold not just one, but two Ai co-designed structures, both originally commissioned by a pair of art collectors: a 4,000+ square foot, rectangular, aluminum-clad main house; and a 2,000+ square foot, gently curving, Cor-Ten steel guesthouse.

And, befitting a collaboration between reductive Swiss design sensibilities and Ai’s penchant for highly-ordered installations, all the requisites of great modernist architecture are present: dramatic proportions, generous expanses of glass, indifference to ornamentation, preoccupation with geometry. And, of course, plenty of room reserved for displaying and viewing art. All that, and an intriguing provenance too. We’re betting this house’s tenure on the open market will be brief.
Am amazing place designed by great people...
Apartment Living concepts

The concept of turning a retail space into something approximating a real house is not particularly new—furniture retailers have been wisely staging their inventory for years—but the art form has been elevated to dazzling new heights by the Danish duo of Tina Seidenfaden Busck and Pernille Hornhaver. Interior stylists, in addition to co-owners of the Copenhagen gallery, The Apartment, Busck and Hornhaver have renovated an actual apartment as their gallery space, and applied their razor-sharp, yet elegantly understated, instincts for interior decoration to enliven it with a revolving selection of objects of exceeding beauty, all culled from their ever-growing inventory.
That the resulting rooms can easily be mistaken for an actual apartment is testament to the owners’ considerable talent for both curating and editing. There are requisite mid-century Danish classics, to be sure, but add to that an unexpected, even quirky, mixture—folk art, hand-sewn quilts, contemporary abstract paintings, Art Deco light fixtures—and it’s no wonder this gallery exudes the aura of a home created over time with painstaking care and exquisite feel for space, color and form. An enviable distinction for any gallery, we think; or any home, for that matter.

Very interesting design to say the least...

All of the above items were strange unique and things that grab people's attention... we should always strive to be the center of attention or trends, however dont forget there is a fine line between center of attention and annoying..

I am updating the pictures of the company and have three new websites.. Stay tuned for a complete update on AG Home Goods..

AG Home Goods

Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig Architects on Design, Sustainability and the Importance of Sharing!

2013-03-26T21:11:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig Architects on Design, Sustainability and the Importance of Sharing!

Today i am re blogging a very important interview I feel all of you should read and share yourselves. This is a good piece of writing that sheds a lot of light on important subjects with in modern, contemporary design.

Hope all of you enjoy the post and pics.

Seattle-based Olson Kundig Architects is widely considered to be one of the best architectural firms in North America, and it has won over 100 awards from organizations around the world. Founded in 1967 by architect Jim Olson, in their over 40 years of existence the firm has designed a wide range of projects, from luxurious residences to commercial buildings and museums. But despite the wide variety of project types they undertake, when looking at their designs individually one is easily convinced that each project is a masterpiece of singular vision. Bold but subtle, and spectacular while still being harmonious with the environment they inhabit, the Olson Kundig designs have become an inimitable addition to the world of architecture.

And their unique accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. Just last year, Washington State University opened a gallery showcasing the firm’s work, and they recently published their second book which showcases a collection of their projects titled Houses 2.

Tom Kundig is a principle of the firm who himself has won numerous awards, including a 2008 National Design Award from the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, and he has answered a few questions about the new book Houses 2 and the work of Olson Kundig Architects.

How would you describe the kind of architecture your firm creates, and what is your design philosophy?

TK: My hope is that what we do is of value to our clients…both in the present and hopefully for a very long time to come in the future. We also believe that respect and care for the physical and cultural landscape is very important— so each project is unique and we approach it in a unique way.
I think that any time you get a chance to work with interesting clients to solve a problem and with work with interesting sites, it’s going to be great. It helps, too, to have talented teams of people to work with and we are fortunate to have that at our disposal. Ultimately, the success of our work is determined by those we design for, and whether what we do now holds up overtime.

How did you translate your work into book form for Houses?

TK: We had a great team – publisher, editor, etc. – that helped cull through the work and identify a variety of projects that ranged from small to large, rural to urban, warm to cool climates, and so on. I enjoy the extremes so we tried to embody that.

That said, translating three-dimensional built form into a two-dimensional media is very hard. Obviously, you rely on photographs, drawings, sketches, etc. to tell the story and there is always a compromise…it is an altogether different experience than true architecture. So when examining all of the two-dimensional material that is available for each project, I will go with what conveys the essence of the space and the experience rather than succumbing to the urge to visually represent each space in a completely literal way.

But frankly, one of the reasons that we did the book is also because we just felt lucky to have Princeton Architectural Press interested in our work. It is a real honor and we’re thrilled to have had it become one of their bestsellers.

I firmly believe that what you do now is influenced by what you’ve done before, and what you are working on will influence what has yet to come. So putting a book into that mix becomes a way to document where you’re at. The books are also a great opportunity to thank our clients for entrusting their projects to us and a way to acknowledge all of the folks who work hard to make them happen.

+ Olson Kundig

Alex Levin writes for Granite Transformations, an interior design and remodeling company that’s dedicated to advancing sustainable building practices by finding new ways to recycle and reduce waste.

AG Home Goods

2013-03-07T06:58:00.000-05:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Modern items tat are in syle..

Today I am writing about a bunch of different modern items in sttle, no particular subject just a few things I found on the blog circuit that I found very interesting while i I searched for items for a good frien's bathroom I am helping to remodel.

Hope all of you enjoy the pics and post.

See It In Action: Frank Gehry Furniture Collection

There’s nothing like lounging outside at your own home in sleek modern style. As you can see above, the Frank Gehry Furniture Collection allows you to do just that! Throw a portable fire pit in the middle and you have the perfect set-up for relaxing outside with friends and family members.
Made from sleek silver molded polymer, the pieces within the Frank Gehry collection are shapely and stylish. Designed by the iconic Frank Gehry himself, they are made in the USA, can be used both indoors and out, and are suitable for commercial use. What more could you want from modern furniture?!

Shown above are two Frank Gehry Easy Chairs, a Frank Gehry Bench and a Left Twist Cube. In addition to what you see in action above, Heller offers many more chic pieces from Frank Gehry, all available at Inmod.

Won’t the Frank Gehry Furniture Collection look amazing in your backyard?

Open & Airy

Sites like Pinterest and Houzz make daydreaming so much easier – there are so many beautiful homes and places that we can all dream of living in one day. While many of them are beautiful rooms that provide inspiration for our own homes, some are more extreme and wild. Like this home shown above, for example.

It would be totally amazing to live in a home with a cat walk above a pool that borders what could be a living room or kitchen – it’s hard to tell from the photo! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go out for a morning swim and then hop up into the kitchen for breakfast? It certainly would – but what about the mess? Your kitchen would double as a mudroom! And is there enough glass to keep any rainfall out?
Perhaps a home like this would be best as a vacation home. Or maybe it’s not even a home – but a hotel lobby. At least Inmod is always here to provide plenty of modern furniture to decorate the space!

What do you think of this open and airy home? Would you live in a place like this or do you prefer more privacy and closure?

What’s Chic, Stylish and on Sale?

The Lotus Wall Clock, that’s what!!

Sure, you have appliances and cable boxes and other items in your home that tell you what time it is – but let’s be honest here – are any of them even as half as chic and stylish as the Lotus Wall Clock? And being that it’s on sale, too – it really is a no-brainer!!!

The intricate design of this mesmerizing wall clock is unique and ideal for any bare wall begging for some fresh decor. It’s diameter measures at 29.5 inches with a depth of 2 inches, which means it provides dimension and texture to your walls. And since it tells you what time it is – it’s functional and stylish at the same time!

As we mentioned, this modern wall clock is currently on sale. For a limited time, you can save an extra 30% off of the Lotus Wall Clock. WIth such a great deal, don’t hold back – because these clocks won’t last!

Where will you hang your Lotus Wall Clock?

Modern Room of the Week: Colorful Kitchen

For this week’s room of the week, we chose a modern kitchen that has a lot of color and several unique features. The color scheme of this kitchen is blues, greens, white and silver. The way that the colors have been distributed are consistent and creative – have you ever seen lime green countertops before? In a modern kitchen? I can’t say that I have!

Although the countertops are green throughout the kitchen, a raised bar counter is made of stainless steel, which adds a nice sleek touch. Did you notice the green floors that match the counters?

Another interesting feature of this kitchen is the exposed shelving. It is definitely not something you usually see in a kitchen – because typically there are cabinets there! These display units bring a surprise factor to the kitchen and they are a great way to add color and show off fun accessories.
What are your thoughts on this modern kitchen?

What do you think of the colors? Is there anything you would change?

Modern items...!!!

AG Home Goods

2013 ideas

2013-01-09T05:34:00.001-05:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

The secrets to creating those perfect rooms...\

Planning the Perfect Designer Kitchen

DESIGNER KITCHENS ARE NOT ONLY FOR EXPERT COOKS. They are for anyone who sees the true value of the kitchen as the heart of every home.

Whether you’re Jamie Oliver or Joe Blow, planning and creating a beatiful and efficient designer kitchen is not as difficult as you think.

The first step toward creating your dream designer kitchen is to take stock of what you do have. What do you love about your current kitchen? What do you absolutely hate? Are you leaning towards function or fashion? Substance or style?

Following are a few categories to keep in mind:

Storage: What type of food would you like to store, and how much? If always being prepared to entertain is your first priority, make sure to load up on storage space, and make sure it’s easily accessible. Cabinets, shelving, the pantry as well as the fridge and freezer should always have enough space to store your favorite ingredients. You never know when a dinner party might occur.

Preparation: Do you cook alone? Is cooking a team sport for you? Depending on your answer, you should consider designing ample space into your kitchen. No one wants to bump elbows while chopping the garlic. Even if you intend to work alone, multiple work stations would still allow you to prepare different ingredients at the same time. And don’t forget about cleanup: You definitely don’t want to be left wishing you had a dishwasher when the party’s over.

Cooking: Are you the type that reheats everything? Do you fashion yourself a gourmet cook with a six-burner stove and a matching number of aprons? Your cooking habits should determine how much you should invest in your cooking appliances. While top of the line toaster ovens and microwaves may be more appropriate to busy working families, those with more time to dedicate to their craft may choose to do away with such time-saving fare and focus their time (and money) on a commercial stove.

Dining: Anyone who’s ever hosted a dinner party and had friends show up before the food is served knows that it doesn’t matter if there’s a separate dining room, people love to congregate in the kitchen. Keep the dining room ready for formal gatherings but make sure to leave ample space when you’re designing your kitchen for more informal gatherings. Kitchen islands are great for conversation over hors d’oeuvres but there’s nothing wrong with including a dining table or pub table in your kitchen plans.

Blackout roller blinds

IF YOU’VE EVER HAD A SATURDAY MORNING slumber interrupted by a five-year old who always wakes up at the crack of dawn, then it’s high time you invested in some blackout roller blinds.
Although you could always opt for traditional curtains, blackout roller blinds are a great alternative if you’re looking to completely block light from the outside. Whether you’re trying to get a couple of extra hours of sleep on a weekend morning or trying to block out the annoying neighbor’s patio light, ready made roller blinds are the ideal choice.

Not only are blackout roller blinds great for keeping light out, they are also great for controlling temperature. Keeping light out in the hot daytime hours can help control the temperature within the house, keeping you comfortable in those hot summer months while also saving you money on expensive cooling bills.

Another perk is privacy. Curtains are great but have you looked at your neighbors curtained windows when it’s dark out and their home is brightly lit? It’s like watching shadow puppetry being projected on the outside of their homes. If you paid attention long enough (I don’t recommend it), you’d probably get a good idea of who was in the house and what their daily habits were.

Finally, one big advantage of blackout roller blinds over standard curtains — in addition to their great, minimalist look — is that they, unlike curtains, are not dust magnets. If you have children with allergies, indoor air quality is likely a very important issue for you, and avoiding allergens is probably at the top of the list of concerns. With substantially less surface area, blackout roller blinds do not attract dust and pet hair the way curtains might, thereby greatly improving the air quality in your home.

Turn a small bedroom into a sanctuary

Add caption

A small bedroom can easily become cramped and untidy, making it impossible to relax. Ideally, your bedroom should be a calm, personal space to escape to, so we’ve put together some of our top tips for bringing it back to life, giving you somewhere to unwind and enjoy!

Reclaim floor space. Decide what the largest things in your room are – for most of us, the wardrobe and the bed take up the most space. Combine these two with a storage bed, which can hold your clothes and linen underneath, and ditch the bulky wardrobe to open the room out more. If you have the budget, consider investing in a memory-foam mattress – they’re incredibly comfortable and will ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Replace bedside cabinets with wall-mounted shelving, and keep other items on high-up shelves so that you still have room to move around.

Decorate. Brighter colours will instantly make your room appear airier and more inviting. You can contrast this with deeply coloured fabrics for curtains and bedding, to create a touch of luxury and an element of texture to the room. If the room is particularly plain, take a look at some wall decals - these give you the opportunity to personalise without sticking pins into the wall or making any permanent changes. For a real sanctuary-like feel, add some fairy lights to make the room seem warm and cosy in the evening.

Get comfy. Make your room more cosy and pleasant to spend time in by loading up on soft, comfortable bedding and furnishings. Throws and fleece blankets will make your bed nicer to relax on for reading and watching TV, while if you have the floor space a dedicated reading nook can be thrown together in no time with just a soft chair, a lamp and a small area to keep a pile of books!

New ideas for 2013.. Fresh modern, and stylish

AG Home Goods

2012-10-14T20:37:00.002-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Modern things that are ok but nothing spectacular..

Today I am sharing with all of you things that are not spectacular BUT THINGS THAT ARWE COMMONLY USED but amazing in look and appearance.

Enjoy the pic and post..

Not horrible ceiling lights

You know that certain type of spine-tingling horror that happens when you’re walking around a perfectly wonderful space only to have it ruined by looking up and seeing a terrible-looking ceiling light. Whether from it being too old and outdated to just plain ol’ boring, your flush-to-the-ceiling lighting needs don’t have to be neglected. (Or turned into a horror movie.)

2Modern has a delightful variety of ceiling lights that are modern and definitely not boring. So if you’ve got a small space, have to have something flush enough for a door to swing or just don’t like it when lights hang, here are six lights to check out:

American Made Credenzas

Go America! Go gorgeous modern credenzas that allow us to stylishly store our things! Want to add to your furniture collection but only wanna do it with something made in America? Here’s a list of eight U.S.-made credenzas, media units and other storage stations.

Eastvold Furniture Alden Sideboard

Brave Space Planar Bureau

Iannone Design Dandelion Graphic Console Stretched

MADE Plateau Media Cabinet

Skram Lineground 6-Drawer Horizontal Bureau

TOKEN The Spiranovich

urbancase the sidebar

UM Project FWD Credenza

10 really cool LED light fixtures

Remember when LED lights looked terrible?!!? Or when they gave out a weird, cold robot-y sort of light? Sorry to burst your light bubble, but LED lights aren’t just cool…they’re totally mainstream. So along with getting all the great benefits of LED lighting (longer life, better energy efficiency, eco-friendly, to name only a few) you now get to choose from some pretty stellar and sleek modern LED designs. From names like Cerno, FLOS, VIBIA, Mio, Pablo and more, we’ve chosen ten of our favorites (but don’t just stick to this list; you can find all of our LED lighting options here) for inspiration:

Modern Fireplace ideas...

Mmmm. Do you feel that? It’s a slight chill…a small breeze taking shape in the air. It’s the undeniable proof that colder winter months are on their way. That part of the earth and its inhabitants will soon be thrust into a time of reflection, hibernation and snuggly-ness. The perfect modern accessory for that sort of weather and those sorts of activities? Why a beautiful, modern fireplace and mantel, of course.

If you’ve been looking for some ideas to borrow that are truly unique, modern and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, you might be looking for Berthold Haas’ work. The Austin-based craftsman doesn’t just build fireplaces — he’s got countertops, fountains and more under his belt — but it’s his fireplaces that have us so tickled with inspiration right now. Obviously it would take someone with his skill to create and craft fireplaces this good-looking (and any Texas residents or designers should probably give him a call) but we’re hoping these photos give you some ideas of what kind of things there are out there.

Even if you don’t have the money or time to renovate your whole house, modernizing a focal point like a fireplace could really anchor a space’s style and do a lot for someone wanting to live in a more modern space. See more of his work (of all sorts of things) on his online portfolio.

Wall lighting by Sally:

From the manufacturer: “Our stunning powder coated metal wall light is an exquisite piece of wall art which flaunts a stylised modern magnolia lamp for soft mood lighting. Evocative of stained glass windows, its floral symmetry adds dramatic and sculptural impact to a feature wall, even unlit. Flick the switch to add an ambient glow and stunning shadows to an alcove for intimate dining or above an occasional table to lowlight your favourite pieces.” Find more information on the manufacturer’s website.

Many modern items,

AG Home Goods

All things bathrooms...

2012-10-09T09:44:00.001-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

All things Bathrooms..

Today we will be discussing modern bathrooms and the newly arrived items to make our bathrooms shine and stick out among the rest of our neighbors and friends.. We all agree a bathroom should be extra comfortable but how about beautiful, relaxing, nd unique, three must haves in any bathroom design if you go by my standards..

Enjoy the pics and post..

Break out the scales and mirrors. Summer is just around the corner, which means miniskirts, shorts and swimwear. Squeeze back into your favorite warm weather gear by eating healthfully and exercising more.

Stand in front of a mirror like the Harris Stand Alone Mirror By Doimo to realistically evaluate your summer wardrobe. Just because the zipper pulls up doesn’t mean it fits. The Center for Disease Control recommends at least 10 minutes of vigorous exercise a day for adults and eating more fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water

Stone Vessels Making the Bathroom Sinks Truly Special

Inca Stone Vessel By Art-Bathe is a multi-faceted, well crafted vessel that will give your stylish bathroom furniture a very different feel to it. It is made of individual marble pieces, making the product truly special to its owner. Art-Bathe are masters in the spa-fittings and bathroom furniture space with all their products being of very high quality. Made of mosaic marble this vessel looks like an ancient masterpiece. It is a good blend of modern and contemporary styles which will fit into most bathroom decors. Another feature in its design is its size which makes it very convenient to use it as a Italian bathroom sinks.

Elegant Bathroom Line Towers

Jackie Line Tower By Art-Bathe is a classy product with a contemporary design. It is a very useful product to have in a bathroom as it is spacious but extremely compact. The manufacturers Art-Bathe deliver high quality contemporary bathroom furniture, designed by their very own team of highly skilled personnel. On other hand the Dinara Line Tower By Art-Bathe is a connoisseur’s delight! It is a unique blend of style and convenience. Standing tall, both this products from the house of Art-Bathe is truly spellbinding! And both are reasonably priced making it an economical buy! So come and get yourself this beautifully crafted modern furniture.

Attractive Bathroom Vanity and Mirror Cabinets

ARCHEDA 6 Vanity and Mirror cabinet Includes modern bathroom vanities element w41.5″ + Towel – Rack handle, Integrated ceramic sink W 43.5, Mirror cabinet with 110V light. Gearcryl – A plastic material but a solid compound of natural mineral but a solid compound of natural mineral particles and high quality bonding polymers. The film that coats surfaces provides excellent chemical and physical resistance over the years. Contemporary bathroom furniture shiny surface makes it elegant and attractive to touch, in a similar way to ceramic material.

Turn your Ordinary Shower into a Home Spa

With features like a hand held shower, adjustable body massage sprays,large top designer shower head and columns individual water controls, DreamLine shower panel turns your ordinary shower into a home spa. Add other elements of design like shelves, mirrors and accessory compartments,and your shower not only gets a beauty facelift but also becomes more functional. Installation is easy with only a hot and cold water connect and fast mounting on wall-attached brackets. Choose from models made of aluminum, acrylic or stone and a variety of contemporary bathroom options for the right solution for your shower.

Astonishing Bathroom Circo Shower Enclosures

Pioneer a regal touch in your bathroom with these astonishing bathroom modern shower enclosures. Circo shower enclosures share the same basic lineage. All of these shower enclosures are made of tempered safety glass combined with anodized aluminum profiles. And available in a variety of sizes,shapes and finishes these shower enclosures are designed for installation against finished acrylic or tiled walls. Add a simple shower head or an advanced DreamLine Shower Column to your contemporary bathroom furniture and create the Bathroom of Your Dreams with DreamLine shower enclosures.

Classic Collection Bathroom Vanity with Double Sink Option

Classic collection enzo quality bathroom vanity cabinets are available in different styles and colors. Combining beauty with function,they would fit any bathroom design. From compact single sink model, to a double sink option with incredible storage space- all of this vanity come with fully assembled modular cabinet and marble countertops with backsplashes. An expansive quartz countertop supports two surface mounted porcelain vessels. This is modern furniture with the elegance and calm of Scandinavia and the solidity of German functionalism.

Continental an Imposing Piece of Bathroom Furniture

Stylish and designer bathroom furniture and glass countertop with two undermount glass vessel sinks make the Continental an imposing piece of furniture for the larger bathroom. Featuring a beige quartz countertop that complements any bathroom palette with ease,and two,soft-white,under-mounted porcelain sinks engaged in a harmonious dance with the impenetrable nature of quartz. An Art/Deco inspired facia – sixty three inches of three tiered Americana – buy bathroom vanities a majestic, architectural scope.

Hope you enjoy

AG Home Goods

2012-09-17T06:21:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

How it hurts to loose a dog...

This past week I thought I was going to die.. While taking a trip to northern Florida I left my friend in charge of my place. When I got back and I dont know who it was; weather it was my friend watching the place or the two I got back with when I returned from my trip of one day to Northern Florida but my 8 year old beautiful dog MIA, had vanished.

Later that night I reralized that my precious little dog was missing and I was a wreck for the next week. I looked for her everywhere, posted flyers of her all over the neighborhood, would go out everyday, morning, afternoion, and evening around the area she had been spotted. And all my searches seemed to be in vain as I simply could not find her. Everyday for 5 days I returned heartbroken from my search.

Then one afternoon I got a call from a couple claiming they had her and I was so ecstatic that I almost urinated in my pants.. At last I would get my 8 year old small dog, which is like my daughter back. I was shocked to find out that this was not my dog and again went out and looked for her.. Oh my god I was begining to get desperate and just wonder if I ever would see her again..

I continued my search another day and I got a call from a humane society official and she wanted a picture and wanted me to post on Craig list. She was very helpful and within one day I got a call from the humane society that they had what appeared to be my dog so I ran down to the Humane society and to my delight and just emotional reuniting with my dog, I couldn't believe it.. I was in tears and even the paper wrote something on me and took a picture..

Unfortunately she had beet hit by a car, nothing major but she had some bruises and a bruised eye, although she is now ok, has a microchip attached to herself so that she never gets lost again, and has updated tags around her collar, given graciously by the Humane society which I totally have found new love for.

This organization is top notch, the way care for the animals, paid the three dollar operation on Mia, and got her safely back to me which in the end was a miracle. After countless nights of searching I finally had my dog back home safe and sound. Its amazing how close we become to our pets and how much they become a part of our lives. I also have a Yorkie, which is always happy and they grew up together so the separation must of been hard on him as well..

Oh well all is well that end well.. Both are doing fine and playing as if nothing had happened, this could not have been possible if it were not for the Dade County Humane Society, who took care of my dog, gave her free medical care, and made sure to return her to her rightful owners

If any of you wish to donate to this wonderful organization please get in touch with them, they could use the money and resources to ensure that rescues and reuniting of pets and their rightful owners continue for many years to come.

http://www.humanesocietymiami.org/

And if you want to donate money to this great organization

http://www.humanesocietymiami.org/donate

AG Home Goods

Modern colors-lighting

2012-08-30T11:59:00.001-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents
All about Modern Stuff...

Today I am sharing with all of you different things in our world of modern-contemporary designs. First I will talk about lighting and then a few other interesting things for all of you to read and learn about..

I hope all of you enjoy the pics and post...

Energize Your Home With Lighting

Regardless if you are working with synthetic or natural light, it has the ability to energize not just your home but the people in it as well. Brilliant touches of radiance can invigorate your home instead of letting dark spaces create a dismal mood. These easy tips will bring light to your space to add cheer to your day.

Welcome the Sun – Sheer window treatments, like sheer Levolor Blinds, provide brighter color by allowing natural light to fill the room. Thoughtfully placing mirrors where the light will be reflected will add a bright, positive energy to your space.

Avoid Clutter – Ottomans and storage benches are ideal for hiding blankets, magazines, etc., when not in use. Also, avoid adding too much furniture or art to a room. Too many objects in a room can cause it to appear smaller and darker.

Make Use of White – While white may not be the color you immediately think of when you picture contemporary design, small hints of it can certainly go a long way in brightening up your space. Fluorescent bulbs used in white accent lamps will offer you a more natural feel with your lighting while white moldings, shelves and picture frames can add just a hint of contrast in a darker room.

Light plays a key role in your mood and overall appearance of a room and should be treated as a primary decorating element, not an afterthought!

Choosing the right wall sconce

A wall sconce is the perfect solution to any indoor or outdoor lighting problem that you may have. They’re stylish, come in a large variety of styles and they don’t require too much room. They are perfect for a short wall, rooms or basements with low ceilings of for your front porch or back patio area.

Lantern Sconce
These are the most popular varieties found on exteriors of homes. They are traditionally black and although many years ago you would think that there was only one style available (judging by identical lighting seen throughout neighborhoods), today they are available in many unique designs. This is the perfect way to blend traditional lighting with a more modern appearance.

Hand-blown Art Sconce
Becoming extremely popular are these hand-blown pieces that serve a dual purpose as a light and a piece of art. These sconces are typically pretty expensive but what an impact they make on a room!

Contemporary Sconce
A polished steel wall sconce will compliment any contemporary decor. Their polished look offers light without becoming a distraction. Of course, steel isn’t your only option when looking for a contemporary sconce, they’re also available in many complimentary colors such as black, white, gray and red.

Motion Detector Sconce

Any type of outdoor lighting that features a motion detector has become a preferred choice. They provide light, enhance security, deter theft and you never have to worry about wasting electricity. This type of wall sconce only comes on when it detects movement so not only is it stylish and convenient, it can help you lower your carbon footprint as well!

X & Y Light Pots

SHED SOME NEW LIGHT ON THE SITUATION! Through use of the X & Y Light Pots, there is no doubt you will be creating a statement in your modern decorating. Not only do these pieces light up, but they all serve a purpose. The design features a double walled feature to keep the water separate from the light source. Functionality and design go hand in hand with two different sizes and styles to choose from. Enhance your plants, as well as the rooms decor, with Giuseppe Colonna Romano subtle and stunning designs. You can purchase these lights from gnr8.biz for $279.00.

Colors and their meanings

If you’re doing any amount of decorating or remodeling, you probably have heard colors referred to as active, neutral and passive but what does this mean? Sure, someone can tell you that your space needs more active colors but if you’re like most people, this is probably pretty confusing.

Active Colors
As the name suggests, active colors are bold and have the ability to wake up and stimulate emotions. Red, orange and yellow are all considered active colors. Red is passionate, affects the nervous system and can be too intense when overused. Orange is also a fun color but is suggested that when used too much, it stimulates appetite, an important note to keep in mind. Then there’s yellow, a color that simply promotes happiness.

Passive Colors
Colors such as blue, violet and green are considered passive as they calm the nervous system. Green is a dominating color in nature and the right shade will enlarge your room while violet calms and increases creativity. Blue is one of those colors that you have to be careful with. Used properly, it will promote a tranquil environment, but when overused, it can come off quite cold.

Neutral Colors
Nearly everyone is familiar with neutral colors. No, they do not have to be boring! Earth tones are considered neutral and can include anything from creamy light shades to black and rich chocolate. Black is nice to add in with neutral shades but can be depressing when if it is permitted to become the primary color. Neutral colors are ideal to work with as a base because they pair well with both passive and active colors.

Hope ypu enjoyed

AG Home Goods

Miami's different styles

2012-08-13T15:19:00.000-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC presents

Miami's many different faces...

When many of us think about Miami, we thin k about the glitz, glamor of the downtown club district, the Brickell corridor, the beaches, and of course the tourist rich south beach area.. And correctly so many people live in Miami in one of these areas, they have become a show place to the world and are becoming more and more commercialized and trendy, and definitely tourist rich and very expensive..

These areas are full of high rise apartments that promise the best view in the city, at least until until the next building goes up next door and covers it, taking over that claim. It seems downtown is now a pedestrian mall where people are walking at all hours of the night.. something unheard of just 5 years ago when lights out meant get in in this area. Now on weekend the club district downtown is open 24 hrs a day..

One of my close friends lives in this area and here are some pictures and views of her apartment.

The living and dining sections

Beautiful Kitchen

Bedroom Number 1

Master Bathroom

The beautiful view

Kitchen and Bedroom Number 2

This is what most of us know about Miami. A city of beautiful building and condos where minimalist style and design rein supreme. But how about traditional victorian Miami, I am willing to bet not many of you have herd about this side of Miami.

There is such a place, I am not making it up. Its a place with 80 year old tree lined streets, single family homes and cottages, and landscaping works of art. I am talking about the old historic neighborhood of coral gables where homes go for millions and the streets seem like your in a forest.. These homes have been here for years and driving through this neighborhood makes you feel as if you were in an old norther city or in a southern very historic town...

Other areas of the city look the same, such as the Rhodes neighborhood in Miami, old cutler road section of Miami, and a couple others but for this story I have chosen Coral Gables.

Enjoy the following pics..

Indeed a side of Miami no one really sees. Coral gables is set apart from the tourist rich areas although commercial areas within city limits and popular tourist destinations do exist in the city. For example its business district is very popular with some powerful law firms and accounting firms that cater to the city's mostly wealthy population. Its miracle Mile has long been famous with tourists and locals alike and is lined with restaurants and many boutique shops.

Here are a few more pictures

Two very different sides of Miami.

AG Home Goods

Drug use in Miami-Dade county Soars...

2012-08-07T12:28:00.003-04:00

Avant-Garde Home Furnishings, LLC présents

Drug use in Miami-Dade county Soars...

Today I am writing about the power to destroy that drug use has in our community. In Miami Dade county and Broward drug use is so rampant, especially among the youth of the community who constantly visit places like the downtown club district, the brick ell village area, coconut grove, and of course south beach where any night out usually includes drug use of some kind. This wide range use of drugs has led the county of Miami to become one of the largest consumers of drugs in the United States surpassing big cities like Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, even New York at times in its drug use. It seems everywhere one goes in Miami there is a wide availability of illegal substances. Roxies, Exstacy, Meth, GHB, Cocaine, Ketamine, Xanex, abuse of prescription drugs, and countless others are available everywhere in the Miami club circuit and on the streets in areas such as south beach, grove, and the downtown design district where one just has to go over into the over town area to purchase right on the street.

Police are catching a lot of people but for everyone caught someone else begins a new in wanting to make fast money. It seems everyone is a dealer or knows someone who deals in this city... And the cost is staggering and crippling law enforcement, long plagued with cutbacks and staff firings and monetary problems due to budget constraints brought on by this economy which seems to only now be recovering. the City of Miami and Miami Beach are spending a fortune and huge parts of their budgets combating these problems by arresting and searching thousands of people in search of the magic answer in stopping these trends these neighboring cities. County charities like Camillas House are full of candidates and actual participants in the drug rehab programs and after care and assistance they offer, having zero beds available in most cases. It seems everywhere you find a new drug treatment and aftercare facility. Even everyday stores in this area are changing due to this increased drug activity.

Where as in other areas of the country you can still purchase butane lighters and torches and butane gas in Miami-Dade stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Radio Shack will not carry these items any longer due to their popularity with drug users who use them to smoke crack or meth, which is becoming Americas next big problem. Meth use has increased over 500 percent in recent times and has destroyed entire communities in the United States. Its use is now destroying and completely devestating Miami-Dade's drug users, who losse everything because of this drug. From theiur homes, cars, teeth, to their personal freedoms due to illegal activity in order to obtain the drug, meth is perhaps the most destructive of all the drugs that have sprung up recently. From its early non noticeable usage, Meth has now become Miami-Dade's most abused drug and its causing havoc in the county, causing a spike in crime and drug usage never before seen since the days of the wild cowboys during the Cocaine drug days of Miami, when even visiting the Miami area was considered a risk and all of our expressways and tourist streets had warning signs to stay away from certain areas.

Everyday Items banned from Sale in Miami-Dade

Home Depot/Walmart Torch(no longer sold by Walmart)

Butane Gas - No longer carried by Walmart, Walgreens, or CVS, in Miami-Dade

Radio Shack Torch - No longer sold in Miami-Dade


Average Butane fired lighter - No longer carried by Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, or gas stations in Miami-Dade

Even everyday items once sold freely in Miami-Dade are no longer available by big chains such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel, Sears, Kmart, Macy's and the ones mentioned previously such as Walmart. One of the biggest examples is the creme broulet torch, long ago thought of a normal household item, now thought of a drug users tool in Miami-Dade and other high drug use counties i9n the United States.

Normal item now banned from big retailers for sale in high drug use counties

Over the counter drugs like sudafed are now behind counters in pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS, Riteaide and others due to its requirement in the production of Meth with some counties like Miami-Dade requiring a driver's license in order to purchase them and yearly caps on the amounts you can purchase with lists provided to the DEA and other law enforcement agencies in order to cap or stop the use and production of the highly addictive Meth in these high risk counties.

Here is some statistics and posting about Miami-Dade drug use by James N. Hall.

Drug Abuse Trends in Miami-Dade County, Florida: 2009-2010

Cocaine consequences as a proportion of all drug problems continue to be higher in South Florida than in most of the Nation. Yet, Miami-Dade County has been leading a decline in cocaine-related problems since 2007 which is now observed nationwide. Heroin remains at low and stable levels across Florida with wide scale availability of diverted prescription opioids. Primary treatment admissions for heroin increased locally between 2009 and 2010. More than half of the heroin deaths in recent years are found in combination with one or more prescription opioids at the time of death. Oxycodone remains the major opioid linked to nonmedical use, yet 93 percent of deaths attributed to it statewide are found in combination with other drugs including benzodiazepines, other opioids, and muscle relaxants. Deaths related to nonmedical use of opioids appear to have peaked in the second half of 2009 while other indicators are increasing. Oxymorphone is the fastest rising opioid in nonmedical use indicators. Injecting is increasingly reported among opioid treatment clients. Benzodiazepine related-deaths have stabilized while emergency department reports have increased. Muscle relaxant nonmedical use is stable at low levels. Indicators of methamphetamine abuse are low in Florida, yet seizures of small clandestine labs (mostly two-liter soda bottles) are on the rise in other parts of the State but not in South Florida. Such activity is associated with low-level yields for use by those involved in “cooking meth” and a small number of other users who often help acquire or “smurf” for the precursor, pseudoephedrine. Marijuana use is increasing among adolescents and ranks number one in addiction treatment admissions statewide as well as locally and number two behind cocaine in South Florida drug-related emergency department reports and crime lab cases. Ecstasy indicators decreased between 2008 and 2009 with many counterfeit pills detected often containing BZP at that time. More recently MDMA is the only drug detected in ecstasy tablets.

INTRODUCTION

This report reviews data from 2009 and 2010 for drug-related deaths, medical emergencies, addiction treatment admissions, and crime laboratory analysis. Information is presented by primary substance of abuse, with topics including cocaine, heroin, nonmedical use of prescription opioids, benzodiazepines, methamphetamine/amphetamines, marijuana, GHB (gamma hydroxy- butyrate), MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or ecstasy, and muscle relaxants. While the information is classified by a single drug or category, the reader should note an underlying problem of polysubstance abuse as mentioned throughout this report.

Area Description

Located in the extreme southern portion of the Florida peninsula, Miami-Dade County has the State’s largest population, with 2,500,625 residents, according to 2009 U.S. Census estimates. Hispanic account for 62.5 percent of the population while 17.6 percent are White non- Hispanic, 16.6 percent are Black non-Hispanic and 1.6 percent are Asian. Miami is the County’s largest city, with 404,048 residents. More than 100,000 immigrants arrive in Florida each year;

1The author is the Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse at Nova Southeastern University, and is Executive Director of Up Front Drug Information Center in Miami, Florida.
1

The Miami Coalition For A Healthy, Safe and Drug-Free Community

one-half establish residency in Miami-Dade County. One-half of the county’s population is foreign born.

Since 2003, Miami-Dade along with Broward and Palm Beach Counties to the north have consti- tuted the federally designated Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for South Florida, making it the sixth largest MSA in the Nation. Previously, the MSA included only Miami-Dade County. This means that the three counties are included in more national data sets tracking health- related conditions and criminal justice information.

South Florida is a hub of international transportation and the gateway to commerce between the Americas, accounting for sizable proportions of the Nation’s trade. South Florida’s airports and seaports remain among the busiest in the Nation for both cargo and international passenger traffic. These ports of entry make this region a major gateway for illicit drugs.
Several factors impact the potential for drug abuse problems in South Florida, including the following:

The area's proximity to the Caribbean and Latin America exposes South Florida to the entry and distribution of illicit foreign drugs destined for all regions of the United States.
South Florida is a designated High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and one of the Nation’s leading cocaine importation centers. It has also been a gateway for Colombian heroin since the 1990s.
Lack of a prescription monitoring system in Florida in the time periods covered by this report made the State a source for diverted medications in the eastern United States. A prescription monitoring system was enacted in July 2009 and is expected to be operational by October 2011.
Data Sources
This report describes current drug abuse trends in South Florida, using the data sources summarized below:
Drug-related mortality data were provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Medical Examiners Commission’s 2010 Interin Report of Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons between January and June 2010. The report for all of 2010 should be released by July 2011.
Emergency Department (ED) data were derived for Miami-Dade County from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ). The data represent drug reports involved in drug-related visits for illicit drugs (derived from the category of ―major substances of abuse,‖ excluding alcohol) and the nonmedical use of selected prescription drugs (derived from the category of ―other substances‖). Drug reports exceed the number of ED visits because a patient may report use of multiple drugs (up to six drugs plus alcohol). Weighted DAWN data for calendar years 2004–2009 are included in this report and provide estimates of the total number
The Miami Coalition For A Healthy, Safe and Drug-Free Community of drug-related ED visits and per capita rates for selected substances for all of Miami- Dade County in those 5. A full description of the system can be found on the DAWN Web site http://dawninfo.samhsa.gov.
Drug treatment data on primary admissions to all publicly funded addiction treatment programs in Miami-Dade County during calendar year 2009 and 2010 were provided by the Florida Department of Children and Families. State of Florida admissions from 1999 to 2009 are from SAMHSA - Treatment Episode Data Sets (TEDS) submitted by the Florida Department of Children and Families as of January 6, 2011
Crime laboratory drug analyses data were derived from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) Report for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties from January through December 2010. However, the NFLIS data combines some, but not all, pharmaceutical items into the category of ―controlled substance.‖ This factor makes it difficult to track the role of illegally diverted medications.
Data on Distribution of Pharmaceuticals are from DEA Automation of Reports & Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) data from 2009 and 2010.
Data on prevalence of nonmedical use of pain relievers are from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health Sub-State Data.
Data on injection drug use among acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases are from Miami-Dade County Departments of Health.

DRUG ABUSE PATTERNS AND TRENDS

Cocaine/Crack

Indicators of cocaine problems in South Florida continue to dominate consequences of drug abuse, yet are declining in recent years. The numbers of cocaine occurrences among deceased persons have been declining since 2007 in Miami-Dade County as well as for the State of Florida. The majority of cocaine deaths and addiction treatment reports were among those older than 35, while medical emergencies related to cocaine were highest among those age 25-29. Many of the indicators reflected cocaine use in combination with other drugs.

Throughout Florida, the number of cocaine-related deaths decreased 16-percent in the first half of 2010 as compared as compared to the last half of 2009 continuing declines since 2007 and reversing what had been an upward trend since 2000 (exhibit 1). A cocaine-related death is defined as a death in which cocaine is detected in the decedent but not necessarily considered the cause of death. There were 603 cocaine-related deaths across Florida in the first half of 2010, compared with 716 the previous six months. In all of 2009 there were 1,462 cocaine- related deaths compared with 1,791 in 2008. The 2007 total of 2,179 reports was the highest number since the drug has been tracked beginning in the late 1980s. The number of cocaine deaths increased 97 percent between 2001 and 2007; the key factor for that rise appears to be a corresponding 105-percent increase of deaths with cocaine-in-combination with other drugs,

3
The Miami Coalition For A Healthy, Safe and Drug-Free Community

Other information on drug use patterns was derived from ethnographic research and callers to the Up Front drug information hotline.

particularly prescription medications. Among the 603 cocaine-related deaths in Florida during the first half of 2010, 81 percent of the cases involved cocaine found with at least 1 other drug.

Heroin

Heroin consequences remain at low and stable levels across Florida. Primary treatment admissions for heroin increased in South Florida between 2009 and 2010. More than half of the heroin deaths in recent years are found in combination with one or more prescription opioids at the time of death. South American heroin has been entering the South Florida area over the past two decades. However, reports and seizures of Mexican heroin in South Florida have been made since 2008. Deaths caused by heroin declined in Florida from 2001 to 2006, then increased between 2006 and 2008 before declining again in 2009 and 2010. Substantial increases in abuse and consequences of narcotic analgesic use have occurred as heroin problems were waning. Most heroin ED patients and addiction treatment admissions continued to be among older, White males.

Throughout Florida, the number of heroin-related deaths decreased 40 percent during the first half of 2010 compared to the previous six months. There were 30 heroin-related deaths across Florida during the first half of 2010 down from 50 in the second half of 2009. Heroin continued to be the most lethal drug, with 83 percent (n=25) of heroin-related deaths in 2010 caused by the drug. Polysubstance abuse was noted in 93 percent of the 2010 heroin-related deaths statewide.
Among the 111 heroin-related deaths in Florida during 2009, 59 percent (or 65) had from one to four prescription opioids present at the time of death (exhibit 7). There were a total of 89 opioids detected among the 65 decedents.

MDMA or Ecstasy

Measures of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) abuse have stabilized at relative low numbers in recent years. Ecstasy pills generally contain 75–125 milligrams of MDMA, although pills are often adulterated and may contain other drugs. The stimulant, BZP (1- benzylpiperazine), continues to be reported in ecstasy pills, with or without MDMA.

There were 22 MDMA-related deaths statewide in Florida in the first half of 2010, with the drug being cited as the cause of death in 8 of these cases. There were also 13 reports of MDA (3,4- methylenedioxyamphetamine)-related deaths statewide in Florida during the semi-annual period. During the previous six months, there were 19 MDMA-related deaths, and 8 MDA- related deaths. MDMA deaths decreased 27 percent between 2008 (n=44) and 2009 (n=32).

The DAWN weighted estimate of 192 MDMA-involved ED visits for Miami-Dade County during 2009 (exhibit 3 above) accounted for 1.5 percent of all ED visits among six substances (four illicit drugs —cocaine, marijuana, MDMA, and methamphetamine as well as nonmedical use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines). The 192 MDMA-involved ED visits in 2009 represented a 35-percent decrease from the 294 visits in 2008 (exhibit 28). The per capita rate of 7.7 MDMA ED visits per 100,000 population was similar to the national rate of 7.4. There was not a weighted estimate of MDMA ED visits for those under 21 years of age in 2009. Among those aged 21 and over, there were 140 MDMA ED visits in 2009 with a per capita rate of 7.7 which was above the national rate of 5.4.

Methamphetamine/Amphetamines

The number of methamphetamine clandestine laboratory seizures in all of Florida doubled between 2008 and 2009 and continued to increase in 2010 (exhibit 24). Yet, most of these labs have been 2-liter soda bottles used in the so called ―shake and bake‖ production method yielding a relative small amount of methamphetamine more for personal use and sharing with those who may have help supply the precursor, pseudoephedrine. Of the 445 such lab seizures statewide in 2010 there was one in Miami-Dade County and one in neighboring Broward County. Indicators of methamphetamine abuse remained at low levels. While methamphetamine was cited as the primary drug for addiction treatment among less than 1 percent of addiction treatment clients in South Florida during 2010, 86 percent of clients were older than 25 years of age.

20
The Miami Coalition For A Healthy, Safe and Drug-Free Community

Methamphetamine was detected among 49 deceased persons during the first half of 2010 statewide in Florida, compared to 39 in the previous six months. There were 81 methamphetamine medical examiner occurrences in all of 2009 and 114 in 2008. Methamphetamine was considered a cause of death in 20 (41 percent) of the 49 cases during the first half of 2010. There were also 66 reports of amphetamine detected among decedents across Florida in the first six months of 2010, the same number as in the previous semi- annual period. An amphetamine was considered the cause of death in 18 percent of the 66 cases in the first half of 2010.

The DAWN weighted estimate of 86 methamphetamine-involved ED visits for Miami-Dade County during 2009 accounted for less than 1 percent of all ED visits among six substances (four illicit drugs —cocaine, marijuana, MDMA, and methamphetamine as well as nonmedical use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines). Between 2004 and 2009, the number of methamphetamine-involved ED visits increased 43-percent in Miami-Dade County, from 60 to 86. In 2009, the per capita rate of 3.4 methamphetamine ED visits per 100,000 people was well below the national rate of 20.9. There was not an estimate for the number of illicit amphetamine ED visits in Miami-Dade County for 2009 due to a low number from the DAWN sample.

There were 22 primary admission for methamphetamine, accounting for 0.5 percent of the 4,548 primary treatment admission drug mentions (including alcohol) in Miami-Dade County during 2010 (exhibit 19 above). This total represents a 60-percent decrease over the 55 methamphetamine admissions in 2009. Females accounted for 64 percent of the methamphetamine clients. No methamphetamine client was younger than 18; 14 percent (n=3) were age 18–25; 45 percent (n=10) were 26–34; and 41 percent (n=9) were 35 or older. There were also 5 primary admissions for other amphetamines.

Methamphetamine accounted for 102 cases, or 0.4 percent, of all items analyzed by crime laboratories in 2010 for the three-county South Florida MSA as reported by the NFLIS. It ranked tenth among all substances (exhibit 10 above). In 2009 there were 110 methamphetamine crime lab reports.

Big problem Indeed..

AG Home Goods