Oil falls 2 percent, U.S. consumer confidence weighs (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Oil falls 2 percent, U.S. consumer confidence weighs (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Oil prices fell 2 percent to below $70 a barrel on Tuesday after a drop in U.S. consumer confidence data in May added to concerns over a potential economic rebound.
Source: news.yahoo.com

Do-It-Yourself Garden, With Moat
The garden of Wijlre castle, a 17th-century castle near Maastricht in the Netherlands, is considered one of the “top eight” gardens in Europe.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

Living in a Time Capsule
Despite the last decade’s renovation boom, some homeowners have resisted the urge to replace the yellow Formica counters or even buy a new couch, leaving their décor frozen in time.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

Oil falls 2 percent as consumer confidence weighs (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Oil fell 2 percent to below $70 a barrel on Tuesday after a drop in U.S. consumer confidence data in May added to concerns over a potential economic rebound.
Source: news.yahoo.com

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Consumer Reports Finds Most Effective Sunscreen (KDKA Pittsburgh)

As much as you might enjoy a day in the sun, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage skin and contribute to skin cancer. What’s your best protection? Consumer Reports tested 10 sunscreens. read more here….

German consumer confidence is rising, helped by an increase in income expectations and a stable job market amid the recession, a survey showed Tuesday. But despite the improvements, research groups continued to slash their growth forecasts, suggesting the downturn is far from over. read more here….

CableDrop offers a simple solution to a common home-office problem: the tangle of computer wires that accumulates around a desk.

read more here….

German consumer confidence is rising, helped by an increase in income expectations and a job market that has remained stable despite the recession, a survey showed Tuesday. read more here….

Real estate agents warn against buying a great house in a bad location, but it is a way for buyers to get some of what they want without spending a fortune.

read more here….

A Manhattan couple built a system of cabinets to accommodate his music and instrument collections and her desire for a clutter-free apartment. It’s design as diplomacy.

read more here….

Tags: coffee, , beds

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In the Garden: Loppers in Hand, Sculpturing the Bushes

Pruning is like sculpturing with a vision in your head, and yet almost every year, I miss the spring pruning boat.

read more here….

The UK Consumer Price Index report is expected to show that the annual pace of inflation to fell to 2.0% in the year to May, the lowest since September 2007. Although the reading is still within the Bank of England’s target parameters, continued economic weakness is likely to push price growth lower. read more here….

Consumer prices of goods and services increased by 0.5% m/m in May, and 3.6% y/y, according to Central Statistical Office (GUS) data released yesterday. Finance Ministry economists meanwhile expected to see the year-on-year inflation rate to reach 3.7-3.8% in May. read more here….

Despite the recession, New York interior designers report that affluent clients are simply spending more “subtly,” choosing to make intimate purchases for inside the home.

read more here….

The creation of the Consumer Affairs Agency this fall will transform the way the government operates, focusing on protecting consumers rather than companies, state minister in charge of consumer affairs Seiko Noda said Monday. In recent years, there have been numerous cases that have alarmed consumers, including pesticide-tainted “gyoza” frozen dumplings imported from China, “konnyaku” jelly … read more here….

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Homes and Gardens, Open for Gawking

A list of house tours, garden tours and show houses across the United States.

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When it comes to creating contemporary furniture and housewares, Dutch designers are among the most influential. Renny Ramakers, the director of the company Droog, shops for standouts at all price levels.

read more here….

HP Middle East has introduced a package of consumer desktop PCs and displays, all of which combine sleek style and sophisticated looks, with powerful and innovative features. read more here….

Brian Darr, managing director, Datassentials Research, kicked off a line-up of seminars at the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association’s Dairy-Deli-Bake seminar and expo here yesterday with some startling statistics that show how much today’s consumer differs from yesterday’s. read more here….

The artist Kenny Scharf’s latest Cosmic Cavern is lined in the Day-Glo-painted trash-bedecked panels he once deployed in nightclubs and galleries.

read more here….

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On Location: Design on a Shoestring: High, Low and Eccentric

Short on cash, a creative couple overhauled their apartment in a fishing village an hour east of London by turning to paint and mixing high with low.

read more here….

Aboubakar Fofana, a Malian artist who divides his time between Paris and Bamako, creates indigo textiles made from handspun cotton and linen.

read more here….

The women of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” are living as large as their mouths.

read more here….

Consumer confidence continues to grow, rising to 94.1 for May, up from 90.5 in April and 83.7 in March, TNS Canadian Facts says. “The picture developing in the minds of Canadian consumers is one of steadying confidence,” says Michael Antecol, a vice president of TNS Canadian Facts. read more here….

A sale at Casa Di Murano’s Park Slope warehouse and a sample sale of Kim Seybert’s tabletop accessories.

read more here….

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Joint Replacement Consumer Awareness Campaign Endorsed by Prominent Orthopaedic Scientist (PRWeb)

Joint Replacement Consumer Awareness Campaign Endorsed by Prominent Orthopaedic Scientist (PRWeb)
Leading joint replacement scientist says the BoneSmart.org consumer awareness campaign extends the mission statement of surgeons and adds great valuable to prospective joint patients. (PRWeb May 24, 2009) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/knee/replacement/prweb2333584.htm
Source: www.prweb.com

CONSUMER PROTECTION Don’t fall for swine flu cure claims (Pacific Daily News)
In this week’s edition of Consumer Protection, Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco warns consumers about scam artists selling products that claim to treat or cure the H1N1 virus.
Source: www.guampdn.com

Consumer optimism growing steadily (National Post)
Consumer confidence continues to grow, rising to 94.1 for May, up from 90.5 in April and 83.7 in March, TNS Canadian Facts says. “The picture developing in the minds of Canadian consumers is one of steadying confidence,” says Michael Antecol, a vice president of TNS Canadian Facts.
Source: www.financialpost.com

Currents | Deals: Winken, Blinken and au Naturel
Sales on Hastens bed and on merchandise at Marcia Sherrill at Roland Antiques.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

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Consumer Prices Little Changed In April (Forbes)

Consumer Prices Little Changed In April (Forbes)
Since April of last year, the Consumer Price Index is down 0.7%.
Source: www.forbes.com

In British Columbia, an Island Spot Perfect for Wildlife Lovers
George and Susan Roth are selling their 2,500-square-foot house located on an island off Canada’s southwest coast.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

US consumer prices flat in April (AFP via Yahoo! News)
US consumer prices held flat in April, in line with analyst expectations, but fell on an annual basis at the steepest pace in nearly 54 years, government data showed Friday.
Source: news.yahoo.com

Meltdown 101: Consumer price index by the numbers (AP via Yahoo! News)
Consumer prices overall were flat last month. But if you examine the details of the latest consumer price report, you’ll find plenty of turbulence hidden beneath that surface calm.
Source: news.yahoo.com

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Consumer credit falls at fastest pace in 18 years (AP via Yahoo! News)

Consumer borrowing plunged in March at the fastest pace in 18 years as Americans put away their credit cards and hoarded cash amid the worst recession in decades. read more here….

The stock market’s recent rally has had an unlikely leader: consumer discretionary stocks. The economically sensitive sector has shrugged off gloomy economic conditions as investors look to better times ahead. read more here….

There is more insight now on what consumers think about America’s farmers thanks to a survey of consumer views on U.S. agriculture conducted with funding from the United Soybean Board (USB) and soybean checkoff. read more here….

This 3,200-square-foot, three-bedroom waterfront home, built in 2000 and designed by Brian Mackay-Lyons, was inspired by traditional 19th-century barns in the area.

read more here….

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Consumer spending, new jobless claims dip (AP via Yahoo! News)

Consumer spending, new jobless claims dip (AP via Yahoo! News)
Consumer spending fell more than expected in March after two straight monthly gains, a stark reminder of a fragile economy that has pushed a record number of Americans to draw jobless benefits.
Source: news.yahoo.com

Currents | Awards: Design for a New Reality
Tsao & McKown Architects won in the interior design category of the 2009 National Design Awards, the design world’s Oscars.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

Japanese consumer prices suffer first fall in 18 months (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Japan’s core consumer prices fell 0.1 percent in March from a year earlier, the first such decline in 18 months, as deflation returns to haunt Asia’s biggest economy, government data showed on Friday.
Source: news.yahoo.com

Irish Cottage Becomes Authors’ Home
A retreat outside Dublin became a full-time residence for Maeve Binchy and her husband, Gordon Snell, both well-known authors, when technology made it possible to work from home.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

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Currents | Deals: A Showdown of Markdowns

Currents | Deals: A Showdown of Markdowns
Sales on home décor through May 10.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

Japanese Consumer Lender Shares Slump; Shipping Lines Advance (Bloomberg)
April 22 (Bloomberg) — Japanese consumer lender shares slumped after the International Monetary Fund said losses at global financial companies may further swell. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. gained after commodity-shipping fees rose.
Source: www.bloomberg.com

Shopping With Ken Smith: An Unexpected Oasis
The landscape architect Ken Smith shopped for planters, demonstrating how to landscape with the unexpected.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

Currents | Goods: ‘Crystal’ That’s Shatter-Free
Govino, a new stemless wine glass, looks like crystal but isn’t.


Source: feeds.nytimes.com

Singapore Consumer Price Inflation Eases Further In March (INO News)
(RTTNews) - Consumer prices in Singapore rose 1.6% year-on-year in March, slowing from a 1.9% increase in February, the Department of Statistics said Thursday. However, the rise in consumer prices matched economists’ expectations.
Source: news.ino.com

Japan Consumer Lender Shares Slump; Elpida Surges on Price Plan (Bloomberg)
April 22 (Bloomberg) — Japanese consumer lender shares slumped after the International Monetary Fund said losses at global financial companies may swell further. Elpida Memory Inc. led a gain by chipmakers after saying it plans to raise prices.
Source: www.bloomberg.com

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Critical Shopper | Green Depot: An Environmental Cleanup in Every Aisle

Green Depot is a big, new store in Manhattan full of earth-friendly home improvement items that significantly reduce your carbon footprint, personal waste and overall environmental paranoia. read more here….

U.S. consumer prices fell in March, posting their first 12-month drop in nearly 54 years, and industrial production slipped further, according to data read more here….

Volunteers were drawn to the whimsy of a project that is intended to fill Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, with wildflowers. read more here….

“Casa No Name” is a pictorial memoir of the photographer Deborah Turbeville’s house in San Miguel, Mexico. read more here….

Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, offers tips on ways to lower your taxes by greening your home. read more here….

Designed for Nintendo DS and released last week, “Gardening Mama” allows players to nurture 37 pixelated varieties of fruits, flowers and vegetables. read more here….

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Aussie ticks down following Westpac consumer confidence report (Nasdaq)

(RTTNews) - The Australian dollar lost ground against most of its major counterparts on Wednesday morning in Asia despite a report showed that consumer confidence in Australia rose to 8.3 percent in April. read more here….

CONSUMER confidence rose for the first time in four months as financial markets improved and the Federal Government paid cash bonuses to taxpayers. read more here….

As many Americans seek ways to save, people who lived through the Depression tell stories of life without luxuries. read more here….

Consumer confidence slipped in March as people fretted about rising job losses and a deepening recession, a survey showed on Wednesday. read more here….

The top floor of a former synagogue on East Seventh Street is now a modern triplex with an exhibitionist streak. read more here….

Mio, a Philadelphia design firm, is using Tyvek to create decorative textiles. read more here….

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Currents | Living: A Well-Balanced Furniture Line

The Sushi Collection, for the furniture manufacturer Moroso, was inspired by modern forms and antique textiles. read more here….

In a Colonial Williamsburg flower bed, larkspur, corn poppies, wallflowers and many other flower seeds get an early start. read more here….

(RTTNews) - Tuesday morning in Asia, the UK’s sterling rallied against its major counterparts following the latest consumer survey report from the GfK Group showed that UK consumer sentiment indicator rose unexpectedly in March. read more here….

March 31 (Bloomberg) — Japan’s consumer-finance shares slumped, led by Orix Corp., while machinery makers advanced. Orix, the nation’s biggest non-bank financial company, sank 2.1 percent and rival Aiful Corp. lost 2.2 percent. read more here….

The Conference Board releases its monthly Consumer Confidence figures on Tuesday. If the figure beats the estimate, it is considered bullish for the U.S. dollar. Missing the forecast is thought to be a bearish signal. read more here….

“Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts” features 23 kinds of crafts, alphabetically, from A for Albums to W for Wirework. read more here….

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Foreclosure Trash-Out: Ill Fortune and Its Leavings

Across the country “trash out” crews are charged with hauling away what’s left in foreclosed houses, removing any sign of a home life.

read more here….

WASHINGTON — Consumer prices rose in February by the largest amount in seven months as gasoline prices surged again and clothing costs jumped the most in nearly two decades. read more here….

Phone companies faced off against consumer groups on Monday, in a debate over whether $7.2 billion in federal broadband spending should come with a mandate that Internet networks remain open to all traffic. read more here….

Consumer confidence picked up in March as more Canadians said now was a good time to make a major purchase, while the majority saw their financial situations unchanged over the coming six months, the Conference Board of Canada said on Monday. read more here….

Donald Judd’s furniture can be bought at retail prices from Artware Editions, a West Village gallery that carries a rotating inventory.

read more here….

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Consumer groups urge new FDA head to strengthen agency (NBC 12 Richmond)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Consumer groups are urging President Barack Obama’s picks to head up the Food and Drug Administration to work to win more funding for the agency. read more here….

Autodesk has released a new service, Project Dragonfly, that lets people create and decorate realistic 3-D model homes.

read more here….

ATLANTA - This year’s batch of legislation gives consumer advocates more hope than they’ve had recently. Part of the reason: The recession’s toll has made lawmakers sensitive to financial pressures faced by their constituents. Most legislators feel the pressure personally, especially those with failing businesses or who have been laid off themselves. read more … read more here….

The Energy Detective is a device that retails for $145 and promises to give homeowners a telling glimpse into their personal energy consumption habits — and the appliances that consume the most juice.

read more here….

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Consumer borrowing rose unexpectedly in January (AP via Yahoo! Finance)

U.S. consumer borrowing rose unexpectedly in January after three months of declines, but the small increase did not shake economists’ views that borrowing will remain weak this year as mass layoffs persist amid the recession. read more here….

Being caretaker to two old homes reaps an unexpected benefit: competence in home repair.

read more here….

CONSUMER CREDIT read more here….

Consumer borrowing rose in January after three months of declines, but the small increase did not shake economists’ views that borrowing will remain weak this year as mass layoffs persist amid the recession. read more here….

Clouds, a new sculptural fabric, is made up of multiple pieces that can be linked together in infinite ways.

read more here….

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(AFX UK Focus) 2009-03-07 11:59 Ukraine Feb consumer prices up 1.5 pct mth/mth (Interactive Investor)

(AFX UK Focus) 2009-03-07 11:59 Ukraine Feb consumer prices up 1.5 pct mth/mth (Interactive Investor)
KIEV, March 7 (Reuters) - Consumer prices in Ukraine rose 1.5 percent in February month-on-month compared to a 2.9 percent increase in January, the State Statistics Committee said on Saturday. Producer prices in Ukraine were up 1.8 percent month-on-month in February, following a 0.2 percent increase in the previous month, the data showed.
Source: www.iii.co.uk

The Fix: A New Life for the Old Tub
What do you do when the 800-pound gorilla in your bathroom — the tub — has lost its youthful glow?


Source: www.nytimes.com

At Home With: Tenants of a Vanishing World
An apartment at the Apthorp is a lone outpost of the kind of bohemian family life that renters could once have there.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Collecting Houses in Northern Italy
Some people collect stamps, ornaments or miniatures, but Toni Hilton collects houses in the Monferrato region of northern Italy.


Source: www.nytimes.com

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A Hilltop Village of Their Own

A Hilltop Village of Their Own
A house in California was conceived as a mini-village that appears to have grown incrementally.


Source: www.nytimes.com

The Green Home: Recycling Gadgets When They Go Pffft…
Jason Linnell, the executive director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling, discusses how to dispose of old electronics.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Currents | Glassware: A Handmade Rainbow of Jars
Elizabeth Lyons’s spring collection of handmade glass jars comes in a rainbow of colors.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Green Inc.: Finding a Home Energy Auditor
In our first installment of Home Green Home, we realized we needed an energy auditor. But how do you find a reputable one, and are there programs out there to help pay for efficiency improvements?.


Source: greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com

Currents | Shows: Household Appliances Inspire an Artist’s Vision of Home
Two of David Trautrimas’s digital “Habitat Machines” are included in “Visual Morphology,” a show opening at the Klompching Gallery in Brooklyn.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Currents | Books: D.I.Y. Recycling, a Style Guide
In “Recycled Home” Mark and Sally Bailey demonstrate what they call their find-something-old, strip-it-down, give-it-new-life decorating style.


Source: www.nytimes.com

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International Real Estate: For Sale in … Barbados

International Real Estate: For Sale in … Barbados
A four-bedroom, three-bath furnished house with ocean views on a three-acre property is on the market in Barbados for $2.5 million.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Living Together: My Monkey, My Self
There are many thousands of pet primates in the U.S., and their owners seem to have a remarkably consistent way of looking at them.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Shopping With Sam Lemheney: Inviting Spring Inside
Shopping for furnishings and decorative accessories that help bring spring indoors, with bright colors, and shapes and patterns inspired by nature.


Source: www.nytimes.com

Garden Q&A: Not All Trees Are Cut Out to Be Bonsai
Q. I bought a bonsai tree — a juniper — but it’s not doing well in my apartment. What can I do?


Source: www.nytimes.com

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For the Dream Home, a New Blueprint

High-end vanity home projects are giving way to improvements that keep a house in good repair structurally or that will help save money through energy conservation.

read more here….

Investigating whether cleaning products labeled “organic” and “natural” really are better for the environment.

read more here….

There are many thousands of pet primates in the U.S., and their owners seem to have a remarkably consistent way of looking at them.

read more here….

A new line of garbage disposals has been developed over the last two years with quieter, more powerful motors.

read more here….

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