Design thought for the day – I just love certified kitchen designer Susan Serra’s attitude toward trends:

Copyright Susan Serra 2013

You know what’s cool about blogging for a long time? Getting to meet bloggers online and then in person. Every now and then I have the great pleasure of meeting someone I’ve known online for years.

Copyright Susan Serra 2013

I think I bumped into Certified Kitchen Designer Susan Serra online about eight years ago, following her kitchen design blog. We later became Facebook friends and I always felt like I knew her, but it wasn’t until yesterday at Coverings in Atlanta that we actually got to meet in person.

I am now kicking myself for not getting a picture of the two of us, but the reason I bring up Susan is because before heading off to Coverings this busy lady was down in New Orleans covering The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, a.k.a. KBIS. She carefully documented all of the trends she spied down there and shared them with the world in right here.

Copyright Susan Serra 2013

Susan spills everything from what’s hot in hardware and finishes, cabinets and colors, appliances and layouts, even styles for different types of people from different generations. She’s even thrown in the kitchen sinks, and plenty of accessories for it! She’s figured out the useful ways to curate and interpret the trends practically, has photographed miles of products and even included some gorgeous shots she took of New Orleans that make me long for a trip down there.

If you’re thinking of remodeling your kitchen or just want to give it a low-budget refresh, the meticulous slideshow she’s put together will inspire you. Take a little work break and check it out.

I have never been so excited about a project in my city as The Atlanta Beltline. Eventually it will be a 22 mile loop around the city (on former rail tracks), connecting intown neighborhoods. Right now, two stretches of the trail are complete, with ongoing plantings that wil make it a linear arboretum. Eventually, it is supposed to include transit lines, but I’m not holding my breath. No matter.

Right now on the Eastside Trail, one can walk from Piedmont Park in midtown through Virginia-Highland, Poncey-Highland to Inman Park and The Old Fourth Ward. This 2.25 mile trail is full of fun sites along the way, from art placed along the sides to the trees that are the start of the arboretum to the resident cat. On the portion through Virginia Highland, different species of magnolias dot the side of the path.

Paris on Ponce has opened up its doors to Beltline denizens, with water for dogs and people and use of the facilities. On the weekends I’ve spied the King of Pops hanging around selling refreshing popsicles at a quick rate.

What’s so cool about the Beltline besides being able to sail over and under busy streets like Ponce De Leon and Freedom Parkway, is getting in between and behind buildings you’ve passed a million times, been inside, but never experienced from this perspective, like the Ford Factory Lofts (above) and the old Sears building (below), formerly City Hall East and in the process of being turned into live/work/retail and a farmer’s market. This old sign is a favorite relic of mine, I hope they never get rid of it. And where else can you get a glimpse of The Masquerade from above?

After passing the new skate park that Tony Hawk has graced with his presence, one passes under Freedom Parkway and all of the great shops and restaurants of Inman Park are right there waiting for you. You can pop over to Parish for Sunday brunch …

or Fritti for some yummy pizza…

… check out some of the great new shops down Elizabeth …

And head back to the park …

It will be fun to see the wild grasses and flowers as they grow alongside the trail. This has been some of the best people and dog watching in the city during this beautiful spring weather. Last weekend I saw a dude with a monkey on his shoulder – not something you see every day.

Oh, and if you visit, be sure to say hello to the Eastside Trail’s unofficial mascot, Beltline Piper, the cat who lives in between North Avenue and Ralph McGill in the area shown above. Leave her a letter in her mailbox, bring her some water or food or send her a tweet.

Happy Earth Day everyone! What will you do for the planet today? What better time than the present to change a habit or two? Here are some suggestions that are really easy to incorporate, and over time, they make a big difference.

1. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine until it’s chock full. Try to avoid rinsing your dishes with running water before loading them up; whether or not you want Fido to take care of business is up to you!

2. Reuse your water. Whether it’s a pet bowl you’re cleaning out, an ice cube you dropped on the floor or that stagnant half-glass from next to the bed, always think before pouring water down the drain. Use it on a plant indoors or out. Same goes for shower water that’s heating up – collect it with a bucket.

3. Cut the paper towel and napkin habit. Use old t-shirts and other rags for cleaning, and cloth napkins for dining.

4. Beware the energy vampires. Your computer does not need to run 24/7 and your phone doesn’t need to be charging for 12 hours straight. The coffee pot clock is sucking energy; after you’re done with your brew, unplug the coffee machine.

5. Speaking of coffee, banish the paper and styrofoam cups. Get a reusable cup that you can take to the coffee shop for refilling (most of these joints are actually shilling them right in their impulse buy area for convenience).

6. Before you put anything in the trash, think about  how else it could be reused, donated or recycled. Check your local recycling information web page. You may find there are many more items you could be recycling that you’re not, special days for bulk item and yard clipping pick ups and drop offs for electronics. They may also be offering up larger bins. Check Earth911 for more ways to recycle, upcycle and reuse.

7. Bring your own bags!!! If you are not doing this yet, you have no excuse. I’ve wound up with so many different giveaway bags I have started giving them back. Do make sure to keep the bag clean when you use it for food; I recommend a bag that is coated or machine washable as you will want to wash bags you use for food regularly.

8. Banish things with “disposable” on the label. Whether it’s a pen, a cleaning wipe, batteries or an eraser, buy things that are refillable and can be used for decades to reduce waste.

9. Stop the flow of junk mail. Go to the Federal Trade Commission’s site to find out how.

10. Shop for sustainable products. Whether it’s wood that’s rapidly renewable or sustainably harvested for construction, items that flat ship, produce that’s harvested locally, there are ways to rethink the way you shop. If you want to get started here, here’s our selection of sustainable goods.

What are you doing to celebrate Earth today? Let us know in the comments section!

I love seeing my favorite products in places around the web, movies, TV, museums and around town. Today I got an almost simultaneously double dose. First I flicked on The Rachel Zoe Project and spied her entire accessories team seated on Magis Chairs while analyzing handbag prototypes, and I was all “those chairs look bananas in that room – THEY ARE KILLING IT! I DIE!”

photo via bravotv.com

The Magis_One Stacking Chair is a super-sleek  – our own Ali has deemed it’s clever geometry fit for Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. In addition to black, white, gray and red, it’s available in my new favorite, polished aluminum …

Speaking of metallic finishes, New York Magazine’s Jessica Silvester singled out Blu Dot’s Real Good Chair in it’s shiny new copper plated finish her New Stuff selections.

As you can see from the places on the new chairs pictured above where hands have touched them, the chair will patina naturally over time giving each one a unique finish. It’s a modern take on today’s hot patina style, which until now was pretty limited to antiques.

Photo by Johnny Valiant for Coastal Living magazine

I loved seeing DwellStudio founder Christiane Lemiuex’s Amagansett beach home in the April issue of Cottage Living, and I have serious surf shack and furniture envy. It’s been such a joy to watch Christiane build her business and firmly establish herself as a tastemaker.

photo by Johnny Valiant for Coastal Living magazine

I’ll let you in on a secret. I have a serious online book binge spending problem. My throw pillow and shoe impulse buys don’t hold a candle to a gorgeous hardcover book about architecture, landscape architecture or interiors. To try and find some balance, I hoard my spare change and then take it to one of those Coinstar machines so that I can get Amazon gift certificates. Here’s what me and my coffee table are currently literally saving our pennies for.

Designers at Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living by Ronda Rice Carman. We love designers. We love peeking into their homes. And most of all, we love the author Ronda and her blog, All the Best.

Kengo Kuma: Complete Works by Kenneth Frampton. This monograph is full of breathtaking ethereal designs by the Japanese architect, and organized by materials – water and glass, wood, grass and bamboo and stone, earth and ceramics. If you have a loved one graduating from architecture school this spring, this is a perfect gift, trust me!

Conde Nast Traveler Photographs: 25th Anniversary Collection. This beautiful compilation of photos from the pages of Conde Nast Traveler will have you thinking “I want to go to there!” every time you turn the page. Plus, on a shallower note, the taxicab yellow cover with its and graphic punch of type makes it a great design accessory that will draw the eye no matter where you stash it.

Speaking shallowly of eye-catching covers, this one caught my eye. Living Modern: California Design 1930-1965, edited by Wendy Kaplan, celebrates the unique way California architects interpreted mid-century modern style during the height of the movement. The book accompanied last year’s exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

The 50 Best Plants on the Planet: The Most Nutritient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious Recipes by Cathy Thomas. OK, so not technically a design book, this book can help you plan out your spring garden for some yard-to-table treats, and is perfect for foodies, budding chefs and green thumbs alike.

Which design books do you have your eye on this spring? Let us know in the Comments section!