nuggets of wisdom from eco-eclectic interior designer Arlene Angard
Ethereal and effortlessly eclectic describe the look of Arlene Angard Designs Upper East Side store. It captures the burst of bold colors and brilliant energy you feel when you travel to an exotic land. The space has an inexplicable feeling that cannot be replicated … I cannot use words to describe it … but it feels good.
When I sat with Arlene one afternoon this Spring, I felt at home and pampered. She truly believes that ‘green design’ goes far deeper than the materials you use and recycle. It is about the energy you as a person exude. You must be positive … is one of her favorite sayings. She explains when we are positive, positive energy comes back to us. Each morning she enters her store, she greets her mother, friends and other lost loved ones … so she can continue to feel their love and give love back to them. She smiles. It would be a very long day if I sat here alone. Nothing is dead unless it is forgotten. My grandfather, too, embraced her philosophy and Arlene captures it so well in her design.
Do not shop for new furniture. Chances are you have a viable piece in your home and with a little love it will find a new life. If you do not have that piece, someone else may … look at tag sales, auctions and antique stores. One person’s garbage is another person’s treasure.
Silver is not for special occasions. It is for everyday occasions. Each day you are alive is reason to celebrate. Embrace the moment. She suggests cleaning your silver in a dishwasher using plain powdered dish detergent. (not lemon scented, it ruins the finish) Washing your silver regularly prevents tarnishing. So throw out your silver polish and dig into your next meal with silver.
If it’s chipped don’t fix it. So you drop it and it chips, gets nicked in the dishwasher or the paint gets scratched. You are using it, enjoying it and loving it. That is life things happen. Accept it and move on. Years later, that chip may be a memory of a joyous celebration. Embrace it. If china breaks, throw it away. Do not try to fix it. It was meant to be. Arlene feels strongly about this
When it comes to using rugs made of environmentally sustainable fibers …. Think sisal and for a luxurious soft feel try coconut leaf rugs. Feel just like silk.
Flowers add freshness to a room. They are inviting, enticing and sensual. Think local, seasonal and simple when it comes to flowers. Flowers are familiar … you disconnect with your guests when the flowers feel unattainable. For example, orchids are delicate and expensive. So, people feel like they are buying an exotic pet instead of enjoying simple natural beauty.
When it comes to decorating and shopping… go local. Shopping on the internet and traveling to faraway places to purchase things is a waste of fossil fuels and increases carbon emissions. Bottom line buy local, it saves resources and spreads love in the community.
Recycle, rediscover, recreate … get real.
An Electic Designer That Observes From The Past To Create the Present. 
Arlene Angard Designs http://www.arleneangard.com 1705 First Avenue (between 88th and 89th), New York, New York (212) 722 2278 arlene@arleneangard.com
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