I am pleased to invite you to visit my design studio and gift store Healthy Homes & Lifestyles at the new Lakeview Yoga and Wellness Center, 7800 NE Bothell Way #155, Kenmore, WA.

We are hosting an Open House to show off our new digs on Saturday June 7 from Noon – 3:00 PM. Festivities include food and drink, gift bags for the first 50 people and gift packages that will be raffled off to our guests. Kenmore Fitness is joining us in celebrating our move to the new facilities. I designed both spaces and although they are polar opposites in the style (Relaxing Spa versus High Energy weight lifting,) both are equally successful in creating a sense of space that reflects their customers values and preferences.

My obsession with locally made, healthy, sustainable and recycled materials had led me to provide these products for my clients. Let me introduce you to some of the offerings:

Univera products have been a part of my life for a few years now. Univera is a company that makes plant based supplements for your health. Their headquarters is in Seattle and they ship out of Lacey Washington. Of their many wonderful products I selected Xtra (for anti-oxidants), Regenicare and Regenifree (for body pain and mobility), Aloe (for moisturizing and healing cuts and burns) and Femme Vitale (for women my age).

Bio-Therapeutic Skin Care was created for professional aestheticians and we are lucky enough to be able to offer these products to the general public. Specifically formulated for maximizing the health of your skin, all of their products are paraben free (paraben preservatives are linked to cancer) as well as being locally manufactured.

Bio Green Clean is an extremely effective cleaning solution that is made of 100% pure ingredients such as amino acids, minerals, leafy green vegetables, etc and is so healthy that if you accidentally drank it, you would be fine. I have had professional cleaning services ask me where to purchase this cleaner because of its’ effectiveness and safety for use on all surfaces.

Bellmont Cabinets is a family owned company in Sumner Washington, and creates some of the finest cabinets I’ve seen. Their plant is extremely impressive with ‘just in time’ manufacturing which allows customization of cabinets without extra costs or wasted materials. They have a huge commitment to providing quality cabinets within a completely ‘green’ manufacturing plant which wastes not, protecting both the environment as well as their employees and customers.

Theo’s Chocolates – need I say more? Locally made, the Nibs are extremely high in anti-oxidants, in fact I never knew that anti-oxidants could be so enjoyable to eat!

I look forward to seeing and talking to every one of you! Come visit me at my new home! Sincerely, Christine

UpCycling is a new trend that appeals to 'optimists' who reject waste, value craftsmanship and items with history. There are actually four 'lifestyle' trends according to Fawn Chang of PPG Pittsburgh Paints. Based on the compilation of extensive research, PPG analyzed the current U.S. psyche. According to Chang, we are cautiously stepping out of the recession/depression that we have been experiencing and adding color back into our lives. We are coming from a 'recession prison grey' palette so we are retaining a lot of neutrals but with a pleasant addition of color.

As a 'sustainable' designer I am familiar with the term UpCycling, but this is the first time I am aware of it coming into mainstream lifestyle images, colors and designs. I am intrigued that our acceptance and dedication to recycling (sending materials away to be recycled) is pushing the new trend of UpCycling. UpCycling as a design concept is basically taking existing items and creating something new from them. A stereotype of UpCycling that we may be familiar with is art that is made from bottle caps or plastic bags. UpCycling is more than art, however, these are functional items that are created from your existing collection of 'stuff.' UpCycling as a lifestyle trend is all about living simply and wasting nothing. 'It embodies simple living, keeping only what is functional and personal.'

My friend and colleague Vidal Bitton created this wonderful outdoor seating for his new juice bar at Lakeview Yoga and Wellness Center. Located on the Burke Gilman Trail in Kenmore, this juice bar and seating area is the perfect refuge on a hot sunny day.

Bitton salvaged old plastic laminate tables, painted the plastic laminate (believe it or not, it looks great) and built wood benches that are permanently attached to the table. Between the heavy table metal table base and the stained benches, these units are stable, weather resistant and UPCYCLED!

As far as our renewed desire to include color in our surroundings, I defer to PPG's statement..."Our color choices are more and more about what makes us feel happy."

And right now, I am very happy! Ciao!