Saturday, December 22, 2012

Happy Holidays!

Stream Music Wirelessly This Christmas With Bang & Olufsen's New Playmaker

With Bang & Olufsen's new Playmaker it has never been easier to enjoy superior sound quality at home. The new music system allows you to stream your favorite tunes right from your smartphone, tablet or computer to any active high end Bang & Olufsen speaker - wirelessly. Indulge your family this Christmas with the gift of superb wireless sound throughout your home.

[New York], December 22, 2012 - This holiday season, add stunning Bang & Olufsen sound to your family's favorite digital songs with our special new wireless surprise. Perfect for making a memorable impression on everyone on your list.

Globally, sales of digital music are expected to exceed physical sales in 2015, according to Strategy Analytics' latest "Global Recorded Music Forecast". Digital music - and especially online streaming - has become increasingly popular among music aficionados as they are looking for products and services that offer simplicity, flexibility and convenience. With Bang & Olufsen's new Playmaker, it has become very simple to stream digital music to your high-end loudspeakers - wirelessly.

Just add Playmaker to any set of Bang & Olufsen active loudspeakers, and within seconds you'll discover just how good digital music from a smartphone can sound. Whether you want to share a playlist or explore a new online station, Playmaker is a simple way for existing Bang & Olufsen owners to add digital music to their systems - wirelessly - and has the specs to handle even Bang & Olufsen's most demanding speakers, BeoLab 5.

Playmaker is ideal for homes where people enjoy different kinds of music in different ways. It works with both Apple AirPlay and Android DLNA devices so everyone in the family can stream from their own phone, tablet or other device. Volume and mute can be controlled either by the handheld device, by the Bang & Olufsen remote, or on Playmaker itself. Guests can easily link up and share a song. And by adding more Playmakers to more rooms with Bang & Olufsen speakers, you can sync sound throughout the house using Apple iTunes or listen to opera in one room and hip-hop in another - and create as many music zones as you like. So gather your friends and family this festive period and enjoy breath-taking, wireless Bang & Olufsen sound.

All of Bang & Olufsen's customers are invited to their wireless world in-store, to experience how the music on your mobile device sounds on a pair of great speakers.

A special promotion is running in Bang & Olufsen stores just in time for the festive period, where customers will receive a complimentary Playmaker with the purchase of any active Bang & Olufsen speaker, until the end of December.


Find more at Bang & Olufsen - www.bang-olufsen.com

Friday, December 21, 2012

Benjamin Moore Color Trends 2013

Artisan living room 1-walls: pittsfield buff (HC-24), accent walls: silhouette (AF-655), ceiling & trim: monterey white (HC-27). Photo courtesy of Benjamin Moore & Co. - http://www.benjaminmoore.com

[New York], December 21, 2012 - Inspired by emerging trends in art, fashion and interior design from around the world, Benjamin Moore's color experts have created four exciting new color palettes to help you find the perfect colors for your home.

See before-and-after photos of room transformations using different paint color schemes… and get inspired!


Benjamin Moore & Co. Paint Company has been founded by Benjamin Moore in 1883. Since the beginning, the company is producing the highest-quality paints and finishes in the industry, and delivering them directly to their customers through their nationwide network of knowledgeable, customer-friendly retail store operators in the United States.

Please visit http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/color-trends-2013

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

HGTV Dream Home 2013 Giveaway House Certified for Environmentally-Sound Construction

Earns Platinum LEED Certification from U.S. Green Building Council


Photo Courtesy of Business Wire

[New York],
December 12, 2012 - In HGTV's ongoing commitment to responsible home development and eco-friendly building solutions, the HGTV Dream Home 2013 has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The custom-built, 3000 square-foot home, located alongside the tranquil tidal marshland and near pristine beaches in Indigo Park, is part of Kiawah Island, S.C.'s first sustainable neighborhood. Constructed with all eco-friendly alternatives, the HGTV Dream Home 2013 has the highest level of technology with the construction materials, building practices, clean indoor air-quality, energy efficiency, water consumption and geothermal heating and cooling.

According to HGTV professional home planner Jack Thommason, "Utilizing a comprehensive whole house approach, the design team was able to create a home qualifying as environmentally sound from top to bottom. The materials, components, and building techniques work together to form a complete system that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. To pursue and earn this first platinum level certification really speaks to the extra efforts our team took in building the most 'green' home possible."

LEED-certified buildings incorporate the latest green-building design and technology. These homes are designed to lower operating costs and increase asset value, reduce landfill waste, conserve energy and water, be healthier and safe for homeowners, and reduce harmful emissions.

"Our entire design/construction team had the goal of achieving Platinum LEED certification from the onset," said HGTV Dream Home's builder Craig Gentilin. "From the roof systems that create a water and air tight envelope to eliminate air infiltration; the super-efficient insulation materials; the geo-thermal HVAC system that utilizes the constant temperature of the earth for heating/cooling; keeping all duct work inside the insulated envelope to increase efficiencies; all the way to the LED lighting and Energy Star rated appliances, environmental aspects came into the play from the very beginning of construction. Everything partners together to create the greenest Dream Home ever."

The HGTV Dream Home 2013 Giveaway opens for entries on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 at 9 a.m. Eastern time and runs through Feb. 15, 2013 at 5 p.m. Eastern. The fabulous HGTV Dream Home 2013 will make dreams come true for one winner, who'll claim a grand prize package that includes the home, a 2013 GMC© Acadia© Denali© and $500,000.

During the giveaway period, viewers can enter twice online per day: once at HGTV.com and once at FrontDoor.com. HGTV Facebook and Twitter fans can elect to receive ongoing updates and new details.

About Indigo Park
A collection of 16 green-conscious homes, Indigo Park aims to become the first community with all LEED certified homes within a residential resort. Located just beyond the second gate, Indigo Park is the vision of Dyal Compass, LLC -- DyalCompass.com. Along with Christopher Rose Architects and Royal Indigo Construction, Dyal Compass has developed a community that offers "building with a conscience" without sacrificing luxury, quality, or value. For more information on Indigo Park, visit http://www.kiawahisland.com/real-estate/neighborhoods/indigo-park/.


About HGTV
America's leading home and lifestyle brand, HGTV features a top-rated cable network that is distributed to more than 99 million U.S. households and the HGTV website,
HGTV.com, the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination that attracts an average of four million unique visitors per month. The brand also includes the HGTV HOME consumer products line which showcases exclusive collections of paint, flooring, soft goods and other home-oriented products, as well as HGTV Magazine, a new home and lifestyle publication published in partnership with Hearst Magazines.

Friday, December 7, 2012

PANTONE Reveals Color of the Year for 2013: PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald

 
Radiant, Jewel-toned Emerald Promotes Balance and Harmony

[CARLSTADT, N.J.], December 7, 2012 - Pantone LLC, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, announced PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, a lively, radiant, lush green, as the Color of the Year for 2013.


The 2012 Color of the Year, PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (see more) , a spirited, reddish orange, provided the energy boost we needed to recharge and move forward. Emerald, a vivid, verdant green, enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight, as well as promoting balance and harmony.

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”



Emerald for Interiors
Enhance your sense of well-being at home by rejuvenating the interior with Emerald paint, accents and accessories. This jewel-like hue will create a luxurious feel in an entryway, powder room, dining room or study, and bring life to a living room as an accent wall. Add a splash of color to the kitchen and dining room areas with Emerald dinnerware, stemware and appliances.

Enliven your home with Pantone bedding, pillows, bath towels and accessories in Emerald available exclusively at jcpenney stores and on jcp.com beginning Feb. 1, 2013.

"As we re-energize our home department next spring, we are excited to partner with the leading authority on color to introduce the first-ever line of Pantone bedding and bath products," said Paul Rutenis, jcpenney general merchandise manager for home. "The cheerful array of on-trend pieces will make it easy for customers to infuse the perfect color into any home décor."

Emerald for Fashion
The prevalence of green has been steadily rising for several seasons, especially in the fashion and couture markets, and even on the red carpet. Appropriate for every occasion, Emerald’s classic elegance makes for striking and irresistible women’s formal and everyday wear as well as accessories. Emerald also makes a strong statement in men’s sportswear, knitwear and ties. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2013, including Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore, Barbara Tfank, NAHM and Marimekko, are incorporating Emerald into their spring collections. Balanced yet sophisticated, Emerald enlivens all colors in the spectrum and will continue to make a statement beyond spring and summer into fall and winter.

Cross-Referencing to Other PANTONE Libraries
PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango can also be cross-referenced to all other PANTONE Libraries including PANTONE PLUS and PANTONE Goe for graphic design. For cross-referencing information, see www.pantone.com/COY2013.

About the PANTONE Color of the Year
The color of the year selection is a very thoughtful process. To arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention. For more than a decade, Pantone's Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

Pantone
Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world's color authority for almost 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com

All images are courtesy of Pantone - www.pantone.com