Design Studio14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDTIDS Hot Topicshttp://multibriefs.com/briefs/IDS/IDS.xmlenTreillage, or latticework, was invented in the 12th century by French farmers as a way to support heavy vines. Its popularity in Europe grew as clever architects and designers reimagined it as an interior folly — a device to bring a sense of the garden inside. Those early executions were wildly lavish, complete with lattice columns, rosettes and vanishing-point-perspective ceilings.14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51913fa6eda631Everyone has insecurities when doing something new. Here are three ways to build strength and be self-confident. 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=519135b5d275e2Desire is a reliably unreliable guide to happiness, as Alain de Botton notes in "The Architecture of Happiness," the fifth or sixth book from the prolific professional intellectual who has tackled everything from status anxiety to sex. In it, the author observes that bad buildings are like bad relationships, "an example expressed through materials of the same tendency which in other domains will lead us to marry the wrong people, choose inappropriate jobs and book unsuccessful holidays: the tendency not to understand who we are and what will satisfy us." 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=5191481e7dbd63Life has never been more predictable. Yelp provides an early-warning system for dining out, by helping us avoid bad restaurants and alerting us to must-try items at good ones. Facebook lets us investigate a potential romantic interest before the first date. Turn-by-turn instructions from Google Maps prevent us from ever getting lost. The same thing is happening in marketing organizations. "Big Data" is the latest buzzword in our industry.14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914cfd7bf474With wallpaper and wallcoverings making a comeback, it helps to be informed about some of the different types and how they are installed. Everyone is well acquainted with regular wallpaper, whether it is prepasted or needs to be prepared.14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914e239bd9f5Some homeowners might consider a 20-foot Ficus nitida rooted in the middle of a 5,400-square-foot lot to be a liability, especially when planning a major remodel. But architect Carlos Zubieta isn't one of those people. 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914e7440ad36Most of us have websites for our business but what I find interesting is how often the all-important About Us page is overlooked and seems to be more of an afterthought than an attention getting, customer seeking powerhouse that it should be. 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914ebc1eae57Interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard is in demand among Hollywood celebrities: Christina Aguilera, Kid Rock and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne are among his clients. His inviting and eclectic interiors have graced the pages of Architectural Digest, Elle Decor and House Beautiful. His product lines include fabrics, wallpapers and furniture. He's invaded living rooms nationwide on shows such as "Million Dollar Decorator," "The Talk" and "The Young and the Restless." 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914b1eab4d38It's hard to imagine anything more challenging than running a business or raising a family — except, perhaps, doing both at the same time. That's the reality for thousands of mothers across the country who double as entrepreneurs, somehow building successful companies while simultaneously raising their children. It's an unprecedented balancing act, for sure, but according to many "mompreneurs," the rewards can be fairly unprecedented, too.14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914548041409Though they've been in business for five years, the product designers behind Grain, a firm based on Bainbridge Island off the Seattle coast, have only just gotten around to doing furniture. Before this, the team — Chelsea Green, 32, and James Minola, 30 — designed what they call "personal accessories," like a recyclable shower curtain and a hand mirror.14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=519234c2e09de10What's more fun than eating in the kitchen? These inviting spaces for casual family meals bring as much style as convenience to the table. 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914dc4b61c011The 21st century soundtrack to Baz Luhrman's splashy remake of "The Great Gatsby" may be a head-scratcher, but design fans can't quibble with the period sets created by production designer Catherine Martin. "The phone has been ringing off the hook," said Frank Pollaro, a custom furniture maker renowned for reproductions of Jazz Age designs. "People are falling in love with Art Deco again." 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=519149c5242ae12As the SEO landscape continues to change in 2013, many tactics that had previously been low cost, easy to implement and effective are becoming less and less effective. For this reason, a lot of small businesses are struggling to choose the right areas of focus to get quality results from SEO on a limited budget. The truth is that things like comprehensive content marketing plans can be very expensive to execute, and for many small businesses a hefty monthly retainer to "do SEO right" might not be a legitimate possibility. 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914c32de30013Are you in the market for more extravagant pet furniture? Who isn’t? If you're one of the many pet lovers that believe their pet is special and only the best will do, then check out our top 10 favorite pet furniture pieces. 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914a7de795514There is nothing scarier for some people than choosing paint colors for the exterior of their house. What goes together? What colors work with the style of the home? What will the neighbors think? 14 May 2013 17:09:32 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=51914aaf97b5215