Internationally renowned artist BettinaWerner is the Queen of Salt – literally. She invented a complex technique of creating art using vibrantly pigmented salt crystals from Sicily, and established the Salt Queen Foundation to encourage other artists working with innovative techniques.

When the artist entertains at her beautiful loft in Philippe Starck’s luxury “Downtown” building across the street from the NY Stock Exchange, she chooses Crypton placemats
for everything from the kitchen (pictured) to the dining table – Bettina even puts a placemat under her MacBook! “I love that they are made with green technology,” she says.

If you aspire to live surrounded by magnificent artwork, you’re in luck – The Salt Queen is renting out this live-in museum while she takes a trip abroad, and it’s a showcase for her breathtaking canvases. Everywhere you look, you will see precious paintings which range from $5,000 – $54,000: In the bedroom, the kitchen, even the bathrooms! View
pictures of this amazing place here.

All artwork by Bettina Werner

Posted by Julia Szabo.

We’ve had stars in our eyes ever since learning that Traditional Home’s new zodiac column mentions Crypton in the June issue! Here’s what “Star Style” has to say about the sign of Cancer: “In the kitchen, nurturing crabs – like TV’s Sandra Lee – may take culinary shortcuts or wear a stain-resistant astrological apron from Crypton, but at a sit-down meal, it’s linen cloths and napkins all the way!” Read all about the style and entertaning tendencies of all 12 zodiac signs on pages 38 and 40.

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog” features glam, globe-trotting dog trainer Victoria Stillwell making house calls to help modify undesirable dog behaviors. On the episode about
Victoria’s recent visit to the palatial pad of Jill Zarin, a star of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” we spotted a few of our fave pet products: a matching Doodle Dog pet bed and pillow in Jill’s living room, plus another Doodle Dog pillow outdoors, on the balcony seating. Jill and her family know from fine fabrics – her father founded Zarin fabrics, a New York City institution – so this is a high compliment indeed!

Posted by Julia Szabo.

The actor dubbed “The redoubtable Daniel Reichert” by The Los Angeles Times is a leading man of the California stage whose talent, dark good looks, and mesmerizing voice command the spotlight in a wide array of starring roles.

He’s as sought-after for the pictures he takes as the scenes he makes. When he’s not playing theater roles to critical and popular acclaim, Daniel moonlights as a headshot photographer. His keen eye for portraiture helps his fellow acting talents put their best faces forward, to secure the plum parts they deserve.

Daniel has the classic Virgo’s  perfectionist eye for detail, so not surprisingly, his very collectible fine art photography zooms in on familiar things – a quarter, a pencil, a fork – with microscopic precision. Viewed through his lens, these ordinary, often overlooked objects appear iconic and much larger than life.

We were thrilled when Daniel applied his signature “Up Close” technique to a place mat. The result, we think, is a perfect portrait of Crypton Super Fabric: combining yesterday’s charm (the retro glamour of a rum highball) with tomorrow’s convenience (spill-proof protection).

Cheers!

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Heather Green is a photographer whose specialty is capturing the unconditional love between people and their pets. Her soulful, glamorous portraits are in demand from New York City to Aspen to Los Angeles.

Heather shares her Denver home with a three-pack of dogs – a Doberman named Jaidyn and two Great Danes, Remi and Bella. After recently relocating to a new address, Heather planned to do what she’s always done: decorate with canine comfort as a top priority.

Heather takes dog comfort so seriously, in fact, that she’s undertaking what must be a design first: Keying an entire room’s decor to the burnt orange “Gameboard” Crypton dog bed by William Wegman!

It takes a bold, confident aesthetic to design a high-style room with orange accents, then let it go to the dogs. We’ll update you when Heather’s dog-bed-inspired living room is complete!

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Yesterday’s most-watched and re-watched “Today Show” segment featured Animal Fair’s Wendy Diamond showcasing holiday gifts for four-legged, furry friends.

In addition to pet beds, winter coats, treats, and toys, Wendy highlighted home furnishings for the animal lover on your list.

And what was top of Wendy’s list? The Crypton Throver, of course!

Wendy’s pick was especially festive: the new “Show” pattern by William Wegman.

Happy Holidays !

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Last week, Newsweek interviewed our own Julia Szabo for a video feature on pet pampering. Viewers got a tour of Julia’s New York City apartment, which she’s customized for the comfort of her four – count ‘em, four – large dogs.

We spotted our favorite dog beds and pillows used as cushions on Julia’s bed, which she shares with her pack of canine companions.

Meanwhile, we learned about a new use for our multitasking  throver. We knew it comes in very handy on the bed or sofa, in the car, even on a boat. Now we saw Julia use the Throver as a handy mat on the floor, where her veterinary chiropractor “adjusts” the senior dogs, to get their spines in proper alignment.

Now that’s what we call pampering! Watch the video here.

A microsuede throw is a must around the house. But what about the car? Spread out in the back of a vehicle, the microsuede multitasker can be a driver’s best friend, protecting and beautifying the automobile’s interior while cushioning the ride for a very important passenger – the driver’s dog – on rocky roads.

Exhibit A: The Toyota Scion that ferries a sweet, handsome pit bull named MacCrash, recently adopted from Animal Care & Control of New York City. Mac’s daddy is photographer Christian Johnston, who appreciates the Screensaver pattern for its graphic appeal and silvery hue.

The road-ready Throver also happens to coordinate nicely with his Scion’s gray interior – but even more importantly, it’s a handy, high-style backdrop that spotlights Mac’s photogenic white-and-black coat!

I love my job – it lets me meet amazing animals and their equally awesome people. Two of my absolute favorite animal lovers are Kim Fernandez and Betsy Karetnick, the dynamic duo that co-hosts “Morning Living” on Sirius XM’s MarthaStewart Radio. Both are proud owners of multiple dogs that they adopted from animal shelters, which means they’re my kind of gals. Love them!

I’ve been very lucky to be invited on this show many times. It’s serious fun donning head phones to chat with Kim and Betsy, and answer their listeners’ questions live. In fact, the feedback I’ve gotten from the show’s loyal followers is so inspiring that it was a driving force behind my new book, “Pretty Pet-Friendly.” After all, what could be prettier or more pet-friendly than lifestyle legend Martha Stewart and her talented team?

This morning at around 7 a.m. EST, we discussed dog grooming, which is even more important in winter than in summer, believe it or not. When a pet’s coat gets tangled and matted or dry and flaky, it can’t insulate animals from the cold as efficiently, so regular brushing and bathing with gentle, all-natural, conditioning shampoos are absolute musts.

Of course, when asked about my favorite pet products, Crypton dog beds topped the list! Don’t miss this fabulous, eye-opening show every weekday morning between the hours of 7 and 10 a.m. EST.

Meanwhile, for your weekend pet-expert fix, be sure to tune in to Greg Kleva’s always-enlightening show, It’s a Dog’s Life, Saturdays at 8 p.m. A ringer for Keanu Reeves, this gifted
dog trainer is as easy to listen to as he is easy on the eyes. Follow him on Twitter : GregTheDogGuy.

Posted by Julia Szabo.

New York residents are lucky: if they can’t bring their pets along on vacation, they can book a stay at one of the country’s most impressive boarding facilities, Unleash Brooklyn. I confess that I didn’t travel long-distance for several years because there was no place I’d trust with my pack of dogs; thanks to this incredible place, I’m now free to hit the road. 

Banish thoughts of an ordinary kennel. In fact, the co-owners of this unique establishment are hardcore dog lovers who won’t even use what they call  “the K-word” — and to back this up, there isn’t a single cage in the place. Constructed entirely of eco-friendly materials, this is a “holistic loft for cats and dogs.”

A stay here is a play-cation: Dogs are walked outside and enjoy carefully-supervised play sessions in three spacious exercise runs floored with shock-absorbing rubber,which is very kind to dogs with sore joints. There’s even a treadmill for super-high-energy dogs to burn off steam – or paunchy pooches, to help them battle the bulge.

When it’s sleepytime, the canine guests repair to individual rooms and “dog suites,” separated by wooden Dutch doors as in a posh horse stable, with homey touches including framed dog portraits, rugs, and chandeliers. And what do the guests lay their heads on? What else? Crypton dog beds! Now, that’s what we call deluxe accommodations.

And how’s this for reassuring: The morning after my dogs’ first night at their new home-away-from-home, I received the following text message: “They are awesome and slept great!”  

Posted by Julia Szabo.