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.

Mom-of-three-to-be Pam Walsh reports, “Got a peek inside my belly and saw Luke’s face. It was the best birthday present ever!”  Handsome Luke won’t hit the scene until August, but already he’s a stylin’ Virgo babe, with a fully-loaded Crypton crib awaiting his arrival – decoratively decked out by his big brothers, Jack and Reeve, with a Throver and pillow.

According to Crypton’s favorite astrology expert, Susan Miller, the colors the big boys selected are perfectly Virgo – it’s an earth sign that naturally gravitates to deep, dark brown.

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.

Nobody makes how-to videos hip and hot like Howcast. Check out the Howcast blog  for a fun interview with our own Julia Szabo – and check out the Doodle Dog Pillow, Tote, and Dog Bed in Howcast’s Weimaraner video, at the bottom of the post!

What if you got to style the nursery for your little brother-to-be? Reeve (left) and Jack Walsh mixed and matched a pillow and Throver to create this cool Crypton crib. When he arrives in late August, lucky Luke Walsh will be one stylin’ Virgo babe!

Posted by Julia Szabo.

According to a controversial new study published in the February issue of the Centers for Disease Control journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, sleeping with pets can put some people at risk for serious medical problems. “I know this will make me unpopular, but pets really don’t belong in your bed,” says vet Bruno Chomel, co-author of the paper. 

At greatest risk for zoonoses (diseases transmitted from animals to people) are the very young, the elderly, and those whose immune systems are compromised, such as transplant patients, diabetics, and people who are HIV-positive. Please don’t panic if Spot or Fluffy jumps on your bed – as long as pets are up-to-date with vet visits, everything will be fine.

But if you do plan to banish pets from your bed, the kindest, gentlest way to do this is by providing the comfiest, most paw-supportive dog bed possible. Give it pride of place in the bedroom, and Spot won’t even miss your bed.

Sweet dreams!

New Yorker Julie Klam is the author of the best-selling dog memoir “You Had Me at Woof,” which chronicles her adventures in Boston Terrier rescue. A must-read, the book is really wonderful: alternately heartbreaking and hilarious,but always heartfelt.

Julie is a hardcore dog lover, and although her heart belongs to Bostons, she won’t hesitate to help any dog in need, regardless of breed. This past summer, she and her family came across a sweet pit bull who had been abandoned outdoors for hours in the hot sun. Says Julie: “I wasn’t going to leave him there – I would leave myself there first.” The pit, named Puck, is a staff favorite at The Simon Foundation, an excellent animal sanctuary in Connecticut where he awaits his forever home. (To inquire about adopting him, go here.)

Meanwhile, back in New York City, Julie insists that her daughter Violet, age 7, is the real dog person in the family. “She’s the biggest dog lover I have ever met in my life – she makes me look indifferent,” Julie says with a laugh. Here’s Violet enjoying a cat-nap with K9 Dahlia on a size-medium dog bed that’s big enough for two!

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.

When home furnishings and accessories get drafted into service as kids’ play things, the results are not always pretty. No wonder many parents are reluctant to let the living room double as a recreational venue.

But, as my favorite brother act Jack and Reeve Walsh capably demonstrate, some home accessories are durable enough to stand up to almost anything a couple of rambunctious boys can dish out. The Throver, for instance, looks elegant draped over the sofa, yet it’s rugged enough for real rough-housing. (Wish Crypton had been around when I was growing up!)

As tough as the Throver is, it’s also soft and inviting enough to earn the approval of a creature-comforts expert: Betty the tabby. She’s clearly wondering when her boys will be done playing with those Throvers so she can claim one for … a cat nap!

Posted by Julia Szabo.