Experience Retail - Winn's Barbershop, San Diego

We're right in the middle of our 10-City Trendspotting tour for Spring 2010 and San Diego is one of our key cities in our "community & family" themed program. We're scouting the best metropolitan areas and suburban towns that are currently experiencing growth and innovation for consumers seeking a community-oriented lifestyle. San Diego has great housing developments, parks and recreation areas coupled with booming retail centers.

A buzzword in consumer trends, "experience retail" combines retail with the art of creating an enjoyable and memorable "experience" attached to the product or service. A great example from San Diego is Winn's Barbershop. Vintage barber's chairs, quirky memorabilia and, oh my goodness, so much to look at... A haircut is more than just a haircut at this quirky and unique shop!

Street Gardening in Boston

More validation for the street gardening trend from our 10-City Trendspotting tour...

Urban gardening, bright colors, bold sculptures and vivid flowers dominate the street scene in Boston. Windowboxes, overflowing container gardens and lush sidewalk vegetable plots are creating a living, breathing, green atmosphere for the residents of Beantown.

Window Treatment Solutions for Loft Living Environments

Part of the attraction and desire for loft living environments are the expansive, often floor to ceiling, windows. Yes, they let in lots of light and offer tremendous views of the surrounding city and neighborhoods. But what do you do when you want a little bit of privacy and traditional window treatments just don't fit the bill? Here are some creative examples from the FP3 Building in Boston we toured during our 10-City Trendspotting tour last fall. Graphic decals, frosted glass panels, unique glass sculptures and modern sheer fabrics with a hint of bold color are all innovative ways to add a touch of modestly to bold panes of glass:

Creative Wallcoverings - Trendspotting in Boston

The FP3 Building in Boston is full of innovative design concepts, furnishings and product installations. Each of the units are creative and unique with different themes reflected into wall covering patterns and designs, such as the retro looks and the modern typography styles we captured during our tour. A quick way to personalize any space, these wall coverings do the trick!

You can read a complete recap of our entire 10-City trendspotting tour here.

Trendspotting Boston - Urban Rooftop Garden

The FP3 Building in Boston is creative, exciting and inspired from the ground all the way up to the rooftop gardens of the shared terrace. We'll be featuring more posts in the coming days from our tour of FP3 and other great housing and retail we found during our trendspotting trip to Boston, but for now... Enjoy these lovely pictures of great green goodness from the urban gardens on the rooftop!

Street Gardening - San Francisco Trendspotting

As the urban street gardening trend continues to sweep the nation - we bring you some green loveliness from the hilly, winding streets of San Francisco:

Trendspotting San Francisco - Lotus Bleu

If you're looking for cheerful, inspiring and artistic home decor and interior design services in San Francisco you should head directly for Jeannie Fraise's shop - Lotus Bleu. You can't miss the welcoming storefront window boxes and cheery canopy as you stroll down Hayes Street.
Upon entering, you'll be transported into a world of treasures that Jeannie and her husband Christophe collect in their travels abroad to France and Southeast Asia. Rugs, bedding, furniture, custom upholstery, lighting and kid's designs are a few of the dazzling displays found in this lovely and colorful boutique. Also offering interior design and wholesale services, this cute and cozy shop is the perfect place to visit for inspiration and guidance when beginning a new project or home decor adventure!

Natural Home Showhouse - Brooklyn, NYC

The Natural Home Showhouse (actually, it's two connected homes...) has finally reached completion in Brooklyn, NYC. A unique combination of old and new, the homes are an example of green and sustainable living.

From Natural Home: "When construction began, the Show House was a dilapidated, burned-out shell in danger of collapse (in fact, its roof had collapsed). Built in the 1920s, the structure had been a residence, a pharmacy, a Laundromat and a deli before it was almost destroyed by a fire in 1980. The boarded-up, garbage-filled property was a blight in an otherwise charming, tree-lined neighborhood of well-kept brownstones."

Now the home's historic red brick facade accents the sleek solar panels and cool, regionally sourced limestone exterior. Each of the 3,000 square foot townhomes offer three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, Energy Star windows, a rooftop photovoltaic array, evacuated-tube solar collectors, Warmboard radiant heat subfloors as well as Energy Star appliances and super-insulated front doors. There's also a green roof, native landscaping, and five 65-gallon rain barrels that collect almost all of the roof runoff. via: Jetson Green

C2 Lofts - Summerlin, Las Vegas

In the cozy, family friendly suburb of Summerlin you will find lots of sidewalks, parks, schools and trails. We recently featured Summerlin Centre as a place many families call home, but what if you're looking for a more urban experience? Even those desiring a more modern, authentic loft style of living can find a place to call home. A unique development, the C2 Lofts offer high ceilings, rooftop gardens, flexible living spaces, brick walls and exposed duct work. You can take the "Authentic Loft Tour" online to experience this new community and style of living in Las Vegas.