Warm Days, Cool Nights...Sweet Dreams

When purchasing new furniture for your home, you may often think about a cozy and stylish sofa, a comfortable chair to read in, perhaps...a new television. The last room that we often consider is the bedroom. A room that most people spend 1/3 of their life in is often considered an after thought time after time. The bedroom is a sanctuary. It is a place to lay your tired head and body after a long, stressful day at the office or a particularly tough work out with your trainer. Having said all of that, Weisshouse is here again to rescue you and your bedroom and ensure that both form and function are addressed equally in the bedroom of your dreams...literally. See above for bedroom design inspiration no matter what your budget allows complete with pieces hand picked by Weisshouse interior designers.

Weisshouse: Green Practices for Over 25 Years

Weisshouse is and always has been on the cutting edge of what's hot in terms of home and office furnishings. However, it is not as widely known that Weisshouse has also been "green" for the entire time it has been a company (nearly 60 years). Even when Weisshouse was named "Modern Curtain and Rug", Jack Weiss was selling and installing 100% wool carpet. Not only does Weisshouse continue to sell the best wool carpet in the industry, they also sell "green" synthetic alternatives as well.

Weisshouse has always adapted to new technology and trends in terms of carpet. However, for 25 years, they have refused to sell and install foam carpet pad. Weisshouse only sells and installs fiber pad. Fiber pad is far superior to foam pad for multiple reasons that include durability and it's impact on the environment and air quality. Last week, The New York Times featured an article outlining the various dangers inherent and associated with foam carpet pad. Please click on this link to view the article in it's entirety: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/garden/tests-on-carpet-padding-show-toxins.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Raising%20Concerns%20About%20Chemicals%20in%20recycled%20carpet%20padding&st=cse

Sadly, most local retailers only install foam carpet pad. Rest assured that when you purchase carpet from Weisshouse, we will never install toxic foam carpet pad. In fact, Jack Weiss shared a story for us that is very interesting...

For the past 25 years, Jack Weiss, founder of Weisshouse has preached the importance of using fiber pad because it does not have toxic fire retardant chemicals like it's foam alternative.

Jack tells the story of a prisoner who set fire to his cell which was lined with foam carpet padding. The guards rescued him but 13 other prisoners died because of the lethal gases from the fire that were carried through the air duct system*

A LIFE Magazine "Dream House" Realized in Pittsburgh

"In 1986, LIFE Magazine invited six well known architects to design a 'Dream House', the plans for which would be available to anyone who wished to build them and one of whom was Hugh Newell Jacobsen".

This "Dream House" is located at 2975 Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill and overlooks Frick Park. The view from Lou and Amy Weiss' (home owners) backyard is second to none. It may even be one of the best views in Pittsburgh. This home is an architectural delight and it's on the way to becoming LEED Platinum Certified. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the standard for earth-friendly construction. The main emphasis is always focused on and around energy efficiency.

The site of this home is a former brownfield slag dump.  When the lower Hill District was demolished to build the Civic Area, the debris was dumped on the current site of this home. Special excavation was necessary to prepare the land for this home.

Just to name a few of the green features of this house...

1. Follansbee Steel provided the standing seam steel roof. The roof is recycled and recyclable. It reduces heat absorption and should last 100 years.

2. Bayer Material Service provided open and closed cell spray foam insulation allowing the home to be sealed and in turn, producing very low heating and cooling costs. There is no roof vent but fresh air is brought into the home at a rate of 3,000 cfm.

3. All of the rainwater is harvested that falls on the roof into a river rock cistern, which is then pumped into the house for use in the home's toilets, hoses and drip irrigation.

4. The site's windmill provides power (through storage batteries) for exterior lighting and the outdoor water feature.

Furniture....

Almost every piece of furniture inside the home is from Weisshouse. Lines featured are Cassina, B&B Italia, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and Artemide Lighting.

The kitchens (first and basement level), bathroom and closet cabinets are also from Weisshouse. The cabinetry is from Weisshouse's Modulo Cucine line in CITY (refer to past blogs for more details).

It was truly a pleasure to spend three days at this incredible home. I must agree with both Lou and Amy, being in this house makes you feel like you are on vacation every day.

living room (MET sofas)

dining room (Modulo Cucine wall-hung buffet)

view from backyard

water feature

windmill

swing

exterior and raised bed vegetable garden

kitchen (Modulo Cucine)

butler's pantry

powder room