Tag Archive for 'Hayneedle Your Home'

Creating a Garden Oasis

Published on July 23, 2010 in HAYNEEDLE and PATIO & GARDEN. 7 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

This summer has turned out to be extraordinarily busy for me!  Isn’t this when we’re all supposed to go on vacation?  Well, until I am able to really get away, I’ll practice what I preach and find the opportunities to relax any moment I can. As I say time and time again, in the words of my father, Eduardo Sr., “it’s all about balance!”

For me that balance includes taking care of my career, my family, my friends and myself, and deciding when to give each area the priority!  For others, especially those having to deal with any kind of health issue, finding balance can be daunting.

Ten years ago, my sister Monica was diagnosed with lupus.  It’s a strange condition that still remains a mystery to those who have to live with it as well as to the medical community at large.  Lucky for my sister, she has been dealing with what seems to be a somewhat “manageable” form of lupus. Similar to others afflicted with the disease, my sister’s lupus seems to be triggered by stress. People with lupus have what are called “flare ups” when the immune system seems to go on overdrive and starts to fight itself.  Sounds complicated, right?  Well, my sister was in the midst of a flare up prior to getting married. I wanted to assist her in her planning to ease the stress, so I helped with much of the coordination.  I also composed some original music for her ceremony.

Over the last decade I have become an advocate of lupus awareness and have been doing what I can to support The Lupus Foundation of America.  They have been a great resource of information for my family. This fall, I will be honored to serve as host for their annual Butterfly Gala in New York City.

Recently, I chose my sister’s backyard as the site for the webisode entitled, “Creating a Garden Oasis”.  But before we shot the webisode, I needed to do a bit of a makeover for her!  This is what the garden looked like before the makeover…

…and this is what it looked like after the makeover!

The changes were subtle and fairly inexpensive, but the difference was obvious!  It became the perfect garden oasis for our webisode and a place where my sister could relax!

My niece, Monet, makes a guest appearance in this webisode as my co-host!  Here we are walking Hazel in the park.

The whole experience made such a valuable impression on Monet, she decided to document it in a piece of art she made for me.  This is her artistic interpretation of being with me in front of the camera!

As I mentioned earlier, I composed music for my sister’s wedding.  One of the musical pieces is called “Velas”, which means candle in Spanish.  The piece of music is the background music for this webisode.  I hope you enjoy it!

Making the Best of Awkward Spaces – by Eduardo Xol

Published on June 18, 2010 in HAYNEEDLE and PATIO & GARDEN. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

We are well into Summer!  Here in California, we’re experiencing a bit of “June Gloom”, as they call it when the fog rolls inland during the morning hours.  Generally this keeps the temperature really nice once the fog burns off.  As I speak to my friends around the country though, I can tell it’s already really warming up everywhere else.

I recently completed shooting my third webisode, “Hayneedle Your Home with Eduardo Xol”.  For this webisode I focused on awkward and uncommon spaces.  I have one of these spaces- a long, narrow one right outside my dining room- so I thought it would be a perfect place to practice my philosophy.  Notice the concrete pavers I set into the gravel to create the “room”. Once I did that, I placed the Sandstone Akro Hose Pot/Planter next to the water faucet.  This would dictate where everything else would go.

Next you can see me shooting the “10 Second Tip” as we get ready to place all of the furniture.  You can’t tell by this picture , but there were a LOT of people filling that small space to shoot the webisode.  To see the video and get more information on the great products I used to transform it into a functional space, click here.

I’ve also been preparing for future webisodes, including one I will shoot in my sister’s backyard, since I’m already giving her a bit of a makeover.  Many of you might know that my sister was diagnosed with lupus several years ago.  It’s a very mysterious condition.  An important element in maintaining the symptoms at bay is relaxation.  On Extreme Makeover Home Edition, I help people in need all of the time all over the country, so when I’m home, I really do my best to help my own family out when I can.  My sister is a busy, young mom who works as a teacher, so I want to give her a space where she can relax and find personal health and balance.  Here’s a picture of the space I have to work with. Stay tuned for this webisode to see the makeover!

Speaking of personal health and balance…I’m doing my best to do the same as I manage a very busy summer schedule.  If I’m not committed to attend a public event, I tend to my plants and garden almost every day before dinner.   It really does keep me in check!

On the nights I have an event, and there seems to be many these days, I have to get myself cleaned up.

The next webisode coming up will be about poolside living.  I hope everyone continues to enjoy the summer!

We Can All Be Designers – a post by Eduardo Xol

Published on May 28, 2010 in HAYNEEDLE. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Something I strive to help people understand is that we can all be the designers of our own lives, so it shouldn’t be difficult for us all to be the designers of our own backyard. And today it’s easier than ever.

This is a busy Summer for me.  I’m helping my parents and sister get their backyards ready for Summer as  I’m cleaning up my own backyard as well.  One of the things I love to do is entertain outdoors during the summertime.  I tend to always use tablecloths both indoors and outdoors.  I have a couple of fabric tablecloths I use, but one can also buy disposable tablecloths made out of paper with a plastic liner to give the same effect.  Whatever you use, it’s a simple, inexpensive addition that adds an element of comfort. Anyone can do it! Here is a picture of one of my recent al fresco dinners where you can see the table set.

Growing up I was lucky to get a pretty good education on plants and nature from my father. At least once a month he would take my family to different parks to experience plants firsthand.  Here is a recent picture I took of The Huntington Library’s Japanese Garden in San Marino, California.

Visiting the parks and gardens had a definite influence in my life. If you don’t know what plants are best for your backyard, take a trip to parks in your area to see what appeals to you. Snap a few pictures to bring to an area florist or nursery if you find a plant you love, but don’t recognize. Ask about plants and flowers indigenous to your area- these are eco-friendly options that are bound to thrive in your local climate. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how greenery and flowing plants will bring an air of natural beauty to any setting.

This Summer I’ll be shooting a web series called “Hayneedle Your Home” where I’ll be giving tips and advice on outdoor living.  This exciting outdoor design project just launched today! Be sure to check back throughout the season to see the latest videos, features, and design tips.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and answer your questions, so please, feel free to leave me a note. You can also read more about what’s going on in my life by going to www.EduardoXol.com.