Armstrong’s ceiling-mounted Definitions accent panels, shown in grass, divide a space with flair.
Carving an interior into separate, semiprivate zones has never been easier—especially if you don't want to build a permanent wall. Armstrong’s ceiling-mounted Definitions accent panels feature such natural materials as bamboo, linen, and grass, shown, fused between two resin sheets; you can hang just one or clip multiple units together. Impact-resistant, washable, and stainless steel hardware, they are available in 16 patterns and colors. $698 each. 6' high x 2' wide x 3" deep. 877-276-7876, armstrong.com/definitions.
Electronics make our lives easier and, let's face it, more fun. But being wired doesn't mean you have to live with a mess of cables. These three items offer fantastic cord control. —Inspectress Gadget
It was a tiny bit insulting to overhear some aunts whispering during a family gathering at my place, "Why does she make everything so FANCY?" It's not like I've decorated my home Liberace style. In fact, my taste runs more to midcentury minimalism. As it turns out, they were referring to my habit of replacing ordinary household items with finer versions of themselves. It never occurred to me that I was being fancy (or that fancy was BAD); spiffing things up seemed as basic as brushing my teeth. Why not make the items you use and look at every day as beautiful as possible?
For example, who wants to see a jumble of vitamin bottles? It may seem like a bother to transfer vitamins from their original plastic containers to apothecary jars—preferably made of dark glass to best preserve nutrients (as you can see, I'm still looking for the perfect ones)—but, in return, for a moment's effort, you're rewarded with something lovely. And don't cotton balls look great in a big covered jar instead of their original plastic bag?
Elegant damask fabrics and patterns have been making a comeback in a big way on everything from dinnerware to fine bedding. I even have a plastic iPod case embellished with one of these fabric-inspired scroll designs. You'll find more of this trend in our May issue (on sale April 24). Until then, enjoy my colorful rendition on your desktop.
To download this design onto your computer, just click on the link for your screen resolution. Once you see the full image, right-click on it and select "Set as Background" or "Set as Wallpaper." Or you can download the free PDF. Check back soon for more patterns—all exclusive to homemag.com and inspired by ideas in the magazine. —Wallfleur
There’s nothing like a pending visit from out-of-town guests to kick-start a stalled home-improvement project. In my case, I had been boasting to my parents for months that I was planning to update my childhood dresser. Suddenly, I had just three days to put my swagger into action before they arrived for a long-weekend visit. I fancy myself a pretty handy person, but truth be told, I had never before refinished a piece of furniture.
It crossed my mind—as it had for years—to just junk the 36-year-old set of drawers. But then I remembered my long history with it: My parents purchased it in 1971 from the Montgomery Ward catalog to furnish my pink-shag-carpeted childhood bedroom. Since then, the painted-white dresser had traveled with me to four different states and several homes. It’s not much, but it’s mine, and we’ve been through so much together. My sentiment triggered, I decided to simply repaint the drawer fronts and replace the ugly pulls.
The first thing I did was try to unscrew the existing pulls. After 36 years, you would think that I would have noticed that the pulls are attached with industrial-style rivets instead of screws—but no, I hadn’t. My attack from the inside of the drawers stymied, I tried to pry the handles off the front with a flathead screwdriver. They didn’t move. I finally used force, punching the rivets out with the end of a Phillips head screwdriver and a hammer. Ah, sweet victory! Nope—a new challenge was still in store for me: When I measured the space between the holes to see what size the new pulls would need to be, I discovered that the openings were a nonstandard 2 1/2” apart. (I shake my fists at you, Montgomery Ward circa 1971!)
Few things peeve me more than a perfectly lovely evening on the veranda cut short by an invasion of bloodsucking 'skeeters. Fortunately, I've found a solution that alleviates the problem without offending my sense of aesthetics: mosquito curtains. Made of knitted, heat-cured polyester fabric, these machine-washable, mildew-resistant scrims are about 20% heavier than standard mosquito netting; they offer all the advantages of permanent screens, but with more flexibility and less cost. (A 40' x 10' panel is about $320.) Attached to the rafters with Velcro or hung from a rod with curtain hooks, they are easily removed or, in the latter case, slid aside when not in use. Available in white, ivory, or black, and in standard or custom sizes. Mosquitocurtains.com. —The Style Provacateur
Hate dealing with the laundry? These new helpmates, folding surfaces, and storage devices will take a load off your mind. Whirlpool's Laundry 123 Tower ($199 to $329) is designed to sit next to or between the company's Duet, Duet Sport, Cabrio, and Classic washers and dryers. The rectangular structure features a 10-inch retractable hanging rod, two large drawers for stashing detergent and bleach, and a shallow tray for holding dryer sheets or bleach pens. In White, Ultimate Silver Metallic, and Black-on-Black. Another option is the rubberized Laundry 123 Worksurface ($199 to $229), which sits atop your washer and dryer, offering an uninterrupted area to treat, sort, and fold your duds. A supply tray in the back corrals anything from loose change to stain-removal sticks. 866-698-2538, whirlpool.com.
Kenmore's Laundry Plus Storage Unit—which features two pullout drawers and a shallow tray ($199 to $299)—and accompanying Work Surface ($199 to $229) come in White and bold colors such as Pacific Blue, Black Diamond, and Barolo. We particularly like the company's Ironing Station (price to be determined), which launches this spring. It will include a cordless iron, a charging dock, a swing-out ironing board, and two roomy storage drawers. 800-349-4358, kenmore.com. —Inspectress Gadget
When artist Cindy Bainbridge was looking for design inspiration to build a freestanding gallery work space on her 40-acre Pittsboro, North Carolina, farm, she turned to Home—and found an addition that Austin, Texas, architect Michael Antenora designed for himself and his family. Featured in the magazine's January/February 2006 issue, the modern structure had a quirky laundry-room bump-out with an asymmetrical roof and bold exterior colors.
"As soon as I saw the picture, I knew it was exactly what I'd been looking for," says Bainbridge. "It was simple and direct and would evoke the farm buildings in this area." So she created a 1/8-inch scale model out of cardboard, had blueprints drawn by a draftsman, and hired two local craftsmen to build it.
The 535-square-foot outbuilding includes a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping loft–meditation room and cost approximately $48,000 to construct. All of the windows, doors, and light fixtures came from the Habitat Thrift store and rang up at about $350.
"Since this is a working studio, I left the walls unpainted to encourage the creative process, which, for me, can be messy" says Bainbridge.—BrickChick
Elegant damask fabrics and patterns have been making a comeback in a big way on everything from dinnerware to fine bedding. I even have a plastic iPod case embellished with one of these fabric-inspired scroll designs. You'll find more of this trend in our May issue (on sale April 24). Until then, enjoy my colorful rendition on your desktop.
