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?
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
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
When Cynthia Rowley presented her fall 2007 ready-to-wear collection during New York City's Fashion Week, the show's lead sponsor was not a watchmaker or an electronics firm: it was paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams. The company, which plans an ongoing association with Rowley, used the event to kick off its new Concepts of Color collection. The palette of 250 shades, divided into 10 color families, was integrated throughout the show's set; attendees received a gift bag with a color fan and an M&M-filled mini paint can with a label designed by Rowley. Although Rowley didn't collaborate with Sherwin-Williams on the collection, the company was attracted to her for her exuberant use of color.
The partnership is not as unlikely as it first may seem. Rowley is no stranger to the domestic arena, having coauthored living guide Home Swell Home (Atria) with Ilene Rosenzweig and codesigned a subsequent Swell housewares and bedding collection with her at Target. I spoke with Rowley after the show to find out more about the relationship between fashion and home, what hues are hot for fall, and which colors she chose for her new town house. —Style Provocateur
I've had bad luck with goldfish. Charlie lived for six years, which must be some kind of record for a pet won at a kindergarten fair. He survived two cross-country car trips in a tin canister, turned from bright orange to the lovely pinkish hue of rose gold as he aged, and met an untimely death when a cloud of bug spray that was meant for a palmetto roach drifted over his uncovered bowl. (Sorry, Charlie!) Orange Julius, a pet-store purchase, came next. I don't recall the precise details of his demise; by that time we had a cat and…wait a minute, what did happen to that fish?
Perhaps I would have taken better care of my piscine pets had I been able to keep them in a Fish 'n Flush. In fact, I'm sure I would have. For one thing, I would have sunk about $299 into the toilet-tank kit, an investment sure to capture my attention. And for another, I would have spent more time in their company, perhaps even reading them One Fish, Two Fish.
As far as I could tell, my college neighbor Dan liked just two things: lounging around and being outside. Many an afternoon when I headed to class I'd see him out on the patio sprawled out on a beaten-up sofa, sunning himself. If only he lived next door to me now, I'd tell him first, get a job, and second, that La-Z-Boy (lazboy.com), along with Brown Jordan International (bji.com), have created an outdoor perch that would let him do what he enjoys most in style.
Called the Whitley recliner, the seat has a built in footrest that can be adjusted to three positions—upright, elevated leg, and full recline. It has a rustproof aluminum frame covered in all-weather resinweave, which means he could leave the chair out in the rain without fear of rot. The recliner's arms and legs are reinforced with decorative, cast-aluminum ends, so it's OK if he gets klutzy and bangs it into something, which he would, while its red cushions—fluffy and able to withstand hours of use at a time—are upholstered in Solarium, a quick-drying, weather-resistant fabric.
I've been consistently impressed by Umbra's U+ Studio Collection (umbra.com), the funky, more experimental line relaunched two years ago by the Toronto-based furnishings company. And although U+ features work by numerous designers, including Karim Rashid and Michelle Ivankovic, I'm most often drawn to the work of one in particular: Matt Carr, the talent behind many of the line's mirrors and clocks. His style is best described as modern Scandinavian, with sleek lines, unfussy surfaces, and lots of glass, wood, and metal. I was fortunate enough to meet him two weeks ago at the New York Gift Show, where he walked me through his forthcoming pieces for U+, many of which are a departure from his usual aesthetic. Here's a sneak peek of the items, all of which should be available by March 1. —Decor Darling
PISA BOOK SHELF That's Carr himself standing next to this leaning tower of shelves, which can add storage and a strong sculptural element to any room. Comprising dark wood veneer; designer not included. 63½" high x 12½" wide x 29" deep. $550. Umbra.com.
TREASURE CLOCK The eclectic timepiece was inspired by a desire to "create a sustainable product that gives new life to discarded toys," says Carr. Constructed from natural birch and second-hand playthings, each clock is unique, and only 200 will be made. Available in white, shown, and black. 15½" high x 15½" wide. $145. U+ Studio Collection; 800-387-5122, Umbra.com.
CADO STOOL Versatile and sophisticated, this leather multitasker combines seating, a serving surface, and a hidden storage area. Pretty cool. 18" high x 18½" wide 18½" deep. $399. Umbra.com.
The wood shop teacher's message on my voicemail was cheery and brief: "Your son Reed's project is ready to be picked up." Picked up? I called Tim back to ask, “Can't my son just bring it home on the bus?” After a short pause, he said gently, "I'm afraid you'll need a van." We did, and now the bench, shown left, lives in my kitchen until we figure out a better spot for it in our small apartment.
Fortunately, most of my children's art projects aren't this large, but they do have a way of accumulating to the point of threatening to bury the entire family. Some can be winnowed out (yes, I admit it; sometimes I throw them away), but favorite pieces deserve a better fate.
Clamshell boxes are great for storing small drawings, booklets, three-dimensional pieces, seashell art, etc. I made a set of boxes for each child. As each box fills up, I just add another one to the set. The art is protected from light and dust, and can be easily retrieved and enjoyed.
I was all set to do a phone interview with Mariel Hemingway to discuss her new book, Mariel Hemingway's Healthy Living From the Inside Out (Harper San Francisco). But when I called her hotel, I had an incredibly difficult time getting through to this granddaughter of America's literary titan: The operator couldn't spell “Hemingway,” which probably had Ernest rolling over in his grave. But it was a fitting introduction to my conversation with the actress-writer, who personifies contradiction.
Like the character she played in Woody Allen's Manhattan—an apparent innocent who was, in fact, far from it—Mariel is not what you'd imagine. Despite her family's dark and murky legacy (the suicide of her grandfather; alleged suicide of her sister, Margaux; and the death of her father following a surgical mishap), Mariel radiates lightness, clarity, and strength. And though she derived early fame and fortune as a model and actress, struggling to live up to unrealistic standards of outer perfection, she has spent much of her adult life directing herself inward to discover dietary, physical, and spiritual practices, including yoga, to vanquish demons that threaten emotional and physical well-being. Now, as a writer, she presents her four-prong (food, exercise, home, and silence) roadmap for achieving wholeness and balance.
Of course, I was most interested in her theories and strategies concerning the home, which could be regarded as antidecor—if decor means adopting trendy styles that have nothing to do with one's deepest inclinations, or dressing rooms in a look determined by a designer who never gets to know you. “We don't spend enough time at home, but when we are there, it should fill us up,” says Mariel. “But we get caught up in the model home syndrome, which is like being on someone else's diet or wearing someone else's dress—it doesn't fit. I believe that you can have fabulous design, but it should come from your heart. We need to figure out who we really are and go from there.” Mariel's book is filled with practical advice. Here are some suggestions she shared in our conversation:
The wood shop teacher's message on my voicemail was cheery and brief: "Your son Reed's project is ready to be picked up." Picked up? I called Tim back to ask, “Can't my son just bring it home on the bus?” After a short pause, he said gently, "I'm afraid you'll need a van." We did, and now the bench, shown left, lives in my kitchen until we figure out a better spot for it in our small apartment. 
Clamshell boxes
