Cool as Glass: Affordable Collecting
I love glass. Glass brightens and lightens the look of a room and because it’s translucent, light passes through it. I’m drawn to handblown pieces made at the Blenko Glass Company in Milton, West Virginia, and to signed pieces made in Murano, the world-famous islands in the Venetian Lagoon where the art of glassmaking has been perfected and passed down since the late 1200s. It’s not hard to find glass pieces of significance—and we can even do it without breaking the bank.
Creamy zucchini coconut curry soup
Here’s my recipe for a chilled bowl of curried zucchini soup made with coconut milk. When life (or a neighbor) hands you and armload of zucchini, why not make soup?
Tackling the garden my mom left me
I’m finally tackling the garden my mom left me. Working in the flowerbeds she created brings me closer to her and helps me remember the many things she taught me. In the garden, I re-live the roles in our relationship that were turned upside down during mom’s final years. Mom was my first teacher. I put on my gloves and reclaim my place as her apprentice.
Creating an all-weather atrium for reading and working out. Part III
My project to turn the atrium into a light-filled escape for reading and working out in all weather continues. Time for a carriage lamp, a jute rug, a caterpillar sofa and chair, antique table lamp, and a coffee table I bought for my first apartment.
Turning an atrium into an all-weather escape for reading and working out. Part II
The atrium is a work in progress, and we’re getting there. The natural light in this room will be a head-saver during those long winter months—a place to exercise and read.
Tackling the design challenges of a north-facing atrium with brick walls. Part I
It was finally time to tackle the atrium. I’d been using it to store furniture and boxes as I renovated the rest of the house. The brick interior walls were painted a bright haint blue, and I was about to learn why. The room had its challenges, and I was ready.
Those family heirlooms may be the coolest things in your house.
You’ve heard it. “Brown is down.” Younger adults don’t want their parents’ hand-me-down furniture. They want new things from IKEA that they can throw away when they move. Or so the story goes. Who knows if it’s true?
5 Secrets to Making Your Galley Kitchen Work
The galley kitchen in my guesthouse is tiny. The floor space measures a mere 5” x 7”. And when it came time to begin my renovations, I faced one dispirited little space. But I did some sleuthing for photos of galley kitchens that work, and the secrets were hiding in plain sight.
Reading the room.
We have a lot on our minds, right now. Not a great time for a book about how to make your house pretty. Right? Or maybe it is.
DESIGN FOR YOUR MIND is a story about how any of us can use interior design to help us find our voice and our strength and creativity, build community with other people, and recharge our lives.