1. The web is a wonderful tool to lend a helping contribution when needed. Julie left a comment on our post about the Nie Nie benefit to tell us of her own fund raising call to action. She wrote: “The tragedy that has happened to Stephanie and Christian has turned into a beautiful wellspring of hope and love…. Unfortunately, I know first-hand of the cost of extensive medical bills. My daughter, Alyson, is three years old and has been diagnosed with Leukemia. A friend, Marina, is an Etsy vendor and has put together a shop to help us pay for her three-year-long treatments… If anyone would be kind enough to visit the shop at alysonscure.etsy.com or leave Alyson a little “Love Noteâ€� via her blog at alyson.mystyl.us. Any support, whether financial or emotional is always greatly appreciated.” Be sure to check out Alyson’s Cure on Etsy. There’s some lovely artwork and jewelry up for grabs.

2. A lot of you are happy to be homeowners, especially during this economic crisis, though all the money talk does get ya down. seanSF says: “I’m really tired of having my home evaluated by a dollar amount. Yes, it is an investment. Yes, I want to get my money’s worth. But we didn’t buy our house with either of those thoughts primarily in our mind. It was a home, first and foremost. A place to live, get to know each other better, raise a family, have family and friends over for dinners and vacations and whenever they’re in need.” See what others have to say about the current housing crisis and leave your own comments here.

3. Halloween is not the only time of year to appreciate creepy design. As Katherine says of these skeleton serving forks: “Be bold enough to use them year-round! I love creepy stuff like this. It works well when in contrast to an otherwise bright & beautiful place. Love it!”

4. You know some great online resources for buying fabrics. Lanny T. shares one suggestion: “The best place (and I have done a lot of looking) to buy fabrics is an online fabric store called iluvfabrix.com. They have incredibly beautiful fabrics on their site all the time, and there always seems to be some sort of sale going on.” Click here to see more suggestions for upholstery fabric stores.

5. When trying to decide a new paint color for room, trying looking in your closet for inspiration. As J recommends: “What colors do you wear a lot? That has always been a good starting point for me. Actually it was what color does my husband wear a lot: he had an affection for the bland until I painted a wall a deep blue-gray that he wore, and now he’s totally into color.” See more ideas for choosing a paint color here.

I may use some of these in my daughter's bedroom redo. The pinks would be just right!

And this little bird seemed like he was posing just for me.

I was able to see alot of things that I will share with you in the next couple of days: historical gardens, restored theater in Monterey, a beautiful new antique shop in Carmel, etc. Check back!

Have a great weekend!

Oh, to be in New York right now attending the House Proud exhibit at Cooper-Hewitt. Hopefully I'll get the chance. But in the meantime, I did find some images on the web.

The exhibit celebrates the impressive collection of nineteenth century watercolor interiors assembled by Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw- one of the largest of its kind in the States. The rendered interiors include rooms at Carlton House, Buckingham Palace, and Schloss Fischbach (the paintings put my small collection of anonymous watercolor interiors to shame!) On display through January 25, 2009, the show is sure to be of interest to you collectors or those interested in design history.

(For additional reading, you may want to consider House Proud, the companion book to the show. I've got my copy on order. Thank you too to a few readers and Paul Pincus for alerting me to the exhibit.)


The Dressing Room of King Ludwig I at the Munich Residenz; Franz Xaver Nachtmann, Germany, 1836.


The Japanese Salon, Villa Hügel; Rudolf von Alt, Austria, 1855.


The Chinese Room in the Royal Palace, Berlin; Eduard Gaertner, Germany, 1850.


The Blue Room, Schloss Fischbach; Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Klose, Germany, 1846.

Image at top: The Circular Dining Room at Carlton House; Charles Wild, England, 1819.

i’m a sucker for a zig zag line (i’m always lusting after a full-sized version of this rug) and these new towels at williams sonoma home are calling me. i really love the persimmon/pumpkin combination (very fall) but the blues are perfectly summery as well. click here to check them out ($36 each).

ps: penelope green at the nytimes wrote a great article/at home with piece with faythe levine of handmade nation. it’s always inspiring to read about people like faythe in big mainstream news. click here to check it out.

Posted by Lena

I just got back from a quick trip to Portland, Maine. I was there to work, but spent a big portion of the time eating!

Dining in, dining out... both simple food and sophisticated... it was all so delicious.

Here are some snapshots of my meals in Portland, and a list of restaurants I highly recommend.

FORE STREET
Fantastic local, seasonal food in a beautiful old building.
288 Fore Street

BRESCA
A sweet, intimate restaurant with great Italian dishes, also made with fresh, local ingredients.
111 Middle Street

BLUE SPOON
The perfect place to get a really delicious soup and salad for lunch.
89 Congress St

FLAT BREAD COMPANY
Wood fired pizza with toppings like organic vegetables, homemade maple fennel sausage, and goat cheese.
72 Commercial Street

SARA'S TEA SHOP
This sweet little tea shop doesn't have a website, but the loose teas are wonderful and the homemade scones are to die for.
195 Congress street

1. The Door - Choose a front door that reflects the style and personality of your home and paint it or stain it in a contrasting color to make it a focal point. My favorite colors? Red, Black & stained finishes.
2. The Accessories- Just like any other room in the house, the accessories are the finishing touch and there are quite a few to consider: door hardware, house numbers, door knockers, door bells, mailboxes, doormats, lighting and plants. Since it’s a small space, try to keep finishes and styles similar.
3. A Commitment - Keep the area neat and clean. A simple sweeping up and wiping down will usually do. Flowers & plants are a bonus. It brightens up the area and shows others that you take pride in your nest.

Thanks to Elements of Style for this post about how to live a Hollywood Regency dream by renting from Room Service.

Oh My God! THE LIZA ROOM TAKES THE CAKE! If you missed SF20, you can lament your loss by perusing these fabulous images Leah posted at More Ways to Waste Time.

Oh My God Part II: Oh Patricia Gray, thank you for this. At first I thought it was a Chelsea Lately sketch, but it really is Sarah Palin’s office

Home Rejuvenation’s posts blow my mind all the time. I’m giddy over the The Next Generation House by Sou Fujimoto Architects.

I’m just nuts about Mrs. Blandings. I don’t know how I missed this charming Kansas City-based blogger’s writing for so long.

I don’t know how it took me ten days to find fellow, the new online design magazine from decor fellow blogger James Saavedra. Thanks to Habitually Chic for the tipoff.

Check out the list of the most inspiring design books of all time from O At Home magazine. I’m such a dork; I circled the ones I already have, which added up to ten. I was really excited to see Luis Barragan, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown and J.B. Jackson included on the list, but was disappointed that landscape architecture was not represented more.

Bummer! The Farnsworth House, in spite of the plinth it sits on above the ground, is majorly flooded. To make a donation towards repairs, click here. (via AT: Chicago).

Design Bloggers in Print! The New York Times did a huge feature on design bloggers yesterday, and included some of my favorites, like Jennifer Dwyer from The Peak of Chic. Congratulations! Hey, you know what’s weird? Wordpress has the word “bloggers” underlined right now like it’s not a word. It has Wordpress underlined as well. What’s up with that?

• photo from Room Service via Elements of Style

• photo by Leah Hennen at More Ways to Waste Time

• photo from The Anchorage Daily News (Landov) via The New York Times, via Patricia Gray Interior Design

• photo by (I think) Sou Fujimoto Architects, via Home Rejuvenation

• image from Mrs. Blandings

• image from fellow by James Saavedra

• image from amazon.com

• image from landmarks.org

Yikes, when Simple Mom jolted me out of my Fall bliss to remind me that we only have 12 weeks until Christmas {faint}, I nearly passed out. How could it be? Now you all see why I wanted to get a jump on Fall, just about the time you realize Fall is really here it is time to start singing Christmas Carols!

While I am not wanting to rush the seasons, I do like to take some time at the beginning of a month to think about what is ahead. I want to make certain I am living a life of purpose and intent through each season of life. And Christmas isn’t one of those things you can whip together overnight, I need to plan ahead to fully enjoy the holidays.

Here are my top three holiday things to think about now:

1) What are the holidays going to look like for our family this year?

While we keep our basic traditions the same from year to year, we tend to zero in on a particular focus for what our family will do or how we will celebrate. Some years this has involved going out of town to focus on our family, some years we have very simple and frugal holidays, and some years we throw big parties and go hog wild with the celebrations. Identifying what our holidays will look like helps us to plan accordingly for our budget, time and expectations.

2) In light of our holiday plans, what will I teach my children this season?

Every thing in life is a learning opportunity (for kids and parents!), so with the different ways we celebrate the holidays each year we are able to cover a variety of scenarios to instill different values. From hospitality, to organization, to social skills, to the joy of simplicity, frugality, family and giving rather than receiving, the holidays are full of opportunities to grow and learn.

We try to teach our children the true meaning of the season and yet fully enjoy traditions and all the fun the holidays bring. The holiday lessons for my children begin as I start to make plans and involve them in the process. In other words, I need to get going on this!

3) What can I do now to prepare ahead?

Now is the time to decide what gift giving will be like for my family this Christmas. Because this year we will be having a very frugal and simple holiday, I need to start now to find easy (remember, I am not crafty!) and creative yet meaningful gifts.

Because memory making and traditions are important to me, I need to incorporate them into my plans or they end up being forgotten or crowded out by less important things. The best way for me to maintain traditions is to schedule them on my calendar now (assigning a cookie baking day, or designate a budget and time for a shopping excursion for new PJs for Christmas eve, for instance).

In the coming weeks and months, even as we continue to celebrate all the goodness of fall and everyday home decorating, I’ll be sharing simple ideas & traditions that will help us enjoy all the wonder of the holidays while keeping the meaning of the season in focus. Plus, I’ve got lots of exciting and BIG NEWS to reveal!

Speaking of living with purpose and authenticity,
here is an excerpt from my CWO article for October:

The crisp air and falling leaves outside my window remind me of how fleeting life is. Days turn into nights and before I know it, another month has passed in the blink of an eye. My son in second grade, my daughter is now a married woman and my middle daughter will be applying to college soon. Where is the time going?

One of the things I am so aware of as I watch my family grow and change is my need to remain committed to living a life of intent and purpose. It isn’t enough to let days slip through my fingers and hope for the best. I need to embrace each opportunity to build my home from the inside out. [To read the rest of this article, click here.]

Top photos: Hostess With The Mostess
Bottom photo: This Old House

I went with some of my friends from high school to see The Roots and Erykah Badu on Monday--which was really good. The Roots set was super short (like half an hour) and Erykah's set was super long (like 2-1/2 hours, I think?)! I love that along with her extra large hair which obscured her face, Erykah wore this funky red, grid-patterned pantsuit (which looked like something straight out of Andre 3000's closet), Urkel-style black-rimmed glasses, and mule tennis shoes (at least it looked like that from where I was sitting). I wouldn't doubt she probably had suspenders on underneath, too. Everything about it from the performance and music to her outfit seemed both feminine and masculine, uncompromised, vision-driven, and just plain nutty. Loved it.

Anyway, seeing The Roots again also reminded of a poster I made ten years ago. It was my final project in the one and only graphic design class I've ever taken. I took this class right after college when I realized that I was interested in more artistic pursuits. I remember choosing to hand-make this poster on manila paper instead of using a computer to design it.

It's always interesting to look back on your early work to see how far you've come and at the same time, to see what hasn't changed about you.

Before

Ilove using SIMPLE SOLUTIONS in decorating. When it comes time to repaint a room, it is quite possible to spend forever trying to decide what paint colors to choose for woodwork and walls, how to fix less than perfect features, and then another eternity painting straight lines between woodwork and walls (not my favorite task). Sometimes I want a QUICK FIX and an easy answer so I can have a new color in a day (or so!).

I’ll admit it, I’m an impatient decorator. And, honestly, I am too busy to fuss over each and every decision and project in life. In order to get on with enjoying life, yet still have a beautiful home, I have to simplify.

In this space, the simple solution to giving this room a lively new look was Sherwin Williams Westminster Gold #200. Everywhere.

The secret to making this one color paint technique work is to vary the sheen…put a glossier paint on the woodwork to contrast with a satin or flat paint on the walls. That contrast will give just enough variation for interest.

The overall look is cozy, fresh, hides imperfections and lets the furniture and accessories take center stage. The background becomes an effective backdrop to a beautiful room.

And it wasn’t complicated! I like that.

PHOTO:Country Living: Keith Scott Morton

Joey’s Corner is a non-profit design firm founded by Michael Osborne. This dedicated group truly pours its heart and soul into the work. Thank you!

“There is nothing more gratifying than designing for these dedicated, hard working organizations doing the most important work in the world, with the most incredible people I have ever met.” - Michael Osborne

http://www.joeyscorner.org

http://modsf.com

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Remember my post on the late Gene Hovis- the man whose gorgeous home and envy-inducing linen and silver collection piqued my fascination? Well, he popped up again, this time in the Tiffany Gourmet Cookbook. (Not that this is news or anything. The book was published in 1992.)

Hovis' library/dining room was the setting for this elegant meal. I know, I know- I've read where many are tired of the library cum dining room concept. But don't you kind of fall in love all over again with the idea when you see how smashing Hovis' dining room looks? Good books, good food, and a beautifully appointed room. Really, what could be better?

The menu consisted of Crown Roast of Lamb with brussel sprouts, deviled carrots, and pan-fried shredded potatoes, served on Tiffany's "Yellow Bird" faience platter. Hovis also included a yummy looking tomato aspic with shrimp and crawfish nestled on a Tiffany ribbed silver tray. (And please, don't knock the tomato aspic- it's really good. I swear!).

The dessert course- coffee profiteroles with chocolate sauce- is laid out in front of a 19th century French hand-blocked paper screen- yes, I am coveting this. And wouldn't you be pleased to take tea or coffee served from this Louis XIV service from Tiffany's?

So my question is- do any of you still entertain like this? And if so, how often? I love formal entertaining but don't do it often enough. I think Mr. Hovis has inspired me to do so.

(You might also be interested in Gene Hovis' Uptown Down Home Cookbook. Truth be told, the dust jacket is not the most elegant looking thing, but the recipes look really good. A lot of classic, tried and true recipes as well as some Southern favorites. If I can find the time, I'll test out a few and let you know!)

Thanks to Margot for my questions to Alexis Stewart and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt of Whatever Martha!. These email “interviews” are always a little awkward and lose the flow, but I think it’s still worth sharing. For example,I really wanted to ask them if they had been Beavis and Butthead fans, because a lot of the times their shows sound like “heh-heh, heh-heh, she said ‘balls…’” but I felt like that might come across as disrespectful, when really I had been a a huge B&B fan back in the day and meant it as sort of a compliment. But whatever, here’s the interview:

How did you two meet? When did you know that the kinds of conversations you have would be perfect for your Whatever radio show?

AS: We met in the hallway at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and soon started ordering lunch together. We knew the radio show would work when we couldn’t get people to stop listening to our conversations.

JKH: We met while I was working for my dad at MSLO and Alexis was filming The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. (As for the radio show) I still don’t know!

Alexis, at what point in your life did you find yourself able to laugh at some of your mother’s projects? She seems to be a good sport about it! Is she really laughing with you?

AS: I have always laughed (OK, sometimes cried) at some of my mother’s projects! She doesn’t mind!

How do each of you pronounce “herb” -  with a silent “h,” or do you  pronounce it like “Herb” Tarlick of “WKRP in Cincinnati?”

AS: I pronounce it with a silent “h�, although to my horror, I have found myself slipping and occasionally Jennifer has caught me saying herb with an audible H! Ugh!!

JKH: I pronounce it with a silent “h.”

Have you seen any photos of Peanut Butter lately? I wonder what he’s up to. I was also wondering if any of his face-painting victims sued, or still have nightmares.

AS: WWW.PEANUTBUTTERPEANUTBUTTER.COM

Ironically, I watched your show right after watching “The Rachel Zoe Project” and found myself wondering if Martha had a stylist during these early socks with loafers and shorts days. She wore more denim shirts than Said on “Oz.” Does she have a stylist today?

AS: No, of course she had no stylist – she definitely thought her outfits were beside the point. I don’t know what to say about the denim shirts, but lots of people copied her and they were in fashion at the time. Today, I think she has someone buy stuff for her TV show because she hates shopping for clothes.

Do you do any DIY projects at home now? What kinds of Martha-esque projects do you enjoy? Which ones will you never ever do?

AS: I don’t craft much, but occasionally I will try something, try to get it right and then give it up forever when I can’t! But I do clean my house myself and I cook a lot (check out our blogs at www.whateverradio.com).

Have you two picked out one Martha segment that stands out as the most hilarious one you’ve ever seen? Do you agree on which one that would be? Do tell!

AS: So many of them are funny and we did so many, that I really can’t remember which were the best.

JKH: Recently on her daytime show, Martha sampled hot dogs with Kevin Sharkey. It was FANTASTIC and really funny.

Thanks to Alexis and Jennifer for taking the time to answer my questions. You can catch Whatever Martha! on The Fine Living Network.

images from FLN.com

Helen Amy Murray’s surface reliefs on everything from chairs to headboards to walls are just unbelievably gorgeous. The detail is just as amazing as the overall effect.

http://www.helenamymurray.com

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