Cole & Sons Paper

Does it seem too permanent?  So many interiors decisions seem like big ones.  Ones that you worry can’t be taken back.  At least not without a little to do.  All that glue and paste.  I know I’ve been party to a bucket of water, with a generous helping of vinegar, rubber gloved hand clutching the sponge, solution dripping down forearm, paper stubbornly sticking to wall.  I don’t think that vinegar helps a lick. Quelle domage.  Who wouldn’t be frightened by the thought of this level of permanence?  Even though it’s hard and messy to remove, I implore you to consider its application.  Your Grandmother didn’t have paper like this.  Its artistry will move you to tears.  It dazzles and you don’t have to paper a whole room or even a whole wall to have the pride well up at a decision that so aptly showcases your aesthetic, and moves the space from put together to PUT together. I did a single wall in my petite powder room in a gorgeous Cole & Sons wallpaper called Alpana, showcased above in image A.  In part, I chose to do just one wall out of economy – dreaded finances.  I painted the other three walls and baseboards in Benjamin Moore’s Peacock Feathers.  What a happy coincidence for me that the perfect color compliment had such a fun name to match.  The single wall hints to those outside at the glamour within.  It’s actually my favorite room in the house.  I feel like a designer when I look at it with its complimentary hardware – simple without missing anything.  I attribute it to the wall covering.  Big design bang for the buck.  Start with a whisper and leave room for a shout.    Dipping your toe in the water is as easy as:

No Flavor of the Month this Paper!

• Lining the interior of an old cabinet:  start with back wall for super subtle,
• Lining the shelves of a bedroom or hall closet,
• Covering the interior panel or panels of your closet doors,
• Selecting a small space and papering the ceiling or a single wall:  Powder Rooms and Guest Bedrooms are perfect places to start,
• Ready to go bolder:  Select a feature wall in your living room.

Its beauty can be bound, so if you know yourself well and suspect that in a few short months your taste will have moved wildly in a new direction, think about framing it or covering an inexpensive screen to accent a living or bedroom.  It’ll provide the pop without the permanence.  If you tend to be a bit fickle this may be the option for you.

Subtle Sensation

A little wallpaper can go a long way, which is good because it can also be pricey.  There are many discount sites that you can buy direct without the encumbrance of a designer to act as middle man.  And if you simply must have that paper you spied in Domino www.domino.com or Elle Décor, www.elledecor.com most design centers now provide an option – albeit a quiet one, which allows the general public to purchase through a membership program of sorts.  At the Boston Design Center it’s called the Plush Program.  For a $300. annual membership fee you may browse the showrooms and request samples.  You can request pricing, but they don’t have to give it to you.  As part of the service they assign you a designer who can place the order on your behalf.  They throw in a few free design consultation hours with the membership, of which I highly recommend you take advantage.  At the very least they can help with the measurements and required quantity for the project you have in mind.  Math was never my strong point and I get a bit nervous when it comes to calculating quantities.  Ask for help.  You can’t be good at everything.

Boston Design Center

Plush Member Services:  1.800.767.5874

www.bostondesign.com

Hire someone you trust implicitly for the install.  If you don’t know where to start inquire with a favorite local home décor store, they’ll have a strong recommendation.  Happy papering!

Pale Pink Perfection

I love my grays and would argue that they are the perfect neutral but least you think I am a one trick pony – I plan to change it up.  Change can be risky.  Change can lead to all manner of miss steps, regrets, and failures, but it can also move you that much closer to your heart’s desire…even if you aren’t precisely sure what that looks like.

So as I begin my quest for No. 3 – scouring the pages of Boston Homes:  The Complete Guide for open houses and properties with promise, I imagine my new color pallet splashed on the walls of somebody else’s home.  At this stage of the game . this stage being the one where I have no money to buy a property . Alan doesn’t join me.  He’ll hunt in earnest when I’ve sold Milford.  He’s very sweet worrying about me as he does.  The market is tight and he hates the idea of me being homeless.  I tell him to be strong and stay focused.  Buy . sell . buy . sell.  That’s the job.  Everything will turn out exactly as it’s expected to.  

I’ve been accused of not getting emotionally involved.  Not allowing myself to live in, and to love a place – but it’s not true.  I’ve loved them all, even when I’ve hated them.  I chose them didn’t I?  Are they not a reflection of me in some way?  Of course they are, and it’s my job to pour the best of me into them.  To leave it better than when I found it, not just on the surface, but on a fundamental level.  We’ll discuss the wiring and plumbing, and the necessity for a sound roof in another post.  Trust me when I say, you must give those elements love too, or they will make you regret your decision.

I’m seriously contemplating tucking my bunny gray, dior, sidewalk, thunderbolt, mineral ice, cloud, and feather into the card catalog for at least No. 3.  It’s no heavy weight this decision, as I know gray speaks to me, and I will find my way back to it.  This is not in question.  Three though, if you remember your Schoolhouse Rock….is the magic number, “the ancient mystic trilogy” so it’s fitting that I should let the magic happen here.  I’ve had warm feelings for pale pink for some time.  It’s so untarnished and simple, delicate and tres jolie.  For the same reason I love gray, this soft shade suggests the start of something quiet and good, that hasn’t yet reached its full expression.  My life outside my home feels stretched beyond that expression near to bursting.  When I am home I welcome the calming influence of a gentler hue.  I’m thinking pink for the living room.  I’ll bring some vitality into the home in another space – maybe a high gloss blue for the kitchen or dining area….I’ll take the risk, you feel free to comment.  Bonne weekend.

Just because you step all over them doesn’t mean your floors can’t step up their game and get noticed. Whether you choose to:  tile them, paint them, pickle them, polish them, cover them with Persian carpets or go wall to wall selecting your medium is only the beginning.  There are endless ways in which you can make a statement and let us not forget that nagging voice of reason – practicality.  If ever there is a place to begrudgingly agree …give that voice the floor.

Brownstones – those old five story buildings that line the streets in most Boston neighborhoods  and have been showcased in so many Hollywood Movies they should be millionaires many times over, are where I prefer to make my nest.  The floors are typically wood if they are original, wider pine boards, which look beautiful if they are natural and in my humble opinion, a little less so if they are stained pumpkin.  Brownstones that have been renovated in the last 50 years often have thin, natural oak floors, popular for their durability and economy (two decidedly unsexy words).  A bit of advice, if your home has original wide pine floors – regardless of your feelings towards them – keep them.  If you like money, the charm and character they bring will make them that much more attractive to you.  Another unvarnished truth about that character and charm is that it comes with many decades behind it.  The floors may not be fit for sanding, pickling, staining and refinishing. Years of grinding can compromise their strength, which has its limits.  While you can add polyurethane, please be kind and don’t subtract anything – they’ve experienced their fair share of being walked on.  If you must, cover them with a gorgeous area rug and let that be the true expression of your style.

Brush on a little personality.

I am a huge fan of painting floors.  I once painted my kitchen floor in the manner of the gray and white chevron bath seen above in image No. 1.  Tile can be tough to stand on for long periods of time and wood is still a really economical option.  I poured some serious doe into those 47 little feet.  Stunning appliances, a knock out marble counter and vertically oriented subway tiles….it should have been a show stopper…who would have guessed two cans of paint and some frog tape would make such an impression.  To be clever or rich….which would you choose?  Still I wouldn’t have changed a thing, and I am glad for the lesson.  I do hope you will find it useful.

Now if you are lucky enough to be reading from the comfort of your home in Texas, California, Florida or anywhere other than Massachusetts and more specifically Boston, you may find it hard to relate to a Snow Day.

Boston Blizzard Madness

When you get seven feet of snow in three weeks, regardless of your age, you get a Snow Day mixed into the work week.  It’s referred less fondly as A State of Emergency, and positive childhood associations with those two words aside, when you are an adult it tends to be less about hot chocolate and snow angels and more about shoveling and making sure you don’t fall on the ice.  Still it can be hard to repress that youthful excitement that bubbles to the surface, so after a mornings work I summoned the help of my lovely French neighbor Sylvie and off we went, shovels in hand to dig out my car and find it shelter.  Rosie cheeked and lighter for having completed a big task we took a stroll down Dwight Street to investigate a property that is currently under development.  Two units a triplex and a Duplex this property falls no where close to my price range, but it was snowing hard, and even though all the windows were mostly covered with brown craft paper, that mountain of snow was just waiting to be scaled by someone, and not a sole was on that street, and who could blame them on such a rotten day.  It had to be done, I climbed that mountain and peeked through that tiny space where the paper had curled away from the window and low and behold someone had found their way to work that day and was busy making ready that home.  Didn’t that same nice man come on out and offer to give us a tour.  The lower unit, two sub-levels below grade and Parlor Level, three bed, garden terrace with service kitchen, and balcony off the main kitchen, $3M.  No parking but it does have A/C and a docking station.  The second unit is a two bed, balcony off kitchen, and roof deck, was sold preconstruction and I can see why.  I do love beautiful craftsmanship…..and these units didn’t disappoint.  I bet that Broker isn’t worried in the slightest about the predicted 6 – 12 inches impacting his Sunday open house.

If You’ve Got a Little Change in Your Pocket

Let it snow . let it snow . let it snow!

PS….it is in fact now Sunday, and that predicated 6 – 12 has turned into 16 inches and still snowing!  I bet that open house was canceled – not everyone is interested in bringing this much adventure to their Sunday afternoon.  We will have to wait another week to see if it sells.

For those of you interested – Appleton did not sell as I predicted it would!  To say I am surprised is an understatement.  I’ll keep an eye on it.  If I was in the position to buy now I’d put in a low ball offer at $800. a foot.  Boy would I have fun with that place – and that budget.  Off to shovel.  Stay warm.

It happens when you least expect it.

It happens when you aren’t even looking.

When it’s meant to be…it will be.

These trite attempts at condolence will not find you a man or a house.  You must hunt, with eyes wide open, embracing the possibilities that come with their imperfections.  So with buckets strategically placed to catch the water that intermittently streams in courtesy of that hidden fissure in the roof (I’ll get you my pretty), I begin the search.

It’s just about as hard to find a house in the City of Boston as it is to find….well insert here what you value most, that continues to elude you.  But the looking is so much fun.  I try to keep my voyeuristic inclinations in check and only visit places within my price range that I really think might be a good fit for me.  Brokers are working hard to make a living, and the seller is anxiously awaiting word on interest, and then there is karma to worry about.   I am however very curious to know how others make their nest. Secretly I hope their priorities lie elsewhere, and I can swoop in, and affect a magical change.  Or something close to it.  A girl can dream.

So off to get the magic started I went.  I visited a property on Appleton Street.  I have a real soft spot for the one bedroom, under 600 SF condos.  They’re tres charmant or at least they will be when I am done with them.

Appleton Street Living Room

I look for a place with good bones (that’s the structure and footprint of the space) and that gets ample natural light. Appleton had both even on a snowy day.   If it were my own I would stain those parochial school oak wood floors dark, and paint the walls in the living room gray.  Dare I risk being redundant.  I’ll answer yes particularly based on the known outcome.

The bedroom – again has very good light, access to a really sweet deck, two modest sized closets (not perfect) and in-unit laundry (big plus).  The carpet is sad and ready for replacement.  A David Hicks hexagon would be just perfect here.  Of course the standard army green wall color must go.

David Hicks Hexagon

This bathroom …. oh the possibilities, I get butterflies thinking of gutting it.  Trust me when I tell you I would be in violation of the No Wake Rule currently imposed here.  A glamorous tiled shower with sleek glass wall, a wall hung Duravit vanity (clean modern lines and perfectly proportioned for small apartment bathrooms) and matching toilet.  Oh the thrill.

Lots of possibilities for improvement but I will not allow myself to fall in so quickly.  The square foot price is very high at $907.34.  A bathroom renovation – my way, will cost me $25K. That would eat up all my profit after Broker’s fees, and while you cannot see it here, trust me when I tell you the kitchen needs work.   A beautiful design might garner $1000. a foot, but with only four properties in my price range and sought after neighborhood, I am guessing a bidding war will ensue.  I advise you friends – know your numbers and your limit, and walk away if it doesn’t work.  Au Revoir Appleton, I hope you land in the enthusiastic hands of a first time home buyer.

Appleton Bath

Appleton Bedroom

Getting Dressed

Screams you never really loved me.  Oh all practicalities aside, you may believe your neighbors are lucky to catch a glimpse of such a fine unclad form across the back alley, at least that’s what I told myself as I saved up for those curtains, but I suspect they would have preferred to be the one to make that decision. I’ve already judged myself – saving you the trouble.  Cut me some slack it was the expense and indecision and not vanity that led me to throw modesty out the window.  Let’s see if I can help you avoid my indiscretion, save you your dignity and in the process, deliver some ideas to assure you an adored home.  If your eyes are the windows to your soul.  Your windows may be revealing, literally and figuratively, more than you’d like….let’s create a bit of mystery.

I’ve heard it before, I’ve certainly said it:

– The fabric I want is to expensive and further sold only to the trade,

– I rent, not own, what if my next place has windows of a different size or style and my investment puddles at the floor?

– What if I pick something that’s too opinionated and become tired of it just a few months later?

– How do I know which style is right for the windows I have?

These are valid concerns, so it comes as no surprise that we can feel paralyzed by the sheer number of choices, and start whispering to ourselves: ” I won’t think about it now….I’ll think about it later”.  I am not a curtain expert.  I know there are a lot of books out there to help guide me through the selection process, but I find myself losing interest quickly.  I do however really love looking at magazines, and find them a valuable resource.  Sometimes I lose sight of why I tore a page out to begin with, other times I am reminded immediately why I loved it so much.  I search for different things in the photos – and am rewarded again and again when I find the perfect way to display those twin beds or a built-in that addresses my particular asymmetrical shelving situation, and yes of course – how other clever people have addressed or in this case – dressed their windows.

Cost is likely the biggest stumbling block.  I know I might be willing to take a few more risks here and there if I didn’t feel like I was throwing my money out the window instead of dressing it.  Alas, we must be courageous and forge ahead.  Some tricks for making the trajectory a little more gentle:

– Assess the need:  Functional or decorative?

If it’s decorative you may be able to create a faux roman shade, which allows you to use less of that super expensive fabric you just had to have.

– Functional:  Windows are not always as beautiful as we would like them to be, but there is no reason we can make the best of which we are given to work.

Boston Home Magazine Summer 2011

* Pelmets:  a narrow wooden box, which you can construct yourself or pay a carpenter a nominal fee to construct on your behalf.  This transformative little treatment is a must have in your tool box of beauty tricks – it’s does what Spanx does for so many of us – smooths out our lovable imperfections, turning us into models…of course.  The beauty of this box is it obscures the header from view, and appropriately positioned it doesn’t block the light.  It gives the illusion of height and who doesn’t want to look taller?  Your windows are no exception.  Add a simple curtain behind, for functional privacy and voila!  You are a design genius.  See it above – No. 2 shows what I was able to accomplish with my short, wide ugly duckling windows.

– Employ the Semi-Custom Approach:  Since it’s not possible for those of us “Not to the Trade” to trot down to The Design Center to order and buy that Schumacher Fabric you saw in Domino Magazine, buying pre-fabricated curtains is not a bad option.  If you want a really luxurious feel purchase four panels instead of two per window (believe it or not you will still save  mazuma).  Take them to a seamstress or even your dry cleaner. I have happily dropped mine off with a smile and a simple explanation – so much easier than sewing on a button, you can do!  Indeed they can.

– A Touch of the Luxe:  Fabric is expensive – even if you source it from one of my local favorites:

Zimman’s Decorative Fabric and Home Decor www.zimmans.com 80 Market Street, Lynn, MA.

Add a border

Once you’ve found one that you love – consider using it as a border vertically or as a thick base at the bottom of a curtain that was store bought.

You don’t need to be rich or overly adventurous to express yourself.  It’s the dignified thing to do.