MBDG: Insights

The day I left Chicago after a nice Christmas visit with my sister and her family, she mentioned that she had several organization projects she was just itching to get accomplished during her vacation.

A mix of guilt and apprehension crept over me.

My sister was going to emerge from her time off with a perfectly organized desk, files (paper and digital), pantry, basement……my house looked the same as I left it, and I didn’t have plans to change that.

At the airport, every home magazine appeared to be featuring organization tips, adding to my dread and uneasiness. Isn’t vacation for slouching around and eating Christmas cookies for breakfast?

The silly part of my anxiety is that my home is actually…well…neat and tidy. I have two piles of stuff that I can’t seem to find a place for, but the overall organization is functional and appealing. Somehow it doesn’t feel like enough, though.

Back home I started thinking about what to share on the first blog of the year – obviously organization seems to be the fever. I asked everyone I know for their favorite tricks.

“Throw it away” and “just get rid of it” were the top responses.

My best friend open a popular magazine revealing a perfectly stacked, color coordinated, linen closet. She said, “Don’t write about this.”

Ahhh…the feelings of inadequacy again…..the pressure to have a perfectly organized home.

I suppose there are linen closets that look like that for more than ten seconds, but, I’m sure that that woman doesn’t have the rich and fulfilling relationships that pepper my friend’s life. (At least thinking that made us both feel better.)

So here’s my big organization tip: Keep perspective and do not let yourself be defined by how your linen closet looks. Seek to find an organization level that brings you peace and a sense of well being. If you’re going crazy over sorting every little trinket, you probably aren’t feeling like you’ve spent your free time well. If sorting every little trinket gives you a sense of comfort and happiness….then by all means, do it.

New Year’s Resolution: I’m going to try really hard to take my own advice.

.

My mom never thought twice about getting rid of a piece of furniture once it no longer suited a purpose or a style she desired. Therefore, I have no family heirlooms. I have wistful feelings about my grandfather’s roll top desk, with all its cubbies and compartments, but, alas, it was sold in an estate sale.

When I start a new project with a client, we often take a survey of the pieces of furniture they would like to keep or incorporate into the new design. When we reach a certain drop leaf table or chest of drawers, there is sometimes an apologetic sounding explanation that it was once Aunt Bernice’s, and, “I know that it doesn’t go with anything else I have, but, maybe I can just have an eclectic look.”

I couldn’t be more thrilled! After all, what is an American home without the loving history of our ancestors? We honor Aunt Bernice by enjoying her table. It gives you a deep rooted connection to your home.

What? You don’t particularly like Aunt Bernice’s drop leaf table?

William Morris, the grandfather of the Arts and Crafts Movement, said, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

There you have it – get rid of it. Well, that is what I would have boldly proclaimed before the Incident of the Ficus Tree.

My mom gave me a ficus tree when I moved into my new house, nine years ago. Then, after she died, I rescued her ficus tree from the not-so-nurturing hands of my dad.
Both trees grew up and out. I kept shifting them to different parts of the house, but, in my tiny entrance hall (the most recent try) I had to turn sideways to walk into the living room.

Okay, enough already. I coldly evaluated which was the most shabby, and pushed down any sentimental thoughts about their origins. With phone in hand, I stood in front of the one that was a housewarming gift and prepared to dial up my neighbor to see if he would like to have it. I stood there quite awhile.

Maybe if I just gave it a little haircut, it would fit back into the dining room. Some of those branches were looking unruly anyway.

Snip, Snip.

Perhaps, the objects that surround us are just there for the moment, without any obligation to the future. No decision needed right this minute. Maybe there will be a time to let it go and maybe not. Maybe you keep Aunt Bernice’s table just because it was Aunt Bernice’s – you just put a table cloth on it and from time to time you remember her when you pass by. Or you donate it to a great cause, and never think twice. Either way, you will know when the time is right. And it will be the right decision.

.

It has taken me a long time to add to the Sustainable Furnishings Series I started a few weeks ago. The more research I did – the more questions I had! There are so many terms swirling around “Green” living, and a whole lot of information that seems geared to make consumers fearful. I think the best way to conquer fear is to learn more about the subject!

One aspect of sustainable products that seems to come up on every source and material I have researched is a mention of VOCs. Everyone hears this term used over and over and many know what it stands for – Volatile Organic Compounds – but, I realized I would be hard pressed to answer why they are so evil. So, here is the run down (most of the information here is taken from the Environmental Protection Agency’s publications. Every other source I checked is in agreement).

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emissions from materials – solids and liquids. The VOCs are given off at room temperature. Formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene and perchloroethylene are a few of the more common VOCs found in interiors. Some of the products that emit VOCs are paint, lacquers, cleaning supplies, craft materials such as glue and permanent markers, adhesives, and pesticides. It seems that from my reading that the biggest and badest is Benzene – found in tobacco smoke, paint supplies, stored fuels and attached garages.

VOCs can cause long term and short term health problems, ranging from nose and throat irritation to cancer.

There are no industry standards for VOCs in residential environments, except for a few of the compounds. So the best we can do is look for items that claim low VOC emissions.

Your exposure to VOCs is 2 to 5 times higher inside than outside – even in big cities where you would tend to think the outdoor air quality isn’t so great. One step you can take to lower the VOCs in your home seems so simple – open and windows and breathe the fresh air!

.

The second half of the ‘words of wisdom’ I have learned from my clients, my projects and my mentors.
Enjoy!

7. A few nuggets about house styles:

Honor your home’s soul by creating an interior that belongs uniquely in that house. There should be a relationship between the exterior of the house and the interior – that goes for the landscaping as well.
Think twice about buying suburban American colonial if you like contemporary interiors. Accidental eclectic happens, deliberate eclectic sings.

8. Decide who you are going to listen to for advice. You won’t be short of opinions. When paralyzed by indecision, trust your designer.

9. Don’t be frustrated by spending the largest amount of time on the smallest details. Knobs, hinges, stitch details, trims…these things are what make each furnishing special.

10. Try not to be scarred by your renovation project. “When a woman is beautiful who the hell cares if she is late to the party.”

11. Interior Design and Architecture are two distinct disciplines. Once does not follow the other – they appreciate each other. Together they create magic.

12. The house you grew up in will forever be your reference of what is good or bad in design. Think about the environment you are providing for your children.

.

Ideas, philosophies and concepts I’ve learned from my projects, clients and mentors.

1. No need to rationalize every design decision. Sometimes a paint color just looks right and doesn’t match a thing.

2. Interiors should be inspired by the people who live there. Sometimes a remarkable interior inspires the people who live there.

3. Be practical - pets, kids, red clay and life. Create spaces you can live in without fear and use every room often.

4. Find beauty in imperfections. Don’t let tiny flaws in workmanship ruin your enjoyment of the whole interior. Handcrafted items are less than perfect – they bear the human handprint of the creator.

5. Purchase the very best quality you can afford. Don’t buy anything you can’t afford comfortably.

6. Design and Implementation go hand in hand. Both parts of the project must be strong. One cannot support the other successfully.

.

We so much enjoyed seeing all our friends during our open house last Friday! Thank you for coming – it was such a nice way to kick off the season!

I had a few requests for the lemon cookie recipe – it is from this month’s Real Simple Magazine. It would be prettier with fresh lemon zest (I used dried). I loved how I could make the cookies ahead as a log and freeze them and then cook them right before the open house. Happy cooking!

Glazed Lemon Cookies
Makes 48 cookies

¾ cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp.
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus more if needed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt and beat to combine. Gradually add the flour, mixing until just incorporated.

Divide the dough in half and shape into 1-1/4” diameter logs. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the logs into 3/8” thick pieces and space them 1-1/2” apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 16-20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and zest until it forms a thick but pourable glaze. Add more lemon juice if necessary. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and let set, about 15 minutes.

Yum!

.

I cracked open one of my design magazines to peruse the gift guide for the season. I think this was the fourth guide I have come across in as many days. Everything looks so good in the photographs…..so tempting…yet would I really be thrilled to unwrap a set of four green glass tumblers on Christmas day? They look so sparkly and fresh in the magazine, but, I think how puzzled my sister would be should I select them for her. Much is what I ultimately have decided about most of the things I see in these guides.

After some thought I have put together a short list of some of the very interesting and wonderful local (mostly) sources for gifts this season. You may just find you need to do a little shopping for yourself, too!

Beverly Dyer paints charming subjects, making them into notecards. She also has a delightful book called Cats & Dogs of Chapel Hill, for the animal lovers in your life. You can check out her work at www.beverlydyer.com.

Sandy Milroy makes fabulous highly tactile boxes of paper mache and collage -tiny objects d’art. You can see her work at www.sandymilroy.com.

Crunchy and Salty - need I say more? Look at www.swansboroumc.org and order a case of freshly cooked peanuts! Your purchase will help out mission work -but, be careful - these are so tasty, you may have trouble giving them away.

For Whimsical Cutting Boards and Wine Stoppers: www.justcuttingup.com. A Southern Season also carries these locally made wood items. I can’t bring myself to cut on mine, so I use it as a trivet!

Cathy Boyd creates light catching glass jewelry. You can call or e-mail her to set up a time to go by her house to see her creations. Cathyboyd-art@nc.rr.com or 919-932-5631.

Marsie Clark will make a custom bracelet with charms that you select or the names of your children and their birth stones. www.marsishatsncrafts.com

Holiday stress getting you down? Enjoy soothing lavender scents with products from Sunshine Lavender farm. www.sunshinelavenderfarm.com.

Its open house time at the Hewitt Pottery! Give yourself the gift of going to the festivities and have fun selecting practical, beautiful mugs, teapots, and vases, to name just a few of the finds. www.hewittpottery.com.

Please tell me about your local favorites!

.

If you are looking for special gifts and are interested in supporting the local economy, be sure to visit the website for Sunshine Lavender Farm (www.sunshinelavenderfarm.com).
Sunshine Lavender Farm is located in Schley, North Carolina (northern Orange County). Annie Baggett began the lavender farm following a dream she had of a field of purple! She didn’t let it stop her that you really “can’t” successfully grow lavender in our hot and humid zone. Ha! Not only has Annie harvested many fragrant varieties and become an expert on growing this soothing herb, she hand makes delightful, gently scented lavender products.
I am completely addicted to her Lavender Liquid Hand Soap - it leaves your hands soft AND softly scented.

Annie uses organic practices and is an inspiration to me every time I talk to her! She is dedicated to using her farm to foster a sense of community and using her lavender to renew the spirits of many.

You can also sign up for her newsletter on her website, and you will be in the know about when you can visit the farm and the farmer’s markets that feature her plants and products.

.

I have warm and comforting memories of Thanksgivings spent at my grandparents’ house as a young girl. For fun (this is what interior designers think is fun, anyway) I sketched out their house - it was small brick house, with a den addition, like so many you see in the suburbs of Detroit, or any other big city. But, on the inside were special memories around every turn. As I was sketching, it struck me how many of my memories of their house have to do with all the senses, not just the visual. I loved my grandfather’s cherry tobacco smoke that clung to my PJs long after I returned home. I would pine away all day for the taste of molasses cookies, always hidden away in the tin on the bottom of the stack of tins, in the corner of the kitchen - no way to sneak one! In the den, was a clock that made a twittering sound followed by a whirl and then a grand announcement of every hour. In the guest bedroom was a super fuzzy blanket, unlike any I had at home.

Sometimes I am standing in an interior at a certain time of day, with sunlight warming my face, birds chirping outside, spicy scents oozing from the kitchen, and I get a feeling like this is a space for lingering. It is such a reminder that the fabric selections and wall colors are all part of the experience, but, not the whole experience.

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving that you will look back on with great fondness!

.

We have ordered so many new fabric samples this fall that I was expecting to go into the library to see just the hand of our library coordinator, Beverly, sticking out from a landslide of velvets, wovens, and plushes. So, last week I broke down and sorted them into neat piles and attempted to bring things back under control. In my sorting I unearthed a few that I think are particularly interesting - in fact, I can’t wait until the right project to use them to inspire every other thing in the room!

This one has a very natural, hand woven feel to it and seems to reference some of the ethnic textiles we have had in our shop from Africa. I can see it on an ottoman or a chair, or even as throw pillows on a sofa.

Here is a fun polka-dot. I love how it adds the juicy green and white to the brown and blue mix that have been on the scene for awhile.

This 100% cotton velvet had a romantic and almost antique feel. Very luxurious!

A very smart subtle pattern woven fabric that could coordinate well with other more patterned fabrics or the ivory one could just mix with other textures for a more neutral sophisticated scheme.

.