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Month/Year September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

Ritual: Summer Camping, the Stylish Way

Jun 09, 2010

About this time of year my husband starts carefully planning his pitch to get me interested in camping, just a few times. It's not that I'm not interested in the outdoors— quite the opposite, actually. I love hiking, biking, canoeing, swimming, picnicking, and pretty much any summer outdoor activity. On a nice day, I'd rather be outside than anywhere else. But at the end of such a perfect day in the fresh air, I like to climb into a nice, cushy bed under an actual roof. Waking up with damp hair and a freezing nose on a flattened air mattress that smells like tires isn't really my idea of fun. Neither is a power bar for breakfast.

 

So I propose that we kick our gear up a notch and get one of these vintage teardrop camper trailers:

 

 

 

 

PHOTOS: E.Spencer Toy for Sunset Magazine

 

It's a model of efficiency and style, with a comfy bed in the main compartment and a kitchen under the back hatch. The whole thing is so small you can haul it with a compact car. Wilds of Michigan, you've never looked so good.

 

See more stylish camping options at the Sunset Magazine slideshow.

 

 

The good news is, I'm busy! The bad news is, I'm busy! As in, too busy to blog regularly. I'll still throw you guys a design bone when I can, but for the next couple of weeks I'll be busy churning out ideas and plans for budget-minded clients near and far. In the meantime, consider how I might tack your project onto my list. I'll be taking on new work in a couple of weeks. Just email me! —Diane

TAGS: stylish camping campers retro vintage airstream teardrop camper trailers sunset magazine

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Ritual: The Spring Switch

Apr 01, 2010

This is one of the warmest Michigan Marches in my memory. Today it was in the 70s and we brought the comfy vintage porch chairs up from the basement. Yesss. It always feels so much better than putting them away! So, The Spring Switch sort of sneaked up on me this year. I don't think I've ever done it this early! The Spring Switch is a collection of lightening/brightening/mood-lifting changes in my decor. Here's a list of what I like to do, though I don't always do it all. Pick and choose a few things to make your home feel a little more like spring. Have any ideas or rituals of your own as the bulbs pop up? Leave them in the comments! —Diane

 

So maybe you don't have a room like this with full-height windows and garden views, but there's a lot you can learn from this photo to make your own space a little more springy. Ideas worth stealing: light wood furniture and accessories, botanical patterns, super-simple flower arrangements, nature-inspired accessories, a wide-open feel with no drapes. The rug? Meh. I'd prefer to see a sisal or hemp woven rug in this room. Or even a hand-painted floorcloth. PHOTO: livingetc.com

 

The Dwelement Spring Switch

1. Put away all traces of winter gear: coats, boots, scarves, skis, heavy blankets. And those orange sticks that mark the driveway when it's under 3 feet of snow. Especially those!
2. Clean. Including windows, and put up the screens while you're at it.
3. Roll up some of the rugs. Bare floors are faster to sweep and they make the room feel lighter.
4. Switch some drapes. I like white canvas panels in the spring and summer.
5. Ready the outdoor spaces! I'm blessed with two porches, and they become our living space in the summer. I like to make them as comfy as possible within practical limits.
6. Change accessories. This doesn't mean you have to go out and buy new stuff. I have a utility shelf in the basement where I keep accessories I'm not currently using. Every few months I'll go down there and "shop." You really feel like it's new stuff after not seeing it for a while! Put away anything woodsy/woolly/wintry and bring out things that are light/bright/fresh.
7. Paint a room or just a wall. Pick a color you wouldn't normally choose and see what it does to your style.
8. Cover the furniture in cotton. If you have canvas slipcovers, they can really change the feel of a room and make it more casual and light.
9. Fill a beach/picnic bag and keep it at the ready.
10. Cook something fresh and serve it outdoors. Here's a simple pasta recipe I recently made. It's coming out again, this time for dinner on the porch.

 

 

 

Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts

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Ritual: New Year Decluttering

Dec 31, 2009

PHOTO: Living Etc.

 

Resolutions abound today. You may have a lofty goal, but here's something you can do in a day or less, with immediate, satisfying results. I guarantee you'll feel a little more love for your home if you declutter. It happens to all of us, even those of us who seem to be well organized. Things pile up. What better time to open up some fresh space in your home (and your mind!) than January first? Today, kick back and enjoy the celebration. Tomorrow, invest in a tangible improvement in your home. Here are some tips to help you through it!

 

Before you start, consider one of my favorite quotes, from William Morris, a designer and poet central to the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 1800s. It's the best decluttering rule of thumb that I've found.

 

 

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

 

 

The Process

1. Gather a few empty boxes.
2. Keep in mind, you don't necessarily have to get rid of things. You can put them away for a while. Rotating accessories is a smart way to keep your decor clean and fresh-looking.
3. Start with the most visible spaces in your home, like the kitchen and living areas. Look around with an objective eye. Where would you like to see more open space?
4. Start filling the boxes. Don't worry about what goes where yet. Just decide what's going out of sight.
5. Go through each room this way. (Closets are a whole separate project, so just leave them for now and refer to this post for later reference!)
6. You should have a few boxes filled with stuff. Take everything out of the boxes and designate one empty box for storage, one for donation, and one for trash/recycling. Start sorting.
7. Consider how much space you have for storage and fill that box accordingly. Be honest!
8. Now do it! Take the stuff to the thrift store and the recycling center. Don't think twice.

 

Some exciting changes and enhanced services are coming to IRD in 2010— stay tuned! Tonight I'm raising a toast to the successes of '09 and a prosperous '10 for all of you! —Diane

TAGS: new year resolution declutter clear clutter organize home tips process

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Ritual: Swedish Advent Stars

Dec 01, 2009

Photo via Creative Commons License from flickr user Ylvas.

 

It's winter for sure now. Today we have an inch or two of snow on the ground, a bit late for this little Northern Michigan snow pocket. When the moonlight is shining on the snow by 5 pm, it's the time of year to get out the adventsstjärna— the Swedish Christmas star, or welcome light. I like to imagine I've resurrected a tradition once kept by my family generations ago in Norrbotten.

 

Swedes hang the star lantern in a window on the first Sunday of Advent. I'm a little late this year, but I try to remember to do it on the first of December. It's supposed to stay up until the twelfth day of Christmas (January 6), but I like to leave it up all winter. It really is a welcome sight in the pitch darkness here in the middle of the woods. Ours hangs next to the front door, framed inside the tiny square laundry-room window. I put it on a timer so that it's already lit up after a long day away— and then I don't have to think about turning it off before bed.

The stars come in many designs, made from thin pine or perforated metal or paper. They look just as good alone as they do in groups. Here's my pine beauty, about as simple as they come. My Mom bought it for me after I admired it at Punzel Scandinavian. In the visual din of multi-colored, flashing, inflatable American light displays, I'm happy to walk through the dark to my adventsstjärna, the only light in this forest.

 

 

 

Where to find Swedish Welcome Lights in the U.S.

Most Scandinavian stores carry the stars with their Christmas decorations. You might have to dig through the more popular tomte, flag garlands, and straw ornaments. (I've never been in a Scan store that wasn't packed to the gills!) Here are a few online merchants that carry them. God Jul! —Diane

Bonita's Nordic Imports

Nordic Connection (seller of the classic Kronlume lights)

Ingebretsen's

 

A variety of Swedish Christmas stars and electric advent candles in the window of Ljusexperten (Light Expert) in Linköping, Sweden. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

TAGS: adventssjärna swedish welcome star light scandinavian tradition christmas kronlume

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Clear the Clutter in Your Closet

Oct 07, 2009

Unless you're blessed with a huge closet, change of seasons means time to switch out your clothing. It's a good time to get rid of things you no longer need and let your closet breathe again, but that's easier said than done. Here's an 8-step process that works.

 

Above: Inspirational image via flickr from Laura Cattano, a professional organizer who has an informative blog filled with useful organizing tips.

 

 8 Steps to a Clutter-free Closet

1. Ask a close, objective friend to help you evaluate what you currently have in your closet.
2. Set out three boxes or bins. Mark one "Trash," one "Donate," and one "Unsure."
3. Take everything out of your closet and ask yourself three questions about each piece: Do I wear it? Do I love it? Does it flatter me?
4. If you say no to any question, place the item in one of the boxes. Damaged items that cannot be easily mended go in the trash box. Items in good condition go in the Donate box. If you are unsure whether you should keep the item, it goes in the Unsure box to revisit later.
5. The real keepers are the pieces that you wear and love and that look good on you. Set these aside. Now revisit your Unsure box. Ask your friend for her honest opinion on which items are outdated, ill-fitting, or unflattering, and trust her! Try things on and be honest with yourself. Chances are, you're holding onto these things for the wrong reasons: you paid a lot of money for them, they remind you of a time when you were younger/thinner/happier, you think they will fit again someday. Wouldn't you rather donate them and free up space in your closet for pieces that really look good on you?
6. When the closet is empty, assess your need for additional shelving, rod space, or other forms of closet organization. Consider outfitting the closet with a closet organizer system. Even an inexpensive DIY stock kit can greatly improve the functionality of your closet. Take it one step further with matching wooden hangers. Recycle wire hangers at your dry cleaner and donate plastic hangers. Wooden hangers preserve the shape of clothing and create a uniform appearance in the closet.
7. Hang these items from traditional hangers: dresses, coats, shirts, blouses, jackets, blazers. Skirts and pants should be hung from clip hangers or space-saving cascading hangers. Fold and shelve knits, sweaters, jeans, and t-shirts. Place shoes on shoe racks or on shallow shelves.
8. Organize hanging clothing by type: long-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved shirts, tanks/camisoles. Long pants, cropped pants, skirts. Dresses, jackets, coats. Within each category, arrange by color. This arrangement will speed morning outfit coordination.

 

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR NEWFOUND SPACE

1. Once your closet is decluttered, adopt a new rule: For every item that goes in, one must come out. Place a printed reminder inside the closet.
2. Take a close look at what's left in your closet, and next time you shop, buy items with similar colors or lines. Avoid buying unflattering clothes in the first place by understanding what looks good on you.
3. If space allows, consider turning a walk-in closet into a dressing room with a full-length mirror and small chair.
4. Some items to keep in or near your closet for an even smoother morning routine: lint roller, small pair of scissors, safety pins, bleach pen, shoe buffing sponge.—Diane

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