Category: Eclectic Homes

Find Patio Party Style

When the weather is fine, it is time to take the party outside. Whether you love planning elaborate menus and decor, or prefer simple last-minute cocktails with friends, the important thing is finding the fete to suit your style. Get inspired by these eight outdoor party ideas, from beachy cocktails into just desserts.

McGuire Furniture Company

1. Chill in an outdoor living area. Make your patio cozier by attracting a few home comforts outside. Roll out a rug, plump up the sofa with additional pillows and maintain a gentle toss within reach.

If you’re short on outdoor furniture, then haul a few pieces out from your living room briefly — sitting real furniture outside feels luxurious.

Molly Wood Garden Design

2. Sun bleached and beachy. Conjure a summery mood with pale tones of sand and white. Hang white drapes or suspend fabric overhead to give coverage from sunlight. Decorate the table with white shells, hurricanes filled with sand and miniature tea lights.

Scot Eckley, Inc..

3. Italian or French style, outdoor dining. Draw inspiration in the Italian and French customs for long, leisurely lunches al fresco. Set out large platters of simple, seasonal foods household fashion, along with wine from glass carafes.

Maintaining a basket of essentials (shades, straw hats, sunscreen) available for guests to grab as required is a thoughtful touch.

The Cousins

Tip: Make the celebration budget friendly. Hit budget-friendly stores such as Ikea and Target to stock up on party supplies in goes-with-everything white. Paper lanterns, string lights and candles set the mood, along with an inexpensive set of dishes and unbreakable cups will see you through several parties. Give a basic picnic table a DIY upgrade by stenciling words onto the surface.

APLD, Susan Cohan

4. Tropical takeout. Who says you have to cook to throw an awesome party? Purchase from your favorite neighborhood restaurant instead and concentrate your effort on the decoration.

A coffee table placed on vibrant outdoor mats and surrounded with floor cushions creates a fun spot for a small dinner party to congregate at. Set out brilliant parasols, lanterns, potted succulents and sculptures or other artwork borrowed from inside.

Margie Grace – Grace Design Associates

5. Homegrown-edibles swap. Get with garden-loving friends for a party that celebrates the bounty of the year. Invite guests to bring something they’ve grown, picked or made from scratch — by a basket of ideal juicy tomatoes from their garden to jars of homemade jam or pickles, or even home-brewed beer.

MTLA- Mark Tessier Landscape Architecture

6. Australian cinema. With a small projector (either bought or leased) and a notebook, it is possible to display a movie right on your backyard. For a classy evening, set up tables outdoors and show a foreign movie along with dinner.

For a twist spin, show an independent children’ picture and also follow up with s’mores around the fire pit. Check out the DVD listing in the New York International Children’s Film Festival for ideas.

7. Just desserts. When you’d really prefer to have people over, but dinner sounds like a lot of, host a dinner party instead. Invite friends to appear after dinner and then surprise them with an elegant dessert table set up on the terrace.

A few desserts, perhaps a cheese plate, plus tea and coffee are all you want. Finish off the day with a unique dessert wine if you like.

Katie Leede & Company Studio

Tip: Create mood lighting. Beautiful lighting is the key to hosting an outdoor party that really wows guests. And the wonderful thing is, it doesn’t need to be expensive! Line up hurricane lamps or tiki torches across a route, scatter tea lights on tables and hang lanterns and series lights overhead. If you’re worried about fire, stick with battery-powered candles rather than the real thing.

Spinnaker Development

8. Cocktails at dusk. Ask guests to arrive just as the sun is beginning to set for cocktails and small bites on the terrace. Since the sun dips lower, turn on the landscape clusters and lighting of candles on every surface.

Tell us What was the very best outdoor party you have ever had?

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Performed Through Special Occasions With Gracious Home, a Ready

It is simple (and not very pleasant) to get caught unprepared when guests stop by, or even to do nothing to bring to a wedding or housewarming. But with a little additional effort today, you can sail through all your spring and summer occasions easily.

From cleansing shortcuts and long-lasting flower structures to ideas for stocking the ideal gift cabinet, these 13 tips will help make you ready for casting parties, giving presents, writing thank-you notes, hosting unexpected guests and more.

Tres McKinney Design

1. Make an easy-clean entry with considerable storage. A chest of drawers or storage bench from the entry makes last-second tidying up simple. In a smaller space, try stashing stuff in lidded boxes beneath a slender console table or in French marketplace baskets hung on hooks.

Make a habit of keeping the surface of your own storage bit clear, aside from fresh blossoms or a blooming orchid, stowing everything else at the drawers beneath — that way it will always seem new when guests pop by.

Alice Lane Home Collection

2. Keep one cabinet devoted to parties. Never be stuck with no birthday candles again! Pick one place for all things party related: cake plates, fancy teacups, candles and matches, serving trays, the works.

Extra credit:
Learn one fancy fold technique and keep a pile of freshly laundered and folded cloth napkins in the ready.

3. Stock a cart with entertaining essentials. A cart is excellent for holding everything from glassware and paper napkins to bottles of wine and boxes of cheese straws. Keep yours stocked with a couple of favorite things, and it’s going to be simple to create snacks and beverages for buddies in a moment.

Extra credit: learn to make a signature drink, and keep the recipe card tucked off on your own cart.

4. Stow additional seating under a console. An easy way to squeeze in a couple of extra seats in the living space is by tucking a set of poufs or stools beneath a console desk — close at hand when you want them but readily tucked away.

Lux Decor

5. Create long-lasting (or perhaps faux) arrangements. Fresh flowers and greenery can go a long way toward making a room feel festive. Master a couple of simple arrangements which just look like they took ages to collect. Try lining up a series of little square containers down the middle of your dining table, filled with short-cut blossoms stuck into floral foam for strength.

Or, for everlasting green, pick up some high-quality faux topiaries and place them on your buffet.

Kerrisdale Design Inc

6. Get in the habit of picking up flowers in the market. If making fussy arrangements worries you vow instead to keep things clean and simple. Pick up single-color blossoms (white is always posh) in the grocery store or farmer’s market and plunk them at any vase or pitcher you have got. Large flowers (such as hydrangeas) and booming branches offer you a lot of bang for the dollar.

Tim Barber Ltd Architecture

7. Keep a stash of elaborate hand towels and soap at a bathroom cabinet. Toilet a mess when guests arrive? Duck in for a moment and pull the shower curtain closed, wipe out the faucet and mirror, and then put out fresh towels and soap.

Su Casa Designs

8. Bypass the mess and host last-minute guests outdoors. When the weather is good, entertaining outdoors can be a wonderful alternative. To keep outside cushions from becoming damp and filthy, try storing them at a bench outdoors where they’re still handy but secure.

Frederick + Frederick Architects

9. Make your kitchen attractive, guests will want to hang out while you cook. We might not all be able to have a dream kitchen such as the one shown here, but there is obviously a way to take advantage of what you have. Consider rolling out a true rug on the ground, pull up a few cute stools into the island and be sure speakers are useful for turning on some music while you cook.

Martha O’Hara Interiors

10. Always be ready with presents and wrapping supplies. Instead of picking themed gift wrap, try picking up an assortment of solid colors, together with an enjoyable variety of ribbons and trims. That way you can produce a number of different appearances for any occasion, all with the very same supplies.

Extra credit: Store a couple of go-to presents together with your wrapping supplies, for all those times when you are caught by surprise. Attempt to have something appropriate for baby, child, housewarming and wedding.

Christina Marie Interiors

11. Stock up on stationery for all occasions. Thank-you notes, clean cards and birthday cards must see you through almost any note-writing crisis.

Extra credit: Order personalized stationery with your name or monogram, and use it for all.

Tim Barber Ltd Architecture

12. Decide on a single place to note important dates and to-dos. Write down birthdays and special occasions, and notice presents you have received, so you will remember to thank the giver.

Extra credit: Store a book of quotes or famous toasts together with your calendar — if you’re asked to talk at a wedding, then you may at least know where to start.

Chandos Interiors

13. Get your guest room ready in minutes. First of all, keep the mattress made so that you do not need to worry about that. Next, dedicate a shelf in your linen closet to storing guest room essentials, so that you just have to catch the whole stack and go. Consider adding: a new set of towels, slippers, a robe and a little basket of toiletries that are spare.

Bonus: Stock the bedside table with intriguing books, books, chocolates and a carafe of water.

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A Modern Renovation at a Colonial-Era Town

English colonists came in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1633; hence, the majority of the town’s housing inventory is anything but modern. When these homeowners, who lived in a very traditional home in Hingham, adored their preferred town, the wife longed for a modern house. So when this midcentury house went on the market for a teardown using a water view, the household snapped it up.

“The house was in such poor shape that we can not even show several before films,” says architect Don DiRocco of Hammer Architects. (Though see below for just one.) But, his group’s design saved a huge part of the home while they tore down the darkened and dark parts which didn’t get the job done. Both the new and old segments were designed to create a light, bright atmosphere that took complete advantage of their harbor views. The new home has an awareness of entrance; an easy, open stream; and a fresh kitchen hub for gathering cooking, holding cooking classes and doing homework.

at a Glance
Who lives here: A household with 4 children in high school and school
Location: Hingham, Massachusetts
Size: 5 bedrooms, 4 baths
Year built: Original house, 1950s; renovation, 2010

Hammer Architects

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They tore down the old garage and built a new one, along with a brand new breezeway that connects it to the new principal doorway and helps specify an entrance courtyard. “Before, the entrance to the home was tucked around the back of the home and was hard to locate,” DiRocco says. Now “there is not any longer any confusion regarding where to enter the home.” The door on the right is a second entrance that contributes to a large mudroom with cabinets to your kids’ sports gear, coats and shoes.

Before Photo

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“The original home had a set of strange intersecting gable roofs which caused escapes,” says DiRocco. “They had a small spiral stairs into the roof set up, because they had to move up there and repair it so often.” The house’s problems gave the architects good ideas about what to do. It had been “quite dark and dreary; it had a great water view that it was not taking advantage of,” DiRocco says.

Hammer Architects

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The architects added a new kitchen, a brand new garage and entrance courtyard, along with a brand new master suite, and reconfigured existing spaces (view the programs at the end to get a precise idea of these modifications). The attached greenhouse found in the previous photo was donated and carted away. On the right side of the photo you can see the brand new screened-in porch and master suite.

Hammer Architects

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“Occasionally negative existing aspects such as these inspire the new design. We added glass wherever we could, and the home is now filled with natural light from large windows and clerestories,” DiRocco says. This corner is your master bedroom, in which 6- by 3-foot windows take full advantage of the view of Hingham Harbor.

Hammer Architects

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Around the corner from the garage, big windows make the most of the water views. Exterior doors from the office/fifth bedroom and the living room link to the patio.

Hammer Architects

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Translucent glass on the garage doors expands the Japanese lantern–such as glow of the house at night.

Garage doors: Clopay Avante

Hammer Architects

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Red cedar tongue and groove clapboard siding has a natural stain that may stand up to the sea air and harsh winter climate. The house is well insulated and works nicely in summer, too. “This home can really breathe,” DiRocco says. “They’ve air-conditioning, but they seldom need to turn it on.”

Hammer Architects

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Wood beams and a tongue and groove ceiling are original to the home.

While the clients desired stairs down to a basement family room to be a part of their space, they desired to partly hide them. “We did not have much wall space on the first floor, because we wanted to depart the views as open as possible, so this was a good opportunity to include shelves,” DiRocco says.

Floors: stained walnut

Hammer Architects

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The kitchen is a completely new part of the home and serves as the heart of the house. The wife was a well-known chef in Boston and had a large, workable kitchen in which she could do some serious cooking and also have enough room to hold courses. The household also desired a multipurpose space for spending time together.

Appliances: Thermador; counter stools: Ikea; cabinets: custom, Ted Franklin, Welfleet, Massachusetts

Hammer Architects

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“The kitchen serves as a fantastic hub in the house; all these corridors meet here, and it’s a significant gathering spot. The family is quite tight-knit, and the children do their homework at this table,” DiRocco says.

“The kitchen has a high volume which pops up 14 feet and has wonderful natural light all day,” he says. Clerestory windows bring in light from three sides.

Pendant lighting: Ikea; faucet: Grohe Minta; counters: Surrell solid design in Arctic White, Formica; ceiling: tongue and groove fir

Hammer Architects

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The kitchen glows like a lantern at night.

Hammer Architects

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The long dining/living room goes all of the way into a sitting/TV viewing area which leads out into the patio. This component of the home was spared from the initial structure. All the windows are fresh and are larger than the originals.

Hammer Architects

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The architects also rescued the original large chimney and hearth found on the left. While dreaming of moving out of their traditional home for their new modern house, the owners knew they’d be starting fresh with new minimalist decor and furnishings.

The doors at the end of the room result in a screened-in porch, with the master suite beyond it.

Before Photo

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BEFORE: This is the plan of the existing home when the architects were hired. While the neighborhood was an enclave of quite small midcentury modern homes, most of the original homes have been torn down and replaced with big homes on account of the prime views.

Hammer Architects

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AFTER: This is the brand new plan of this home as it is today. “This home is a anomaly in Hingham,” says DiRocco. “The kids’ friends absolutely love hanging out here, the family loves the design, they continue to be within walking distance from downtown Hingham and live near their schools.”

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Happy Clients Unwrap a New Home on Christmas

Project supervisor Ben Cervantes pushed especially difficult for the rapid completion of this Santa Barbara, California, remodel. “My customers lost their cherished home of 30 years at the 2008 wildfires, therefore our staff and, of course, architect Richard Warner wanted to come through for them by finishing this home remodel by Christmas Day,” says Cervantes. And come through they did — the customers not only came home to a finished house, but more important, to a home with a seamless indoor-outdoor link and an expansive grand room filled with natural light.

in a Glance
Who lives here: A sociology professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a graphic designer and illustrator
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Size: 2,400 square feet

Allen Construction

Cervantes and his staff removed the home’s existing wood siding and replaced it with noncombustible plaster. The stucco exterior departs from the home’s origins as a midcentury ranch home, a sacrifice the customers were eager to make for the interest of safety.

The team also eliminated other poor connections — places at the home where embers can burn off, such as wood veneer along with other combustible exterior substances.

Roofing: fiber cement, Monier

Allen Construction

A large pivoting door greets guests in the entrance and connects the interior with the outside.

Flooring: solid white walnut, Old Tyme Floor

Before Photo

Allen Construction

BEFORE: The home had limited windows which didn’t maximize its verdant views. Partway through the remodel, the customers’ daughter seen the home and proposed creating an expansive living room by opening the living area, dining area and kitchen.

“It changed the scope of the remodel — and the budget — but our customers are more than happy with the results,” says Cervantes.

Allen Construction

AFTER: NanaWall doors open the interior to the outside. Cervantes and crew ran the electrical wiring which has been previously stored in the interior wall at a fresh beam running the length of this room.

Armchairs, couch, coffee table: Restoration Hardware

Allen Construction

One of the most significant challenges of this project was finding a way to encourage the roof following the team removed a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and living area.

In the end, the team kept two of the steel columns, but they weren’t very pleasant to check out. “One of our carpenters suggested cladding the columns with 3/4-inch white walnut to match the floors and kitchen cabinetry,” Cervantes says. “For decorative flair, in addition, he proposed adding an oak plinth block in the column bottom.” The exposed beams and pillar accentuate the room’s expansiveness.

Dining table, chairs: Restoration Hardware

Allen Construction

“We refaced both present fireplaces with dark grey plaster, then turning them to focal points on opposite sides of the room,” says Cervantes.

Armchair, couch: Pottery Barn

Before Photo

Allen Construction

BEFORE: The old wall divided the kitchen from the dining area and living area.

Allen Construction

AFTER: The team utilized the customers’ present appliances but applied a few cosmetic changes: The refrigerator had been refaced with 1/4-inch walnut plywood to match the brand new cabinets, the stove hood has been painted and framed, and Ceasarstone countertops and custom cabinetry were installed to get a warm timber and white kitchen.

New low-e (low emissivity) glass skylights drench the kitchen with lots of light. The low-e skylights are more energy efficient than the previous Plexiglas skylights; they block heat gain, reduce heat loss through the skylight and let in a cozy flow of light.

Bar stools: Crate & Barrel

Allen Construction

When the customers left the home to visit their daughter on Christmas Eve, scaffolding and construction supplies were strewn throughout. The couple had already give up the notion of spending Christmas Day at a finished home — but little did they know that a Christmas miracle was awaiting them upon their return. They arrived back to a spotless home: The scaffolding was gone and the painting was finished.

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Distinctive Edwardian 'Design Lab'

The house which designer Jay Jeffers shares his spouse, Michael Purdy, serves a double purpose: It is part escape and part design laboratory, nurturing creativity for Jeffers’ interior design business along with the pair’s San Francisco atelier, Cavalier. “Our house has mirrored my style evolution throughout the years,” says Jeffers, whose clients are often drawn to his vibrant, playful design touches. Architecturally, the house is tucked in a row of “handsome small Edwardians,” he states. But inside, it makes a daring departure from the remainder of the block.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Jay Jeffers and Michael Purdy
Location: Eureka Valley, San Francisco, California
Size: 2,500 square feet

JayJeffers

One of the first design lessons Jeffers provides his clients is that colour does not always mean vivid, splashy hues. “It is about creating new, unexpected pairings,” he states. “We just finished a gorgeous modern penthouse at a palette of grays and creams.”

Vintage tufted chairs in rich blue Holland & Sherry fabric complement the persimmon-stained walls.

JayJeffers

A floral lampshade with metallic trim almost looks like a framed watercolor bit next to an etching by Christopher Brown.

Wheel book weight: vintage, Coup d’Etat; wall paint: Persimmon, Benjamin Moore

JayJeffers

Gray trim highlights the molding in the dining area and provides a neutral complement into the bolder orange tones in the upholstery, decor and wall treatments. “I totally love the dining room,” Jeffers says. “It has a handsome, quirky appearance, with a gallery wall of portrait paintings”

Molding paint: Bear Creek, Benjamin Moore; wall paint: Pittsfield Buff, Benjamin Moore; dining table: vintage, Monteverdi Young; chandelier: vintage, Maitland Smith

JayJeffers

A Forrest Williams oil painting makes an alluring dialogue piece, including the illusion of another window within this living room sitting room. The settee is a custom piece by Jeffers.

Area rug: habit by Jay Jeffers & Kelly Hohla

JayJeffers

The kitchen was the only room in the home that really needed work — but that which designer stops following renovating just one room? Jeffers put into a tartan tile backsplash “à la Burberry,” he states , and custom cabinets with back-painted glass.

“it is a cliché to say, however, we are living in our kitchen,” he states. “The floor plan is circular, so that you can observe the kitchen from the dining area and living area, and guests always collect there. It is the ideal place for cooking — beef bourguignon, preferably — kicking back with a cocktail and glancing out in our view of the city”

JayJeffers

Like everything in Jeffers’ house, this tabletop vignette is meticulously curated.

“I’ve just started my first store, Cavalier, together with my spouse, and our focus with it’s on those kinds of carefully curated bits using a masculine edge,” says Jeffers.

JayJeffers

“I really put my stamp on the home. I believe the colour palette is what sets it apart and gives it its own distinct style notice,” he states.

JayJeffers

The guest area is swathed in acidity green wallpaper. “I am not sure anybody else on the block includes a sexy pink portrait of Abraham Lincoln,” Jeffers says.

Wallpaper: Studio Printworks; Abraham Lincoln screen-print: Natalie Ammirato

JayJeffers

This bedroom vignette combines handsome bits with quirkier things: An ornately framed mirror hangs over a vintage dresser, a sculptural bust adds gravitas into the corner and styled artwork stipulates a dash of whimsy.

JayJeffers

“This residence is my design laboratory,” says Jeffers. “It is where I crisscrossed pink and orange grosgrain ribbon in my master bedroom walls at one stage and hand-stencilled the drapes with my monogram in homage to Sir David Hicks.”

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“Did you ever think your house would burn down?” Eden, my afterward seven-year-old daughter asked me every few days, for months, after an arsonist randomly put our house on fire.

“No,” I’d answer each and every moment.

“I never thought my home would ever burn down,” she would say, shaking her head. Neither did I and, regardless of the fact we only marked the second anniversary, I can not quite believe it did.

There are hundreds of people in Colorado Springs who understand this feeling exactly.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

Last Wednesday (June 27, 2012), since the wildfires raged, while over 35,000 residents who were evacuated waited to figure out if their homes had been destroyed, my mind and my heart were left using them. It had been two years to the day of our very own fire.

Ours was set in the wee hours and we were home and in bed. My husband and I gathered our kids and the puppy and fled with the clothing on our backs. I stopped just to grab my notebook, which was at hand, and ran barefoot to the darkness.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

As we stumbled on the course across the road and watched the flame spread, what surprised me was the absence of pain, even when I knew everything was missing. I was in shock, true, but I was also clearer than I have ever been : “That” (our home and possessions) was things and may be substituted; my loved ones, standing beside me, alive and physically unharmed, was irreplaceable. I could live with no rest.

“We have been through worse.” I said repeatedly in the early days, and we had, but I didn’t understand trauma, and I didn’t understand that the flame was just the start.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

As the months and weeks passed, I couldn’t believe how hard it became. It had been such a surprise that getting somebody set fire to our house and losing all our possessions was not the most terrible part; it had been struggling against bureaucracy and creating each single financial decision — from what spatula to purchase to how big to build the home — while still traumatized and exhausted.

And in the early days, the horror of passion was mingled with and nearly covered with the extraordinary outpouring of service, the beautiful and astonishing generosity of our community.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

It started while our home was in flames, together with Paul’s (my husband’s) sister and brother-in-law scooping up us from the side of the road and welcoming us into their home, where we remained six weeks, catching our breath and planning the next step.

Very early, I called one of those pastors, who declared the fire in church. A buddy was given checks and money for us, there on the spot. Friends from college assembled another day to strategize our immediate, midterm and long-term demands. Our house was smoking when a local business was established as a drop-off place for donations.

Paul’s coworkers helped set up an account at our credit union and were collecting donations the following day. Many continued to watch out for us over the long year of rebuilding.

Neighbors, some we barely knew, stopped and handed us money or provided furniture, clothing, even a place to stay.

Friends and family at a distance called, sent care packages and wrote wonderful, adoring cards and mails.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

I asked Paul, more than once, “Does anybody understand we’re well insured? That we’ve got savings?” I didn’t have any idea how slow and hard insurance would be how fast we would go through our economies. It was embarrassing being the focus of much attention and, as strange as it sounds, I found overwhelming generosity — at times — simply overwhelming.

Here’s What Happens, and What You Can Do

Perhaps you have friends who lost their house in Colorado Springs, or one of those other regions affected by wildfires. If that’s the case, you might be longing to do some thing, and I’d really like to offer a couple suggestions.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

Message, text or email them your love and concern. Crisis is so isolating, and hearing that others understand what’s happening and that they care is wonderful. However keep it simple: “I’m so sorry for the loss. I’m so glad you’re alive.” There is actuallyn’t much else to say.

Listen. Everybody is going to have a unique response to this terrible event. Following our passion it seemed I was constantly out of step with all the prescribed story. When folks believed I should despair, I was hopeful. When others assumed things were looking up, I had been tanking. Your buddy, that (in case Colorado Springs) is surrounded by many others going through this exact same catastrophe, will require someone to just listen to how it is for her or him.

Send a test. This is one of the most helpful things you can do. Your friends are going to be spending money every which way, and insurance can take a while to process, even if everything goes smoothly.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

Send a gift certificate. Everybody in our household is a reader, so we have been given many gift certificates. Our books were one of the first things we wanted to replace. You can send a certificate to a favorite restaurant or a grocery shop.

Give clothes or home things. Be really thoughtful here. If they have been insured, your buddies will be given with all the family basics and might not be prepared to sort through a lot of stuff.

Make a meal or bring groceries. Your buddies are probably exhausted and struggling on many levels. Even if they are staying with people briefly, this could aid their hosts.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

If you are local, run a needed errand. Once I went on my very first shopping trip after the flame to obtain a pair of sandals, my regional mall didn’t have the style I wanted, but the mall on the opposite side of town. I was not able to take the opportunity to drive that way, but a friend discovered, purchased them and sent them right to me. It meant a lot better.

Concentrate on the kids. If kids are involved, it is complicated. Losing everything is particularly devastating for these; their belongings mean so much better. If you can, figure out a game or toy a kid is missing especially and get him or her immediately. You will have done a great thing for the entire family.

Consider taking the long term. The procedure after a flame is extended. You might choose to check in during the rebuild and do any of the above a couple of months down the road when they might require it most.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

Do you have friends who had to flee, but their home lived? They’ve been through a terrible ordeal also and are likely feeling wrecked. Pick anything on the listing and I’m positive it will greatly appreciated.

Don’t know anybody personally, but wish to help?

The American Red Cross Disaster Relief does good work. They help people in crisis undergo the first 48 hours after a catastrophe with money for food, shelter and clothing. Find out more at redcross.org or even 1-800-RED-CROSS. Folks can also text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to create a $10 donation.

The Humane Society for the Pikes Peak Region took in hundreds of pets belonging to Colorado Springs evacuees and always needs assistance.

Sandi Gunnett Photography

When we watched our home for the very first time after the fire, I told Paul, “I never need to stop being grateful we lived. I don’t understand how things are going to go with insurance, I am aware that it may get stressful, but I never wish to get past gratitude.”

An argument may be made I did.

But once I think about the goodness of our community, the astounding kindness and overflowing generosity that surrounded and buoyed us I know I didn’t and I never will.

Photographs of the author’s home after the flame by Sandi Gunnett

More: Simple Acts — The Unsung Power of a Fantastic Neighbor

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Summer Living: How to Welcome Weekend Guests

Being a good host is something of a lost art. Assessing the roles of tour guide, innkeeper, cook and friend (while still managing to have fun yourself) could be challenging, to say the very least.

Make seeing family and friends feel at home, and ease the load on your own, this summer with a little extra preparation. Read on for a dozen methods to welcome guests, and also make weekend visits more fun.

Dreamy Whites

Supply a grab-and-go breakfast channel. Maintain fresh fruit, breakfast cereals and other essentials together on the counter for early risers. Give guests a fast kitchen tour the night before so they can get their morning coffee or tea without waiting for you.

If you would like to set an extra-special table or surprise that a birthday guest, then including a monogrammed mug along with a small arrangement of flowers is lovely and doesn’t require much extra effort.

Tim Cuppett Architects

Establish a casual tone. I’m not saying you should not clean up a bit before guests arrive, but keeping things near the typical state of things around the house will help guests at ease. Newspapers on the coffee table, flip flops piled from the door and music in the background set the stage for comfort.

Jennifer Grey Interiors Design & Color Specialist

Ask ahead about favorites and patterns. Check beforehand to see exactly what your weekend guests typically eat for breakfast, lunch, or if they have any particular food or drink requests or allergies. Picking up a couple of things especially for your guests is a nice touch and isn’t any problem — it just requires thinking ahead a bit.

Katerina Tana Design

Prep your front porch. It is the very first thing guests see, after all, so make sure it is well lit, freshly swept and equipped with fresh cushions and green plants.

Richard Bubnowski Design LLC

Stock bedrooms with essentials. Clean sheets and extra pillows are a no-brainer, but try adding a few of those extras to carry it to another level:
iPod dock with speakers
Small alarm clockVintage house or fashion magazinesAn electric tea kettleSmall basket with sample-size toiletriesLocal travel guide

Make young guests feel at home. Make the stay in a new location easier on small ones by creating their mattress fresh and inviting and stocking their room with some of your favourite childhood toys.

Be sure to request parents of young children beforehand if there is anything you can have ready for them borrowing a top chair from a friend, for example, signifies the grownups can pack lighter.

Witt Construction

Allow for downtime. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of overplanning actions for weekend guests. Possessing a few tentative outings or projects on the schedule can be helpful, but avoid the desire to fill every last minute. Most guests will really enjoy some blocks of unstructured time to unwind, talk, read, rest or perhaps venture out on their own.

Kate

Give guests a project in the kitchen. When dinnertime rolls around, don’t hesitate to have guests toss in with a few simple tasks in the kitchen. Ask them to pour the wine, then choose the songs, prep greens for a salad or set the table, and soon your visitors will be feeling right at home.

A Beach Cottage

Eat alfresco. Eating outside makes meals tastier, conversation livelier and individuals more relaxed. Even in the event that you don’t have an outdoor table, think about carrying your kitchen table out for the day. It will make for a memorable night.

Ellen Kennon Design

Offer old-school entertainment. Together with the oversaturation of high-tech gadgets in our lives these days, it can feel very refreshing (and even indulgent) to unplug for a day. Play board games or cards, perform on a significant mystery, read, speak, go for a stroll, ride bicycles or swim.

Greige

Leather Handled Market Tote – $39

Fill baskets with outing essentials. I love the idea of keeping baskets from the door, ready to go for excursions that are ordinary. You could have a beach basket with sunscreen, towels and spare sunglasses, or even a picnic basket with blankets, cutlery and unbreakable dishes. Just grab the proper tote and head out!

Frederick + Frederick Architects

Reconnect in the end of the day. Even if you and your customers part ways through the day, it can be nice to regroup and reunite together in the end of the day. Make a ritual of snacks and drinks to the backyard or on the porch and sharing stories from your day.

Inform us: How do you prepare for weekend guests? Have any fun activity ideas? Share them in the comments section!

More:
Impress Your Guests: 8 Tips for Gracious Guest Rooms
Creating the Perfect Guest Room
Your Guest Bath: Creating Your Friends Feel Pampered

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Kitchen Workbook: 8 Elements of a Mediterranean Kitchen

Warm, inviting and cozy, the kitchen creates the heartbeat of a Mediterranean home. There is nothing bashful about Mediterranean décor; it is filled with saturated colors, solid lines and elaborate details, calling to mind sun, vibrant landscapes and coastal breezes. And in most cases, you either love it or you do not. But if you are on the fence about whether to go in this direction — or if you are already smitten with the appearance — incorporate those eight principles to pull off this distinctive strategy.

More kitchen styles:
Vintage | Conventional | Transitional | Modern | Contemporary | Eclectic | Cottage | Craftsman

Nunley Custom Homes

1. Rich, warm colors. The Mediterranean shore brings from sunlight and sea, bright flora and foliage, and other elements of the area. Take a mix of hot red, bright yellow, terra cotta and ocean blue to bring your kitchen to life. Tie the colors together with a stenciled or tiled backsplash or other decorative element.

Filmore Clark

2. Swooping curves. Mediterranean design is known for its curves and curlicues. Notice the range hood and the lighting fixture in this area — their sinuous shapes give the kitchen a feeling of elegance and fluidity. Choose hardware, faucets and other elements that have powerful curves and graceful forms.

3. Hand-painted tilework. Mosaic tile adorned with elaborate motifs is a blossom touch. Use it for a backsplash or onto a tile-topped island, or make a focus over the scope.

JMA (Jim Murphy and Associates)

4. Wrought iron detailing. Metals are generally heavy in Mediterranean style, and wrought iron gets the visual weight to stand until the magnificent flourishes elsewhere. This pot rack helps to define the space and lends a dramatic touch.

House + House Architects

5. Textured walls. In a Mediterranean kitchen, walls benefit attention and depth from a tactile finish. Contemplate stucco, Venetian plaster or even drywall mud to get a weatherproof surface that evokes the feeling of an old fashioned villa.

Hann Builders

6. Saltillo floor tile. This floor, a Mediterranean touch, lends an earthy note and fits in with the warm palette. Brick can work well also. If tile feels too cold or hard underfoot, think about bringing in a lasting rug that complements the color scheme, possibly with a swirly design that echoes the curving elements of the room.

Claudio Ortiz Design Group, Inc..

7. Ceiling beams. Exposed ceiling beams offer a rustic note that blends nicely with the design’s burnished metals and about textured walls. Stain them darkish for comparison with the ceiling.

JMA (Jim Murphy and Associates)

8. Dark wood tones. Blossom furniture is usually strong, solid and elaborately carved or turned. Cabinetry and furnishings in a kitchen done in this style reflect that appearance, with abundant woods like walnut, along with deep discoloration and cosmetic detailing.

Read thousands of Mediterranean home photographs

More:
9 Elements of Spanish Revival Kitchens

Color Inspiration From the Mediterranean

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Guest Groups: 20 Finds for a Cozy Kitchen Worth Living In

I have been a fan of kitchens that don’t feel or look as a kitchen for a long time. I love a space that’s practical enough for cooking an elaborate meal but still supremely cozy, warm and a little complicated. Here is my take on a room that will live up to being the “heartbeat of a house.”
Joslyn from Straightforward Beautiful

Heath Ceramics

Espresso Cup and Saucer – $34

These espresso cups from Heath Ceramics are bits that you would wish to stay. You’d pass down these beauties to your kids one day!

canvas

Wood Cutting Boards – $48

An assortment of functional and beautiful wooden cutting and serving boards is vital for a cozy, livable kitchen.

DwellStudio

Pair of Metal Peacocks – $88

All these vintage-inspired birds perched on the counter could put in some serious glam into the coffeemaker and toaster.

Heath Ceramics

Hybrid Vase Place – $260

I believe earthy, ’70s-inspired pottery feels soulful. I’d use the taller vase to hold fresh herbs for cooking.

Anthropologie

Octopus Garden Wallpaper – $198

Nothing makes a space cozy faster than a wallpaper. I’d put this rich, whimsical pattern onto one wall to make immediate intimacy.

Etsy

Linen Dinner Napkins – Quarters by Willow Ship – $45

These fairly linen napkins make take-out pizza texture fancy.

Williams-Sonoma

Chemex 6-Cup Glass Coffee Maker – $36

The Chemex makes the best coffee. And it’s just really, really amazing.

Design Within Reach

Spinneybeck Cowhide Rug

Cowhide rugs are super durable, making them a perfect pick for a high-traffic kitchen.

Etsy

2 Vintage Signed Asian Etchings by Vieux Design – $95

I love these classic prints for searing heat into an otherwise practical corner. I’d hang them near my stove or oven.

Lamps Plus

Uttermost Campton Antiqued Gold 42″ High Wall Mirror – $257.99

A large gilded mirror could be a complete surprise hung in a kitchen!

West Elm

Wrap Chair | West Elm – $152

These seats are slick, but the wrap back makes them comfortable enough for lingering.

Design Within Reach

Saarinen Dining Table – $2,758

A cozy, livable kitchen has to get a little spot for eating. The Saarinen marble top dining table has been in my wishlist. This multifunctional 35″ version could be a perfect place for breakfast.

HORNE

Milk & Sugar Ball Set FREUD – $80

I’d keep this sugar and cream set perpetually put in the middle of the Saarinen table. They’re like small works of art.

OCHRE

Light Drizzle Chandelier – $2,370

This could be one of the most gorgeous chandeliers of time. It is totally glam but still modern and timeless.

Marta Barware – $1.50

I purchase CB2’s Marta Barware in bulk. They’re the perfect glasses: super slim but still incredibly sturdy.

Le Creuset

Oval French Oven. – $340

It goes without saying that the coziest kitchen is one that’s really being used to cook tasty things. I am in love with these gorgeous green Le Creuset French ovens because of their capacity to turn out perfect slow-roasted meat.

canvas

5-Piece Gold Cutlery Set

Gold cutlery is sudden and complicated. This particular set still manages to feel fresh and youthful.

Design Within Reach

Platner Armchair, Leather – $3,335

A cozy kitchen has plenty of places to perch upon. My fantasy space would consist of enough room for one of these leather Platner armchairs.

Tortoise General Store

Kaikado Canister – $140

I love these artful canisters — they’re like jewellery for the counter tops. I’d use them to keep sugar and sea calcium chloride snow removal Anchorage.

Etsy

Small Peskhir Hand Towel by Soft Cotton – $10

Turkish Peskhir hand towels are super absorbent and make a kitchen feel and look more intriguing.

Next: Browse more kitchen products

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Tahoe Ridge House

The name Tahoe Ridge House concisely sums up exactly what the layout from David S. Wilson of WA Design is really all about. It is located in Tahoe, California, on a large plot of land near the world-famous lake — a place that prompted Wilson to tap into the area’s industrial vernacular. And the home sits partially on a ridge, whose high point captures distant mountain views. Here we take a tour of the home to see how the the landscape combined to shape the home.

WA Design Architects

The entry to the home is from the east. On this elevation, we see the garage clad in corrugated metal on the left, a wrought iron gable volume covered in wood to the right, and the front door in the end of a covered porch with a few wood columns.

From here we can see the basic layout of the home, which can be an H-shaped plan with the living space extending from the front door, a hallway moving perpendicular up the ridge in the space, and another wood-covered gable volume atop the ridge that houses the master bedroom.

Before we head indoors let’s look at other perspectives of the home.

WA Design Architects

Now we are on the other side of the home, the west elevation; note the hallway moving up the ridge in the left. At this end is the main living room and its own chimney. A scaled-down version of the entry canopy is located on this side, providing access to the patio.

WA Design Architects

Heading to the right of the prior photo, we come to the south elevation. The second-floor”sleeping perch” is the tall fundamental volume whose window looks towards the distant mountains. Bear in mind that the living part of the home is lower compared to the master bedroom up on the ridge, so a little extra vertical push is needed to grab some perspectives from here.

WA Design Architects

On the other side of the home, we are currently taking a look at the north elevation, what Wilson calls”a compilation of vernacular forms.” The vernacular he is referring to would be the”old mining buildings in the Tahoe area,” such as the Kentucky Mine stamp mill.

WA Design Architects

Here we are looking out of the master bedroom towards the north side of the living portion of the home. Wilson points out that”virtually no grading involved in the building. The home plan adheres to the present topography.”

WA Design Architects

Heading back to the entrance door and its own covered walk encouraged by recycled cedar posts, the diagonal bracing hints at a few of the whimsy that can be located inside.

WA Design Architects

After walking across the long entrance hall that ascends a few brief flights of steps — strengthening the method by which in which the home follows the site’s topography — we all come to the large living room with its dining room and living area. The open space sits below an open gable roof with exposed beams and metal bracing.

WA Design Architects

Looking in the opposite direction from the living area, we could see the stairs that lead to a few bedrooms. In the foreground is a loft and a perpendicular stair that ascends to the sleeping perch to the right.

WA Design Architects

Heading up the stair and then turning around, the scale of the living room is evident. As well we can see the first of many custom touches: the attic’s guardrails ripple as they proceed across the edge of the ground.

WA Design Architects

“We made the custom made light fixtures in a big scale to match the space,” says Wilson.

WA Design Architects

Back downstairs we get another perspective of the dining room and the table that Wilson and company intended for the space.

WA Design Architects

Adjacent to the dining room is the kitchen, and it is a more intimate space, owing to the lower ceiling. A few more custom touches are obvious: the faceted stove hood and the wood cabinets on both sides of the stove.

WA Design Architects

Looking at the kitchen from the dining room, we could see that the faceted stove hood is echoed in the face of the sink . The edge of the island’s lower surface is tough, a hewn granite that contrasts with the smooth and faceted surfaces. A closer look in more custom light fixtures shows that they fit the loft guardrails, a metallic mesh that matches the light.

WA Design Architects

Walking the hallway that climbs up towards the ridge as well as the master bedroom, we all come to an opening that”has the colours and transparencies of glacial De-icing services Anchorage,” according to Wilson. In the space is the master bedroombehind us is the study.

WA Design Architects

Within the master bedroom, we all could see how the exposed gable and bracing is a motif that runs across the home. Tall windows do a fantastic job of framing the outside scenery.

WA Design Architects

Glancing right, we see some custom touches that are located everywhere: the faceted flue over the fireplace, the wood casework, and the hewn granite hearth.

WA Design Architects

The baths have some idiosyncratic touches, particularly the double bowls that project past the cabinet fronts in the master bathroom.

WA Design Architects

But the double bowls have nothing over the custom made concrete”kayak sink” that serves the other bedrooms.

WA Design Architects

The previous couple of photos show the home in a snowstorm, making apparent how vernacular forms have their reasons. Note how little snow removal Little Rock is about the wood gables versus the shallower entrance canopy.

WA Design Architects

The west elevation in the Snow Removal services near me Aurora is like a postcard, with dreams of warming up from the fireplace.

More: Modern Gable-Style Homes

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