Casa Medec

There is something about the use of different textures and honest materials (stone, wood, natural fibers) that tends to inevitably attract me to certain homes... This one plays with all of these elements, achieving, I think, a perfectly subtle balance between rustic and simple...









I hope everyone (in the States) has a wonderful Thanksgiving break if I don't stop by around here before then...

(images: jordi canosa)

Quietude

I've been walking around feeling a little bit dazed with all that's been going on lately. It has all been terrific and a little bit terrifying at the same time, and as a result, emotionally, somewhat exhausting.

Between the photo shoot, and following a couple of leads for doing design work (maybe - we'll see), and keeping up with my part-time job at a nonprofit, and being a mom and wife, and continuing on with other general domestic duties, I must admit I've been feeling somewhat overwhelmed. So. What do I do at times like these..?

I come back to white interiors. And Jane Cumberbatch. I will never tire of her home. I know I've posted photos of it before, but it looks like these may be a little older (or newer?) as the house is styled with an even greater abundance of soothing whites in these pictures - which is exactly what I need to look at when I'm feeling slightly frazzled by life. I hope you'll enjoy these as much as I do...








(images: via the ever-inspiring bliss)

A bright and happy place

My dear friend Florence, a wonderful writer of stories for young people, asked me a little while back if I would write a post about a place I thought would suit her...

I haven't had a chance to come up with a whole house or apartment for her, but when I stumbled upon this kitchen, I thought of her. It's a little bit bohemian and girlie, and even though she might protest the girlie label, it's just her style, I think.

The fuchsia on the window frame, the old Hollywood glam chandelier in such a utilitarian room, the warmth and texture of the many wooden drawers and vintage pulls on that piece (not to mention the playful scale of it in the room); the somewhat flirty, sheer curtain under the sink, the easy comfort with which mismatched chairs and plates and pottery accumulated over the years all coexist in perfectly inspiring harmony.... Yes - it all speaks of beautiful Florence to me.

Wouldn't you agree that this kitchen belongs to a wonderfully warm, interesting, and creative person...? I think so. And such a person is my gorgeous friend - my dear Florence.

Do make time to visit her little corner of the world, Cate's Folly, when you have a moment... You'll find a little taste of a mid-grade comedy she's been working on called Gas for Pluto, a wicked recipe for tomato-nut soup, musings on being a writer and how to get published, and an inspiring post on the need to create picture books tailored to the specific needs of kids with autism, among her many wonderful entries.

(image: marie claire maison)

Photo shoot!

Okay, my dears, I'm sorry it's taken me this long to get back into the swing of things, but here you have it: what kept me busy and happy last week was that Better Homes & Gardens was here to photograph our kitchen and bath!!!

I had such a great time..! And I can't say enough kind things about the team that came over to the house. Sandi, the field editor/stylist, was wonderful. She was funny, considerate, and has been doing this for some time, so she had an amazing ability to anticipate how the vignettes would look like on film (which, surprisingly to me, is quite different from how they might look in real life, both color- and composition-wise).

She was also incredibly patient with my constant questions and requests to move things or try this or that instead, and she even let me style a little (!!), which was not only incredibly generous of her, but also made me realize how much fun styling is...!

At any rate - an unbelievably kind and gracious human being. Not to mention, bearer of fantastic props and a keen eye to make the house look perfectly beautiful for the magazine.

Brie, the photographer, was incredible - it was truly a gift to see my house come to life through her eyes. She is ridiculously talented and I encourage you to visit her site here. You will not be disappointed.

And then there was Mike, who helped Brie with everything from technical issues to (I kid you not) holding our ficus tree outside the window so that our neighbor's messy back porch would be hidden from view. He was, needless to say, indispensable.

I wish I had captured a shot of him holding up the tree..! Unfortunately, I didn't, but here are a few pictures I took that I hope you'll enjoy and will help give you a sense of what a chaotic scene it can be right outside the camera frame when you are doing a photo shoot...

The pretties - cake and raspberries on a beautiful stand, and gorgeous tulips in an ironstone pitcher (pay no attention to the surrounding madness).

The not so pretty chaos.

Lovely Brie at work, secretly wishing walls and kitchen islands would be more helpful and move out of the way so that she could do her job more easily.

Gear. Tons and tons of cool gear.

The camera resting on its tripod while things were being set up.

More contortions from poor Brie to get just the right shot.

Sandi inspecting the shot and making mental notes about which things would need to be moved one or two inches this way or that, and such.

Mike and Brie working on the camera's focus in a rather tight space (again, if the house's walls would be a bit more cooperative and flexible..!)

Highly technical gear - not to be confused with the Ikea Komplement basket.

Sandi, with Mike standing by, studying the shot, and getting ready to call it a day. And what a wonderful couple of days they were..!

If you guys (Sandi, Brie and Mike) happen to be reading this: I had the best time. The house felt a little bit empty after you left... Thank you for your generosity and the privilege of allowing me to watch you work. I feel like I learned a ton and I have renewed love and sense of commitment for design.

The magazine is called Kitchen & Bath Makeovers, a quarterly publication of Better Homes & Gardens. Sandi thought the kitchen would be featured in the Spring issue, perhaps on the cover (eeeeeeep!!) and the bath might be published in a later issue. I can't wait to see them in print!

(images: me)

Inspiration and thanks

I've been really busy this week and have missed checking in to see what you are up to in your lives... But it's been the good kind of busy - so I'm happy, and I hope this post finds you happy, too.

I'd like to thank T from Bliss for writing such a kind post about our home, and also A from Gabrielle Loves for doing the same. It's really nice to see your home (a place we've put so much work and love into) through somebody else's eyes; I can't thank you ladies enough for your kindness and thoughtfulness. The photos of the house looked beautiful in your inspiring blogs and it was both a surprise and an incredible honor to be featured. Thank you.

Please visit T's beautiful corner of the world here; you can find A here and here. They are both incredible photographers and I think you'll love being transported to the magical and ethereal world they capture through their work.

I look forward to telling you all about what kept me busy and happy next week. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a picture of pretty flowers in our bathroom... Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

(image: me)

Sullivan County, NY

The incredibly beautiful farmhouse of Peter and India Baird....

This is one of those homes where I wouldn't change a thing. Not one. To read more about the renovation process and the lovely owners, click here.


(images: michael luppino via country living)

Inspired by: The Avett Brothers

If you have three minutes and tirteen seconds, take a listen to what's been inspiring me lately... It's a wonderful melody and I find the words to be very touching...


There is something about these guys that reminds me a little bit of my beautiful husband and his brother - and the many years I've spent listening to them play guitar together... What a gift they share - and what a gift it is for me and his family (including their sister) to listen in once in a while...


If you have another minute, read this for a tiny little background on The Avett Brothers.