the happy living Blog

Art Star Craft Bazaar #1

Despite the rain, the horrible thunderstorms they were calling for and the rumors about tornados, my friend and I took the El down to Penn's Landing yesterday for the 5th annual Art Star Craft Bazaar.  And despite the weather, it was amazing.  More wonderful artists this year, beautiful work.  I only wish I could have gone again today because the weather was perfect to be in the city, along the river, looking at amazing art and craft.

Here's one of my favorites.  These are photos of Eva Jorgensen's table and work.  She is the designer behind Sycamore Street Press.  Totally new to me, I was so happy to have been introduced to her work!

Sycamore Street Press | website | blog

Design on a Dime presented by Real Simple

Today and tomorrow, Real Simple– along with co-chairs Maggie Gyllenhaal, designer James Huniford and Real Simple’s managing editor Kristin van Ogtrop -- are hosting the fourth-annual Design on a Dime charity event to benefit Housing Works, the nation's largest community-based AIDS-service organization.

The kick-off party was yesterday (sorry I didn't get this up sooner) and today and tomorrow's events are free and open to the public.  It is being held at the Metropolitan Pavilion at 125 West 18th Street, NYC.

During the event, thirty top-tier designers—including Sills Huniford, Thom Filicia, Charlotte Moss and Jamie Drake—will create breathtaking, one-of-a-kind room vignettes. People will be able to purchase the items in the vignettes at 60-80% off the retail price and all proceeds from the sale will benefit Housing Works.

Founded in 1990, Housing Works provides housing, medical care, job training and other lifesaving services to homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.

Shopping for a cause.  I like that.

crazeee

I am going out of town on Thursday and Friday to Warroad, Minnesota.  Why I am going there?  To visit the Marvin window factory.  For work.  I am half regretting it because the lows at night there are still in the upper 20's and low 30's and I am getting used to the unseasonably warm weather we have been having here in Philly (except for the past couple of crappy days).  But I am looking forward to being away from work and meeting some new fellow architects.  Then the boy and I are going to Baltimore overnight on Saturday for an extended date night.  I will be checking out the excellent Baltimore Design Guide over at Design Sponge before we go.  If anyone has any up to date recommendations for Baltimore please send them my way.  We are staying at the Marriot at the Inner Harbor but are not against venturing out away from the tourist areas.  And...

Erin has a new Inspiration E-Zine out.

Susan has some gorgeous pantry porn.

Jennifer is giving away one of her delicious LOVE prints.  I am partial to the watermelon.

Saffron Marigold has some new beautiful Lavender printed textiles.

Katie Hutchison is seeking projects to feature in her upcoming book about small retreats.

What a group of lovely chickadees.  I will be back on Monday.  Can you believe it is almost May already?

a new blog :: Dear Cottage Living

"Great curb appeal is not about the size or style of your home, but making the most of what you already have."

Have any questions about or need help with suggestions on your home's curb appeal?  Write to architect Hoyte Johnson and Cottage Living editor Rex Perry at the new blog at Cottage Living.  Or just have fun checking out sweet cottages.

some wonderful acquisitions

Where have I been this time?  On the right corner of our couch.  I came down with the nastiest upper respiratory infection ever.  I feel like I have literally lost 4-5 days of my life since I could not read, surf the web or even catch up on my knitting.  I am back at the day job today and feeling much better but still a bit slower than usual.  We are expecting some warm and sunny weather here over the next few days, so I am hoping some sunshine will help me get back to myself.

I am wayyyy backed up relative to blog posts and blog love to send around.  I wanted to share a few recent and favorite purchases from some wonderful artists and designers.

Wood Oval on Matte Chain Necklace by Sulu-Design and the lovely Susan from Portland by way of New York City.  I love her pieces and am proud to finally be an owner.  Her shop and her blog.  Photo by Sulu-Design.

Eames Rocker Pregnancy Journal by Anna Cote of Modern Printed Matter, for a friend.  Find Anna's gorgeous goods at her shop and at the National Stationery Show 5/18-21 at booth 2054.  Photo by Modern Printed Matter.

And last but certainly not least, Roots -- Spring Prints Set by Port 2 Port Press in collaboration with Lena Corwin.  I do not actually have this in my possession yet and cannot wait for them to arrive.  Photo from Port 2 Port Press.

Lotta Jansdotter fabrics...

They are now available online.  This is the event of the month, well maybe the year.  Hold me back.

Susan Serra brings us Hansen Kitchen Furniture

In case you have not already heard, the lovely Susan Serra of The Kitchen Designer blog is bringing Hansen Kitchen Furniture to the States.  Knud Kapper is an architect of buildings and yes, of kitchen and bath furniture.  Go to his gorgeous website if you want more info.  I have firmly decided that this is what the boy and I will have in our kitchen (we're talking about in the 10-year plan, now) once we renovate.  Nothing else.

renovate! :: the new series

The short version about the new series: I want to gather and show you inspiring exterior and whole house renovation projects.  Is it that simple?  Not exactly, but that is where I am going to start and I will go from there.

The first in the series is one of my favorites and is a whole-house renovation.  What I mean by whole-house is after the renovation the house looks very different on the outside than it did before.  It is not just a room-by-room interior renovation.  Thought is given to the exterior envelope as well as all the interior rooms.  Platt Dana Architects from New York renovated Hope Dana's Connecticut family home.   They took a banal and uninteresting home that had good 'bones' and was on a nice property and made it into a modern version of a 5-bay (5 windows across the front) farmhouse.  You may have seen this featured in Domino last year.

Look at the changes to the exterior of the house.  Note the different window proportions/sizes, they scrapped the bizarre brick corners for simple horizontal wood siding.  The vertical lines in the standing seam metal roof adds a bit of height to the roof.  They also recessed the front door slightly so that you have a bit of cover when entering the front.

photo from Domino article, October 2006

photo from Platt Dana Architects

Photo from Platt Dana Architects

Look for the subtle changes in the floor plan.  There are quite a few of them that when totaled together have a huge impact on the feel and function of the house.

floor plan image from Domino article

floor plan image from Domino article

And because I can't bring myself to deprive you of great interiors... Note the simple but quality materials on the inside.  They carry the horizontal wood paneling through the house and use the same wood floors in every room to tie them together.

photo on left from Domino, photo on right from Platt Dana Architects

living room before photo from Domino

living room after photo from Platt Dana Architects

photo from Platt Dana Architects

photo from Platt Dana Architects

food for thought :: decluttering

I am a huge fan of everything Sarah Susanka does from her architecture to her books to her blog and newsletters.  I hope that as I think about developing my own architecture practice someday that my work can reflect a lot of the ideas about home and living more simply that she has brought to us.  I clicked through to her blog after receving her latest newsletter and was so moved by her blog post about her process of decluttering her office.

She says, "I see now that the real lesson of my decluttering task was not that I needed to throw everything out, but that through the process of sorting, reviewing, and culling I was able to render down the important ingredients of my life into its particular and unique flavor, just as one would do in the kitchen with a fine sauce. It’s all there already. We just have to take the time to let it simmer, and then after decades have past, to taste the results. I highly recommend it. I’ve learned a lot."

There are a lot of ways to look at what she said.  What I took from it is that in the process of decluttering whether it be our spaces, minds or lives in general we can let go of old ways, old habits, old things, and make way for new ideas and refreshed thinking.

I have not read her latest book The Not So Big Life yet, but if her previous books are any indication, I am sure that it is excellent.  I am putting it on my library list!

karin eriksson :: ceramics

Tomorrow the happy living Blog celebrates it's first birthday.  I won't reminisce since I already did that when I posted my 200th post (whew!).  But since I got a nice bonus at work and had an occasion to celebrate, I finally purchased a piece of Karin Eriksson's ceramics.  If you have yet to check out her work you just have to go right over here and look. 

Karin has a new venture coming soon called Manos.  I cannot wait to see what other yumminess she has in store for us. (techie note:  it doesn't look like the Manos website is up and running yet.  check back soon!)

Things in blogland have been slow for me because some things are happening in other lands for me...good things, but they are zapping my time and energy some days.

BUT.  I am starting a post series called Renovate!, so stay tuned.  OK, I am off to put dinner together.  There is a hungry boy coming home in 35 minutes.