Northeast Gardener's January Checklist

Tropical Style / / by

Perhaps you got some pruners or a fabulous gardening book as a holiday gift and are anxious to start reading, making notes and going to try new plants. Take some time this month to produce a fresh start outside. Here are a couple things to look at placing in your list of backyard resolutions.

Paintbox Garden

Shop plant earnings. Community plant sales are a great way to find bargains while encouraging local organizations such as garden clubs. Find out what’s offered in your town and mark you calendar so you know when to go — be all set for a few good-natured jostling in the start as everybody rushes in! Some of my favourite plants were branches bought at neighborhood sales with their names written on popsicle sticks.

Paintbox Garden

Grow more heirlooms. Old-fashioned plant varieties — such as these, sold by the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia — are most often overlooked but deserve a place in your backyard. By ordering seeds from plant centers such as this one, you also help to support the great work these organizations do to interpret historic sites and preserve plant records.

Go online and check out heirlooms from firms like Harris Seed, Landreth, Johnny’s and the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants.

Paintbox Garden

Go native. If this really is the year to tear an overgrown spirea hedge along a base wall, think about using native plants when you redesign. The beautiful oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia, sets 5 to 9) is among my favorites, with big and lobed leaves which colour well in the autumn, intriguing exfoliating bark and daring flower panicles.

Native plants are widely adaptable and often do well in poor soils or problem areas, and several are significant host plants to insect larvae.

Paintbox Garden

Support local beekeepers. With the honeybee population in decline, it’s more significant than ever to help support local apiary operators.

Bees need a lot of blossoms to produce honey, and wildflowers such as goldenrod, aster and Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum) are crucial to sustaining the work of hives. The aptly named bee balm (Monarda spp) is a great perennial for woodland borders, meadows and mixed boundaries that’s offered in a vast array of colors.

You can also buy honey in the farmer’s market and give beeswax candles as winter presents.

Paintbox Garden

Have fun with salvage. Find ways to utilize old storage containers and other containers found in antiques emporiums or crap shops — and mix up the look with bold colours in combinations you haven’t tried before.

Look in your doorway and entry backyard and make an effort this season to have fun using unusual textures and colours in containers such as wagons, wheelbarrows, wine crates and old boots.

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design

Get into the library. Local libraries are a great place for browsing through magazines and books. Take along a notebook to jot down ideas or photocopy articles on topics of interest, then go home and find a comfortable chair to pore over everything.

You may also through your bookshelves and pick out backyard books you no longer want or need, then donate them to a library or a used-book shop.

Paintbox Garden

Join the Garden Conservancy. You can tour public and private gardens across the country through the Open Days program of The Garden Conservancy, a nonprofit that supports historic landscapes.

Look in the guidebook (sent to members) to discover properties in the U.S. Northeast or everywhere and go with a notebook and camera to get great ideas.

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Pacific Northwest Gardener's January Checklist

Tropical Style / / by

As much as I like the holidays, there’s something very satisfying about sweeping up the glitter, packing the decorations away and receiving the house straight once again. Additionally, it is an chance for a new start, whether it’s just switching out a couple of accessories or planning a major remodel.

Le jardinet

The garden is much the same. January reveals the backyard’s bones and provides us with an opportunity to contemplate what we might do differently this season: what might be added to bring a color to a dull corner, what new seeds we may attempt and which plants need a little TLC to continue looking their best.

Insert a winter cheer. A small retail therapy in the favorite nursery is always a good idea on a gray day. What can you pick your garden a lift and that will give you up? Winter jasmine (Jasminium nudiflorum) is a favorite scrambler of mine for winter its cheerful yellow blossoms last for many months.

This lax shrub looks best either being abandoned to tumble past a rock wall or tied up loosely against a fence or pergola and allowed to drape down in an explosion of gold stars.

Nurseries and garden centers also begin to carry pots of snowdrops and winter aconite (Eranthis sp, shown here) this month, two of the earliest bulbs to bloom.

Rainbow-colored primroses may also be found to add an immediate splash of color to your own containers or garden.

Renee’s Garden

Renee’s Garden Seed Packet

Check your saved seeds. As the holiday cards dwindle, the seed catalogs arrive! There is something so delicious about curling up by the fire poring over oversize photos of succulent tomatoes.

It’s easy to get carried off, so before you begin filling in those order forms, assess last year’s seeds for viability. Simply put five or six seeds onto a moist paper towel, then put it into a plastic container with the lid. Germination may take two to 10 days, depending upon the variety.

Should I get 75 percent or more germination, I use the seed. Less than that and that I either plant additional to permit for some losses or purchase new seed.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Seeds for some plants and vegetables, such as parsnips, should be bought every year. Others, such as lettuce and radish, can easily stay viable for three decades.

The New York Botanical Garden

Dormant pruning of deciduous trees. Here is the time to sharpen your pruning tools and tidy up your deciduous trees. There are entire books written on pruning methods; this really is the fast and easy version.

1. Why today? In hot weather that the sap rises in the tree. Consider the the tree’s food supply. As soon as we remove branches in warm weather we remove the food that’s been taken to those branches. If instead we prune while the tree is dormant, no food resources are wasted.

Le jardinet

2. Which trees? All upright, deciduous trees — as an example, birch (Betula sp), maple (Acer sp) and ornamental cherry trees (Prunus sp) — may be pruned with those guidelines.

Le jardinet

3. Why prune?
• to Permit air and light to penetrate the canopy — this helps to maintain a healthy tree
• To remove dead or diseased branches
• To contour the tree
• To reveal interesting bark

Corona Tools

1-Inch Bypass Pruner – $31.57

4. How much?
• Remove all dead and diseased branches first.
• Then look for branches that cross others and therefore are chafing them.
• Don’t remove more than 25% of dwelling branches — this is referred to as the pruning budget.

USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area

5. The way to make the cut? Always cut to the collar of this branch — this is the area where one branch meets another. Frequently there are what look like wrinkles at this stage; create a nice, clean cut just prior to that.

Small branches can easily be dealt with using hand pruners, while loppers can typically handle up to a 1 3/4-inch diameter.

Corona Tools

32-Inch Compound Action Anvil Lopper – $38.83

6. Do not:
• Leave a “coat hook” or stub. Cut cleanly to the collar.
• Paint the wound with any kind of sealer. Contrary to popular belief, this hasn’t been shown to prevent corrosion. In fact, it can seal in moisture and germs, which causes corrosion.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Weeds. Weeds don’t have any regard for winter rest. It may be alarming to see how fast the seeds germinate and disperse. Keep ahead of them by setting aside an hour or two per week to remove them.

Le jardinet

Container care. Spend a couple of minutes per week tidying up your own containers. Snip off dead leaves and blossoms, particularly those of pansies. Leaving these on the crops, particularly in the rainy season, can promote gray mold.

Paintbox Garden

From my house to yours, I want you a happy new year; will your garden fantasies come true.

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12 Decor Pieces That Kick Up It Southwest Style

Decorating Guides / / by

From El Paso to Tucson, the American Southwest includes a unique and vibrant style that attracts homeowners and design buffs from all over the world. Its different decor — from Navajo rugs to cowboy boot lamps — could be found in houses from the Eastern Seaboard to the Northwest. Regardless of where your home is located, if you have any of these items, you might wish to consider reserving your next visit to the high and dry desert.

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

Nina Montenegro

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A Chicago Two-Story Circles the Globe

Coastal Style / / by

Graphic designer Meighan Depke spent much of her 20s and 30s exploring Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Twenty years ago she set down roots in Chicago and purchased a 1906 two-flat: a two-story brick building with different homes on each floor, connected with a common entry. Since then Depke and her partner, landscape architect Dave Bier, have now been renovating and filling their house with one-of-a-kind pieces.

Depke couldn’t shake her wanderlust, though, and her loved ones missed socializing with other travellers. So they chose to have the world come to them. They converted their downstairs unit into an urban bed-and-breakfast and guesthouse, which they rent out the majority of the year to international and U.S. visitors.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Meighan Depke, David Bier, Frances Depke (age 9) and kitty Stringer Bell
Location: Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago
Size: Each unit is 1,200 square feet and has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Depke and Stringer Bell like the dwelling room on the second level, in which the household resides.

The wall screens that flank the entrance to the master bedroom came from the mansion of this Brachs (of candy fortune) on the north coast of Chicago. They had been two panels in an enormous set that formed a part of Mrs. Brach’s elaborate walk-in closet.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

“I always wanted a big, open area, and also a Chicago two-flat is the contrary of that,” Depke says. Undeterred, she knocked down walls and yanked out rugs and background to produce the open kitchen area. “I scraped and patched and painted for years, room by room”

The couple planned to use a rescued church pew by the rear door but discovered it was too large. Instead of despairing, the crafty DIYers just cut down the piece to match the space.

Kitchen cabinets: Ikea

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Just off the kitchen is a living room which Depke lovingly calls her “world” Nestled against a single wall is a handmade sofa that consists of a mattress covered in fabrics. “I sit there a lot and see,” says Depke. “The corner is filled with colorful pillows, and I can see everything going on but still feel lonely.” Burmese terrace furniture, South American pottery and a gallery wall of framed travel photos finish the area.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Elsewhere in the living area, a wall has been removed to include storage and an eating place outfitted with a classic Paul McCobb table and seats.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Daughter Frances loves playing with the visiting kids who periodically occupy the downstairs area. In her room upstairs, Frances keeps her beloved doll collection and even made a doll bed to match her own bed.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

The living area was converted to the couple’s master bedroom. Depke took advantage of the bay windows to create a sitting room and a place for a wooden desk that Bier made by hand.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

The couple’s mattress sits atop a 100-plus-year-old rug from Depke’s grandmother, herself an avid traveler. Since the area wasn’t initially intended as a bedroom, Depke created her own closet working with an range of storage units and screens out of Ikea and Home Depot.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

In this alternative view of this makeshift closet, it’s simple to apreciate Depke’s clever use of this little area.

Depke says that her biggest design dilemmas are little rooms and limited space. “A Chicago two-flat typically includes a railroad design of little rooms,” she says. “Finding furniture that fits is a struggle, and residing with a household in just 1,200 square feet and no storage is incredibly hard occasionally. I’d kill for a mudroom!”

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

In the first-level entrance, guests are welcomed with masks out of East Africa, fabrics from Guatemala and a chicken coop she found locally.

“I pick up lots of cool things when I travel and work them to our area,” Depke says. “I really like the colours of the Middle East, the cloths from South America and the clean lines of European design.”

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

The downstairs living area is traditionally used as a den. Depke paired a white leather sofa from Ikea with classic 1950s seats in a glowing orange color and additional shelving made of wood salvaged by a Dumpster and a refurbished coffee table located in their rear alley.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

The dining area includes a dining table from Depke’s youth. Enlarged reproductions of photos from a trip to Peru hang on the walls, and metal lockers located at a used office store offer storage.

Depke admires the design work of Vicente Wolf and Tricia Guild: “Vicente Wolf because he chooses objects he has found in his travels and combines them in a beautiful manner,” she says. “His insides are extremely soothing. Tricia Guild due to her love of colour and texture.”

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

The first of the 2 bedrooms in the rental unit is painted in a daring yet inviting color, Greensleeves by Behr. Travel books, Guatemalan fabrics and lighting from Ikea warm up the area.

“I buy what I really love and make it work. It has been a gradual accumulation,” Depke says. “I try to group similar things and use colour in a repetitive manner, either in 1 room or several rooms.”

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Cherry-pink walls serve as a background for a Guatemalan cloth wall bit plus a classic map in the second bedroom. A back, another classic find, sits atop a rug from Iran and functions as a side table. Depke made the pillow covers; the accent textiles on the beds are out of a repurposed old tablecloth.

“I adore [using] colour, maybe because I’m a designer and don’t believe in matching things,” Depke says. “If you put it together and you enjoy it, then to me it matches”

Wall paint: Mahogany Cherry, California Paints; pendant lamp: Fillsta, Ikea

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

In the kitchen Depke switched out the hardware, eliminated a number of the cabinet doors and painted the cabinets Million Dollar Red by Benjamin Moore.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

The dining area, which opens up to one of two decks, is a clean-lined and neutral area which has classic Herman Miller office chairs and a little dining table from CB2.

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Bier turned into a little yard into an urban oasis. “We rode across town in his big red truck looking for demolition sites and picking up lost bricks and curbstones to make our fountains,” says Depke. “Considering that the yard is now complete, we’ve begun to plant the street and tree lawns along the road. I’m sure people think we’re nutty!”

Valerie McCaskill Dickman

Although it arouses some curious stares from passersby, Depke painted her main entry a vivid custom blue. The bright color may be unexpected, but it sets the tone for her unique area and approach to design.

Depke offers this information to other homeowners: “Do not fear colour, and do not listen to anyone else when decorating. If you get something wrong, you can always fix it.”

More: When to Paint Your Door Blue

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Practical Style for a Family Home in Calgary

Coastal Style / / by

The perfect place doesn’t always have the perfect residence. This former two-bedroom bungalow at the Altadore neighborhood of Calgary, Alberta, is close to schools and dog parks, but the closed-off layout and limited bedrooms didn’t make sense for Jennifer and Derek Stuart’s rising family. Jennifer, an interior designer, redesigned the house along with Copper Brook Homes. By gutting the main floor, focusing on ecofriendly attributes and including a second level, they left a place that feels spacious, bright and family prepared.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Jennifer and Derek Stuart, their two sons and two puppies
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Size: 2,600 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths

Copper Brook

The house was remodeled by Jennifer Stuart around its living room that was original. Because it had the most ordinary light, she took advantage of its own orientation and turned the space into a two-story space with massive windows. Double-paned glass using an SPF coating minimizes the heat gain and loss, as well as the fading effects of the sun.

She incorporated many eco-friendly features, but the family’s budget didn’t allow for the solar panels they had hoped for. Instead, Copper Brook Homes prepped the house for them by conducting a tube from the roof into the electrical panel, so they can one day be installed with minimal interruption.

Lamp: EQ3; coffee table: Florence Knoll

Copper Brook

Instead of investing in a costly sofa, Stuart bought an Ikea Karlstad sectional and replaced with the telltale wood legs with metal ones. Affordable sea grass rugs from Home Depot help specify the living and dining areas. “With a young family, it simply does not make sense to sink a lot of cash into rugs and upholstery,” says Stuart.

Vintage dining room seats were reupholstered in Ultraleather — a more durable and easy-to-clean leather alternative.

Mirror: Pier 1 Imports

Copper Brook

Marble tile on the fireplace adds a luxe touch; utilizing tile instead of slab cut down on cost. Stuart used the exact same Benjamin Moore Natura paint for both the walls and trim to make touch-ups easy.

Fireplace surround: Ames polished marble; hearth: concrete, Caesarstone

Copper Brook

The house’s clean appearance continues in the kitchen with custom cabinetry, the exact same marble tile from the fireplace on the backsplash and Caesarstone counters.

The oak flooring on the primary floor includes a vegetable oil finish. Not only is the end nontoxic, but it provides the floor a matte appearance, so scratches aren’t as noticeable. “The idea is that the floor will create character as we reside on it,” says Stuart. “It can be hard to keep in mind that as the dings and scrapes are actually happening, though!”

Backsplash: Ames polished marble; countertops: Caesarstone in Blizzard; cabinetry: Huntwood Custom Cabinets; light: Carrington Lighting; pub stools: Emeco 20-06; range hood: Roma, Zephyr

Copper Brook

A custom serving and storage area for wine and other beverages only off the kitchen’s work area helps keep guests from the cook’s path.

Beverage storage area: Calmark Cabinetry and Woodwork

Copper Brook

Stuart chose materials and finishes together with as many green and nontoxic characteristics as possible. These endings will also be designed to alter and earn patina over time, so the house will grow together with her family. “For me it is worth it to invest a little extra for the healthier option,” says Stuart.

Copper Brook

Much like the rest of the house, Stuart’s house office feels easy, clean and fresh. “I am trying to cultivate my house decor — finding paintings here and there and bringing them home,” she states.

Bookshelves: Billy, Ikea; desk: Ikea; seat: EQ3; chandelier: Carrington Lighting

Copper Brook

The restrained palette of white walls, gray tiles and wood tones enables Stuart to experiment with attachments. A very simple background within this sitting room makes method for seahorse pillows along with a zebra rug.

Rattan seats: Caban (currently closed); zebra rug: Home Sense; coffee table: classic; mirrors (left to right): Pier 1, Home Sense, classic

Copper Brook

The nursery sticks into the easy palette with a couple blue accents.

Dresser and altering station: Oeuf; crib: Nursery Works

Copper Brook

Aimee Wilder Pigeon wallpaper adds graphic interest in the older kid’s room. “I had wallpaper and a chair railing in my bedroom as a kid, and I believe I needed to replicate that for my own son,” Stuart says.

Dresser: Bermanfalk

Copper Brook

Stuart re-covered a classic chair from her husband’s grandfather in gloomy Ultraleather to get a sentimental but functional touch in her kid’s room.

Copper Brook

She had a bit more fun with colour in the kids’ bathroom. Red industrial lights, light blue walls and playful prints and fabrics add simple style which can be readily updated as the boys grow.

Lights: Barn Light Electric; wall and accent tiles: DalTile; print: John W. Golden, Etsy; wall paint: Polar Sky, Benjamin Moore

Copper Brook

Most of the wall artwork in the house appears in this bedroom. While she occasionally gets remarks about her relatively bare walls, Stuart wants to choose things she actually loves instead of fill the room with random pieces. “I am only waiting to stumble across the ideal thing,” she states.

Bed frame: Caban (currently closed); light fixture: Cartwright lighting; trunk: Pottery Barn; bedside tables: Caban; bedside lights: Home Depot

Copper Brook

The master bath feels soothing. A contemporary chandelier and industrial mirror lights add cheap visual impact.

Lighting fixture: Carrington light; floor tile: Euro Habita; wall tile: Euro Planks; mirror light: Barn Light Electric

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Guest Picks: Autumn Wreaths

Decorating Guides / / by

Every year that I count the days before the New England foliage changes from emerald green to a kaleidoscope of fiery color. One of my favorite decor choices is picking an autumn wreath, but it’s often too hard for me to pick only one. As my wreath collection swells, I am discussing my favorites for fall and the approaching holiday season. — Erika out of Radiant Republic

Balsam Hill

Gourd Fall Wreath – $99

Authentic gourds and walnut leaves include stunning texture to this pretty piece. It is such a kaleidoscope of fall color.

Etsy

Decadent Extra-Large Cranberry Wreath by The Wright Wreath

In New England, cranberries are a resounding sign of fall. Adorning a front doorway, they include a perfectly red punch of color.

West Elm

Paper Flower Wreath – $49

The combination of ivory and white paper blossoms is ethereal. This would be darling juxtaposed against my red front door or any doorway for that matter.

Etsy

Fall Wreath by 2 Inspire You – $85

The hydrangea in my lawn have been trimmed back for the cold season, however, it doesn’t mean that I must go without them this Thanksgiving. I adore the trifecta of color in this fairly hydrangea wreath.

Mills Floral Company

Preserved Boxwood Wreath, Square

This square boxwood wreath is fairly on its own. I’d use it like an interesting frame for my favorite fall photograph.

Pottery Barn

Live Succulent Wreath – $99

This dwell succulent noodle takes the cake. With three kinds arranged together, it’s genuinely a one-of-a-kind piece.

Etsy

Fall Wreath, Moss Monogram by Privileged Door – $89

Have you ever seen such a pretty monogram? I love the moss letters and burlap decoration. It may need to marvel this (nearly ) newlywed’s door this year.

Pottery Barn

Live Magnolia Leaf Wreath With Burlap Bow – $89

These hand-harvested magnolia leaves are reminiscent of a southern collapse. The burlap ribbon adds a welcome element of whimsy.

Contemporary Wreaths And Garlands – $49.95

If you are like me, you love pomegranates in the fall. Coupled with gold magnolia leaves, both combine the natural colours of fall perfectly.

Williams-Sonoma

Pumpkin Patch Wreath – $99.95

In the fall, I love to regular regional farms and pumpkin spots for color and decor inspiration. This wreath oozes the same rustic charm.

Williams-Sonoma

Grains Wreath – $49.95

This spectrum of fall grains is guaranteed to turn heads. I love the natural feel of this fairly wreath.

Garnet Hill

Red Pinecone Wreath – $108

This reddish pinecone wreath is a glamorous addition to fall decor. The pinecones are finished in a high gloss, which makes them shine like rubies.

Wayfair

Fall Fruit and Pinecone Wreath – $43.50

I love baking with fall fruit nearly as much as I love integrating it in my fall decor. The pears and apples on this wreath are subtly magnificent.

Williams-Sonoma

Star Wreath – $99.95

Step outside the box using a star-shaped wreath. This one will take a front doorway from collapse through the holidays.

Anthropologie

Layered Wreath Mirror – $248

If you would rather maintain your wreath indoors, this chamomile wood wreath mirror is a charming addition to any area.

Pumpkin Harvest Wreath – $61.93

The colours of this fiery wreath allow me pine for pumpkin. I love the orange and crimson hues.

Purchase

Etsy

Fall Berry Wreath by Country Prim – $40

This twig-style wreath is almost too pretty to place outdoors. I love using a smaller wreath with an antique hurricane adorning the centre as a grand centerpiece.

Etsy

Harvest Fall Wreath by DeLaFleur – $65

The foliage and berries adorning this wreath are fairly reminders of why fall is my favorite season. The colors blend beautifully.

Garnet Hill

Sparkle Pinecone Wreath – $58

The delicate appearance of this Sparkle Pinecone wreath makes me wax nostalgic for cozy nights and frost-kissed mornings.

Garnet Hill

Preserved Boxwood Wreath – $48

A wreath collage is guaranteed to be the envy of almost any neighborhood. The grouped wreaths add a whimsical touch to a fall tradition.

Next: When to Paint Your Door Bright Red

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A Luxurious Home Embraces the Landscape

Eclectic Homes / / by

Lauri and Mike Hamer originally hired Lori Smyth to get a pool installation, but what began as a little project soon evolved into a complete house remodel. “This massive fireplace obstructed a lot of the view — it needed to go,” Smyth says. “If they had kept it, they would have had this stunning pool that nobody could appreciate from inside, not to mention that there wouldn’t have been a fantastic way to get to the pool in the house. A lightbulb had gone off in them as well; they understood that the outside needed to be pulled into the house and that the problem was bigger than the pool installation.”

Despite a wildfire that threatened an entire derailment of this redesign, the Hamers, Smyth and her team forged on. “What is fantastic is that we did not have to modify the footprint of the house,” says Smyth.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Mike and Lauri Hamer and their kids, Zach and Chloe
Location: Santa Barbara foothills, California
Size: 3,500 square feet
That’s intriguing: Lauri’s dad, Fred Glenwinkel, constructed this home; it has been in her family for 3 years.

Lori Smyth Design

The landscape layout leads the eye out of the pool to the house, with stairs resulting in the house. Chloe, Zach and friends spend a lot of time in the garden and in the pool, which makes this place an entertainment hub.

Smyth and her team replaced the fireplace wall using floor-to-ceiling sliding glass walls, opening up the interiors to the outdoor living spaces and panoramic views.

Landscape Design: Lane Goodkind; Landscape Contruction: Stonetree Landscape

Lori Smyth Design

A wraparound deck and one of 2 outdoor living rooms give views of the foothills and the Pacific.

“The original house had this little deck, with just a little door, that was hanging off the mountain,” says Smyth. “The soil around it was a big weed area on a mountain. This remodel makes the property’s design more present and reflective of their family living in the house now.”

Lori Smyth Design

Split-level steps lead to a formal dining room, in which glass windows and nonobscuring balcony railing materials let in plenty of light.

Sectionals: Ferla

Lori Smyth Design

The glossy contemporary kitchen works hard to get a family who entertains frequently. A walnut island foundation and hardwood flooring warm up the area, which also has a sleek white lacquer bartop and a stainless island countertop.

“Mike and Lauri adore contemporary design, but they did not need a house that felt cold and aloof,” Smyth says. “We worked hard to evoke the family’s warmth and openness in the property’s design.”

Island and bar high layout: Lori Smyth Design and Bomo Design; bar stools: Soluzioni; backsplash: Walker Zanger (discontinued)

Lori Smyth Design

Smyth and her team ripped out the stairs from a enclosed wall and also redid it entirely with glass panels that expose the structure. A picture of Chloe in three parts fills part of a wall.

Lori Smyth Design

“Being in the house is almost like a hot tub experience,” Smyth says. You feel relaxed, and you only wish to be there since it’s so cozy and there’s not a lot of knickknacks lying about. Rooms just flow into one another and although you’re indoors, you always feel attached to the perspectives along with the living spaces outside.”

Bookcase: Lori Smyth Design (concept) and Bomo Design (drawings and implementation); sofa: B&B Italia; chair: Vioski

Lori Smyth Design

Zach’s room communicates his imagination and musical inclinations without feeling overly kitschy: An electrical keyboard leans from a Bob Marley poster, along with an electrical guitar and a yellowish lounger are within arm’s distance of one another.

Lori Smyth Design

The customers realized the kids got older, they were spending less time in the home, so they turned what was a two-car garage into a game room.

Before the redesign, Smyth says that Lauri lamented over how the kids spent an increasing number of time away in the house. “She wanted a house that the kids needed to bring their friends to. And the kids love staying home and having their friends over.”

Lori Smyth Design

Lori Smyth Design

The outdoor cement and kitchen fire pit region extend the living spaces to the surrounding topography — fitting for a family with origins in the region. You feel like you’re on vacation the moment you arrive.

“So some of the houses in Santa Barbara have been upgraded,” Smyth says. “It is referred to as the mecca for Spanish colonial architecture and homes, so there aren’t many houses that look and feel this open and present”

Architect: John Beauchamp; Contractor: Bomo Design; Landscape Design: Lane Goodkind; Landscape Contruction: Stonetree Landscape

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Hot New Greens for Fall Decorating

Color / / by

Several shades of green have arisen at the hottest colors for fall. One interesting green showing up on the runways is a cross between pine green and army green — a dark green with a brown inside. Along with the people at Pantone, a business that creates color management methods for designers, are touting two greens for autumn: Ultramarine Green (a dark jade) and Bright Chartreuse.

If you are a fan of the color green, then keep reading for inspirational pictures and suggestions about how best to incorporate these hip hues into your house.

Read about fall 2012’s hottest blues

Jennifer Ott Design

This year’s popular greens, clockwise from top left: a vibrant chartreuse, Nervy Hue SW6917 from Sherwin-Williams; a army/evergreen color, Woodland Park KM3352-5 from Kelly-Moore; a subdued chartreuse, Adobe Sun 082-5 from Mythic Paint; and a hue similar to Pantone’s Ultramarine Green, Ming Jade 2043-20 from Benjamin Moore.

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design

Bright Greens

Chartreuse plays nicely with light neutrals like the whites, grays and timber tones shown here in this gorgeous, contemporary kitchen and dining room. As a bonus, colorful finish materials — like backsplash tile — and bold-hued furniture and accessories can pick up the slack when you lack wall area for artwork.

Bright chartreuse is a great option when working with contemporary architecture. Clean lines and simple forms can take large swaths of bold color.

NOA Architecture Planning Interiors

One of my favorite ways to use color in a residence is to paint the interiors of wall niches. If you want more neutral interiors, you could keep the wall color white, beige or gray then inject a bit of bold color just inside the market for a fun little pop.

John Lum Architecture, Inc.. AIA

Include a vibrant green hue on your bathroom for a fun, young vibe — perfect for the kids’ bathroom or a powder room in a contemporary house. This is one of my favorite colours, but for all those worried about growing tired of this kind of glowing hue on a vanity, consider adding the color via easily changed out accessories.

Texas Construction Company

If chartreuse green is too lively to your interiors, consider finding ways to use it outside. The lighter, brighter, and more spacious the distance is, the less intense the chartreuse will appear.

Robin Amorello, CKD CAPS – Atmoscaper Design

Here, chartreuse is used to highlight fascinating exterior architectural components. Additionally, it is a great color for front door or window trim. To maintain the look somewhat subtle, pair it with neutral hues, like the steely blue and wood tones here. Utilize the vibrant colours on things you wish to really stand out, and utilize the darker, longer neutral hues for anything you would rather blend in the background.

Raymond Jungles, Inc..

Chartreuse also works nicely as a background color for the garden. It pairs nicely with the cooler greens on your landscape and will help soften hardscaping, like this concrete wall.

Timothyj kitchen & bathroom, inc..

Blue-Greens

Jade green creates a soothing, sophisticated vibe at a bathroom. This cool blue-green colour evokes a spa much from home and close to the water — the supreme destressing color.

Andrea Schumacher Interiors

Ultramarine green works with traditional, contemporary and all design styles in between. This kitchen features a nice balance of neutral and bold colours.

Witt Construction

Brown-Greens

The wall shade in this year’s warm walnut hue, is a handsome take on impartial green. The rich color makes this area ready to host autumn gatherings.

Daniel M Martin, Architect LLC

Army green — a hot green with lots of brown inside — reads like a neutral, perfect for the exterior of a house.

Camber Construction

Army green can also work well in your exterior trim. This green shade works nicely with the timber shingles, but you might also pair it using brick, rock or other neutral-hued siding. It’s a rather dark hue, so if you would like contrast between the siding and trim colours, choose a lighter colour for the siding.

Diane Bennett Bedford

Green Accessories

You do not have to paint your walls a vibrant colour to get a nice dose of color in a space. Instead, collect and exhibit decorative accessories on your favorite colour. They’re much easier and cheaper to change out than wall furniture or paint.

CB2

Nucha Vase – $14.95

If you like chartreuse but can’t invest a great deal of time or cash to bring it in your house, choose one of those fantastic, well-priced accessories available in the favorite color, like this vase from CB2.

IKEA

Bernhard Chair, Chrome Plated, Kavat Green-Yellow – $149

The cheaper an item is, the more I tend to be more adventurous with color. All these chartreuse chairs from Ikea are a relatively cheap way to inject fun color into a casual dining space.

CB2

Julius Grass Twin Sleeper Sofa – $999

When investing in furniture, try to locate pieces that can perform double duty, like this combo loveseat/twin sleeper in fashionable chartreuse.

West Elm

Aydin Rug

This gorgeous rug from West Elm comes with a rich pattern in this year’s hip green hues.

Sundance Catalog

Texas Spinning Stool – $225

I can view this charming stool functioning in a variety of interiors — from a conventional antique-filled house into an industrial loft space.

Picture Frames

I really like the organic, asymmetrical type of those vases and that they have a nice patinated finish in our featured colours.

Barn Light Electric Co

Mig Retro Steel Pendant Light – $149

Do not overlook lighting as a way to present an interesting shape or form, as well as color, into your house. This cool decorative necklace would look fantastic lined up at a set of three or two over a kitchen island.

Inform us What is your favorite green hue? How have you utilized it in or around your property?

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Guest Picks: Curvy Coffee Tables

Eclectic Homes / / by

I’ve been on a hunt this month for the ideal coffee table to complete my living space — and what a quest it was turned out to be! The range of innovative and creative designs out there’s quite overpowering. Luckily, I had a couple of criteria to help narrow the options: it had to be curvy, organic in feel, neutral in colour, kid-friendly and reduced. So here, for the other coffee-table seekers on the market, are the outcome of my hunt. — Lucy from Four Walls And A Roof

Carved Wood Coffee Table – $349

This table has been my beginning point. I adored the Moroccan vibe; it’d be great with a few floor cushions for extra chairs. But I quickly realized that adding still another wood species in to my area would be an error.

Lucy McLintic

This is the family room. The java table needs to tie together the sectional sofa and the Cherner chair, but without taking up too much space. Plus, it has to compete with my beloved (but instead loudly) zigzag rug.

Z Gallerie

Zanzibar Coffee Table – $599

This table also has an ethnic feel to it, resembling Indonesian carved wood. I love the metal information, and the drawers will be so sensible. Nonetheless, it is somewhat dark and heavy for my space.

Chista

Meteor Coffee Table

I had been attracted to the concept of a burl wood table. It will not get a lot more organic than that. The highly polished follicles are so very perceptible. But I could envision beverages being pumped over on this beauty.

Woodland Creek Furniture

Driftwood Coffee Table

Here is another option for burled wood. It’s a rougher finish, but the glass top is much better for balancing food and beverages. Regrettably, glass isn’t an option when you have two small boys that love to climb.

MidCentury Modern Finds

Vintage Mid-Century Burl Wood Slab Coffee Table – $600

Another wood option is a table with a live edge. One day I would love a huge dining table similar to this, but a coffee table would be a fantastic beginning.

Chista

Stone Slice Table

A number of the businesses which make wood tables also provide petrified stone tables. These are magnificent, but maybe they’re better suited to a more formal living room.

CB2

Bright round marble top coffee table – $349

This table is beautifully simple, and the marble fits with my neutral scheme. But, again, stone is cold to the touch, and marble could stain, so it is best saved for a grown-up space.

Candelabra

Oly Studio Pico Cocktail Table – $1,725

A casing shirt has the clean appearance of marble but at a more stain-resistant finish. The curvy legs in this table are distinctive, and the design would fit in a variety of spaces.

Blu Dot

Pi Coffee Table – $599

This table includes a powder-coated steel shirt which has a much warmer appearance than and doesn’t stain like marble. Together with the timber, it’s a natural feel which will fit nicely in my area.

Blu Dot

Lily Pad Coffee Table – $399

Then I hit on the idea of multiple tiny tables instead of a single table. This Lily Pad Coffee Table achieves that effect but is just one piece of furniture. I enjoy the combination of white paint and timber.

Spacify

Designer contemporary Adelphi Coffee Table – $614.91

A pair of tables works nicely also. These have a creamy leather coating, that’s the utmost in glamor, but maybe it isn’t as practical as my family needs.

CB2

Lucent Nesting Tables – $349

Or, I could select three nesting tables which operate together. The shot of turquoise would be great in my room, but the general effect might be too busy for my liking.

Design Within Reach

Noguchi Table | Design Within Reach – $1,399

The Noguchi Table is a classic, and it emulates the exact same irregular shape as the previous example. I adore this bit, but glass is a no-go.

All Design Awards

Cute Cut Cocktail Table

These tiny tables from Roche Bobois are also irregularly shaped, like smooth pebbles found on the beach. The metallic colors would include some vibrancy to the space. But, unfortunately, anything that’s tagged “price on request” is likely not a fantastic idea for a family space.

Ruby LivingDesign

Bruno Cocktail Table – $2,050

By today, however, I had been sold on the idea of a metallic end. This circular table has a beautiful burnished bronze finish that will do the job nicely.

DwellStudio

Curtis Table, Silver Leaf – $468

DwellStudio makes it right again with this innovative silver-leaf hourglass table. It also works as an end table if you stand it upright. I love the flexibility of the piece, but it is somewhat too rectangular for our needs.

PLANTATION

Catalan Iron Table – $1,375

A circular option is this iron table which resembles a huge java bean! I would snap up this in a heartbeat, but it is somewhat beyond the budget.

Zinc Door

Arteriors Malcolm Coffee Table – $886

A similar option is this drum-shaped table in a dark silver iron with brass details. It is the ideal size and shape and really is a true contender.

Digs

River Stone Cocktail Table, Silver – $949

But I wanted a bit more vibrancy in the room, which has dark walls and a lot of black finishes. This table includes a more silver finish. Apart from how it may seem like a meteorite has crashed in my living room, this one pretty much has what I’ve been searching for.

PLANTATION

Thimble Metal Coffee Table – $995

This hammered silver table could be the best solution. A bit more tasteful and classic compared to the previous option, it’s a metallic end but a beautiful, organic shape and texture. Plus, there are no corners for small heads to bump into. Maybe, just maybe, this table will probably be coming to a living room near me shortly.

What’s your pick for Lucy’s living room? Let us know in the comments below.

Next: 8 Ways to Reimagine the Coffee Table

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Lake Perspectives Lead a Luxury Vermont Home

Coastal Style / / by

The transfer from Siberia into Vermont was a large shift, however Svetlana and Donat Stern were excited to create the United States their home. After seeing their brothers in the University of Vermont, the couple fell in love with the state along with its natural beauty.

They found that a narrow couple minutes from downtown Burlington and collaboratively designed a new home with architect Ted Montgomery of Groundswell Architects. With energy efficiency, luxury along with a waterfront location in mind, they established a house with vistas of Lake Champlain, passive and active solar, a thermal wrap along with an indoor sauna to produce the space warm and inviting throughout the long Vermont winters.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Svetlana and Donat Stern
Location: South Cove, Burlington, Vermont
Size: 4,000 square feet; two bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, including a sauna
That’s interesting: a number of these windows and wall angles were designed to resemble those of a boat.

Mary Prince Photography

“We wanted to see what working with a real architect was like,” says Donat. “We found the procedure to be very friendly and collaborative.” The couple worked with Montgomery to design an open floor plan with vistas of Lake Champlain. This wall of windows creates a casual summer vacation home ambience year round, preventing the beginning of wintertime cabin fever.

Countertop: Vermont Danby marble, Burlington Marble and Granite

Mary Prince Photography

The lot is 64 feet wide. That narrowness was a challenge, along with the site’s slope and also the minimal land between houses, which generated privacy and erosion concerns. Montgomery carefully positioned each of the rooms — especially the second-floor bedrooms — to maximize privacy and views of the lake.

Glazed south-facing windows and active solar panels onto the roof help keep the house warm. The solar panels also heat nearly all the house’s hot water.

Mary Prince Photography

The couple hired landscape designer Rebecca Lindenmeyr of Linden L.A.N.D. Group to create a three-level terraced landscape extending from the English flagstone terrace to the water. The terraces are built with rock sitting-wall retainers to absorb storm water runoff. The horizontal walls create an illusion of spaciousness, and the lawns are great for entertaining guests, incuding their active grandchildren.

Mary Prince Photography

The family area, dining area, kitchen and entrance foyer all flow into one another. The slightly slanted wall helped create space for the stairway.

Kitchen island, dining stalls: Cheers Collection, Tech Lighting, The Lighting House; furnishings: Furniture World; cabinets: Calligaris; rugs: ABC Carpet & Home; table, chairs: Inmod

Mary Prince Photography

The contemporary furniture in the foyer contrasts with the slick kitchen cabinetry.

Faucets: Close to Home, Burlington; cabinets: Alno, Dalia Kitchen Design; appliances: Boston, Miele; refrigerator: Viking

Mary Prince Photography

Drenched with mild, this comfy sitting area provides a great climate for Svetlana’s orchids. The early-morning light makes it one of Donat’s favorite spaces, since he’s an early riser.

Mary Prince Photography

Off an office the first-floor foyer provides a daily workspace for Donat, who telecommutes into the workplace of the Russian partners. Svetlana frequently uses it in the evenings to work on her pictures of Lake Champlain. “The view from the seat provides a gorgeous sight of the lake at any time of day,” Donat says.

Mary Prince Photography

“The whirlpool hallway was Ted’s idea and one that we loved,” Svetlana says. “We’ve always had many books, and this is an ideal place for them.” The hallway contributes to a glass doorway, a little terrace and the master bedroom. A doorway to a guest bedroom is on the right.

Hall chandelier: Crescendo, Tech Lighting

Mary Prince Photography

Natural light fills the hallway just outside the master suite. This set of paintings by Russian artist Postoev V.D. reminds the Sterns of nature back in Siberia, where winter frequently lasts up to five months.

Mary Prince Photography

Donat’s favorite space, the upstairs game room, has a luxury cruise boat ambience, with nautical round windows and Brazilian tigerwood flooring.

A granite gas fireplace, full wet bar, wall-mounted television and pool table make this the greatest location for relaxing and entertaining. The few often engage friends and family in a game of pool, Chinese or chess checkers within this space.

Bar, fireplace granite: Capalavaro-Brazilian Quartzite, Burlington Marble and Granite

Mary Prince Photography

The fully equipped game room bar keeps food and beverages within convenient reach.

Mary Prince Photography

Place only 50 feet in the lake, the master bedroom enables Donat and Svetlana to see and hear that the lake in all of its beauty at any time of day.

Mary Prince Photography

Repeated round windows in the master bedroom direct the eye into a walk-in cupboard and bath.

Mary Prince Photography

Svetlana loves the master bath. “I was really careful to keep it manly enough for Donat with my colour and stone tile choices,” she says.

Flannel limestone and smoke marble onto the bathtub surround create that manly vibe. Linear stick rock from North Country Tile in Williston, Vermont, adds sudden interest into the walls.

Mary Prince Photography

A slick, upholstered platform bed and fur pillows make the guest bedroom welcoming and warm for when the couple’s daughters visit.

Mary Prince Photography

The hall bathroom is connected to the guest bedroom with a walk-in cupboard. Both rooms have their own doors into the hall.

Tile: North Country Tile

Mary Prince Photography

“If the wind on the lake is powerful, we move to the front terrace and enjoy the outdoors and views of our garden,” says Svetlana.

Mary Prince Photography

On the exterior, deep colors contrast with the rock and clapboard siding. “The exterior of the house is inspired by nautical layout, with the right lines, protruding left angle and round windows,” Montgomery says.

Mary Prince Photography

A glass pergola over the front terrace lets in light and heat whilst providing shade and shelter from the rain.

After five years in their new house, it’s apparent that Donat and Svetlana are content. “We are so happy and comfortable, being near downtown, our daughters and their growing families,” says Donat. “What can be better?”

Architect: Ted Montgomery, Groundswell Architects
Landscape layout: Rebecca Lindenmeyr, Linden L.A.N.D. Group
Interior layout: Tami Esbjerg, Tami Esbjerg Designs
Contractor: Roy Rabideau, Royal Design and Construction

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