What I'm Thinking About
January 4, 2024
Up Your Houseplant Game to Beat the Post-Holiday Blahs
Plants are good for your home’s air quality and your mood. But also, they are a great design choice.
December 28, 2023
Broken Chairs and Unframed Art: A New Year’s Resolution
I bought it for $20 at an estate sale in 2003 and moved it from Virginia to California and back to Virginia, to six houses in all–not a bargain.
December 19, 2023
Inspect Your Linens Now!
White napkins stained in the drawer? Maybe we should just all go find some nice burgundy ones before we break out the Burgundy and prime rib.
November 30, 2023
It’s Time…Checking out and Updating the Christmas Stash
Thanksgiving just passed, so my kids have started clamoring to decorate, but digging around in these boxes is revealing a lot of holes in my stash.
November 23, 2023
Flow, Part 2: Keyhole Views
I like to sit in different spots in a house and think about the sight lines and keyhole views.
November 16, 2023
Flow, Part 1: Paint Colors
Flow and sight lines are great, but can make it complicated to figure out the paint, wallpaper, and fabric scheme.
November 9, 2023
Making a Butler’s Pantry out of Thin Air (and Cabinetry)
When we moved into our new house, as I described in a previous blog post about living in the fixer, there was an odd little closet between the brea…
October 2, 2023
Some Thoughts on Vintage Upholstery, Quality, and the Planet
Vintage furniture is made out of real wood, real springs, and put together with real hardware. Save it rather than buying something new and cheap.
April 1, 2023
Houses are meant to be lived in
Interior designers think about things like where bathroom electrical outlets are most useful, where the family is going to eat dinner on an ordinar…