Let there be....

Supernova

Crystal Ball

Tiffany and Co.

What is it about light fixtures which makes my heart beat faster?  The jewelry of the house, I find swapping out a standard (and somewhat boring) fixture a great way to transform a room. It can be tricky though-- one must consider the scale of the fixture, the amount of light it casts, even the direction of that light. I've made my missteps, like putting an upward cast light in a stairwell and nearly blinding myself, but with the help of the electrician, it's a mistake easily rectified. If only wallpaper were so easy to swap out.

The Apartment Therapy Challenge

 After a much needed edit

 A messy cleaning process

Order restored 

Chaos remains

Are you a fan of New Year's Resolutions?  I am, and yet every year I seem to make the same ones. Top of the list oftentimes is to get organized.  For the past few years, I've signed up for Apartment Therapy's new year challenge to get the house under control.  Who knew my cabinets were a virtual graveyard for expired medicines and tasteless spices. I mean, when you've got medicine in there that expired in 2009, it's time to clean house.  And as for saving every mug I've ever owned, some can certainly make their way to the church's thrift shop.  The daily tasks Apartment Therapy suggests are a great kickstart to getting the house in order.  Every day, an email inches you one step closer to housing Nirvana and before you know it, you've made some progress, at least until next year.

The Things We Carried

I've run hot and cold with decor that celebrates objects and curiosities. Some houses cry for collectibles on the shelves, while others need the clean, clear expanse of an empty countertop.  Many objects in our homes serve as tangible reminders of the past, nostalgia for a moment in time.  Nosing around this antique store in Hudson, NY over the weekend, I enjoyed the complex mix of colors and textures, the sleek lines of mid-century furniture juxtaposed against handcrafted sculpture of a head.  The effect was a space so cohesively dense that it was seemingly impossible to separate one item from the bunch. Thus I was content to simply snap some pics.

Statement Furniture

When James worked with sculptor Richard Anderson on this chair for a fellow architect, the hope was that the chair would not only reflect the function of providing seating, but serve as a sculptural element in the gentleman's home. The same principle holds true for the new BPA office furnishings in both Bay Shore and Brooklyn.  Using a combination of steel and beautiful selections of wood, James and Nick designed free standing and built-in furnishings that express the materiality of construction while serving the functionality of the office.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

BPA-designed kitchens: top, Old Field, NY; bottom, Captree, NY

The history of the kitchen is one of my favorite topics.  Perhaps no other room speaks so directly to cultural, technological, and social changes in human lifestyle.  Whether we gather around the open pit hearth or the granite kitchen island, kitchens offer a duality between the work of preparing food and the hopes for a convivial, communal experience.  Today's kitchen, laid out to maximize prep surfaces and efficiency, offers a myriad of cooking opportunities while remaining centrally located as not to miss all the action.  It is a space full of aspirations of the life we wish we could lead-- the Viking oven installed for the apply pie you might bake someday instead of the takeout food you reheat regularly.  Traditional or modern, the kitchen is certainly the heart of a house, turning it into a home.

Dining Room Renovation: Finishing Touches

I have finally had a chance to change the chandelier in the dining room.  This Supernova light fixture was made by Lou Blass from Adlib Antiques in Hudson, NY. Longtime followers of the blog know my minor obsession with light fixtures in general, and this one, in particular.

 Thanks to my mom, I was reunited with this self-portrait done in 1985.  Always fun to rotate the artwork-- don't you agree, modernemama?

After a frenetic rug search, I took a leap of faith with this one from Crate and Barrel. The Chrysanthemum rug, which seemed to have a mid-century feel, reminded me of the circular shape and spindles of the light fixture.  Better yet, it was the only 6' x 9' offered.

And finally, Jackson shared his heart with us all-- the ultimate finishing touch.

Before and After: The Dining Room

Before

After

Before

After

Eleven years ago, I decorated the dining room, and at the time, I loved the rich red walls and the historical qualities of our 1920's home. And then I didn't. A redesign that was more in tune with my current aesthetic was long overdue. Scouring Craigslist for Danish mod furniture, Crate and Barrel for a rug, offering up my own pieces for free, and a day painting, here's the result. The only missing piece-- the light fixture, which is waiting for me at ADLIB Antiques in Hudson, NY. But that's an entry for another day.

A Tribute to Godzilla by James Bouler

This entry is dedicated to modernemama, who was rightfully concerned that the evolution to our family room decor had left the dinosaur population extinct. On the contrary, through a selective, 'survival-of-the-fittest' purge, our cold blooded friends seem to be happier than ever. With a Malcolm Morley painting serving as their tropical paradise, James decided to create the photographic tribute above to show just how much the Godzillas and hula girl are enjoying their improved surroundings.

Please, everyone, take a bow. . .

Before and After: Family Room

Before


After

Have you ever looked at your home and wondered how you could have neglected to notice an eyesore? The family room rug was just that for me. It was a given, until one day when I realized I could get rid of it altogether. A high traffic area for kids and pets, the seven-year-old rug had seen better days. Initially, we assumed we would go with bamboo, but after some research, it sounded as if it might be too soft and scratch easily for our foot traffic, so we went with Vermont maple. The result-- oh so much better.

And the Winner...

Eames-esque and mid-century-- both for $150. Now that I've got the stools, I just need the bar!

Stools!

It started on Craigslist with these in Massapequa for $40 each. A great deal, don't you think?

Then I thought about these from DWR.

Until I found these at Modernica. Ah, it's love.

Mid Century Mania

My growing passion for Mid Century design has only increased over time. And sadly, my Duncan Fife-style chairs and table were becoming too delicate for daily use. Enter Craigslist. After looking through a handful of Salvation Army and Goodwills, I began the search for earnest on ol' reliable Craigslist. I found this set of six chairs and table with leaf for ... $95. No joke. We wasted no time getting over to the woman, who was given the set to sell as a donation for animal rescue. Fate? Indeed. Handing the woman an even $100 for good karma, we took the set home and began to refurbish the seats and stain the wood. Now all of my linens seem incredibly old-fashioned, so I bought these recycled placemats from CB2. Perfection!

Greenwich Hotel: DeNiro's Tribeca Hotel

Last week we had the opportunity to stay at Robert DeNiro's boutique hotel, The Greenwich Hotel, an opulent spot that made me feel a bit like Jay Gastby. Simply put-- it was far too nice for the likes of me.
I should have taken more pictures-- needless to say my camera died mid trip. Anyhow, imagine a lush library bar with palms which leads to a courtyard with tables and candles and swanky furniture. Then go the equally chic elevator, down a classical hallway with a marble bust at the end. On either side is a heavy oak chair rail with raised paneling underneath. Ok now you are opening the heavy oak door to the room to find a king sized bed and seating area. But wait, there's more. Did I mention the free minibar? Or the cobblestone streets of Tribeca below? No, I am too mesmerized by the bathroom-- a European shower room that was like being in Sorrento during a summer rainstorm. Alright, so that's never happened to me exactly, but the bathroom was an extravagant vacation all on its own. The kids were never so clean. And don't forget the heated pool. And did I mention the free minibar? There were real books on the shelves, well-furnished, like the apartment of a really cool person. It was a fun fantasy for the night, but as I rolled my suitcase out of the building with two kids in tow and headed for the one train, I was ready to return to reality.

Beach House: In the Details

Modernemama revealed her renovated bathroom-- what a fantastic job turning a standard 1960's 'builder' bathroom into something rather fabulous! Using different textures and tones, the mix of chocolate-colored wood, cool white marble, steel fixtures, and mosaic tile, gives a clean and chic look to the master bathroom without being sterile. As for the other renovations underway-- I counted three, or was it four?, kitchen flooring, window treatments, area rugs, and throw pillows were all under discussion. What I love about each of the choices I saw was how they all connected to the mid-century vibe of the house without being kitchy or dated. Instead, they took the lines and colors of the past, pulling them through to the present in exciting and inventive ways.

Color Controversy!

Did Apartment Therapy realize the angst they would cause by listing the colors they would like to have "BANNED" from decor? It's a wonderful diversion from arguing about politics or from suffering anxiety over global warming, so I suggest you check it out, along with the incoming flurry of comments.

Painting a room a color is often a bold decision. And sometimes you need to be prepared admit defeat-- like when I painted a kitchen lime green, or when the yellow in a room was too bright. What looks great on a swatch can be painful in an entire room, but I think to have a rather lengthy list of colors to strike from one's options is rather provincial. One color struck down is navy blue, seen here in my downstairs bathroom. I don't know, but somehow the color doesn't offend me.

Hudson: The Countdown

With spring in the soggy air, I look forward to heading upstate, especially to Hudson. I miss my favorite shops-- even just to poke around. Neven and Neven Moderne antique shop has the kind of mid-century stuff of my dreams. Gourmet shop Olde Hudson, seen here in its old location, is a must every time we go-- either to pick up snacks, dinner, or both. And of course no visit is complete without a pint and a read at the Spotty Dog.