As I look toward the completion of the interior of the house, I am starting to think about how to handle the exterior—both the hardscaping and the landscaping. There are certain things I really need to do that fall into the “repair” category. These include repair of stucco around the house and re-painting, replacing a […]
For the last few weeks I’ve been in that uncomfortable limbo—the space between my mom’s home of 40+ years and my weekend getaway. For the last few weeks, the house has stood empty, mostly a construction zone. The garage is packed with everything I haven’t yet given away. In my mind’s eye I can see
Napa Cottage Update Read More »
We moved the last of the furniture and “stuff” out of the house over the weekend, and into the garage. Amazing how much mom could squeeze into a tiny cottage! I finally found a recipient of a majority of the furniture—Habitat for Humanity. I think my mom would be pleased that her furniture will find
Progress…and emptiness Read More »
It’s very trendy now to go minimal. There are blogs and self-help books dedicated to the Church of Minimal Living–just the essentials. It’s aspirational…less clutter in your physical environment can lead to less clutter in your emotional and spiritual life. I admire photos of beautifully curated homes–clean lines, clear surfaces. Then there is reality.
The Power of Things Read More »
When I think of the kind of wine country retreat I would like, I do not immediately revert to the faux-Tuscan villa. There are many garish examples of that up and down the Valley. My vision is based on practicalities—easy to maintain, not so high-end that I’m always worried about things. I want it to
Mixing vintage and modern Read More »
It’s a fallacy, this notion of “closure.” You often hear about it, particularly on television news…the worn faces of grieved parents searching for missing children…”we just need closure.” But there is no closure, even when you long anticipate the loss of a loved one. What happens is that the grief burrows in deeper, like a
Ten years ago today, Greg and I were joined by our closest friends and family in a beautiful wine country garden to marry. We had already been together seven years. We had already bought a house together. Our officiant, Ellen, suggested that in fact we were already “married.” The ceremony was a public acknowledgement of
In the midst of re-decorating our living room and having a hard time finding just the right sofa. Meanwhile, other decisions…for today a comparison of clear glass lamps. I like them because they are light and airy and contemporary, and they can outlast my fickle taste in colors.
Over the last few months, I have started an obsession over Morocco. Don’t ask me why; I’ve never been there. Perhaps my body just aches for warmth as I dodge the gale force winds here in SF (although yesterday we had a miraculously warm day). It actually started a few years ago when I bought
Obsessing over Morocco Read More »
It’s time to replace the wooden blinds in our dining room and living room. The “Country Woods” look doesn’t support the style I’m trying to create. But what IS my style?? When I started to plan for the kitchen and started buying furniture, I had fixated on a Mediterranean villa look. I’ve since bought and