Austin Toaf Rica

Posts Tagged ‘home’

Several years ago, I took my two younger daughters to a beachfront bed-and-breakfast. Leyah was leaving for college within days and didn’t want to go; I insisted—for my sake. We walked on a rain-soaked beach and spent the evening reading by a little fire while listening to the surf break just yards away. Next morning, breakfast was served at tables set for six. What happened at ours is one of those things that can’t be planned or purchased. Leyah, Lissa, and I ended up at a table with a photojournalist and his wife, a writer, from the East Coast. Their friend, the owner of the B&B, a stunning dynamo of a woman, joined us at the table.
I wondered if the girls and I were going to feel isolated from the conversation. Instead, we were drawn into it. Our fellow diners were as fascinated with our family’s trio as we were by their bright philosophical ideas and tales of travels afar. An animated, profound dialogue took place, in which my daughters were included and engaged. It was a turnabout to the experience of Abraham and Sarah, who entertained strangers at Mamre. Here we were at an Oregon beach B&B, where strangers entertained us—a stained-glass story if ever there was one. You never know when table d’hôte will happen, angels and all, but the possibilities exist wherever bread is broken.
When my two-year-old granddaughter eats lasagna, she carefully separates the tiny broccoli florets and strips of red pepper from pieces of pasta. Tomato sauce covers both hands, squishes between outstretched fingers, and smears across her cheeks. Tendrils of her curly hair become caked with bits of vegetables and cheese.
In this scene I see the Eucharist.
Dining is art.
I see light filtered through color as the essence of our lives, never more than around our dining tables.
When we serve meals, we are creating stories meant for stained
glass. What will yours communicate?

Powder your nose? Freshen up? Visit the restroom? Draw
your bubble bath? Take a shower? Isn’t this chamber we call the bathroom, necessary room, comfort station, or
water closet brimming with odd and eccentric images? It is the place of our most intimate daily or hourly rituals. Its symbolism embraces both our primal and civilized instincts. It is a place that may both enhance our personal sensuality and remind us that we cannot escape our physicality.
For the woman always seeking the aesthetic, the bathroom is a good clean challenge. It is the place where a girl looks herself in the eye first thing each morning and last thing at night, encompassing all that may mean. Here she may cast a critical glance at her body or lavish it with personal indulgences: soft plushy towels and hands-on caresses with scented oils, soaps, and lotions. For no other room is there more specialized, intriguing, and inviting ways to create the daily “spa—aah!” effect.
The spa—aah! effect is much more than rituals for hygienic feeling good or looking good. It’s an emotional and spiritual makeover too. The body and mind are things, after all, that every woman updates daily. She may begin with her morning bathing routine, but the spa—aah! effect expands as she moves through the different rooms in her house. The effect goes on to encompass the way a woman lives in the wide, wide world; it includes the visual impact she brings to other people, her sensuality; emotional bearing, and spiritual influence.
The spa—aah! effect is mystique from the inside out. A woman uses her mystique, her sense of personality and femininity; to touch and bless the people in her life. Creating the spa—aah! effect is to follow the wisdom of Christian Dior by remembering that zest is the secret of all beauty

You probably already have everything you need to create the look and feel of a house-becoming-home The rule of thumb in using what you have is this: See everything in a new way can the objects stuffed away in your closets be used for a different purpose, in a different place, or with a new disguise? Try on these ideas.
• Turn an object upside down or on its side. Try placing anything in an unusual setting and you’ll see marked changes.Things you may have grown tired of suddenly become eccentric bookends, candle holders, or conversation pieces.A vase you inherited, turned upside down, is a pedestal for a photo of the great aunt it belonged to. A garden angel, predictable on the front stoop, might be urban kitsch on your armoire. Books can be turned on their sides as bookends.
• Point things in various shades of white. Almost anything metal, wood, or plastic can be updated and freshened with a coat of cream or wash of pearl. Worn furniture or accessories look totally different with a whitewash. Update with a bowl of seashells in summer or a photo of last year’s ski trip in winter
• Mat, frame, and hang kids’ paintings in unexpected places: on a bathroom wall, beside a grand mirror beside school photos in the kitchen, inside the hall closet.
• Go sugar and spice when painting flea market finds. Mix bright reds with white and sand colors.Think Cajun and crème. Blend anything brass and bronze or copper for an earthy zest against neutral walls or fabrics.
• Modem family-friendly objects come into their own among inhented pieces pulled out of storage in the attic or basement. Mix country with urban!techno style to get a trendy eclectic appeal.

You probably already have everything you need to create the look and feel of a house-becoming-home The rule of thumb in using what you have is this: See everything in a new way can the objects stuffed away in your closets be used for a different purpose, in a different place, or with a new disguise? Try on these ideas.
• Turn an object upside down or on its side. Try placing anything in an unusual setting and you’ll see marked changes.Things you may have grown tired of suddenly become eccentric bookends, candle holders, or conversation pieces.A vase you inherited, turned upside down, is a pedestal for a photo of the great aunt it belonged to. A garden angel, predictable on the front stoop, might be urban kitsch on your armoire. Books can be turned on their sides as bookends.
• Point things in various shades of white. Almost anything metal, wood, or plastic can be updated and freshened with a coat of cream or wash of pearl. Worn furniture or accessories look totally different with a whitewash. Update with a bowl of seashells in summer or a photo of last year’s ski trip in winter
• Mat, frame, and hang kids’ paintings in unexpected places: on a bathroom wall, beside a grand mirror beside school photos in the kitchen, inside the hall closet.
• Go sugar and spice when painting flea market finds. Mix bright reds with white and sand colors.Think Cajun and crème. Blend anything brass and bronze or copper for an earthy zest against neutral walls or fabrics.
• Modem family-friendly objects come into their own among inhented pieces pulled out of storage in the attic or basement. Mix country with urban!techno style to get a trendy eclectic appeal.

Smart. Understated. Forgiving. These are words some designers
use to describe interiors that maximize livability. How can you
create rituals at home that invite you and your family to rejuvenate
a holy sense of place? Here are some experts’ ideas to build on.
• Seek serendipity. Welcome unexpected experiences as Sarah welcomed strangers to her home.
• Attend to details that amplify ambiance. Spend time setting the scene to get people in the mood.
• Play down unnecessary drama, Ignore unwelcome intruders such as grumpy moods or overindulgent expectations.
• Define the cathedral quotient. What helps your family members feel loved by the others? Brainstorm ways to make those connections.
• Get the most bang from your “construction” buck Invest in rituals that improve with age. Go for what’s interesting over what’s traditional or trendy. Find out what your kids love and do it!
• Create a lavish focal point for limited time together Play it up with things you know will generate pleasure in the experience: games, food, physical interaction, ambiance.

Guest room decor is about expressing yourself in a context that exceeds your guests’ expectations. I want my guests to be blown away with attention and to know that I’m delighted they’ve arrived. Simplicity is essential, along with a few radical surprises.
You can nix the chocolates on the pillow and come up with a whole new way to say “sweet dreams.” A guest’s primary needs are a place for belongings and a feeling of belonging in your place. Allow spacious open tabletops. Leave empty hangers in the closet, and why not tag them with pretty quotes on satin ribbons? To display fresh flowers, use wall vases that don’t take up room on a bureau and aren’t easily tipped over. Mix and match hand-milled soaps, lotions, and towels, the essential comforts of a stay away from home. You may want to throw a plushy robe over a chair and tuck a pair of fleece socks into the pocket. A tray with bottled water, a pretty glass, and fruit and crackers or mixed nuts is always appreciated. Leave an inspirational quote on the pillow in a pretty card.