{Home} Stairs, exercise or hindrance?

28 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Architectural elements

Tags

I love two-story homes. I like the way they look architecturally and when done right they make a statement and command a presence on any street.

{Stan Dixon Architects}

Oddly, I have lived in exactly two 2-story homes. One that my mother and step-father purchased just before I moved out on my own, and one since I’ve been married.

Mr. B and I have owned 4 houses, only one was a two-story. As I’ve “matured” I’ve noticed many of our closest friends, similar in age, will often say, “you are so lucky to be living in a one-story house”. When I ask why it’s always the same answer, as we ~~age~~ mature stairs can pose a problem for some. Knees are usually the first thing mentioned.

I believe, possibly without scientific back-up, that if we are forced to climb a flight of stairs we will probably be in better shape than those that get no other form of exercise.

Since I truly love stairs and the endless styles they come in I thought I’d share some that have captured my attention and my imagination…

{Catalano Architects}

How clever is this for the dog enthusiast?

{Catalano Architects}

The staircase in this home is only one of many features that I love about this house (below).

Garden, Home and Party: Stairs, exercise or hindrance {Catalano Architects}

Garden, Home and Party: Stairs, exercise or hindrance {Barnes Vanze Architects}

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{Wendy Possard & Associates}

{Linda McDougald Design; Photo by Ranchel Boling}

Garden, Home and Party: Stairs, exercise or hindrance {Mercer Hill Farm / PA Archer & Buchanan Architecture}

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Is it just me or does this look like you might imagine ‘stairway to heaven’ looks?

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The detailing on this banister is swoon worthy (in my humble opinion)

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Simple and understated, but oh, so pretty.

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So, what’s your thoughts on the subject? Drop by, we’ll chat. ♥

{GHP} Summer Heat ~ cool pools

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Outdoor living

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

pools

We have had a very mild spring and summer by most accounts, and by mild I mean it wasn’t that warm. That’s unusual for Southern California. It is August and it is summer so I’m going to embrace the what little heat we have had. Besides, I’ve been wanting to do this post on the topic of water features, from pools to ponds. So here goes…

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Some people in my region depend on the ocean to cool them down. As a red head, the “beach / sunbathing” option left me some years ago…actually, it should have never been an option.

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In light of the heat that usually hits this time of year, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some some of my favorite water features…mostly swimming pools, but there are a few reflecting pools and other images that will hopefully cool you down (if you’re experiencing hot weather), if only in your mind.

{Catalano Architects}

{Persephone’s Box}

{This Ivy House}

{Bungalow Classic}

Wouldn’t this folly be wonderful in a backyard…of an estate?

{unknown}

{Bungalow Classic}

{Wonderful Palmetto Life}

{Things that Inspire}

{The Fuller View}

{Bungalow Classic}

{Fresh as a Daisy}

So, what are you doing to stay cool this summer?

{The Fuller View}

~or~

{WASPing through the country side}

Oh, and remember, when swimming it’s always wise to swim with someone (the buddy system)…

So what are you doing this summer, plenty of time in a pool or on a veranda sipping a cool drink?

{Garden} Topiary and beyond

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Gardening, Gardens, House and Home

≈ 24 Comments

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topiary

The definition of the word topiary, as described by Wikipedia, encompasses a good deal more than the topiary I typically think of when someone says the word. I picture various shapes of spheres, wreathes and cones our local nursery grows when the word is mentioned. They are often made from English ivy or other readily available green plants, including rosemary. When our Trader Joe’s sells rosemary topiary I usually buy one because they are fragrant and pretty and last for months. When a topiary grows too large for the kitchen window, I place it somewhere outdoors.

Loi, over at Tone on Tone, has been growing myrtle topiary for his home for over 10 years. Visit HERE if you want to be inspired to grow a few of these beauties for your own home.

Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes,^[1] perhaps geometric or fanciful; the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. As an art form it is a type of living sculpture.

But the “practice of training live perennial plants by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes…” encompasses one of my favorite landscape tools. The boxwood hedge.

Carla’s secret garden (above) before her redo—look away, Carla.

Yes, there are fanciful shapes that can bring whimsy and beauty into the garden, but the use of the boxwood when it’s trimmed to provide a bit of structure where structure is needed, is something I use in my own garden and clearly the master gardeners of the globe have historically used this to great effect.

Missouri Botanical Gardens

{Pinterest}

Do you have any topiary growing in your yard or a plant in your home?

{Home} Dark trim

07 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Architectural elements, House and Home, Trends

≈ 20 Comments

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paint, windows

When we moved into our 1968 tract house 31 years ago, my vision for replacement of the aluminum sliding windows and doors was FRENCH, MULTI-PANE AND WOOD. I set about having these installed with a clarity of purpose and determination. I believe it took us close to 10 years to trade out all of the aluminum windows and sliding glass doors that had been installed by the builder.

This picture was taken last summer when Olivia was visiting (child latches in place)…you can see the French doors off the atrium, and Winnie~keeping an eye on things.

At the time, in Southern California, screens were out of favor. Back in the day, if you were going to install French doors, the trend was to skip the screens. As a young wife I followed the trend, and probably still do to some small extent. Another preference/trend was to paint the French windows and doors in a high gloss enamel in some shade of white. Guilty as charged. We love(d) the look, and I still lean toward the fresh appeal of some form of white paint on windows and doors. That is until I started seeing dark trim (black) on windows and doors.

I know that in some cases the dark mullions you see in pictures are actually steel doors, another new-to-me trend. I have seen steel doors in a couple of homes and absolutely would have them installed without delay if it wouldn’t be certain to cause divorce in my otherwise great marriage.

So, typical of me and my daydreams where my house is concerned, I compiled a group of images of dark painted (or steel) doors and windows, that I think of as swoon-worthy. I hope you enjoy!

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{Traditional Home}

{Design Chic}

{Haus Design}

{Marianne Simon}

I’d love to be able to tell you that this final image is a reflection of my widow on a rainy day!

Do you like this look, do you have it in your home? Would you installed steel windows in any part of your home?

{Oh, and on the screen issue, I wish I had screens on every door, I do have them on all of the windows and we have installed an invisible screen on the French door going out to the back yard}