In the mood . .

This year I am in the "holiday" mood early.  Although I will not decorate until after Thanksgiving, I pulled out my Christmas decorations and sorted through them.  I weeded out the ones that mean a lot to me - my pig ornaments (I was born in the year of the pig by the Chinese calendar), my Chinese ornaments, the ones collected through the years, the ones I will pass on to my daughter and the ones to give away to someone else.

What a change from my mood last year.  The good news is that I found my Christmas spirit last year after all.  It happened when I walked into a store and the music spoke to me in a magical way.  I stopped, I listened and, suddenly, something happened.  Then, the magic began.  I stepped out of the store and the twenty-five foot Christmas tree put on a performance that again stopped me in my tracks.  I found a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  My six-year old grandson and I recorded the Charlie Brown Christmas Story and the holidays ended better than they started.

I am looking forward to what this holiday brings and I wish the best to all.  Here's my gift to you:

Bleu Cheese & Walnut Kookie recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare muffin tins.  I use a circle of parchment paper cut to the diameter of the bottom to make it easier to remove the Kookies.

1 cup unsalted butter, melted (coat the muffin tins before you add the next ingredients)

1 cup sugar

1 cup self-rising flour

1 large egg

4 tablespoons Bleu Cheese  (more or less - to taste)

Spoon 1 teaspoon full of batter into the muffin tin.

Chop walnuts and top the batter with the walnuts.

Cook for 15-18 minutes until the edges of the Kookies are golden brown. 

Let the Kookies cool and, then, take them out of the muffin tin and place them on a cooling rack.

The process of cooking in the muffin tin gives the Kookie a crunchy outer edge and a chewy inside.

Enjoy!

Not your ordinary designer

My friend, Walter, asked me to speak on his NPR program in the Catskills .  In his introduction, he described me as "an Interior Design who has designs on your interior."  He had a way with words! You might think that an odd thing to say.  Although I was in New York working on a design job, Walter was more interested in my other work - researching reincarnation and spiritual growth.

Interior Design was and is a great training ground for my favorite avocation because learning to trust my intuition about my clients and my jobs is essential to my success.  That was never more evident than when I worked on a model in Estero, FL.  I was very sensitive to the energy of the property and the building. The designs for the model came together organically.  Every detail moved in to place like pieces of a puzzle, including a portrait of Thomas Jefferson for the Study.  My assistant hated the portrait but something told me to use it anyway.  The model was sold before I finished it and a meeting with the new owners enlightened me as to why the portrait was important. I shared the files of furniture, wallpaper, finishes, window treatments and, of course,  artwork with the client. When I got to the portrait of Jefferson, the client told me that he was born on Jefferson's birthday, April 13.  Even more interesting, that very day was April 13th.  I knew these were more than coincidences.

For me, interior design is more than creating beautiful spaces; it is also about the relationships we create.  People touch our lives for a reason. If we can be "open" to that purpose, the process is magical.  Sometimes, that purpose goes beyond the obvious - like my experience with Peter, who asked me to help him with the Feng Shui energy of his home.  The real purpose of the meeting was to make the connection between Peter and his deceased friend,who we lovingly call "Clarence" because of a promise Peter's friend made to Peter before he died. Clarence wanted to let Peter know that we do not die.

While I do love to create beauty, what I really love is creating spaces where love grows.  I think that's what Walter meant when he called me an Interior Designer who has designs on your interior.

Just as we all have a unique style of decorating, we all have a unique path of spiritual growth.  It's fascinating creating different styles and honoring different paths.

It IS easier to be GREEN!

Two things happened recently that reminded me how much easier it is to be "green."  You know, as in environmentally friendly.

1.  My client, who suffers from Environmental Illness/Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, needed new carpeting for her Family Room.  Not to worry because now most carpet manufacturers use products and production methods that do not "outgas" VOCs (volital organic compounds).  I chose just such a carpet for my client but just to be safe, I had the installer air out the carpet from its plastic wrapper for several days and, then, I also cleaned the carpet with a carpet shampoo* designed for people who are chemically sensitive BEFORE we even installed the carpet.  That's right, I said before the carpet was installed.  This easy two-step process allowed any residue chemicals to evaporate before going in to my clients home.  After the carpet was installed, a Hepa filter air purifier extracted the rest.  End result:  a beautiful new room that my client can enjoy!

Thank you, Rosson & Young, for working with me to create the best possible solution.

2.  I answered an inquiry phone call.  The caller wanted to know what we recommend for upholstery cleaning for a fabric with an "S" code.  (S usually means to clean with a water-free cleaning solvent.) As we talked about possible choices, I discovered that she is also sensitive to chemicals. I suggested the same product above, which can be used on upholstery.



Safe Choice Carpet Shampoo

*SafeChoice Carpet Shampoo by AFM is my choice for carpet & upholstery cleaning.

Little did I know when I became sensitive to chemicals about fifteen years ago that I would be in a position to help others.  Determined to make "lemonade out of lemons," I studied Environmental Design and connected wih some really great people, like HealthyHome.com and NatureNeutral.

Now, it's my turn to pay it forward and say "Thanks" to all the folks who have helped me along the way and share the information with others who want to create a healthy environment.  Yes, Kermet, it is easy to be green!

Goldilocks and the three chairs

Shopping for furniture is no fairy tale but it often reminds me of the one about Goldilocks.  Size is one thing but style is another aspect of finding the right chair.  "This one is too big.  This one is too small.  That one is too formal.  That one is too casual and that one is just too-too."  In addition, there is the "warm and fuzzy" feeling.

Here are a few things I look for when helping a client choose the right chair - or sofa:

1.      Inside seat depth should not be too short or too deep.  It is easy to determine - check where the front edge of the seat meets the back of the knee.  A seat that is too deep and you look like Lily Tomlin's "Edith Ann."  A seat that is too short and you look as if you are ready to jump out of the seat.

2.      Outside seat height should not be too short or too tall.  Do your feet touch the floor?  Do your knees point upward?  Is it the seat height or the seat depth that is causing a problem?

3.      The pitch (angle) of the back of the chair:  Some people like to sit straight up; others like to slouch.  Everyone's comfort level is different.  The older we get the more back support we need.

4.      Arm height is important if you read or do hand work in your chair and, especially if you have difficulty getting out of a chair due to an injury or the aging process.

5.      Back height:  Do you like to rest your head back or do you like to rest your arm on the back cushion?  Are you very tall or very short? 

6.      Exception to the rule-of-thumb:  I also ask my client "How do you really sit in a chair (or sofa)?" knowing that today's culture is very different from what it was years ago.  Sometimes the answer to that question alters the advice given in #s 1-5.

Style is another matter and a very personal one, which I will address next time.  What I will say here is that a personal preference for or against a style is often emotionally or psychologically charged.  That is a good lead in to the "warm and fuzzy" feeling.  When you happen upon the chair that feels good, it makes you smile like Goldilocks and you know "This one is just right!"

Your favorite place to sit is probably the second most important piece of furniture that you will buy. (In case you are wondering, your bed is the most important piece of furniture - more about that later.)  It is worth investing in what works for you.  Cut corners somewhere else but do not short-change yourself when it comes to your chair (or sofa) - your body will thank you in the end (no pun intended).

Move over Barefoot Contessa!

The principles of good design can be applied to any aspect of life - even cooking.  The perfect combination of ingredients - whether furniture & fabrics or flour & flavorings - can create a little magic in your life.

Last December, I discovered the Barefoot Contessa's Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers and filled my kitchen & goody boxes with wondrous smells & flavors.  I also discovered a recipe for Lavender Cookies which was a disaster until I tweeked it.  Just as I like to mix styles of furniture, I found that by mixing these two recipes, I could create a Kookie recipe that even the Contessa would like.

The basic recipe is very simple:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
 
1 cup Unsalted Butter (I prefer Land of Lakes.) melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 egg

Now, here's where you can creative!  For my Bleu Cheese & Walnut Kookies:

add 4 tablespoons  Bleu Cheese to the batter (more or less - to taste)

Spoon 1 soup spoon full of batter into a buttered muffin tin (I prefer my medium grey muffin tin rather than the dark one.) Smooth the batter out in the muffin tin.

Chop walnuts (I prefer a rough cut) & top the batter with the walnuts

Cook for 15-18 minutes until the edges of the Kookies are golden brown.
Let the Kookies cool for about 10 minutes and then take them out of the muffin tin and place them on a cooling rack or, better yet, right into your mouth.  The Kookies will have a crunchy outer edge and a chewy inside and the buttery taste will melt in your mouth.  Enjoy!

The same basic recipe works well with other flavors.  I made Lavender Kookies, Lemon Kookies, Sesame Kookies and can hardly wait to design a new flavor.  And just like designing a home, you can also create the Kookie that's perfect for you!

Design Tip #1 - Does it fit?

Avoid costly mistakes by space planning.  It only takes a few minutes to do and several furniture manufacturers offer "Room Planners" to help you.  They really are easy to use even if you're not great on the computer.  Manufacturers offer templates for their products but also for "generic" furniture and, of course, architectural and structural details - all of which you can re-size. 

These are also great tools when you are considering buying a new home.  Will your furniture fit in to the rooms?  Don't forget to leave room for pathways around furniture, especially in the Dining Room. 

Here are links to a few that I use:

STICKLEY FURNITURE  http://stickley.com/RoomPlanner.cfm

If you have trouble "visualizing" what something will look like as a finished product in specific fabrics, go to DREXEL HERITAGE'S site and have fun:
http://www.drexelheritage.com/About-Drexel-Heritage/Room-Planner.aspx

HICKORY CHAIR  also offers customization on many of their casegood (wood products)
http://www.hickorychair.com/Design-Resources/Default.aspx?ID=27

"Measure twice cut once" makes a lot of sense.  As always, if you are challenged even with these tools, contact me and save yourself a lot of time, energy, frustration and money.

4 Quick Tips for Spring Cleaning

If you are in the mood to do a little spring cleaning, here are 4 tips to help you:

• AFM Cleaning Products - great for people have asthma, allergies and/or who are chemically sensitive (like me).  NatureNeutral in Charlottesville, VA offers AFM as well as other eco-friendly products.  I use AFM's SafeChoice Safety Clean as an all purpose cleaner.  I buy a gallon and dilute it to the concentration I desire.  A gallon lasts a long time.  I use AFM's Carpet Shampoo to keep the carpeting clean, especially to clean up dander (a major cause for my allergies).
• HEPA air-filter with carbon pre-filter -- I use a portable one and move it from room to room.  I must have if for pet owners and to reduce pollen tracked into the house!

The next two are for cleaning the inside of your body, especially good at springtime when everything is blooming:

• Local honey - also great for allergies.  I found a really local source:  Lavender Fields
• Mrs. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar helps re-establish a healthy inner ecosystem, in other words, your good bacteria and yeast.

Happy cleaning!!!

What's Zen and what's not?

Zen has caught the attention of the furniture industry but what is it, really?  Is it a new fangeled minimalism or is it something more?

The word "Zen" comes from the Japanese translation of the Chinese word "chan," which means meditation - particularly meditation that leads to enlightenment.

Who or why someone began applying zen to describe interiors is a little like peeling the layers of an onion to find nothing.  While Zen meditation centers may very well appear minimalistic, their sparseness is meant to eliminate distractions in the same way a deprivation chamber blocks out extraneous influences.  In meditations, you become calm and relaxed.  In deep meditation, you become "centered."  Your blood pressure changes as do your brain waves.  Your conscious awareness becomes altered.  It was in such a state of altered awareness that Siddharta Gautama became enlightened, became the Buddha.  Twenty-five hundred years later many  people have followed the path of the Buddha.

Creating a minimalist home is no guarantee for relaxation if the mind has made no effort in the process.  While some environments exude a calm and peaceful feeling, serenity really comes from within.

I discovered meditation to help me heal the effects of chronic fatigue syndrome, but I soon discovered its healing benefits to deal with the stresses of life.  I was fortunate to attend a retreat at Zen Buddhist Master Tich Nhat Hahn's center, Plum Village.  The decor left much to be desired, but the joy of sitting in silence, eating and walking meditatively and being in communion with others is an experience I will never forget.  It makes me wonder if our attraction to Zen decor/design is really about our desire to reduce the distractions in our lives and to create a sacred space.  Maybe, it is a statement about letting go of "things," or at least the attachment to material objects, and discovering our true selves - that vital part of ourselves that transcends the ever changing trends and styles.  Here is what I discovered from meditation:  peace on the inside leads to peace on the outside - no matter what your decor.  For me, Zen is in!

The Magic of Interior Design

There are few things as rewarding as creating a beautiful home and it can be easier than you realize.  Finding the right piece of furniture or accessory, transforming an old tired room into a space that feels fresh, new and exciting . . . well, it's magical!  However, most people feel uncomfortable making decorating decisions - large and small - because they're too-close-to-the-forest, too emotionally attached or too afraid of making a mistake.  So, how do you create magic without stressing out?

            The first step is to get in touch with your "inner designer" and/or listen to your gut (intuition).  Every one of us has the ability to create, whether we realize it or not, just as everyone has intuitive abilities.  For whatever reasons, many people have forgotten or have not developed thee abilities.  In order to compensate, people gather information to help them make decisions because when the right brain (intuitive) skills are under-developed, they lean more heavily towards the left-brain (logical) skills.  The creative process, however, needs a balance of both left and right brain functions.  It's like juggling crystal chandeliers and piggy banks.

            Secondly, it's important to remember that the creative process is not done alone and to know when and where to "let go."  It's like dancing - moving in-sync with your partner.

            That's where the magic begins for me as a designer.  I am grateful that I recognized early in life the joy of designing and the magical connection between people.  When the connection happens, the feeling at the project's completion is like giving birth.  What can be more magical than that?

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Monday, January 23, 2012, is the beginning of the Year of the Dragon.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  I remember the long banquet tables at Louie's on Grant Avenue in San Francisco's Chinatown.  This year I will celebrate with my family at Dim Sum. 

Instead of resolutions, my tradition is to think about what I want to create in the new year.  I think about the "energy" of the year and this year is a great time to create.

Everything is always changing.  Now is the time to de-clutter and make the way clear to receive because the dragon helps dreams come true.  Therefore, be clear what you wish for because you could very well get it.

That reminds me of the time I wished for an office with a window in the new complex we were moving in.  I got my wish BUT the window looked into the office of another designer.  I kept practicing fine-tuning my wishing and, eventually, ended up in an office with a window. I could take a moment and look out at the sky and remember the same energy that makes Earth revolve around the Sun is guiding me to discover who I am and my purpose in life.

In 2003, I envisioned my grandchildren - being present for their births, playing with them and watching them grow.  Long story short, I moved to Richmond in 2004, now have two beautiful grandchildren and life is good.  As it so happens, I can also see the out-of-doors from my desk.

Take time to go within and connect with your inner guidance.  Surround yourself with nature and supportive people.  Let the dragon guide you.  It is time for magic!

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Are You Eclectic or Wabi-sabi?

Eclectic is a word that is often used to describe a style of design, which is somewhat ironic because it is characterized by the fact that is it is not one particular style.                 

What does eclectic mean?  The simple version is this:  a combination of many styles or influences.  In other words, it is okay to mix contemporary with rustic, country French with transitional.  The possibilities are endless.  Therefore, I ask my clients, "What does eclectic mean to YOU?"

When I sit down and talk to my clients about their style, what I hear are the stories about why this piece was mixed with that piece - whether it was handed down from relatives, collected in ones travels or bought "just because" - I hear about things they love and/or cannot part with for sentimental reasons.  It made me think about "Wabi-sabi."

If an object can bring about a sense of spiritual longing within us, then the object may be wabi-sabi.   The essence of wabi-sabi is the realization of three principles:  nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect. 

The principle that I like best is that even the quirks and anomalies arising from the process of construction, as well as use, add uniqueness to the object.  The patina and wear of an object add to its beauty.   This may be a difficult concept for many on one level but it reminds me of the bentwood chair I salvaged from an Ybor City cigar factory and paired with a French writing desk or the unique mirror that was not my style but I loved anyway.  I placed it in a "neutral zone" so it does not fight with anything and I get to enjoy it every day on my way out the door.

Nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect.  In other words, there is perfection in imperfection.   Maybe it is for those very reasons we hold onto certain "things" whether they go together aesthetically or not.  Whatever your style(s), I hope you love it as much as I do mine.

Peace & Cookies

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence."*  

             The louder, the busier and the more frenetic life is, the more I long for silence, or at least stillness.  Moments of stillness - like sleep - rejuvenate me.  Clears the cobwebs in my mind.  For some reason, December started out with lots of cobwebs.  It started with Christmas music and commercials everywhere - sucking the joy out of the season, that is, until I walked into The Alchemist at Stoney Point.  Actually, it was meant to be a short cut on my way to find the See's Candy Store but I lingered and listened to the music.  It was Cadence Spalding - an angelic voice if there ever was one.  She turned Christmas Carols into an etheric experience.   I stopped.  I listened and, suddenly, I was at peace.  I reveled in the moment and, then, I continued on my quest. 

                To my disappointment, the candy shop was not at its usual location.  I turned and began to retrace my steps when a symphony of music and lights burst forth from the Christmas tree in the center of the plaza.  I stood in awe like a child awash in pure joy.  Afterward, I returned to The Alchemist, where I bought Spalding's "Holiday High" CD.  I knew it was time to do a meditation with music. 

                From that night on, the season was magical.  At Bizarre Bazaar, I discovered Lavender Fields, a local farm that produces local raw honey and lavender - two of my favorite things - and their recipe for lavender cookies.  I made batch after batch.  I also discovered a recipe for Blue Cheese & Walnut cookies that intrigued me so much I had to try it even though I do not care for Blue Cheese.  Here are both of these recipes as a belated Christmas gift from me to you with this thought:

                "You are a child of the Universe, no less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here and whether of no it is clear to you, no doubt the Universe is unfolding exactly as it should."*

Lavender Cookies

Blend the following together:  1 cup unsalted butter, softened + 1 cup sugar + 1 egg

Add in:  1 cup self-rising flour + 1 tablespoon culinary lavender buds

Drop dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Cool cookies on a wire rack.  Makes 48 cookies.

Bleu Cheese and Walnut Cookies

Blend the following together:  1/4 pound unsalted butter + 5 oz. Bleu Cheese, crumbed

Add in:  1 1/2 cups all purpose flour + 2 teaspoons kosher salt + 1 teaspoon black pepper

Also, add:  1 tablespoon of water and combine all ingredients

Drop the dough onto a floured board; press it into a ball and roll into a 12" log

Brush the log with egg wash (1 egg with 1 tablespoon water)

Spread 1/2 cup chopped walnuts in a rectangle on the cutting board

Roll the log in the walnuts, pressing gently, until the log in evenly covered with nuts.

Cut the long in 3/8ths inch pieces and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 22 minutes - rotate the pan once during baking.

Cook and serve at room temperature.  Makes 36 cookies.

*Excerpts from Desiderata