SLM AT HOME | Secretary of the Interior

How the Internet Saves My Marriage

2009-11-13T14:05:58-06:00

It started in the corner of my eye, a slight curling at the edge of our gorgeous linen-ish wallpaper. I blinked it away. The next morning, I was quite literally powdering my nose when I glanced below the mirror and saw the wallpaper seam for the first time. Coming unglued, it was suddenly visible, like a meek housewife who turns into a banshee.

The stages of admitting a household maintenance problem run a trivial parallel to the stages of grief. I started by denying the very possibility of curl: We do not shower in this bathroom. There is no steam. The wallpaper only went up a year ago.

You can only say these things out loud to a wall for so long. You wear yourself out, and you are forced to admit that regardless of probability, its cover is, indeed, buckling.

The second stage is rage: That nice painter must have put it up wrong.

So what? It's buckling.

The third stage is panic. My husband won't even find this a problem worth solving. He will squint at the wall, nod knowledgeably, and proceed to ignore it for the next five years. I, on the other hand, will see the gap widen every time I disturb the air by walking into the room.

But what am I supposed to do? I know nothing about wallpaper. I'm certainly not about to start over with different wallpaper.

And so I do what I've learned to do in any moment of helplessness: I consult the Internet. And the first entry I find rescues me as gently as one of those handy husbands women fantasize about when they're over 40 and could care less about more obvious attributes.

I print out the instructions and read them a second time.

In the basement, I find a tiny plastic thing that looks like a picnic trowel. I use it to jam wallpaper paste under the seams. I obediently sponge off the excess and press down the edge. I make sure it's dry, and then I cover it with blue painters' tape.

I wait a week instead of a day, mainly because I'm afraid to pull it off and find my work ineffectual.

Gingerly, I unpeel the tape.

The edges are flat, the seam has vanished, the wallpaper is perfect again. In all four problem spots.

I don't have to nag my husband. I don't have to pay anybody. I don't have to fall all over myself thanking the digital handyman.

I don't even have to admit I had help.

--Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer

All I Want for Christmas

2009-11-01T13:09:42-06:00

Outdoor Christmas decorations have always confounded me. Every year, I nudge my husband and point wistfully to all the icicles and glowing bulbs on our neighbors' houses, and he just shrugs, not the least bit interested in the ladders and tedium implied.

A few years ago, I decided to take matters into my own hands. On walks, I stared, trying to figure out how people actually rigged them. I can comprehend the process if you have a nice handy outdoor outlet on the front of your house. But failing that, you either leave a window cracked and risk home invasion and pneumonia, Or you string the cord through your mailbox, as I once did, feeling like Wallace and Gromit as the dog watched in bemusement.

Then we moved, and I couldn't even string my Target topiary trees through the mailbox. So this year I resolved to hire an electrician, pay him the cost of universal health care, and insist he drill right through three layers of brick and concrete. I wanted a festive house, dammit!

I was about to call when I saw the walkway trees. Brookstone has swags, wreaths and walkway trees in its catalog, and they are battery operated! Brilliant on so many levels...

Of course, they only come in warm white or multicolored, and as my husband and I have a lifelong war going over white or multi, I had hoped for a compromise. Amber! Amber would be perfect. It would look golden, it would match the trim on the house... I could use the forlorn topiary trees and restring them...

Excited, I started searching the Internet for amber + outdoor + LED + battery operated + Christmas (retailers are not p.c.). I searched compulsively, using various recombinations and fragments of these search terms, for four nights in a row. I emailed sellers. I wrote Brookstone. No dice.

Every string of battery-operated LED lights that comes in amber or gold is rated "Indoor."

And every string of "Outdoor" battery-operated lights is either white or multicolored.

Either I'm doomed to continue the marital wars, or I blow the house up by putting indoor lights outdoors.

"The hell with it," I told Andrew. "I'm buying an inflatable Santa."

He grinned. "I think you have to plug them in."

--Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer

Re-Use Has to Be Creative

2009-10-26T09:14:48-05:00

I don’t care what the electronic revolutionaries say, getting a coffee-table-sized review copy of a beautifully printed art, design, or craft book in the mail is still a lot closer to Christmas than downloading a pdf. I carried home Wary Meyers’ Tossed and Found: Unconventional Design from Cast-offs (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, September 2009) like a kid with a new toy. It’s packed with creative re-use projects, and not the silly ones you did with old tin cans and spray-painted macaroni in third-grade art class, either. Linda and John Meyers are the designing minds of Wary Meyers Decorative Arts, in Maine, and they do things I never would have thought of—like personalizing a house key by cutting the shape of a monogram out of the top.

That’s one of the trickier projects—you need a jeweler’s saw and a good drill—but painting an old radiator in a gradient of color takes nothing but paint and a careful eye. I thought it might look a little ’70s rainbow-child, but done with the right colors and enough subtlety, it’s absolutely beautiful, as though the radiator’s coming alight.

They clearly have a sense of humor—they frost old highball glasses with smudges that suggest sexy lipstick and make pillows out of Astroturf. (I’m not wild about Astroturf even on the ground, but they said they wanted to feel like they were lounging on the grass when they hung out on the side porch, and I’m willing to grant them the make-believe.)

Anyway, I got so inspired, I started steering the dog to the local thrift shop on our morning walks. Surely one of the cast-offs sitting bedraggled in the rain would spark similar genius?

I stared at the gold metal headboard. Nothing. The inevitable, lumpy old sofa. Nothing. The oddments of plastic and veneered furniture—surely there was something creative I could do with all those entertainment centers and cubbyholed desks? Nothing.

I went back to the book and realized the secret. Sure, they said they went to flea markets and yard sales—but what they brought back to paint their blue-willow chair was an old Eames chair. And the engraved stool was an Alvar Aalto stool!

Hmmph. Maybe they have that stuff at Maine flea markets, but it’s not lined up at the old train depot in Waterloo.

I felt better about myself. I could be creative too, if I had the right materials. Anybody can be an artist, when they have the best tools and supplies.

Then I turned the page and saw their utterly cool wingback chair, made from an old vinyl chair, a bit of plywood, and a steel auditorium chair. It could be further designed, they noted, to carve the back into a Chippendale homage.

So much for rationalization. I went back to the depot to try again.

--Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer

Living Above the Shop: Part Two

2009-10-15T14:48:42-05:00

Written and Photographed by Vickie Dreste

Just a few generations ago, business owners lived extremely close to their enterprises—as in they lived above the store, restaurant or bar. Interior designer Vickie Dreste tracked down two current examples of that historic practice. Part One discussed The Map Room.

And now: Part Two: Café Mochi.

Victor Pham, owner of Café Mochi, has worked in the South Grand area since 1992. He owns and runs the hair salon, Victor’s, on South Grand. But three years ago he began planning a new business, a new building and a new home for himself.

His decision to construct a new building and start a new business adjacent to his current location was motivated by a desire to create a family business. Since Mr. Pham’s brother, Duncan, has over 20 years of restaurant experience and another brother and sister also work in the business, a restaurant seemed an easy choice.

So the adventure began. Mr. Pham knew it was a risk—but it was one he was willing to take. “I am young,” he says. “I can work hard to pay for it. Everything is risky.”

The style and detail of the new building (Café Mochi is on the first floor and Mr. Pham’s’s residence on the second) is a perfect match to the existing structure.

The living space is a two-story loft. The kitchen, living room and dining room is all open. The color palette of taupe, gray, cream and deep brown is soft and masculine.

The paint colors, finishes, light fixtures, fabrics and furniture for both spaces, the living space and the restaurant was created with the talent and guidance of designer Tricia Heliker.

The décor of Café Mochi (3221 S. Grand, 314-773-5000) is decidedly French, with a forest of chandeliers and pink damask fabrics. The color palette is a vibrant mix of fuchsia, pink, gray and purple.

The menu includes Japanese fare such as katsu, teriyaki and sushi. Sweet endings such as coconut dream cheese cake and Mochi ice cream are also available.

Living Above the Shop: Part One

2009-10-14T12:09:28-05:00

Written and Photographed by Vickie Dreste

Just a few generations ago, shop- or café-owners would wake up and go to work—downstairs. They lived above their business. Today, a new generation is revisiting that past.

Last Valentine’s Day, Michele Floyd opened The Map Room, a coffee and wine bar (1901 Withnell, 314-776-3515, www.themaproomstl.com). She bought the property in 2005; for the next 3½ years, she worked on the renovation and furnishings. She had harbored the idea and idea and concept for the bar since she was a teenager—and too young to actually go in and order.

The route to reach her goal was circuitous. Her first major in college was art; she loved it but did not pursue it. A second was botany. Then came chemistry. BINGO. She became a scientist, worked in the corporate world, traveled and lived abroad. But the idea of owning an international coffee and wine bar lingered. She settled in St Louis and finally, it was time. She began researching neighborhoods to find the right location.

Ms. Floyd wanted a building for her home and business in a neighborhood of mixed cultures, ages and incomes. The location at Lemp and Withnell in the Benton Park Neighborhood filled the bill.

UPSTAIRS: HER HOME

With an easy commute home (up the stairs), the second floor apartment is charming and cozy. The living room/dining room color palette consists of yellow, green, burgundy, cream and brown. The comfortable leather and fabric covered sofa makes staying in the perfect choice.

The dining room is enhanced by a row of velvet covered theater seats from as opera house in Ohio.

With its iron canopy bed, the bedroom is feminine.

DOWNSTAIRS: THE MAP ROOM

The Map Room is designed to have the look and feel of a traditional European café. It has comfortable Bohemian elegance.

The furnishings are all reused, re-purposed—and renewed.

With the help of friends, Ms. Floyd scoured flea markets, vintage shops and her personal favorite, dumpsters, to find the furniture for the café.

One of her favorite dumpster finds was a table that was beaten up but had great potential. After some tender loving care and careful painting, it is now the checkerboard table that is used by many for "game night."

The Blogosphere

2009-10-13T13:42:56-05:00

In my idle moments (which are far, far too rare), one of my favorite pasttimes is surfing blogs on home interiors. There are a zillion of ’em. And like playing a game of dominos, one leads to another to another… to another… to, well, it’s obvious. The list is neverending.

In the name of research, I frequently start my day with a peek at “Peak of Chic” http://thepeakofchic.blogspot.com/ and then later “Décor8” http://decor8blog.com/ pops up in my mailbox. I check others as the need—or relevant story—arises.

There are so, so many. Here is just a sampling of my favorites. And when you go to one (or ten), there will be lists of their favorites for you to peruse so the number of blogs multiplies exponentially from one site to the next. But I warn you now: minutes can be whiled away into hours if you aren’t careful.

* Absolutely Beautiful Things http://absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/

* A Life’s Design http://www.alifesdesign.blogspot.com

* All The Best http://www.allthebestblog.com/

* An Aesthete’s Lament http://aestheteslament.blogspot.com

* Antique Therapy http://antiquetherapy.com/

* Architect Design http://www.architectdesign.blogspot.com

* Atticmag http://www.atticmag.com/

* Beach Bungalow 8 http://beachbungalow8.blogspot.com/

* Brilliant Asylum http://brilliantasylum.blogspot.com/

* Charm Hill http://charmhillinteriors.blogspot.com/

* Chinoiserie Chic http://chinoiseriechic.blogspot.com/

* Design Revolution http://vertigodesignevolution.blogspot.com/

* Eclectic Etcetera http://eclecticentertaining.blogspot.com/

* Eddie Ross http://www.eddieross.com/

* Girl Meets Glamour http://girlmeetsglamour.blogspot.com/

* Habitually Chic http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/

* Innumerable Goods http://innumerablegoods.typepad.com

* Jenny Bova Associates http://www.jennybova.blogspot.com/

* Katiedid http://katie-d-i-d.blogspot.com/

* Life Abundant http://thegoodlifebyerin.blogspot.com/

* Lotta Jansdotter http.jansdotter.com

* Made By Girl http://madebygirl.blogspot.com/

* Maison Lunatique http://maisonlunatique.blogspot.com/

* Modern Design Blog http://www.moderndesignblog.com

* More Ways to Waste Time http://morewaystowastetime.blogspot.com/

* Mrs. Blandings http://mrsblandings.blogspot.com/

* PointClickHome Blogs http://www.pointclickhome.com/blogs/all_blogs

* Shak In Style http://shakinstyle.com/

* Studio Annetta http://www.studioannetta.com/

* Style Beat http://stylebeat.blogspot.com/

* Style Court http://stylecourt.blogspot.com/

* Surroundings http://chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com/

* Tchochkes http://www.tchochkes.com/wordpress/

* The Inspired Room http://theinspiredroom.net/

* The Kitchen Designer http://www.thekitchendesigner.org/

* The Bubb Report http://thebubbreport.blogspot.com/

* The Mogg Blog http://www.moggit.com/

* Things That Inspire http://freshpalette.blogspot.com/

* Toast and Tables http://toastandtables.blogspot.com/

* Tonic Home http://tonichome.blogspot.com/

* Topsy Turvy http://www.topsyturvystyle.com/

* Velvet & Linen http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/velvet_and_linen/

* Willow Décor http://willowdecor.blogspot.com/

The Omnivore's Cornicopia

2009-10-01T11:28:19-05:00

On Tuesday night, the Webster Film Series screened Food, Inc. as the final installment of this year's Human Rights Film Series. The woman who introduced the film stated that the programmers left that movie for last -- prior screenings included King Korn, A Civil Action, Blue Gold: World Water Wars, and Manon of Spring -- because it's such a fantastic documentary, and the industrialization of our food supply is one of our most immediate and pressing concerns.

For me, realizing that most of the beef that ends up in fast-food burgers is washed with ammonia because processors just assume high levels of e. coli (a problem caused by overcrowding cattle, as well as feeding them corn, which they cannot digest), convinced me that yes, this is an emergency. What compensated for sufferng through dry heaves -- and wet eyes -- during the factory farm and slaughterhouse sequences was footage of renegade farmer Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm. According to Salatin, a cow will shed most of the e.coli in its gut in a week or so once you put it back out to pasture and allow it to eat grass. So why are we pumping cattlle full of antibiotics, which only serves to breed resistant strains of e. coli? Why are we still feeding them corn? Sure, corn is cheap; but I can't imagine that grass isn't! The answer is that all of these practices are subsidized, the result of lobbying by the processed food industry. Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, who also appear in the film, make that point repeatedly. And that we can change that by supporting small, family farms like Salatin's, growing our own gardens, and being as conscious as possible about what we buy and stick in our mouths.

Though Food, Inc. screened one night only (it caused a lot of controversy when it opened in St. Louis, thanks to a critical chapter on Monsanto, so perhaps the run was cut short?), the good news is that Salatin will be here Monday October 5 to deliver a lecture, titled "Ballet in the Pasture," at Webster's Grand Gynmasium (if you can't go, check out Jean Ponzi's recent interview with Salatin on KDHX's Earthworms.) Interestingly enough, St. Louis seems to be the point of constellation for this issue right now, perhaps because we are hosting Farm Aid this Sunday at the Verizon Ampitheater. Related to that event: the Farm Meets Fork Farm Aid benefit October 2, the Farmer Cook-Off at Taste of St. Louis and HOMEGROWN Urban Country Fair at the Tower Grove Famer's Market October 3.

As for the future of industrial iceberg lettuce -- I'd like to echo the sentiments expressed in this edition of Ben Katchor's Hotel & Farm. --Stefene Russell

Affordable Soil Tests; Cold Frames = 12-month Gardening

2009-09-23T09:18:48-05:00

Soil profile courtesy of soils.usda.gov

Any master gardener will tell you: test your soil before you plant! Until you know what nutrients (or eek - heavy metals) are lurking in your dirt, it's a waste of money to invest in starts, or even seeds. In germ-phobic societies like ours, we forget that dirt (well, actually I should say soil) is not something to be scrubbed off the surface of the earth but a living ecosystem; a teaspoon of healthy soil contains (cue Carl Sagan voice) billions of organisms. But until we discover how to create a human-nemotode psychic uplink, the only way of knowing what (or who?) is in your dirt is a soil test. Soil tests can be a little pricey, and the process of collecting soil samples is straightforward but a little inconvenient. We can't fix the latter, but the former is less of a problem than you might think; the wonderful Homegrown Evolution reports that UMASS offers soil tests for under $10. Though you can get a free PH test from the Kemper Center for Home Gardening or Missouri Ag, that won't tell you anything about what nutrients are present and accounted for or what you need to remediate. Things change from year to year as well, depending on how well you mulch and compost, and what you plant in the ground. As Homegrown Evolution says, longstanding gardeners get into the routine of "test the soil, amend according to the recommendations and grow. Lather, rinse, repeat."

Another great tip from Homegrown Evolution: Franchi Seeds. Looking at the lovely greens they offer makes me want to set up a forty-foot-long raised bed just for lettuces. In fact, their pretty greens are the reason why I may be trottin' down to Home Depot (and the ReStore) this weekend to get supplies for cold frames, so that we can have fresh greens in the dead of winter. Cold Frames are as easy to build as a raised bed (well, unless you decide to go the expensive but even simpler route and buy a prefab raised bed frame!). See below for a quick video primer on building your own cold frames. --Stefene Russell

Ex-Domino Editor Launches Online Shelter Pub

2009-09-22T09:15:48-05:00

Via WWMedia:

"...one former Domino editor is ignoring the naysayers and reentering the space with an online-only magazine. Michelle Adams and partner Patrick Cline met a few years ago at a Domino photo shoot, and now they’re about to launch the first issue of Lonny, a name combining New York and London. 'Our goal is not to replace Domino, as there will clearly never be a replacement, but rather to help fill the void that has been left by so many closing shelter publications and help bridge the gap between traditional print magazines and the online world,' Adams said.

Lonnymag.com will be broken down into sections, similar to a print title, including front-of-book market pages, art and culture, fashion and features. The first issue will feature former Domino editor in chief Deborah Needleman in her garden and Kate Townsend Simpson, another Domino alum, is on the cover."

We miss Domino. You won't get little stickers in an online-only mag, and it seems like that the young, sparse, hip sensibility it reflected is way less rare online than in the print world (Apartment Therapy, f'rinstace). Still, I wish 'em luck and will be bookmarking the URL when the site goes online October 1. --Stefene Russell

More Than Skin Deep

2009-09-20T13:45:08-05:00

Listening to a podcast of “Speaking of Faith” on NPR, I hear the late poet and philosopher John O’Donohue say—in an Irish brogue that could add lilt and meaning to the White Pages—“It makes a huge difference when you wake in the morning and come out of your house, whether you believe you are walking into dead geographical location, which is used to get to a destination, or whether you are emerging into a landscape that’s just as alive as you, but in a totally different form.” Later, he remarks that urban planning in poor areas “has doubly impoverished the poor by the ugliness which surrounds them. It’s understandable that it is so difficult to reach and sustain gentleness there.”

Ugliness is something you have to tense yourself to ignore; it’s a sort of visual violence, a sign of apathy or desecration or punishment. We harden ourselves against it—and in doing so, we harden yourself against the people around us. That’s the exact opposite of the response we have if we’re surrounded by beauty; we relax and open ourselves to it, soak it up, draw it inside us. Beauty lets us be sensitive; it promises no harm will come if we let down our guard.

So when we step outside and see roses climbing up a stone wall, or water bubbling through rocks, it’s not a frivolous pleasure. When we weep over the death of an oak tree that’s shaded our house for a century, it’s not silly. When we plant an urban garden, cheerfully breaking our nails, straining our back, and caking our knees with dirt, it’s not romantic nonsense.

Beauty opens and connects us. Ugliness shuts us down, and breaks us into pieces.

--Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer