I love it when my readers leave me a tip on something new or something I didn’t know existed. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post on Apartment Living: Shedding My Kitchen Snobbery, my silly lament on apartment living with a tiny kitchen. Rosalind, from Rosewarne Gardens (a landscape and design planting company in the U.K.) left this comment:
“My goodness for small kitchen wonders you must watch Rachel Koo’s first few series in her Paris ‘restaurant’ which is in fact her tiny flat, she can stand in the middle of the kitchen and touch all the walls. It has incredibly basic equipment and yet she turns out mouthwatering cuisine. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dy7yt”
— Rosalind of Rosewarne Gardens
So off I went to find Rachel Khoo. It’s been an exciting adventure for me to learn about Ms. Khoo. I couldn’t get to the BBC programs. Thank goodness for the internet. Indeed, Ms. Khoo had a tiny, tiny kitchen living in Paris. There, she made her name for her wonderful meals, and there she was able to produce her first cook book, The Little Paris Kitchen. Although she still has her Paris apartment, she moved to London where, as she puts it, “Paris is not good for business, it’s not international enough. France is very traditional, whereas London is really dynamic, people take risks.”
In demonstrating that the size of a kitchen isn’t important, Ms. Khoo illustrates that creativity, dedication and skills of the cook is what makes the difference for a beautiful and delicious meal. As for me, I’ll be following Ms. Khoo for one of her recipes on some of my favorite foods. You may even see a dish on one of my Monday Eats series, like her lemon kurd dish.
Psst, If you get the Cooking Channel TV, you may be able to see one of Ms. Khoo’s episode Wednesday 9:00 am ET. Or you can check out her website Rachel Khoo.
Thank you Rosalind for this wonderful tip!
Have you heard any great tips lately on tiny kitchens and cooking? Oh, please do tell!
To begin with, here’s where I stand on the question rent versus buy: It depends. Having learned immediately what I think, perhaps you’ll decide to just click away right now. Or if you’re considering which is best for you, read on and learn why I say “It depends.”
soource
Recently I ran across a video of a man extolling the virtues of renting. He was advertising for a rental community. I’ve read and had once subscribed to the many virtues of owning a home, as so many others have and they continue to do so. Builders, community developers, banks and hedge fund investors love this latter group. (But that’s the subject for a different story.) My credential for having such an opinion is that I’ve done both, from renting apartments and a home, to owning a condominium, a town home and a single family home.
There are many articles with good and valid reasons for either renting or owning a home. My take on it comes down to just a few of these reasons:
Proper Maintenance and Management
End-of-the-year checklist for your home
In renting, someone else maintains the property, from the exterior to the interior. Leaky faucet? not to worry. Grab your cell phone or send an email to management.
Home owning? You fix it yourself or pay some else. Meaning, if you don’t know how, you learn how from a friend, books, You-Tube and associates at the hard ware store. Or you get three estimates, deal with a contractor, and write a fat check. If you’re not satisfied . . . well, get the picture. I once had a contractor who was both an electrician and a plumber. His work was outstanding; he was reliable; and he didn’t hesitate to take that extra step. When he told me he was moving out of the area, I cried like a baby!!
Modifications to the property
Most renters have to accept what they get in an apartment: wall colors; boring, tiny kitchens with insufficient nondescript cabinets and doll-house size storage space; carpeting with smooth, worn out fiber naps installed on thin, cheap carpet padding. (The secret to good carpet if you can’t afford to upgrade is to spend the money on a good padding.) Renting often means you don’t get to change a thing. Well almost. You can paint if your’re willing to repaint the walls before you leave or just forfeit some of your deposit. Of course, if you have a luxury apartment, which means you have the funds, you can change a lot in a rental.
Home owning, only your budget and perhaps the footprint of the house limits what you can do. Want to remodel the kitchen? No problem. If if you don’t have the immediate funds, you can dream, plan and save your money to get to that point. Then remodel to your hearts content. Paint the walls what ever color you wish and when ever. (The quickest, most inexpensive way to freshen up a room is to paint.) Knock out a wall, build upward, and the list goes on and on.
Flexibility, physically and financially
when a new career is on the horizon (source)
Renting means you only sign a lease, generally for one year and then renew for each continuous year. Don’t like the place? Move. Career change? You’re ready to go to that new job and hopefully a promotion.
On the other hand, if you need to leave sooner than for the period you had signed up for, you may forfeit your deposit. So, you find someone to sublet your apartment or you pay for the remaining months. Let’s face it, a good career change is worth the jumping to. Renting can be cheaper and you can actually save money–no surprise when the furnace dies.
With a home, you generally have a 15, 20 or 30 year mortgage. You will have had to pay 10%, 20% or more as a downpayment on the settled amount of the house. The reality is you have a debt, a sizable one. For whatever horrible reason, if you are forced to give up the house, you are still obligated to pay the remaining portion of the loan. Not only do you loose the house, (the condo or the town home), you loose every dime you put into it. During a recession or a tax increase, investment in a home can take a negative effect. Moreover, there is the cost of mortgage insurance if 10% or less of a down payment was made, and there is always the additional cost of exterior and interior insurance.
But one of the best financial upside to owning is that you can build home equity. It’s money that can be used for emergencies, college funding for children or yourself, to “buy up” (to another or bigger house) or just an accumulation of wealth upon retirement.
Caveat: I had foolishly moved to Florida) during the burst of this last U.S. housing bubble. I had rented a house in an active adult community with the intention of building. But banks and lenders closed on the developer. The home owners saw their property values fall to less than half of what they had paid (or for which they had a loan). These were retirees who had put life savings into their “last” home only to have found themselves in a considerable debit owing more than the value of the home. Me, I didn’t get a chance to build that “last” home due to the collapse. Lucky me!
Family size
Let’s face it, more than two children can make it very difficult living in an apartment. It’s funny how one can manage with multiple pets in an apartment (though I don’t advocate it) but with children . . . well they do need space. Very definitely, children heavily influence the choice to rent or buy. Retirees will often buy homes just to have space for visiting grandchildren, as well as the big children they thought they had finished raising. And then there are the “sandwich” families. These are adults who children at home and a parent–each needing a little space they can call their own.
Still wondering why I say it depends? When you have considered all of the pros and cons (see the links below for more of them), it comes down to where you are in life. Finances aside because their is always a way to own a home, the primary reason for choosing one over the other is your lifestyle, your age, your career. No other reason, I think, really counts. And so, it depends.
Here’s what a few others think. I also include an article on why renting can be undesirable when there is a shortage of good properties available. Such reasons can be anywhere in the world. I’ve known a few such places myself, especially during my college years!
Remember finding treasured items in the back of the closet? Well, I did something like that scrolling through Annsliee’s archive posts. Wow! I sure found treasured, popular posts and thought why not share them with you in just one setting: Most Popular Apartment Decor Ideas. (Mind you, some do not specifically address apartments but they’re still very much applicable.)
Grab a cup of coffee (and a pastry!). Enjoy. You know what I always say: Get inspired. Get Creative.
You can call your mix-matched furnishing, colors and patterns the eclectic decorating style. Even though in your heart you really don’t know what is your style. So let’s say that secretly (in your heart) you want help in identifying your decorating style. Perhaps this will help. It did for me.
Here’s a fun, short quiz written by Houzz contributor, Mitchell Parker : Houzz Quiz: What’s Your Decorating Style? I just took the quiz and was surprised that on six out of seven points, it nailed my style: contemporary. (The irony is that I wrote a two part post on Why I Love The Transitional Style, here’s Part II. Of course, you know that transitional style is a blend of traditional and contemporary, right? But I digress.)
Back to the quizz: there are nine short multiple choice questions. Answering all nine questions immediately gives you your results. Here’s a quick list of the questions:
image From houzz article What’s your decorating style?
What is your ideal pet?
Which of these colors do you love to decorate with?
Which is your drink of choice?
Where would you most want to live?
Which best describes your bedroom dresser?
Who would you like to have over for dinner?
What would you prefer to hang on your living room walls?
What’s your favorite kind of restaurant?
What kind of flowers do you prefer?
However, there is one point that I always like to make when identifying your style which is important to getting your decorating style right:
It’s simple. Go to your wardrobe closet and note the dominate colors you had selected. What is the fabric texture? Does your fashion lean towards what is trendy, what is traditional or what is traditional but has a contemporary reinterpretation. I think this will help to refine your results or at least give something more to think about.
Okay, your turn. Get on over to Houzz. Take the quiz. I’m leaving a window open for you to return and share your results. most importantly, have fun!
Like this post? Even liked the quizz and learned something? Let me know. Click on the like button below and share the post! Please…
Furniture designers are artists too, at least in my humble opinion. They creatively–and fascinatingly–bring together function and art. Contemporary furniture designers not only reinterpret earlier designs but they utilize traditional and new materials. From wood to metal to polyurethane, they intrigue us to bring their designs into our homes.
As part of my continued episodes of Designs That Fascinate, I showcase below seven furniture designs: tables and stools and a clever little LED lit cube that can work as a light source, a side table and a small stool.
The KAI (Coffee) Table
The KAI coffee table reminds those fun wood block puzzles. Only this one comes with storage. Width and height complements average American coffee tables. But this is a Japanese design, so the height may be a bit of a stretch in western homes. Still, it is so beautiful and clever, I ‘m sure it could find a place here. Note the many little cubby space for storage in the second image.
Designed by Naoki Hirakoso and Naoki Hirakoso and The coffee table is constructed of wood and measures 900 square mm and 270 H (35 7/16 inches square by 10 5/8 inches high).
the kai (coffee) table
The Componibili Round Storage Modules
The componibili round storage module design has been around since approximately 1969. It was created by Anna Castelli Ferrieri, an influential architect and industrial designer of postwar Italian modern design, particularly in the use of alternative materials such as metal and polyurethane. She and her husband, Giulio Castelli, founded Kartell. (See my post on Designs That Fascinate: Translucent Furniture). The componibili, which is exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art New York City, and continues to enjoy popularity in modern and contemporary decors.
The collection shown below can be found at one of my favorite places for contemporary and modern furnishings and lighting: Lumens.com. The models offer a tray top, come in four different colors (silver, white, red and black) and two different heights (2 and 3 feet). Casters for easy mobility are also available. All versions are constructed in a molded ABC plastic.
Componibili round at Lumens.com
Lumens is also now offering the componibili in a new finish: a shiny version especially excellent for regency glamour or just plain glamourous decors. I LOVE, LOVE can I repeat that, LOVE it! Can you guess what’s on my wish list???
Componibility round in glamour metallic finish at Lumens.com
If you’re not sold on the cylinder style, there is also a square version which can be purchased at Allmodern.com.
Componibili square version at Allmodern.com
Continuing with the theme of plastic furniture by Kartell
Here’s another favorite design called the Masters Stool and it too can be found at Lumens.com. The stool comes in a chair style but I’m only showing the stool here. The stool comes in five different colors: black, white, grey, rust orange and sage green.
Masters Stool by Kartell found at Lumens.com
Plum Stool Series 1 and 2
An exquisite interpretation of modern dance is found in this next design called Plum Stool Series 1 and 2. They have a very futuristic impression and for which I find the clean and organic lines most appealing for a minimalist or modern decor. The stools are designed by Alvaro Uribe, the principle designer of Alvaro Uribe Design and from where you can get further information on availability.
Best described by the company is the following quote:
“The Plum Stool is a concept that organically combines structure, form and material into one. . . . Similar to the shaft of a leaf these ribs give additional resistance to pressure and compression. The overall gesture is designed to resemble that of a dancer, exposing the flexibility of the body and the skin. ”
— Alvaro Uribe Design
Companion Stools by Phillip Grass
I seem to have the ability to fall in love with every piece of furniture I’ve selected for this post. Well, I just can’t help myself. Without a doubt, this next piece certainly deserves a place in any modern or contemporary interior design. I love how it takes on a kind of thoughtful “personality” all to its own.
The stools come in two designs: companion and companion 4 legs. Seats are available in beech, oak and sipo mahogany. The metal legs are made of powdered-coated steel tubes. For more details on its construction and how to order, you can find out at the Phillip Grass website.
source Phillip Grass.comCompanion stool 4 legs by Phillip GrassCompanion stool by Phillip Grass
When you’re living in a tight space, this picture-table is perfect for serving double duty:
Picture Table From Ivy Design.com Raising up the Picture Table found on Ivy Design.com
And finally another Design That Fascinates is this LED lit cube that works as a light source, a side table and a small stool. It’s water proof, making it perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. I particularly like it for an apartment balcony where space is precious. The design is by Artkalia and is constructed of white opaque polyurethane, measuring 17″ square cube. The designer’s goal was “to combine energy efficient LED technology with attractive modern design.” Unlike some of the designs listed above, the cube can be easily purchased on Lumens.com here in the U.S.
Design by Artkalia found on Lumens.com
Contemporary and modern designs always fascinate and I think because they address the needs of our current life style, offering multiple uses in one piece; artistic designs that deem them worthy of a collection; and often in materials that make them affordable.
I hope you too are just as fascinated and perhaps interested in bringing such pieces into your decor. Until next time . . .
If you like this post, please don’t hesitate to let me know by clicking on the like button below. Make a comment, even share with a friend!
Recently, I bought the movie “Julie and Julia.” I had seen it before but decided I wanted to own the movie and watch it again and again. Have you seen it? If not, it’s excellent with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. It’s a true life story of two cooks: Julia Child and Julie Powell. Julie takes on a self-made challenge of preparing 524 in 565 days from Julia Child’s book called, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961). Julie Powell blogs about her experience as she completes each dish. The blog is noticed by The New York Times and gains the attention of a growing audience. Even if you hate to cook, the movie is funny and refreshing. The acting is excellent, earning a long list of awards.
from denoxa.com
One thing that fascinated me was the small kitchens that both cooks had to deal with, especially that tiny kitchen in which Julie made fabulous dishes. As I sat through the kitchen scenes, it began to occur to me that I had become a kitchen snob.
You may already be aware that I had downsized from a three bedroom home with a gorgeous garden to a two bedroom apartment with a screened in porch. No, I did not have one of those humongus $100,000 kitchens where the pantry can outdo the closet space of an average apartment bedroom–or the living room. My previous home had a somewhat small kitchen but with 42″ cherry cabinets, full height granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, etc, etc. And I loved it with as much love I had for cooking and testing healthy meals.
my former kitchen
The apartment I now live in has been upgraded although it is still a very small apartment kitchen. Still, I do have a nice kitchen, although the range is has an electric oven. (Sorry folks, I hate electric ovens and I guess I’ll never get over that.) So my snobbery had focused on what my small apartment kitchen didn’t have, especially those small kitchen cabinets.
What also occurred to me was that while I love to cook, I had simply stopped making so many of the lovely dishes I used to make. Instead, I ate junk food, bought oven-ready, quick-cook packaged meals–not necessarily healthy meals.
My kitchen snobbery got in the way of the pleasure I had in cooking: the challenges; lovely trips to fresh food markets; learning about and trying new foods; browsing and shopping in kitchen stores for new small appliances and kitchen gadgets; the excitement of trying out a new recipe or just an old one; and most of all, sharing a lovely evening with friends over a well cooked, beautifully presented meal that I had made.
The wonderful thing about life, for me, is I can change that. So stay tuned as I start to share with you more of my adventures in apartment living to include what’s going on in the kitchen: from making a dish and drinks to menus to kitchen tools and resources to more table setting ideas.
If you are wondering will I try to repeat the challenges of Julie Powell, NO and again NO. That was truly courageous. I do hope to inspire those of you who love to cook or would like to give it try but live with the limitations of a small apartment kitchen to not be deterred by the size or even lack of amenities in it. Great cooks, even good cooks do it every day.
First Stop for me: shopping online at Sur La Table for a new mandolin slicer and getting my camera ready!
HOWEVER, this adventure will be much more exciting when you share your in the kitchen adventures. Hope to hear from you.
I love to see the flag waving of the United States of America. And I love that that flag waves so proudly on every occasion, especially the Fourth of July. The family gatherings, picnics, sporting celebrations and all the other ways we commemorate Independence Day all so beautifully and dramatically end with spectacular fireworks.
I had so much fun scouring the internet for fabulous table centerpieces and I think I’ve picked out some of the best in the seven shown below. I’m certainly inspired. And I hope you will be too.
Why do we have to wait until evening to set the sparkles. Why not have two sets of sparkles: one to start the celebration and another one for the evening. Add two groupings of sparkles on the table to wet everyone’s expectation of how the evening will be greeted.
the space between blog
This Fourth of July table centerpiece is by far my most favorite. I love its simplicity, yet dramatic effect. And I’ll be out this weekend looking for blue hydrangeas and small flags!!
Danielle Rollins
As always, Susan, from Between Naps on The Porch, created another outstanding centerpiece. The three hurricane lanterns each in colors of the flag of the United States is also simplistic, yet dramatic. Check her website to see them all lit up for the evening.
Between naps on the porch
Humm, hydrangeas again for a centerpiece but all in white. You really can’t loose with these stunning flowers.
hometalk .com
For you nautical loving folks, this boat loaded centerpiece is not only lovely but down right fun. Did you see the tea candle in the miniature lounge chair? A lovely touch of levity to a very special day.
The Painted apron
Light the way with these lighthouse-style hurricane lanterns. They’re much more casual in style than the ones above, and they invoke a nautical touch. So very relaxing.
Home and Garden Design Ideas
Isn’t this an absolutely adorable bouquet centerpiece. In fact, I would say it’s stunning blue and white hydrangeas hugging the red roses is perfect for a small table dining.
Okay all you serious Fourth of July revelers, now that you have been inspired (I hope), get creative! Show me what you come up with! Would love to hear from you.
If you like this post, let me know! Click on the like button below and feel free to share.
Here in the Northern Hemisphere of Wilmington, North Carolina, it feels like summer had arrived well over a week ago! Here, the coolest day temperature for about the past 7 days was 92 degrees!
But the summer solstice is really about the designation of the longest length of daylight. This means, to me, I have more daylight hours to sip on a smoothie or perhaps, and I think I like this idea better, make a colossal banana split. Then I’ll just watch my favorite astro physicist explain summer solstice and our own U.S. Stonehenge, dubbed, Manhattanhenge, on You Tube.
If, however, you choose to celebrate summer solstice 2015 with a trip to the beach, Have A Happy Summer Solstice 2015!
Love to read blogs? Love Bloglovin? And you love getting decorating tips, entertaining and gardening for apartment living. That sounds like a great profile for following my blog Annsliees on Bloglovin. See that code at the top? Bloglovin is picking up my posts via an RSS feed for publication. I’m so excited. Hope to see you there too at Annsliees.com (that’s Annsliees with an “s” at the end).
I love browsing through Houzz.com for ideas and inspirations. It showcases a treasure trove of indoor and outdoor designs by very talented professional designers. And I love sharing my finds with you. In my sidebar, you’ll find my complete selection of inspiring designs for apartments–and for any style, not just transitional.
As I venture through my downsizing experiences and write about it, my focus has now shifted to My Balcony Porch Garden: Year One. Working with what I already have and fitting it into a transitional style is a challenging and fun. That brings me to some of my most favored designs discovered on Houzz. Here are 15 of them.
When you’re blessed with a roof top terrace, the sky is the limit:
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE THIS NYC TERRACE GARDEN! Very contemporary, very clean and simple yet very comforting.
Houzz for Jeffery Erb Landscape Design in NYC
For those of us with covered balconies and porches, a cozy, comforting design works very well–even when we have to stretch out our necks to see the sky.
The take away from all of these designs are simplicity, comforting outdoor furnishings; limited but significant gardening designs in containers; and total inclusion of the outdoors. Editing is critical, as with a simple color palette. Most important is take your cue from nature.
annsliees 
Transitional Style Ideas, Interior Decorating Style, Decorating Tips
transitional style, transitional decor designs, popular
shirley byrd
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Transitional Style Ideas, Interior Decorating Style, Decorating Tips
transitional style, transitional decor designs, popular
shirley byrd
Comment
Transitional Style Ideas, Interior Decorating Style, Decorating Tips
transitional style, transitional decor designs, popular
shirley byrd
Comment
Transitional Style Ideas, Interior Decorating Style, Decorating Tips
transitional style, transitional decor designs, popular
shirley byrd
Comment
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Transitional Style Ideas, Interior Decorating Style, Decorating Tips
transitional style, transitional decor designs, popular
shirley byrd
Comment
Transitional Style Ideas, Interior Decorating Style, Decorating Tips
transitional style, transitional decor designs, popular
shirley byrd
Comment