dovetailer.

Adding watercolor to the Brooklyn landscape.

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 07:53:53 -0400

Inspiration is everywhere, you just need to look for it. Yesterday, while biking over the Manhattan Bridge, I intentionally slowed my pace and vowed to enjoy the scenery and enjoy the moment of being exactly where I was.

I stopped occasionally, taking photos on the way - cool grafitti here, or wire cables there, and then I spotted it. The Fruin water tower. Or water color tower, if you will.

Not knowing if this was part of the high profile water tower art project that had kicked off in the city recently (http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/painting-the-town-wet-the-water-tower-project-coming-to-nyc), I did some quick research to get the story. Turns out that local artist Tom Fruin is behind this gem. Using reclaimed materials, he erected the tower on his own rooftop, which is on Jay Street in DUMBO. This is part of his “Icon” collection, a series of sculptures that celebrate architectural gems in cities around the world, including a similarly colorful rendering of the Obelisco in Buenos Aires. For this Brooklyn piece, Fruin is quoted as saying that he went with a structure that is, “everywhere and beautiful and silently overlooked.” I’ve only seen it in the daytime, but apparently, the tower has timed lights that shine out from the inside, creating a gorgeous stained glass effect for locals to see. I’ll have to return to see it after the sun has set.

Not only is there a great story behind how this work of art came to be, it’s also a splendid and captivating addition to the infrastructure of the neighborhood. Read more here about how it all came together.

http://m.wired.com/underwire/2012/06/tom-fruin-watertower-brooklyn/

Living well in small spaces: How small is too small?

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:57:00 -0400

Mayor Bloomberg has publicly voiced support for a building full of mini-apartments in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan. With a maximum square footage of 270-300 feet, these “micro-units” would be rented out for under $2K per month. While this spacing could feel extremely tight to some, I think it’s a great option for people like me who prefer to live in smaller spaces with just the bare necessities. Bloomberg says that there’s a huge shortfall of affordable studio and one-bedroom apartments in the city, and he’s not wrong. An option like this provides a viable living option for individuals who prefer to live alone or are just starting out in NYC. Location can’t be beat, and neither can the price. Would you live in a space this small? Inquiring minds want to know.

ROUND-UP: Did you miss ICFF? Worry not. The NY Times offers a...

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:00:42 -0400

ROUND-UP: Did you miss ICFF? Worry not. The NY Times offers a slideshow of some of 2012’s most exciting creations to debut. I’m particularly in love with the Studio Dunn console table and Belle Air Faucet from Lefroy Brooks, but nearly all exhibitors deserve credit for creating original, captivating wares. Here are just a few to fawn over:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/05/24/garden/20120524-icff.html?ref=garden

SPOTTED: simple galvanized tubs turned lights hover over a...

Tue, 29 May 2012 10:20:33 -0400

SPOTTED: simple galvanized tubs turned lights hover over a rustic, white tabletop.

unconsumption:

For a rustic look: If you have an old galvanized metal tub, you could simply repurpose it as a lamp.

Lamps pictured are from Atelier Joya, a San Francisco-based “boutique event design and floral company” that makes the lights and other items, such as vintage shutter display pieces and lights made from lobster baskets, available for rent.

(Spotted on Pinterest, on an aptly named “If it’s galvanized, I probably love it” board here.)

Splendid: Food Truck Farming - gardening one mile at a time

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:15:00 -0400

Splendid: Food Truck Farming - gardening one mile at a time:

If the Lorax were to ever actually award a “Certified Truffula Tree of Approval” to a moving vehicle, it’d be a lot more likely to go to a garden-toting truck that brings farms to schools than to a Mazda SUV.

A literal “food truck,” Truck Farm Chicago is a nonprofit organization that uses a 1994 Ford F-250 named Petunia to chauffeur a miniature farm. The project, which revved into gear on Earth Day, is a collaboration between sustainable development nonprofit Seven Generations Ahead and eco-friendly book-printer Green Sugar Press, a recent GOOD Maker finalist whose co-founders Shari Brown and Tim Magner were inspired by King Corn director Ian Cheney’s first truck farm in Brooklyn, NY.

While Truck Farm Chicago is one of about 20 truck farms sprawled across the nation, it’s set apart by its focus on educating Chicago youth and families about healthy eating. Visits to the truck typically last an hour and consist of a short tour of the farm, plant identification, taste tests, and sensory exploration. Off-truck activities include planting a seed in a newspaper pot to nourish at home and painting their favorite lessons straight onto Petunia.

“I was excited about this project as a fun, unique and creative way to bring gardening and nutrition education to children all over the city—especially those who may not otherwise get to see how food grows up close,” Brown says. “Making healthy choices can be challenging, especially when good fresh food and education about why it’s important and how to cook it is not always accessible. Truck Farm is trying to do our part by using our exhibit to spark these discussions, give youth the tools to make healthy choices, and inspire them to use their own creativity to encourage healthy changes in their communities.”

There’s an enormous need for nutritional education in Chicago, where childhood obesity exceeds the national average: According to the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, 35 percent of Illinois children between 10 and 17 are obese. In its first year, Truck Farm visited food deserts and underserved communities throughout the city, reaching 2,738 children at 47 schools. This year, with the help of a Kickstarter campaign, they hope to educate more than 3,000 children, strengthen programming opportunities from starting school gardens to follow-up visits, and spread awareness about the importance of good food.

SPOTTED: BEYOND THE CROWDS AT WANTED DESIGN Friday night’s...

Mon, 21 May 2012 22:33:00 -0400

SPOTTED: BEYOND THE CROWDS AT WANTED DESIGN

Friday night’s opening gala at Wanted Design (11th ave @ 28th St) was a swarm of activity, bodies and new design. The beau and I arrived shortly after the opening time and were faced with a mass of folks who intended to get inside as quickly as possible (either to get out of the cool temperatures or closer to the open bar, or both). The showcase was impressive, and featured a nice array of designers presenting everything from bathroom fixtures to re-purposed furniture, denim jean tailoring, jewelry, and more. My favorite items from the evening were furniture/interior pieces (typical) and moved me for various reasons.

One new wallpaper pattern from Jill Malek, Voyageur, is a representation of flight patterns across the US. Stunning in its busy-ness, the yellow-gold hue lends a fun, mod personality to it, which I think could work really well in a variety of interiors, especially a child’s room or workspace. www.jillmalek.com

I was moved by the simplicity and forms of the Secto design pendants, which are handmade in Finland. Simple and natural in their state, these birch lights immediately reminded me of hoop skirts and french panniers. I find the form appealing, and think this style would work wonderful in over a long dining table in a farm kitchen. www.sectodesign.fi

Debra Folz, who hails from Boston, introduced items from her Pleat collection, including stools and chairs. According to her video, she intended to create structures that celebrate the fabrics upon them. She mentioned that the fabrics are polyester, are pleated in Paris, and treated to be stain resistant which I think would need to be a necessity for anyone in this day and age. www.debrafolz.com

LIVING WELL IN SMALL SPACES: Small living captured in...

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:31:41 -0400

LIVING WELL IN SMALL SPACES: Small living captured in today’s NY Times!

The founder of Treehugger, like me, lives a pared down life. Check out Penelope Green’s great feature on small, simple living in today’s Home section of the NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/garden/the-founder-of-treehugger-and-his-apartment-of-the-future.html?ref=garden

Living Well in Small Spaces: Apartment Therapy’s 8th...

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:25:18 -0400

Living Well in Small Spaces: Apartment Therapy’s 8th Annual Smallest Coolest Home Contest

If you’ve needed more proof that living well in small spaces was possible, all you need to do is look through the numerous entries for this year’s smallest coolest home contest. As you’ll see from the albums of pictures, there are lots of other folks who, like me, find comfort in dwelling in a small spaces. Click through to see picture after picture of small yet inspiring living areas and the design tricks and ideas that make these homes personable, comfortable and downright cozy.

http://community.apartmenttherapy.com/contests/smallcool/2012

Splendid: a food and drink tour of Crown Heights

Mon, 07 May 2012 21:54:00 -0400

Splendid: a food and drink tour of Crown Heights:

Gritty. Undergoing revitalization. Off the beaten path… Crown Heights is all of these things, but not for long. In fact, traffic there — foot, bike, car, pedestrian — is higher than ever (as is the, ahem, crime), which means it’s only a matter of time before Crown Heights becomes the next Park Slope or Pro-Heights. I’ve been to a handful of these eateries, most recently Chavelas. They offer an incredible veggie Don Platos sampler platter of delicious nibbles including beans, guac, spanish rice and more. It’s $12 and perfectly portioned for two, so a very affordable meal. Get the cactus tacos if you go - there’s nothing like them.

The rest of the neighborhood is quickly evolving into a haven of small boutiques, vintage shops, organic eateries, coffee breweries and more. I think we’ll be seeing/eating/drinking a lot more from Crown Heights establishements in the months to come.

Smart: repurposing & utilizing materials viewed as...

Mon, 07 May 2012 21:40:24 -0400

Smart: repurposing & utilizing materials viewed as useless.

unconsumption:

Accompanying a growing awareness of the wastefulness underlying the modern global economy, a new approach to art has flourished in recent years, one dealing with the repurposing and utilization of materials discarded or viewed as useless. Written by street art commentator Tristan Manco, the new book “Raw + Material = Art” delves into these techniques and philosophies by exploring the works of 38 artists using low-tech, low-cost media and methods. The selected artists provoke thought on both subject and medium, and continue to push what’s possible by working at “the raw edge of contemporary art.”

(via Raw Material = Art)

Spotted: Cover of New York Design Hunting Mag, launching May 15

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:08:43 -0400

I’m so very excited for the upcoming launch of ‘New York Design Hunting,’ the new stand-alone home design magazine from New York Mag (only the best local culture/news/shopping and events mag in all of NYC). This hits newsstands May 15!

Splendid: TRADhome Spring 2012 Issue

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:31:05 -0400

Full disclosure: I work for Traditional Home magazine (and Better Homes and Gardens as well). And while I generally don’t post items from either of these pubs, I feel I have to give a shout out to the lovely + inspirational new issue of TRADhome magazine (www.tradhomemag.com), the digital shelter pub from the editors at Traditional Home. This is the 2nd issue of TRADhome to launch (3rd one due this Fall) and the response has been wonderful - especially from the design community and especially on social media. I welcome you to check it out for yourself and see why people are buzzing. Here are a few of my favorite stories from this issue:

-Feature on our 10 New Traditionals (a.k.a. designers to watch) and pictures of the gorgeous environments they’ve created. (p. 105)

-Top 10 design apps for designers. Whether you’re a designer or just pretend to be one in the confines of your own home, these apps were selected by some of today’s top talent. Are there others you like to use? (p. 52)

-Check out this design makeover at the Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children in LA. See how two dynamic women enlisted designers to do a design overhaul of 30 rooms that is visually and emotionally stunning. (p. 94)

There’s so much more, but you should devour it on your own. Enjoy!

Surround Yourself With Things You Love: The art of Alyssa Monks

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:41:00 -0400

When you view the collection of art by Alyssa Monks, you’ll find flesh and body paintings in such stunning detail, you’ll wonder if they’re actually photographs. In her craft, Monks utilizes filters such as glass, water and steam, and then applies brush detailing to achieve this lifelike effect. To view her collection and order Giclee prints of some images, visit www.alyssamonks.com

Are you on Pinterest, too?

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:03:00 -0400

Being the PR Manager for Better Homes and Gardens and Traditional Home magazine comes with its perks. Like being surrounded by creative people who live for inspiration! BHG, which is a visually driven brand anyhow, jumped into Pinterest before it was even a “thing,” and now boasts fifty thousand followers (for all BHG boards) and 350,000 followers for individual BHG boards. That’s a lot of eye candy! Here’s a story I landed in today’s NY Times about BHG’s success on Pinterest: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/business/media/marketers-find-a-friend-in-pinterest.html?_r=1

As you can probably tell from the photo snapshot I attached of my Pinterest boards, I’m a Pin-junkie as well, especially when it comes to interior design products and ideas. Feel free to check out my visual cravings as of late: http://pinterest.com/cjayp/

And if you’re on Pinterest, let me know so I can follow you, too!

CONSUMING LESS, LEARNING MORE My tumblr is all about living...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:01:08 -0400

CONSUMING LESS, LEARNING MORE

My tumblr is all about living simply and consciously, and that means paying attention to the amount of food that our house buys and consumes. I love that an artist interpreted this same notion on a larger scale. This wonderful story and picture series drives home the point that over 1/3 of the world’s food goes to waste, according to a UN estimate. These stunning portraits of different foods in advanced stages of decay is quite beautiful and reminds us that we all can likely consumer less in our day to day lives.

unconsumption:

Nobody likes to see good food go bad. But Klaus Pichler’s photography series One Third, which portrays food in advanced stages of decay, is a feast for the eyes — even if it turns the stomach.

The project was inspired by the fact that much of the world’s food goes to waste — one-third, according to a 2011 United Nations estimate.

To highlight the overlooked value in everyday foods, Pichler approached his project as if it was an advertising photo shoot for a high-end brand. He started with common items from the supermarket, like cheese, strawberries and cauliflower.

After letting each food fester for a few weeks, he arranged it in his studio for a luxurious portrait.

This particular image doesn’t strike me as “revolting” (in fact, it’s sort of appealing), but this project does make a memorable point about waste…

(via Revealing The Revolting Beauty Of Food Waste : The Salt : NPR)

Let the urban gardening begin!

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:35:00 -0400

This very morning, D and I were able to secure a wonderful plot at a local community garden. This is a picture of the garden area, not our plot, so more on our particular space later. For me, it’s been over a year since I’ve gotten some dirt under my fingernails. While the plot will be the smallest garden I’ve ever had the pleasure of cultivating, I know there’s lots of ways to maximize the space and grow an abundance of vegetables, fruits and herbs - I’ve done a bit of vertical gardening before, but this will be a new challenge! This particular garden is located in Prospect Heights and was started in 1975. It’s completely organic, and no poisons are allowed. We also had the pleasure of seeing new bee hives that were recently installed. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to spending time in this urban sanctuary and posting updates on our little piece of garden.

Splendid! Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:17:41 -0400

Splendid! Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups:

Couldn’t resist posting about one of my favorite vegan treats. Enjoy!

madewell:

Not only does Maui native Tori Praver make the coolest graphic bikinis—which, of course, you can snag right here at Madewell—she also cooks up a storm. Below, the model-turned-designer shows us how to make the greatest chocolate peanut butter cups on Earth.

So I have a real obsession with…

Splendid: Camp in my Garden

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:16:33 -0400

Here’s a unique concept that gets my vote. Rent out your backyard to campers! It seems to be popular in Europe, as the US map only lists two locations. Needless to say, it’d be great to see a notion like this take off stateside - especially perfect for folks who want to partake of big festivals, concerts and sporting events without paying the high cost for hotels and lodging.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/garden-camping-every-room-with-a-view-camp-in-my-garden-168966

Living well in small spaces: Pliio clothing filers

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:03:44 -0400

Got tees?

If you’re like me, you probably have too many. And you probably can never find the one you want when you want it. And then, there was Pliio.

When my friend Beth Zeigler of Bneato.com posted about Pliio a few weeks ago, I immediately was drawn in. Perfect for keeping shirts organized, Pliio is a super simple wardrobe filer product that you use to fold and keep shirts neat. How great is this for small apts? Really great. Line them up in a drawer like a stack of books, or place your filed shirts in your suitcase…they make putting away clothes easy and efficient. And the best part? You’ll never have to wonder where your favorite tee shirt is ever again.

www.pliio.com

www.bneato.com

SMART FIND: Elkay EZ H20 water bottle filling station I was...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:44:36 -0400

SMART FIND: Elkay EZ H20 water bottle filling station

I was heading to my clas the other day at the YMCA when I stopped to fill my water bottle from the water fountain (a.k.a a “bubblah” for anyone from Massachusetts) and discovered this smart contraption newly installed on the wall instead. A two-in-one water filling station, it allows for super convenient hydration, whether you’re with a reusable bottle or not. I particularly loved that I was able to fill my bottle in mere seconds, which is great when you need a hydration break right in the middle of class.

More info here: http://www.elkayusa.com/cps/rde/xchg/elkay/hs.xsl/ezh2o.aspx