Midwestern Malaise

60 Years

2012-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

Six decades is a long time for anything. Many congratulations.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

2012-01-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

I posted some website shots of the Kauffman center when it opened this past fall. We went to a concert tonight and I took a few phone shots of my own and thought I'd share. You enter the building and then take stairs or an elevator up to the main level where this was taken. Yes, the front wall and ceiling are glass. And yes, its stunning.

There are two performance halls, the Muriel Kauffman theater, and Helzberg Hall, both serviced by this lobby. Multiple bars make grabbing a pre-show drink a breeze, and Chris the cute bartender made it a pleasure.
We had super seats in the orchestra, third row center, which you actually walk down to from the lobby. Since we had a little time we took our drinks up a level and walked the length of the building. Its beautiful from pretty much any vantage point.

This shot is inside the theatre, and its a little bit deceptive. Those panels that front the balcony and boxes are indeed reflective, but far less harsh in person. They don't reflect so yellow in person either, the way they do here and in every photograph I've seen. When I first saw pictures I thought it might be a little bit garish but its really not. There is a lot of color in the seats, carpets, and wall panels, so its not subdued, but its nothing crazy either.

We saw An evening with Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin. I enjoyed the show, but it made me realize the one way in which I'm a bad gay: I have almost no knowledge of, or love for, musical theatre. Brett has a little more knowledge and thanks to him I now know Patti Lupone was the definitive Evita.

We turned around for one last shot as we walked a couple blocks to the car in the bone-chilling night air. I think the symphony will be our next ticket and I'm really looking forward to going back.

Monster Marbro

2012-01-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

The auction house I hit most here in town shuts down a little before Christmas through the end of the year. Tuesday night was the first sale of 2012. Nothing I needed badly, but there were three Marbro lamps I wanted to see. I don't know a lot about Marbro other than they were in Los Angeles and they made some pretty spectacular lamps back in the day, which sell for quite a bit on eBay.

The first was a crystal column with bronze fittings and a grey linen shade, the sort of thing we could totally use around here. I reluctantly let go at 80 and it sold for twice that.

The last was a bottle-shaped, carved marble number with a carved and pierced floral band around the body. People at auctions go crazy for marble and I never even got in the fray. I think it ended up going for 170. And then in the middle there was this:

Yes, that's a normal wine bottle, so yes, it's huge. In fact from the table to the top of the finial is 46 inches, so its just shy of four feet.

Chinoiserie chrysanthemums on a white background, with a gilt base, pull chains as well as an inline switch on the cord. The quality is there, this thing is heavy as hell. Looking over the body it appears to be flawless. It was lit at the auction house so electricaly everything seems to be in working order, although I always feel better when vintage lamps get new wiring. The base even seems good if just a bit dusty.

I love a big lamp, and you know I love a little Asian flavor, but sadly this bad boy doesn't really fit in here. Someone's got the love as well as the perfect spot though, so this weekend its going up on eBay. Of the 60-some Marbro lamps currently listed there are a number of chinoiserie styles, but none this big or this model. I'm hoping it does well as I still have one brass lamp here to take in for nickel plating. Wish me luck. Or even better, bid your best!

The Facebook makes me laugh

2012-01-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

A strong DIY urge

2012-01-11T20:11:00.000-08:00

I've been in the mood for a project. Unfortunately I've also been a slug. I had every intention of starting my burnt orange faux-lacquer sideboard last weekend. The weather was nice enough I could have opened up the garage and started stripping the old finish, but as the snow is falling outside now I fear that ship has sailed.

Still there's this:

It's already down in the basement, where its warm, along with a plastic dropcloth. A non-toxic, low VOC stripper would be fine to use down there.

I want to strip it down to bare wood and take a look at Minwax's charcoal gray stain. They have a couple other gray options too, and Sherwin-Williams has 25% off January 12 through the 29th.

But there's still the issue of the top. The wood frame around the edge is just fine, but the "field," consisting of some patterned veneer is done. Some is curling up and some is just plain gone. I was thinking about a stone top and stopped by Carthage Marble here in town a while back. I asked about off-cuts or remnants, which they'll cut and edge. For my 42 inch table the price would be right around 700 bucks. Obviously NOT what I'm going to put on my 50 buck Craigslist table.

But what about filling in with this?

Its slate, the color is Silver Shine. Best of all, it's veneer. A tiny slice of stone backed with fiberglass, easily cut with hand shears and applied with plain old construction adhesive. Best of all, two 2x4 foot sheets are $109.

Now if I can just pull myself off the couch this weekend and get started.

The emancipation of Ladybird

2012-01-04T17:40:00.000-08:00

photo credit: JoeMyGod

Well, the race just got a lot less funny.

Odds, ends, and a recipe

2011-12-23T15:31:00.000-08:00

Its Christmas Eve eve, the work week is done, and I'm in good shape for my weekend. I do need to make one run to the grocery store which I will do tomorrow when I'm rested and more likely to withstand the crowd.

I want to wish you a merry Christmas on Sunday, or a happy Chanukah right now, or whatever you celebrate, may it be everything you hope for.

I also missed posting something I do every December 15th, so to a certain man out there who reads the blog I'd like to say one more time, happy anniversary baby. 14 years, who would have thought.

And finally, a little gift to everyone reading who needs a vegetable side for the weekend. Not exactly a recipe because I don't really measure things out, but here's how I do brussels sprouts, and they're always a hit:

You'll need:

1/2 of a white onion, thinly sliced

3-4 strips of bacon (I like thick and peppery), diced

1/2 stick unsalted butter

Sprouts (I usually get a full third of a plastic produce bag)

Decent olive oil, but don't feel like you have to use super-good stuff

white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons of a good stone-ground or french mustard

Set your oven to 350 if you're going to roast. With no oven I use a crock pot on high and it seems to work just fine.

Clean your sprouts by removing bad leaves, and make a fresh cut on the end, then cut them all in half unless they're small and bite-sized.

In your skillet brown the bacon until its crispy. Remove. You may pour off the excess fat if you wish, frankly I leave most of it in. Fat is delicious.

Melt butter in same pan, add onions, and cook until they're golden and soft. Add bacon back, and sprouts. Move everything around to coat the sprouts in the butter and onion, and cook for a few minutes until the sprouts get some color on them.

While sprouts are cooking, mix about 1/3 cup of olive oil, about the same amount of white wine vinegar, and the mustard. Voila, vinegrette.

When the sprouts have some color (5-7 minutes maybe) remove from heat. Pour vinegrette over and toss to coat. Pour everything into roasting pan, and finish in the oven until tender but not mushy. I'd say 30-45 minutes, but you should test with a knife or a toothpick. Or do what I do and eat one every few minutes.

If you're trying the crockpot like me the time is about the same. Last time mine went a bit over an hour and I would have liked them a little more firm. Just test and go until they're as done as you like them. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve em up warm and enjoy.

Somebody please buy these

2011-12-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

Currently on eBay, Edward Wormley for Dunbar, here. 32" wide, 15" deep, 25" tall. The Buy It Now is $2200, offers also accepted. Local pickup in Chicago.

They'd go lots of places, I think they'd be super as nightstands.

Opportunists

2011-12-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

The bathroom we just renovated is large, but because its a Hollywood bath between two bedrooms the layout is limited. Two doors, a window, sink, shower and toilet didn't leave a lot of room for storage. Using a pedistal sink rather than a vanity didn't help, although I'm totally in love with that sink.

So we needed a storage piece that would fit into one specific corner. This is Restoration Hardware's Shutter bath cabinet. We took a look at it, vaguely thought it might fit, but for just over a grand we didn't bother to measure.

Fast forward to Christmas shopping. We needed to pick up a few things that Resto on the Plaza was out of, so we headed out to the Leawood store. Imagine our surprise when the sign said the store was closing. Imagine our further surprise when everything in the store was half off.

That was enough for us, we drove immediately back home to measure to see if it would work. It would, and we bought it. The only disappointment is that we can't actually go get it until January 21st, when the store finally shuts it all down. They said they need to maintain the store's look until closing day, which seems a bit ridiculous to me. Everything is there, but everything is marked sold.

I asked why the store was closing and the lady said the company was closing all stores not in historic buildings. Apparently they closed two in Houston and opened one new one in a former US Post Office building. Houstonians, is that true?

I have no idea why they're doing it, if you know anything I'd love to hear. I do have a theory. I think they know they've gotten a bit of a rep for knocking off great old things. For basically being imitators. I think they're trying to give their repros a bit more weight by putting their stores in locations with some architectural pedigree.

Again, just a theory, and not even one I think will work. But I'm not a stickler for provenance on everything I own, and often find something I like. Mostly I'm just glad the store nearest Chez Malaise is staying open.

And its not even Christmas yet

2011-12-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

Its been a really good week. I won the Patch NYC candle giveaway from Hello Gorgeous and Boxwood Home in Rehoboth Beach! I happened to be home yesterday afternoon when the UPS man pulled up and I couldn't wait to open my package. Its the triple wick stag candle, and it smells fantastic, piney and clean. I even got extra matches, which I really dig. I have a Zippo candle lighter, but there's just something about using a book of matches that feels good.

You should take a look at Boxwood Home's website for candles or anything else you might need to spruce up your place. I literally don't see anything I wouldn't want to own.

One of these days I hope to visit Rehoboth Beach (its a world gay heritage site you know) and when I do this will be my first stop. Unless I manage to track down the address for HG's beach house, then I'm stopping there first to demand gin and tonic, then a ride to Boxwood Home on the back of her Vespa. Thank you to HG and Boxwood Home!

Boxwood Home

39 Baltimore Avenue

Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

The other cool thing that happened was my company's holiday lunch. We're privately held, and as such we're treated really well. So well in fact, that in the year you hit your ten year anniversary, which I did in September, you get recognized at the holiday lunch with a gift.

Rather than a catalog of stuff you really can't get excited about (like my 10 year pocket multi-tool I got when I worked at Sprint), we get to make an appointment with Kansas City's old-guard jeweler, Tivol, to pick out a watch.

Before you think it's all crazy and limitless, it's not. But what the company pays is truly generous, and we're welcome to add to it ourselves to get the timepiece we really want. I banked my tax refund this year in anticipation and for not even all of that ended up with something I really love, my steel Rolex GMT-Master II.

Inscribed with our company logo, a 10 year anniversary notation and my initials, I put it back in the box to take a picture. Even the box and paperwork are beautiful. And other than when I'm asleep that's the longest it's been off my wrist since noon on Wednesday.

I know just how incredibly lucky I am to work where I do, where we're treated so generously and graciously, and it really is an organization I'm happy to be a part of.

The 2011 MidMal Gift Guide

2011-12-10T04:57:00.000-08:00

I can't believe its already December. I've mentioned before that we cap Christmas pretty low around here, but if we were made of money here are some things I'd ask for as well as give.

For the boys:

I mentioned this once before, and I'm still in love with this topcoat from LBM1911. You might be familiar with Lubiam for their men's suiting. This is their less constructed line, but you still get super Italian tailoring and fabrication. From the Aficionado Shop at Haberdash in Chicago. Not cheap, and I'm betting totally worth it.

I tend to go for umbrellas that are small, black and cheap because I lose them. For those who can keep track of their stuff how about this: Blackwatch, lined in orange, with a maple handle and shaft and silver ferrule. A collaboration between London Undercover and Michael Williams of the blog A Continuous Lean. Available here.

This summer my company moved downtown, and gone was convenient parking just a 3 floor elevator ride away. No longer able to run to the car for anything I needed I began carrying a small man bag. SO NICE to not have pockets crammed with whatever I need for the day. This is the No. 95 shoulder satchel from Billykirk. I had a different bag from them that I ended up eBaying because it was too small for what I needed to carry, but I can attest to the quality. These things are well made, he (or you) will have it for years. Here.

This year my jewelry pick is supremely casual. This is the hook bracelet from Miansai. Available in lots of colors and quite a few designs, the simplicity of this one is my favorite. Stack it over a really nice watch.

I always have a bandana around for covering my head while I paint. This bleach dye-printed one by Grei, availble from Unionmade in San Francisco is fantastic. Like a scarf, only smaller. It comes crinkled and rolled. I'd tie it loose around my neck, almost like a necklace, under a casual button-front shirt.

Speaking of casual button-front shirts, here's a sweet blue plaid also available at Unionmade. Its the Shorthorn Shirt in indigo flannel check from Levi's Vintage Clothing. Not your regular Levi stuff, until recently LVC was hard to find in the US. I'm glad to see it's become more available here.

There is no piece of clothing I like more than jeans, and I know I'm not alone. Why not wear something not everyone else has. This is the Cutter jean from Denham the Jeanmaker in Amsterdam. Their washes are done by artisans in Italy and Japan. Available online obviously. Also, next time you have an afternoon to kill, hit the website and click on the Denham Garment Library. These guys are clothes geeks as well as collectors, and their obsession makes for hours of interesting reading.

Since I've very nearly put together a whole outfit, how about some boots to finish it off. I think most men like boots, and I like ankle boots especially. These distressed leather side-zips, the James boot from Frye, would be super easy to wear with almost anything. Check his size, I think Frye runs about a half size small. I know my Frye harness boots do. Again, there are sales everywhere, google for the best price.

For the house:

I know, Restoration Hardware is responsible for the linen-and-oak'ing of America and we're all kind of tired of it. Still, every so often they do a repro I really like. For example, the 1930's Twin Raven Urn. In resin, you could use it inside or out, if your out was a covered porch or patio. At 29 inches tall it'll make an impact alone, even more so as a pair. Also, Resto is in the process of shutting down stores, not for poor performance, but rather to relocate to historic buildings. I've got some thoughts and would love to hear yours, I'll do a separate post soon.

How great are these. Nine inch, supremely simple crystal candlesticks by Thomas O'Brien for Reed and Barton. Google that phrase for the best deal as they're fairly widely available but the price points are all over the map. I got outbid on a pair of these by a dealer I knew at an auction a while back. There were other things in that lot, and I hope he made money on those things because I picked these up out of his booth for about what I'd bid. They look terrific next to a nickel plated lamp on the black Chinese cabinet in our living room. I bet someone you buy for has a perfect spot too.

Here's something I never thought I'd recommend, its the Horse Group from Lladro. Yes, its porcelain. That black glaze changes everything. They've always made beautiful things, they've just never made things I'd want to give or own. Until now. I think this piece is really interesting, then again, I have a bit of a thing for horse statuary.

While we're talking about art and gift giving, do you check out www.20x200.com? New art, every week, reasonably priced. Look often. Below is Jenny Odell's 1376 Cylindrical Industrial Buildings. Google Earth is her art supply store.

Did you know Thayer Coggin is still producing Milo Baughman designs? They are, and wouldn't a pair of these be super for anyone who's a fan of his work. See the website to find a dealer in your area.

Raina previewed these blackened aluminum horse heads back when they were new at West Elm, and I still dig them. Sold individually, you should buy a pair and give them as bookends.

And then here's an odd thing that I can't quite get out of my head. Remember when phones had cords? And the one in the kitchen had a really long cord? Sometimes I kind of miss the feel of that old handset. These, from Yubz, plug into your cell, and the colors are way better than anything we ever got from Southwestern Bell. Here.

Books are always a great gift. If someone on your list likes vintage clothing you're set. The third in Rin Tanaka's King of Vintage series, it's a pictorial examination of vintage clothing dealer Larry McKaughan's vast collection of American clothing and accessories. Available from either Amazon or currently from JCrew.

And finally, I ended last year's gift guide with a little vintage luxury courtesy of a sweet 76 Eldorado convertible in Innsbruck Blue. This year I'm in the mood for vintage muscle. This 71 Dodge Challenger looks fast standing still in white with black striping and tinted glass. Similar models (and convertibles!) fully restored run about 90 grand on eBay and might be the perfect way to soak up some excess cash. It could wreck both your driving record and your relationship with your insurance agent but its still supremely cool.

Whatever you celebrate, all of us here at Chez Malaise hope your holiday finds you happy, healthy, and surrounded by those you love. That's ultimately the best gift of all.

The good is everywhere

2011-12-06T11:33:00.001-08:00

You might remember this post where I exposed an eBay seller with a price of over two grand on a Ralph Lauren Henredon buffet that I know he picked up on Craigslist for $400 or less.

I received an email the other day from a reader who found that post after buying the same piece and doing a little research. He picked up the buffet and the round mirror both for $200 at his local thrift shop.

They're great pieces and perfectly scaled for his space, and much more reasonably priced. Scott, congratulations to you and your Mrs. on a super deal.

I should also note that his email, the second really nice message I received last week, reminded me that people actually do read this blog. I was reluctantly thinking about giving up but seem to have found my second wind. Later this week, The MidMal Holiday Gift Guide, chock-full of good stuff for your house and your man.

In case you wanted something from Barneys

2011-11-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

I'm more "Cyber Monday" than "Black Friday," and in case you are too, here's a cautionary tale. That shirt above? Its by Gitman Vintage, made from deadstock japanese indigo-dyed cloth, and as such, a limited release. I like it. I was going to order it from Unionmade in San Francisco, but they didn't have my size. I emailed to ask if they were expecting more, and they replied right back, sorry that they were not.

I found it at Barneys and I've ordered it twice. I've gotten a confirmation email, and then sometime after the expected delivery date I've received an email saying my order was cancelled. The first said there was a problem with my card (I checked, there's not). The second said they couldn't verify my shipping address (which I did enter correctly per the screen shot I printed). Customer Service has done nothing other than tell me "It's been picked, it just hasn't been shipped yet, you'll get an email when its on the way."

I tried it one last time last night. I used my debit card rather than AMEX, and had it shipped to the house rather than my office so the billing and delivery addresses were the same. Cross your fingers for me.

***UPDATE***My card has been charged, apparently 3rd time is the charm.

***UPDATE 2***Spoke too soon. Nothing yet, other than fruitless calls to Customer Service.

MidMal Reviews: Aruba

2011-11-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

And we're back from Aruba. Eight days of this. (Seriously, every picture I took was from a beach chair).
Even the one I posted on the Facebook to wish everyone a happy halloween.

My thoughts? The weather is perfect. Its nearly always around 80 degrees with a constant breeze. And I'm not at all surprised that Eagle Beach (where our hotel was) consistently makes the list of top 10 beaches. White sand like sugar, clear turquoise water that's refreshing but not too cold, and seemingly never crowded. The occasional beefy boy in board shorts doesn't hurt either.

We liked the island. We didn't really do much with our days other than enjoy the beach, and that was fine (and super relaxing). Take sunscreen, the rays are strong. In the evenings we headed down to the high rise resort area. The local bus is easy and cheap, and if you don't want to do that cabs are everywhere. The casinos at the resorts are small but the blackjack tables were generally good to us. And while we're a bit old for it, there are lots of clubs for all the drinking and dancing you can stand.

We did take an excursion to an all-inclusive recreational island one day but it was pretty bad, so I won't even bother to tell you about it. The only other issue we had was the food. Expensive across the board and generally not very good. We had a kitchenette in our room and every intention of stopping at the grocery store for breakfast and lunch supplies, but it was easier to stay in our loungers and let Lucy bring us burgers and beers from the beach bar. We'll do it differently next time.

Very much geared toward Americans, English is spoken everywhere and your dollars are just fine, although part of your change may include Aruban coins. All in all a very easy trip to take, and I'd totally go back.

We're out

2011-10-23T22:22:00.001-07:00

The next couple of days will be super busy, and then we're gone for a bit. When we get back I'm hoping to get on some furniture projects so posting should pick up. See you soon.

Ridiculously cute

2011-10-20T17:18:00.001-07:00

Apparently the blue penguins that got caught in the oil spill in New Zealand benefit from a sweater while they await cleaning. Not only does it keep them warm, but it keeps them from preening and ingesting oil and sludge. A yarn shop in Napier posted a pattern and asked for help, and the sweaters are pouring in. I don't think animal first aid has ever been more adorable.

Enjoy your weekend!

Basic black

2011-10-16T16:37:00.001-07:00

There's a third coat of poly to go on this, and then of course base moulding and such, but cute French Dan's crew is nearly done with the floors. We're very pleased with the results and nearly giddy at the thought we can move out of the master bedroom and back into the rest of the house.

Saturday night out

2011-10-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

I turn 44 on Sunday. That being a sucky night of the week to celebrate anything, Brett's taking me to dinner Saturday night. I was told to choose anywhere I like, so I did (not McDonalds) and I'm looking forward to it. I'm also noticing a number of odd connections. Join me for a rambling, mildly interesting and ultimately pointless story all centering on one intersection in town won't you?

We're having dinner at The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange at 20th and Main. They're having their first Rieger Invitational, a four course dinner prepared by chefs from four different restaurants in KC, Lawrence, St. Louis and Chicago.

This building is the parking lot where Port Fonda parks their Airstream and serves up Mexican street food every weekend. You know we love Port Fonda, The Facebook records a check-in for us nearly every weekend, and after drinks with my co-workers tonight I stopped for chilaquiles to soak up the scotch.

The restaurant is supposed to be very good, and in an old building called the Rieger Hotel. For years it was the Dixie Belle, KC's most infamous gay bar, with one of the nastiest (and frankly, most fun!) basements I've ever had a drink in.

The building was eventually bought and renovated with two very nice apartments upstairs and the restaurant space on the ground floor. The formerly filthy and scandalous basement was renovated (with industrial strength cleaners I'm sure) and became Ryan Mabee's speakeasy called Manifesto. There is also a two car garage off the back alley serving the larger (full 3rd floor/part of the 2nd floor plus the rooftop garden) apartment via both stairs and an elevator.

The building is currently for sale and you can see some photographs and the floor plans here. On the representing realtor's site the price is down to 1.85 million rather than the 2.1 on the information site. We toured the larger apartment on a downtown loft tour a few years ago. Its a beautiful renovation overall, although I think the fireplace in the main apartment is far too big, and the open shower in the master bath desperately needs floor to ceiling glass. The kitchen set up is a bit wonky for me, but it's nothing that couldn't be fixed. If I had a couple mil hanging around I could totally live there.

Except, and this is the final connection, it would kill me to pay the current owners anywhere near the list price. Who are they? I did some research and I believe it's the Omers. Yes, that wretched woman who's BMW convertible I yanked the bumper off while parking the Rover when I stopped to buy dog poop bags in Brookside.

Apparently they've moved to northern California where I hope she and her 325 continue to be battered by bad drivers and careless parkers. I'm sure the carrying costs aren't anything they can't handle, but I can't help but smile every time I see the For Sale sign. Yeah, the market's been hard, but what she's putting out into the world isn't doing her any favors either.

Blue bedroom, version 2

2011-10-04T18:59:00.001-07:00

When we moved into the house we were sleeping in the first bedroom you come to when you walk down the hall. The blue flocked damask wasn't exactly inviting, but it wasn't as depressing as the faded pink damask in the master or the dirty burlap covering the walls in the third bedroom.

Burlap was the first to go and became the gray bedroom with the window seat where we sleep now, and we turned our attention to the living room, family room and entry.

With those rooms and the hallway and closets all renovated, all that was keeping us from having the floors done was the blue bedroom. As fate would have it Bill was available, as was Chris the electrician. Down came the walls and up went new wiring, insulation and drywall. Steve worked his mud and tape magic and it was time for paint.

We had no idea what we wanted, other than some contrast. I'd thought about some pale aqua blues, but looking at chips what hit me was Benjamin Moore's Blue Danube.

It's darker and more blue-green than it looks here, the flash kind of washed it out a bit. The ceiling is the same pale grey (Sherwin-Williams' Fleur de Sel) we're using everywhere, and when the white base and crown are up I think we're going to be pleased.

I'm planning on hanging a lot of black and white art in medium toned wood frames. I got a start on that last Tuesday at KC Auction Co's fall catalog sale. It's an abstract mixed media by Lei Molin (Dutch, 1927-1990). The catalog described it as having a rabbit on the right side, but Brett sees a buffalo. Either way, it's the kind of thing I like, I got it dirt cheap, and I can't wait to get it to the framer. Public artwork service reminder: a mat serves to preserve the work, do not sandwich your piece between the mount and the glass!

Fashion Friday

2011-09-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

I'm still in the mood for a new coat, and I'm still enamored with LBM 1911. This is their pea coat. SO handsome.

Have a great weekend!

Schnauzers galore

2011-09-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, let's celebrate with puppy pics! Tucker got his first haircut, making him even more insanely cute. Brett had to hold him as he still doesn't often stop moving. And there's Alex, up on the bed for a little time away.
My mom has a new addition as well. Here's Sadie, who's all of 10 weeks old, looking a lot bigger than she actually is. Black and silver schnauzers are kind of rare, I'm really hoping she keeps her color, but thats puppy hair so who knows what she'll end up as. Again, not holding still gets you picked up. Oh and I guess I should say here's my mom too. She'd probably prefer a picture of herself when she was a bit more put together but she doesn't read my blog so she'll never know.

And here's Sadie looking at the dogs across mom's cul-de-sac. She makes Tucker seem comatose by comparison. She's a non-stop needle-toothed biting monster. Mom called one day, I asked how the baby was and she said "We can't catch her." I said "Tell me you're not taking her out without a leash" and she said "No, I mean inside."

Like I always say, they make them cute so you don't kill them.

Shelving choices

2011-09-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a pair of bookshelves to flank the opening between the living and dining room. Its been surprisingly hard to find something simple, in a material I like, in the size I need. I think these parsons towers from West Elm are pretty good in the walnut finish and they're the perfect size.

Here's the question for those of you who see these types of things: Have you seen something similar in glass and steel?

Curtain up

2011-09-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Our new performing arts center opens this weekend. Info on the building, ballet, symphony, opera and more at www.kauffmancenter.org. Those of you interested in architecture (Stefan I'm thinking of you especially) should also google 'Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts' or check out http://kauffman.kansascity.com for more photos. Open house all day on Sunday, with free performances inside and out. Locals I hope to see you there!

House progress

2011-09-12T19:19:00.001-07:00

We've had some stuff going on at Chez Malaise. Yay! The hall has had the old gold wallpaper stripped and is currently being skimcoated. (Pardon that gray bar, I can't seem to get that pic to upload right).
The second bedroom, formerly a sea of faded blue flocked damask wallpaper (except for the strips that had fallen off the wall), has new wiring, lighting, insulation and drywall. Mud and tape should be finished this week. This is especially exciting because the bedroom and hall were the only things standing in the way of having the rest of the floors refinished.

And because I'm incapable of waiting until everything is done before shopping, here's the rug I bought. I'll post a better shot when its down on the floor, but I'm really pleased. We wanted some pattern and we both like orientals, but finding the right one wasn't easy. I wanted orange rather than red, and not too much tan. I thought we'd hit every rug gallery in town until we remembered one we'd missed, and they had the winner.

We bought a 6X9 as we're working on the short axis of the family room. They have one more of this same rug in a larger size which is an interesting thought for the living room. It was rolled and folded over in a corner of the shop, I'm kind of hoping they leave it there until we're ready to furnish that room.

The anniversary

2011-09-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

In July of 2001 I was laid off my job at Sprint. After nine years in Long Distance I'd been at Sprint PCS for a year and while I liked my boss and co-workers the rest of the company was batshit insane. The end of my position was a relief more than anything. I sat across the table from my Director, one of a number of truly wretched women I'd worked with, while she tried to find some semblance of human emotion to let me down easy. It was taking her forever, so I finally said "Crystal, I've figured my severance and really this is fine." She thanked me for making it easy for her (looking back I wish I would have made myself cry) and we were done.

That began what I referred to as my Blissful Unemployment. Free summer days, sleeping in days, pool days, all unencumbered by a pesky job. I had no clue what I'd do next, but I was paid through January, so I had time to figure it out.

At the beginning of September an old friend called. He was the head of Operations at a commercial insurance brokerage, and he had a position to fill. We had lunch, and I said yes. And we decided on a start day. I remember telling him "I've enjoyed my joblessness so much, I need one more day. Lets make it Tuesday."

So there I was in my cube, just a bit before 8:30 central, setting a picture of Brett and the dogs on my desk when my new manager Kim stopped by. She said "You should come watch the television in the conference room with us, a plane just hit one of the World Trade Center towers." I was watching that television with strangers who would become my friends when the second plane hit.

I remember Mike getting to the office, having heard what happened on the drive in. I remember calling Brett at work to make sure he knew. The only other thing I really remember is the email from Kevin, the owner of the company, telling us he had no idea what was happening, but that we should all go home and be with our families. The rest of the day I remember mostly as sitting in front of the tv, and the appearance of flags everywhere.

The disaster showed us our best and our worst, made the world love us and revile us, and changed us in ways both significant and ridiculous. I wish I had some big take-away, but I don't.

Putting antiques to work

2011-09-05T15:14:00.001-07:00

Previously our entry was divided from the living room by an opening that was smaller and contained a built-in planter and some curly, scrolly wrought iron. It fairly screamed "tired, old house." When we began planning the reconfiguration we knew that we wanted to keep things feeling open, but we also wanted a bit of separation too, which we weren't sure how we'd achieve.

Looking at furniture at Kincaid's one day we also noticed a number of old Chinese lattice panels. Really beautiful, most of them were originally either doors or floor screens and too big for what we thought we needed. Cindy mentioned there were a few more downstairs, and what did we find but some big, simple square ones, just about the right size for our wall. We brought it home and Bill reframed the opening to fit with a couple extra inches on all sides.

After spending most of our Labor Day relaxing we decided to finally hang it. A little bit of measuring, a bit of eyeballing, and four screw eyes and hooks (3 on top, one on the bottom just to steady it) and we're done, and really pleased.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

2011-09-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

Enjoy your long weekend! If you're traveling (like Sarah Palin, say, to Iowa or New Hampshire) please be safe and enjoy.

Oh, and Sarah, I know that 71% of republicans don't want you to run, but I say don't listen to them. Many of us are counting on your crazy bullshit and praying for a poorly-timed photo of you eating a corn dog. Don't let us down.

MidMal Reviews: Ralph Lauren Candlelight

2011-08-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

The second bedroom is demo'd and the electrician will finish up this week. Then Bill and Steve will be in for insulation/drywall and mud/tape, and finally we'll be ready for (totally sexy) French Dan to come refinish the floors. With that milestone in sight I needed to paint the dining room ceiling and crown moulding.

The room has the same big backlit moulding and coved ceiling we saved in the entry. I was so happy with the white trim and pale turquoise ceiling paint we used there that I decided to do the same thing in the dining room. It looked great when it was all done.

Ralph Lauren has discontinued a lot of their ancilary paint products over the years (I always thought their stencils were good), but still available is Candlelight. It's a clear topcoat designed to change the way light hits your walls. If you look at the pictures on the RL website its subtle and pretty. Hoping to enhance the already good looking ceiling this weekend I gave it a try. Here's a review.

The Product: You'll be stirring this for a while, you might want to ask your salesperson to run it through the shaker. Also note this stuff stinks like wet gym socks, and that odor will hang around for a day or so. Don't paint before you have people over for drinks like I did.

Application: Along with the paint you need a couple of specialty RL rollers, one 4 inch and one regular 9 inch. They're very shaggy to mottle the surface. They recommend completing an entire wall (or ceiling in my case) at a time, and also that one person do all the painting. The small roller is used to cut in edges, but only two regular roller lengths at a time. Then two regular strips are rolled on, filling the roller twice for each strip. Finally, X's are made in rows over the freshly painted strips, picking up the roller after each stroke. It sounds worse than it was, then again I'm very comfortable with paint techniques. Either way I think the whole ceiling took me about an hour and a half.

The Result: I'm not in love. I was expecting something subtly magical, what I got seems more reminiscent of semi gloss paint. The increased sheen is also going to emphasize any imperfections in your surface.

The Verdict: We're going to live with it for a bit and see if it grows on us, but I smell a repaint in my future.

Easy Closets Again

2011-08-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

If that doesn't stem the tide of coats, jackets, hats, gloves, scarves and umbrellas, nothing will.

Baseboard, a new light fixture and some doors and we can count the entry closet done. The system is the same Easy Closets that we used in the bedroom and again, I'm pleased. It took us about 3 hours start to finish but was no big deal. I'm still a fan.

Fashion Break

2011-08-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

With the little break in our hellish weather I started thinking about a new fall coat. Wouldn't this unconstructed beauty be great? It's Lubiam's more casual LBM 1911 line.

Congratulations Michelle Bachmann

2011-08-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

on your Iowa Straw Poll win! I'm pulling for you, I really am. And not only because your husband Ladybird is going to be skewered by SNL at every opportunity. Your inability to be photographed NOT looking bat-shit crazy will be the best thing about the upcoming Presidential campaign. Run you incomprehensible religious wingnut, run!

Enjoy your weekend

2011-08-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

I've got some painting and odd little tasks to finish up, but shower glass was installed yesterday and the 48 hour silicone cure period ends Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning's shower should be the highlight of my weekend. Here's to no more pink bathrooms!

Modern Love

2011-08-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Blandings has mentioned Joanna Votilla and Modern Love, her shop at 45th and State Line a few times, and with good reason. Joanna has a great eye and her place is always filled with beautiful things you'd love to own.

I drive by pretty regularly (Kincaid's is in the neighborhood as well) and when she was open Saturday I had to run in because in the window was this incredible lamp.

Simple, yes, but oversized in scale. The base is 13 inches in diameter and the whole thing is 40 inches tall with the (original, unadorned and unblemished) shade. Best of all though is its shiny, pristine, burnt orange glaze. Its not far off from the can of paint waiting to cover the sideboard that I'm anxious to get to work on.

When I picked it up over lunch today she said "Live with it for a few days and let me know." I've moved it around a bit and its great on a table by a comfortable chair (although probably not that chair in the first picture). It's also terribly handsome on the grey antique Chinese cabinet, but sadly big enough to block the tv that will hang there soon. So while I'm not exactly sure where it will end up, I'm absolutely positive its not going back.

Modern Love is open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to five, at 1715 West 45th Street (just east of State Line).

Confidential to HGTV

2011-08-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ok HGTV, tonight I reached the tipping point. We've all been watching competition shows for a while now, and there's a systemic problem: the team challenge.

I know you think that drama makes good tv, maybe it does or maybe it doesn't. There's one thing however that I'm absolutely sure it does, and that is dilute the design.

David Bromstad told one of the contestants tonight, "We're a design network." You need to decide if that's true or not.

These people barely know each other and have wildly varying design backgrounds and personalities. When things inevitably go wrong its the room that suffers, and then we get to hear Vern tell the meeker/quieter/more polite of the pair that they should fight for what they think is right. Hey Vern, what exactly should Karl have done tonight to stop Cathy from overstyling the kitchen? He told her he didn't think what she was doing was right and it was obvious she had no intention of changing course. Should he have physically restrained her from stacking up more food?

The designers could have interesting ideas or points of view, but we never get to find out because you're emphasizing the competition over the design. And with the exception of David Bromstad, the competition hasn't even produced stars or compelling shows. Its time to do this differently.

Lindsey Adelman Studio

2011-08-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Via Decorno. How hard would this rock my dining room. If only it didn't cost as much as a decent used car. They're all good, check them out here.

Introducing Tucker

2011-07-31T06:55:00.001-07:00

And once again, we are four.
This is Tucker, who's name we just finally decided on. He's an 11 week old schnauzer who ended up at a rescue down by Sedalia, most likely because he's very brown, rather than the black or salt-and-pepper he should be.

I'm sorry there aren't better pictures to show you, but there hasn't been much standing still. Alex seems more than happy to have a baby to play with, and the baby has no backdown what so ever.

So far we've not had any accidents in the house. (Whoops, make that one accident in the house - pay attention dad!) I wasn't sure I believed the rescue lady, but he really does seem to know outside is where he's supposed to go. He also slept through the night pretty well, although he did wake up way early.

Alex has been a total sweetheart, dealing with the near constant assault of needle teeth and playing tug as required.

Cross your fingers that the peaceful transition continues!

More contenders

2011-07-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

Look what I found at Mitchell Gold/Bob Williams. The Clifton sofa. Only 36 inches deep, and while very different from that Henredon leather I loved, there's a lot to like here. I'm digging the wood base and slender arms. Also, I've always wanted a couch with a single seat cushion. This picture is the 97" length, but we'd do the 85. What's better, the 85 has two back cushions rather than three, which I think is cleaner. I'm hoping MG/BW has some decent fabric choices because its upholstered all the way around. COM is 17 yards, and you know there's no ceiling on what you can spend on fabric.
There's a Clifton chair as well, and its just as good looking, but I worry about everything being square. Remember this stuff will be sitting in front of a long, rectangular Chinese cabinet and a big black rectangular TV. If we wanted to throw in some curves, the Winslow chair could work. They're 32 inches wide, and we'd likely want a pair (perpendicular to the sofa). They're 36" deep which seems like a lot, but they'll sit on the long axis of the room so it might be okay. I'll have to make templates to be sure we have room. COM on this is 7 yards, not so bad.
And finally the one thing we've both agreed on and decided would be perfect across from the chairs and in front of the fireplace, American Leather's Rex bench. We'll buy it just like its shown here, in white leather. Modern, but with a little mid-century feel too. I love the buttonless tufting, and most importantly it provides some extra seating and doesn't block the view of the fireplace.
The only bad news so far is that the asian-legged cocktail table I bought to refinish isn't going to work in here. I think it would look fantastic, but the 42" square size is just too big. It's not really bad news though. On the other side of the media wall is a whole other room (living room) waiting to be furnished as well. That table would also be fantastic between a pair of loveseats or apartment sized sofas, floating in front of the big front window.

Enjoy your weekend

2011-07-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Remember, hoarding is bad.

Million Dollar Decorators: With a wimper

2011-07-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

Well, that was anti-climactic wasn't it. It doesn't even feel like enough for my 30 second recap, but since Raina was kind enough to point you here...

1. Kathryn, I'd spend the rest of my life getting Dragon Lady Factor to pay her bill.

2. Martyn, Happy MLB Day! I hope you get a free shot and a brisk reach-around at The Abbey!

3. Nathan, I'm glad your arm surgery went well. I learned about that from Twitter rather than the show. Because there was more of you on Twitter than on the show.

4. Mary, I liked your tent. I still think you're nuts, but I liked your tent. Oh, and a number of your lamps.

5. JAM: Congratulations on the Hungry Cat install. Or rather, please congratulate Ross and all the Bravo production assistants on the Hungry Cat install. So much stress and strife. Please know that after all that exhausting work I love your master bath and dressing room.

See you next season!

Today on Gilt

2011-07-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Amy Howard Cayman ottomans, 25 inch diameter by 20 tall. Industrial mesh, casters, and a little velvet on top. $1340 for a pair.

Beautiful monster

2011-07-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Do upholstery shops build custom sofas? I'm assuming they do if they're of sufficient size, I can't think who else would do it. Never having ordered one built before I don't know.

I'm planning the family room again and digging the Henredon leather sofa above. The problem is that its 44 inches deep and my room is only 13 feet wide. I've been dragging around a tape measure and I'm not convinced I can't make it work, it would just be so much easier if it had a smaller footprint.

Bargain Alert: Target

2011-07-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

I hate Target. I went for a toilet bruth and ended up spending 46 bucks.

When we finally do get to decorate around here I'm looking forward to having some plants, so when I walked through the Garden section and saw clearance signs I had to detour down the aisles.

Won't this glossy white fiberglass planter be good? Maybe on the gray chinese cabinet under the tv, filled with ferns. (or perhaps Bonzai?!) Its 18 by 8 by 9 inches tall. Best of all, it was marked down from $35 to $17. It has a plug so you can have drainage or not. And if white won't work for you a light sanding and some spray paint could fix you right up.

You know how stuff at the Target gets beat up so check for chips and cracks if you go. And if you're going to go, go quick, markdowns seem to disappear quickly there as well.

Take me out to the ball game

2011-07-04T17:16:00.001-07:00

Brett and his law partner Rachel recently welcomed a new partner to the firm. Last night, to celebrate his joining them, and to thank a number of folks who've referred business or otherwise helped them out, they hosted all of us in a suite at the Community America park to watch the Kansas City T Bones play the Wichita Wingnuts.

Here's my friend Carol and her daughter Charlotte, along with me and my cocktail.

I've forgotten how much fun these games are. And they had fireworks after.

I've said it before, if you have a Northern League team in your area, go.

Please take out your text book and turn to page 126

2011-07-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I like to look at things. Furnishings, and rooms. Its why I read the blogs I read, and kind of a reason why I write. Its visual vocabulary building for the most part. I see a rug I like here, or a light fixture there. I'll see a room and think it looks comfortable, or has nice light, or something else. Rarely though do I see a room, or a suite of rooms, and think "that's exactly what I'd have if there were no constraints."

The July/August Elle Decor came yesterday. Lots of pretty. Courtney Cox's new place in Malibu, for example. Also a nice remodel in Nantucket. And then I hit page 126, a pair of apartments, gutted and combined by Steven Gambrel.

I won't even list everything I like about this home because I can't count every single thing and color and idea found in each photo. But that's what I like about it. Every single thing.

I know a lot of people save their magazines as reference material. I never have, but I'm keeping this one because this one residence really does represent everything I'd ever want or need.

Enjoy your weekend!

2011-06-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here's hoping your parties are more fun.

Million Dollar Decorators: Another 30 second review

2011-06-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

1. Ross, still digging, JAM, still annoying.

2. Nathan and Kathryn, adore even more.

3. Shannon Factor, GO HOME DRAGON LADY.

4. Favorite moment of the episode: Mary MacDonald to JAM on where to get a drink. "Yes, it happens right here. Or in my purse."

And New York makes six

2011-06-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm still holding out for a California wedding, but it's nice to have another option. To the New York legislature, thank you, honestly I didn't think you had it in you.

And to Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, The National Organization for Marriage, The Catholic League, and your supporters I will say this: Please stop. You are on the wrong side of history, and everyone sees it but you. Your fearmongering falls on increasingly deaf ears, and one day gay men and women will marry everywhere. Our families, though vastly different from yours, will be protected as yours are now. And you cannot stop it. Civilization will not crumble, and the institution of marriage will not be damaged as you insist it will, but strengthened through inclusion.

This isn't about you. It is, ultimately and singularly, about love.

Reduce, Reuse, Re-plate

2011-06-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

Old Stiffel lamps come up often at auction. Lots of "antiqued" brass, even though the majority of them are only brass plated. You can usually pick them up cheap, and as these had nice shapes, I did. Not a pair, but definitely related, and a nice size.

One of them has a bit of corrosion, so when I took them to the guys at Acme Brass Plating we decided we'd start with the clean one first and see how it went. I picked it up over lunch today, I think it went well.

They had to cover the brass plating with copper first, then the nickel I wanted, but it polished up beautifully. I'm dropping the other off next week and hopefully they'll be able to make it work.

Million Dollar Decorators: The 30 Second Recap

2011-06-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

1. I thought I would like JAM and that Ross would bug me, but its turned out to be the exact opposite.

2. Shoes and purses suck as decorative accessories, I don't care who splashed them with paint and signed them.

3. I adore Kathryn Ireland and Nathan.

4. Mary McDonald makes pretty rooms, which is all the more impressive seeing as she's crazy.

5. Shannon Factor may just be the SINGLE MOST AWFUL PERSON IN THE WORLD.

Perfect

2011-06-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

This rug is exactly the sort of thing we need. It's new (I think) so I doubt it'll show up at the outlet anytime soon. Speaking of, has anyone ever been to Stark's outlet?

Meet Lloyd

2011-06-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

Oddly enough, of everything we've done with this house I think I'm happiest about my new bathroom sink. (The Lloyd pedestal by Toto)

I've got to clean the floor, get switch plates and outlet covers on, and wash the new gray towels we got to replace our khaki colored ones. The last piece is having the glass guys out to measure for the shower enclosure. Oh, and I may need something new for our toothbrushes.

It's just so much more pleasant to brush my teeth or wash my hands here rather than a tattered blue or purple sink with wonky old faucets that spray in odd directions.

I'm no Jenny, but...

2011-06-13T22:16:00.000-07:00

Every once-in-a-while I do run across something suprisingly good on Craigslist. Like this cocktail table, which is 42 inches square. The ask is 50 bucks.

The burl veneer on the top has some damage that would need to be filled and sanded, but that doesn't bother me or my paintbrush one bit. The question is what color.

The room is pretty much grayscale, some oranges and blues to keep things from being too sleepy. What do you think?

***UPDATE*** Bought it. The seller was lovely, she said she's had it for about 30 years. It's heavy and solid, but the top is shot. Its going to need some serious work. OR, a new stone top. Wheels turning...

Night and day

2011-06-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

Remember my family room? The overgrown, totally beat cabinetry opposite the fireplace and the worn parquet that was coming up in places, oh and the nasty dark paneling.

Well, the single door (with the storm door that wouldn't stay closed) and the cloudy, drafty picture window are gone. The replacement is a smaller window with sliders, then a 5 foot french door.

Yesterday the electrician rewired, then today the last of the drywall went up. Tomorrow and Tuesday is mud and tape inside while Bill replaces the trim and shingles outside.

So, after the floors are finished and the trim goes up and some interior doors are replaced the whole middle third of the house will be ready to decorate. I've got that sideboard to paint and a couple of chinese lattice pieces to do a little finish on and back with mirror for starters. Can. Not. Wait.

Finely marbled

2011-06-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

As usual my camera can't deal with anything white, but here's a little progress shot on the bathroom. Bill's been here all week and only today got to start grouting.

He'll finish up the walls tomorrow and switch to black grout for the floors, which I didn't shoot as they're currently covered with paper.

I also noticed taking these that while the bathroom is oversized for what it is, it's also small when you try to take a picture. Hopefully when fixtures are in (can't wait for cute Matt the plumber to be back!) and ladders and tools are out I can get a shot that looks right to me.

There's also a bit of painting to finish up, and of course the window to be replaced (that's absolutely next on the list), but then my mornings should start here rather than the scary pink tub/shower we're beginning our days in now.

A warm weather public service

2011-06-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Summer has reached the midwest as the temperature has hit the mid 90's both yesterday and today. Here at Chez Malaise that means gin season!

I recently discovered the Simply line of juices and drinks. All natural and delicious I thought they'd make super summer cocktails, and they do.

Today's riff on the classic G-N-T is:
-1 part Bombay Sapphire (life is way too short to drink bad gin)
-1 part tonic (Brett buys diet and it seems just fine)
-3 parts Simply Limeade

Stir and garnish with a lime wedge. I forgot to buy a lime so my drink is naked, but still tasty.

I occasionally buy a Simply Lemonade at lunch and it too is delicious. I'm thinking next weekend we'll try that with plain old vodka or Absolut Citron and a splash of Sprite or some other bubbly mixer.

Bill is here tiling (photos later!) and I've got a pleasant buzz while I tidy up the kitchen. Yay weekends!

Black tile / White Flag

2011-05-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, we'll try most anything, but more importantly we know when to call in the professional. Bill's back, and we have a new entry way floor to show for it. Gone is the old scrap marble, and in its place is black slate. The old marble was in concrete so there was a jackhammer and some beefing up of the old floor joists and a huge mess in the basement, but this is WAY better. And it goes into the closet because I'm one of those "fewer flooring materials the better" guys.

The white flag part comes in with the bathroom. It was taking us forever, it was time. He started on that today as shown below.

And then our french door and new window are in (so excited!), so he'll install those in the family room when he's done with this tile.

This freed Brett and I up to work on our landscaping. We've started installing edging and a small boxwood border and the maple from a few posts ago. Today we put in a little mugo pine, a pair of artemesia, a pair of reed grasses and started installing weed cloth. We bought some more boxwoods to continue the border but they're not going in until later this week, we were beat.

Bullet dodged

2011-05-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Scott Cook via KSHB weather blog

I think this photo has had the color adjusted, but the cloud formations absolutely happened. I know because I was watching from my office on the 32nd floor of the second tall building from the right edge. It didn't look quite this green from my vantage point but it was seriously dark. I was in a meeting when the sirens went off, followed by the severe weather app on my phone. (Weather Alert USA, $3.99 from the App Store and totally worth it)

Shortly after that our COO stuck his head in the conference room and said "everyone to the stairwell!" The next hour and a half or so was spent milling around in the interior hallway, elevator lobby and stairwell with my phone watching the radar map and listening to National Weather Service radio before finally walking down 31 floors. Shortly after that it all passed and the sun came out. Totally strange.

The Rapture was a bust, so we landscaped

2011-05-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

I read an early morning tweet from someone in New Zealand that said they were all still there, so we decided the Rapture must have been scratched. Its a shame too because the weather was beautiful, perfect for heavenly ascention.

Not perfect was Friday, when I took these first two pictures showing the enormous overgrown yews:
And the enormous overgrown yews coming out.

Here is our new Crimson Sentry Norway Maple shortly after we got it in the ground. We're in love with the color and the fact that it grows in a more columnar shape. The house is heavy on horizontals so we're trying to put in plenty of verticals.

And here you can see the beginning of the bed liner and the little boxwoods that will eventually become a low square hedge.

Weed cloth and mulch are coming soon. Hopefully the weather holds on Monday so the tree guys can come back and get everything finished.

We've been to the nursery a number of times and have found a variety of pines, both tall and tree-like as well as smaller and bushy, that we're planning to use. (There's a very odd dwarf cedar at Family Tree that I think I have to have too. The foliage is corded, it looks like a big green mop.)

I've also been to House of Rock which has some good smallish boulders, and Van Lieus, which has very good pricing on Japanese outdoor lanters. Hopefully there's more to show soon.

Regrets only

2011-05-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late here because I don't read fundamentalist Christian websites. I found out today that on April 29th vehemently anti-gay "pastor" Scott Lively wrote us a letter entitled "My RSVP to LGBT." Us as in the gays. All of us. (In case you didn't know, that LGBT stands for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered. So clever.) It's long-winded and chock-full of chapter-and-verse justification, but it basically says we should repent. There's a hint of the usual "love the sinner, hate the sin" thing that we always get and a bit of "I've sinned too" as well.

It kills me to link, but should you be interested enough to take a look you'll find it here.

As a good-mannered gay I've looked around to see if anyone responded, and I don't find that anyone has. So I will.

Mr. Lively,

Thank you for your recent note inviting us to repent. You obviously spent a great deal of time composing it, and I know that you have little to spare with all your work convincing East African governments that loving someone of the same sex should be a capital offense.

I can't speak for all of the gays as I haven't personally talked to everyone, but among those I have chatted with the general consensus is either that the bible is open to interpretation, or is not actually the word of god. Another salient point raised by more than one of us is that our eternal salvation is our business and definitely not yours.

That last point leads me to a question which I've always wanted to ask: If we're not going to change our ways (and clearly we're not), and you believe (which you clearly do) that we're going to spend eternity in a firey hell of unimagineable agony, wouldn't a Christian response be to support our safety and security in this lifetime? You don't have to love us. Indeed I sleep just fine knowing you believe my 13+ year relationship both displeases god and will bring about the eventual fall of civilization. Couldn't you just stand aside, perhaps read one of those Left Behind books, and just let us live our lives with the rights and dignity you enjoy? Couldn't we all just live the way that feels right for ourselves? And when the afterlife finally arrives we can play whatever hand we're dealt. Wouldn't that be fair?

Sincerely,

David (for a bunch of the gays)

Chipper

2011-05-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week we had trees along the street trimmed up as they'd grown down to where it was hard to walk down the sidewalk. A different arborist (we split the job between two) and his crew are here again this morning. The dying tree on the corner is down and being fed into the chipper. Lines are up in the enormous oak in the back yard to clean up the trunk and ventilate the top. Crew chief is mowing down the overgrown yews that ring the house. Soon the monster magnolia will be trimmed back and ventilated.

We look less like the Munsters house every minute. THRILLED.

***UPDATE*** They got a good start but have been rained out. To be continued Monday...

Its an Airstream with a tortilla press

2011-05-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Food trucks aren't a new phenomenon, but they are kind of new for Kansas City. I follow a few on the Facebook and Twitter, which is how most of them let everyone know where they'll be.

Tonight we tried Port Fonda, which was parked downtown doing their mexican street food.

Local and organic and handmade, from a vintage Airstream. I was kind of far down the street when I took this, you can't see Brett there in line asking if they had dessert (they didn't tonight).

Brett had the carnitas, I had the chicken livers and pipian rojo, all on handmade tortilla, washed down with Mexican Cokes. We both liked our dinner a lot and I'm already looking forward to going back. Its in the 50s tonight so we ate in the car. When it's warm enough to eat out on the sidewalk I bet its even better.

The other cool thing is that the Airstream has a chef's table. By reservation, groups of six can hang out in the trailer, watch the cooking as well as whatever's going on out on the street, have some drinks (byob) and fill up on a family style taco spread. We're trying to figure out the perfect occasion to give that a try.

13 bears, a big dog, one pot-bellied pig, and a raccoon

2011-05-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Enjoy your weekend!

Baughman on the Bay

2011-05-10T20:24:00.001-07:00

I love to type Milo Baughman into the search box on eBay. You always get a few things you've seen and loved, and sometimes you get something new.

Twill wouldn't necessarily have been my choice for this but it's simple and I don't hate it at all. I love that its white. The Buy It Now is pretty steep but you could make an offer. Here.

Then you'd need a spot to set your drink. Wouldn't one of these pull up nicely? Plus you get an extra to use somewhere else. Then when you feel the need to move things around you've got a pair. Here.

The Contender

2011-04-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

I've owned a number of sofas, I think they may be the single most difficult piece of furniture to choose. I've never owned one I really loved, but I've learned along the way. Rolled arms take up too much room. Slipcovers always look like an unmade bed. Dark brushed fabrics fade and show stains. Chenille fabrics look and feel good as a swatch but don't live the way you'd like.

Which brings us to the sofa above, the Beckett sofa by Bernhardt Interiors.

This is a contender. First and foremost is the look, kind of a streamlined chesterfield. Next and just as important is the size. At 83 inches it will center nicely on my 9 foot media wall.

I know I've bitched about the cheap furniture wasteland that is Nebraska Furniture Mart, but knowing their Design Gallery carries Bernhardt we went to take a look. They didn't have this frame on display but there was a similar one and it sat nicely. There were a number of good fabrics to choose from and strangely they're all one grade and price. And finally was their price, which was shockingly less than I was expecting.

I also learned that they sell American Leather. I had her quote the Rex bench that I'd like in front of the fireplace and they're about 400 bucks under the quote I got from Black Bamboo. Yes, I'd prefer to support the independent retailer, but I need a house full of furniture so I've got to save where I can.

The only sad news was that Henredon's Warren dining table appears to be discontinued and I haven't seen anything else I like as much.

So, has anyone owned a Bernhardt sofa? I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say.

What it looks like

2011-04-26T15:00:00.001-07:00

Just in case you're interested, this is the view from our new lobby looking out from the receptionists desk. My boss picked the finishes and did a beautiful job. The white wall is a wood panel product of undulating waves with a glossy white finish. The wall behind the receptionists desk is this too, with verticle glass panels on either side and our logo in steel embedded in the panels.

Exhausted

2011-04-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

My office moved this past week, and as I work in Operations it was our big show. Think about your last move, only imagine there are 130 people in your family, and you lived in your last place for a decade.

Back with something interesting as soon as I'm recovered.

Wall tile

2011-04-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

We started on wall tile today! Had we remembered to buy a rotozip to cut some holes for those pipes to slip through we might have more to show, but I'm thrilled that we made the progress we did.

Colored Ceilings

2011-04-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

We're going with a very pale grey for our ceilings throughout the house, but in the entry and dining rooms we have some very cool old backlit coved ceilings. I gave this pale turquoise a shot and we really like it. (pardon my tape there) I can't wait to do the dining room now.

I'm very nearly floored

2011-04-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Bill was here yesterday and today, and fingers are crossed that he'll be back tomorrow. He goes back to work on Monday so his availability is about to plummet. Flooring has hit the home stretch! Here's a shot of what we started with. Sad old, worn parquet with a bit of old termite damage over in the corner by the patio door. And now, oak plank running continuously from the living room into this room!

Yes, there's plenty left. We've had one floor finishing quote and Tuesday afternoon the cute french guy who redid the bedroom floor is coming to quote . Also Tuesday a window guy is coming. If we can resolve the replacements for the patio door and awful picture window then this room will be close to done.

I can't wait to be paneling free.

China Black

2011-04-04T18:48:00.001-07:00

You thought we abandoned the bathroom project didn't you. Turns out it was a good weekend for getting things done. While I was priming and painting new drywall Brett was slaving away mixing mortar and setting floor tile. And that green is waterproofing, not a wall color. Originally we'd planned to lay this on a 45 degree angle because I think that usually looks better. As we were measuring we got to looking and decided that with the black tile and black grout it wasn't going to make all that much difference. Now that theres a big spot of it down I like the way it looks and I'm glad we switched gears. More to come!

Full strength

2011-03-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Chris got the photo for me (thank you Chris!) so you can see this little side table from yesterday's post without squinting. Wouldn't it be nice by a chair or in a stray corner? $179 at Urban Outfitters. If it goes on sale its mine.

Industrial Strength

2011-03-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

The living room/family room project isn't anywhere near done (but there's progress!), and when it is its going to be a while before its furnished, but I'm already thinking. I found this great tufted tight-back sofa at Neiman Marcus. No, I probably wouldn't buy a sofa at Neimans, but I like this one a lot. When it comes time I'll have to figure out who makes this frame.
And a white garden stool from Williams Sonoma Home. I can't resist cane pattern.

But you know how I like a mix. A little industrial sounds good, doesn't it? I've got the perfect spot for a pair of these, the Decker Bookshelf from Anthropologie. I love that they have drawers.

And in front of that velvet sofa, some rough wood. Like this coffee table from Environment Furniture.

And at 15" by 29", this little Iron Strap Table from Urban Outfitters could tuck in next to a chair or anywhere.

And UO, I'm telling folks about your product, let me grab the damn full-size photo rather than the thumbnail. Big picture here.

Call me

2011-03-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

I inquired about some grasscloth, found it was available, and she said she'd call me back with pricing within the hour. That was Wednesday.

Last Friday I sent a sample off to have some paint matched. I included my email and mobile number so they could get my credit card. Nothing so far.

Retailers, I got money to spend if you'll just help me out.

Slightly unrelated, mud and tape have begun here. Pray that I weather the impending dust storm.

***Update*** The paint guy called me, order complete!

I wish this were Tom Colicchio's new restaurant

2011-03-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: JoeMyGod

Sadly it's just a restaurant in need of some sign maintenance. Shame.

Waterworks Tile

2011-03-19T22:54:00.001-07:00

I was wondering around the Waterworks website. I love a white crackle glaze, especially on a field tile with a raised chinoiserie pattern.
There were a crazy amount of trim options, this was my favorite, although they were all really good.

I'm sure pricing is pee-your-pants high, but you know I'm trying to figure out where I could fit a few square feet.

The Lull

2011-03-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

There has been a whole lot of nothing going on with the current entry/living room/family room project for the last week or so. Bill came to finish the drywall, with the exception of a few little pieces that I can't understand why he didn't put up. The Phantom Drywaller, or Steve, who does the mud and tape has bid, and we've said go, but I have no clue when that is supposed to occur. I will be texting Bill tomorrow, a call might reveal that I'm mildly annoyed.

This shot doesn't show the floor, so you can't see where the partial walls used to be. You'll have to trust me when I say it's WAY more open now. That opening in front of the front door alone used to have a 2 foot wide pane of ribbed glass narrowing the space. Its way less congested now. We also have some gorgeous black slate tile to replace the scrap marble there now. We got enough to continue it into the closet. Wet shoes? No worries.

Yes, you're wondering why the electrical box is there. Well, that used to be a closet behind a wall of cabinetry, and framing out and drywalling around it was the most simple solution. The soon to be burnt orange sideboard will likely go in that spot with some art or a mirror or something over it so it will be accessable but not in view. Speaking of that furniture, I got my chrome ring pulls from the place Jenny suggested (lookintheattic.com). They're very nice, the perfect size, and exactly what I wanted.

The other thing this picture shows is the absence of the parquet floor. I'm glad its gone and I'm looking forward to the oak plank coming soon. I'm not thrilled about the nails Bill missed. We have a dog for Christ's sake. A dog we adore. He's been very good about staying out of there but tomorrow we'll get down with our hammers and remove the danger in spite of the fact we paid for demo. Yes, mildly annoyed.

Looking from the living room into the family/tv room, here's the front of what we call the "media wall." The tv will mount on the back side. SO much better than an 11 foot picture window. Also, removing the header over the hallway was a small detail with a big impact. The hall gets more light and somehow seems less long.

There's the media wall from the tv side. You can also see where the bar next to the fireplace used to be. Its not as deep as it was and has sheetrock now, and some built in shelving or cabinetry sometime in the future. Way better.

And that closet in the hall you can see through the opening? Those doors are gone, as are the scentless cedar planks that lined the walls, and the laundry chute. I did leave the cedar on the ceiling for texture. One of those fun little details you'll never see. Holes are filled and I'll be sanding and priming the walls and ceiling and then painting. We need to order new doors for that and the entry closet.

That's it for now, hopefully there will be something new to show soon. Enjoy the tournament if you're watching. My bracket is already shot but my Jayhawks won!

Glee-ful

2011-03-16T07:06:00.001-07:00

Finally. Can I get a hell yeah?

Naked

2011-03-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

We have no window coverings in the public half of the house. Walk by and those naked windows let you see pretty much right through. So I've been looking at fabric and trying to figure out what to do. First up, some sort of curtains for the big picture window in front. (Yes, the picture window will go, eventually becoming a row of casements, but the total size stays the same)

I know generally what I'm looking for in fabric. A little bit of pattern, a little darker than the pale gray paint waiting to go up on the walls. Something like Schumacher's Silk Fret (above), which is perfect except for the Schumacher price.

What I'm not sure about is the kind of curtain. I know I don't want blinds or shades, and Brett nor I are fans of sheers. My default is a simple pleated curtain on a fat chrome rod. Have you seen anything else you think I should consider?

Fair and balanced and spelled incorrectly.

2011-03-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

Via Sly Oyster

Things I found, and a "what would you do?"

2011-03-11T20:27:00.001-08:00

I've spent a lot of time the last couple of weeks sweeping, shop vac'ing, dusting, and dragging construction debris to the dumpster in the driveway. When not doing those things however, I've been window shopping online.

If you need a pair of interesting sconces I present the Fortune Teller Sconce. Made by Global Views (yeah, they make a lot of things I like), you could buy them for $435 a piece from Horchow, or you could get them on eBay for $250, here. I wish I had a spot, but I don't.

From this week's online sales (Gilt or OneKingsLane, I forget which) I discovered Environment Furniture and their Campinas Console. I've got the spot but not the money (even though its not outrageously priced) so I may try to build this if I can find some reclaimed lumber to face it with. And should the math become too much for me (which could totally happen) Bill builds furniture!

And finally, a little success on eBay, and my dilemma.

I've been watching West German pottery lately and was totally taken with the simple shape and red-orange glaze of this little pot. It had been running with a Buy It Now over $100, and then another $40 for shipping from Switzerland.

That was all way too much for me, but I kept it on my watch list. Sure enough, the Buy It Now came down and it went on a 7 day auction starting at $19.99. I tossed out a 20 buck bid, won, and Paypal'd the seller.

A few days later I received two emails explaining how between the start and the end of the auction Swiss postal rates had changed, and that while the package had been shipped, the cost was $13 more. A third message followed shortly explaining that paying the extra shipping was my choice, but that they were a non-profit and would have a difficult time making up the loss.

I'm not inclined to pay any more shipping, and here's why: I've sent a small piece of pottery, a Royal Copenhagen bowl in fact, to Germany for 20 bucks. I've also sent a heavy Ralph Lauren coat to Australia for $27. I dont know Swiss postal rates but $40 seems high to me, unless the promised careful packing involved an enormous box.

I've also miscalculated shipping on things I've sold, and to maintain my 100 percent perfect feed back I've eaten it. Once to the tune of 50 bucks. I just don't think you change things after the auction ends.

And finally, if you were a non-profit using eBay as a fundraiser, wouldn't you mention that in your auction listing? I would.

I don't think there's anything to be gained by responding. If the pot arrives in good shape I'll leave positive feedback and be done.

What would you do?

The first Saturday in March

2011-03-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

I'm exhausted, there couldn't have been more packed into the weekend.

The AIDSWalk Open, our annual putt-putt pub crawl kicked things off Saturday morning at 10am. Cindy was determined to buy me a drink so the shot of Kahlua I requested went right into the coffee I was still nursing from breakfast. Would enjoying that every morning be a problem?

We were highly efficient covering all the holes in the Westport entertainment district, including our favorite at Morning Glory Antiques. It had a Studio 54 theme, lots of mirror balls and silver glitter, and the best obstacle of day: Members of the KC Wave swim team, in Speedos, on a swing hanging from the ceiling over the green. Why I didn't take a phone pic of the adorable boy dangling overhead in his banana hammock I don't know. Actually I do know. I was preoccupied. Note to self: attend more swim meets.

After a bloody mary and lunch and finishing the 3 holes not in Westport Brett and I were off to Kincaid's. As you know our entry has an opening into the living room where there used to be a planter and scrolly wrought iron. Bill is changing the size of that opening to accomodate the piece of antique Chinese lattice we bought. It's a plain grid pattern rather than anything more intricate, but I think that makes it feel a bit more contemporary, which I like. I'll have photos after I figure some sort of floating mount for Bill to pull off. If you've ever had to do anything like this I'd love to hear how you did it. The lattice frame is about an inch and a half thick.

By now you're wondering what's up with the paint chips above. In anticipation of our new room I've nailed down the details on what I'm going to do with that Henredon sideboard we bought a while back. I'm going to give the Fine Paints of Europe sign lacquer a try. And as a foil to all the neutral walls and floors (and future upholstery), I'm painting it burnt orange. Benjamin Moore's Fireball Orange was a strong contender, as was Navajo Red, but the winner is Orange Copper from Dulux. It's the big chip, sorry about the flash glare.

And for hardware, a simple three-inch ring pull in polished chrome,from Look In the Attic dot com, here.

I spent today browsing Nell Hills looking at rugs and an enormous wall mirror, also hitting up a new thrift store to see if there was any good project furniture (there wasn't). The living and family rooms are moving along and all I can think is that I'm going to have big empty spaces to fill very soon. Pictures of that progress later this week.

Dusty!

2011-03-02T06:39:00.000-08:00

Alex says "What the hell? Our ceiling is gone..."

Dirt and dust everywhere.

It'll all be done soon, and we'll clean. Then the floors will get sanded down and refinished, and we'll clean again. And then we'll start decorating, and that'll be fun. Hang in there Alex.

Expansive

2011-02-27T20:53:00.000-08:00

So you'll remember these before shots from when we moved. First, from the entry, which was sort of made up of two "bays" divided by a half wall (with wrought iron and a planter!) and a panel of ribbed glass that did nothing more than narrow the space you walk through. Once through the first bay you could go right, down the hall to the bedrooms, left through another archway to the living room, or straight through a pair of double doors into the panel-clad family room.
You can still go any of those directions, but you won't be contending with many walls now. That in-the-way ribbed glass is gone, as is the scrolly iron and planter. That opening is getting changed a bit, and eventually filled in. In fact, the entire second "bay" is gone, and is part of the living room. You can see the header over the hallway is on its way out as well. Long spans of uninterrupted ceiling. Oh, and those big studs? A fat wall that will hold the tv mount on the family room side. With big openings in the wall on either side.

On the left of this shot you can see the interior picture window. Yes, nearly 11 feet long, smack in the middle of the house. With curtains no less. You'll also see an entire wall of cabinetry that housed the TV back when TVs were really deep. So the closet behind the cabinetry was worthless. Oh, and since it was opposite the fireplace you could never easily enjoy both.

Now, all gone! It adds nearly 28 square feet to the room, minus that little corner we need to deal with. (Furnace venting, but I need it to move as its impinging on my layout for a pair of french doors and new windows) Those three old studs sticking up at the bottom are where the window used to be, and now where the fat studs in the above photo are located.

I hope that gives you a little idea of how we combined the rooms, trying to open them to each other but still keep a bit of separateness. More framing has happened, in fact the entire center wall is done as is the wall to the left where you see the electrical panel.

This week will be exciting. The dumpster arrives tomorrow (we've got a mountain of debris on the patio), and then Bill will demo the family room ceiling. The electricians will be in on Wednesday to install all the new lights/outlets/switches. Bill will likely demo the parquet then as well and then hang the new drywall ceiling. And if the rain and ice and snow ever stop Bill can go pick up the new oak plank and get that put down.

I'll get more pictures posted when the drywall goes up. I can't wait to paint!

Construction update

2011-02-26T07:26:00.001-08:00

So what has happened this week? The media wall and surrounding partial walls have been built where the old interior picture window used to be. The old tv cabinetry wall and worthless closet are gone and a new wall has been framed in its place. Assorted other tear out has happened, just part of the entry and the whole north wall of the living room left to go.

The dumpster will be delivered Monday morning so we can move the mountain of debris off the patio. The family room ceiling comes down Monday or Tuesday, and the electricians are coming Wednesday to rewire everything and install lighting.

Bill will be back in to put up the new drywall ceiling and walls, and also remove the old crumbling parquet and install the new oak plank. Which may not be stained for a bit because we're thinking if they're here they might as well refinish everything, hallway, entry, living/family room and dining room.

Photos soon.

In happier news

2011-02-24T12:39:00.001-08:00

The entire middle third of our house has been demo'd!

We live in crazy times

2011-02-24T11:11:00.001-08:00

In addition to the Wisconsin union busting, Iowa and Nebraska are seeing bills introduced by their teabaggers that will grant civil and criminal immunity to those who use deadly force to prevent an abortion. Oh, and allow anyone who is arrested for using said deadly force to sue the police.

Because the assault on women's reproductive rights isn't enough. We must ensure those who attempt to kill providers don't pay for their crimes.

America has lost its mind.

The perfect carpet

2011-02-22T21:38:00.001-08:00

Chris had a post about Michael S. Smith in Architectural Digest recently, discussing his use of pairs of accessories. What stopped me in my tracks though was this carpet. Source? Anyone?

What's new

2011-02-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

Remember I was looking for the Austin Productions copy of this statue from the V&A? Google finally gave it up at a gallery in Seattle. I emailed today to find out how to purchase. I'm kind of excited as it was one of my favorite things at the museum. Brett's mildly worried because we have an aquaintance who has a copy of Michaelangelo's David in every room of his house, but I've assured him I'll never let that happen. (If we ever get together for drinks remind me to tell you the story of the aquaintance's new hot tub, the shorty robes we were given to change into, and my uncontrollable laughter.)

But that isn't the big news. The big news is that there might actually be a nice place to put it sometime soon. Super Carpenter Bill is back, and we've given him quite a list:
-open up wall between living and family rooms
-build media wall between living and family rooms
-new family room ceiling (bye bye asbestos tile!)
-new family room floor (goodbye sad old parquet, hello oak plank to match the living room!)
-demo old bar and frame for future built-ins
-replace family room paneling (ick!) with new drywall
-open up entry, removing a myriad of odd partial walls
-demo old television cabinetry and closet, adding 4 feet to the room
And with any luck, hello two new french doors and new windows looking out to the patio.

So in addition to continuing work in the bathroom, Presidents Day weekend will involve emptying out the living and family rooms as well as the entry and hall closets, and making ourselves a temporary living room in...the master bedroom.

I'll post some refresher before shots when we get everything emptied out, and then I should have some fun "during" shots when he really gets going in a couple weeks.

Wish us luck!

Maison21 needs you

2011-02-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

A friend of Christian's has taken in this gorgeous boy, but he needs a permanent home. Full info is here. I'd take him in a second if I had any way of knowing he and Alex would get on. If you're not in the market please pass this on to anyone you know who might be. Look at that face, somebody is gonna hit the jackpot.

Subtle pattern

2011-01-26T15:28:00.001-08:00

Here is that wallpaper that I couldn't swipe an online photo of last week. I'm sorry there's nothing included to give you a sense of scale, but just trying to find decent light to take this shot was daunting. If you can see the fold lines, each of those sections is nearly 8.5 by 11 inches, so just think of six pieces of copier paper laid out in two rows of three.

Basically we're trying to open the living and family rooms up to one another. The family room paneling and parquet floor will be replaced with drywall and oak plank to match the living room, and right in the center of the entire thing will be what we're calling a media wall. Seven feet long and thicker than a regular wall (we're thinking 8 or 10 inches currently) it will hold a flat panel tv on the family room side, and a credenza and some art or a big mirror on the living room side.

The entire room, including the entry, will have painted walls, but we wanted a little bit of pattern for here in the center just to break things up a bit. We'd originally thought about paneling the entire thing horizontally with gray prefinished wood flooring, but we have an old grayish Chinese cabinet we'll use under the tv to hold components and it just seems like too much wood.

This paper seemed too taupe to me at first, but the more I look at it the more I'm convinced its fine and that I can find a gray that works with it but doesn't read too brown.

Cute Contractor hasn't gotten back to us with numbers so I have no idea if or when we're getting started, but whever its a go I think we've got the wallpaper question answered.

Hello Handsome

2011-01-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

Photo: Craig McDean

Apparently Tom Ford doesn't wear clothes at home. Which reinforces my belief that Richard Buckley is one of the luckiest men alive. Interview (literally) here.

Why I'm retiring to Palm Springs

2011-01-20T06:24:00.001-08:00

It's become almost a tradition. It snows, I step out on the side porch and take a picture, then whine on the blog!

The upside is that the company I work for is very good about weather, closing early yesterday and not opening until 10 this morning. Plus we're casual, which to me is the best thing that could be done for one's employees. I'll be much warmer in jeans and harness boots than I would have in slacks and some Donald Pliner slip-ons.

Brett got up and shoveled the driveway making it easier for both of us to get in and out, and perhaps more importantly, giving Alex a spot for his morning constitutional. Sweet boy, Alex is one of those dogs that prefers dry paws. While that occasionally complicates spot selection, it does make for less mess being tracked back inside.

Here's hoping your day is warm, safe and dry.

Raina knows how exciting this is

2011-01-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

Today we installed Schluter fabric in the bathroom. Yes, only two pieces, but they're large pieces. Combined with thinset mortar that was a bit on the runny side it took a while. Luckily, Brett is off work tomorrow for MLK day and may finish up the pony wall.

The fabric is going to cover what we need to cover, but isn't going to go as far as I thought. Luckily I bought a gallon of HydroBan, which is a rubber product that you apply to your drywall with a roller like paint. Two coats and you're ready to tile on top of it. That should cover everything else and be more than enough protection to handle any water or vapor that might get past the tile.

We also met with another contractor about reconfiguring the living room, family room, and entry. He seemed to completely grasp what we want to do and specifically said he would break down our quote so we could choose jobs as necessary. I'm really hoping we get good numbers back from him. He came with good references and he's done things for others that we absolutely are going to need. Like build an addition for the master bath. It doesn't hurt that he's also attractive. And by attractive I mean really hot.

Dear Sherwin Williams

2011-01-15T21:36:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of your Cashmere paint line. This is the third house I've used it in and have nothing but good things to say about the coverage, finish, and durability.

I've never considered you for wallpaper however, because most of the books you have in-store are not so great. A bud of mine recently found that you have some good grasscloth, so tonight I got online and looked around.

Being able to search by color was helpful, and I found something I think I love. But then I couldn't crib the picture. People do a lot of sourcing online. I have folders on my laptop devoted to furniture and fixtures and all sorts of things I want to remember for future use. Except for your wallpaper, because I couldn't.

Yes, I'll order a sample for five bucks, but it would have been nice if I could have grabbed the picture for my file.

Thanks,
Dave

My newest obsession

2011-01-09T19:39:00.001-08:00

Apparently it's been at 51st and Main since August, but somehow until this weekend we'd missed Yogurtini. And I've been twice since Friday night.

When you walk in you're greeted by about 14 frozen yogurt machines. Each has two flavors and a swirl. Grab a cup, pick your yogurt, and slide on down to the topping bar. Nuts, fruit, cereal, crunched up candy, its all there. At the end are the sauces.

Top your yogurt as you like, weigh and pay. It's brilliant.

I was out for a bit this evening and surprised Brett by bring some home. I had the same thing I got Friday night: Dulce de leche yogurt, waffle cone pieces, slivered almonds, coconut, and caramel sauce.

For Brett: Chocolate/Vanilla swirl, brownie pieces, crushed peanuts, crushed cashews, crushed Kit-Kats, chocolate sauce.

If you don't have a Yogurtini near you check around, there are other franchises with similar concepts. I'm finding the array of choices and do-it-yourself construction irresistable. I'm totally thinking about going tomorrow for lunch.

Greek chic

2011-01-07T21:54:00.001-08:00

Here is eBay item number 350167897809.

$1500 or Make Offer. I'd make an offer. It's cool as hell but that's too much for a chair without provenance. I'm not making an offer, as much as I'd like to.

There's a matching sofa under a separate listing, but that's a bit much for me. I like the beauty of a single statement chair. You could change out those casters for something less obtrusive. GAAA I love that fabric. Classical motif AND quilted. It's perfect for the grayscale scheme we're working here at Chez Malaise. Damn it.

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T07:32:00.000-08:00

It's an odd finish to 2010 at Chez Malaise. As I type the substitute electrician is trying to get the ceiling lights to work in the bathroom, Prada is penned in another bathroom because she wouldn't stop barking, and Alex is napping with Brett, who is in bed sick.

The temperature hit the low 60s here yesterday, yet there is ice on the trees this morning from an overnight rain. Also this week a bird flew into the dining room bay window, hard enough to take a cone-shaped chunk out of the glass.

The contractor we met with about reconfiguring the entry/living/family rooms finally got back to us this week. His bid was exactly twice what I told him our budget was. I was hoping for a breakdown of costs per item but that didn't happen, which makes me think he's not terribly interested in the job.

You might think I'd be bummed out, but for some reason I'm not. The lights will eventually come on and Prada will go home to her daddy. Brett will go to the doctor for drugs and get well, and if we have to get more quotes or GC another project ourselves, well, we'll do that.

We've lived here just over a year and while there's so much left to do to make this place a home, truly quite a bit got done.

And through the occasional scary parts and numerous little wins, you were here reading my rants and cheering us on.

Wishing you all the best in 2011.

This is gorgeous

2010-12-30T10:14:00.001-08:00

Roger Ebert thinks it should win an academy award for short subject. I'm totally charmed.

Christmas wrap up

2010-12-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

Turns out there was no need for my Christmas crankiness. Brett had a good holiday with his family and made it back in time to head to my family's gathering for drinks and dessert. We intended to stay about an hour and head home to exchange our gifts but were having such a good time catching up with my cousins Eric and Mauria and their mates that we were there all evening.

Eric did indeed wrap up his Emmy for his parents for Christmas so it was the popular photo op as you see here. Brett was surprised by the weight. I never pick up important things like that because I always fear dropping them. Plus I had a glass in my hand most of the time.

Mauria and I lived together at KU and she's moved to Chicago in the years since. We don't see each other nearly often enough so I was super happy we got to spend time together. She and her man are also heading to Cabo this week, so I'm also super envious.

Cranky Christmas

2010-12-24T04:52:00.000-08:00

We're a bit out of sorts here. The traditional goings-on have all changed and Brett and I neither one are too happy about it. But we'll deal, and after meeting all the obligations Christmas night will find us here together, which is where we'd both prefer to be. With dinner and a good bottle of prosecco and Alex and Prada running around. Some gifts and probably some Wii gaming as well. Who knows, maybe even a movie if we're feeling crazy.

May your Christmas be exactly what you're hoping for!