When upon a not-also-distant Artwork Basel Miami Seaside, in advance of the pandemic upended social gatherings, a creative crowd packed into the Shorecrest dwelling of artwork vendor Nina Johnson and singer-songwriter Daniel Milewski. The musician and conceptual artist Terry Allen experienced established up his keyboard in the dwelling area, the place an audience collected close—some on the sofas, other folks standing shoulder to shoulder—to hear soulful tracks about lonely highways, really waitresses, and freight trains. A brief drive away, a present of Allen’s works on paper at Johnson’s namesake gallery offered a visual counterpoint to the tunes.
A bookcase by Emmett Moore anchors the property place of work above home windows, a clock from Inventive Expansion and a portray by Kristopher Benedict.
Kris Tamburello
Developed by the Ad100 company Charlap Hyman & Herrero, that house, a reprieve from the city’s white-box galleries and slick resorts, has been the web-site of numerous gatherings. But for Johnson, there’s a little something specially particular about entertaining at household. “It’s a way to clearly show people today that artwork is truly livable,” she says. “We have a big bushy dog that drools on anything. We have two minimal boys that run wild through the household. Objects are improved by the life lived all around them.” In the situation of her living space, those people objects contain will work by Judy Chicago, Awol Erizku, Seth Cameron, and some others from her developing roster of expertise.
Johnson and Milewski, who fulfilled at Boston’s College of the Museum of High-quality Arts, returned to her indigenous Miami in 2005. By 2007, she experienced opened her possess art area (then named Gallery Diet program) in Wynwood, eventually relocating to her current compound of buildings in Little Haiti. All the while, her eclectic and intuitive method took form, with emerging voices like Emmett Moore, Katie Stout, and Germane Barnes mixing with radical predecessors these kinds of as Peter Shire, Nicola L., and the Florida Highwaymen, a group of African American landscape painters from the 1950s who are only now acquiring their because of.
Johnson at her gallery, in Miami’s Small Haiti, developed by the Ad100 agency Charlap Hyman & Herrero wicker sideboard by Katie Stout.
Max Burkhalter
The entry features a Jim Drain ceiling mural, an Anna Betbeze wall hanging (still left), and a Rochelle Feinstein artwork (far wall) on piano, sculptures by Nicolas Lobo and Wade Tullier and an Ettore Sottsass lamp.
Kris Tamburello
In 2013, the few moved into their 1920s Craftsman dwelling. It experienced loads of room (Milewski, who released 4 new singles this yr, wanted a music studio) and was in fantastic problem, particularly thinking about the weather, which does no favors for previous properties. Slowly and gradually they restored the windows, painted the exterior an avocado green, and uncovered the living room’s unique ceiling mural, beforehand painted over. Amid these thoughtful renovations, a continuous stream of artist friends—many of whom crashed in the guesthouse for weeks or months—also still left their have marks. Jim Drain conjured the entry’s new ceiling mural, inspired by the patchwork textiles of Florida’s indigenous Miccosukee folks, while Stout, new out of RISD, individually sent and mounted a chandelier following the to start with a single she shipped arrived shattered. “Nina’s so fantastic at her task since she truly thinks in her artists and the operate,” states Stout, whose occupation has blossomed in the a long time considering that, thanks in no modest portion to Johnson’s mentorship. “She has this capacity to make people see what she sees.”
Kris Tamburello
The pair painted their 1920s Craftsman property an avocado eco-friendly.
In the Johnson-Milewski household, nothing at all is ever far too important. Along with blue-chip will work of artwork and design and style are the creations and interventions of two curly-haired boys, Cy and Lee. There are the moons they sculpted out of Engage in-Doh with the painter Ann Craven and portrait silhouettes they produced from wire at summertime artwork camp at Moore’s studio. Come Christmas, they’ve been regarded to place a Santa hat on what they call “fruit lady” (one of Stout’s really collectible lamps). “Art is just element of their lifetime every single one working day,” states Milewski. “The identical as it is for us, maybe even extra.” As for that Terry Allen performance, it was earlier the boys’ bedtime—but they experienced backstage passes to the sound test. ninajohnson.com
The marathon study course for subsequent summer’s World Athletics Outside Championships is equally a hat tip to the background of operating in Eugene-Springfield, as nicely as a showcase for the area’s natural attractiveness, Real Estate.
It also has the possible to be very rapid.
Wednesday morning, Oregon22, the area arranging committee in demand of staging the 10-working day keep track of and area meet, unveiled the marathon study course that will take opponents on a primarily flat 14-kilometer loop by means of Eugene and Springfield three moments in advance of ending in which it started at Autzen Stadium.
In concerning will be sections equivalent to the marathon program used for the 1972 and 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials races. The rout will also involves sections via Alton Baker Park, along the Willamette River, near Pre’s Path, and also on Most important Street in downtown Springfield.
When Hurricane Ida dumped record amounts of rain on New York Town in late August, shutting down the subway and drowning some residents trapped in basement flats, streets flooded in the Queens neighborhood of Rockaway Seaside. Two weeks previously, the same streets flooded in Tropical Storm Henri. But in entrance of one making, the pavement stayed dry.
“The complete neighborhood flooded,” says Walter Rodríguez Meyer, cofounder and principal city designer at Nearby Office Landscape & Urban Style and design, which worked on the landscape style and design for the building—a combined-use, 100{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} affordable complicated referred to as Beach Inexperienced Dunes. “Our web site stayed bone dry.”
[Photo: Local Office Landscape & Urban Design]
All around the building, permeable pavement—asphalt built with rocks that are all a very similar size, which produces substantial pores—is designed to suck up water rapidly in large rains. Under the pavement, “structural” soil, a blend of soil and a stone construction, is sturdy more than enough to be load-bearing but can also make it possible for tree roots to develop freely and enable take up much more h2o in storms. On roadways, the solution is referred to as a residing road.
“Instead of a standard street tree, wherever a tree is by itself in the city, this means you community it to the future tree, and the up coming tree is in a position to reconnect like a forest,” Meyer claims, noting that simply because of the way the technique is engineered, it should really really be ready to soak up extra rainwater than a natural forest. Rain gardens and bioswales (plant-crammed channels that can gather a lot more water) substitute additional regular landscaping on the web-site. An additional garden utilizes plants to support suck up groundwater on sunny days, so when a downpour comes about, there’s a lot more potential underground.
This conceptual rendering displays how a dwelling road style could renovate portion of Northern Boulevard in Queens, New York. [Image: Local Office Landscape and Urban Design]
1 part of the complicated, an condominium developing concluded in 2020, has a flood-evidence foyer, and all of the apartments are on the 2nd floor or higher, keeping people earlier mentioned any likely floodwater. (The structures also have solar panels on the roof, and could later on be related to batteries to assistance continue to keep ability on immediately after significant storms.) But the landscaping, created for 1,000-12 months storms, ought to aid avert floodwater accumulation in the to start with location. Meyer says that in the course of the latest heavy storms, a developing manager documented watching the drinking water rise on the nearby avenue, whilst concurrently sinking underground on the residence. The same issue has transpired in other storms and during king tides.
The landscaping strategy is something that can make sense across the town and any other people vulnerable to flooding, Meyer says. Recent codes have not caught up with the actuality of heavier rainfall and more substantial storm surges mainly because of weather improve. “As the city is currently created, stormwater is only managed in the 5-to-10-year capacity by code,” he states. “But we’re getting rain situations that are 500-year functions again to again.”
In a the latest report from the nonprofit Regional Prepare Affiliation that thought of how New York City’s streets could be reimagined—including generating a lot more room for people walking and on bikes, and more parks, green place, and other uses—the designers shared an case in point of how a further closely paved intersection could be transformed. A rendering displays a parking whole lot getting to be inexperienced place, bike lanes divided by plantings, and additional trees almost everywhere. “The avenue by itself is absolutely porous, allowing for water to infiltrate through the structural soil, the bike lanes, the sidewalk—everything you see on the proper absent is in essence porous,” states Tricia Martin, associate principal at Area Business Landscape & City Design and style.
Although that style, at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Broadway in Queens, is just a principle, it’s the type of transform that could realistically take place to aid the city adapt to climate improve, and a thing that the new metropolis administration could most likely champion. “I think that the appetite for this is shifting,” Martin suggests. “It doesn’t essentially have to be additional pricey. Due to the fact if you really do this at a systemic amount, and community these trees and truly start off to reconstruct streets this way, you conclusion up not needing pipes, and you do not want to retain pipes. And so you can start out to see exactly where there’s price tag cost savings there.”
Dwelling devices of “regenerative infrastructure” final lengthier, Meyer claims. “There’s additional money costs—they cost amongst 30{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} and 50{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} more to create on the cash aspect, but the life costs are exponentially reduced,” he suggests. “And when you calculate in how significantly a lot more stormwater this procedures, as well as the reduction in hazard to insurance policies premiums for properties close to it and for neighborhoods, then it’s an exponential payback.”
THEY FLASH LIKE FIREFLIES: vivid, unbidden, briefly flitting mini-memories — sometimes individually, sometimes in a swarm, always somewhat magically.
Out of the dim twilight of that nowhere bridging Right This Second and Some Other Time, they materialize: a home. A room. A setting. A conversation.
All originate from one dusty-but-apparently-not-totally-rusty attic of the past: NW Living, the architecture and design feature that was a weekly staple in these pages for decades.
It makes sense, I guess, that those stories, and places, and memories, would linger. When people invite you into their homes — whether it’s through a tattered screen door at Grampa’s lopsided fishing cabin or a mahogany masterpiece framed in stately brick — it’s a big deal. Our homes are our personal sanctuaries, our family hubs, our communal holders of our accumulated stuff, our (“Oof!” and “Yay!” combined) modern-day workspaces.
Over the decades, NW Living writers and photographers were warmly welcomed into, easily, hundreds and hundreds of distinctly designed local homes. From my time in the guest chair (fall 2015 until we retired the feature in June 2020), I toured more than 200, and met even more inspired and inspiring architects, interior designers, DIY-ers, builders and homeowners (plus oodles of kids and critters). (Please note that we’re not naming the homeowners this time around, in case they no longer live where they did.)
So, yeah: I saw (still “see”) some memorable things.
Which is one key reason (another one — ahem — rhymes with veronacyrus) for this year’s special Fall Home Design issue, a Vintage Pacific NW collection of 20 of those most insistently memorable NW Living moments. And, to add to the assets of our memory bank, we’ve invited along a truly retro entry from 1968 by the incomparable Margery Phillips that makes an impression even from the outside, more than 50 years away.
Welcome back in.
1. Woods of the World Feb. 15, 2020; Lake Forest Park How much wood could just one room hold, if one room could hold much wood? Well, here is what’s in the majestic great room (just the great room) of the contemporary, distinctly curvy home that architect Roger Wallace designed among some seriously towering trees: The walls are Waterfall Bubinga, from Africa. (Originally, that is. Wallace got his from Edensaw Woods in Tacoma.) The floor: curly cherry, from Maine. The sofas and chairs Wallace designed as a graduate student — and then ended up building, with his carpenter friend Brian Gregory — are Paldao (from Indonesia and New Guinea), with African Zebrawood trim. The ottomans at the feet of the shiny Eames Lounge chairs are of Santos Palisander, from South America. The legs of the stunning dining table are African mahogany, with midcentury chairs in rosewood. Cabinets by Ross Day are Jatoba, from South America, and Western Tiger maple, with smaller accessories in walnut burl and teak. And tying it all together, all through the house: “Just a normal cherry,” says Wallace.
2. A Tree-Hugging Home May 5, 2016; Beaux Arts Village This magnificent, way-more-than-a-cabin “treehouse” was envisioned, designed, built and inhabited to wholeheartedly embrace the site’s seven old-growth Douglas firs and all they so stately stand for. “The trees were such a gift that we organized the building around the experience of the trees,” says architect Jim Cutler of Cutler Anderson Architects. “How could you not love this presence? It’s like a relation or an ancestor, like having your grandfather in the room all the time.”
3. Paneling That Pops Dec. 7, 2018; Anacortes Everything about The Cliff House, a one-of-a-kind inhabitable observatory more than 50 dramatic feet above the Guemes Channel, stands out: so much so, the home won two awards from the Skagit/Island Counties Builders Association, including Project of the Year, in 2018. But that paneling! The word sounds so standard, but this is anything but. This is a laminate manufactured in Italy by CLEAF that “comes in giant sheets,” says architect Brooks Middleton, who worked with Strandberg Construction. It coats the walls with the richness of hot fudge. It fronts the kitchen cabinetry in melty French vanilla mixed with just one dollop of hot fudge. It’s warm and really, really cool, and you can’t not touch it. And then — surprise! — it takes on a whole new dimension when Sheetrock pops out to frame the homeowners’ art pieces.
4. Extra-Bright Shades of Green May 11, 2017; Bainbridge Island Heron Hall, designed by Jason F. McLennan of McLennan Design, is a genuinely groundbreaking tribute to regenerative design, local materials, salvaged treasures and bespoke green products and techniques — one of the most advanced buildings ever and “completely solar-powered and completely off the water grid,” says McLennan, who worked with general contractor Smallwood Design & Construction and a bevy of contributors and craftspeople. Two-foot-thick rammed-earth walls start at the entry gate, rise two stories through the powerful central stair tower and ground the entire home with what McLennan calls “a literal stabilizing presence.” “We wanted Heron Hall to be timeless, for generations,” he says. “We hope it’s the kind of house that 100 to 200 years from now, families will be in it, loving it and using it.”
5. Whimsy to Spare Aug. 19, 2016; Enatai A giant neon bowling-alley sign is the shining North Star of the neighborhood. (As in, “Hang a left after the giant neon bowling-alley sign.”) You can see how that might happen: The thing is 8 feet tall, 6 feet wide, nice and high in the living-room window and — repeated for emphasis — neon. It’s also the whimsical kingpin of this strikingly renovated midcentury-modern home, a veritable gallery of singular finds artfully united and sited by interior designer Hilary Young of Hilary Young Design Associates. That giant sign (neon; did we mention?) ties together the whole airy living/dining area. “Not many houses can handle it,” Young says, “but this house is perfect.” Just a 7-10 split away, over the fireplace and its original surround, hangs a series of Warhol-ized official White House photos of Richard Nixon. He. Is. Bowling.
6. Masterful Craftsmanship May 10, 2020; Shoreline Makoto Imai is a true master craftsman of traditional Japanese woodworking and construction. He uses no nails, no bolts, no screws — just precisely aligned, gorgeous joinery, and hand tools carrying 8,000 years of history that he brought from Japan. Over his 50-year career, Makoto (he’d prefer we call him Makoto) has designed and built homes in Japan, in California, on the East Coast and in Washington — including this one-bedroom Japanese Sukiya Guesthouse, designed with Cardwell Architects “primarily as an entertaining space” and situated on a serious 100-foot-high bluff overlooking sparkling Puget Sound, amid Zen gardens and a languid pond. Typical of Makoto’s work, the materials are natural: clay tile, concrete foundation, Japanese clay plaster walls. And the wood, of course, is perfection: Alaskan yellow cedar posts, Western red cedar beams, entry stairs with bamboo insets — with all wooden joints shaped by hand, by Makoto.
7. Stretch Higher! Nov. 4, 2016; Magnolia “[One of the homeowners] needed to stand on his hands.” Jill Rerucha, of ReruchaStudio, tosses out that statement from the skylighted yoga studio that pops atop this sparkling home almost as if it’s a design requirement she hears all the time: “We’d like natural materials; an awesome indoor-outdoor connection; and, you know, plenty of overhead (overfeet) clearance.” Turns out, a daily handstand also worked as a metaphor for the entire home-design and -building experience. “It really was a balancing act,” Rerucha says — of processes, and of options. “With a modest budget, you choose selectively. It’s like an outfit. Prada shoes and a Gap T-shirt are just fine. You do not need all Prada.” But this transitional, transformative, upside-down space really was a must.
8. A Surprisingly Artsy Attic March 8, 2019; Queen Anne In the top-to-bottom remodel of this 1915 Tudor Revival home, you will not see THIS top coming — which is the whole idea. The classic/modern mishmash starts right inside the formal entry and progresses — gradually, intentionally, surprisingly — as you climb. You might have to seek out the plywood stairs to the attic (they’re hidden behind what looks like a closet door), but — ohmygosh. Find the stairs. Climb them. Pick up your jaw from the plywood floor. Then follow the bright, barely stained plywood up the walls and onto the ceiling, as it defines angles, shadows, spaces … and perhaps the most unexpected element of all: a curved, supercool translucent wall. “In the attic … there was just this amazing shape,” architect John DeForest says. “As soon as we tried a rectangular wall up there, it detracted from the roofline, so we inscribed this elliptical shape in creating all these different, interesting spaces that are surprising, not conventional.” Along the attic edges, a guest bedroom, a bathroom, nooks and crannies tuck along squeeze-through, watch-your-head passageways — “all these ins and outs, a whole network of spaces,” DeForest says. They are not easy to navigate. Also not an accident. The experience, it turns out, is the ultimate intent.
9. One Highly Designed Driveway Dec. 9, 2016; Innis Arden Typically, as its name so aptly implies, a driveway simply gets you to a house. Right? Drive (this) way! Keep it between the lines. There; you made it. So let’s not call the artful entrance to this home a driveway, K? This brief stretch of deep imagination, this unexpected collection of textures, features and materials, carries far more than the random sedan: It embodies the entire aesthetic of the equally inspired home it leads to. This driveway is designed. There is grass. There are pavers. Lights. Fountains. There is a moat. People! A moat. You must cross it, on custom ramps, to reach the gorgeous garage. When the homeowners decided to remodel this solid circa-1946 specimen of Paul H. Kirk architecture — with Rainier Custom Homes and architect Darrin Petersen (Bjorn & Poulsen Fine Home Design) — they really did not want “the whole house to look like a garage” from the street. Now, even the garage doesn’t look like a garage from the street.
10. DADU to the Rescue Oct. 12, 2019; Ravenna This mighty little DADU has saved the day, in so many ways. Before it existed — before its existence even was conceived — a family of four (plus two pets) was contending with seriously confined quarters in their century-old Craftsman bungalow. Every option seemed too complicated, too disruptive, too not quite right. To the rescue came Living Shelter Architects, along with Mighty House Construction and Entero Design, with an especially inspired out-of-the-bungalow idea: a detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU). It made sense, and it also could make history: This backyard cottage is designed to be one of the first carbon-neutral DADUs in the country, says Living Shelter founder and principal architect Terry Phelan. The 620-square-foot DADU is a mini-marvel of energy- and space-saving ingenuity, plus gigantic fun: A custom foldaway staircase leads to an upper-level light-shelf/loft space and a rooftop deck with spectacular views.
11. Gorgeously Green Jan. 15, 2016; Madison Park Architect Susan Jones of atelierjones LLC said this home was the first permitted building in Seattle, and one of the first multistoried structures in the country, to use cross-laminated timber (CLT), highly energy-efficient, layered engineered wood panels oriented at right angles and glued into bigger, stronger structural panels. All told, 67 prefabricated CLT panels were delivered from British Columbia; they act as both structure and interior wall finish. The home’s exterior is strikingly charred shou-sugi-ban Douglas fir; inside, it’s luminously light and open. The white pine CLT is raw, textured and only slightly whitewashed, and upstairs, sunlight slices through two CLT panels where the manufacturer carved a design Jones created to evoke the wood’s pine knots; the result is both natural and somewhat nautical. “The first thing is to let the wood speak for itself,” Jones says. “We wanted to express the volumes of the wood, to let the grain move with the space — not decorate it, just let the light fall across it.”
12. Elevated Stairs Oct. 19, 2017; WashingtonPark In a gleeful expression of collaboration, Stuart Silk Architects (principals Silk and Mike Troyer, and project manager Michael McFadden) teamed with builder Schultz Miller, interior designer Amy Baker and a passel of craftspeople to create this gleaming, gabled, contemporary-yet-traditional waterfront home. The blended delight continues right inside with a dramatic staircase backed by a towering, textured steel wall crafted by Decorative Metal Arts. Says Silk: “We always wanted a center spine of steel, so the stair was floating and kind of wrapped up and around that. The embedded stair detail is pretty memorable. That was, I thought, a really great way to bring another level of detail to the wall.”
13. Cutting-edge Glass April 7, 2017; Kirkland The glass masters at Glassworks, a Seattle company that designs and creates custom architectural glass, crafted a massive wall that elegantly divides the dining area and the entry of a cool and contemporary home designed by architect Rick Chesmore of Chesmore|Buck Architecture. “That wall … you wouldn’t have thought: ‘What keeps it there?’ ” says Steve Shahbaghlian of Glassworks. “The only thing for us was: ‘Can we do that?’ We came up with the idea and took exact measurements. Everything’s very specific.”
14. Which Way Is Up? Nov. 11, 2016; Hood Canal There are two mariners compasses embedded in this views-for-nautical-miles waterfront home along Hood Canal. One is big and bold and plain as day: the tiled focal point on the floor of the exquisitely circular library. (The other is easier to miss, on the stone porch.) “We wanted a place to discover, especially for the kids,” says architect Greg Belding of Rice Fergus Miller, who teamed with Steve Rice. So the lower shelves in the cozy library hold kids’ books and a stuffed animal near an heirloom rocking/reading chair. A ship’s ladder rises to a streetside loft, with a metal-spring bed from the site’s original cabin, a porthole for waving a flag to Grandpa as he works in the hobby shop/garage across the street, plus sleeping bags tucked into a hidden storage nook.
15. C’mon In/Down for a Swim! Oct. 5, 2019; Capitol Hill When the team at JAS Design Build — including creative director Kim Clements, project architect Nick Robertson and designer Kaitlin Tripp-Addison — updated the majestic 1904 Bordeaux House, the overall mission was to bring its 20+ rooms to a more personal scale and to honor the legacy of all the families who lived here before — along with the existing pool on the lower level. This historic home encompasses 8,000 square feet over five levels, so it takes 50 cardio-hardy steps to ascend from the main-level kitchen to the tippy-top-floor media room — and that’s not even counting the other stairs down to this fabulously fun pool room. And those stairs really count. Because: fabulously fun pool room.
16. A Grand Entrance March 24, 2017; Bellevue Informal and formal, Old World and state-of-the-art, this luxuriously romantic stone home on Lake Washington succeeds grandly on many levels — literally, many, many levels: “three floors with half-levels in between, to get the hillside to work with the house,” architect Tom Kuniholm says. All those levels require a lot of stairs, as you might imagine — with one almost-unimaginably OMG stairway in the entry: locally milled walnut treads, risers and stringers bracketed by meticulously hand-wrought iron. “It’s the tour de force,” says Kuniholm. That could be an understatement. “All the steelwork is hand-forged, with a hand-shaped, carved railing,” says artisan fabricator Nathie Katzoff, of NK Woodworking & Design. “Each piece is unique in geometry and 100{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} custom.” The elaborate handrail is held together by just two or three fasteners, he says; otherwise it’s all wood joinery. “It’s really traditional, 2,000-year-old techniques. It was a fair amount of work.” That could be another understatement. Katzoff crafted the staircase in the shop and installed it in pieces. All told, he says, it required 3,000 hours of labor.
17. Hands-on Craftsmanship May 5, 2016 On one hand, architect Nils Finne embraces state-of-the-art design machinery, like super-sophisticated CNC routers and extra-large industrial water-jet cutters. On the other hand … well, the other hand is kinda busy sketching those designs, thank you very much, with a good old inkbrush, on good old paper. In one giant design high-five, it all comes together in the touchable, true craftsmanship throughout The Elliott Bay House. “The human hand drives the machine,” says the namesake of FINNE Architects — and crafted modernism results. “Crafted modernism brings back the idea you can use natural materials and machine them to suggest natural patterns. Technology allows us to bring a level of craft to the design of the home that is unheard of.”
18. An Oooh and Ahhh Oasis Dec. 1, 2017; Seattle Design principal Jim Olson, of Olson Kundig, and the homeowner have been friends-that-feel-like-family most of their lives, and this glorious super-sustainable retreat in Seattle — Olson calls it “City Cabin” — certainly benefited from interpersonal inspiration. The owner envisioned sun-worshipping clerestories and windows, along with a nothing-fancy-please common area, two separate bedrooms and a private connection to nature — all on an ordinary city lot. So Olson maximized the anything-but-ordinary home’s 2,400 square feet, working to “get as much as you can out of as little space,” he says. Its fabulous, functional design organizes around a brilliantly bright, high-ceilinged great room, with two extending wings (one the master suite, and the other a guest room and storage) and soothing garden views from every single room.
19. Quite a First Impression Oct. 7, 2016; Capitol Hill “This brick is special,” architect Eric Gedney says of this classically elegant 1929 home. “The character of it is so strong.” As Gedney expanded, preserved and updated the home, artisan mason Todd Taylor of Ernest Construction counted bricks to see how many could be salvaged or restored. Bricks were removed, matched and reinstalled, and now original bricks, found bricks and re-created bricks coexist, seamlessly. At the entry, the intricately carved original door was solid mahogany (except for a Speakeasy door) and solidly dark. The new handmade door keeps the mahogany and the original shape (and the dramatic brick frame), but adds glass. “There’s a lot to figure out in its character,” Gedney says. “Do you know it’s not original? No.”
20. An Excellent Use of Space Dec. 8, 2017; Central Washington Houston, we have a project. Technically, it is not a starship, but it certainly has proved quite the enterprise. Its DIY commander, naval architect Kurt Hughes, systematically designed and built this livable, lovable lunar lander, securely perched on an acre of peaceful riverfront terrain. It is out-of-this-world spectacular. And this is no tiny house that vaguely resembles something space-y, fellow Earthlings. This is a “retrofuturist” and officially permitted lunar-lander tiny house (total weight, less than 3,000 pounds; total square footage, 250). It kind of stands out. “There are four sides and four truncations — it’s technically a hexagon,” Hughes says. “The intent is that it’s cool from every side.” Mission accomplished.
Bonus Bathtubs! I must be drawn to baths (ha!), because each of these serene soaking sites is deeply seared into my memory.
2b. Oct. 25, 2018; Ellensburg. Principal designers Jeff Bates and Trevor Lunde (GLY Construction); builder: Town & Country Homes; landscaping: Central Valley Nursery; interior design: homeowner.
Sandy Deneau Dunham writes about architecture and design for Pacific NW and is associate editor of the magazine. Reach her at sdunham@seattletimes.com.
We’re all familiar with hygge, the concept of heightening our cozy and comfy experience at home, which became omnipresent just as Covid-19 — and all its stay-at-home mandates — came to fruition. And now, as the pandemic is allowing room for more socialization, comes “friluftsliv,” the al fresco Norwegian sister concept that entails embracing outdoor life (regardless of the season).
Bartone Interiors/Lissa Gotwals Photography
An example of Friluftsliv aesthetic from Bartone Interiors
Highlighting fresh air, nature and adventures galore, the idea of friluftsliv — pronounced “free-loves-liv” — literally means “open-air living” and is rooted in activity and spending time with loved ones. Need proof of its popularity? Just take a peek at the phrase’s Instagram hashtag, which has a whopping 1.2 million posts, and you’ll find families and friends around the world camping, kayaking, hiking, fishing, foraging and more.
Bartone Interiors/Lissa Gotwals Photography
An example of Friluftsliv aesthetic from Bartone Interiors
When interlaced with interior design, friluftsliv aims to bring the outdoor experience into our indoor spaces. “Nature has a profound impact on our overall well-being, both physically and emotionally,” says Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based designer Kristin Bartone of Bartone Interiors. “By infusing natural elements into our interior spaces, we stay connected even when we are indoors. Designing this way helps reduce stress and increase environmental stewardship.”
How, specifically, can we channel friluftsliv into our homes? According to Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson, “Shoppers can embrace [the trend] by incorporating items that help connect them with nature, like landscape-inspired wall art, indoor planters or organic materials. After a year and a half spent mostly indoors, and with many continuing to work or learn from home, friluftsliv offers shoppers a connection to nature and its calming, grounding effects.”
Wayfair Professional design manager Erin Dalton-Cooney compares friluftsliv to the quickly growing biophilic design trend of infusing the outdoors inside, both of which “bring natural elements (or the illusion of the outdoors) into the home or workplace to promote mindfulness and decrease mental fatigue.” To do so, she recommends wallpaper with texture, such as grasscloth or sisal; lots of greenery; earth tones; furnishings made from natural materials like rattan and cane; and “placing furniture near windows or with a view outside to create a restorative connection.”
Wayfair
Adds Heather McKeown, founder of New Jersey-based Land and Sky Designs, “Incorporating a floral wallpaper or hexagonal tiles in your bathroom can subconsciously create an association or memory to time spent outdoors.”
And, fear not, friluftsliv can be applied in your open-air spaces too. “Friluftsliv is [also] meant to make the colder winter months more bearable if you choose to be outside,” says Kristen Gall, Rakuten Rewards’ president and shopping expert, adding that even if our houses are cozy as can be, shoppers still want to head outdoors — even in the middle of winter! “This urge to get outside calls for home decor shoppers to buy things that make outdoor spaces warmer — like fire pits and tables, space heaters, thick blankets and slippers — so that they can still enjoy the winter while being outdoors.”
Below, find your friluftsliv cheat sheet, chock-full of artwork, candles, decor, furniture and entertaining essentials all meant to connect you more to nature, both inside your home and out. Summing it up perfectly, McKeown says, “It is in our core nature to be connected to the outside world and elements. Incorporating natural associations into our home environment is a fantastic way to inspire and remind us of the simple pleasures of being in the great outdoors.”
We love nothing more than a twofer here at Underscored, and this stunning candle by L’or de Seraphine is just that. Housed in gorgeous ceramic vessels, the candles can become beautiful catchalls for pens on your desk, cotton balls on your vanity or keepsakes on a bookshelf long after the wick’s last burn. Regardless of how you repurpose the candle, trust that it will look gorgeous wherever it lands — and it will smell delicious during its 45 to 80 hours of burn time. We’re partial to the Whitby’s sea salt-infused aroma, which harkens days at the beach, and boasts a mesmerizing wave pattern on its exterior.
Minimalist in design, this Sweet Water Decor candle from Amazon Handmade is going to mesh beautifully with your existing decor scheme — while bringing with it the crisp scent of leaves on a fall day.
Rifle Paper Co. High Peaks of the Adirondack Forest ($34; riflepaperco.com)
Rifle Paper Co.
Rifle Paper Co. High Peaks of the Adirondack Forest
Housed in a forest green glass vessel, the candle’s label is bursting with whimsical florals, bold colors and chic metallic gold fonts — making it the perfect accent for a powder room or coffee table. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter in scent, try the brand’s lemon-infused Amalfi del Mar or the utterly feminine Jardin de Paris.
Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Harvest Spice Textured Glass Seasonal Candle ($14.99; target.com)
Target
Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Harvest Spice Textured Glass Seasonal Candle
If you love all things autumnal, then you’re going to be sold on this fall-inspired candle from Joanna Gaines’ Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line at Target. Priced at just under 15 bucks, the candle combines cinnamon, clove and nutmeg spices creamy vanilla notes, and is guaranteed to make your home smell like a Vermont cabin — even if you’re based in a California condo.
Looking for a flame-free scent? Vitruvi’s Stone Diffuser is the answer. Beautiful in its natural shape and design, the diffuser’s cover is crafted from a matte ceramic (it comes in eight earthy hues) material that will infuse your space (up to 500 square feet) with relaxing scents from the brand’s non-toxic, all-natural, 100{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} pure essential oils.
You know that glow you get when hitting up your local farmer’s market? Imagine if you could access that Mother Earth vibe 24/7 at your home… oh wait, now you can, thanks to Lettuce Grow’s genius Farmstand.
Founded by Zooey Deschanel, Lettuce Grow gives everyone an instant, fool-proof green thumb with its vertical hydroponic system dubbed Farmstand. It is self-watering, self-fertilizing and can grow up to 36 pre-sprouted plants simultaneously in a fraction of the time it would take if you were, say, starting a home garden. Buyers can choose from more than 200 seedlings (everything from berries and veggies to flowers, herbs and leafy greens), and fear not, if the weather takes a turn for the worse, the Farmstand can be moved indoors or out — all you need is four square feet and electricity (and Glow Rings if you’re headed inside). Ranging in size from 3’8” (12 plants) to 6’1” (36 plants), Farmstand is going to make an impression wherever it lands.
There are a lot of cacti to choose from, but we’re completely smitten with the beavertail-shaped pads of this prickly pear option from Bloomscape, a direct-to-consumer houseplant delivery company. Channeling the deserts of the west, this plant is low-maintenance, pet-friendly and removes toxins from the air in your home. More to know: The cactus comes with soil and in a recycled plastic pot, which is available in five muted colorways.
Ready to become a plant person? Let online plant delivery company The Sill get you started with this easy-care duo that doesn’t require a ton light of light or water (seriously, you only have to water them every two weeks!) — but will surely bring a whole lot of fresh greenery to your space. More to know: The plants come in terra cotta-hued grow pots, if you want a more polished planter, check out The Sill’s selection here.
Threshold designed with Studio McGee Artificial Rubber Leaf Tree ($50; target.com)
Target
Threshold designed with Studio McGee Artificial Rubber Leaf Tree
We think this 3-foot artificial option from Target collab Threshold designed with Studio McGee is a total winner. Not only is it maintenance free, but it’s also ultra-realistic looking with vibrant green leaves that are shiny on one side, matte on the other, and with a trunk featuring faux bark that looks just like the real thing. Our favorite detail, however, is the rattan basket that is included.
Nearly Natural Artificial Ficus Tree (starting at $55.73; amazon.com)
Amazon
Nearly Natural Artificial Ficus Tree
A key way to embody friluftsliv at home? “Decorate with nature,” says McKeown. “Try putting a large tree in your living room, the bigger, the better!”
This ficus, available in sizes three feet to nine feet, from Nearly Natural will certainly do the trick. Beloved by more than 11,000 Amazon reviewers, the faux tree features hundreds of leaves (1,0008 exactly for the six footer!) and comes in a non-decorative pot… meaning you might want to invest in something with a bit more style if basic black isn’t your thing.
EucalyptusBlooms Shower Eucalyptus Bundle (starting at $15.12; etsy.com)
Etsy
EucalyptusBlooms Shower Eucalyptus Bundle
Self-care plus friluftsliv? Yep, it exists. Just take this bundle of eucalyptus, which can be hung in your shower head and emits a completely relaxing, spa-like aroma under the heat and steam. Great for everything from reducing anxiety to opening your sinuses, the eucalyptus bundle is also super pretty to look at as you make your way into the shower every morning.
If you’re like us, you’re going to take one look at this stunning print and book your next vacation. Embodying all the friluftsliv values — wide open spaces, adventure, fun and happiness — this gorgeous piece from Idyll Collective photographers (and twin sisters!) Lindsey Bundschuh and Rebecca Amber will add just the right amount of wanderlust to your space.
Available in six sizes, from small (14- x 18-inches for $168) to statement (40 x 60-inches for $1,828) and with a matte or full bleed, the boutique art gallery’s luxurious prints are created through archival techniques and comes with a real wood Larson Juhl frame handcrafted in the US. More to know: For every print sold, Idyll is planting five trees. If that’s not friluftsliv-friendly, then we don’t know what is!
LemoneeOnTheHills Rainier National Park Art Print (starting at $7; etsy.com)
Etsy
LemoneeOnTheHills Rainier National Park Art Print
Channel the stunning snow-topped vistas of Washington’s Mount Rainier with this crisp print on matte paper. Did we mention the photo starts at just seven bucks? Proof that friluftsliv doesn’t need to break the bank!
Minted Gone Coastal by Jess Franks (starting at $24; minted.com)
Minted
Minted Gone Coastal by Jess Franks
Not all art needs to be so literal, which is why we love this abstract take on Maine’s coastal islands by Minted artist Jess Franks. Depicting the rocky coasts, green hillsides, choppy seas and gorgeous skies the Pine Tree State is known for, this piece is also perfect for adding a hefty dose of color onto a blank wall.
We love all of Minted’s flexibility when it comes to customizing your art — Gone Coastal, for instance, can be purchased as a print, a framed print (with or without a matte, float mounting is also available), a canvas or a framed canvas in sizes small (5 x 7) to massive (40 x 54). Regardless of what you choose, trust that the quality of the artwork and the craftsmanship of the framing is going to far exceed the cost, making it a worthwhile investment.
Project 62 Van and Surfboard Framed Wall Art ($50; target.com)
Target
Project 62 Van and Surfboard Framed Wall Art
Is your gallery wall begging for some beachy vibes? Look no further than this adorable set of 16 x 20-inch framed prints from Project 62 that are sure to evoke memories of adventures past and spark ideas for new ones in the future. Pro tip: Scoop these up now, they are going to go fast because they’re a steal at this price.
Minted Hilltop by Stephanie Goos Johnson (starting at $24; minted.com)
Minted
Minted Hilltop by Stephanie Goos Johnson
We’re not sure about you, but every time we look at this stunning piece all we can hear is Julie Andrews singing, “The hills are alive, with the sound of music!” And yeah, maybe we want to run and twirl around that meadow, too. Point being: Hilltop by Minted artist Stephanie Goos Johnson stirs up all the best friluftsliv feelings — and it will bring a lovely (and wee bit melancholy) dose of green landscape into your space. Like Gone Coastal above, Hilltop can also be purchased as a solo print, a framed print, a canvas or a framed canvas.
A key aspect of friluftsliv is activity and spending time with loved ones — achieve both while entertaining inside your home this winter with nature-inspired must-haves. Case in point: This stunning cutting board from Always Pan brand Our Place. Perfect for meal prep, meat carving or as the backdrop to a badass cheese spread, the board is made from American black walnut wood that is utterly gorgeous in real life. We love the deep trench for catching juices and those super helpful inset handles.
Ensure your dinner party goes off without a hitch with this must-have set of high carbon stainless steel knives from legendary German cutlery company Wüsthof. Housed in a beautiful hardwood block, the sprawling set covers all your needs — from basic kitchen knives and four steak knives to specialty knives for advanced chefs. Oh, and it also includes the best pair of shears on the planet.
Breakfast in bed is always a good idea, especially if you’re entertaining a special guest. Don’t be fooled by this feminine bed tray though — made of bamboo and rattan, it’s durable despite looking dainty! Our favorite design detail is the side pocket that can be a catchall for napkins and utensils, a magazine or whatever you need to tote up their bedroom.
Baking is the ultimate inside friluftsliv activity and this beautiful set of mixing bowls will ensure you’re well on your way. Made from natural, scratch-resistant stoneware, the bowls come in white or red and they nest when not in use — a space-saving design detail we can get behind! If you’re looking for something less breakable, we suggest the brand’s cult-favorite melamine bowls, which come with spouts or in a stackable set of six.
Mountain-shaped shelves that are hand-milled and -crafted from locally-harvested wood in Oklahoma? Yep, these Etsy stunners are guaranteed to spark all the friluftsliv joy in your space.
MelanieAbrantes Modern Cork Planters ($89; etsy.com)
Etsy
MelanieAbrantes Modern Cork Planters
Surrounding yourself in greenery is a key friluftsliv tenet, and all your new plant friends are going to need containers! Enter: These cute-as-can-be planters that are handmade from cork and beeswax. Available in four sizes, the vintage-esque planters have a shellacked interior to prevent any leaking.
Two things we love? Side tables and natural wood materials. And this West Elm beauty is exactly that. Made from fallen cypress trees, each of these solid wood side tables is completely unique and chock full of gorgeous knots and divots. Evoking nature walks of yore and inspiring future hikes, the table is the perfect perch for your morning cup of coffee.
Tempaper Linen Burlap Removable Peel and Stick Wallpaper ($39.99 per roll; amazon.com)
Amazon
Tempaper Linen Burlap Removable Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Peel-and-stick wallpaper is all the rage these days, understandably so — what’s not to love about a high-quality, but totally temporary wallpaper? We’ve tested out this Tempaper beauty and can confirm that the burlap texture is equal parts subtle and chic. Available in a creamy white “linen” or a light blue “ocean mist” hue, the paper is going to lighten and brighten your space.
Adds Dalton-Cooney: “As biophilic design creates a connection to the natural environment, recall what elements in nature inspire or calm you. Wallpaper with texture that you not only see but feel will add visual interest to your space.”
Weighted blankets are nothing new, but weighted blankets that are gorgeous enough to be on display 24/7? Well, yeah, that’s worth a double take. Enter: Bearaby’s handknit Tree Napper blanket that has a cult following — seriously, it once amassed a waitlist topping 80,0000.
Available in 15-, 20- and 25-pound weights, the blanket is crafted from plant-based Tencel and just dropped five new nature-inspired colorways, from a marigold-esque “maple” to an oatmeal-ish “driftwood,” all of which will look gorgeous on your couch, chair or bed. Read our Bearaby review here.
’Overview: A New Perspective of Earth’ by Benjamin Grant ($22.99; amazon.com)
Amazon
‘Overview: A New Perspective of Earth’ by Benjamin Grant
According to McKeown, books are a friluftsliv must-have. “Depending on where you live, getting into nature may be difficult,” she says. “No matter what your location, one way to channel Friluftsliv at home is to keep a collection of books that can mentally transport you to the outdoors. By keeping books about or inspired by the natural world around your home-on coffee tables, side tables and nightstands, the connectivity to the deep natural world in your mind is just an arm’s reach away.”
We couldn’t agree more, and this book, “Overview: A New Perspective of Earth” by Benjamin Grant is among our favorites. Boasting more than 200 aerial images taken via satellite, the book highlights beaches, farms, cities, islands and more that will have you drooling… and ready to plan your next adventure.
Opalhouse designed with Jungalow Carved Wood Mirror ($80; target.com)
Target
Opalhouse designed with Jungalow Carved Wood Mirror
Ask any interior design expert and they’ll attest that the quickest way to enlarge a space — without knocking down walls, that is — is to invest in mirrors… lots of them! We love this option from Target’s Justina Blakeney collab, which is pretty big at 24 x 36-inches and comes with hooks for mounting. Our favorite feature, however, is the gorgeous carved detailing throughout. It’s the perfect addition to your wide open space.
This chair is a best-seller for Serena & Lily and it’s easy to understand why — ultra-sturdy and cozy, the chair is also stunning to look at and totally fun to sit and swing in! Sculpted from hand-bent rattan, the chair’s open-air structure ensures it won’t block any sightlines to outside, while still providing some much-needed seating. Trust us, everyone will be fighting over this perch.
Tell us you’re two separate areas, without telling us you’re two separate seating areas, mmk? Luckily, with some help from Urban Outfitters’ boho-inspired Tavi room divider, you can do just that in a way that won’t darken or depress any space. Crafted from rattan that has been twisted and tied in a geometric pattern, the airy room divider will allow you to create distinct zones within your big ol’ space. More to know: The tri-panel screen can fold flat too.
Birch Lane Lebeau Rectangular Fire Pit Table ($699, originally $880.99; birchlane.com)
Birch Lane
Birch Lane Lebeau Rectangular Fire Pit Table
To truly harness the friluftsliv spirit, one must head outdoors. But as anyone in the Northeast can attest, the temps are going to be dropping fast in the upcoming months. The solution? A fire table! We’re obsessed with this chic steel slatted option from Birch Lane that mimics the look of shiplap and will blend in beautifully with your existing outdoor setup.
Available in white, gray and black, the table can work with natural gas or propane, and it’s large enough to conceal the tank inside the table — a major win. More to know: The table comes with filler, a lid and a cover. Did we mention it’s also majorly on sale right now?
HBeeFire Large Hot Rolled Steel Fire Pit ($296.81; etsy.com)
Etsy
HBeeFire Large Hot Rolled Steel Fire Pit
If a wood-burning fire pit is more your speed, this artistic option from Etsy top retailer HBeeFire is a sure bet. Easily assembled and disassembled without tools — it comes in four pieces and has a sliding slot system — the steel fire pit takes up literally no room when not in use.
Fab Habitat Outdoor Reversible Rug (starting at $55; amazon.com)
Amazon
Fab Habitat Outdoor Reversible Rug
A quick way to hygge up your outdoor area is by adding a rug to anchor the footprint of the space, but not just any rug will do! Made from recycled plastic, these reversible options by Fab Habitat are an Amazon favorite — they’ve amassed more than 6,600 positive reviews already. Available in a dozen colorways (from muted greys to sunny yellows), the rugs can be hosed off and are mold- and dirt-resistant, making them an option even for uncovered spaces in wetter climates.
Ooni Koda 12 Gas Powered Pizza Oven ($349; ooni.com)
Ooni
Ooni Koda 12 Gas Powered Pizza Oven
Get your friends and family outside interacting this fall with an al fresco pizza night. How? With the Ooni Koda, of course! The gas-powered outdoor oven churns out restaurant-quality Neapolitan pizzas all day (and night) long — seriously, it can fully cook a pizza in just 60 seconds! Ultra-portable, the Ooni’s leg’s fold flat and this version can easily connect to a propane take. Done and done.
Chappywrap Harborview Herringbone Navy Original Blanket ($135; chappywrap.com)
Chappywrap
Chappywrap Harborview Herringbone Navy Original Blanket
Meet Instagram’s most beloved blanket! Adored by influencers near and far, Chappywrap is that rare brand that is actually worth the hype. Made from a reversible, ultra-soft jacquard weave, the outdoor blankets — don’t worry, you’ll likely be using them indoors, too — are oversized to either a) completely swaddle you, or b) comfortably ensconce you and a friend (or two!).
We’re obsessed with the brand’s nautical and preppy patterns, and the fact that they can be machine washed and dried with zero fading or shrinking. Trust us, these are worth the splurge, and ensure you’ll be staying outside longer and later this winter.
Follow in your favorite restaurant’s footsteps by purchasing a patio heater — nothing will keep you outside longer than a solid heat source from above. We love this one from Frontgate because it’s ultra-sturdy and stable, and because it’s got a whopping 46,000 BTUs output, meaning everyone is going to be toasty warm as they achieve peak friluftsliv goals this winter.
