Design

Teen Builds Tiny House In Parents’ Backyard

March 21, 2013 Alternative Living Spaces

17-year-old Austin Hay has built his own hideout on wheels right in his parents’ backyard. Very cool. (via Faircompanies.com)

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The Mystery Of Sarah Lund’s Sweater (aka Jumper)

January 6, 2013 Design

She chews gum incessantly and her personal life is an unmitigated mess. So why am I, and why are so many others, so deeply interested in Sarah Lund (and her amazing sweaters)? Let me back up a bit. If you’re in the U.S., you might have seen a short-lived TV show on AMC called “The [...]

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Romance vs. Reality in Cycle Commuting

July 19, 2012 Alternative Transportation

When we lived in California and I was working a few miles from home in Berkeley (in the gorgeous Strawberry Creek Design Center), I was able to realize one of my persistent romantic fantasies — a bicycle commute! I’d hitch up the Burley bike trailer to my mountain bike, get Callum snugly settled inside, and [...]

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The New Twitter Nest

June 21, 2012 California

I’ve long been a huge fan of botanically-themed design, perhaps because it celebrates and elevates the beauty of the natural world around us. Perhaps you’ve noticed that here and there on this site. In our own home, we’ve incorporated an oak leaf motif on our fireplace screen, Japanese-style wave paintings in the master bath, and, [...]

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Cargotecture

May 30, 2012 Alternative Living Spaces

Has my occasional series on alternative living spaces inspired you? Here is another example of what architecture firm HyBrid calls “cargotecture” — spaces recycled from worn-out shipping containers. This one was chosen by Sunset Magazine for its “idea weekend” in 2011. Says HyBrid: “The home was fabricated by OneBuild Modular Manufacturer’s in a single 24′ [...]

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Finding Beauty In Unusual Places

January 10, 2012 Design

I mentioned before the gorgeous artwork on the walls at MD Anderson Cancer Center. I’ve frequently been captivated by this painting of Enchanted Rock as I’ve negotiated the hallway outside Elevator F. So I thought I’d share it in these virtual pages so you can absorb its peaceful aura. Even if you’re fortunate enough to [...]

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Alternative Living Spaces: School Bus

January 5, 2012 Alternative Living Spaces

I’ve written before about folks adopting untraditional living situations to find balance in their lives. Here’s another interesting example: an Austin couple who deliberately lives in a renovated school bus called “Rosie,” which is parked in a friend’s back yard. (Pictures)

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The Front Porch, With Garage Sale Finds

December 3, 2010 Design

On my way home today, I happened upon a moving sale in the neighborhood. I scored great deals on the massive amounts of Christmas lights and decorations that we need to make a good showing in our current neighborhood. (With properties ranging from 3 to 10 acres, the decorations have to be pretty sizable to [...]

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