Chair fair
A really well-chosen stuffed chair can be nearly as important as your bed: It’s the place where you spend the last hours of the evening, reading, swirling a snifter, or pontificating to your dog in total comfort. Here are our favorites from local stores.
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Patterned Pearson wing chair from The Second Yard, $1,154 |
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Lee Industries chair with black walnut legs from And George, $1,570 |
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Broyhill striped armless chair from Better Living, $459 |
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Louis XV Bergere chair from Grand Home Furnishings, $799.95 |
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Natuzzi leather club chair from Kane Furniture, $849 |
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Mitchell Gold and Rob Williams Faye chair from Quince, $895 |
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Ashlee tufted canvas chair from Rosewood Antiques, $1,384 |
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Natuzzi Italsofa chair from Under the Roof, $499 |
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Dakota chair from World Market, $239.99 |
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Vanguard highback chair from The Artful Lodger, $1,728 |
I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want to own.
—Andy Warhol
Step by step frugal
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Dream of renovating an old house to give it the flair it deserves? Scared of the expense? Don’t worry. Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home from Wreck to Ravishing can quickly educate you on how to resurrect a diamond in the rough on a costume-jewelry budget. Including lots of bulleted step-by-step guides and how-to lists, and a dash of humor, this book is quick, informative and fun for everyone.—Caroline Edgeton
Flocking behavior
A group of starlings is called a murmuration; a group of pheasants is called a bouquet. We don’t know what these papier-maché creatures are called, other than “charming.” They are handmade from recycled materials by artisans in Haiti and may be found at Sustain ($45).
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Sheet sweep
Here’s something to make your skin crawl: The scariest monster may not be under your bed, but in your mattress. While most of the time we don’t think about what goes on between the springs (after all, we’re probably too busy snoozing), mattresses can accumulate dust, mold, mites and more—all avoidable with a little forethought and a touch of regular cleaning. Some tips for bed-bug prevention:
1. Flip it—turning your mattress over from bottom to top and head to foot will help to ensure even wear.
2. Keep it clean—or, at least, keep it covered. While a little discipline will keep your bed crumb and spill-free, purchasing a mattress cover or pad is another solution that will keep liquids from seeping in and wreaking havoc. Some covers are even designed to reduce allergies; however, regularly changing and cleaning the sheets as well as vacuuming the mattress will help keep mites and dust further at bay.
3. Spills aren’t all about unsightly stains—the possibility of growing mold, mildew and nasty odors are the deeper problem. If the material inside the mattress gets wet, it can be difficult to dry or clean it, so your best option is to mop up the liquid quickly, laying a towel over it to sop up moisture and, if possible, letting the mattress air outside.
4. Is your bed smelling stale? Run over the mattress’s surface with a clean cloth and some upholstery cleaner or a homemade mix of equal parts lemon juice and water. (Make sure to blot it dry!) Dryer sheets tucked between the mattress and sheets are another temporary solution for quick odor removal.—Lucy Zhou
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Barrel roll
So small it doesn’t even have a full address—the mailbox sports “and ½” after the street number—this glorified cruise ship cabin in Fifeville still has more style than many homes 10 times its size. We love that its tiny footprint is so of the eco-conscious moment, and yet its quirky asymmetric design says “don’t take me too seriously.”
