Though I adore my tiny city apartment, I dream of someday living in the country, with a beautifully sturdy bell at the end of a long driveway, so visitors can announce their arrival. I have very specific daydreams. Some of these bells might fit the bill, some seem far too fragile to live outside, and the wind chimes are here to add their sparkly, tinkly magic.. More

This just in. All last week I was out in Springs prepping my place for the photoshoot and to answer all of Elaine Louie's questions. Today the very lovely little story with stunning pics by Eric Striffler about my family home is in the Home Section: Tree by Tree, Yurt by Yurt. More pics below!
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Last week at my father's big cottage, the painting on the third floor was finished, wall to wall carpeting in three rooms was torn up, and the floors were sanded and sealed back to their lovely 1897 glory. Then on Saturday morning, I drove over all of the STUFF that the new house needed for the renters that I'd ordered online (toilet paper, plates, silverware, towels, etc), and our whole family pitched in as my mother's entire storage locker of furniture was delivered to furnish the house quickly. The renters arrived at 3pm, and we were all done, but it was a long day! More

In 1966, the year I was born, my father bought a house for forty-five thousand dollars (15k down and 30k mortgage). Built in 1897 as a one season "summer cottage" in East Hampton, NY, it had no insulation, no basement and was huge, with three floors, eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms and an internal phone system for talking to the kitchen from the upper floors. More

Continuing my work on the "earth, air, fire & water" theme in our "back forty" out in our summer place in Springs, NY (see yurt raising here), I just (this weekend) finally finished getting the super cool, new wood stove powered hot tub ready for use. More

This past month we've featured roundups of our dream kitchens and bathrooms, and in the same spirit of big dreams and endless possibilities, I'd like to share my dream vacation home to kick off the season of road trips and beach bonfires, berry picking and porch swinging. Welcome to my ideal summer home. More

In 2009 we spent an unforgettable week in a renovated farmhouse in Tuscany with friends who have been going there for over a decade. Off the beaten track, up a long dirt road, the house was isolated, but had a terrific sunset view looking down over olive trees and vinyards. We ate wild cherries and mulberries off of the trees, made pizza outside in the wood-fired oven and spotted wild boars running through the trees at dusk. Oh yes, and there was a pool. :-)

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There are places you go when you travel far from home that feel like home, or, to be more precise, you WISH were your home. And when I'm in places like this I always take notes and try to bring back new ideas for my own home (or my fantasy home one day). Here are a few pics of a trip we took to Mustique, courtesy of a friend's family, which is one of those special places. More

I've been working hard on the "back 40" of our place out in the country - a garden about twenty yards from the house that I'm slowly making into a destination and a series of outdoor rooms where you can hang out all evening under the summer stars. This Saturday, my friend, Chris Gauger, and I put up the garden yurt… More

Enter your inspired outdoor space today before midnight and win. This month we've teamed up with Whole Living to highlight their very first outdoor contest over on their site and Facebook page. Here's the skinny: "Do you have a backyard, patio corner, fire escape, or even window box you're particularly proud of? Send your "after" photo and up to 75 words describing what makes your outdoor space inspired." You can check it all out as well as the prizes over here while 60 submissions are already in full view over here at Whole Living's Facebook page.

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