Because who doesn't need a hug?

Today's theme is hugs, something we should all give and get regularly for maximum happiness and stress relief.  Their magic powers defy explanation!

Starting with this awesome chair.....wouldn't this be especially perfect for any place teens or college students hang out?!  See more of Ilian Milinov's cool designs here.

With the perfect video chaser....wait for the hug....awwww.

And finally, I recently got to know artist Wendy Jacob who was inspired by the famous animal scientist Temple Grandin to design the Squeeze Chair.  Grandin, who has autism, is an advocate for the calming effects of pressure on both people and animals. 

The corporate God of the U.S. that...

....decrees how we shall all decorate (aka Pottery Barn) is featuring William Morris's pattern Indian on large summer pillows as well as lamp shades.  You've arrived at the big time now Morris!  I wish I could put little informational tags on all the items...."This pattern was designed by William Morris, poet, writer, activist, craftsman, and one of the greatest fabric designers of all time....etc...etc."

While in the store I succumbed to the siren call of this sweet mermaid bottle opener....$6.

AGA Stoves and a Winter update....

I haven't posted much about my new village, the sweet little hamlet of Woods Hole.  I was traveling a lot in the fall and with the shorter days the town seemed to go into a winter hibernation mode.  A summer tourist draw, each restaurant in town gradually shut-down between October and January and now only the Capt. Kidd is still open.  The still beating heart of the village is Pie In the Sky bakery where I get my coffee every morning.  Today I was chatting with owner Eric about the pros and cons of Aga stoves, a connoisseur's ultimate "comfort stove", and remembered my pics from a showroom I stumbled across in London a while ago.

Behold the beauteous AGA!

Okay, the polka-dots are bit much but how about that mint one!?!  And a truly fascinating short history of the AGA, including the story behind its invention by a Nobel Prize winner, can be found here on wikipedia.

I also popped into Smallbone nearby, purveyors of bespoke kitchens that have inspired past renovations of my own.  Here is a detail of a beautiful wood countertop.  For a lot less money you can call up your favorite carpenter and go to Lumber Liquidators--the unfinished cherry butcher block countertops are waiting for you to arrive.   Here's a link to another post about my home-made wooden countertops.

Furniture porn from Home Decorators

 The most recent cover of the Home Decorator Collection catalog features this completely awesome craft cupboard---look! even a spot for the sewing machine (although we much prefer it to be out at all times).  And check out dream craft room below.  Oh Martha, yes, more!  I want it!

 all click to enlarge

The prices seem uber-reasonable although, having not seen the actual furniture, I cannot comment on their quality.  However, I can say that the two rugs I bought from HDC were of higher quality than I expected, not lower. 

Check out the chrysanthemum carpet....it would go so well in a modern Morris room setting with Chrysanthemum wallpaper or maybe some Chrysanthemum pillows from William Morris Style Cushion Covers.  Other beautiful and inexpensive Arts and Crafts carpets from HDC can be found at this post.

"Britain's most stylish couple"...

Charlotte and Peter Fiell, using Morris's stylish Fruit in their stylish hallway!  Read the full article with other pictures of their gorgeous Arts and Craft Aesthetic style home in today's New York Times. 

(Michael Harding for the New York Times)

Gayer-Anderson Museum, Cairo

I know that the Egypt posts are getting old at this point but I have two more sets of pics to put up.  The first is the Gayer-Anderson Museum in Cairo, a house museum considered to represent the finest example of 17th century domestic architecture in Egypt.  The house was preserved by a British major (Gayer-Anderson), who lived there between 1935 and 1942.  He bequeathed his extensive collection of art objects and decor to the government on the condition that the residence was turned into a museum.

As always, what I love about house museums is you see exactly how normal people lived their lives (although obviously these are often people known for their exceptional aesthetic taste and artistry).  Lots of good ideas here, like the simple fringe valance above two panels of printed cotton.  You could buy an Indian tapestry just like these at Urban Outfitters.

 Mashrabiya, the architectural term which describes these traditional wooden screened windows.  One has a perfect view of street but with complete privacy.  If you remember the post which visited H. H. Richardson's famous house Stonehurst, you will see his inspired use of the mashrabiya element.

An interior courtyard...

Painted wooden mottos....

rooftop patio....

Used as set in James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me....

Egyptian stained glass uses plaster to separate glass.

built into corner of stairwell....it is made of stone but could just as easily be painted wood.

outdoor living....

A Bamboo Coffered Ceiling

 

After reading the ceiling post of a few days ago my friend Dan sent me these pictures of his own coffered dining room ceiling.  He did this himself using bamboo wallpaper from Franks' Cane and Rush which he glued to 1/4" luan and tacked up.  The battens are made from #2 pine 1" x 5"s that he chamfered with a router and then followed with an application of four coats of ebonized shellac.

The frieze is peacock blue velvet and the whole room was inspired by one you might remember seeing on this blog in April.... the James McNeill Whistler Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery in D.C..   I think you captured it Dan!

Paint your ceiling blue and gold....

I love painted stenciled ceilings (as did William Morris).  Here are some with a real arts and craft vibe.  If I was going to do something like this in my house (or palace), I'd paint masonite panels then screw them up with drywall screws and my trusty Makita and put trim over seams.

And finally, three last pics from Kyoto trip of things I thought were really beautiful....

rock alter and bowl

rock bridges in rock garden

rock gutter

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Kawai Kanjiro, Japan's William Morris

"Any work of art belongs to everyone, because it is whatever each person sees in it.  It is the same with people. We are all one. I am you. The you that only I can see."

 tiger plate

Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966) was a potter, artist, calligrapher, sculptor, writer and philosopher.  He was one of the founders of the Japanese Mingei ("folk art") movement in the early half of the twentieth century which was responsible for revitalizing and keeping alive many traditional arts in the face of the "great tide of industrialization" that was sweeping Japan.  Kanjiro valued simplicity and beauty in everyday articles of use (sounding familiar yet?), collecting the works of poor craftspeople from all over Asia.  With his compatriots he sought to "counteract the desire for cheap, mass-produced products" by reviving traditional arts.  His output was so tremendous, including over 10,000 glaze experiments carried out while still a student in college, that it was said that a supernatural force was guiding him.

His home and pottery studio have been preserved as the Kawai Kanjiro Museum in Kyoto.

how beautiful is this pussywillow garland....it is hung from the kettle hanging over the brazier in the center of the room.

A highly unusual mix of eastern and western style furniture characterized his home....

The gal on first floor above is sitting in front of the brazier -- very much an "open plan" design with sliding panels providing privacy as needed.  Note block and tackle hanging from ceiling in center of house!

the small kiln

This is the first time I've ever seen an Asian "stair" cabinet used as actual functional stairs!  I love how the string of balls serves as a banister.  You can also see how the wall is framed up to the cabinet from the hallway side in bottom pic.

The modest looking face to street.  The curving bamboo structure along the front is a quite common feature of traditional homes in Kyoto and is called inu yarai --- according to what I could discover, it serves multiple purposes including: 1) protecting the earthen or wooden wall from becoming dirty from rain splashing up from the road; 2) stopping dogs from peeing on the wall (Inu means dog); 3) keeping people from loitering in front and leaning against the wall (in days when streets were more crowded), and 4) making it difficult for burglars to climb the wall (I'm sure any self-respecting ninja or parkour-ian would find this last thought amusing.)