DIY tent house for the super handy

You may remember Al Moudira from last year --- the amazing hotel near the Valley of the Kings where nearly everything was crafted out of local materials or by local artisans (here and here).  Elsewhere is a bit like that...the kind of place that makes you want to find your own little plot of paradise somewhere -- mountains, beach, lake, backyard -- and build your own love shack.  Here are a few details to inspire you....

The tent has painted canvas walls that appear to be stretched on framing built with 2x4s.  The four walls butt up against a poured/painted concrete pad that has a 5" rim (that you can see on right of pic above) and that continues outside to make the "patio".  The tent top sits on the main column (three logs tied together) and is held in place with guylines.  I imagine some people could make the tent roof (here stiff canvas lined with printed cotton) but I suspect you can buy these somewhere too.  The bed has mosquito netting curtains that are attached with thin coated wire stretched between little eye hooks.

Curtain rods made from bamboo.  When "closed" they are weighted down against breezes by rod across bottom.  Lashed bamboos window "mullions".

Bamboo bathroom mirror with shower in background.  Shower is made of two floor to ceiling finished planks of roughhewn wood with a shower head and two small taps.

 Clay sconces similar to those at Al Moudira.

 Shower has a small, hot water on demand tank that is tucked in corner behind plank.  These are ubiquitous in India where showers seem to be the only fixture with hot water.

sink of rough hewn wood, matting, and stone.

A simple lounger -- nice touch are the 1x1" stiles set diamond-style on front and back.

Some more ideas here and here.

In praise of DIY - Outdoor furniture

These pieces, a glider bench, glider chair, small table, and chaise lounges, were all made with hand tools (some electric) and materials from the local hardware store.  The cushions for the chaise lounges were made with regular pillows.  All click to enlarge.

 

My, what nice drawers you have...

 

Bryonie Porter takes old beat-up pieces of furniture and transforms them into works of stunning beauty by application of wallpaper.  She applies the wallpaper with normal wallpaper paste and then applies numerous coats of lacquer to finish.  I'm sure this is way harder than it sounds.  Visit her website to see more of her intriguing work.  I imagine it is just a matter of time before we see a Morris piece!

Everywhere the Glint of Gold

"strange animals, statues and gold—everywhere the glint of gold."   Archeologist Howard Carter, describing his discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922.

This past Sunday I visited the de Young Museum in San Francisco where I saw the King Tut exhibit.  It was fantastic!  The treasures found in his tomb included many pieces of his household furniture, made around 1350 B.C.  Check out the imitation leopard skin campaign stool with the swan legs---too cool.

 Tutankhamun's Throne

 Cabinet with Hieroglyphic Fretwork

Royal bed

Imitation Leopard Skin Stool

Hope Chest 

Cow Mehetweret Bed Couch

Another stool

The tomb

Morris chairs, a nice place to sit after a long hike

The Highland Center, Crawford Notch

 

Mt. Washington with the Mt. Washington House (1902) in foreground

 A View of the Mountain Pass Called the Notch of the White Mountains (Crawford Notch), Thomas Cole, 1839 (National Gallery of Art)

This past Sunday I was driving through Crawford Notch in the White Mountains and stopped in to see the Appalachian Mountain Club's newest lodge, the LEED certifiable Highland Center.  It was quite beautiful, with siding, shingling, and stick work reminiscent of the architecture of the late 19th and early 20th century.  The main room of the lodge, that looks out over the mountains through two story-high windows, is filled with Morris chairs.  These reclining chairs are the original La-Z-Boy, first manufactured by Morris's design firm and later named in his honor by Gustav Stickley who popularized them in the U.S.  Today, you can spend thousands of dollars buying beautiful hand-made reproductions from craft firms across the country.  You can also find more modestly priced versions at L.L. Bean and on Ebay.  But my favorite place to look for Morris chairs is on Craig's List.  Try it....let me know what you find.