Madeline Weinrib’s talent for mixing beautiful old and bold new is as evident on the walls and floors of her Manhattan studio as it is in her fabrics, carpets, and bespoke clothing collection. She mixes East and West with a saturated sensuality, giving traditional patterns a new twist with a fresh strength of purpose. African textiles have been a great source of inspiration for her. “The rawness of the weave and the rich palette of earth tones evoke the spontaneity of a charcoal drawing,” says Weinrib, “I'm constantly looking for ways to bridge art, design, craftsmanship, and storytelling through my textiles.”

To see more, go to Madeline Weinrib.

Above: I’d like to think her own dogs approved the choice of the Staffordshire china dogs—Weinrib’s beloved Cavalier King Charles spaniels spend a lot of time happily lounging around her relaxed studio. The silver paint splattered mirror is by artist Stefan Bondell.

Above: Working lunches, friends stopping by for tea, a surface to spread out work in progress. This elegant workhorse of a marble-topped table is surrounded by chairs from American designer Paul McCobb. The modern chandelier is by David Weeks and the angora rug is from Weinrib’s wild and wooly Tulu range, produced in Turkey. Photo by Wendy Goodman via NY Magazine.

Above: Weinrib has an extensive collection of tassels to inspire as a reminder of her travels. This one from India is made from blue silk strands with metallic threaded topknots. She had the black and white marble dresser made in Udaipur.

Above: A 19th-century American spool chair covered in bold zigzag fabric from Weinrib’s latest line, the Amagansett collection.

Above: Sifting through these color samples in cotton, wool, and cashmere feels like being a kid in a candy store.

Above: Her lush collection of objects atop a hammered metal chest from Cambodia is pure Weinrib: invitations and mementos tucked in the mirror, a pair of vintage Foo dogs, an Austrian beaded peacock that belonged to her parents and antique Ottoman tassels.

Above: Her studio is in a loft building on lower Fifth Avenue, with her showroom on the same floor. It’s not far from the family’s stomping grounds at ABC Carpet & Home, started from a pushcart by her grandfather on the Lower East Side in 1897. Her signature Ikat fabrics cover both the Arne Jacobsen chair and those by Le Corbusier.

Kenyan-born designer Kirsten Hecktermann is known for creating sensual, hand-crafted goods which lend texture and character to the home. First we fell in love with her hand-carved spoons in wood and bone. Not long after, her sumptuous, hand-dyed, velvet cushions caught our eye.

After years of creating rich textiles and costumes for the film and magazine industries (including many features in The World of Interiors), designer/stylist Kirsten Hecktermann launched her own line of spoons and textiles for the home. The spoons, designed by Kirsten herself, are hand-crafted by traditional artisans in Hecktermann's father's shop on the Kenyan coast. Kirsten's hand-dyed textiles are available in an array of fabrics, from linen to velvet. Though distinctly different mediums, both her spoons and fabrics bear her signature look of sumptuous texture mixed with restrained elegance.

Above: Available in an ever-changing array of subtle hues, Kirsten's hand-dyed velvet cushions sport her latest spring palette; £48.

Above: Made through Marine Projects and Coastal Community Crafts, a portion of the proceeds from Kirsten's bone spoons goes to support the Local Ocean Trust-Watamu Turtle Watch; starting at £8.

 Above: The hand-dyed velvet cushions feature hidden zippers and linen backs.

Above: Kirsten's wooden spoons, such as these paddles, are carved from locally managed, East-African hardwoods; £10. 

Above: Kirsten's patterns, such as this soft gray stripe, are hand painted by Kirsten herself and digitally transferred. 

Above: Kirsten's spoons, in a variety of shapes and sizes, are also available at Analogue Life; $8 to $25.

Above: A sampling of Kirsten's winter collection. For larger projects, fabrics are available in custom-commissioned lengths in cotton, velvet, or linen; starting at £70 per meter.

Above: Kirsten's striped velvet pillows start at £52.

In search of more spectacular scoops? See our roundup of Artisanal Spoons.

We recently wrote about Maison Estate Vineyard and its clever Wine Bottle Chandeliers in the tasting room. Now we're taking a tour of Maison's new restaurant, the Kitchen.

Maison Estate is a small vineyard located in the valley of Franschhoek, about an hour outside Cape Town. With chef Arno Janse van Rensburg at the helm, the Kitchen has made a name for itself by serving local produce, and favorably ingredients handpicked from their own kitchen garden and orchards. The Kitchen interiors are modestly furnished by Weylandts products (yes, the Maison owner Chris Weylandt also owns a furniture emporium with stores throughout the world, most recently Australia). For more information, visit Maison Estate Kitchen.

Above: An inviting seating area featuring vintage furniture. 

Above: Casual outdoor seating.

Above: An all-white interior. The wood fire oven is also used for pizza baking.

Above: The wine tasting room (connected to the Kitchen) with the famous wine bottle chandelier. Here is more on the fixture.

Above: A lounge area as you enter the main building.

Above: The entrance to Maison Estate.

N.B.: If you're like us and have fallen in love with South Africa, you might want to check out another 45 South Africa related posts.

We're finally feeling the onset of spring—Michelle is rejiggering her wardrobe accordingly (stay tuned for her Domestic Dispatch column on Monday) and the rest of us are rolling up our sleeves, removing the extra blanket from the bed, and gingerly pulling the outdoor furniture into the garden. Here's what's on our radar this week:

Above: Here's one store we need to add to our recent roundup of South African finds, Marissa Pretorius' Opus Studio.

• House hunting in SF? Check out this elegant Pacific Heights house, remodeled by Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory member Jerome Buttrick.

• For those of us who supply custom guides for our friends when they come to town, here's a new app that's going to make those lists manageable: Mosey.

Above: Admiring the travertine countertops on a kitchen island by Petersson Keller Architects. 

• As we head into a week all about domestic science, some of us are using the weekend to do two things: hand wash our cashmere and clean our hardwood floors (thanks to these two tutorials).

Above: When we featured the SF Home of Michelle Chan (senior editorial director at Banana Republic), there was lots of interest in her teak wardrobes. Made by Belgian firm Ethnicraft, you can find them at Lekker Home.

• Dream real estate: 9,547 square feet on Île de Boëdic off the coast of Brittany.

Above: Alexa's sourcing inspiration from vignettes at Kødbyens Fiskebar in Copenhagen. Photograph from a feature with Martin Bentzen and Anders Selmer on Edible Selby.

• We're checking out these tips for walking the talk: living with environmental sustainability in mind.

Sometimes, a few select moves are all you need to completely transform a space—that's the easy bit. The hard part is knowing which moves, and that's where a designer's skill comes into play as evidenced by the key moves San Francisco-based Lisa Collins from Studio One|San Francisco Interiors & Design used to turn a standard 1,100-square-foot 1950s California post and beam house into a Modern Barn.

Although Collins, founder of Studio One|San Francisco Interiors & Design and a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory, has over twenty years of design experience in graphics, stage sets, and products, she only went back to school to get her degree in interior design and architecture after remodeling her own home. The client of this Marin County house had admired Collins’ own modern and minimalist renovation and came to Collins seeking a more rustic version. From this brief, Collins evolved the concept of the Modern Barn. “As a design junkie, I love aspects of many styles and work eclectically fusing the modern, industrial, natural, and classic,” she says. “And I prefer to make bold, simple statements—not a lot of clutter. To me, it’s in the materials and the details where the exciting things happen.”

Photography by Mark Adams.

Above: Collins removed a partial wall that divided the kitchen from the rest of the room in order to create a great room with kitchen, living room, and dining room combined into one. With windows all around, the room can now take full advantage of the surrounding views. "I wanted this area to be the ‘outside’ of the farmhouse and lined it with horizontal sliding to represent the exterior of a farmhouse, complete with outdoor barn lighting," Collins says. "The second purpose of the siding was to add interesting architectural details to an otherwise very plain room."

Above: The designer introduced light and contrast into the home with white 'farmhouse' siding, introducing an industrial aesthetic with black kitchen cabinets. "When it came time to purchase the stools for the island, my initial instinct was to go for black," she says. "Ultimately I went for red, which is an iconic barn or farmhouse color—a little dash of color for fun."

Above: Collins created a design opportunity out of an awkwardly located structural post which had been in the partial wall she removed. "Once the wall was removed, the post seemed to be standing in the middle of nowhere," Collins says. "I decided to create an architectural detail around it. Not only is it now more structurally supportive, it also introduces a farmhouse vernacular, which reinforces the Modern Barn."

Above: The kitchen cabinets are from Ikea. The designer and the client agreed that with young children and dogs, the doors could be easily and inexpensively replaced when required.

Above L: For a more eclectic aesthetic, Collins made the kitchen island out of a piece of furniture rather than match the cabinets and ordered a custom-made zinc top. "I love using zinc, especially with this design, because it feels more rustic and weathers to a great worn patina," she says. "The more you use and abuse it, the better it looks. It’s a great material for spaces that need a little more warmth but want that industrial feel." Above R: The glass pendant lamp over the sinks acts as a feature light.

Above: The countertops are a Caesarstone product from Ikea, while the farmhouse sink is from Home Depot.

Above: The small house has a linen closet right behind the hallway door, which leads to the private spaces of the house. When the original hallway door was open, access to the linen closet was difficult, so the owners removed the door altogether, leaving a gaping hole in a visually critical location of the great room. Collins solved the problem with a sliding barn door; enabling the hallway to be closed off when needed without a door swing.

Above: Collins is a big proponent of barn door hardware. " Although very trendy right now, it has been around forever and is a good alternative for tricky spaces where a swinging door does not work," she says. "It's also helpful when an interesting design detail is needed. The hardware is easily customizable, and there are quite a few styles, from uber-modern to traditional farm style." 

Above: In keeping with a bold industrial feel, Collins had a black steel plate made for the upper beam and painted it black to match the hardware. "In this project, I wanted classic barn hardware," she says. "I went back and forth on whether to use raw steel or finish it in black. In the end, I went with black because I wanted that crisp contrast of the black on white."

Above: Collins used owl holes near the top of roof pitches in barns as her inspiration for this vent cover. "We couldn't move the vent, and it drove me crazy each time I walked in the front door," she says. "I love this detail because it solves a problem and adds another detail to the look of the Modern Barn at the same time."

Above: Collins used a high gloss white paint on the horizontal paneling to create a modern look, juxtaposed with the old barn door she found in her favorite salvage yard. "We did have to cut it down slightly, but it could not have been more perfect for the space as it had the perfect weathered white patina to contrast off the shiny white paneling," she says. "It even had that little hole cut in it so we didn't even need a handle."

Above: The Great Room of the house looking down the doorless hallway of the blank entry wall.

Above: "This became such an opportunity to do something really fun and make it important," Collins says. "The Great Room is such a significant space in the home, and it really deserved to be designed that way."

Obsessed with sliding barn doors? Join the club; and see 666 images of Sliding Barn Doors in our Gallery or rooms and spaces.

Multi-layered and gravity-defying atop delightfully bendy stems, the ranunculus is one of my favorite cut flowers. Early spring is the right time of year to snag bunches of them as they begin to appear in flower and farmer's markets. Like last week's tulips, you can even get lucky and find bunches at the grocery store for reasonable prices. I picked up two bunches for just $5.99 each this week. Here's a way to arrange ranunculus that makes a little go a long way.

Above: The bunches that I picked up at Trader Joe's in Brooklyn were something of a mixed bag. In the same bunch with tight buds were flowers that were already past their prime. I chose two bunches carefully and then sifted through to find the stems that were most beautiful.

Above: The curvy stems of ranunculus make them excellent candidates for arranging in small glass bottles. By adding just a few stems per bottle, I could showcase the most beautiful blossoms.

Above: I found these tiny glass vases at one of my favorite local shops, Holler & Squall, on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The bottles were originally part of a much larger set affixed to a wooden rack and used in grafting grape vines. The chalky patina and diminutive size caught my eye.

Above: One of the biggest threats to fresh flowers is bacteria in the vase, so even though I wanted to retain some of the patina of the old vases, I needed to get rid of some of the residual dirt. I used a thin bottle brush and warm soapy water to give them a light scrub.

Above: Because I knew I was dealing with vases that were slightly less than perfectly clean, and flowers that looked like they might have already endured some extended shelf time, I decided to mix up a batch of homemade flower food. To one quart of water I added 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. The sugar acts as food for the flowers and the vinegar helps mitigate bacteria. I stirred the mixture until the sugar was dissolved and then filled up my bottles.

Above: Before adding my flowers to the vases, I stripped off any damaged foliage and picked through my bunch to select the nicest stems.

Above: Cutting the stems to different lengths and pairing opened flowers with tighter buds in the same vase is a nice way to achieve visual variation.

Above: I liked my five bottles equally well lined up on my windowsill à la this winter's paperwhites, and clustered together on a favorite platter. This one was designed and made by May Luk right here in Brooklyn.

Above: I plunked my second-choice blooms into last week's stoneware pitcher and displayed the real showpieces front and center on our kitchen table. The grocery store delivers, again.

We think it's best to start each room with a single quality and timeless investment piece, in the same way you might build your wardrobe around a tailored suit or a classic dress. Functional, well-made pieces provide a solid foundation and allow a space to evolve over time.

In each of our homes at Remodelista, the sofa is a key piece, anchoring the living room and providing the setting for countless activities, from movie nights to afternoon naps to gatherings with friends.

In that spirit, here are our three favorite sofas (and a few key accessories to bring the look together) from Williams-Sonoma Home's new Spring 2013 collection. Each features artisan-quality details and incorporates high-end materials (such as kiln-dried sustainably harvested hardwood).

Handcrafted in the USA, they strike a deft balance between casual and sleek, comfortable and refined, and will anchor a living space for years to come.

For more information, each sofa is available online at Williams-Sonoma Home.

Above: A classic and timeless piece that will always complement an evolving home, the Terrence Sofa features a refined silhouette. The tapered frame is constructed of FSC certified, kiln-dried hardwood and is reinforced with double doweling and corner blocking. The seat is comprised of sinuous steel springs and the cushions consist of resilient foam cores, which offer comfort, support, and longevity. The Terrence Sofa comes with a linen slipcover available in four neutral shades (white, ivory, sand, and flax) so you can create your own custom-upholstered piece; prices start at $2,395.

Above: With shelter arms, tapered legs, and loose back and seat cushions, the Hyde Sofa exudes a more modern look and works well in spaces of limited size. Mixing clean lines with comfortable cushioning, this sofa features a sustainably harvest wood frame, steel springs, and high-resilience foam cushions. Its look is completed with polished-nickel nailhead trim on the arms. Shown here in white brushed canvas, it is made to order and comes in five other fabric/color combinations; prices start at $1,950. NB: The Hyde Sofa is part of the Williams-Sonoma Home Green Collection, which includes products that are distinguished by any one of the following: Organic, Re-cycled, Re-claimed, Sustainable.

Above: There is an undeniable romantic appeal to vintage Parisian furniture, which was the inspiration for the Presidio Sofa. A "contemporary classic," this investment piece will offer lasting comfort with a refined and streamlined look. The slim, scooped arms make this piece another good option for smaller apartments or rooms. The two loose back cushions and single bottom cushion are comprised of high-resilient foam and the finished product is completed with arm and cushion piping. Shown here in Brushed Canvas in Mist, this sofa also comes in three other fabric/color combinations. The exposed hardwood apron and legs are stained dark walnut; $1,995. NB: The Presidio Sofa is also part of the Williams-Sonoma Green Collection.

Above: When outfitting a room, draping a throw or blanket over the arm of a sofa is an easy way to add instant color and texture. Soft enough to wear, the Williams Sonoma Home Solid Cashmere Throw is made of 520-gram-weight cashmere and comes in 14 shades (seen here in spring-like Marigold); $249.

Above: The Metallic Linen Pillow Cover from Williams Sonoma Home will add a hint of shimmer to any of the above couches; $99.

Williams-Sonoma Home Giveaway: Enter now for a chance to win favorites from the newest collection!

I have only good memories of walk-in closets, except for the time I was rummaging around in the back of one—and suddenly came across a high-top sneaker with two kittens sitting in it.

It was a charming scene really, with one tiny kitten gnawing on a shoelace and the other batting at his brother with a fuzzy paw, unless you stopped to consider the cold facts of the situation. My closet was so stuffed with clothing that I hadn't noticed when my cat gave birth to a litter in there several weeks earlier.

How do closets get so overcrowded? How does a pair of blue jeans you had in college manage to surreptitiously elude the Salvation Army dragnet for decades to follow you as you move across the country, back and forth and back again, to each new walk-in closet?

Yet. When I remodeled my house last year, No. 1 on my wish list was a walk-in closet. Less than nine months later, the closet is already a shambles. By last week, every time I tried to walk in, a stray shoe would trip me. The sleeves from blouses were twining themselves, anaconda style, around my neck.

It was time to clean out the closet, drastically and once-and-for-all. I was sick of feeling as if my clothes owned me. I came up with a new strategy: define the season's wardrobe as minimally as possible—I pared down to ten pieces—and put everything else into organized deep storage. I know ten pieces sounds pretty draconian. But if you look at a weather map. you'll see most of us live in climates defined by three-month stretches that don't vary that much. And more minimal is always more peaceful.

My ten essential pieces include jeans, black pants, khaki pants, a knit dress, a pencil skirt, two collared shirts, a cardigan, a blazer, and a white tee shirt. Here's how to pare down your closet to your own personal ten essential pieces:

Have you ever whittled your wardrobe to a few key items? Tell us about it in the comment section below:

Photographs by Zoe Quittner except where noted.

Above: Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

Step No. 1: Confront your closet. Can you even see what's in there? Start the cleanout by reaching in to grab every piece of clothing you love. Note: If you hesitate over an item, for even a second, you don't love it.

Place the clothes you love on your bed. Arrange the articles by type: jeans, pants, shirts, etc.

Step No. 2: Examine the items on the bed to see if a theme emerges. Is everything blue? Perhaps you chose clothes sewn only from comfortable fabrics. Did you choose only your best-fitting pair of jeans? Did you leave all the skirts in the closet?

By examining the clothes you love in a vacuum—that is, without the rest of your wardrobe surrounding them and clamoring for attention—you will see a pattern. Maybe you like striped shirts best. Or maybe you really only feel comfortable in black. Next time you are on the verge of a purchase, think back to this moment: how would the new piece you are considering fit in with your favorites?

Step No. 3: Make outfits. How many different ways can you mix key pieces to create different looks? Lay out as many ensembles as possible. (Power user tip: snap photos with your phone of each outfit; when you wake up tomorrow morning and can't decide what to wear, you can remind yourself of the possibilities.)

Step No. 4: Edit. Are there favorite pieces that didn't make the cut when you were putting together outfits? Take them off the bed.

Above: Photograph via Ralph Lauren.

Step No. 5: Pick and choose. Ask yourself: Is there essential piece missing? If you go back to your closet to get a particular jacket or shirt or pair of pants you now regret leaving behind, will that article of clothing enable you to create several more outfits? If so, grab it.

Step No. 6: Repair, replace buttons, and iron every piece of clothing that needs attention. If an item doesn't fit properly, take it to the tailor; shorten the sleeves, nip in the waist, lift a hemline to the most flattering length. If you don't want to make that investment, get rid of the piece. Trust me, it doesn't look good on you.

N.B.: Looking for more tips for caring for your clothes? See Expert Advice: 10 Wardrobe Maintenance Essentials.

Step No. 7: Take everything else out of your closet and put it in deep storage. Organize these pieces by season when you pack them away. Maybe you are lucky enough to have a backup closet in a guest room where you can store it for now. If not, get some squish bags; with vacuum-sealed Space Bags ($8.99 for a package of three from Container Store) you can suck the air out of the bag to store more clothes in a small space. (Three months from now, pull out clothing and pick your favorites for the next season.)

Above: Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

Step No. 8: Edit your favorites. Which were the ten key pieces you used most often to create outfits? Put those back in your closet, on hangers or shelves where they are most visible and accessible.

Above: A Cedar Hanger is $3.95 from Crate & Barrel.

Fold the rest of your favorites and if you are very brave, give them the squish bag treatment as well. If the thought of that gives you hives, put this second tier of favorites in the back of your closet; you can access them, but only in an emergency.

Step No. 9: Wear your ten favorite pieces, in as many combinations as possible, for a week. See how that feels. If things are going well, try a second week. If you are missing a key piece, pull it out of the back of the closet; it's not the end of the world if you wear 11 essential pieces of clothing.

Step No. 10: Shoes, handbags, and accessories. This proved harder for me than culling clothes. I love shoes, and have many pairs. For the season, I pared down to three pairs: black flats, black heels, and espadrilles. (I also have a pair of running shoes, but running shoes are ugly and therefore don't count as a pair of shoes.) I winnowed handbags to two—a neutral colored bag with a shoulder strap and a tote big enough to hold my laptop. As for belts? One skinny, one wide.

I took three pairs of off-season shoes to the cobbler to get new heels and soles, and stored off-season handbags in cloth bags to protect them.

It is now Day 3, post-cleanout. It feels pretty good. I am wearing the same jeans and the same shirt I would have been wearing even if my closet were still stuffed full of clothes. The challenge, I can see, is going to be keeping fewer items looking good: with more ironing, frequent laundering, and fewer stains from messy sandwiches eaten at my desk.

As for my closet? God, an almost-empty closet looks beautiful and so very serene. Not that I have anything against kittens.

Are you wondering what wardrobe essentials to pack for an out-of-town trip? See Style Counsel: Heidi Swanson's Travel Kit.

What a genius idea: forget dreary (and depressing) hardware store heating vent covers. Think like Lisa Collins of Studio One|San Francisco Interiors & Design, who based her design for these integrated vent covers on owl holes. 

See more at Rehab Diaries: Barn Style in Marin County.

Above: Collins used owl holes near the top of roof pitches in barns as her inspiration for this vent cover. "We couldn't move the vent, and it drove me crazy each time I walked in the front door," she says. "I love this detail because it solves a problem and adds another detail to the look of the Modern Barn at the same time."

Above: Collins had her contractor punch the owl holes out of the wood siding.

Here at Remodelista we all love the Farrow & Ball color wheel. If you could dye your bed linens in any of their 132 colors, which shade would you pick?

Elodie Laleous is the designer and mastermind behind Lab. Boutique, a Paris-based online store which sells customized furniture and bedding. A few weeks ago Laleous shared her latest collection with us; featuring hand dyed bed-linens and curtains, using your Farrow and Ball color of choice. "It is hard to find the perfect bedlinen color - it's either too basic or too flashy, and the Farrow and Ball colors look great with any decor," Laleous says. She is passionate about color and you can easily recognize her unique products by the color combinations: "we feel good when we’re surrounded by the colors we love," she says. To learn more, go to Lab. Boutique.

Above: The Large Linen Curtain in Farrow and Ball is €199. It is also available in Small Linen Curtains (set of two) for €229.

 Above: The bed-linens and curtains are made and dyed in France. They are stone washed to add softness.  

Above: The Farrow and Ball Linen Bedding Set (one duvet with two pillow cases) is €299.

 Above: The Farrow and Ball Percale Bedding Set (one duvet cover and two pillow cases); €250. 

 Above: "One advantage to duvet covers made from linen, is that you don’t need to iron it! It’s beautiful just the way it is," Laleous says.

Looking for more Bedroom Inspiration, scroll through our Gallery for over 1000 sleepy photos. 

Andrew Glenn and Jonathan Rutherfurd Best are two Brits who, fed up with their careers in marketing and event management, escaped to Waiheke Island in New Zealand to open a boutique hotel.

Glenn and Best enlisted the help of stylist and designer Katie Lockhart for the interiors and Special Group for graphics and branding. The result is the Oyster Inn, made up of just three guest rooms, a restaurant seating 80, and a beach boutique. True to form, Lockhart's calm and minimalist interiors highlight some of our shared favorite designers with furniture by Another Country and Falcon Enamelware in the guest rooms.

Visit the Oyster Inn on Waiheke's Ocean View Road, and for more of Lockhart's work, see our previous post on her shop, Everyday Needs.

Above: The 80-seat restaurant offers veranda dining under the shade of surrounding palms, where worn metal chairs give a sense of the salt water air of the island.

Above: Lockhart opted for cane seating in the main dining room with vintage Thonet Era Chairs and a few shelves displaying groupings of objects sourced from the sea: abalone shells, white coral, and seaweed.

Above: Era Barstools surround the bar where guests of the inn and wanderers from beyond can find sangria, lemonade, and a selection of wine chosen by sommelier Clare Dunleavy.

Above: A 20-seat private room called "The Pearl" is available for special events catered by chef Cristian Hossack (former head chef at London's Providores). True to its name, the Oyster Inn is the spot to find Te Matuku oysters, a variety endemic to the region.

Above: Room One (of three) is designed with a super king bed and daybed from Another Country that can be converted to a child's bed.

Above: In the guest bath, white square tiles set into dark grout contrast with a large circular mirror and smaller, accompanying shaving mirror.

Above: Just next to the apron sink, guests find white enamel Falcon tumblers and products from Aesop.

Above: Rattan ottomans and wicker furniture sit beneath a black barn pendant lamp and a wall-mounted Marlin.

Above: Graphics from Special Group add a whimsical note.

Above: "The Shop" at the inn is stocked with shirts from New York's Saturdays Surf, white-and-yellow Havaianas sandals exclusive to the inn, and more clothing and accessories for the beachgoer.

Above: The Oyster Inn on Waiheke Island is located just 40 minutes from Auckland by ferry.

On the hunt for more antipodean design? See our other favorite places to visit in New Zealand and Australia in our City Guide section.

An exciting bulletin for lovers of household supplies from French company Andrée Jardin: Select pieces from the line are now available in the US from Alder & Co. in Portland, OR.

Based in Nantes, in Brittany, France, Andrée Jardin has been making bespoke brooms for more than 80 years. "Our brooms are like Proust's madeleines," they say, "evocative of household memories." To see the full line and for ordering information, go to Andrée Jardin.

Above: The handmade beech Hand Broom is available in a choice of pink, aqua, or gray; $40 each at Alder & Co.

Above: Mr and Mrs Clynk, a Nantes-based design duo, collaborated with Andree Jardin on a line of brooms and brushes, available in orange or blue; to see the line, go to Mr and Mrs Clynk.

Above: The handcrafted 43 cm Traditional Soie Noire Brush made of varnished French beech and horsehair is €43 directly from Andree Jardin.

Above: The Mr and Mrs Clynk brooms are available in a dust brush as well.

Above: More views of the Andree Jardin brooms for Mr and Mrs Clynk.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original ran on November 28, 2011.

At the start of my architectural career, I worked for an architect from the old school who believed that bathrooms should be tiled white, from floor to ceiling—end of story.

San Francisco-based architect Neal Schwartz, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory, has designed a bathroom in the pool and guest house of his Sonoma Hydeaway House that fits the old school model of utility bathroom perfectly: The shower is an integral part of the room, with the drain hidden under a wood bath mat. “I used to live in Germany, where this kind of shower room is much more common,” Schwartz says. 

We’re wondering why it’s not more common here (it seems to make a lot of sense)? Integrated drain aside, recreate this simple and highly functional yet classic bathroom here; hospital track shower curtain included. 

Above: Schwartz selected hard-wearing and easy-to-maintain finishes like ceramic tiles and concrete floors in the pool and guest house bathroom. Photography by Mathew Millman. 

Above: In keeping with the functional and utilitarian aesthetic, Schwartz hung his shower curtain from a standard hospital track, which comes with small carriers for curtains and lengths of metal ball chain, and can be ordered in any bendable radius. Schwartz's shower has a 3-foot-by-3 foot enclosure and its track has been bent to the minimum radius possible. "I know some people hate shower curtains, but looking at the price of custom glass shower enclosures, I think they make so much sense and it is always the first thing I suggest cutting out of a project to save money," he says.  "I actually like curtains more than glass shower enclosures because the room can feel more open." Photograph by Neal Schwartz. 

Above: "For the light, I just bought the base and then replaced the intended bulbs with those more funky Plumen bulbs, which I love," Schwartz says. Photograph by Neal Schwartz.

Above: Schwartz conceals the shower drain in the middle of a room with a Mosaic Bamboo Mahogany Tub Mat; $24.99 from Bed Bath and Beyond.

 Above: The architect uses ceramic tiles from Lea Ceramiche in Gesso and Warm Grey Grout from Mapei to achieve his classic white, tiled bathroom. 

 Above: A modern version of the double cross handle faucet from the Tara Line at Dornbracht keeps things simple. 

Above: The simple head of the Rainshower Rustic Hand Shower from Hans Grohe completes the look.

 Above: A minimally detailed Medicine Cabinet was sourced from the Robern M-series. 

Above: Plumen bulbs add a unique point of interest to the classic white bathroom; $29.95. 

Above: Schwartz ordered the Kirsch Cubicle Track for his shower curtain online, bent to his specifications. 

Above: There are white shower curtains and there are white shower curtains.  We particularly like these heavy 100 percent Cotton Duck Shower Curtains from Brook Farm General Store because they can easily be thrown in the washing machine to clean; $45. See Cotton Duck Shower Curtains from Brook Farm General Store for more. 

Like all of us, Sarah is forever tinkering with her home. See her DIY: Leather Shower Curtain Rings for another unique take on how to hang a shower curtain. 

When we first began Remodelista, one of our earliest discoveries was Labour and Wait, a small British shop that sells sensible utilitarian goods for the home. Established in 2000, the shop was one of the first to glamorize practical, utilitarian household implements that had been around forever but had become neglected in an era of plastic-handled brooms and dustpans.

Just a few years ago, these goods were hard to come by in the States, so on trips home to the UK I would fill my suitcase with natural bristle brushes and scrubbers until it was bursting at the seams. Luckily, with the renaissance of the general store, these goods are now appearing Stateside and are becoming part of the domestic landscape. To wit, Crate & Barrel's Clean Slate collection. Here's a sample of their domestic goods that have caught our eye:

Above: Tookies Cleaning Cloths are hand knit in India from cotton and jute; a set of three is $16.95.

Above: Large Wood Drying Rack; $79.95.

Above: Stainless Steel Bucket with wood handle; $19.95.

Above: Goat Hair Round Dust Brush by Redecker made in Germany by a family of brushmakers; $34.95.

Above: Red Dust Pan with loop hanging handle; $9.95.

Above: Redecker Natural Dust Pan Brush with horse hair bristles; $14.95.

Above: A favorite, the US-made Steele Divided Canvas Sorter on wheels; $134.95.

Check out our post on 10 Wardrobe Maintenance Essentials for advice on how to combat moths and store and hang clothes.

A devotee of domestic science? Browse our Gallery of products.

After spotting this recessed toilet roll holder at Bouchon Bakery in Napa, San Francisco based architect Neal Schwartz convinced himself that it must have been a kitchen pot or utensil holder. Imagine his surprise and ours when he discovered the real source.

Out of desperation, the founding partner of Schwartz and Architecture (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory) just finally typed Recessed Toilet Paper Holder into Google and there it was on a website for Jail and Prison Equipment; specially designed to prevent the hiding of contraband. Who knew?

Above: Schwartz installed two recessed toilet roll holders into his Hydeaway House in Sonoma (See more in The Architect is In: Beyond Prefab in a Sonoma Weekend Retreat). " It is intended for prisons and other secure environments and it is easily ordered online," Schwartz says. "I love it because it is also great for lazy people like me who can't be bothered with fiddling with those spring loaded holders." Photograph by Matthew Millman.

Above: Installation tips from the architect - "It is best to have the holder on site before you sheetrock the walls so that the contractor can put in the appropriate blocking and determine exactly where the holder should go," Schwartz says. "It should fit in a 2 x 4 stud wall, but a 2 x 6 wall will give you more flexibility. If it is a retrofit into an existing wall, check to make sure that the depth will work and you will need to make sure the holder fits in between the two studs." Photograph by Neal Schwartz.

See 5 Quick Fixes: Inventive Toilet Paper Storage for more ingenious ways to solve the loo paper conundrum or Steal This Look: A Modern Bathroom in Sonoma to more unusual bathroom details from Neal Schwartz. 

Two things really help me get through life's most grueling tasks—you know, like scouring the baked-on-caked-on scum off a pan. First, I imagine all the calories I'm burning as I scrub away. Second, I use hardworking tools that are pretty enough to turn a chore into a labor of love (almost).

Above: For a lighter cleanse, try West Elm Market's "Scrub" with its rather adorable tub; $14.

Above: Designed by Robin Richardson, whose stepfather and grandfather were cabinet makers, extra fine steel wool from Kaufmann Mercantile is gentle enough for furniture but is also useful for cleaning brass, copper and chrome; $7.95.

Above: From Redecker, this bright orange copper scrubber is on offer at Terrain; $8.50.

Above: Made from solid beech with brass bristles (which are softer and won't scratch as much as other metals), this German BBQ Scrubber from Objects of Use is still tough enough to clean the grill; £4.50.

Above: Vegetables direct from the garden soil love a good brush too, like West Elm's veggie brush with beech wood handle; $8.

Above: Softer copper cleaning clothes will not scratch on enamel or steel. Available at The Laundress; $16 for two. Image via EcoDirect.

Above: Great for greasy pans, Labour and Wait's sturdy pot brush is designed for tough jobs; £12.50

N.B. Looking for a creative way to keep your new scrubbers? See our Quick Fix for the Kitchen Sponge Storage.

"I’m not a vegan, I don’t live off the grid, and I don’t wear hemp every day." That's Jessica Alba speaking, perhaps not the first person that pops to mind as the next guru of green living.  But in her new book, The Honest Life, Jessica Alba chronicles her personal journey to living a healthier and greener life and shares nontoxic cleaning tips.

The Honest Life features useful and affordable tips for leading a natural lifestyle. “I decided to write this book because I was sick of being told that ‘healthy,’ ‘safe,’ and ‘eco’ means ‘boring’ and ‘blah’—not to mention crazy expensive and hard to find,” she writes. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Alba in Los Angeles about her strategies for nontoxic house cleaning. Here are her top three practices; each one easy and affordable.

Above: Photo via Hans Blomquist.

1. Open Your Windows

Alba suggests letting a fresh breeze run through your space as much as possible. “The air inside the home is often more polluted than the air outside the home," she says, adding that this is often from possible off-gassing from paint and furniture. "Usually stuffing is made from petrochemicals and synthetic fibers are so flammable, companies put flame retardants on it." To keep toxins at bay, "open up those windows."

Above: Photo via the BBC.

2. Replace Synthetic Cleaners with Nontoxic Alternatives

"It’s easy to make your own natural cleaners at home with basic ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice, white vinegar, essential oils, and a very simple soap," says Alba. But occasionally, when you need a higher performing product for heavier cleaning, be sure to read labels and avoid toxic ingredients. "That’s why we [created] our products. We try to use the science and technology around performance while staying plant based."

Above: Wire Mesh Door Mat; $42 from Lawson-Fenning in Los Angeles.

3. Leave Your Shoes at the Door

According to the EPA, wiping shoes on a mat and removing them at the door can cut lead dust tracked into the home by 60 percent. This simple act can also reduce other contaminants from entering the home. “Who knows what’s out there on the ground? Don’t trek in what you’re walking on all day long, such as gasoline, sewage and lead dust," Alba says.

Above: The Honest Life, Living Naturally and True To You is available for $22.99 at The Honest Co.

If you're considering making your own natural cleaning solution, Sarah has a vinegar-based solution to try.

When it comes to cleaning, I like to take as natural an approach as possible. In my ideal world, the process of making my own cleaning products would always look more like whipping up something for lunch than concocting something to clean grime off my windows.  I’ve been making a vinegar-based solution to clean windows for a few years, but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered another secret ingredient—a pantry staple and an unexpected powerhouse for shine:

Above: My all-natural window cleaner is so safe and gentle that I mix it in the same kitchenware I use to prepare food.

Above: I brew the secret-ingredient window cleaner in 16-ounce batches and store it in a clean glass bottle.

Above: Ready to mix your own miracle window cleaner? Click Here for instructions and the Secret Ingredient.

Do you want to tackle more spring cleaning chores? See our favorite 10 Tips for Happy Housekeeping.

With features like precision tips, steam bursts, auto shut-off, anti drip, and easy-glide surfaces, a new wave of clothing irons has us wondering if it is time to consider an appliance upgrade in the laundry room.  We've rounded up a collection of conventional steam irons, as well as a few professional-style home ironing systems recommend by the experts.

Conventional Steam Irons

Above: The Panasonic NI-W950A is a high-performance steam iron with a vertical steam feature that lets you direct steam to hanging items; $205 through Amazon.

Above: The Panasonic NI-W950A features a 1700 watt multi-directional dual tip Alumite soleplate that allows for 360-degree ironing in any direction. 

Above: German-based Rowenta is known for premium ironing products; the Rowenta DW9080 Steamium Iron is no exception.  It features an extra broad platinum plate with 400 holes for maximum steaming; $125.79 at Amazon.

Above: A highly rated but less expensive alternative, the Rowenta Effective Comfort Steam Iron has a non-stick stainless plate with 300 steam holes; $39.99 from Amazon.  

Above: Do you worry about scorching or melting while ironing? Consider the Oliso Smart Iron that lifts itself up when you let go of the handle, preventing burns, scorching, and tipping; $121.32 at Amazon.

Above: DeLonghi's 1800-Watt Steam Iron offers multiple steam controls including the ability to vary the steam temperature.  A varied thickness ceramic and titanium soleplate is something that DeLonghi touts for its ease of use and its long life (highly corrosion-resistant materials); $104.50 from Amazon.

Above: The T-Fal Ultraglide Easycord Steam Iron features an especially large water tank for fewer refills and a design to keep the cord out of the way of your ironing efforts; $40.20 through Amazon.

Above: Looking for a basic iron without bells and whistles? The Black and Decker Classic Iron looks like something from the laundry room of your childhood but offers updated auto-shut off and steam surge features; $24.94 at Amazon.

Pressure Steam Irons

Above: Laundress co-founder Lindsey Boyd advocates a mix of steaming and ironing. "I grew up with a mother that had to have everything ironed," she says. "For pieces like my two-year old daughter's clothing and bed linens, I iron them so they are perfectly pressed and finished.  Currently, I am using a pressure steam iron from Rowenta, which has both functions, to make ironing easier." The Rowenta DG5030 Pro-Iron Steam Station is $160.56 at Amazon.

Above: The Laundress uses the Reliable Iron Maven for their Laundress Washing Service. "The shape and size is smaller than other irons, but once you get used to it, it lets you work in greater detail especially on shirt labels, pleats, etc.," Laundress co-founder Gwen Whiting says. The Reliable IronMaven 420 professional style home ironing system is $299 at Amazon.

Steamers

Above: The founders of the Laundress mostly steam their clothing using the Jiffy Steamer J-20 ($219).  "As I hand wash a good portion of my wardrobe, a good steamer comes in handy. I use it for all of my silk and woolens," says Lindsey Boyd.

Intrigued? See More Steamer Options.

For a while now, we've been embracing a modern approach to entertaining that isn't laden with formality. To that end, we've been collecting dining ideas in offbeat settings (from greenhouses to industrial loft spaces to urban gardens).

Looking for inspiration for your next party? Here are five ideas for dining in unusual settings:

Above: Brooklyn-based Jen Catto served a lavish brunch to entice her friends to help renovate her garden patio; from How to Crowd Source a Garden on Gardenista.

Above: Food Studio brings the indoors out by laying down a few shipping palettes, setting a table, and pitching an awning.

Above: A brie and oyster party thrown in a ceramics studio in Paris from Steal This Look: Parisian Oyster Party.

Above: An open living/dining room is transformed into a forest with bay laurel hung from exposed beams; see A Seasonal Celebration, Creatives Included.

Above: A glass greenhouse in the middle of a field in Norway serves as the setting for an unforgettable dinner party; see Into the Field: A Dinner in an Oslo Greenhouse on Gardenista.

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