I've been hearing talk of Shed—downtown Healdsburg's just-opened culinary emporium—for a while now. Four years in the making, the modern grange is owned by Cindy Daniels and Doug Lipton, a civic-minded couple who decamped from San Francisco to Healdsburg over 20 years ago, long before it was fashionable to farm, and established a 15-acre, biodynamic outpost. Shed is the couple's way of bringing their interests in sustainable living together under one large white metal roof, where it can be enjoyed by all.

Designed by Jensen Architects, Shed is built on the site of an old appliance store; Lipton and Daniels tried to keep the original building, but ultimately had to go with something new. The almost 10,000-square-foot barn is made of recycled steel panels with walls of glass and large garage doors that open up and connect with the street. The result is a light, transparent airy building—a modern take on the surrounding agricultural vernacular—that functions as a gathering place for the surrounding community. On offer: local food, produce, and utilitarian goods for the home and garden with a larder, poultry shop, restaurant, and coffee bar added to the mix (plus a wooden mill from Austria for grinding wheat from local farms and corn for flour, meal, and polenta), not to mention a fermentation bar

To see more, go to Shed.

Photography by Sarah Lonsdale, except where noted.

Above: SF-based Jensen Architects designed the transparent steel-clad building, which is divided into three retail sections for cooking, eating, and gardening with a cafe and coffee bar anchoring the middle of the space. Photograph via Jensen Architects.

Above: The demonstration table (designed by Deep Craft) at the front of the building is made from a salvaged slab of sycamore that sits atop two stacks of wood. Once the stacked wood dries, it will be made into one-of-a-kind pieces for the store. Replacement wood will be brought in to dry beneath the sycamore, creating a continual work in progress. Beehives from Germany and the UK are currently on display.

Above: A mix of potted flowers and produce for sale on zinc-covered tables.

Above: Scott Constable of Deep Craft designed the custom bar stools.

Above: Kitchen goods on sale including wares by local potter Kelley Farley.

Above: Daniels was inspired by the kitchen designs of Plain English and designed something similar for the cafe. Glass-paneled garage doors in the building open up to allow for cross breezes.

Above: Fresh local produce on display including vegetables from the couple's own farm.

Above: The custom wood tables are made by Scott Constable of Deep Craft and can be custom ordered.

Above: A selection of traditional handmade brushes for housekeeping.

Above: The farm section offers garden tools, supplies, as well as local seeds.

Above: The fermentation bar serves kombucha on tap (possibly a first) as well as local beer and wine. SHED also offers shrubs—a drink made from vinegar syrups and water (I recommend the prickly pear).

Above: Constable designed the long community table in the cafe area from two planks of ash. Daniels had the stools painted a custom pink.

Above: Upstairs on the second floor is a large open hall devoted to community events, guest speakers, and gatherings centered on food crafts, gardening, farming, and sustainable living. The flooring is elm sourced from Evan Shively in Marin (as was much of the wood for the project).  The wooden chairs are by Scott Constable of Deep Craft.

Interesting in more modern granges? For something similar, check out Daylesford in the UK.

Explore Design Travel.

Spotted in last Thursday's NY Times House & Home section: a new porch light from Accord, NY-based Deborah Ehrlich. “The idea was a jelly jar,” she told the Times. But this is no ordinary jelly jar light; the shade is hand blown Swedish crystal, the base is white glazed porcelain, and the fittings are made of rubbed brass.

Above: The Crystal Jelly Jar Light, which is 4 inches wide and 8 inches high, is $225 at Artware Editions in New York City.

Above: The light measures 4 inches wide and 8 inches high.

Above: The profile is traditional yet with a subtle elegance.

A bouquet of cut flowers is lovely, but how long does it last? Instead make a Living Bouquet for your mom that will last all year. Think of it as the grownup version of your kindergarten hand print. Every time she looks at it, she'll say, "Aww."

Sign up Here.

If you'll be in the Bay Area on May 8, come to my Living Bouquet Workshop sponsored by Anthropologie. It will be from 6 to 8 pm at the store at 880 Market St. in San Francisco. Hurry—space is limited.

Click Here to sign up.

Our friend Timothy Dahl of Charles & Hudson is a DIY demon. One of his greatest triumphs was the transformation of a dingy utility room into a dazzling white laundry space, finished just in time for the arrival of the Dahl and his wife's first child. Read on to see how he pulled it altogether and create a similar look with the following elements (and a little elbow grease):

Remodelista: How did you tackle the painting?

Timothy Dahl: We decided to do the whole room in white. For the walls and the ceiling, we went with the new Valspar + Asthma/Allergy Friendly Paint available at Lowe's. It's the most kid-friendly paint we've seen. It's Zero-VOC, low odor, and dries to an antimicrobial finish. It is also mold and mildew resistant. Now that we have a little one, I don't think we would use any other paint. For the floors, we used Valspar's Floor and Porch Enamel Paint, which is also low VOC and low odor.

Above: The couple kept the original deep sink, scrubbed it clean, and now use it to bathe their son.

RM: Storage solution?

TD: We made a quick trip to Ikea, grabbed their Expedit Bookcase unit ($89.99) in white, and laid it down on its side. We already have this bookcase in brown and use it in our son's nursery; for an Ikea product, its very solid.

Above: Their son's towel hangs from an antler hook on the wall.

Above: Dahl replaced the original washer/dryer with a more energy-efficient one, opting for the Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer.

RM: Appliance advice?

TD: I needed to switch the door on the dryer unit to swing in the same direction as the washer door I found some basic directions online, and it took me about 20 minutes and a few simple tools to switch the door.

RM: Stag's head in the laundry?

TD: We have no other art or decoration in the laundry room, so a little taxidermy adds a bit of quirkiness to the space. We also made our own chalkboard using Valspar Chalkboard Paint and a picture frame from Target. We needed a simple message board that we could attach to the side of the dryer, and this worked perfectly"

To see images of the project before the overhaul, visit Charles & Hudson.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 9, 2012.

If I did not have a job, I would spend at least eight hours a day ironing (and spraying liberal amounts of starch). I would smooth out all my problems—and possibly even my finances—as I patiently removed wrinkles from linen napkins and tablecloths and pillowcases and all my blouses with complicated collars.

The only thing better (we are still in the fantasy) would be a gigantic iron, one that wouldn't require eight hours of my time: a big superhero mangle through which I could feed yards and yards of bed sheets. A new best friend, let's say, who would have a foot pedal to allow me to guide linens through a top roller. Oh, and a heating plate. Also, I would like to be able to fold my mangle and put it away when I am not using it. Is this too much to ask?

Enter the Miele Rotary Iron.

Above: Made in Germany and weighing 84 pounds, the  Miele Rotary Iron is capable of pressing a large tablecloth in under four minutes; $1,999.95 from Williams-Sonoma.

The ultimate laundress' chair? See A Factory Chair Turned Collector's Item.

Consider the door hinge. Probably not the most aesthetically pleasing feature in the home. But wait—there's hope.

Tectus 3D Concealed Hinges from German-based Simonswerk, a producer of premium hinge systems for over 120 years, combine high performance with sleek design. Engineered to handle heavy doors, the Tectus 3D Concealed Hinges combine quality materials and precision performance and maintenance-free slide bearings and three directions of adjustability (keeping flush doors flush).

Above: Concealed hinges are hidden from view when the doors are closed, allowing them to blend in seamlessly with the architecture. Tectus 3D hinges are easily adjustable in three directions (vertical, horizontal, and depth) for precise fits.    

Above: Concealed hinges are visible in the door and frame when the door is open. The Tectus 3D Concealed Hinges are available in several premium finishes to match door hardware. 

On visiting the house of a gardening friend for the first time, I was ooh-ing and aah-ing over the planting around the terrace. There was no grass, just tall, wavy flowers. Beyond the post and rail fence was an uninterrupted rural view—until I turned a corner. I stopped in my tracks because there, looking like a small tree in a very bad disguise, was a laundry umbrella-thing, conveniently placed by the kitchen door.

I couldn't believe it. So much for the view. But talking about the laundry tree later, I realized that people are generally "not bothered"—to coin a phrase—about something so trivial. There are a number of things that people accept in life because as far as they know, there is no alternative. But of course there are alternatives to be had, and even chores can follow form as well as function. And especially chores which have dangerous associations with "drudge." Allow us to offer some suggestions:

Above: A laundry airer made of wood and cable (plastic-coated for durability). I received one of these for a milestone birthday. Some present, you might think, but I can say with complete honesty that it is a pleasure to hang laundry on it, every single day of my life. We don't use a machine dryer. Photograph by Kendra Wilson.

Mine is French; an almost identical Mama Clothes Dryer, a German version, is £220 at The Conran Shop. The handy frame may find other uses, with a blanket thrown over it as a fort.

Above: Simple wooden clothes pegs. A pack of 50 Beech Dolly Pegs is 6.90€ from Manufactum. For US shoppers, a package of 12 Wood Clothespins is $3.99.

I've never understood why a mousetrap-like contraption is needed when the plainest of wood will do. Again, they have a secondary use as armless dolls.

Above: A 5 Line Retractable Clothesline is $75 from Urban Clothesline. Photograph via Thistlewood Farms.

Want to see four more Life-Changing Ways to get that fresh-air scent for your clothes? Read the rest of this story at Gardenista.

For more of our favorite laundry solutions, see Steal This Look: Traditional English Laundry Room.

Four wall-mounted drying racks in a mudroom create an instant indoor drying room; recreate the look with four wall-mounted racks from Ikea.

For something similar, consider Ikea's wall-mounted Grundtal Drying Rack; $19.99 each. Photo via Bolig Magasinet.

Here are some inspiring ways to integrate that new (or old) washer and dryer set—especially useful for those of us who live in small spaces.

Above: Colorful barn doors hide the laundry, via House Beautiful.

Above: In the laundry room of Tricia Foley, the washer and dryer are concealed behind cabinet doors made from reclaimed pine. Photograph by Eric Piasecki for Martha Stewart.

Above: Eric Pike's NYC kitchen features a stacked washer and dryer next to a refrigerator, via Martha Stewart.

Above: In this traditional UK laundry room, the small-scale washer and dryer are concealed behind curtains; see Steal This Look: Traditional English Laundry Room.

Above: Suspended sliding base units in dark oak built by Antonio Citterio hides a linen closet and washer/dryer in the kitchen.

For more reasons to redesign your laundry room, sift through 57 Laundry & Utility Rooms in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 8, 2012.

I'm not sure about you, but the topic of stain removal never enters my consciousness unless there is a crisis at hand. Let's say, nasty red wine spillage, in which case, I typically default to what I learned growing up (use salt). When we were recently discussing the topic at work, we realized we had a wealth of solutions among us. Here are our top 10 cleaning tips—most of which involve little more than vinegar, lemons, and baking soda:

Photography by Sarah Lonsdale.

• 1. Stacey uses Tom's of Maine to shine her silver but any milder toothpaste will also work.
• 2. Christine on stainless steel: "When I was a waitress, we used to clean stainless steel surfaces with seltzer water from the soda fountain, and it worked like a dream."
• 3. Stacey on mildewy dish brushes and sponges: "I wash mine weekly in boiling water with a few drops of oil of oregano to keep them fresh."
• 4. Alexa on tackling grout in the bathroom: "I mix baking soda and vinegar to create a paste for cleaning bathroom grout."

Above: The acid in lemons makes it an ideal cleaning agent.

• 5. Sarah on tarnished copper: "I clean my copper with lemon and salt. Cut the lemon into wedges, dip in salt, then rub on the copper. Rinse quickly in cold water and dry well with a soft cloth."
• 6. Sarah on yellowed clothing: "I have a couple of white cotton shirts from Japan that I have had forever. They have worn well but started to yellow on the collar. I dabbed them with lemon juice, then let them sit in the sun to bleach. The yellow disappeared."
• 7. Christine on removing red wine stains: "Pour salt on a wet red wine stain in the carpet, then leave it overnight before vacuuming it up."
• 8. Meredith on removing spots from stainless flatware: "Rub olive oil on with a soft cloth, then wipe off with a soft cloth dampened with white vinegar."
   

Above: Distilled white vinegar; I buy it by the gallon, and although it's a little obsessive-compulsive I decant it into a glass bottle.

• 9. Janet uses vinegar as her secret laundry weapon. "Years ago, a friend in the garment industry told me to wash new clothes with a half cup of white vinegar to 'set' dark colors."
• 10. Janet on mildewy laundry: "Ever left wet laundry in the machine for a day or so by accident?  Rewash the load with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar, which will combat the mildew smell."
• 11. Sarah on water-spotted glassware: "Every now and again, when my drinking glasses are looking dull or water spotted, I'll add some white distilled vinegar to the rinse aid cycle of the dishwasher and the glasses are restored to their original shininess."

Read our tips on Banishing Kitchen Odors. 

Got any brilliant tips for combating stains? We'd love to add them to the list. Let us know in the comment box below.

See more: Domestic Science.

The question that occurred to me the other day, as I was huffing and puffing my way up one of the steep switchback trails that crisscross the mountain in my town, was this: Why must a hike be so onerous? The next day I headed over to the gentle swells of Golden Gate Park for a stroll through the San Francisco Botanical Garden's collection of native plants. And I thought: That's more like it.

Of course I wasn't exactly in a relaxed frame of mind upon arrival, having driven around for 15 minutes in search of a parking spot that wouldn't draw the attention of what must be the largest, most dedicated army of meter maids in any city in America.  After a few attempts at decoding the fine print on a sign purporting to demystify the complexities of the local parking regulations, I consigned my car to fate and bustled over to the entrance gate—five minutes late.

There I was greeted by the lovely sight of Don Mahoney, the garden's chief curator and my tour guide, hitching a ride from the garden's nursery on a golf cart that was ferrying potted plants to the gift shop. He said, upon alighting, "Let's walk the long way over to the native garden, don't you think?"

And suddenly the stress started to melt away. It was warm, it was sunny, and the afternoon lay ahead. There are 55 gently meandering acres in the botanical garden, with roughly 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world organized into distinct "gardens" that display collections from Asia, from Africa, from Chile, from the Mediterranean—and from our local California environs. (Now is the time to go: California natives are at their gaudiest from now through mid-summer, as successive waves of wildflowers burst into bloom.)

By the time we reached the Arthur L. Menzies Garden of California Native Plants, we'd passed the "please-touch" collection of scented plants (where visitors can rub leaves between two fingers to release the scent of various herbs) and stopped to admire 100-year-old rhododendrons with trunks as thick as trees. And then we saw the little purple irises:

Photographs by Michelle Slatalla except where noted.

Above: Throughout the California natives garden, naturalized clumps of irises edge walkways and cover grassy meadows. In bloom from now until mid summer, Iris douglasiana is visible in a range of colors, from deep purple to white-striped flowers.

The only problem, says Mr. Mahoney, is that the wildflowers can be irresistible. "Once we got a call that a couple had spread out a blanket in the middle of them to have a picnic," he said. Lovely idea, but trampling "ruined them for the season."

If you want to grow your own meadow of flowers, a packet of Iris Douglasiana seeds is $5 from Larner Seeds.

Above: Photograph by Sftrajan via Flickr.

A Californian native, Rhododendron Occidentale (L), has huge powder puff blossoms.

Above: Native to southern Oregon and Northern California, Rhododendron Occidentale is $10 per plant from Far Reaches Farm.

Above: Photograph by Sftrajan via Flickr.

A California buckeye tree, Aesculus californica, has plenty of space to grow to its full size; it looks ancient and gnarly. The ancient part is an illusion, says Mr. Mahoney; the tree is only a few decades old.

Above: A small plaque in the grassy area beneath the buckeye identifies it for passersby.

Above: Known as the California lilac, ceanothus comes in about 50 different varieties; it has a lovely fragrance that always reminds me of a cake baking.

Above: A low-growing variety, Ceanothus Hearstiorum creates a mat-like groundcover; a plant in a 1-gallon pot is $12 from Bay Natives.

Above: A semi-secluded bench named in honor of Gavin Newsom's mother Tessa; sometimes the lieutenant governor stops by for a visit and quiet contemplation.

Above: Fragrant lilacs developed to thrive in San Francisco's mild climate are known as "low-chill" varieties. This specimen was donated from a private garden.

Above: The oldest low-chill Syringa vulgaris is 'Lavender Lady,' developed in California 30 years ago by hybridizer Walter Lammerts. A Lavender Lady Lilac in a 5-gallon pot is $69.98 from Clifton's.

Above: For a downloadable walking map that identifies highlights of the California natives garden, see SF Botanical Garden.

Above: The botanical garden is preparing for its annual public plant sale—which will be the first weekend in May—and so Mr. Mahoney eventually had to head back to a meeting at the nursery. Left to find my own way out, I wandered past a meadow of native perennial grasses, a shady grove of ferns, and more massive rhododendrons. By the time I reached my car, the time had run out on the parking meter. But guess what? No ticket. What a magical city.

No matter where you live, we have a hike to recommend. See all of our Hikes of the Week.

Not long ago, we featured California doll maker Jess Brown's Petaluma house; now we take a look at her sunlit studio. When her children were younger, Jess worked next to her kid's giant art table. As she says, "It was up against the wall in a teensy corner with a small shelf behind me to hold supplies. Crazy! " Her solution? Set up a studio on an unused sun porch.

Photography by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista.

Above: Jess works on a long table with sheer curtains (suspended from a branch) to cut the sunlight.

Above: Jess uses straw market bags for storing fabrics for her Rag Dolls. She sources the fabrics at the Alameda flea, local estate sales, antique fairs, and thrift shops. The French Market Bags are available online and at her shop for $62.

Above: A mix of clothing including vintage pieces that Jess uses as inspiration for her own line.

Above: A Biscayne Wire Chair with a sheepskin throw.

Above: A collection of threads.

Above: Jess has an enviable collection of scissors, including some vintage finds.

Above: A pair Jess Brown Rag Dolls.

Above: Jess sourced the grass floor covering at Cost Plus.

See more at the Accidental Doll Maker.

 Explore more Style features.

Is it a coincidence that my two closest family members—my husband and my mother—are obsessed with the same vacuum? 

I suppose you could call my mother opinionated. Two winters ago, when she was visiting from Sweden, she came into contact with our old upright vacuum. As she wrestled the unwieldy appliance down the stairs, she blared (in Swedish): "I can't stand this thing! You need a new vacuum."

By new, she meant a canister vacuum, and by canister, she meant a Miele.

"I know," I said. "But it is a big ticket item. And we want to get it right."

My husband, Brandon, and I are not the sort of people who are susceptible to impulse buys. So my mom set out to build her case on cold, hard facts. Upon learning that our neighbor Rachel had received a Miele vacuum as a Christmas gift, she knocked on Rachel's door and borrowed the machine to give us a demonstration.

As I watched my mom suck up dirt like a blood-sucking leech, I was sold. Compared to our old hand-me-down vacuum, the Miele was quiet, smooth, and competent.

Still, it took a six-month long house remodel before we finally could justify the upgrade. Meanwhile, my husband did his own off-line consumer research: he called the local vacuum store and asked if the Miele was worth the price. "You won't find a better machine," said the owner, cementing the deal. My husband, who works for a German wind turbine manufacturer, does not take German engineering lightly.

It arrived two days later. I noticed my husband was simultaneously perplexed by and attracted to the ultra-instructive German packaging: the box was illustrated with instructions showing how to open the box itself. I knew things were getting interesting as I watched him carefully unpack the machine, absorb the instruction manual, and take it for its maiden voyage. 

It was love at first dust ball. From that day, my husband adopted the high-performance house cleaning device as his own. I certainly don't mind, by the way, and am proud of the way he has mastered the use of the accessory brushes. I only hope he and my mom don't fight over the Miele next time she comes to visit.

Above: Brandon in Miele vacuum mode. He drives it as if it were a BMW.

Above: My husband's preferred method of dusting. He uses the natural bristle dusting brush which comes with the vacuum.  

Above: We chose the Miele S6720 Quartz model, recommended for hardwoods, tile, low-pile carpets and rugs; $399 via Amazon. 

Above: A glimpse under the hood—featuring a low-noise 1200-watt Vortex motor with six power settings. Impressively, Miele offers a seven-year motor warranty. A light indicator alerts you when it's time to replace the filter bag. 

Above: Armed with an optional HEPA filter, this machine adds another dimension to vacuuming; it also cleans the air within your home. The filter includes a place for you to mark the purchase date (the Germans thought of everything).

Above: The Quartz model weights only 12 pounds, which my mom will appreciate next time she carries it upstairs.

Are you still not convinced of your next vacuum purchase? Read our post about the Great Vacuum Debate: Miele vs. Dyson.  

Whether it's installed in the Ace Hotel bath or in the attic bedroom of Tsao & McKown's Rhineback getaway, Schoolhouse Electric's Alabax light features a design with a universal appeal.

The Portland, Oregon-based company's founder, Brian Faherty, stumbled on the original fixture while thrifting one day. At first, Faherty assumed it was some sort of strange salad bowl, but upon further research he found a series of Alabax fixtures in a 1951 General Electric catalog. He decided to bring it back, and ever since, Schoolhouse Electric's most popular surface mount fixture has been produced by hand to custom specifications. We've long admired the white and black porcelain fixture (both Julie and Sarah have them in their houses), but as of last week the Alabax is now available in a bright marigold yellow and a warm gray glaze.

Above: The Alabax Surface Mount Light Fixture is $135 for the large size from Schoolhouse Electric.

Above: Faherty discusses the Alabax and why it's, as he describes it, "a quiet fixture," in Schoolhouse Electric's video.

Above: The Medium Alabax, measuring 7 inches wide, is $90 from Schoolhouse Electric.

Above: A view from below at the pared-down design of the light.

On the hunt for the perfect ceiling light? Shop all 33 of our favorite Lighting options for just about any room in the Shop section of our archive.

Juice bars aren't just for Californians anymore. Thanks to Heather Tierney of the Butcher's Daughter, all of New York is addicted to concoctions of cactus pear, saffron, fennel, and more.

After her success with speakeasy Apothéke, Tierney moved on to open The Butcher's Daughter, serving juice by Brandi Kowalski and vegan food from Joya Carlton. The 750-square-foot restaurant in Nolita was designed by Tierney's concept and branding firm, Wanderlust, and features an ironic classic butcher shop vibe: think meat hooks, antique scales, and pulleys hanging from the ceiling; yellow industrial bar stools; and tables and countertops are made of wood as thick as a butcher's block.

Photography via Eater New York, unless otherwise noted.

 Above: The Butcher's Daughter is located at 19 Kenmare Street. Photograph via 70 Percent Pure.

Above: A long counter looks out to the street while a collection of fern varieties make up a vertical garden along the dining room wall.

Above: Fresh fruit captive in net bags hang from a vintage meat hook.

Above: A trio of potted plants includes a small citrus tree. For those thinking of growing citrus indoors, see Gardenista's investigation of its houseplant potential in "The Truth About Indoor Citrus Trees."

Above: Photograph via 70 Percent Pure.

For other dining options in the area, check out the 33 other restaurants in our New York City travel guide.

This week Elizabeth Roberts, a Brooklyn-based designer and partner at Ensemble Architecture, D.P.C., takes us through her renovation of the top duplex of a Fort Greene townhouse.  She is available for the next 48 hours to answer any and all questions. Ask away!

Owning an urban townhouse is a dream for many, but not necessarily a reality for most. Does owning half a townhouse make the dream any less desirable? Two young families (old friends from college) enlisted Roberts, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory, to set an example and show that by dividing a townhouse into a lower and upper duplex with 1,900 square feet each, less could literally be more.

While Roberts designed the upper duplex, she did not design the lower duplex because its owners commissioned a family member who was an architect in Portland. Sagely, however, the two families did hire Roberts to oversee the construction of the entire building, thus ensuring an overall coherent vision. “The roof deck of the upper duplex was a key ingredient in order to achieve parity with the lower duplex, which got the garden space,” Roberts says.  “Some unexpected challenges included helping the two families figure out which expenses should be split between the two families as common costs.”

Photography by Sean Slattery.

Above: The first level of the upper duplex is on the third floor of the townhouse; the kitchen affords a view through the leafy streets of the historic section of Fort Greene in Brooklyn.

Above: Thoughtful details such as hiding the air conditioning in the ceiling of the reading nook support Roberts' efforts in maintaining a modern and open feel on the living floor of the duplex.

Above: Book storage was a key component in Roberts' design because one of the owners is a high school English teacher. "The reading nook that separates the dining from the living room is completely wrapped in books," Roberts says. "And throughout the house, wherever there was some leftover space, we created more book storage."

Above: "Modern interventions in historic houses need to be very clean and well detailed," Roberts says, "or else they feel inferior in comparison to the weight of any remaining historic detailing." In this project, her modern detailing holds its own against the existing fireplace mantles and stairways she retained.

Above: "We spent a lot of time working out a very regular rhythm for the cabinets, and I think that as a result, it looks better than a typical Ikea kitchen," Roberts says.

Above L: The countertops along the wall are Boos butcher block and the countertop on the island is Carrera Marble. Above R: A small urban terrace sits off the kitchen.

Above: "We chose to paint the spindles and the treads and risers the same color (Benjamin Moore's Wolf Gray) because it feels modern and clean as well as making the beautiful original mahogany handrail very visible," Roberts says. "This paint detail also makes the transition to the new, simpler balusters at the new stair which leads to the roof more subtle."

Above: Roberts conceals a washing machine and clothes dryer in a closet on the stair landing.

Above: Modern detailing in the master bathroom creates a clean and efficient look.

Above: Located on the top level, the interior bathrooms and bedrooms benefit greatly from operable and programmable skylights. "Designing and getting planning approval from the city for the roof deck was the most complex part of the project because the house is located in the historic district of Fort Greene," Roberts says. 

Above: "Many clients don't realize that in order to create a roof deck an entirely new structure must be built," Roberts says. "Townhouse roofs are designed to support snow loads; not people." The new hatch door to the roof deck is all glass and provides a great deal of light in the stair hall. 

Above: The entry hall is a common space that is shared by both families.

Above: In the entry hall, Roberts started with a field of dark hexagonal tiles and replaced sections with white tiles to create a floral pattern. 

Above: The floor plans of the upper duplex illustrate the architect's skill in fitting a large amount of program into relatively small space. The two floors have three bedrooms, two private offices, and two bathrooms while still maintaining an open feel on the living level.

Elizabeth Roberts has a way with Brooklyn townhouses: We especially like what she did with her own townhouse (take a tour at House Call:Elizabeth Roberts in Brooklyn).

With spring cleaning behind us (well, almost), we're turning our attention to sprucing up our interiors. Christine has been weaning herself off her all white interiors (check out her new Color Wheel), Izabella has been creating her own Scandi Whitewshed Floors, and Julie is in the throes of replacing her kitchen counter tops (which one of these will she choose?). We decided to devote next week to renovation and reclamation, so stay tuned for a barrage of ideas, and, in the meantime, here's a few things that caught our attention this past week.

• Spotted and admired, the corrugated iron clad walls of the Bowery Coffee in New York.
• On the list of things we always need: kitchen storage. Here are 10 ideas worth considering from Cultivate.

• Sarah's finally thinking summer holidays and checking out design-worthy European rental homes at Urlaubsarchitektur (including the Bavarian Home) while simultaneously perusing budget options at Roomorama.
• With trips to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago (and Paris planned), we feel like we've been living out of our suitcases lately. The only downside? Airport food. Here are 7 sandwiches that travel well from the Yumsugar folks.

• Inspired by our recent trip to SHED with its fermentation bar, Stacey is making her own shrub (think drink concoction made from fruit, sugar, and vinegar). Check out the recipe for calamansi shrub syrup from Burntlumpia.

Above: Neutra's Kaufmann House in Palm Springs. Photograph by Jackie Craven.

• Finally, good news for Neutra fans. Not all of his buildings can be saved, but now you can build one of his homes with these residential plans.

On April 25th, 1946, a postwar crowd gathered on a lovely spring day to cheer on "Lovely Cottage" as he galloped across the finish line at UK's Grand National. It was a day of triumph for Manor House stables and the small village of Headbourne Worthy in Hampshire, which was the new champion's home. It also marked the end of an era.

Lovely Cottage's winning race was the last of this tradition that had started in 1876, and shortly after, the unused stables fell into a state of disrepair. Until one day when Andy Ramus of AR Design Studio, which was completing renovations to the Manor House, recognized the potential of this historic stable. Shortly after, Lovely Cottage's stable received a new lease on life as a modern three-bedroom house featuring much of the structure's original barnlike character.

Photos by Martin Gardner.

Above: In order to preserve as much of the original features as possible, the architects at AR Design Studio made few changes to the stable's plans, instead creating rooms within the existent stables. The structure's exposed timber walls were cleaned and refurbished to reveal the original detailing and craftsmanship.

Above: The original stable corridor, which the architects retained, now functions as an elegant enfilade.

Above: Merging the old with the new: in order to let the character of the refurbished wood shine, AR Design Studio opted for a clean, neutral palette in the rest of the space. Modern amenities like the heated polished concrete floor are also still very much in keeping with the stable's original character.

Above: The original stable divisions add to the open feel of the space. Skylights further increase the light and airy feel.

Above: So as not to compete with the refurbished wooden details, modern additions keep a low profile.

Above: In the living room, the stable's original ceilings add to the lofty feel.

Above: For a little extra privacy, bedrooms were placed at the end of the single-story structure.

Above: A clever partition between the bedroom and bath provides storage but still maintains an open feel.

Above: In addition to the stable's walls and doors, other details were repurposed; for instance, feeding troughs were used for sinks and tethering rings function as towel hoops.

Above: With the exterior of the single-story brick structure refurbished, the original timber windows were replaced with modern glazing and powder-coated steel frames.

For more images of the Manor House Stable, visit Dezeen.

N.B. Like the idea of living where our four-legged friends used to tread? See more inspired stable conversions.

The day we finally moved into our remodeled house—after the city inspector had tromped through with a picky checklist and the contractors had hauled away their debris mountain and the plumber had been called back twice to coax the hot water heater to actually produce hot water—was one of the happiest I remember. I would put it right up there with the morning I got married and the day after, when I woke up in Italy and realized it was no longer my problem that we had run low on quiche at the wedding.

The house was so perfect, with its glossy dark floors and creamy marble counter tops and sparkly glass doorknobs, that it felt like we were moving into a life-sized dollhouse. Even the last carpenter, who was still screwing in kitchen knobs as the movers unfurled a paper floor runner, was impressed. "This place turned out a lot better than I expected it to three months ago," he said.

The beauty of a remodel is you get to re-imagine your house. It's your chance to right all the wrongs and make it perfect. But then after you move into the perfect house, you may start noticing—little by little—that there are new things wrong. Little things. Picky problems that could have been avoided if only you'd paid a tiny bit more attention during the actual remodel. 

Nine months later, for example, I already have a list of things I'd like to change. Not a long list, mind you, or an urgent list, because my house is pretty wonderful. But the things on the list bug me for the simple reason that they exist. There should not be a list. Sometimes I sit outdoors on my beautiful new bluestone terrace, for instance, and I start to get irritated because there's no flower bed between the bluestone and the house. The pavers run right up to the wall. It looks stark. I think to myself, what idiot designed this? And the answer is me.

Shouldn't I have gotten everything right the first time, when I was throwing around money like a Mrs. Rockefeller? Maybe that's asking too much. But I made certain mistakes that were avoidable, and I'm sharing them here in case you're about to embark on—or are in the middle of—your own remodel. Here are ten ways to avoid feeling, after a few months, as if your redo needs a redo:

Do you have a remodeling tip people should know? If so, please add it to the comments section below.

Photographs by Michelle Slatalla except where noted.

1. Do not install a marble backsplash behind your stove.

Yes, a marble slab is the most beautiful, creamy looking surface in the world. Yes, the sunlight glints on mine (Above) and makes me happy every time I look at it. Yes, I sometimes press my hand against it for the pure pleasure of feeling the cool smoothness. But.

Marble is a very porous surface—perhaps Swiss cheese has more holes, but I wouldn't swear to it—and I am constantly worrying about grease stains. (For the complete story of the nasty nicotine-yellow plume that suddenly appeared on it one morning, see My Dirty Secret: How to Clean a Marble Backsplash.)

If you cook a lot (as my husband and I do) and you roast things at high heat (as we do) and smoke wafts up through the vents (as at our house), then a marble backsplash is simply too much work to keep clean.

We have sealed it. And sealed it. And sealed it. We have poulticed off stains. And poulticed off more stains. And poulticed off even more stains. And now I am at the point where, if I am considering slathering a chicken in butter and roasting it at 425 degrees, I first do a mental calculation: is it worth the risk to the marble backsplash? This is not how you want to decide what to eat for dinner. Nor do you want to resort to taping up a sheet of tinfoil behind the stove—who am I, my grandmother? Am I going to start calling margarine "oleo" next?—every tme you cook.

We originally had planned to tile the backsplash, which by the way would have looked fine.

Above: Photograph by Mimi Giboin.

2. Don't skimp on the appliances. Get the ones you really want even if they cost more.

After my husband and I did our appliance research, we concluded that it would cost too much money to spring for a Sub Zero refrigerator. We agreed that the Sub Zero was the best looking refrigerator and that it was built like a tank and that if we had all the money in the world, we'd get one. But we didn't have all the money in the world.

So even though all our friends who had remodeled swore by their Sub Zeros—Julie has one, and my friend Joan has one, and even my friend Rahel (a woman so thrifty that she doesn't bristle at being described as "cheap") has one—my husband and I got a built in Kitchen Aid (Above) with an ice dispenser (for my husband, who loves gadgets and the idea that you can just walk up to the thing and press a glass against a pad and get ice).

And guess what? This is the only appliance that has given us trouble. Twice we've had a repairman to the house to fix the refrigerator. The ice dispenser doesn't work right, and then the ice freezes up in the chute, and then the motor or the condenser burns out and the whole front of the thing has to be removed to expose a gaping cavity of wires and darkness while the repairman tries to figure it out. And then parts have to be ordered.

Is this problem going to recur every few months for the life of the refrigerator? Or will we just give up on the ice dispenser thing—as so many people do—and pretend that it doesn't exist?

3. Pay attention to hardware details.

I was living in New York while my house was being renovated in California, so when my friend Stephanie (who is a designer) called me from the window showroom to say she didn't think I was going to like the crank that came with a particular casement window that was going to be installed above the kitchen sink, I said, "Hmmm. Doesn't sound like a big deal." I wasn't really listening because I was typing a blog post or something.

Now I stand in front of that casement window every day, doing dishes, and I hate the crank. It is a brown plastic-y thing that's practically at eye level. It's so ugly that every time I take a photo of the otherwise beautiful sink wall—white tile, gooseneck faucet, green view through a casement window—I Photoshop out the crank.

Maybe the crank could be replaced? Who knows? It looks like a sort of complicated crank thing. Who has time to look up the model number of the window and then call the window company to ask about it? And if the window company says "No. No replacement for you!" then who has time to find a non-standard replacement part that would probably violate the warranty but at least not be ugly plastic-y brown?

No. 4: Make sure your bathrooms have natural light.

Our master bathroom (Above) has a big window, and lovely sunlight. Our small guest bathroom, however, is a little box with a high ceiling and no windows. It feels oppressive in there, the lack of light.

Sometimes the layout of your house dictates an "internal' bathroom, surrounded on all sides by other rooms instead of by an exterior wall. This is the case at my house. But I wish, in retrospect, that I had installed a skylight.

For six more mistakes to avoid during a remodel, see the rest of this story at Gardenista.

For more, see Rehab Diaries: Michelle's Mill Valley Kitchen Redo.

Trends in home decor may come and go, but one classic style has staying power: nautical chic, which evokes summer days lolling on the beach.

The new spring 2013 collection from Williams-Sonoma Home features three main styles, including Beach Chic (the others are New Traditional and Rustic Modern), which features pieces centered on brass, regatta-inspired color palettes, and natural fibers. Every item is designed to be incorporated into your own seafaring collectibles. Here are our favorite pieces—including a deep blue paint evoking thoughts of the ocean. All are available online at Williams-Sonoma Home or via catalog (except where noted).

Above: Graphic nautical signal flags were once used to relay messages; the designers at Williams-Sonoma Home sourced a collection of vintage flags from Germany, including the Signal Flag Three. Each flag is a genuine vintage find, so slight variations are to be expected. Check online, via catalog, or in stores for availability (quantities are limited); $495.

Above: The Pimlico Tripod Floor Lamp is a modern take on a timeless piece and features an adjustable arm and shade that swivels; available in Antique Brass (shown here) or Polished Nickle; $595.

Above: A neutral staple that adds an outdoorsy feel to any room, the Abaca Rug, measuring 6 by 9 feet, is made from the fibrous material originally sourced to make ropes. Available online in light (show here) or dark; $999.

Above: Lend the depth of the ocean to a room with Benjamin Moore's Symphony Blue; $34.99 for a gallon.

Above: The Warwick Garden Seat of woven sea grass gives new life to the traditional Chinese garden stool form; $129.

Above: We believe in anchoring any room with one classic investment piece that will carry you through the years. The comfortable and versatile Pierce Sofa does just that, with resilient cushions, hand-pleated English arms, and streamlined tailoring. Seen here in Classic Linen White, it is available in various fabric and color options so you can create your own custom-upholstered piece; prices start at $2,995.

Above: To see the full range of nautical-inspired pieces, visit Williams-Sonoma Home's Beach Chic collection.

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