Mark and Sally Bailey were early to the game with their “repair, reuse, and rethink” design philosophy (we've posted about their housewares emporium Baileys Home & Garden frequently over the years). The couple has written three books: Recycled Home, Simple Home, and Hand Made Home, and converted a series of farm buildings in the Hereford countryside of England into a destination compound for interiors enthusiasts in search of an honest utilitarian aesthetic. They're constantly innovating and updating their offerings; take a tour of the latest developments.

Photography by Rich Stapleton via Cereal Magazine.

Above: In a converted farm building, the Baileys used recycled and salvaged furniture for display; while every inch of available space is utilized, the clutter is contained through organization.

Above: Wired-cube display shelving presents a grid of organization. Safco make a similar system for home use that's available via Amazon; the Wire Cube Shelving System (10 units) is $100, and in the UK, the Wire Cube Shelving System (4 units in black) is £38.34.

Above: The innovative displays adhere to the Baileys' design philosophy of "repair, reuse, and rethink." 

Above: The wood from the vintage display ladders contrasts with the metal shelving.

Above: Industrial wire box shelving provides a display place for everything, no matter how small. An Industrial 9-Cube Shelf is available via RH for $249.

Above: Canvas Utility Trucks under the display table provide another type of storage system. 

Above: Oak Block Toothbrush Holders keep things in the bathroom organized.

Above: Wood Apple Crates with dividers provide under-counter storage.

Above: The Baileys often create modular shelving systems with American Crates on Wheels, which are larger in scale than standard crates. Placing them on wheels means they're easily transportable.

Above: A simple hanging rail, constructed out of plumbing parts, becomes the background framework for assorted Creamware Jugs.

Above:Duralex Picardie Glass Tumblers (16 oz.) do a good job of organizing cutlery.

Above: The Tabernacle Tearoom, a building on the compound, offers respite from shopping.

Above: Unfinished wood shelving is contrasted with painted wood paneling. 

If you like the look of the wire basket storage system, see 10 Wall-Mounted Wire Baskets as Storage for more. The all-purpose Duralex Picardie Glass Tumbler is a favorite standby in many kitchens. Find out why in Iconic Objects: Duralex Café Ware from Duralex.

On Gardenista, an indoor garden in Steal This Look: A Sunny Work Studio (Fiddle Leaf Included) is inspiring us all to get back to work.

Baileys Home and Garden is in Hereford, near Wales and about a 3 1/2 hour train journey from Central London.

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An often overlooked detail during a remodel? Strategically placed electrical outlets, which will enhance any room's functionality and aesthetics. To ensure your house's power is both plentiful and well placed, here's the first in a series of electrical outlet primers.

First up: Outlets in the living room and entryway. 

Above: Inset into a polished concrete floor, strategically placed floor outlets keep the cords of freestanding lamps to a minimum in the living room at Tiina Laakkonen's House in the Hamptons. Tour the whole compound in the Remodelista book. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Know electric code restrictions and rules

Step 1: Educate yourself about the requirements and restrictions defined by the International Residential Code, National Electrical Code (NEC), and any local codes. The good news is that the rules focus on the minimum requirements for outlet placement (by number of feet between outlets and from corners, etc.). Those minimums may be exceeded, so you may generally add outlets when necessary.

Above: Symbols used by architects to denote various types of electrical outlets include duplex (two receptacles), floor, and GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt) outlets, which are used in bathrooms, kitchens, or anywhere water is present. Image via What's on the ARE.

Assess your living room electrical power needs

Make a careful assessment of how you're going to use your living room; convenience is crucial, but aesthetics are also important. To reduce the need for unsightly and hazardous extension cords, outlets should be placed as close to their points of use as possible. Here are key questions to drive your outlet placement decisions. 

1. What is your furniture layout?

This is an important consideration in living rooms. If you plan to anchor your space with a centrally positioned sofa or seating arrangement, strategically placed floor plugs come in very handy. And don't forget bookshelf and storage shelf placement—if you have units that back against a wall, you won't want to block essential outlets.

Above: When Remodelista cofounder Francesca Connolly remodeled her Brooklyn Heights brownstone, she knew she would need power for lamps on either end of her centrally positioned sofa. "It's best to carefully measure the furniture and placement," she says. "If there is only one obvious place where the sofa will go, it's easier. Just center the outlet so you can position a lamp on either end of the sofa and hide the cord underneath; in our case, there's a small slit in the rug where the cords weave through to the central outlet under the sofa." Photograph by Matthew Williams.

Above: Remodelista contributing editor Izabella Simmons went a step further. "We made cardboard templates of our sofas and placed them on the floor to figure out where to plant the outlets [which are dropped into the floor and stay flush]," she says. "It was as simple as that." See 10 Easy Pieces: Floor Outlets for a range of options. Photograph by Izabella Simmons.

2. Where are your lighting sources? 

Will you have lamps on your end tables? Do you have a favorite floor lamp that will stand next to your reading chair but far from a wall? Plan accordingly. Also make sure you have ample outlets positioned along your baseboards.

Above: Working with architect Jerome Buttrick, Remodelista editor in chief Julie Carlson placed outlets in her living room to allow for multiple floor lamps. Photograph by Matthew Williams. 

3. How many outlets do you need? What powered items do you use? 

Placement is not just about where but also how many electric outlets are available. It's easy to underestimate your needs. A console table may house not only a lamp but also a speaker, a phone, and other equipment. A duplex receptacle is too small. 

4. Will you have a flat screen or other electronics in your living room? 

While their profiles have grown sleeker, TV screens still come with cumbersome cords. Take into account TV placement and make sure you have ample outlets.

Above: Place outlets directly behind where you plan to hang a wall-mounted TV. Recessed outlets are recommended because they sit invisibly behind flush screens, keeping plugs and cords out of sight (for more guidance, go to 7 Secrets for Living with a Flat-Screen TV, Cord-Control Edition). Photograph by Ragnar Ómarsso via Skona Hem.

5. Do you need electric power in your entryway?

Seattle architect Nils Finne, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Design Directory, designs spaces with his clients' personal electronics use in mind. "Thinking about how you come and go, and where you use and recharge your personal devices, is essential," Finne says. Consider outlets for front-entry electric power solutions, including cubbies (outlets can go in the back), credenzas, or outlets inside entry closets. 

Above: SF architect Jennifer Weiss created a built-in entry credenza in an East Bay residence; concealed outlets act as convenient charging station for phones. Photograph by Lucas Fladzinski, courtesy of J. Weiss Architecture.

Above: In-drawer outlets in entry credenzas are convenient for charging personal electronics. They can be configured by an electrician or are available preconfigured from Docking Drawer.

6. Do you decorate for holidays and special events? 

Decorating for special events might happen only a few times a year, but don't leave it out of your electrical outlet planning. Having outlets near mantels, stair railings, and interior archways, for example, makes it easier to hang sparkly lights and electric-powered decorations.

Above: String lights add a festive touch, especially when extension cords are not involved. Photograph via Julie's Indoor Holiday Lights Pinterest Collection.

Find outlets unsightly? See Invisible Plugs? Step 1: Recessed Outlets, 5 Ways to Banish Computer Cords from Your Home Office, and 7 Secrets for Living with a Flat-Screen TV, Cord-Control Edition. 

For visible solutions to outlet blight, there are attractive options such as An Extension Cord to Have in Plain Sight and 10 Easy Pieces: Switch Plate Covers.

Getting ready to remodel? Peruse all of our Remodeling 101 features.   

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Two brothers living halfway around the world from each another, one in Hong Kong and the other in London, wanted to create a shared vacation house in Barcelona, the city where they grew up. They bought a tall ceilinged piano nobile apartment in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona with a distinctive—and challenging—design feature: a triangular floor plan. In need of a solution that would make the most of their apartment's geometry, they hired David Kohn Architects of London. The firm responded with a big move: They removed all the interior walls to create one large corner room as a shared living space. But the brothers still needed separate bedrooms and bathroom areas. Nonplussed, the architects maximized the double-height space and fit these in efficiently along the perimeter of the room. And to avoid confusion, they created a complex, 25-color triangular tile pattern on the floor that maps out private as well as shared space, thereby mitigating any sibling rivalry.

Photographs by Jose Hevia Blach via Yatzer.

Above: After removing the interior walls of the apartment, the architects created separate bedrooms in furniture-like boxes in each leg of the triangular space. At this end, the box houses two bedrooms—a guest bedroom on the lower level and a bedroom for one of the brothers on the upper level. The encaustic floor tiles were manufactured by Mosaics Martí, supplier of tiles to Antoni Gaudí, and are predominantly green in this section of the apartment.

Above: The bedrooms are just big enough for sleeping.

Above: Built-in wooden louvers can be opened or closed according to sleep requirements.

Above: The apartment's front door opens onto a brass-glazed entry with a balcony on top. The upper bedroom and its accompanying bathroom behind the gray door are accessed from the balcony.

Above: To differentiate the brothers' private spaces, the tile pattern is graded in color from green at one end to red at the other.

Above: The two-story wooden bedroom unit works like a miniature building within the apartment.

Above: The wood-lined interiors create cozy sleeping chambers.

Above: An overall look at the apartment, viewed from the balcony. (The third leg of the triangle is reflected in the mirror at the apex of the room, where the dining table sits.) Metal shelving extends from the balcony, providing library-like storage for books.

Above: The other brother's bedroom sits above the kitchen, and it too has a balcony that leads to its own bathroom. The floor tiles in this area are predominantly red. For more ideas on tiled backsplashes, see Patchwork Tiles: 11 Mix-and-Match Ideas.

Above: The moveable stairs to this bedroom also function as library stairs.

Above: The dining room table, placed at the apex of the apartment, appears to be twice as long in the mirror's reflection.

Above: In the shared spaces, the reds and greens in the floor tiles are more evenly mixed.

Above: The distinctive triangular form of the apartment building recalls the Flatiron building, in New York City.

Above: A diagrammatic sketch of how the colors in the tiled floor change gradually across the apartment. Image by David Kohn Architects.

For more Catalan design, see Midcentury Modern in Barcelona and Let There Be Light: A Pair of Flats in Barcelona Transformed. And on Gardenista, visit A Tiny Glass Studio in Barcelona.

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"We are a brand of basic objects inspired by primitive artifacts and tools," explains the Mexico City team behind Lagos del Mundo. The line is a collaboration between two friends, Leonel López Castillo and Rigel Durán, who met as design students at the University Centro and teamed up on the project with architecture and design studio La Metropolitana. The group looked at simple, age-old Mexican household objects made from natural materials, applied their own take to the pieces, and then collaborated with artisans around the country. Twelve products in a range of colors and sizes are currently available and more will be making their debut in November.  

The full collection is available from Lagos del Mundo (prices listed are in US dollars), and in the US, Merchant No. 4 carries select pieces.

Above: The Lagos del Mundo wool rug collection is inspired by textiles made for centuries in the Bernal Village in the state of Querétaro. Woven on traditional looms, the throw rugs are "meant to be complements to bring a warm feeling and color without trying to be the main character in the space," explain the designers. 

Above: The Small Striped and Speckled Wool Rug (shown here) is 27 by 51 inches; $151. The Large Striped and Speckled Rug, 67 by 96 inches, is $530. Both sizes of the Wool Tapestry Rug are also available at Merchant No. 4. Photograph via Merchant No. 4. 

Above: The Small Wool Rug in Orange and Gray (shown here) is 27 by 51 inches; $151. The Large Wool Rug in Orange and Gray, 67 by 96 inches, is $530. The white wool varies in color depending on the time of year the sheep are sheared. 

Above: The Basquet is made by palm producers in the state of Guerrero, in Southern Mexico, and has leather handles; $51 from Lagos del Mundo. The Basket is also available at Merchant No. 4. Photograph via Merchant No. 4.

Above: The clay Pitcher, with a cup that fits on top, is made from a mixture of natural clays and inspired by traditional water storage vessels; $64 from Lagos del Mundo. The Pitcher with Cup is also available at Merchant No. 4. Photograph via Merchant No. 4.

Above: "The origins of the plant pot can be traced to the Romans," write the designers. "They used them to transport plants from exterior to interior when the weather was too cold." Lagos del Mundo's partially glazed clay Plant Pot is $22.

Above: Sized to be used as salad servers, Scoops are sold as a pair, one right-handed spoon and one left. They're made of tzalam, a tropical wood also known as Mayan walnut; $21 from Lagos del Mundo. 

Planning a trip to Mexico? Check out our Travel Guide for noteworthy hotels, restaurants, and shops throughout Mexico. On Gardenista, have a look at a Cactus Fence surrounding Mexican restaurant El Monterro in Saltillo.

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Electronics charging devices have never been worthy of leaving out in plain sight—until now. Here are seven ways to power up in style. 

Above: The Orée Powersleeve is a protective smartphone cover crafted of wood and leather. It pairs with the Orée Pebble, available in marble (shown here) or wood, to create a wireless charging pad for the iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, and Galaxy S4; €90 for the cover; €110 for the charger. To see more from the line, go to Cord-Free Living: A Good-Looking Wireless Charger and Other Breakthroughs.

Above: Phones can be used for texting, tapping apps, and the like while charging in the Saidoka iPhone Charging Dock; $30 for the iPhone 4 model and $50 for the iPhone 5 model at A+R Store.

Above: Eastern Collective offers fabric power cables that go beyond the standard-issue white or black. The Executive Micro USB Cable (shown here) is compatible with most Android phones, e-readers, and other electronics; $17.95 at Eastern Collective (other colors and patterns available). The Executive Lightning Cable is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod for $25.95.

Above: The Germanmade Dock for iPad Mini or iPad Retina is a birch design that's made, not surprisingly, in Germany; €44.95. Other versions are available, including the Purist Dock for iPhone 5; €39.95. 

Above: Here's a charging hub that can charge up to four devices at the same time. The Sanctuary4 Charging Station by Bluelounge is compatible with more than 1,500 mobile devices; $140 at the A+R Store.

Above: The Lumber Jack USB Jack is made of solid maple; $19.95 at CB2.

Above: A design that mimics the plastic clock radios of the 1970s, Areaware's Alarm Dock is actually a charging spot for the iPhone 5 (a version is also available for the iPhone 4). Run a flip clock app and your charging phone becomes a digital clock; $38 from Areaware.

For more options to dress up your devices, see 12 Ways to Warm Up Your Electronics. And don't miss Jackie Ashton's 10 Ways to De-Clutter Your Tech Experience.

They're tech-savvy over at Gardenista: See Michelle's list of 10 Essential Gardening Apps to Download Now. 

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Makeshift Society, a SF coworking space founded in 2012 by three entrepreneurial women creatives (Victoria Smith of SF Girl by Bay; Rena Tom, an SF-based strategist and matchmaker; and Suzanne Shade, a curator and design maven), has taken its collaborative clubhouse to Brooklyn. After crowdfunding almost $32,000 on Kickstarter, Makeshift Society Brooklyn worked with Dash Marshall Architects to turn the ground floor and basement of a former pencil factory into a shared workplace for freelancers and small teams (including the Design Sponge staff).

Inspired by a visit to the Donald Judd house in Soho, Bryan Boyer, a principal at Dash Marshall and partner at Makeshift Society, set out to inject a "sense of ambiguity and open-endedness" into the 4,000-square-foot Williamsburg space. But there was one rule: no reclaimed wood. "In Brooklyn, rusticated wood seems to be almost a nervous tic. Makeshift Society is a forward-thinking community, so we wanted the aesthetic to look ahead," Boyer says. Mission accomplished: The Dash Marshall team transformed the century-old studio into a bright and fresh communal office, custom-made desks, shelving, and door pulls included.

Where should we host the next Remodelista offsite? My vote goes to Makeshift Society Brooklyn. Here's why.

Photographs by Bryan Boyer unless otherwise noted. 

Before 

Above: The construction took just over two months to complete, and most of the fixtures were made offsite. 

Above: A custom-mixed blue from Fine Paints of Europe was applied to the concrete columns and a bit of whitewash on the walls, but otherwise the bones of the building were left largely as is. 

Above: In the center of the ground floor, a cube that doubles as a conference room and workshop space was constructed from maple plywood.

Above: Makeshift Society Brooklyn on paper. 

After

Above: A custom-made communal table anchors the entrance—and most of the time is lined with rows of people working on laptops. Members of the coworking space include a jewelry designer, illustrators, and the Design Sponge team. 

Above: The finished cube. The tables were made for Makeshift Society and the Clutch Dining Chairs are by Blu Dot.

Above: The columns were painted to divide the downstairs into two zones: a communal eating area and a workspace where full-time members keep permanent desks. 

Above: In the shared kitchen and dining space, Salt Chairs from Design Within Reach surround a white tabletop secured on Clamp-a-Legs by Dutch furniture company De Vorm. The wood shelving system was custom built. Photograph by Kelli Anderson. 

Above: Phone booths stand ready for private business calls. The leather door pulls were made by Canoe Goods for Makeshift Society—but you can create your own: Alexa shows us how in our DIY Video: How to Make a $20 Cabinet Pull for $2. Photograph by Kelli Anderson. 

Above: Next to the phone booths is the library nook where a Rochester Sofa from West Elm provides a place to get comfortable with a laptop or one of the office's donated design books. 

Above: We're taking notes on this clutter-free arrangement. The desk was built for the space, and the chair is from Heartwork. Photograph by Kelli Anderson. Visit Makeshift Society Brooklyn for information on memberships and upcoming classes and events. 

Love lofty, light-filled workspaces? Have a look at the Everlane Studio in San Francisco and Totokaelo's Fashion-Forward Office in Seattle. For another transformation in Brooklyn, see Before & After: A Brooklyn Townhouse with a Double-Wide Garden on Gardenista. 

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One of the things I love about my native UK is the fact that there are no earthquakes—or mountain lions, for that matter. (Actually earthquakes do exist, but they're so small I would hazard to say most Brits don’t even know they do.) Back home, catastrophic acts of nature seem to be confined to flooding. But I have chosen to live more than half my life in earthquake zones, and specifically in cities that are expecting the Big One: Tokyo and San Francisco. 

I spent almost a decade in Tokyo and loved it, but the knowledge that almost 100 years ago, the Great Kanto Earthquake killed 142,000-plus people left me with no illusions about the devastation a Big One could wreak. I won’t say I became manic after my first serious trembler (and there were many to come), but I gained a new perspective on life. I realized that the Japanese live with a sense of looming disaster, and that traditional Japanese architecture and design was built with this in mind: wooden structures that can sway in a quake, furniture low to the floor (nothing to fall on top of you), paper scrolls hung on the wall (no frames with glass), and, most impressive of all, a set of tansu (stacking wood drawers) that at a moment’s notice can be packed with family treasures and easily carried out of the house. Everyone was trained to be earthquake ready, and I took note. 

So the other day, when a 6.0 earthquake violently shook our one-story Napa Valley cottage—so much so that I could hear the water sloshing out of the pool next door—I sprung into action. Ever since I felt my first trembler in Tokyo, I'd been preparing for this moment. Here's what I learned along the way. 

Above: Babouche with leather soles, similar to the slippers I line up every night next to the bed. For more sources, go to our 10 Easy Pieces post The Great Slipper Debate.

Keep footwear at the ready. Woken by the recent quake, I leapt out of bed and the first thing I did was put on my leather-soled Moroccan slippers (over the years I've subconsciously gotten into the habit of placing them facing out from the bed, ready to go), and in the dark, I quickly navigated a fallen mirror as I headed out of the room. One of the most common injuries in this quake was cut feet. 

Have flashlights on hand. We had just moved into our house, and I had no idea where we had put our flashlights. We had been diligent in the past about having several strategically placed. Our iPhones with their flashlight apps proved our savior. Note to self: Keep iPhone charged. 

Above: Prop at your own risk; mirrors in the bath at Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux.

Nail down what you can. Our bedroom mirror, which we hadn't gotten around to hanging, was rocked to the ground during the quake. Hang everything is my motto (but not above the bed). In Napa, falling objects caused a lot of damage, bookshelves and books in particular—after the quake, a couple had to be dug out from a mound of their favorite volumes that had tumbled onto them. Hang art (rather than propping it against walls), but avoid walk-through areas—if the frames fall and the glass breaks, the path will be treacherous

Position beds a good distance from windows. There were plenty of broken windows in Napa too. I have always placed beds away from windows when possible. Our last house was too small to do that, so I had my daughter sleep with her head away from the panes. 

Above: To be avoided in earthquake country: Bookshelves above a bed, as seen here in a European home. Photograph via Elle Maison. 

Consider landing patterns. When I set up a room, I always look to see where heavy objects and their contents would fall in a quake. Is the wardrobe far enough away from the bed? Does any of the furniture need to be anchored to the wall? 

Keep doors open. Should the house slump, a closed door could get jammed shut. And so ever since our children were little, my husband and I have always kept bedroom doors slightly ajar at night. 

Above: Consider using drawers instead of cupboards for storing crockery. Shown here, Hansen Kitchen Cabinets from Denmark.

Stow breakables in secure drawers. Plenty of friends had the contents of their cupboards strewn about in the quake. Consider keeping plates and other ceramics in deep drawers, and if you're truly concerned about losing breakables, try installing SeismoLatches, automatic earthquake-activated cabinet latches.

Above: A plate by Makoto Kagoshima, one of several ceramic pieces that I have on display.

Remember that objects are replaceable. I leave out several cherished ceramic pieces on shelves, knowing that one day they may go. I think about where I place them, but I also remind myself that they're just stuff. I would rather enjoy them on a daily basis than store them.

Breathe. In my first post-quake yoga class the other week, our teacher reminded us that in a crisis, breathing deeply is a good way to stay calm and keep a clear mind. Although this quake was terrifying, I felt strangely unfazed knowing that I had been preparing for it for a while. What's scary is the fact that at 6.0, this one was probably just a practice run.

Please note that while I obsess over certain aspects of quake preparedness, I'm not entirely up to speed on all: I didn't, for instance, know how to turn off the gas, nor did we have a supply of water at the ready (although we did fill the bathtub). For official guidelines, visit the Red Cross site. SF Gate also has good instructions on how to make your own Earthquake Preparedness Kit. Also, on October 14, 13.9 million people around the world will be taking part in the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills, open to all. 

Looking for storage ideas—earthquake friendly or otherwise? See all our storage posts. Need help with hanging art? Go to Expert Advice: 10 Tips on Displaying Art at Home. 

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Finally, a doormat modernists can love.

So many natural fiber floor mats are muted and plain, or decidedly nautical in flavor. For design purists who want to provide a warmer welcome, Umbra Studio has come out with two lively options. Created by Hlynur Atlason, an Icelandic designer based in New York City, the mats feature simple yet bold Josef Albers-style geometrics in complementary colors. They are handwoven from abaca, a natural plant fiber that is moisture- and odor-resistant, and measure 30 by 18 inches.

Photographs via Steven Alan.

Above: Featuring an abstract aerial view of a swimming pool, Umbra Shift's Above Home Floor Mat in Yellow is $90 at Steven Alan. (Other retailers also carry the mats, including Umbra.) 

Above: Umbra Shift's Above Home Floor Mat in Green is patterned with a bird's-eye view of a backyard; $90 at Steven Alan.

Above: Part of what makes the mats so appealing is the winning combination of contemporary hues with soft, natural fibers. 

Roll out the welcome with more of our favorite Contemporary Doormats. Want more vivid geometrics at home? See Fashion Forward: Color Block Outdoor Chairs by Marni, Artful Textiles from a Dutch Colorist, and Go Big or Go Home: 10 Geometric Painted Walls.

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The Gardenista team is starting to spend some time indoors again—and they've been bringing the perfect plants and garden accessories with them. The group goal: "an organized life that leaves plenty of time to lounge." 

Above: An office that feels like an indoor garden, anyone? Fashion designer Shaina Mote's sunny LA atelier is this week's Steal This Look—fiddle leaf fig tree included. 

Above: "I'm not a fan of drugstore varieties of slimy hand sanitizers with their awful smells and long lists of hard-to-pronounce ingredients," writes Christine Chitnis. In DIY: Back-to-School Hand Sanitizer, learn how to make the fragrant, germ-busting cream she came up with as an alternative. Christine reports that it also works as "a great balm to use on your chest when a cold is coming on."

Above: In Hardscaping 101, Janet explores all sorts of garden sheds, including this backyard writer's studio with a woodstove.

Above: Quick, name this herb. Did you know there's an app for that? In fact, there are a lot of them, but few deliver what they promise. In this week's Tech Roundup, Michelle presents the best apps for identifying plants, and for designing next year's garden too.

Above: Bypass generic houseplants with "broad, waxy leaves in bad shades of green," advises Justine. In 5 Favorites, she shows us the ideal Mini Potted Plants for Small-Space Living. Photograph of a Pilea Peperomiodies by Mieke Vrebijlen.

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Mirko Beetschen and Stephane Houlmann of Zürich's Bergdorf Agency for Concepts and Communication recently collaborated with architect Nick Ruef on the remodel of a 200-year-old chalet in the Bernese Oberland. The result is a perfect juxtaposition of new and old, full of charm and character. After poring over the project more than once, a detail caught my eye: Several of the rooms feature Artemide's classic Tolomeo Wall Spot Light installed upside down, so that the design takes on a different look and is more maneuverable. Inspired by their genius idea, I ended up doing the same in my bathroom. Here's their project and mine.

Photographs via Bergdorf Agency for Concepts and Communication, unless noted.

Above: A kitchen nook lit by two inverted Tolomeo lights in the chalet.

Above: Installed upside down, a Tolomeo lamp is used as a bedside light.

Above: Another Tolomeo light crops up above the mirror in one of the chalet bathrooms—this one, too, is inverted. (Like the palette and design elements? See Steal This Look: An Attic Bath in a Spectrum of Greens.)

Above: An Italian design classic, the Tolomeo Wall Spot Light from Artemide—installed here the correct way—is widely available, including from Y Lighting for $240.

Above: Inspired by the chalet project, I installed our bathroom lights upside down and directly on a mirror wall. By inverting the S bracket (the part that attaches to the wall), and by turning the shade 180 degrees, the lamp gets a new look and function. In the original, the shade's movement is limited, but the new orientation increases the handle's range of motion, enabling the shade to move freely. Photograph by Izabella Simmons.

Want to see more of the remodeled chalet? Go to 40 Shades of Gray: Unexpected Color in the Swiss Alps. Into grays? Here are 10 Shades of Gray picked by members of the Remodelista Architect/Design Directory. And see Gardenista's Palette and Paints posts for more color inspiration. 

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Here's a look at what's on our radar this week. 

• Above: A houseboat by Mjölk Architekti near the center of Prague. Photograph courtesy of Mjölk.
  
• You don't have to convince us that bringing a hammock indoors is a good idea. 
• For coffee fanatics (us, included): a handheld espresso maker. 

• Above: When designing this Stockholm restaurant, Note Design Studio was inspired by photographs of Death Valley. 
• Another new restaurant with lots of color? Fonda, a Mexican cantina in Melbourne.  
• Save a weathered rope chair by following this DIY spotted on Lonny. 

• Above: For an organized lunch: natural cedar bento box. 
• The evolution of the desk from 1982 to today.
• Sixteen clever ways to maximize a small space.  

• Above: A 150-year-old children's school in London gets reborn as an airy $2.4 million flat. 
• If you're debating whether to buy your office a conference table or a ping-pong table, now you can have both. 
• We just got word that our San Francisco friends Small Trade Company and Voices of Industry will be launching new work in a joint atelier event on Saturday, September 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. They're at 550 Florida Street, above the SF Heath factory.

• Above: Not your ordinary garage sale: Designer Geoffrey De Sousa has put some of his collection of gently used furniture on the site Previously Owned by a Gay Man. Janet has her eye on this orange velvet George Smith Norris Bench. 
• Our friends at West Elm are offering a $25,000 small-business grant to an American maker, artist, or designer. 
• Recently funded on Kickstarter: an iPad stand for minimalists. 
• Grab a seat at the screening of Coast Modern: Three Generations of Inspired Living at Zinc Details II, in San Francisco. 

To see all of the posts from our latest issue, go to The Organized Life—and also don't miss Gardenista's week of getting organized in the garden. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Design Sleuth: The Tolomeo Light Takes a Turn
• A Warm Welcome: Modernist Doormats
• Earthquake Preparedness: Household Precautions for the Big One

The reentry, as this time of year is known to the French, calls for a return to the essentials (with some fall cleaning and editing along the way). To ease the transition—and to supply inspiration—this week we're celebrating architecture, interiors, design finds, and remodeling ideas that are paragons of simplicity and style. 

Above: A few of our favorite things: Isamu Noguchi's Ikari lamps (watch for Tuesday's Object Lesson), linen bedding, pale wood floors, and a kindling pile that doubles as sculpture. See A Minimalist Parisian Loft for more.

Monday

Above: Later today in Shopper's Diary, Alexa shows us around La Garconne, a Tribeca boutique designed by one of our favorite architects, and set up as a loft lived in by devotees of the fashion line. Photograph by Michael A. Muller for Remodelista.

Tuesday

Above: A new take on champagne in a tin cup: gold-rimmed ceramics from Chile inspired by vintage enamelware. Watch for Tuesday's Tabletop post.

Wednesday

Above: Certain luxuries are worth splurging on: In Editors' Picks on Wednesday, we're presenting the bed linens of our dreams.

Thursday

Above: Is it time for brick floors to make a comeback? Philip Johnson's iconic Glass House in Connecticut is filled with surprisingly practical design ideas. In Thursday's Architect Visit, Margot explores the landmark's lessons in minimalist living. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Friday

Above: We're ending the week in the Loire Valley. In Friday's Hotels & Lodging post, we visit a 12th-century abbey that's been transformed into a sybaritic place to stay.  

Outdoor ideas? Over at Gardenista, they're also exploring Minimalist Glamour this week.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Current Obsessions: A Minimalist Mood
• Design Sleuth: The Tolomeo Light Takes a Turn
• A Warm Welcome: Modernist Doormats

Wherever Ilse Crawford goes, we follow. The London-based designer has temporarily moved her office, Studioilse, to Copenhagen and is taking up residency at The Apartment, a gallery founded by former Sotheby's specialist Tina Seidenfaden Busck that features modernist art and design in an 18th-century space presented as if it were a private home. Orchestrated by Studioilse and introducing several of the company's own new designs, the setup will be home to Crawford and her team through the start of November. "We always had the intention of bringing the Apartment to life as a home, not a gallery," Crawford told Wallpaper Magazine. "We like to see the rooms in use." Toward that end, there's a calendar of  lectures and kitchen suppers for the fall. And even without any visitors, the spaces have taken on an invitingly lived-in look.

Photographs by Casper Sejersen for the Apartment, unless otherwise noted.

Above: Furnishings in the new space are a mix of Studioilse designs and 20th-century gallery pieces from the Apartment. The living room showcases the new Ilse Sofa, a three seater with mohair velvet upholstery designed by Studioilse and manufactured by George Smith. Floor-to-ceiling heavy gray curtains match the walls and, when closed, envelop the room.

Above: Gray details—a sheepskin on Franco Albini's rattan Gala Lounge Chair designed in the 1950s, and charcoal area rugs over the plank wood floor—bring warmth and cohesion to the space. The domed light is available from The Apartment. Photograph by Daniella Witte of The Style Files for Femina. 

Above: Dark gray walls sit above white wainscoting that wraps around the room. The furnishings include a Kalman Standing Floor Lamp and Table Lamp, as well as the pair of Tobia Scarpa Lounge Chairs. The Brass Cocktail Cabinet of oak and polished brass is another Studioilse debut in the Apartment.

Above L: A tall potted plant presides over a quiet reading corner with a wood-framed canvas chair. Above R: The Marble Bookshelf, a brass-framed piece by Belgian designer Muller Van Severen, displays books, objects, and lighting. Photographs by Daniella Witte of The Style Files for Femina.

Above: In the office, model prototypes and sample finishes sit on the table in front of a mood-board wall.

Above: In a room for reading, an elegant hammock puts in a surprise appearance over a Moroccan Beni Quarain Rug. Vitsoe shelving and a Studioilse Low Bench that can be used as a step stool maintain organization across the wall.

Above: The dining room will be the setting for a series of informal Kitchen Table Talk suppers on Thursday and Friday nights prepared by local up-and-coming chef Frederik Bille Brahe. Guests will be invited to explore the quarters and take part in discussions about life and design; reservations can be made through Brahe's restaurant Atelier September. In the space, two Studioilse Together Tables have been pushed together to create one long dining surface. Tall-backed Studioilse Benches mixed in with Hans Wegner PP58 Chairs keep the long space from looking like a boardroom. The Ilse Brass Candleholder by Georg Jensen adds a touch of minimalist glamour.

Above: In the kitchen, light wood cabinet faces sit within a black frame. Photograph by Daniella Witte of The Style Files for Femina.

Above: The Studioilse Companions Bed and Writing Desk anchor the bedroom, complementing gallery pieces from the Apartment, including a Gio Ponti Dining Chair, a reissued Snoopy Table Lamp by Italian designers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni from 1967, and an Italian Brass Mirror from the 1950s. The bedside light is Studioilse's W084t Task Lamp.

Above: Crisp white linen refers back to the white wainscot and the architecture of the room. 

Above: Crawford takes a moment on her Ilse Sofa. "We toyed with the idea of calling the collection Invisible Furniture because, though each piece is beautiful in its own right, the starting point for everything has been that it supports daily life and daily rituals," Crawford told Wallpaper Magazine. "The pieces that we pulled together in the Apartment are the antithesis of showstopper design, where form is prized over function."

Above: Ornate stairs lead up to the Apartment, which is in an 18th-century building in Christianshavn, in the heart of Copenhagen.

• Steal This Look: Glamorous Hong Kong Flat by Studioilse
• Aristocratic Dining (and a Side of Gossip) at Kettner's in London
• Subtle Splendor in Stockholm: Ett Hem Hotel
• Hotels & Lodging: Grand Hotel in Stockholm
• Hotels & Lodging: The Crown in Amersham, England
• Hotels & Lodging: Olde Bell Inn in England

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• Apartment Transformation: Brotherly Love in Barcelona
• Fill in the Blank: A Floating Cabin in France
• A Place for Everything: A 900-Square-Foot Loft for a Family of Four

Simple and classic: the marble bath shelf. Here are five good choices, ranging in price from $600 to $60.

Above: Spanish designer Jaime Hayon's Diamante Marble Bathroom Shelf for Bisazza Bagno is available from C.P. Hart in the UK; the white marble shelf is £252 and the black marble is £258. To locate a dealer in the US, go to Bisazza Bagno.

Above: An idea from West Elm: The brass brackets and shelf shown above are no longer available; in their place, we'd use Futagami's Brass Shelf Brackets ($165 for a set of two from Dar Gitane) and a 27-inch-wide Carrara Marble Shelf from Urban Archaeology; $290. Alternatively, Home Depot offers a Carrara Marble Single Hollywood Threshold (30 by 5 inches) that could be used as a shelf; $19.97.

Above: The 24-inch-wide Carrara-style Marble Wall-Mounted Shelf with brass-finish brackets is $47.96 (down from $59.95) at CB2.

Above: Urban Archaeology's 27-inch-wide Yale Club Shelf is available in several different finishes; prices start at $605 for the polished brass version; polished chrome (shown here) starts at $675.

Above: The 20-inch-wide Polished Chiseled-Edge Marble Shelf with Classic Brackets is $69.95 from Signature Hardware.

Browse our photo gallery for Bathroom Design Ideas. Getting organized? Go to our Shelving posts for more ideas, including 14 Bathroom Storage Tips to Steal for the Kitchen and 15 Life-Changing Storage Ideas for the Kitchen. And, on Gardenista, see 10 Easy Pieces: Garage Storage Units.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Fixtures and Fittings from a Minimalist Japanese Architect
• Table of Contents: Minimalist Glamour
• Current Obsessions: A Minimalist Mood

"Working on an interior space is a nervous journey," says La Garçonne founder and creative director Kris Kim of her new store on Greenwich Street in New York's Tribeca neighborhood. It's the first retail outpost for the fashion brand, which began as an online-only destination almost a decade ago.

Entering the shop, designed by architect Solveig Fernlund, is like walking into the loft of that friend whose style—thoughtful, informed, under-the-radar, a touch boyish—you secretly want to copy. "La Garçonne is fashion for the thinking woman. It's not just about what's in the closet; it's the whole environment. It's just as much about the chair and the antique mirror," Kris says.

"Solveig is an architect who really understands fashion," Kris says. Solveig let the brand's in-house collection, called Moderne, inspire the textures and palette of the interior: chalky white paints, navy canvas, and an anti-lacquer approach to furniture. Says Solveig: "There is something very elemental about the Moderne collection. The pieces are like smocks. They have a sensuous simplicity that we all want because we live such busy lives." 

During the conceptualization and eight-week construction process, Kris and Solveig never thought of the store as a retail project but rather as a home. The spare interior highlights each piece of furniture and considered detail. Kris says, "It points to this idea of less is more. When you are thinking about that, it's hard—it's not a principal that is usually applied to retail. We were interested in how fashion and our daily lives converge in a space that is not overly cluttered but still humble in a way."

Photographs by Michael A. Muller for Remodelista.

Above: The exterior of the shop is understated, with the shop name printed in tiny lettering at the bottom of the glass. "We didn't want anything in the front, nothing like a traditional window display," Solveig says. "Just a hint, enough to know that the store sells clothing. It's a minimal way to a tell a big story." 

Above: The wall-to-wall inset floor mat, made of coconut fiber, serves as a practical welcome mat for shoppers. After almost 10 years of getting to know the La Garçonne woman (and man; the store carries a range of menswear too) online, Kris is now able to meet her customers in person. "They are real women to me," she says. "To see how they think and the way they want to dress is a lot of fun. They are really intelligent, stylish, and confident."

Above: A constellation of incandescent light bulbs is the only light in the front of the store. "They warm the space up," says Solveig, who used the Leviton 9874 Porcelain Outlet Lamp Holder for each.

Above: Before it was La Garçonne, the long loft-like building functioned as administrative offices for a dance company and before that as a bakery.

Above: Solveig designed custom clothing racks from solid Douglas fir—"no veneer, the ways things used to be made"—which were crafted by a New York City–based woodworker.

Above: The front counter is built from marine-grade plywood that "is the same material that Donald Judd used," Solveig notes. Kris sourced a pair of Alavar Aalto stools from 1st Dibs after months of online sleuthing.

Above: Solveig played with the layering of chalky white tones, starting with the floors painted with Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlac Traditional Oil Paint in their factory color, 7034 Winter Sky. The walls are painted in Benjamin Moore Decorator's White.

Above: The Jean Pocket Pullover and the Jean Rollneck Pullover, both in Chalk, are stacked on custom shelving. The shelving is inlaid with a natural, unlacquered brass.

Above: The central display tables running the length of the store are lined with a thick, pale gray felt. "That decision happened very quickly," Solveig says. "I didn't want to use more wood, and I think felt is a nice background for jewelry. You can also lift it off and there is laminate underneath."

Above: "The shop's kitchenette is a working kitchen—we offer tea and water whenever it makes sense," says Kris. The countertop and shelf are made of marine-grade plywood and Italian laminate from Abet Laminati in an icy gray eggshell finish. Solveig spec'ed a faucet by Chicago Faucets: "It's American, good quality, and institutional in a way."

Above: A series of tiny bowls and cups from Dutch artist Kirstie van Noort, who applies oxides as paint to the porcelain clay.

Above: Black granite trivets and Carrara marble candleholders from Fort Standard are paired with testers of Aesop hand soap near the sink.

Above: A series of Noguchi Ceiling Lamps are carried down the length of the store. "We picked the biggest ones," says Solveig of the Model 125F (measuring 48 by 46 inches). "This one in the back feels a little irregular to me—which I like."

Above: The skylight was pre-existing but had been roofed over by the previous owners. Solveig removed the roof and added the steel structure. The natural light is enhanced with the addition of four subtle LED strips.

Above: A Wall Screw Hanger from German company Bless holds a simple white shirt.

Above: In the back of the store are three tiers of Alvar Aalto Wall Shelves in white, which function as the main shoe display. In the front of the store, the shelves in a natural ply hold magazines and other reading material for sale.

Above: One wall of the room and a single pillar are made of exposed brick, which Solveig painted white to bring out the texture against the surrounding flat walls.

Above: A collection of objects from Kirstie van Noort, Masanori Oji, and Saskia Diez are artfully scattered across the custom dining table, also built of Douglas fir.

Above: A detail of Solveig's crate stool design, which is inspired by Le Corbusier's Miracle Boxes (and by the modular quality of Kris' in-house clothing collection).

Above: The bench that runs the length of the back wall is upholstered in a Japanese rinsed canvas from the Moderne collection.

Above: The dark navy rug was sourced from Double Knot on Franklin Street in New York City. "It's actually a bedspread, and we folded it in half to make it thick enough to work as a rug," says Solveig.

For those interested in a similar approach to personal style, see our posts Style Counsel: The Housecoat Reimagined and Artist Style: 7 Studio-Inspired Smocks. And see more from architect Solveig Fernlund in our post A Scandi Kitchen in Brooklyn.

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• Aussie Style Invades Brooklyn at Brunswick Cafe

Hardware and lighting junkies, this one's for you: simple, beautiful bespoke fixtures and fittings from Japanese architect Uno Tomoaki. His mission? "I'm in search of ordinary and unprecedented architecture," he says. See his portfolio at Uno.

Steel

Above: A raw steel wood burning stove.

Above L: A steel sconce. Above R: A raw steel cabinet.

Above: Elegant, minimal raw steel stairs.

Above L: A hanging steel sconce. Above R: A steel door pull.

Brass

Above L: A custom light fixture. Above R: A graceful curtain rod.

Above: An unlacquered brass towel bar.

Above: Two views of an unlacquered brass handrail.

Above: An unlacquered brass door handle.

Above: Brass electrical plate covers.

Fixtures and fittings, junkies, we're with you. For more of our finds, peruse our Hardware and Lighting archives, including:
     • Nautical Hardware for Home Use
     • The Ultimate Bathroom Hook 
     • Spanish-Style Registers and Grills
     • New Classic Lighting from Rubn of Sweden
     • Outdoor Nautical Bulkhead Lighting

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• 5 Favorites: Marble Bath Shelves, High to Low
• Table of Contents: Minimalist Glamour
• Current Obsessions: A Minimalist Mood

Spotted and admired: a white Georgian kitchen in Hampshire, UK; we're loving the understated minimalist take on the traditional English kitchen.

Even staunch modernists will find appeal in the subtle detailing: the subway tile backsplash; the pale gray accent colors, the cream Aga. Get the look with the following elements.

Above: A pair of antique brass pendant lamps hang above the marble-topped kitchen island. Photograph via the Botley House on Light Locations.

Above: The kitchen is equipped with multiple cooking locations between the Aga cooker and the additional cooktop installed in the kitchen island. Photograph from the Botley House on Light Locations.

The Materials

Above: Benjamin Moore's Barren Plain is a nice saturated gray that pairs well with white; $36.99 for a gallon of Ben Interior Paint.

Above: Benjamin Moore's Decorator's White is a favorite among many architects (see 10 Easy Pieces: Architect's White Paint Picks); $36.99 for a gallon of Ben Interior Paint.

Above: The inset backsplash behind the range is made of 3-by-6-inch Ceramic Tile from Subway Ceramics, set with dark grout.

Lighting & Appliances

Above: Schoolhouse Electric's Isaac 1 Light Pendant in Natural Brass is $195; customize it using their Khaki Twisted Cord for a similar look.

Above: The Aga Total Control Range Cooker is made to order from a historic foundry in Shropshire, England. The cooker, shown here in cream, is available at AJ Madison and in three- or four-oven models at March, in San Francisco.

Above: Miele is a growing force in the cooking-appliance market. The Miele 36-inch Stainless Gas Cooktop KM3474G features two 15,300 BTU burners, continuous grates, a center control panel, and a wok ring; $1,699 at Abt. For more, see our post 10 Easy Pieces: 36-Inch Gas Cooktops.

Accessories

Above: The Blanco Countertop Cutting Board in red alder is $105.22 at Amazon.

Above: Classic Bin Pulls in antique brass are $12 each at Historic House Parts; for similar knobs, consider the Plain Cabinet Knobs in antique brass for $9.99 each. For more bin pulls, see 10 Easy Pieces: Modern Bin Pulls.

Above: The Morphy Richards 4-Slice Toaster in cream is kitted out for UK electrical outlets; £65 (US $84) at Littlewoods. For a US alternative, Dualit's 4 Slot Lite Toaster in cream has a similar retro appeal; $135.98 at The Hut.

Above: The Typhoon Stainless Steel Retro Mechanical Kitchen Scale in cream is $43.91 at Amazon.

Above: Fog Linen Work's Linen Plastic Bag Holder is $25 NZD (US $21) at Father Rabbit; also available for $22 at Atomic Garden, in Berkeley, California.

Above: The Aga 1.3 Liter Round Cast Iron Casserole is made of enameled cast iron in an off-white cream color; $148 at Quitokeeto.

For tips on how to design the ultimate English kitchen, see our post Kitchen Confidential: 10 Ways to Achieve the Plain English Look. For more covetable kitchens to copy, see our posts Steal This Look: The Endless Summer Kitchen and Steal This Look: A Well-Stocked Modern Kitchen.

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• Object Lessons: The Pastel Enamel Pot
• Steal This Look: The Well-Equipped Kitchen
• Best Amateur-Designed Kitchen: Maya Ivanir

Santiago, Chile, entrepreneur Fran Aldea studied design and worked for three years at different retail stores in the home decor department. "I was frustrated and unhappy," she says. "I wanted to understand and get involved in each step that goes into developing a handcrafted product, so I quit my job and started searching for talented local craftsmen I could work with. It didn't take me long to realize that retail companies have destroyed almost all of our domestic manufacturing. Today, just about everything we consume in our country is mass-produced overseas." 

"With Minka Inhouse, I wanted to buy raw materials, pay fair wages to the craftsmen, and bring back hope to our local industry by creating jobs for amazing and talented people," she says. To get going, Aldea raised $22,000 on Kickstarter and launched a small collection of ceramics (as well as wool blankets and throws) in July. 

Above: The Gold Rim Mug Set is available in three sizes (small, medium, and large); $35 for a pair in any size at Minka Inhouse on Etsy.

Above: The mugs were inspired by classic enamelware and feature hand-painted gold rims.

Above, L to R: The Ceramic Vase 1 is $50, the Round Ceramic Bowl with Lid is $50, and the Ceramic Vase II is $50.

Above: Aldea's ceramic vases (right) are inspired by old-fashioned cut-crystal.

Above: Fran Aldea at work in her studio. "Minka is a native word used to describe a collective work with a social purpose and benefit for the community," she says. See more at Minka Inhouse.

We think there's a cut-crystal renaissance going on; have a look at Trend Alert: Your Grandmother's Cut Crystal Makes a Comeback.

More Stories from Remodelista

• 10 Easy Pieces: Outdoor Dining Plates
• Artisanal Porcelain for the Summer Table
• Steal This Look: A Bright Green Dining Room in Amsterdam

For 25 years, culinary wonder twins Stefan and Kristof Boxy have been redefining food in Belgium with their Michelin-starred restaurants, catering services, and cookbooks. One of their latest ventures makes it easier to sample their delectable fare, provided that you're in Ghent. Boxy Fine Foods, located in an elegant 19th-century building in the old Flemish city, features takeout selections—seasonal local specialties, gourmet foods, and signature prepared meals—that offer a contemporary take on the best of Belgian traditions. The space, designed in collaboration with Frederic Hooft, reflects the brothers' palate—sumptuous yet simple.

Photographs by Frederik Vercruysse and Boxy Fine Foods.

Above: The pared-down display cases highlight the elegant architecture.

Above: Minimal opulence: The all-white interior is a Louvre-like gallery for food.

Above: A witty foil to the crystal chandeliers, hanging gardens at the entrance soften the stark white space.

Above: Though the Boxy brothers are known for their vegetarian fare, they also offer an impressive selection of charcuterie.

Above: Against pristine walls, culinary offerings present a modern version of a Golden Age tableau.

Above: Artisan cheeses bask in the glow.

Above: Minus the characteristic gilded frame, a still life harkens to a more opulent age while complementing the clean lines. 

N.B. For more must-see places to eat, stay, and shop in Belgium, visit our City Guides, including one of Alexa's favorites: Wild at Heart: A Nose-to-Tail Restaurant in Brussels. Over at Gardenista, Alexa indulged in a floral affair in Fashion's Favorite Fleuriste: Thierry Boutemy in Belgium.

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• Sensuous Simplicity for the Thinking Woman: La Garçonne in NYC
• 10 Wall-Mounted Wire Baskets as Storage
• Bed and Beer: The Dogfish Inn on the Delaware Coast

The perennially dapper Lee Stanton is a longtime collector and purveyor of British and European antiques. After years in the business dealing with furniture care products that he was hesitant to recommend to customers, Stanton decided to create his own line, CircaCare. As he tells us, "I feel these safer products are a major accomplishment in my career. Now my clients can properly maintain their cherished items." The vitamin-enriched products, which include cleaning serums, polishing creams, and protective balms, use only natural, nontoxic ingredients. Here, he shares his advice on how best to maintain wooden furniture, antique and otherwise. 

Photography by Jessica Comingore for Remodelista, except where noted.

Above: Lee Stanton at his eponymous showroom on La Cienega Boulevard in LA. Photograph via Lee Stanton.

RM: What basic care do you recommend for wooden furniture?
LS: Dust furniture frequently with a soft cloth, and rub the surface often to encourage a hard skin and good patina to form. From a day-to-day housecleaning perspective, be careful which polishes you choose. Use a good-quality polish, such as my own CircaCare Conditioning Creme and Conditioning Serum. And avoid silicone-based sprays; although they give a good initial effect, they leave a film that is very hard to remove. 

Above: An inlaid mahogany octagonal table with ebonized molding and an iron base at Lee Stanton.

RM: Anything to avoid? 
LS: Avoid sprays with a large proportion of alcohol; it evaporates quickly, taking with it some of the natural oils in the wood. On the other hand, you also have to be careful of oil-based polishes; they attract dirt and some might darken the wood. And avoid feather dusters—they can scratch the surface. 

RM: Preferred cleaning materials?
LS: Use a soft cloth made of terry or microfiber and clean intricate areas with a soft brush (a hard brush can scratch and damage patina). If you use a polish, apply it to the cloth rather than directly to the surface. Be careful not to catch or pull any decoration that could bend or come off. 

Above: The showroom is set up as a living room. Photograph via Lee Stanton.

RM: How best to maintain furniture?
LS: The best way to protect the finish of your furniture is to polish it at least once a year (twice a year for pieces that get a lot of use) with a good-quality wax, such as CircaCare polishing Balm or CircaCare Paste Wax. For those on a budget, Goddard's is a good hardware store staple. Select a polish appropriate for the color of wood. The wax should be applied sparingly with a soft cloth, followed by a polishing with another lint-free cloth. The polish should be left on the furniture for the longest time recommended by the product you're using (an hour to overnight) to allow it to fully nourish the wood. Then rub deeply in the direction of the grain. A good shine comes from rubbing rather than lots of layers of wax.

Above: Lee Stanton's CircaCare line. (We initially mistook it for beauty products.)

RM: Other things to consider?
LS: The temperature in your house can greatly affect the condition of your furniture. Try to keep your pieces in a stable environment in which the temperature and relative humidity don't fluctuate dramatically. Avoid extremes: Very dry conditions can cause furniture to dry out and make wood shrink; very damp conditions can cause mold growth. The ideal humidity level for any piece of furniture is fifty to fifty-five percent. 

RM: Humidifiers?
LS: Outside the ideal range, consider the use of humidifiers or dehumidifiers that will help maintain a constant level of relative humidity during the winter heating season and preserve your pieces. Prevention is always better than cure, and it's possible to safeguard good furniture from dry air damage. A simple alternative, but much less efficient, is an old-fashioned hang-on humidifier, or even setting out a bowl of water.

Above: A polished walnut armoire from Italy, circa 1860.

RM: Common mistakes?
LS: Furniture should be positioned at least two feet from any heat source. Heating sources may cause shrinkage, loosen joints, and warp veneers. If the furniture has to be near a heat source, some sort of protection should be put in place, such as an insulated or reflective barrier.

Many fine pieces of furniture that have survived for centuries in unheated conditions have suffered major harm from just one or two winters of central heating. The reason for this is that antique and fine handmade furniture is constructed from air-dried timber and has far higher water content than mass-produced modern furniture, which is usually made of kiln-dried wood. When subjected to low levels of relative humidity, air-dried wood gradually gives up moisture and starts to shrink and split along the grain. This is aggravated when underlying pieces of wood used in the construction are laid at right angles to each other and then veneered on top. The carcass wood moves and the veneer consequently tears and lifts and pieces may become detached. (If this should happen, make sure these lost pieces are kept for restoration.) Other typical dry-air problems include cracked and loosened joints (in places where glues dry out), sticky drawers, and warped doors that no longer close properly. 

RM: What about sun damage?
LS: Monitor the amount of sunlight that reaches furniture. A degree of light over a long period can mellow the color attractively, but too much direct sunlight will dry it out, perish the surface polish, and can lead to uneven fading. Where possible, turn pieces of furniture around occasionally to even the fading process and keep curtains drawn on sunny days when rooms are not in use.

Above: My own water-stained kitchen table in need of help. Photograph by Sarah Lonsdale.

RM: A couple of self-serving questions: I picked up a round Danish table in a yard sale. I'm not sure what kind of wood it is, but it came with plenty of water stains. Any recommendations on how to spiff it up? Also, Julie bought a new Belgian oak dining table that now has grease marks on it. Any suggestions for how to remove those?
LS: I would use a mild wood cleaner, such as the CircaCare Cleaning Serum, for the water stains. If the marks are deep, you can try a ring remover and perhaps the finest steel wool. Also a wood enhancer, such as the CircaCare Conditioning Serum and CircaCare Conditioning Creme or one of the CircaCare Enhancing Serums, helps to blend or add color. Julie should try a wood cleaner, such as the CircaCare Cleaning Serum. Be sure to apply it over the whole surface.

Go to Lee Stanton for more on CircaCare and to see the latest furniture finds at his showroom at 769 N. La Cienega Boulevard, in LA.

Looking for more expert advice? For wood floor maintenance, see our post on The Ins and Outs of Wood Floors. For general house maintenance, see Handywoman Kheli Mason's Tips.

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