After years of sneaking in visits to see architecture on our family holidays, my sons are now onto us and wary of our ways. ("Do we really need to see another cathedral?)" Next trip, I’m going stealth with a ski vacation at Chesa Wazzau, a renovated 17th-century Engadine farmhouse in the Swiss mountain village of Bever. Restored and preserved with care by a husband-and-wife team (he’s a photographer and she’s an interior designer) who have owned the property for 30 years, the house maintains its original character and charm—vaulted ceilings, rustic wood framing, and windows embedded into thick walls. With all modern amenities included, my sons won’t even notice that they have skied back in time.

Photography by Christian Küenzi.

Above: Above the entry at Chesa Wazzau, the sgraffito (Italian for "scratched") plaster decoration framing the small window embedded into a thick wall—a detail designed for heat retention—is typical of 17th-century Engadine architecture. 

Above: In the kitchen the thick walls create a deep window sill ideal for the display of potted greenery. Modern kitchen cabinets provide a base for a granite trough sink.

Above: "Much of the furniture was inherited," says owner Christian Küenzi. "Some pieces were already in the house and others have been with us for a lifetime."

Above: Vaulted ceilings in one of the house's six bedrooms. It has two baths and sleeps 12.

Above: The small walls embedded in thick walls do a respectable job of funneling light through the interior.

Above: The vernacular wood furniture of the region contrasts with a Wagenfeld Bauhaus Table Lamp and glass side table.

Above: The palette of rustic wood and white walls extends into the bathrooms.

Above: A small bedroom with wood floors and ceilings has a balcony from which to take in the Alpine views.

Above: "It took many years of gentle and respectful renovation to create this idyll and retain the charm and originality of Chesa Wazzau," Küenzi says. "It's an ongoing process; there is always something to do.”

Above: The village buildings of Bever represent the vernacular architecture of the Engadine, a long valley in the Swiss Alps known for its sunny climate and proximity to St. Moritz—a five-minute drive. See Chesa Wazzau's location on the map below and go to the site for rental details.

For more snowy idylls, explore:

• Rental Ski Cabins by a World-Renowned Swiss Architect
• A Minimalist Ski Resort in Sweden
• A Modern Ski House in the Alps
• An Off-the-Grid Cabin in Vancouver, Candlelight Included
• 61 Cabins to Lust For

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 22, 2014, as part of our Winter's Tale issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Velvet Goldmine: Maximalist Glamour at Hôtel Providence in Paris
• A Happiness-Inducing Guesthouse in Brussels
• Smoke and Mirrors: A Glittery New Cocktail Bar in SF

From behind-the-scenes at Remodelista, here are our go-to homemade holiday gifts. Corral your helpers: These are projects for all ages and especially fun to do as a group.

Above: Follow New York party impresario David Stark's lead and block print a stack of $2 bandanas as napkins—to bundle as presents and to create your own for a Holiday Table Setting. Photograph by Corrie Hogg of David Stark Design.

Above: Pair your just-made napkins with Alexa's DIY Wooly Napkin Rings. Photograph by Alexa Hotz.

Above: A Potted Amaryllis Bulb can be delivered already planted or with all the ingredients (as Erin did here) so the recipient can time the blossoming. Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Above: Present your gift in a Japanese-style cloth wrap, which can be reused in all sorts of ways. See Leigh's How to Wrap a Furoshiki Cloth. Photograph by Leigh Patterson.

Above: Another of Erin's tricks: Festive (and Fragrant) Pinecone Fire Starters (just add cotton wicking and beeswax). Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Above: Justine's upgrade on the summer camp God's eye: Turn twigs (or popsicle sticks) into Snowflake Treetoppers and Scandi-Style Ornaments. Photograph by Justine Hand.

Above: For perfuming drawers, closets, and rooms: Make Old-Fashioned Pomanders by patterning oranges with cloves. Use the same ingredients to concoct my Homemade Orange-Spiced Wine (it takes only minutes and everyone will think you've become an overnight vintner). Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Finally getting in the spirit? Go to 10 Favorites: No-Cost Holiday Decor Ideas.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trend Alert: Peasant Chair Roundup (Plus 5 to Buy)
• Table of Contents: Winter's Light
• Current Obsessions: A Global Study

Spotted lately: the classic carved-wood Tyrolean chair (also called the Swiss mountain chair) and other folk art versions in stylish interiors.

Above: Tyrolean chairs in a holiday house by Pedevilla Architects (see more at The Mountain Rental: A Holiday House in the Italian Alps).

Above: A peasant chair in the bedroom at Chesa Wazzau in St. Moritz.

Above: Chinese farmer's chairs surround the kitchen table in Vincent Van Duysen's kitchen. Photograph by David Spero for the New York Times.

Above: Humble peasant chairs from New York antiques dealer Paula Rubenstein in the home of Gardenista contributor Laura Silverman. Photograph by Michael Mundy (go to At Home in Sullivan County, NY, to see more).

Five to Buy

Above: The Swiss Mountain Chair III from Bliss Home is $155.

Above: Venetian designer Luca Nichetto reinterpreted the traditional Tyrolean chair for his collaboration with Casamania. The chairs are made of ash and available in a range of colors; go to Casamania for ordering information.

Above: From Jan Kurtz Mobel, the Stuhl Vienna Chair is €198 ($242.47).

Above: Colorado furniture maker Tim O'Brien trained with an Austrian master; his Handmade Alpine Chairs are $750 each via his shop, Shamrock Fine Woodworking, on Etsy.

Above: An Antique Folk Art Spinning Chair or Brettstuhl Baroque peasant chair ("early 19th century or before") is $825 from Etsy seller Owl Song Vintage.

See what's next by reading our Trend Alerts: 

• Kitchens with Brass Accents
• File Cabinets as Storage in Every Room (but the Office)
• Ugly Marble Bathrooms
• Chevron- and Herringbone-Patterned Walls
• Bathroom Storage Tricks in the Kitchen

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 22, 2014 as part of our Winter's Tale issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Last-Minute Gifts: 7 Favorite Holiday DIYs
• Table of Contents: Winter's Light
• Current Obsessions: A Global Study

Ilse Crawford's design for the Olde Bell Inn, an Elizabethan-era hotel in the UK, is a brilliant mashup of rustic and modern—you can almost smell the wood smoke. Re-create the look with the elements shown below.

 Photographs of the Olde Bell Inn via Design Tripper.

Above: Ilse Crawford of Studioilse designed the dining room at the Olde Bell Inn, which features black-painted ceiling beams, chairs, and doorways.

Above: Crawford used leather straps to anchor Welsh blankets to high-back benches.

Above: Matthew Hilton Fin Chairs for De La Espada (see below) contrast with traditional textiles.

Above: Tea is served in traditional red-clay Brown Betty teapots.

Above: Venerable UK company Davey Lighting began making lights in the 19th century; the Box Wall Light is simultaneously modern and historical; available at Heal's for £438 ($651). For something similar in the US, consider the Union Filament Bath Sconce ($239) from Restoration Hardware.

Above: Crawford sourced handwoven rush matting from Rush Matters in Bedfordshire, England. English Floor Rush Matting is made to measure, starting at £150 ($223) per square meter.

Above: The simple Windsor-style Salt Chair in black is $129 from Design Within Reach.

Above: Studioilse's Bench with Black for De La Espada is made of solid chestnut and has copper feet.

Above: UK designer Matthew Hilton's Fin Dining Chair is available in American white oak or American black walnut; $1,125 at De La Espada.

Above: The dining room banquettes are outfitted with Welsh tapestry blankets. Blankets from Melin Tregwynt's Black and White Collection start at £129 ($192). For a leather strap like the ones fastening the blankets, try the Chestnut English Bridle Leather Strap; $8.50 for the 84-inch version from Outfitters Supply.

Above: Stamped plates are displayed on the dining room walls. For a similar look, San Francisco–based ceramist Rae Dunn makes hand-stamped porcelain plates like this Wide Rim Wafer Plate for $34.

Above: Peugeot's Dark Wood Pepper Mill is $32.99 at Amazon.

Above: The classic Brown Betty Teapot is made of terra cotta and finished with a brown glaze; the six-cup size is $30.99 at the English Tea Store.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 13, 2012, as part of our issue The Celtic Angle.

Steal This Look is a longstanding weekly Remodelista column. Have a look at all the Steal This Looks in our archive, including A Low-Cost Kitchen for Serious Cooks and A Finnish Cottage Kitchen and Dining Room.

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• 10 Easy Pieces: The New Scandinavian Dining Chair
• Steal This Look: A Compact Dining Room in a London Victorian
• Remodelista Market Spotlight: Table Linens for Everyday and Holiday

Still a favorite for the holidays: an opening-party holiday drink from Mira Evnine of quarterly cookbook series Sweets & Bitters. She came up with this easy-to-make, citrus-spiked Winter Market Punch that's not only delicious but also a perfect accompaniment to snowy weather. (We served it up at our New York holiday market years back.)

Punch, as Mira points out, is ideal for big parties: "Your guests can help themselves to as much as they like, while you visit with them instead of fussing over drinks." Here's her recipe.

Winter Market Punch (adapted from David Wondrich)

Makes 24 (three-ounce) servings

Ingredients

• 4 lemons 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, strained
• 750 milliliter bottle vodka
• 1 quart cold water
• Nutmeg (for garnish) 

You can vary this simple recipe with whatever citrus strikes your fancy—clementines, blood oranges, Meyer lemons—or embellish it with a sprig of rosemary or handful of coriander seeds. Just keep in mind that if you use grapefruit or orange, you’ll need to adjust the balance of sweet and sour to taste.

Photography by Liz Clayman.

1. Peel the citrus with a vegetable peeler. Put the peels in a glass jar and add the sugar. Seal, shake, and leave overnight.

2. Add the lemon juice to the sugar-peel mix, seal, and shake until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour the mixture into a one-gallon punch bowl. Add the vodka and cold water. 

4. If serving immediately, add a quart of ice cubes; if the punch is to be ladled out slowly, add a one-quart block of ice instead. Grate nutmeg over the top, and ladle out in three-ounce servings.

For more on Sweets & Bitters, see our Gardenista post Required Reading: Sweets & Bitters Quarterly.

Looking for holiday entertaining ideas? Have a look at 5 Quick Fixes: Holiday Entertaining Prep.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 24, 2013, as part of our Winter Wonderland issue.

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There are so many satisfying ways to neatly stack firewood—on shelves, in open-air sheds, under tarpaulins. Here are 10 of our favorite weatherproof ways to stack logs and kindling this winter.

Round Shelves

Above: From Australia, the Wood Stacker is $2,200 AU ($1,587 USD) from Unearthed (custom designs are available).

Above: A 43-inch-tall Steel Log Rack made by Pleasant Hearth measures 40 inches in diameter and is 14 inches deep. It is $162.99 from Wayfair.

Above: A 14-inch-deep Steel U Shaped Firewood Rack measures 91 inches wide and 41 inches tall and is $156.99 from Wayfair.

Bookshelf Storage

Above: Made of steel, Custom Metal Screening keeps firewood tidy. For pricing and information, see Herrhammer.

Above: A seven-foot-tall metal Firewood Shelf from Germany-based garden furniture manufacturer Garpa is £780 ($1,162).

Sheds

Above: A weatherproof Wooden Log Store made of spruce is £148.50 ($221) from Garden Trading (assembly required).

Above: A Log Store from Euroheat has a pre-fitted felt shingle roof and is £226.80 ($338).

Above: A Three Bay Store holds firewood and standard size garbage bins; made to order from locally sourced sawn timber. For pricing and more information, see Devon Log Stores.

Tarpaulins

Above: A Self-Stretching Tarpaulin available in two sizes has reinforced eyes and corners; prices range from £47 to £60 ($70 to $89) from Manufactum.

Above: An eight-foot Woodhaven Firewood Rack made of 16-gauge steel comes with a tarpaulin cover and holds a half cord of wood; $199 from Woodland.

For more winter warmth, see:

• 10 Easy Pieces: Firewood Log Carriers
• DIY: How to Make a Roaring (and Eco-Friendly) Wood Fire.
• Domestic Dispatches: Good-Bye to the Romance of the Wood-Burning Fireplace?

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trending on Gardenista: DIY Holiday Decor, International Edition
• Trending on Gardenista: Holiday Decor, Outdoor Edition
• Trending on Gardenista: English Garden Tour

Though the houses in Rizzoli's latest architecture tome are not modest, they're homes for lovers of architecture and nature.

Above: The Pierre house by Seattle architect Tom Kundig has a sweeping view of the Puget Sound in Washington's San Juan Islands.

Above: The architect had the site excavated so the house would sit among the rocks rather than perched atop them.

Above: The retreat comprises three buildings by Fearon Hay Architects on New Zealand's Waiheke Island: one for bedrooms, one for working, and one for living and dining, shown here.

Above: No space is wasted on hallways: the bedrooms are accessed directly from the outdoors.

Above: A grove of protected New Zealand pohutukawa trees gave Herbst Architects a challenge to nestle a house within.

Above: The double-height great room is covered in glass, lending occupants the feeling of residing inside the forest.

Above: Retreat: The Modern House in Nature by Ron Broadhurst is $35.83 on Amazon.

More design books we love:

• Gift Guide 2014: Editors' Design Book Picks
• Required Reading: Tile Makes the Room: Good Design from Heath Ceramics
• Required Reading: Vintage Industrial

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• Trend Alert: Peasant Chair Roundup (Plus 5 to Buy)
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• Table of Contents: Winter's Light

Chad Oppenheim of Miami firm Oppenheim Architecture took a 1971 Aspen ski chalet with period interiors (read: nightmare) and did the seemingly impossible: turned it into an of-the-moment eco-chic retreat with a distinctly Axel Vervoodt vibe.

Located in the enclave of Red Mountain in Aspen, Colorado, the ski chalet is "an homage to the Japanese sensibility of wabi-sabi," according to Oppenheim. "The house is clad in reclaimed regional wood, stone, and steel, with the intention of making a minimal impact on the natural resources and merge effortlessly with its surroundings of forest, stream, and mountain. Solar collectors provide needed energy for power and hot water, while extremely large operable panels of insulated glass blur the boundaries between inside and out."

Photography by Laziz Hamani via Arch Daily, unless otherwise noted.

Above: A pair of Charlotte Sofas by Verellen are slipcovered in gray linen.

Above: A series of grays intersect in the living room. The moss frame is from JF Chen in Los Angeles.

Above L: A reading chair is draped in fur. Above R: A study in textures: moss art, antique oak dining table, and leather banquette.

Above: Even the kitchen is completely clad in reclaimed barn wood.

Above L: Oppenheim keeps the detailing simple. Above R: A dramatically positioned bathtub. 

Above: A bed carved into a wall.

Above L: A reclaimed barn wood console with stone sink. Above R: Mismatched reclaimed wood creates a headboard effect. Photographs by Robert Reck for the New York Times.

Above: In the library, a pair of metal chairs serve as desk seating.

Above: A lounging area with linen-covered sectional sofa.

Above: Raw steel doors close off the fireplace when it's not in use.

Above: A simple rectangular hot tub is cut into the stone patio.

Above: Oppenheim wanted the house to disappear into the landscape. To see more, go to Oppenheim Architecture.

And for more Rocky Mountain inspiration, have a look at our Architect Visit: John Pawson in Telluride. Are you as enchanted by cozy winter bedrooms as we are? Don't miss 10 Space-Saving Ski Cabin Bunks.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on October 8, 2012, as part of our North by Northwest issue.

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When a modern-design fan purchased a plot of land approved for construction of a traditional Slovenian hut, his architects created a very modern cabin that still technically follows the rules.

The property in question is located inside Slovenia's Triglav National Park, where strict rules of design and construction are enforced. The building site came with a permit for a traditional Alpine hut, and though the owner wanted a modern design, he did not want to attempt to change the permit. So Slovenian architects OFIS Arhitekti designed a cabin with the same dimensions, roof pitch, and materials as were mandated in a traditional hut—but with a decidedly modern take. From a distance, the hut blends into the surrounding architecture, but up close the tiny home is a shining example of modern design.

Photography by Tomas Gregoric for OFIS Arhitekti.

Above: The second floor is cantilevered above the ground floor and acts as a shade from the summer sun.

Above: Environmentally friendly features include extra thermal insulation between the wooden cladding and vertical pipes inside beams that collect rainwater from the roof.

Above: The kitchen is small but entirely modern.

Above: Unlike a more traditional hut, in this version windows and doors were sited to maximize views.

Above: The ground floor has an open plan with kitchen, dining, and living rooms, and storage tucked under the central staircase.

Above: Vaulted beam ceilings are hallmarks of the traditional local architecture.

Above: The homeowners mixed occasional antique pieces like this armoire with the rest of the hut's simple modern furnishings.

Above: To maximize views and minimize furnishings, the architects extended the windows to meet low bench shelves that function as sofas. Sun-facing corner windows mean no heat is required on sunny days.

Above: Exterior features such as stone and wood columns came from local sources and echo the region's architectural vernacular.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 21, 2012, as part of our Winter Cabins issue.

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Putting on a favorite pair of pajamas is a sure-bet way to unwind. Here, the sleepwear that we swear by—plus some investment pieces that we dream about. Do you have a favorite? Let us know.

Above: Julie is coveting the Steven Alan Knit Boyfriend PJ Top for $155; it's paired with the Knit PJ Pant for $125 at Steven Alan.

Above: A reader tipped us off to Marigot, a New York–based maker of sleepwear. We like the Maya Check Long Pajama Set made of 100 percent cotton for $142 from Margiot.

Above: Francesca uses the same white towels (from Land's End) and white sheets interchangeably throughout her house. She sleeps—no surprise—in a white J. Crew Vintage Pajama Set; $95. A similar J. Crew design, the Classic Cotton Poplin Pajama set, $69.50, is available for men.

Above: The Dosa Tassel Kurta ($230) and Dosa Tassel Pants ($150), a night-and-day wardrobe staple made of the lightest khadi cotton by Dosa; both are available at Tiina the Store.

Above: Myles likes Coyuchi's Men's Heather Flannel Pajama Set. Made of organic cotton by a German family-owned mill in business since 1885; $158.40. Inquire about the availability of women's sizes.

Above: Christine's favorite: Tonight Button-Front Pajamas from 130-year-old Swiss company Hanro, are made from their signature silky mercerized cotton; $148.50 (pricey, yes, but they last for years).

Above: For the woman or man who has everything: the silk Pajama Set from luxury bedding purveyor Olatz (Schnabel); $750 at Tiina the Store.

Above: Alexa's dream pajama set is from Margaret Howell. The Boxy PJ Shirt and Gathered PJ Trousers are made of white linen in Margaret Howell's Edmonton Factory; £190 ($282) and £210 ($312), respectively. She likes the idea of the PJ Shirt doubling as a daytime top.

Above: Margot's vote goes to Andy Spade's sleepwear line Sleepy Jones. The Marina Pajama Shirt is $138 and the Marina Pajama Pant is $98.

Above: Dalilah wears all-cotton Women's Flannel Pajamas from Muji, currently marked down from $49.95 to $34.97. Muji also offers Men's Cotton Pajamas.

Above: Understated luxury from Araks: made-in-the-US cotton pajamas with contrasting silk chiffon piping and mother of pearl buttons. The Kate Pajama Top Mini Floral is $280 and the Ally Pajama Pant Mini Floral is $200.

The perfect settings to go with these pajamas? See our gallery of Bedroom posts. And for more loungewear, go to The Housecoat Reimagined. 

Want to see our editors' handbags of choice for a night out? Go to 10 Easy Pieces: The Evening Bag Dilemma Solved.

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• Serious Luxury (Plus a Free Gift) from True Nature Botanicals, Holiday Edition
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• Remodelista Market Spotlight: Flora and Henri Children's Clothes and More

Add an appointment to your electronic calendar and you might never see it again. Write it on a piece of paper nailed to your wall and odds improve.

Here are six calendars we like for the new year.

Above: Newly launched paper company Appointed makes their signature notebooks and calendars in the Washington, D.C. area. The 2016 Wall Calendar is made of heavy paper stock with a cloth binding; $28.

Above: Brit clothing designer Margaret Howell makes a calendar every year; the 2016 Calendar is an ode to the art of sculptor Barbara Hepworth; £15 ($22).

Above: We've long liked the One Year Wall Calendar from Postalco, which shows the year at a glance with room for a daily note. Printed in Japan, the calendar is $24 from General Store.

Above: For a 2016 calendar on a nontraditional substrate, we like the 2016 Calendar Tea Towel in 100 percent linen by Brooklyn designers Sir/Madam; $28 from Burke Decor.

Above: A whimsical Japanese design, the 2016 Rocking Chair Calendar is a home-assembled miniature cardboard chair that rocks on your desk; $25 from Alder & Co.

Above: The one-year Column Calendar from Snug Studio has weekend dates written in bold and room for daily notes. Printed in Germany, the calendar is $28 from Need Supply Co. 

Browse more productivity tools:

• Object Lessons: The Classic IBM Wall Clock
• 12 Design-Worthy Scissors
• DIY: Painted Office Equipment

More Stories from Remodelista

• Best of Holiday Decor, 2015 Edition
• Required Reading: Retreat: The Modern House in Nature
• Trend Alert: Peasant Chair Roundup (Plus 5 to Buy)

Wishing all our readers happy holidays and best wishes for the New Year from all of us at Remodelista and Gardenista.

Here's a look back at the winter season thus far for a dose of decor inspiration:

Above: A garland for Thanksgiving to keep up through Christmas from DIY: A Winter White Holiday Bough on Gardenista.

Above: A dried eucalyptus branch with a golden hue is a simple favorite for dressing the holiday table with linens from Ambatalia from this year's Remodelista Market.

Above: A lakeside Christmas tree with a stand wrapped in burlap from The Simple Life: 10 Christmas Holiday Tips from Tricia Foley.

Above: The quickest and most cost-effective way to decorating your Christmas tree? Twigs and sprigs shaped into stars from Last-Minute Holiday Gifts: 7 Favorite Holiday DIYs.

Above: European houses in porcelain for the tree from 10 Favorites: Scandi-Inspired Ornaments, 2015 Edition.

Above: A poinsettia like you've never seen it before in DIY Poinsettia: A Common Christmas Plant Goes Luxe on Gardenista.

Above: A tree in rosemary from 10 Favorites: No-Cost Holiday Decor Ideas.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Looking Ahead: New Calendars for 2016
• Required Reading: Retreat: The Modern House in Nature
• Trend Alert: Peasant Chair Roundup (Plus 5 to Buy)

From Michelle and the Gardenista team: glimpses of a jolly holiday around the world (no subtitles required).

Above: A white Christmas at Lilla Villa Vita in Sweden is this week's Garden Visit.

Above: Justine's DIY God's Eyes pay homage to Scandinavian snowflake ornaments. 

Above: People come from all over to see Detroit's Garden Works, a nursery that knows how to decorate. 

Above: For toting wood without mussing sweaters or rugs, 10 Favorite Firewood Log Carriers. (The waxed canvas and leather example shown here is by Peg and Awl.) 

Above: Sweet and Savory: A Homey Menu for Christmas Morning. Photograph by Olivia Rae James.

Above: Ultramodern when it was built 140 years old and once again—see architect Thomas Kröger's conversion of a village barn in Germany in Before and After.

Happy holidays, everyone! Spend your vacation catching up on all that we've been up to at Gardenista and Remodelista.

More Stories from Remodelista

• 10 Easy Pieces: Firewood and Log Storage
• Trending on Gardenista: DIY Holiday Decor, International Edition
• Trending on Gardenista: Holiday Decor, Outdoor Edition

Here are a few things we love this week.  

• Above: We're eyeing the home of Elle Decoration blogger Kristin Lagerqvist.
• 5 architect experiences we'd love to receive.
• This West Kirby home makes a good case for going green. 

• Above: This asymmetric gable house features a room that functions as a courtyard. Photo by Fernando Guerra.  
• DIY projects to try in 2016.
• 15 Etsy home shops worth checking out. 

• Above: We love the ethos behind these small-scale woven goods made in Madison County, North Carolina.  
• Tricks for mastering the art of open shelving. 

• Above: We're eyeing the industrial look of these spaces that incorporate hot-rolled steel. Photo by Adriene Williams.
• An ode to brick. 
• Over on Gardenista: A modern farmer and her 10 acres in Australia. 

Instagram and Pinterest Picks of the Week

• Above: The intagram feed of Toronto-based design firm Mason marries art, design, and technology (@mason_studio).

• Above: 7115 by Szeki's Space board abounds with light-filled, airy spaces. 

For more Remodelista, visit our most recent issue Winter's Light. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Chesa Wazzau: A Restored Farmhouse Near St. Moritz
• Velvet Goldmine: Maximalist Glamour at Hôtel Providence in Paris
• A Happiness-Inducing Guesthouse in Brussels

A look back at our most popular posts of 2015.

Above: Photograph from Improper Bostonians: Jeffrey and Cheryl Katz at Home in Beacon Hill.

Monday

Above: In our Expert Advice column, Justine shares 12 no-cost techniques for making a room look larger.

Tuesday

Above: In Storage news, we look at 12 ways to hide the litter box.

Wednesday

Above: Sarah talks kitchens with SF cookbook author Heidi Swanson in our Expert Advice series.

Thursday

Above: In our Kitchen of the Week column, Janet rounds up 16 tricks for maximizing space.

Friday

Above: In our Furniture section, we round up a half dozen new Ikea-disrupting companies.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Best of Holiday Decor, 2015 Edition
• Looking Ahead: New Calendars for 2016
• Required Reading: Retreat: The Modern House in Nature

Isabelle Dubois-Dumee and Hubert Bettan, the couple behind interiors brand Les Petites Emplettes, left Paris in 2013 to set up shop in a 12th century chateau with their three daughters in tow. Located near Angouleme, in the Charente region in the west of France, the chateau had fallen into disrepair when they discovered it on a holiday outing. Over the past two years, they've slowly brought it back to life, room by room. Stay tuned; Isabelle and Hubert will soon be offering guest lodging and dining events.

Photography via Chateau de Dirac.

Above: The two towers date to the 12th and 15th century, and the house itself was reconstructed in the 18th century. 

Above: The couple stripped the interiors back to their original state, removing false ceilings and other unfortunate interventions, and hewed to a green and white palette. 

Above: The interiors are outfitted with simple furniture and natural materials: linen, jute, wicker, natural fibers.

Above: Furniture is casually draped in lightweight cotton drop cloths.

Above: In the dining room, the couple allowed wallpaper remnants to remain in place.

Above: Whimsical tiles line the kitchen walls. 

Above: A simple farm table anchors the kitchen and drying herbs add color.

Above: An installation made of wooden twigs by Vera Rybaltchenko is suspended in the couple's workroom/studio.

Above: A winding staircase leads to the upper levels.

Above: Linens from the Petites Emplettes line and a string of wicker lights adorn the master bedroom.

Above: The couple's three daughters share a gauze-draped bedroom and bath.

Above: Isabelle and Hubert host occasional pop-up shops and events; they plan to expand their offerings in the near future to include workshops, petanque tournaments, and more.

Are you a dedicated Francophile? Explore our guide to the best design, shopping, and restaurants in our Paris City Guide.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on July 13, 2015.

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Like us, San Francisco blogger Caitlin Long of the Shingled House regularly turns to Commune Design of Los Angeles for a dose of inspiration. Perusing images on Pinterest from the firm's recent book, Commune: Designed in California, Long noticed window treatments that looked exactly like the upgrade her light-blasted bathroom needed. The hands-on remodeler—Long is an RISD grad in furniture design who blogs about family life and household improvements—whipped up her own burlap version.

Start-to-finish time for three panels: five hours. Total cost per panel: less than $20. And Long assured us, "Anyone could do this project: Burlap is surprisingly easy to sew. It takes a seam very easily—although you will be covered in lint by the time you finish."  We're ready to give it go.

Photography by Caitlin Long via the Shingled House.

Above: The (nearly) finished trio of panels hang from hardware store tension rods. They cover bathroom windows in Long's Cole Valley, San Francisco, house, which she and her husband built with Thompson Studio Architects. For privacy the shades are mostly left stationary, but can be raised at the corners. They're shown here temporarily pinned up (see below for final rigging).

Intrigued by Long's teak tub? Go to DIY Household Teak, our post about how she refinished her bathroom.

Materials 

• Sewing machine
• Upholstery-grade, all-cotton burlap, such as Light Natural Burlap from Fabric.com; $5.98 per yard. Long used approximately one yard (from a 40-inch wide bolt) per window and bought hers from Discount Fabrics in San Francisco for $2.75 per yard)
• Spring-loaded curtain rod (one per window). Levelor 18- to 28-Inch Spring Tension Rods are $4.99 to $6.99, and are similar to what Long used. A more elegant version, she points out, is the Concealed-Mount Cafe Rod Set; $45 from Rejuvenation.  
• 3/8-inch wooden dowel (one per window). Home Depot sells Four-Foot-Long Hardwood Dowels for $1.14 each.
• 1 1/2-inch brass rings (one per window), such as Lowe's Solid Brass Rings; $1.78 each
• Topstitching thread for attaching the brass rings. Gutterman Heavy-Duty Polyester Thread is $1.48 for 33 yards
• Solid Brass Rope Cleats (one per window) are $7.91 for two via Amazon

Above: "It's important that the burlap be heavyweight and 100 percent cotton," Long says. She also advises ordering a color swatch "because there are a bunch of variations in colors from more tan/brown to tan/gray. I used the most humble version of fabric I could find."

Before

Above: The burlap panels replaced thin muslin shades that, writes Long, "were (like me) looking a little tired. The muslin had torn in a few places and recently got a little blue marker on them (who even knows how that happened). And they had shrunk so much from washing that they didn't even fit the windows anymore." Long wanted to replace them with sun-filtering panels that would cast a more flattering light when she looks in the mirror. "The brightness of the sun from those windows is really unforgiving. Yes, I changed those curtains because of vanity!"

The Inspiration

Above: Commune Design's Elsinore Street project in Echo Park, Los Angeles, has simple shades that can be draped to the side. See more of the firm's work in Expert Advice: Breaking the Rules with Commune Design and An Exotic Tiled Kitchen in LA.

The Details

Above: "The weave is very open in this burlap, so instead of a zigzag stitch on the edge to prevent fraying, I used a fairly tight straight stitch, and I used a one-inch seam instead of a standard half inch." Go to the Shingled House for more details.

Above: Long initially planned to install a hook as a way to suspend the panels; instead, as a final touch, she added a brass rope cleat. 

Above: She weighed down each shade by inserting a wooden dowel in a sleeve along the bottom, and sewed on a brass ring in the bottom middle using turquoise topstitching thread.

The Results

Above: The panels can be suspended in different ways, including this rakish angle.

Above: Long's verdict: "I'm very happy with the results: This room still has plenty of light, and boy am I looking better."

There's more to see: Long won the 2014 Remodelista Considered Design Award for the Best Amateur-Designed Office Space. Take a look at her Backyard Shed Turned Home Office and go to Design Sleuth to learn about the room's portable camp stove.

Inspired by Long's industriousness? See our catalog of DIY Projects for more ideas, including DIY Copper Pipe Curtain Rods for $35.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 1, 2015, as part of our issue called The Organized Kitchen.

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As a former New Yorker and current owner of a wee Cape Cod cottage, I am quite familiar with both the charm and challenges of small spaces. When done well, they can feel like cozy, Zen-like retreats. But often when you have to cram all your worldly possessions into one tiny space, the results can feel cramped, claustrophobic, and anything but restful. Achieving the former instead of the latter takes some conscious effort.

The good news is that the key to successful small-space living might be easier than you think. It all boils down to tricking the eye into perceiving more space by employing three simple concepts: scale, light, and movement. 

Photography by Matthew Williams for Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home, unless otherwise noted.

1. Scale it down.

Above: At Harbor Cottage in Maine, all the furniture, even the woodstove, has been downsized to fit the small living area.

Furniture for the small space is all about proportions. Simply put, if a piece brushes up against the boundaries of the room, either up and down or sideways, it's too large. To create a sense of roominess, always leave a little air in between the sides of your furniture and the walls. (The one exception is a bed; a queen placed between two walls, for instance, creates a cozy sleeping cave.)

Also avoid heavy, weighty pieces that eat up too much of the usable space in the room. For example, a sleek sofa or chair will give you as much sitting room as its overstuffed cousin but will take up much less of your room. If you long for a large, statement piece, hang it on the wall (a piece of art and mirror). Don't consume valuable living space by putting it on the floor.  

2. Keep a low profile.

Above: Designer Corinne Gilbert uses low-slung pieces to create an open feel in her living room. Also, notice that the mirrors are hung low so that they "relate" to the sofa. 

Furniture that is lower to the ground will create a feeling of openness in a room simply by the fact that they leave more space above them. In the bedroom, choose a loft bed or even try placing a mattress directly on the floor. In the living room, embrace your inner Mad Men style with low-to-the-ground midcentury pieces. Or, if your tastes run more toward the romantic and ornate, 19th-century furniture also has a low profile.

Above: Designer Michaela Scherrer's bed feels spacious even though the bed takes up most to the room. That's because both her bed and the art on the walls are positioned toward the lower half of the room, leaving the upper half virtually empty. The single bulb hanging from the ceiling also serves to emphasize the height of the room. 

3. Show a little leg with lithe furniture.

Above: The Hudson Valley retreat of Workstead's Robert Highsmith and Stefanie Brechbuehler is short on space and long on charm. To maximize the sense of light and air, the design duo employed leggy and lithe furniture and fixtures. 

Here again, creating the illusion of more space is all about creating a sense of openness and movement. Furniture that is streamlined allows light and air to flow not just over, but also under and around it, so that it appears to float in space. Again, think midcentury modern pieces which are both low and "leggy". Or consider the perfect piece of soaring furniture: the butterfly chair. (See Object Lesson: The Classic Butterfly Chair.)

Above: In her London living room, Remodelista's Christine Chang Hanway creates an open feel by employing midcentury furniture that allows light from the generous windows to flow through the room. Photograph by Kristen Perers for Remodelista.

4. Mirror, mirror on the wall…

Above: In her small bedroom in Brooklyn, architectural designer Elizabeth Roberts cleverly positions a mirror so that it actually looks like another window.

Any discussion of small spaces needs to include the idea of using mirrors to create a greater sense of openness. Not only do they reflect light, they also reflect the view, thereby tricking the eye into perceiving more space.

5. Ditch the drapes (and rugs).

Above: In their Hudson Valley living room, Robert Highsmith and Stefanie Brechbuehler of Workstead maximize a sense of space by using leggy, low-profile furniture and fixtures as well as a mirror over the couch. They also keep the space looking uncluttered by ditching the drapes and the rug.

As we saw with mirrors, it's all about tricking the eye. Curtains stop the eye from taking in the view outside, even if they don't cover the whole window. And drapes and curtains just add more "stuff" to the room. Eliminating them keeps the space simple. If you want privacy, consider shutters or lightweight mesh or cloth blinds. Or if curtains are a must for you, use a bar that extends far beyond the window frame, so you can fully expose the window.

Ditto rugs. Cast your eye over all the small spaces in this article. Note how few have rugs or, if they do, how simple and minimal they are.

Above: In my own Cape Cod cottage, note how with the absence of curtains, the eye is drawn right through several rooms and out the window beyond.

6. White it out.

Above: Author Sara Emslie promotes the reflective power of white in her book, Beautifully Small.

We all know of white's reflective qualities. It opens up a room, making it feel airy and light, calm and serene. Painting the walls and ceiling the same shade of white only enhances this cloud-like effect. And it serves to blur the boundaries between wall and ceiling, causing your eye to travel up, essentially making the ceiling seem higher. Finally, in small spaces that can quickly become cluttered looking, white is a good choice because it simplifies a space and emphasizes the architecture. (That's why architects love it so much. See 10 Easy Pieces: Architect's White Paint Picks.)

If you're worried that an all-white space will feel too cold, then pair it with warming elements like wood, or textured elements, such as a shaggy wool throw. And remember that you don't have choose a stark white. (See Remodeling 101: How to Choose the Perfect White Paint.)

7. Emphasize the vertical.

Above: Sydney-based architect Christopher Polly used vertical shiplap to emphasize the height of this small living/dining/kitchen area. Note also the small-scale furniture and feeling of movement as your eye travels all over the room.

Whether it's a tall shelf, some vertical shiplap, or the bare hanging bulb we saw in Michaela Scherrer's bedroom above, employing one element that emphasizes the vertical space in the room will increase the sense of openness. It also enhances the feeling of movement and flow. 

Above: In her wee bath, clothing designer Dagmar Daley ditched her curtains, used all white to maximize the sense of light and air, and she incorporated vertical elements, wainscoting, and a shower curtain, to emphasize the height of the room.

8. Emphasize the horizontal.

Above: In this bedroom, designer Tiina Laakonen ran horizontal shiplap right up the walls and ceiling. The effect is a seamless transition from wall to ceiling that emphasizes the height and the width of the room. Note also that the curtains are pushed to the side to frame the view.

It all boils down to creating a sense of movement. Like the leggy furniture that creates a sense of dynamism, or the mirrors that reflect light and a view back into the room, anything that causes your eye to travel around a room in an intentional and orderly fashion will make it feel larger. (I say "international and orderly" because a cluttered room with lots of distracting elements will also cause your eye to travel, but in a haphazard fashion.

Above: In this small dining space, both the horizontal and the vertical are emphasized by the horizontal color band that divides the space in half. Note also how the large photo above the table acts as a window drawing your eye into the "view" beyond. Photograph by Nikolas Koenig via Desire to Inspire.

9. Clear a pathway.

Above: In her Napa Valley bungalow, Remodelista's Sarah Lonsdale cleared a path in her dining room by setting the table to one side rather than at the center of the room.

When dealing with a small room, one naturally wants to maximize the space by pushing all the pieces to the edges. But if this causes you to bump into things, it can enhance a claustrophobic feel. Sometimes it is better to group the furniture on one side of the room, so people can pass through unhindered.

10. Use breezy fabrics.

Above: To maximize the open, airy feeling of this cozy Berlin apartment, Lea Korzeczek and Matthias Hiller of Studio Oink employed the reflective power of white coupled with breezy, lightweight fabrics.

If possible, avoid heavy materials and fabrics that absorb light and weigh your room down. Linen is a perfect example of a lightweight material that will increase the sense of airiness in the room.

11. Above all, keep it simple.

Above: As demonstrated in Workstead's Brooklyn home, keeping your palette and furniture to a minimum serves to create an open feel. A few choice pieces (in this case, a midcentury Eames lounge chair and Jean Prouve Potence lamp) go a long way to adding personality to a room.

Small spaces are all about editing. The more pieces, possessions, and patterns you have in a room, the more cluttered it will feel. Avoid too many knickknacks, or at least group them so they read as an installation. Ditto with art; concentrate your framed pieces on one or two walls. Avoid busy patterns and overwhelming colors. Or, if you absolutely must have that William Morris-esque wallpaper, consider placing it on one accent wall. Same with color, try painting just one wall or a door and stick to a single shade. Now is not the time to embrace the whole spectrum.

The bottom line is you need to be strict with yourself (actually, this concept applies to all spaces) and intentional about everything that goes into the room. If you go for the wallpaper accent wall, then keep the rest of the room simple. If you need that huge oil painting in your living room, try having it be the only art in the room. 

Above: The bare bones treatment of this bedroom by Father Rabbit Limited turns a small space into a restful retreat. 

Looking for more small space and other design solutions? See:

• Expert Advice: 10 Secrets for Living in a Small Space
• Christine's House: Living Small in London
• Survival Guide: Life in a Tiny Apartment: Brooklyn Edition
• 11 Zero-Cost Room-Changing Ideas

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 22, 2015, as part of our Spring Awakenings issue.

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"I fell in love with the look of this apron sink from Home Depot and built the design around that," says Jenny Wolf of the compact main bathroom in her family's East Hampton cottage. She transformed the 55-square-foot space from dark to light and from worn-out to shipshape, courtesy of whitewashed, wood-paneled walls and accents of "mixed metals." Wolf runs Jenny Wolf Interiors of New York and kindly detailed her sources. Here's how to re-create the look.

Above: The space is just big enough for a glass-enclosed shower and is shared by Wolf, her husband, and their young daughter. Lumber for the shiplap paneling—cedar five-inch planks on the walls and two-inch planks on the ceiling—came from Home Depot.

The Basics

Above: Kohler's Bannon Wall-Mount Cast Iron Sink is $693.83 at Home Depot, available online only.

Above: The Rohl Country Wall-Mounted Bathroom Faucet is $417.75 in polished nickel from Faucet Direct.

Above: Restoration Hardware's aluminum-framed Submarine Inset Medicine Cabinet opens to reveal glass shelves in a mirrored interior built into the wall. It comes in two sizes and is currently on sale starting at $515 (marked down from $735).

Above: Kohler's Memoirs Toilet is $324.56 at Home Depot.

Above: The Franklin light from Schoolhouse Electric comes in three finishes, antique black (shown), matte bronze (closest to Jenny's version), and polished nickel; starting at $79. She pairs it with a Silver-Tipped Bulb; $7 from Schoolhouse Electric.

Finishes

Above: Shiplap five-inch vertical wood planks are painted in Benjamin Moore Decorator's White; Ben Interior Paint starts at $37.99 a gallon.

Above: The floor is tiled with 2-by-12-inch Montauk Black Natural Cleft Slate from the Complete Tile Collection, laid in a brick pattern. Inquire about pricing.

Hardware

Above: Rejuvenation modeled its Classic Brass Coat Hook after a 1910 design; $20 each. Also consider Brass Hat and Coat Hooks, $6 to $8 each, from The Hook Lady.

Above: Not identical but a good choice for the room, the Onefortythree Tissue-Roll Holder, $30, is made by Logan Hendrickson in his Las Vegas workshop, Onefortythree. For more colors, see Top Brass: A New TP Holder for the Glamorous Bath and check out our roundup of Indie Toilet-Paper Holders.

Above: The Ashley Norton Windsor Knob in a dark bronze patina is available via Simon's Hardware; inquire about pricing.

Accessories

Above: Cotton Geo Hammam Hand Towels are $8 (marked down from $10) each at West Elm.

Above: Crate & Barrel offers Glass Canisters in three sizes; the small (shown here) is $16.95. A set of three (one in each size) is $59.95.

Above: The Cotton Woven Bath Rug from Restoration Hardware comes in four sizes; the smallest, 17 by 24, is $27 (marked down from $39).

See more of Jenny Wolf's work at Jenny Wolf Interiors. For more design inspiration and sourcing ideas, explore our DIY Bath issue.

And find small-space-living ideas in 13 Radical Tiny Cottages and 10 Houses Made from Shipping Containers.

This post is an update; it originally ran on February 3, 2015, as part of our Humble Abode issue.

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• Design Sleuth: Picture Light as Over-the-Sink Illumination
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What's the best color for an accent wall, and which wall should I paint? Answer: Any color, any wall. The goal here is to have fun with color, and the permutations of the accent wall are endless.

One thing to keep in mind: Whichever wall you choose, a bold color will end up defining the room, so think first about how you want that space to feel.

Read on for 10 very different interpretations of the accent wall.

Above: A red wall marks the boundary of this open living/dining space featured in House & Garden.

Above: A coral-orange wall anchors a living room by Karhard Architecture & Design, featured in Laws of Attraction: A Paint-by-Color-Wheel Apartment in Berlin.  

Above: Bold yellow indicates spatial transitions in a Barcelona apartment by Sergi Pons Architecte, featured in 5 Favorites: Yellow Accents.

Above: French designer Caroline Gomez uses bright colors to great effect throughout her Bordeaux home, including a perky yellow-green in the dining room. For the rest of her color choices, see The Power of Pastels: A Color-Blocked Family Loft in France.

Above: A minty wall in a Berlin bedroom via Swedish/German real estate agency Fantastic Frank. 

Above: A sky blue half-wall defines the kitchen in the same Berlin apartment by Karhard Architecture & Design.

Above: Architect Jen Turner used Farrow & Ball's Blue Ground as an accent wall behind her bed in her renovated Brooklyn carriage house. See the rest of the transformation in The Architect Is In: Tips from Jen Turner's Grand DIY.

Above: Interior architect Remy Meijers used pale gray paint to define a room within a room in a remodeled mansion in The Hague. See more in History and Modern Glam in The Hague.

Above: A dramatic double-height dark blue wall in the Metrolofts project by Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory member Incorporated Architecture & Design. 

Above: Defined by a single black wall, a child's bed fits neatly under the stairs in A Whimsical Family Loft in Brooklyn: Whale Wallpaper Included.

Above: A white kitchen island stands out against a black back wall in this Paris loft by Septembre Architecture. For more, see A Place for Everything: A 900-Square-Foot Loft for a Family of Four.

For more color stories, see:

• 10 Favorites: Living with Shocking Color
• Remodeling 101: How to Choose the Perfect White Paint
• Rhapsody in Blue: A Roundup of Favorite Color Posts
• 9 Foolproof Ideas to Add Color to a Flower Garden

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