There's nothing like a bit of gray sky at this time of year to make us notice bold color. Here are a few that stood out last month at London Design Week.

Above: Katie Mawson makes her trademark Knitted Felted Cushions from her garden shed in the Lake District; £80.

Above: Artisan Spanish company Texidors use classic wool looms to weave their Jazz Cashmere Throws. For information on shops and prices contact Texidors.

Above: Knitted Wool Blankets from Barcelona and London based design studio Zuzunaga take their cue from digital pixelation; from 253€ - 258€, available mid-October.

Above: Barcelona and London based design studio Zuzunaga specialize in colorful fashion and home accessories. They recently collaborated with Spanish textile firm Texidors on these Woven Plaid Blankets which won them both the ICFF Award for the Best Textiles earlier this year; from €270 to €390.

Above: UK Textile designer Tamasyn Gambel's bold abstract designs are hand screen printed onto Irish linen; Cushions from £60 to £90.

N.B. For more color inspiration, see 252 back posts on Colorful Textiles.

Designer Veronica Koltuniak was inspired by the aesthetics of two seemingly unrelated movies, The Royal Tenenbaums and Annie Hall, when she designed the interiors of Easy Tiger in Austin, Texas.

It makes sense, though, when you learn that Koltuniak was an LA set decorator in a former life (she also designed interiors for David Arquette and Courtney Cox, among others). For Easy Tiger, a brewpub and bakery, she created a mashup of Upper East Side tennis club aesthetics with Royal Tenenbaums eccentricity.

It adds up to a surprisingly cohesive setting for the brewpub/bakery, which is based on the unifying concept of yeast: beer and bread. Upstairs, there's a grab-and-go bakery offering French and Bavarian breads, while the downstairs pub and outdoor beer garden serve up traditional bratwursts, cured meats, and beer. Easy Tiger's motto is "Stay Awhile," and the combination of table tennis, beergarden, and bakery conspire to make you do just that. For menus and hours, visit Easy Tiger.

Photography via VeroKolt and Easy Tiger (except where noted).

Above: A sign directs imbibers to the activities on offer, including table tennis tournaments.

Above: Randomly painted picnic tables in the beer garden. Photograph via Austin Eater.

Above: Koltuniak paired up with graphic designer Ryan Rhodes on the signage. Photograph via Austin Eater.

Above: Koltuniak used a deep French pink (a la Royal Tenenbaums) for the bakery counter.

Above: The Easy Start on offer is a grab-and-go breakfast featuring drip coffee or tea and choice of pastry: pain au chocolat, almond croissant, or a spicy tiger claw.

Above: A touch of Wes Anderson-inspired decor: a wallpaper of cameos against a French pink background.

Above: Koltuniak utilized the Spanish colonial wooden chairs left behind by the previous owners, sandblasting them down to the grain and dip-dying them with a black stain.

Above: Pendant lights are painted to resemble tennis balls; a vintage wooden racket acts as lampshade.

Above: Wild ivy pours over the building's side wall into the courtyard below. The two ping pong tables speak to the sports club atmosphere Koltuniak was looking to create. Photograph via Eat Pure.

Above: A modernist take on the biergarten table, picnic tables are stained black in various patterns. Photograph via Austin Eater.

Above: An Easy Tiger delivery truck, parked in front of the restaurant, which is located at 709 East Sixth Street in Austin's Swedish Hill Historic District.

Traditionally the most austere of lighting options, bare-bones pendants are now warming up with cozy knits. Donning cords and shades crocheted or purled to perfection, these versatile lights can be hung, twisted, coiled, or draped to dramatic effect. Tactile and textured, they're anything but bleak and boring.

Above: Sporting a sweater of soft blue wool, Matt's supple knit Lamp from Llot Llov is a playful addition to an industrial space; €295.

Above: UK textile designer Naomi Paul's Gluck Lighting is hand-crocheted from remnants of yarn sourced from the couture industry; £399.

Above: For a little more bling, consider Désaccord's Pendant, knit from gold wool; €110.

Above: Hailing from Australia, My Very Own Eye Goggles makes a 240V option, hand knit and crocheted from soft acrylic; $192.

Above: The Gray Sweater Light is handmade in Sunderland, Massachusetts, by Stitch and Salvage; $150 via Etsy.

For the aesthetically inclined athlete: the handmade limited-edition Ping Pong table from Los Angeles designer James Perse, made from environmentally farmed teak with a leather-bound net and custom paddles (for the practical minded, an optional teak top turns it into a dining or conference table).

To order, contact James Perse directly.

Above: With the addition of an optional teak top, the ping pong table morphs into a dining or conference table.

Above: An upholstered and formed drawer holds custom paddles and James Perse-branded balls.

Above: The table is hand-made in the US.

Another find from LA designer and global traveler, Cynthia Carlson: Lokal in Mitte, Berlin.

Berlin restaurant owners Maren Thimm and her American partner, Gary Hoopengardner, set up a temporary restaurant called Kantine in the courtyard of British architect David Chipperfield's Berlin office (with the caveat that he always got a seat when he was in town). They closed last year when Chipperfield got permission to build on the lot. Taking the floorboards with them, the couple opened a permanent restaurant called Lokal, serving locally sourced food. For more, go to Lokal.

Photography by Cynthia Carlson, except where noted.

Above: Mismatched chairs at a table made from recycled wood by German architect Katja Buchholz. Photograph via Lost In Cheeseland.

Above: Freshly cut local flowers are a staple of the restaurant.

Above: White-washed walls and stone flooring, finished by Hoopengardner himself. Tapered glass pendant lighting hangs over more tables designed by Buchholz.

Above: Lokal preserves on display behind the counter.

Above: An alcove for the piano (their pianist was a popular feature at Kantine).

Above: Mismatched chairs add a casual note; image via Foodie in Berlin.

Above: Fur throws and candles add warmth; image via Foodie in Berlin.

For more on Germany, check out our City Guide.

As warmer weather lures us outdoors, our home's exterior suddenly seems more important. What better time to consider a simple facelift or personality adjustment with new house numbers?

Modern

Above: From midcentury architect Richard Neutra, the Neutra Aluminum House Numbers are corrosion and tarnish resistant. Design comes at a price; currently on sale for $35.70 each at Design Within Reach.

Above: Architectural Numbers by Weston lets you choose your font, material, and finish; the company then custom-manufactures your number and/or letter combination. Select from 41 font styles (including Helvetica, Futura, and Times Bold) and 12 different finishes, and from sizes ranging from 2 to 18 inches high. Prices from $15 per piece, depending on size and finish.

Above: Deco-inspired Avalon Modern House Numbers from Atlas Homewares are available in satin nickel or oil-rubbed bronze (to complement a more traditional look) for $15.63 each at Hardware Hut.

Above: HouseArt House Numbers designed by Ginger Finley are available in five finishes (shown in rust); $28 (4-inch size) and $48 (8-inch size) each at Lumens.

Above: Domicile House Numbers in red add a cheery note to an exterior. Five inches high, $18 each at Chiasso.

Above: The Signo House Numbers and Letters by Blomus are made in Germany of stainless steel; $26.99 each at Lumens.

Traditional

Above: The Asbury Ceramic House Address Numbers are sold individually for $10 each from Schoolhouse Electric in Portland, Oregon.

Above: Ramsign makes high-quality porcelain enamel signs in five different styles, including the black and white Engelhardt House Numbers designed in 1927 by Danish architect Knud V. Engelhardt, Denmark's first industrial designer. Priced from $49 for a single digit sign (the company ships worldwide).

Above: Traditionalist House Numbers in black by Atlas Homewares are six inches tall and $16.64 each at Amazon.

Above: Standard House Numbers that compliment nearly any style of architecture are available in six finishes (oil-rubbed bronze shown); $8.50 to $10, depending on size, at Restoration Hardware.

Above: Crafted of 3 5/8-inch porcelain tiles frames in galvanized steel, the Tile Address Set from Rejuvenation Hardware is $59 for three tiles, $70 for four tiles, and $81 for five tiles.

Above: Franco-File takes international orders and, in addition to house numbers, offers house-name plaques, thermometers, and various signs in English ("No Parking," "Private," and "Please Shut the Gate"). Also available through The French Number Company, another UK-based outfit that ships worldwide.

Above: For craftsman or mission style, consider Mission House Numbers from Atlas Homewares; available in oil-rubbed bronze or pewter for $12.43 each at the Hardware Hut.

N.B.: This post is an update, the original story ran on May 3, 2011.

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The Block Island House is the ideal rendition of a New England summer house, with an update. Newport-based architects Jim Estes and Peter Twombly mixed two architectural features common to the island: the basic "Block Island Dormer" (where the building facade extends into the roof with a gable) and a classic shed porch.

Estes/Twombly, whose approach to design hails from quiet modernism and geometrical precision, captured the island's light and southerly views with double-hung windows and large sliding doors. This project (Block Island House) is a recent winner of the 2012 myMarvin Architect's Challenge, along with nine other entries selected to highlight inspired designs each featuring Marving Windows and Doors. Estes/Twombly utilized Marvin's wood casement picture windows, sliding patio doors, double hung, and awning windows throughout the project.

For anyone embarking on a remodeling or construction project, try the free tools Marvin has available to make your dream home a reality, including their free online Product Designer and brand new iPad app.

Above: In the expansion of the basic house and shed porch, the central front porch became the connective force between the two "blocks."

Above: Marvin Windows and Doors were selected for their ability to stand up to the rugged climate on the island and provide sweeping views.

Above: An entryway and staircase accented with medium-toned wood.

Above: Light floods the kitchen through a white-finished wood casement picture windows.

Above: A view of the connecting porch.

Early this week we featured the best of New-York deli cuisine in Berlin. Now we present the flip-side: best of German culinary tradition in New York.

Located in Gotham's West Village and Lower East Side, Landbrot is a bakery and bar "celebrating the rich culinary traditions and hearty spirit" of Germany. Serving an array of homemade baked-goods as well as German fare and micro-brews, Landbrot offers a taste of Germany from morning until the-wee-hours-of-the night.

Conceived by Courtney Fikri of Cenk Fikri Inc. for her client, German businessman Volker Herrmann, the design—a seamless blend of New York, industrial-loft style and the cozy, wooded, comfort of a traditional German cafes—was executed with the help of David Howell architects.

Above: Traditional German fare is served atop Landbrot's marble bar. The light fixtures are by Hudson Valley Lighting while the barstools are from Overstock.

Above: Combining the best of both worlds, Landbrot's marble and subway tile interior evokes the lofty style of some of New York's old-school restaurants but still maintains the warmth and intimacy of Bavarian style.

Above: DWR salt chairs provide seating at the tables.

Above: Traditional brezeln entices patrons at the counter.

Above: Fresh out of the oven, Landbrot's bakery offers homemade pastries and breads—including the crusty loaf for which it's named.

Above: Fresh bread and morning brew are presented in Landbrot's signature, green paper goods.

Above: Landbrot also sells imported and homemade sides and condiments at its counter.

Above: Rustic touches like these water jugs and spice containers add to the "homey" vibe.

Above: Opposite the salt chairs, banquettes feature cushions, custom-made from 300-year-old flour sacks that Courtney found in German barns.

A Nordic cabin spotted in the portfolio of Kobenhavns Mobelsnedkeri, a Copenhagen furniture design company with a special affinity for wood.

Photography by Copenhagen-based Line Thit Klein.

Above: The cabin is located on a wooded lot, with as many trees left undisturbed as possible.

Above: Folding doors create an indoor outdoor feel.

Above: The kitchen is finely detailed.

Above: Kobenhavns Mobelsnedkeri specializes in bespoke kitchen fittings.

Above: A ladder bookshelf provides clever storage opportunities.

Above: A custom table and chair dining set.

Above: A detail of the exterior carpentry.

On a recent visit to The Crown Amersham (British designer Ilse Crawford's modern take on the traditional coaching inn of yore), I was particularly taken with the pewter plates in the dining room.

Commonly used in England from the 1500s to 1700s, pewter plates are durable, handsome, and pay reference to an earlier age. Vintage pieces can be found on eBay, but shoppers should note that older plates often contain lead, which was used as a hardener at the time. Here are two options at different ends of the price spectrum.

Above: Breakfast served on pewter plates at the Crown.

Above: A pewter charger, handmade in Northern Italy, from Match. The company's pewterware is comprised of 95 percent tin, and each piece is stamped with a hallmark. The Match Pewter Toscana Charger is $250 for a large from Didriks.

Above: For those looking for something less expensive, Thomas Dale offers Pewter Plates for $62.

N.B. For more, see our 425 back issues of Tabletop.

In 2008, Tyler Wilson and Joseph Pitruzzelli opened the first Wurstküche, a German-style sausage kitchen, in the elusive and hip arts district of downtown Los Angeles. The restaurant was an instant hit, and the duo opened a second location last fall in Venice Beach, providing westsiders with the same good food and conviviality.

"It's a basic, raw, modern take on a beer hall," says Wilson, who credits Pitruzzelli as the key visionary behind the interiors. "We set out to create a place where people can come and feel comfortable staying all afternoon."

See below for details; for further information, go to Wurstküche.

Photos by Stacey Lindsay for Remodelista.

Above: Reclaimed barn wood from Seattle is used throughout the main dining room of the Venice location. Pitruzzelli, who owns the industrial design firm Trephora Designs, says he played off the angling of the original building and kept many of the raw elements intact.

Above L: Communal dining is paramount; the long biergarden tables are a custom design of Pitruzzelli's. Above R: The bar top is made from quarter sawn douglas fir and the stools (another exclusive design of Pitruzzelli's) are made of reclaimed beach and steel. More information on the stools can be found at WoodSmithe.

Above: Pitruzzelli his own DIY chandelier by stringing lights throughout the original wood ceiling beams.

Above: Industrial shelving and subway tiling in the front entrance and kitchen.

Above: An outdoor patio offers a few intimate seating options.

Above: Wurstküche is located at 625 Lincoln Blvd in Venice, CA.

Looking for more places to dine and stay in LA? Visit Remodelista's City Guides.

If there is such a thing as perfection in this life, we think we have found it in the light fixtures of Thomas Hoof Produkt in Germany. The company was founded in 1998 with a mission of bringing back classic, out-of-production fixtures for the home; select lights from Thomas Hoof can be found at Manufactum or can be ordered directly from Thomas Hoof.

Above: Ceramic Ceiling Light; €156 at Manufactum.

Above: Bolich Outside Light in Brass with Powder-Coated Finish; available in black or white powder-coated enamel.

Above: Porcelain Angle Mounting Light designed in the 1930s.

Above: Wall Light of enameled steel with ceramic wall rose; €98 at Manufactum.

Above: Porcelain Ceiling Mounted Light.

N.B. This post is an update; the original ran on April 22, 2009.

I recently dropped in at the Selvedge Dry Goods store in London, ground zero for the textile lover. Founded by Polly Leonard, the force behind Selvedge Magazine (an international source of all contemporary textile knowledge), the shop is a must-visit for anyone interested in fabrics.

N.B.: Leonard gathers talented creative makers in a church hall twice a year for the Selvedge Fair; this year, the Selvedge Winter Fair is moving to larger premises and is not to be missed.

Photography by Christine Hanway for Remodelista

Above: Selvedge's collection of scarves include pieces by artists Sophie Digard and Khadi & Co.

Above: Leonard uses every inch of available space to display the talents of creative makers like Tamar Mogendorff.

Above: German textile designer Margaret Häusler creates Linen Cushions, where each gradient is hand painted onto the linen using natural dyes.

Above: Gradient Linen Tote Bags by Margaret Häusler.

Above: Vintage wood display cases provide a good home for the dry goods.

Above: Painted tambourines and colored ribbons add a festive air.

Above: Liberty Print Bias Binding on display.

Above: The ceiling is used to display Tamar Mogendorff birdcages..

Above: The Selvedge Dry Goods store carries a variety of haberdashery items, including a line from Merchant and Mills.

Above: Kitchen utensils displayed on Fog Linen Works table linen.

Above: Tamar Mogdendorff bird houses sit on vintage school chairs.

Above: The Selvedge Magazine comes out six times a year.

N.B. An urge to see more textiles? See 157 back issues of Textiles.

Here's a roundup of what's piquing our interest this week (and a tipoff to our upcoming design destination):

• Sarah's been cooking this from Ottolenghi's new cookbook: Jerusalem, spotted on 101 Cookbooks.

• Julie's watching this video: a visit of Toblerone House by MK27 through the eyes of a cat, via Dezeen.

• Admiring this Guilford, Connecticut, house nested in oak trees from Light Motif on Dwell.

• Seeking inspiration from Ici Marie's Tumblr.

Above: Alexa's been slowly collecting spoons by Josh Vogel of Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. at March in San Francisco.

• Sarah's listening to comedian Tig Notart talking to Ira Glass on This American Life.

Above: Just in time for the holidays: Rhubarb and Ginger Liqueur. Learn how to make it here.

• Admiring this luxe townhouse and garden in Prospect Heights.

• Looking into the new Oyster app, a Spotify-like service for literature.

Above: Justine has been blogging on domestic portraits by Belgian photographer Mieke Verbijlen on Design Skool.

• Recently admiring the work of Ai Weiwei at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Above: Christine has been admiring recent photos of Kettle's Yard by La Casita.

Meanwhile, on Gardenista:

• It turns out that flowering kale, staple of the fall garden, also is edible. Janet is contemplating this Flowering Kale Caesar Salad recipe.

Above: It's never too early to decorate for Halloween; Michelle is heading to Flora Grubb to investigate the carnivorous plants. For more images of man eater house plants she is considering, follow her at @MSlatalla.

Decisions about color in a home are intimidating, especially if the goal is to achieve a classic and timeless look that does not date quickly. We've asked sisters Jayne and Joan Michaels of New York-based design firm 2 Michaels to talk about how their color decisions are structured around inspiration they derive from paintings. They are available for the next 48 hours to answer any and all questions. Ask away!

An unusual project to say the least: the players? A sophisticated client with an extensive midcentury art and furniture collection (we're talking a warehouse full); the majority of which she had purchased from Larry Weinberg, a pioneering advocate of midcentury design and owner of the Weinberg Gallery. The designers? Jayne and Joan Michaels, the dynamic sister duo behind 2Michaels (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory). The Michaels sisters drew upon their shared design DNA to create a warm and livable home: “Our mother was an artist, and we have always been obsessed with color palettes,” says Joan. “We were always putting things together in our minds, playing the colors over and over again. Instead of living with art, we like to think of it as living in art.” Read on to see how 2Michaels Design developed the color palette for this Central Park West apartment.

Photography by Frank Veteran.

Above: While the subtle color scheme in the living/dining room was inspired by a Milton Avery painting the sisters saw at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the painting by Californian painter Alexander Nepote over the mantel was purchased after and pulls the darker elements of the midcentury pottery and light fixtures into the scheme.

Above: The sisters frequent museums and galleries regularly. The inspiration for the color palette in the living/dining room was a Milton Avery painting they saw at the Metropolitan Museum of Art." When we saw the painting, we knew we had to use the palette and combine it with the green from outside." The black and white pendant light over the dining room table is by Rene Jean Caillette.

Above: The Michaels sisters found inspiration in this Milton Avery painting.

Above: The Michaels sisters used items from the client's extensive collection to furnish the entry hall, including a Florence Knoll credenza and an Italian midcentury coat rack. "At one point, we simply laid everything on the floor to see what worked," Joan says. The bright colors of the abstract paintings by Leonard Edmondson stand out against the warm woods of the midcentury furniture and sculptures.

Above: White linen roman shades create a gentle and diffused light.

Above: The dining room table and chairs are by Greta Grossman, a Swedish midcentury designer who was based in California.

Above: The Michaels sisters love art and consider it the most important thing in the room. In the sitting room, a black and white abstract painting is paired with a Moroccan Berber rug.

Above: Bookshelves and paneling in the study were painted white to mask the poor quality of the original materials and to add light to the space. The client's midcentury desk by Milo Boffman fits neatly under the bookshelves.

Above: Black and white framed photographs, paired with a striped runner, lead the eye to the spot of the color at the end of the hall.

Above: The Michaels sisters pulled together pieces from the clients' collection to create this Milton Avery-led vignette with an Otto Natzler ceramic vase and an Italo Scanga wooden sculpture.

Above: Another Milton Avery painting serves as the inspiration for the color scheme in the bedroom. The curtain wall provides a simple textured headboard. The lampshade on the Josef Frank lamp fits into the color scheme perfectly.

N.B. For more midcentury inspiration, see 154 Midcentury images in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

Woodworker Josh Vogel and ceramicist Ayumi Horie were neighbors in the Hudson Valley for years, but it wasn't until recently, after Horie moved back to her home state of Maine, that the two collaborated on a project.

Available starting today, the Salt Cellars depict Maine animals etched onto porcelain by Horie with domed cherry wood lids. The carefully shaped lids were made by Vogel, of Blackcreek Mercantile and Trading Co. and the cellars are available through Studio KotoKoto (an term loosely meaning "gentle simmering" in Japanese), who offer distinctive objects by Japanese and US artists.

Above: The Salt Cellars are $150 each from Studio KotoKoto.

Above: The Chickadee Salt Cellar; $150 from Studio KotoKoto; currently sold out, but contact Studio KotoKoto.

Above: Ayumi's signature on the bottom of the cellar and the underside of the cherry wood lid.

Above: A look at the cellars on offer; one features both blue and red etchings.

Parisian ceramicist Cécile Daladier throws four parties every year: one per season, and each with its own theme. In March of this year, Daladier, her partner Nicolas Soulier, and their friend Lucile Demory found themselves shucking 350 oysters and pouring white wine for their "White and Mother of Pearl" dinner party.

Daladier felt the theme was nicely aligned with her ceramics, so she designed pieces just for the event (the parties are an understated way for her to showcase new work and connect with old and new friends). First, she molded oyster shells in clay and glazed them in an opaque white. Then, drawing inspiration from rustic cheese boards, Daladier designed flat slab ceramics for her homemade loaves of bread. Her son knows a fisherman in Normandy, and a friend drove from Paris to fetch several bushels of oysters the day of the party. Daladier, Soulier, and Demory shucked the oysters, finishing the task moments before the guests arrived. As Demory says, "You can't open them too early, otherwise they'll dry out so it's a lot of last minute work." In addition to the oysters, the menu included white and opalescent fare: brie cheese, white wine, yogurt ice cream, and rice pudding.

If you're like us, and dream of recreating this look, see how Daladier threw the party together and some of the key sources below. For more of her work, see Flower Arranging a la Parisienne and her rooftop garden from A Ceramicist and Architect in Paris.

Above: The table setting before the party; photographs via Daladier's Journal.

Above: Source a gigantic round of brie-style soft cheese to keep hungry guests at bay.

Above: Demory and Daladier pulled in a large table on wheels from the studio: "We just added pieces of wood all around it to make the edges higher. Then we stapled a big plastic sheet to the wood to keep the ice from running when it would melt," Demory says.

Above: A dormant fern, called a Selaginella lepidophylla (or Jericho flower), unfurls in a white dish on the ice-covered table. Source an individual Jericho Flower from Amazon for $7.18.

Above: Demory notes, "The great thing about oysters is that you don't need a plate, just a little fork, so no dishes involved."

Above: Ceramics are molded from beach shells, then coated in a high-gloss, white glaze.

Above: Daladier's matte-glazed bread boards have a rustic, sea-shell like appeal.

Above: Oysters in tow from Normandy.

Above: Daladier's oyster-inspired serving dishes.

Above: Ikea's Bollo Folding Table is made of oiled acacia wood for $49.99.

Above: Cover any basic table or plane of wood laid on a table and cover it with parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic wrap and be sure to double-up; Double Roll Parchment Paper is $5.95 from Sur La Table.

Above: Ikea's Salvka Red Wine Glass is a quick fix for an impromptu party, priced at $4.99 for a pack of six.

Above: Source Antique Silver from Etsy, like this Set of 4 Fiddle Pattern Forks from Sheffield for £30 from Zofi Vintage on Etsy.

Above: The Centro Carafe is slightly slate grey in color and is currently on sale (as part of this week's dining sale on the site) for $25.50 from Design Within Reach.

Above: The Mechanical Polder 11-Pound Stainless-Steel Kitchen Scale is $37.49 from Amazon.

Above: Daladier's ceramics are priced €100 per kilo via Cécile Daladier.

Legendary UK design arbiter Min Hogg presided over The World of Interiors for two decades as the founding editor before striking out on her own. A while back, she launched a line of wallpapers and fabrics called the Seaweed Collection (featuring undulating, underwater-ish patterns), printed in England on top quality papers, linens, cottons, and velvets.

For ordering information, go to Min Hogg.

Above: Sea Feather Medium.

Above: Sea Antler.

Above: Sea Sponge Large.

Above: Seaweed.

When the restaurant at Manka's Inverness Lodge in West Marin burned to the ground in 2006, devotees everywhere went into mourning. The good news is that the owners, Daniel DeLong and Margaret Grad, recently bought the nearby Olema Inn, where they will reprise their much-loved restaurant (even Prince Charles is a fan).

While we wait for the restaurant to open, here's a tour of Manka's rustic boathouse, built in 1911 and overlooking Tomales Bay, which is available for rent. For information, go to Manka's Inverness Lodge.

Above: Views of the bedroom and bath.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 1, 2009.

Jess Brown began making her handmade rag dolls by accident, when her husband washed (and ergo shrinked) a bag of her cashmere sweaters destined for the dry cleaners. Her solution? Turn the remnants into personality-laden hand-stitched dolls with a special appeal (Martha Stewart is a fan).

Brown is neither a seamstress nor a designer by trade; she began her career as a school teacher in San Francisco, and it was only when her daughter Stella, now 14, was born that she made her first foray into sewing. Frustrated by the lack of appealing clothing, she created a six-piece line of clothing called Bluebird, featuring designs based on antique pinafores and bloomers. When Stella was still a toddler, the family decamped to Petaluma in an effort to live more simply, and Brown opened Maude, a brick and mortar shop where she sells her own clothing line as well as hand-selected, idiosyncratic pieces. For information, go to Jess Brown Design.

Photography by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista.

Above: Jess Brown wears a top from Jess Brown.

Above: Jess Brown's workshop, with straw baskets filled with fabrics for her Rag Dolls.

Above: The living room of the 1932 Petaluma home with the original stove; Jess collects Bauer and McCoy ceramics.

Above: A collection of paper lanterns.

Above: The kitchen wall features photographs of Jess's family.

Above L: Brown's ceramic finds are displayed in a kitchen cabinet. Above R: A patched linen curtain.

Above: Jesse salvaged the birch tree trunk from the yard.

Above: The steps lead to a split story attic area, where TIger, Jess's son, stores his Legos and toys.

Above: The bathroom features a cast iron tub and a salvaged wooden shelf for storage.

Above: The master bedroom.

Above: Stella's room recently renovated and noticeably devoid of any dolls.

Above; A tree house in the garden made by Jess's husband.

Read more of our 150 House Calls.