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I spend plenty of time thinking about home and making a home. Since clean air and easy breathing seem to be high on my list for providing comfort I think it is one of those hidden things that makes anyplace feel more like home. Growing up in Oklahoma you’d think that would mean I’d love thick air heavy with humidity, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. I love the crisp air of the mountains. Fall is my favorite season here and one of the times of year when you can most often take in a breath of light, cool air. I love it.
Top Three Design Moves For Clean Air:
(you’ll agree that these mostly lend to my perception of clean, fresh air)
- Space: Here I refer to a little blank space. In bookshelves, empty counterspace and furniture tops, and free wall area. Not only to I believe this gives you a little breathing room, but I think extra space in your home allows for personal growth and new adventures to come.
- Plants: Keeping my house plants full and healthy is important and can often provide that missing element when accessorizing a design. Plus I like having incentive to keep an eye out for sculptural and fun planters.
- Wood Floors: For me I especially like my wood floors, but any smooth surface will do for this application. I know exactly when I need to have a quick sweep or vacuum to catch the stray pet hair. I never worry about dust building up unseen in my floor coverings. (Unless it’s been awhile since I’ve thoroughly cleaned my area rugs!)
Top 3 Home Maintenance or Lifestyle Moves for Clean Air:
- Open The Windows: There’s no better way for me to clean out the house than to open the windows and let all the air exchange with new. Filling the house with fresh air in almost like a new start, a new day or season.
- Monthly Air Filter Changes: We do not ofter use our heat and air system throughout the year (see above), but when we do, I am sure to change the return air filter at least every 3-4 weeks. Sometimes more often than that, especially if we have a long dry, dusty spell.
- Weekly Dusting: Never mind that I don’t want to breathe the dust in, but I certainly do not want to see it when the sun shines in the windows. So I take a quick swipe on my surfaces and furniture with my microfiber cloths usually once a week. Depending on the weather and season, sometimes this is twice a week and sometimes just twice a month.
What’s one of the more important things that makes your house feel like home? Keep any special scented candles around, have a favorite reading spot or just a comfortable place where your worries fall away?
All images (SOOC) mine from a Durango trip in July 2010. A favorite place on Earth.
Written on
July 7, 2011 by
SarahV
If your household is anything like mine, you and your sweetie may be running on such opposite schedules that it’s hard to work in quality time. Chefs work late hours – so in our house, mornings are often the only times we have to catch up with each other. Every once in a while – to break up the standing in the kitchen routine – I’ll try to dress things up a bit and make the time feel more special.
A few simple ideas to turn your morning joe into a coffee date with your honey:
- Dress up the table. I used a vintage cafe table cover, cloth napkins and colorful trays to liven up our deck seating.
- Use the good china. Well, it’s not exactly china, but I thought plain white mugs would be a nice change from the Chisolm Trail and College of Architecture mugs that usually follow us around the house in the mornings.
- Pick up a special treat. We don’t exactly have time to bake, so I grabbed these delicious pastries from Blue Moon Cafe the evening before. Making something from scratch would be swell too, if you are so inclined.
And finally, the tunes. Nothing sets the mood like music, so here are a few suggestions for a morning playlist…
- ”Black Coffee in Bed”, Squeeze
- “Morning”, Iron & Wine
- “Awake My Body”, Alexander
- “Java Jive”, The Ink Spots
- “The Sound of Sunshine”, Michael Franti & Spearhead
- “Early in the Morning”, The Gap Band
- “Easy”, The Commodores
- “One Day”, Melody Gardot
- “All Arise!”, The Decemberists
- “Pachuca Sunrise”, Minus the Bear
- “These Days”, The Black Keys
- “The Sun”, Portugal the Man
- “Daybreak”, Bela Fleck
- “Morning Bell”, Radiohead
- “I’ve Got the World on a String”, Louis Prima
- “Sun it Rises”, Fleet Foxes
- “Good Morning”, Lenny Kravitz
- “Sunshine”, Simian
Enjoy!
Hi my name is Roxanne. Actually it’s Krystal but not many people know that or maybe they do, but then they forget. My mom tells me I was born in the wrong decade and my Dad tells everyone I’m his little tree hugger. A few of my friends think I’m a bona-fide hippie, but compared to the real hippies I’ve been acquainted with, I can assure you that might be a smidge off the mark.
I’ve made some drastic life style changes in the last four years, leaving a comfortable corporate design job with a reputable Tulsa firm to pursue a few different dreams. I feel I’m finally settling on a well-rounded path to earn a living while maintaining personal freedom. Design is so integral to my life that I often wake up with a new dress or furniture design, fine woodworking details, or new space plans that I feel I must incorporate somewhere and soon, lest it get lost in my “things to do on a perfect Sunday” file. Don’t even get me started on the many business ideas!
I’m still creating the life where I can spend my days designing, reading, crocheting, sewing, gardening and making big fires in backyard. Of course these are all better with a glass of vino and some dark chocolate. Typically meals are a big production at our home and my guy makes the tastiest creations with no recipe! I’m jealous, but happy to share in the finished product. My contribution usually comes in the form of baked sweets, bread and pizza. In general, I find the simplest things in life keep me happy. Let’s face it, life is always great sharing a fantastic meal with someone you love.
The word prairie makes me feel free and I think of this clear open space just west of the Osage Hills north of downtown Tulsa. It is also the best vantage point to enjoy our spectacular Oklahoma sunsets and where the hills of Green Country greet the rolling prairie. Just wait, one day my hippie self will be restoring the once abundant meadows on my own piece of land.
Current Design Obsessions (just a few, there are SO many more):
- Linen
- Suzani (the original, handworked versions)
- Huge windows
- the Arco floor lamp
Listening:
- The Moldau by Smetan, Fvorak, Fucik, Nedbal
- The Damnwells
- Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin
- Ray LaMontagne
- Harper Blynn
- Patty Griffin
Reading:
- The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri
- Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
- Beethoven – The First Biography, Johann Aloys Schlosser
- Quilt Romance, Kaffe Fassett
- Farm City, Novella Carpenter
