You Said It: ‘The More Dents, the Better’ and More Houzz Quotables

This week Heather Holm’s article about lupine got me very excited to get out of the sweaty South and get up to Maine. (I’ve been reverse hibernating in my air-conditioned home, spending way too much time inside.) Mary Jo Bowling’s profile of homes that are popular for photo shoots made me want to get my house close-up ready. Kursteen Salter Price’s labor of love, her unique loft, was a wonderful reminder that unique homes full of personality are built up and decorated over many years. In addition, I got the skinny on how to design small yards, and on a range of choices regarding outdoor fences and kitchen countertops, and was reminded that a little design element like a switch plate cover can make a big difference.

“The more dents, the better.” — homeowner Kursteen Salter Price

“It gives them character,” she added. This Houzz Tour is so great because it reminds us that Rome was not built in a day. Sometimes we want instant style and for everything to be perfect before we even move in. And if folks want that, it’s just fine. But everyone should remember it’s also fun to build things slowly, working on projects one by one and constantly transforming a home to fit changing tastes and lifestyles.

Full story: Houzz Tour: 12 Years of Tinkering Produce an Amazingly Artful Life


“Not only will you find eye candy, but you might even find a styling idea you’d like to try.” — Mary Jo Bowling

This story is so interesting — it features a plum handful of the private homes that Cindi Osborn has scouted for photo shoots for those marketing everything from fashion to cars. Bowling has picked a wide range to share with us, from a warehouse loft in San Francisco to a home with European-inspired gardens in New Jersey. The story is a fun and eclectic Grand Tour.

Full story: 7 Supermodel Homes and Why Creatives Rent Them


“Wild lupine is an ideal native plant to use along the edge of a perennial planting where taller plants won’t compete with it. It also thrives in well-drained, dry rock gardens and boulevards.” — Heather Holm

I have to admit a bias — lupine is my favorite plant. I get such a thrill when I arrive in Maine and see large swaths of it growing wild next to the highway. I’ve tried to plant it and failed several times, but hopefully with this guide, I’ll have better luck. Or maybe it’s just Mother Nature telling me to enjoy it where she’s decided to put it and not to get greedy.

Full story: Great Design Plant: Wild Lupine Dresses Up Rocky Gardens


“You know the usual barriers well — the ones made of wood, brick, vinyl and chain link — but now it’s time to meet their more alternative friends.” — Matthew Ankeny

A lot of us get into a rut when trying to imagine fence designs, and wind up settling for the same-old, same-old. These vertical gardens, sandblasted glass panels lit with LEDs and acrylic posts full of bubbles revved up my imagination. Check out all 12 alternatives Ankeny has curated for us.

Full story: 12 Delightfully Different Garden Walls and Fences


“You can paint the walls and medicine cabinet white and let the tile color — whatever it may be — speak for itself. With a cleaner background, your colored tile could be a new favorite.” — Elizabeth Miller

Many of us peruse the gorgeous bathrooms on Houzz, daydreaming about miles of new marble tiles, freestanding bathtubs that are worth more than our cars and light fixtures that cost two months’ salary. Then we take a bathroom break and are quickly brought back to our own realities. This article is for us!

Miller leads us through many ways to spruce up a dated bathroom in ways that can turn what seemed like their worst attributes into something we’ll wind up embracing. This is a must-read for anyone who does not have a gut bathroom renovation in the budget anytime soon.

Full story: 8 Ways to Spruce Up an Older Bathroom (Without Remodeling)


“When introduced into a traditional or rustic setting, [modern rugs] can add vibrancy, a touch of the unexpected and a striking counterpoint.” — Jason Lees

Lees has a list of fantastic suggestions about how to integrate a more modern rug into a traditional setting. These include repeating colors, going soft and subtle or bold and graphic, and repeating patterns. He has chosen images that illustrate his points to a T.

Full story: The Beauty of Contrast: Modern Rugs in Traditional Spaces


Cascade Countertop, Ranier“Picking out a kitchen counter is no easy task.” — Vanessa Brunner

This is a Houzz classic; so good that we brought it back to the homepage just in case you didn’t get a chance to bookmark it the first time around. Learn the ins and outs of soapstone, granite, copper, engineered quartz, tile, ecofriendly, zinc, recycled-paper, plastic laminate, recycled glass and cement, marble, concrete, stainless steel, solid-surface and wood countertops. Each summary has a link to more extensive articles about each surface. It’s a gold mine for anyone trying to decide on which material to use.

Full story: Your Guide to 15 Popular Kitchen Countertop Materials


‘Nice Underpants’ Handmade Mat - $19“Nice underpants.” — a handmade doormat

Maybe I have been spending way too much time with nieces and nephews who are all under age 9, but this totally cracked me up. I was trying to think of what the various types who arrive at my front door would think if they saw this mat, from my postal carrier to those who are trying to convert me to their particular religious sect.

Full story: Guest Picks: Roll Out the Welcome Mat


“It might not seem like it, but small spaces are often more difficult to design than large ones. An expert will be trained to deal with your needs and challenges.” — Mitchell Parker

It’s true — in a small space, you need to get the design just right. Parker leads us through 16 tips from the landscape pros, including how to incorporate (or screen out) the views, make the most of just a few materials, deal with sloping yards and know when it’s time to call in professional help.

Full story: 16 Ways to Get More From Your Small Backyard


“When it comes to beautifully designed homes, the same details that take a space from ho-hum to stunning are often overlooked because of how subtle they are.” — Melisa Bleasdale

On the flip side, when these little details are wrong, they stick out like sore thumbs. Bleasdale provides a great list of tiny and attainable changes that can pack a big luxurious design punch. Whether it’s spiffing up house numbers to clearing the clutter of electric cords, each one of these small design interventions is powerful.

Full story: 8 Low-Cost Luxuries With a Big Payoff


“To not take away from the architecture and streetscape of this San Francisco house, the architects have created a garage disguised by the building.” — Steven Randel

This split photo definitely made me do a double take, and I didn’t want you all to miss it. Also, this ideabook is full of all kinds of great information for anyone renovating or building a garage, complete with all the measurements you’ll ever need. There are also great tips for issues like fitting in garage cabinets, adding curbs and more.

Full story: Key Measurements for the Perfect Garage

Tell us: Did anything on Houzz inspire you around the house this week? Are you getting some new house numbers, or did you order up the Rolls-Royce of freestanding bathtubs? If so, please share details with us in the Comments section.

URL: You Said It: ‘The More Dents, the Better’ and More Houzz Quotables http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-23993.html