The Next Phase

May 11, 2015

Lately I've been hearing a lot about people who are either:

a) pregnant with baby #2

b) moving out of the city

c) both of the above

It's a bittersweet combo. I'm so happy for these people who are making The Great Transition into the next phase, whatever it may be. I'm (fleetingly) jealous of those little protruding baby bumps and the contented excitement that they bring. I'm sad (and maybe a little bitter!) that they are leaving a place where we have started to put some roots down. Although Brooklyn does have a neighborhood vibe, the quickly rising rents and property prices are understandably driving families out, causing the neighborhood to start feeling more transient. I long for a place where we really truly feel settled and secure, where we can be in it for the long haul (although I'd probably still have to redecorate a few times!)

I'm a big jumbled ball of confused emotions. I feel a tinge of envy when I hear of those moving Into the Great Wide Open. Space! The final frontier... Their babes and pups can frolic, running barefoot through the rolling grassy meadows of their 1/2 acre fenced in property in the 'burbs. Moms (and Dads!) can sip their coffees or mommy juices as they pour over the NYT and glance up at intervals just to make sure their littles haven't run into the cul de sac or set their swing set on fire.

I totally get it. Don't think we haven't thought about it - and still think about it - on a daily basis. There are times when I'll look around the petit a.p.t and feel like I'm in the depths of a fiery hell. I throw my hands up in disgust and exclaim "I can't take it anymore! There's shit everywhere!!!" I sound like a possessed madwoman. Ask Eric how many times he has heard this phrase and has often responded by hiding under the bed with Bear.

This "out of body" is usually followed up by a frantic, frenzied cleaning up and putting away of all items in sight, which often spirals into an organizational overhaul, trying to exorcise the demons. If you're an organizational enthusiast like me, I'm sure you've been there. But herein lies the problem. A few months (or days!) later, the piles are back, the items are out of place. The cleansing was temporary. The accumulation returns. The work is never complete.

Enter this beautiful, compact little bible:

I just finished reading, and I'm pretty sure that Marie Kondo is my spirit animal. (Actually it's a hummingbird, but you know what I mean. Find out what yours is by taking this quiz here.)

I didn't know about this book until one of my awesome clients recommended I check it out. You really have to read it for yourself, but the basic principal is as follows: "Keep only what sparks joy." This may sound unrealistic and almost bizarre, but I can tell you that we're halfway through the process at le petit a.p.t. and I'm already feeling lighter in so many ways.

Jess Lively, one of my favorite podcasters, created a condensed checklist which is basically the CliffsNotes version of the book. I'm happy to share it with you here. Definitely check out Jess's site and listen to her podcast. It's based largely on positivity, essentialism and living your life with intention.

So, what's your next phase? Baby #2? Moving? Staying put? Re-desiging a space? Regardless, I'm sure you have had some winter accumulation that is bogging you down and need to do some spring soul-cleansing. What better way to start than with something that is life changing? I'm hoping that this is the final cleanse and will lead me into my next phase, so I can spend less time on the frenzied clean up funk and more time on doing what makes me happy - like spending quality time with Miss Avery Etta, teaching her how to take a selfie while choosing the right paint color, natch.

After reading this book, I truly feel that as tiny space dwellers we no longer have reason to complain (okay, okay, we can still vent a little). It provides a tiny sliver of hope that by following this simple method we could potentially stay in our petit a.p.t. in Brooklyn even though baby #2's arrival (nothing in the oven just yet people!) I have no idea where our path will lead us, but I at least know that now whatever it is, I can handle it by living a minimal, simple, organized life surrounded by joy.

And if our newly organized life is going to look anything like my newly organized sock drawer, then we're off to a good start...

~L.S.

I Dream of Teepees

March 5, 2015

I would gladly live in one of these teepees if it meant the skies would be this blue every day. I'm back home at my "office" (aka Blue Marble Ice Cream - more on that here). I'm staring out the window, sipping my coffee, watching today's blizzard blitz Brooklyn... Again. I want to huddle somewhere by a warm fire and dream about a place where we never have to bundle to go out, shovel out our cars, or worry that our roofs are going to cave in due to snow accumulation. As I stare out at the slushy slosh, I feel like the abominable snowman will rise out of a littered snowbank and descend upon me, stealing my one last will to survive in this arctic tundra. Ok, that's a little dramatic. But if you have been lucky enough to survive this wallowing winter in the northeast, you get my (snow) drift.

It's days like these that a daydream gets me through. And what's better to dream about than sunny exteriors, inspiring interiors and perhaps some rainy day D.I.Y. projects? As one of Avery's wise nursery rhymes tells me, "life is but a dream".

I dream of one day giving Avery a backyard to run free in and a playroom where she can do a cartwheel without landing on furniture or smashing into a wall. Oh, and a teepee. Is that so much to ask for? I think not!

Awhile back, I was lucky enough to work on a fun kid's room project that involved a custom painted teepee. To be honest, I didn't really get the whole teepee thing at first. I didn't have kids yet, and it just seemed so massive and unnecessary to put in a kids room in the city. After some extensive research though, I realized that it was actually a thing. And a cute, fun and playful thing at that! An absolute necessity.

Let's not forget the origins of the teepee. While spending time in Colorado, I learned that the main Native American tribe of Boulder County were the Arapaho. As nomadic hunters, they built animal hide teepees that were easily dismantled yet strong enough to withstand harsh weather. The design also called for ventilation for an indoor fire. Brilliant, right? I am in awe of their handiwork and intelligence. More fun facts on the Arapaho here.

Luckily nowadays our kids don't need a teepee to be protected from foul weather (although maybe today!). They don't need to light fires inside them (keep the matches away!), and they certainly don't need to dismantle them (although they might for the sheer fun of it). What they do need is to read, learn, play and cuddle. And what better place for that than in a teepee?

Below is a round up of my top ten favorites, including some D.I.Y.'s and small space ideas. Hoonowo'oneinoo! ("Enjoy!", in Arapaho).

~L.S.

(1) Neutral and Textured - via Decor8Blog

(2) For your Precious Princess - via Etsy.com

(3) For your Prints Charming - via The Color Issue

(4) Small Space All Star - this could work in any small corner, anywhere. Via Mokkasin.

(5) Play and Put Away - foldable, and has curtains on the windows. Too cute! Via 2Modern

(8) For your Furbaby (Because pups deserve teepees too!) - via Etsy. Read how to D.I.Y. via Craft Gawker. — (8) For your Furbaby (Because pups deserve teepees too!) - via Etsy. Read how to D.I.Y. via Craft Gawker.

(9) Shower Power! Make one from a shower curtain like Jojo and Eloise via At The Picket Fence. — (9) Shower Power! Make one from a shower curtain like *Jojo and Eloise* via At The Picket Fence.

(10) Le Petit Teepee - Still not enough room? No problem. Try this rainy day craft activity with your munchkin(s) via Pom le Bon Homme. — (10) Le Petit Teepee - Still not enough room? No problem. Try this rainy day craft activity with your munchkin(s) via Pom le Bon Homme.

Fire it Up

March 2, 2015

All this snow and talk of skiing has me wanting to curl up in front of a warm cozy fireplace with a good book. (Hah! As all you parents know, this is more or less a pipe dream.) Even though Eric and I didn't get to lounge on giant wing chairs with hot cocoa by a crackling fire at a ski chalet this trip, we were lucky enough to be able to sneak in one grown-up dinner during our stay. And since I find design everywhere, I was of course enamored with the rustic and cozy Coloradoan decor of the restaurant - especially the simple and rustic fireplace we were seated by.

The cozy fireplace @ Boulder Cork via Lindsay Saccullo Interiors Instagram

I love how they carved out the area next to the hearth for log storage. So organized and compartmentalized yet accessible and visually interesting. To me, one of the best parts about having a true operational fireplace is the use and display of the firewood. But since logs are pretty bulky, they often end up in the way, especially in a small space.

Speaking of small spaces - being from a city where an apartment with a fireplace (let alone an operational one) is the utmost of gems, it got me thinking. Why can't we tiny space dwellers also reap the benefits of the fireplace ambiance? Whether you are one of the lucky ones who might have a decorative fireplace (sigh!) or a real, actual, operational fireplace (double sigh!), or you just want to mimic the beauty that this element of design, there are lots of ways you can achieve a bon fire in a small space. Below is a roundup of my top ten.

So, let it burn!

~L.S.

*Reminder*- Always exercise caution when lighting a fire or burning a candle in your home. Safety first! Even before style...