Home Inspiration With Megan Wilson
The canvas tote bag is America's answer to the multipurpose French market basket, but instead of tightly woven palm fronds we use a distinctly American vegetation: cotton. Made of canvas typically so thick that it stands up by itself, this classic is more like a box with handles. Along its sides, it proudly exposes its selvedge, and at the base excess fabric is neatly folded like a well-wrapped present. The handles, often in a contrasting color, are attached with white stitching and wrapped around the body like a fat ribbon.
The most famous of all canvas totes is made by L. L. Bean of Maine, and was introduced in 1944 as a sturdy carryall for lugging blocks of ice from the pond to the icehouse to the icebox. The style was later modified (at the advent of the refrigerator, no doubt) and marketed as the Boat and Tote, a suitably jaunty name that caught on with landlubbers and yachtsmen alike. Steele Canvas of Boston, in the bag and hamper business since 1921, initially made their totes for carrying coal. They say there was a logic to using undyed canvas for carrying something so dark and dusty: the thicker canvas (No. 6 duck) doesn't take dye as well as the thinner (No. 8 duck), and it was imperative that these bags stay open while being filled. The classics remain as useful as ever for land and sea; here are our favorites.
Five to Buy
Above: The customizable L. L. Bean Open-Top Boat and Tote Bag is available in a wide range of colors and sizes (customized monogramming is available as well); prices start at $24.95 for the smallest and go up to $39.95 for the extra large.
Above: The simple Steele Canvas Bag is $59 from Guideboat Co. in Mill Valley, California. The design is finally arriving on European shores: The Steele Canvas Tote is now available at General Good in the UK for £60 ($94.52). (See Steele's classic canvas bins and laundry hampers here.)
Above: The Medium Colored Open Top Canvas Tote Bag is $32.50 from Lands' End.
Above: From North Carolina company Parrott Canvas, the Medium Tradesman Tote is $68 and the Large Tradesman Tote is $78; both are made of heavy-duty, 22-ounce cotton duck with Martexin waxed canvas trim and copper rivets.
Above: The Dandux Coal Bag, made in Maryland by C. R. Daniels, is popular in Japan, but oddly difficult to find in the US. For something similar, consider the Bon Heavy Duty Canvas Tote from Bon of Pennsylvania; $68.33 via Amazon. Photograph via A Continuous Lean.
If, like us, you love canvas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Canvas Storage Containers and Trend Alert: 7 Canvas Bins for Books and More. And on Gardenista, have a look at 10 Easy Pieces: Canvas Weekend Bags.
Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100 presented in the Remodelista book. Have a look at her past lessons on the Butterfly Chair, Eames Lounge, and Nautical Hammock. Tour her Connecticut shop in our post Purveyor of the Practical and the Timeless.
This post is an update; it originally ran on July 8, 2014, as part of our Summer Rentals issue.
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Architecture & Interiors With Michelle Slatalla
How simply do you want to live? The question prompted South African architect Clara da Cruz Almeida to design a 183-square-foot prefab house—for two people to share. "You can learn to live without excess things," she says.
Her Life Pod, manufactured in Johannesburg, arrives on site in a flatpack ready to be assembled. Designers Dokter and Misses created clever interior spaces—with a micro-kitchen, folding furniture, and an enviable amount of storage—to make the tiny peaked house feel like a sanctuary. Come on in.
Photography via Pod Idladla.
Above: Folding concertina doors allow indoor and outdoor spaces to merge. The deck is furnished with collapsible chairs and Ronel Jordann's hand-felted wool Boulder Cushions.
"With a tiny house you need to get out, to live in society—go to the theater, go to the movies, interact with other people," says the architect. "It's about making life simpler."
Above: Of the interior space, Katy Taplin of Dokter and Misses says: "It needed to be very calm. We chose to keep the interior predominantly white with accents of mint green and gray."
The little kitchen feels spacious because it's under a pitched roof. Predominant materials are plywood, powder-coated steel, and stainless steel (used on the counters).
Above:"The idea is for the owners to display their items on the wall-mounted storage. It was also important to include as much enclosed storage as possible, to avoid clutter," says Taplin.
Above: A ladder leads to a sleeping loft. Clever design details including a folding sofa and folding table give the space flexibility to function in different ways.
"The reason the roof is pitched is to maximize solar potential—more space is created to attach solar panels," says Adriaan Hugo of Dokter and Misses.
Above: Light switches and outlets are from US company Legrand.
Above: Exterior metal cladding was supplied by Cupric Tectonics of Pretoria. Each prefab pod is built to order and can range from a shell to a fully kitted-out structure; see more at Pod Idlala.
For more of our favorite diminutive living quarters, see:
Just trying to clean up? see Carmella's 7-Step Plan to Clutter-Free Living.
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Kitchens With Alexa Hotz
For keeping yourself (and your party guests) hydrated all summer long, 10 state-of-the-art drinks dispensers at a range of price points.
What are you planning to put in your dispenser? For recipes, see Gardenista's post Herbal Essence: Just Add Water.
Above: Julie spotted this white enamel dispenser at Swedish online shop Artilleriet and then was very happy to find a US source: the Enamel Drink Dispenser with wrought-iron stand is $79 from Urban Outfitters. (See Julie's Design Sleuth post.)
Above: This Handblown Glass Drinks Dispenser with a walnut lid is made in Washington State; it's $170 at Food52.
Above: CB2's laboratory-inspired Glass Beverage Dispenser has a cork lid and holds seven quarts; $49.95.
Above: The Rivington Glass and Steel Drink Dispenser has a steel pedestal with a satin nickel finish and a stainless steel spigot (less expensive dispensers often have metal-finished plastic spigots). The Rivington is $343.50 AUD ($265.34 USD) from Dunlin in Australia.
Above: The cork-topped Recycled Glass Drink Dispenser from West Elm is $59.
Above: The Bubbled Glass Dispenser has a sheesham wood lid and stainless steel spigot; $298 from Anthropologie.
Above: The Typhoon Cliptop Drinks Dispenser is a large embossed glass Kilner jar with a mason-jar-style closure and seal; $50 from Target.
Above: The Clear Drinks Dispenser has the look of glass but is made of clear acrylic, a good option for a rowdy crowd. It's £20 ($33 US) from John Lewis in the UK.
Above: The Mason Jar Drink Dispenser is made of molded glass with a metal spout and galvanized metal lid; it's currently on sale for $55 (down from $69) at Pottery Barn.
Above: In a favorite recent post, Julie rounded up 5 Stainless Steel Italian Water Fustis, including this 10-liter Superfustinox Stainless Steel Water Dispenser. It's $179.95 from Water Check.
Go to 10 Easy Pieces: Basic Drinking Glasses for the perfect companions to these dispensers. And for party planning, see our Entertaining Essentials.
An ideal summer party drink? See Gardenista's Raspberry Sparkler for the Fourth of July.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on June 21, 2013, as part of our Summerhouse issue.
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Home Inspiration With Margot Guralnick
No need to get fancy. Here are a dozen low-commitment life enhancers for entertaining indoors and out.
Above: Julie's favorite Ikea discovery of late: The clear glass 365+ Pitcher with Cork Lid; $6.99. Another easy way to serve drinks: Sarah keeps a stash of clear-glass wine bottles on hand—"good-looking ones that I've recycled; I use them for water and cold beverages, shrubs being a current favorite."
Above: Black Rim Enamelware Dinner Plates from Crate & Barrel are $8.95 each. Go to our Enamelware dossier for more ideas.
Above: A longstanding Remodelista favorite: the painter's drop cloth as tablecloth (to soften the fabric, we suggest you launder it first). Ace Hardware offers heavyweight Canvas Drop Cloths in several sizes, ranging in price from $13.99 to $35.99. For more ideas, see 7 Easy Summer DIY Projects with Drop Cloths and the Hibiscus-Dyed Drop Cloth.
Above: The gauze-like Utility Napkin, $5 each from School House Electric, is handwoven by fair-trade artisans in India. We also like using Ikea's red-striped Tekla Dish Towels—all cotton and 79 cents each—as napkins.
Above: Saudade in London specializes in imports from Portugal, including these four-inch-tall Tin Garden Lanterns; £12 ($18.93) each. See more in Michelle's Outdoor Lighting post on Gardenista.
Above: All of us at Remodelista have collections of vintage ironstone platters in a range of sizes—"Ironstone isn't expensive and lends a look of bleached shells to the table without being obvious," says Justine. Source Ironstone Platters on Etsy; this 9 1/2-inch-long Homer Laughlin example from Etsy seller Gypsy Road Market is $5.
Above: Impossibly thin glass tumblers are another Remodelista staple for wine and water—and even though they look extremely fragile, they're not. Basic Tumblers (shown) from OK in LA are made in Italy and come in three sizes, priced at $4, $5, and $6 each. CB2 offers Marta Barware, a similar but differently proportioned "micro thin" collection, starting at $1.50 a glass. And Ikea's 365+ 6-oz. Glasses are $2.99 a six-pack. Find even more at 10 Easy Pieces: Basic Drinking Glasses.
Above: Gracefully shaped French Olive Wood Spoons are $19 each from Pod in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Above: Made of woven abaca fibers, Fishnet Placemat Sets from West Elm come in four colors (natural shown here); $12 for a set of two.
Above: Compostable Wooden Hot Dog Trays from Food52 are made of balsa wood wrapped in rice paper; $20 for 20. Compostable Wooden Corn on the Cob Trays also available; 20 for $20.
Above: Cut Glass Stripe Votives are $3.95 each, marked down from $8, at Terrain.
Above: Kaufmann Mercantile's Forged Steel Dinner Bell is made in Casey, Iowa; $19.
Help yourself, there's plenty more:
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Home Inspiration With Remodelista Team
Experiencing furniture fatigue? Take note: Minneapolis design company Blu Dot is giving away a $1,000 gift card to one lucky Remodelista reader. To enter, sign up for emails from Blu Dot and Remodelista by entering your email address by Tuesday, July 14, in the box at the bottom of this post. The winner, who will be chosen at random, will be notified by email by July 16 and receive an online gift code to use at Blu Dot stores and online. See Official Rules for details.
Bay Area Readers: Save the Date
Join Remodelista editors at the Blu Dot San Francisco Store (560 Valencia) on Thursday, July 9, from 5 to 8 p.m., for drinks, light fare, and a chance to win one of five signed copies of our first book, Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home. (If you already own the book, bring your copy to have it signed. We won't be selling books on-site). N.B.: If you haven't already entered the $1,000 giveaway contest online, you may do so at the event.
Above: What might you buy with your winnings? We'd suggest $269 go toward a Blu Dot Punk Lamp in black steel with a wood switch.
Above: Blu Dot's Hang 1 Mirrors come in eight shapes; $299 each. The Turn Tall Side Table is solid acacia wood; $399.
Above: Not just for indoors: Blu Dot's outdoor offerings include the Hot Mesh Cafe Table ($399), the Hot Mesh Chair ($129), plus the Hot Mesh Bar Table ($449) and the Hot Mesh Barstool ($199). Stay tuned for more of our Blu Dot picks on Thursday.
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DIY & Remodeling With Alexa Hotz
With a minor tweak, a lamp from the hardware store is personalized—by way of color choice—and elevated. Easy, quick, and useful in every rooms, it's the DIY every summer house needs.
Photography by Alexa Hotz for Remodelista.
Materials
Instructions
Step 1: Remove all labels and clip off unwanted tags to prepare the light for painting.
Step 2: Remove the lampshade, paying close attention so that you can reassemble it later.
Step 3: In a well-ventilated area, spray the exterior of the lampshade with a coat of paint. Allow it to dry before adding a second coat.
Step 4: When the exterior is completely dry, flip the shade over and apply two coats to the inside.
Step 5: Reassemble the clamp light with the painted lampshade.
The Finished Look
Above: Here's a detail of the light on my kitchen shelf.
Above: For a look at Justine's off-white version, see The Soulful Side of Old Cape Cod: Justine's Family Cottage.
Looking to make some quick lighting tweaks at home? Visit Design Sleuth: The Tolomeo Light Takes a Turn, DIY: Razor Clam Pendant Light, and A New $60 Lindsey Adelman Pendant Light.
This post is an update; it originally ran on September 29, 2014, as part of our Belgian Masters issue.
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Architecture & Interiors With Michelle Slatalla
Why does the word "kitchenette" sound so retro? When we featured a tiny 186-square-foot summer cottage as our Outbuilding of the Week on Gardenista, we admired the way it relies heavily on Ikea to make modern use of every inch of space (giving houseguests an excuse to stay out of sight till after breakfast). Here's how to re-create the look.
Above: Furnishings first. The secret to making a 186-square-foot cottage look spacious is diminutive furniture. A 30-inch wooden Tripod Table ($199 from West Elm) seats two comfortably. Ikea's birch plywood Frosta Stool (£8 in Great Britain, not available in the US) is a copy of the Alvar Aalto original and extremely versatile; it doubles as side table or nightstand as needed. Photograph by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista.
Above: The back wall is covered in four-by-eight-foot Wainscot Panels ($19.97 each) from Home Depot. Photograph by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista.
Above: On the shelves, Open Kitchen Salad Plates ($20 for a set of four) and Open Kitchen Mugs ($20 for a set of four) are available from Williams-Sonoma.
Above: Before we get started on the fixtures, let's fix ourselves a nice pot of tea. From Staub, an Enameled Cast Iron Round Tea Kettle in basil green is $159.99 from Big Kitchen.
Above: Bellocq's 3.5-ounce reusable travel caddy filled with Majorelle Mint Tea is $38 from Sundance.
Above: Guests can boil water in the microwave and then pour it into the kettle to brew. A GE 1,200-Watt Black Countertop Microwave sits on its own recessed shelf; $179 from Lowe's.
Above: Braced to deal with the plumbing? An Edsvik chrome faucet is $49.99 and a Fyndig Single Bowl Sink is $26.98, both from Ikea. They're mounted on a 1 1/2-inch-thick beechwood Karlby Countertop ($99 for a 74-inch length from Ikea).
Above: Made of recycled glass, the Copper Soap Dispenser holds 13.5 ounces; $30 from Terrain.
Above: A nickel-plated Fintorp dish drainer ($14.99 from Ikea) attaches to the wall with two screws and holds a removable tray.
Above: Ikea's freestanding two-door Sektion Base Cabinet Faced with Grevsta Stainless Steel is 30 inches wide; $195.
Are you looking for inexpensive and stylish ideas to kit out a summer guest cottage? See Steal This Look: A Finnish Cottage Kitchen and Dining Room and Steal This Look: Beach Cottage on the Dutch Coast.
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