When I was in New York a couple of weeks ago I discovered my old black-and-white Ann Taylor swing coat sitting in my bedroom closet, and decided I wanted to wear to that day's meetings. But it was 30 degrees outside and the jacket had elbow-length sleeves, so I decided that I should probably wear it with long leather gloves so as to prevent my wrists from falling off. But then I realized that neither my mother nor I own a pair of long leather gloves.
Crate & Barrel 2-Piece Lounge Sectional | Gray Malin "Viareggio Pool" Print
One of my most frequent recurring dreams: I suddenly discover a series of rooms in my house that I've never seen before, and am overtaken by a sense of simultaneous frustration (why didn't I know these rooms were here all this time?!), excitement (new rooms!) and anxiety (what will I do with all these rooms?!). Apparently dreams like this symbolize that the dreamer is discovering untapped potential, or moving beyond what they previously saw as their limitations.
To me, they've always felt slightly more literal.
This is Kim Lewis. You might recognize her from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, or Tiny House Nation. I would like to borrow a) her hair, b) her wardrobe, and c) her freckles, but - most importantly - I would also like to borrow her decor opinions, because I love a good door...and the doors that she designed for Rustica Hardware miiiiiight just be the best. Like, in the world.
Kim worked with me to help pick out the perfect doors to install in our not-quite-yet renovated garage - you can see her selections here - and while I had her ear I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask her a few questions about how to incorporate super-bold design elements into your decor...and play the Match-the-Kardashian-to-the-Door game (it's a classic).
Hi, Kim! I obviously think you're fabulous and need to discuss all your fabulousness for posterity. Tell me a little about how you got to the designing-awesome-doors part of your life?
Give me all the Christmas things
I have never been a big Christmas decorator. But that’s not because I don’t want to be - oh my gosh, I would very seriously like to have my house look like a Christmas explosion, please - it’s because I never really had the space or the materials. When you grow up in a two-bedroom apartment in New York City, there’s not a ton of square footage to allow for high-volume decorating, and if you want to get all festive on the exterior of your place, what that means is stringing some lights from your fire escape.
Which is cool! But…you know. Definitely not the same as being a member of the McCallister family.
Oh hell no.
Remember how, last week, the guys working on my garage told me they "might not" be able to complete the project? Amazing news! They totally showed up, got to work, and made it happen, and now my three-months-in-progress garage renovation is done!
