May 2014
Backyard Makeover: This Overgrown Yard Gets a Contemporary Refresh
A contemporary backyard design makes a once-neglected Paul Thiry home shine
“Have you seen Grey Gardens?” It’s the first thing Seattle magazine arts and culture editor Brangien Davis says when describing the grounds that once surrounded her Denny Blaine dwelling. The reference to the famous documentary set in a decaying manse with an overgrown garden is spot on. When Davis and her husband, Daniel Spils, bought…
Custom Swivel Chairs Create Versatility in this Small Room
Reviving the lost art of conversation one swivel chair at a time
!–paging_filter–pWhen challenged with the task of decorating the small family room off the kitchen in the Laurelhurst home of Pat and Lisa McCabe, designer Graciela Rutkowski focused on solving the room’s riddle, which included two entryways, barely any wall space and plentiful existing built-in shelving and cabinets. “It’s a family room, but there’s no room…
Style Interior Decor Advice Galore inside Ted Kennedy Watson’s First Book
!–paging_filter–pShop owner and style savant Ted Kennedy Watson releases his first book this month, emStyle Simplicity: An A to Z Guide to Living a More Beautiful Life /em(Sterling, $17.95). It’s a primer of sorts, packed as full of tips as his stores are stocked with tools to achieve it. img src=”/sites/default/files/newfiles/large_0514_tedkennedywatson.jpg” style=”float: left; margin: 10px;”…
Must-Have Bedroom Furniture: New Locally Made Dresser
!–paging_filter–pThe loft dresser is the newest member of the CHADHAUS family of handmade furniture, joining a stool, a table, a bed and a lamp. The dresser, like other pieces from the Loft series, boasts clean lines (reminiscent of traditional Shaker furniture), recycled steel hardware and is locally crafted from sustainably harvested wood. “We love this…
Five Pretty, Patterned Wallpapers to Adorn Your Space
As much as we love a sublime coat of paint on the walls, the boldly patterned wallpaper popping up everywhere has us experiencing a bit of print envy. These modern patterns are so fresh, so now, you’ll likely forget the dated wall coverings of yore (scallop-edged floral borders, country landscapes) and opt to paper up…
Travel Ideas Road-Trip Essentials from Hey Marseilles and Other Local Celebrities
Seattle-area celebs give us the scoop on what they drive, listen to and eat while on a road trip
!–paging_filter–pstrongLANGDON COOK/strongbrForager, a href=”http://\/\/seattlemag.com/langdon-cooks-mushroom-hunters-among-amazons-b…“author of emThe Mushroom Hunters/em/a and a href=”http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/” target=”_blank”Fat of the Land/a, and a href=”http://\/\/seattlemag.com/article/cooks-adventures-searching-chanterelles“Cook’s Adventures/a columnist for emSeattle /emmagazinebrstrongbrHow frequently are you on the road?/strongbrLately, it seems like all the time. brbrstrongRegular copilot:/strongbrUsually it’s just me and my strange thoughts.brbrstrongYour vehicle of choice:/strongbrWhen it’s running, my ’68 Mustang ragtop. Ford calls…
Road Trip Memories: Knute Berger Recalls His First Trek Across the Country
!–paging_filter–pI’m old enough to remember when Seattle was the end of the road. brbrWhen I was young, Seattle seemed like a city walled off from the east by mountains and surrounded by water on the west. Provincial we were, but also isolated and little known, a jumping-off spot for even more remote places. “Gateway to…
‘Parks and Recreation’ Star Pamela Reed Chats with Nancy Guppy
Reed plays Martha in 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,' now playing at the Seattle Repertory Theatre
!–paging_filter–pFans of the TV show emParks and Recreation/em will recognize Tacoma-born actress Pamela Reed from her recurring role as Leslie Knope’s mother. After countless roles on television and in local theater, Reed is now playing Martha in Edward Albee’s emWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?/em, made famous by Elizabeth Taylor. See her rise to the challenge…
Dress Up Your Cocktails! Recipe for Elderflower Syrup
!–paging_filter–pEveryone has their own preferred method for making the syrup, but besides the addition of exotic ingredients, the main difference is the time you allow the flowers to steep. I used a href=”http://honest-food.net/2012/04/27/elderflower-cordial-recipe/” target=”_blank”Hank Shaw’s recipe/a as a guide, eschewing the citric acid (two lemons seemed plenty, and anyway, I’d used up my stash of…
Where and How to Hunt for Elderflower
Stop and smell (and pick) the elderflowers
!–paging_filter–pLast year, I had an experience familiar to many a lazy mushroom hunter. I hit the snooze button one too many times and when I finally hit the road and sputtered into my favorite spring porcini patch well after sunrise, I was dismayed to find it picked clean. Evidence was all around like a crime…
Six Best New Washington Chardonnays
Putting their own twist on a California wine staple, Washington vintners butter up a whole new breed
!–paging_filter–pThe backlash against Chardonnay—summed up by the “ABC” (“anything but Chardonnay”) trend among wine drinkers and the result of one too many characterless butter bombs as Chardonnay’s popularity rose in the ’90s—is currently in the midst of its own backlash, as that fickle pendulum of wine fashion swings back toward this noble white grape.brbrBy the…