Creating 'g'

When the space was still for lease.





Before we added the 'g' touch - a former outlet for working clothes will be transformed into a green building supply and design showroom opening October 2007.




My latest renovation project is a bit of a departure from recent work. This commercial spot is the new location of our new showroom for green building supplies and all things to make your home and your life more green, healthy and eco-friendly. ‘g’ Green Design Center is slated to open in early October, but more on that in a few minutes.

Here are the photos of this space as it is transformed from a dark blue outlet for working clothes into a natural wonderland of bamboo, water, recycled glass, paper, clay and everything non-toxic, healthy, welcoming and energy efficient.



New wallboard goes up to split the former clothes store in two pieces - one for New Balance, one for 'g'.







Electricians relocate the telephone jacks to the check out area and install tracks for the low energy track head fixtures.






We started with the basics – we looked at the existing space and tried to reuse what was already existing while making it a more beautiful environment to show off all the wonderful products, services and information we’ll be featuring.

The concrete floor was the first project. Working with a local contractor, Jeff Brown of Harwich, we reclaimed the floor by sanding just a bit, and then applying an acid stain that uses no harmful chemical to create a large water feature that envelopes you as you enter the front doors.


Here's a close up of the beautiful watery blue green of our new floor - like a pool of water to envelope and refresh you.







Next to tackle were those intensely dark blue walls that were left by the former tenant. The color was just not ‘g’ if you know what I mean. Our painter, Rob Minshall of Mashpee, has worked with us before and has fallen in love, as we have, with the non-toxic paints we’ll be stocking from AFM Safecoat. Its amazing, but there are no fumes, zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds. In Rob’s own words he describes the paint as having “excellent coverage”. He was able to cover those hideous dark blue walls with one coat of primer and one coat of a very light green paint. Pretty amazing – and non-toxic too.


Rob up high to rid us of thos somber dark blue walls.




The painting transformation....




Continues...


Finally Rob paints in the checkerboard pattern along the top of the walls - tune inlater to see how this board is put to use.






Next in were the bamboo cabinets that create a dynamic kitchen display and will help clients envision their own kitchen make-over. Mark Harding from Wampworx in Mashpee and Aquinah loaned his crew for the cabinet install as well as the laying of some bamboo flooring for the cash wrap and miscellaneous, but vital, carpentry items around the showroom.



Bob installs the bamboo cabinets.





Slowly the showroom is coming to life.



A view to the front - we've cloaked the windows to hide the mess as well as create intrigue for the opening just a few weeks away.














The cabinets will be fitted out with a gorgeous recycled glass countertop from IceStone next week, and will feature a back splash in Richlite, a recycled paper countertop material that will also be featured in our design conference area.

Still to come are the low energy track head lighting fixtures, the construction of the shelving, and some beautiful movable displays being created by Peter Ochs of North Falmouth that will show off several types of bamboo, as well as other building materials such as WheatBoard and Dakota Burl, a new material made from sunflower seed husks.

We are working in the back room to input all our new products and are busy ordering inventory that will take us through the Xmas season. There is certain to be something for everyone, from Sleep Mists to wine bottle stoppers made of reclaimed doorknobs, to flooring, paints and much more. While we are a bit overwhelmed at how much there will be to offer, we are weeding through everything to come up with a selection that will entrance, enhance and bring new shades of green into everyone’s life.

Green Building Events

Upcoming Events:

Wednesday, June 20th - 6:30 - 8:30pm -
"Your Green Home" Workshop - Pratical and Immediate
Ways You Can Green Your Home Today
at Oolala Home, 104 Palmer Ave., Falmouth
call 508-495-3888 to reserve your space

Tuesday, July 31st - 2PM - 7PM
Woods Hole Waterfront Park, Cape Cod
Green Building Expo and Project GreenScreen
at the WOods Hole Film Festival
Afternoon event features exhibitors, vendors,
non-profits, architects and builders supplying
green building information to consumers,
homowners and all our visitors to Woods Hole

For Exhibitors (Double click to enlarge this page):


Registration Information:
Project Green Screen/Green Building Expo
Exhibitor Agreement
Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 2PM – 7PM


Business Name


Contact Name email address


Address City, State Zip


Phone Cell Fax
Please indicate your product(s)/service(s):


Please Check Exhibiting Category:

____ Manufacturer ($350) _____ Builder/Architect ($200) _____ Non-Profit Organization ($75)
_________________ (qty) Table @$15/ea. ______________ (qty) Chairs @$5/ea.

Will you be sharing the table with another vendor? ________ Yes – Name ____________________ ______ No

Exhibit space is not guaranteed until deposit is received and spaces are sold on a first paid, first served basis. We will do our best to accommodate your space preference. Please contact us for updated information on space availability.

Expo Fee Payment Schedule/Options:
50% due of the total expo fee due at the time of registration to secure a table
50% balance due in full no later than July 15, 2007

Payments should be made by check to “Woods Hole Film Festival”. Send payment and this signed agreement to Expo Producer Nicole Goldman, GoldmanArts, Inc., 12 Sidney Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543

General Release & Terms
On behalf of my self, my administrators, and other exhibit workers, I hereby release, acquit and forever discharge the Woods Hole Film Festival and its agents from any cause of action, claims, demands or damages resulting from my participation in the Project GreenScreen/Green Building Expo, July 31, 2007. I also release them from responsibility of lost, stolen, or damaged property during the event. There will be no refunds for cancellations.

I agree to the above terms and expo price:


Signature of Authorized Representative Date

Fax this form to 508-548-3797 or send with your check to Expo Producer Nicole Goldman, GoldmanArts, Inc. 12 Sidney Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Call Nicole at 508-495-4884 with any questions, or email - nicole@goldmanarts.com

Project Green Screen/Green Building Expo
Exhibitor Registration
Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 2PM – 7PM

Location:
Waterfront Park, Woods Hole (next to the MBL Club on Water Street)
Drop off and pick up at curbside. Parking at the MBL lot on Bar Neck Road.

Exhibitor Set-up:
Table (check one) _______________ will bring own table or display ___________ need table ($15 ea.)

Are you interested in being paired with another exhibitor if space is limited? _____________________________

Chair (s) (how many?) ___________________ ($5 ea.)

Electricity __________ no ___________ yes (please specify for what need) ____________________________
(power will be supplied by Clean Energy Design’s solar trailer)


Will you have samples, discount coupons or other giveaways? Specify if possible ________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Set-up Logistics:
Set-up will be possible after 11AM on Tuesday, July 31, 2007. All exhibitors must dismantle and remove all display
items by 8PM the same day.

Drop off at curbside from 11AM – 1:30PM ONLY.

Pick up at curbside from 7PM – 8PM ONLY.

Exhibitor Notes:
• Each exhibiting group (each table space) will receive 2 complimentary tickets to Project GreenScreen
• Each exhibiting group will receive 4 admissions to the Green Building Expo
• Please note the Expo will be a paid admission of $3 for which each visitor will receive a compact fluorescent
lightbulb (CFL)
• Each exhibitor will be provided with chair(s) and table(s) as ordered – see above
• A complimentary green tablecloth will be provided for each table ordered.
• Electricity available for those who require it.
• Please bring backdrops but keep in mind that the exhibit space is limited to one table, not a booth as in larger
shows.
• Signage is welcome but should not obscure neighbors’ displays.
• Tables must be staffed for the entire time of the Expo. Unmonitored displays will detract from the quality of the
show, and Expo producers cannot be held responsible for monitoring exhibitor space at any time.

Fax this form to 508-548-3797 or send with your check to Expo Producer Nicole Goldman, GoldmanArts, Inc. 12 Sidney Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Call Nicole at 508-495-4884 with any questions, or email - nicole@goldmanarts.com





For Homeowners (Double click to enlarge this page):

Professional Photos

There's nothing like a professional photographer - in my case having Amy Rader (http://www.amyraderphotographer.com) - to make your house look spectacular. I hope you enjoy seeing this series of photos that start at the top of the house and work their way down. We’ve excluded my son’s room in the 4th floor bird’s nest since its rarely in any shape to be photographed, but then he’s 13. And I haven’t shown every room on the main floors, but you can get a sense of type of spaces we created, the atmosphere and loftiness, and connections between the rooms. I also hope you’ll be able to detect some of the special features we included such as the green building elements, the detailing such as the shelf for our collections, and the richness of the color scheme and materials.
More to come soon on the green building aspects of this home. Hope you’ll log in again soon.



The Master Bedroom with cathrdral ceiling and a luscious blue that is serene and soothing. The passive solar energy captured in this room heats up the space to 70º during the day, keeping heating costs low.






View out the Master Bedroom to Vineyard Sound.





The vanity of the Master Bath, crafted by Peter Ochs of North Falmouth, designed by Jon Goldman





These mosaic glass tiles from Sicis create an inviting aquatic environment in the shower of the Master Bath.









Detail of shower controls in Master Bath















View of the shower in Master Bath shows the reflection of the water view of Vineyard Sound




















Detail of the faucet by Phillipe Stark in the Master Bath


















2nd floor family bath has elegant, simple features such as green tiled floor and ivory cabinetry that offers space for two or more















The Music Room includes custom built bookcases and a crystal chandlier that can make a Liberace even out of a chopsticks player.













Detail of the Music Room entrance. A quiet, restful spot near the home's entry hall.







The living room area of the Great Room has micor-suede upholstered sofa's to provide a colorful, yet durable and maintenance free lifestyle.












Overview of the Great Room with Dining Area Living Area and large open kitchen








Facing the custom-built kitchen with African Cherry cabinets and state-of the-art appliances.










Side view into the kitchen which encompasses half the Great Room providing ample room for multiple cooks and plenty of guests.







The Bar has an extra sink and frig to help with entertaining. The glass encased cabinets show off the glass collection inside.







View towards the main cooking station with six burner stove and ample oven. The refrigerator at the far end is paneled to fit in with the other cabinetry. A communication center for the family is on the left.







Close up of the living area and part of the extensive mask collection that is displayed throughout the main floor.

















The artist in his studio/gallery.



















The artist's studio looking towards the main entry of the house.






More next time on green building and my current projects with clients - including a 2 bedroom apartment and a green kitchen with universal (accessible) design.

My Crystal Ball

This article was written for publication in The Homesteader (visit at www.thehomesteader.com)






The boxes sat in a corner of the music room for six months. It was not lack of interest, nor the problem of construction dust miring the installation. We hesitated to put together and hang our crystal chandelier after moving into our new home because of the many things it represents.

The chandelier was a gift from an old friend, who at the time the boxes were sent was proving medical science wrong by surviving pancreatic cancer. By the time the construction was complete and we had the all clear to install this sparkling experiment in rococo meets contemporary living, Franklin was gone. And so the boxes languished.

Franklin was a spirit unto himself, like no other. A good ole boy from North Carolina, Franklin partied his way through four wives, three children, avoidance of the Vietnam War, gunning running and other nefarious operations. We had met years before on a vacation to St. Croix when our daughters discovered each other in the pool. His daughter Annadel is now a mother, and mine a college student, so time has certainly seen changes between us. We continued to vacation together every few years, and my husband and son most recently visited Eden (Eden, NC where Franklin was born, raised and ran the family’s chandelier company) last spring during their road trip down to Red Sox spring training.

During my last conversation with Franklin, this past August, I asked him “Where will your spirit go? It’s too grand to leave us.”

Yesterday, on the first day of the New Year, we saw his spirit rise again. Though it was a blustery, rainy, gray day in the Northeast, the sparkle of lights from the crystals glimmering on our chandelier rose piece by piece throughout the afternoon, and Franklin is with us once again.





Granted we needed several hours of uninterrupted time for my husband and I, with occasional help from our son, to construct and wire this over-the-top lighting extravaganza, and that too had delayed its foray into our life. It came in pieces. About fifty or so in all. Each was carefully wrapped in tissue, foam pellets and newspaper and had been shipped from Eden in two large boxes. The King Chandelier Company, http://www.chandelier.com/show.asp, was founded in 1935 by Franklin’s grandfather and became the first nationally advertised, mail order chandelier company in the country in the 1950’s when its first catalog was published. Though Franklin had urged us for years to acquire one of his creations, it wasn’t until we were building our new house last year, that he finally decided to take the situation into his own hands and sent us one.





(Here is the catalog description of our 24” Rosalie Chandelier - NEW! Another addition to our line of King’s Reserve reproductions. The scrolls give the Rosalie chandelier an antique European look, and its simplicity makes upkeep a cinch. A good choice for parlors, salons, and bedrooms with 10’ ceilings, but equally beautiful in any room. Will fit nicely in a dining room with 8’ or more ceilings. The sprinkling of pendants are Swarovski Strass 21⁄2” almonds, and there is a 40mm ball on the finial. The crystal frame features blown, rope-twisted arms and scrolls, thumbprint and crosscut bobeches, scalloped candle cups, and 41⁄2” candles. Note the inverted bobeches and crystal rings on the scrolls.)

Honestly, I had looked in his catalog many, many times, but could not see myself with this kind of overly fanciful sparkling creation. It didn’t fit our lifestyle, or our vision of ourselves. The chandeliers reminded me of some grand entry in a Manhattan townhouse, or a ballroom in Russia. They were even too lavish for our former 1850’s Victorian home. So how would something like this fit in with our European-styled kitchen cabinets, our sustainable bamboo floors, our modernist glass walls and gleaming stainless steel appliances?

By the time the gift was made, how could we say no? It was a dying wish of a dear friend. I would work it into the interior design. And that is how our music room came to be.

Our Steinway grand piano also needed a home somewhere in the house. This turn-of-the-century gem was inherited from my husband’s grandmother almost twenty years ago and has lived in two of our past homes (as well as spending various periods in climate-controlled storage when a place at home was not possible). My husband is an avid pianist so accommodations would certainly be made in the new house plan.





When our friend and architect, Lawrence Cheng, took a look at the various spaces the existing house offered, he saw that there were really too many large, open, unassigned rooms on the main floor and elected to spilt one of these into a music room on one end, a powder room and stereo closet in the middle, and a media room on the far end. With the formality of the piano and the expected Swarovski crystal chandelier in mind, I designed a series of floor to ceiling bookcases to line the walls and create an intimate and sumptuous setting for these elaborate and decorative icons. I would need to go “over the top” to make these pieces seem at home, if that was at all possible.

Though the walls and shelves are peppered with our eclectic collection of masks and cultural paraphernalia from around the world, the room presents a formal, yet playful center to our main living area. Visible upon entry to our home, the piano and now chandelier beckon visitors into a spatially ample, yet decoratively diverse room that promises gaiety and culture. From the bug-slapped German license plate that adorned our car during our trip through Europe five years ago, to the Plexiglas-encased Chinese jacket, another house gift from a friend, whose case cost more than the flea-market acquired garment, the music room sings with life and now sparkles with color. Two large windows just behind the piano bench bring in bright sunshine throughout the afternoon hours, heating the room and bouncing off the crystals in a rainbow of hues. At night, the dimmable fixture creates such an elegant setting I may require my husband to wear his tuxedo jacket when playing piano. I myself may need to wear gloves.




The feng shui of the house has certainly been altered. Though the new energy patterns have yet to settle, I can sense a new beginning in the realignment of the life forces that will flow through and around these crystals. A neighbor has promised to help me ground the space, because it really is charged by this new addition, and to usher us into a new year of hope and well being. We’ll cherish this new addition and the spirit it creates in the room and in our home. There is much to be said about the objects you live with. My crystal ball is a beacon of light that even with its crazy scrolls and bobeches has spoken to us with wisdom and direction.

I Love My Floors

I’ve been steeped in research and writing about green building today, and have assignments for another 2 or 3 articles in the coming weeks on various aspects of this topic, so my focus on floors relates to the green, or sustainable quality of our new floors.

From the outset I knew that we wanted bamboo flooring wherever this idea would work. Most of the existing floors are oak, which is fairly common in this region of the country, and our plan was to refinish existing floors where possible and fill in as needed.




The master bedroom was one space where we could introduce a new material since it was separate from other rooms, and levels, making the visual transition an easier one. You actually come up three steps from my office, which has oak floors, as it was formally a bedroom. I chose a white carpet (yes, you read correctly) for the steps since it would not be heavily trafficked, and would mostly be walked on without shoes. The soft surface would also allow me to “pad around” an expression I adore and something I only remember doing after my water had broken on the morning my daughter would be born (18 + years ago) as I waited for the right moment to wake up Jonathan. Now I pad in style atop a basket weave, white on white design that only stretches from the steps to the end of the bathroom hallway in the master suite – it’s only about 7’.





But once inside the room, we installed a beautiful pre-finished blond bamboo floor that is light and natural looking. Teamed with the palest of teal blues for the paint color, something Benjamin Moore calls “(Icing on the Cake” (2049-70) the blond wood creates a very beachy feel, but is as much fun in the cold weather as in the warm, since it reminds us of summer. Our big purple bed – more of magenta than a purple – grounds the whole affair and helps it to work in all seasons. The bed linens bring in all the colors with a quilted ice blue coverlet and bright Indian print covered throw pillows.

A quick turn into the master bath reveals a smooth and silky beige ceramic 15” x 15” tile that is sophisticated and sleek, like the Crema Marfil marble-topped vanity we had made by our friend Peter Ochs. The tiles are large and set in straight and




make the impression of a larger space. Their simplicity was important since they share the space with our very vivid opalescent aqua mosaic glass-tiled shower that is the real statement in this fairly small room. The walls as well as are a very pale beige shade, (BM HC-27 entitled “Monterey White”, and do not challenge the shower tiling. Rather the whole room has a very elegant and soothing feel that is augmented by a full wall mirror with a band of lights on dimmers.

In the main room of the house, the kitchen/dining room/family room we had anticipated refinishing the existing oak floor, but when it proved too far gone after demolition of the surrounding walls, it was ripped up and needed a full replacement. Though I hemmed and hawed on the floor selection here, worrying that bamboo would not work well with the heavilypatterned wood of the kitchen cabinetry, I finally did go for the bamboo in an amber tone and I’m really glad I did.

The tone is similar to oak, which we have nearby on the stairs to the bottom level and in the adjacent music room, but they meld together well. Various individuals counseled me that mixing of woods can work, and though I was afraid there would be too many conflicting patterns and grains, it actually looks quite wonderful. The huge expanse of bamboo is so beautiful and I love the straight grain of the wood. Its linear quality is a great accompaniment to the linear styling of the kitchen cabinetry as well as the graphic lines of all the windows in that room, which allows it all to work together. We coupled the natural look of the wood with a soft green (BM 2144-40) called “Soft Fern” that blends well with the outdoors and seamlessly connects the walls of the room to the arborvitae outside.

Another major green flooring choice occurs in Jonathan’s studio where new construction allowed us to pour a concrete floor. Concrete can be a wonderful surface if finished properly, and though ours still has some issues with its epoxy finish, and fear this is not a green ideas, it is smooth and silky to walk on. We also took the opportunity to install radiant heat under the


poured surface and this is a fabulous heating source and makes the floor super comfortable to walk on year-round, with no shoes or stocking feet. I had them add a squared-incised pattern, measuring about 4’ x 4’ each across the surface so it would be visually broken up, and the white surface less overwhelming. Jonathan wanted an all white space, for mental clarity as much as anything else, and we created a spectacular studio/gallery space where there was formally a rundown garage. The floor adds immeasurably to the visual clarity, and it’s a fabulous surface for dancing as well.

The kids wanted carpeting in their rooms and I’ll be honest that I went with economic choices rather than natural ones. I figured that Isaac could easily stain or otherwise wear his carpeting over the course of the next five years before he goes off the college, and therefore the investment should be minimal.







In Sasha’s room, on the bottom level, I justify the decision for a nylon carpet with the notion that we could see some water down there and more expensive carpet would be therefore expensive to replace. This way I don’t fret the dampness or the beach traffic from her friends, and we can always replace down the road if our needs and uses change.

But outside of Sasha’s bedroom in the room we call the Kids’ Den, we installed a slate colored ceramic tile that is both durable and beautiful. Its called London Grey and it has a steely quality that also works well for a house near the beach. We used the same tile in the front vestibule and it can take great abuse but still look good. It looks like stone without the expense and works well with the real bluestone just outside the front door.



In Sasha's bathroom we recreated the same designwe had installed when we finished her attic bathroom in Concord a few years ago. We used a simple 8" x 8" white tile and designed a simple inset pattern of blue/green seaglass to ring the room. It allowed us the use the seaglass, a staple in these parts for decorating everyting from mittor frames to lamp bases, while keeping the cost reasonable, as those little tiles are pricey and even a few start to add dollars to the flooring budget quickly. I like the fresh, clean look of the floor which brightens an otherwise dark, windowless room. The crisp minty green walls (BM2041-70, Irish Mist) enhance the brightness as well, making it an inviting respite in contrast to the dank room it used to be.









Lastly we selected a natural green stone tile for the upstairs/guest bath. It’s a serene green and white mottled pattern that varies from tile to tile, as natural stone tends to do. Since the room is intensely sunny most of the day, the soft green color helps tone down the brightness and is cool to the touch. The rest of this fairly large bath/laundry room has white and off-white fixtures and the grey green of the walls (BM 2138-60 Grey Cashmere) picks up the tiling coloring perfectly. Again there is no fancy installation pattern, which keeps the lines simple, contemporary and open in feel.






You can probably tell that I think, daresay I know, that floors matter. They are a large visual expanse in most rooms and contribute significantly to the overall atmosphere you create in a space. We went for emotional resonance as well as a fluid quality that would follow us from room to room. There are elements of color, texture, pattern, depth, brightness, darkness, softness, hardness, movement, strength and stability. Each contributes to the character of the rooms, establishing mood, effecting sound and light, and encouraging activity or leisure depending upon the ambiance.

Floors are what hold us up and capture us when we fall. Little kids spend an awful lot of time moving around on them. Adults often forget they exist, except when something falls or they need cleaning. But they are always there to ground us, support us, balance us. I love my floors and derive great benefit from having taken the time to consider the materials and qualities of each selection.


Look for upcoming blog entries:
• I Love My Stove
• Kitchen Woods
• Landscape Evolution
• The Zonal System
• …

I Love My Door

I’m back. That has nothing to do with doors, but I thought a short explanation about my long hiatus from blogging was required. I seems I left off somewhere in April, though I had never been a prolific blogger. It’s a self-conscious thing, which makes you question how much everyone wants to know your point of view, on whatever subject. Several persistent inquiries led me to believe that some of what I said or showed was of interest, so I’m back.

Hiatus – Mandated by the insane schedule we kept last year that finally caught up to me in April when the house was nearing completion, my son was having his birthday (May 1) and his Bar Mitzvah (May 6th), meaning 100 close friends and relatives came to town for a weekend long celebration that I orchestrated, my daughter had to be readied for her Senior Prom (May 13th) and had her birthday (May 15th). Throw Mother’s Day in there somewhere when I took a day off to play tennis and mah jong. This followed by more completing of the house, working on client projects in Boston and Woods Hole, and finally our move back into the newly renovated house (in pieces from June 2 – 8, our first night there). Followed by our daughter’s high school graduation (June 9th) our wedding anniversary (June 10th) and her graduation party (June 11th), my mother-in-law’s 70th birthday weekend in Pennsylvania (June 17th), writing of articles, unpacking and arranging and breaking down of seemingly hundreds of boxes (from a year ago).

And then it was summer with an endless stream of visitors and events including a dinner party for 25 with such luminaries as Jimmy Breslin and Rip Torn, the Woods Hole Film Festival and its accompanying cult of aspiring filmmakers who my husband attracts like flies and then offers overnight accommodations, assorted charitable events, social occasions, our niece’s Bat Mitzvah in NY, weekend visitors, dinner guests, and people who just drop by. Somewhere in there we moved our piano from Cambridge where it too had been stored for over a year, and moved out of our Back Bay apartment. More articles, a lot of tennis, some sailing, more client projects, a Red Sox game (game 5 of their losing streak to the Yankees – too painful to recount), more visits, preparing our daughter for college, taking her to college, recovering from taking her to college, a mortgage refinancing, the beginning of school for our son, and suddenly time.

Time.

Time.

It was almost too impossible to even imagine after all that craziness.

Now back in some routine, some organized chaos of balancing work and play, life has returned to a manageable state in which I may be able to write again.

And now – My Door.

It all started with a coffee table. I went to Mohr & McPherson, www.mohr-mcpherson.com/, during their annual sale in June of 2005 before we had moved a chair or hat to Woods Hole. I wanted a coffee table. A simple furniture item that I had been denied for most of my married life. Why? I really don’t have an answer for that except it seemed that Jonathan (husband) seemed to have some incoherent aversion to having one in his house. I needed a place to put my feet when I read, to rest a glass and a cheese board when I entertained, somewhere for my coaster collection!
I wandered around their voluminous warehouse for probably an hour falling in love with every carved surface, every glass panel, every color of every table they had on the floor which totaled more than 100 – each one unique. After looking and looking I settled on not one but two that were the answer to my dreams. One a very clunky, raw wooden table that needed a glass top, and the other an enormous red stained, carved Chinese table that wouldn’t be overshadowed by the orange ultra-suede love seat and ottoman, and purple ultra-suede couch I was having re-upholstered prior to our move.
But how could I choose, and then bring these home to Jonathan and not worry that he wouldn’t approve. Besides, I had to choose between the two.


So I brought Jonathan back to the warehouse with me. He knew I was determined, and he’d had a change of heart, so the idea of “coffee table” was not out of the question. And he actually liked a lot of what he saw. He too wandered around the warehouse for a while and finally told me about two he liked. I did not coach or suggest or direct, but as love will have it, he picked out the exact same ones I had chosen – is that a match made in heaven or what? I was thrilled.
We could not decide between the two, so got both. And we are talking very reasonable prices. Something like $400 for the large red one, and $275 for the raw wooden one. We didn’t know quite where we expected to put the big clunky one, but its rawness was so compelling we just had to take it. And that price – oh vey, what a steal.


Before we got out of there however, we wandered around a bit more and saw these carved wooden screens. They were masterfully done with dozens of stylized people performing a fascinating array of activities we couldn’t figure out, but they looked cool doing it. I think it said the screen was Indian, but Jonathan seems to remember Pakistani. It was this wonderful ashy brown color that we knew our house, when it was built, would weather to, and we were sold. This was our new door, though the house was nowhere near ready to receive it.

















It sat in the new old house that summer while our contractor cogitated how it could be turned into a door. There was the inevitable head scratching and speculating about how a frame for the door could be put together. Should there be backing? How could it be made weather proof? Would it fit in the doorframe we had on the plans? What kind of hardware would go with it?
Our contractor brought it to a specialist named Wayne Hatt, who is legendary in these parts for his brilliance with wood of all kinds, shapes and ultimate uses. When I finally met Wayne, months after the door was installed, at the party of a mutual friend, and introduced myself, he just chuckled and called his wife over to have her meet the “door” lady.
Wayne devised a simple frame that would essentially encase the screen in a wooden frame. He determined that our screen was made of a Filipino mahogany, so he chose a complimentary unstained mahogany for the frame. Though he was worried about whether he could shim or shave the screen into a squared format, and had no access to me (don’t ask why), he figured out a solution that would adhere to the measurement of our doorframe and provide a solid case for the screen.
As it happened, the coloring of the woods could not be more complimentary. The ashy browns work beautifully together. The darker screen with the lighter-colored frame offset each other, and work very well with the cedar siding on the house.



When our contractor unloaded the door in early April he boldly admitted that he wasn’t crazy about the piece – he didn’t see it as a front door. But I saw otherwise. I swooned – yes, my heart actually leapt at the beauty of the piece. It made me see how incredible the whole house was going to be and how proud I would be when I could walk through it each day.
I think it was finally installed in late May sometime. There had been a temporary door put in place throughout the construction phase, to keep the weather out, and so that this door did not get damaged. It was the absolute icing on the cake for me, pulling the look of the whole house together. And its message would be clear – something unusual is going on beyond this door – this is not your ordinary door - this is not your ordinary home.
Everyone who walks through it comments on it. Where did you get this? Those of them who know of our round the world trip in 2002 ask about where we bought it on the trip and wonder how we got it back. It gets boring telling them that we bought it in Cambridge – so unromantic, so ordinary. Sometimes I go along with their hypothesis and we talk about east Asian art and what exactly the people on the screen are doing – perhaps some religious offering, perhaps just making soup and doing laundry – probably the latter.




Talk about welcoming



I love my door. Its part conversation piece, part cultural icon, part personal statement. I took a pale white stain to the frame to weather protect it and it seems to be holding up well. The lockset is a very simple burnished bronze, nothing too ostentatious. When I look at the other doors I could have had, with nice little windowpanes, and raised panels perhaps, I know they are not me, not us. This door is us and it fits our frame.





Looks just as good from the inside as from the outside.







And it certainly fits in with the overall design of the house.