Spotted in a Tuscan bath: a clever hanging solution for toiletries, towels, etc. Here's how to get the look.

Above: A tray hangs in Tuscany. See more of the lodgings at The New Dolce Vita: A Reinvented Village in Tuscany.

Above: Roost of Sausalito, California, makes Galvanized Trays in three sizes; the large is 24 inches in diameter and is $68 from Collyer's Mansion. You'll need to drill four evenly spaced around the edge of the tray to create openings for the suspension chains (you could use rawhide, too). Then, suspend the tray from a Ceiling Hook from Aubuchon for $1.69, and consult Lowe's for hanging chains by the yard.

Above: Gather the four supporting chains (or leather rawhide strips) and suspend from the ceiling hook with Gruntal S Hooks from Ikea; $2.99 (for a pack of five).

Looking for more bath and kitchen solutions? Go to 7 Bathroom Ideas Borrowed from Nautical Design and 11 Kitchen Storage Tricks to Steal from the Bathroom.

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• Steal This Look: The Compact Family Bath, Beach House Edition
• Trend Alert: 5 Baths with Floral-Patterned Tile

If you've ever worked out of a cubicle or a tiny home office, you understand the value of quality air flow, especially at the height of summer. We size up a group of table and desk fans—some with a retro appeal and others more modern.

Retro-Inspired Fans

Above: The Allaire Desk Fan from Restoration Hardware comes in two sizes and three finishes (brushed nickel, silver sage, black); prices start at $129. For more desktop ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Task Desk Lamps.

Above: The retro-inspired, handmade Bianca Directional Ceiling Fan from Matthews Fan Company is a ceiling-mounted option; it's available in 10 finishes, including brushed nickel and bronze; $784 at Lumens. For more ceiling fan ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Ceiling Lamps.

Above: The Retro Table Top Fan by Minka Air is made of solid steel and has three speeds; $56.02 at Amazon.

Above: The Charly Little Fan from Swizz Style is $130 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: The Deco Breeze Round Retro Table Fan is encased in a stainless steel shell and measures about 12.5 inches tall; $60 at ATG Stores.

Above: The Hunter Century 12-Inch Portable Table Fan in brushed nickel is $77.95 from Hunter Air.

Mod Table Fans

Above: The whisper-quiet Otto Fan from Swizz Style is made of oiled African sapele wood and high-grade steel; $199 at Amazon. In the Remodelista book, it's featured in the Remodelista 100, our collection of favorite everyday objects.

Above: The 10-inch-tall Soleus Air Soft Blade Table Fan has safe-to-touch gray blades and is also notably quiet; $25 from Linens 'n Things.

Above: The USB Desk Fan from Muji has two separate sets of blades for maximum air circulation; $29.50.

Go to our Appliance posts for more suggestions, including the Dyson Hot + Cool Heater/Fan and Gardenista's selection of Patio Heaters.

Upgrading your kitchen? See How to Choose Your Refrigerator and How to Select a Dishwasher.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on July 21, 2010.

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The wonders of summer living have us contemplating how to adjust our daily routines the rest of the year. For inspiration, we've been turning to artist Andrea Zittel and her otherworldly live/work compound, A-Z West, on the edge of Joshua Tree National Park.

Zittel, a longstanding international art star who is represented by Andrea Rosen Gallery in New York and Regen Projects in LA, among others, describes her work as "encompassing all aspects of day-to-day living: home, furniture, clothing, food, all become the sites of investigation in an ongoing endeavor to better understand human nature and the social construction of needs."

The home base for her study, A-Z West is spread over 35 acres of California's high desert and features a dozen of what Zittel calls Wagon Stations, her signature futuristic living pods that look like compact trailers from Mars. Kindred spirits are invited to come stay for up to a month at a time in spring and fall, and we're thinking of putting in an application. 

Photography via TRNK, unless otherwise noted.

Above: Rising amid the boulders, Zittel's flip-top living units are made of steel, aluminum, MDF, and Lexan. Residents can sleep in the open or pull down the roof for shade and protection from the wind.

Above: Single-size Wagon Stations are furnished with a mattress, shelf, hooks, sun hat (essential in these parts), flashlight, and brush for removing sand. Visitors stay free of charge, and the rules of the compound include pitching in an hour every morning on upkeep and kitchen duties.

Above: Some of Zittel's sleeping units are scaled for one, others for a family, and several have been customized by artists in residence. 

Zittel moved to the desert in 2000, established her setup as a nonprofit, and has been building a creative community since then. "We believe there are many ways to live, and that learning from others can offer new insight and perspectives on ourselves and the everyday environments we may think we already know well," she says. 

Above: The encampment has a communal kitchen that rises in the sand. Though it looks as if the encampment stands on its own, the town of Joshua Tree isn't far.

Above: The structure, and tables too, are composed of concrete block and wood. Partial walls help keep out the sand.

Above: Zittel's bare-bones design is detailed with steel storage cubes overhead. Bowls of various sizes are used for serving food and drink.

Initially water had to be trucked to the site, but eventually Zittel received a grant to build a well. Propane stoves are used for cooking and there's no fridge. Zittel advises prospective guests: "Ideally you will be a kitchen cleaner, a cool chest organizer, and you won’t mind sometimes making extra coffee to share with others in the morning." Photograph via A-Z West.

Above: An open-air shower area is situated on the other side of the wall, and elsewhere there are composting toilets.

"Our time at A-Z West was one of reflection, where everyday actions like preparing meals and going to the bathroom were reconsidered. Our movements were dictated by the elements—finding warmth in the mornings, shade in the afternoons, and shelter in downtown Joshua Tree during a few particularly brutal windstorms," writes visitor Nick Nemechek of magazine/design shop TRNK. "By distilling the camp to the minimum, the artist challenged our relationship to the many objects we indiscriminately consider essential...The experience has made me an infinitely more discerning consumer of objects, space, and time."

Above: Nestled at the foot of a rocky slope overlooking a valley, A-Z West is a two-hour drive east of LA. The colony also includes Zittel's home and studio, three shipping containers converted into additional sleeping quarters, and a chicken coop. Learn more and explore Zittel's far-ranging body of work and her blog at A-Z.

Intrigued? Here are two more creative hubs worth knowing about: Villa Lena, an Artist Residency and Hotel in Tuscany and Fogo Island Artist Studios in Newfoundland.

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The inspiration behind Justine's recent DIY floorcloth? These nautical canvas mats by Black Point Mercantile of Portland, Maine, tailor-made for the summer cottage and cabin. Even Justine says, "These are so spot on that next time, I think I'll go straight to the source."

Photography from Sharktooth.

Above: Black Point Mercantile's floorcloths are sold by Sharktooth of Williamsburg, Brooklyn; John Derian in NYC and Provincetown, Massachusetts; and Pancho and Lefty of Sweden. Made of heavyweight canvas that's painted, waxed, and distressed, they're $425 at Sharktooth for the four-by-six-foot size, shown here. (Go to Black Point Mercantile and John Derian to see variations of this pattern.)

A consortium of designers, painters, and craftsmen, Black Point Mercantile—not to be confused with Remodelista favorite, Black Creek Mercantile & Trading Co.—specializes in "durable products that will last as long as you do." The group is currently at work transforming a defunct movie theater in downtown Portland, Maine, into Black Point Mercantile's combination factory and shop/gallery.

Above: These two-by-three-foot Floorcloths are $275 each at Sharktooth.

Above: An 8-by-10-foot Diamond Pattern; $750 at Sharktooth. Custom sizes, colors, and patterns are available. 

Above: This six-by-nine-foot example is $550 at Sharktooth.

Above: A detail of the distressed surface and the stitching.

Above: Primary colors from Black Point Mercantile's about-to-be-introduced new series.

Above: A new design from Black Point Mercantile shown "in its native habitat," in the company's Portland movie theater.

We love living with canvas. For ideas, go to 7 Easy Summer DIY Projects with Painter's Drop Cloths. And to make your own summer rugs, see DIY: The Swedish-Striped Canvas Floorcloth.

Peruse more textiles from Sharktooth in our post The Patchwork Quilt Gets a Modern Makeover. 

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San Francisco readers: You're invited! Join us at the Blu Dot San Francisco store (560 Valencia) on Thursday, July 9, from 5 to 8 pm for a Remodelista after-work party: drinks, light fare, and great furniture. Bring your copy of Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home to have it signed by Remodelista editor-in-chief Julie Carlson. Chat with editors, shop Blu Dot, and stand to win one of five signed books we'll be giving away throughout the night.

Note: We won't be selling books at the event. Bring your own copy or purchase one in advance: Call around for availability at local booksellers, or order the book for $20 on Amazon and choose one-day shipping.

Reminder: Blu Dot is giving away a $1,000 gift card to one lucky Remodelista reader in the US, UK, or Canada (except Quebec). Enter Online by July 14 or enter in person at the San Francisco store event. For ideas on how to spend your winnings, browse the Remodelista editors' Blu Dot shopping list, The Best of Blu Dot: Remodelista's Picks. 

The store is located at 560 Valencia, between 16th and 17th. For directions, transit, and parking information, visit Blu Dot San Francisco. 

We hope to see you there!

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It all began with a request for a Band-Aid. 

Designer Brad Sherman, newly arrived in New York and crashing on a friend’s sofa, was working as a receptionist at communal workspace General Assembly. Merrill Stubbs, cofounder with Amanda Hesser of cooking and e-commerce site Food52, had cut herself and approached Brad for first aid. When the two started talking about Food52’s planned move to its own office, Brad, who has a master’s degree in sustainable design, mentioned he had just left a job creating offices out of reclaimed materials for recycled goods specialists TerraCycle of New Jersey.

“I didn’t have a portfolio, but working with trash taught me how to be extremely resourceful,” says Brad. That was a mere three years ago, and Brad not only got the job designing Food52’s quarters—see Steal This Look: A Cooking Site’s Own Kitchen—but has since become NYC’s go-to guy for cash-strapped startups looking to create stylish headquarters.

To keep up with demand, Brad has since teamed up with interior designer Nina Etnier, a school friend with a degree from London’s Chelsea College of Art and Design and a background in high-end residential design—“While Brad was building desks out buckets and doors, I was speccing $5,000 chandeliers.” 

Food52, too, has been expanding, and Brad and Nina recently completed the design for the company's 6,000-square-foot new office space in Chelsea, just blocks from the original—and equally cost-conscious. We especially like the staff kitchen, which is full of ideas to steal.

Photography by Mark Weinberg.

Above: "This is the darkest corner in the entire space, so every decision we made was motivated by creating a sense of lightness: a light palette and simple clean design helped achieve this," says Brad, adding that they were also guided by budget: "Although it may not look like it, this kitchen needed to be done as inexpensively as possible. We reused the reclaimed shelving from the old office, sourced $11 Shelf Brackets on Amazon (and painted them the same color as the cabinetry), and purchased the farm sink, faucet, and butcher block counters from Ikea."

The splurges? The cabinets are custom—"but, in truth, they really didn't cost that much more than Ikea in the end. The space is very uneven and would have required a lot of adjusting if we had gone with readymade," says Brad. Another custom detail: The center-of-attention 10-foot-long table and benches were designed by Brad and Nina of solid white oak—the ensemble will soon be available in Food52's online shop. As for the hanging lights, they're Brooklyn Vintage Giant Bell Lampshades in a pewter finish from UK company Industville and cost £89 ($137) each: "There are so many straight lines in the kitchen, we needed something to break them up. It was a very happy day when we found these—and they were in stock," says Brad.

Above: Brad and Nina went with flat-panel cabinet fronts for aesthetic as well as practical reasons: "They have a minimal, almost Scandi appeal that allows the focus to be shifted to the wares. And because there are no grooves or moldings to catch dirt, they can just be wiped down." Made of MDF, they're sprayed with a matte lacquer finish, Purbeck Stone, a soft gray from Farrow & Ball. "The gray is subtle, but it adds a soft tonality," says Nina. "The kitchen would have a lot less depth if it were a stark white."

The space is approximately 600 square feet, which the designers divided into two halves by inserting an Electrolux Single-Door Built-In Fridge in the middle ("The enclosure is just studs and drywall that's tiled). The left side of the fridge is the food prep area and the right is the coffee station with electrical outlets for coffee makers and a tea kettle. "The counter depth had to get shallower close to the exit; having a dividing line made that look intentional and also allowed us to neatly insert a wall of overhead cabinets next to the open shelving," says Nina.

The appliances came from Electrolux, one of Food52's sponsors. The sink is flanked by a 24-Inch Built-In Dishwasher (left) and 15-Inch Under-Counter Ice Maker (right). There's also a 30-Inch Induction Range with a Wall-Mount Hood.

Above: The pale butcher block is the result of applying a bleach solution three times to get the color and uniformity right: "Red oak plywood is less expensive than white oak and can be lightened to look almost the same," says Brad. It's finished with a food-safe sealant. 

The office's existing flooring, "a yellowing pine with patches of oak, completely inconsistent and all a terrible color," were upgraded (and made uniform) with a stain that the designers, after several unsuccessful tries with their crew, mixed themselves at the hardware store: It's Minwax, three parts white, and one part gray. 

The newly built back wall—detailed with transom windows (that use Plexiglas found in the space and faux mullions)—is a behind-the-scenes operations center: Etsy pegs hold extra chairs (from Crate & Barrel), there's a laundry station, and wall-hung bike rack.

Above: The room's matte white subway tile applied throughout—"we wanted to push it as a motif instead of just a backsplash"—is three-by-six Campus Field Tile from Waterworks, another of Food52's sponsors. Most of the kitchenwares come from the Food52 shop.

Above: A pantry is stocked with pullout drawers of maple ply—"very cost-effective," says Brad, "we also used it inside the staff kitchen cabinets."

Above: Spices are organized alphabetically. "The most sucessful kitchens have a place for everything," says Brad, explaining that the drawers on the right side of the kitchen are shallow—only 4 1/2 inches deep: "This prevents any cooking utentsils from being stacked on top of one another—everything is easily seen and organized."

Above: There's even a washer/dryer—for laundering tablecloths and other linens—and a laundry sink. Coincidentally, we featured the same Kohler Bannon Service Sink in this week's Steal This Look. Here, it's painted Farrow & Ball Calke Green. The faucet is the "most standard, inexpensive utility gooseneck on Amazon."

Above: A gathering area outside the kitchen has bench cushions and throw pillows (made of leftover Knoll sofa fabric in chenille wool and mohair) that were stitched by a local dry cleaner. "We got quotes from upholsterers, but our dry cleaner was much more affordable," says Nina. "Each pillow cover was $20 and we bought the inserts on Amazon for $9.99 each." The benches open to supply wine storage.

The pedestal table is from Crate & Barrel and the leather Folding Stool came from Urban Outfitters. The paneling is MDF: "We cut down four by eight boards into four-inch strips," says Brad. "Pine was too expensive, but we were able to achieve the look." The wall is painted Benjamin Moore Icicle, a warm white with a slight hint of green.

Above: Another of the designers' farmhouse tables is situated outside the office conference room and surrounded by Windsor-style Willa Dove Dining Chairs from Crate & Barrel. Made in Brooklyn, the table has patinated metal legs and a seamed white oak top: "It's in two pieces because the freight elevator was so tiny," says Nina. "Some of the cabinetry had to be walked up eight flights. We had no choice—there's no hoisting furniture on a budget." 

Remodeling? See more of our Kitchen of the Week picks, including Epoch Films' Industrial Friendly Office Kitchen and the $350 DIY Kitchen Overhaul in Two Weekends.

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"Rachel and I wanted a French press we'd be happy to leave out on the table, one that would be a centerpiece of the kitchen rather than something that goes right back into the cabinet after each use," says Andrew Deming of Yield Design Co. He and his partner, Rachel Gant, met as design students at California College of the Arts in SF and founded Yield with a mission to "pair American craft and ingenuity with an eye toward the future." That includes a beautiful brew: The duo, now based in St. Augustine, Florida, devoted a year to perfecting both the look and functionality of their French press.

Above: The one liter (eight cup) Ceramic French Press is available in cream and gray (shown below) in a matte glaze with a high-gloss interior and a copper pull; $150 from Yield Design. 

Their primary challenge, Deming and Gant tell us, was "achieving a level of precision in the casting to consistently accommodate the steel plunger." Although Yield prefers to work with local and domestic manufacturers, they ultimately choose to partner with a fair-trade, family-run Vietnamese ceramics manufacturing company with a history dating back to the 18th century.

First run of the presses sold out immediately; the second batch is newly available (from Yield Design as well as select retailers) and is on our wish list. 

Above: "Our French press challenges the traditional notion that glass is the ideal material for a press pot. Measuring for a perfect pot of coffee happens on the front end of the brewing process and is not something to be eyeballed. This recognition freed us up to consider alternative materials and ceramic's durability, feel, and heat retention won out," says Deming. 

Above: The press comes with a fine mesh steel filter (additional French Press Filters are available for $25). The Ceramic Pitcher is also sold on its own for $95.

Above: The French Press in gray; $150. 

Above: The copper knob lends the pitcher a low-key formality.

Above: Go to Yield Design to see the duo's Copper Cup Set, Canvas and Leather Apron, and more.

For more coffee-making inspiration, take a look at my post Scandi Coffee Secrets from a Family of Caffeine Fiends. Also see:

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A few years ago, San Francisco–based design aficionado Charlotte Tracy needed an architect for the renovation of her summer house (see Before & After: A Summer Cottage on the Connecticut Coast). She went to her friend and local architect John Allee of Allee Architecture and Design, whom she met at boarding school in upstate New York 30 years ago. He’s inclined toward modernism, and she channels an organic Californian vibe. Drawn to the overlaps between the two, they opened Meta44, selling furniture designed by Allee, artwork by friends, and home design goods from small brands on both coasts. “We love finding well-crafted objects where modern design and natural style intersect,” Tracy says.

Above: Warm modern design components typical of the Meta44 aesthetic are set against the lush green backdrop of the Hudson Valley.

Above: Meta44 is on North Elm Avenue, an extension of the main street of Millerton, NY (Budget Travel named it "one of the 10 coolest small towns in America").

Above: A sample of Meta44's small brand wares include a Ferro Brass Dot Wire Bowl, Crudo Jugs, Spalted Napkin Rings, and Fog Linen Trays and Napkins. The drawing on the wall is by San Francisco artist Alex Zecca.

Above: Designed in San Francisco, Peace Industry Choobs are chemical free and made of 100 percent carpet-grade lamb's wool and natural dyes.

Above: The 44a Finn Dining Table, designed by John Allee, combines the warmth of white oak with steel. Custom sizing and materials are available upon request.

Above: The 44a Stone Credenza, designed by John Allee, can be wrapped in a variety of stone options. Brazilian onyx is shown here. Door and drawer fronts can be waxed, mill-finish steel, or a wood species that works with the stone "shell."

Above: Peace Industry Area Rugs are designed in San Francisco and made from 100 percent carpet grade lamb's wool and natural dyes. They are chemical free, reversible, have no backing, and do not require a rug pad.

Above: The Meta44 shop is next door to John Allee's architecture practice, Allee Architecture and Design.

Above: Meta44's cofounders, John Allee and Charlotte Tracy, have been friends for 30 years.

In Reader Roundtable: Would You Hire a Friend (or Work for One)?, Tracy, Allee, and another friend, interior designer Hannah Childs, talk about what it's like when friends work together.

Below: Meta44 is located in central Millerton, NY.

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When we first met Paula Greif back in 2012, she had set out to make every utensil in her Brooklyn kitchen herself out of clay: See The Handmade Kitchen. (We date our infatuation with small-batch pottery back to that post—and Paula's work remains the standard bearer.) Since then, the former graphic designer and director of music videos and commercials has devoted herself full time to her ceramics, and set a new goal: To establish her own all-in-one studio, home, and retail shop. After a two-year budget remodel of an impossibly skinny three-story structure in Hudson, NY, she has just opened for business.

Photography by Paula Greif for Remodelista.

The Shop

Above: Located on Warren Street, Hudson's shopping hub, Paula's new quarters are a mere 10 feet wide (nine feet on the inside) and "must have been built as an alley infill," she says. The building, likely a commercial space to begin with, was used as a house in recent years. Paula gave it a gut renovation, including introducing a storefront and painting the exterior black (it's Benjamin Moore Black Tar).

Above: Paula worked on the project with her friend Stephen Shadley, Diane Keaton's longtime interior designer, who happens to be building his own place across the river. Starting on the ground floor, which includes the shop and studio in the back, Paula had every room paneled with pre-primed horizontal poplar Trim Boards for a shiplap effect: "This was my splurge. It makes the place feel like a treehouse in Scandinavia, or a glamorous trailer."

Above L: Ceramic serving utensils—which look something like pieces from a children's book illustration brought to life and are fully functional (even dishwasher safe)—are displayed above a chair made from an old headboard. Above R: A beaker and plate.

Paula works in stoneware, porcelain, and terracotta, and uses a range of techniques: "hand building, slab, wheel, pinched." Most of her pieces are one- or few-of-a-kind. Her new shop is the best source, and they're also available online at Paula Greif Ceramics, but tend to sell out fast (Paula sends alerts to subscribers every few months when she replenishes her site.) A Spotted Pitcher, similar to the beaker, is $210; an indigo-dotted Peacock Platter is $285.

Above: Paula's work and her new setup are inspired by celebrated ceramic artist Lucie Rie, who fled Nazi Vienna and had her own live/work studio in a mews house in London from 1939 to 1995. A longstanding collector, Paula furnished upstairs and down with the best of her antiques holdings. 

Above: Paula's wares are displayed on simple wooden box shelves.

Above: A porcelain bowl and compote with hand-drawn lines. Similar Striped Nesting Bowls are $300 for a pair, and a 7.7-inch-tall Footed Bowl is $295.

Above: More from Paula's blue-and-white collection. Her signature cat dishes, she says, "started as a funny going-away-to-college gift for my kid, Anna—we're cat people." See terracotta versions of the Cats in her online shop.

The Living Quarters

Above: The interior narrows from 600 square feet downstairs to 400 square feet on the second floor, home to the living room and kitchen.

Paula's vintage Knole settee, a long-ago purchase, is "in its fourth life, last slipcovered in white canvas and now upholstered in yellow linen." The floors throughout are painted Benjamin Moore Decorator's White in a gloss.

Above: The room doubles as guest quarters thanks to this pair of 1940s chairs that each convert into a twin bed. Paula bought them from her next-door neighbor, antiques dealer Vincent Mulford. The Indian block-printed pillows are from Layla in Brooklyn. The New Guinea wall hanging and many other of Paula's best finds came from late-great downtown NYC shop Joel Mathiesen Antiques.

Above:  I did everything at the lowest cost possible," says Paula, who credits her builder Glenn Young of Catskill, NY, with "always having the right solution." In the kitchen that involved coming up with an affordable combination of custom cabinetry with white Formica counters on plywood. Paula looked for white appliances, and paired an Ikea built-in range (a since discontinued model) with a Whirlpool cooktop and a 24-inch-deep Summit refrigerator ("the cheapest counter depth you can find"), both special ordered for her by her local Home Depot in Catskill. Paula sprang for a Bosch dishwasher and vent—"worth it for their soundlessness."

The kitchen opens to a newly added back porch that makes the narrow space feel bigger. The yellow floor mat is from Ikea and the ladderback chair is a Brooklyn street find. 

Above: Paula's Grohoe Minta Pull-Out Spray Faucet came from Faucet Direct—"I was hesitant to buy stuff online but was blown away by the service; I had to exchange things and there were no questions asked and shipping was free." The aluminum cabinet pulls are Ikea's Blankett design ($3.99 for two)—"not bad knockoffs of Sagatsune."

Above: The paneling extends to the 300-square-foot top floor, devoted to the master bedroom and bath. The soaking tub is the Wyndam Collection's 5.58-Foot Laura, another Home Depot special order ("They, too, were great to work with, and we got a contractor discount"). The sink is a Kingston Brass Sierra Square with a Grohe Starlight Chrome Single-Hole Faucet, both from Faucet Direct.

Above: In Paula's tranquil bedroom, a bench from the Essex Street Market in NYC holds one of her terracotta vases. The bed has Ikea white linens topped with a Turkish carpet from Kea Carpets of Hudson, NY.

Above: The shop is at 419 1/2 Warren Street, sandwiched between Vincent Mulford Antiques and Old Hudson Market, and is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays—"unless I'm off on a family or friend festivity," writes Paula on her site.

"What I love about living here is that there's so much talent and vision on all sides," she says. "Hudson has an amazing history and a complicated and diverse population. A big Bangladeshi community came in the 1980s, and so did the antiques dealers. More recently, the artists and young farmers and makers have moved in. I'm very at home here."

Where Paula goes, we follow. Take a look at her previous Brooklyn apartment and peruse more of her ceramics.

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If you're looking for the Gardenista crew, they're out of town taking notes on raised beds, porch lights, digging forks, and gardens that look like they planted themselves.

Above: 10 Ideas to Steal from English Cottage Gardens.

Above: 10 Favorite Garden Forks.

Above: Landscape Design: 10 Gardens Transformed by Raised Beds.

Above: The Cult of Cécile: A French Ceramacist's Singular Flower Vases.

Above: World's Most Beautiful Porch Light.

Above: Hydrangea Smackdown: Which Color Is Better, Pink or Blue?

Find more, including tomato-growing tips and natural flower dyes at Gardenista.

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Fact: The science of sound is complicated. The materials, dimensions, systems, and construction methods of your home make for such a different sound environment than in mine that there's no point in trying to describe any one sound dynamic here.

But readers have sent us queries on soundproofing at home, and we suspect most already know the quickest fixes—take shoes off, get a pair of noise-canceling headphones, etc. (see Seeking Silence: 10 Low-Tech Strategies for Coping with Urban Noise for more ideas). So for those for whom interior noise is a major problem, we sought to dive a little deeper. 

For guidance, I spoke with Ethan Salter, principal consultant at San Francisco acoustics consulting firm Charles M. Salter Associates. Our conversation made it clear that we won't be prescribing panaceas here, but instead we teased out some possible scenarios intended to prompt your thinking.

Note: You may well find you require the help of an engineer, an acoustics expert, or a good contractor after reading through the suggestions below. If so, you read it right. 

How do I soundproof a room?

There’s no such thing as soundproofing,” says Salter. “Just mitigation and reduction."

Where do I start?

With the source. It sounds obvious, but the first step is always to identify what’s making the noise and see if you can’t stop it. If you can’t, mitigate it.

Above: Exposed plumbing in the LA laundry room of Amanda Pays and Corbin Bernsen, featured in 11 Money-Saving Remodeling Strategies from a Hollywood House Flipper.

I'm thinking of big solutions but need more help. Is acoustic consulting only for the superrich?

Salter has a lot of commercial clients but works closely with homeowners as well. “They’re not all rich,” he says, while making an important point: "Sleep is a health issue, no matter who you are.” His past clients include people in smallish houses who are desperate for noise control: "Maybe someone is awakened at night by the garbage truck outside, or they live in an apartment above a bar." Salter describes the consulting process as one of initial factfinding to set the goals of the project, then outlining solutions based on his clients' budget. "There are many ways to reach the end goal," says Salter, "and I like to give clients options."

Scenario 1: Plumbing noises are driving me crazy. 

If you can quickly identify the source of the noise, spend money on a higher quality component—a gear, a plumbing valve, etc.—that will operate more quietly. Sometimes, it really is that simple.

If the problematic noise is coming from within your walls, you'll need to go straight to the source, says Salter. There are as many solutions as there are scenarios you might find inside, but here are a few to prompt your thinking:

• A plumbing pipe might cause noise if it touches the gypsum board of the wall, through direct surface-to-surface conduction. One solution is to add air space between the pipe and the wall, separating the solid surfaces so the sound lacks a direct path to travel. 
• A pipe may have a rigid but necessary attachment. Is there an attachment that is equally effective for plumbing purposes but quieter, say one made of rubber or plastic instead of metal?
• The wall itself may be so rigidly attached that it's exacerbating any source of noise. A possible solution is a more resilient mounting system using channels or clips instead of drywall screwed directly into the studs.

Above: Books absorb sound in a Clinton Hill loft by BWArchitects. (See An Artist Lives/Works in Brooklyn.) 

Scenario 2: My bedroom is close to the kitchen, so it's hard to sleep if someone is banging around.

By nature, kitchens don't have many soft materials—food prep requires hard surfaces, which create noise issues. In your initial design phase, think about minimizing sound: Choose quiet plumbing fixtures and appliances, and use soft-closing hardware so cabinets and drawers shut silently. Since you can't do much else at the source, solve the problem on the receiving end:

• Block the sound by installing a solid-core bedroom door with a gasket that goes all the way to the bottom. If there's even an inch of room at the bottom of the door, the thickest door in the world won't make a difference. But most rooms rely on the air space beneath interior doors for air flow, so you'll need to account for air flow somewhere else. 
• Mask the sound by adding white noise. There are apps, sound systems, computer programs, and machines that all do this. White noise doesn't cancel sounds, but it makes your mind less able to focus on singular sounds coming from the kitchen. 
• Absorb the sound by adding soft surfaces in the bedroom. When sound waves enter, you want them to be absorbed as quickly as possible. Rugs, cushions, and blankets are all obvious choices, but Salter even suggests bookcases (filled with books) and hanging artwork on walls. 

Above: A hidden TV solution in an apartment by Shelton Mindel & Associates; see more in 12 Elegant Solutions for Hiding a Flat-Screen TV. 

Scenario 3: I want to read (in peace); someone else wants to watch TV.

• Find a way to turn down the volume. This sounds like a cheeky answer, but there are creative options. For instance, if the viewer is sitting 10 to 15 feet away from the television, he or she will need to crank up the volume. But speakers mounted nearer the viewer will dramatically reduce the need for volume.
• Is the TV mounted on the wall? If so, some of the same concepts addressed in the plumbing question apply here. A rigid mounting job may be amplifying the noise of the TV through the wall. Consider taking it off the wall and setting it on a piece of furniture. If that's not an option, get help finding a more resilient (less rigid) mounting system. 

Read on for more sound advice: 

• Silence Is Golden: Problem-Solving Acoustic Curtains
• Remodeling 101: 15 Luxuries Worth Considering in Your Remodel
• In Praise of the Water Fountain
• 10 Secrets for a Better Night's Sleep

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• DIY: Pot Holders Knit from Ocean-Tossed Twine
• DIY Project: Rope-Wrapped Mason Jar Lights
• Design Sleuth: Simple Brass Napkin Rings (from the Hardware Store)

Here's what we've been obsessing over this week. 

• Above: Next week, in honor of Bastille Day, we'll be taking an immersion course in French design. Right now, we're admiring Le Corbusier's Sante Marie de la Tourette in Lyon. Photograph by Alicja Dobrucka. 
• How to change a duvet without breaking a sweat. 
• A woodworking camp in San Francisco for kids. 

• Above: Our friends at Grain on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, are holding a Moving Sale this week, July 11 and 12. (Take a tour of their house to see what might be up for grabs.)
• A charming video celebration of everyday color. 
• A Japanese-made canvas rocking chair. 

• Above: Shades of blue in a creative couple's Maine live/work space. Photograph via Lonny. 
• Exposed brick and rafters in Portland-based graphic designer Shauna Haider's new studio. 
• A look at the living rooms of eight fashion designers. 

• Above: Marine-inspired lighting at UK retailer Rowen and Wren. 

Instagram and Pinterest Picks of the Week

• Above: For a look at the projects and processes of an interior design firm, consider following Jessica Helgerson Interior Design (@jhinteriordesign) on Instagram.

• Above: Find hue inspiration on blogger Erin Hiemstra's Color board. 

To catch up on our latest posts, go to our New Americana issue—and don't miss Country House week.

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• Living Above the Shop: Ceramic Artist Paula Greif in Hudson, NY
• San Francisco Readers: Join Us on Thursday from 5-8 pm at Blu Dot SF
• The Canvas Carpet: Floorcloths from Black Point Mercantile of Portland, Maine

In honor of Bastille Day, we're spending the week investigating the current design scene in France.

Monday

Above: In today's Furniture post, Margot surveys the latest G-Star-Vitra Prouvé collaboration.

Tuesday

Above: We'll be rounding up the best French market baskets in 10 Easy Pieces.

Wednesday

Above: On Wednesday, our Object Lessons columnist, Megan Wilson, delves into the history of France's oldest glassware company.

Thursday

Above: In Thursday's Tableware post, we drop in on our new favorite French ceramicist.

Friday

Above: On Friday, we'll be paying a House Call to French kids' design entrepreneur Cécile Roederer in Paris.

There are big improvements afoot—it's Before and After week at Gardenista.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Les Petites Emplettes: Everyday Luxuries from a Shop in a Chateau
• Current Obsessions: Color Therapy
• Living Above the Shop: Ceramic Artist Paula Greif in Hudson, NY

Isabelle Dubois-Dumee and Hubert Bettan, the couple behind interiors brand Les Petites Emplettes, left Paris in 2013 to set up shop in a 12th century chateau with their three daughters in tow. Located near Angouleme, in the Charente region in the west of France, the chateau had fallen into disrepair when they discovered it on a holiday outing. Over the past two years, they've slowly brought it back to life, room by room. Stay tuned; Isabelle and Hubert will soon be offering guest lodging and dining events.

Photography via Chateau de Dirac.

Above: The two towers date to the 12th and 15th century, and the house itself was reconstructed in the 18th century. 

Above: The couple stripped the interiors back to their original state, removing false ceilings and other unfortunate interventions, and hewed to a green and white palette. 

Above: The interiors are outfitted with simple furniture and natural materials: linen, jute, wicker, natural fibers.

Above: Furniture is casually draped in lightweight cotton drop cloths.

Above: In the dining room, the couple allowed wallpaper remnants to remain in place.

Above: Whimsical tiles line the kitchen walls. 

Above: A simple farm table anchors the kitchen and drying herbs add color.

Above: An installation made of wooden twigs by Vera Rybaltchenko is suspended in the couple's workroom/studio.

Above: A winding staircase leads to the upper levels.

Above: Linens from the Petites Emplettes line and a string of wicker lights adorn the master bedroom.

Above: The couple's three daughters share a gauze-draped bedroom and bath.

Above: Isabelle and Hubert host occasional pop-up shops and events; they plan to expand their offerings in the near future to include workshops, petanque tournaments, and more.

Are you a dedicated Francophile? Explore our guide to the best design, shopping, and restaurants in our Paris City Guide.

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Jean Prouvé’s long-armed 1930s Potence light is one of the most copied designs of our day (see Five Favorites and High/Low for but a few examples.) And owning originals of the French engineer/designer's winged Standard chair and EM table is on every midcentury collector's wish list.

In the past decade, Swiss furniture company Vitra has reproduced a series of core collections of Prouvé's furniture available through DWR, among others. More recently, when jeans brand G-Star Raw needed fresh-looking office furniture to go with its Rem Koolhaus Office for Metropolitan Architecture-designed headquarters in Amsterdam, it teamed up with Vitra, whom it had worked with once before, on a new group of Prouvé's chairs, desks, and lights.

The collection comprises 13 pieces reissued with the blessing of Prouvé's family and tweaked to suit 21st-century heights (people are notably taller these days) and needs (yes, they're computer ready). And in addition to denim, G-Star is just starting to sell the pieces, as is Vitra. Inquire directly about prices and availability.

Photography via Dezeen.

Above: Known as the Prouvé Raw Office Edition, the collection is cloaked in industrial greens synonymous with classic machinery. Shown here, the Potence light.

Above: Most of the pieces were designed by Prouvé 70 years ago for French corporations and universities. The Fauteuil Direction Pivotant is available with leather or fabric upholstery, both in black.

Above: Prouve pioneered the use of lightweight folded steel In furniture and architecture. Shown here, the Bureau Métallique of olive powder-coated steel with a white melamine top. It has a hidden power channel for cable connections.

Above: The Fauteuil Direction in leather with wood armrests and Prouvé's signature folded steel legs. 

Prouvé was the son of a ceramic artist and initially trained to be a metal artisan. He opened his workshop in Nancy in 1924, specializing in furniture made out of sheet steel—and went on to establish his own factory and later to design prefab architecture.

Above: The Bureau Présidence has a solid oak top (shown here in smoked oak); it's available in several color combinations, and with two drawers or three. An optional "electrification flap" in the back provides access to four power sockets.

Above: The Fauteuil de Salon Haut has an unmistakably Prouvé profile.

Above: The powder-coated Lampe de Bureau is offered in three greens: industrial (shown), olive, and antique.

Above: The Table Flavigne has a steel frame with legs positioned at 45-degree angles on the corners and an oiled solid oak top.

Above: The steel Bahut cabinet has sliding doors of diamond-patterned sheet metal and an oiled oak top and handles. The shelves on the interior are adjustable.

Go to At Home at the Top of the World to see Prouvé originals in Esprit cofounder Susie Tompkins Buell's SF aerie.

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Every time we look behind the scenes in French kitchens, we discover an arsenal of new (and not-so-new) must-haves. Here are a few of the things we're currently coveting.

Above: The Complete Shovel and Brush, €79 ($87.99), a beautiful broom and no-stoop dustpan combo designed by Mr. and Mrs. Clynk from Andrée Jardin. 

Above: Studio Caroline Gomez's asymmetrical oak Cutting Board, approximately 13.5 by 9.5 inches, leans nicely against a wall at a tilt. It's available from the designer's small Web shop for €35 ($38.98). See more of her work in her Color-Blocked Family Loft in Bordeaux.

Above: A stainless steel and bone Sommelier Wine Opener made by La Forge de Laguiole for The Cook's Atelier, a cooking school and culinary shop in Burgundy run by an American mother and daughter.

Above: In addition to hanging laundry, Pincinox Stainless Steel Clothespins are useful as recipe or placecard holders. Made by a family factory in the South of France since 1969, they're $24 for a pack of 20 from Flotsam + Fork.

Above: A Milk Bottle made of recycled glass by Sebastien de la Soufflerie is €19 ($21.16) from Merci, home to some of the best housewares browsing in Paris.

Above: Formaticum Cheese Bags, $9.95 for 15 from Sur la Table, are made in France of a special two-ply paper that preserves flavor and allows cheese to breathe. Sheets of Formaticum Cheese Papers are also available.

Above: Papier D'Armenie is a classic French air freshener with a vanilla scent. Made since 1885 in the Paris suburb of Montrouge, it's sold as booklets of papers to be torn off and tucked into a drawer or folded into an accordion and burned to chase away kitchen odors; $6.50 per booklet of 36 strips, and $60 for a box of 12 (shown) from Flotsam + Fork. Papier D'Armenie is also available from Brook Farm General Store.

Above: For kitchen and bathroom, French Wall-Mounted Soap is $49 at Kaufmann Mercantile; replacement vegetable-based soap is $15.

For glamorous soap dishes, see Astier de Villatte's white-glazed terracotta designs. 

Above: From Poterie Renault near Orléans, a Stoneware Vinegar Pot—for making wine vinegar from wine bottle leftovers—is £70 ($108.51) at Objects of Use in Oxford, England. Williams-Sonoma offers a cork-stopped Ceramic Vinegar Pot with a pine spigot for $39.96, marked down from $49.95.

Above: The French string bag is the compact precursor to today's reusable grocery sack. For a list of our favorites, see 10 Parisian-Style Net Bags. Photograph by Aurélie Lécuyer of Le Dans La. 

The Francophilia continues:

• 10 Fantastique French Kitchens
• France's Oldest—and Most Esteemed—Hardware Store
• 12 Made-in-France Kitchen Essentials
• 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from France

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Lately we've been admiring the Instagram feed of Parisian stylist/blogger Lucille Gauthier-Braud. We're particularly fascinated by her eat-in-kitchen, which, though located in the Marais, looks straight out of the French countryside. Three years ago, Lucille and her husband, Charles overhauled their apartment, knocking down walls to allow for a large open space for cooking and gathering. The addition of a verrière, a skylight, adds lots of natural light. Here are the design elements to create your own Parisian kitchen au naturel. 

Photography by Lucille Gauthier-Braud.

Above: The couple installed an Ikea Grytnäs kitchen—counters, cabinets, and a sink—and personalized it. A stainless steel plate rack and Smeg gas range with a stainless backsplash add an industrial element to the warm space. Lucille made the pendant lamps herself. 

Above: The Ikea sink and birch countertop are fronted by a large window. The counter soaps are from Aesop and Harvey Nichols.

Above: The sideboard is an antique from Nantes, and the vintage Italian lamp on it is by Guzzini.

Above: The large Glass Flower Vase is from Merci, and the candles are by Diptyque. As for the fridge-side assemblage, Lucille says: "I collect brushes and brooms everywhere I go; I buy one in every country I visit.". 

Above: An old harvest table is paired with vintage white Fanett dining chairs by Finnish architect Ilmari Tapiovaara. 

Above: A still life of candles and leafy sprigs corralled on a white plate. 

Key Elements

Above: The couple installed Ikea's Grytnäs kitchen cabinets, which are no longer are available. For a similar look, consider Ikea's new Sektion kitchen cabinets in Grimslöv off-white. The Grimslöv Off-White cabinet with Two Doors and Two Drawers, shown here, is $244. 

Above: Ikea's Domsjö Double Bowl ceramic sink is $312.98. See 10 Easy Pieces: White Kitchen Farmhouse Sinks for more options. 

Above: The Smeg Retro Refrigerator with built-in freezer comes in several colors; $1,899 for AJ Madison. 

Above: The Smeg 36-Inch Freestanding Dual Fuel Range with five sealed burners and a 4.4 cubic feet convection oven is $2,199 from AJ Madison. 

Above: Barn Light Electric's Minimalist Raw Brass Pendant comes in a range of lengths and cord colors; $109 for a 36-inch-long cord. 

Above: The Tsé Tsé Large Draining Rack in stainless steel is £223.00 ($346) from Made in Design. 

Above: 1stdibs is a good source for an Ilmari Tapiovaara midcentury Fanett chair. See Artek's reissued Tapiovaara Chairs and Stools at Tiina the Store.

Above: The 1900s Boulangerie Rectangular Extension Dining Table is available in six dimensions and four finishes starting at $745 from Restoration Hardware. 

Accessories

Above: Lucille's favorite kitchen linens are made by Tensira of West Africa. See the Tensira Retail List for shops worldwide that carry the line. 

Above: The Traditional Broom is attached to its sassafras handle by a decorative weave; $65 from Haydenville Broomworks of Massachusetts. Photograph via Food 52. For more brooms, see Object Lessons: The Classic Broom and An Artful Sweep: Display-Worthy Household Brooms.

Above: The Dustpan and Brush Set from Iris Hantverk in Sweden is available in white and blue; $58 from Poketo. 

Above: A Leather Fly Swatter from Schoolhouse Electric is $14. 

Above: The French Market Tote from Gallant and Jones is $69. See more French Market Totes here—and stay tuned for more later this week.

Above: This French Wooden Spoon of beechwood is $6.50 from Societe. See more in 10 Easy Pieces: Artful Wooden Spoons. 

Above: A handmade White Ceramic Platter from Etsy seller Looks Like White; $149.19. See more Handmade Ceramic Dinnerware. 

Above: A Riess of Austria Enamel Skimming Ladle is $30 and an Enamel Soup Ladle is $28 from Joinery. 

Above: A Kaico Enamel Milk Pan is $72 from the Dwell store. 

Above: London Plane Cutting Boards by Hampson Woods are available at Heath Ceramics starting at $58 for the smallest size. See 10 Easy Pieces: Cutting Boards with Cutout for Hanging for more options. 

Above: The Bi-Color Plywood Clock from Yuichi Nara has a wood face with die-cut numbers; $95 at the MoMA Store.

Above: These Eleanor Frameless Mirrors from Pottery Barn have a vintage look. They come in two sizes: $99 for small and $129 for large. 

Here are three more of our favorite interiors from France:

• The Power of Pastels: A Color-Blocked Family Loft in France 
• An Ikea Kitchen in a Greenhouse, Paris Edition
• A Burgundy Château, Hotel Edition
• Steal This Look: A Parisian Oyster Party

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It was during a weekend in London with his fiancé that Olivier Gampel decided someone ought to bring fish-and-chips to Paris. An interior designer with a background in fashion retail, Gampel, though an unlikely candidate, took on the mission himself. Not surprisingly, it's the playfully suave design of Fich, his new 20-seat seafood cafe in the 3ème, that caught our attention.

Photography via Olivier Gampel, unless otherwise noted.

Above: The restaurant is located at 83 Boulevard Beaumarchais in the Marais. Fich is Gampel's shorthand for fish-and-chips. Photograph via Play Like a Girl.

Above: Gampel, whose Paris design firm is known as Les Nouveaux Decorateurs, outfitted his tiny space with hardwearing natural materials: terrazzo-topped cafe tables that evoke the bottom of the sea (or a fish tank), wooden bench seating, low-backed chairs, and marine-blue concrete floor tiles.

The tile, he told us, comes from Portugal—it's uncannily like the Marrakech Design hexagonal cement Dandelion Blue Tile in McShane and Cleo Murname's LA master bath that we spotlighted in Steal This Look.

Above: One-time-use wood utensils are paired with black napkins. The menu graphics are the work of Paris- and London-based illustrator Yesonme, who Gampel discovered online. Photograph via Miam Paris.

Above: Terrazzo is also applied to several of the walls. Marble-patterned ceramic dishes organize small offerings, including My Crazy Pop popcorn. Photograph via Play Like a Girl.

Above: Gampel serves mashed peas as a fish-and-chips accompaniment, but draws the line at newspaper wrapping. Fich's tableware is blue-edged enamelware—go to our Enamelware posts for sourcing ideas, including Made in the U.S. Enamel Plates, Cups, and Bowls. Shown here, lemons for the house "citronnade détox," fresh lemonade with mint.

For more details, go to Fich. And see more Paris restaurants—including The Lovely Bones, a stripped-down bistro, and Clamato, another seafood hotspot—in our Paris City Guide. For an affordable and stylish place to stay in Paris, take a look at the Hotel Henriette.

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If, like us, you're still dreaming about the château we visited yesterday in the Charente region of France—see La Vie en Vert—the good news is that most of the furnishings are available. Owners Isabelle Dubois-Dumee and Hubert Bettan run Les Petites Emplettes (translation: The Little Shop), an emporium of French and Moroccan household staples, straight from their enchanted castle. Here's a sampling.

Baskets and Furniture 

Above: A Mini Hanging Basket made in Morocco of braided palm; €17 ($18.70).

Above: Woven fiber Round Poufs are €49 ($53.92) each.

Above: Decorative Wooden Trees, approximately 29.5 inches tall, are €39 ($42.92), and "some slightly bend for poetic attitude as if the wind were blowing."

Tableware

Above: Dejeuner sur L'herbe, €31 ($34.11), is a biodegradable collection of lunch-on-the-grass dishes and utensils for eight, vial of salt included.

Above: A Wool Storage Cube, made in France of unbleached wool, is €21 ($23.11). "Small decorative tip," write the couple, "adding textiles to your home adds warmth."

Above: A Mini Panier, sized for sugar cubes or paper clips, is €8 ($8.80).

Above: A hostess gift Tabletop Pack, €24 ($26.40), comes in a wooden crate and includes picnic items for two: glasses covered with woven fiber, fiber mats, wooden spoons, lemongrass candles, and a pair of vases (flowers included). A set of four Natural Fiber Placemats is €29 ($31.91). The glasses are also sold separately.

For the Bedroom

Above: An organic cotton Star-Adorned Duvet Cover and Pillowcase—with black and glow-in-the-dark stars—is €180 ($198.07). 

Above: A string of Wicker Lights (20 lights total) is €120 ($132.05). 

Above: Les Petites Emplettes' made-in-France Organic Cotton Duvet Cover and Pillowcase of unbleached cotton is stamped "chut," which means "shhh." The set comes in two sizes starting at €159 ($174.96).

Go to La Vie en Vert and Les Petites Emplettes to see more.

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