Leaping (or lurching) into a kitchen remodel? If so, you're likely about to make an important appliance decision: whether to install a range or a cooktop-wall oven combination.

The good and bad news is that the options in size, configurations, and cooking functions of ranges, cooktops, and ovens are vast. This allows for better adaptability to your cooking needs and your kitchen's physical constraints. But it also makes the selection process complicated. Here are some key questions and tips from architects and designers to help you determine which cooking setup is best for you.

Made this decision recently? Please share your experiences in the comment section below.

Above: A San Francisco kitchen renovation by architect Mark Reilly.

What are your kitchen's space constraints?

The consensus among experts is that a range is the best option for a small kitchen with limited wall and cabinet space. Ranges are straightforward in their space needs: They come in standard widths (generally 24, 30, 36, and 48 inches) and fit into a cabinet opening. Cooktops take up counter space but leave the base cabinet space available for storage. A single wall oven's space needs are similar to a standard range and offer great flexibility of placement. It's the double wall oven that's the space hog—double ovens effectively remove 30 to 33 inches of usable countertop real estate.

How to decide which combination to go with? "The choice comes down to available square footage: a range usually takes up less space than a cooktop and a separate wall oven," says Alison Davin of Bay Area-based Jute Home (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory). "Our first priority in a kitchen is creating good flow: ample space for working, relaxing, and entertaining. It's followed closely by storage. If these two boxes are checked and there's room to spare, I love the functionality of a cooktop."

Above: This Paris galley kitchen pairs a cooktop and wall oven in an over-under configuration that keeps the appliance impact to a minimum and the counter lines clean. Design by architect Anne Geistdoerfer via Afflante.

Do you need one or two ovens?

How often do you use your cooking appliances and how much capacity do you need? Be realistic about how you cook. Try keeping a log for a few weeks to track how many times you use the stovetop and the oven. Julie Lacap, owner of Contractor's Appliance Source in San Francisco, sees consumers often overestimating their need for an enormous oven. Call it the Thanksgiving turkey phenomenon. It can be a mistake to design the entire kitchen for that one annual meal.

• Are you an avid baker and don't want to wait until your roasted vegetable are done before cooking the tart? Then a double oven setup might be in order.
• Do you entertain every weekend and have friends bring food that needs to be heated while your main course is in the oven? Sounds like a double oven—or a warming drawer—is needed. See our post: Rediscovering the Warming Drawer.
• Do you have two ovens now and only use the second oven once a year for a family gathering? Consider making do with a single oven; as is, you're losing valuable storage space the other 364 days a year.

Because ranges are generally limited (though not always) to one oven, wall ovens are the way to go if you need two full-sized ovens. Or, if you love ranges but need two ovens, consider supplementing with a single wall oven. If you're short on wall space, it can be mounted in a base cabinet.

 Above: Double stacked wall ovens in a kitchen by UK-based Mole Architects. 

What are your cooking habits?

Your cooking habits also impact appliance choice:

• Do you tend to stand in front of your stovetop tending to your cooking? If so, you might want to avoid the heat radiating from an oven.
• Do you frequently move transfer dishes from the stovetop to finish in the oven? Proximity is important in this case.
• How close do you want your pots and pans to your appliance?
• Do you have back issues? Hauling heavy pots out of a range oven can be burdensome. A wall oven at arm and eye height is likely a better choice for those with bad knees or backs. Be mindful, however, of wall oven placement in relation to your height. If the oven is placed too high, your forearms are at risk of getting burned, and reaching into the oven might not be possible, forcing you into an awkward spot at the side of the oven.
• Is burner configuration important to you? Cooktops offer more flexibility in burner style, size, and options like induction burners.

Above: A cooktop is defined by a modernist hood in this kitchen by Netherlands-based Lodderkeukens.

How many cooks are in your kitchen?

Here's an instance where the number of cooks in the kitchen matters. If you're a solo cook, then you don't need to worry about competing for appliance access. If, however, it's common for your kitchen to have two (of more) chefs operating side by side, it's wise to consider a configuration that keeps you from getting in each other's way. Using a cooktop and oven allows for the creation of separate cooking and baking zones.

Above: Lodderkeukens installed a cooktop in the kitchen island and a wall oven in a cookbook niche.

Does your kitchen need a focal point?

"If a kitchen needs a focal point, use a range," says San Francisco architect Mark Reilly, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory. "It adds visual heft to a space and can act as the anchor when other features are lacking." Alternatively, if a window, sink, view, and/or backsplash are the focal points, a cooktop is a good choice. It will let the other features stand out.

Above: Architect Mark Reilly's Belvedere kitchen remodel won the Remodelista 2013 Best Design Professional Kitchen Award. "Adding a stately hood over a cooktop can give it the heft of a range when a strong focal point is desired but a range won't work," says Reilly. Another tip: "When possible, center the range/cooktop on the kitchen space, island, and doorway. This helps organize the space, and creates a strong visual connection between adjacent rooms."

What are your aesthetic preferences?

Because there are so many options, the choice between a range and a cooktop-oven combo may come down to looks. Do you like the impact of a pro-style cooking setup? Then a range may be for you. Do you prefer the sleekness of built-ins? Wall ovens and a cooktop are the way to go. Even those who prefer the over-under setup of a range sometimes opt for a sleek fitting cooktop with a wall-oven mounted underneath.

Above: A walnut island crafted by Henrybuilt incorporates a cooktop. The design team at Henrybuilt note that a benefit of using a cooktop is that "the countertop line can carry across for a much more streamlined and linear look." This is often an important consideration in setups where the kitchen and living areas blend together.

Above: Instead of the double-height wall oven duo, this kitchen uses two wall ovens installed in the base cabinet space on either side of a pro-style cooktop. Image via GE Monogram.

Are there significant cost differences?

The two cost factors are the appliance and the installation. Generally, ranges are the way to go to keep costs down. There more options at the lower end of the budget spectrum, and they're also easy to install. That said, top-of the line ranges are not more affordable than cooktop-oven combos. If you're replacing existing units, it's obviously less costly from an installation standpoint to stick with the same type of appliance. If you're building a new kitchen, your options are varied.

Another cost consideration is replacement. If one cooking component of a range breaks, you have to replace both functioning parts (stovetop and oven). With a separate cooktop and oven setup, you can replace them individually. That said, separate cooktops and ovens vary in size from brand to brand and since they integrate closely with the adjacent cabinetry, you might have fewer options when it comes to replacement. Ranges are more standard in size and easy to replace.

Range vs. Cooktop/Oven Recap

Benefits of Ranges:

• All cooking functions are in one location
• A design statement good for kitchens needing a focal point
• Can be more affordable
• More space efficient for small kitchens
• Easy to install

Benefits of Cooktop-Wall Oven Combos:

• Easier for multiple cooks
• Oven cooking can be more ergonomic: at eye and arm level
• Dual full-size oven capability
• Adaptability in kitchen configuration with separate cooking and baking zones
• Flexibility in cooktop configurations and sizes, and you can have different sized stovetop and oven widths

For information on specific makes and models, see our posts

• 5 Favorites: Freestanding Electric Ranges
• 10 Easy Pieces: Freestanding 36-Inch Ranges
• 5 Favorites: High-Style Italian Ranges
• 10 Easy Pieces: Cooktops
• 13 American-Made Appliances

Coping with a compact kitchen?  Get some more ideas at 10 Easy Pieces: Compact Cooking Appliances. And for more remodeling resources, see all of our Remodeling 101 Features. 

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When Alaa Mendili moved from Montreal to Seattle to take a job as a creative director at a digital design studio, he packed lightly, arriving with only two suitcases and an air mattress. During a brief sublet in a Capitol Hill apartment, Mendili, like most residents of the neighborhood, became fascinated by the Egan House, a lone modernist statement built directly into the hillside.

After a friend of Mendili's passed up a spot on the Historic Seattle Foundation's rental wait list for the Egan House, Mendili himself was miraculously first in line. Designed by Harvard-trained architect Robert Reichert in 1958, the Egan House (named for its first resident, Willard Egan, a retired admiral of the US Navy) was the first of its kind in Seattle. The triangular building, as the foundation explains, "represented a shift away from traditionalist styles" and introduced the city to Reichert's expressive modernism.

Historic Seattle acquired the Egan House in 1998 and worked with the Parks and Recreation Department to repair the deteriorated exterior and gently update the interior. The renovations were completed in 2003, and since then the building has served as a rental for one lucky person or family. When Mendili settled in, he was surprised to discover a few mysteries: "There's not all that much information about the house, and there are odd things, like a door in the living room that doesn't go anywhere," he says. "I'm not sure if there was a balcony there that was removed or not." These riddles only add to the charm of living in an architectural landmark.

Photography by Michael A. Muller for Remodelista.

Above: Tucked into the hill, the triangular design is intriguingly hard to decipher. Thanks to the foundation, it has a new roof and support column for the cantilever above the entry.

Above: The front door reads, "There's no place like home" in Swedish.

Above: The first of the three stories is a half floor with a washer-dryer, small bathroom, and dramatic staircase.

Above: Mendili accents the house with a few spots of color using objects such as this trio of artisan-made wooden toys. "The house is so standout that it doesn't need too much in it," he says.

Above: A small kitchen (along with the main bathroom and bedroom) occupy the second floor. Thanks to the lofted layout, Mendili says the kitchen is very sociable, and you can carry on conversations with people on the third floor.

Above: The foundation preserved the 1950s refrigerator inside of one of the kitchen cabinets; it's no longer functional and is now used as storage space. Overall, the kitchen was kept true to its original design and appliances were only updated when necessary.

Above: White cabinets, a miniature fridge, and simple Ikea Förhöja Kitchen Island extend the kitchen into an L-shape.

Above: Mendili is the interactive creative director at Digital Kitchen (a Seattle studio that designs title sequences for HBO series, among other things). At home, he created a sign to hang on the bathroom's pocket door: "The thing about the house is that there are no locks on any doors, so I tried to fix a functional problem by alerting guests to when the room is occupied."

Above: The bedroom is just big enough for a queen-size bed and has very low ceilings, so Mendili keeps decor to a minimum: a vintage Pendleton blanket, a single wall sconce, and a wooden glasses rack sourced on Etsy.

Above: The reading sconce is Good Flock's Aurora Lamp; made from hand-turned wood, it can be mounted or used as a table lamp.

Above: At the time Reichert was designing the house, he was obsessed with two things: architecture and organ music. The staircases and metal gates partitioning off each lofted floor are reminiscent of pipe organs.

Above: The top floor is a triangular living room—"you lose about half the space because of the shape," says Mendili. Fortunately, he has minimalist tendencies and an appreciation for negative space: "Whether I'm designing a website or my own place, every decision has purpose; there is nothing there just for the sake of being there." 

Above: Classic wool blankets are another unobtrusive way of adding color to the house. In the living room, a Hudson's Bay Point Blanket is draped over a Gus Modern Atwood Sofa.

Above: With an open floor plan that spans three floors, the house can be difficult to heat, but the original wood-burning fireplace helps in the winter months.

Above: The coffee table is made from oiled Sheesham pallet wood from Capitol Hill furniture store Area51.

Above: Mendili's home office is furnished with Blu Dot's Medium Strut Table in black and the Real Good Chair in white powder-coated steel.

Above: A collection of design magazines are on constant rotation on a set of black floating shelves.

Above: Three evenly spaced air vents at the topmost point of the house allow for air circulation.

Above: A view of the Egan House exterior from below.

Above: The triangular deck was added in 2000; it's where Mendili entertains guests in the summer months.

For more houses to explore in the Pacific Northwest, see our posts: A Coastal Retreat in the Pacific Northwest, Mountain Views Included and A Seattle Floating Home by Ryan Mankosi. And on Gardenista, have a look at a Year-Round Seattle Urban Garden.  

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• An Off-the-Grid Cabin in Vancouver, Candlelight Included
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Constantin von Flotow is an expert wilderness guide with a penchant for doing things the old-fashioned way, canvas tents and wooden gear boxes included (he tows these by vintage prop plane, horse, canoe, or sled). His new Toronto company, Outpost Co., is dedicated to reviving his style of camping by making it accessible and romantic—and even civilized. Ready to go on a Teddy Roosevelt-style adventure?

Outpost specializes in renting out 19th century-style tents, whether in the wild on custom trips led by Constantin, or in backyards or wedding sites: "The point," says Constantin, "is to connect people with nature and give them an outdoor experience without the hassle or work." What makes the Outpost way of doing things especially memorable is its signature wall tents: meticulously handmade canvas designs, they're closely modeled on Civil War-era originals, down to the mahogany poles and brass rings. For those interested in purchasing their own gear, the company also offers customized, made-to-order canvas tents—plus advice on how and where to pitch them.

Photographs by Constantin von Flotow, unless noted.

Above: Outpost Canvas Tents are made of tightly woven army duck canvas detailed with a few modern adaptations, including a roof skylight and mosquito-screened windows. They have overhanging eaves to shed water away from the walls, and are held in place by hand-forged ferrous pegs as well as by a ring of mahogany poles. The tent is shown here on the McPhayden River in Northern Labrador, one of the many locations in Canada and elsewhere where Outpost leads custom trips (all gear and food included). 

Above: The inside of the tents are furnished with beds (and Hudson's Bay blankets), lanterns, sheepskin rugs, and wood-burning stoves. "Wall tents may not be the lightest equipment around, but they're extremely beautiful and functional," says Constantin.

Above: Yes, the tents are flame resistant. They're also designed to withstand extreme temperatures and they don't leak, even if you touch them when it's raining.

Above: Manila rope tensioned with a wooden "dog bone" is part of the system holding up the tent. Photograph by Christian Simpson.

Above: The ropes are secured to hand-forged pegs with brass rings. Photograph by Christian Simpson.

Above: Outpost Co. also offers child-size canvas tepees that are scaled-down versions of tribal designs. They roll up into a compact bundle. Back story: After 20 years of guiding Antarctica expeditions and white-water rafting trips in Central America, Constantin is now married and has a 15-month-old son. This tepee was created for his son's first wilderness experience. Photograph by Andrew Soule.

Above: The wanigan is a wood box used to store camping provisions; it's wrapped with a tump line, a leather strap that goes over the head and works well for lugging heavy loads."The wanigan box has a long tradition in Canada's north as the preferred way to carry perishable items and kitchenware during extended canoe trips," says Constantin. He and a group of fellow guides go on an annual  outing—sometimes to the Arctic—and they always use canvas tents and wanigans.

Above: Meals are served on the company's own enamelware. Sample menu: potato and caribou stew, rye bread, yellow birch tea, and cinnamon buns.

Above: An Outpost canoe piled with provisions plus a camping canine.

Above: For more information on the company's tent rentals, bespoke trips, and custom tents, go to Outpost Co.

For more glamping opportunities, see Camping in Colorado, Glam Bedding Included and Shelter Co. in California. Have a look at our Camping posts for our Camp-Style Folding Chair, Classic Canvas Cot, and Sleeping Bag recommendations.

Like the idea of an Airstream adventure? Here are 10 Vintage Airstreams put to creative use.

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• Bestie Currywurst in Vancouver
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• Q & A with Molly de Vries, Mill Valley's Queen of Green

Our laundry obsession continues: we recently found a retro-looking outdoor clothesline system at Kiosk made by a family-owned Canadian company in business since 1946.

According to the owners of Solar Drying Systems, "The company was created by our grandfather, Harold Wright. He looked at the clotheslines strung out around his neighborhood and watched as people walked back and forth putting clothes on the line. 'What if you could walk out of your house and stand in one place to hang your clothes?' he thought."

The case for line drying your clothes is compelling, starting with this statistic: Electric dryers use 5 to 10 percent of residential energy. If you're ready to convert to the outdoor drying, go to Solar Drying Systems for ordering information.

Above: The zinc castings from Solar Drying Systems are manufactured and assembled in Canada and the clothesline wire is imported from Europe. Solar Drying Systems' Sunkeeper Clothesline Kits in a five-, six-, or eight-foot pulley length, are available directly through Solar Drying Systems.

Above: Kiosk in NYC sells a Clothesline Pulley Set that includes two pulleys and 100 feet of emerald green line (which equals 50 feet when installed); $62.

Above: Our favorite source for cedar laundry posts is the Vermont Clothesline Company; $95 each.

For an alternative clothesline, have a look at one of our favorite products, the Sheila Made Ceiling-Mounted Airer. Then have a look at how actors Amanda Pays and Corbin Bernsen use the Sheila Made in their English-Style Laundry Room.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 14, 2012 as part of our issue, The Northern Light.

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"No reservations. In life or in our tiny restaurant," reads the sign. But the inventive young team behind Bestie Currywurst—a sausage and beer house in Vancouver's Chinatown—have created a space guaranteed for a good time.

Owners (and first-time restaurateurs) Clinton McDougall and Dane Brown come from an art, design, and German-street-food-loving background (currywurst is sliced sausage served with a generous dollop of curried ketchup). They hired David and Susan Scott of Scott & Scott Architects to design a 25-seat restaurant that Clinton and Dane could hammer together themselves. "The plan uses common materials that can be worked with a few simple tools, allowing the construction to be completed on site with minimal shop support," the architects explain. Clad in spruce with white-painted floors and furniture in a color scheme borrowed from the 1974 Volkswagen creative team, Bestie's look is "Bauhaus meets Alpen House," says Clinton. Is it any wonder it's been a runaway success?

Photographs courtesy of Scott & Scott Architects, unless noted.   

Above: Paneled in economy-grade oiled spruce, the wall in the eating hall functions as a giant pegboard with wood and copper rods to hold lights, coats, bags, art installations, and "the odd copy of Spiegel." The design is detailed with work by Vancouver artists, including Fleet Objects' Hanging Ceramic Lights, plus a mascot cuckoo clock.

Above: White tables are paired with two-toned benches in Volkswagen-inspired colors; both are freestanding for easy rearranging, allowing the space to be used for communal dinners and film screenings. White floor paint runs up the wall and is balanced against traditional elements, such as a copper-topped bar and white ceramic beer steins.

Above: The open kitchen is kitted out with its own ingenious wall storage system. The stools are made locally by Joji Fukushima of Fieldwork. 

Above: Currywurst is served with pommesgabels (potato forks). "As with the stripped-down and direct menu of German street food, the space celebrates ordinary materials and simple details," say Scott & Scott.

Above: The restaurant's signature dish, plus a side of beet salad, presented on a color-blocked cutting board. The currywurst plates are by Vancouver ceramic artist Maggie Boyd. Photograph courtesy of Wayne Webb.

Above: Kitchen tools and steins hang from metal hooks on adjustable leather straps suspended on a tiled wall.

Above: Wooden shelves with leather straps hold dishes and glassware.

Above: Owners Clinton McDougall and Dane Brown. The two financed the restaurant on Indiegogo and hit their pre-sale target almost overnight. Photograph courtesy of Wayne Webb.

 Above: The fun begins at the door.

Above: The bench colors and copper bar were an integral part of the plan.

Architects Scott & Scott designed an award-winning ski house for themselves that we just featured: see An Off-the-Grid Cabin in Vancouver, Candlelight Included. Another of our favorite Vancouver hangouts is Le Marche St. George, a cafe and grocery. Some of our favorite design ideas come from restaurants; see our Restaurant Visits for more inspiration the world over.

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Last month, I finished packing up my household (four humans, one dog) for our move across the Golden Gate Bridge, from San Francisco to Marin County. “We are moving mindfully!” I told my children—meaning we should all be socially and environmentally conscious as we cleared stuff out of our old home. My plan was to pack only what we truly needed, and to favor donation bins over trash bins for items we didn’t need. The ultimate goal: to initiate good habits for our new life in the wilds of Marin.

Here are six steps I took to a (mostly) waste-free house-emptying before our big move. If you’re just embarking on your annual spring cleaning, these rules should come in handy.

Above: Stacked French paperbacks in designer Corinne Gilbert bedroom; tour her Brooklyn apartment in Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

1. Start early and sell what you can.

Do you have closets full of clothing nobody wears? Sell those unused garments to companies like ThredUp, Copious, and Threadflip, or to a neighborhood consignment or vintage shop. You can sell furniture through companies like Chairish (we're big fans), The Home Consignment Center, or a similar service in your area. Amazon, Exchange My Phone, and Gazelle will all buy old tech gadgets. You can sell books you no longer want on  Cash4Books, and a car you no longer want on CarDaddy.

And, of course, there’s always eBay, Craigslist, Sell.com, Etsy. You can even post items for sale on Facebook. If time is short, you can outsource the selling job to a service like TaskRabbit.

Above: Bulk food stored in a bespoke larder designed by Plain English from our recent post 11 Favorites: The Classic English Larder.

2. Donate as much as you can.

Many of the sites listed above will donate what they can’t sell, which will save you time and energy. For items you already know you’ll need to donate, try the The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, a local eWaste center, or a public library. Another option is Freecycle, a service that connects you with people in your community who can use your unwanted items. To dispose of what’s left in your pantry, contact an organization like Move for Hunger, which distributes food donations to the needy.

3. Post a sign on your trash bin: "There is no such thing as 'away'."

Chris Magnuson, a middle school teacher I worked with in Washington, DC, used to put this reminder on his classroom trash can. It taught his students—and me—a valuable lesson. Sure, it’s tempting to throw things away, but it’s better to stop and think: Where will this item end up? Instead of discarding it, can I donate or re-use it?

Above: In need of a placeholder dining table? Consider making Alexa's DIY Sawhorse Table and Cinderblock Bench—both are easy to assemble and disassemble.

4. Only buy quality items that you'll want to keep.

From the beginning, our motto at Remodelista has been to buy better and buy smarter. We recommend choosing thoughtfully designed products that will last a lifetime. After my family’s move to Marin, I had to resist the temptation to go on a shopping spree to fill up the empty spaces in our new house. Instead, I followed the advice of San Francisco interior designer Mead Quin, who told me it’s better to furnish your home slowly with things you love. While you're saving up for that coffee table you covet, consider using found wood and cinderblocks to make a temporary version—if you're like Remodelista editor Julie, you'll end up falling in love with the stopgap solution (see DIY: Cinderblock Tables).

Above: British industrial designer Samuel Wilkinson's Recycling Bins from 10 Easy Pieces: Recycling Bins.

5. Follow the five R's: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot.

Our fellow Marin dweller Bea Johnson's book, Zero Waste Home, is full of helpful tips, starting with this rule. (See our post with Bea on 10 Ways to Live with Less from Zero Waste Home.) To get everyone onboard, consider making your compost bin the largest bin in your home. The recycling bin should be next in size—and maybe (gasp!) you should have no trash can at all. In her book The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard (an expert in sustainability and environmental health) dives into the devilish details of what happens to the things we “throw away." Annie's book and the short film based on it are good reminders: We should carefully consider the implications of everything we purchase.

Above: An Ambatalia 10-in-1 Wrapping Cloth is available at Quitokeeto. For more see our posts, Q & A with Molly de Vries, Mill Valley's Queen of Green and DIY: How to Wrap a Furoshiki Cloth.

6. Buy everyday household items in bulk when you can.

In some communities, you can fill your own reusable containers with items like shampoo, conditioner, cereal, and snacks in bulk. Reusable grocery bags, water bottles, and snack containers all reduce the amount of waste created in your home—and reduce the need for those giant, seasonal clear-out sessions. Have a look at our post in which Sarah Lonsdale chronicles trying out Bea's Zero Waste Challenge with her family for a day.

Looking for more tips on how to cut down clutter for good? See our recent Happier at Home posts: 10 Ways to Declutter Your Tech Experience and 7 Tips for Mindful Shopping. On Gardenista, read Michelle's Great Closet Cleanout: The Only 10 Pieces of Clothing You Need.

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Canadian design company Castor Design Studio ("castor" is French for beaver and is the scientific name for the large tree-loving semi-aquatic rodent) is not only breaking new ground with innovative, slightly irreverent work, it is also winning awards and accolades well outside of its native land. Not an easy task for Canadian designers who seem to have to work a little harder to be taken seriously. 

Toronto-based Castor was founded in 2006 by Brian Richter, an architectural stone carver with a savvy aesthetic who tired of climbing churches to carve gargoyles and had a passion for design, nature, and the reuse of ubiquitous materials. A force with endless ideas, Richtler and his partner Kei Ng have been making waves north of the border for sometime, with representation at retail heavyweights Klaus Nienkamper in Toronto.

Work coming out of the design collective has gone beyond furniture and lighting into full-scale restaurant design. The now-closed Oddfellows and the bustling Parts & Labour restaurant and Parts & Labour Burger in Toronto are Castor designs. Richter is also signed up with Gallery House, an art gallery in Toronto, for a show of his more personal pieces that cross over into the art world. 

Go see Castor's work during ICFF this month in New York, as part of the Design Junction where the studio will be showing off its latest line, Black Metal Collection (a name inspired by a line in the 1984 movie Spinal Tap). And below, take a peek at some of my favorite indoor/outdoor pieces that make Castor furniture and accessories ideal for interiors and gardens alike.

Above: As a garden designer, I can blissfully fall prey to the beauty of the English style perennial borders and their love of plants, but at times I like to break up the romance with a bit of "edge" and the Indiana limestone Castor Stool adds a welcome foil to some of the gardens I design; $2,300 CAD.

Above: Blind Stool is cast in aluminum from an original piece found in a hunter's duck blind in northern Ontario. It's a collaboration between Castor and an unknown hunter. The leather handle is designed for a quick getaway. It's great as single piece or can be purchased at bar height in multiples for an outdoor covered bar; $2,350 CAD.

Above: A portable sauna designed out of a half shipping container, as functional as it is beautifully articulated, is a party-in-a-box that can be easily added to a landscape for a-well-worth-it but not-so-affordable price. See more in tomorrow's Outbuilding of the Week.

Above: Plated Tank Lights made from recycled fire extinguishers make a great grouping under a covered terrace. The five pound tank is $480 CAD and the ten pound tank is $560 CAD. For a more colorful take on the lamps, the Tank Light also comes in black, blue, gray, orange, and red finishes.

Above: A peek at the blacker-than-black bowls from the new Black Metal Collection; they're off-cuts from the Tank lights. They are recut, stripped, polished, and painted a matte black finish on the outer side and have a reflective interior. 

Above: The Cast Antler in bronze or aluminum is a decorative piece at home in the garden or by the hearth; $2,850 CAD.

For more from Castor see Style + Sustainability: Lighting from Castor Design and Controversy in Toronto: Parts & Labour Restaurant and Club. 

Are you spiffing up an outdoor space for spring? Browse all of Gardenista's favorite Outdoor Furniture picks.

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Tannis Ling, a former bartender (and daughter of an architect), took a risk when she opened Bao Bei in Vancouver's Chinatown neighborhood in 2010; the area was considered dodgy and a risky dining destination. Four years later, Bao Bei is a smash hit (although some complain about the "hipster" clientele) and has been written up everywhere. The interiors, orchestrated by local design phenom Craig Straghetta of Ste. Marie Art + Design, merge grandmother chic (dowdy floral printed wallpaper) with industrial cool (Prouve-like lights)—all with an overlay of Chinese kitsch. We're booking our flights now.

Above: "Bao Bei" means precious in Cantonese; local firm Glasfurd and Walker created the identity and brand design for Bao Bei.

Above: A row of custom lights by Ste. Marie Art + Design.

Above: The lights are influenced by the Prouvé Potence light. (For similar spinoffs, see Five Favorites: Prouvé-inspired Swing Arm Lights.)

Above: A wall paneled in whitewashed reclaimed wood and adorned with a cascade of thrift shop trays.

Above: Bentwood stools line the bar.

Above: A DIY light fixture by Straghetta.

Above: A still-life tableau.

Above: Personal design touches courtesy of Ling.

Above: White-painted cleavers as decor.

Interested in more projects by Ste. Marie Art + Design? Go to Meat & Bread and Pizzaria Farina. For another spot in Vancouver's Chinatown that we have our eyes on, see Bestie Currywurst.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Creatives in Canada: Soho House in Toronto
• Bestie Currywurst in Vancouver
• Heritage Camping in Canada, No Hardship Required

This week, the Gardenista crew headed north to learn some insider tips about living in a four-season climate and embracing each season. Looking for the perfect grass substitute? They found that out, too.

Above: What every front door needs: a steel planter box (with magnetic address numbers)—see Shopper's Diary: The New Spring Collection by Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.

Above: Inspired by a tabletop at Milan's recent Salone del Mobile (and with some assistance from Julie's cat, Jojo) Alexa shows us how to take an odd lot of stems and make this DIY Arrangement with Cocktail Glasses.

Above: Toronto-based landscape designer John Loblaw specializes in designing gardens that thrive in challenging climates. In this week's Landcape Architect Visit, Michelle heads straight to his Four-Season Perennials and Deck That Glows Like a Lightbox.

Above: Searching for the perfect grass alternative? Janet has you covered; go to Fields of Green: 5 Favorite Lawn Substitutes. No mowing required.

Above: Dampness doesn't have to be a way a life even in the rainy season. This week's Hardscaping 101: Sump Pumps will help you transform dank quarters into usable storage and living space, such as a laundry room like this.

Need help getting going on your garden? Let Michelle fill you in on 10 Essential Gardening Apps.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trending on Gardenista: Growing Green
• Trending on Gardenista: Green Eggs and Other Signs of Spring
• Trending on Gardenista: April 4, 2014

For the past 20 years, Nick Jones of Soho House has been establishing private clubhouses around the world for an elite community of creatives (think film, media, and design-industry heavyweights.) Soho House has outposts in, among other places, London, New York, Miami, Berlin, and now Toronto, where Jones has restored a grand mid-1800s brick structure that was one of the city's first hotels. With three floors (plus a rooftop) of lounge areas, bars, and dining areas, there are plenty of places to get comfortable. It's for members only, but we got the staff to open the double front doors and let us have a look around.

Images courtesy of Soho House Toronto.

First Floor

Above: Soho House always works with local designers and architects when setting up in a new city. To give his project a Toronto-specific look, Jones recruited interior design firm The Design Agency, who restored the building's Georgian Colonial detailing and gave it a timeless, clubby look. Shown here, the wood-paneled entry painted a sky blue to contrast with the red-stained double doors.

Above: Located on the first level, the Club Floor has warm wood paneling at wainscot height that echoes the coffered ceiling pattern. Velvet-upholstered sofas are mixed with vintage furniture, offering members and guests a variety of seating areas to mingle and hobnob. 

Above: A leather-covered Chesterfield sofa and pair of tufted wing chairs surround the Club Floor fireplace. Go to 10 Easy Pieces: the Wingback is Back for armchair ideas.

Above: A corner is devoted to bookworms. Every month the clubs hosts a "Literary Lounge" featuring talks with writers.

Second Floor

Above: In the open kitchen of the Club Restaurant, subway tiles and various unfinished woods create an informal atmosphere.

Above: With stools around an island, the bar has a homey kitchen feel.

Above: The designers artfully preserved remnants of the original space: a new ceiling frames old tin tiles, and on the floor, black and white tiles meet up with the existing floorboards. See how Medium Plenty did something similar using old details in A Neo-General Store Opens in Oakland. 

Above: The Club Restaurant has brick walls and leather-covered booths. 

Third Floor

Above: The top floor hosts the Pretzel Bell Bar, which is named after the building's original tavern. A red linoleum floor and tartan-covered side chairs tweak the traditional hunting lodge aesthetic.

Above: A stone fireplace is paired with rustic wood paneling that ends in a shelf just before the ceiling. 

Above: Set into a corner of the mid-19th century building, the entrance to Soho House is framed by Georgian Colonial columns, pilasters, and an entablature. 

Go to Velvet Revolution: Soho House Berlin to see a Soho House outpost in a Bauhaus-era Communist command center, and have a look at Steal This Look: Soho House Berlin Bath.  On Gardenista, check out the Organic Flowers on Red Damsel Farm in Victoria, BC for another Canadian experience.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Bao Bei Brasserie in Vancouver
• Bestie Currywurst in Vancouver
• Heritage Camping in Canada, No Hardship Required

We're wrapping up the week with a look at what's on our radar right now:

Above: Our friend Aya Brackett is in Japan for her show "Soiled," on view at two locations in Tokyo: Rocket Gallery in Harajuku, from May 2-13, and the Daikanyama Tsutaya Bookstore from May 1-18. (Aya hand splattered a limited edition of her program with natural dyes she made from hibiscus, coffee, sour grass, and beets.) For more information, go to Aya Brackett.

• Above: A new fashion pop-up at the historic Felix Meritis Residence in Amsterdam. 
• Meryl Streep's 1954 Hollywood Hills house.
• Declutter in 5 steps. 

• Above: The factory where Everlane manufactures its brand new Swing Trench. The online fashion company's first piece of outerwear debuted this week and is already sold out. Up next: twill travel accessories.
• California Home & Design is back from a three-month hiatus. 

• In anticipation of our Handywoman issue next week: watching Gael Towey & Company's just-launched videos of creative women in action 
• As if we needed another reason to get to Berlin, the International Design Festival Berlin is taking place later this month.
• No need to pack for a trip when you can 3D print everything you need.

• Any Remodelista readers recognize this house? Hint: It doesn't belong to Miranda Kerr. (Turn to pages 162 to 175 of the Remodelista book for the answer.) 
• Tour a reimagined Presidio Heights mansion for the 61st Annual Decorator Showcase in San Francisco. 

• DIY art for the mantle. 
• Bedtime reading: A Magical Trip to the Homeland of Gabriella Garcia Marquez.
• Psychedelic custom wallpaper, anyone? (We're big fans.)  

• Last month we got an exclusive look into the Berkeley bungalow of best-selling authors Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon. Watch for a giveaway of Waldman's new book, Love & Treasure, on our Facebook page next week.

 Take a look at the rest of the week on Remodelista here, and don't miss Gardenista's O Canada issue. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Happier at Home: 6 Tips for the Ultimate Spring Cleaning
• Handmade Kids' Furniture from Objets Mecaniques in Montreal
• Object Lessons: The Hudson's Bay Point Blanket

Readers, strap on your tool belts. This week, in honor of Mother's Day, we're embracing the can-do spirit.

Above: Have a household project awaiting? Join the tackle-it-yourself crowd.

Monday

Above: For this week's Restaurant Visit, we're saluting the layered design of Navy, a new restaurant in NYC that's all about indigo and artful uses of Army Navy surplus.

Tuesday

Above: Looking for an easy, unobtrusive way to air dry laundry? Meet the pulley system known as the Sheila Maid, spotlighted in Megan's Tuesday Object Lessons column.

Wednesday

Above: Just wait: even if you've never coveted a toolbox, you will when you have a look at Izabella's 10 Easy Pieces. (Next, you're likely to start considering Tools as Decor.)

Thursday

Above: Subway tiles debuted in New York City subway stations, and have since proved not only enduring but eminently adaptable for all sorts of interiors. In our Thursday Remodeling 101 column, Christine presents a glossary of subway tile patterns.

Friday

Above: Architect Christi Azevedo applied her hands-on knowledge of construction and materials to her own house in Oakland, CA. We'll be paying a visit to an ingenious carriage house-turned-apartment in this week's Architect Visit.

Did you know that you can explore all of our posts dating back to 2007? Go to our Back Issues and start browsing; it's all there, including last week's North Country issue and The Modern Kitchen from last year at this time. And don't miss Gardenista's Archive. In the comments section, fill us in on topics you'd like us to cover next.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Heirloom Furniture from Egg Collective in Brooklyn
• New Geometry: Quilts Designed by an Architect and a Painter
• Domestic Dispatches: Will I Ever Master the Remote?

Gesa Hansen grew up in a Scandinavian family of carpenters, designers, and architects. The daughter of a German mother and Danish father (both of them furniture designers), she studied graphics at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany, and worked in design studios in Tokyo (NDC) and Paris (Jean Nouvel) before heeding the family calling and starting her own furniture line, The Hansen Family. The company's workshop in Germany produces handcrafted furniture made from oak harvested in the forests of Gesa's childhood home. “As a young girl, I spent most of my time in my grandfather’s workshop,” she says. “He always took the time to build little boats and dollhouses with me. Wood became the material that allowed me to create my dreams.”

Join us on a tour of her Parisian apartment in the Place de la République (N.B. she recently moved to a new place in the 2nd arrondissement; you can see photos at fvf).

Photography by Nathalie Mohadjer. 

Above: Hansen furnishes her living room with key pieces from the Hansen Family Remix Collection: a pair of Night Couches and a Coffee Table. A Bubble Lamp by George Nelson hangs above a bold black-and-white carpet by Suki Cheema, a former pattern designer who worked for Diane von Furstenberg. "Like most cities, space is at a premium in Paris, so people tend to have too much piled up in their apartments,"says Gisa. "I think you need a lot less than you think you need; getting rid of stuff is the most important step in setting up a home." Need help throwing things away? See Happier at Home: 6 Tips For the Ultimate Spring Cleaning. 

Above: Before focusing on design, Hansen contemplated a career as a singer. On the fireplace mantel she displays a cover sheet from Beck's album Song Reader. "The album exists as twenty songs on sheet music never before released or recorded," she says. "You have to play it yourself to appreciate it. I love this idea."

Above: In the kitchen, Hansen built a backsplash of black slate that carries over onto a section of the floor. "The slate comes from the same region as the wood we use for our furniture," she says. "It has a beautiful texture." A Two Spheres Pendant by Atelier Areti, two sisters who Hansen counts among her favorite designers, hangs above the Hansen Family's Remix Dining Table.

Above: Hansen supplied the Remix Table with built-in boxes that can be used to either display or store things out of sight. The box lid is reversible and one side works as a hot plate. 

Above: Hansen's award-winning Remix Desk is an updated version of a classic Davenport. The compartments are removable for flexible storage. 

Above: The Tivoli Remix Sideboard incorporates the Tivoli Radio Combo System; Hansen created it for the audio brand. The two drawers are designed to hold additional pieces of audio-visual equipment.

Above: A set of simple white shelves display favorite everyday objects, including Hansen's Rooibos tea, a vase from her friend Milia Seyppel, Mast Brother's chocolate (she's an admirer of the company's packaging), and a copy of the Rose Bakery cookbook. "In my opinion, it's the best cookbook for amateurs," she says.

Above: Hansen brings greenery into the master bedroom with wallpaper by Arte-International that hangs over a Hansen wooden headboard with geometric shapes in relief. The pendant lights came from an auction: "I like low lights in the bedroom because they're cosy," says Hansen. "These have a gold lining that creates a beautiful glow." 

Above: In her daughter's bedroom, Hansen introduces a sophisticated whimsy with a Ball Clock by George Nelson, a Pendant Light by Danish designer (and friend) Tom Rossau, and cushions from Danish housewares company Ferm Living. 

Above: The living room doubles as a guest room, thanks to two Remix Night Couches, each of which is a sofa bed.

Above: "I wanted to design a sleeping couch that was comfortable without losing sight of its overall aesthetic integrity," says Hansen of the Remix Night Couch.

Above: The couch extends simply by pulling out the base.  

Above: The Remix Coffee Table, a Hansen Family classic, comes in three sizes. 

Above: Woodworking tools and carvings from The Hansen Family studio workshop in Möhnesee, Germany, where Hansen grew up.

Above: Gesa Hansen at home. Curious to see her new place? Have a look at it on Freunde von Freunden.

Go to the Remodelista Gallery to browse inspired examples of Scandi design the world over. Scandi in New York? See Aamans Copenhagen Arrives in NYC and A Scandi Kitchen in Brooklyn. And over on Gardenista, see Castor Design Creates a Sauna in a Shipping Container. 

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• Living in an Architectural Landmark, Seattle Edition
• An Off-the-Grid Cabin in Vancouver, Candlelight Included
• Required Reading: Modern Originals: At Home with Midcentury European Designers by Leslie Williamson

The only thing I want for Mother's Day is to learn how to turn on the television. I am sick of having to pay a child a dollar to "set me up" every time I want to watch an episode of Girls.

We got another new remote control last week and, as with the previous 50 remotes, my husband said, "This one will be easy to use." I believed him (despite the fact that he was lying the last 50 times he made this statement) because the new one is a universal remote.

Universal. The concept sounds so empowering, utopian, and uplifting—like "suffrage," "Esperanto," and "Amazon Prime." It's a heady thought, the idea that anyone regardless of age, gender, or low threshold of impatience would be able at any time to turn on the television, the stereo, or that thing that lets you magically download any movie you want to watch. ("That thing is the Apple TV," my husband said. "You're not ready for it.")

"Just show me how to turn on the television," I said. 

"OK, pick up the remote," he said.

I did. Gingerly.

"Now, it's a little finicky, so stand here," he said, indicating a spot precisely 4 feet away from the television set. "And hold it like this" (at a height precisely 4 feet above the floor) "and point it like this" (at a 90-degree angle, extended from the torso by a distance of 18 inches) "and now push the 'Watch' button."

"And that turns it on?" I asked.

"No, the 'Watch' button is an 'Activities' button and that's the first step," he said. "Then a random screen that you don't need to see appears and you press the 'Guide' button and then you use one of the two sets of up-and-down arrow buttons depending on whether you want to scroll through a page at a time or a single listing at a time and then you—"

"Let me get a pen," I said. 

Also, I think I should tape an 'X' to the floor so I know where to stand.

Above: LA designer Michaela Scherrer added a pocket to her sofa slipcover to stash the remote. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista. (To see more of the sofa, go to page 154-155 in the Remodelista book.)

Why are we still having this conversation in 2014? The remote control has been the bane of my existence—and probably yours—since the gadgets started proliferating like rabbits about 20 years ago. I remember a time not so long ago when we kept a stack of at least three on the coffee table: one for the television, one for the stereo, and one for the something else (but no one ever used that one). Who could have predicted in 1950, when Zenith invented the first television remote control (connected by a wire to the set), that we would end up with such a mess?

In many households, the remote causes strife: more than 53 percent of mothers say remote controls are the most fought over family gadget, according to results of a survey released today by television set-top box maker TiVo. It's unclear whether all those families are fighting for control of the clicker, or whether they're railing at their husbands about how stupidly it was designed. This is after all such a dumb piece of equipment that half of its functionality is based on the premise that you'll need to hit its prominent "Help" button to debug a problem.

In my opinion, the remote control will never be universal. By the time the remote control people finally figure out how to design one that makes sense, it will be too late. It's already considered obsolete and redundant—"The Gadget That Time Forgot"—by my children. They don't use it. For a simple reason. They don't use the television set. They think of both as just more residual bits of clunky technology that belong to my generation (like the land line). Any TV my daughters watch is on their computer screens.

Above: Ikea offers a handy remote control pocket, the Flört, for $4.99.

But my generation is not made up of quitters. We like our Girls on the big screen. So we'll keep chipping away at the mystery that surrounds the enigma that shrouds the universal remote—and other television-related gadgets—until Steve Jobs is reincarnated to invent one that works. I know this is true because of the more than 500 mothers queried by TiVo for its second annual Mother's Day survey, more than two-thirds of the respondents said they have a DVR. After their cell phones and computers, they said a DVR is the third most critical device they cannot live without (emphasis mine). And to turn on a DVR? You must use a remote.

"Let's review," my husband said. "Back out a layer."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Press the button that looks like a squiggly backwards arrow," he clarified.

Five minutes later? Success. I had navigated the murky bog known as "The Premium Channels," zeroed in on the latest Game of Thrones episode, and was settled on the sofa with a glass of white wine and a bowl of popcorn. By Mother's Day next year, I expect to be fluent in Esperanto.

Can everyone at your house use the remote (with or without written instructions)? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Is your Mother's Day wish to get rid of all those ugly black cords that hang from the television? See 7 Secrets for Living with a Flat-Screen TV, Cord-Control Edition. And browse our archives for more of Michelle's weekly Domestic Dispatches.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Heirloom Furniture from Egg Collective in Brooklyn
• New Geometry: Quilts Designed by an Architect and a Painter
• This Week's Table of Contents: The Handywoman

When longtime friends Eliza Kena and Claire Oswalt set out to modernize the traditional grandmotherly quilt, each brought their own skills to the table: Kena, an architect by training with several years of quilting experience, maintains precision, while Oswalt, a third-generation painter brings an experimental approach to the patterns. The duo's Hollywood-based design workshop, Hopewell, is named after the Hopewell Exchange Program, a common network and trading route once used by the Native American to trade materials and goods. Through its online store, Hopewell offers handmade quilts and blankets that are intended to be used: they're all 100 percent cotton, backed with a cotton/linen fabric, and are machine washable. Next, Kena and Oswalt plan to branch out and introduce heirloom-quality kids' clothes, throws, and floor pillows to the Hopewell collection—count us in.

Above: Some of Hopewell's quilts introduce a Josef Albers-inspired design and palette to the traditional courthouse quilt pattern. 

Above: Many of Hopewell's designs are one-of-a-kind; others are made in several editions. "Much of our process involves play: moving around small color swatches and letting a design emerge organically," says Oswalt.

Above: Each quilt is hand numbered on a Hopewell label.

Above: The One Of A Kind 019 Quilt measures 40 by 60 inches and is handmade of cotton, yarn-dyed essex linen, and natural cotton batting; $395. Our "quilts combines an age-old tradition with fresh design and quality fabrics, giving new meaning to heirloom," says Kena. 

Above: The limited-edition Tell Tale "East" Quilt measures 40 by 60 inches and is made from colorfast cotton backed with flax-colored cotton-linen; $365. 

Above L: The Tell Tale "East Quilt features different shades of pink and blue and a pin-striped border. Above R:  A counterpart Tell Tale "West" quilt will be released later this year. 

Above: Quilters Eliza Kenan and Claire Oswalt in their studio in Hollywood (it's located at 1947 N. Cahuenga Boulevard and open by appointment.)

Hopewell quilts are for sale in Brooklyn at Primary Essentials. Also have a look at modern quilts by Shark Tooth in Brooklyn and Jess Brown in Petaluma, CA. Go to Gardenista for Tips of How to Make a Perfect Bed. If you're in LA, Oswalt's paintings can be seen at the Line Hotel in Korea Town.  

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• Heirloom Furniture from Egg Collective in Brooklyn
• Domestic Dispatches: Will I Ever Master the Remote?
• This Week's Table of Contents: The Handywoman

Navy is not just another trendy SoHo seafood restaurant. Its formula for success may sounds familiar—a head chef with a cult following; the ability to pack 51 diners into a very small space—but its interior design is entirely novel.

When owners Matt Abramcyk and Akiva Elstein of Smith & Mills in Tribeca came up with a maritime concept for their second restaurant, they wisely hired Stockholm-based interior designer Jeanette Dalrot as their collaborator and fellow conceptionalist. Navy has a double meaning for Abramcyk and Elstein, referencing both the US Navy and the color, specifically the richly nuanced version seen in Japanese indigo-dyed textiles. Abramcyk, Elstein, and Dalrot upholstered the walls in a patchwork of indigo and mustard linen, and vintage military tent canvas held in place with rows of copper grommets. Semaphore flags from Navy warships serve as delicate room dividers between the main bar and dining tables. The navy color palette extends from the indigo window coverings to the staff's navy work jackets. And on the walls, straps and pockets of tanned leather hold everything—from menus to wine bottles—in place, as if the restaurant itself were a naval ship sailing the rocky seas. 

Photography by Nicole Franzen for Navy.

Above: The exterior of Navy is finished in a high- gloss black paint. In the afternoon and evening, window panels of vintage Japanese indigo fabric are unrolled to cover the lower half of the windows.

Above: At the front, a raw bar serves fresh oysters, clams, and sea urchin for uni toast. In the morning, the same counter doubles as a pastry and espresso bar. The shelving behind it is custom-made of bronze and copper.

Above L: Camille Becerra, former owner of Paloma (a restaurant housed in converted Greenpoint parking garage), is head chef at Navy. Above R: Co-owner Matt Abramcyk at the helm of the espresso machine. 

Above: Navy and white square and triangular tiles pattern the raw bar in a subtly nautical design. The hardwood floors are finished in a heavy wash of white paint.

Above: The staff's indigo jackets (worn by chef Becerra above) were designed by Lady and Butler and modeled after vintage workwear.

Above: Panels of distressed copper meet walls upholstered in indigo- and pale-yellow-dyed linen and canvas. The ceiling and the exposed walls are treated with plaster tinted in a terra-cotta-colored paint. The wall sconces were found in an antiques shop in Brooklyn and restored to working condition.

Above: Elstein found the bowling alley benches at Brimfield; they were then cut and custom fit into benches and booths.

Above: Becerra focuses the menu on vegetables sourced from the Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op and seafood. Among her favorites: the house-cured fish blinis and seedy crackers with primo sardines.

Above L: Antique WWII semaphore flags found on eBay divide the front booth from the bar (and also line the walls of the bathroom). Above R: The yellow fabric comes from WWII military duffle bags.

Above: Leather works well with indigo denim and canvas: a row of barstools are fitted with vegetable-tanned leather seats. 

Above: The restaurant has two antique fold-up train sinks purchased on eBay; the one in the raw bar is shown here.

Above: Leather pockets affixed to the wall are filled with menus, and, in the front, magazines are held in place by belt-sized straps on the wall.

For more DIY ideas from restaurants, have a look at our previous posts: Bao Bei Brasserie in Vancouver, Restaurant as DIY Gallery: L'Ouvrier in Toronto, and Doors as Decor at Bon in Bucharest.

Location of Navy in NYC:

More Stories from Remodelista

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• Bao Bei Brasserie in Vancouver
• Bestie Currywurst in Vancouver

Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon, Berkeley's first couple of letters, took us on a tour of their recently spruced-up craftsman's cottage not long ago. Today we're deconstructing their calm, no-drama bedroom.

We're also offering Remodelista readers a shot at winning a signed copy of Ayelet's new novel, Love and Treasure (praised by the NY Times for its  "admirable narrative velocity" and "descriptive panache"). Here's how to triumph: Tell us in the comments section whether you agree with Ayelet or with Michael on the matter of bookshelf organization. "Michael wants to organize our books by color, of all lunatic ideas," she says. "I believe in pure alphabetizing." Whose side are you on, and why? Let us know in the comments section and Ayelet will pick three winners (we'll email the winners next Tuesday, May 13). Have at it!

Photos of Ayelet and Michael's bedroom by Aya Brackett.

Above: "Blue is totally my jam right now," Ayelet says. "I wanted the bedroom to be cool and comfortable" (this from a woman who has been called "delightfully unfiltered" (NY Observer) and a "lifestyle controversialist" (Gawker). Ayelet worked with her friend Sarah Reid on the design. 

Above: Lots of late-night reading goes on in the Waldman/Chabon house, so bedtime illumination is important.

Above: Ayelet and Michael spec'ed custom-built two-tiered bookshelves with risers to allow for an accessible back row.

Above: A giant fan from Big Ass keeps the room cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The Essentials

Above: Walls are painted in an off-white shade from Benjamin Moore called Cotton Balls.

Above: The rubbed iron Industrial Pipe Adjustable Rod from West Elm is a good choice if you're going for the white bedroom/black hardware look; prices start at $69 for the 28-to-48-inch size (Gunmetal Curtain Rings are $14 for a set of seven).  

Above: The Black Porcelain Doorknob is $35 from Rejuvenation (for more ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Simple Doorknobs and Classic Black Doorknobs).

The Furniture

Above: The Dutch Industrial Bed (without footboard) is $850 from Restoration Hardware. For a similar iron headboard, consider the Kensington Iron Bed from East Bay company Benecia Foundry & Iron Works (call for pricing and ordering information). Charles P. Rogers also offers a couple of facsimiles: The queen-sized Cottage Headboard is $599 and the queen-sized Leighton Headboard is $699.

Above: "I'm insane for my European Sleep Works mattress," Ayelet says (prices start at $1,600 for a Queen Latex Classic). See our choices in 10 Easy Pieces: Editor's Favorite Mattresses (European Sleep Works makes the list).

Above: The Princeton Senior Sconce from Schoolhouse Electric is $209 (Ayelet and Michael's are from Belgian company Chehoma but they're no longer available).

Above: The Haiku Ceiling Fan with bamboo blades and white powder-coated hardware is from Big Ass Fans; prices start at $995.

The Software

Above: "I have a sheet fetish," Ayelet says. "My favorites are Sferra Diamante Sateen Sheets. They are horrifically expensive. I bought mine 20 years ago and carefully mend them by hand when they fray. I plan to die on those sheets when I am 97."

Above: The custom-sewn curtains (with blackout linings) by Teal Major of Slips in Berkeley are made from Fabricut's Visitor linen blend in Opal; go to Fabricut for ordering information.

Above: The queen-sized, organic cotton Swiss Dot Quilt by Coyuchi is $390.

Above: The gray 100 percent wool Tourne Blanket with Natural Stripe is $245 from Brook Farm General Store.

Above: Ayelet's one-of-a-kind overdyed rug is from ABC Carpet's Color Reform Collection; see a selection here. For something similar, consider the 8-by-5-foot Vintage Colorwash Rug from Restoration Hardware; $3,995.

Curious to see the rest of the house? Go to The Mysteries of Berkeley: A Literary Couple at Home. And for more Berkeley, have a look at Gardenista's tour of Cookbook Author Molly Katzen's Edible Garden.

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I make an effort to buy as little "new" as possible, and I admit some things are hard to source used. But picture frames? They're a dime a dozen at secondhand stores, and the old wooden ones are far more interesting than their plastic-wrapped counterparts, anyway.

The only caveat? Vintage frames are often missing protective glass and hardware on the back for hanging. But it's easier than you think to get them wall ready: 

Photography by Meredith Swinehart. 

Above: I found two of these vintage frames in my grandmother's basement; I bought the third at an antiques store in Seattle. All three have been collecting dust under my bed for the last several years because none had glass or a way to hang them. 

A Note on Hardware Options

Above: Sawtooth hangers are the most common frame-hanging hardware available, and so they're what most people use. They come in nail-free and nail-in versions, and my advice is to stay away from both: "Nail-free" sawtooth hangers are all but impossible to install unless you're working with a very soft wood, and "nail-in" sawtooth hangers usually come with tiny pins made of a soft metal that will bend at the first thrust into your frame. Instead, I recommend using sturdy, screw-in hardware: screw eyes and D-ring hangers. 

Above L: Screw eyes of various sizes—one at each side of a frame allows wire to be strung across the back. Above R: Small D-ring hangers. D rings allow a frame to hang flush against the wall.

Here's what I used to make frames wall ready.

Materials

• Vintage picture frames.
• Artwork.
• Assorted Screw Eyes for flat-backed frames; $1.24 for a pack of 10 at Lowe's.
• Small D-Ring Hangers for beveled frames; $2.58 for a pack of four at Lowe's. 
• Appropriately sized screws for your frame (often the screws that come with D-ring hangers are too long). (I bought #8 1/2-inch screws; $1.18 for a pack of 12 at Lowe's.)
• Window glass, custom cut to size. (A 10-by-12-inch piece of 2.5 millimeter-thick window glass is $2.32 at Lowe's.)
• A power drill with drill bits, or a nail and hammer for punching pilot holes. 
• A power drill with screwdriver bits, or a screwdriver. 
• Cardboard. 
• A straight edge (for cutting cardboard). 
• A craft knife (for cutting cardboard). 
• Glazier Points; $1.30 for a 1-ounce box at Lowe's.
• A metal putty knife or a flathead screwdriver. 
• Picture Hanging Wire; $5.05 for 25 feet at Amazon.
• Wire cutters or heavy-duty scissors. 
• Pliers (optional). 

Instructions

Step 1: Decide whether you'll hang your frame vertically or horizontally, and install screw eyes on the back of the frame accordingly. Install one on each side on the top half of the frame. (If you'll be using hanging wire to hang your finished frame, the screws need not be perfectly aligned with each other, but try to get them close.) Here, I used the smallest screw eye on a frame made of fairly soft wood, and was able to twist it in with my hands.

I chose D-ring hardware for the beveled frame (the back is not flush against the wall—it meets at an angle), so that the ring lies flat against the wall when hung. Before securing the ring in place, I noticed that the screws that came with my D-ring set were too long for my frame, and if inserted, would have gone through the other side; I replaced them with a pack of #8 1/2-inch screws. 

The beveled frame was made of much harder wood than the screw-eye frame; I used a drill to make small pilot holes in the frame before driving the #8 screws into it.

Plastic frames are far harder to work with than wood. With them I learned that the trick is to drill pilot holes first wherever you want to insert a screw or fixture. This helps lodge hardware firmly into the plastic.

Step 2: Have glass cut to the exact dimensions of each of your frames. If you've never had glass custom cut, it's easier and cheaper than you might think. Many hardware stores will cut glass for you as will Lowe's and The Home Depot—call in advance to be sure. Most will cut a few pieces for free and then charge a small fee for each cut after that. 

I bought three 10-by-12-inch pieces of 2.5 millimeter-thick window glass for $2.32 each at Lowe's, and the cuts were free. I carried the frames along me to make sure the glass fit—it's smart to check; old frames often have wonky dimensions. When one piece of glass was slightly too big, my salesman at Lowe's patiently stuck with the task, trimming each edge on an angle to make the piece work.

Word of warning: This is industrial-grade glass that has been freshly cut. The edges are sharp—I myself had a few serious near misses when cleaning the glass for insertion into the frames, and I have a shallow scratch on my palm as a reminder. Be careful when handling the glass.

Step 3: Find the art you want to frame. I have a folder of art prints my grandmother saved, some from museums and art books, others from calendars and ads. 

Step 4: If you're framing a print, photograph, or anything on paper, add a piece of cardboard to make the artwork fit snugly in the frame. For mine, I tore apart an Amazon delivery box and cut rectangles using a craft knife against a straight edge. (Avoid using scissors; they'll work but will make a mess of the cardboard.) If you want to be archival, consider using acid-free cardboard.

Step 5: Install glazier points to make the artwork stay in the frame. Above L: Glazier points are small metal arrows that will hold your artwork in place. Above R: A metal putty knife is the best tool for securing the points in place. 

Above L: Use the putty knife to push the tip of the glazier point into the side of the frame. Above R: A screwdriver is also useful for installing glazier points: use the screwdriver to push in each edge of the arrow, one at a time. 

Stop pushing once the point is secure enough to hold your artwork. I like to leave mine somewhat loose so they're easy to pull out with pliers when I want to swap out the artwork.

Step 7: Using wire cutters or heavy-duty scissors, cut a length of metal wire that is approximately 20 percent wider than the frame.  

Step 8: Pinch the wire around the screw eye or D-ring. Using pliers (to be precise) or your fingers (my approach), wrap the wire around itself a few times to secure the hold, and cut off the excess wire. Gravity will make the wire taut; don't leave too much room for hanging or your wire will show over the top of your frame. 

The Finished Project

Above: Some of my grandma's art prints will finally see the light of day. Two are Van Gogh prints and the third is by Maurice Utrillo.

Looking for more DIY projects? Consider a DIY Watercolor Japanese Lantern and  DIY Red Lacquer Table for Under $500; and, on Gardenista, DIY Hanging Planters. 

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Egg Collective consists of Crystal Ellis, Stephanie Beamer, and Hillary Petrie, three friends who met in college in St. Louis and have reunited in Brooklyn.

Post-grad, the trio went their separate ways, meeting over conference calls from their respective kitchen tables in New Orleans, Rhode Island, and New York City. In 2011, they moved to Brooklyn and established Egg Collective with a mission to create hand-built American furniture that merges heirloom-quality craftsmanship with contemporary design.

Ellis, Beamer, and Petrie build each piece from start to finish out of their Brooklyn studio, sourcing additional detailing from local and small-scale manufacturers. Beyond co-assembling the furniture, each designer brings her own prowess to the collective: Petrie manages operations and marketing, Ellis, who has a fine arts training, influences the overall aesthetic, and master finisher Beamer sands, stains, and lacquers each piece to perfection.

Above: From left to right: Hillary Petrie, Stephanie Beamer, and Crystal Ellis. The three designers lean on their Julie Credenza, made in collaboration with Finnish designer Julie Tolvanen.

Above: The small Samuel Side Table is made from sheets of solid hand-waxed bronze.

Above: The Bradford Coffee Table is made from blackened solid white oak with a blackened steel frame.

Above: The Densen Dining Chair is a minimalist frame of walnut or maple wood with hide or fabric upholstery.

Above: The Morrison Sideboard has a variety of customizable options: wood in natural white oak, blackened white oak, or walnut; a travertine or blackened steel top; and blackened steel or brass hardware.

Above: The geometrical Haynes Mirror is available in two lengths, 58 inches (shown) and 38 inches, and framed in polished or satin finished brass or nickel.

Above: The Fern Console Table has hand-carved hoof-like feet and is available in two standard lengths, 96 inches and 120 inches. Available in blackened white oak (shown), natural white oak, walnut, and bleached maple.

Inspired by the flowers placed on Egg Collective's furniture? See more images of Floral Design in our Gallery of rooms and spaces. And visit Gardenista for a series of DIY Floral Arrangements.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on July 23, 2012 as part of our Summer in the City issue.

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Think of Great Britain and the first thing that comes to mind after Downton Abbey is rain. And while Downton Abbey is fiction, the frequent rain is fact. Consequently, outdoor clotheslines are less practical in these parts and laundry is traditionally dried indoors. Known in Scotland as "pulleys," the clothes drying rack—or "airer"—was a common sight in houses and tenements across the British Isles during the late 19th century until the advent of the tumble drier. Made of long pine slats secured by cast-iron ends and hoisted up to the kitchen rafters with the aid of ropes and pulleys, the clothes airers held a large amount of laundry conveniently out of the way, where the warm air gathered above the range.

During the post-war regeneration, the clothes airer became a symbol of Victorian drudgery, the very antithesis of the modern housewife's gleaming electronic appliances, and was cast out along with chafing dishes and coal fires. In the 1980s, an enterprising woman by the name of Sheila Johnstone decided to bring the clothes airer back. She changed the name to hers, with the addition of "maid," which conjures up a kind of discreet efficiency. Thanks to Sheila, the pleasure of hanging and hoisting an entire load of laundry has been rediscovered by a new generation who are neither servants nor housewives. The Sheila Maid brand is now owned by Nutscene, a company in Scotland run by a group of women as enterprising as Sheila herself. Here are some examples.

Above: An extra-wide clothes airer in designer Ben Pentreath's Dorset kitchen, hoisted, as is traditional, above the range, where the air is warmest.

Above: The Sheila Maid is made in a variety of sizes and colors by Nutscene, near Dundee, Scotland.

Above: The Sheila Maid, 57 inches long  with cast iron ends in black, white or iron, is available from my own shop, Ancient Industries, for $135.

Above: The practical nautical cleat adds to the pleasure of hoisting the rope, sailor style.

Above: Clothes airers are also as popular in sunny climates: Amanda Pays and Corbin Bernsen installed a Sheila Maid in their Los Angeles laundry room.

Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100, a collection of essential everyday objects presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Tuesday, and have a look at her past lessons on the Hudson's Bay Point Blanket, Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, and Humble Cotton Cleaning Cloth.

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