vintage spaces
Opposite page: Dana’s bedrooms, like this guest bedroom (far left) feature older, heirloom pieces. The game/TV room (bottom and right) feature more masculine touches, while keeping the mid-cen- tury thing going. Below: The shadow box containing heirlooms from her mother. Bottom: Dana’s guest bedroom is whimsical and fun.
Ask a Pro
I need to get outside. How do I create an oasis in my own back yard?
"That shadow box was $20," Dana explains. "Everything inside it is from my mom. Each birthday, Christmas, whatever, she lets me take a piece of junk from her house, and I put it in that shadow box. All of that stuff is something my mother has given me." Dana's junking has become an unplanned bind to her family that will never break. In actuality, her one-in/one-out rule is really just a way to ensure that she always continues to look, always continues to find, and always continues to share in the memories that junking will provide. Dana will have a passion for junking for her entire life and has sound advice for anyone thinking of following in her footsteps. "Start at your grandparents' house," she says. "A grandparent will have things that you never knew about and the piece will mean that much more to you when you get it. Don't worry about the value or if it's an original. Pick something that will have meaning to you. Then you can always move on to Goodwill and First Fridays and places like that. Start with your family. You'll be surprised what you can find." Although she calls herself a junker, one thing is for sure in looking at Dana’s lovely home: It’s a far cry from junk. Her knack for design, keen eye and determination have filled her home with a custom style to go with all that love. Kim Antisdel is a writer, interior designer and sales rep. She is also a complete klutz that can crank out a killer cartwheel on demand. Her favorite place to write is curled up on the couch with her weiner dog and two cats fighting for a spot on her lap. ^
W
ith winter saying adieu, now is the time to start plan- ning that perfect outdoor getaway; in the not-so- distant luxury of your own backyard. Your very own private sanctuary is just a few steps away. Whether it
is a living room, a kitchen, a dining area, or all of the above; creat- ing that ideal outdoor getaway is as easy as one, two, three! While you don’t have to settle for a BBQ grill and folding lawn chair any more, I certainly wouldn’t advise passing on any opportunity to soak up the sunshine with your favorite beverage while getting your carnivore on. Designing a functional, flexible outdoor space is much like designing an interior room. Develop your outdoor plan in a sequence, working from the most general to the most specific features. Commit your design to paper, preferably to scale, and include all elements of your yard, including the pool, deck, patio, landscaping and walkways. And think about traffic patterns, both to and from rooms in your home and to areas in your yard. You are no longer tethered to the old constraints of creating outdoor environments. There are literally thousands of outdoor specific products just begging to be incorporated into your design, such as fabrics, furniture, lighting, artwork, rugs, water features ... and it is always a great opportunity to repurpose and recycle some of your favorites. Don’t let your space (or your lack of space) stop you either. Beauty can be had in an area the size of a postage stamp. Depending on your own style, something as simple as a quaint bistro table and chairs perched on an antique rug (in this case you would need to bring the rug indoors when not in use) would add so much ambiance to your area. Add some blooming flowers in your favorite shade—remember, there is no wrong color in nature—a place setting for two and voila, you have the perfect spot for you and a friend, a romantic setting for you and that special person, or a picturesque destination for you and your favorite book. And should you need another reason to create that perfect outdoor destination, it will not only extend your living space but it will increase the overall value of your home. Shake off those foul weather blues and get started. I see good times in your future!
-Deb
Deb Vogler has been creating her own brand of Comfort by De- sign for more than 15 years. She deals with all aspects of design, from budgeting, to floor plans (renovation or new construction), to furniture, to color at her full-scale design firm. Have a desigin question for Deb? Send it to erin@vintagekcmag.com.
VintageKC / Spring 2013 21
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