Mi casa

I am so thrilled to announce that Apartment Therapy's green living site Re-Nest featured my humble abode a few days ago. Please click here for the posting: http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/green-tours/amandas-serene-long-beach-bungalow-green-house-call-136902

For my loyal blog followers ;) here are all the photos from the house tour, plus some extras!!



After entering the bright yellow front door of my bungalow, this is the first room you see, awash in white walls and pops of avocado and celedon. The green and white palette and the framed photos of undisturbed rain forests bring me back to nature every day. The bench is a slab of reclaimed wood from an old lower Manhattan building.



We remove our shoes upon entry so the storage bench was essential. All my son's books live in this bookshelf; we purge regularly or borrow from the library to keep the collection manageable.



Free of any clutter, rugs and excessive artwork, the narrow living/dining area features just a sofa, wall-mounted credenza, and dining set. The tables are both made from sustainably harvested teak and the pendant lamp is made from white-painted bamboo strips.



The top photo is a view from the front room, this is a view from the kitchen.....but it's all the same stuff. :)



The framed work on paper by Jimmie James was the only piece of art I had hanging in this house for a while. If you look closely among the abstract brush strokes, there is a rough sketch of a house and words that read "happiness is a good home." I must emphasize that it says "home" not "house;" there is a profound difference to me.



This is my home office with budget-friendly IKEA furniture and walls covered in grass cloth. In addition to being an interior designer, I specialize in home organization. But if I don't 'walk the walk' at home, I can't help my clients. Staying organized fuels my productivity and provides necessary calmness in every day.



My tiny bedroom has only enough space for a bed and two makeshift nightstands. The framed sun prints were the result of a project my son and I did one relaxing Summer afternoon. The energy of that sunny day still lives on in them and I smile every time I see them.



I kept the palette light and serene; I wanted to feel like I was waking up in a hut on a little island every morning. The leaning ladder further supports the exotic vibe and gives this feeling of infinity when I lay in bed looking at it, reminding me of how much lies beyond our walls.



An Oeuf dresser holds all of my son's clothes and old letters are a colorful, yet timeless decoration for the wall above.



Wanting to keep it simple in Ryder's equally tiny bedroom, we kept the colors calm and the wall art minimal, but fun. His collection of karate belts is beginning to take over though. ;)



Given the fact that the house is a rental, the kitchen isn't all that bad. It's clean and big enough; a few small decorative touches make it a peaceful and comfortable extension of the rest of the house. I made the powder blue formica counters work for me, not against me, and applied my minimalism here more than anywhere else. My only appliances are the basics like a fridge, oven and dishwasher (yay!), a toaster oven and a juicer. I haven't had a microwave in years and don't miss it one bit. Less truly is more.



Again confronted with the standard whiteness of a rental home bathroom, I embraced it and added only straw-colored organic cotton towels and bamboo accents. It feels like a really, really small spa in there to me: calm, clean, pure and light.

Thanks for coming over!

xx
Amanda