House of Devign

Halfway Point

Six months later!
Originally uploaded by basty

Tomorrow marks my 6 month marker to my goal to change my life. Time sure has flown.

Today is a very cloudy day, so I couldn't get a very good photo of myself. I had to go outside and squint for this one.

Let me tell you first off, I haven't lost a single pound, but before you judge this as a failure, let me explain. I haven't lost weight because I have replaced a significant amount of fat with muscle. And since the same volume of muscle weight approximately 3 times as much as fat of the same volume, I have maintained the same weight throughout. The difference now is that I look much leaner, and have some serious muscle.

In the beginning, I worked with a personal trainer twice a week, not only to get me motivated to start, but also to guilt me into making sure I went. I also went a single day during the week to walk on the treadmill. We originally split training time between free weights and reformer Pilates, but I discovered that I would come home after using free weights feeling like crap. So we stuck to Pilates from then on.

After two months, I switched from private to group Pilates, joined a second gym (don't ask), and worked my way up from 2 days, to 3, and then 4. I have cut out cardio, mostly because as of late we have been working heavily in the yard on the weekends and taking walks, but I intend to start adding it back in... more on that a bit later in this post.

Let me tell you something.

I feel FABULOUS.

I don't know that I have ever felt this good in my entire life. I know I still have a ways to go in losing some fat and slimming down, but I can't recall ever feeling like this. I am so very strong and energetic, and I seem to always be in a great mood. I can now hold in my stomach, my back pain is virtually gone (except when my trainer has me doing crazy sit-ups), and even old injuries and surgeries seem to bother me a ton less.

I can now wear form-fitting clothing without being utterly embarrassed, and I am out-working my husband in the yard. I feel so good now that we spend virtually every weekend out with friends or doing yard work. I have come so far that I have been a bit of an inspiration to others to consider going to the gym.

I used to play World of Warcraft obsessively, but as of a couple of days ago, I cancelled my account. I just don't feel the same desire to be so sedentary. This little tidbit leads me to my next bit of accomplishment.

Nathan will be joining a gym too. He has been feeling very stressed lately, and my working out has alerted him to the need to not feel so fat and lazy. He cancelled his World of Warcraft account when I did and will be using the money we used to spend vegging out behind the computer on a gym membership of his own. I just told him to pick one of the gyms I was a member of.

By Nathan beginning his own routine of exercise (man I hope he is serious about it), it will encourage me to accompany him to the gym and get back on the elliptical machine. Hopefully, once he gets some energy back he will starts doing free weights with me, since I am sure that I can handle it now.

Now, this brings me to you, my readers. If you are sitting there, devoid of energy, willpower, and watching your waistline grow, I can relate. I was all that and more, depression and stress were my constant companions six months ago. I used to be so negative and unhappy. I really had to push myself to get off my butt, walk into a gym, and ask for help. I implore you to take the first step, getting in shape has so many more benefits than just a trim waistline.

If you think it is too expensive, ask yourself "how much money would I save on food, clothing, shoes, moisturizer, gas, etc. a month if I lost weight, firmed up, and adopted healthier lifetime habits?" I now drink one diet soda a week, as opposed to drinking regular soda several times a day, every day. Water is a staple in our house, and it is much cheaper than soda, and it is so much better for the skin and body!. I don't wear through my shoes like I used to, and my clothes are not being stretched out anymore. Less skin means I don't need as much moisturizer. I save gas money by walking more places, not caring where the closest parking is, and not adding weight to my car. Surely, those savings are enough to justify the cost of a gym membership.

I would love to see everyone take that first step like I did, and hear about their habit changes. I won't lie to you, the first few weeks are murder, but once you get into a pattern, I promise you, you will be so glad you started.

I know I am.

Using movies as inspiration for your home

Have you seen the release photos for Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland?

There are a ton more images at the above link if you are curious. And here are some behind the scenes photos. I really love the blue skirt made of ric rac that Alice is wearing.

The point of this post is not to show you how divine Tim Burton is, but to show you how to gather inspiration from an unconventional place (movies) and use it to create your home. There are many movies out there that are full of beautiful color and interesting design begging to be incorporated into your home. I'm sure you can think of a few.

So, what do you do when you fall in love with a movie and want to represent it's style in your home?

Start by going to the internet and search for photos from the movie that best represent the colors and styles you like about it. Here are good examples of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette:

Print out several photos from the movie and keep them as reference. you will need them while you shop. These photos will also come in handy when you are trying to explain something to a salesperson, or trying to recall detail.

Get out your pad of paper and a pen, and start listing details about the design. Here are some Penelope images to use as an example:

You want to include anything that comes to mind when you look at the images. In this case you would note the whimsical garden theme, butterflies, the wide plank wood floors, beautiful landscape art, the cloches covering everything from miniature trees to mini furniture. Oh, and don't forget the colors!

If you want more images of the movie, Apartment Therapy has a wonderful posting with tons of photos.

Now, to proceed from here, you need to remember one rule. Don't overdo it!

Start with your walls and floors adding in the color, and from there work on layering in the elements. When you buy things, try to keep it simple, and stick to your list of details. If you find something over the top that you simply must have, (like the coral painted tree idea), make it your centerpiece, and try to keep other elements from competing with it. And don't forget, places like Etsy are more than happy to custom create for your home, so don't be afraid to ask.

Use photos to help keep you on track, and show them to everyone you encounter while shopping. Don't assume anyone knows what you are talking about when you mention the movie you are trying to emulate.

Now, don't be in a hurry to finish your room, most of the fun of design is happening upon the perfect piece you didn't even know you were looking for.

Oh, as a side note, my home most closely resembles the Alice Wn Wonderland photos, and it is nowhere near complete. I hope it is never done!

Greening from a designer's point of view.

As a designer, I get asked about going green quite frequently. With the rise of the Planet Green channel and major corporations starting to change their manufacturing to be more environmentally conscious, it is becoming very chic to care about the environment.

Buutttt... going green is expensive. Even organic foods are very expensive.

Even worse, if you want to cut your energy costs in the home, it can take 15 years to recoup the costs of installing solar panels. Homeowners' associations might also deny your request to install a windmill in your yard.

So what do you do?

Well, first of all, you should be recycling. If your city has a curbside pick-up for recycling, you have no excuse. Even my not-so-enthusiastic husband recycles, and he is apathetic about most things. You don't need me to go over WHY you should recycle. I am pretty sure in the year 2009, you know why. If you think your recycling bins are ugly or taking up space, there are many other containers you can buy that will suit your needs.

Secondly, go for the CFLs! True, CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs) are a bit pricy, contain mercury, and aren't as elegantly beautiful as a standard incandescent bulb, so here is how to deal with that:

My brand new house is LOADED with lighting and it would cost a fortune to replace everything all at once. So, I wait until a bulb burns out in a fixture/room, and then replace all the bulbs with CFLs just for that one room. Just don't forget your outside fixtures. If you break a CFL, the clean-up procedure can be alarming. Not to worry though. CFLs are a bit tougher since they have thicker glass, and in many cases, such as flood lamps and candleabra lamps, are encased in 2 layers of glass. Just save the bad bulb and use Earth 911 to help you find a place to recycle it. As far as aesthetics go, sometimes you have to just forego the CFL altogether. If the thought of using an unsightly CFL in your $10,000 chandelier makes you die a little inside, don't do it. Just use incandescent bulbs, and watch you don't overdo the wattage!

Now you aren't gonna want to hear this one, but painting your walls is also a way to help reduce energy costs. It adds a thin layer of insulative quality by filling in holes that can leak out cold and heat. To add an even better insulation value, put in a ceramic additive. Additionally, you can purchase low- and no-VOC paints and help keep your interior fresh.

More costly, but well worth the money, is to install/update your window blinds. If you have more than a 1/4 inch gap from the blind to the wall, then your blinds aren't properly fitted. This happens frequently when you buy off-the-shelf pre-cut blinds. The blind should be fitted well enough that you trap the heat or cold between the glass and the blind. If the gap is too big, that heat and cold is getting through, and not helping your energy bill. Call a custom blind rep (my favorite is 3 Day Blinds), and have them measure all your windows. They will make style suggestions based off the function of each room, and you can purchase blinds one room at a time, budget allowing. Just stay away from mini blinds!

Next, pay for a thermal imaging scan of your home, especially if it is older.

Design is nothing if you are freezing in the winter and hot in the summer. Proper insulation can save you thousands of dollars in wasted energy, and having your home scanned will show you where you are leaking out heat and cold. Sometimes these leaks are easy fixes! If your home is well insulated, you should be able to open your windows in the dead of summer, and still be cool. I will tell you that my house is just over 1 year old, well insulated, and when it is 110 degrees outside, I open my windows and doors. It is always pleasant. Oh, and my energy bills are less than half of what they were when I lived in a home with 300 less square feet.

Another way to go green is to garden.  I know, you aren't a gardener, but you are sucking down oxygen, and the only way to counteract that is to grow things. Having houseplants around will lower the pollution in your home by converting that CO2 back to oxygen, and besides, plants are pleasant and a big part of good design. Complaining you don't have a yard to grow vegetables is no excuse either. Plenty of people grow vegetable gardens inside, on patios, and even in window boxes. If you don't want to grow veggies, grow flowers. Designers are big fans of fresh cut flowers in a vase, and if you grew them yourself, then you will be even more proud!

One underutilized change that you may have never heard about is the tankless water heater, also known as an on demand water heater. Instead of having a huge tank that always has to keep your water hot (even at 4 am!), this system eliminates the tank altogether and only heats water when you need it via a system of pipes. What does this mean? You never run out of hot water! You can buy one and have someone install it for around 500-600 dollars. This also give you back space in your garage or closet.  In fact, this is the next upgrade we will be doing in our home, seeing as my husband likes to steal the hot water.

The final thing that you can do in your home is to start researching the things you buy. When they say your new pillow is filled with poly-fil, find out exactly what that is. What is Olefin (hint: don't buy it)?  What are the chemicals in your steam cleaner. Can you clean it with more natural ingredients with the same end result? An informed consumer is a better consumer, and information is free. Free is the cheapest way to green your home, if you know what I mean. So get to the research.

I hope this helps, and if you have more questions, I am always up to research things for you.

Serious design sucks.

I know you have seen Interior Design shows where the people completely remodel the inside of their home and spend a ton of money to do it. They are ultra excited with the way it turned out, and play it up as the most amazing home ever created on this planet. They boast about everything, as if they toured the ends of the Earth to find a single, perfect door knob for their bedroom.

Then they pan back, and show you the finished room in it's entirety.

What you end up seeing is not an inspirational room loaded with personality and style, but what looks like an ultra-traditional furniture showroom upchucked in their house. It looks as if no one has ever lived (or will ever live) in it, as there is no form of personality.

This is usually evident in the matchy matchy furniture, cold or subjectless art (beige squares on top of rust squares counts as art?), pointless and perfectly placed tchotchkes, the very popular "matching balls in matching bowl", the arbitrary book or magazine perfectly angled on a surface, and no personal effects lying around. Oh, and don't forget the overly gratuitous use of stone, granite, tile, iron, and faux finished walls. If you are lucky, they will throw in columns to fool you into thinking they are structurally necessary!

I like to call this Serious Design because absolutely nothing is out of place, and the placement of everything can be measured to the millimeter.

This is not what you ever want in a home, EVER EVER EVER.

Your home is a physical representation of your personality. It is where you want your personal whimsy to take over. When I see serious design, I deem the inhabitant to have no personality, no friends, no hobbies, and no desires. I would much rather visit someone hip deep in clutter than ever set foot in a serious house.

While you may want a polished home that looks like it could appear on the cover of Architectural Digest, you have to remember one thing. Those people have the designers come back into their home and stage the crap out of it for the photo shoot. They dont ACTUALLY live that way.

Most people have hobbies, families, pets, and dreams, and it should be evident in their homes. If you want to keep your home upscale but don't wish to lose your personality, remember to include a bit of whimsy in the design.

Whether you are an avid reader, gardener, collect old maps, knit, breed collies, or watch birds, find a way to add it to your home. Make it beautiful and unexpected:

Think outside the box:

Be literal:

Just make sure you know when to stop:

If you think it might make someone vomit, you overdid it!

Sometimes rain brings good things.

Fairy Circle 1
Originally uploaded by basty

Like fairy circles.

It has rained almost non-stop for 2 weeks. Let me remind you, I live in a marshy, high desert. Reno's main form of precipitation is snow. We have had so much rain, that we beat out a record set in 1911.

Nathan and I have been trying to go gung ho to get our pond done, which has been severely set back by all this rain. We have gotten the liner in and filled it a bit, but we are having trouble deciding on the final look of the waterfall. Truth be told, we are super poor. Between working on the pond, and having the landscapers out to install the pathway, we have blown through a few grand. The sad thing is, we aren't even close to done, We would need $5000-$6000 more to get our backyard into quaint and useable shape. We just don't have the money right now, and we don't know when we will have it. We are making do with buying things bit by bit for now.

I did manage to get rid of the rest of the crappy bushes in my front yard today. I only have 2 side bushes left to dispose of and that will take care of the remaining "stock" landscaping the builders put in. In their places, I have planted peonies and a blue hydrangea. I will be filling the spaces in between with flats of mosses, flowers, and ground cover. I would have done it today, but it got too cold to work. So they will have to sit in their little plastic pots until tomorrow, hopefully.

I will be sad when Nathan finally mows the grass, as I have become quite attached to my Fairy Circles. There are 2 of them, and every day they get more complete. I wish I could show you the state of my yard. The grass is very green and tall, and everywhere are wild mushrooms. If the ground were dry, I would love to roll in it.

Check out my Flickr for a few more photos, and say tuned, I will be taking more to document our progress!