Reno or Not

January 14, 2021 by
There are some things that some of us only do every 25 years. 

Attend your high school reunion, traverse an IKEA store without buying something, and renovate a kitchen. These are just facts.
As far as I’m concerned, there really are only two important decisions in a person’s life: choosing a mate and renovating a kitchen. If that seems like an overstatement, you just haven’t found the right mate.
So if you have a kitchen that is in dire need of a good cabinetmaker or a well-placed bolt of lightning, this blog is for you.
No home remodelling project comes with more benefits—and more headaches—than a major kitchen renovation.

If you have the courage to tackle the work yourself (the secret, like any life skill, is obtuse resiliency), and knowing that you may have to live on take-out poutine for a good portion of that time, this blog may not be for you.
A remodelled, stunning, and better functioning kitchen is always worth the time, money, and effort and greatly increases your home equity like few other remodelling projects.
One way you may be able to save some money is to serve as your own contractor by choosing the materials, pick colours, haul samples home, accept deliveries, order appliances, apply for permits, interview, hire, coordinate and supervise the individual subcontractors to do the hands-on work, etc.Yup, might as well have told you to march outside hang a new garage door.

Like THAT’S ever gonna happen.

The habit of the mind is to note what’s not right in our lives and obsess about all that is missing. Like a dishwasher that cleans the dishes better than when you put them in.

Some might call it the source of our suffering.

It often begins harmlessly enough, but can quickly degenerate into a project that wouldn’t be out of place in sheer anarchy and mystery and lack of rules and not knowing what was going to happen next.
 
So by far, the easiest way to remodel a kitchen is to off-load the planning, design, and management of workers to a general contractor/designer. This could be the noblest kind of action.

Why? 

Because professionals know where to buy the stuff and how to do this detailed and overwhelming project.

It’s like a fridge with benefits. 

1. We have your best interests in mind.

We make sure the products you are getting are at the best for your kitchen given your present variety of disturbing materials and colours, the boisterous wallpaper, which had once, for a brief and unfortunate moment, been very much in vogue, or eliminating the ongoing need to use your stove top as an countertop extension.

We help you sort through your ideas to come up with a perfect plan and execution based on expert information and informed decisions so the entire process can be less stressful and worrisome.

2. We save you time.

The murky arena of renovations is not a single day task –  it takes weeks and weeks to complete. 

You need to gather and purchase all the materials, remove the old structure from the kitchen, and set up the new structure, Experienced professionals save a hierarchy of problems and time in the long run (and inevitable mistakes), as they work a lot faster and efficiently. 

3. We save your money. 

Professionals know their vendors, which materials and colours have staying power, and the products that are the best for your budget. Typically, most people who don’t work in the industry will try and fail miserably on a complete DIY kitchen, eventually ending up hiring some professionals, but not before they have spent a lot of money, time, and energy along the way. 


What you might usefully extrapolate from all this, is that hiring competent professionals will give you the best bang for your buck, keep overall costs down, save you from eating poutine, and make your kitchen look like a million bucks.
Nod thoughtfully.
Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk about kitchen renovations. I realize this is more information than you probably asked for.
Filed Under: Blog

New Year’s Eve

December 31, 2020 by
New Year’s Eve

1. A celebratory occasion that may involve Herculean acts of goodwill toward people, Librium, spinach dips, resolutions, and alcohol-fuelled apoplectic fits.

2. A special day of activity or recreation.
 

People historically fall into two camps when it comes to New Year’s Eve:

1) They love the celebration and splash out hundreds on a party at a below average bar sobbing about unrequited love or

 2) They binge on Meg Ryan movies, waiting for the iconic scene of glitter falling as the clock strikes midnight, while chomping down on Miss Vicky’s chips with a side of cheap wine.

But this year is a wee bit different. Because…2020. 

 
Spending this New Year’s Eve this year will majorly depend on:

1) your age 
2) your remaining levels of optimism
3) your present threshold of patience

And your New Year’s Resolutions will also likely depend on the aforementioned.

Examples:

1) Deciding to make your own coffee once a week.
2) When auld acquaintance be forgot. Unless that test comes back positive.
3) No dieting all year long. 
4) To try to remember why you have walked into a room.
5) To take the Christmas lights down by Easter. 
6) Take time to go on a long walk two times a week. You go Tuesdays, your partner on Fridays.
6) Or not to make any, as the last ones on the books aren’t being enforced anyway.

In ending, this New Year’s Eve, remember to drink and wander around your house responsibly.

P.S. I still don’t know what I’m wearing to the living room New Year’s Eve…I might not even go.
 

Filed Under: Blog

Have Yourself a Minimalist Little Christmas

December 12, 2020 by
Contents may have shifted during flight.

 Well, here we are once more – getting ready to not go out. Again.

As satisfying a feeling as slamming a revolving door.

We are fast becoming crusty curmudgeons bound in this tormented seclusion, incapable of distinguishing between last week and the extinction of dinosaurs. 

But as they say, when one door opens – there will be cold air coming in.

Which brings me to thoughts of opening doors to Christmas gifting, because if you haven’t already procured your offerings, it now may be a bit more of a challenge.

But I am here to help – or at least offer my unsolicited opinions.
Here are some ideas that may not necessarily count as principles, but that you may find helpful in cutting costs, help local businesses, minimize packaging, and reduce non-consumables.


Choose consumables instead of tchotskes. My personal choices – chocolate, a great Merlot, locally roasted coffee, chocolate, fine cheeses or craft liquors from a local distillery, and chocolate. 

Something homemade, handmade or local will have a story and thoughtfulness behind it, and you will have supported someone’s chocolate habit. P.S. Overcoming the pull of carbohydrates consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life.

Think of experiences instead of clutter. Pre-paid tickets to a museum, ballet, or a spa-day would be nice, but given our present situation, think about a gift card for a delivered restaurant meal to enjoy immediately.

Make a donation to their favourite charity in their name.

Be of service –  baby-sitting hours while parents go for a much needed walk – or nap. Have a cherished piece of art or picture professionally reframed. Paint some walls. Pot a plant.

Memories – and help– are far more valuable than dust-collecting items

Or you could always consider getting your partner a nice bath mat, something you’ve wanted for years.

Use recyclable or better yet, reusable, gift wrap. You don’t need shiny foil (not recyclable) with reindeer prints. Buy a bulk roll of brown craft paper and decorate it with simple twine or ribbon and a sprig of evergreen for a pretty touch. 

Or wrap in a new dishtowel and add ribbons. Reuse gift bags and boxes you have hanging around.

Order from local or Canadian companies. Remember, companies are following you on the web and collecting data on everything you look at, search, briefly pause over, text or email. They know almost everything. They know (or have a good guess) of your financial situation and budget. They know how close you are to purchasing an item and how badly you want or need it. They know your postal code and adjust prices accordingly. You are rarely seeing the same price as someone else. Digital marketing is a mad genius. It’s slick and tricky and full of people who understand human psychology better than you do. Big Business – especially when online – is out to get every dollar they can.

https://www.naturebeewraps.ca/

Make items. For those us who can and love to make, or bake – these are always appreciated. Think of something and spend some time creating your jars or project for your loved ones. A pie left on a front porch is just right. 

After all, can one really have too many face masks? 

Have Yourself a Minimalist Little Christmas. As if there is a choice.

Filed Under: Blog

Not that you asked…

August 27, 2020 by

Over the last twenty and counting years, I have been perusing your personal space, leaving no drawer unopened, so I thought it only fair that I released a bit of my personal information, except the delicate contents of my underwear drawer.

This overture may run the gamut of superficial, to deeply personal, to the huge turning points in my private life.

I overheard someone say, while sitting in a bar the other night, that these self-disclosures play a key role in forming strong relationships, boost empathy, build trust, and is a powerful way to handle social media criticism. 

Yes, I know there are risks. And it’s not always straightforward. So this will be a brief, personal recollection for the purposes of historical clarity. Not for publication.

Here it goes.

I am not that old and relatively well-adjusted. I used to enjoy watching baseball and other things on television. I like gambling and am extremely wealthy. I enjoy films and music of all kinds. I like many different kinds of food and desserts, including breakfast. I hate the cold and own many warm garments. I like people who are un-complicatedly happy, have a half-baked sense of humour, and don’t use puns in sentences. When my concentration is threatened, I dispense with contractions. And no member of my family is “known” by the police.
One may note that If you give a writer enough free time (and confinement), they’re eventually going to go mad and find a way to express themselves questionably.
Over the decades wobbly wandering this planet, I have picked up a smattering of invaluable life experiences and non-essential information. I felt it only right to share some of them with you.

Again, not that you asked.

1. When you come to a fork in the road, take it. It might be the one missing from your silverware set.

2. Don’t use bleach to get red wine stains off a white wall in your living room. This happened to me the other day and was odd for many reasons, one of them being that the wine in question had been drunk in my bedroom. (This is a coping mechanism I’ve developed after years of being devastatingly single and not having that one person to run to with everything that ails me. That’s what a relationship is for right? Please advise.)
3. Neutrals, from café au lait to camel, create a cozy atmosphere and bring a sense of sanctuary. They diffuse the stresses of the world, offer restoration, balance, and the subversive and consoling joy of not using a colour wheel.
4. The end goal isn’t just to own less stuff. The end goal is to live a satisfied, deep, and more intentional life focused on things that actually matter – like happier employees and gaining more followers on Tooter and Facebrick.  
5. Overcoming the pull of carbohydrates consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life.
6. When bored with someone you are with at a restaurant, say: “Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom.” Politely excuse yourself. Don’t mention the bathroom is at the gas station, ten miles down the road.
7. As Justice Potter Stewart said of pornography, most of us know poor taste when we see it.
8. Dress up, be charming, and have clean hair.

9. And no matter what, always wear comfortable pants.
 

Filed Under: Blog

deep and meaningful decorating advice

August 5, 2020 by
Before giving my deep and meaningful decorating advice (not that you asked), I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for signing up to my newsletter (or at least being polite enough not to delete your address), because I assure you I do not take this support lightly.

It’s a very big deal to me.

Don’t believe me?

Every time the submit button is pressed, a buzzer goes off in my office and the entire team can hear it. In fact, there it goes again.

My office manager just gave a whoop and the stock boy did a push-up. I don’t know why, but for some reason he does a push-up each time the buzzer goes off.

And now Garret, the accountant, just ran outside and gave a hug to some old lady walking by. I’m pretty sure he also tried to kiss her. She didn’t seem to mind, thankfully.

I’m also fairly certain I just saw Tina, the draftsperson, take a shot of vodka. I have no idea why she’s drinking at work, but hey, the kid’s excited whenever someone signs up.

Is she pouring another one? Oh crap, I have to go stop her… 



Okay, I’m back.

Well, I didn’t just write to tell you about my team’s impulsive and erratic responses (some of them being one string short of a full marionette), but to also let you know that every word and picture is designed to inspire you to live an epic life devoid of an eternal sense of existential unease and mismatched pillows.

If it doesn’t, don’t let me know how you feel.
Now…my deep and meaningful decorating advice. By the way this takes about 37 minutes to cover, but mostly it will centre on how I am doing at any given moment.
First of all, you will be pleased that I have not mentioned the “C” word once, given we are still living this quotidian life where there has ceased to be a difference between awake clothes and sleep clothes, or the corollary, putting on a cardigan over your pyjamas constitutes “dressing up”.
 

So here are my secret 58 foolproof expert tips to take your decorating to the next level.

They are handpicked and full-coloured with annotations, complete with a mix of unique ancillary content including woodcuts and sketches, and an Academy Award acceptance speech.

Now there’s a couple of things to keep in mind before you proceed.

1. After reading these tips, they are to be typed out in a largely indecipherable cursive font and displayed in a prominent area, constant reminders of what you are still doing wrong.

2. Always have a vase of fresh flowers somewhere in your home next to a glass of wine – and don’t worry about the budget. It will sort itself out in a few years.
3. Trust your gut with wild abandon, even if it whispers “you are nuts” in your ear – and even though the colours you picked tend to look like a toddler’s finger painting. It may work out.
4. It can help to binge-watch decorating shows and download apps, as long as they never mention astrological signs.  
5. And lastly, find a mate that is good at most, or all, the essential decorating skills you lack. Together, you should be adequate.
 
Oops. Sorry, gotta go. I just heard a few more “submits”. I’ll get to the tips later.

 
Filed Under: Blog

This is Your Life

July 27, 2020 by
Ordinarily at this time of year, many of you would be away or looking forward to getting away; taking a trip somewhere new and rejuvenating.

But with travel plans on hold, you may finally have the opportunity to take a different sort of journey: one of self-congratulations and self-recognition…for your life as a REAL ESTATE AGENT.

Yes, Real-a-tors,This Is Your Life and career…with a little help from buyers and sellers. 
As the host, I offer you a sort of career biography, citing some illustrious day-to-day events, a little encapsulation of the trials and tribulations in the life of a real estate agent. 

1. Forgetting to bring a chair to your vacant Open House – and a big bag of cookies. (But Open Houses do give you that much needed alone time.)

…and where the smoke detector keeps chirping.
 
2. Finding out that your socks don’t match when you take your shoes off to show a house.

3. Continually answering the question: “So, how many days a week do you work?”

4. Selling a property where the neighbour’s front lawn looks like there’s always a yard sale and the grass is tall enough to be a hiding spot for a five-year-old.

5. Wondering what to say when your seller believes they have staged their home to sell. 
6. Lowering the radio music when looking for the street address so you can see better.
7. Entering the lockbox code on your microwave after a long day. And even worse, when you thought you were buying organic vegetables, you got home only to discover they’re just regular donuts.
8. The owner wanting you to include every little detail about their house in the listing description.…Umm, the 37-year-old brick fireplace isn’t gonna sell the place. A hole in the roof is not a skylight and no, you can’t list the litter box as a third bathroom.
9. Hearing yet again, “Yes, I know what all the comps say, but my house is SPECIAL.“
10. Giving a big thank you to weekends and evenings for understanding that there is no time for them now that you’re in real estate.
11. And thanking your car for being:an officefiling cabinetstorage unit and occasional dining room and bedroom.
Filed Under: Blog

Hanging On-To

July 13, 2020 by

Over the years, “organized”, seemed to be my most defining characteristic. Like I was a minor celebrity with this one claim to fame. In fact, some might say, I am extraordinarily well-organized.

For example, if you wanted to know where my Allen key is, I could tell you. In the attic, in an orange shoe box labelled “Allen Key”, third from the left, second row from the back, behind the cardboard boxes and bags of baby clothes to be given away someday.

Some of us continue to struggle with the problem of too much stuff…sleeping in a box. Grazing on the shelves. Camped in the closet. Crammed under a bed. 
 
We hang on to it, showing desultory interest, vowing to “someday” deal with the clutter.

Someday. High on optimism, low on reality.


Every so often we ask ourselves, “Why are these things still around?”, “Why haven’t I gotten rid of them?”, and “Should I still be swiping on dating apps?”

Then one day, we realize:I made this in summer camp when I was ten.I’m not into diatonic harmonicas or egg cups with tiny squirrels along the top anymore.I can’t wear this shoe without it’s mate.My cat is scared of it.The mold on the paper makes it too hard to read.This treadmill is just too exhausting.I’m sure I will use that Q-tip one day.I will never grown basil in that window box.There’s too much dust on it to know what is.This table is not “distressed”, it’s screaming for help.I don’t want to, which is the best reason not to do a lot of things.
Excess is the sign of fear of scarcity.

Holding onto things can also be a way of keeping our spirits up and having a sense of control when faced with uncertainties, angst, and emotional trauma, such as this pandemic-fuelled exodus.
Being sequestered in our home for the last 756,659 days, means that clutter built up over the years is now probably constantly in view, or else falling out when we open our closet doors.
In these past few months, we have become at one with our homes, and realized that things we’d been putting up for years would no longer do, especially now that we had to deal with them multiple times a day. Or look for them.
 
By the way, if someone doesn’t invent a prototype during this quarantine for a see-through toaster so we can see when the toast is toasted, then honestly…

 
We are more comfortable with predictability and what we know, and it’s stressful to be in a situation of restraint in our homes and our lives.  
It is so much easier doing the same thing over and over, even when it no longer serves us, is making us miserable, or is not getting us closer to our goal. We get attached to the way we do things, and to the things we have. 
When we align ourselves with the counter-cultural approach of less, we alleve ourselves from the constant tugging of the pursuit of more. 
But when we finally do get around to the non-delegation of decluttering, there will literally be a physical change in us. It’s like a release of pent-up frustration and there’s real freedom in that. It will truly be a breath of fresh air.

Okay, I have to run now.

Ummm…I forgot. 

Okay, I’ll just go catch up on chores by laundering all my sneakers.
 

Filed Under: Blog

FOGO

July 7, 2020 by
Welcome to the summer of 2020, virtual and distanced – still.

There is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. But we have to find comfort where we can, and since mid-March, it has been mostly with, and inside our home.  

But really, most of us were probably spending time with some people for no truly identifiable reason – and not spending enough time putting socks back into pairs.



Our concept of home as sanctuary changed overnight via the pandemic hit. What we once considered as normal home time, abruptly altered.

So, as always, new circumstances create new challenges.

On top of that, our home, once considered a refuge from the world, now offered little solace from the social, economic and political unrest raging around the globe.

Whereas once we railed against FOMO, Fear of Missing Out, we were now forced to instantaneously shift to FOGO, Fear of Getting Out. 

Now, more than ever, we needed a soothing, calming haven, a bulwark against the uncertainties and upheavals of the outside world.
 
Fortunately for me, I rolled into this scary pandemic without much of a social life, so my strategy so far has been to continue not having much of a social life. It’s been a pretty smooth transition.
I also had no idea how much Tupperware had been missing from my life.

 
But the most disorienting thing of all, is that our home now has to serve so many purposes and activities…Zoom calls, reading and thinking space, hours on the computer, homeschooling, children underfoot, a yoga and exercise studio, Doritos and wine storage…the list goes on.

We have to now balance activity with privacy and introspection. 


How do we do this?
 
Number One: The best way, and for purposes of historical clarity, is to rearrange and/or eliminate pieces of non-essential furniture and belongings for instant, easy access to more space for living and working every day. (Look for this extremely long sentence to be emblazoned on T-shirts everywhere.)

What really matters is whether it’s just enough (and not too much) for you. Determine your list of “must-haves”, then narrow down your stuff to match it. 

Most of what we think we want is superfluous. Really, our needs are remarkably simple. In other words, when things aren’t adding up in life, start subtracting.

 
Number Two: An intelligent use of mirrors can make any room feel larger than its physical dimensions, bringing in more light, and maybe even reflecting the outdoors.

 
Number Three: Large landscape paintings or photographs can offer virtual windows within otherwise boxed-in places.


Number Four: Lighting. Light and its shadows reflect moods, and are achieved with the mindful placement of dimmable light fixtures and lamps focused on walls, ceilings and surfaces, spreading and softening light, without the harsh glare.

For example, a floor or table lamp pooling soft light beside a comfortable armchair, is a refuge from sensory and mental overload.

Number Five: Practice social distancing from the refrigerator and overcoming the pull of carbohydrates. 

To be a true sanctuary and ally, make your home as personal as possible. Do what works for you and what you love. And make space for your new hobbies. Like screaming into a pillow. 

While the latest (white and grey!) trend may be visually stunning, don’t necessarily adopt it and others wholesale. Think if it reflects your character, values, and cleaning cravings. 

Believe in yourself, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Home should be a place that reflects and serves who you genuinely are and how you want to live. 

Keep your eye on the prize, accept things as they are, and apply what you’ve learned over the years from watching mobster shows and movies.
Filed Under: Blog

Designer, de better

June 29, 2020 by
Miss Piggy Mantras That Everyone Should Follow
As the old saying goes, never work with children, animals, stem cells, or distressed tables. Well, I have worked with some of them and have a nervous tic to prove it.My career in interior design continues, but the last few years have also given way to intermittently write about interior design, because as Shakespeare once said, “the pen is mightier than the paint palette”.

Life has a wonderful way of chucking opportunities at you, generally when you’re at your most hungover, and you’d be mad to pass them by.

And I plan to continue writing even more whenever I can find the appropriate writing attire and colour-coordinated pens.
 
Just as Architectural Digest has been my muse magazine for decades, Miss Piggy, the most independent and inspirational pig I know, has served as model and guiding genius for just as long.
As some background, Miss Piggy grew up as a pulchritudinous pig on a farm in Hog Springs, Iowa. Her father died in a tragic tractor accident when she was young, and her mother wasn’t that nice to her.

She had to enter beauty contests to survive, as many single women do…and she was forced to pose for ads. Including one for bacon. It’s a time that she prefers not to speak of, although she insists that she never took her clothes off for a job. 

She does thank her parents for giving her bus fare. Otherwise she still would be living on the farm.


Her words of wisdom are sharp and to-the-point. In all honesty, can anyone really ignore Miss Piggy’s epicurean deportment, astute observations and point-on advice?
  
Like some of us, she admits that there was a time when she wafted in the winds of every trend. And like us, it resulted in some extremely unfortunate run-ins and cringe-worthy mistakes.

Tile countertops, rag-rolled/stencilled/sponged walls and furniture, wood panelling, carpeted bathrooms, popcorn ceilings, screen doors, heavy drapery, wallpaper borders, mirrored walls, ruffly floral bedding, fake floral arrangements, futons and…”slightly more masculine faucets”, which is a phrase I heard on HGTV and had to save for reasons I can’t yet fully convey.
Some may shudder at these, and others wonder why they are on the “Bad Design Trends” list, but you can take solace with Miss Piggy’s dictum, saying if you’re happy with how it looks, don’t worry about pleasing others— because it’s not as if their opinion actually matters.
Taken with pound of salt, I remind myself that she started the unenduring trend of pink. Not only does she wear pink most of the time, but can honestly say she’s been pink since the day she was born. 
Sometimes when doing a project I question myself, but then I remember her astute words: “Style comes in all shapes and sizes. Style is about expressing your inner self, capturing ethos, and most importantly, spending someone else’s money.” And to use a lot of French phrases, like “moi”. 
As an aside, if I had to choose one style icon besides Miss Piggy, I’d have to say Audrey Hepburn. Not only did she look good in pearls, but she also came up with the fabulous idea of having breakfast at Tiffany’s. Without her, I never would have thought of having meals in a jewelry store. 
Piggy has always believed in highlighting her best features by any means possible. Transposed to a house, this could be large windows, a great view, stupendous fireplace, high ceilings, an antique chandelier —whatever you want, you can achieve with the right orientation, good lighting, and when all else fails, post-production design help. 
  
Miss Piggy is never one for being part of the crowd: “I am a pig. And as a pig, I have always stood out.”
So know your strengths, likes and dislikes, and go “Fabulousity with a dash of irresistibility and a great big dollop of attitude. True glamorositude.”
Like Miss Piggy, I am often asked if it Is it better to give or to receive. From personal experience, moi has learned that it is better to receive.

But for the sake of appearances, I’d have to say it’s better to give – my opinions, my colour choices, and my phone number.
Like Miss P., I’m quick, I’m intelligent, I’m curious, I’m inspiring, I’m strong — look at those muscles! — and I’ve got a sense of humour and a passion for moving things up and down stairs. And I’m uniquely fashion-forward.
As moi says, “Designer, de better.”
Filed Under: Blog

Are You Sitting Down?

June 24, 2020 by
Most successful blogs have a memorable beginning, a big finish, and not much in between, reminding me of a commencement speech given by humorist Art Buchwald at Georgetown University.He said, “Graduates, we the older generation are leaving you a perfect world, so don’t louse it up.” 

And then he sat down.

Given I have had a lifelong love of listening to my own voice, I propose to fill up the middle part, but you are welcome to skip to the big finish if you’re in a hurry.

Today, I’d like to talk about the importance of staring out the window and doing nothing – except maybe chatting to your cat and the occasional inanimate object, or thinking about not doing sit-ups, or wondering what you are going to eat next 

…and chairs.

 
Henry David Thoreau at Waldon Pond had 3 chairs: one for solitude, two for friendship, and three for society. 

He was prepared for sitting.

Not sitting and doing something. But just sitting – in silence and solitude.

Which, most of us are probably getting quite good at, or very tired of, about now.
 
We tend to reproach ourselves or others for staring out the window. We are supposed to be working, on ZOOM calls, or organizing our wine bottles in alphabetical order. In other words, GettingThingsDone. 

Staring off into space seems the definition of wasted time and purposeless, producing nothing concrete. We tend to equate it with boredom, laziness, and futility. 
The Dutch call this staring off into space, “niksen”, which closely translates as “nothing-ing”. But niksen means being intentional about doing nothing. You must be idle, just be.

Our hyper-busy, striving, work-consumed culture does not generally condone, nor praise or encourage, daydreaming. Practising “nothing-ing” has been shown to enhance imagination and creativity, gain clarity, restore, make us calmer and more productive, and maybe less judgmental when your partner doesn’t vacuum all of the dog hair off the couch.

Niksen may sound easy at first glance (it’s not), but I want to make the argument that you can be more successful at it if you are sitting in a great chair. 


(It’s not really an argument, I just wanted to talk about chairs, and I couldn’t think of another way in.)
 
As far as I’m concerned, there are really are two important decisions in a person’s life: choosing a mate and buying a comfortable chair. If that seems like an overstatement, you just haven’t found the right mate.

 
Writer/diarist May Sarton spent her life writing, presumably in a chair, maintains that any house that does not have at least one comfy chair, is soulless. The Shakers would add to this, given their design dictum is “Do not make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful; do not hesitate to make it beautiful.”
When we call a chair beautiful, really what we’re saying is that we like the way of life it is suggesting to us.

It has an attitude to which we are attracted to: if it was magically turned into a person, we’d like who it was.

A good chair should and can, embody a lot in one small package: engineering, beauty, materials, practicality, but most of all, imagination.

Nothing pulls at the heartstrings and hamstrings more than a good chair. More than the marriage of form and function, it can rise to the level of art.

Some of the most iconic chairs indeed, stand the test of time, but some are not all that comfortable. Which is why one should take this information sitting down.


Most famously, the Hans Wegner “Papa Bear” chair is said to be “The Most Comfortable” by a long shot. It is an absolute perfect cradle. Once you sit in it, you may never want to get up.


Then there is the infamous Le Corbusier “Grand Confort” which was presented in 1929 at the Salon ‘Automne in Paris. It is as beautiful today as it ever was – essentially a throne for regular people.

My all time favourite is Saarinen’s Womb Chair designed in 1948. It has such a sense of sanctuary, security and glamour. Light and luxurious. On my Christmas list since 1948.

Arne Jacobsen’s ‘Egg” chair (1958), another fav, is a cosy cocoon of privacy, said to be inspired by Saarinen’s “Womb chair”. 

The Eames “LCW” (Lounge Chair Wood) is the iPhone of design. The chair world was never the same after Ray and Charles Eames put this on the market. Iconic – sexy, stylish and comfortable. If there was if there were a “Tolkien-esque “one chair to rule them all,” it would be the Eames Lounger – a cross between a baseball mitt and a bed.

And the Repos chair developed by Vitra and Antonio Citterio (2011). It is supreme swivelling, helping you with the harsh demands of gravity for your morning latte and not pondering life’s intricacies.



I would be remiss if I did not include IKEAS’s best selling iconic Poäng Chair, celebrating its 40th birthday this year. If anyone has not bought, seen, sat in, or passed on one of these chairs, they have been living under a rock, because over 1.5 million are sold annually. It even has its very own emoticon.

So in conclusion, to live your best life, nik regularly without intention – and in a good chair. 

The End. 

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