Welcome Home!
Houses have a story to tell.
Spend enough time in any room and you can begin to feel the narrative built into the walls. Look beyond the furnishings, the knick-knacks and the clutter and you can discern the outline of a relationship. Ask the professionals who poke and prod into the spaces around us. They know.
Interior designers can measure the stress in a relationship, even as they listen to a couple describe what they want. Contractors frequently see the cracks in the façade before they are visible to the naked eye.
Conversely, happiness shines in even the shabbiest room.
Recently, I sat in a friend’s living room. He was sprawled in a favorite arm chair, the upholstery shredded by constant wear and tear. His wife was curled into a corner of the worn velvet sofa. The room was strewn with books and magazines. Our tea cups were scattered across the tabletops. There was nothing fine or finished about the place. But the room was redolent with happiness and contentment. It is the place my friend and his wife come home to each day. They found solace and refuge there. And, after failed relationships and a fair share of heartbreak for each, a future together.
After a moment, the conversation lagged. We sat together companionably, and the only sound in the room was the squeak of the old rocking chair in which I sat. I rocked for a few more minutes and then said my goodbye. They stood at the doorway and waved as I drove away.
I’m too old for fairy tales, and too realistic for happily-ever-after romance novels.
But I do love to read a good room
This week in Home
Any house can hold two people who choose to be together. But the house that shelters artists like David Glass and Louise Kodis, is a special place. Ornamented by the things they create together and individually, the Craftsman-style structure is a testament to collaborative partnership. Glass’ stained glass creations sit or hang beside Kodis’ fabric art. They motivate and inspire one another.
The story of their art, and art-filled home, is our cover feature.
Fly to the coop
Living in the city doesn’t necessarily mean you forgo country pleasures. For those who are determined to enjoy fresh eggs, the urban chicken coop is a lifestyle choice. Next weekend, there will be a tour of backyard chicken coops in the area. We’ve got details and ticket information.
A new (old) friend
Summer is an excellent time to introduce a new pet to your family. Our pets columnist, veterinarian Carolyn Morrill, offers advice for choosing to adopt older animals.
From stained glass windows, to a bowl of fresh eggs in the kitchen, to a beloved pet who shadows our every move, the places we call home paint a portrait of not only who we are, but who we want to be.
Welcome.