AbbeyK — On Interior Design

Mamma Took My Kodachrome Away!

I am depressed that Kodak stopped making Kodachrome.

From the NYT, Kodak Will Retire Kodachrome, Its Oldest Color Film Stock.

Not that I have bought it in ages. In art school, I bought a Nikon FE2 (how old school) and I used to shoot print....But the last time I bought print film was when I went to Senegal 7 years ago. I bought Fuji because I was advised that the tones were better for shooting in Africa. Not sure if that's true, but that's what I did.....

Still, the thought of change, and my love of Neil Simon just is sooo sad.

When I taught 4th grade about 15 years ago, a poet came into class and talked about typewriters. One of the kids raised his hand and said: what's a type writer? Some day it will be the same for print film, too.

Nostalgia for the greens of summers....and all the world’s a sunny day....

Is progress always good?

How the Smallest Things Make a Difference

There's a whole body of research about what makes people happy. You see, it's not the BMW. Get the 3-Series and soon you'll just want the 5-Series. Or the Mercedes for that matter. That quest for better is somehow part of our humanness in this society.

A client once gave me an article (which I have somewhere, if only all my boxes were unpacked). In a nutshell the article claimed that doing things like fixing a creaky screen door could really contribute to a sense of happiness. Because things that are broken can really make you uneasy.

So today, my contractor came and shaved down my doors in the bathroom, the bedroom, and the hall closet. Now they clear the rugs. That bath matt rolling up every time you open the door was really getting to me. And making my feet cold too.

What ease I feel. I can breathe easier today. I am not joking, either. It really makes me happy.

So what about you? What small changes to your home really made a difference in your day-to-day happiness?

Eric Roth Photographer

Tonight there was a really fun event at the Boston Design Center honoring the work of Eric Roth, photographer. There was a huge turn out and the party had a really nice vibe. The food was good, too. (I cannot speak to the libations -- not much of a drinker.)

Eric is a well known interiors photographer and a nice guy and what a wonderful thing that the design community recognized him in this way. P.S. Last year, Eric did a day of photo shoots for me.

Spring is Almost Here, Get Ready

The birds know it's coming. You can tell by their early morning chirpy behavior. The kids know it. Today, they were out in shorts and t-shirts. The TV meteorologists have a tough job though. It' might be warm today, but watch out. Today's a lamb, but tomorrow roars like a lion. Ah, March in New England.

With a week to go until the calendar marks the changing season, and about 8 more until we can get our hands into the soil to plant a garden, here are some tips to tide you over.

• Clean out those closets! It does a girl good.

• Get rid of stuff -- any stuff you don't need, don't like, or don't use. Find another home or another use for things. Plan on donating, have a yard sale, or call some friends who might like getting a treat. Try Freecycle or Craigslist. Both are great resources and you can avoid having things end up in a landfill.

• Plan your garden. Determine how much space you need between plants and draw a sketch. It's exciting just thinking of it. Planning will help you ovoid over-buying. Last year, I got just a little ambitious while at the plant nursery. My friend became the recipient of the extra annuals.

• Wash the windows-- inside and out. That really let's you see things clearly.

• Force some flowers. What's this you ask? Forsythia and pussy willows are two of the best options. The former teacher in me notes that it's a great way to teach kids some plant biology and to observe natural processes. But please don't pinch stems from neighbors. PS. These are About.com's instructions if you want to read more.

1. Pick a day that is above freezing.
2. Cut the stems in lengths of less than 3 feet, and bring them home.
3. Put the stems in a bucket of warm water.
4. With your pruning shears, cut another inch off the bottoms of the submerged stems. This second cut, performed underwater where air cannot act as a drying agent, will promote water intake.
5. Allow the stems to soak up the warm water for several hours.
6. Now it's time to change the water. When you refill, put floral preservative in the warm water this time. Once again, re-cut the stems, underwater. You'll speed up the flower forcing if you keep the stems in a high-humidity environment and give them some sun.

Other tips to share? Please do!!!