Create a Ma'am Cave

Last week in this space, I shared some tips for creating a football lover’s man cave. This week, I’d like to offer some insights on creating a getaway for the woman of the house – especially if you (or she) needs an escape from all the rowdy testosterone surrounding her. 

This is a space that should nurture and embrace its occupant with comfortable furnishings and lighting that enhances the room’s activities. It should be private, if possible, and closed off from the noise and hubbub of the house. It should be filled with artwork that inspires its resident to pursue her passions. Its color scheme will relax or stimulate, depending on the room’s primary purpose. 

As an example, my writing/design studio is painted red, a color that stimulates creativity. If I were using it as a yoga studio, I’d probably have chosen a soft sage instead. While every retreat is different, here are some general multi-purpose ideas to hopefully inspire you. 

Appropriate lighting 

Layered lighting is probably your best bet, especially if your retreat does double duty as a work and play space. Consider dimmable ceiling lighting and a table or floor lamp next to a chair or on a desk. 

This Atrium Glass Table Lamp from Pottery Barn illuminates your  space while displaying sentimental collectibles

Comfortable furnishings 

Even if your retreat is mainly dedicated to paperwork or exercise, it’s wonderful to have a comfortable chaise or chair with ottoman for relaxation. 

You might also want a writing surface, depending on how you’ll use your space. This could be a desk or a table, depending on your needs. Attractive storage solutions are available for files, if necessary, that could be hidden under a skirted table. 

I love this Baldwin Chaise from Ballard Designs for its style and comfort

Sound system 

You don’t need the kind of big-speakered system your boyfriend had in college. A compact player with good sound quality that lets you enjoy your work or play music is a great retreat enhancer. 

A Bose SoundDock or comparable system can serenade your  retreat

 


Sensible Style flooring 

How you primarily use your space will determine the type of flooring you choose for it. If you regularly work with paints or clay, consider low-maintenance materials that can be easily wiped clean, like rubber or vinyl. If you do yoga, ballet or Pilates, consider flooring that will be soft and comfortable underfoot, like linoleum or cork. If you just want a quiet place to read, meditate, relax or write in a journal, consider something cozy underfoot like a wool or flokati rug that you’ll enjoy digging your toes into. 

Nothing feels cozier underfoot than a flokati rug
(Photo: Flokati-Rugs.com )

Inspiring and engaging visuals 

Whatever your private passion, surround yourself with mementos or artwork that inspires it, or just delights you, and display your pieces handsomely. Consider a framer with archival experience for professionally preserving your valuables.

This signed, numbered photo is one of three Clyde Butcher  images archivally framed on my writing/design studio wall

Guest Post: Eco-friendly flooring options

I'm often contacted by commercial websites wanting to provide material for Gold Notes. Most of what they're offering is completely irrelevant, so I've said no thanks more times than I can count.

This post from CalFinder, a residential remodeling site, provides a rare instance of gaining some useful information for my readers that I'm happy to share. You'll see some of my comments included with the author's. I've noted those as (JG). So... Thanks, CalFinder. Thanks, Margaret Everton, CalFinder contributor... Let's get down now!

With so many flooring options available, it can be hard decoding the benefits of each and choosing which is best for your own space. While traditional hardwood looks great, many modern materials can create a beautiful and more sustainable floor-making responsible purchasing easier than ever. And even today's hardwood flooring is often built from re-purposed and reclaimed wood. Take a look at what is available to you.


Reclaimed wood

While you may picture beat-up planks, reclaimed wood exhibits no difference than brand-new wood. In fact, the wood is often more mature and detailed, providing a unique yet subtle finish. Companies like Ecohaus sell reclaimed wood in hickory, beech, chestnut and elm, to name a few. You can choose between hard and soft woods and color finishes, and with good conscience get the look you want.

Photo Credit: Southern Wood Floors

Concrete

Sleek and smooth, concrete flooring is a favorite of ours. Think less the rough surface you rode bikes on as a kid, and more the high-gloss flooring of museums. A high shine terrazzo finished concrete offers as much chic as any other material out there. Not to mention that concrete sustains for years with minimal cleaning and upkeep, and lowers your energy consumption in the process. (JG: Versatile concrete can also be stained to look rustic, fun, classic or pretty much any other look you're after.)

Photo Credit: Atlanta Travertine Cleaning

Bamboo

Chic and responsible, bamboo looks beautiful without compromising the environment. Made from sustainable forests, bamboo can create many different and refined looks in a home. Installation is usually simple, due to the manufacturing process that creates smooth planks ready for traditional installation.

Photo Credit: StarCraft Custom Builders

Cork

With a look similar to parquet, cork flooring offers texture and dimension while helping your home go green. Insulating against extreme temperatures, cork also lowers the noise level in a house. Soft and smooth, cork is extremely durable, and can withstand high usage and traffic. Cork usually provides a warm hue and nice detail, without drawing too much attention to itself. (JG: Cork is especially beneficial to aging in place homes, as it's far less wearing on one's joints than traditionally hard flooring.)

Photo Credit: Cork Flooring Pros

Rubber

Made from mostly or completely post-industrial recycled content, rubber can hold its own. Popular in highly-trafficked commercial areas such as gyms, rubber comes in a wide range of thickness and details. With so many color options, this is a fun way to go. And don't worry about your place looking like a gym: rubber can be beautiful in a residential setting and offers long life, too.

Photo Credit: Spec-Net

*** Margaret Everton is CalFinder's expert home remodeling blogger. With a background in interior design and energy-efficient living, Margaret loves to create successful spaces. You can read her posts, ranging from kitchen remodeling to beautiful new homes, or get help with your next home improvement project at CalFinder.

FOUR PRODUCTS FOR A HEALTHIER (STYLE-SMART) KITCHEN

Last week, I wrote about the much-hyped granite-radon-cancer link. This week, I’d like to suggest some stylish products for a healthier – and style-smart – kitchen. From top down, they are:

COUNTERTOPS

Quartz in its many varieties offers style, durability and easy maintenance. Quartz tops are nonporous, so you don’t need to worry about food-borne bacteria penetrating their surface. Quartz is sold under numerous brand names, including Cambria, Zodiaq, Silestone and Caesarstone. For more information about quartz, please visit my archive for the “Ode to Quartz Countertops” posting.

Corian is a countertop option that I haven't specified in more than two years, as most of my clients want granite or quartz. However, some people still prefer it for several reasons: Corian will integrate a sink more smoothly than any other material, giving the sleekest, easiest-clean edge on the market, and there’s something to be said for its almost-invisible seams and reparability. Corian is also much softer and warmer to the touch than stone. Last week, I spotted Corian’s new Illumination Series at the Southeast Builders Show and absolutely loved its cool, contemporary looks. It’s translucent, so you can uplight it for countertops – especially dramatic islands or vanities – or backlight it for easy maintenance backsplashes. Very dramatic, yet still non-porous and repairable.

CABINETS

In response to challenging economic times, there have been a rash of low-cost import cabinets from countries without environmental controls. These may have lead content or unsafe levels of formaldehyde that can be hazardous to your health. This is especially true for young children and the frail elderly, those with respiratory issues and anyone whose immune system has been compromised. A healthier alternative for this segment of the population are cabinets with low- or no-VOC finishes and formaldehyde-free construction. The challenge is finding attractive cabinets that meet your style needs, along with your health concerns. I’m delighted to share that I’ve found such a brand: Breathe Easy Cabinets. Their construction offers the benefits of high-quality, formaldehyde-free custom cabinetry, along with an attractive range of healthier finishes . Unlike some of their competitors whose design savvy is as green as their eco-status, you would not know that BEs are as great for your health as they are for your home’s value. I consider them the Volvo of cabinets: ideal for safety-conscious families, durable, stylish and mid-high priced. You can find a dealer at the Breathe Easy site. The Florida distributor is working on finding one in the Tampa area to serve my clientele.

FLOORING

Marmoleum is not a new product. Nor are its environmental properties new. It’s all natural, but it’s also allergen-free, antiseptic, antistatic and soft underfoot. You’ll love that softness when you have to spend hours preparing a family dinner and your feet, legs and back don’t ache like they do on tile. The company's new Marmoleum Click product installs easily and can be configured into a range of retro-friendly design styles. You’ll have no grout to clean and won’t worry about your children playing on it as you’re preparing meals.

***

IMAGE (Above): Marmoleum Click offers a healthier, stylish kitchen and great room flooring option.

Please let me know if you'd like to create a room using any of these materials. As an independent designer, my role is to pair clients with the best-available components for their projects. When it comes to healthier but still style-smart spaces, these are among my recommendations. For those clients outside the Tampa, Florida area, I do offer long distance design consulting by phone/email/internet. Please see my design firm website to view some recent projects and complete contact information.