Cute little Christmas Bungalows

I discovered Walnut Court in Santa Rosa, CA the other night. It's a tiny street with some cute little bungalows and a couple of bungalow-conversions that are not so tiny anymore.

A little about Yosemite

It took me years to really appreciate the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. I had long considered it just a playground for the rich.

But the entire hotel is open to any visitor and it is very definitely worth a look!

I'll be brief in this post--I could write for days about the grande dame of National Park Hotels.

One of my favorite rooms is the "Mural Room" just off the Great Lounge. Cozy and warm, it has a "painted tapestry" on the walls and a shiny copper fireplace.

"The renowned painted linen mural of The Ahwahnee's Mural Room is typical of fifteenth-century style known as mille fleurs. Painted by Robert Boardman Howard in 1927, this toile peinte, or painted tapestry, depicts the park's native flora and fauna." From Yosemite Gifts Online

You can see more photos of the hotel at http://www.historic-hotels-lodges.com, where I found these photos of the Mural Room (also known as the Writing Room).

Oh how I wish they would make a tapestry replica of these walls I could hang in my living room. The next best thing is some beautiful cloisonne boxes and ornaments that depict some of the scenes from the tapestry.

This isn't from the tapestry, but it's an acorn (one my favorite things!) with the Ahwahnee logo.

Another favorite historical place is the Wawona Hotel. Why not have one of these cute little deck chairs hanging on your tree this winter?

This, and so many other cute cabin/bungalow type things are available through Yosemite Gifts Online. (No, I do not get a kick-back!)

Just in time for Christmas!

Beadboard, Sea Glass and Driftwood

Hey, I've entered the National Novel Writing Month! The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in November. That's over 1,600 words a day.

You can track my progress at my homepage on the NaNoWriMo site. If you sign up yourself to write a novel (it's not too late!) make me one of your "buddies" and we can give each other pep talks.

I'm posting this on this blog because I have decided to write a mystery novel with the main characters renovating a cottage on Cape Cod. It's the first in the Trilogy Cottages Mystery Series and is titled Beadboard, Sea Glass and Driftwood.

If you would like to show up in the story, please send me a name you'd like me to use (not your real name) and maybe what kind of character you'd like to be.

I'll post excerpts now and then on the NaNoWriMo site.

Margaret

The Gamble House, my pics

 

The Gamble house (designed by Greene and Greene for the Gambles, of Proctor and Gamble fame) is a premier example of Arts and Crafts architecture in the US.

I wasn't at the house at the best time of day for the best light for photography. But the tour is incredible. Photography was not allowed inside the house.

The house is in Pasadena, and is owned and operated by USC. It was only lived in for about 50 years and made so well that there hasn't been much they've had to do it. Most of the original furniture is in it, also designed by Greene and Greene. I won't go into too much of the history...you can find that on the house website. The tours are a mere $10 and led by very knowledgeable docents, and last an hour. I was there mid-week and each tour seemed pretty full, and they were started every half hour.

A tid-bit I learned? Each year, two architecture students get to live in the house (in a room that is not shown on the tours), and they may have family over at Christmas. The original kitchen is not used, but the basement (also not shown) which houses the staff, has a full kitchen which the students use.

This is the front door. Much more impressive from the inside with the light shining in on the stained glass.

The house is rather dark inside (it stayed very cool on this warm day). Its original lighting, still there, was 16 watt light bulbs. Yes, very dim.

The Gamble House

I'm down here in LA this weekend and my friend and colleague took me to Pasadena so I could tour the Gamble House. I'll post pics when I get home since I forgot to bring a cord to download my camera. Wonderful tour, incredible house!

Visit their site and learn more....http://www.gamblehouse.org

Margaret

Now that's a tiny house!

I've been reading a book recently called A Tiny Home to Call Your Own by Patricia Foreman and Andy Lee. They are the owners of Tiny Homes Company. Yes, it is self-published and could have used one more edit, but it's an interesting read.

Anyway, tiny homes have been on my mind and I saw an ad in my local free paper that used a stock photo I just loved. I couldn't find that exact photo, but I did find this one (which I purchased from Fotolia for $1.00). The house is even cuter–quite the tiny cottage, don't you think?

August 2009 Ecovator Award

Jay Schafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company wins The Trilogy Cottage's Ecovator of the Month Award for August.
Jay hails from my parts these days, even a stint for awhile in Sebastopol.

He designs and builds (and lives in) tiny little homes. The essence of a cottage on a micro scale. I think the only way to live with less is by backpacking. These super-tiny domiciles are on wheels–truly mobile homes, not like those things that get stuck forever in "mobile-home" parks. Since they are on wheels, you can park them just about anywhere. A guest cottage in your driveway? A teen hangout in the backyard? A writer's retreat on that parcel of land by the lake?

You can buy his new book from his website. I recommend visiting and checking out what he does...it's unlike anything you've seen before! You can buy plans for one of these darling beauties or have it built.

I've been inside one of them myself a couple of years ago...very cute, very livable and I'm thinking they will keep you from gaining too much weight...you just won't fit inside for too long if you do! And you won't be shopping at Costco anymore, either, unless you plan to use that giant can of tomatoes as a coffee table before you use it!

Sara Tetley, Coastal Cottage Watercolor Artist

Check out these beautiful watercolors of beach cottages...these are some of my favorites from artist Sara Tetley. Be sure to stop by her shop on Etsy. (Etsy is an online cooperative of sorts for people to sell their handmade goods.)

From Sara...
"I’m an architect and I first learned to watercolor in college in Auburn, Alabama, where Muir Stewart (who paints the renderings for floor plan houses in every Coastal Living magazine) was our professor.

I hadn’t painted for awhile, when I discovered the small towns of Beaufort SC and Tybee Georgia. I fell head over heels with the classic vintage cottages and laid back ambiance. Of course just being near the water was magical, but the bright sunlight on the buildings was totally inspiring. I paint to keep in touch with those feelings. I hope my paintings bring a little bit of the seaside to wherever they are placed."

Nominate Someone for Ecovator of the Month!

Ecovator=Ecological Innovator

Have you come across a person or a business that is doing something innovative and ecological in relation to cottages, bungalows or woodland retreats?

Are you doing something that is ecological and innovative?

Nominate them (or yourself) for the "Trilogy Cottages Ecovator of the Month" award!

Until I get sponsors or my fans start spontaneously sending my money, there isn't any prize for this award other than getting mentioned on this blog! But hey, free advertising is nothing to sneeze at!

Send me a link to the information about them, if something already exists online, so I can check them out. If nothing is online (how can that be?), then write to me about them via e-mail. Heaven forbid, but if you'd really like to send me something in the mail (maybe you can send me a sample of their product--I love free samples) you can do that, too!

I will happily put a link on this blog to your site/business/product/blog if your nominee is chosen!

Margaret Pearson Pinkam
Margaret@TrilogyCottages.com

708 Gravenstein Hwy. N #108
Sebastopol, CA 95472

Ecovator of the Month Award FAQ

Current Winner of the Trilogy Cottages Ecovator of the Month Award

August 2009-Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

Previous Winners
July 2009-Goodwin Heart Pine Company

1. What is an "Ecovator?"
   An Ecovator is a word I made up to describe an ecological innovator.
   
   
2. What is the Ecovator of the Month Award?
   A special prize I award to someone or a business, company, group or organization who has done or is doing something very innovating and ecological.
   
   
3. What is the prize?
   At the moment, there are no cash prizes or even non-cash prizes. They simply get the honor of being named the Ecovator the the Month, some free advertising and maybe some traffic to their website. If anyone wants to send me* free stuff that I can actually award these folks, hey, I'm up for it!
   
   
4. How do you choose the winner each month?
   That's simple! Either I read about them, or someone tells me about them. And I decide if they are worthy of the award.
   
   
5. Can I nominate someone?
   Yes, of course! Please tell me about ecovators! If your nominee is picked, I will include a link to your information, if you so desire. So you can get some free advertising, too!
   
   
6. Can I nominate myself?
   Yes, of course! I want to hear about what you are doing!
   
   

*If anyone ever wants to send me free stuff:
Margaret Pearson Pinkham
708 Gravenstein Hwy N#108
Sebastopol, CA 95472

Cute Cottage reno in upstate NY

July Ecovator Award

The inaugural award of "Trilogy Cottages Ecovator of the Month" goes to the Goodwin Heart Pine Company of Micanopy, Florida.

An ecovator (in the Pearson Pinkham Dictionary) is a person or company that comes up with a wonderfully ecological innovation. (Ecological Innovator=Ecovator)


Goodwin Heart Pine Company specializes in river-recovered pine and cypress. This is wood that broke free from log rafts that were floated down Southern Rivers more than 100 years ago and sank to the bottom of the river. Their divers salvage the logs and their mill turns them into lumber for flooring, paneling and furniture.

While they have been doing this for years, I just read about them today in Cottages and Bungalows Magazine. (See page 26, August-September issue, 2009)

Please tell me about other "Ecovators" you know in relation to Cottages, Bungalows and Woodland Retreats by nominating them for my monthly Ecovator Award.

American Bungalow Magazine Blog

Here's a wonderful Bungalow Resource! American Bungalow Magazine (see my "Related Websites" section) is to me what National Geographic was to my parents! I save every issue and don't know how I'll get rid of any of them!

This magazine is so beautiful cover to cover. Even the ads are worth looking at and are just as valuable as the editorial content is for resources on Craftsman, Mission and Arts and Crafts style antiques, reproductions and current artists creating in these styles.
And now, without having to subscribe to the magazine (although who wouldn't?), you can catch more information and updates on articles on their new (ish) blog.

Dirty Dancing

Ever since the movie "Dirty Dancing," I have been intrigued with the idea of the Adirondacks, the Catskills and family summer camps. Imagine my delight in finding out there is a book all about this era in American history! I've just ordered it so I will get back to the blog later with a post all about it...Resort Hotels of the Adirondacks: The Architecture of a Summer Paradise, 1850-1950, by Bryant F. Tolles.

They actually filmed the movie Dirty Dancing at two different resort hotels in order to get all the required shots.

Jane Coslick

I fell in love with this woman's style immediately. I became even more infatuated once I read her story about how she restores tiny little beach shacks about to be torn down and replaced by awful new construction and makes them wonderful little places to live or vacation in.

See more on her website.

These photographs of Jane Coslick's designs are by Douglas Keister Photography.

How to Contact Margaret

Margaret Pearson Pinkham
Sebastopol, California
(Sonoma County, one hour north of San Francisco)

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Don't it make my blue eyes green?

Forgive me for obscure post titles.

This one is about how "Green" I am!

Well, truth be told, I was "green" before green was in. Well, at least since the first time (second time? third time?) green was "in" in the 1980s and 1990s.

I spent more than a decade as a naturalist/park ranger/educator (you know, the earthy crunchy type who leads kids and groups on nature hikes) in the field of environmental education with local and national parks. (Yosemite and Point Reyes, if you were curious.)

Yes, we practiced and preached a number of "green" techniques...reducing, reusing and recycling. Hiking, camping and living "lightly" and gently on the earth.

And how do I intend to be "green" in this endeavor?

• Well, first of all, I plan to buy already existing homes and restore them using as-green-as-possible-and-economical methods and supplies.
• I plan to refinish furniture in as-non-toxic-and-earth-friendly methods as I can find. (I'd like to live a long and healthy life too!)
  
• I will purchase and restore furniture and other decorative items that have already been well-loved and re-purpose what clients already have on hand when possible.
• I will recycle or redistribute items that cannot be used in the current design. I make good use of FreeCycle and Recycle Sonoma County to keep things from ending up in a landfill.
• For new items I or my clients purchase, I will endeavor to find organically grown, non-toxic and fair trade products.

Love your mother earth!

What's this blog about?

A dream of my "retirement years" with DH (Darling Husband) is to buy and sell cozy little homes, restoring and selling them fully decorated in one of three main themes–Beach Cottage, Craftsman Bunglow and Woodsy Retreat.

My inspiration is designer Jane Coslick who buys, restores and decorates tiny little beach shacks in Tybee Island, Georgia. Her work is adorable, comfy and extremely "livable."

I love the idea of taking a small home (sounds more "do-able" for us than a big place) of about 1500 square feet or less, that is in need of some TLC. Turning it into a warm and cozy place for an individual or couple...maybe they want to retire there, maybe it's a seasonal home.

My requirement for these homes is this: they must be within walking distance of something worth walking to! Maybe it's the beach, maybe it's a path in the woods or maybe it's a quaint downtown where you can sit at a cafe, read the paper and enjoy a coffee. And someone says "hi" to you by name! If it's within walking distance of all three...then we have hit a jackpot!

And that's just one of the "Trilogies."

Good things come in threes they say. I don't know who "they" are or if they really said it, but it's been a family philosophy of Pearsons for a long time.

• My sisters and I are a set of three. (And maybe they will join us in this venture!)
• My husband, daughter and I are a set of three.
• Beaches cottages, Craftsman bungalows and woodland retreats are my three main design specialties and loves.
• Our retirement feels like the third major phase of our lives. (There was "before being married," "all the stuff in between" and then "retirement."
• And of course, there was life "before DD (Darling Daughter)," "life with DD" and "life once DD goes to college" which might be just about the time we get into full gear on this idea!

So, I invite you to come along on this ride with us. Watch for my design ideas, designs I am attracted to, photos of the kinds of houses we'd like to buy or create, and any generally related thoughts and ideas.

Margaret Pearson Pinkham
Sebastopol, CA

Margaret@OrganizeInHarmony.com or
Margaret@TrilogyCottages.com