Fireplaces have been a part of warm, inviting environments for thousands of years – probably since shortly after humans discovered that fire was not simply something to be feared and avoided. The one above is from Inchcolm Abbey, on Inchcolm Island in the Firth of Forth just outside Edinburgh, Scotland, and dates from about 1100 […]
Unseasonably warm weather has brought an early spring to north Texas. Even though this post is about the LOAP Alpha, I’m opening it with a shot taken out of the window of the upstairs master at the SoMoToHo, which I’ll get back to in future posts very soon (promise). This Mexican plum joins saucer magnolias, […]
This building is right across the street from the Great Market Hall in Budapest. Folks go to the Hall to experience the bustle, shop the awesome array of goods and foods, and admire its architecture. But, as this building attests, one shouldn’t focus too narrowly. Extraordinary surprises abound, if you just look. The Alpha is […]
The world is full of wonderful places and spectacular buildings. I wouldn’t even try to rank them. Yet, when you think of a beautiful environment where people live, work, and play, Paris is always among the places that come to mind. The first pic is the interior of the Musee d’Orsay, Debra’s favorite museum. Frankly, […]
There’s that bit of wallpaper wrapping the light switch plate that we briefly considered leaving as a reminder of just how ghastly this room was when we started. That kind of kitsch can work sometimes. Not this time. We decided to go decidedly decorative with Legrand adorne. The wiring in the SoMoToHo is bizarre, as […]
Those of you who followed the transformation of the mid-century modern may recall how Debra and I love dedicating some space to books and reading – a library, a spot to relax without electronic distraction (e-books excepted, of course). In the SoMoToHo, we knew immediately which space that would be. This room is to the […]
