Arch Cape, near Cannon Beach, North Oregon coast.
Dr Ted, my friendly neighbourhood torturer chiropractor, has insisted that I give him a credit for suggesting that we come here in the first place. Which I am doing because he’s not someone you want to get on the wrong side of. I think perhaps he needs to update his blog…
Or how to make any readers in the UK REALLY hate you…
When we were despairing of ever seeing the sun again as it poured with rain throughout the winter, I would call Seattle a ‘godforsaken land’ and people would nod their heads sagely and say ‘just wait until summer – that’s the reason we’re all here’.
And I would look all these Californians in the eye (Seattle is full of Californians) and wonder if they were indeed stark, staring mad.
But now I know the truth, in summer the Pacific North West really is God’s own country. Temperatures around 27 degrees, gentle cooling breezes, no humidity, sunshine sparkling on the water and mountains glistening in all directions.
In particular Mt Rainier, the symbol of Washington State, and its very own huge volcano, can be seen towering above the landscape wherever you go. In winter it is mostly completely invisible behind a thick pall of grey cloud – I didn’t see it at all for the first two months I was here – and there’s always a frisson of excitement whenever ‘the Mountain’ is ‘out’ (as they say round these parts).
It’s just so enormous and so very beautiful.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Apologies for recent lack of bloggery. Shockingly life just gets in the way sometimes.
We’ve mostly been playing in the sun. Had a great time with our friends from New Jersey, and our Fourth of July party was a ton of work but a huge amount of fun in the end and cemented some rather tenuous relationships. I’m just trying to catch up now before we head for the Oregon coast on Friday for a long weekend. Life is tough sometimes.
Thank you all so much for your comments on the deck. As for the loungers – I have decided to embrace their redness and ignore their clunkiness.
So we now we need to talk accessories.
First up, in the spirit of embracing the redness, I was thrilled to get the last two red and white Marimekko Unikko pillows in the Finnstyle.com sale (found through Decor8). I know the pattern is everywhere nowadays but I do love it, and I’m hoping they’ll look great against the red of the lounge cushions.
Not for the deck, but I also splurged on another couple of Moomin mugs. I know they’re everywhere as well, but we’ve got Moominpapa and Moominmamma ones from before the Minx was born, so I needed to get another one now we’ve got a Snork Maiden in the house.
What I’d really like to do of course is get a Unikko Fatboy to go with the cushions. I’m not sure we have room though, and I’m also not sure I can be bothered to lug it up and down the stairs everytime it rains, which, as you may have noticed, it does here fairly often. The Minx would love it though.
The next thing we don’t have room for, which I’m really, really gutted about, is a hammock.
I was fully intending to get one, and found this, which I REALLY love (possibly in lilac?). But I just don’t see how we can fit it in. I had a vision of swinging in it at the front of the deck, sipping mojitos and enjoying the view (and trying to ignore the inevitable yells of ‘mumm-mmeeeeee’ from the Snork Maiden) but the problem is that from everywhere else on the deck all you would be able to see is hammock.
I’m still trying to work out if there’s some sort of pole arrangement I can come up with, from which I can hang a hammock on occasion without needing a permanent stand, but I haven’t yet been able to think up anything.
The next things I need to source are dining chairs.
In order to alleviate the clunkiness of the loungers a bit, and in the spirit of the Marimekko, I quite fancy a couple of Eames wire chairs, particularly if they’re wearing an ultra-cute ‘eamesbikini‘ (that way at least something on the deck will have a bikini-worthy figure).
Sadly I’m not entirely sure I can get the price-tag past the Husband, even for the repro versions, and I would probably have to commission a hot pink ‘bikini’.
Speaking of loungers, these (by Gloster) are what I would have bought, had money been no object. How very cool are they.
Also cool, in a completely different way are the limited edition artist-designed deckchairs being sponsored by the Royal Parks (found via Designers’ Block).
The Damien Hirst canvas is already sold out, not surprising since he is so collectible, but also because it is one of the prettiest ones (much as it pains me to say it since he’s such an old charlatan). Deckchairs are so quintessentially British – I haven’t seen a single one here – that I feel we should have one. Maybe the Sam McEwen one, which I think would look fab with the loungers.
Hirst canvas McEwen canvas
As for lighting, I’ve just bought some – in the form of these solar-powered deck post lights from er, Home Depot, which look surprisingly nice. I was hoping we’d have them in situ for the party tomorrow, but it looks like they’re not going to arrive in time.
I’ve also got hold of a tragically hip Sunjar, not just for me, but we’ll be selling them on ‘mirrormirror‘ just as soon as I’ve photographed it and got it online.
Finally, any idea where I might be able to get a canvas patio umbrella in Lilac?? I think it would be really cool, but can’t find a supplier/manufacturer who agrees with me.
The old cherry tree is absolutely alive with cherries and birds with whom we are engaged in all-out warfare, and the orchard ladder kindly donated by the previous owners is on constant standby, so that we can grab the fruit the instant it ripens and before the birds make off with it.
We picked our first bounty at the weekend and this is what we made.
Help!
We appear to be having a Fourth of July party.
So many people have remarked to us that our deck would be a fabulous place from which to see Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks over Lake Union (apparently one of the top five displays in the country) that we decided, sort of on the spur of the moment, to invite a bunch of people.
The problem is I’ve never even been to a Fourth of July celebration before, so have absolutely no idea what one is supposed to DO.
Please let me know what, in your opinion, are the critical components of a successful Fourth of July party. Are there traditional things you always eat, or drink or do? Do I need to learn the words to the ‘Star Spangled Banner’?
I have already bought the first accessory with which to decorate the deck.
Friends are visiting from New Jersey, so off we went to the San Juan Islands just off the coast here in search of killer whales (which sounds so much more daring than orca-spotting).
People have raved to us about the San Juans ever since arrived, but it’s the first time we’ve been. It was an absolutely glorious day as we drove to Anacortes, jumped on the ferry to Friday Harbor in San Juan Island (a beautiful trip in and of itself) and then finally onto the whale watching boat. The islands themselves reminded me very much of the Greek islands – the water was the same dark blue as the Aegean and the islands are quite craggy and loom high out of the sea.
The only differences were the fir trees clinging to the sides and the fact that the water was apparently only 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If you could swim in the sea in this place I would definitely never go back home to the UK.
The Minx had a whale of a time (all puns intended) careering round the boat.
And bald eagles and seals were observed (I definitely need a telephoto lens).
You may have noticed that the only things missing were the orcas themselves. Apparently three pods of whales live in and around the islands and on the whale watching trips you have about a 90% chance of seeing them. But yesterday they eluded us, even though we zoomed right out into Canadian waters.
Unfortunately, that just means we’ll have to go again.
So first the good news. The deck is FINALLY finished. A project that was supposed to take 3 days has ended up taking about six weeks (not continuously). During which we’ve had enormous loungers lounging in our bedroom.
This what the deck looked like when we first moved in.
The built-in furniture was very weathered and dirty and dangerous for a small child, who could potentially climb from the benches onto the tables and then topple over the sides. The horizontal railings were also an invitation to toddler suicide. There was also a large gas grill just hanging about in the middle of the floor.
Our initial spec to Mr Handyman was to power wash the deck and furniture, fix glass over the railings, remove the ends of the benches so that it would be impossible for a child to climb from the benches onto the tables, build some sort of small barrier across the back of the benches and stain and paint everything.
And then we asked him to see if he could actually remove the railings and insert plexiglass between the uprights, and then the safety barriers became much smarter than I had envisaged, and we decided to embed the grill into the table. All of which needed a lot more carpentry than originally planned for.
And then poor Dan the Handyman was either collapsing with heat exhaustion from working all day on a deck with no shade or else dodging torrential rain showers, not exactly ideal weather for staining and painting (this is Seattle, remember?)
But I’m super thrilled with the results.
The ‘windows’ at the front work really well – completely toddler proof and yet maximising the view.
The ‘windows’ round the edge are what I’m most pleased with. We thought they were a necessary evil with a toddler, but they have turned out to be very unobtrusive and like they’re meant to be there, not just an ugly safety feature.
I also nearly had kittens when the woodstain first went on. We’d chosen a very dark stain because of the condition of the wood but halfway through the process I was having SERIOUS second thoughts and wondering how on earth we could get rid of it.
But it looked a load better once we lightened the colour on the railing (from its original bilious yellow) and painted the floor a much lighter colour.
I’m hoping it looks quite chic and contemporary and, what with the million dollar view, it feels at the moment like we’re on holiday at a luxury hotel. I have to pinch myself to remember that we actually live here. How lucky are we?
And the bad news?
I’m really not very happy with the loungers. I was looking for something more sleek and contemporary but couldn’t find anything which wasn’t either imported from Europe at vast expense or very uncomfortable-looking. (UK readers, do you have any idea how lucky you are having Habitat? It’s one of the things I miss most about the UK).
In the end I succumbed to the blandishments (and moving-in discount) of Pottery Barn and now really wish I hadn’t. The loungers are extremely comfortable and well made, but very large and solid and clunky-looking.
And I don’t know what on earth possessed me to buy them in red. I bought them online and it looked like a darker, pinkier red on screen. But these are very red indeed. I’ve contacted Pottery Barn and they’re going to change them for cushions in a very unappetising sounding Sprout Green (their customer service is truly excellent), but I’m seriously considering sending back the loungers themselves. Now that I’ve discovered Teak, Wicker and More, I can see that I have some much nicer options at affordable prices. But I’m not sure I can go through the hassle of lugging the loungers downstairs, sending them back and waiting for new ones, when there are chocolate martinis to be drunk and lounging to be done.
What do you guys think?
Or magic in a bottle. 
And so, against the advice of the majority, I decided to experiment with stripping back the bright red fireplace.
After lots of online research, I came across a product which is apparently 100% made from soybeans, is non-toxic and practically odour free ie. the perfect thing if one has a small girl running about. The thick gel also encapsulates the paint, reducing the risk of airborne particles, which is particularly reassuring when lead paint might be involved.
So I bought some, not believing for one moment that it would work. We spread the gel on thickly overnight and woke up the next morning to find this
Which a bit of work with a scraper (the paint by this stage is all soft and gloopy) and a wire brush in the grout, soon turned into this. They still need another clean and a wax, but I think they’re pretty much there. And no paint to be seen.
So what do you think?
Should I persevere? They’re not the most beautiful bricks in the world and I’m a bit worried about the whole thing seeming too heavy and dark (will definitely get rid of the horrible dark stove at some point), but I think they have a certain charm.
If I do continue, has anyone got any ideas as to what I could put into those three recesses? Something interesting and fun which will lighten the whole thing up and break up the big expanse of brick.
I’m currently thinking something syroco, spray painted lime green or tangerine (thanks to Pink Loves Brown for the idea). In fact something like those bronze panels she’s just bought would be perfect. (I haven’t run this past the Husband yet though). But has anyone got any other thoughts? Tiles? Plaster reliefs? Ironwork? Mosaic?
Excuse the prosaic title of this post, but I really want people to be able to find this post when they search.
This is going to be tremendously old hat for any UK readers, but here, for the viewing pleasure of any Americans reading, is the first audition from the winner of Britain’s Got Talent.
Watch it and weep.
I know I’m an absolute sucker for cheesy Italian opera but this has me in FLOODS every single time.
Hannah Tofalos is a young UK ceramics designer who’s been going from strength to strength since graduating in 2005.
She combines clean modern shapes with traditional chintzy patterns and many of her products stack, allowing her to experiment with pattern combinations. We first came across her at 100% Design – I think the first show she did following her degree – and we’ve been stocking her incredibly popular stacking eggcups and salt and pepper pots ever since.
We’ve now added her little storage jars to the collection. They make a wonderful alternative to a jewellery box, or use them at the table for sauces, sugar or jam.
I’ve been shopping for quite a few new products recently. It’s SO nice to have money to spend after getting rid of the PR company, so look out for more goodies in the coming weeks and months.