Landscaping for Manscaping!

Are mornings tougher than they should be? Or maybe you don't even know that they could be easier? To me, if there is any time of the day I wish were easier, um, yeah, it's morning!!! It's not hard to fix a few things that will make getting up and out a lot easier,  but also so much NICER with clean ears, trimmed nose-hair and flossed teeth! Because suddenly you can find all those tools :) The possibilities are endless . . .

Before. Morning brain.

Before.  Right lobe.

Before. Left lobe.

  

After. Wait! Wha~?
I have all these things?

After. In the event of an emergency,
look in here!

Safety First!

Towels folded in thirds,
so I could fit all the Dodger
Fan towels in too!

And finally, a nice arrangement above the toilet
to easily access your most used things.

So Many Shoes, So little Space....

I have been exposed....by myself! 

No shoe deserves to live like this.

For a long time I have lived small, but unfortunately my affection for shoes has not ~

The shit-show preperation, pre shelves.  

Shelves were measured, cut, and fitted in.

Shoes were placed gently and kindly.

Yes, there are so many I have to do them single file,
with the mate just behind them. 

I do need a stool to choose, but it's SO worth it.
It's like going shopping every time, 
because I've forgotten how many great shoes I have!

POOF, Instant Kitchen!

One year to Remodel. One Year in a rental house. One year with her displaced, old-as-the-hills, sweetest pooch. One week to move back in. 

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The kitchen, after an attempted unpacking. We'll call it . . .

Pre "Ruby" ;-)

Now, I think the easiest way to go about this is to just go drawer-by-drawer, cabinet-by-cabinent. Pictures say a thousand words. But in case they don't tell you this: Yes, I unpacked and organized it. All.  

 

 

The Pantry:

                                                                                                       

Utility Drawers:

Bathroom Drawers:

The Den, In Progress:

   

The Den was finished wonderfully by the client and she has her dream home back, and in much better shape. 

Some photos omitted, there's only so many utensil drawers one can take. I don't have much to say except I LOVED doing this! It's like working a giant puzzle, on my own terms, with a 16 GB ipod attached to my scull ~ and I win every time! 

xo ruby

3 Closets Designed: From Frame to Finish (by me!)

I had the good fortune to be asked to help a client (who was in the middle of a remodel) by designing her new closets. And so, grid paper, pencils, electric sharpener, measuring tape and a ruler were promptly purchased! Electrical boxes, outlets, plumbing and 
fixtures were duly noted. 

I asked the client, "what are the most important things?" This closet was for linen, so deep shelves, as many as possible in the space allowed and a little lip at the front to contain the slipping and sliding of fluffy towels & Egyptian Cotton sheets on the nice smooth pine shelves.  The rectangular cubby on the right is so that the electrical panel for the second floor can be accessed, and it conveniently stores a rolled up Queen Sized air-bed.

This is the raw Master Closet. We talked about two sets of double doors, one tall mounted dowel for long ware, two "stacked" mounted dowels for shirts, skirts and pants that can be folded over a hanger.
SIDES:  Right side cubbies for purses / scarfs / belts / hats. Under those, a boot shelf, measured specifically to her tallest pair of boots. Left side slanted shoe shelves, again with a lip so the shoes don't slip off :)
            

Here are the 

lovely built-ins 
close up:

And here's final touches. A top shelf wraps around the entire
ceiling to store extra shoes and whatnot, and a smaller shelf
on top of the lower dowel for misc. like a change bowl or a 
couple shallow baskets for sunglasses and wallets...?

            Here's a raw version of a Mini Master
                closet in the Guest Room.  

Finished Mini Master :)

Here it is w/ final touches. We only had one side deep enough to work with, so we did the same cubby holes and fewer shoe racks (slanted w/ lips) right below.

Storage shelf above, the length of the closet. A divided dowel for my client's evening gown storage on one side and and empty dowel for guests' items on the other when they come to stay.  

Here's a little 

closer look at 

the guest closet 

built-ins. 










All in all, an awesome chance for me to learn some design on the fly, but actually it's kind of innate in me; my Dad is an interior designer, product designer, retail space designer, art designer, graphic designer, ALL self taught ~ but my most favorite title of his when I was little was "food designer."  He was a chef as well, and although we're Italian, I grew up on his awesome Chinese food and his penchant for all things breakfast, pies and breads! Sadly, "food design" is not in me - because I had my own personal chef for too long (both Dad & Mom), which causes the great dilemma of being a food snob with nothing to back it up :-/

Thanks for reading!