March 2008: The Home Issue

ANN ARBOR RETAILER DECORATES WITH COLOR AND QUIRK

by jeanine matlow | photos by rosh sillars

Katherine Thursby can’t resist taking her work home on occasion. The 42-year-old owns Red Shoes, a popular purveyor of vintage furniture, jewelry and gift items in Ann Arbor.

Many pieces find their way to her Ann Arbor home, a 1,900-square-foot ’60s tri-level she shares with her husband, Ian; their 9-year-old son, Jackson; 4-year-old daughter, Fiona; and a Jack Russell terrier named Pearl

Thursby used wit and color to transform their favorite spaces, the living room and family room, where the group relaxes by watching movies, reading or surfing the Internet.

by karen buscemi

I started 2008 a little differently than in years past. I refused to make a resolution. I was tired of promising myself that I would shed a few pounds, become more physically fit, eat a healthier diet, spend less money, pay off more debt and get organized. I’d been there, done that, and on more than a few occasions, reverted to my old ways within a month, which of course made me feel inept. Did I really need to go through that again?

REMEMBERING A HOME’S PREVIOUS OWNER, RETAINING A HOME’S SOUL

by maggie hathway

A reliable source once told me that I’m not a decorative person. I took no offense at this proclamation because the insight impressed me. Indeed, if it weren’t for my husband, our house would have as much charm as a stack of cinder blocks.

Partly because I’m not good at it and don’t want to compete with those who are, I don’t decorate much. And what little I do is more honored in the concept than in the observance.

MY HOUSE, MY RULES

by sharon macdonell

I used to wonder why women were so territorial about their homes. Such as my mother-in-law. She once told me not to bother helping in her kitchen. I assumed she was being polite, so I continued emptying dishes from her dishwasher. I nearly dropped a gravy boat when she yelled, “Get out. You’re gonna put everything in the wrong place!”

Sheesh!

My mother’s the same way. Even as an adult I’ve been in trouble for everything from putting the laundry on the wrong rinse temperature to using the wrong broom to sweep the kitchen.

FINDING THE CALM IN RENOVATION CHAOS

by cindy la ferle

We are always in transition. If you can just relax with that, you’ll have no problem.
– Pema Chodron, Buddhist nun

The construction crew hasn’t even started, but I’m already bracing myself for several weeks of chaos and carpentry. Our clothes, our shoes and most of our toiletries have been temporarily stashed in distant regions of the house. Everything upstairs, including the master bedroom, is in a state of major upheaval. This is not good feng shui – and I’m half tempted to take up temporary residence at a local hotel.

LIVING WITH THE DESIGN INFLUENCES OF PLAYSKOOL MODERN AND FISHER-PRICE ECLECTIC

by deborah pecis

Back in my blissful and naïve newlywed days, home decorating held an allure. The arrival of home magazines and catalogs fueled my dreams of a neat, cozy dovecot, complete with candles, framed photos and a well-behaved dog. I tore out pages and saved entire glossies, certain I would someday get around to creating the perfect haven I dreamt about during boring staff meetings.

ANN ARBOR COUNTRY SONGSTRESS JUSTINE BLAZER IS WORKING HER WAY TO THE TOP

by sharon macdonell | photos provided by justine blazer

When Justine Blazer describes herself as a blue-collar singer, she’s not referring to her bluesy country or the line-dancing crowds she draws. She means that she knows how to work it, both on and off stage.

The 24-year-old Ann Arbor resident doesn’t have an agent or manager. She works full time rehearsing and performing with her band, writing songs, chasing down gigs, and recording for her label, La Blaze Records.

COOKBOOK BRINGS ANN ARBOR EATERY TO YOUR KITCHEN

recipes by eve aronoff | photos by mark thomas provided by huron river press

Kerrytown, a neighborhood in downtown ann arbor, is home to some unique culinary gems, such as eve – the restaurant.