ABODE SPRING 2016
SMALL-HOME REDO WHAT’S NEXT IN INTERIOR DESIGN? STRAW BALE GARDENING PLANT A FRUIT TREE
433 West Johnson
www.theluxmadison.com
608-345-8071
Mechanical Valet Parking System • Rooftop Pool Terrace • Theater Room • Fitness Center
Your Bedroom Deserves The Best!
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
Decorate your bedroom with our latest designs Comforters / Sheets / Quilts / Pillows
2
7404 Mineral Point Rd. | Madison | 833-8333 • Mon.–Fri. 10–7, Sat. 10–6, Sun. 11–5
The giving trees
Fresh fruit in the yard isn’t just for Californians By Erica Krug As the eat-local movement picks up steam across the country, more people are visiting farmers’ markets, eating at restaurants that support local farmers, planting gardens and investing in edible landscaping. In Seattle and Philadelphia, food forests are being planted in urban areas. Madison recently passed ordinances allowing people to plant food in city-owned terraces and parks. Walking around Madison, it’s hard not to notice an increase in edible landscaping and the transformation of lawns into places to grow food. While a lot of these spaces are devoted to vegetable gardens, more people are starting to grow fruit, too. It doesn’t get much more hyper-local than picking apples or pears from a tree in your own yard, says Joe Muellenberg, horticulture program coordinator with Dane County UW-Extension. Muellenberg says people are investing in fruit trees because they provide food, add value to properties and are beautiful to look at. They’re also fairly low-maintenance. Before planting fruit trees in your own yard, it’s important to do some research. While it doesn’t take a ton of work to grow fruit, it does require patience. And in order to maximize the quality of the fruit, there are some important rules that need to be followed. Jeff Epping, director of horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, advises that fruit trees need full sun. “Can you do it with less? Yes, but you are compromising quality and quantity of fruit,” says Epping. Apple trees and pear trees need a “partner” tree — of a different variety — nearby, to be cross-pollinated, with the help of bees. For apple trees, this could be as simple as having a crabapple close by. Epping says pear trees will not produce fruit unless there are two different varieties of pears on site. If you’re looking to add just one tree to your property, Muellenberg suggests trying a cherry tree, which will self-pollinate. Fruit trees should be planted in welldrained, fertile soil. They need to be pruned annually and will require protection from
harsh weather in the winter and from pests in warmer seasons. In the winter young trees need protection from sun scald, which is characterized by dried or cracked areas of dead bark usually on the south or southwest side of a tree. Sun scald can be prevented by wrapping the trunk with a commercial tree wrap, plastic tree guards or light material. To protect roots in the winter, mulch new trees with six to eight inches of wood chips or straw. To prevent mice and rabbits from gnawing on trees, place a cylinder of mesh hardware cloth around the trunk. Make sure it goes two to three inches below the ground for mice and 18-24 inches above the anticipated snow line for rabbit protection. If bugs seem to be a problem, there are several insecticides that are low risk to
Art by Todd Hubler people, pets, other non-targeted insects and the environment — including horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps. For instance, pyrethrin insect spray, a botanical insecticide, is safe for bees. (A longer list is available from the National Pesticide Information Center website, npic.orst.edu.) Fortunately, often nature will take its course, too. Rain can knock aphids off of trees, and well-established trees should be able to resist most pests. If you have a limited amount of space, Epping recommends training trees using the “espalier” method, which is what he uses at his own home on the west side of Madison. Espalier is popular in England, where the climate is cool. Fruit trees are trained to grow on trellises or fencing on south-facing walls that absorb the
heat all day. Epping says that if fruit trees don’t get enough warmth, the fruit will develop but never ripen. The espalier method is also great for maximizing space. Epping grows apples and pears in an 18-inch-wide spot between his driveway and house. Jillian Clemens, an avid gardener who lives on the east side but maintains a large garden at her family home in the village of Dane, northwest of Madison, says that growing fruit trees is a labor of love. Clemens has 14 fruit trees, including apples, peaches, plums, pears and cherries, which she planted six years ago. She was ready for the next challenge in gardening: “Fruit takes a great amount of care and long-term commitment in comparison to the typical vegetable garden.” Clemens has battled funguses, weather and pests, but “found a happy equilibrium” in her fruit garden in the third year. One of her favorite things about growing fruit has been the emergence of a diverse ecosystem in her yard. “During the first year the aphids moved in and began damaging my trees,” Clemens says. “Soon ladybird beetles moved in and took over the aphids. Then came the tent worms.” But, fortunately, birds were the next new neighbors. They took care of the tent worms. “When the birds treated themselves to some of the fruit,” Clemens says, “I considered it a thank-you to them.” The hard work has started to pay off. This past year Clemens reaped baskets full of plums, apples and juicy peaches. If you are ready to invest in fruit trees, Don Dettor, store manager at Jung Garden Center on Northport Drive, advises people to buy bare root stock as opposed to trees. Jung carries a larger selection of root stock, and these are easier to handle than trees. (There’s no large bucket of soil, so it weighs a lot less.) Dettor says that spring is a great time to plant fruit trees, but remember that it will be three to four years before they will bear fruit. But biting into a crisp apple or juicy pear that you grew yourself should be worth waiting for. SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
3
Color evangelist Graphic designer Emily Balsley doesn’t hold back
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
By Sari Judge
4
Emily Balsley takes her love of color very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that at the graphic designer’s wedding, her husband, Stephen, promised not only to stick by her for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, but to defer to her all future color-related domestic decisions. Over 10 years later they are still happily married. And one visit to their colorinfused home in the Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood on the near west side will tell you that Stephen clearly made the right decision. “I adore using color when it comes to my home’s interior, especially my favorite robin’s egg blue, complemented by red,” says Balsley, who is also an illustrator. But she’s
Photos by Sharon Vanorny
clearly an equal opportunist when it comes to different hues, tints and shades. There is not a color in the rainbow that isn’t represented in the family’s charming 1,100-square-foot Craftsmanesque three-bedroom. And in one bedroom in particular, that of the couple’s 8-year-old daughter, Stella, all the colors converge. “Stella had always wanted a ‘rainbow room,’” Balsley says. “And while I wasn’t quite ready to paint the walls seven different colors, I tried to honor her request by using colorful vinyl streamers in place of a traditional wooden door to mark the entryway to her room.” Being a color evangelist isn’t always easy for a homeowner, though. When Balsley moved into her house in the spring of 2011, she imme-
diately knew that all the walls of the first floor would need to be repainted a cool, crisp white, even the wood trim. “It almost killed me to paint over the gorgeous stained oak woodwork, but I knew an all-white ‘canvas’ was going to be the best way to let color pop in the house in other unique ways,” she says. But blues, pinks, reds and greens weren’t the only things on the designer’s mind when launching a nine-month home renovation that included opening up the home’s modest kitchen into the adjacent dining area. She wanted to incorporate as many recycled and reclaimed touches into the revitalized space as possible. The family’s contractor, Trimcraft Builders, was key in helping locate the oak planks for the kitchen floor, now sanded and stained dark,
from an old church. To back the breakfast bar (which separates the kitchen from the dining area), they recycled as well: “What could be more fun and funky than the wood from a bowling lane? Darts and all,” says Balsely. “Our bowling alley bar is probably Stephen’s favorite part of the house. “It’s these kinds of eclectic choices that help us say, ‘We love this house.’ And we really do say it every day.”
How would you describe your personal decorating style?
I love vintage and am a huge fan of anything Mid-Century or Scandinavian-influenced. I guess you could also say I’m also kind of bohemian — you know, informal and a little
Your Backyard Birdfeedi
Ma Birdb May May May Birdbath Birdbath SAL SALE! Birdbath SALE!
“Informal and a little unconventional” is how Emily Balsley (left, with dog Chloe) describes her style. She opts for the handmade, the colorful and, of course, the fur-friendly.
®
®
Your Backyard Birdfeeding Specialist® ®
Your Backyard Birdfeeding Specialist® Your Backyard Birdfeeding Specialist®
®
(May 1— 3
® Your Backyard Birdfeeding (May Specialist 1— 31)
15% OFF! May 15% OFF! SALE! LL (May 1— 31)
15% O • Glass Baths
Birdbath May• Glass SALE! L L 15% OFF! • Clay B A Birdbath •• Glass Baths Clay Baths A (May A 1— LL31) Granite Baths •• Clay Baths ®
Your Backyard Birdfeeding Specialist®
ConcreteBaths Baths •• Granite In-groundBaths Yard •• Concrete Decorations • In-ground Yard Decorations
(May 1— 31)
ALL15% OFF! 15% OFF!
• GlassSALE! Bathsto•cGranit k In-S ll (May A • Clay Baths1— 31) • Concr • Glass Baths • Granite Baths • In-gro 8402 Old Sauk Rd., Madison L • Clay Baths AL 8402 608.664. 1414 Old •Sauk Rd., Madison • Concrete Baths Glass Baths Decor •www.wbumadison.com Granite Baths 608.664. 414 Together L We Bring People & 1Nature L • Clay Baths A •www.wbumadison.com Concrete Baths • In-ground Yard • Granite Baths We•Bring People & Nature Together In-ground Yard • Concrete Baths Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat 9-6, Sun 11-5 Decorations • In-ground Yard Decorations Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat 9-6, Sun 11-5
Decorations
unconventional, which draws me to things that are handmade. I’ve tried my own hand at all sorts of projects, including the homemade pompoms that trim our master bedroom curtains, the woven bathmat in our upstairs bathroom and the geometric quilt, my first, that I created for Stephen’s and my bed. I designed and hand-laid the mosaic tile on our entryway floor. I’d never done anything even remotely like that before, and people ask me all the time if it’s original to the house. That’s about the highest compliment someone could pay me.
It makes me happy to have artwork on display that is meaningful to our family. I like to showcase work by artist friends and am particularly fond of a pair of posters by one of my idols, MidCentury illustrator Charley Harper, known for his work for the National Park Service, that hang in our staircase. Stella’s also a very prolific artist herself and we keep her “Andy Warthog” (as she likes to call him)-inspired Turkey Soup can painting on permanent display in the dining area.
What’s been your biggest home décor indulgence?
We really try to keep everything we do within a reasonable budget, but during the kitchen
remodel I was dying for a statement sink. I love the porcelain Kohler apron model we ended up purchasing. I can’t say it was cheap, though. What’s your favorite decorating tool? Definitely spray paint. With one little can I’ve transformed an ordinary set of Ikea shelves into something original. I’ve taken a regular white Target floor lamp and made it my own with a can of bright pink paint. The living room chandelier, original to the house, became a lot funkier with a coat of red sprayed on. I can’t say it enough — spray paint is genius. There is no more cost-effective way to add some color to your home.
8402
8402 Old Sauk Rd., Madison 608.664. 1414Madison 8402 Old Sauk Rd., www.wbumadison.com Old Sauk608.664.1414 Rd., Madison We Bring People & Nature Together wbumadison.com 608.664. 1414
SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
What was your favorite DIY moment?
How does being an artist influence what hangs on your walls?
8402 Old Sauk Rd 608.664. 1 8402 Old Rd., Madison We Sauk Bring People & Nature Together & Nature Together Sat 9-6, 11-5 Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat Sun 9-6, Sun 11-5 www.wbumad 608.664. 1414 ➡Mon-Fri 9-7, Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat 9-6, Sun 11-5
www.wbumadison.com We Bring People
5
www.wbumadison.com We Bring People & N
S H OW Y O U R H O ME S O ME LO VE
Home Remodeling CITY OF MADISON
DEFERRED PAYMENT LOANS No monthly payment!
LOANS Roofing
Insulation
Siding
Electrical
Historic National Park Service art from Mid-Century illustrator Charley Harper, one of Balsley’s favorite artists.
Bath & Kitchen Upgrades
Windows & Doors
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
Plumbing
6
Furnace
Available through the City of Madison Department of Planning and Community & Economic Development www.cityofmadison.com/homeloans
266-6557 • 266-4223
What’s the thing you would change about your house if you could?
Hatch Art House on Willy Street and ZipDang on Monroe. The mosaic tile I used for our entryway was from Nan Bieneman at Tile Art — she has a great selection of beautiful stuff. I definitely don’t mind things that are pre-owned. The little sofa in my studio is from Odana Antiques. And I am a proud shopper of the neighborhood listserv, and I’ve found lots of covetable items left out on curbs.
What’s your favorite place to shop for home stuff?
As a graphic designer, what’s your best “professional” advice for someone starting a home makeover project?
I wouldn’t necessarily change anything, but I wouldn’t mind a little more space. Especially another community space. Someday it would be amazing to loft out the attic for a library or yoga space. I have my studio (the home’s third bedroom), but I know Stephen and Stella would love to have just one more escape for themselves.
In some ways I am totally mainstream. I definitely frequent places like Ikea and Target, but I always try to add my own touches to anything I buy that’s mass-produced. Locally, I love Century House; we treated ourselves to a living room couch from there. Those clean Scandinavian lines make me so happy. Our bowling lane and kitchen light fixtures are from Deconstruction Inc. on the east side; it’s a great supplier of architectural salvage and reclaimed building materials. I also love prints we’ve picked up from
Don’t hold back, especially when it comes to color. I know color can be really scary for some people, but I hate it when I hear of someone who is itching to go bold but just doesn’t feel brave enough. I say if you’re feeling inspired to have lime green kitchen chairs or a lemon yellow bedroom dresser, go for it. And if you hate it, change is only a spray paint can away.
Successful seeds What really works in Madison gardens By Erica Krug After a long Wisconsin winter, we start to look everywhere for signs of spring — the first robin or an afternoon where the light lingers a little longer. For gardeners, a welcome harbinger is the sight of tiny green leaves bursting through the soil and reaching for the sun. Growing your own plants from seed, as opposed to buying seedlings (young plants started by someone else) can be challenging, but also gratifying. Megan Cain turns her entire yard into a mini-farm and writes about it on her popular blog, Creative Vegetable Gardener. Cain says there are several advantages to planting from seed, including saving money. A packet of seeds costs about three dollars, the same as just one seedling at a farmers’ market or store. Another advantage is the large variety of plants and plant varieties to choose from — anyone who’s seen a seed catalog can attest to this. Cain likes to grow onions from seed: “I grow between 300 and 500 and store them all winter,” she says. If you are thinking of planting from seed, be sure to consult a planting calendar and listen to the advice of others about what’s worked well for them. Here are some tips from local gardeners to get you started. If you’re looking for instant gratification, what about radishes? Martha Stryker, a home gardener on the east side of Madison, says she’s had great success growing radishes from seed. Radishes can be planted early (in Madison you can put seeds directly in the ground in late April), and they grow quickly and easily wherever you sow them. Stryker also offers a trick: “Radishes can be
TOMATO
Art by Todd Hubler
a nice way to mark your rows while you wait for slower seeds to germinate.” Keeping the neighborhood rabbits from eating the bounty of his hard work has been Bryan Bingham’s main goal when planting from seed. Bingham, another eastside gardener, says he’s had luck with mustard greens. Apparently rabbits don’t like the peppery flavor. Plant something that reminds you of home — that’s what Nhabee Her, a home gardener who lives in Sun Prairie, does. Her says one of his most successful seeds is jicama, a plant that grows year-round in his native country of Laos. Her likes to snack on the crunchy root vegetable. Some plants, like cilantro, get a bad rap, but Michael Harris, a home gardener on Madison’s west side, says he has had luck planting this polarizing herb (You love it! You hate it!). But Harris says you do need to constantly harvest it or it will feather out and go to seed. And be careful about where you plant it: “I thought it would work putting it near tomatoes, because, you know, tomatoes and cilantro, but it was too sunny, so I put it in a pot on my porch,” Harris says. Being able to reap the benefits of your work is especially important when gardening with children. Jen Greenwald, a teacher at Muir Elementary on Madison’s west side, says she likes to plant pumpkin seeds with students in their school garden. “Each kid can plant something, and they all get to pick a pumpkin in the fall,” Greenwald says. Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy seeing the fruits of their labor, as Lauren Rudersdorf will tell you. Rudersdorf, who founded Raleigh’s Hillside Farm with her husband, Kyle, is proud of their crop of onions, leeks, scal-
ONIO N
lions and shallots, all grown from seed at their farm near Evansville. Rudersdorf says growing over 750 pounds of onions from a few ounces of tiny seeds feels “absolutely monumental.” Mandie Poetzl, who helps maintain the garden behind Grampa’s Pizzeria on Williamson Street (one of the few restaurants in Madison with a garden on site), says she’s had success growing a variety of greens and edible flowers, like nasturtiums, from seed. Occasionally the market salad on Grampa’s menu will feature greens and veggies exclusively from their garden, which Poetzl thinks is “pretty damn cool.” If, like state Sen. Fred Risser, you buy your vegetables at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, maybe you want to grow flowers. Risser, a garden enthusiast, and his wife, Nancy, have a downtown garden with over 50 kinds of flowers. Risser says their favorite ones to grow from seed are zinnias; they produce well all summer and are a beautiful cut flower. And it’s possible that a gardening hobby could one day turn into a paying gig. Donna Dean-Slaton remembers when she was in college at UW-Madison and lived in an apartment near Midvale Boulevard. She planted blue fescue grasses and yellow marigolds from seed in containers outside of her door, and soon her neighbors started stopping by to look and compliment her display. Before long the apartment manager asked if she would like a job planting flowers for the apartment building. Planting from seeds may seem daunting if you have never done it, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. Happy growing season.
ZINNIA
RADISH
SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
7
Green Your Home
Get Smart Financing for Energy Efficiency
Sponsored by Madison Gas & Electric
Learn how a home equity loan or a mortgage refinance can help make restoration and efficiency improvements affordable. Get advice from an independent bank that understands sustainability and provides fast, local decisions. Call or visit us online.
8 areas where you can improve the value of your home and save money in the long run
HOME SAVINGS BANK
Online • East • West • Downtown • Stoughton 608.282.6000 • home-savings.com NMLS#457895
Green Your Paint Our Earthscapes line of paint is VOC free (untinted), non-toxic and low odor. We also have over 80 paint products which meet LEED standards for environmentally responsible paint. We’re family-owned and have been making paint in Wisconsin for over 58 years.
Generate Solar Power
HALLMAN LINDSAY PAINTS
Produce clean, green solar power from your home and business. Take advantage of the Focus on Energy Cash-Back Reward, 30% federal tax credit, and low solar electric panel prices. Full Spectrum Solar’s highly credentialed team will guide you from design to commissioning.
608-834-8844 • www.hallmanlindsay.com Downtown Madison, Middleton, Westside Madison, Monona, Sun Prairie and 20 other locations across Wisconsin!
FULL SPECTRUM SOLAR (608)284-9495 • www.fullspectrumsolar.com
Green Your Furnishings Consider alternatives to the norm! Minimize the impact of petro-chemicals. We offer numerous upholstery options such as wool and bamboo fabrics and eco-friendly soy foam. High quality, natural products for your home, available at:
Build and Remodel with New Surplus & Used Materials
THE CENTURY HOUSE
Habitat ReStore carries a huge variety of building materials including cabinets, doors, windows, flooring and more. Donate and buy building materials at fantastic prices, while reducing our landfills and funding Habitat for Humanity homes in Dane County!
3029 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705 608.233.4488 • www.centuryhouseinc.com
HABITAT RESTORE
East: 4207 Monona Dr. • 608.661.2813 West: 5906 Odana Rd. • 608-442-9919 Donation Pick-ups: 608-663-1191 Open Tues. - Sat. 9-5 www.restoredane.org
Explore Green Landscaping Formecology, LLC is a landscape design, build and care firm unlike your typical garden variety. We specialize in beautiful and eco-friendly (sustainable) landscape solutions, perfect for residential, commercial and public spaces. Serving the Madison area and beyond, Formecology is your green solution.
FORMECOLOGY
608.882.6656 • info@formecology.com www.formecology.com
Sell / Buy with Green Realtors Our team has the certifications and experience to guide you through the home buying and selling journey and ensure a successful process. If you are selling a home with green features, it is important to utilize the unique marketing tools that we provide to get your home SOLD!
8
608.251.6600 | sara@thealvaradogroup.com TheAlvaradoGroup.com 1914 Monroe St., Madison
Buy Green Power We have clean electricity available right now. Wind and solar power are ready for you to buy. And for every kilowatt-hour of green power you purchase, there’s a kilowatt-hour of electricity that won’t be generated with nonrenewable fuels. You can learn more and sign up at mge.com/greenpower.
SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
SARA ALVARADO
9
Custom Stained Glass for your home! Stop by and talk to our arĆ&#x;st to create a one of a kind panel. We also repair Stained Glass windows, lamps, garden art and much more.
Who needs soil for gardening? Grow vegetables anywhere with straw bales By Dylan Brogan
1422 MacArthur Rd. Madison, WI vineryglass.com
Whether you’re an accomplished green thumb or new to growing your own food, gardeners all over the globe are finding success cultivating crops using straw bales. Horticulturist Joel Karsten quite literally wrote the book on straw bale gardening. His bestselling step-by-step guide — aptly titled Straw Bale Gardens — has sparked international interest in this relatively new method of gardening, especially useful in urban areas and other places lacking tillable soil. “Nobody is more surprised than me that this has become what it has become,� says Karsten on becoming the preeminent authority on straw bale gardening. The Minnesota native grew up pitching hay on his family’s dairy farm and now is invited around the world to share his technique with government agencies, nonprofits and DIY gardening enthusiasts. Since first published in 2013,
Straw Bale Gardens has been translated into over a dozen languages and remains one of the top-selling gardening books on Amazon. Karsten says it’s not simply a matter of taking a straw bale and putting plants in it. “If you do that, you won’t be growing much of anything,� he says. As detailed in Straw Bale Gardens, it is necessary to condition the bale before planting to activate bacteria that naturally break down the straw into fresh nutrients. “It’s Mother Nature’s basic recycling program that’s happening inside of these bales,� says Karsten. Watering the straw bale for about a week stimulates the bacteria to begin working. Nitrogen-rich fertilizer then needs to be added over several days to kick the microorganisms into full gear. Another week of watering and you should be able to feel heat coming off your straw bale. That’s how you know it’s
time to plant your seedlings. Karsten says after carefully working the plant into the straw, you can add a little top soil to keep it firmly in the bale, but it isn’t necessary. After interviewing Karsten on Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Larry Meiller Show, host Meiller tried using straw to grow veggies in his own backyard. “I’ve had really good luck with tomatoes, squash and peppers,� says Meiller. “It’s very easy, once you prepare the bales according to [Karsten’s] directions.� Being able to grow vegetables virtually anywhere is what Karsten sees as the most valuable benefit to straw bale gardening. “You can have a successful vegetable garden on the roof of a building, in a parking lot, on top of compacted or contaminated soil,� says Karsten. “I’ve even met a guy who had a straw bale garden on his boat in the Gulf of Mexico.� TRACY WALSH PHOTOS
ARAGONITE Set your personal space aglow with the soft & varied hues of Banded Aragonite lamps. Finely crafted in Mexico Available exclusively at:
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
BURNIE’S BURNIE’S
10
on Park
ROCK SHOP
636 S. Park St. 608-630-9419
901 E. Johnson St. 608-251-2601
Find us on Facebook!
burniesrockshop.com
1. Water the bale
2. Fertilize
3. Dig?
4. Plant
Start conditioning the straw bale roughly 20 days after the last frost. The water stimulates bacteria to start working.
Use a generous amount of fertilizer with at least 5% nitrogen content. Karsten recommends organic blood meal fertilizer, but conventional fertilizers work too.
When you feel heat coming from the bale, it’s time to dig a hole for your seedling.
Carefully work the plant into the straw. The straw will not yet look like soil or compost. You may add some soil to steady the seedling, but it is not required. Continue to water; it’s impossible to over-water.
Handmade, visually-playful spring decor for your home
Brushed aluminum prints shown here: ready to hang, no framing necessary. Approx. 1/8� thick.
littleluxuriesmadison.com
SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
11
Metallic touches add classic allure to the more austere lines of Mid-Century modern in this living room by Dwellings. Shag is back, too, in area rugs instead of carpeting.
DWELLINGS
Hollywood glam meets the 1970s Interior design edges away from classic Mid-Century modern
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
By Candice Wagener
12
The Mid-Century modern revival in home decor is getting an update. While the simple lines and geometric graphics that are the hallmarks of that style continue to be popular, interior design is inching ever closer toward reclaiming the 1970s. “It’s almost like 1930s Hollywood glam meets the ’70s,” says Madison interior designer Beth Rhodehamel. Rhodehamel describes a look that is simple and geometric, but with ’70s-era bright (sometimes even garish) colors being passed over in favor of earth tones, muted ocean blues and softer yellows. “Clients want their homes to feel calm,” says Rhodehamel. “A way to achieve that is with a more neutral palette.” She recommends using varying shades of a versatile color, like cream, in a room. Use one tone on
the walls and a slightly different one in upholstered pieces. Dark wood elements on furniture, such as ebony legs on a sofa, provide highlights. Gray, which has held court in the design hall for a while now, will continue to dominate, as will brown, on walls and in furniture. A neutral palette creates flexibility to change accent colors more frequently — on an accent wall or with pillows, lamps or small area rugs. It also allows for pops of color in other ways, through window treatments or accent pieces, a good choice for budget-conscious decorators who want to put their money into items they won’t have to replace. Keep your couch; change the look with a lower-end purchase like a lamp. Yellow is a great accent color in these cases. “Yellows help break up the gray a little bit and make things more lively,” says Rhodehamel.
Rhodehamel says customers are seeking clean lines, smaller furniture and simple layouts. “I feel like things are slightly scaling down to give rooms a more tailored look,” she says, adding that it is primarily the height of pieces that’s decreasing. Jennifer Haley and Julie Umhoefer, the sisters behind Dwellings on the west side, see continued interest in the look of the 1950s1970s, with details like tapered wooden legs on furniture and lower arms on chairs, velvets in upholstery and pillows, metal accents like matte brass buttons and also button tufting. Lighting has an industrial feel in the use of reclaimed metal, wood and glass. Window treatments are simpler than in the past, they say. Gone are heavy draperies in favor of simple panels in solid colors or sometimes geometric prints, made from soft linens. Most, too, are now hung higher above the window.
Rugs are a great tool to bring everything in a room together. Loud patterns are out; texture is in. Shag, anyone? In another nod to the ’70s, there’s a revival in sectionals. Rhodohamel says today’s sectionals are squarer in shape than their ’70s counterparts: “They’re being brought back in a tasteful way.” Laura Distin, owner of the Ironstone Nest in Sun Prairie, recently made a trip to Atlanta’s AmericasMart, one of the world’s largest wholesale markets for home goods. She saw a lot of marble — both imitation and real — in everything from cheese boards to table tops to marble-patterned pillows. Photorealism (painting that’s incredibly realistic, like a photo) dominated the artwork. Believe it or not, stencils are making a comeback, says Distin, “but not in the way we
Featuring the Midwest’s largest selection of perennials, hostas, and ornamental grasses Now Open: Weekdays 9-7, Saturday & Sunday 9-6 4062 Cty. Rd. A, Stoughton, WI / Call 608 873 8329 www.theflowerfactorynursery.com
• EXTERIOR PAINTING • INTERIOR PAINTING • WALLPAPER REMOVAL • DRYWALL, PLASTER • DECKS, FENCING
• ALUMINUM, VINYL, WOOD • POWER WASHING • LIMITED WARRANTY* • FREE ESTIMATES • LOCAL REFERENCES
ASK ABOUT
EZ PAY! LAURA DISTIN
During a research trip to AmericasMart in Atlanta, designer Laura Distin saw a lot of marblethemed items, including this table setting.
608-221-4266 | madison@certapro.com madison.certapro.com *Some exclusions and limitations may apply; see written warranty for details.
**Loans provided by EnerBank USA (1245 E. Brickyard Rd., Ste. 640, Salt Lake City, UT 84106) on approved credit for a limited time. Fixed APR 16.89% subject to change. Repayment terms vary from 18 to 126 months. Interest waived if repaid within 180 days. EnerBank USA has helped tens of thousands of homeowners get the payment options they need to fulfill their home improvement and remodeling dreams. Effective 1/1/2016.
Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated.
Beth Rhodehamel 608-233–7560
TRUST A WORM TO KNOW GOOD DIRT!
Dwellings
410 D’Onofrio Dr. 608-827-5669
SHREDDED TOP SOIL GARDEN MIX • COMPOST SHREDDED BARK WASHED STONE CRUSHED ROCK • SAND CRUSHED GRANITE
The Ironstone Nest
240 E. Main St., Sun Prairie 608-618-1050
On the street May 26 just in time for Memorial Day Weekend! To advertise:
Email ads@isthmus.com
WE DELIVER www.kelenytopsoil.com Family Owned and Operated Since 1934. 7486 Valley View Rd, Verona
SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
remember them.” While stencilled ivy won’t be climbing the walls, you might see a trellis pattern stencilled in gold or other metallic on an accent wall, adding glamour. “I don’t love stencils, but I can appreciate them in the right room with the right colors done right,” says Distin. Despite new trends, there are some looks that are ever-popular and always classic, like a farmhouse look that incorporates classic white with black accents, worn wood, open cabinets and shelving. “That’s never going to go out of style,” says Distin. It’s a look that encourages recycling and repurposing, too. What it really comes down to these days is feeling comfortable in your home. “We’re all so busy,” says Rhodehamel. “Work is stressful, and you just want to go home to a place where all you have to do is open a bottle of wine.”
12 MONTHS NO INTEREST NO PAYMENTS**
13
BILL ARTHUR
The Kitchen Gallery Exceptional Culinary Provisions
Spring 2016
L ive Deliciously
107 KING STREET, MADISON 608.467.6544 www.kitchengallerymadison.com
Home & garden calendar First-time Homebuyer’s Series: Project Home, 1922 S. Stoughton Rd. Two-class sessions take place each month, 6-9:30 pm: May 10 & 17; May 21 (one-time longer session, 8:30 am-4:30 pm); June 14 & 21; July 12 & 19; Aug. 9 & 16; Sept. 13 & 20.; Oct. 11 & 18; Nov. 8 & 15. Free. Register by calling 608-246-3737.
Olbrich Garden classes
First-Time Homebuyer: UW Credit Union, 3500 University Ave., May 10, 6:30 pm. Free.
Perennials for Sun and Shade: June 23, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12.
Leaf Mulch Sale: Olbrich Gardens’ annual leaf mulch sale has been discontinued due to the advice of the DNR, which is concerned about the spread of invasive jumping worms.
10% OFF ALL PURCHASES
WHEN YOU BRING IN THIS AD Excludes electronics & cook sets Expires 5/31/16
Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale: From the city of Madison at Alliant Energy Center (Olin Avenue lot), May 7, 10 am-2 pm. Plant Sale with the Pros: Experts are on hand to give advice on plant selection and more. Olbrich Gardens, May 6, 11 am-5 pm, and May 7, 9 am-3 pm
PADDLE PORTAGE PADDLE PARTY TH
7TH ANNU E 3 A
Native Plant Sale: UW-Arboretum Visitor Center, May 7, 9 am–2 pm.
L
Focus on Energy Efficient Lighting Demo: Home Depot, 4550 Verona Rd., May 20, 10 am-2 pm.
CANOE, KAYAK OR SUP.
Madison Area Builders’ Association Parade of Homes: Features homes at the Community of Bishops Bay, Kilkenny Farms, the Legend at Bergamont, Fox CARRY YOUR CANOE OR KAYAK. SUPS CAN CARRY, CART, CAR OR WHATEVER. Point, Rivers Turn at Conservancy Place, Westbridge and Windsor Gardens. June 11-26, Tues.-Fri., 4-8 pm, and Sat.-Sun., 11 am-5 pm. $15/$5 (seniors and kids). maba.org/parade.
J U LY 3 0 , 7A M J A M E S M A D I S O N PA R K
BEER, FOOD AND A DAY OF SUP DEMOS ARE IN SIGHT.
SPRING 2016
REGISTRATION
E
34 TH
EISTHMUS ABODE
, AGAIN...BEER, AND AWARDS AT OLIN PARK! Y NATIONOPEN UNTIL MAY 31 NATT
D D L
14 R T A G
FRIDAY, JULY 17TH
MSUPAYOGA D I CLASSES S O N• ’STICK S FAVO RITE AROUND FOR A BEER MUSIC MAL-O-DUA L A K E TOHAWLAIIAN AN D WITH TO L A K E R AC E RACE • SUP GEAR DEMOS • LEARN TO SUP • SUP YOGA CLASSES
5495 CATFISH CT, WESTPORT, WI 53597
PADDLEANDPORTAGE.COM
The Fundamentals of Residential Landscape Design: June 6, 13 & 20, 6:30-8 pm, $150/$120.
Atwood Neighborhood Tree Walk: Instructive walk in the Atwood neighborhood with its amazing diversity of trees. July 12, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Gorgeous Gravel Gardens Walk: Learn how gravel paths can be incorporated into home landscapes. July 18, 6:30-8 pm, $17/$13. Hostas and Companion Plants: July 21, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12 Introduction to Urban Bee Keeping: With Nathan Clarke, founder and owner of Mad Urban Bees. July 26 & Oct. 25, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Elements of Herbalism: Sensory Plant Walk: Focus is on various plants and their application for food, medicine and more. July 27, 6-8:30 pm, $24. Pollinator-Friendly Plants Walk: Focus is on plants attractive to pollinators. July 28 & Aug. 4, 1:30-3 pm, $17/$13. Hydrangeas and Summer Flowering Shrubs Walk: Learn how to use these beauties in your home landscape. July 28, 6-8 pm, $17/$13. Restoring Your Woodland to Health: Aug. 10, 6:30-8:30 pm, $15/$12. Bark(ing) Up the Right Tree: Showy Bark for Year-Round Interest: Michael Jesiolowski, senior horticulturist at Chicago Botanic Garden, will discuss hardy plants with amazing bark characteristics. Aug. 14, 1-2:30 pm, $15/$12. A Garden Stroll with Dr. Death: UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic clinic director Brian Hudelson (aka Dr. Death) will discuss common plant diseases. Aug. 16, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Creative Container Gardening Walk: Use containers to enhance your landscape. Aug. 23, 6:30-8 pm, $17/$13.
Creating and Maintaining Meadow Gardens Walk: How a meadow can replace a lawn. Aug. 31, 6:30-8 pm, $17/$13.
SATURDAY, JULY 18TH
• NATTY NATION • CRAFT BEERS • FOOD PA DLIVEDMUSIC L EWITH AN D P O R TAG E .CO M AWARD CEREMONY
Olbrich classes require preregistration, usually by a week before the class starts. Call 608-246-4550 to register. Costs are non-member/member.
Mixed Borders Garden Walk: Learn about mixed border ideas with trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, annuals and bulbs. Aug. 29, 6:30-8 pm, $17/$13.
RACE BIB PICK-UP • SUP GEAR DEMOS • LEARN TO SUP CLASSES
&
Where better to get a native plant than at the UW-Madison Arboretum Native Plant Sale?
PADDLEBOARDSPECIALISTS.COM
BRITTINGHAM BOATS
Creating Great Gardens with Grasses and Sedges Walk: Incorporate grasses and sedges into your garden. Sept. 6, 6-7:30 pm, $17/$13. Organic Landscape Maintenance Practices: Learn about everything from lawn care to pest management. Sept. 7, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Orchid Growing for Wimps: 16 easy-to-carefor orchids. Sept. 8, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Small Trees with Big Impact Walk: How to use small trees in your landscape. Sept. 12, 5:30-7 pm, $17/$13. Mexican Heirloom Vegetables: Discussion of growing techniques and more. Sept. 14, 6:308:30 pm, $17/$13. Maximum Effects with Showy Spring Bulbs: Learn to select for color, fragrance and impact, along with proper planting methods. Sept. 15, 6:30-8:30 pm, $15/$12. Do-It-Yourself Photovoltaics: Sept. 18, 9 am-2 pm, $81/$65. Putting Your Garden to Bed: Discussion of pruning, mulching, rodent-proofing and more. Sept. 20, 5:30-7 pm, $17/$13. Plants for Intense Fall Color and Interest: Oct. 5, 6:30-8:30 pm, $15/$12. Gardens of Everyday Folks: Learn about tucked-away garden gems usually developed on a shoestring budget but splendid in their creativity. Oct. 6, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Designing with the Best of Ornamental Grasses: Oct. 12, 6:30-8:30 pm, $15/$12. Gardens of Stone: Natural stone landscape features go beyond function to express the essence of the landscape. Oct. 18, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. What’s Bugging Your Tree? Learn about common insects and disease issues affecting trees in Wisconsin and how to improve tree health. Oct. 27, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Design Tips for Traffic-Stopping Curb Appeal: Nov. 6, 1:30-3 pm, $20/$16. Ground Covered: Top Groundcover Plant Selections: Learn about a wide variety of groundcovers with interesting and colorful foliage, flowers or fruit. Nov. 13, 1-2:30 pm, $15/$12. Designing Attractive Native Gardens for Home & Business: Nov. 15, 6:30-8 pm, $15/$12. Evergreen Holiday Wreaths with Natural Materials Workshop: Decorate your own unique wreath with natural materials from Olbrich’s gardens. Dec. 1, 6:30-8:30 pm, $71/$57.
'( '"( '" ( ' &( && ( !%% &(
'#'#$( %$%&( $# ( $#( &
$% ( '( & !$ ($ '"%('" ( ' &(
"!% ( '%$ ( !#&(' ( & !%( #' #($ ( • TLC gives you total control over your loan by allowing you to use it as a line of credit with a variable rate or a home equity loan with a fixed rate and payment schedule. • Protect yourself from rising rates by using the RateLock option to lock your rate for up to five years.
PAY NO CLOSING COSTS ON A TLC HOME EQUITY LOAN UP TO $100,000.* OFFER EXPIRES AUGUST 31, 2016
It’s so easy to apply! Just visit mononabank.com/TLC or contact one of our home equity experts.
MO NO NA
COTTAGE GROVE
MADISON
6430 Bridge Road (608) 395-2323
341 W. Cottage Grove Road (608) 839-9400
1965 Atwood Avenue (608) 284-8383
*Offer valid on new TLC Home Equity Loans of $10,000 or greater. Must be owner-occupied one or two family residential properties. Loans greater than $100,000 require an appraisal and title insurance. The costs of an appraisal and title insurance are not included in the No Closing Costs offer and are the customer’s responsibility. Normal underwriting guidelines apply. Offer not valid on Bridge Loans. Consult a tax advisor for possible tax savings.
Member FDIC
EQUAL HOUSING
LENDER
SPRING 2016 ISTHMUS ABODE
M ON ON A 5515 Monona Drive (608) 223-3000
15
www.centuryhouseinc.com
ISTHMUS ABODE SPRING 2016
Experience design
16
everything for the modern home
3029 & 3420 university ave madison 608.233.4488