Beautiful Christmas issue

[Memmey]

This months magazine is so pretty and I feel partial to this one because you showcase the Katrina cottage. What a wonderful home the Swaniers recieved. It is so new and fresh (fresh being the new word for everything I cannot keep calling beautiful or gorgeous).
Look at our beloved adminsitrator Rex, page 108. Good job Rex, you did a noble thing and changed a families life. You showed the meaning of Christmas to a lot of us by giving that family a sturdy roof over there heads and the biggest portion of a normal life back to them. I feel alot of pride, as well as I'm sure the other forum girls do, in the magazine and what it accomplished.


Light bulb moment *

Now ,I have come to conclusion that I don't think I live in the same socio-economic group as the people who's homes you show in the magazine. Is it just me? I guess the make-do group would not sell many magazines, and I'm afraid that is the group that I am a charter member of. I look and daydream about the beautifully upholstered furniture on every page. The look is very upscale. Like cottage on steriods. Still all in all I guess we all need to dream.

[Lisa S]

Memmey is right, it was a noble job you did, Rex. You all created a beautiful home that any family would be thrilled to have. I loved what the family said about not wanting a mansion. What they received was so much better. The character and thought that went into that project was just amazing.

Maybe our magazine should have a section that shows a house redo on an average person's budget. It would be fun to see how a decorator would stretch a budget. We've got some talent here though... so I wonder how much we'd learn.

[dedavis]

I haven't picked up the Christmas issue yet, but wanted to make a comment about the November magazine.

I am impressed with some of the new communities CL features, and really liked the piece about the housing in Crested Butte, Colorado. That's exactly what we need here. There is a development boom going on, with people building second homes. This puts a first home out of the reach of locals like new police officers, teachers, and forestry technicians. So how do towns entice developers to create affordable housing (real houses, not townhouses or apartments) for working folks at the bottom of the socio-economic heap? The houses in the article look a lot like what's already here, with simple siding and steep-pitched roofs. I'm looking for information to forward to the city council about how to get good affordable housing here. Anything you can pass along would be appreciated.

Deb

[losthat]

:rolleyes: I love the Dec. issue and agree on the comments above. I am especially drawn to pg. 29 and the beautiful cottage built near water. I don't consider it especially small, but it is my new dream home of the future. Anything tied in with Jeremiah Eck draws me in. I hope in the future to see more homes by Eck MacNeely Architects featured. I'd also like to see more new small homes featured....perhaps with a limit of 1,600 sq. ft.

[Chyna]

That was one of our big complaints last year that the houses are too big and we would love something more down to earth and I do think that we were heard since the cottage mcmansions have been decreased. Now to shrink the footage a bit more. ;)

As I was walking thru Walmart yesterday it came ot me that I'd like to challenge the designers in all these magazines or even tv shows to shop only at places like Target, Walmart or some other type of store that is found everywhere. there was a show on A & E with Jennifer Connely where they would shop at flea markets and garage sales to decorate a room. Now they've changed hosts and also added Big Lots!! to the mix and it is back out of reach of the homeowner without big bucks to spend. (Find & Design is the name of it by the way). It was bad enough for me that we don't have flea markets here so shopping that way was out but at least it gave me hope.

[gigiG]

GREAT IDEA- to have a challenge to shop at places like WalMart, Target etc.... :)

[Chyna]

But not Big Lots!! I don't know why it bothers me so much but after the host goes to a few yard sales and the flea market and then goes to BL and fills up the cart with that stuff it just irritates me to no end. Almost like it is cheating or something :o

[david hanson]

Thanks for your interest, Deb, in the Pitchfork community. It's a cool place.
The architects behind it are Wolff-Lyon out of Boulder... www.wlarch.com. They seem to have more such affordable, deed-restricted, locals-only cottage projects than any other firm I've come across.

David O'Neil is a developer who led the charge for the Wellington Neighborhood in Breckenridge (Wolff-Lyon collaborated). He is an animated guy and passionate about the affordable, local housing issue. He spearheaded alot of the changes that had to occur prior to Wellington's construction (zoning, coding, deeds, site planning, etc).
This website should offer some background on that project, including some key players in the building process...
http://www.poplarhouse.com/explore_neighborhoodFounders.htm

[dedavis]

Thanks for the links, David. I'll be checking them out.

Deb

[pacificstar]

I loved the December issue too. I'm very proud of "our" Rex Perry. He worked hard and the rewards are great. The Katrina Cottage looks wonderful and the family just looks so pleased and blessed. We all spoke our minds last year and Cottage Living heard us. A BIG THANKS from Southern California.

[cheapdiva]

Can you hear the adulation, Rex?! It is a testament to the "regular" people in this country who get things done when our big government seems to forget about the working class.

I agree wholeheartedly that a section every month devoted to how to shop the discounts would be wonderful. I want you all to go look at this issue of O at Home, there is a woman from Minneapolis who has done a great job with her 1,700 sq. ft. home blending old and new and the other woman (it was a contest for her readers) who lives in Beverly Hills BUT buys quite a bit at Target and Penney's and blends those items with more costly items.

I don't care how much money you spend - if you've got it - it's not spending that impresses me. And just think of how we could decorate a Katrina cottage if we all could contribute something that might make a new cottage feel more like home. Just a thought!!