The most interesting thing about faux simplicity is that it’s anything but simple, actually requiring more trouble and expense than most decorating styles. The aesthetic isn’t based on giving up possessions but on having lots of custom closets and cabinets that conceal them from view.
—Winifred Gallagher, House Thinking: A Room-by-Room Look at How We Live
Arthouse chic
Homes of art giants decorate new book
The homes that make the pages of most glossy home rags—whether the hipper-than-thou modern lofts in Dwell or the aggressively eclectic spaces in Elle Decor—all share a certain perfection that can be intimidating. If it’s a freewheeling spirit that you seek in arranging your house, rather than a specific, planned look, you might draw some inspiration from a new book, Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey. Guerrero’s memoir recounts his 60-plus years spent documenting the homes of art-world heavies from architect Frank Lloyd Wright to sculptor Louise Nevelson. The artists’ spaces reveal creative confidence that’s more playful than prescriptive.
 How do real artists decorate? The short answer is, not much like the magazines. |
Nevelson, for one, had a thing for black: black walls, black furniture and black kitchen cabinets. Inside the warrenlike complex she occupied in New York’s Little Italy, dark shapes were relieved by the occasional burst of color: green bottles or golden boxlike sculptures.
Alexander Calder, the sculptor famous for modernist mobiles, was just as daring, but in a more earthy way. His houses, in France and Connecticut, were cheerfully stuffed with plants, hooked rugs, paintings and of course his mobiles. The Calders’ bedroom, writes Guerrero, “was bold and simple with a primitive tapestry over the bed and a gorgeous combination of two pure colors in the yellow and red wool blankets.”
Wright and other architects also make appearances in the book, along with a bit of design history. Oh, and Julia Child’s kitchen? That’s here, too.—Erika Howsare
By The Numbers
60
(percentage of custom houses to sport dual master bedrooms by 2015)
That’s according to a February survey of builders and architects by the National Association of Home Builders.
What’s behind the rise in solo sleeping, even among happily married couples? The New York Times, reporting on the trend, says that snoring is the main culprit—that, and other disturbances like the hectic schedules that have some spouses coming and going in the wee hours. Wanting to enjoy a full night’s rest, more couples are amiably splitting up for shuteye, installing second master bedrooms or converting guest rooms.
 Up all night because of a noisy nose? Trends suggest you might get your own room soon. |
Like many trends, this one appears to be delayed in its arrival to greater Charlottesville. Randy Rinehart of Rinehart Custom Homes says that, in his travels around the country, “I have seen houses…with the master bath in center and two large bedrooms connecting”—but he can only remember one local client who requested double bedrooms. “I haven’t seen or heard of it here locally, but I think it is happening on a national basis,” he says.
So, you could think of this two ways: Either snuggle up to your sweetie and revel in the old-fashioned togetherness that still informs Charlottesville life. Or, go for the dual bedroom and color yourself ahead of the curve.—E.H.
Last stop
 If your file reads “cancelled,” there’s one more phone call you should make. |
Losing homeowners’ insurance is downright scary. The Glen Allen-based Virginia Property Insurance Association provides basic property insurance for people who can‘t secure coverage through the voluntary market, says Leland Nye, general manager. Rates may be lower in some areas and higher in others, but “we are right in the same ballpark” as regular coverage, Nye says. Coverage may be more limited, though; Nye says, “When they can resolve their insurance issues, we encourage them to go back into the standard market where they have a lot more choices and are better off.” Call the VPIA at 800-899-7973.—Jennifer Pullinger
Move it!
How to survive the prime season for moving
Have you heard of the fashionable new workout, the one where you drop unwanted pounds by lifting heavy cardboard boxes in the sweltering heat from one location to another? That would be “moving day.” The summer months—May through September—are typically the time when most people move.
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Paul Breaud, vice president of Student Services Moving in Charlottesville, knows how hectic this time of year is. “I’ve been on the phone since 6:30 this morning doing nothing but scheduling last minute student moves,” Breaud said recently. “I go form running three trucks a day during the school year to running as many as ten trucks a day during the summer.”
The laws of supply and demand suggest that prices should go up when fewer trucks are available. But Breaud says his company doesn’t have a seasonal rate. Year round, you can get four guys for less than $135 per hour.
U-Haul doesn’t have seasonal rates either. Rather, they factor in several variables to calculate the cost of a move, including equipment size, point of origin, destination, and the date of your move, says Joanne Fried, spokesperson for U-Haul International.
No matter who you choose to move your boxes of tchotchkes, if you need a truck on a specific date, call at least a month in advance. And the consensus is, if you are moving in the hot weather, drink lots of Gatorade.
“Make sure everything is packed and ready to go. Make sure you have plenty of liquids for the guys. It’s a hot time of year,” Breaud says.—J.P.
Summer veg-out
Cooking farmers’ market goodies the simple way
 Peppers and lettuce and kale, oh my! Local produce needs only a light touch to shine. |
Let the games begin…in my kitchen. The farmers’ market is open, the weather is warm, and the greens are just waiting to be plucked and dashed into my skillet—and they’re much too good to ruin with tons of spices or a huge mélange of ingredients. To let your summer produce shine, keep it simple! Here are a couple of ideas:
Kale. Kale really loves olive oil, onions, lemon juice and salt. If you cook long, thin slices of onion in the olive oil on a low temperature until they are clear and soft, they’ll make a perfectly sweet addition—then just throw the chopped kale directly in the oil and let them release some of their own liquid, add salt, sprinkle with water and cook them slowly. Dress with a bit of lemon.
Sweet peppers. They’re best friends with fresh tomatoes, and all they need is a bit of pan roasting to be spectacular. Light, thin-walled peppers can be cut into large pieces and fried in olive oil until they’re starting to brown, then removed to a paper towel. Tomatoes go in with a bit of garlic and salt, cook slightly, then get mixed with the peppers as a fresh sauce. Done.
The City Market, by the way, is open every Saturday from 7am to noon in the Water Street parking lot.—Katherine Cox