Among the finer points when it comes to choosing a paint: whether it has warm or cool undertones (which can have a surprisingly big effect on a room, adding an extra complication when it comes to choosing a shade). Luckily, we have a panel of paint masters to consult. We asked the experts in the Remodelista Architect & Designer Directory for their favorite cool-toned whites and neutrals, all with undertones of green and blue, rather than red and yellow. Among the benefits of cool-toned whites: They have more dimension than a “pure” white and make walls and ceilings recede more than…

This is, hands down, the most romantic story I’ve ever heard involving a house. In the 1960s, Chessa Osburn’s maternal grandparents bought property on an island in Howe Sound, near Vancouver. They hired a young architect, fresh out of graduate school and himself a summer resident on the island (his parents owned a vacation home there, too), to design a small cabin for them. As they expected, he created a perfect waterfront retreat. Less expected, but welcome nonetheless: He and their daughter fell in love. Chessa, co-founder of Twenty One Tonnes, one of our favorite boutiques in Vancouver (see her…

A couple of weeks ago, Francesca (my fellow Remodelista design maven) and I found ourselves in Paris, surveying Maison & Objet by day and wandering the streets around the Marais by night. Here’s a visual account of our favorite moments from the twice-yearly design fair, in no particular order: Laura Gonzalez, Designer of the Year Above: A residential project by Laura Gonzalez. Interior designer and architect Laura Gonzales was awarded the 2019 Maison & Objet  Designer of the Year award for “the magic she’s worked on Lapérouse, Hotel Christine, the Brasserie La Lorraine, and the Cartier stores in Paris, Stockholm and Zurich.…

Ask for insurance information. Request the name and contact of their insurer. Even if the contractor presents you with a certificate of insurance, they could call right after your meeting and cancel. Call the insurer yourself to make sure that their insurance is up to date. Above: I attempted to paint my detailed pantry myself for a Remodelista post. Truth be told, it was so time-consuming that I was able to only apply one coat to the outsides of just one side of the room. To finish the painstaking work, including on the interior cabinets, I called on Catchlight. Step…

When Judith and Martin bought a farm in the Cotswolds, a place they could retire with their menagerie of sheep and goats, they didn’t expect to find three small cottages tucked away on the property, formerly an artist’s home and studio, but left abandoned and crumbling. Then they saw an opportunity. Judith renovated the three little houses completely, shoring up the structures, working with local builders to keep their original charm intact, and injecting some of her native Swiss style into the interiors. Now, the three cottages—Whitehall, Winterspring, and the Baby Cottage, together called Cotswold Farm Hideaway—are available to rent on…

We like to check in on Los Angeles-based Commune Design from time to time. The multidisciplinary design studio (it works on architecture, interior, graphic, and product design projects) always seems to have something interesting in its portfolio. On our latest visit, we were rewarded with this distinctive kitchen in Santa Monica. It belongs to Hollywood talent manager Evelyn O’Neill and was inspired by Maison La Roche in Paris. (Not familiar with the architecturally important residence? See Alexa’s 12 Design Lessons from Le Corbusier’s Maison La Roche in Paris.) O’Neill visited the landmark in 2015 with her friend, actress and design…