Author: Eliza

Architects Andrea Fisk and Jess Thomas of Shapeless Studio are modernists with beating hearts. Their love of workmanship, new and old, and attention to life’s daily details is on display in all of their residential work, including their own Brooklyn quarters: see The Sentimental Minimalist and A Rising Star Architect’s Townhouse in Pinks, Grays, and Greens.

Admiring their projects on Remodelista is what led the owners of this brownstone in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill to work with the Shapeless Studio team on a makeover of their parlor floor. The 1867 Italianate structure came with a classic living and dining room sequence leading into a 2007 kitchen extension in the back. “The main goal of the renovation was to find a way to more seamlessly and intentionally integrate the kitchen with the other rooms while paying homage to the original structure,” says Fisk.

“Our sensibility is generally more modern, but we also

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Sun Parasol® Crimson Mandevilla (man-de-VILL-uh) is an attractive tropical perennial evergreen. It is a member of the Mandevillas family of plants (formerly Dipladenia). This woody, climbing, trailing vine hails from Brazil and is named after Henry Mandeville, a British diplomat to Argentina in the 18th century. 

Mandevillas also go by the common name Brazilian Jasmine. This particular Mandeville is one of the Suntory collection that go by the trade name Sun Parasol. These plants have huge, very deeply saturated red, velvety blooms.

Sun Parasol Crimson MandevillaPin

Caring Crimson Mandevilla Care

Size And Growth

Crimson Mandevillas can grow to a length/height of approximately 10′ or 15′ feet with a 2-foot spread at the base. They have a moderate rate of growth. 

Flowering And Fragrance

The flowers of this attractive tropical vine are five inches wide, tubular shaped, and deep crimson. 

The long-lasting blooms appear late in the spring and persist through mid-autumn. They transition

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This week I finished up the Autumn Art Collection and next month I’ll be starting on another for the Christmas season. I love being creative in different ways from art to pottery to fabric design and DIY projects. Creativity is a major source of joy in my life and it’s so nice to have a space to share it with all of you!

I’m working on even more projects this week, a piece of furniture and a decorative idea for holiday tablescapes. Meanwhile behind the scenes I’m picking out new carpet for the family home and painting spaces that need updating. We’ve put a lot of maintenance on the back burner and the time has come to make the necessary upgrades. I’ll share them as they happen. 🙂

Favorite links from the week:

Lovely contrast, textures, and wood tones in this Arizona home tour.

So many elegant details in

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A family decides on two-toned kitchen cabinets and whether wallpaper in the bathroom is a good idea

Bathroom with wallpaper and gold hardware
  • Homeowners: Allison, a project manager, and Tim, a professional in the solar industry, posted their project on Sweeten
  • Where: Kips Bay neighborhood in Manhattan, New York
  • Primary renovation: Kitchen and bathroom in their 1960s complex designed by architect I.M. Pei
  • Sweeten general contractor
  • Homeowner’s quote: “It would have taken us a ton of time vetting contractors on our own if we hadn’t used Sweeten. They made it easier to communicate with the ones who were actually interested in a project my size and provide competitive bids.”
  • Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and secure deposits—at no cost to the homeowner.

Written in partnership with homeowner Allison. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg.

A renovation date on the calendar

Portrait of the Sweeten homeowners

We live in our 1,200-square-foot condo with

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In an episode of Fine Gardening‘s podcast, Let’s Argue About Plants, the hosts discuss the importance of evergreen plants and the particular perks of broadleaf evergreens:

“The key to any successful four-season garden is evergreens. Conifers are great, but they can be pricey and slow to bulk up. Broadleaf evergreens, on the other hand, bulk up quickly and are generally affordable. The only drawback is they can be boring. In fact, most gardeners think only of rhodies and hollies when it comes to this classification of plants.”

Don’t be fooled by the common varieties; there is much more to this plant category than one might think while walking around the local garden center. To help shed light on some fabulous, underappreciated broadleaf evergreens, we had regional experts pick their top four. Below, you’ll find great picks for your region. To discover more fantastic evergreens, check out LAAP Episode

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