modern thrifter
I love beautiful things and thoughtful design. I also live in one of the most expensive cities in the country, and our family lives off a single income so that I can be at home with our kids. Patience and persistence have been the key to finding stylish things on a tight budget.
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12 posts tagged events
[ GEORGE NELSON EXHIBIT ]
There are still a few days left to catch the George Nelson exhibit at the Bellevue Arts Museum (it ends this Sunday). We took the kids last friday for the free admission night, and I’m so glad we went. Though we would have been able to spend more time taking in the amazing furniture and architecture without the kids, it’s always nice to see how much they actually enjoy art museums.
Alden was particularly fascinated with the show, and couldn’t wait to get home to sketch some of the clocks that he’d seen. The next day he asked to get out some toothpicks and marshmallows, inspired by Nelson’s Marshmallow Couch, so that he could construct his own furniture.
Alden’s creation:
Clearly he’s more concerned with form than function—ouch!
![[ VELOCITY BRICK & MORTAR - CLOSING! ]
Just this week Velocity Art & Design in South Lake Union announced that they will be closing their brick and mortar store and transitioning to an online only company. While this is sad news, there is a silver lining. Everything in the store is 50% off until it’s gone.
I made a quick trip into the shop this morning, and was surprised at how many great things were still left. It was hard to resist a Blu Dot Buttercup Chair at half the original price, but I persevered. I can’t wait to share what I did buy, but I’m keeping it a secret until we get it installed.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxq30o3eAE1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ VELOCITY BRICK & MORTAR - CLOSING! ]
Just this week Velocity Art & Design in South Lake Union announced that they will be closing their brick and mortar store and transitioning to an online only company. While this is sad news, there is a silver lining. Everything in the store is 50% off until it’s gone.
I made a quick trip into the shop this morning, and was surprised at how many great things were still left. It was hard to resist a Blu Dot Buttercup Chair at half the original price, but I persevered. I can’t wait to share what I did buy, but I’m keeping it a secret until we get it installed.
![[ DOCOMOMO HOUSE TOURS ]
Saturday we toured three Innis Arden houses on the Docomomo National Tour Day. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been about getting an inside peek at this neighborhood, and I was not disappointed. The first house on the tour was the Sinclair House. Built in 1961 and attributed to architect William Bain Sr. The current owners have lived there since 2003, and since purchasing the house, have done extensive renovation, while keeping the integrity of the mid-century design. Interior photography wasn’t allowed during the tours, but there are several photos as well as more details about the history of the house in this Pacific Northwest Magazine article.
I wasn’t able to gather much information about the second house, the Schisler House, but I do know it was designed by Anker Molver and Rober Marquette. The original owners, Robert Matthiesen, a graphic designer known for his Seattle World’s Fair Century 21 Expo logo, and his wife, Eleanor, sold the house a few years ago to the current owner who agreed to keep the home in its original state.
Of the three houses, the last was my favorite. It is currently for sale and you can see extensive photos here. Make sure to take the virtual tour, too. The owners, Richard and Nancy Rust interviewed more than twenty prominent Northwest architects before finally selecting A. O. Bumgardner to design a house suited for them and their six young children.
I’m so glad I have a husband who enjoys spending the afternoon geeking out on modern architecture with me. Whenever we go to tours like these we come home inspired, motivated, and full of new ideas for our own house.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lss7n8v3hS1qc7v1bo1_r1_500.jpg)
[ DOCOMOMO HOUSE TOURS ]
Saturday we toured three Innis Arden houses on the Docomomo National Tour Day. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been about getting an inside peek at this neighborhood, and I was not disappointed. The first house on the tour was the Sinclair House. Built in 1961 and attributed to architect William Bain Sr. The current owners have lived there since 2003, and since purchasing the house, have done extensive renovation, while keeping the integrity of the mid-century design. Interior photography wasn’t allowed during the tours, but there are several photos as well as more details about the history of the house in this Pacific Northwest Magazine article.
I wasn’t able to gather much information about the second house, the Schisler House, but I do know it was designed by Anker Molver and Rober Marquette. The original owners, Robert Matthiesen, a graphic designer known for his Seattle World’s Fair Century 21 Expo logo, and his wife, Eleanor, sold the house a few years ago to the current owner who agreed to keep the home in its original state.
Of the three houses, the last was my favorite. It is currently for sale and you can see extensive photos here. Make sure to take the virtual tour, too. The owners, Richard and Nancy Rust interviewed more than twenty prominent Northwest architects before finally selecting A. O. Bumgardner to design a house suited for them and their six young children.
I’m so glad I have a husband who enjoys spending the afternoon geeking out on modern architecture with me. Whenever we go to tours like these we come home inspired, motivated, and full of new ideas for our own house.
![[ WEST ELM SNEEK PEEK ]
Last night I had a chance to attend the West Elm Pre-Opening event at the new store in South Lake Union. The store was packed, and the photo doesn’t even come close to representing how many people were crammed into the store. By the time I left, it was shoulder to shoulder people and the temperature felt more like a tropical island than a blustery Seattle evening.
These aren’t really my kind of events (think Black Friday with alcohol), which I’m sure the bartender picked up on when I asked for a glass of red wine (really? they don’t want me to try to maneuver through hundreds of people and nice white couches with red wine?), but the chance to save 10% on the rug we’ve been eyeing seemed worth braving the crowd.
I was surprised at how much better all of the products looked in person compared to the catalog and online images. I would have expected it to be the other way around. Nonetheless, I didn’t succumb to the temptation to buy the beautiful $20 candle, or the $60 wool felt wreath that caught my eye. I stuck to my game-plan and ordered what I came for, the 9’x12’ embroidered flat weave rug. The store only stocks rugs up to the 5’x8’ size, so we are having it shipped to us. For some magnificent reason, we weren’t charged any shipping fees, not even the $25 large item surcharge. Combined with the 10% discount, we walked out with a great deal.
Here are a few of the items that I thought were particularly lovely:
White Wood Stool Side Table, $99
Martini Side Table, $129
Nest Core Homescent Candle (almond coconut), $19
Felt Ball Wreath, $59
By the way, the store is officially opened today at 10am. If you want to check it out for yourself they are located at 2201 Westlake Avenue across from Whole Foods.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsnozxTBV81qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ WEST ELM SNEEK PEEK ]
Last night I had a chance to attend the West Elm Pre-Opening event at the new store in South Lake Union. The store was packed, and the photo doesn’t even come close to representing how many people were crammed into the store. By the time I left, it was shoulder to shoulder people and the temperature felt more like a tropical island than a blustery Seattle evening.
These aren’t really my kind of events (think Black Friday with alcohol), which I’m sure the bartender picked up on when I asked for a glass of red wine (really? they don’t want me to try to maneuver through hundreds of people and nice white couches with red wine?), but the chance to save 10% on the rug we’ve been eyeing seemed worth braving the crowd.
I was surprised at how much better all of the products looked in person compared to the catalog and online images. I would have expected it to be the other way around. Nonetheless, I didn’t succumb to the temptation to buy the beautiful $20 candle, or the $60 wool felt wreath that caught my eye. I stuck to my game-plan and ordered what I came for, the 9’x12’ embroidered flat weave rug. The store only stocks rugs up to the 5’x8’ size, so we are having it shipped to us. For some magnificent reason, we weren’t charged any shipping fees, not even the $25 large item surcharge. Combined with the 10% discount, we walked out with a great deal.
Here are a few of the items that I thought were particularly lovely:
White Wood Stool Side Table, $99
Nest Core Homescent Candle (almond coconut), $19
By the way, the store is officially opened today at 10am. If you want to check it out for yourself they are located at 2201 Westlake Avenue across from Whole Foods.
![[ WEST ELM SEATTLE ]
As much as I’ve wanted to pull the trigger on a new rug solution for the living room, I’ve been trying to hold out until the Seattle West Elm store opens so that I can see the rugs in person. I’m happy to say that they finally announced an official opening day, October 6th. Being patient and waiting for the brick and mortar store to open will be worth it to save the shipping costs, and avoid potential disappointment if the rug isn’t what we’re looking for.
Beyond the benefits of being able to see merchandise in person, having a West Elm store here in Seattle means there will be a better chance at finding used West Elm products on Craigslist and in the thrift stores. So, West Elm, welcome to Seattle, I look forward to finding your products on the Goodwill shelf soon.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrj6jkgVP81qc7v1bo1_500.png)
[ WEST ELM SEATTLE ]
As much as I’ve wanted to pull the trigger on a new rug solution for the living room, I’ve been trying to hold out until the Seattle West Elm store opens so that I can see the rugs in person. I’m happy to say that they finally announced an official opening day, October 6th. Being patient and waiting for the brick and mortar store to open will be worth it to save the shipping costs, and avoid potential disappointment if the rug isn’t what we’re looking for.
Beyond the benefits of being able to see merchandise in person, having a West Elm store here in Seattle means there will be a better chance at finding used West Elm products on Craigslist and in the thrift stores. So, West Elm, welcome to Seattle, I look forward to finding your products on the Goodwill shelf soon.
![[ INNIS ARDEN TOURS ]
Located just North of Seattle, in Shoreline, the Innis Arden neighborhood boasts astounding views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, but there is also a small, secluded section nestled along Boeing Creek and Hidden Lake that was developed by noted Northwest architect Ralph Anderson.
Patrick and I periodically drive through Innis Arden, and we’re always inspired by this rare pocket of amazing mid century modern homes. After going on the last Docomomo tour of the Hilltop Community, we’ve been holding out hope that Innis Arden would be next. To our delight, the national chapter of Docomomo announced that a tour of the homes along Boeing Creek will be happening on October 8th. From their site:
The homes on 10th Ave Northwest, overlooking Boeing Creek and Hidden Lake, are uncommon, both for their unique architecture and their setting in the environment. Individually, they are fine examples of Modernist Architecture. Collectively, they are a rare example of a Modernist community.Tour meets at the Sinclair House.
$10 per person
The local Docomomo site doesn’t have details posted yet, but I’ll update here when tickets go on sale.
Pictured above: The Innis Arden home of Architect Jerry Gropp.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqtfhzS7Mq1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ INNIS ARDEN TOURS ]
Located just North of Seattle, in Shoreline, the Innis Arden neighborhood boasts astounding views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, but there is also a small, secluded section nestled along Boeing Creek and Hidden Lake that was developed by noted Northwest architect Ralph Anderson.
Patrick and I periodically drive through Innis Arden, and we’re always inspired by this rare pocket of amazing mid century modern homes. After going on the last Docomomo tour of the Hilltop Community, we’ve been holding out hope that Innis Arden would be next. To our delight, the national chapter of Docomomo announced that a tour of the homes along Boeing Creek will be happening on October 8th. From their site:
The homes on 10th Ave Northwest, overlooking Boeing Creek and Hidden Lake, are uncommon, both for their unique architecture and their setting in the environment. Individually, they are fine examples of Modernist Architecture. Collectively, they are a rare example of a Modernist community.Tour meets at the Sinclair House.
$10 per person
The local Docomomo site doesn’t have details posted yet, but I’ll update here when tickets go on sale.
Pictured above: The Innis Arden home of Architect Jerry Gropp.
Tomorrow the UW Surplus Store will be holding their first public sale of the year. I have never been to one of these, in fact I didn’t even know about them until a few months ago, but I’m dying to go. Here are a few highlights from their inventory, though it sounds like they have quite a bit that isn’t listed on their site:
Wood Office Chairs - $15–$25 each
Yellow “Flammables” Cabinet - $175
Round Tables - $15–$30 each
Scandinavian Style Wood Chairs - $5 each
If you don’t live in the Seattle area, but are located close to another university, it might be worth a check to see if they have similar auctions/surplus stores. This is a great resource for picking up some quality items that might otherwise be discarded.
The UW Surplus store is open to the public every Tuesday from 12pm until 6pm and is located at 4515 25th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105.
[ HILLTOP HOUSE TOURS: REVIEW ]
Saturday, Patrick and I went to the Hilltop House Tours with some good friends, who are also modern architecture fans. After a week of rain, we were surprised by a sunny afternoon—a total bonus since it was a walking tour. 360 Modern put together a helpful and lovely booklet to accompany the tour, that was filled with old photos, original architectural plans, and histories of the houses.
The Hilltop community was planned between 1947 and 1950 and each of the 40 homes were custom-designed by some of Seattle’s best known architects. The views from the homes we toured were breathtaking and panoramic. From a few of them, we could see downtown Seattle, downtown Bellevue, the Olympics, and nearly all of Lake Washington, all from a single spot on the deck.
The homes were modest in size, but carefully laid out. There was very little wasted space, and a huge emphasis on incorporating the natural surroundings into the home—walls of windows and natural materials were used throughout each house.
The only disappointing part of the tour for me, was seeing some of the remodels that were done in a few of the houses. Though they maintained much of the original look and feel of the house, there were a few bathrooms and kitchens that felt out of place amongst their minimalist surroundings. The exception was a remodel done on the Smith Residence, which was absolutely outstanding. They were able to add bedrooms, a bathroom, and a music room to the lower level of the house that flowed seamlessly from the existing space on the top level.
Since many of the houses had similar architecture to our own home, we gained a wealth of information about lighting fixtures, stairwells, decks, and landscaping. Overall, the tour seemed to be a huge success, and we will likely attend again next year. Many thanks to the hard work of the people at Docomomo WeWa for putting it all together!
Image Credits: Vista Estate Imaging
![[ HILLTOP COMMUNITY TOURS ]
Tickets are now on sale for the Docomomo Hilltop house tours, happening Saturday, September 11th. Here are a few of the details from their site:
This is a rare opportunity to view a collection of wonderful mid-century modern homes nestled in the one of the most notable modern enclaves in the nation. We will be viewing five residences built in the 1950s and early 1960s designed by Tucker & Shields, John Morse, Van Horne & Van Horne, and John C. Lindahl. Three of the homes are still occupied by the original families, and the other two have been long-term owners. The owners will all be on hand to speak with tour goers.
If you’ve never heard of the Hilltop Community in Bellevue, read the history behind this unique post-war neighborhood here.
Tickets for the tour are $20, and all proceeds directly to Docomomo’s programs.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7dukvGNFb1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ HILLTOP COMMUNITY TOURS ]
Tickets are now on sale for the Docomomo Hilltop house tours, happening Saturday, September 11th. Here are a few of the details from their site:
This is a rare opportunity to view a collection of wonderful mid-century modern homes nestled in the one of the most notable modern enclaves in the nation. We will be viewing five residences built in the 1950s and early 1960s designed by Tucker & Shields, John Morse, Van Horne & Van Horne, and John C. Lindahl. Three of the homes are still occupied by the original families, and the other two have been long-term owners. The owners will all be on hand to speak with tour goers.
If you’ve never heard of the Hilltop Community in Bellevue, read the history behind this unique post-war neighborhood here.
Tickets for the tour are $20, and all proceeds directly to Docomomo’s programs.
![[ THRIFTY BIRTHDAY PARTY ]
Tula has been planning her third birthday party since she was two and a half, and since I love a good party too, we had a lot of fun talking about it. Because of how much I like to plan parties, I know I’m prone to overspending. Did you know that the average amount spent on a child’s birthday party is $200–$400? Unfortunately, it’s not even that uncommon anymore for parents to spend over $500 for a single party. Is it possible to have a creative, fun, party without a big budget? Here’s what we did for Tula:
She wanted a Hello Kitty party. There is a plethora of Hello Kitty birthday supplies available, but I knew we could make just about everything ourselves, and it would be cheaper and cuter. Since I have a 5-year-old who loves projects, making the decorations kept us busy in the afternoons for about a week, while Tula napped. Other than steamers and balloons, the decorations were made out of paper that I purchased at Paper Zone. It’s amazing how much you can make out of colored butcher paper and poster board! The butcher paper was 35¢/yard, and we used it for the sun and clouds, and to cover the tables. Instead of buying birthday hats, we used the poster board to make headbands shaped like Hello Kitty characters.
The favor boxes were 49¢ each, and we cut and glued paper pieces to make them look like different characters. Filling the boxes can get expensive, so we kept it simple by going to a nearby asian market to pick up some Hello Kitty candy and gum. We found rainbow stickers and activity books at the party store, too. I was going to fold some mini paper cranes to add, but there wasn’t enough room. The total for each box came to about $1.50.
The kids helped me bake this rainbow cake, which was a big hit. Homemade cakes are really easy, and save a ton of money. I made Tula’s cake with all organic ingredients, and it probably cost me about $5, though it’s a little hard to calculate since I had all of the ingredients on-hand.
The one thing we splurged on was pizza, but we did have coupons that we used. It’s hard to have a party in the afternoon for kids that still need to nap, and I would feel too guilty feeding them cake and candy before lunch, so we chose to have the party at lunchtime.
The kids all had a great time, and we spent well below the average. If you’ve felt pressured to pull out all the stops for a birthday party, there are a ton of great resources on how to have a low-cost party. My favorite website is Birthdays Without Pressure. I think if the kids and I didn’t have so much fun making all of the decorations, we would opt for a simple cake and balloon event.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6vaixPHMn1qc7v1bo1_r1_500.jpg)
[ THRIFTY BIRTHDAY PARTY ]
Tula has been planning her third birthday party since she was two and a half, and since I love a good party too, we had a lot of fun talking about it. Because of how much I like to plan parties, I know I’m prone to overspending. Did you know that the average amount spent on a child’s birthday party is $200–$400? Unfortunately, it’s not even that uncommon anymore for parents to spend over $500 for a single party. Is it possible to have a creative, fun, party without a big budget? Here’s what we did for Tula:
She wanted a Hello Kitty party. There is a plethora of Hello Kitty birthday supplies available, but I knew we could make just about everything ourselves, and it would be cheaper and cuter. Since I have a 5-year-old who loves projects, making the decorations kept us busy in the afternoons for about a week, while Tula napped. Other than steamers and balloons, the decorations were made out of paper that I purchased at Paper Zone. It’s amazing how much you can make out of colored butcher paper and poster board! The butcher paper was 35¢/yard, and we used it for the sun and clouds, and to cover the tables. Instead of buying birthday hats, we used the poster board to make headbands shaped like Hello Kitty characters.
The favor boxes were 49¢ each, and we cut and glued paper pieces to make them look like different characters. Filling the boxes can get expensive, so we kept it simple by going to a nearby asian market to pick up some Hello Kitty candy and gum. We found rainbow stickers and activity books at the party store, too. I was going to fold some mini paper cranes to add, but there wasn’t enough room. The total for each box came to about $1.50.
The kids helped me bake this rainbow cake, which was a big hit. Homemade cakes are really easy, and save a ton of money. I made Tula’s cake with all organic ingredients, and it probably cost me about $5, though it’s a little hard to calculate since I had all of the ingredients on-hand.
The one thing we splurged on was pizza, but we did have coupons that we used. It’s hard to have a party in the afternoon for kids that still need to nap, and I would feel too guilty feeding them cake and candy before lunch, so we chose to have the party at lunchtime.
The kids all had a great time, and we spent well below the average. If you’ve felt pressured to pull out all the stops for a birthday party, there are a ton of great resources on how to have a low-cost party. My favorite website is Birthdays Without Pressure. I think if the kids and I didn’t have so much fun making all of the decorations, we would opt for a simple cake and balloon event.
