Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Sand castle
BETHANY BEACH, Del. — Last Thanksgiving, three generations of Bobbs filled a party bus headed to Bethany Beach in Delaware for the day to see the progress on their new beach house. The crowd of 20 walked gingerly around the just-framed home as family member and designer Jodi Bobb Macklin pointed out everyone’s bedrooms. After a pit stop at Nicola Pizza in Rehoboth Beach, they headed home, fingers crossed that they’d be back there six months later, playing cornhole, layering shell gardens and kayaking.
Today, the two-story oceanfront house is cool and modern. A large basement has storage, laundry and direct beach access. "Everything had to be indestructible," says Jodi, a designer whose work includes Georgetown’s historic Evermay mansion. She headed the project with brother Daryle Bobb, who has experience in home building. "Twenty people had to fit in multiple areas. It was a challenge," she says. The 10-bedroom house has four master bedrooms, two bunk rooms, four guest rooms and 11 bathrooms. There are two 13-foot-long kitchen islands and three outdoor showers.
The story of Camp Bobb starts with Sandy, now 75, and Stanley Bobb, now 81. They always took their kids, Jodi, Tammy and Daryle, for an annual vacation by the ocean. In 1992, they built a house in Bethany Beach with a breezy screened porch and five bedrooms. The three Bobb children married and each had four kids of their own. After 25 years of fun, Camp Bobb was looking rather weather-beaten and bursting at the seams.
Sandy and Stanley were getting older, too. In 2012, the couple passed Camp Bobb on to their kids. "Our options were to sell it, rebuild or keep it as is," says Tammy Bobb Mendelson. "Our kids loved it so much, we figured if we can make it work we should rebuild." The cousin crab feasts and Yahtzee games would continue in a bigger house on the same lot, where Sandy and Stanley could now be guests, not hosts.
Jodi says, "At least we knew the views and neighbours would be the same."
Jodi, 52, would do design, and Daryle, 46, would supervise construction. Tammy, 50, was happy to leave most decisions to her siblings. "I had complete confidence in them," she says. "I knew whatever they did would be fabulous."
Last Labor Day weekend, everyone gathered to toss 25 years of Tupperware and rusty beach chairs. They kept mattresses and a shell mirror, plus hundreds of family photos. It was emotional. Says Jodi, "I had a knot in my stomach as I drove away."
Things moved swiftly. On Memorial Day weekend, the 7,100-square-foot house opened for the season with 60 bath towels, 44 pillows and 640 rolls of toilet paper. Everything was chosen with an eye for wear and tear. "We were very concerned about maintenance. With the sea mist, everything rusts and fades quickly," Daryle says.
The main floor is light and bright. As you walk in, a playful rattan sea urchin pendant lamp leads you down the hall toward the living area and the ocean. The heart of the house: a 24-by-27-foot screened porch with a large sectional, two powder-coated aluminum dining tables that seat 20, retractable Phantom Screens and retractable storm shutters. "It’s the everything room: breakfast room, living room, lunch room and lounging room," Daryle says. At dinner, party lights make it sparkle. The room is adjacent to the kitchen, with the two work islands and restaurant-style ice machine. In the pantry is a chest freezer for ice cream. The living room has a gas fireplace, lots of seating and a custom table made from a slab of wood.
All the bedrooms were designed with the same concept: Don’t bring a lot of stuff, and don’t leave it lying around. Jodi installed bedside tables with no drawers, and there are no dressers. (The family members stash their things in walk-in closets.) Dash & Albert cotton rugs and print coverlets complete the look. "I wanted uncluttered spaces so the focus would be out there," Jodi says, pointing to the ocean.
Communication on comings and goings and everything else is usually through Google Calendar and a Camp Bobb group chat. A large chalkboard features an ongoing shopping list: Plungers and toothpicks were recent notations. A Roomba robot vac picks up sand that’s been tracked on the white oak floors.
How can 20 people who live minutes from one another want to spend weekends together? "We have our grandparents to thank for teaching us about family," says Oliver Macklin, 22, son of Jodi and her husband, Rodd, 53. "We all have to help with the dishes and take out the trash. And we all have to stick together." The beach house is part of the glue. "We spent a lot of time with the kids and still do. They all look out for one another," Stanley says. "I don’t water the roses anymore, as there is a sprinkler system. I don’t have to go buy bags of ice." Sandy can make onion dip but doesn’t have to plan dinner for 20 and can play a game with a grandchild instead.
On Memorial Day weekend, Jodi was curious to see how everyone adapted. "The first morning I woke up and passed the girls’ bunk room. They had all made their beds," she says. "I was happy." Later, she found her father on the screened porch napping on the sectional, in approximately the same spot he used to relax in the old house.
"My parents created a wonderful beach house for all of us," Jodi says. "And we turned around and did it for them."
— The Washington Post
Renovation & Design
Homemade play dough fun and easy to make
Question: I am opening a brand new preschool in my home. Do you have a really good recipe for play dough? Cindy
Answer: Congratulations on the new preschool. Here’s my favorite play dough recipe: Bring to a boil: 2 cups water, 1/2 cup of sea salt and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When salt is dissolved, remove the pot from heat. Add food coloring, 2 tbsp. cream of tartar and 2 cups of flour. Stir well and cool. Slip on rubber gloves and knead the dough until pliable. You can dye it with food colouring. Store in a sealed plastic bag.Question: I am wondering if you know how I can remove a dog urine stain off my laminate flooring. My daughter brought her spaniel over to visit my condo and she was so excited that she urinated on the flooring. I threw a towel on it and swirled it around thinking I would wash the floor after they left and of course I forgot. No matter what I try I cannot get the white colored stain out of the panels of flooring. Please advise if you know of any remedies that might help me remove the stains. Thank you, Deborah
Answer: Although I don’t know which cleaners you used on your floor, I am assuming you tried; laminate floor cleaner, water and ammonia or water and vinegar and have had disappointing results. Typically laminate flooring is tough and almost anything can be cleaned with little effort as long as it is done fairly soon after a spill. However, in this case it sounds like the dog’s urine may have slightly bleached the floor finish. Since you probably don’t want to replace the boards and no amount of cleaners is going to clean a bleach stain, you are best off taking a trip to your local hardware store. Bring a piece of laminate with you and color match the floor to a wax stick or touch-up pen.
Question: Is it possible to store crushed garlic so that it is ready-to-use? Shauna
Answer: You can store minced garlic in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Although the most active sulfur compound diminishes within a few hours, refrigeration will slightly slow the process. Use refrigerated garlic as soon as possible. Some people are tempted to freeze garlic, but this is not recommended because its texture changes, as does its flavor.
Question: Our leather chair has a dark spot where my head rests. Is there a way to clean it? I have heard I should not use saddle soap as it is too strong for leather furniture. Once cleaned, is there a daily ritual I should follow to keep our chair clean? Thanks. Louise
Answer: I agree saddle soap is a little too harsh for regular leather cleaning but once in a while saddle soap is a smart choice. This stain may fade over time if you place a cloth onto the spot. I once removed a grease stain on leather furniture with the following tip: smooth on a dry paste of baking soda and water to soak up the grease mark. Leave for one hour. Remove paste by scraping with a plastic putty knife, brushing, or vacuuming. Repeat until the grease is completely gone. Rinse with water, (do not soak leather) let dry. Alternatively you can purchase leather cleaners where leather furniture is sold. Persistence is the key. As for regular cleaning either vacuum or wipe leather with a damp cloth.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a Presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Summer vacation guide to clean rugs
I hope I’m not too late with this advice, because the children in these parts have been off from school for summer vacation since June. Because the kids may be around the house a little longer than usual each day this time of year, there is increased opportunity for things to get messier.
The best, but more expensive, solution is to send them to sleepaway camp for several weeks. If that option isn’t available, however, Derek Niederquell of 1-800 Water Damage — a national U.S. property restoration firm specializing in water, fire and carpet cleaning —offers some tips for keeping your rugs in good shape.
Let’s start with chewing gum in a plush carpet. Niederquell suggests applying a bag of ice directly over the affected area and allowing the gum to completely freeze. Once that has occurred, peel off the frozen substance using your hands or a dull butter knife.
For Gatorade or soda, even red wine, Niederquell recommends blotting the stain using cold water and a clean white cloth. Once that has been done, apply a generous amount of salt to draw out the stain’s moisture and let it stand for a few hours. Afterward, discard the salt and vacuum the carpet, he said.
For grass, Niederquell recommends vacuuming up any dry particles, then applying a detergent solution composed of warm water and dish soap. Let this treatment stand for five minutes and blot the rug dry with a clean cloth.
If it rains and the kids respond by making mud pies and then stepping in them, Niederquell suggests letting the mud dry, then vacuuming up as much of it as possible. Once you have done that, Niederquell says, apply a mixture of warm water and vinegar using a clean white cloth, then blot it until all the liquid has been absorbed.
— The Philadelphia Inquirer
Renovation & Design
Must-have pool floats and accessories
There’s no such thing as a boring pool party, but you can really make a splash at your next dip with good buddies if you pick up some clever and colourful accessories for the occasion.
1. THE EMPIRE TAKES A DIP
In the movies, it’s an armoured space station built to destroy planets, but in your pool, the Star Wars Death Star Light-Up Beach Ball is just the best way to get your favorite Lukes and Leias geeked out to play in the pool. The impact-activated LED lights within will give revellers incentive to stay past sunset. Available for US$6.99 at swimways.com.
2. FAB FLOATING
There’s no way to feel like an ugly duckling when you’re sitting pretty atop an amazing float like this Funboy Alex Yanes Swan Float (US$128). It’s art, it’s a conversation piece, and perhaps most important, it’s a floating nap station. Also available in white, gold, silver, black or in patterened artist editions for US$99 at funboy.com.
3. ORANGE YOU GLAD
Graduate your festivities from red plastic cups without risking shattered glass on your pool deck with these dishwasher-safe, stackable glasses made of a cheery tinted lacquer. US$1.49 each; ikea.com for store locations.
4. TUNE IN
Can’t hear your favourite jam over all that splashing when it’s broadcasting far off on dry land? Keep your pool party rocking with the Ivation Floating Bluetooth Speaker, built to stay 33 per cent above water and stream signals up to 10 metres away. Available (on sale) in white with orange, or black with gray for US$49.99 at skymall.com.
5. SIP ‘N’ SWIM
You can venture away from the edge of the pool and keep your thirst quenched thanks to the GoFloat Inflatable Palm Island Drink Holder. A pack of three is available for US$7.83 on amazon.com.
6. POOLSIDE PAPARAZZI
Just because you’re wading waist-deep in fun doesn’t mean that your social media fan base should suffer hours without a visual update. Banish the thought of leaving the world without photographic evidence of your latest plunge with the Sony TX30 waterproof —up to 10 metres — camera. Available for US$229; sony.com for more information.
— Chicago Tribune
Renovation & Design
Designers pine for natural wood
Using wood in design is nothing new. Keeping it natural — without a stain or a single stroke of paint — isn’t new, either. However, a growing number of designers and woodworkers are putting the natural aesthetics of bare wood centre stage, to great effect.
In the home-design world’s very recent past, paint was everything. Find a vintage wooden chair at a flea market? Strip it, then paint it. Now, straight from the design shows in Milan, New York and Los Angeles, designers have opted to keep their wood pieces au naturel or with minimal processing to maintain a sense of purity, substance and authenticity.
"The natural colours of walnut, cherry, maple, sassafras, hickory and oak are so beautiful, I can’t find any reason to cover them up. The designers and woodworkers that I draw upon as influence all work that way," said Ohio-based furniture designer Freddy Hill when discussing his new Townsend Credenza. "What’s most important to me is trying to distill my designs down to their barest element. Nothing is added simply for the sake of decoration."
Of course, designers sometimes have to use a clear stain for comfort, safety or manufacturing reasons, but for the most part, many modern woodworkers are keeping it simple.
John Pemberton, founder of San Francisco-based Carlysle Manufacturing, uses tung oil to keep his wood furniture pieces clean and protected and to bring out the grain’s natural richness. "I’ve never cared for the appearance of one wood species being stained to look like another. It takes away the uniqueness and detail of each board," Pemberton says.
However, Los Angeles-based designer Shin Okuda, whose Waka Waka project focuses on handmade wood furniture, thinks of the material as "a blank piece of paper." Baltic birch plywood, used with his new rocking chairs, "is a material that doesn’t speak first," Okuda says. And that’s just fine. Bare-wood designs are perfect for creating a relaxed energy in a space because of their neutrality. They’re not loud or quiet. Rather, they fit into any space without being a blatant distraction.
There are dozens of reasons designers choose wood. Sure, it’s a readily available material that’s easy to manipulate. But some of the latest designs are proof of the particular pride woodworkers take in using raw wood in natural ways. In other words: keeping the piece’s origin story a major part of its final design.
— The Washington Post
