Scenes From Big Basin State Park

This past weekend we joined 4 other families for a camping adventure in the Big Basin Redwoods State Park.  Staying in the park's tent cabins made our late Friday night arrival a breeze.   No pitching of tents for us, instead we awoke to towering  red wood trees and an army of kids and canines ready to explore.  It was great to catch up with friends that we meet  almost 15 years ago when we first lived in SF.  For a couple of days we all enjoyed the ease of outdoor living:  our kids ventured from site to site, as we chatted, ate, drank and even hiked a bit.  Take a look at a few images from the weekend:

Before And After: A Connecticut Farm House*Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of the Connecticut Farmhouse tour.  Today, we'll take a look at the sunporch, dining room, entry hall and have a preview glimpse of the living room. Be sure to check out part 1 of the tour here.

The rattan furniture left behind by the previous owners was given a quick and inexpensive update by simply covering it with interesting textiles.  Now the sunporch is ready to provide its new owners with some old fashioned r&r. 

I love the sunporch, the dining room settee and the mantle mirror.   Many thanks to stylist Vera Abud and her clients for sharing this special home with Cocoon Home's readers.  We hope to see more of it as the transformation continues.

Can't Get Enough Of: Supernova

Lately, I can't get enough of  Lou Blass's Supernova Chandelier.  I'm finding myself Pinning images featuring this classic light or some like it over and over again.  There's something both edgy and elegant about it.  Take a look a few spaces that feature this work of art and a sculpture inspired by its 1972 design that can offer a similar effect without illumination.

 Global View's Boom Wall Sculptures make a cool textural statement hung in a cluster on a wall or a ceiling.

So, are you a fan of  urchin inspired lights and sculptures?

Botanical Inspiration: The Planted Garden In Bloom

It's been a little over year since our move to California and for the first time we're enjoying our past season's gardening efforts.  Succulents and bromeliads planted months ago have matured and blossomed into an array of very interesting, delicate looking blooms.  Even our vertical garden is displaying itsy-bitsy blossom wonders.  Take a look:

Fogo Island And The Lost Bird Project

A friend recently visited Fogo Island, Newfoundland, to reconnect with a old friend and to pay tribute to 1 of 5 Northern American birds that have been driven to extinction.  Artist Todd McGrain has created bronze sculptures of each of the birds as memorials and placed them at the sights they were last seen. Fogo Island is one of the places.  Not only is the remote island home to a bird sculpture memorial but also to the Fogo Island Arts Corporation.  Upon seeing photos of her trip, I was immediately taken by the story of The Lost Birds, and even more so by the island's beauty both in landscape and architecture.  Take a look:

Thank you, JG,  for sharing your amazing trip with me.  To learn more about The Lost Bird Project and the Fogo Island artists' residency program click here and here.