Comments on: unexpected guests: martha mcquade.

By: Ann Motonaga

Ann Motonaga — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:27:34 +0000

Wow – luv the home design – beautiful! I also luv these scarves – I ordered a couple for Christmas gifts. I think they’ll be versatile and take people through the seasons. Where can I see your clothing line?

By: martha

martha — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:43:10 +0000

Hi Kyna,
Thanks for your kind words.
The grey knit blanket is one I knit myself. The bedspread on the bed in our room (shown w/ the LOVE pillow) is from CB2.
The bedspreads in the kids rooms are both from IKEA.
The little yellow chair is from the 60′s and we purchased it from a vintage shop. It is not a panton chair -I don’t know who made it.

By: kyna getsinger

kyna getsinger — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:11:30 +0000

I love Martha’s style and the beautiful details of her home. If anyone is still reading I am interested in where she found some of the beautiful blankets around her home and the bedding in the kids rooms and also the yellow chair in the kids room next to the bed with the black and white bedding. It looks sort of like a panton chair but not quite. anyone know who makes it? thanks! Beautiful inspiration Victoria!

By: Denise | Chez Danisse

Denise | Chez Danisse — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:44:49 +0000

Martha seems like such a thoughtful and interesting person. I always enjoy reading her words and seeing things through her eyes.

By: Stacey Blake

Stacey Blake — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:13:03 +0000

Georgeous space! I love the clean aesthetic, but that it still looks lived in at the same time.

By: Liz

Liz — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:42:55 +0000

Martha,
Thanks so much for responding. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. I guess i meant in a general way that i see a lot of ‘staged’ house tours and most are homes of very creative people. It’s very encouraging that you are also constantly grappling with the cleaning and storing issue. I live in a very small 1909 house in SF (800 sq ft) with two kids who (unlike your own two) like making messes but not cleaning them up, it seems i spend an inordinate amount of time putting away and finding time/space for my own projects. Thanks again for the insight.

By: Bridget

Bridget — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:15:34 +0000

I got quite homesick reading this and hearing about my homeland…Minnesota is truly such a lovely place (and Axman…boy oh boy is it ever wonderful!)

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:37:15 +0000

What a wonderful post! I hail from Minneapolis and I’m a huge fan of UN. I’m doing an update on the Twin Cities design guide @ Design*Sponge this week and while I do include the shops that carry UN clothing, I’m looking to include a list of MN based online shops so everyone can have a taste of a little MN loveliness.

Thanks so much for the beautiful contribution and Martha, if you have any hidden gems you’d like to include in the design guide shoot me an email!

By: martha

martha — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:53:19 +0000

Liz,
That is such a good question and a struggle for me and all parents I know.
Of course there are constant messes associated with kids and creating. Each of us has our own tolerance level with clutter and mess for sure.
For me, part of the process of creating is in the choosing of project, the choosing of materials, bringing these materials out to a specific place to work, working and creating a mess, and then the cleaning up and putting away.

I actually enjoy the putting away part. It’s a time to reflect on what we just did and it’s satisfying to have a place for everything and to put it there, knowing it will be there for the next project. My kids went to montessori school for years, and cleaning up is a big part of their philosophy. Having an organized work area is important to foster creativity -if the space is cluttered, your mind will be cluttered too.
Personally I can’t function in a cluttered environment, so I spend a good deal of my interior design energy on figuring out storage. I’m constantly trying out new ways and places to store things. It’s not perfect, but a work in progress:)

As for “where” it occurs -since we have a small house, family projects are almost always on the dining room table, which is large and seems to be the place for many activities in our house.
I use my downstairs workroom, with a central large table, for most of my own work.
Hope this helps.

By: martha

martha — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:43:49 +0000

Melissa -the beds are made by a local furniture company called bludot: http://www.bludot.com. they are extremely well made.