To grandmother’s house we go

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Design, Family, grandparents, Home, Memories

My grandmother kept a toy chest ( hidden behind an armchair in her living room) to entertain us.

Undoubtedly, Nana would be appalled to see the latest trend among grandparents is renovating basements and bedrooms into lavish accommodations for their favorite houseguests – their grandchildren.
Custom-built beds, play kitchens, ping-pong tables and workbenches (not to mention swimming pools and basketball courts) are altering affluent grandparents’ homes to ensure frequent visits from the little ones.

At Pottery Barn Kids the most common request this year comes from grandparents looking to create nurseries in their home, says company president Janet Hayes. “They decorate full rooms with the intention of creating a space for them to stay over,” she says.

An online children’s furniture store based in North Carolina reports cribs that cost an average of $1,000 and hand-painted wooden letters that spell out the names of their grandkids are best-sellers.

Last year, an AARP survey of 1,904 grandparents indicated they spend $1,000 a year (or more) on their grandchildren. To accommodate multiple grandkids from different families, they purchase height-adjustable tables and chairs, stain-proof upholstery and removable floor tiles that hold up to spills.

Throw in a teepee to play or sleep in, a chalkboard wall, custom murals and some electronics and you’ve got a weekend retreat that rivals the Magic Kingdom.

Looks like baby boomers who are becoming grandparents won’t be downsizing anytime soon…I wonder how my grandmother spent so little money, yet we could hardly wait to spend time with her?

Gentlemen, pop your collars

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clothing, fashion, leisurely sport, style

Brace yourself, Muffy – preppy style is back.

Menswear designers from Giorgio Armani to J. Crew popped the collars of their Spring 2013 sport coats and suits in a style reminiscent of the 1980 bestseller, “The Original Preppy Handbook.”

Designer Michael Bastian admits that his versions were inspired by issues of GQ magazine from the early 80s. But there are practical reasons for the trend, too. Frank Muytjens, head of men’s design at J. Crew, told the Wall Street Journal that a turned-up collar “is rooted in functionality. It’s another layer of protection against the cold of winter.”

True, but the popped-up collar actually began as primitive sun protection: Tennis champion Rene Lacoste designed a polo shirt in 1927 for himself. Lacoste wanted a flexible collar that could be flipped up to prevent sunburn on his neck. The style grew popular in Europe as well as the United States, because it came to evoke a life of leisurely sport.

The look took a rebellious turn in Hollywood when James Dean sported it in “Rebel Without a Cause,” followed by Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront.” (Remember Fonzie’s leather jacket on “Happy Days?” He was hardly a prepster.)

A word of caution, gentlemen: When popping your collar today, it’s preferable for it to look a little imperfect. Perhaps one collar point could stick up slightly higher than the other? Or a little bent?
Consider it as a nonchalant flourish meant to give your outfit a bit of flair.