Links
I have an odd space in my bedroom that I've been thinking about turning into something useful... and in searching for loft construction ideas and platform bed ideas, I ran across this article by Joseph Schwartz (note: That link is in .doc format. For a Google html cache of it, try this). It's titled:
“Reduce, Reuse and Recycle": Prolegomena on Breakage and Repair in Ancient Jewish Society: Broken Beds and Chairs in Mishnah KelimAnd is an academic paper presented at Bar Ilan University in Israel.
I haven't gotten very far into its 34 pages, but it seems to be a study of how one ancient culture avoided making trash, at least in regard to furniture.
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A New York Times article on how 9 ft ceilings are the new 8 ft ceilings. Says the article:
"eight-foot ceilings are acceptable for secondary living spaces like bathrooms and vestibules but not for living spaces."Since I spent some time reading in Shay Solomon's Little House for a Small Planet this weekend, I have a bit of an inoculation to the pitch here -- people who are cool want higher ceilings, they're cheap, everybody is doing it. And my response: "No they're not. They're hiring Sarah Susanka to create niches and nooks they feel safe in. They may cost less than other options, but you still have to heat them. And 6 ft ceilings used to be standard." Still, I felt the sting when it went in.
2 comments:
i can kind of understand how the ceilings got taller though.
(having smacked my forhead against ceilings in truly old houses in the east)
but yeah. now that they've cleared the standard, they're just going further cause they can. which is both foolish, and a pain.
the one room we have in our house is a high ceiling. it just came that way, built by some do it your selfers who thought it'd be cool.
well... cool is definitly the operative word. freezing is another good word. we've given up trying to heat the area using the thermostat thingy.
we just went straight to blankets.
it's not so bad in the summer, cause it's still pretty cool then... but freezing all fall/winter/rainy day in any season is not worth it.
Anne, I love the reference to reuseing furniture. I really support trying to find creative ways to reduce, recycle, and reuse everyday items. Good post.
P~
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