Moment by Mieke Verbijlen. See more here.

Do you have a favorite corner of your home? One that you constantly play with?

For me, it’s this little corner of my bathroom on Cape Cod. It’s such a simple nook. No dramatic architectural flourishes. Just great light, on a human scale.

In this modest corner, ever-changing bouquets trace the sun’s progress throughout the day. They track the seasonal vicissitudes of my garden from spring to fall, and mirror life inside the cottage too. For though the same flowers may bloom each year, no two arrangements are exactly the same, and each ensemble changes depending on the light in the room, the perspective of the viewer. So too, though we may visit the cottage each year, no two experiences are ever the same.

The studio space of one of my favorites, Furze Chan, is as inspiring as the work she produces there. The master of creating tiny moments, Furze’s attention to detail is evident; looking at this photo is like a mini treasure hunt. (See more at Remodelista today.)

handmade critters by Furze Chan at With Her Animal Poetry

how personal objects can be works of art: Furze’s gold pin collection

One of my favorite children’s books is “Fu Finds a Way.” It is about a hasty Chinese boy who learns “purpose, flow and patience” by pouring nine perfect rounds of tea.

The photo above by Antonio Viva seems the visual representation of these principles put into practice. It is not just about an afternoon pick-me-up. This is a tea designed to engage all the senses. The beauty of the contrasting yet complementary hues, the richness and variety of the textures – both natural and refined – shows that someone was paying attention to the whole experience. So seemingly simple a scene. And yet, it has the power to stop me in my tracks and slowly, purposefully, take it all in.

my photo – pantry window

Following up on Gramma’s house with some weekend shots of my own home. I’ve also included a few snapshots that my Aunt Jessie took.

It’s so interesting to see my space through someone else’s lens. In the juxtaposition I notice how idealized my own photos seem to be. Even if a picture is slightly eschew, it’s all still “pretty.” Jessie’s images, taken at night, are more raw, artistic.

my photo in orange

for some reason the pantry at Salt Timber has been dubbed “the shop.” So this small painting, which Aunt Jessie and Stephanie bought for me in South Africa, is perfect for it.

Jessie’s photo in orange – my frig with painting of Solvi by my brother

my photo – “shop lamp” (both the light and the cup next to it are from Solstice Home)

Jessie’s photo – “shop lamp”

my photo – “pear tree branch”

Jessie’s photo – pear tree branch

my photo of a detail

Jessie’s photo – kitchen detail

my photo of rain off the back roof (need to scrape the mildew off next weekend!)

My mantel and Instagram are a marriage made in heaven.

Deborah of Kickcan and Conkers may still be renovating her country home in France. But her spring work station is all set.

Photo by Kickcan and Conkers. All right reserved.

extraordinary afternoon light at Salt Timber

It was only a matter of time, and I don’t know what took me so long. I finally downloaded Instagram this weekend, and, weeeee, I am in love. No, make that, I’m addicted!

Of course it didn’t help that this event also coincided with Easter – in my opinion one of the most photogenic holidays – or that we were at my equally inspiring cottage, with all it’s amazing light and quirky character. With Instagram, I’ve found a whole new way to interact and respond to my environment, both inside and out.

And speaking of Easter and spring and rebirth and new technologies, let’s take a moment to honor all that’s come before us. So with my last photo, I give you my Grandpa Dick, age 99!

the retro tinfoil wrapping from the kid’s chocolate bunnies (gifts to from Aunt Jessie) were so fabulous that I taped them to the wall

forsythia in my grandmother’s Wedgwood coffee pot brighten the guest bedroom

after much scrubbing to rid it of mildew and grime, the porch stands ready for summer furniture

My Easter bouquet from the children, including a genuine four-leaf clover! It’s the first I’ve ever seen in my life. Oliver has such a gift for finding treasures. He wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up. I think he will be very successful at it.

“The Bear House” – so named for the painting of three bears over the inside doorway – is the children’s play house

Easter eggs

Grandpa Dick, age 99!

I love the juxtaposition of life and decay in this moment at Lari Washburn‘s, and how the dynamism of the flowers is echoed in the markings of the wall behind.

“Moments” is a new series on designskool that celebrates ephemeral instances in the home. I’ve shared and talked about these transient occurrences – when a bloom first opens or where the light is just so – before. But with this collection, I’m honing my “tour” of someone’s home down to just a single image. A singular “epiphany” as James Joyce describes it: when “the soul of the commonest object…seems to us radiant.”

The “moment” above is brought to you by Belgian artist Renilde de Peuter, whose work I featured here. Among Renilde’s many accomplishments is her stunning photography. For more, please visit her blog.