EDITOR ’ S LETTER
Once in a while , an earthquake might rock the foundations of your life . Other times , someone might bring a sledgehammer to yuor front door , break it down , and threaten to demolish what you ’ ve built . But if your foundations and pillars are strong , and with people to help you build them back up if they crack , youwill always come out on top . As the wise wizard Dumbledore once said , ‘‘ Happiness can be found in the darkest of time if one only remembers to turn on the light .’’
From the Ragsdale family ’ s journey of finding their happiness together in a new home by the bay to Pamela Dowling ’ s sage wisdom in her inspirational column ‘‘ Good Enough ’’, I hope the stories in this issue inspire you to find what makes you happy and pursue it with all your might . Keep in mind that fond memories can bring happiness as well , as seen in our staff ’ s roundup of favorite place from their hometowns .
Clean and streamlined , minimalist architecture represents refuge from excess and grandiose design . Over the years , the definition and depiction of minimalism in general and minimalist architecture in particular has been debated and has often changed , but the idea of designing with restraint in mind continues to be embraced by many in the field .
FARHANAH MAHIRA BINTI MISRAN
In middle school , we learned that DNA contains the bulding block of life ( or was that from Jurassic Park ?). From a young age , many kids are fascinated by bulding things , whther with blocks , Legos , or even just their imaginations . While only a few will grow up to create buldings or accomplish incrediable feats of engineering , the truth is that we are all builders , and we are all architectects of our own minds , derams , and lives .
‘‘ When I was five years old , my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life . When I went to school , they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up . Iwrote down ‘ happy ’. They told me I didn ’ t understand the assignment , and I told them they didn ’ t understand life .’’ This apocryphal quote is widely attributed online to John Lennon , Charles Schwartz , or Goldie Hawn . Regardless of its origin , the sentiment is clear and one I beliveve everyone should consider and strive for , especially in this age of information when bad news is so quickly and widely spread .
I believe most of us realize at some point in our lives that we are responsible for our own happiness ; we can ’ t reply on others to create it , though we can choose to spend our time with those who make us feel a certain way . Family and friends will influence us , but ultimatetely , we must design and build our live in a way that make us stisfied , and above all , happy . If life were a building , our goals and dreams would be he foundation on which we build . The people we love , our work , our hobbies , our beliefs , amd our health would be the pillars that hold us up . At the top of all that lies happiness ; like the top of a skyscraper swaying in the breeze , it might waver , but it ’ s always there if pillars are kept intact .
As the bones of the structure were settled , the couple brought in architect and interior designer Donald Yoshino , assisted by Ena Hughes , to realize the interiors they imagined . To help illustrate these ideas , the husband turned to a collection of books , magazines and old pictures that he had been saving for years . “ From a young age , I was aware of design , style and a ‘ less is more ’ notion ,” he says . “ I ’ d been ripping out pages from magazines for a long time , all the while hoping I could one day build a house like this one .” Images filed away included a home in Naples by Richard Meier , a celebrity interior by Jennifer Post and any details that caught his eye , from a water feature at an Indian spa to an Ingo Maurer chandelier .
Yoshino distilled this information into a spare yet striking environment . “ We simplified the elements in the basic drawings to make them work in a more minimalist fashion ,” says Yoshino , who smoothed over coffered ceilings , removed all moldings and widened transitions for a more open feel . To emphasize the clean lines , he chose white porcelain tile and dark gray granite for the floors , recessed lighting and streamlined built-ins . “ This house had a lot of creative challenges ,” says general contractor Dan Mahoney . “ The Mediterranean style is a little more forgiving because you can hide things . A contemporary house is all about the architecture . It ’ s much more demanding .” While the interiors began to morph into a sleek contemporary space , Yoshino addressed the exterior with the same intentions . Pitched roofs were flattened and stacked-stone cladding was replaced with simple drywall or the same dark granite used inside .
As we curate a selection of ‘‘ Stories with Heart and Soul ’’ in every issue of FH , we hope to bring you a little bit of happiness , too .
-Mahira
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