Common Interior Design Mispronunciations

pronunciationWhile reading this post on Design Mom, I was reminded that I too had originally pronounced Thonet as “Tho-NAY” instead of “Ton-NET”. I took French in school and it was a natural assumption when looking at the spelling, but it was wrong, wrong, wrong.

Let’s face it-when we are first acquainted with a new name or word, it is often visually, not aurally, so we have to decide for ourselves what we think it sounds like in our heads. Especially with foreign names, it’s often a stab in the dark and embarrassingly off, since it’s counter-intuitive to our language rules.

The next question is, once you know better, do you sound like a jerky know it all when pronouncing the names correctly, when the cultural norm is to pronounce it incorrectly? Probably.

For me, it’s situational. While I have been blissfully unaware of mispronunciations on my part, I have also been known to intentionally go with the norm rather than the accurate pronunciation in certain circumstances where it would have drawn attention to myself and been uncomfortable. Who wants to be THAT guy? Not me, thanks.

Here’s a run down of a few common hits and misses, according to American English. Some of these would vary in other languages, especially the Scandinavian ones. A good resource to see/hear the variations in many of these is HERE. Dana at Mid2Mod has a more extensive post about this HERE, which I used as a source for a few of these, as well as AT’s post HERE and various design forums.

Please add your own in the comments..it will be fun!! What’s your most embarrassing design mispronunciation? I might have too many to count…

 

Milo Baughman “MY-lo BOFF-man” not “MEE-lo BOW-man” or “BAW-man”

Marcel Breuer  “mar-SELL BROY-er” not “BREW-er” or “BROW-er”

Georg Jensen “GYOR YEN-sen” not “George JEN-sen”

C. Jeré  (a copyrighted pseudonym formed by combining the names of Jerry Fels and Curtis (Kurt) Freiler of Artisan House, undoubtedly to create the illusion of having a French designer on staff) “SEE Zhair-AY” not “SEE JAIR”

Finn Juhl  “FIN YOOL” not “FIN JEWEL”

Poul Kjaerholm “POLE CARE-holm” not “PAUL KuhJAYer-holm”

Kroehler – “KRAY-ler” not “KROW-ler”

Serge Mouille  “SAIRGE MOO-weeyuh” not “SURGE MOOL”  * See comments on this one!

Richard Neutra “NI-tra or NOI-tra” not “NEW-tra”

Gio Ponti  A subtle cross between “JAH and JOE PAWN-ti” not “JEE-o PAHN-ti” Apparently for Italians, it’s a dipthong, not 2 syllables.

Harvey Probber “PRO-ber” not “PRA-ber”

Jens Quistgaard “YENS KWIST-a-gar” not “JENZ KWIST-guard”

Hans Wegner  “HANS (ending in “s” not “z”) VINE-nehr” or “VEG-ner” this one is the most hotly debated depending on regional Danish dialects, but all agree it’s not “WEG-nur”

As you can see, even the “correct” versions are dissected and argued in many forums. I once read that no two French people will pronounce Serge Mouille the exact same way, so take it all in with that in mind!

I’m still working to break myself from calling a kilim rug a “KILL-im” (nice huh?) instead of the correct “kee-LEEM”, and everywhere I turn in Nashville, I will still hear the ubiquitous “EYE-cat” instead “EE-kaht” for ikat.

At the end of the day, we all just do the best we can. Ikea will ALWAYS be “eye-KEE-uh” on this side of the pond, never “ee-KAY-uh” as the Swedes pronounce it, but it’s nice to know the difference.

 

PS:

If fashion is more your thing…THIS is the ultimate guide!

 

 

 

Flea Market

I’ve been naughty and have not blogged the last couple of flea markets – all the photos I had taken ended up on Instagram and it just seemed repetitive, but I will post photos of this month’s excursion. It was a BIG one, as September always is, and I had a special guest with me – my MOM!!!  She is in town for the weekend and this was her maiden voyage to the Nashville Flea Market. We flea’d until we dropped. (I’m making up that fake word as of today, someone had to do it – you’re welcome.)

We didn’t actually get much, but we saw all sorts of wonderful things.

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Market -Modfrugal

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

 

I loved these rugs a LOT, but not the size I need, and out of my current budget.

 

Nashville Flea Mkt -Modfrugal

If there’s something you’re looking for, chances are I’ve come across it at one point or another. I’ve been doing some “picker” work for a few people lately, so if you have a request – send it my way and I’ll let you know if I see it.

Have a great weekend!

Butterfly Chair Makeover

Modfrugal Butterfly Chair Rehab

I have been picking up BFK/Hardoy, aka butterfly chairs for years, and they are showing some wear, plus the last pair I acquired were peeling and rough. While I would still like to get them sandblasted and powder coated, that will cost hundreds of dollars, and I wanted a down and dirty rehab before our last movie night that wouldn’t cost much more than time.

Sanding with 100, then 200 grit sandpaper and spray painting them a flat black did the trick, but my biggest concern was the feet. I finally re-stained our decking, and I didn’t want the metal chairs to leave rust stains on the fresh new finish as they had previously.

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

This is what I had all over the deck before I gave it a top coat….

 

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Annoying, right? The CC thinks I have unrealistic expectations of the deck, when I point out these things, he laughs and says – “It’s a deck, not the hardwood floors!”

No, it’s not, but it doesn’t mean I want our barely 4 year old deck to look trashy already..K?

Modfrugal Deck Rehab

So I did my thing. I had to pressure wash it a second time since our summer was so wet, all the gunk I had washed off this Spring was back, and it took quite a bit of the stain with it.

For those wondering why we stained the deck rather than let it age naturally – we salvaged wood from our previous deck when this one was built, so we had sections of different age etc.. The boards would never look uniform as a whole area, so we stained it for both a cohesive aesthetic, and a way to reflect sunlight in the hot Tennessee summers.

Back to the chairs!

So, my dilemma was that I needed some kind of foot, or moisture barrier for these chairs. I have seen feet where you have to drill into the base of the chair – um, NO, and I don’t actually want to SEE any feet, because I’m picky like that.

So we thought we were pretty darn clever, and decided the best solution was to put black silicone on the bottom of the chairs.

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Awesome!!! After sitting in them for a day, we peeked underneath and this is how it had settled in! Problem solved. Now we can start working on something else, like FINISHING THE PANTRY.

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

WRONG. After a few more days and a little dragging around, this is what the feet looked like….

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Back to the start. Then I had another bright idea -  for real, this one might work, maybe.

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

So we scraped the remaining shreds of silicone off and had a dipping party – twice. Two coats for good luck.

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

Modfrugal Butterfly Rehab

I’m in love. How has it taken me this long to discover the joy that is Plasti-Dip? I want to dip ALL THE THINGS. They have a spray version and I am seriously considering using it on…something, anything, I don’t know, but I’ll find something.

Anyway, it is doing just the job I wanted. It is sturdy enough to handle some light dragging and both deck and chair stay protected. The BEST part is that you really have to look hard to see it, and for resale value etc.. Plasti-dip is completely removable. YES, you read that right. How is it holding up? Why, let me show you….

 

Modfrugal Butterfly Chair Rehab

Yup. Aaaaand is it noticeable when you look at the chairs?

Modfrugal Butterfly Chair Rehab

You tell me? I’m giddy, GIDDY I tell you.

This will come in handy for all hairpin legged furniture. Protecting hardwood floors, anything – you get the idea.

I should also mention that I ordered new covers from D & J Patio – white “space weave” designed for outdoors. About $20 less than the ones at Circa 50 BUT, they only come in one size. They fit the largest frames the best and we might take in the seam a smidge on our lower set frame covers. I just couldn’t face spending $60+ shipping per chair when I needed 6 new covers.

Another tidbit to know is that they are SLOOOOOOOOW to ship, so establish their stock availability before you order for a particular event. (ours came a full MONTH after ordering). With all that in mind, I am pleased with the quality of the covers and think they are going to work out just fine.

 

Modfrugal Butterfly Chair Rehab

Modfrugal Butterfly Chair Rehab

Modfrugal Butterfly Chair Rehab

Movie Nights

Long time readers know we are big fans of outdoor movie nights, and this weekend we hosted a party for Thing One’s group.

We upgraded our movie screen and it has been performing really well, but we had to add a little tweak this time to get it as taut as it needs to be. I think that washing and drying the movie screen will bring it back, but we didn’t have time for that Friday afternoon, so picnic tablecloth weights to the rescue!

modfrugal outdoor movie night

modfrugal outdoor movie night

modfrugal outdoor movie night

The ants smoothed everything out nicely.

We like to keep the food pretty casual – it’s a kid party after all, so we went for all finger food and provided trays for easy on-lap eating.

 

modfrugal outdoor movie night

modfrugal outdoor movie night

modfrugal outdoor movie night

modfrugal outdoor movie night

This was our third time scheduling this party!!  The first two attempts were rained out thanks to our new monsoon-like climate.

While it was dry, it was pretty hot and humid, so, no campfire and s’mores offered for this one, but the way those boys inhaled brownies and cupcakes, I don’t think they even noticed.

modfrugal outdoor movie night

 

How We Camp (Glamp)

Over the years, we have gotten lots of questions about how we camp as a family, and what we bring etc.. so I decided it was high time to show you. For one, we aren’t really camping, we’re glamping. Car camping is a different beast than proper backwoods camping, so I would like to get that clarification out of the way.

We bring too much stuff.

We have a great time.

It takes a lot of planning.

Modfrugal glamping

This is how the dining room looks before every trip.

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

 

As you can see…a lot of gear. Some campsites have great spots at the bath houses for washing dishes, others, notsomuch, so we usually take biodegradable plates and utensils so we only have to wash up the cutting board and cutlery. More and more campsites are offering recycling now, so call ahead and ask.

 

Modfrugal glamping

I also enjoy using baskets and liners since it creates less waste, and things like hot dogs won’t roll off the plate into the dirt.

Modfrugal glamping

We pack a battery powered air pump (shown in the 3rd photo) which not only gets the mattresses filled, but is the PERFECT campfire ember resurrection tool. No more sticking your face in the smoke to blow the embers!! You just point your pump, turn it on for a few seconds and your flames will be back without self asphyxiation – everyone wins!

 

modfrugal glamping

The blue tent below is our 15+ year old tent we replaced this year since it was threadbare, but it was the BEST. I called it the McMansion tent, since it was a little OTT and large, but again, this is glamping, so go big, or go home.

 

modfrugal glamping

modfrugal glamping

Our new tent had a smaller footprint, which we wanted in order to be more accommodating to the different sized pads at various campsites. Turns out, if it leaks, it’s not worth it. The McMansion had seen plenty of wet action over the years and never leaked, so we’ll be looking for another tent this fall.

modfrugal glamping

modfrugal glamping

The other FAQ we get is WHAT DO WE EAT? The answer is a lot of things, as long as you plan it out ahead of time. Simple steps, like making the pancake batter and packing it ready to squirt in an industrial squeeze bottle, will make meal prep easier.

Most campsites come with an adjustable grate over the fire ring, so we just bring the giant cast iron skillet and some foil, and cook pretty much everything in them. We cook a big breakfast, but lunch is on the go since we are usually out exploring, hiking, biking, fishing, whatever, so we just snack on granola bars or something to hold us over until dinner.

We have a BIG cooler, with wheels, and it’s always heaving when we leave.

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

IMG_6426

IMG_6620  IMG_3373

I should also note that I like to pack smushables, like tomatoes and grapes, in hard sided containers. They are great to use for leftovers later and they keep everything round and plump.

Modfrugal glamping

Modfrugal glamping

Depending on where you camp, you have to be really careful about food.

Modfrugal glamping

 

This means packing up the box of food and your cooler and putting it back in the car after meals. Even if you are not in bear territory, squirrels and raccoons can eat through a plastic trug in a very short period of time.

We also take a tarp and extra tent stakes in case it rains while we are making a meal.

 

modfrugal glamping

modfrugal glamping

Our list of items varies depending on where we camp, but this is pretty much what we take most trips:

plates, cups, bowls, baskets/liners
tablecloth/clips
cutlery
knives/cutting board
oven mitts
paper towels
antibacterial counter wipes
serving spoon/spatula/tongs
s’mores forks
aluminum foil
ziplocs
garbage bags
broom/dustpan
tray (round metal)
nutella
ketchup
coffee + coffee pot
olive oil
sugar
salt and pepper
water jug
wet wipes
hand soap
cast iron skillet
washing up tub/brush/bowls/dishwashing soap
lighters
mystic fire
fatwood/firewood/newspaper
tents
first aid kit
sleeping bags/air mattresses/pump
pillows
rope
tarps
repellent
sunscreen
masking/duct tape
rain protection
towels
speakers/ipod
batteries
slingshot
handshadows book/constellations book
chairs/stools
bungee cords
lanterns/mantles
headlamps/flashlights
swiss army knives
walking sticks
picnic blankets
glow bracelets
fishing rods/tackle
innertubes

Yeah, I KNOW. It’s ridiculous, but there it is.

All this camping talk is making me want to start researching parks for our next trip….

Summer Recap

I know it has been ages since I’ve been here, but better late than never I say. I humbly submit a photo recap of our summer.

As always, I tend to be on Instagram when I’m too busy to be here, so a few of these were posted in real time. I will do a detailed post on camping, and a new DIY around here later this week.

The kitchen pantry has been untouched all summer, so don’t hold your breath for a reveal yet, but I will continue to push for that to get finished once and for all. When we got back from our last trip, I declared this fall to be the season of “tying up loose ends”. That would be nice, no? Gal’s gotta have goals.

We took two camping trips, one to Land Between the Lakes, and one to an old favorite of ours, Fall Creek Falls, which was cut short by excessive rain and a leaking tent. I KNOW. Brand new tent too! You’ll get a more in depth ranting on that little gem later.

We also spent some time in the mountains of NC (the CC and I went ziplining!) and are settling back into a routine since school started back August 1st. My volunteer work has not lessened, as I had hoped by resigning one position, but has only increased, and necessitated a LOT of work over the summer. It is more or less full time right now, (can you say SUCKER!?) but once the school year settles in, the workload should ease off and I hope I can get back to some sense of normalcy.

otto butterflied

Clarksville TN

williamson county fair

fawn love

sliding rock cashiers, NC

Sculpture garden cashier, NC

NC mountains clouds

lake glenville NC

Whiteside Mountain Trail NC

ziplining Highlands NC

ziplining Highlands, NC

ziplining Highlands, NC

Whiteside Mountain Trail NC

 

BEFORE the rains…

fall creek falls-before the rain

 

and AFTER….

fall creek falls-after the rain

camoing guide book

tent that leaked

view from the tent

summer swimming

fawn love

peach bluberry cobbler

spoiled otto

homemade blackberry ice cream

nashville

kentucky lake

bison at land between the lakes

bocce

nutella s'mores

Sparklers by the fire

otto's pool