When Good Housekeeping and HomeGoods team up to give one deserving woman a custom-made cave, the result is total bliss. You, too, can have these featured looks in your home by following the "Do It Yourself Tips" to achieve the look for your very own place to relax.
"I love it. It’s so me." Those were the first words out of Linda Linton’s mouth when she saw the just-for-her relaxation zone created by Good Housekeeping and HomeGoods.
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Truly, if anyone needed a mom cave — "where the woman who nurtures everyone can nurture herself," as HomeGoods, which coined the term, puts it — it’s Linton. During the past five years, this customer-service manager from Solvang, Calif., buried her 22-year-old son, gave up her master bedroom to make space for husband Jeff’s parents (mother-in-law Shirley has Alzheimer’s disease), lost her mom and saw her 21-year-old son, Cody, serve as a Marine in Afghanistan.
In her "spare" time? Linton caters events for local folks for free as pal Chrystine Urban wrote in the entry that clinched her friend’s selection as the prize-winner.
Given all Linton has been through, Good Housekeeping’s decorating challenge seemed relatively minor. Transform a light-starved, ceramic-tiled, 10-feet-by-17-feet space off of Linda and Jeff’s bedroom into a stress-free sanctuary. Linton likes earth tones, script motifs and inspiring quotes, and that’s what she got, thanks to $5,000 in HomeGoods gift cards and an assist from her daughter-in-law, Megan.
She also received a color palette inspired by the sea and sky. The walls were courtesy of Good Housekeeping Seal-holder Olympic Paint; and there are multiple lamps, a decorative mirror and sheer window coverings to lighten things up. A cushy, cut-to-fit carpet was provided by Shaw Floors. There’s also a comfortable reading chair, spots for friends and family to hang out, and room to use her Wii Fit game.
"I enjoyed the room," Linton said. "I was focusing on my life, and people who love to give others joy, and how that outweighs the sad times."
If you want to set up your own mom cave, stake your claim by picking an out-of-the-way spot, if possible, not a distraction-laden living-room corner or hard-to-split-up space such as your bedroom.
Consider colors that make you feel amazing (peruse your closet for favorite clothes, flip through old photos, take a walk outside), and use them to create your cave’s basic palette.
Lastly, know thyself. What do you dream of doing in there? How will you relax? Start small with, say, a comfy chaise or a nook for knitting. It’s better to add later than to overstuff the space, or to overspend.
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On another matter • For a limited time you can dress with the elegance of the First Lady. Jason Wu’s ethereal, elegant clothes for Michelle Obama earned him a spot in the Smithsonian. (Remember the floaty white ball gown she wore on inauguration night? All his.) From now through March 6, you also can find his designs at a very nice price on the racks at Target. His limited-edition line of dresses (the sequined-tulle-edged one is $60), tops, skirts, scarves and handbags is refreshingly ladylike, decked out with grown-up trimmings such as ribbons, pearls and lace.
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