Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska

Wanda's Diary Entries

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Since moving into the Sunflower House on September 1st of last year, I have noticed a marked improvement in the quality of my life. My new house is a place of refuge and comfort, a place where new rituals have been established, and of healing and joy. I attribute most of these changes to the house itself, the place where I hang my hat — well, my six or seven hats — the Sunflower House. We have a piano for the first time in my life. While I don’t play it, I’m relishing listening as Henry learns. I like the presence of this 30-odd-something-year-old upright — representing the force of art, of possibility, the intangible pleasure of live music — things on which you can’t put a pricetag. It is not only the loveliest home I’ve ever lived in but a place that is distinctly my own. It is a place where I feel at home with myself.

A person who helped shape this home is Robyn Griggs Lawrence, who is editor-in-chief of “Natural Home” magazine and author of “The Wabi Sabi House: The Japanese Art of Imperfect Beauty.”

Robyn first came to Mount Airy in the fall of 2007, along with fellow green-building guru David Johnston. Both Robyn and David traveled from their homes in Boulder, Colorado, and together advised me about how to “greenovate” my home. We shot “before” and “after” footage of their recommendations for what to do in my home for two shows in the series, #411 & #412. We tackled the basics, such as upgrading the insulation in the attic using NCFI Polyurethane’s “greenest of the green” spray foam; we replaced the windows throughout the home with Norandex’s low-e energy savers. We opened the yard to the house and smoothed the tacky popcorn ceilings. Robyn located the spot in my kitchen in which to position my recycling bins and suggested that I remove the “dirty” carpet in the bedrooms and replace with hardwood floors. A lot of work was done, and with Robyn’s great enthusiasm and an efficient crew, and it was all (mostly) pleasurable.

Robyn is returing to Mount Airy on Monday, September 15, this time to share her wisdom with anyone who’d like to listen. She’s presenting an all-day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) seminar at Cross Creek Country Club on “Creating A Green, Healthy Home.” She’ll cover the principles of nontoxic building; healthy green materials including flooring choices, wallcoverings, upholstery, green furniture; energy efficiency; and how to buy environmentally friendly products that enhance indoor air quality. As of this writing, spaces are still available, and interested parties need to contact Greg Smith, smithg@surry.edu, or call 336.386.3331 at Surry Community College to register. The cost is $95 with a full buffet lunch included. I’ll be attending the presentation on Monday with my 23-year-old Polish niece, Kasia Urbanska, so come if you can!

On Tuesday night, September 16, Robyn and I are headed to Rock Hill, South Carolina to give a joint presentation at the Museum of York County. The title is “Create a Green, Healthy Home” and this presentation goes from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. In this venue, Robyn will cover the basic points about green homes, and I’ll give a power point presentation about how these ideas can be implemented in the real world. Door prizes — including copies of my books and a “Simple Living” greenovation dvd and subscriptions to “Natural Home” — will be given out as participants enjoy dessert and coffee courtesy of Earth Fare. The cost is $10 for CHM members and $15 non-members. If you’re interested, call
803.981.9182 or mycoscheduler@chmuseums.org.

And, finally, on Wednesday night, September 17, Robyn will be presenting at Catawba College’s Center for the Environment in Salisbury, NC. The talk is called, “Creating a Green, Healthy Home: Shelter for Mind, Body, and Soul,” and it is free to the public and will take place in Room 300. For more specifics, contact Amanda Lanier at the Center, 704-637-4295. The reception will be at 6:30 p.m., with the presentation to start at 7 p.m.

If you’d like to shape your home into a healthy, healing environment, these are not-to-be-missed opportunities!