Laura Fisher Kaiser - Writer

More Evidence that Dogs Are Good for Work

admin-Laura — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:02:08 +0000

Looks like these architecture firms I wrote about (“From Bauhaus to Bow-Wows”) a while back were onto something with their resident “arf-itechts.” According to the a new study, taking your pooch to work really does reduce stress and workplace absenteeism.

Office Decor is Getting Surreal

admin-Laura — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Composed of wool panels lashed together with rubber bands, these “clouds” banking so effortlessly across the ceiling of SmithGroup’s new DC office took about 40 hours to put together on site. “Never again!” principal Rob Moylan told me, joking that his arms still hadn’t recovered.

Metaphor of the Day

admin-Laura — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:27:57 +0000

“My failure to grow up must have been very frustrating. Like waiting around for one of those pieces of fruit that never seems to ripen and just ends up going bad.”

–From my friend Denise Powers’ blog I Would Read That

Your Honey-Do List Just Got Longer (Sorry)

admin-Laura — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:56:55 +0000

If you forgot to do these fall chores to button up your house for winter, don’t sweat it. My spring list for This Old House is coming soon.

Getting the Hang of It

admin-Laura — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:28:59 +0000

“Wallpaper is like a shot of Botox for a tired-looking room. Sure, paint will perk it up, but paper adds more than just color; it gives walls character, dimension, and pattern.” That’s how my “All About Wallpaper” piece in this month’s This Old House starts out. Funny thing is, after writing this piece, I realized two things. One, as someone who swoons over luscious papers by the likes of William Morris, Florence Broadhurst, and Jill Malek (left), I suffer from the classic paradox of choice when it comes to picking out just the right wallpaper. Two, with all do respect for the new “strippable” papers, paperhanging is much harder than it looks and best left to the pros, at least in my old house.