Minnesota, a MagnaView® Review, and Bonheur du Jour

Back from our Summer break. Celebrated Mom's 90th in St. Paul with a big family reunion, visited relatives, volunteered at the Minnesota State Fair, drove through the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum not because we are lazy but because it was high season for the Minnesota State Bird (aka mosquito), made the obligatory tour of Como Park, lunched at Cafe Latté and continued work on Sister's House.

The view of sister's late Summer garden

from the bonheur du jour (I'll get to this later)

makes writing Thank You notes a pleasant task.

 Whoever designed this card had me pegged: a dog sitting on a pink Louis 16 settee.  

My sister's 1926 (same age as Mom) Craftsman style cottage is surrounded by garden -- no turf. Prairie grasses, wildflowers, and perennials keep her urban oasis blooming Spring through Fall.

Preserving this charming garden view was first on the requirements list for the new window coverings. Privacy and light control tied for second.

We decided on HunterDouglas' MagnaView® aluminum blinds. The slats nest together giving four inches of clear view of the garden. They close completely for privacy, light control, or somewhere in between. (Please pardon that there is no space between We and decided. Every time I try to correct it the entire sentence disappears.)

The brushed finish gives a soft glow in the evening.

The valance, bottom rail and tilter are real wood. Just enough to dress up these 2" aluminum blinds for use in the home and banish any whiff of an 80s mini blind.

MagnaView® is an excellent option when we want a clean, unfussy look that preserves the view and does not look like it belongs in an office. The pictures taken with my new Samsung phone don't really do them justice.

Would I do MagnaView  aluminum blinds again? Yes! If they fit the style and needs of my client.

Now about that bonheur du jour (baw nair do zhoor). Another French furniture form easier to look at than pronounce.

Meaning 'happiness of the day', a bonheur du jour is a small but delicate lady's writing desk introduced in 1760s France and quickly became wildly popular.

I found my sister's bonheur du jour in a consignment store we stopped in to look at dress shirts, of course.

Sister's bonheur du jour is decidedly English in style, not French. And would have been called, quite sensibly, 'a lady's writing desk' had it been made in England.

But Minnesota is filled with French influence and so sister's new antique desk will forever be a bonheur du jour. Minnesota's motto is L'Étoile du Nord. My dad's favorite fishing lake was Mille Lacs. Streets, parks, avenues, and a County are named after Louis Hennepin, French explorer. We ate at Cafe Latté at least once a week when we lived in St. Paul.

I am imbued with bonheur when sitting at it. The Cat, normally quite vocal, said nothing and I took this as a sign of her agreement.

Hope you are enjoying the transition to Autumn.

Thanks for reading,
Linda Pakravan

P.S. the holidays are closer than we think. If you want/need any decorating, now is not too soon to call your designer.