My Dream Dwelling and Butternut Squash with Herbs, Pecans and Blue Cheese

In my free time I work on my house inspiration binder that can be found on my book shelf. Whenever I see something, it can be a lamp or an architect and everything in between, I cut it out and in it goes to the binder. Most of these clippings come from the magazine Dwell. (It used to include Domino clippings but that is no longer in publication.) For those not in the know about this magazine, it revolves around the modern home and you can find “green” ideas, info about grass movements, architecture, interviews with architects, appliance recommendations, older homes with a modern twist, modern homes and businesses, homage pieces to forward-thinking persons from the past, furniture (modern woodwork) and much more.

This month’s issue actually includes an abode in my home state of Indiana. I was shocked because they usually have stories about homes in the Netherlands, the western United States, and other parts of the world known to have some uhh, cash. Anyway, this home in Indiana was remodeled using local materials and crafters, which kept the cost under $300,000 for the entire shotgun-style dwelling located on 500 acres that this woman’s family had farmed since 1806.

I love this concept. Infact, the entire magazine this month includes country-based homes with a modern flare mostly found in the United States. There are farmsteads, cabins and home-based businesses-all of which are within my ideal concept for my future home.

I am enthralled by Michelle Kaufmann’s designs. Check out her website for an idea about her style. I am rather fond of the Glidehouse. Open, minimal, understated and yet so captivating in this simplicity. I have a few other architects I keep in mind but I tend to pick and choose parts I like and have formed my own plans.

I can picture my future home on a hill with a beautiful view of nature in Oregon. The bottom “cube” would be a garage and workshop/business for Greg, the next level for living with large windows and a deck and on the top, an outdoor party venue. The driveway would venture through the woods and some of the grounds would be in a valley where I could work on my garden, greenhouse and produce stand near my chicken house and horses with my many dogs by my side. Then again, I can see us with an older home (or barn) to transform into something more modern while keeping some of the charm.

But in actuality, we might purchase the land and have to live in a tent (or a tree) for quite some time because the land we’d like to own will cost an arm and a leg. If I can do what I love where I love with who I love, I wouldn’t mind a great deal- as long as I could work towards these dreams.

Upon waking in my dream home, I might make something like this recipe from Nigella Lawson, adapted by me: Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese.

Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 medium butternut squash,
2-3 tbsp olive oil
6 stalks of fresh thyme or rosemary
1 cup of pecans or walnuts
1 cup of blue cheese

Preheat the oven to 400. Halve the squash, leaving the skin on and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a roasting pan with oil and strip 4 stalks of thyme or rosemary of their leaves and sprinkle over the squash. Roast for 30-45 minutes, until tender. Then, remove the squash to a bowl and place the pecans or walnuts along with crumbling the cheese over the top and toss. Add the remaining thyme or rosemary stalks to garnish.