#mass spec table

[lay-z]

tw: self-shipping; emotional boner; premature ejaculation, mild degradation

Johnny gets hard when I listen to him.

As in, paying attention. Listening to his stories, his ramblings, his opinions, his problems. I never once tell him to shut up, he simply notices himself when he's been talking non-stop for more than an hour. I sigh, my eyes start drifting around the room. I'm like a dog making whale eyes and yawning, a cat flicking her tail, flattening her ears.

And then he gives me space until I invite him to continue; asking a question, for a followup, and he obliges happily.

We're just friends at this point, but he stopped having meaningless hookups a while ago. He won't admit it, but he couldn't get hard for the woman the last time he tried having meaningless sex. It shook him to his very core.

He even went to the dick doctor on base, but his dick is fine, which makes it even worse.

And then, one evening, as I'm cooking dinner for us, because he invited himself over again, his chatty voice fizzles out after talking non-stop, no period nor comma, and I glance over my shoulder, making eye contact with him, show him that I'm still listening with a social cue.

But Johnny sits at the kitchen table, tattooed forearms resting on the top, spine rigid, breathing shallowly. He's staring at the wall as if seeing a ghost.

"You okay?" I ask, lowering the temperature on the stove to let the pasta sauce cook slowly.

"Mhm, 'course," he answers curtly, and he squirms on the chair, wood creaking under his weight.

I glance down, following the movement of his thick thighs in his jeans as he squeezes them together. My eyebrows draw together, crease now between them, an invisible question mark appearing above my head.

"The hell are you doing? Go pee if you have to. Dinner's not ready yet, anyway." I let out a laugh, because it sounds so stupid. He's a grown ass man. A spec ops soldier.

He lets out a half-snort/half-scoff at that.

"Dinnae 'ave ta take a piss," he retorts, all little too snappishly for my liking, and I almost feel like starting an argument just for shits and giggles.

"Then why did you stop talking? That's a fucking first." I taunt, dropping the wooden spoon on the counter before walking over to him, pushing at his shoulder with my fingertips.

He hisses and grits his teeth, looking like he's in pain. My attitude drops, and my expression softens. Perhaps he's having some sort of silent panic attack?

"Hey "

As I rest my palm on his back, rubbing the taut muscle mass in wide, soothing circles, he shudders and lets out a choked moan. A sound that has my whole being freeze, my hand stilling on his back.

"Keep going, keep going, keep go "

His head tips back, lips parted with a soft groan, and our eyes meet over his shoulder. His bright blue, unnecessarily pretty eyes look hazy, his pupils blown. As I peer down at his crotch, I notice the outline of his cock straining against his jeans. I always had a hunch that he's big.

No man, this cocky and capable, has a small dick.

"Are you a little excited there, Johnny?" I coo at him, palm rubbing over his back again as I lift my other hand to rest on his left shoulder, massaging lightly.

He has the audacity to nod and let out another throaty groan before swallowing audibly.

"Can you come without touching your cock?"

He nods again, his eyelids flutter, and cheeks begin to blush furiously. I've never seen that look on him before, but I enjoy it tremendously.

"Of course, you can, you fucking pervert."

Johnny huffs in what sounds like agitation, but his blush only deepens in colour and I can practically watch his cock twitch and drool in his pants.

I reach up to tug on his short Mohawk, enough to pull his head back further, and he lets out a high-pitched groan before squeezing his eyes shut in embarrassment.

"Pretend ye didnae hear tha' ah," he pleads, hands balling into fists on the tabletop as I give his short hair another firm tug.

"Aw, I think I won't," I reply, leaning forward to murmur against his temple, lips pressing against his burning skin, "Actually, I think... I'll make sure that sound you made is burned into my brain, so I can use it for later, Johnny. For when I'm playing with my pretty wet pussy all by myself."

"Oh, fuck !" His thighs jerk, knees bumping and rattling the table as he lifts his hips, humping the air with a pathetic cry of pleasure.

I watch the dark stain on his blue jeans become bigger while slumps down in the chair, and I keep rubbing his shoulders while he catches his ragged breath.

Muzzled at last.

I give his back a few gentle pats, pretending I'm fine, even though my heart is racing and my mind along with it. I just made him cum in his pants. Hands-free.

"Wanna talk about it, champ?" I croon, glancing at him over my shoulder as I walk back over to the stove, tending to dinner.

He lifts his hand to flip me off.

[mostmagical]

writing year in review

one excerpt from each month of the year. tagged by @bittersweetresilience. hehe. I can post this now that I shared pitfall.

I THOUGHT I filled every month using my drabbles, despite my two mass effect playthroughs-sized gap, but I forgot May. which is, yeah. yeah. the month I played ME3 for the first time. head in my hands.

01 JANUARY

Consequences of Dating Blindly (Miraculous Ladybug - 4,078 words)

A chorus of giggles broke her concentration, drawing her eyes to a gaggle of girls a couple tables over. They were whispering excitedly and pointing in the direction of the same mop of blond hair, all with cell phones raised. A sudden wave of heat ran up Marinette’s spine as she realized they were ogling him. She wasn’t surprised that girls were looking at him. Chat Noir was the cutest, most handsomest boy in the world, so of course they would. But that was her cutest and most handsomest boy in the world.

02 FEBRUARY

tear-stained (Miraculous Ladybug - 100 words)

Marinette shot up from her bed with her heart in her throat. Bile threatened to make its way up, up, and out, but she pushed it down against the klaxon blaring in her head.

03 MARCH

magical (Miraculous Ladybug - 100 words) my favorite drabble btw

Her throat grew tight as she realized where they were standing. Their rooftop. It was shielded well from the street, providing asylum, but it drained poorly due to the raised gutters. Chat Noir was always apologizing, always covering it with torn blankets and tarps. She never cared, of course. He was there, and they were together, and they were safe.

04 APRIL

Can I Just Kiss You (Miraculous Ladybug - 4,218 words)

The liquid in his delicate cocktail glass was dyed pinker by the spotlight he stood under, so she couldn’t tell if he was actually drinking anything as passion fruit-flavored as the color, or if it was just straight liquor. Her breath caught as he removed his hand from the water-beaded surface, lifting it to adjust the thick-rimmed specs he wore and reminding her of the sparkling green eyes she’d spied earlier. Blond hair. Green eyes.  She wondered if it was some cosmic joke that this always happened to her. Even the cat ears were suspect, but she was trying her best not to acknowledge that.

05 MAY

*loud sobbing*

06 JUNE

Bridges (Miraculous Ladybug - 430 words)

Adrien glanced over his shoulder only briefly, quickly turning his gaze back to the skyline. “I like watching the moonrise,” he answered, shrugging. “I usually– well, I usually don’t have the opportunity to see it from down here.” Félix cast a slow step closer. “Moonrise?” he repeated. “Not the sunset?” The corner of Adrien’s lip twitched in secret humor. “I’ve become a bit of a night person.”

07 JULY

crescendo (Miraculous Ladybug - 100 words)

Chat Noir’s laughter reaches crescendo as Ladybug reaches the end of the block. It echoes off the walls and traces the smile on her face.

08 AUGUST

Get A Little Lonely (Miraculous Ladybug - 2,422 words) technically... this was a zine piece posted on the 1st... so I did not write any of it in August... but shhh

Adrien had once gone on a hike in the French Alps with his mother and Nathalie—before the illness had riddled Maman bedridden. He had marveled at the way Nathalie had used nothing but a compass and a map to chart their course as they went, carefully noting landmarks and any elevation. He had watched with curious eyes, hanging onto every word as she’d explained how she did it. Watching Loveybug fall apart felt like trekking over that terrain with a broken compass. Everything was uncharted territory. Cat Walker hoped he could figure out how to cover it.

09 SEPTEMBER

Heartbeating (Mass Effect Trilogy - 3,600 words)

She fit into Garrus’s angles like a puzzle piece, twisting and turning until they lined up, just right. Maybe the edges had to be folded over a little, but they always fit, eventually. “You know, you humans are bonier than you look,” Garrus commented, wincing as her elbow pressed against an unarmored hip. A smile curled her lips. “Just trying to make you feel more at home,” she teased, a playful lilt to her tone as she finally found her previous position against his chest.

10 OCTOBER

waiting room (Mass Effect Trilogy - 6,565 words. to be cont.)

Shepard watches Kahlee’s rounded fingernails trace over the grooves in the book’s cover. They’re neat. Clean. No trace of dried blood in the nail beds like she knows her own do. The leather must be well-loved, soundlessly absorbing every scratch.

11 NOVEMBER

can't breathe (Mass Effect Trilogy - 629 words)

“Garrus!” he thinks he hears, somewhere over the ringing in his ears It’s hope, he knows—but he shouldn’t have let himself hope He didn’t deserve to get that second chance Why, when they can’t? His lungs’d filled with hope, now he can’t breathe

12 DECEMBER

pitfall (Mass Effect Trilogy - 805 words)

“Wish you’d stop looking,” Garrus sighs, but she can’t stop; she never could. His eyes ask the words he still won’t: Please, Shepard, doesn’t it hurt? Of course it hurts; that’s the point. She’s earned each and every prick, for every unit’s soul she couldn’t save, and for EDI, lain in an imaginary crypt.

if you opened my read more and you're reading this right now, 🫵 you're tagged. gotcha.

[qweengiba]

Brain rot au idea that refuses to leave my brain, it haunts me at night and at work. Like as in random snippets of interactions just pop in my brain.

Commander Shepard from the Mass Effect trilogy sent to the Star Wars universe after the end of their story. Like there is multiple places they could be placed, and it could have interesting consequences if not at the very least interactions. Some of the most interesting, in my opinion(which is INCREDIBLY lacking on the Star Wars side. Please teach me or correct me or incurable me, please.) Would be in the Clone Wars.

Like we have what is a spec ops marine whose training is at the highest rank it can be, who has reached the rank of lieutenant commander at the very least in Systems Alliance Navy. So very clear military background with an emphasis on being front lines/hardest missions and leadership. Which is incredibly useful in an intergalactic war. Not to mention, they just essentially just saved their own universe from an intergalactic apocalypse. With the rather batshit insane things they have seen, there probably isn't much that could get them to flinch.

I mean they even had to face their own clone, who was trying to kill them. Fucking wild conversations from that alone. Not to mention the litteral death and brought back to life thing. And if Shepard had biotics? The long rants about how "No me moving the ration bar to my hand from the table is not the force. It is biotics, the use of my own brain. Not some weird spiritual magic thing."

Like I said, brain rot. Please add or talk to me so I can bounce ideas or inform me about anything. Like I said(wrote?), it could be anywhere in the timeline for Star Wars.

[beardedmrbean]

Would you eat the herring and pumpkin pie from Kiki's Delivery Service?

Not a fan of cooked fish, so probably not.

Speaking of fish pies tho have you ever heard of "stargazy pie"

One of the problems of being overly polite ass a society is you'll get some jackasses that will make something like this as a joke to see if people will eat it and the people are too polite so say 'what the hell is that on my table kill it with fire' and then a couple hundred years later it's a national dish.

At least for the Nordic people lutafisk makes sense because it's a good way to keep your fish from going bad, not that you could tell if it had with anything short of a mass spec but still.

[itslenagain]

How did I figure out I was a lesbian at 27?

Hi I'm high on cold medicine & I've had people ask me before how I figured out that I am a lesbian vs bi/pan sooo here is a long post on my journey & how I figured out I'm not actually into men!

I started out by establishing these very basic facts:

While I have had serious relationships with men, there was always an underlying feeling of discomfort surrounding those relationships that I struggled to identify

While (at that time) I had not had a serious relationship with a woman, I found that I did not feel that discomfort during past romantic and sexual encounters with women

I have always felt romantic and sexual attraction towards women (though I am definitely ace-spec, which I will discuss further below), but don't really experience those attractions towards men

I have significant relationship trauma related to previous relationships with men, and also significant childhood trauma. TRAUMA/MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT A CAUSE OF QUEERNESS! But, it was important for me to address this in my specific situation (will discuss in more detail below)

Once I had established the facts, I started to analyze a little further. One thing that was helpful for me to learn about comphet and to understand the role it played in how I viewed romantic relationships. If you've found this post because you are questioning and you're unsure about what comphet is or what it means, this article explains how comphet is taught throughout childhood and the potential consequences it may have on queer teens and adults.

Which leads us to,

Part 1: Understanding my Tragic Backstory™️

I, unfortunately like many other queer people, was raised in a very cisheteronormative home where my parents were openly transphobic and, while slightly quieter about it, homophobic. When my parents talked to me about my future, their idea of my future absolutely included me finding a man and having his children. It was almost unthinkable for them to imagine I could have any other goal in life. That was how they were raised, and in turn, that's how they raised me. I often felt like I was fighting for their approval.

I knew from my early teens that I liked girls.

(It would take me until my mid-20's to figure out that I am non-binary but that's a story for another post)

For my 13th birthday party, my friends and I rode a limo to go to see the Twilight movie in theaters, since we all were obsessed with the books. My friends were arguing over whether Edward or Jacob would be the better kisser (don't act like you weren't cringe at 13) and the whole time I could not imagine myself kissing literally any of the men in that movie. Now, Rosalie? Oh my GOD I wanted her to step on me. Alice? Please, climb on top of me and do my eyeliner. I shipped Bella and Alice, but also Bella and Bree, because of course I did. 🐀✨️

At that time in my life, I also would regularly attend Catholic mass every Sunday with my neighbor. She was like a grandmother to me, she was one of my safe spaces away from my parents. I looked up to her. We would drink coffee at her kitchen table and chat about school and about life. She taught me how to crochet. We both loved to sing and would sit in the front row together so we could be close to the piano at church. I didn't know she had any kids of her own until she told me about her daughter. She would talk about her in a way that you could tell it pained her. She told me how her daughter made a decision that disappointed her, how she prayed every Sunday that she would see the light and come back to the church.

The decision her daughter made? Marrying a woman.

So despite knowing and recognizing that I was attracted to women, knowing that not only my parents, but also this person who at the time I seriously looked up to, would likely not be accepting of me dating women, I felt like I had to hide. It also made me believe that maybe I *was* attracted to men, I just hadn't met the right one yet. Yes, I even told everyone I was Team Edward.

When I was 14, I ended up in a 3 month relationship with someone who at the time identified as a girl (has since figured out he's a trans guy) and felt ready to talk to my parents. I planned to come out to them as bisexual. They were NOT okay with this. Mom said that bisexual doesn't exist (booo) and that I wasn't allowed to be a lesbian because women could never possibly have happy relationships with each other (she does not have any long-term female friendships) and she didn't want me to have a "miserable life" (I feel sad for anyone who is miserable around women tbh).

Cue the part where I decided to try dating a man to see what it was like and ended up in a sexually and emotionally abusive relationship! ✨️🎉🎊

Cue parents telling me that I can't base my sexuality on one bad experience! ✨️🎉🎊

Cue my neighbor telling me God was preparing a man for me and I just had to be patient and trust in the Lord to find him! ✨️🎉🎊

Cue therapists who told me I probably felt uncomfortable around men because I was traumatized and I'd eventually get over it! ✨️🎉🎊

Cue friends, family, and random strangers telling me it's okay and it's "not all men" and one day I'd find the perfect man who would "fix my broken heart!" ✨️🎉🎊

So you can see how I became confused by all of this! Part of me wanted to believe that I *could* still be attracted to men, that I *could* have a healthy relationship with one, and anytime I had doubts, I'd basically end up gaslighting myself and blaming my trauma.

Which brings us to,

Part 2: Maybe I *did* just need to meet the right man?

I did not have any positive male role models growing up. My parents' marriage was, to put it mildly, not great. It's a common thing in media to see men and women in relationships that don't even really seem to like each other! Comedians make a killing off of the "old ball & chain" type jokes. Straight people often speak of their spouses as if they're an annoyance.

So when you consider all of that, how the hell was I supposed to know what I am supposed to feel towards men?

I could talk for hours about all the negative experiences I've had with men, but when analyzing my feelings, I decided to zoom in on what was probably the healthiest relationship I've ever had with a man. I felt like that was the less biased lens to view my feelings towards men through, despite it ending in a not-so-great way.

Junior year of high school, I met a man through a mutual friend who thought we'd make a cute couple. He made me feel... less uncomfortable than most other men did. So romantic, I know. I was not attracted to him, but he was someone who I would say was definitely conventionally attractive. I wanted to give it a shot, so we started spending more time together, at first just talking in the hallway or during lunch, to eventually seeing each other outside of school.

As he and I began to open up to each other more, we discovered that we both had sexual trauma. I felt that he understood me on a level that a lot of people did not understand me at that point in my life. He said he felt that way about me, too. We formed a connection over it, and for a while, he became my safe space. We were together for almost 2 years. I honestly believe that the attention and care that he treated me with when it came to sex, when it came to our relationship, and my history, that all helped me heal parts of my trauma. I don't think I could be comfortable with sex in the way I am today without having had that safe environment he created for me. I think I would not be as comfortable in relationships as I am if it were not for him.

I still wanted to believe I was capable of being attracted to men, so I hoped that maybe with time, with him, it would happen.

It did not.

Even though I was comfortable spending time with him, and comfortable having sex with him, it still all felt a little off to me, and I couldn't understand why. It felt like there was something missing. Things were really good with us for probably the first year and a half, but got ugly towards the end. I was struggling with things inside myself and took it out on him. He cheated on me. It hurt a lot at the time, but I made my peace with it. I forgive him. I hope he forgives me.

But, the point here is, that even with a man who was seemingly "the right man," I still did not experience romantic or sexual attraction, just an emotional connection.

So then I thought,

Part 3: Well, maybe I'm just ace?

I've always had fewer crushes than my friends. They would just call me picky. I don't think being picky is a bad thing! But when I started thinking about this in terms of my romantic and sexual orientation, I started to wonder if maybe it was because I did not fall on the same end of the spectrum as they did.

Asexuality is a wide spectrum that encompasses people who don't experience sexual attraction in the way allosexual people do. There are Ace people who are completely repulsed by the idea of sex, there are Ace people who feel indifferent about it, there are Ace people who feel other types of attractions but maybe not sexual attraction, there's demisexual and graysexual and all the orientations that fall under that umbrella.

I am someone who loves sex. It's fun, it's creative. It can be casual, or it can be a way you connect yourself to another person on another level. On the other hand, I also don't think sex is 100% necessary in order to have a healthy long-term romantic relationship, and my sex drive in general is on the low side.

Through exploration, I've discovered that it's almost impossible for me to feel sexually attracted to a person that I don't have some sort of existing connection with. This probably puts me somewhere on the demisexual spectrum. However, because I have been able to form celebrity crushes (though very rare) I tend to identify myself as graysexual. The things that make me sexually attracted to someone are inconsistent. I don't really have a "type."

It took me a looong time to work out the difference between "I want sex and this person is available" and "this person specifically is who I am interested in having sex with." They sound similar! It was easy for me to confuse the two! The more that I evaluated these feelings and worked through them, I was able to fully recognize the difference; all of my sexual encounters with men fell into that first category, most of my sexual encounters with women fell into the second.

I am a person who enjoys sex, and I *can* have sex with men, but it's not really because I *want* to have sex with men. This was a very awkward discovery to make at 26 when I had been married to a man for several years. However, it helped me understand some of the dynamics of that relationship (as well as past ones) and was the gateway to me wanting to further my understanding of my sexuality.

Which got me thinking,

Part 4: What makes me want to date a person, anyways?

By the time I was thinking about this part of the question, I was about to turn 27, married to a man, we had 2 kids, I had just come out as non-binary. My husband was an okay man. We had plenty of ups and downs, just like anyone. Realizing that I wasn't sexually attracted to him was definitely rough, but I still believed that the more I thought it out and worked on myself, I'd realize that everything was okay afterall and we'd survive my minor identity crisis.

(We did not. The divorce was finalized last month.)

When I met my ex-husband, I was 19 years old and wanting desperately to get away from my family. It was an incredibly turbulent time in my life. He was 26 (I know, I'm grossed out by it now, too) and finishing up college. We worked together. The flirting started almost immediately. I liked the attention. We started dating, and 6 months in, he proposed. We got married on our 1 year dating anniversary. I still had that weird feeling that something was off, but I blamed myself and just assumed it would get better. Just for a little backstory there. I am the literal definition of "don't date a man when you're 19"

I started really thinking about the things that made me interested in dating someone. I'd never really thought much about it before. I sat down and made a chart of all of my past relationships (and even some crushes) and wrote down the things that made me want to date that person. I literally cried reading it. Full-on existential crisis. There was such a stark contrast between the things that made me want to date women vs the things that made me want to date men.

Some of the common themes when it came to my crushes/relationships with women:

Being around her makes me happy

I spend all day and all night thinking about her

She's thoughtful, I love her mind, etc

We have some common interests

She's beautiful, I could stare at her all day, I'm attracted to her, etc

She makes me want to do (insert romantic thing here)

I can imagine a future for us & it makes me want to be alive so we can have it

Sounds pretty cute, right? Like, that's what a crush should feel like! When I think about dating women, it just makes me feel so warm and I want to give her the world.

Some common themes when it came to relationships with men:

I was tired of being lonely

There was something he could provide for me that I needed (ie emotional support, attention, money etc)

Other people thought it was a good idea so I wanted to try it

He asked me out

He seems nice

Umm. Wow. Yeah. You get my point here? Note that when I tried to think of any men I had a crush on, I couldn't think of any other than Gordon Ramsey (listen I like food and I feel like that man could eat pussy like a pro)

The more I analyzed my relationships with men, the more I realized that there were a lot of.... transactional elements? Like. Yes, I can do romance with this man, as long as he pays the bills... yes, I can do sex with this man, as long as I am completely in charge of everything... whereas with women, it's not conditional. It's not "I can make myself do this for her," it's "I want to do this for her."

For a long time, I believed this was normal. But in the past few years, I've seen couples who are actually happy with each other, people in nice, stable relationships, people who love each other unconditionally, and I just thought, oh my God, *that's* what is missing for me. That's why my relationships feel off. I just kept putting myself into relationships I was not happy with or did not want.

Now I'm 29, I'm divorced, I'm out to everyone (including my family - mom has calmed down a bit, dad is still weird about it) and I am very happy with my girlfriend! I still have a long way to go in terms of healing and really fully understanding myself, but I feel like I've made so many big steps forward on that front.

Part 5: But what if you're wrong?

That's the thing - it's possible I'm wrong. Maybe I am indeed bisexual. Maybe I actually do like men, I'm just not as healed from my trauma as I think I am. Yeah, it's possible, I guess.

There's one thing I know for sure that I'm definitely not wrong about - I am gay as fuck for girls. I love women. Being around women makes me want to be alive. Being around women makes my heart feel whole. I honestly cannot for the life of me imagine myself ever dating a man again.

We all have that voice in our head that makes us doubt, that makes us feel like an imposter, that makes us think we aren't worthy. For a long time, that voice has been telling me that I am not good enough to be loved and I don't deserve to be happy. It's still there, it still tells me that sometimes. You know what though? I'm kicking its ass right now. I look at how far I've come in the past few years and I say "I have spent too long hating myself. I have spent too long trying to shove myself into boxes I don't belong in."

I am finally in a place in my life where I feel like happiness is within reach, and I'm going to keep reaching for it.

I am a lesbian. I am proud of that.

Part 6: Conclusions

I am gay as fuck for women

I love my girlfriend

You can evaluate your life at any time. It's never too late to figure out who you are.

Don't try to put yourself into a box you don't belong in to please other people

It took me 14 years to figure out what I actually wanted even though I already kinda knew. Be kind to yourself if it takes a while for you to figure it out. There's no rush

If you're here because you're questioning, I love you, you've got a friend in me, you are worthy of happiness and love, please don't settle for less

This post is brought to you by Mucinex & Sudafed brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[bellygunnr]

Unwarranted Practicality

A Transformers: Animated piece about Ratchet, the Wars, and his group of younglings stranded in Detroit. Set nebulously in S1.

Shattered glass and torn metal means his patient is already in pain by the time Ratchet lowers him onto the operating table. He is quick to step in close and place a hand on the junction between helm-plate and neck, blunt fingers instinctually putting pressure on clusters of circuits. His patient growls and tenses, discomfited, but doesn't protest.

"Turn your pain receptors down at the locations my fingers are at. Can you do that, Prime?"

His patient shudders. Ratchet watches him flatly, feeling and listening for the first signs of compliance or protest. Prime works hard to cycle air, no doubt hindered by the majority of his intakes being pressed against the table. His shoulders shake, trembling violently in a crescendo that abruptly ceases with a rattle of metal. Ratchet nods at the look of reproach.

"That paralyzed me," Prime huffs. "You could have warned me…"

"You could power down, too. Most 'bots don't like being awake for their back surgery."

Only four million years of experience lets Ratchet make sense of the snarled mass of broken plating and congealed energon. He cuts out what he can, grimacing once more at how thin the Prime's armor is, how the components underneath are unprotected. It means that dents pinch wires and tubes, means that punctures are fatal rather than inconveniences, means that--

It's just odd. Still, after all this time, it's strange to be a medic for 'bots without combat-ready bodies. He has to be gentler, more delicate, and remind himself that what he can brush off, the Prime can't. And isn't that a thought?

"It's not so bad," Ratchet mutters. "Still, you were one bad fall away from severing major conduits in your spinal struts. Really, you stayed online with all this?"

Optimus hums noncommittally.

Ratchet hums back, occupied instead with removing the last of the damaged structure. Heat makes the kinks pliable, makes the flesh-alloy complacent to being cut, all the better with the nerves deadened. Each piece he removes reveals another mile of fouled tubing and warped chassis.

He appraises his patient's condition thoughtfully. The Prime was astoundingly young and supplementary materials were-- somehow-- plentiful. Already, he detects the thrum of self-repair working to right the wrongs of combat. He'd just need to replace the armor and let his patient handle the rest.

"Prime," Ratchet says.

"Ratchet," Optimus returns.

Optimus reaches out with both his voice and his EM field, a curious, cautious greeting. Ratchet sighs and relaxes the tight grip on his own, bridging the gap in the eye contact they couldn't make due to their positions. Reassurance as a balm to apprehension.

"Well, doc-bot? Am I going to make it?" Optimus prompts teasingly.

"Don't press your luck. Look, I'm going to be replacing a lot of your back-plating. Everything waist-up is unsalvageable. Now, I can fabricate it to original spec-- or…"

Ratchet trails off, splaying his fingers across the operating table. He pulls his field tight to his chassis when he detects Optimus' searching.

He clears his throat.

"Or I had the thought of modifying it slightly. Thicker plates, tougher material. Better protection, you know."

It's not like him to hedge. But the part of him that wants to see the War over, that refuses to acknowledge the renewed Decepticon presence, is in stout objection to his constant pragmatism. It's been hard enough not to treat the Earth city like a warzone already. Conceding defeat here, if his patient agrees, well.

But his patient gets his arms under him and pushes up. Ratchet swears before he can stop himself, meeting Optimus' measured look with a glare.

"I wouldn't be opposed to such a change, Ratchet. Hardiness evidently is a-- virtue we lack. But you don't seem convinced of it yourself. You're upset."

"I don't get upset," Ratchet says sharply. "I'm a professional and a doctor and we need to be proactive. There's nothing I can do about the Decepticon laser weaponry, but I can at least-- this is the least I can do."

"And I'm sure relying less on The Key would soothe your nerves as well," Optimus says.

Ratchet bristles, baring his dentae-- long since ground flat and dull-- defensively. He hadn't been thinking of The Key, but Optimus took delight in seeing through him, and he was right.

"It'd help," he says, dropping his shoulders. "But I'm serious, Prime. Some slight changes and you can shrug off those concrete collapses in a nanosec. So could the rest of the team."

He pulls in a long rush of humid air. A part of him aches for the formality of a war camp, just so Optimus would not look at him so critically, so unabashedly concerned.

Slag him. Even on the repair ship, he'd been like this. It's not any wonder why the Elite Guard felt the need to oust him.

This time, when Optimus extends his field, Ratchet does not flinch. He's surprised to feel his apprehension echoed back at him, as if his patient shares his misgivings, and maybe that's gratifying. But beneath it is a determination-- a grim acceptance.

"Will you be proposing the idea to the others?" Optimus asks, grimacing.

Ratchet gestures for Optimus to lay back down.

"Whenever they get damaged, sure. You were just the first. Now, hurry up and power down so I can get you out of here."

Optimus complies readily. Ratchet waits for him to drop into lifelessness before hunkering down in the far corner of his medibay, already tapping at the fabricator.

[faeseekerandy]

song 7 for a character of your choosing lol :)

I'm trying to be normal, but trauma is immortal and none of this is your fault (Frankenstein)

Rathaway X Rachel Roth – Rathaway doesn’t know she’s a titan and she’s scouting him to join the Titans. Rathaway has all the issues.

BB woke up unable to understand what was compelling him to want to be a rat. His entire body grew hair and he slowly grew smaller and smaller until is was a tiny mouse. Then like chasing cheese he walked out in the middle of the night without telling anyone. Come breakfast the fact that he was not first at the table caused great concern for everyone involved. Luckly for him BB was tagged and was easy to find.

Central CITY! – Grayson was concerned – Why did he go to central city in the middle of the night! Raven you wanna take this one? – Asked Damien – the kid follows you around like a lost puppy, so go fetch our pet so….

The look on Raven’s face and the extra set of eyes was all the cue Damien needed to drop the subject. He’s not sure how well he can stack up against Trigon and wasn’t in the mood to find out.

Rachel opened a portal directly to the cosmic location were BB was, he saw him, as a rat surrounded by an army of rats, one tiny green spec in a sea of filthy disgusting rats. He picked bb by the tail and attempted to snap him out of it. When even putting him on her chest did not work, it became obvious that his hypnosis was far more powerful than she could have imagined. She faded into the wall and watched carefully to figure out what was causing this extreme form of hypnosis that was not broken by anything magical or physical.

A few hours later a small stubby mass of complexes and issues walked in. Rachel instantly sensed the inner turmoil in this poor souls’ mind. All the issues! Abandonment issues, fear for his situation, not having a home and being forced to forage in the sewers, fear of extreme betrayal, all emotions she could sense coming from this cloud of frustration and angs.

What’s that you’re saying? – said Rathaway, said while talking to one of his rats – That this room smells like a Depeche Mode concert? Why yes it is very weird, did an army of Goth angsty teenagers waltzed by while I was away?

COME OUT, you can hide your visage but not your smell of cheap eyeliner and Sucreabeille perfume. Let me guess, demon girl, or daughter of Satan, or something devil related. – Rathaway look annoyed.

FINE GEESH – Raven came out of the shadow – one of those rats is mine, and I need it back.

Really? Wish one- asked Rathaway not taken aback by the figure emerging from the wall.

Raven - Takea guess !

Rathaway – Yea not a lot of green demon rats are there. Rathaway was almost amused but playing it cool. He was trying to figure out at what moment to send the army of rats at him.

I rolled a 20 on my mind reading abilities, you’re an open book to me, and if you don’t wanna see a million rats go up in flame I suggest you keep your filthy pets to yourself – Said Raven

Oh a Geek a devil girl, I suppose rolling seduction is out of the question. – Said Rathaway.

Not if you want me to kick your dices! – Raven was kinda annoyed at this point.

FINE your intimidation roll worked, here is your freeky green rat. – said rathaway releasing his spell.

How do I know he’s not gonna be hypnotized again – asked Raven annoyed.

You don’t! I may want to see you again and then all I’ve got to do is play this fl…. – he was interrupted when raven took over the flute with her magic and prepared to destroy it.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO – he lunged at the flute crying in a panic. It was pathetic. He fled to a dark corner of the room,crying and trying to claw at the wall to find a place to hide it.

That flute, its precious to you isn’t it – you don’t really need it to fight me but you cling to it. Said raven

Would you stop reading my FUCKING MIND ALREADY! – at one point you have to realize it feels like being naked in front of a million people.

You took my precious pet, this creature is my price possession, and I refuse to go easy on you until I know without a shadow of a dought that it belongs to me and me alone. I play with it,and tease it as I see fit. I wont let some snut punk wanna be villain with issues take him from me. MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Rathaway trembling made an alteration to the Anti life equation that made it so it could not be used specifically on BB.

Alright since you kept your end of the bargain I’ll stop probing your mind. – Said raven – I don’t normally do that. But you took my precious pet so I was not gonna play fair. I was ready to send you to hell if needed.

Bhhhhh the devil girl is gonna send me to hell, spooky, could you be any more of a cliché – rathaway was annoyed. Do you know what you put me thru just now! If you had me by the balls I would not have been more horrified. That flute…

It’s a toten of trauma, interrupted Raven, you need to let it go, forgot it and begin to heal. It will be difficult but if you come with me, with the titans, you can slowly come to live a normal life, with friends that wont abandon you.

Yea Sure, you’re sooo normal demon girl – rathaway was more relaxed now that he sensed no hostility from Rachel.

I'm trying to be normal, but trauma is immortal. And ever-present. Sometimes you can be safely at a home and see something on tv and suddenly it comes back like a monster, a predator. And you try to act normal so nobody sees your suffering, but the sweat and the palpitations, and your inability to stand up, the betray you, so you say you’re going to take a bath so nobody sees you tremble.

And sometimes you can be under a bridge feeling like the world is collapsing over you, and you feel thankful because its not the worst that’s ever happened to you. You think, compared to where I’ve been, being homeless doesn’t feel so bad, and then you realize that….

Raven hugged Rathaway, and then he was quiet, she kept repeating over and over – “none of this was your fault, none of this was your fault.”

I missed being hugged so much – Rathaway was smiling, - Ok lets get going.

Dude I had the weirdt dream  - the rat changed form into a human, rathaway look puzzled

IT WAS A DREAM!  - screamed Raven, her pale skin showing a slight hint of blush under all the eye liner and pale face paint.  – IT WAS A DREAM AND DONT FUCKING GET ANY IDEAS

       BB turning into a tiny puppy begin whimpering.

[tsaomengde]

Starfield thoughts

Finished Starfield. If you like Bethesda games, you will like Starfield. If you don't, then you won't. Pretty simple.

More detailed thoughts:

I finished Oblivion's main quest, finished Fallout 4's main quest, and bounced off of Skyrim. Starfield was distinctly the most fun I've had with a Bethesda game. Partly because it's in space and I'm a slut for spaceships and sci-fi. Partly because the combat finally felt - well, look, it's still bad combat. Like, objectively, it is clunky and flat compared to dedicated shooters like Halo or Doom. But it's clunky and flat in a way that feels a little retro to me. Kind of brings me back to FPSes in the 90s.

I also really enjoyed going down the science skill trees and the ship skill trees and crafting myself an OP ship and OP guns. I was playing on Normal and never felt the need to spec into combat stuff. I did not need to put points into Rifles to have them do 20% more damage when my custom-crafted sniper rifle, "That Guy In Particular," could put a penetrator round into someone's head with 85% accuracy from half a kilometer away.

I liked fucking around with the outpost stuff a little bit, but the attempts at giving you the ability to automate production of crafting materials are very clunky. I have not played Factorio or Satisfactory, but I have played an indie factory game called Dyson Sphere Program that is in a very similar vein, and Starfield's ability to set up supply lines between star systems and link stuff up inside outposts is poorly implemented and kind of anemic. Once you spec far enough into science you also get the ability to just make the shit yourself at a crafting table. And the various merchants in the hub worlds sell all the raw materials you ever need, so while setting up outposts to mine the shit yourself is nice, ultimately it is entirely skippable. Which, like, is fine! It's an RPG, you should be able to play the bits you're interested in and leave the rest. But the flip side of that coin is that I respect developers who are like, "You want to be Good at this game? Learn the mechanics." Putting in this big outpost system and then saying "but you don't actually have to interact with it at all if you don't want to" is like if Sekiro said "you can get by without learning parrying."

Spoilers below:

I appreciated that the game picks out the companions you have the highest affinity with at a crucial point in the main plot and says, "You can only save one." It's like the Kaidan/Ashley dillemma from Mass Effect 1, only dynamic instead of static. I did feel bad when my then-BFF Sarah died. Not, like, *super* bad, since none of these people hold a candle to the classic companions from Dragon Age or some of the new hotties from Baldur's Gate 3. But I really did like Sam Coe, mostly because he's voiced by Elias Toufexis, best known as the voice of Adam "I Never Asked For This" Jensen. So I would have been sadder if he'd died, but I put the main plot off until super late and you only get him halfway through it so my affinity level with him wasn't high enough yet to put him in the crosshairs. Ha!

The main plot having to do with multiverse theory, and the NG+ just being the next universe you enter once you finish collecting the macguffins that open the multiverse portal, is clever. I liked that the multiversal travelers you come into conflict with over the macguffins are alternate-universe versions of people you've already met, including whichever character died in the aforementioned choice. Overall, pretty solid writing. Nothing exciting or exceptional that I haven't seen before, but just enough of a twist and a little spice to keep it interesting. It does take a while to build up, though, and everyone who's said "the game only gets good x hours in" is correct. The main plot takes a *lot* of time to heat up. I did a bunch of random Bethesda fucking around and a couple faction questlines before I touched it, and I only went to the main plot when my brain was telling me "I am about to start experiencing diminishing dopamine returns from this game so you might as well finish it up."

At the end of the game, you activate the macguffins, step into the multiverse portal, and are presented with a choice: go on to the next universe (NG+), or stay in the one you have. I liked that there was a choice. My character, Skade, decided to stay in the one they have. They've built a good life for themselves here. They have friends here. They wrested the macguffins from the hands of the multiverse travelers who thought they knew better than everyone else what to do with them. They're not ready to leave. Maybe someday they will be, if and when I come back to Starfield and want to do a NG+. But for now, I, Gabe, am moving on from the game in this universe. In the universe where Skade is a real person, though, they're still going off having adventures with their buddy Sam and his daughter Cora. And I think that's a nice thing indeed.

[jkindus]

Case Study: Implementing Vibratory Motors in Local Industries

Industrial innovation doesn’t always begin in massive factories or global corporations. Sometimes, it starts in smaller workshops, regional plants, or family-owned businesses. This case study by JK Industries explores how the strategic implementation of vibratory motors revolutionized operations for several local manufacturers—boosting productivity, reducing downtime, and streamlining performance across various sectors.

Understanding the Power of Vibratory Motors

Before diving into the real-world impact, it’s important to understand what vibratory motors actually do. These are compact, yet powerful components that create vibration through an unbalanced mass on the motor shaft. When installed on industrial equipment, they provide necessary vibrations for:

Material separation

Compaction

Conveying bulk solids

Cleaning and screening

In industries where efficiency and precision are crucial, vibratory motors are more than just useful—they’re indispensable.

The Challenge: Inefficiencies in Local Manufacturing

Local industries—ranging from food processing to construction materials—often operate with limited resources. Many rely on outdated equipment that struggles to keep up with modern production demands.

Take, for example, a mid-sized tile manufacturer in Gujarat. They faced frequent production delays due to manual compaction processes and uneven material distribution. Despite the quality of their product, scalability was becoming a bottleneck.

The Solution: Integrating Vibratory Motors from JK Industries

After an operational audit, the plant integrated JK Industries’ vibratory motors across multiple points in their production line. These included:

Tile vibration tables

Material feeders

Packaging stations

With the addition of vibratory motors, material flow became more consistent, and the compaction process was streamlined—reducing breakage rates and improving finish quality.

The result? A 35% increase in daily production capacity and a 20% reduction in energy consumption. Even better, the ROI (return on investment) was visible within just three months.

Real-World Results: More Than Just Numbers

The Gujarat plant is not an isolated success. Across different sectors, vibratory motors are helping solve long-standing problems:

Food Processing Units

In Maharashtra, a local grain sorter was experiencing inconsistent sieve performance. JK’s vibratory motors improved the sorting mechanism’s accuracy by 40%, significantly reducing product waste.

Construction Material Plants

A concrete block manufacturer in Rajasthan faced issues with air bubbles and structural defects. With the integration of vibration in their molds, the strength and consistency of blocks dramatically improved.

Chemical Packaging

A small-scale detergent plant benefited from smoother material flow into pouches, leading to reduced spillage and more efficient packaging.

Why Choose JK Industries for Vibratory Motors?

JK Industries isn’t just a supplier—we’re partners in innovation. Every vibratory motor we manufacture is designed with precision engineering and built to withstand rugged industrial environments.

Here’s what sets us apart:

Custom Vibration Solutions: We tailor motor specs to match your machine’s exact requirements.

Durable Construction: Our motors are built for long-term, uninterrupted use.

Prompt Support: From consultation to installation and maintenance, we’re with you every step of the way.

Energy Efficiency: Designed to consume less power without compromising performance.

Whether you’re running a mid-sized unit or a high-output facility, our vibratory motors can transform the way your business operates.

Tips for Local Industries Considering Vibratory Motors

Thinking about upgrading your processes? Here are a few tips:

Start with a needs analysis: Identify processes that can benefit from vibration—such as mixing, separating, or feeding.

Choose the right type: From foot-mounted to flange-mounted motors, selecting the right design is crucial.

Consult experts: Don’t just buy—get advice. At JK Industries, we provide complete integration support.

Focus on ROI: Look beyond the initial investment and consider the long-term efficiency gains.

The Bigger Picture: Empowering Local Growth Through Innovation

While multinational companies often get the spotlight, it’s local industries that form the backbone of our economy. Innovations like vibratory motors aren’t just technical upgrades—they’re enablers of sustainable growth, job creation, and regional economic development.

At JK Industries, we believe in delivering solutions that empower—not just machines, but people, communities, and entire industries.

Conclusion: Small Change, Big Impact

Implementing vibratory motors may seem like a minor change, but as this case study shows, the impact can be profound. Faster output, better quality, lower waste—these improvements ripple across operations and bottom lines.

If you’re part of a local industry looking to modernize and compete on a bigger scale, now is the time to act. JK Industries is ready to help you make the shift—with tools, expertise, and reliable vibratory motor solutions tailored for your success.

[buyweighingamachine]

How to Buy the Best Weighing Machine: A Complete Guide for Every Need

Introduction

Buying a weighing machine might seem simple, but choosing the right one can make all the difference—whether you’re weighing ingredients for a bakery, monitoring livestock on a farm, or conducting precision lab tests. With so many options available, how do you pick the best one? In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to buy a weighing machine that matches your needs, budget, and industry standards.

Types of Weighing Machines: Which One Do You Need?

The first step to buying a weighing machine is understanding the different types and their uses:

A. Industrial Weighing Machines

Use Case: Factories, warehouses, logistics, agriculture.

High capacity (up to 10,000 kg).

Durable stainless steel or alloy construction.

Weatherproof (IP67 rating) for outdoor use.

B. Laboratory & Analytical Balances

Use Case: Pharmaceuticals, research labs, universities.

Ultra-precision (0.1 mg to 0.01 mg readability).

Anti-vibration technology and draft shields.

Compliance with GLP/GMP/ISO standards.

C. Retail & Commercial Scales

Use Case: Grocery stores, jewelry shops, kitchens.

Piece counting, tare function, and price computing.

Compact designs with LCD displays.

D. Healthcare & Personal Use Scales

Use Case: Hospitals, gyms, home use.

BMI calculation, body fat analysis.

Portable and user-friendly.

Key Factors to Consider Before You Buy

A. Accuracy & Precision

For labs or pharmacies, opt for analytical balances with 0.1 mg sensitivity.

Industrial users can prioritize ruggedness over ultra-fine accuracy.

B. Capacity & Readability

Industrial scales: Choose based on maximum weight (e.g., 500 kg for pallets).

Lab scales: Focus on readability (e.g., 0.01 mg for chemical formulations).

C. Durability & Protection

Look for IP67 waterproofing for outdoor or wet environments.

Stainless steel platforms resist corrosion in food processing or chemical industries.

D. Connectivity & Compliance

RS232, USB, or Bluetooth for data logging (critical for labs and factories).

Legal metrology approvals (e.g., BIS, NABL) for commercial trade.

Top 5 Weighing Machines to Buy in 2024

Here are our top recommendations available at upscales.buyweighingmachine.com:

Aczet CTG-K Industrial Platform Scale

Capacity: Up to 5,000 kg.

Features: Overload protection, large backlit display.

Best For: Warehouses and logistics.

Aczet CY-A Touch Screen Analytical Balance

Readability: 0.01 mg.

Features: GMP compliance, touchscreen interface.

Best For: Pharma labs and research.

Aczet CG-S Stainless Steel Table Top Scale

Capacity: 30 kg.

Features: IP54 dust/water resistance.

Best For: Food processing and retail.

Aczet UCM 2A Ultra Micro Balance

Readability: 0.1 µg.

Features: Anti-static coating, motorized calibration.

Best For: Nanotechnology and advanced research.

Aczet Body Composition Scale

Features: BMI, muscle mass, and hydration tracking.

Best For: Gyms and home use.

Why Buy from upscales.buyweighingmachine.com?

✅ Wide Range: From industrial heavy-duty scales to precision lab balances.

✅ Certified Quality: All products are BIS, ISO, and NABL certified.

✅ Expert Support: 24/7 technical assistance and installation guidance.

✅ Competitive Pricing: Bulk discounts for businesses.

✅ Warranty: Up to 5 years on industrial models.

How to Place Your Order

Visit upscales.buyweighingmachine.com.

Explore by category (industrial, lab, retail).

Compare specs and prices.

Contact our team for bulk orders or custom requirements.

[shoppsin]

White Fluted Console Table

White Fluted Console Table – Luxury Redefined for Modern Indian Homes

Discover the Bold Design of the White Fluted Console Table

Undoubtedly, the White Fluted Console Table offers a striking blend of modern aesthetics and functionality. Clearly, its premium construction includes a solid wooden frame with a unique vertical fluted design on the exterior. Additionally, the marble top adds a rich, clean contrast that brings sophistication to any space. Meanwhile, the bottom frame features PVD-coated golden stainless steel, offering both durability and a luxe finish. Importantly, this is not a mass-produced piece—it’s handcrafted in India by Shopps.in, supporting local artisans and craft.

Fluted Console Table

Why Choose This Console Table Over Others?

Interestingly, very few console tables on the market combine steel, marble, and wood in such a refined way. Moreover, its customizable size and color options make it easy to match any room theme or wall palette. Whether you live in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, or Jaipur, the table can be tailored to fit your entryway, hallway, or bedroom. Also, its compact structure fits tight spaces while still offering generous surface area for essentials or decor.

How Can You Use the White Fluted Console Table?

Easily, you can use it in a hallway, lobby, or living room to create visual depth and dimension. Alternatively, place it against a bedroom wall to hold lighting, perfumes, or accessories. Furthermore, in office settings or studios, it can act as a minimal yet bold design element. No matter where you position it, the White Fluted Console Table never looks out of place.

Console Table white

What Makes This Table Stand Out in Indian Homes?

Certainly, Indian homes embrace both tradition and modernity—this table respects both. Especially in urban homes across Hyderabad, Pune, or Chandigarh, modern design meets cultural craftsmanship through this piece. Equally, the white fluted texture reflects elegance without appearing flashy or overdone. On top of that, the gold PVD-coated base brings a balanced warmth to Indian interiors.

Can You Customize It for Your Space?

Absolutely, customization is a key advantage. First, you can choose the dimensions that suit your hallway or foyer layout. Second, Shopps.in allows color and finish changes, helping you match the decor already in your home. Third, whether you prefer a darker marble top or a matte finish for the wooden frame, options are available. Lastly, the brand ensures Pan-India delivery, from Kolkata to Kochi, without compromise in quality.

India Fluted Console Table

What Are Real Buyers Saying?

Ritika M., Bengaluru"I ordered a custom size for my entryway. The table looks stunning and feels solid. Delivered fast!" Aman D., Jaipur"Love the gold base! It complements my living room palette perfectly. Really glad it’s made in India." Shreya P., Navi Mumbai"Got it in an ash wood finish. Shopps.in was helpful throughout the customization. Worth every rupee!"

Where to Buy the White Fluted Console Table?

Fortunately, you can buy it directly from the Shopps.in official website. Moreover, the site provides detailed specs, finish options, and customization assistance. Payments are secure, and doorstep delivery covers all major Indian cities. So, whether you're in Ahmedabad or Gurugram, your designer table is just a click away.

Is the Table Worth the Investment?

Definitely, yes. Unlike ordinary console tables, this piece brings value through durable materials and skilled craftsmanship. Also, Shopps.in offers post-purchase support, in case you need guidance on maintenance or future refinishing. As a long-term decor piece, it doesn't just sit pretty—it performs well too.

White Fluted Console Table

Final Thoughts on the White Fluted Console Table

To sum up, the White Fluted Console Table is ideal for homeowners who value craftsmanship, design, and flexibility. Plus, the fusion of marble, wood, and golden steel speaks directly to premium decor preferences in India. Without doubt, its design complements both modern flats and traditional bungalows across Indian cities. And with customization available, it's never a one-size-fits-all experience. Read the full article

[webironmongeryofficial]

First Impressions Matter: Why Door Handles Are Defining Design in 2025

Before someone sees your statement lighting, that conversation-starting coffee table book, or even the grand reveal of your open-plan kitchen—they’ve already made a judgment.

Not based on your colour palette. Not on your furniture.

But on your door handle.

The unassuming hero of every space, the door handle is often overlooked in design conversations—until it’s not. Until the wrong one kills the vibe. Or the right one stops someone mid-step.

In 2025 and the years to come, the door handle is stepping out of the shadows. It’s no longer just a functional component—it’s a storytelling device. A design flex. A touchpoint, quite literally, between your space and the world. Let’s explore why.

The Door Handle Rebrand: From Afterthought to Design Statement

Once, door handles were purely utilitarian. An element of necessity, not taste. They were mass-produced, bland, and often the last item on the renovation checklist.

But over the past few years, something shifted. Designers started treating them like jewellery for the home. Boutique hotels began installing custom-crafted handles that guests couldn’t help but run their fingers over. High-end developers started using tactile finishes that made even a corridor door feel considered.

And in 2025, the trend is not slowing down. It’s accelerating.

This is the year the door handle graduates—from anonymous hardware to a curated design element with personality and presence.

What’s In (And Out) in 2025: Handle Trends Shaping the Next Generation

Like every great design evolution, door handle trends reflect cultural shifts. Here’s what’s taking hold now—and what’s being left behind.

What’s In

1. Textural Sophistication The era of the sterile, slippery chrome finish is fading. 2025 is embracing tactile richness. Think hammered brass, sandblasted matte blacks, or soft-brushed pewter. These aren’t just handles—they’re experiences.

2. Sculptural and Organic Shapes Forget standard levers and knobs. The future is biomorphic. Handles are getting inspired by nature—flowing curves, stone-like forms, and asymmetry that’s pleasing to the touch. They don’t just open doors; they start conversations.

3. Warm Metals and Blended Finishes While traditional metals are still popular, blended finishes—such as antique bronze with satin nickel, or matte black accented by brass inlays—are bringing depth and subtle contrast to interiors.

4. Smart Meets Stylish For years, smart locks compromised on looks. Now, they’re catching up. Biometric handles, RFID access, and app-integrated locking systems are being designed with aesthetic integrity. Technology no longer means sacrificing beauty.

5. Personalization and Custom Craft

Handles etched with initials, coordinates, or architectural references are cropping up in high-end design. They create connection—between space and story. Especially for those renovating period properties or branding commercial venues, this level of customization makes a difference.

What’s Out

1. Glossy Chrome Everything Hard to maintain, prone to fingerprints, and a relic of the early 2000s, high-shine chrome is firmly on the way out—unless you’re doing it ironically.

2. Overly Ornate Heritage Styles Unless you’re restoring a Georgian townhouse, ultra-ornate handles with elaborate scrollwork are being replaced by cleaner, more minimalist lines.

3. Standard Bulk Hardware The kind you find in chain stores—uninspired, one-size-fits-all designs—are being replaced by thoughtful, design-forward alternatives.

Case Study: A Tale of Two Developments in London

Let’s get specific. In 2024, two major residential redevelopments took place in central London—both targeting high-net-worth buyers, both boasting luxury specs. But only one of them got the details right.

The first opted for conventional choices—high-end marble, premium kitchen appliances, even underfloor heating. But when it came to handles, they stuck with the standard.

The second made a subtle pivot. They collaborated with a boutique hardware supplier and selected custom handles based on the building’s architectural history—reinterpreted in matte black steel with bronze accents. Each handle was engraved with the building’s coordinates.

The results?

67% of potential buyers commented on the feel and uniqueness of the handles in the second development.

In post-sale surveys, the tactile, detailed hardware contributed to a 12% higher perceived value of the property.

One client said: “When you walk in, you feel it instantly. Before you even see the living room, you’re touching something that feels designed. Thoughtful. That first impression lingers.”

Meanwhile, the first development had several units fall through during closing, with some buyers citing a lack of “soul” in the detailing.

Details matter. Especially the ones people touch.

The Psychology of a Handle: Why Touch Still Reigns in a Digital World

In a post-pandemic world where human interaction is re-calibrated and tactile experience is more intentional, the surfaces we touch carry emotional weight.

Studies in design psychology suggest that the physicality of a handle—its weight, texture, and resistance—subconsciously communicates quality, safety, and even warmth.

A 2023 study on sensory design found that 82% of participants equated “substantial” door handles with higher security and better craftsmanship.

In commercial environments, tactile hardware improved first impressions in office spaces, clinics, and luxury retail settings.

This is design that does more than look good—it feels good. It invites. It reassures.

Webironmongery: Where Design Meets Touch

Here’s the part where you transform inspiration into action. Because elevating your space doesn’t have to mean gutting it. Sometimes, it’s as simple as changing the handle.

At Webironmongery, we curate the most trend-forward, design-conscious door handles that bring personality and polish to every threshold.

Here’s what sets us apart:

Curated Collections aligned with the latest design and architectural trends

Global Artisanal Partners who forge, shape, and hand-finish every piece

Commercial and Residential Solutions for designers, developers, and homeowners

Custom Engraving and Finishing Options to bring your unique vision to life

Smart Integration, without sacrificing beauty

Whether you’re a minimalist looking for sleek, industrial handles or someone embracing the warm-modern blend of brass and stone textures, we’ve got something that fits—and surprises.

Real Feedback From Real Spaces

We don’t just sell handles. We help create moments—those silent handshakes that set the tone for everything that follows.

Here’s what clients have shared:

“I never thought handles could be a design feature. But the ones I chose from Webironmongery literally changed how I experience the room. Guests notice. I notice. It’s a detail I now pay attention to everywhere I go.”

— Architect, Notting Hill

“We added matte black handles to our white kitchen cabinetry, and it instantly felt sharper, more considered. No other change had as much visual impact for the cost.”

— Interior Designer, Shoreditch

“Our office renovation was all about creating a welcoming, warm environment. The tactile handles from Webironmongery were small investments that made the whole space feel more human.”

— Design Consultant, Holborn

For Developers and Designers: Handle the Market With Vision

If you’re in commercial real estate, hospitality, or workspace design, you know how competitive the market has become. The difference between average and premium is often found in the margins—the feel of the flooring, the softness of light, and yes, the sensation of a well-crafted door handle.

Webironmongery works directly with developers, interior designers, and architects to deliver tailored solutions at scale. We offer:

Bulk pricing without design compromise

Custom branding options for hotels, offices, and residential projects

Fast turnaround on signature collections

Global shipping and installation guidance

You don't have to go big to stand out. You just have to go better.

The Cultural Shift: Why Design is Moving Toward “Touchable Luxury”

In an age dominated by screens and digital interaction, physical environments are making a quiet comeback. But it’s not about maximalism or extravagance—it’s about sensory refinement. Touchable luxury is design that invites interaction, rewarding the user with texture, temperature, and presence.

This shift is particularly visible in how spaces are being curated post-2020. People want homes and workplaces that feel good, not just look good. Door handles—perhaps the most tactile element in any environment—are central to this reawakening.

Interior designers are now using hardware as a way to soften modernism, add depth to minimalist spaces, or create moments of unexpected delight. In many ways, the door handle is becoming the bridge between digital detachment and material intimacy.

For those seeking to balance sleek contemporary design with warmth and tactility, the answer isn’t always a colour or a material. Sometimes, it’s as small (and important) as a handle.

Beyond the Door: Handles as a Branding Opportunity

Design is identity. For boutique hotels, creative workspaces, or even curated Airbnbs, every design element communicates something about the brand. Door handles, as both physical and symbolic touchpoints, are uniquely powerful in shaping that perception.

A bold, oversized brass pull on a dark-stained door? That says confidence. A slimline matte black lever on a concrete wall? That signals innovation. Handles can serve as micro-branding tools, subtly reinforcing a space’s aesthetic and values with every use.

Forward-thinking commercial spaces are already catching on. One coworking firm in London recently integrated their brand motif into all their internal door handles—a detail so subtle, clients didn’t consciously notice it at first, but later described the space as “cohesive and high-end.”

This kind of brand continuity is the future of spatial storytelling. And at Webironmongery, we offer customizable hardware solutions for those who want their design details to work harder.

Because when everything else is curated, why leave the first point of contact to chance?

The Final Word: Elevate What People Touch

Think about the last time you visited a space that felt unforgettable. Was it the colour of the walls? The lighting? Or was it something more subtle—the feeling of quality, of intentionality, in the smallest places?

That’s what a great handle does. It grounds a design. It speaks, without saying a word. And in 2025, it’s speaking louder than ever.

So the next time you renovate, refurbish, or reimagine—start with the part of your home people connect with first.

Not your floors. Not your walls. Your handle.

Explore the future of design, detail, and touch at Webironmongery. Where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, one turn at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why should I upgrade my door handles? Upgrading handles is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to elevate your space. It adds visual polish, improves tactile experience, and can completely change the perception of quality in a room.

Q: Are your handles suitable for both homes and commercial spaces? Absolutely. Our collections include designs for residential, hospitality, retail, and corporate environments. Whether you're updating a single room or outfitting an entire building, we’ve got you covered.

Q: Are your products easy to install? Most of our handles come with universal fittings and are designed for straightforward installation. We also provide detailed guides and customer support for both DIYers and professional installers.

Q: How do I choose the right finish for my space? We offer complimentary design consultations and curated style guides to help you select the perfect handle based on your interior, lighting, and intended vibe.

[beautifulhadle]

The Silent Handshake: Why Door Handles Are the Real First Impression of 2025

Before someone sees your statement lighting, that conversation-starting coffee table book, or even the grand reveal of your open-plan kitchen—they’ve already made a judgment.

Not based on your colour palette. Not on your furniture.

But on your door handle.

The unassuming hero of every space, the door handle is often overlooked in design conversations—until it’s not. Until the wrong one kills the vibe. Or the right one stops someone mid-step.

In 2025 and the years to come, the door handle is stepping out of the shadows. It’s no longer just a functional component—it’s a storytelling device. A design flex. A touchpoint, quite literally, between your space and the world. Let’s explore why.

The Door Handle Rebrand: From Afterthought to Design Statement

Once, door handles were purely utilitarian. An element of necessity, not taste. They were mass-produced, bland, and often the last item on the renovation checklist.

But over the past few years, something shifted. Designers started treating them like jewellery for the home. Boutique hotels began installing custom-crafted handles that guests couldn’t help but run their fingers over. High-end developers started using tactile finishes that made even a corridor door feel considered.

And in 2025, the trend is not slowing down. It’s accelerating.

This is the year the door handle graduates—from anonymous hardware to a curated design element with personality and presence. 

Case Study: A Tale of Two Developments in London

Let’s get specific. In 2024, two major residential redevelopments took place in central London—both targeting high-net-worth buyers, both boasting luxury specs. But only one of them got the details right.

The first opted for conventional choices—high-end marble, premium kitchen appliances, even underfloor heating. But when it came to handles, they stuck with the standard.

The second made a subtle pivot. They collaborated with a boutique hardware supplier and selected custom handles based on the building’s architectural history—reinterpreted in matte black steel with bronze accents. Each handle was engraved with the building’s coordinates.

The results?

67% of potential buyers commented on the feel and uniqueness of the handles in the second development.

In post-sale surveys, the tactile, detailed hardware contributed to a 12% higher perceived value of the property.

One client said: “When you walk in, you feel it instantly. Before you even see the living room, you’re touching something that feels designed. Thoughtful. That first impression lingers.”

Meanwhile, the first development had several units fall through during closing, with some buyers citing a lack of “soul” in the detailing.

Details matter. Especially the ones people touch.

The Psychology of a Handle: Why Touch Still Reigns in a Digital World

In a post-pandemic world where human interaction is re-calibrated and tactile experience is more intentional, the surfaces we touch carry emotional weight.

Studies in design psychology suggest that the physicality of a handle—its weight, texture, and resistance—subconsciously communicates quality, safety, and even warmth.

A 2023 study on sensory design found that 82% of participants equated “substantial” door handles with higher security and better craftsmanship.

In commercial environments, tactile hardware improved first impressions in office spaces, clinics, and luxury retail settings.

This is design that does more than look good—it feels good. It invites. It reassures.

Beautifulhandles.com: Where Design Meets Touch

Here’s the part where you transform inspiration into action. Because elevating your space doesn’t have to mean gutting it. Sometimes, it’s as simple as changing the handle.

At beautifulhandles.com, we curate the most trend-forward, design-conscious door handles that bring personality and polish to every threshold.

Here’s what sets us apart:

Curated Collections aligned with the latest design and architectural trends

Global Artisanal Partners who forge, shape, and hand-finish every piece

Commercial and Residential Solutions for designers, developers, and homeowners

Custom Engraving and Finishing Options to bring your unique vision to life

Smart Integration, without sacrificing beauty

Whether you’re a minimalist looking for sleek, industrial handles or someone embracing the warm-modern blend of brass and stone textures, we’ve got something that fits—and surprises.

Real Feedback From Real Spaces

We don’t just sell handles. We help create moments—those silent handshakes that set the tone for everything that follows.

Here’s what clients have shared:

“I never thought handles could be a design feature. But the ones I chose from BeautifulHandles literally changed how I experience the room. Guests notice. I notice. It’s a detail I now pay attention to everywhere I go.”

— Architect, Notting Hill

“We added matte black handles to our white kitchen cabinetry, and it instantly felt sharper, more considered. No other change had as much visual impact for the cost.”

— Interior Designer, Shoreditch

“Our office renovation was all about creating a welcoming, warm environment. The tactile handles from BeautifulHandles were small investments that made the whole space feel more human.”

— Design Consultant, Holborn

For Developers and Designers: Handle the Market With Vision

If you’re in commercial real estate, hospitality, or workspace design, you know how competitive the market has become. The difference between average and premium is often found in the margins—the feel of the flooring, the softness of light, and yes, the sensation of a well-crafted door handle.

BeautifulHandles.com works directly with developers, interior designers, and architects to deliver tailored solutions at scale. We offer:

Bulk pricing without design compromise

Custom branding options for hotels, offices, and residential projects

Fast turnaround on signature collections

Global shipping and installation guidance

You don't have to go big to stand out. You just have to go better.

The Cultural Shift: Why Design is Moving Toward “Touchable Luxury”

In an age dominated by screens and digital interaction, physical environments are making a quiet comeback. But it’s not about maximalism or extravagance—it’s about sensory refinement. Touchable luxury is design that invites interaction, rewarding the user with texture, temperature, and presence.

This shift is particularly visible in how spaces are being curated post-2020. People want homes and workplaces that feel good, not just look good. Door handles—perhaps the most tactile element in any environment—are central to this reawakening.

Interior designers are now using hardware as a way to soften modernism, add depth to minimalist spaces, or create moments of unexpected delight. In many ways, the door handle is becoming the bridge between digital detachment and material intimacy.

For those seeking to balance sleek contemporary design with warmth and tactility, the answer isn’t always a colour or a material. Sometimes, it’s as small (and important) as a handle.

Beyond the Door: Handles as a Branding Opportunity

Design is identity. For boutique hotels, creative workspaces, or even curated Airbnbs, every design element communicates something about the brand. Door handles, as both physical and symbolic touchpoints, are uniquely powerful in shaping that perception.

A bold, oversized brass pull on a dark-stained door? That says confidence. A slimline matte black lever on a concrete wall? That signals innovation. Handles can serve as micro-branding tools, subtly reinforcing a space’s aesthetic and values with every use.

Forward-thinking commercial spaces are already catching on. One co-working firm in London recently integrated their brand motif into all their internal door handles—a detail so subtle, clients didn’t consciously notice it at first, but later described the space as “cohesive and high-end.”

This kind of brand continuity is the future of spatial storytelling. And at BeautifulHandles.com, we offer customizable hardware solutions for those who want their design details to work harder.

Because when everything else is curated, why leave the first point of contact to chance?

The Final Word: Elevate What People Touch

Think about the last time you visited a space that felt unforgettable. Was it the colour of the walls? The lighting? Or was it something more subtle—the feeling of quality, of intentionality, in the smallest places?

That’s what a great  door handle does. It grounds a design. It speaks, without saying a word. And in 2025, it’s speaking louder than ever.

So the next time you renovate, refurbish, or reimagine—start with the part of your home people connect with first.

Not your floors. Not your walls. Your handle.

Explore the future of design, detail, and touch at beautifulhandles.com. Where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, one turn at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why should I upgrade my door handles? Upgrading door handles is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to elevate your space. It adds visual polish, improves tactile experience, and can completely change the perception of quality in a room.

Q: Are your handles suitable for both homes and commercial spaces? Absolutely. Our collections include designs for residential, hospitality, retail, and corporate environments. Whether you're updating a single room or outfitting an entire building, we’ve got you covered.

Q: Are your products easy to install? Most of our door handles come with universal fittings and are designed for straightforward installation. We also provide detailed guides and customer support for both DIYers and professional installers.

Q: How do I choose the right finish for my space? We offer complimentary design consultations and curated style guides to help you select the perfect door handle based on your interior, lighting, and intended vibe.

Still have questions? Get in touch at beautifulhandles.com — where detail becomes design.

[tameblog]

February 02, 2025 Flora-and-fauna wallpaper with painted trim to match. Fabulous geometric floor tile. A rich use of color and pattern. I’m a maximalist at heart and have a weakness for these bold design moves. You’ll see lots of them in today’s post — part 2 of my coverage of the 10th annual Tribeza Interiors Tour, a tour of Austin homes that shows off the work of interior designers. (Here’s part 1 if you want to start there.) Let’s go! Lindsey Hanna Design I could barely tear myself away from the mystical mudroom in the Lindsey Hanna Design home. First off, I adore the Scissortail wallpaper (in sepia) by Counterpart Studios, designed in collaboration with Austin’s chainstitching queens at Fort Lonesome. (For more Fort Lonesome wallpaper, check out this home from the 2023 Tribeza tour.) Sage green paint on the trim picks up the color in the moon spots and flowers’ eyes. It coordinates with the Soci Aura floor tile, whose starry design adds to the romantic nightscape of the Scissortail paper. Thanks, Lindsey Hanna team, for providing spec sheets in your rooms — so helpful! Maybe add paint colors too next time? I’m greedy. In the powder bath, terracotta wall tile warms up the space. The color and geometry of it, with a geometric mirror to match — so good! A Lostine punched-leather pendant adds a tactile, hand-crafted accent. Here’s the spec sheet. In the primary bath, a matte brown concrete tub melted my indifference to showpiece bathtubs. I always suspect those fancy stand-alone bathtubs are rarely filled. And yet they take up so much space for a symbolic (aspirational?) gesture at leisure time or self-care. I dislike a tub even more when it’s shoehorned into a dim shower stall. Who wants to soak in one of those? Here, however, the tub is a tactile work of art. I could get behind a tub this beautiful. Dandelion ceramic floor tile in brown and terracotta set everything off to perfection. Aha, the wall color is provided in this spec sheet — nice! In the girls’ bathroom, Louise Jones’s Stellar Blush wallpaper, available from Supply Showroom, livens the walls. Australian plant lovers, this one is for you. Louise Jones describes the botanically inspired design: “[T]he distinct star-like flower of the blue devil (Eryngium pinnatifidum) shines amongst a beautiful mass of gum leaves, kangarooo paw and acacia blossoms.” G’day, mate! But it was the floor tile that stole my heart: a terracotta star-and-cross by Zia Tile. Love, love, love. The spec sheet Yet another bathroom features teal oval shower tiles with terracotta grout, a terracotta-tile shower floor, and Tropicana Rucksack Green floor tiles from Clay Imports. A fun use of color and pattern! I spotted this snake vase on the dining table on the way out and suspect it’s the work of Austin’s monster-making ceramist Rick Van Dyke. In the entry, fluted paneling and checkerboard floor tile from Clay Imports set off a burl veneer console and mosaic mirror. West Chelsea Contemporary homeowner A sapphire blue Chevy Chevelle and vibrant mural-style wall art greeted visitors at the West Chelsea Contemporary owner’s home in Bryker Woods. The back garden grabbed my attention first, and I explored. Blocks of cut stone lead to a patio under a steel-pipe pergola, enclosed by a living wall for privacy. A Chinese warrior statue wearing a string of beads stands guard. You can see it’s going to be eclectic. A sunburst-patterned table provides outdoor dining space. A few steps down, a sunken patio with fire pit provides another seating area. Look at the vibrant color on the oakleaf hydrangea in the foreground. Inside, it was art, art, art, as befits the owner of a huge contemporary art gallery. The mountain scene is Cleon Peterson’s The Reflection. Another wall features Aboudia’s Les Enfants D’Abidjan Rouge-Orange. A Kiss stool by Barbara Kruger stands nearby. Roby Dwi Antono’s surreal Mystique Moonlight Lamp Dire warnings in framed wooden postcards from Jenny Holzer’s Survival series Lizzie Pincoffs Interiors Less provocative art greeted me at the Lizzie Pincoffs Interiors home in Tarrytown. A Lise Temple landscape above a black console perfectly echoes the colors of the entry wallpaper, Nympheus – Multi by G P & J Baker, featuring egrets and lotus leaves. Red-cushioned chairs and a blue-and-red rug pick up the wallpaper colors too. Off the entry, you step into a library with cobalt chairs, dark ceiling and walls, and a Dall sheep taxidermy. Texans love taxidermy in their decor. I saw more on a Lockhart homes tour last Christmas. It’s a gracious room, comfortable and traditional without being stuffy. I could see reading in here for hours. Or having cocktails with friends. In the powder bath, Peace and Music wallpaper by Mind the Gap sets a vibrant scene. A bouquet of orange protea flowers makes a perfect accent. A show-stopping display of flowers was in the dining room. Under a crystal-dripping chandelier, dozens of tulips, orchids, and calla lilies filled blue-and-white vases running the length of the table. It was a vision of spring — or the hothouse — in January. A sweet French-pleated cafe curtain with blue flowers was one of my favorite moments. A fanciful fruit bowl echoes the texture and gloss of the kitchen’s lattice backsplash tile. In a hall bath, I loved this wallpaper with geranium leaves and trim painted deep green to match. Blue Dog art adds a playful dash of blue. The wallpaper is Geranium by Cole & Son. A green door even! Great combo. Pretty bowls and trays accent the counter. Stay tuned for Part 3 of the Tribeza tour, featuring the final 5 houses. To read Part 1, click here. I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox! __________________________ Digging Deeper Attend the annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Festival on March 15th at the John Fairey Garden in Hempstead. Shop for rare plants from the garden’s nursery and select plant vendors. Local artists and artisans as well as food, drink, and demonstrations will also be featured. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, children under 12 free. Hours: 10 am to 4 pm; members get early admission at 9 am (memberships available on day of event). Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Read all about the Season 8 lineup here! All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

February 02, 2025 Flora-and-fauna wallpaper with painted trim to match. Fabulous geometric floor tile. A rich use of color and pattern. I’m a maximalist at heart and have a weakness for these bold design moves. You’ll see lots of them in today’s post — part 2 of my coverage of the 10th annual Tribeza Interiors Tour, a tour of Austin homes that shows off the work of interior designers. (Here’s part 1 if you want to start there.) Let’s go! Lindsey Hanna Design I could barely tear myself away from the mystical mudroom in the Lindsey Hanna Design home. First off, I adore the Scissortail wallpaper (in sepia) by Counterpart Studios, designed in collaboration with Austin’s chainstitching queens at Fort Lonesome. (For more Fort Lonesome wallpaper, check out this home from the 2023 Tribeza tour.) Sage green paint on the trim picks up the color in the moon spots and flowers’ eyes. It coordinates with the Soci Aura floor tile, whose starry design adds to the romantic nightscape of the Scissortail paper. Thanks, Lindsey Hanna team, for providing spec sheets in your rooms — so helpful! Maybe add paint colors too next time? I’m greedy. In the powder bath, terracotta wall tile warms up the space. The color and geometry of it, with a geometric mirror to match — so good! A Lostine punched-leather pendant adds a tactile, hand-crafted accent. Here’s the spec sheet. In the primary bath, a matte brown concrete tub melted my indifference to showpiece bathtubs. I always suspect those fancy stand-alone bathtubs are rarely filled. And yet they take up so much space for a symbolic (aspirational?) gesture at leisure time or self-care. I dislike a tub even more when it’s shoehorned into a dim shower stall. Who wants to soak in one of those? Here, however, the tub is a tactile work of art. I could get behind a tub this beautiful. Dandelion ceramic floor tile in brown and terracotta set everything off to perfection. Aha, the wall color is provided in this spec sheet — nice! In the girls’ bathroom, Louise Jones’s Stellar Blush wallpaper, available from Supply Showroom, livens the walls. Australian plant lovers, this one is for you. Louise Jones describes the botanically inspired design: “[T]he distinct star-like flower of the blue devil (Eryngium pinnatifidum) shines amongst a beautiful mass of gum leaves, kangarooo paw and acacia blossoms.” G’day, mate! But it was the floor tile that stole my heart: a terracotta star-and-cross by Zia Tile. Love, love, love. The spec sheet Yet another bathroom features teal oval shower tiles with terracotta grout, a terracotta-tile shower floor, and Tropicana Rucksack Green floor tiles from Clay Imports. A fun use of color and pattern! I spotted this snake vase on the dining table on the way out and suspect it’s the work of Austin’s monster-making ceramist Rick Van Dyke. In the entry, fluted paneling and checkerboard floor tile from Clay Imports set off a burl veneer console and mosaic mirror. West Chelsea Contemporary homeowner A sapphire blue Chevy Chevelle and vibrant mural-style wall art greeted visitors at the West Chelsea Contemporary owner’s home in Bryker Woods. The back garden grabbed my attention first, and I explored. Blocks of cut stone lead to a patio under a steel-pipe pergola, enclosed by a living wall for privacy. A Chinese warrior statue wearing a string of beads stands guard. You can see it’s going to be eclectic. A sunburst-patterned table provides outdoor dining space. A few steps down, a sunken patio with fire pit provides another seating area. Look at the vibrant color on the oakleaf hydrangea in the foreground. Inside, it was art, art, art, as befits the owner of a huge contemporary art gallery. The mountain scene is Cleon Peterson’s The Reflection. Another wall features Aboudia’s Les Enfants D’Abidjan Rouge-Orange. A Kiss stool by Barbara Kruger stands nearby. Roby Dwi Antono’s surreal Mystique Moonlight Lamp Dire warnings in framed wooden postcards from Jenny Holzer’s Survival series Lizzie Pincoffs Interiors Less provocative art greeted me at the Lizzie Pincoffs Interiors home in Tarrytown. A Lise Temple landscape above a black console perfectly echoes the colors of the entry wallpaper, Nympheus – Multi by G P & J Baker, featuring egrets and lotus leaves. Red-cushioned chairs and a blue-and-red rug pick up the wallpaper colors too. Off the entry, you step into a library with cobalt chairs, dark ceiling and walls, and a Dall sheep taxidermy. Texans love taxidermy in their decor. I saw more on a Lockhart homes tour last Christmas. It’s a gracious room, comfortable and traditional without being stuffy. I could see reading in here for hours. Or having cocktails with friends. In the powder bath, Peace and Music wallpaper by Mind the Gap sets a vibrant scene. A bouquet of orange protea flowers makes a perfect accent. A show-stopping display of flowers was in the dining room. Under a crystal-dripping chandelier, dozens of tulips, orchids, and calla lilies filled blue-and-white vases running the length of the table. It was a vision of spring — or the hothouse — in January. A sweet French-pleated cafe curtain with blue flowers was one of my favorite moments. A fanciful fruit bowl echoes the texture and gloss of the kitchen’s lattice backsplash tile. In a hall bath, I loved this wallpaper with geranium leaves and trim painted deep green to match. Blue Dog art adds a playful dash of blue. The wallpaper is Geranium by Cole & Son. A green door even! Great combo. Pretty bowls and trays accent the counter. Stay tuned for Part 3 of the Tribeza tour, featuring the final 5 houses. To read Part 1, click here. I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox! __________________________ Digging Deeper Attend the annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Festival on March 15th at the John Fairey Garden in Hempstead. Shop for rare plants from the garden’s nursery and select plant vendors. Local artists and artisans as well as food, drink, and demonstrations will also be featured. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, children under 12 free. Hours: 10 am to 4 pm; members get early admission at 9 am (memberships available on day of event). Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Read all about the Season 8 lineup here! All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. Source link

[alexha2210]

February 02, 2025 Flora-and-fauna wallpaper with painted trim to match. Fabulous geometric floor tile. A rich use of color and pattern. I’m a maximalist at heart and have a weakness for these bold design moves. You’ll see lots of them in today’s post — part 2 of my coverage of the 10th annual Tribeza Interiors Tour, a tour of Austin homes that shows off the work of interior designers. (Here’s part 1 if you want to start there.) Let’s go! Lindsey Hanna Design I could barely tear myself away from the mystical mudroom in the Lindsey Hanna Design home. First off, I adore the Scissortail wallpaper (in sepia) by Counterpart Studios, designed in collaboration with Austin’s chainstitching queens at Fort Lonesome. (For more Fort Lonesome wallpaper, check out this home from the 2023 Tribeza tour.) Sage green paint on the trim picks up the color in the moon spots and flowers’ eyes. It coordinates with the Soci Aura floor tile, whose starry design adds to the romantic nightscape of the Scissortail paper. Thanks, Lindsey Hanna team, for providing spec sheets in your rooms — so helpful! Maybe add paint colors too next time? I’m greedy. In the powder bath, terracotta wall tile warms up the space. The color and geometry of it, with a geometric mirror to match — so good! A Lostine punched-leather pendant adds a tactile, hand-crafted accent. Here’s the spec sheet. In the primary bath, a matte brown concrete tub melted my indifference to showpiece bathtubs. I always suspect those fancy stand-alone bathtubs are rarely filled. And yet they take up so much space for a symbolic (aspirational?) gesture at leisure time or self-care. I dislike a tub even more when it’s shoehorned into a dim shower stall. Who wants to soak in one of those? Here, however, the tub is a tactile work of art. I could get behind a tub this beautiful. Dandelion ceramic floor tile in brown and terracotta set everything off to perfection. Aha, the wall color is provided in this spec sheet — nice! In the girls’ bathroom, Louise Jones’s Stellar Blush wallpaper, available from Supply Showroom, livens the walls. Australian plant lovers, this one is for you. Louise Jones describes the botanically inspired design: “[T]he distinct star-like flower of the blue devil (Eryngium pinnatifidum) shines amongst a beautiful mass of gum leaves, kangarooo paw and acacia blossoms.” G’day, mate! But it was the floor tile that stole my heart: a terracotta star-and-cross by Zia Tile. Love, love, love. The spec sheet Yet another bathroom features teal oval shower tiles with terracotta grout, a terracotta-tile shower floor, and Tropicana Rucksack Green floor tiles from Clay Imports. A fun use of color and pattern! I spotted this snake vase on the dining table on the way out and suspect it’s the work of Austin’s monster-making ceramist Rick Van Dyke. In the entry, fluted paneling and checkerboard floor tile from Clay Imports set off a burl veneer console and mosaic mirror. West Chelsea Contemporary homeowner A sapphire blue Chevy Chevelle and vibrant mural-style wall art greeted visitors at the West Chelsea Contemporary owner’s home in Bryker Woods. The back garden grabbed my attention first, and I explored. Blocks of cut stone lead to a patio under a steel-pipe pergola, enclosed by a living wall for privacy. A Chinese warrior statue wearing a string of beads stands guard. You can see it’s going to be eclectic. A sunburst-patterned table provides outdoor dining space. A few steps down, a sunken patio with fire pit provides another seating area. Look at the vibrant color on the oakleaf hydrangea in the foreground. Inside, it was art, art, art, as befits the owner of a huge contemporary art gallery. The mountain scene is Cleon Peterson’s The Reflection. Another wall features Aboudia’s Les Enfants D’Abidjan Rouge-Orange. A Kiss stool by Barbara Kruger stands nearby. Roby Dwi Antono’s surreal Mystique Moonlight Lamp Dire warnings in framed wooden postcards from Jenny Holzer’s Survival series Lizzie Pincoffs Interiors Less provocative art greeted me at the Lizzie Pincoffs Interiors home in Tarrytown. A Lise Temple landscape above a black console perfectly echoes the colors of the entry wallpaper, Nympheus – Multi by G P & J Baker, featuring egrets and lotus leaves. Red-cushioned chairs and a blue-and-red rug pick up the wallpaper colors too. Off the entry, you step into a library with cobalt chairs, dark ceiling and walls, and a Dall sheep taxidermy. Texans love taxidermy in their decor. I saw more on a Lockhart homes tour last Christmas. It’s a gracious room, comfortable and traditional without being stuffy. I could see reading in here for hours. Or having cocktails with friends. In the powder bath, Peace and Music wallpaper by Mind the Gap sets a vibrant scene. A bouquet of orange protea flowers makes a perfect accent. A show-stopping display of flowers was in the dining room. Under a crystal-dripping chandelier, dozens of tulips, orchids, and calla lilies filled blue-and-white vases running the length of the table. It was a vision of spring — or the hothouse — in January. A sweet French-pleated cafe curtain with blue flowers was one of my favorite moments. A fanciful fruit bowl echoes the texture and gloss of the kitchen’s lattice backsplash tile. In a hall bath, I loved this wallpaper with geranium leaves and trim painted deep green to match. Blue Dog art adds a playful dash of blue. The wallpaper is Geranium by Cole & Son. A green door even! Great combo. Pretty bowls and trays accent the counter. Stay tuned for Part 3 of the Tribeza tour, featuring the final 5 houses. To read Part 1, click here. I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox! __________________________ Digging Deeper Attend the annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Festival on March 15th at the John Fairey Garden in Hempstead. Shop for rare plants from the garden’s nursery and select plant vendors. Local artists and artisans as well as food, drink, and demonstrations will also be featured. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, children under 12 free. Hours: 10 am to 4 pm; members get early admission at 9 am (memberships available on day of event). Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Read all about the Season 8 lineup here! All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. Source link