Friends by Design

Jennifer is not afraid to treat herself every once in a while—to delicate water glasses or colorful tableware. "I always thought you needed cabinets to hide your dishes," she says, remembering her first impulse to build doors around the open shelves in the kitchen. "But not if you have pretty dishes."

Ultimately, Carpenter says, she understands that it's sometimes those little things—whether earthy pottery that complements your countertops or, yes, even mosquito netting to dress up an air mattress—that make the difference in how you live your life.

Dishware from Lawson-Fenning East, clear glasses from Roost, and vintage woven cups sit on open shelves in the kitchen.