Table of Contents: Dark Shadows

We’re readying our rooms for the chill ahead–pulling out woolens, finding a new need for black accents, and allowing a cozy moodiness to rule the roost. With Halloween around the bend, join us as we celebrate the witching hour all week.

• Shou sugi ban, the age-old Japanese practice of torching wood to fireproof it, has gone global. Learn about its pleasingly haunted look and myriad applications in Remodeling 101.
• In today’s Lighting post, Julie presents a new favorite globe light from Paris perfect for shadowy and clean-lined settings.
• In Wednesday’s Hotels & Lodgings post, Margot leads the way to the Loire Valley to tour a 12th-century abbey that’s been transformed into a sybaritic place to stay.
• Are you yearning to go to the dark side in your sink and shower? Christine fills us in on where to source black Faucets & Fixtures on Thursday.
• On Friday, Janet is inaugurating a new Remodelista column called Household Intelligence, dedicated to smarter living strategies. The topic: How to achieve total darkness in the bedroom–and why it matters for a better night’s sleep.
• What would it be like to be Michael Kors? In Weekend Spotlight, designer Glen Gissler, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory, shows us around the fashion designer’s New York City penthouse digs.