Showing posts with label my home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my home. Show all posts

Saturday, January 15, 2011

my main squeeze !

     A delicious and easily portable fruit, the clementine is appealing to both adults and children alike. The clementine is sweet, easy to peel and an excellent source of Vitamin C. Readily available in supermarkets from October through January, the clementine is a tasty fruit that is great for supplementing meals or as a midday snack. Often compared to tangerines, the clementine is perfect snack for children because of it's nutritional value and sweet taste. I even use them in cocktails, try adding cranberry juice to a good vodka , a squeeze of clementine juice , and some zest for garnish !

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

pop!

I think its all about the color POP!  I am loving subdued shades of grey, white, and other neutrals, with electric pops of color.  I am definitely interested in yellow at the moment, and thinking of enhancing my current palette with some yellow!  I always say, stick with a basic color story and add your pops of color with inexpensive accessories that add interest and personality to your space.  I love this coffee table in hot pink mixed with this darker palette!  It's just amazing.  Now this is how you add personality to a room!

bathroom art

Doesn't this Roy Liechtenstein print look great?  We have it our bathroom.  I'm just loving a yellow color pop lately.  Perhaps it will be my new decorating color for the spring???

aloe-ette

I am in love with this.  We just got two aloe plants from Home Depot, and we put it on our dining room table along with this fancy centerpiece from a garden shop in Middletown, Rhode Island called Chaves Gardens.  It adds a touch of, "Greek-ness" to the apartment!

end tables

One thing that I like to do is to combine different types of end tables.  For example, in our living room we have a white lacquer end table on one end of the couch, and a white metal and frosted glass end table on the other end.  In the bedroom, we're using a small decorative box next to the bed, and we also have a small trunk in the living room.  I think it is important to switch these around every once in a while, because it is a quick and easy way to update a room .

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

rub a dub tub

I bought this silver galvanized tub with handles from the hardware store.  Originally, I was going to use it for the base of my tree, but it did not work the way I hoped; so instead, I put it on the side of my couch and filled it with all my magazines and catalogs.  I think it looks great and fits the "industrial" architecture perfectly.

deck the loft!

We decided on a lovely white tree this year; it was the perfect choice.  It really fits the color palette of the rest of our apartment, since I wanted to keep the color scheme monochromatic.  I used gray, silver, and pearl-colored ornaments.  Living in a loft is basically like decorating one large space. 
Our loft is decorated in a mid-century modern style, with classic infusion.  Overall, we keep a minimalist standard as far as accessories and furniture. Take a look at some of our holiday decor .



One of my favorite ornaments that I bought is this charming polar bear.  I got this at a shop in Mystic, Connecticut.  I love how he looks like he is balancing on one of the tree branches.  I try to make the animals look real, not just hang on the tree.
Our tree is only 4 1/2 feet tall, but we gave it extra height with this simple white end-table.
A glittered wreath on my large mirror, with a little bird nestled perfectly!
More birds on the tree!  I love this adorable white porcelain bird.  My mother bought us two of these.
On my table, I have a silver leaf platter filled with pine cones, and sprinkled with silver glittered balls.
On the coffee table I created a little scenery of snow, flocked trees, and this little twig rodent!
I found this amazing Pottery Barn SILVER-PLATED Santa; it retails for $125.00, and he weighs 20 pounds.  I found him at Savers for $19.99.  YES, this is a true story.  How chic is that Santa?  He is standing proud next to my silver ball tree that I made.
This is my mini vintage silver tinsel tree, decorated with light blue and silver balls of different sizes.
An overview of the newly-arranged living room.


 A great shot of the dining room table.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

yummy tissues

I found these Kleenex divine desserts tissues at Target today.  They are so fun!  They come in a variety of cake flavors; I just had to have the red velvet cake.  Blowing your nose has never been so sweet!

stick a light ... you know where

We recently installed a small shelf under my kitchen cabinets, over the sink.  This shelf displays some of my porcelain pitchers and lovely Guy Wolff pottery.  However, it was a very dark area, and being a renter living in an apartment, I could not install any lighting that would be permanent.  Luckily, we found these small tap lights, which are the perfect solution.
Below is a picture of my bathroom, where I used one of the battery-operated tap lights under the medicine cabinet.  This is perfect for a middle-of-the-night bathroom break, when you need just a splash of light.
Replacing the batteries is very easy.  The part that sticks to the surface unscrews from the light where you can put in the batteries.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

bring Ralph Lauren home

There is nothing quite as classic as Ralph Lauren.  His all-American inspired fashion designs are timeless and always on trend.  Have you shopped his home collection?  OMG!  I like it, and I like it A LOT.  It is infused with some much of his classic fashion design touches, like plaid or cable-knit designs, using rich materials and luxurious details.  He has some very good holiday gift options.  Please browse the collection.  If you can't buy, just get inspired.  Inspiration is free! 
I love the idea of having a festive holiday table scape, but I wouldn't want it to be tacky.  There's nothing tacky about these Ralph Lauren plaid table accessories.  Such a classic design and festive holiday colors.
A cashmere throw!  This is the ultimate in lavish home accessories, and a Ralph Lauren option?  YES!  You better believe that this is on my shopping bucket list.. someday!
I believe that you can never go wrong with a candle.  EVERYONE loves a candle, and everyone on your holiday shopping list will just adore this silver holiday Ralph Lauren candle.  I am in love with the red plaid box.  I would just wrap a gorgeous bright red silk ribbon around this, and voila!

"make it nice around the tree!"

Check out this site I found.  It's called Christmas Trees Galore and they specialize in artificial Christmas trees that you can order.  I'm so torn between a silver tree and a white tree.  I do know that i do NOT want a real tree.  Such a mess!  Let's have a look of what they have:
24 in. Pre-lit Upside Down Tree
 An upside down tree.. um, I don't know about that one.  It's kind of fun to look at, but, really?
Pink Cashmere Full Pre-lit Christmas Tree
A pink tree!  Doesn't go with my color scheme...
Multi LED Blossom Tree
This one is different!  I like it a lot.
White Spruce Medium Pre-lit Christmas Tree
Fabulous!  Very chic.

We'll see what I decide!  Stay tuned...

Sunday, November 7, 2010

simple shrimp

I recently hosted a fabulous cocktail party at my apartment.  I wanted to serve cocktail shrimp, but not the basic cocktail shrimp; I wanted a more flavorful, interesting version.  This is a roasted cocktail shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce.  It was one of my favorite hors d'oeuvres at the party, and it was so simple to make!  Here is the recipe:

For the shrimp:
- 2 pounds (12-15) shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

    Directions:

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

    Peel and de-vein the shrimp, leaving the tails on.  Place them on a sheet pain with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread them in one layer.  Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through.  Set aside to cool.

    To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients and serve as a dip with the shrimp.

    Monday, November 1, 2010

    holidays trend alert

    Leave it to West Elm to bring back the classics--and add their contemporary twist--to these handmade felt ornaments.  These are definitely going on my Christmas list.  I love the whimsical twist, and candy cane colors.  I think these would also be fabulous as gift toppers.


    These mushrooms are absolutely adorable!  All of these fabulous felt creations are HANDMADE by artisan women in a village outside of Kathmandu.


    I am in LOVE with the white felt bead garland seen here.  West Elm has an amazing selection of holiday decor.  Check out their website for lots of great things.

    Monday, October 18, 2010

    fab finish


    The Martha Stewart Living paint finish tool kit contains eight tools for creating twelve decorative paint effects.  It also includes a full color technique brochure and how-to guide.  A fresh coat of paint does wonders to a room, but to really breathe new life into plain walls and tired furniture, try giving that fresh coat a little something extra.  Eye-catching patterns and surface textures are surprisingly easy to create yourself, and you can see the beautiful results of your project in a single weekend.  This booklet gives you step-by-step instructions for producing a dozen professional-looking effects, including graphic stripes, rich textured linen, and my favorite, “faux bois” wood grain.

    Sunday, October 17, 2010

    put a cork in it

    Product Image Naturals Adhesive Cork Shelf Liner - 18x4" 
    When we first moved into our loft apartment, one thing I focused my attention on was the proper drawer liner for the kitchen.  With a cork self-adhesive drawer and shelf liner, you can gently cushion and protect fine glassware and dinnerware.  The roll of soft, pliable natural cork features a peel-off backing to adhere to a drawer or shelf.  The cork naturally resists mold and mildew and easily cut with scissors.  You can find this at Target, and other stores.

    prized pottery


    Since 1971, Guy Wolff has been spinning some of the most exquisite clay creations around.  Located in Washington, Connecticut, Guy Wolff makes his gorgeous pots at his studio.  I love his work, and I hope to collect many of his pieces.  The clean lines and timeless designs make for ideal choices for indoor and outdoor plant vessels.  I love his white pots--they have a green patina that makes them look mossy and aged.


    Please explore his website, and keep him in mind this Holiday season.  Anyone could appreciate a well made work of art like this, that functions as beautifully as it looks.