Archive for August, 2012

August 20th, 2012 No Comments

this week’s color palette: eggplant shades

This eggplant still life was photographed by Sang An and styled by me for Oprah Magazine. It’s one of my favorite shots we did together. The colors are so rich and natural. I know all the stores are pushing fall right now- (too early for me! summer isn’t over yet!) but here in the height of summer vegetables we find these gorgeous shades in eggplants. So even though I think most of us associate these colors with fall, they are found during summer in nature. They are so deep and saturated and beautiful. I love it. I would love to … Read more

August 18th, 2012 No Comments

Reese Witherspoon’s home featured in elle decor

Have you seen the September issue of Elle Decor magazine? It features actress Reese Witherspoon’s California ranch. If you haven’t seen a copy, you can read it online. Here is the link: Elle Decor/ Reese Witherspoon. It’s understated elegance at it’s best.

August 17th, 2012 No Comments

shopping for succulent wreaths and succulent vertical wall planters

I am most definitely going to order a succulent wreath this year for the holidays and here is a company that is taking pre-orders for November delivery- Cactus Jungle Nursery. They have 10″ wreaths for $44 and 15″ for $132. I’ve also been so interested in creating a vertical wall succulent planter. Sunset magazine has a great little article on how to do it yourself or where to buy a pre-assembled succulent garden (at sgplants.com, note they also have succulent wreaths and kits). If you just need the frame and want to plant it yourself, try searching … Read more

August 16th, 2012 No Comments

Succulent inspired paint colors

Here are some suggested paint colors from Benjamin Moore pulled from our inspirational succulent color palette this week. Deep Teals look fantastic in dining rooms and studies. Faded green-grays you find in succulents are wonderful for kitchen cabinet colors, living spaces that have a lot of sunlight or restful bedrooms. Blue-greens also work well in living spaces, bedrooms and especially baths.

August 15th, 2012 No Comments

wednesday weddings & celebrations: succulent favors

This a is great sustainable favor for guests. By taking a small bubble vase and layering sand and rocks in the bottom with a selection of succulents, you can create a miniature succulent terrarium for each guest. If you chose something like this for your own wedding or celebration- it’s great because it’s something you can do in the months or weeks ahead of your event or if you don’t have the time, you can ask your florist or local nursery to put them together for you. You can find many sized vases like this, sand, rocks etc. at Jamali … Read more

August 14th, 2012 1 Comment

tuesday’s tabletop: succulent centerpieces

I was asked to design a table for Hampton Cottages and Gardens for the Hampton Classic (an equestrian competition). It was very last minute and the event was outside in very hot, humid temperatures. Traditional flowers might not hold up in the heat- so I chose to use different varieties of succulents, so I was sure it would look crisp and clean. I used different sized Jars bowls and Mud Australia bowls (available from my store) to plant the succulents in and topped off the dirt with small white seashells to finish the centerpieces. The tables were all … Read more

August 13th, 2012 No Comments

this week’s color palette: succulent greens, teals and gray-greens

I love the color palettes found in succulents- deep teals, greens, green-grays. In fact I think it’s one of my favorite palettes. I’m horrible with plants, so succulents and I have a love/ love relationship. It’s really hard to kill a succulent since they store so much water and are great in stone beds and dry climates. There is a Cactus and Succulent Society, which is a wealth of information- from species to locating your local chapter and resources.

August 10th, 2012 No Comments

Artichoke and feta tarts with tomato salad

Yum! With all this tomato talk this week I thought I might feature a tomato recipe to try. Here’s one from one of my favorite cooks- Donna Hay. Donna has seasonal magazines, numerous cookbooks, a ‘general store’ on her site, and styling ideas and tips. I think you’ll love to explore her world if you haven’t already.

August 9th, 2012 No Comments

Chip it! i love this paint color finder tool from Sherwin-Williams

Oh my gosh! I love this paint finder tool called Chip It! from Sherwin-Williams Paints. You take any photo and upload it into the Chip It! tool and it will automatically sort through hundreds of paints and find matching paint colors pulled from the photo’s color palette. Use a photo that inspires you and instantly it tells you what paint colors to use! I uploaded the tomato photograph that inspired this week’s color palette and this is what the Chip It! tool came up with….wow! How great is that? Try the link above to upload your own photos and … Read more

August 8th, 2012 No Comments

weddings & celebrations: summer vegetables inspire a cookbook author’s wedding

Susan Spungen, former Food Editor of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and author of “Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook” had a gorgeous summer wedding at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York. Vegetables inspired table names, represented by seed packets and letterpressed on seating cards. Fresh tomato miniature sandwiches and an heirloom-tomato salad were enjoyed by guests. See the entire beautiful wedding online at Martha Stewart Weddings and Susan’s cookbook is definitely one to have and to hold for your kitchen library.