As the last days of summer draw near there are just a few weeks left to enjoy our pools here on the East Coast. I saved this photo from an old Elle Decor because I loved the circular pool and the vibrant red striped chairs and awning. This photo was taken at Ferragamo’s 15th-century Tuscan villa- but the pool dates to the 1950’s. I always tend to stay in my comfort zone when selecting chair cushions and towels around our pool- but going bold with red and white stripes is like eye candy and I should probably take heed from … Read more
Archive for the ‘Reds’ Category
Fall forecast: is eggplant the new black in color trends?
If you are looking for a perfect shade to paint your dining room, media room or library so it feels cozy and sexy here are a couple shades you might want to try…Farrow&Ball’s Brinjal #222 and Benjamin Moore’s Caponata #AF-650. That’s what I’m seeing for fall. In fact Pantone color experts forecast a deep, darkened red similar to eggplant for men’s fashion #19-1652 and a ‘sea fog’ #16-3304 (a soft lavender/blue for ties and shirting) and for women they forecast a more quieting shade of purple called ‘rhapsody’ #16-3817, like the 5th color down on our color palette this week, … Read more
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
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.
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
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.
tuesday’s tabletop: tomato placecard holder & corn grit votive holder
Personalizing a lunch or dinner for friends can be very easy and not so overwhelming. Here using the colors in our tomato color palette this week, all I did was take a toothpick, a piece of paper cut into a flag shape with my friends’ names and poked it into a cherry tomato as a place card holder. This could be an easy lunch or dinner for friends and family. I used fresh vegetables along a cutting board as the centerpiece and served corn soup with cherry tomatoes and crackers as the starter. I took dry corn grits and filled … Read more
this week’s color palette: red & yellow tomato with herb sandwich
I love this photo that my friend, photographer Sang An, took for Body & Soul magazine. It’s an heirloom red and yellow tomato sandwich with herbs, tofu spread and sea salt. Tofu is not my personal favorite so I think I would personally change it to a mozzarella cheese. These first weeks of August are always the time my Dad’s tomatoes are fully ripe and we enjoy tomatoes and corn- any which way! I especially love fried green tomatoes. And just like in the movie “The Help” – Crisco is the secret to frying green tomatoes…coat them in flour, put … Read more
wedding wednesdays: Talbots introduces a brand new line this week!
This week Talbots introduced a new line for mother-of-the bride and special occasion dresses called “Aisle Style”. The collection includes 15 pieces in the option of 7 rich colors, as well as accessories. The market certainly needed a line like this and I’m sure it will make a lot of brides’ lives much easier! (Shades of lavender and blue are in this new collection that fit in with this week’s color palette. The exact yellow I posted in my color palette this week isn’t in this palette but there is a beautiful champagne color – so who can resist … Read more
red, white and blue: lynn’s picks
Mormor Blue Bowl Large, $72.50, from Normann Copenhagen, Beach umbrellas in red or blue nautical stripes, $34.95, from Shade USA, Blue Enamel Coffee Mug, $3.99 each, from Coleman (We use these all summer long outside because they can’t break!), Reusable Napkins on a roll, set of 50 for $12.50, from Crate and Barrel, Wooden Oar in red, $29-69, from Pottery Barn Kids (I just found a vintage oar exactly like this red one to put in my pool house & I love it).