June 10th, 2013 No Comments

kitchens & baths: a neutral color palette and brass accents create a timeless style

Your kitchen and your bathrooms usually get the most return when renovating your home. It’s hard to know where to start when renovating your kitchen. But if you are planning to sell your home anytime in the near future you might want to consider a classic neutral color palette for your cabinets and countertops. Above, the kitchen has dark counters, while below the bath shows a neutral cream counter, showing you how both can be classic in style.  I mentioned before in our post “6 emerging kitchen trends” that brass was becoming more popular again for kitchen hardware. Now … Read more

June 7th, 2013 No Comments

summer cocktails from creative loafing…a pink heelsplitter anyone?

Creative Loafing based in Charlotte, North Carolina has a nice round-up of summer cocktails to give you several fresh new ideas for your bar. How about a hot Pink Heelsplitter? or a Queen 2 Bee? I bet you never thought of some of these ingredients to mix your drinks…beet and chard syrup, rhubarb bitters or blueberry mustard! (follow the Creative Loafing link above for the full story)

June 6th, 2013 No Comments

interiors: this week’s color palette used in big splashes and small accents

Sometimes there’s nothing better than just looking at inspirational photos to get ideas for your own home. A hot pink might be too much for your walls, but a sofa makes a big splash. Paired with shades of pink, coral and yellow pillows it brings this white room to life. (notice the gray stained beams.. part of our color palette this week with the pinks and yellows) Slip covers for you sofa are a great idea if you don’t want to invest in an expensive sofa in such a bold color. Below, sometimes just adding a bright comforter to a … Read more

June 5th, 2013 No Comments

weddings: something special, banquet atelier & workshop has a beautiful guest “book” print

At the recent National Stationery Show in NYC that we attended we met with Sarah Edmonds, Creative Director and her partner Tammy Lawrence of Banquet Atelier & Workshop. We love their nature inspired screen printed limited edition prints and stationery… especially the whale! (see below) But most of all we love their Special Occasion Guest Book Print, unframed for $36. This is a unique way to remember your wedding day or anniversary party or even a milestone birthday. A guest book will sit on a shelf or in a box somewhere but something like this that you can … Read more

June 4th, 2013 No Comments

our father’s day gift guide: 10 great gift ideas!

Father’s Day is fast approaching, it’s Sunday, June 16th! We thought we’d put a gift guide together for you in case you are stumped on what to get Dad. Here are a few suggestions that we’re loving right now: For the adventurous dad, how about surf or kiteboarding lessons from Main Beach Surf and Sport in the Hamptons. Dad can learn a new sport or the whole family can spend the day learning together. The Salted Caramel’s Big Top Sampler is perfect for the dad with a sweet tooth. Flavors like bacon bourbon caramel corn or salted bourbon caramel marshmallows … Read more

June 3rd, 2013 No Comments

this week’s color palette: spring pinks with bright yellow, gray and green

The roses are in bloom now as well as the cosmos and geraniums, each one with their own shade of pink…the geranium being a bit more coral in color. The bright yellow, the greens of the stems and leaves and the gray background all can act as pops of accent color or in the case of the gray, a grounding color for floors or your furniture palette. I have maple floors in my own home that are pre-stained a gray, so it is possible to have a gray floor apart from the obvious rugs. Benjamin Moore paint colors guide … Read more

May 31st, 2013 No Comments

the perfect place for quick hostess gifts…eataly

My friend that is a total “foodie” came to my house this past weekend with the most incredible orange bread in tow. She was a food stylist for years (so she is very discriminating when it comes to food) and loves frequenting Eataly in New York City for it’s fresh market and also the 7 restaurants it offers. This had to be the best bread I’ve ever tasted. It had large orange bits baked in and although I looked online for a recipe to link you to, none of the recipes I found included large chunks or almost candied … Read more

May 30th, 2013 No Comments

create an outdoor room with this week’s seashell color palette

It can be overwhelming narrowing down the hundreds of options for outdoor furniture and accessories these days, but the good thing is that outdoor furniture is now available for every budget from low to high. We’ve selected a few things from the market to create a soothing outdoor room within this week’s seashell color palette. Remember an outdoor room can be defined by the furniture placement, outdoor curtains or a large umbrella or grouping of umbrellas, a permanent structure, planters or shrubs or a patio. Above, the Capri Collection from Restoration Hardware. Accessories like their amazingly large Clamshell can bring a sense … Read more

May 29th, 2013 No Comments

Weddings: Favors, Think Outside of the Box

It seems like favors are expected at weddings now, but you certainly don’t have to give favors if you find yourself at a loss for what to give. The best favors though are the ones that are personal to the bride and groom or the location of the wedding. A great example of this are these salmon favors that a bride and groom gave to their guests at their Anchorage, Alaska wedding. The families caught and packaged their own Alaskan salmon to give to each wedding guest. A simple label printed on their computer finished it off. If you like … Read more

May 28th, 2013 No Comments

add this week’s seashell color palette to your table this summer

This week’s palette may not be one you’d automatically think of when you think of summer entertaining. Sometimes these creams, tans, rusts and pinks are associated more with fall. But as you can see taking cues from the beach and seashells, this soothing palette is wonderful for summer tables. If you didn’t realize I have a shop too with tabletop, decor and garden items, all personally selected by me. If you haven’t already, please head over to take a look.  It’s my favorite items and vendors collected from all my years of editing and styling for magazines. Our Read more