April 30th, 2013 No Comments

setting a table: turn your knife in towards your plate (if you are dining with friends)

Did you know that back in the day when men carried knives and weapons around with them all the time they would put their knives up on the table when sitting down to eat. If they were amongst friends, they would put the sharp edge of the blade in towards the plate to show that they did not mean to threaten their friends. This has stayed true throughout the centuries. When setting the table the knife blade should be turned in. The water glass should sit directly above the knife. Your plate and silverware should be about 1″ from the … Read more

April 29th, 2013 No Comments

color palette: gray, greens & neutrals

Inspiration can come from anywhere. It can come from nature, a piece of fabric, art, fashion.. and in this case a little bit of all of those. Turning through magazines you might run into an ad that you just stop and stare at for a moment. When I turned to this Celine ad I immediately loved the color palette. First the strong gray paired with a neutral bag. Then as I studied a little more it was also the greens, both light and very deep that framed the model that I loved. As I selected Benjamin Moore paints that … Read more

April 26th, 2013 No Comments

entertaining with victoria amory: 3 recipes for tomato & orange gourmet cooking sauce

Victoria Amory, cooking and entertaining expert, has four gourmet cooking sauces available now on hsn.com. Today she shares three unique recipes for her tomato and orange cooking sauce. This month Victoria also launched soups and entrées on hsn.com, so you can simply purchase her ready-made foods and your guests will think you are a gourmet chef (We love this!). Make sure to pick up Palm Beach Entertaining too, a book Victoria co-authored. We bet you’ll love it as much as you love her recipes and foods.  

April 25th, 2013 No Comments

bring color into the kitchen- your appliances don’t have to be stainless

When I designed my kitchen I didn’t want to see a lot of stainless appliances, so I ordered cabinet faces for my refrigerator, dishwasher and freezer drawer. But then when I was at the Viking showroom in New York and I saw how many colors their appliances came in… I was excited. My kitchen color palette is navy, light blue and white (which you can see in House Beautiful‘s April issue). So I selected white double ovens and a white warming drawer to blend in with my cabinets. But you can select from Viking’s 12 different color options. … Read more

April 24th, 2013 No Comments

flowers with michael george: a peek at the rewards of spring from michael’s very own personal garden

Last week every flowering tree burst into a profusion of blossoms. Dogwood, cherry, magnolia and lilac are all available locally or from your garden. More great news, peonies have arrived at great prices. The coral charms are a bit more expensive. As far as telling you what to do, c’mon, you know what to do. And if you don’t remember, think of mom or grandma and you will remember. Spring is here. For the more avid gardener, muscari, violets and blue bells are all up and with the cool weather the daffodils and forsythia are still fine.  –Michael George … Read more

April 22nd, 2013 No Comments

trick of the trade: use multiples and repetition with centerpieces for a dramatic presentation (along with a tight color palette… of course)

I almost forgot that I used this week’s palette a number of years ago in collaboration with Antony Todd, so I thought I’d share it with you today. We worked on a story together for Martha Stewart Weddings, transforming the giant open space in the middle of the Starrett-Lehigh offices which was photographed by the very talented Victor Schrager and art directed by visionary Ellen Burnie. When planning a party, celebration or even a wedding it’s always best to start with a color palette. Then as you begin to decide on your decor an easy trick of the trade for … Read more

April 22nd, 2013 No Comments

this week’s color palette: orange and red with gold, pink and green accents

This week’s color palette is inspired by a ‘street style’ photo from Elle. Orange and red, being wonderful warm colors can look beautiful with gold accessories, like you see here with the model’s jewelry. But if you love this palette for your home, think about gold accents, like hardware, lights, decor accents or even gold end tables.  When you find a photo that really inspires you, look closely because it’s usually something about all the elements together that attract you. So take for instance her light gray bag, the dark brown buttons, the dark green foliage and even the … Read more

April 19th, 2013 No Comments

entertaining with victoria amory: 3 recipes for her apricot & almond gourmet cooking sauce

Every Friday in April, celebrated cook and TV personality, Victoria Amory, has been sharing recipes for her new gourmet cooking sauces available on hsn.com. Last week Victoria also introduced soups and other dishes like chicken parmesan.  With all these prepared foods now available it’s like having Victoria come to our home and cook for us personally! We love it!

April 18th, 2013 No Comments

interiors: spotlight on victoria hagan

When I’m talking about design and shopping for furniture, I am surprised that many people still don’t know about a great resource; So if you haven’t heard about 1stdibs.com, take time to check it out. It’s being able to sit in the comfort of your own home and see what intimate small shops have all around the world. Though since it’s start it’s expanded to vintage jewelry, clothing and even premiere real estate.  Today they have a spotlight on designer Victoria Hagan, here’s the link. I really enjoy reading their spotlights on designers. Above is a room Victoria … Read more

April 17th, 2013 No Comments

flowers with michael george: lilac is in the market, it’s spring!

Lilac is spring and it is in the market. Remove the lower lateral spikes from the branches, keeping those with buds. Keep the branch long, leaving a plume at the top- 10 inches or so. Buy at the market until local lilac becomes available. Use tall lilac branches in tall vases and the side pieces that you cut in smaller vases. To add a little more luxury mix a few peonies in with the lilac (shown above). Late spring is here and few warm days will reveal her glory, hurry up! – Michael George. Check out Michael’s amazing book, … Read more