July 17th, 2012 No Comments

tuesday’s tabletop: show off mint tea in jenear tea glasses

Whether it’s iced tea or hot tea (because your office air conditioning is causing your to wrap up in a sweater & mittens in the dead of summer), show off the beautiful color with a glass tea cup. When the German glass factory Jenaer Glas was closing I bought up a lot of their tea cups- so now they are collector’s items. Add these glasses to your kitchen collection or buy one just for your office- I promise you’ll love them!  Available online at my shop, $11 each, theproductgallery.com. (my friend Sang An and I shot this mint tea for … Read more

July 16th, 2012 No Comments

this week’s color palette: foliage greens

In the height of the summer with all the blooming flowers and vegetables, I think sometimes I overlook the beauty of the lush greenery of the trees, privet, boxwoods, ferns and variations of hosta and succulents. All the shades of green from light, to a deep green (one that almost looks black) are a wonderful, natural palette, especially for your home. Combined with the neutral shades of hardscaping, like stone or black in railings and planters, shades of green appear to be so classic and crisp. Like this photo of designer, Barbara Barry from Town & Country magazine (and photographed … Read more

July 13th, 2012 No Comments

Friday shopping with lynn (color palette: white, neutrals & browns)

Broomfield Pendant, Large, $1,870, by Ralph Lauren, from Circa Lighing, Symphonie Cabinet Knob, Dark Bronze with Sienna Leather, by Schaub, $75.65, available thru Amazon, No. E700 combination 4 chair in fabric L1144, from Baker, Vintage Rand Mcnally Road Map, $32.99, from Etsy shop, pocketfullofheriloom (would be great to frame pages from this old map…since we had a deer illustration this week from The Barn restaurant, I thought I’d include it in our shopping), Captain’s Mirror with Dark Mulled Leather Frame, lined with wood and with machined bronze hanging puck, available in 20″ or 28″ diameter, from BDDW, Halo Peacock Rug by Mitchell … Read more

July 12th, 2012 No Comments

interior designer darryl carter creates 24 colors for benjamin moore paints

Interior designer, Darryl Carter, teamed up with Benjamin Moore Paints to create Darryl Carter Colors by Benjamin Moore. The paints start with DC-1 and go to DC-24. Darryl Carter frequently is featured in the major shelter magazines and has his own decorating books called “The New Traditional” and a new book launching this October titled “The Collected Home: Rooms with Style, Grace and History”. Both are available to buy and pre-order on Amazon. I wanted to include this paint collection in this week’s color palette of white, neutrals and browns because Darryl is an expert on these neutral … Read more

July 11th, 2012 No Comments

weddings & celebrations: sea salt caramels make a great favor

How great is this logo and simple packaging from Sea + Cane Sweets? But better yet is how good these sweets are. I ordered some sea salt caramels from them and WOW! -amazing. I bought their sea salt caramel trio- dark chocolate, classic and yes…..cabernet sauvignon!  I love, love, love sea salt with sweets. I add sea salt to my s’mores! These caramels would make wonderful favors at your wedding or party or as a great housewarming gift. Other interesting products they offer…. their ‘chocolate salami’ that you see in the picture hanging from string and ‘hot chocolate spoons’. This … Read more

July 10th, 2012 No Comments

tuesday’s tabletop: metal hanging labels as placecard holders

I found these metal hanging labels that make great placecard holders for a rustic, casual table setting. Cream card stock cut down to size with each guests’ name and leather lacing tied through the hole finish it off. (These would be perfect in conjunction with the menu card on a wooden clip board for the table that I featured yesterday from “The Barn” restaurant-see photo below via &SMITH) SOURCES: Set of 12 metal hanging label holders, $18, from Ballard Designs, Linen Napkin, $22, from The Product Gallery/ Little Blue Dish Shop, Leather Lacing, from S & S … Read more

July 9th, 2012 No Comments

this week’s color palette: white, neutrals, & brown (variations found in metals, wood, leather & stone)

I’ve had this photo on my inspiration board for months now so I thought I should include it in a color palette. While searching the internet one day I came across this design firm called &SMITH based in London.  I love the print design they did for a restaurant called “The Barn” at Coworth Park in England. I also liked that they put the menu on an old fashioned clip board- a great idea too for a wedding or party to display a table name, number or the dinner menu. The details they did like the sign, illustrations and … Read more

July 6th, 2012 No Comments

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).

July 5th, 2012 No Comments

an inviting red, white and blue summer porch

Paint can make everything look so fresh. If you look at this picture and are a bit overwhelmed at how to achieve a look like this, let’s start with the porch itself. They painted the porch floor, ceiling, everything white. Most furniture then is also painted white for a great neutral base. The coffee table could be that old table sitting in your basement handed down from your grandparents house…dust it off and paint it a crisp white. Or at your local flea market look for any table that might do… at a great price. As long as the table … Read more

July 4th, 2012 No Comments

red, white and blue wedding: an aussie and an american choose a color palette in honor of their countries

Happy 4th of July! In honor of the 4th I thought I’d share this wonderful wedding photographed by Liz Banfield and designed by Isabella Boyer Sikaffy of Florabella. The groom is from Australia and the bride from California. So as a nod to their nations shared colors they choose a red, white and blue color palette for their wedding. They chose a red and blue monogram that carried throughout the wedding, starting with the invitations. You can make custom stamps on zazzle.com, a website I’ve used numerous times for custom printed products. Zazzle even lets you use a … Read more