Vintage Grandeur

White, cream, and gold- one of my absolute favorite color combinations. These old gilded chairs probably graced a grand European hotel lobby in the 1930's. Today we love to upholster them in white muslin or how about an old grain sack!!!! The tall pier mirror is from Noir and is the perfect one to lean up against a wall. The shabby tall candlesticks look great standing next to it. Four framed etchings of historical figures make a statement when grouped together behind the chairs. The burlap shade on the floor lamp is a perfect compliment to the gilded patina on the chairs. And of course, all of these textures are enhanced when used with a shiny object, so we added the crystal candelabra and beaded creme velvet pillows. An architectural wooden urn sits on the floor by the candlesticks to add more interest to the setting. Two small vintage prints of architectural ruins hang on the wall by the mirror. The overall effect is serene and pleasing to the eye, vintage grandeur at it's best. All of these items are available at Romancing the Home.

Tomato Confit Chips and Roasted Kale

I just purchased a great new cookbook about restaurant recipes from Harrah's casinos, The Seven Stars Cookbook. A tomato chip recipe looked fun - brushing a thinly sliced tomato with olive oil, sprinkling with a tiny bit of sugar and then turn over after 10 seconds, place on a silpat and bake in a 250 degree oven for 1hour ( I found that they needed a little more time) . Remove from oven when crisp and place on a plate lined with paper towels to completely cool. My son roasted kale to use as the green garnish, lightly tossing the fresh kale with lemon infused olive oil and a little salt He placed it in a 400 degree oven, watched carefully and removed it as the edges began to brown. Our tiny pimento cheese sandwiches look like they are topped with a red bow. I just love the shape of this tomato- perfect for this recipe. The unusual shapes and colors of heirloom tomatoes make them a great choice for these pretty little garnishes. Be sure to visit www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com for some other delicious foodie treats.

Wild Coral Reef at Shedd Aquarium

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Coral Exhibit at the Wild Reef in the Shedd Aquarium



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Carette in Paris

Colefax and Fowler

It has been several days now since our visit to the Shedd Aquarium and I still can't get the pictures of the coral in the Wild Reef out of my mind. Soft palettes of lacy underwater gracefulness- a very calming sight. I realized that my favorite picture of the coral was also my favorite decorating color scheme- blushy pink, cremes, murky greens and browns. These pictures are exact color replicas of the underwater pictures taken at the aquarium. All of these rooms evoke a calm, graceful elegance, just like the coral picture. I couldn't resist adding the beautiful ladies dressed in fashion inspired by the dancing coral.

Shedd Aquarium Jellies Exhibit Inspires

Country Living

http://www.ruffledblog.com/

http://www.housetohome.co.uk.com/

http://www.houseinteriordesign.net/

http://www.housetogarden.co.uk/.

domino magazine

After spending 5 hours at the Shedd Aquarium on Thursday with my grandchildren, I truly came away inspired and refreshed! We drove down to the city to see the Jellie Fish , only showing until the 28th of May. I realized how much mother nature inspires our creative process. The jelly fish exhibit was awesome - having no brain, blood or bones, they fascinated me! The colors and shapes were amazing. As a designer, I contemplated their combination of colors for a room. Searching for examples of rooms created in the same colors, I found several that were great. More to come soon on the incredible Wild Reef Exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium- I loved it!

Mother's Day Treats

What could be better than antiquing with your best friend all day, getting the dog washed by someone else and then coming home to a meal prepared by your 25 year old daughter and 26 year old son? Absolutely nothing!!! Lynda is visiting for a long weekend because we have tickets to Oprah on Tuesday! But on Sunday, we were able to go to a local flea market and one of our favorite antique malls. I have been looking for chartreuse wine glasses for several years and we found them! We even found a sweet chartreuse decanter and with 6 liqueur glasses. Several pieces of antique antler and silver serving pieces, along with a precious silver and mother of pearl spreader were a great find. Two vintage cake plates and a set of gold etched glasses were a steal! What a great day for finding new things for tablescapes! Returning home, we walked into incredible smells of roasting Poblano chilies and caramelized onions. My son was cooking a wonderful chicken dish, while my daughter was whipping up a key lime pie. Fresh mint had been crushed into kosher salt, ready for the fresh mango margaritas they had prepared. The table was set in a style that only my daughter would do- note the crossed knife and fork on the napkin! A fresh tussie mussie was placed in the old decanter holder along with a candle. They had even bathed the dog for mother's day. How much better can a day get???

Kentucky Derby Dinner Party

A formal Derby dinner party, complete with all the silver, fine china and of course, red roses is planned for the evening of the Derby race. Being born and raised in Virginia, I know people in the south love their silver. This is a table set with heirloom silver mint julep cups, beautiful crystal decanters for Kentucky bourbon, silver trays for placemats and yet it evokes a modern today feeling. Wispy sheer linen, completely to the floor, covers the elegant table. For the centerpiece, organic tree roots hold water vials of asparagus fern and red roses. White lilies are filled with red raspberries at each of the place settings. Crisp organdy red napkins are used to mimic the red rose color palette, and they are cuffed with a black velvet ribbon and rhinestone horseshoe pin. A menu card is created using a spencerian horse graphic from the Graphics Fairy. All of these ideas are showcased in our new book, Romancing the Home Entertains. Please join us at www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for more awesome tablescape ideas.

Derby Day Box Lunch

The Kentucky Derby, always the first Saturday in May, is a great reason to celebrate with friends. We have planned a box lunch with a traditional Kentucky menu and used our collection of vintage silverplate vegetable dishes as the box lunch containers. These old silverplate vegetable dishes were popular wedding gifts in the 60's and 70's and are perfect for an individual box lunch. A red rose tussie mussie embellishes each container , along with a menu card that has been printed on "My Old Kentucky Home" sheet music. Wooden platters, purchased from our local craft store, serve as place mats. We love the contrast of the silver set against the unpolished wood. An ice bucket, frozen from water, ferns, and roses, holds the champagne for Champagne Juleps. A bunch of snow peas, held together with rhinestone florist pins, serve as the knife rests. We will be joining www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for Tablescape Thursday. Check it out for other inspiring ideas.