Kitchen Design with old European Elegance!

The "feature" cabinet in the kitchen! This cabinet was hand painted by our very own Laurell and looks as if it was reclaimed from a chateau in France.

Stone arches were installed in the entry to every section of the "kitchen suite", creating an old world ambiance. Notice the 72 inch wide Sub-Zero that is paneled in a pewter tone wood panel.We designed the top of the refrigerator to mimic the molding above the large armoir feature piece. Looking thru the arch, you are peeking into the servery - the baking and prep center . More to come on that area later!

This cabinet is the feature piece of the kitchen and has pull out shelves in both of the towers for dinnerware and pantry items. The center of the cabinet has a furniture grade butcher block top with 3 large drawers below it for pots and pans and cooking utensils. Each of the drawers has a beautiful detailed long gold pull in the center. It has a 20 inch grand molding detail at the top, with the vintage looking mirror in the center. Antique sconces were hard wired thru openings cut in the mirror. A large crystal samovar from Romancing the Home stands in the center.

A glimpse of the spectacular view from the open french doors in the kitchen - a series of ponds and fountains, creating a soothing background sound.

I am sharing just a snippet of a spectacular kitchen. We have been enjoying the process of remodeling this kitchen for the past several months and the details are starting to come together. It is a contrast of elements- crystal versus stone, silver versus gold, wood versus granite. This week, my favorite element in the kitchen was installed- a mirror that lists the menu of a Paris bistro. Laurell stripped this mirror and applied the wording to the back and gold leafed over the design. Installed in the center of the large pantry armoir, it singularly defines the elegance of the space. Antique sconces, wired thru the mirror, create a magical feel. Another key feature installed in the last few weeks, stone arches really add to the elegance of the kitchen. We have much more to share with you in the weeks to come as we add the details to this "5 room" kitchen suite - a gallery showcasing fine crystal, a servery for prep work and baking, an intimate dining space with a fireplace, a separate clean-up area, and of course the actual entertaining kitchen. As we all know, you just can't get your guests out of the kitchen, so we decided to make it as elegant as the living room! Stay tuned!

Summer Whites and Fall Nights

Fall is definitely around the corner- the nights are nippy and people are wearing sweaters and sweats on their morning walks. And as momma said " it's time to put away your summer whites"! As the leaves start to fall and the flowers start to fade, I really notice the white elements of the garden. I love the mossy patina of the cherub bench that hides the air conditioning units. The shades of white and grey in the face of the lady statue add contrast to the garden, while the lacy pattern of the garden chair's back is graceful and bold. The old white garden cloche has done its duty for the year and made the basil grow. The white hydrangeas that surround the driveway are starting to fade, while the Queen Anne's lace, zinnias and phlox are happy with a little cooler air and make beautiful bouquets. The flirty white tablecloth peaks through the porch railing and says " its time to wash and put me away until next year". And the little white dogs are looking forward to fall and naps by the fireplace.

Food is Comforting

Losing a loved one is very tough. While I love sending beautiful flowers, sometimes I think food can be a more comforting gesture. My friend, Laurell, lost both of her in-laws within the last 3 weeks. I knew that she had been wanting this special Ruffoni cookware with the pumpkin handle, so I decided to get it for her and her family as a gesture of sympathy for their loss. The Lake Bluff Farmers market provided me with many options to fill a food basket and that special sauce pot. Brie cheese layered with apricots and almonds, fresh blackberries, apple cinnamon bread, sugared pecans, home-made salad dressings and vegetables for roasting were all available. Scented geranium, petite roses, stems of cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs with lambs ear completed the basket. Every time she uses that pot, she will remember the good times with Jack and Helen, especially the times at the lake, their family retreat in northern Wisconsin.

Fall Arrives at Romancing the Home

Our mirror center table as you enter one side of the store.

Mix and match gold and crystal stemware - every guest chooses a different one!


New Michael Wainwright dinnerware- so modern, yet it goes well with antiques.




Our wonderful washable tiger print napkins - so chic!

A collection of white and gold table accessories - available now!

Love this yummy animal skin platinum plate with the platinum napkin on the silver charger.


Our new florals - so dramatic and they do make a statement!

Vintage crystal light covers look beautiful resting on a candlestick.


Gilded bowls for salad or soup - how pretty!


Our new collection of Alexa Pultizer Stationary is too too cute!

Alexa's mouse pad - have to have it!


Our new French Dinnerware line - so cute, so nice!


Is this not adorable???? How sweet for pastries and muffins - it is another new line!

The most realistic faux violets that I have ever seen! Watering not necessary!

Mor's smashing new bath and body line - the black glass bottle of bubble bath is gorgeous!

Who makes a glass bottle this gorgeous these days??

We are so excited - so many new things are arriving at the store. Today, Candy, Laurell and I spent the day merchandising much of the store. The pictures above tell the story much better than words. We strive to bring our customers a fresh assortment of merchandise for every season, always different, always in tune with the current trends. Fall is almost here, our favorite season of the year!!!! We are being featured on http://www.savvycityfarmer.com/ today and are so delighted! Hop on over and check out her wonderful blog. Her home was featured in Fifi ONeills new book " Prairie Style" and is so inspiring!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi from Trader Joe's

I stopped by Trader Joe's to get ingredients for another recipe yesterday, but they were sold out of the frozen shrimp that I needed. While looking around, I spotted these Sweet Potato Gnocchi with a butter and sage sauce and knew I had to try them. They did not disappoint! I microwaved them according to the package directions and layered them in 2 of my "little bite" white bowls. Prosciutto , fresh sage and cherry tomatoes from the garden finished this small, but divine dish. They melted in your mouth and the salty prosciutto added the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the gnocchi. I highly recommend this dish- an entire package serves 2 as a side dish, but I recommend an entire package for one as an entree. It was delicious, firm and very flavorful.

I love serving in these little white bowls, because they make everything look special and appealing. We carry them at Romancing the Home, and they are perfect for small appetizer servings of pasta, a crab cocktail salad, and cup of soup. Their wide rims are beautiful to garnish with chopped herbs or just a drizzle of a special olive oil.

If you have other favorite foods from Trader Joe's, please share them in the comments. I would love to try them! We are joining www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com for Foodie Friday. Check out some other yummy food ideas.

Romancing the Range - Montana Country

Grandchildren trying to fly fish on the Madison River.



Vintage horn knives with silver bands - a great antique find in Bozeman.

Absolutely amazing chocolates made in Bozeman.

Gorgeous Box


Fresh apricot torte from the Livingston Farmers Market

Freshly made loaf of sourdough Cranberry walnut bread from the Livingston Farmers Market.



Early morning crazy Montana sky.


Cattle grazing just outside the entrance to Chico Springs Lodge.

The original lodge at Chico Hot Springs.



The Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley - just outside of Livingston.


Fantastic dive just outside of Livingston -gourmet delights such as a Wine Lover's quesadilla - stuffed with Pecans, dried cherries, sliced apple, basil, feta and cheddar cheese. To Die for!

Live music there on the weekends in the summer !

Imagine our surprise seeing this in the road coming toward us! But the cowboys just waved us on!



Closer they come!

Closer - Closer - will they hit the car?


Surrounding the car on all four sides!

Almost done!



Paradise Valley- just south of Livingston. Such a romantic scene.

Mountain Ash tree - native to the area.

Some folks go to Montana for the fly fishing - I go for the romance of the land. It's a glorious state with a huge sky - thus the name Big Sky! My son and his family live in a quaint town, Livingston, Mt. about 3o minutes outside of Bozeman. Completely a family atmosphere, the houses and stores were mostly built in the early 30's to the 50's. Not one modern building here! The town creates a communal spirit around it's rodeos, farmers markets, and Art Walks. The farmers market on Wednesday nights is unbelievable - baked goods and many varieties of vegetables. I purchased an apricot tart from a woman that raised her own dairy cows, churned the butter, and then made the incredible tart. Fresh breads are made from local grains, fruits and nuts. An amazing chocolate company,"La Chatelaine", is located in Bozeman and has the most amazing chocolates I have ever tasted. Fleur de Sel Caramels, blood orange infused truffles, blackberry zinfindel are just some of the delectable flavors. They are packaged in a fantastic orange box. You can purchase them at http://www.chatelainechocolate.com/. Friday night we went on an Art Walk in the many galleries in downtown Livingston. Afterwards, we had dinner in Bistro 225, an award winning bistro in town. I tried Pork Rilette for the first time and it was amazing. I found several recipes for this divine concoction and will try it at home.

The landscape is breathtaking- Large rivers, crazy clouds in the sky, and large parcels of land. One of my favorite trees was the mountain ash - filled with clumps of large red and orange berries. On our way to Chico Hot Springs to take the grand kids swimming, we found our selves in the middle of a cattle drive. The cowboy just waved us thru and told us to go slow and sure enough the cows just slowly went around the car! After that experience we stopped at Paradise Cafe to enjoy a Saturday breakfast - love the quesadillas here. They also have great fried trout tacos and these lobster quesadillas with lobster, roasted garlic, cheddar, crumbled bacon, green onions and capers. Awesome place with live music on the weekends outside the restaurant in a field by a babbling trout stream! After breakfast, we took the kids to Chico Hot Springs to swim in the warm water of the ancient pools. In its heyday, people traveled to the Lodge to enjoy the healing powers of the warm pools, but today its a great vacation spot and hosts many weddings each year. It has a great restaurant, horse back riding, dog sledding in the winter, and a day spa for relaxing!

One of my favorite things to bring back to Romancing the Home is a great selection of antlers for the Thanksgiving season. Mr. Rth met me at the airport ( he had arrived several days earlier to fly fish ) and we drove to our source which had moved 40 minutes north of the town. We purchased an entire suitcase full to bring back to Chicago. Antiquing is great, especially if you like horn and Indian relics. Lot's of iron stone, old silver and bottles are prevalent, and there are some fantastic shops in Bozeman.

If you want a relaxed vacation in the States, I highly recommend this trip. Maybe, you might even want to learn to fly fish!