There is no such thing as a typical day in the life of an interior designer. Which may be precisely why I love it so much - it is NEVER boring!
Most days start with checking and responding to emails and texts and putting out any fires that started early in the day! After that it's anybody's guess.
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So, I'm writing about food. Again. Because eating is always a big priority around here and we believe that, like all things home-related, mealtime should be the essence of graciousness whether you are cooking for your family or entertaining friends. And since we are all short on time, some strategies for making meals that are both quick and gourmet-ish is important.
In order to facilitate that, let me suggest these three ideas:
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The holiday decorations are finally all packed up until next year. And now is the time to turn our attention to organizing and freshening our homes. Here are three small changes with big impact that will breathe new life into your rooms:
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Our most recent entertaining venture was our annual Nutcracker's Sweets Dessert Open House. It occurred on an absolutely frigid evening, but it was cozy inside and a delight to celebrate the end of the holiday season and the beginning of a new year with family and friends.
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I love to bake and I love entertaining. So naturally, I enjoy creating parties centered around desserts. Dessert parties are some of the easiest parties to manage since desserts generally require very little last minute attention.
Here are some tips I have found helpful over the years as I have honed my dessert party skills:
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It's no secret that I LOVE the holidays with all the beautiful lights and decorations and wonderful food! But as a designer, color is one of the first things my eye sees and I have a need for my holiday decor to blend seamlessly with my home decor. I addition to the tree, garland, and wreath ornaments and ribbons, I also like to color coordinate my packages under the tree. Beautifully wrapped packages are a lovely holiday tradition, and thoughtful packaging is as important as the gift inside!
Here are some suggestions for upping your gift packaging game:
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Recently, we have been investigating living room tables...that backbone of creating a functional living space...a place to put your drink, or book, or remote control, or table lamp, or whatever makes the room work for you!
We have come across an interesting variety of cocktail, end, wine, and console tables. Many have a mix of finishes that make them not only interesting pieces, but a nice opportunity to tie in other elements in the room for a more cohesive feel without the boredom of 'matched to death' suites of furniture.
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Sharing a peek at a project in progress....
We are almost done with the first phase of this redecorating project at a charming vacation home in a private beach neighborhood on Cape Cod. After years of living with a "living room" space that didn't ever get used, the homeowner tasked us with creating a comfortable space that would be inviting.
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A Thanksgiving Feast
Food and it’s presentation has been central to our family gatherings for as long as I can remember. That may be why I love to host meals and parties…I equate food-centric gatherings with feelings of love, comfort, and celebration.
AND it’s almost Thanksgiving…the beginning of the holiday entertaining season! We have SO much to be thankful for…family, friends, and the blessing of a warm, safe, and welcoming home.
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For many of our design projects, we need to specify new lighting. Recently, we have been on the hunt for chandeliers and lanterns and wanted to share some of our finds!
Trying to avoid another fussy crystal or ubiquitous barrel stave chandelier we found these classic alternatives to be a refreshing change.
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Sure, we want our rooms to look good, but more importantly, we want them to be comfortable – to LIVE well. And the essence of comfort in a room is feeling good there. Comfort is about more than the cushion fill in the sofa. It also includes the convenience and functionality and welcoming FEEL of the space. Good design serves the occupants of the room, not the other way around.
Whether starting from scratch or reworking existing spaces, here are a few essential processes and principles:
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One of the smartest upgrades in a house is a kitchen renovation. And one of the most common kitchen renovation projects is replacing the countertops - and when you do, the sink and faucet as well. WHAT to change your countertops TO is a subject for another day, but today we're talking about faucet choices.
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