Wallpaper

While at the D & D Building (Design and Decoration Building in NYC...trade only), I spotted these wallpapers recently. In the past several weeks I've been adding personality to some closets and to a pantry. How perfect would any of these be for a ladies closet?

 This would look amazing with a pink painted ceiling! Talk about chic!

 

Source for the above wallcoverings: Sonia's Place in the D & D (trade only)

When I told my husband about my ideas for the wallcoverings I scored from the annual Brunschwig and Fils warehouse sale he said, "really?" He thought it would probably look nice, but he could not image that the impact would be big or worth the effort. Well, I'm happy to report he is one step away from begging me to do his two closets! I am sinking my teeth into making sure that each closet reflects his personality and interests. I'm on the hunt for wallcoverings that are related to aviation or boating. He has no idea what I'm thinking, but soon I will ban him from his closets and perform magic! The key here is to make sure the motif is handsome and manly, not juvenile. Here are a couple in the running. Still searching! 

 

Source for the boating wallcoverings: Ralph Lauren in the D & D (trade only) 

Having scored great wallcoverings for a song is why I started wallpapering the insides of our closets, but I have to admit now that I don't mind spending the money because it makes us, the homeowners, very happy! 

Yummy fig & goat cheese crostini appetizer!

Doing a little al fresco dining this summer or heading to an outdoor soiree? Here's a yummy appetizer that will be well received! The recipe is mine, but I'm willing to share!  

Ingredients:

French Baguette - 1 loaf

Goat Cheese - 4oz

Dried figs (comes in round plastic container/wrap in the produce area)  

Butter - 2 tblspns 

a few good pinches of brown sugar  

Slice each fig into four, sautee all the figs in butter and brown sugar on low heat for about 10 to 12 minutes. Slice the baguette into thin slices, place on non-greased cookie sheet and toast in the oven for a few moments. Then spread a thin layer of goat cheese on each slice and top with fig concoction. It's so yummy!

I am quite passionate about cooking and baking. I'm always whipping up something. I'm usually not one to measure, instead I gauge the right amount of each ingredient from experiences. You may need to tweak the butter and brown sugar guesstimates. Do you stick to the measuring devices or toss it in as you go? Do you have any good recipes to share with your fellow bloggers and/or followers? I'd like to test some out and then feature them...e-mail me your specialty!   

Wallpapering a tiny little house

 Over Memorial Day weekend, I wallpapered a coat closet while my children were napping after a blissful four hours of playing on the beach. When my daughter woke from her nap and saw what I was doing she said, "wow, mom that looks gorgeous." (Yes, she is four and uses that word...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!) So I asked her if she would like me to wallpaper each room of her dollhouse (four in total) with different wallpaper remnants. She enthusiastically said, "yes, and can I help?", so together we tackled her dollhouse.
BEFORE:

AFTERS: 

The baby's nursery..wallcovering: Sonia's Place. 

 

The master bedroom...wallcovering: Christopher Norman.

 

The kitchen...wallcovering: Brunschwig & Fils.

The bathroom...wallcovering: Kelly Wearstler.

Inside the closet...wallcovering: Zoffany.

 The completed residence!

If you have excess wallpaper think about using it for any number of projects: a dollhouse, the back of a bookcase, the inside of a cabinet (even if only seen when opened...you'll like opening the doors), a closet, a pantry, a bookcover, a mouse pad and well, the list is endless! What are some other ways you've used wallpaper? Happy Monday!     

A chic little coat closet

Remember my amazing wallpaper finds at the Brunschwig & Fils annual warehouse sale? I'm happy to report over the weekend I wallpapered this little coat closet in our vacation home. What a difference this Christopher Norman bamboo treillage wallcovering made...now, I love opening the closet door!

Christopher Norman wallcovering.

The boring before...

The progress...

The wallpaper is hung, I just have a few tidbits to do (buy a shoe rack for the floor and some additonal hooks for the door) to complete the closet. Isn't it amazing what a difference wallcovering makes in a closet. Now, are you itching to do your closets? I'm counting the days until the next warehouse sale!

Shower time

When it comes to showering, I'm a huge fan of a curved shower curtain rod. It's an added touch of luxury in a bathroom that isn't visible until you shower. The extra elbow room makes it so you can shower without the curtain attached to your elbow....the difference is huge! A curved shower rod holds a standard size shower curtain and it attaches to the wall, so noone is pulling it down by accident (ie: little kiddies.)

Metallic sheen shower curtain: Calvin Klein 

Tiles: Slate

Bathroom and tile design: Done by me

I shut the shower curtain here to give you an idea how it bows outward, otherwise it is kept open. I like the look of a shower curtain open and I love to see the tile design...also, it keeps the bathroom looking larger. I had a niche built to house all the bathing necessities, so it looks tidy with the curtain open. What are your thoughts on a curved rod?

Summer is here!

It's not the official date in June that starts my summer, it's Memorial Day weekend. You too? I absolutely love everything about summer...being outside with my family, the sun, the warmth, the beach, wakeboarding, tandeum bike rides with my husband, outdoor showers, al fresco dining, sunset boat rides, landscaping and of course, dipping my toes in the Hamptons waters! What is it about the summer that makes you tick?

I tend to be a very grateful person, but today even more so. I'm especially mindful of the reason for my freedom. Thank you to all who have served and to those who continue to protect our country's freedom. My American flag is flying proudly today!

Last night we enjoyed a sunset boat ride. I watched the sun settle behind the trees thinking of how grateful I am to be an American.

Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Bringing the outside inside

In the spring I did a post about bringing the outside inside. At the time, my forsythias were in bloom and I trimmed a few braches, brought them inside and put them on the dining table. Now that it's summer, I trim a few blades of my ornamental grasses and bring inside on a weekly basis.

And, here it was in the spring. 

  

It's simple and looks striking. I'm a big fan of bringing clippings in from the yard...you too? Enjoy your weekend!