Smother the Mother...with Flowers, Attention and Spirits

Oh the joy of fresh flowers in the entrance hall, especially when they are fragrant. Lilies and peonies are scenting up my entry and I have my son Christian and his steady lady Alexa to thank for them. Mother's Day was enjoyable this year with beautiful weather and a great jaunt to our neighboring wine country for brunch.

We had Mimosa's all around and three of out five ordered the amazing breakfast burrito. One Eggs Benedict of course.

The perfume Fidji by Guy LaRoche, breakfast out, Acacia Chardonnay, fresh flowers, hard milled lavender soaps, and homemade blackberry pie with heavy cream (okay I made the pie myself): all in all a day of indulgence.

Thank you Family. My cup runneth over.

Master Bedroom Bedding, Arm chair and Woven Shades

 

























I'm working on several great projects right now. Among them is a master bedroom that needs custom bedding, a chair recovered, and window treatments.

The reason I love this project is that the clients are the nicest people. I can always tell when I'll become friends with clients and these two among them. In fact, I just purchased tickets to attend an event with them in late June for one of the husband's favorite charitable organizations, Habitat for Humanity.

The bed skirt will be in the bluish gray texture above left; the pillow shams will be in the taupe quilted fabric; the pillows will be in the willow print; and the chair will be in the russet colored upholstery chenille.

Also on order, a lined woven interior mounted shade with a self valance in light honey toned bamboo with white threads. We're doing a built-in book case in the living room and new doors and casing in the entry and dining room area.

I love the house's Boho feel and how two walls of windows open up to a beautiful shadey wooded area in back.

Prune and Feed, the Gardener's Creed

Guess what I've been doing. Well, yes designing people's homes too but in my spare time I've been gardening.

Every spring I like to give all my evergreens, boxwood, myrtle, ivy topiary, privot and rosemary topiary, and bay standards a good prune. I follow up with Miracle-Gro leaf and soil feeding.

Nutrients in the the soil of potted plants leech with watering so we need to replace those nutrients with plant food. I've had really good luck with Miracle Gro for twenty five years. Follow the initial pruning and feeding with a regular feeding every two weeks throughout the growing season and you will have a spectacular potted garden.

Hosta's in pots, above, are the answer to my sun starved patio. I have been replacing plants in this one dark spot for years. I'm hoping Hosta's will survive in that difficult place.

Plants in the ground benefit from leaf and soil feeding too but they don't need it as often as potted plants. I do my "ground" plants maybe once a month. Healthy leaves mean healthy systems. The leaves are what transmit nutrients to the root ball. The deep green color that is so satisfying to the eye is also beneficial to the plant.

Feeding is easy and even enjoyable with a hand held feeder. You just fill the feeder with the dry food, attach the hose, and spray. It's a chore I don't mind doing because it's such a pleasure to have an easy task to do while enjoying my garden. Buying Miracle Gro in bulk is economical. Often you can even find it on sale at stores like OSH and Lowe's.

Happy spring gardening. Enjoy it while it's mild outside!

It's Not a Couch, It's a Sofa...Points of Interest When Purchasing the Second Most Important Piece of Furniture in your Home

Call it an affectation or a peccadillo. I like using proper vernacular when it comes to the things I refer to and work with daily. Cocktail table. Den. Table lamp. Fixture. Seat cushion. Throw pillow. Sofa. I love designing sofas, shopping for them, and recommending the best ones to my clients.

Here are a few of my favorite "sofas". What attracts me to a sofa is a quality frame. Dense cushions with down filled padding. I love elegant features like box pleated skirts, bouillon, and fabulous fabrics. Mohair, velvet, linen and silk are among my favorites.

The sofa in the room above designed by Michael Pertenio is the most yummy color. I doubt it's comfortable but what I like about the upright back is that when you are at a party, you're required to sit up straight. We all look so much better with excellent posture.

Three seat cushions, three back cushions. This dark gray sofa has cushions that "crown" nicely, meaning they have a little "puff" of padding right on top where it counts the most. Three seat cushions are a must because it means no one gets stuck sitting on the break.

This slouchy looking sofa as seen in Deandra Douglas' home in Santa Barbara has been around a while but you can't beat it for comfort, convenience and easy maintenance. This one has a loose fitting slipcover and a pillow back. I love seeing people sink into these low slung designs at parties. The can hold a lot of people. Not great for posture, but certainly conducive to relaxation.

The dark olive green fabric on the sofa above is still a gorgeous color, even though it's enjoyed much  popularity. The room won't date quickly because the lines and colors are so classic. I might change out the art work over the fireplace, however.

This daybed is in a wonderful orange and white ikat print. Day bed's are perfect for guest rooms and home offices for their flexibility and convenience. This room has coordinating white and orange valances over curtain panels.

Tufted sofas are not terrifically comfortable but this one is sharp looking. The room has an avant garde feel.

Mohair or velvet, the russet sofa above is positively opulent. I never tire of the color, particularly when it's applied to such dye-receptive fibers as linen, silk and wool.

When shopping for sofas, I recommend getting frames that are sturdy. One's that are guaranteed, kiln dried hardwood. Cushion quality is important too and my favorite type is dense foam core with down blend wraps. I prefer sofas with one seat cushion or three. Two is a waste of space because no one wants to sit on the break.

Remember some basics: for small spaces, use sofas without skirts. Skirted sofas, however, make large spaces cozier. Pricing for quality sofas are usually $4,500 and up. If you're going to go for a less expensive sofa, go with IKEA. At least you'll get what you pay for, unlike Pottery Barn whose quality is comparable to IKEA and whose prices are unjustifiably high.










 

Easter Bunnies and Easter Plans

Easter is this Sunday and I've some great things planned for my family and me.

Spring is hands down my favorite time of year. When Christian was little I'd do a jelly bean trail from his bed to the dining room table where the Easter Bunny had set up breakfast and our baskets. He still comments on how special these touches were.

 


















This year I'm preparing a half ham shank (I'm a vegetarian and this is tough for me), asparagus with home made mayonnaise, fresh fruit, home made Focaccia, an eggplant, red bell pepper strata, deviled eggs, and banana cream pie. All recipes are ones I've developed over the years.

We have a hike and picnic planned, some rousing games of singles tennis, and an afternoon of wine tasting in nearby wine country. David (my husband), my mom, Christian and Alexa will be here Friday.

I'm still doing baskets for everyone but now I buy dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. I still decorate with my ever growing Easter collection. This year I added to it with a darling "egg" salt and pepper shakers set. They have litte yellow chicken feet.

Here is a song I learned as a child and taught my son, nieces and nephews:

Maresy dotes and does edoats and little lambs eadivy. A kiddle eadivy too, wouldn't you? A kiddle eadivy too, wouldn't you.

If the words sound queer, or funny to your ear, just a little bit jumbled and jivied. Sing "Mares eat oats. And does eat oats. And little lambs eat ivy...

Oh Maresy dotes and does edoats and little lambs eadivy. A kiddle eadivy too, wouldn't you? A kiddle eadivy too, wouldn't you.

A song my sweet grandmother taught us when we were little. I passed this one down also:

Grasshopper Green is the funniest chap, lives by the best of fare. Bright little trousers, jacket and cap. This is his summer ware.

Down to the meadow he likes to roam, playing away in the sun.

It's hoppity skippity, high and low. Summer's the time for fun.

Happy Easter, and Happy Spring!

Fresh Cut Manzanita in Rustic Baskets

On Sunday my husband David and I went out into the woods and cut manzanita. I have a beautiful seven foot tall antique wood cabinet that I use to house books and my stereo equipment. It was hard figuring out what to put on top of it, then I came up with this trio of oversized woven baskets filled with greenery.

It was a messy job but it looks so nice now that it's done. Riley assisted with clean up. Not.

Manzanita, I've been told, causes allergic reactions in some people so use caution.

Fab Design Library plus... My Fave Posole Recipe

My design library is filling up again with new fabric and trim books. I spent a few hours last week reorganizing it.  The case is an old standby from IKEA which works perfectly with fabric books. Everything is easy to find now, sorted by fabric types such as upholstery, windows and bedding, sheers and trims.

I made the most delicious vegetarian Posole this weekend. What I love about this type of dish is that my husband David never complains about the lack of meat. Here is the recipe which I adapted from an old Santa Ynez California cafe from a good friend and restaurant owner.

Vegetarian Posole

32 oz. Pacific Vegetable Broth (no additives, just food ingredients)
1 med. yellow onion
2 T. olive oil
6 to 7 garlic cloves, chopped fine
3 T. cornstarch mixed with a little water till thin
2 T. mild chili powder
1 lg. red bell pepper
2 T. cumin
2 t. Mexican oregano (Mexican oregano is very different from the more common oregano)
2 16 oz. cans of Mexican hominy (rinsed)
1/2 t. chipotle paste
salt and pepper to taste
extra olive oil

Saute onion in 2 T. olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and bell pepper. Stir occasionally till soft. Add herbs and spices. Add broth and hominy. Simmer another 10 minutes. Season with s and p.

Garnishes: finely chopped radishes, grated sharp cheddar cheese or Cojita, sliced green cabbage, lime juice, avocado.