Re: Design + TV

Melissa -

Yes! I have been watching Million Dollar Decorators. Pretty much I fast-forward through all the interpersonal stuff and only watch the design parts...those people are a little nuts! I love Mary McDonald's office, with the double doors and those big rings. Yes, please. And thank you for telling me about the Novogratz Family! I loved watching them last year and was anxious to see if they would have another season. Phew! I cannot wait to watch!

I wanted to show you some pictures that came to me in a round-about way: this girl I'm kind of friends with on Facebook (meaning, we're officially Facebook friends but I only know her socially so we're not 'real' friends) had the link to a house for sale on her profile. I don't know if it's her house for sale, or if she works for a realtor (see, if we were real friends I would know that!), but the house is amazing. I might ask her if it's her house and then she can tell me where she got all of her cool accessories/furniture.

Feast your eyes:

Here is everything that I love (since you asked!):

• The wingback chairs and photos above the couch. The profiles on the chairs are really elegant but still modern. I also love how all the furniture is neutral with some color coming in through the prints on the wall, although some colorful fabric on a pillow somewhere would be nice too.


• The plates on the wall in the dining room - what a fun arrangement! I wonder if all the plates were purchased at once and, if not, if the collection was added to over time or if they were all put up there at once?


• The vintage camp-looking bed frame and the arrangement of pictures above the bed. The light fixture fits in well with the room too, I think.


• I love this nursery! Especially the fur rug (so soft for a baby to play on...but probably challenging to clean when spit-ups inevitably happen!) and the 'poof' in front of the chair.


• The laundry room is probably my favorite of all: the wainscoting, all the seagrass baskets and - of course - that blue door. I now think you should paint the door in your laudry room. And those glass containers...the whole thing is perfect!


• Mostly I love the light fixture just before the stairs. Maybe I want something like that instead of the Moravian light I told you about previously.

I hope you enjoyed this house as much as I did. There is definitely some inspiration to be found in the understated elegance and deliberate use of color.

Subject: Design + TV

Hey Kar - 

So, I've been meaning to ask you....Have you been watching Million Dollar Decorators on Bravo??  Quite entertaining.

Million Dollar Decorators Cast

Since it seems NOTHING is on TV this summer (except Switched at Birth and Pretty Little Liars...Hello ABC Family!) this has been added to my personal line up.  I am LOVING Mary.  I heard on one of those trashy gossip shows, i.e. Extra or the one with AJ Hammer, that Karen from Will & Grace was modeled after Mary.  How funny, if that's true?  Anyway, loving her and also I would like to go on a shopping spree at Nathan's store.

But with regards to design and tv, come July 16 Robert and Cortney Novogratz will be back on the air!!!  (Insert Choir - Hallelujah!)

The new show, Home by Novogratz, will air on HGTV.  I cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Until then, let's look at something of the ingenious work by Sixx Design.

Subject: Syroco

Have you heard of Syroco?  Lately, I've been admiring Syroco mirrors like these. 

For Sale on Ebay

For Sale on Etsy

A short history lesson:   Syroco. The SYRACUSE ORNAMENTAL COMPANY, was founded in the late 1890's by Adolph Holstein, an Austrian woodcarver.  Initially the company produced ornamental carvings for the embellishment of coffins and furniture as well as the interiors of fashionable homes.  In the 1950's, Syroco started to change directions and offered highly stylized wall mirrors, sconces and decorations. (Thanks to vintagecorkscrews.com for the info.)

Some of my favorite stores even sell Syroco-esq mirrors:

From Wisteria

From Horchow

I thought that a Syroco mirror might look really pretty over the dresser in my guest room.  I'll keep you posted as to what I decide.

Subject: Fish Tacos

Melissa -

So going into the weekend, I thought I would send you a very summery recipe for fish tacos. Back in May Mr. Lass and I went to Sandestin, Florida, for our anniversary. En route we drove Scenic Highway 30A, which has lots of fabulous beach communities. One such community, Alys Beach, had this amazing restaurant called George's that had been recommended to us. So we left early Friday morning and went there for lunch. (One of the nice things about traveling west is that you change into Central Time, but our stomachs stayed on Eastern Time, so we were always an hour ahead of the lunch/dinner crowds and never had to wait for a table!)

Jonathan had the grouper sandwich and I got the fish tacos. They. Were. Amazing. Seriously. So delicious. So then I decided I wanted to make them myself, which sent me on the hunt for a recipe that would measure up to what I had at George's.

I first went to (where else?) the Barefoot Contessa website because I remembered once on her show she had a guest chef on making fish tacos. This site was helpful for making the recipe for the sauce, but then I was left asking, "How do you make chipotle paste?"

A-ha! You Tube! So then I used this video for making the chipotle paste. Basically you buy a small can of chipotle peppers and then put them in the food processor and strain out the seeds. Simple!

And finally, I used this recipe for the batter. The beer flavor in it was really nice. I used Corona Light because I bought a 6-pack for Mr. Lass to enjoy with the tacos. I used tilapia because it was on sale that week.

We had ours with just the sauce and fish, but you could add cabbage or whatever the other condiments are they recommend. Seriously, these were SO GOOD. And the sauce is delicious...it tastes really complex (and hard to make). I would like to find other dishes to serve it on.

Have a great weekend!
Kara

P.S. Sorry for no pictures in this post. We gobbled up the finished product before there was time to snap any pictures!

Re: Dining Room - Mission Accomplished??

Hi! I am so (SO) sorry I have been MIA for so many weeks. Seriously, you give me a 3-day weekend and I am worthless for awhile :) But I love the progress you have made with your dining room...I cannot wait to see it all come together as a finished product. Are you going to do a rug in there? What about a chandelier? I recently saw this chandelier on Pottery Barn's website and I think I'm in love:

I bet it is gorgeous the way the light bounces off the glass drops. I love how they have two hanging over the table in one of the photos. In a small way, it kind of reminds me of Design Mom's chandelier she talked talked about last fall, just in the way there is glass hanging from the frame that reflects the glass.

Lately I have been in love with the idea of a Moravian Star pendant light (in clear glass):

The entryway off our garage has a boring, standard light in it and I would love to replace it with something fun and unexpected. They are kind of pricey, but I don't need one very big and there are a few available on eBay. It's one of those things that I hope to find at an estate sale or flea market when the seller doesn't realize its value and is selling it for $10. That never actually happens to me, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Last weekend I was trolling Craigslist and found this listed for $50:

It needs a ton of TLC, but I think it could really be beautiful once its done. I'm considering painting it a creamy color and doing the same Covington Blue (by Benjamin Moore) behind the glass and replacing the knobs/pulls with antique brass knobs. Thoughts? Suggestions?

I don't want to do anything too crazy because I want to try and sell it on Craigslist for a profit. I still have some cream paint left over from when I painted my closet awhile back and there are some cheap-ish knobs on eBay, so hopefully I won't have to put a lot into it and will make a decent profit. Then maybe I can buy my Moravian light!

Hugs,

Kara

Subject: Dining Room - Mission Accomplished??

I think I found the remaining components to finish my dining room.

Cost Plus - Light Napa Dining Table

Crate & Barrel - Slip White Side Chair

Crate & Barrel - Zoey Curtain Panel

As you know, the debate over the dining room table has been going on for quite some time, but after I see the dining table in person this weekend we might actually have a winner.  (And another complete room!)  Will keep you posted.  Have a great weekend!!

Subject: Guest Room

You're not mad at me, right?  :)  I mean no e-mailing/blogging (maybe we call what we do e-blogging?) in 10 DAYS!!  Hopefully what I'm about to reveal will incline you to write me back!!  Drum Roll Please.....

Here is our brand new guest room!!

It started off with this throw pillow.  (Which was originally going to be used in the Master.)

Followed by some stenciling.  (All thanks to my mom!)

And voila...

Couldn't resist a little Millie in there!  

So, what do you think?  I'm still doing a little styling.  And that chair in the corner, I plan to recover this one that I mentioned a couple of months ago and put it in the room.

Can't wait to hear from you!!

xxx