Are you Pinterested?

Well, I am...
Sadly I haven't had time to be the blogger I'd like to be these days. But I've fallen for Pinterest- an application/site where you can keep a record of all things wonderful. From recipes to remodeling ideas, Pinterest is a feast for the eyes. Photo links can be pinned and repinned and organized in any way you desire.
So, in this time when I have so little time, I hope you will follow me and my boards on Pinterest!

New Read: Style & Substance

I've been pouring over the pages of Elle Decor's hardbound and hard-to-beat book: Style and Substance.

The pages are filled with decor eye candy. According to the description on Amazon, it's a "lush compendium of inspiring spaces." I don't think I've ever used the word compendium in a sentence, but I concur!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope it's off to a wonderful beginning!

We shared the first morning of 2011 with family and the playgroup. The menu ran the gamut of savory and sweet... Here are the recipes!

Two Paula Deen recipes for a rather over-indulgent beginning to the year:
Canned Biscuit Dough Donuts- These are SO simple, inexpensive, delicious, and FUN!
French Toast Casserole- Um, yum!


And my Baked Eggs and Asparagus, and Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens:


Baked Eggs and Asparagus
(15-20 servings)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

2 bunches of pencil-thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 small onion, chopped

20 eggs
1/2 c milk
kosher salt and black pepper
8 slices swiss cheese, torn 
1/2 cup monterrey jack cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan for topping


PH oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until just softened. Add asparagus, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are al dente, 5-7 minutes. Spread cooked vegetables evenly in a large baking dish (or two, if needed.) Sprinkle with monterrey jack cheese. 
In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, and a dash salt and pepper with a whisk until frothy. Pour egg mixture over vegetable mixture. Distribute torn pieces of swiss cheese on top of eggs. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and grate fresh parmesan on top of eggs. 
Cut into squares for easy serving.


Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens
3 (~16 oz) bags fresh black-eyed peas
3 slices thick bacon, uncooked, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled
1 small celery stalk
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups water  (more/less to cover veggies)
2 cups chopped, trimmed collard greens (not stalks)
salt and pepper to taste


Place first seven ingredients (through chicken stock) in a large stockpot. Add water to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook 45 minutes to an hour, or until peas are tender. Add collard greens, cover and cook 10-15 minutes more, until greens are wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat and enjoy good luck for the year to come!


Don't forget the drinks!


Bloody Mary Bar
Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix (Spicy V8 works well too!)
Hot Sauce
Black Pepper
Horseradish
Celery Salt
Jalapeno Stuffed Olives
Celery Stalks
Worcestershire Sauce
Vodka!


Simple Mimosas
Pulp-Free OJ
Whatever champagne is left over from the night before!

May 2011 bring you good luck, good health, and good gatherings!

Kocurek Christmas Supper Party- 1809WESTdesign

Beautiful home, a fabulous gathering of friends... it was a pure delight to decorate for this Christmas Supper Party.

Theme: Tradition with a Twist
Colors: Red, Green, Gold, Silver, and White
Flowers: Casablanca Lilies, Fresh Garland, Holly with Berries, White Roses, Gold-Flecked Eucalyptus
Details: Decorative Chair Wrappers, Trailing Centerpieces, Powder Room Arrangements

Hughes Living Room- 1809WESTdesign

Take a peek at my latest living room re-do!
The goal: Unite bold artwork and a streamlined sectional sofa to create a warm and cozy spot in this 1980's condo.
The space: High ceilings, combination living/dining room, big windows and white walls.
The scheme: For the cooler months a warm lodge-like feel--- that easily transitions to a breezy sea-side resort during our hot, hot summer. It's a living room with DRAMA!

Christmas Decor 2010

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a well-decorated house.
Here are some pics and details from this year's Christmas decor- inspired by the Iloka Karasz's beautifully illustrated book "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
The book was published in 1949- and the pastel colors, abundance of life, and use of numbers provided a springboard for my winter wonderland.

Howard Living Room- 1809WESTdesign

I recently took on a new interior design client. Her condo's living room needed a breath of fresh air, and a new floor plan!
The goal: Give "hand-me-downs" a "pick-me-up!"
The space: Hard angles and difficult dimensions made the room a difficult one to lay out. I created a new floor plan that flows and functions.
The scheme: I created two decor schemes- incorporating existing furniture items (saving money!), giving others a new life, and pulling the room together in a sophisticated and interesting manner.
Take a look!

Have I mentioned...

how much I love RUE MAGAZINE!?
It's exclusively on-line, and created by design bloggers. My favorite feature- roll-over almost any object and you will be directed to a site that offers that item for sale. A fantastic time-saver! Rue has the "feel" of a traditional magazine- you can zoom in to read articles and see detail, or just flip through it to your hearts delight.
What a fab spin on traditional media! Congrats on the successful launch, Rue Magazine! (Funny thing, we've kinda got the same color scheme going on...)

Good Read: At Home

I followed Bill Bryson on his Walk in the Woods... and now he's headed back home. Bryson's new book explores the historical significance of our living spaces. I am fascinated by the premise alone. The icing on this literary cake is that Bryson is an entertaining and informed writer. A new addition to my goodreads.com "to-read" list: At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson. (Available on amazon.com)


"Houses aren't refuges from history. They are where history ends up." I like that.

On the Fence (Well, really... On the Wall)

I've been debating (for the last year or so) whether or not to wallpaper our guest/kids' bath. While I am entranced by all the gorgeous patterns and textures available- it's overwhelming... in a good way- it's hard to open the pocketbook to that kind of investment. Especially when the bottom half of the bathroom walls are covered in white epoxy-coated tile original to the house. Original tile can be a gorgeous thing... ours, I assure you, is not.
However, a girl can dream... and these papers are what dreams are made of.
(Above- Carey Lind Riviera Tiles Wallpaper from Wallpapers To Go)

Flower Power Grey Wallpaper by Kenneth James Echo Design from Wallpapers To Go

Fun Floral Blue and Taupe Wallpaper by Kenneth James Echo Design from Wallpapers To Go
Modern Damask Yellow Wallpaper by Kenneth James Echo Design from Wallpapers To Go
Hicks Hexagon in Black and Gold by Cole and Son from Walnut Wallpapers
Elysian Fields by Flavor Paper from Walnut Wallpapers (Yes, those are bats! LOVE IT!)
Awesome bathrooms with wallpaper (from housebeautiful.com):

Sitting Pretty

Inspiration!

Haven't been able to get through the NYT Style Magazine DESIGN issue yet... I've been stuck on the Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams ad. I love this look- and it's helped me hone in on where I'm going with our living room. Here are some accent chairs that could fit the bill:

Manor Wing Chair by Baker 

White Leather Wingback Chair from 1stdibs

British Route Sign Wingback Chair from Home Economics

French Upholstered Wing Chair from Restoration Hardware

La Salle Chair and Ottoman by Flexsteel from Gage Furniture

The State of the Living Room

I took a design risk... and I think it paid off. The Oversized Equator Pendant Light arrived in a gargantuan box- much fun for the little one- and it makes a quiet statement hovering above our cocktail table. With a newly installed dimmer switch, the living room is moving in the right direction. Still some decisions to make- re-painting, another chair to bring our seating capacity back up to six, new art- but I'm just so happy that the light works! (Both aesthetically and functionally...)

So now on to the chair decision...

Peabody's Nursery Inspiration

It came to me this weekend... after I pushed all thoughts of blush and rose and peony out of my mind... A book that has captured my interest for over 10 years: Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities.

I am fully aware that this book is the muse for Pottery Barn's Summer Collection and for the ubiquitous use of red coral pillows and such. My plan deviates from the au curant (but at this point a bit ho hum) studies of sea life.
Peabody's tiny room (9X11+two teeny closets and a heck of a lot of wallspace consumed by windows and doors) will be a modern twist on Seba's cabinet. Clean lines mixed with natural textures, it will feel like a clearing in the forest where deer come to graze and lizards come to bask. I'm working on sketches and I can't wait to share more as it develops!

Boardwalk Empire

Last night we watched the premiere of HBO's new drama, Boardwalk Empire. Sleek and dazzling, brutal and grizzly, this show has it all. The Prohibition Era styling is spot-on and I thought I'd share some sources for 1920s style.
For flapper-worthy fashion, shop The Boudoir Queen. Vintage pieces and one-of-a-kind details come together to create couture items for a night on the town or on the runway.

The Chesterfield Bed from Restoration Hardware makes a statement in the bedroom.


The Budmojiggler font from 1001fonts.com echoes the lights of Atlantic City.

Get into bootlegging with your own barrel of Garrison Bourbon. The only bourbon made in Texas!
Create some drama of your own with these Pumpkin Damask Window Panels from Pier One.



















Red lips were all the rage in the 1920s- Pretty up your pout with MAC Red. And tune in to HBO next Sunday for the second episode of Boardwalk Empire!