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Garden, Home & Party

~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Monthly Archives: February 2013

{Home} Keeping things neutral

27 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, House and Home, Paint Color, Trends

≈ 20 Comments

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neutral color palate

1-snowy villageSince many are still experiencing winter at her snowy best (or worst) I thought I would stay indoors and ponder the beauty of a neutral color palate for a room…

This is Wikipedia’s definition of neutral color: 

Grey or gray is an intermediate color between black and white, a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally a color “without color.” [2] It is the color of a cloud-covered sky, of ash and of lead.[3]

In Europe and America, grey is the color most frequently associated with the elderly, humility, reflection, boredom, dullness, uncertainty, and indifference.[4]

Pretty funny.  Grey isn’t the first or only color that pops into my head when I think of a room reflecting a neutral palate.  I usually think of white or a soft beige and maybe a little grey. And what’s up with the second paragraph…who entered this opinion?

I am attracted to neutral rooms, and yet I know I am not one to want to live in a home that is primarily decorated in shades of neutral.

Today, I’m sharing today, rooms that are primarily neutral.  I love each and every image I’m sharing but I’ve soul-searched and I can’t make the leap.  Maybe when I move to that cottage in the Cottswolds?

2-living room, linen heirloom...

3-paperwhites on din table Tricia Foley, The Table{queen of white ~ Tricia Foley}

4-house beautiful5-Nancy Fishelson, Litchfield, CT{Nancy Fishelson ~ Litchfield, CT}

6-el'lefebien via belgian pearls 2.10.13{El’lefebien via Belgian Pearls}

7-brabourne farm l r{Brabourne Farm}

4-AD_thumb{Architectural Digest}

9-jayne-090_thumb1{Cote de Texas}

10--four leaf4wwatermark{Segreto Finishes}

11-200480620883076519_g7ZcCICR_f12-home bunch, floor in spain{Home Bunch}

13-Southern Accents Photo Antoine bootz Designer Bobbi Smith[4]{Photo by Antoine Bootz ~ Southern Accents}

14abelgian pearls{Belgian Pearls}

14-david michael miller designer, providence 9.17.12{Providence Ltd. Design}

15-lantlivinorregrd-blogspotdotcom

The promise of spring is just around the corner.  I hope you are warm and dry and may spring shine on your home soon.

{Garden} Keeping bees happy and other gardening pursuits

20 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Maintenance

≈ 21 Comments

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Bees

Pilgrims brought the first honeybees to America. There were honeybees in California by 1820.

bee skep the simple front porch

I’ve been busy as a bee in my garden…planning and planting.  (It was one of my New Year goals)

Honeybee-History05

tumblr_fresh as a daisy{tumblr ~ fresh as a daisy}

After ignoring my front yard during the month of December and most of January, I decided it was time to clean up a few things.  My gardener had pruned the roses and I usually do a little detailing to make sure they are trimmed properly.

Front of Bethany house_thumb{Bethany House ~ Winter, 2011}

Working in the garden relaxes me and makes me happy.  This past weekend the work inspired me to start making plans for the plants I want to install (as part of my New Year’s “goals”) and I came up with a list that I’ll order/pick up at the nursery and plant sometime between now and the end of March.

Jardin Prive{Bethany House ~ backyard fence}

For now I’ve planted some infrastructure for the planting beds, behind the boxwood in the front yard are…

‘Alaska’ azalea, a lovely white blooming plant that should grow fairly fast in this part-sun location to cover the valves for the sprinklers.

azalea Alaska white~and~

phygelius 'passionate pink'phygelius ‘Passionate Pink’, a smallish, upright fuchsia.   Bees and hummingbirds alike love this plant and the one below…

~and~

spanish+lavenderSpanish lavender, this will give me a little soft color around the white Iceberg shrub roses.

That plan instigated more thought about the back yard.  I started thinking about plants and bees.  I know, it does seem a little strange, but I would love to have the time and space to raise bees.  I don’t have the time at this juncture but like my desire for a chicken coop, maybe some day.

I hope to move some planters around in the back yard and replace a rose or two.  I purchased some seed in hopes that I can try my hand at growing ‘forget-me-nots’ and some Asian poppy seed to scatter.

tumblrforget me nots fresh as a daisy{Forget-Me-Nots}

Meanwhile, I’ll have to search for a straw bee skep to tide me over…

000_2133 Large Picture of Straw Bee Skep{Country Cottage Primitives}

There will be more garden coverage this year…stay tuned.  Like last year, hopefully, Olivia will help me with the watering when she visits this summer.

best olivia watering{August 2012}

Note:  We have a constant stream of bee and hummingbird visitors in our yard.  I think some of my new plants will be gourmet nectar to both.

Do you have plans for your garden this year?  I know some of you are still shivering from winter’s cold but you and I both know it will be spring before we know it!

I’m over at Savvy Southern Style, drop by for a visit and Art @ Home sharing things that make me happy.

 

{Party} Please join us for a Valentine’s dinner

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Dessert, Entertaining, Food, Holiday/Seasonal cooking, Simple Meals for the Avid Cook

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Valentine's Day

unison heart ornaments via slim paley{Slim Paley}

There was a time when I would have thought of St. Valentine’s Day strictly as a date for two.  As I’ve matured I find that any occasion can be more fun with a small group of close friends.

Love, Valentines

So my post for today is an invitation for you to join us for a Valentine’s dinner…this is pure fantasy, unless all of you can manage a flight to California and join us in real life!

My invitation will be simple, but I enjoy receiving hard copy invitations so I think I’ll order this for my  informal dinner party…

I don’t know who the Logan’s (below in sample invite) are but I wouldn’t expect guests to leave my party at 10:00 p.m., lights out at our home would be 10:30…ha,ha,ha.  Just kidding, I think parties have a way of letting you know when they are winding down, organically, don’t you agree?  Honestly, none of our friends ever overstay their welcome and we all seem to get tired after several hours of good food, good wine and good conversation.

1{via Tiny Prints}

All of you will know my house because you’ve been there many times before…

ivy vintage home{remember, this is pretend}

For table settings and flowers I can go in a few different directions.  Below are some of my ideas, maybe you should weigh in and let me know which table you’d most enjoy…

Here is my Valentine table last year, or the year before, I don’t remember.  I could use the same cloth but the Petite Fleur dishes might be too busy for meatloaf, what do you think?

table v-day 2_thumb

christmas in norway, inspiring interiors, 9.25.12This (above) table is technically one I found around Christmas, but the frosty greens could be traded out for others while the mercury glass and silver and white, especially with the pearl heart, could easily work for St. Valentine’s Day.

party resource simpleThe red and white grain sack cloth with the red candles really work for the holiday…I love the simplicity of this with the fire in the grate and candles on the mantle, what could be more inviting or romantic?

PR black and whiteI love the detailing on these candelabras, and the tailored feel to the black and white linens and dishes.  This is totally a Valentine’s look that I could get behind.

v-day Rooms to Inspire in the Country - Annie KellyI will have fresh flowers in the house and probably keep to the traditional selection of colors where they are concerned…and I’m sure the price of flowers for that weekend will be astronomical.  Is it too late to cancel this imaginary dinner? LOL

vdayshop2-1If only I could find these beauties in my garden, its still a little early for me to have enough to cut and bring in ~ via Studio Choo

I prefer simple appetizers since I don’t want you to fill up on a first course only to discover you’re not hungry when the main course is served.  This (on a smaller but similar scale) is what I’ll set out for guests.

carolyne roehm table via party resources 10.10.12

~and~

Pic-10-cheese-tray-on-bread-board-Gourmet-girls_thumbBecause St. Valentine’s Day lands in the winter, I plan to serve you a hearty fare.

Menu

Cheese board ~ Olives ~  Bread

1770 house meatloaf

Mashed potatoes

Green Beans Gremolata

Dessert:  Brownies with homemade Caramel Sauce

and

Vanilla Ice Cream

meatloaf{Photo by Jenny Steffens Hobick} ~if you love to cook, please visit Everyday Occasions blog, you will be inspired with her wonderful recipes and beautiful design ideas.

1a-peeking through the sunflowers 1.11.13{Peeking Thru the Sunflowers}

So what’s planned for those of you that can’t make it to our house for dinner?

xo, Karen

I’m over at Stone Gable for her Turtorials and Tips party.

I want to send a special thank you to Debby at the fabulous Inspired Design for hosting a book giveaway that I won! {By the way, she’s hosting another book giveaway this week, you may want to stop by and comment to be entered}

Inspired DesignThis is going to be on my nightstand until I plan my next trip to Paris, then I’ll take it with me on the plane.  It’s filled with beautiful images and fabulous insider tips for traveling to the city of light and romance.

Note:  On my previous post about my friend’s house I inadvertently made a few errors about the age of some of the lighting fixtures.  I’ve corrected the errors HERE.

{Home} Live in rooms full of light. ~ Cornelius Celus

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Architectural elements, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

friend's house, lighting

Before I begin your tour of my freind’s beautiful home…I wanted to thank my best blog buddy, Victoria,  for nominating me the the 2013 Homies over at Apartment Therapy.  I’m nominated to the Best Home Design & Inspiration Blog.  I’m touched and flattered.   If you have a moment to vote visit HERE…I would love your vote and would reciprocate if you are a fellow blogger.  You can vote for as many blog sites as you like, I’d love it if you vote for Victoria’s site [Restoring our 1890 Victorian] too.  You might have to sign up to vote, so if you choose not to do that (although they do make it simple), I understand.  In any event, I enjoy this hobby and it’s always fun to receive a nod from a talented, fellow blogger.

1a-Shady Cyn gates{This antique gate, when entered, leads to one side of the property}

Glenys, a dear friend of mine, recently moved into their new, custom made home.  It has taken more time than you might expect for selection of the lot, planning the home’s design with the architect, building the home and finally, moving in.

By the way, you can tell by the sky that the day I visited was a Chamber of Commerce day for the area.  The blue skies and sunshine were amazing.

GS Entrance{The exterior front door was designed by the architect and built by a craftsman in the region.  The door marks the entry to a hallway that takes you to another door that allows you to enter the courtyard that their home surrounds}

I was thrilled to be given a tour and had hoped my images would turn out better than they have, I may be able to edit some of the photographs but I don’t have them ready for a post yet. (Note to self, until you actually buy a better camera your photos will never turn out great).

Courtyard light{(above) One of two or three, I can’t remember, antique lantern lights that light the covered, exterior hallway to the courtyard}

CIMG2869{A spectacular oak tree takes center stage in the courtyard, while a fountain in the yard immediately relaxes each visitor, there was an audible sigh between me and my friend, Jean, who took the tour with me when we crossed the threshold into the courtyard}

CIMG2871

Entry{Ready? This post will be all about about the lighting, but it’s okay to notice the incredible doors and the view just beyond}  [the designer informs me these doors were very old doors they discovered and that a talented craftsman on the project worked very hard to get them to operate properly]

One of the things that struck me with this home was the obvious thought and care that went into selecting lighting.  Glenys didn’t want a ton of canned lights (who can blame her) and what she ended up with was a home with wall sconces and light sources that are reminiscent of a historic villa in the south of France.

Chandelier 4The floors are either reclaimed wood or stone, depending on which room you’re in, and some of the walls are stone.  The chandelier (above) looks antique but in fact isn’t.  Glenys and her designer spent  a great deal of time tracking down the right pieces for the home and as a result everything seems as though it was meant for the space and imparts a history and comfort that you don’t often find in “new” homes.  Many of the lighting fixtures were custom made for the home.

Chandelier 5The chandelier above came from a favorite nursery here in Newport Beach, Rogers Gardens.  This was used in one of the nursery’s displays during the month of October.  Rogers always hosts a fabulous  Halloween room with seasonal decor items, as well as pieces such as this.  I love it!  The size suits the stairwell perfectly.

GS chandelier 3I cannot remember which room this chandelier is in, but by it’s simplicity it is wonderful.  All of the beams in the home are authentic old beams with so much character.

GS bedroom sconceThis little wall sconce in the guest room is a favorite of mine, the antique iron bed and wall sconce (made to look antique) take me to a little guest house in the South of France…well, in my imagination

GS Kitchen lightI love the restoration glass in this lantern, which I believe was one of two in the kitchen.  The lantern isn’t old but the glass and rustic frame create the look.

GS lanternI’m going to have to revisit and get back to you on some locations…isn’t this a great lantern?

Throughout the house there are wall sconces…they are especially attractive when mounted on a stone wall.

GS wall sconce (2)GS Wall sconce (3)GS Wall sconce (4)GS wall sconceShady bath sconceI hope you enjoyed the tour.  Below is the view from one part of the yard…

CIMG2949It feels like you could be on a hillside in France, doesn’t it?

{Garden, Home and Party} Contain yourself, and your stuff

01 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 36 Comments

Tags

containers

If you’ve followed me for awhile you will remember that I’ve participated in Favorites on the First over at The Polohouse, several times [HERE] and [HERE].   I love Alison’s style and her “favorites” series often gives me ideas for my own blog posts.

The little pewter container below was given to me by my good friend Gretchen, the detailing (which you can’t really see in this picture) is really nice. (Thank you, Gretchen!)

9.9.12 Dining rm side table accessories-pm

This month Alison is featuring containers.  It’s pretty much opened to any container, vase, jars, urns, pitchers, you name it.  I really loved the idea of finding images that gave me ideas for using containers of all kind.  So, here goes.  I hope you’ll stop by The Polohouse and see what others came up with too!

The kitchen below is one of Charles Faudree’s homes. I’m not sure which one but I remember the story of antique piece above the island.  What a great container, I’d be curious what it’s real purpose was.  As I recall, Mr. Faudree didn’t know it’s use either, but liked it and made it work for more than one of his kitchens.

charles faudree kitchenSince this post is about containers, with no specifics, I’ve pretty much pulled images from my home, as well as  those I’ve admired, and have any and all kinds of containers.

Below is my reading room…that is my “reading” chair.  I waste spend  hours sitting here reading magazines and books, sipping tea, making notes as I think of something I need to do.

CIMG2400CIMG2403

containers, greige 2011{greige}

Our antique china cupboard is a great container…a basket (contains my chargers) and a footbath (filled with nature’s air filter) on top.  Is this a stretch on the whole container post?

Garden, Home and PartyDan Marty old 4Dan Marty is king of great containers! (above)

green apples styling 4

{An Urban Cottage} —thanks, Joan for giving me the source.

Don’t you love the vibrant color of granny smith apples?  Nature really does offer decorator accessories of all colors, found at your local market.

greige1.28.11 breakfront, containerSuch a great cabinet.  I especially like the white painted shelves in contrast to the black finish on the cupboard, married with fabulous pewter, so pretty.

KB 5-12 kitchen shelf above deskThis little footed bowl from PB has a sweet saying around the band at the top, something about family.  The boxwood is fake and needs to be replaced with a preserved version (true confession #1).

Again, nature’s prettiest flower (behind peonies and hydrangea) make the vessel shine on the shelf.

peeking thru the sunflowers 1.17.13{via}

I bought a couple of these to serve water from when we enjoy a meal in the dining room.  The aqua colored glass pieces are particularly pretty.  Mine are clear glass but they work really well to keep my guests hydrated during a meal.

tumblr containers This Ivy House{tumblr – This Ivy House}

Be still my heart…I’d love the painting and the fabulous blue and white “containers” with an array of flowers.

tumblr the fuller view{tumblr – The Fuller View}

tumblr the fuller view1{tumblr – The Fuller View}

So I hope you’ve enjoyed my interpretation of the best containers.  stop by the Polohouse to see what others came up with.

Join me at…The Polohouse

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