Christmas Break

Dave and I went to Indianapolis for the Christmas holiday.  We spent three wonderful days visiting with my family, and celebrating the best parts of life.  My pregnant sister and her husband flew in from Florida, and my grandmother and aunt flew in from Southern California.  It was a full house!  We spent many late nights chatting around the kitchen island, and sipping mulled wine.  We played games, and watched movies (It's A Wonderful Life-- the best Christmas movie ever made, in my opinion).

Mom had the house completely decked out for the holiday...

my mother's library, complete with a golfing Santa

(and Ava Bamboo Table Lamp from our store)

(mulled wine)

(a classically retro Yule Log cake, complete with meringue mushrooms)

(Belgian waffles for brunch)

Then, on December 27th, we woke up to snow...   

It was the perfect Christmas break.

I hope you all had a peaceful and restful holiday.  I'll be back with regular blog posts next week, as we eagerly welcome the start of 2012!

xoxo,

Kelly

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Mulled Wine

Have I talked about mulled wine on this blog before?  It's one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  I first made it for a Christmas party that I co-hosted (during my single years) living in Santa Monica.  My co-host (and foodie friend) Karen, suggested that we make it... and incidentally, it was a huge hit.  I've been hooked ever since.  There's just something about this warm, spicy wine that makes Christmas even more festive.  I've decided that I will make it every year. :)

There are a bunch of different ways to make mulled wine (and I'm sure that most versions are delicious-- it's pretty simple), but I like to make my Christmas mulled wine with brandy.  The brandy just makes it a little more interesting.  So, here's my recipe:

Robson Family Mulled Wine

1 bottle of red wine

1/3 - 1/2 cup of brandy

1 whole orange, zested and sliced

1/2 cup of sugar

7-10 whole cloves

a few cinnamon sticks

allspice, ginger, or nutmeg to taste

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker or a large pot.  Heat on low until the mixture is steaming (do not boil!  This is bad).  I like to let it simmer for about 30 minutes, if not longer.  The sugar should be dissolved at this point, and all of the ingredients should have enough time to "mull" together.  Ladle into mugs or glasses and garnish with an orange slice and/or a cinnamon stick.  Listen to Christmas Carols, visit with friends and family, and then go back for a second glass! Enjoy Holiday Cheer all evening.

xoxo

Kelly

image from The Cooking Channel

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The Jet Set House

Do you guys read the website, Curbed?  It's a site that focuses on real estate... with a celebrity/interior design twist.   It's great.   Highly recommend it for the factual, yet sensational articles.   This week, they posted a bit of interesting news.   If you're a Mad Men fan (and I most certainly am), you might remember that amazing mid-century gem of a house in Season 2.   The episode was appropriately called "The Jet Set".   Remember?   Don travels to LA, goes off the rails and escapes with those gypsies?   They stay at this STUNNER of a home and the scene appears to be taken right out of a Slim Aarons photograph...

Anyway, that place is for sale. And, if you have a cool $12 million to spare, it might be a great investment for you:

This home has some serious Hollywood history:

(taken from the Curbed LA article)

"The Fox Residence in Chatsworth is up for sale. The 1951 Pereira & Luckman house has an incredibly star-studded history from its early days all the way to today. It was built for Chase Manhattan Bank heiress Dora Hutchinson, who, according to Forbes, threw "massive who’s who parties for Hollywood, hosting the A-list likes of Lucille Ball and Ava Gardner, and shooting off fireworks to signal Happy Hour to her neighbors." The listing says that Judy Garland and Vicente Minnelli were married on the property. After Hutchinson moved to New York, she rented the Fox (also known as the Farralone) to Frank Sinatra for almost a decade, who in turn sublet the guesthouse (which has its own pool) to Marilyn Monroe. She had her last, famous photoshoot in one of the pools and supposedly spent time there with John F. Kennedy. More recently, it made Mad Men viewers drool playing a Palm Springs house in the episode "The Jet Set." Dreamgirls, Ali, and Californication also filmed there."

What a remarkable life this house has lived!  And, this gorgeous piece of architectural history also EARNS money.  It brings in about $2 million a year in filming fees.

And, I'd say it's worth it. Talk about picturesque.

(isn't Jon Hamm so handsome?)

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Before & After: Diamond Tufted Side Chairs

(before)

Earlier this year, I stumbled upon these AMAZING little side chairs on an antiquing trip.  Even though they were missing some buttons and the yellow velvet upholstery had seen better days, I knew they had great potential.  So, we bought them and hoarded them away for a future makeover.

And finally, their time has come! 

When choosing an upholstery fabric, I wanted something simple and sleek.  So, I stayed away from patterns and prints (although, I was tempted to pick a pinstripe), and I landed on a luxurious chocolate linen with a subtle grey undertone.  I wanted the fabric to almost blend with the color of the wood frame, so all the focus was directed at the gorgeous diamond tufting. 

I picked up the two chairs from our upholsterer this week, and I'm beyond thrilled with the result...

Here are the chairs BEFORE:

And, this is what they look like today:

In addition to the new upholstery, we had them completely re-stuffed.  They now have brand new springs, and they're SO comfortable.  For the finishing touch, we picked an antique brass nailhead to trim out the legs.  Just a little bit of sparkle goes a long way.

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Dear House Beautiful "Bathroom Of The Month"...

Please clone yourself and move into my upstairs bathroom space.

Please don't forget to bring your historic fixtures, subway tile, marble floors, and interior shutters. 

I look forward to your arrival.  Thanks.

all images from House Beautiful

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The Carson Tray

We introduced a new product to the store this week.  Dave (my business partner husband) designed it and had a local Philadelphia craftsman fabricate it.  I'm in LOVE with the way it turned out:

The Carson Walnut Serving Tray

The "Carson" tray is made of solid American walnut, and fabricated right here in Philadelphia!  This piece is completely food safe and makes a fantastic serving tray, as well as a cutting board.  It was designed to resist warping-- just wipe it clean (and occasionally condition with mineral oil!).  I love the modern design and gorgeous natural walnut finish.

I thought that one of my Philadelphia clients would enjoy it, so I wrapped it up (along with fresh baked bread from our local bakery) and made a little Christmas gift basket.  Here's a sneak peek of it in her kitchen:

*To celebrate the debut of the Carson tray, we're offering it at a discounted price!  For a limited time only.  Click HERE for more info.

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Weekend

Yesterday was my birthday aaaaaaand...  now I'm 30.  It feels good to be thirty. 

Dave brought me my favorite cake (carrot cake with walnuts, raisins, and coconut-- delish!) and he even added the cheesy 3-0 candles.  I loved it so much, I made him hold it out for me so I could take a quick picture.  :)  Birthday cake for lunch is the best thing.

On Friday, there was a surprise visit from Kate Spade:

there's a yellow "Stevie" bag under that adorable wrapping paper.

(thank you, Brooke!)

On Saturday night, Dave and I went out to a fancy dinner to celebrate the milestone.  I ordered the chocolate peppermint souffle for dessert, and Dave ordered the apple fig tart...

On Sunday, I took a few hours to myself and did a little shopping at the King of Prussia Mall (a mall that rivals all others).  A quick browse through Ralph Lauren was required after I spotted this stunning leather trunk:

(with brass hardware-- love this!)

I did not leave the mall empty handed:

(available here)

Happy Birthday to me.

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Washington Post Interior Design Chat!

Hey guys!  Tomorrow, I'm joining the gals over at The Washington Post for a LIVE chat.  Want to join us?  We'll be talking about interior design, home improvement, gift giving, entertaining, etc!  This is the first time I've ever done such a thing, and I would love a chance to meet more of you!  So, submit your questions now!  We'll start chatting tomorrow at 11am EST.

Click HERE for more information!

Thanks to the ladies at The Washington Post for including me in their "Home Front" chat, and I hope to hear from more of you tomorrow!

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Boots

My mom is my style guru.  I'm (almost) 30, and she's (almost) 60, and I turn to her for nearly all of my fashion advice (Once, when shopping by myself, I emailed her an iphone picture of clothes in the dressing room-- "What should I buy, Mom?"  and she would text me back.  She's that good, and I'm that dependant). 

So, when she emailed me a link to these boots a few weeks ago, my heart skipped a beat.  When they arrived on my doorstep, I immediately put them on...  and I've been wearing them ever since.  In fact, I've already ordered two more pairs: one in black, and another pair in "brandy" (for next winter... a girl can't be too prepared).  They're cute, aren't they?  They're also on SALE in a major way (less than $150.00).

*Side note:  there isn't a tall boot on the planet that fits my freakishly large calves.  Really.  I've been excluded from every winter look: boots + skinny jeans, boots + pencil skirt, boots + tights & dresses.  It's so sad.  But, these boots fit me.  It's a Christmas miracle.  They're completely adjustable on one side, and they zip up on the other.  I finally feel like I fit in with the stylish girls.  I have tall boots now!!!  Look at me!

So, if you also suffer from this disorder, go get yourself a pair already. 

xoxo

Kelly

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Cyber Monday GIVEAWAY!

(set of 4 agate coasters, shown with Martin crystal lowball glasses)

Happy Cyber Monday, everyone!  Today in the new store, we'll be giving away a FREE set of Agate Coasters with every $30.00 purchase.  These coasters make an excellent gift-- perfect for both ladies and gents!  We have them in two colors: natural quartz or azure blue.  Just choose your preferred colorway and "add to cart."  It's that simple.

This giveaway is only good until midnight tonight-- so hurry up and shop now!

In order to be eligible for this giveaway, make sure that your original order comes to a minimum of $30.00 (excluding shipping).  Find this Cyber Monday giveaway under the "Daily Deal" link at the top of the High Street Market homepage.  Or, CLICK HERE.

Quantities are limited, one set of coasters per customer please!

Happy Cyber Monday!

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Thanksgiving Sky

I hope you all had a delightful Thanksgiving weekend.  We drove out of town to visit with my husband's family in upstate New York.  And as tradition goes, we completely over ate (feasting on 8 different side dishes!  My mother in law outdid herself, that's for sure).    We snapped this shot from our backyard once we returned.  That pink sunset took our breath away!

Much to be thankful for this year.

xoxo,

Kelly

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Black & White

A couple of weeks ago, something happened to me that has never happened before.  I entered a blog giveaway and I won.  I WON!!  Can you believe it?  And today, my prize arrived: a SIGNED copy of Celerie Kemble's new book, Black & White (and a bit in between).

Signed!

Here's proof:

Oh, Celerie.  I'm sure I will find plenty of pages to dog ear.

(!!!!!)

Here are a few peeks at her new book:

It's very interesting to hear Celerie's perspective on black & white.  For a designer who (at times) is defined by her bold use of color, the black and white palette can feel refined.  Celerie says that it shows restraint.  Editing a room down to such a simplified scheme can sometimes be the most fascinating.  The book is a compilation of rooms designed by Celerie herself, as well as other interior design superstars (think Bunny Williams, Victoria Hagan, Carrier & Co, and Miles Redd to name a few). 

Thank you to Brittany (of The House That Lars Built) for hosting this fabulous giveaway.  I'm so glad I won this excellent prize.  :)

I think that I'll go out and buy a lottery ticket now.

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Lucus Studio, Interior Design

A few weeks ago, I posted a House Beautiful feature designed by Lucus Studio Interior Design.  Since then, I've been POURING over their fantastic portfolio.  Their work is really tremendous, and it's become a major source of inspiration for me over the last month.  I particularly love the way they blend traditional furnishings with unexpected eclectic pieces and one-of-a-kind antiques.  Every space is comfortable and unpretentious...  yet, extremely rich and sophisticated.  The perfect combination.

love the table, love the table skirt... effortless and "collected"

another fabulous dining banquette

again, excellent mix of traditional (skirted sectional with an English arm) with eclectic (Moroccan table, antique rug, spool chair).  This space seems so comfortable.

blue wainscotting and trim!

love the wallpaper, the dark cabinetry, the velvet sofa, and I love the brass library sconces over the bookshelves.

This is just a snippet of the AMAZING Lucus Studio portfolio. 

Visit their professional website for more.

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