Being a “brutal reader ” as was said when I lived in Dublin, I typically read a book every couple of days. I am a voracious reader and love literary classics, good contemporary fiction and non fiction, biographies and the rest. I love interior design books, gardening books, and cookbooks. My husband, when he sees me reading a cookbook from cover to cover, always asks me, “how’s the plot and did the butler do it”. He thinks it funny every time.

My bedside reading chair is filled with books I’m reading, books I”m going to read, some books I’ve read and like to go back to. It gets a bit precarious as the pile rises but the pleasure is mine.

Your private island.

Our clients renovated their kitchen. Jim loved beautiful woods and Janet loved light and warm colors, and both wanted something unique and comfortable. Their request was to make their vision a reality. The couple was open to creative thinking, very outside the box. And so I found for them this unique “island” on an antiquing foray in Charlotte, NC. It is a charming altar in warm pine with wood details, from an old old chapel in France, long ago dismantled.  Jim finished the top to a gleaming shine. It was a perfect size for a couple of stools and I enjoyed many a pre dinner glass of wine there with them. The back was open with a couple of shelves making it perfect for placemats, napkins and kitchen tools. Having a penchant for chairs I like to include one or two in every kitchen. And here was the perfect opportunity. I scavenge for 1930′s boudoir chairs (sometimes in their original vinyl covers, very funny) and reupholster them to suit the space. In this case 2 different but complimentary chairs covered in 2 different but complimentary stripes in quilted cotton. Another shade of blue in a ceramic garden seat placed between 2 chairs created another seating area for cup of tea and a conversation or a good book. I love to read cookbooks.

Making a house a home.

How do you make your house a home? Filling a house with furniture creates a product. Making it a home is a process. Working with the right designer she will always have your “recipe” in mind and can help you evolve your room/house into your most personal pleasure and reflection of you.  The corner of this library could be just a corner with a chair for reading, but add the custom designed book shelves, with books and mementos from my own collection of antiques and accessories, from years of passionate traveling and collecting, and it becomes more of a respite.  Custom Roman shades offer color without sacrificing light. As the process evolved a low Tibetan chest from my antique imports made it even more inviting.  It continued to evolve as black and white pictures of our Washington Cathedral given by a friend found a place leaning agains the bookshelf. All this to say that a room a house a home is a process that continues to evolve. Even since this photo of my library a round white Tibetan lamb ottoman has been placed in front of the chair, a touch of whimsy so important.  Reading there is delicious.

Tibetan Lamb Ottoman

Contact us to purchase this Tibetan Lamb Ottoman and be on your way to making your home as unique as you.

I adopted this brownie recipe many many years ago from one of Laurie Colwin’s books. She was a novelist who cooked and ate and shared and if you haven’t read her you will find a treat. She wrote for Gourmet magazine and her cooking books, Home Cooking and More Home Cooking will make you laugh out loud.  Best of all they are delicious and you’ll want to make them everyday! Be sure to under rather than over bake so they melt in your mouth. More like a measly 30 minutes depending on your oven.

Photo: Andre Baranowski

Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies

8 tbsp. unsalted butter,
plus more for greasing
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄4 tsp. fine salt

1. Heat oven to 325°. Grease an 8″ x 8″ baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Set the pan aside.

2. Melt the butter and the chocolate together in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir to make a smooth batter. Add the walnuts, flour, and salt; stir until incorporated. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Cut and serve.

Tricia Guild Cut Velvet Pillow $250

16″ Square, Down Insert, Solid Linen Velvet Back, Metallic Pink Flange on two sides,  Knife Edge, Hidden Zipper Closure.

Please Contact us to purchase. Shipping additional.

Cheers