Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Butternut Squash Soup

As anyone who's talked to me in the past few days knows, I had my wisdom teeth pulled last Friday. Ever since then I have subsisted on the diet of an octagenarian, and my fave golden girl food staple has been butternut squash soup. MMMmmmmmmm.....!

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe:

1 butternut squash, peeled
Nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

And it's a perfect cold day comfort food, which, as I understand, is perfect for the Northeast these days

Monday, January 19, 2009

"During" Along...

We ("we") are still chugging along on the master bathroom. James' dad is coming back down next weekend, so I am confident that it will completed then! For now, here is an update on how it looks:

This will be this shower. Nice and big and roomy!

Another vantage point of the shower. It will be surrounded in beadboard:

Here is the beautiful carrera (sp?) marble, which will go on the bathroom floor, and the shower walls:

And here is one of the two pedestal sinks:

And the oiled bronze fixtures that I am obsessed with.

I think the dark oiled bronze fixtures will look super-sharp against the white of the porcelain sinks and carrera marble.
To be continued! (finished...)

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Guest Appearance

Everyone likes a good before and after! Namely me. Since my house is currently stuck in a "before" holding pattern (with maybe a few "durings" thrown in), I thought I'd showcase Katie and her husband Steve's lovely recent transformation of their living room with plantation shutters and a navy accent wall.

"BEFORE" they had brown and yellow curtains that they had inherited from the builder:

Now, "AFTER," they have beautiful clean, sunny, white plantation shutters:

So pretty, and of course, so "preppy" :)

They also painted the wall above their fireplace a deep, rich navy blue. Love the way it looks with the brick! Also love Katie's masterful mantle arrangement.

Thanks Katie for allowing me to share!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Bathroom in Progress...

The boys are all hard at work on the bathroom...

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Bathrooms

As James and his dad are busy putting together our master bathroom, I am doing my part by finding examples of bathroom I like. How helpful am I!!!

I love this wall which kind of looks like clapboard siding. I also love the dresser which has been converted to a vanity.

I love beadboard. I can't decide on the height I like though. This looks like it's around 5 feet tall. Kinda nice...

This is very similar to what we want to do. Beadboard approximately 4 feet tall, 2 pedestal sinks (with backsplash!), and mirrored medicine cabinets above each sink.

More beadboard..
What I like here is the shelf at around 4 feet.
I like just about everything in this picture. The carrera marble, the beadboard shelves, the faucets, and of course, the hydrangeas. Every room should always have a bouquet of hydrangeas as far as I am concerned.
I am not sure what I am looking at here. This bathroom looks like it's in a cave. And yet... I like it! Maybe our next house should be a cave?