Industrial Country...

Lately, dark walls are certainly getting my attention.

I love the mix in Kevin Reiner's Ohio farmhouse.

images are via Country Living

Diet = Craving Pasta

Pasta with Peas, Cream, Parsley, and Mint

Bon Appetit, March 2008

Ingredients:

1 16-ounce package large shell pasta or elbow pasta
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 16-ounce package frozen petite peas (do not thaw)
2 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

Preparation:

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
Meanwhile, bring cream to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas and simmer just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups cheese and stir until melted and sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in mint and 1/4 cup parsley. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve, passing additional Parmesan alongside.

Mystery Mercury Pots...

Does anyone know what plant is nestled in these mercury pots?

lobster and swan for Once Wed

Classic and Modern combined...

Designer Tom Scheerer creates an ethereal mix in this

Brooklyn townhouse. I love the way the egg-and-dart

trim caps off the room and punctuates the entire scene.

www.tomscheerer.com

Everyone keeps telling me not to paint...

... but I really do like dark cabinets.

I especially like Ralph Lauren's Surrey on

the cabinets in this kitchen photographed by

Don Freeman for Country Living.

Benjamin Moore's Night Shade was the color

chosen for Lindsey Buckingham's kitchen cabinets.

Lindsey's kitchen was featured in the March 2009

issue of Elle Decor and showcases those amazing

cement tiles from Mission Tile West.

The Murano glass chandelier was found on ebay.

The Bathtub...

Designer Paolo Moschino pulled colors from

his artwork to create this serene haven of

cleanliness. The walls are Light Blue and

the wainscotting is Old White, both by

Farrow & Ball.

House Beautiful, August 2009

Su Blackwell's Art...

Alice Through the Lookingglass, 2007

Take a look at the the process. The image is lifted directly

from the page and brought to life.

Alice: A Mad Tea Party, 2006

Alice arrives at the teaparty. I love how the table

begins as a flat image on one page and then springs to

life on the next — prepared for Alice to take her seat.

12 Dancing Princesses, 2007

Pandora Opens Box, 2007

http://www.sublackwell.co.uk/

Visit Su Blackwell's website to see more of her

magical book-cut sculptures.

Diane Keaton's Kitchen Lamps...

Diane Keaton's kitchen was featured in the

November 2008 issue of Architectural Digest.

Each and every page was packed with marvels

of scale and genius design. I especially liked

the two ceiling lamps above the kitchen island.

Finderskeepers has a very similar fixture

hanging in its entrance. I'll have to post a

photo soon so you can compare. The scale

and shape are nearly identical, but ours is

without the stitching detail. One last thing —

those cacti!

Happy Birthday...

... to my partner in everything.

A True Treasure Trove...

I received this book as a gift for Christmas

(thanks Pam) and it sure is a feast for the

eyes and the imagination. Sibella Court

investigates what decorating a home

truly means. Inventive, inspiring, and

truly one-of-a-kind — this book

delivers the goods!