Color Works

To borrow a phrase...think outside the box. I love this color combination. It's bright and cheery and completely unconventional. Featured here is our Cottage Crib, Double Tier Nightstand and Fancy Schmancy crates. All in unexpected nursery colors.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

I never much cared what the cynics said about Tavern on the Green. From the time I was a young child and saw it for the first time all decked out in its holiday best, I have been a faithful devotee of this New York landmark. For me, it was never about the food (although I don't recall ever having a complaint), rather it was all about the visual. A trip to Tavern was always a trip to a world where dreamers dream big with outsized imaginations. A world with a bounty of color, texture and sparkle. Tavern had it all in spades. From its oversized topiaries, to the wedding cake ceiling, to it's sublime location in Central Park and glistening, colorful chandeliers -- Tavern on the Green was, as they say -- sui generis.

Created in its current incarnation by Warner LeRoy, the scion of the famed Wizard of Oz producer Mervyn LeRoy, Tavern on the Green was a quirky approximation of Munchkin Land meets Oz. It never failed to dazzle me with its unabashed homage to excess. As a "more is more" girl, it was my design muse in so many ways, not the least of which was the creation of our Tavern Lanterns.

And now, sadly, after all these years, it's closing its doors for good and the contents are to be auctioned off. While all of the items up for auction are beauties and will no doubt take center stage wherever they're housed, it was the mass that made them special. The whole was greater than the sum of its parts. In this day and age, where "clean" and "modern" is the decor de jour, Tavern on the Green embodies the soul of where my design impulses always land. If one outsized, colored chandelier is good then 3, 4 or 5 is even better. If a painted ceiling was pretty, then adding embellishments made it memorable. I love to dazzle and be dazzled by color, texture and abundance.

But now my muse is being put out to pasture (not the least bit ironic since Tavern's origins date back to its days as a sheepfold). Lucky bidders will lay claim to giant topiaries shaped like a squirrel, dancing bear, King Kong, giraffe or bunny, a 65" bronze bear statue, a kelly green chandelier made in Austria for the Maharaja of Udaipur, beautiful Baccarat, Waterford and Strauss chandeliers, Tiffany hanging lamps, handpainted Parisien jardinieres, a 52 foot mural of Central Park, and so many other one-of-a-kind momentos. Thousands of dollars will be spent in mid-January to purchase a piece of this iconic NY restaurant.

Alas, I won't be one of them scooping up a piece of Americana. My pockets aren't nearly deep enough to own these treasures. Fortunately for me though, there is one thing I have from Tavern that I will own forever. My memories.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Out of all the professional photos taken at my wedding 13 years ago, this simple snapshot taken by my friend remains my favorite. I have been waiting all this time to find the perfect frame. As soon as our Monogram Shop was a twinkle in my eye, I knew exactly what I wanted. I'm not ashamed to say I love these frames -- not just for kiddies, but for everyone. Check them out here

our MONOGRAM SHOP

In Defense of Fake Flowers

It takes guts these days to admit to liking fake flowers. But I do. I really do. Not all fake flowers, mind you No, no. But the right ones placed in the right places make me smile. These little daisies are small enough to for a good fake-out and I think they look super sweet in that tiny colorful vase.

Before and After How-To

I'm not sure that I would necessarily recommend this for everyone. I admit painting a bathroom counter is an unconventional redecoration solution. But I'm fearless when it comes to paint. If you're itching for a change in your bathroom or kitchen, give yourself about 1/2-full day to accomplish this.

First, you have to really hate your countertops. Second, you have to be o.k. with this solution not being permanent. I can't tell you how long the surface will last, but if you take care of it properly, I'd guess you can get a few years out of it. Third, you need patience and attention to detail. Since the countertops must be sprayed with an oil-based paint, absolutely everything in the vicinity of the countertops has to be protected. If you use anything other than an oil-based spray paint, you'll see brush strokes. So I taped and papered everthing. The entire sink had to be covered as well as the hardware. I also made sure that all of the areas surrounding the countertop were protected. Finally, you'll need ventilation and a good ventilation face mask. You'll need to leave the windows open for 24 hours. I also don't recommend you do this when it's humid out --- nothing will dry and the extra moisture in the air will affect the look.

So...if you're willing to do what it takes, I think it's a great solution to a decorating problem and I'm thrilled with the way mine came out.

Once everything is protected, give the countertop a light sanding with a 150 grit paper. This helps rough up the surface and gives the paint a little "tooth" to hang onto better. Clean up the dust from the sand paper. Then spray on 2 coats of Kilz. Let each coat dry thoroughly.

I can't tell you what effect each paint will give you. My gut said to buy a paint with a texture to hide any problems. My gut served me well. I purchased a black hammered-texture spray paint. I bought 3 cans, more than enough. This product proved a little tricky, though. You need to shake it a lot. When my first can clogged up, I had the brilliant idea to stick a pin through the spray hole. It promptly sprayed me in the eye (I was fine, except for a spray painted black eye)! So...if the paint can gets clogged and you want to puncture the clog with a pin, point it away from you! Spray light sprays and let dry in between coats. Drying time is about 1/2. You should have full coverage. Maybe 3-4 coats. Let dry, remove protection and enjoy.

Summertime Blues

Chasing Fireflies (www.chasing-fireflies.com) did such a beautiful job showcasing our Summer Camp play table and chairs. They chose Robin's Egg, Buttercream and Jadeite for these cool summer hues.

Before and After

I love this do-it-yourself project. Here on top is my bathroom counter and cabinets when we first moved into our house in RI. Snooze. I knew I wanted to do structural changes in this bathroom eventually. But until then, I had to come up with a quick, cheap fix that wouldn't make me depressed every time I walked in. (The previous owners were all about white and beige --- the original sins for me). Voila, bottom "after". I crazy love black accents for the strong statement it makes and loved the original tile. I'm rarely intimidated to paint anything. I'll tackle it all -- painting over wallpaper, countertops -- you name it. So here I repainted both the counterop and the cabinets. New knobs from our knob collection (coming soon!) and I'm good to go. I'll show you step-by-step soon and if you dare, you can tackle this yourself.

Cabinet Room

Apparently I haven't met a china cabinet that I didn't feel the need to paint. On the left is my current cabinet here in Rhode Island and on the right is my cabinet from our house in New Jersey. Like I said, I have a really easy-going husband. We have a spectacular collection of MacKenzie-Childs china in the Honeymoon pattern and it really cries out to sit in something very special. When I first acquired the china, I wanted to create a cabinet that was in keeping with the whimsical feel of this line. This time around, I wanted the cabinet to showcase the china instead of mimic it. We also added lights, which really shows off these beautiful pieces.

With a Little Paint and Imagination

Not to suggest that you attempt this on your first try but it's not impossible. A little forethought and some guts. This is the fireplace from our old house in New Jersey. I do miss it. When we moved in, the original mantel was white brick. Nothing to speak of. This new mantel was built by my husband and I did the painting. I went through lots and lots of sketches before I landed on this design.

Our new house in Rhode Island has a very non-descript fireplace that I will happily tackle before next winter. Just brick. No mantel. As a matter of fact, the entire house that we just moved into is a complete blank canvas. Just waiting for color and imagination. Stay tuned.

Recycle and Reuse

Before and After...

I love these old metal chairs. These green and white ones above aren't the old, old ones that you find in antique stores and flea markets. These were bought several years ago from Restoration Hardware. But, like all metal chairs that sit out in the elements for a while, they show their wear and tear after a while. The chipping paint wasn't the bothersome part, though. It was the color. The pale green no longer worked for me and I wanted something more dramatic. Which, of course, like everything else leads to thoughts of paint.

Repurposing these for our front porch wasn't difficult at all. The prep was the most time-consuming (and boring.) The whole project took about an hour and a half. Not bad.

If you're going to tackle a similar project, a few things to keep in mind. First, clean your chairs thoroughly to remove grime and other unwanted stuff on the surface. If you're dealing with terribly rusty chairs, do a little light sanding w/a medium grit sandpaper (150) and use one of the many rust primers available. Also, work in the shade. Enamel spray paint doesn't react well to sun while it's wet and drying. Finally, do your project outside or in a garage w/the door open for ventilation and make sure there's little or no wind.

After the chair is cleaned, tape off the parts that you don't want painted with painters tape and newspaper. If you're painting the entire chair one color, you're in luck and your prep will be even easier and faster.

Use a high quality, high gloss spray paint in the color of your choice (I used a Rustoleum product). Best to use a few light coats than one heavy. Enamel spray paint can sag and look really unprofessional if it's applied too thickly all at once. Let each coat dry thoroughly. Finally, remove tape and paper and admire your work.

I love the new look of these new chairs. I've paired them with one of our Summer Camp tables which, like the chairs, was painted in a color I could no longer use. The same paint as I used on the chairs gave this table a whole new look. Black enamel high gloss paint has a look all of its own. Try it.