Kitchen Dreams

Who doesn't want a kitchen set in the middle of a garden housed in an orangerie! Gah! Kitchen dreams! This is the only image I can find of this kitchen. It's done by Perene. As you know, the well-to-do, do not Ikea for kitchen ( yes, Ikea is a verb in this post). So I am assuming that Perene is where they go.

Summer Beach Hit: Spring Lake

Spring Lake, New Jersey is an adorable, story book, lake and beachside town with manicured surroundings and a Hamptons aesthetic. If you are looking for a nice fall weekend away, this place has got to be it. It was lovely.

Greening the Piece

 

 

 

  

 

 

 I don't have a big front yard. And I don't have a back yard. It's basically a townhouse/row house. I am glad about that because I do not do the gardening thing, you know. The only thing I regret about no green space is that my Fred has no place to let loose. So he basically runs up and down the five flights of stairs in our house. It's funny and sad at the same time. Poor Fred.

But even though there is no green space, I would like an attractive front yard and I would like to be able to make a few seasonal or decorative changes. And I was reading the blog Elements of Style the other day and I got to thinking about how you would "decorate" a front yard. I figure a statute would be groovy or a bench. I have baskets of flowers but it would be nice to add some potted plants to the mix. Anyway, I hope you guys catch some inspiration from these pictures in the event that you have a near non-existent front yard as I do.

Images: Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Pinterest

Shut the Front Door

There are dead plants hanging out in my front yard. I've been working a lot and neglecting the front door. So this weekend I am planning to make like a housewife and put myself to use. These pictures, above, are my inspiration.

Winter Blues

 

I don't think it's fair for me to have winter fatigue because I have been in sunny Florida for almost two months now. But the thing is I am going home to Brussels soon and it's gonna be all gray skies, drizzle, more gray skies. And worrying about whether there are terrorists hiding in my neighbourhood. For. Real. So I am looking for ways to cheer up my little front yard with colour. So maybe some colourful perennials, some hellebores mixed in with some greens and some statement pots of differing heights with uniform colours. Barring the plants, the picture above from Mary Mcdonald's home is a good inspiration. 

I Got a Few Fall Necessities

These town houses in Brussels, built a hundred plus years ago, stink---literally. Most of the houses are attached or semi-detached. So a lot of damp air gets trapped between the houses. The electric ventilation and extraction systems were non-existent when they were building them and unless you factor ventilation and electric extractors into your housing renovation plan your house will smell musty and moldy in the winter months-- mainly because you don't want to open the windows in the winter (and also if you have a dog named Fred). So every winter I must have some homemade potpourri hanging about in sachets under my sofa cushions, in baskets beneath my beds and along my stairway and also in trays in my bathrooms and kitchen.

 

1. Scented Air: You can see how to make your own cinnamon scented pine cones here and cinnamon stick, star anise potpourri here.

 

2. Flower Colour: I also need fall flowers, mainly for the colours. Lillies smell like a funeral parlour according to my husband, but I love when they are mingled among some berries. And I also bought some thistle at the market this week. Here is a lovely guide for a bouquet for your home.

 

3. Miniature Pumpkins: And I absolutely must have miniature pumpkins. I use them for roasted pumpkin soup, pumpkin cheesecake and to liven up my front yard together with some Fall perennials.

 

4. A Fall Wreath: I also use a pumpkin for the wreath on my door. That last picture of the wreath is mine. I put on my best Martha Stewart and hung it last weekend in preparation for giving a warm reception to the little sugar monsters on Halloween.

Tell me, what must you absolutely have during the Fall months?

Yes, absolutely, you can share my pumpkin and spice love with your friends.
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