Clever Ways To Repurpose Mason Jars
A version of this post originally appeared on Houzz. Truth be told, I may be a bit of a mason jar junkie. I have soooo many of them floating around and in regular use in my kitchen, though not used for what most people would think. Sure, I’ve made my share of preserves and jams in mason jars — you can’t beat a mason jar for optimum canning ability. What I also love about mason jars is that they’re super useful for things around the kitchen that don’t involve canning — storing dry goods like beans, flour, or rice, for example. Or for keeping a week’s worth of chicken stock…
Kitchen Inspiration With The Pantone 2016 Color Of The Year
This post first appeared on Houzz. In a decision of epic color-of-the-year proportions, PANTONE has decided to choose the blending of two shades, Rose Quartz and Serenity, as the Color(s) of the Year for 2016. The choice is meant to be soothing. The colors, when blended have a calming effect. They explain, “Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.” Something we can all use a little more of these days, right? I can’t help but be taken back to 1985 though, when dusty rose…
Clever And Modern Ways To Store Spices
My spices are a mess. They’ve taken over half of a shelf in my pantry cabinet, and I can never read any of the labels, except for one or two bottles right in front. Outside of that cabinet, I have a few that live haphazardly on the counter right by the stove—where it’s convenient to grab while cooking, but messy to look at. I currently use an old, hand-me-down, two-tiered turntable thingy (not this one, but like that one) on the shelf in the pantry. It helps with organization to a degree, but isn’t quite what I need for the dozens upon dozens of spice bottles and canisters. Blergh. Each quarter, I…
A Kitchen Inspired by a New England Shore Cottage
I grew up spending August at my grandparents’ New England shore cottage in Groton Long Point (GLP), Connecticut. I treasure those memories of historic cedar shake houses that lined the beaches and lagoon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. The sound of distant fog horns from offshore boats, and the crisp, pale, comfortable decor in which the interior of every house was dressed. We ate our weight in lobsters, steamers, and my grandmother’s Hawaiian steak. We visited Mystic (and, yes, ate at the famous Mystic Pizza – which really is a thing). It was soooo good. GLP felt “beachy” without the…
Vintage Floral Charm In Your Modern Kitchen
I’m a practical person in so many ways, and that carries over to my [mostly] timeless design style. If I even have a definable style to my home decor, that is… The base style of my kitchen is kind of a traditional modern, if there is such a thing in that oxymoronic statement. It’s plain, but not boring. That said, one of my favorite ways to give little unique flair (I may like timeless, but I don’t like “plain Jane”) is to throw in a touch of vintage charm that makes an unexpected statement in my modern (not boring, not sleek and urban) kitchen. Adding a little vintage, Downton-esque charm can be as…
Downton Abbey Inspired Kitchen
This post was inspired by Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon. Learn more about the family who lived in Highclere Castle, where the popular British series Downton Abbey is filmed. Join From Left to Write on Dec. 17, when we discuss Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes. A little over a month ago I found out the From Left to Write December book was going to be Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey. Approximately 3.265443 seconds later, I completed the form to sign up…
20 Ideas for a ’50s Diner Kitchen
From my latest Ideabook for Houzz.com: My sister and her boyfriend recently moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. They totally lucked out and found a cute, affordable two-bedroom apartment near Park Slope, in a little neighborhood complete with shops and a pub, and right around the corner from some amazing brownstones. They’re living the life I’d want to live if I were 30, childless and not tied up in a mortgage. I haven’t visited yet, but I’ve secured my bus ticket (it’s only 3 1/2 hours away) for later this summer. In the meantime, my sister has shared lots of photos of her new space…. [click here to read more]…
Modernizing Outdated Kitchens on a Budget
My husband and I have owned two houses together. The first one was built in 1953 and had all of the age and none of the charm from that era in terms of the kitchen: old wooden cabinets, cheap linoleum over-top old original flooring, rusting metal sink…you get the picture. Our second house was built in 1990, and while a few of the appliances had been updated before we moved in, it still had many of the just-out-of-the-80s touches you’d expect in a kitchen from 23 years ago: dark wood cabinets with brass pulls, builder’s grade drippy faucet, cream vinyl one-piece flooring and original paint. In both cases my husband…
