Another Sneak Peek

I've been wanting to share with all of you some of the progress I've made at our new place. Here is a picture of the view from our dining room into our living room. I started the gallery wall and so far I'm thrilled with the way it has turned out. I can't wait to add more prints and oil paintings.
I promise to show more very soon.

Holiday Table settings

House Beautiful sent the white PB place setting seen in all of the images to 15 different taste makers. Above you can find my favorite settings. I love the versatility of white china, I use my set from Crate and Barrel everyday including during the holidays. Do you have a favorite set of china? Which is your favorite setting?

MINNIE MORTIMER

Fashion designer, Los Angeles

"I like to mix masculine materials with feminine silhouettes, high- and low-priced pieces. It seems an odd combination, but I like the brown place mat with the busy plaid. Instead of matching brown napkins, I found embroidered white linens that make the setting feel fresh. The napkin rings are just garden twine. I filled my horn-handled silver mugs with hydrangeas from my garden, and one of my daughter's Tiffany silver baby cups with hard candy. Silver creates a pleasing contrast to the white ceramic. The leaf charger is actually a serving platter. I would serve a winter soup in the teacup."

MARTHA ANGUS

Interior designer, San Francisco

"I have an all-female office, so we're very into girly, pretty things. Our table started with scraps of de Gournay wallpaper left over from a showhouse project. I used them to cover a classic Parsons table, topped with Plexiglas to protect the surface. The green is seasonless, and it doesn't fall into the trap of old-hat red and green. Vermeil flatware seems fresh and different. I lived in France for a few years, so I tend to set a table in the European style, with the flatware face-down. The napkin folded neatly on the plate is the darkest aubergine imaginable — a background for the individual menu."

LAURIE FRANK

Art gallery owner, Los Angeles

"I would say my style is steampunk-ian. I am a retro-futurist with a love of old libraries and cabinets of wonder. I wanted to do a centerpiece of bubbles to set off the white china, so I found a battery-operated bubble machine and an iron basket in which to insert it. I covered the basket with silk flowers in lilac, fuchsia, and tile green. I have an art gallery, so I set my table in front of one of Owen Schmit's abstract paintings. Ultimately the painting and basket worked, but the bubbles didn't photograph. The little gold slipper serves as a place card — the guest's name is inside."

JAN BARBOGLIO

Home furnishings designer, Dallas

"I seldom choose color or floral arrangements. Instead I select artifacts my children or I have collected. These pieces have a richness of spirit, a softness of age, and a story. I mix pieces from my home collection with sterling and crystal. Here, engraved goblets are perfect for wine or hot chocolate — with etched tequila shooters being essential. My Ballin embossed chargers reflect my family's north Mexican heritage — artillery belts are as common a motif as Saint Nicholas. As night fades into morning, to the ring of holiday bells, the Guardian Angel and Santa are given as a gift, or recuerdito, to each guest."

VICTORIA AMORY

Writer, Palm Beach

"The idea here is to keep the colors calming and soft. I love using two colors on a table. It has a bigger impact and creates a stronger story. I've mixed white with gray, silver, and crystal to create this glimmering holiday lunch. All whites — and all off-whites, for that matter — go together, regardless of provenance, style, or age. And I like mixing ivory, china, and pottery together with crisp linen napkins. It always looks fresh and new. Simple white and green flowers add a touch of freshness and height to the center of the table."

New Kitchen Curtains

I'm not ready to show you the finished room just yet, however I wanted to share with you the curtains I recently made for our kitchen. I love, love the way it looks in the room. I promise to share more pictures soon. Have you made something lately you just love?

A Saturday Brunch and "The Church"

(Green Tavern in The Grove)

(At The Barnacle in Coconut Grove)

(Plymouth Congregational Church)

I hope you had a fantastic weekend! Saturday was a very busy day for us, we got to visit the church and a couple of locations for the reception. Did I mentioned how much I love this church? I know I have a full year to plan the wedding, but I just want to have the most important aspects of the wedding taken care of as soon as possible so I don't end up feeling overwhelmed later on. We had the most fabulous brunch at Greene in The Grove a.k.a Coconut Grove. After brunch we visited The Barnacle a beautiful home on the water but my heart was not in it so we're moving on. I really wanted to love the location because it's only 5 minutes from the church but I just knew it wasn't the place for us.


P.S. I promise to stop posting about wedding plans for the rest of the week and post more design post instead.

Where it all took place!!!

(By the way those are all real flowers)

I just wanted to share more pictures with all of you of our little stay at The Breakers. This place is truly unbelievable, if you ever find yourself in South Florida make sure to visit. I hope you're enjoying the ballrooms.

I will post more pictures tomorrow and on Friday I will share my homemade kitchen curtains. I can't wait to hear what you'll think.


P.S I'm sorry I haven't stopped by your page and left a comment lately, I've been extremely busy and barely have time to post. I promise to visit by the end of the week.

By the way we got the church we wanted today, and our wedding date was set for 10.09.2010. I'm so excited! Thank you for all of your sweet comments.

xo,

Yansy