Doors, Trim & Paneling | New Addition | Week 20

The fun is beginning at the house - we officially have plumbing, electrical, hvac and... drywall!  Whew, it seems impossible that it has taken us 20 weeks to get here, but that means we only have 10 left.  Right now, 10 seems like nothing - in fact, when I placed my lighting order and they said it is supposed to take 8-9 weeks, I thought, wow... I love that it is "go time" for everything.   The pressure is on - everything I thought I knew, I've change once then back again.

We are meeting with the mill work salesman again tomorrow morning to make final decisions on Doors, Trim and Paneling.  We had an initial meeting last week to get some price ideas, then we are finalizing selections tomorrow.

Here is the 1st Floor Layout with Trim inspirations in place.   Bear with me as we go through the entire first floor.  This process helps me mentally organize and always proves to help me make decisions as you all (with clear heads!) help point out ideas and great choices!

I realize all of the photos I'm sharing are of very fancy houses - I assure you, our house will not be this fancy.  I am taking small bits and pieces from these to add some elegance and old charm to our "new" old home.  As always, I love hearing your ideas and input - thanks for lending me your ideas : )

The above photo is my inspiration for the kitchen island top, with marble surround... final!  I've been wavering about it for a while and keep coming back to a couple of photos that confirm it for me.  I realized that it is important for me to pick out everything ahead of time, because each decision effects the other.  I also like the photo above because of the paneling on the walls - the entire room is paneled.  We are going to try to achieve the same thing in our new big room.  Because it really is just one big room, we want to do a lot of things to make it feel cozy - paneling is a great way to do that.  We plan to paint the entire room the color of the cabinetry to give the entire room the look of being built-in.

This photo (above, left) is one of the photos I sent to our cabinetry maker to show how I want the shoe kick/base boards of the cabinets, and how I'd like the crown with both pieces to go along the top cabinets and wrap around the entire room.




Another big element that we're working with is the beams in our big giant room.  We have one structural steel I-Beam that we need to make pretty, so we are adding an entire beam plan to the entire ceiling.  We have only 8-foot ceilings, so our beams will only be 4-6" deep, but 10-12" wide.  The beams going left to right will be deeper, then the beams going perpendicular will be a little smaller in scale.


We have a fireplace in the room and I'd like to give it a paneled treatment much like this photo.  We're planning a stone surround, similar to the one shown here.  This photo shows real raised paneling - very expensive.  We will likely do a raised perimeter trim piece, but the big piece in the center will be flat... does that make any sense?   The other option is just adding a picture frame trim in boxes around the room to give the paneled effect.

I've got some examples below.

This is another fireplace idea that I like.  I'm not sure about the box idea - it would coordinate with our windows that are a similar shape.

Here is an example of Picture Frame Moldings.  We don't have that many walls in the room - mostly windows and cabinets, so we are leaning toward actual paneling instead, but this picture frame moldings are a great look, too, for a lot less. because they are just doing the small trim piece.

I think it looks good - what I'm leaning towards to save some money to spend on hardware... which, as it turns out can be pretty pricey.

On to the library - where we are going to spend our biggest chunk on paneling.  Mike and I have been most excited about the wood treatment in this room - what we hope to be a really cozy corner of the house.   When we were planning the design, we decided if we have such an open floor plan, we needed a quiet corner in the house that would have a snuggly feel.

After realizing every photo we pinned was Pine, we decided that would be it.  We like the medium color, the plain and simple feel.  The salesman has tried to steer us away... but I resisted trusting my gut.  Let's hope it doesn't come back to haunt me!

 He warned us that pine can be erratic to stain - blotchy - and inconsistent in color.  He recommended that we do another wood like Maple or Alder.  However, my inspiration photos were consistently pine, so that's what we're doing.

I've found that you have to work with people that are willing to give you their suggestions and educate you, but at the end of the day, they must be willing to do what you want them to do.  There have been so many projects I've worked on that the 'pro' has told me it wouldn't work - and it turns out just as I hoped.  Let's hope this is one of them : )

I love, love, love this photo.  We are going to do a similar chair rail treatment in the front foyer that will go up the stairs.  I think it will really elevate the way our house feels when you enter the front door.  The trim color here is Ben Moore Navajo White, (what we will be using everywhere), with James White (Farrow &  Ball) on the wall.   I had planned on doing Navajo white on our walls, too, but this is tempting me to add some James White on the walls of the foyer and Hall.  What do you think?

For interior doors, we are planning these 4-paneled Jeld-Wen doors.  I like the proportion they give, and look leaner and taller than a standard 6-panel door.  It sealed the deal for me when I spotted them in the photo above, too.

See that peek-a-boo of the dark painted dutch door going into this mudroom?  I'm planning the same from our kitchen into the mudroom.  The rest of the mudroom will be the home to our pantry, my studio/office and Mr. Darcy... not piles of equestrian gear : )

 I want to do rows of peg boards like this to hold everything from coats and backpacks to dog leashes.

 And the occasional gardening tool.

Ok, my brain is overloaded... that's what happens when there are so many decisions to be made.  I'm off to research affordable bass door knobs... any suggestions?!

Creamware Platter Collection is Back! 20% off All Orders + $5 Shipping

 Creamware Platter Collection is Back!
After several email requests, I've restocked the Creamware Platter Set of 6!  The restock is especially timely because I'm still in clean-out mode before my new Spring Collection is debuted in 2 weeks, so I'm offering 20% entire order + $5 shipping.  It is a great time to stock up pre-spring on essentials and these platters.

Use the code at checkout : FebSale

 I've seen them everywhere online, displayed as a collection together.  I plan to do the same in our new house... in 10 weeks!

 I really like how this is displayed - a mix and match of old and new with a collection of candles.

Of course, they work great for entertaining and can go with any decor scheme.  

I'm a utilitarian decorator to the core - I am more pleased with useful and beautiful objects on display than a print any day.

 I like the mixing of old and new, blue and white, here... another color scheme I plan to incorporate into our new house.  While this photo was probably set in Fall with the mums and bittersweet, something about this makes me crave spring.  Blue & White mixed with yellow daffodils... counting the weeks!

Find the platter set, here, Creamware Platter Set of 6, $165, and don't forget to use the code : FebSale at checkout for 20% + $5 shipping.

Mini Lobster Rolls for the Superbowl... or Valentine's Day | Free Shipping!

This is going to be a melancholy post for some.  You see, we were invited to our friends' house for a superbowl party last night. These particular friends were our friends from college that used to live in Maine while we were living in Massachusetts.  

Having recently flipped through Barefoot Contessa's Parties book, I decided that I would make Lobster Rolls for the party because I knew our friends (having lived in Maine) would get a kick out of it.  In 100% honesty (and very dense moment... oops), I didn't even think about it being a "New England" treat in honor of the Patriots until Mike's mom Joy pointed it out - a better idea than I had realized : )

Emma had had a cold over the weekend, but we thought she'd moved past it.  Then yesterday at 3pm, she woke up from her nap with a yucky cough so at the last minute we decided we would have to stay home instead of spread the germs.   So, the lobster rolls had already been made (and had their picture taken!), but there was no turning back.  So, I am sorry to rub them in the faces of our friends who missed out!  Don't worry, Jenny & Dave, I have a couple of leftovers I will drop by today : )

I made mini rolls to help stretch the pricey lobster meat to have almost enough for everyone to have one.  I used 2 pounds of lobster tails (shell on) and it made about 18 rolls.  I used split top buns (a New England specialty, but found here, too) and cut them in half.

I love making little splurges like this for parties - it really isn't as expensive as you might think.  I spent $40 on lobster (from Costco), then the only other ingredient I needed were buns.  So, a total of $45 for a completely indulgent and special treat.  I would've spent about the same at the store if I had gotten all of the ingredients to make homemade guacamole and pico. 

While they were a great idea for superbowl (apparently, better than I knew), they are also a perfect treat for Valentine's Day.

mini
Lobster Rolls 

Because our friends are purists when it comes to lobster rolls (as most people from New England are), I stuck with the most traditional and simplest recipe.  You could add celery, or even garnish with slices of avocado if you are feeling crazy : )



2 pounds of Lobster Tails
1 lemon
1 teaspoon of Old Bay
....
split top buns, cut in half
2 tablespoons of butter
....
2 tablespoons of mayo
parsley stems, for garnish

To cook the tails, boil a large pot of water with a lemon cut in half and old bay.  Cook tails in boiling water for 5-8 minutes until bright red and curled up.

Remove from water and let cool.

Heat broiler in oven to 350 degrees.  Brush buns, inside and out with butter.  Toast in oven for 3-4 minutes until golden.

Remove lobster from shells and chop into small bite-size pieces.  Toss with mayo.  Fill rolls with lobster and garnish with small snips of parsley stems.

Also, this is the last week for Valentine's ordering from the store.... so, I'm offering Free Shipping on orders over $50 for a very limited time.  There are also lots of markdowns on Valentines goodies, as well.  There are only about 10 or 15 of of my favorite items (Pink Bakery Boxes and Heart Cookie Cutters) left, so jump on it if you have plans of ordering!  Shop the Valentine's Day sale >

Beef Stroganoff | Steak, Mushroom & Shallot Cream Sauce and Egg Noodle

Beef Stroganoff with Filets in a Mushroom, Shallot Cream Sauce over Pappardelle Egg Noodles

I love stroganoff.  I can remember the first time it was served to me.  My dad made it for dinner while my Mom was at her monthly bridge group - I think I was about 5 years old.  My dad had a history of serving us Liver & Onions, Ham & Beans, etc.  All things I hated.  My sister and I were terrified.

It didn't look visually appealing to a 5-year-old (the sight of mystery meat cream sauce?), but I loved it immediately.  What is even stranger than the thought of a 5-year-old loving stroganoff?  It happens to be one of Mike's favorites, too.  Fate, I think.  

Back then for a weeknight meal, we used a sirloin steak (or even ground beef on occasion), but I like to make it a little more fancy for special occasions.  This time, I made it with beef filets, shitake mushrooms and pappardelle pasta - Valentine's Day worthy, I think.  Of course, you can leave the filets whole and serve the sauce on the side- even with mashed potatoes it is delicious, if that is more your love's style.  

Beef Stroganoff
with Filets in a Mushroom, Shallot Cream Sauce over Papperdelle Egg Noodles

1 lb beef filet steaks

1 tablespoons of olive oil

sea salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of butter

1 large shallot, sliced

1 cup of Mushrooms, sliced

1 cup of Beef Stock

1/2 cup of red wine

1/2 cup of Heavy Cream

1/2 cup of  Sour Cream

1 teaspoon of dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped

1 lb of Egg Noodles (or Pappardelle), cooked according to directions

.....

Begin by boiling a pot of water for the noodles.  

Heat a large skillet for 2-3 minutes on high.  Coat the flank steak in olive oil and salt & pepper.  Put some oil in the pan, then cook the steak for 3-4 minutes on each side until the steak is rare to medium rare.  Longer for thick steaks, shorter for thinner.  Remove from the pan and set it aside, covered.

In the meantime, cook the noodles/pasta according to package instructions. 

In the same pan as the steaks were seared, add 2 tablespoons of butter, then the mushrooms and the shallot to saute.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  De-glaze the pan by adding the beef stock and red wine, stirring and scraping the bottom to release all of the bits into the sauce.  Add the heavy cream and cook on medium for 3-5 minutes until it has thickened.  Turn off the heat and add sour cream, dijon and worcestershire.

When pasta has finished cooking, drain water, then add a tablespoon of butter to the pot along with parsley.  Toss pasta in butter and parsley to add great color.

Slice the steak into strips and place over the pasta.  Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Searing steaks.  These thick filets take a while.  If they are very thick, I will sear, then put in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, then let rest before slicing. 

Remove steaks, then add butter.

Add mushrooms and shallots.  Saute until tender.

Cook the pasta - I'm using Egg Papardelle, here, to make it a little more special, but regular egg noodles are also great.

I always try to give Emma job in the kitchen.   She's chopping the mushrooms with her pumpkin knife - one of her favorites at Mimi's house.

She's showing off her new haircut : )

The wine, beef stock and cream have been added - now cooking down.

The parsley just gives the pasta some color to this otherwise brownish dish.

Bubbling to reduce.  Next, remove from heat and add sour cream, dijon and worcestershire. 

 Pour sauce over steak.  You can also stir/mix all together in skillet to coat noodles with the sauce - Mike's preferred method. 

Hope you enjoy this!   Here is a link to my version with mashed potatoes - really good, too.

Next, I'm working on Chocolate Souffles with Emma today... failed twice last week, so hoping for a better run today.

Valentine's Day Sale | $5 Shipping is Back!

Valentine's Day Sale!  and... $5 Shipping on Orders over $50 is Back

It was 68 degrees here yesterday... I'm ready for Spring!  So, I'm in pre-spring cleaning mode at the store, moving everything out to make room.  In the Sale section, I've marked down lots of products, including Valentine's Day goodies - cookie cutters, ribbons, baking supplies, etc.  Almost everything 20-50%.  I'm also reactivating the $5 Shipping on orders over $50.  Go crazy.  Buy goodies for your Valentines and a couple of things for yourself ; )

I'll be back tomorrow to share one of my all time favorite recipes for a Valentine's Day dinner.  The ingredients include filet, cream, mushrooms and wine... any guesses?!

Beef Bourguignon | Trip Down Memory Lane

Beef Bourguignon

This is a post I wrote four years ago, in January, just after we were married, and just before we moved to Mass and got pregnant with Emma.  There are not many photos or posts that I look back on from four years ago and love.  Usually I am too critical of my developing (sub-par?) photography skills and undeveloped styling skills.  Not this post.  1) The recipe is goooooood.  2) It brings me right back to that moment in our lives, in our first house.

I don't wish for a second that I was back at that pre-family stage of our life, but I do miss being settled in our home - a home that we worked so hard on, were so proud of and comfortable in.  There is something about your first home that will never be like another.  We did all of our house projects ourselves - each project was just a weekend, a couple hundred dollars and a trip to Home Depot away.  While I feel so fortunate that we're now in a place that we can actually have a professional do the work for us, sometimes I miss those DIY transformations we were able to do ourselves in a weekend.  We will definitely have some little projects to do ourselves, but for the most part all of the big stuff we be done for us.  Maybe our contractor will let me help with the tiling : )


If you want to join me in my little trip down memory lane, see photos the from our first house, here.

From January 2011:

Beef Bourguignon sounds complicated and intimidating.  Or at least I thought it did.  Until I made it, and discovered it was just beef stew with herbs and red wine.  What makes it even better is that it is done all in one pot, and it makes the house smell amazing.

French Beef Stew 
(Beef Bourguignon)

2-3 pound Chuck Roast
3 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of sea salt
2 teaspoons of pepper
4 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of red wine
5 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of rosemary (dried or fresh)
1 bunch of fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
1 cup of carrots, 1-inch dice
1 cup of potatoes, 1-inch dice
1 cup of mushrooms, 1-inch dice
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 loaf of crusty french bread (baguette)
1 clove of garlic (raw)


Coat the Chuck Roast with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Heat a large dutch oven on the stove top for 2 minutes, then sear the roast for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Add stock, wine, garlic, and herbs.  Cover and put it in the oven for 4 hours at 225 degrees.

After 4 hours of cooking, add the carrots, potatoes and mushrooms.  Cook for for 30-45 minutes longer.  Remove from the oven.  Place the pot on the stove, and remove the roast from the stock and wine sauce, placing it on a platter.  Cover and let it cool for 10 minutes.   Leave the sauce (with herbs and vegetables) in the pot on the stove.

Meanwhile, thicken the sauce (that remained in the pot) by microwaving 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the butter, stirring it until smooth.  Whisk it into the sauce until smooth.  Cook on medium heat until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken.  You may add another batch of the thickening mixture, if you desire.

Remove the fat and bones from the Chuck Roast.  Shred the beef into large pieces back into the sauce.

To serve, slice the baguette, then toast it a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.  Rub the piece of raw garlic onto each piece.  Place one piece into the bottom of each soup bowl and ladle in the beef stew.