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DIY: Large Scale Artwork at Small Scale Prices

Mar 1, 2018

DIY: Large Scale Artwork at Small Scale Prices

One of my favorite recent DIY projects was the large modern art canvas I created for my dining area. The wall its on is the first thing you see when you enter our apartment from the entry foyer, and I wanted a single piece that would create a big impact, but would not cost a fortune. You can easily re-create your own artwork similar to mine, which is pictured to the left, with canvas, art supplies, and a little cozy time inside during a rainy early Spring weekend. Also, if pa

DIY: My Mod Podge Love Affair

Jan 8, 2018

DIY: My Mod Podge Love Affair

My love of Mod Podge – which sounds a bit more like a custard based dessert than a DIY project - first started with a green armoire I wanted to jazz up years ago. I painted the trim white and then decoupaged it with Graham and Brown wallpaper (in this pattern ). The result -- I know, it's a terrible picture but I only have the one -- is below. I promise that in-person it looked great and the application made it look like I had actually painted the pattern on the wood. Mod Po

DIY: Gallery Walls

Nov 7, 2017

DIY: Gallery Walls

I'm a sucker for a good gallery wall - they are a great way to make a statement in any room, and display an eclectic array of your favorite wall art in one place. In both our old apartment in Cobble Hill, and our new home in Gramercy, our gallery wall is one of the main focal points of our living room. It took me years to get it just right over the couch in Cobble Hill, and as soon as it was perfect, of course, it was time to move. My gallery wall is composed of several black

DIY: Grapefruit & Citrus Spiked Cranberry Sauce

Nov 15, 2016

DIY: Grapefruit & Citrus Spiked Cranberry Sauce

This recipe is delicious and incredibly easy to make. The hardest steps are the culinary feats of boiling water and grating zest. It also takes less than 30 minutes start to finish and is always a hit - the unexpected grapefruit flavor makes you seem like some kind of innovative chef/ gourmand with incredibly minimal effort (and affords very few ways to mess it up during preparation) So, while I am personally a huge fan of the canned cranberry sauce, complete with ridges, sli

DIY: The Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

Oct 13, 2016

DIY: The Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

This time of year, pumpkin is the flavor du jour, and I am certainly not complaining. I am generally a fan of all things pumpkin... pies, cookies, ice cream (even pasta sauce)... but as a more savory inclined person, pumpkin bread is the top of my list. It has all the flavory goodness but a whole lot less of the sweetness. As I've confessed previously, I am a rather reluctant baker, but this recipe is simple. With only four steps from start to finish, it's pretty hard to mess

DIY: Trivets (What? Hint: You Want One)

Sep 15, 2016

DIY: Trivets (What? Hint: You Want One)

It has been an incredibly busy summer but as fall begins, I have promised myself I will at least make time for ONE little DIY project that has been on my list for a while. I have some beautiful old kitchen tiles from our summer home in Cesme which we replaced a few years ago during a renovation. I have been saving a few to make trivets so that I can continue using them in my own kitchen. Although I'm planning to make my trivets with "used" tiles, you can also use store bough

DIY: Indoor Succulent Planters

Aug 17, 2016

DIY: Indoor Succulent Planters

Everyone loves a little touch of green in their homes, especially in such an urban setting as New York City. However, not everyone is born with a green thumb. For those like me, who are not so horticulturally inclined, succulents provide a perfect middle ground, and for very low cost, time or effort, can bring a beautiful (and given the size of New York homes) a perfectly proportioned petite touch of greenery to any apartment. Succulents thrive in the simplest of environments

DIY: Selfies, Filters, Cell Phones and You - A Definitive Guide to Better Phone Pics From Real Exper

Jul 14, 2016

DIY: Selfies, Filters, Cell Phones and You - A Definitive Guide to Better Phone Pics From Real Exper

We have all been there – the amazing sunset shot that never looks like we see it when we snap a phone pic, the cute hair-do that looks oddly sideways in our selfie, the delicious pasta that looks drab and 2D even with a very overdone XX Pro filter on it. While obviously, any photo pro should have and use real cameras, for us lay photographers, a good photo is a good photo, regardless of what medium we use to take it. Camera phones have some inherent strengths and weaknesses,

DIY: Nautical Accents Done Right

Jun 14, 2016

DIY: Nautical Accents Done Right

Everyone has walked in to some friends Great Aunt Sally's living room and been fully assaulted with all the ways nautical theme can go wrong... like cayenne pepper or paisley, nautical accents are all about proportions. However, as we move in to summer and New Yorkers begin dreaming of beach days filled with clam bakes, sea shells, and rose, a touch of nautical flair can certainly be a fun addition to your decor. Something as minimal as a single accent, like a playful sea the

DIY: Cook Outside Your Comfort Zone

May 17, 2016

DIY: Cook Outside Your Comfort Zone

While I enjoy cooking, there are certain dishes and meals I tend to leave to the professionals. My baking skills are strictly limited to knowing good bakeries and making diet coke cake (don't ask, it's basically poison). I have made it my mission this month to make one (1) delicious homemade baked good... starting with Bill's mother's recipe for praline pecan pie. We first had the dessert two years ago at Thanksgiving and the recipe has since then been sitting in my email inb

DIY: Small Spaces - Displaying Collections without the Clutter

Apr 19, 2016

DIY: Small Spaces - Displaying Collections without the Clutter

While many New Yorkers would love to have the kind of space pictured on the right, in reality, huge open walls and massive display spaces are few and far between in most NYC apartments. I collect a variety of things, from Jonathan Adler vases to sea shells from my various travels, and it can be hard to find a visually appealing way to arrange them if I don't have the space to display the entire collection. One of my favorite things about collections is the sense of cohesivene

DIY: Bedroom Edition - Sheets, Duvets, & Headboards, Oh My!

Feb 3, 2016

DIY: Bedroom Edition - Sheets, Duvets, & Headboards, Oh My!

Especially in a city as busy as New York, your bedroom is an important haven where you can relax and unwind. Even the smallest details can make your bedroom a more special, comfortable, and enjoyable for you to recharge. From headboards to bedding, there are plenty of easy, quick, and inexpensive ways to customize and maximize your space! Headboards are usually the focal point of a bedroom, and there are endless DIY options for amazing headboards: Upholstered, tufted, reclaim

Hot Holiday Drinks

Dec 22, 2015

Hot Holiday Drinks

Nothing says winter like a hot drink, especially when there is cinnamon involved. Just add crackling wood and a cozy blanket, and there is no better way to spend the holiday season. My favorite is a hot toddy -- not too sweet and very easy to make. Just bourbon, hot water, honey, lemon juice, and garnish with a cinnamon stick. You can use other whiskeys as well, but I prefer bourbon for its slightly sweeter flavor. Over Thanksgiving we made a bourbon cider by heating up appl

Creative Hostess Gifts

Nov 23, 2015

Creative Hostess Gifts

Next week marks the beginning of Holiday Party Season... which means hostess gifts. It can also mean Secret Santa gifts, oops-I-forgot-something-for-a-cousin-who-just-sent-me-a-gift emergencies, or thank you's for beloved clients. Of course, you can grab wine or some bubbly, but how about something a bit more memorable and longer-lasting? -- Fancy Soap: Luxurious hand soap is such a treat, yet many of us don't splurge on it for ourselves. Check out Molton Brown's fabulous hol

Creative and Safe Hanging Pot-Holder

Jul 16, 2015

Creative and Safe Hanging Pot-Holder

Pots and pans present some of the biggest challenges to NYC kitchens given their sheer size and number. This stylish space-saver, not only makes the most of the window without blocking light, no need to worry about hitting your head as with other hanging pot holders. If you don't have a window or it's not suitable, the same concept also works on a small wall. #DIYDecor #BlogPosts

Make a Delicious Soup

Jan 12, 2015

Make a Delicious Soup

I love soup, and in the winter, it's my dinner most nights. Often it's some pureed vegetable soup or a hearty stew that I throw together using whatever I have on hand. Last weekend I tried something new: a delicious pork shoulder red pozole soup in my slow cooker. My favorite discovery this winter has been this spicy Chinese noodle soup which is easy, very filling, and healthyy -- the trifecta for a good soup. I have been using more-than-called-for bok choy and adding button

Use a Powertool (or at least try a DIY)

Mar 14, 2014

Use a Powertool (or at least try a DIY)

I've known a Phillips-head screwdriver from a flathead since I've known language. My dad was always repairing or building something, and since no one else was interested in helping him, I was always his assistant. As a 4-year old, I helped him fix up an old Volkswagon that was found at the bottom of a lake. Later, we built a Barbie Dreamhouse (to my architectural drawings, of course) and a shed in the backyard for all of his tools. Add to that the sundry repairs around the ho

Share a Booklist

Feb 14, 2014

Share a Booklist

I love to read but I hate picking what to read next. When a new book by one of my favorite authors comes out, it's a no-brainer that I will devour it, usually within a day or two. Then I'm back to square one. What next? While there are ranking lists based popularity and critical response, I usually don't find that these align with my tastes. I have taken to social media for guidance from people I know. This method works for me as it doesn't limit the question to recent public

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