Archive for August, 2009

Island Retreat (in Short Hills)

AdelmanBefAdelmanAft

My Short Hills client wanted to transform the home office she and her husband shared into an office just for her plus a cozy family sunroom. Hand painted wallpaper and the addition of a tall, angled ceiling created the whimsical effect of an outdoor tent. I kept the window treatment very light with sheer linen, though there are shades hidden behind the valences for watching TV. The sofa can swallow up those in need a quick nap, and though the sofa color is light, the Suntella fabric ensures that it’s easy to keep clean. The whole room has the feel of an island retreat—very comfortable, airy and relaxed.

« Back to index | Leave a reply

Sisal Rugs: Fiber is Good for Your Floor

McGinSisalLR

Derived from a plant used primarily for making rope, Sisal is one of my favorite materials for floor coverings. You can make them custom to any size; they fit a range of budgets; a smaller antique rug can be placed on top; they come in a variety of tone on tone designs and they can have borders in a range of materials and patterns. You can even purchase wool versions of Sisal, which offer a softer underfoot feel and increased durability. Sisal rugs always add warmth and texture to an interior, complimenting many design schemes.

« Back to index | Leave a reply

Tiramisu

tiramisu-ck-222951-x

Some desserts are so easy and quick to make that I’m almost embarrassed to share the recipes. Tiramisu is one of these. Start by separating 5 eggs. Mix the yolks and ½ cup sugar until the mixture is whitish, and then add 400 grams of mascarpone. Now mix the egg whites separately until firm and add delicately into the bowl with the yolks. Take a glass rectangular baking dish—12-14 inches by 9 inches by 4 inches deep. Put ladyfinger cookies in a layer on the bottom. Make a strong pot of coffee and take a large cup and pour onto the cookies. You should put enough coffee to moisten the cookies, not make them too soggy. You can add cognac or marsala wine to the coffee if you wish. Cover the cookies with the cream mixture and flatten nicely. That’s it. Best to do the night before and put in the fridge to cool. It looks spectacular and people will think it took hours.

« Back to index | Leave a reply

Fedor Antonov, Russian Impressionist

AntonovEveryone has heard about the French Impressionists, but Russian Impressionists, working during the Soviet era, from the 1930s to the 1980s, produced some of the most evocative images in twentieth century art. Largely hidden from the West, as was much Russian art when the Communists were in control, the work of these artists deserves the wider audience that it is now receiving. This painting is classical impressionism: capturing a moment in broad strokes, transporting the viewer to a very specific time and place.

« Back to index | Leave a reply

Dancing to the Precipice: The Life of Lucie de la Tour du Pin, Eyewitness to an Era, by Caroline Moorhead

DeLaTour

And what an era it was. This French aristocrat was 19 when the Bastille was stormed signaling the start of the French Revolution. She was at Versailles with Marie Antoinette soon after, narrowly escaping a mob of peasant woman with pitchforks. She had numerous close calls with the guillotine, finally fleeing to America. She was a favorite of Napoleon, and a friend of Empress Josephine. She was in Belgium near the climactic battle of Waterloo. And on and on. The mother of six children, only one of whom survived her, she wrote a diary of her life that has been in print virtually since it was published over a century ago. Author Caroline Moorhead has taken the diary and fused it with extensive research to paint a picture of this indomitable woman and the dramatic age she lived in. Lucy was the archetypal survivor, and her story makes inspirational reading. 

« Back to index | Leave a reply

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

DSCN6478

Mitchell and I spent several weeks in the Berkshires in August, playing host to family and friends.  We gallantly fought swarms of mosquitoes with Neutrapel (no Deet and 8 hour protection!) and took advantage of the cultural attractions of Tanglewood and Shakespeare and Company. I painted a masterpiece my husband is convinced ranks with the great masters, baked several tarts that did not go unappreciated, read about the remarkable Lucie de la Tour du Pin (see post on Dancing To The Precipice), and managed to forget about the shop for at least 5 minutes. The picture above was taken on our deck in bucolic Great Barrington, and features (left to right) Mitchell’s son Adam, myself, Nicole and her husband (and my son) Matt. Matt is holding Frankie, the pug that he and Nicole are inordinately fond of. My good friend Patty Brown Christenson, husband John and sons Ian, Joel and Gordon went further afield this summer–a genuine safari in Africa. You can follow their adventures at http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/theb-cfamily/1/tpod.html. If you’d like to share your summer adventures with the readers of Chez Catherine, please contact me by email at Catherine@bellemaisoninc.com or you can use the Ask Catherine form at the top of the right hand column of the blog.

« Back to index | Leave a reply