Table Top: An Easter Table Setting

This year's Easter table setting is inspired by a garland Zoe selected at a nearby Home Goods store.  It took some serious persuading for her to relinquish the wooden medallions as holiday table decorations, but after witnessing their effect she was all in.  New place mats from World Market will provide the backdrop for vintage Russel Wright dishes and Heath Ceramic bowls, flanked by brass and wooden flatware.  Small botanical arrangements from our own garden will adorn each setting, lending more table space for the Easter menu (which hasn't been finalized yet) and lots of Rose!  

Whether you're celebrating Easter, Pascha or Passover, we wish you all a very happy and joyful holiday!

From our holiday table to yours...

Life Happens: A Fire

Two weeks ago, we awoke to fire alarms going off throughout our home.  As we scrambled out of bed, my husband and I entered the living room to find one of our sofas and wood valance in flames.  It's hard to exactly recall what followed.  I know that Alex found a phone and dialed 911 while we were both screaming for our children to get out of the house.  We tried pouring pots of water on the blaze, but it was too big and too hot to get close enough to make a difference. Thankfully, I thought of the garden hose, quickly grabbed it and dragged it to the doorway and began desperately spraying the flames.  The fire was put out before the fire department arrived, but not before significantly damaging the house with its smoke. 

Thank God we are all safe.  If it weren't for the smoke alarms things could have been very different.  I wanted to share our story with you all as a reminder to update and charge the fire alarms in each room of your home, to have a fire escape plan in place, and to own more than one fire extinguisher.  We only had one and somehow knew the fire was too large for it.

The kids were shaken up, but coping very well considering the trauma.  We are unable to stay in the house for a few months during the recovery and renovation.  Since our experience, I've come across many people who have either gone through a fire themselves or know someone who has.  We are so blessed that we no one was hurt and that our home had not suffered structural damage.

We believe it may have started from an ember from the fire we enjoyed that evening.  We use our fireplace often and do our routine checks  before bedtime as we did on that night, but apparently a spark must have flared.  We are humbled by the experience, counting our blessings and taking things slower these days.  I can't help but think it happened for a reason, and what the reason is, I'm still figuring out. 

PLEASE use our experience as a way to open conversations about fire safety with your own family.  We most often think it won't happen to "us", but clearly it can and it does.  Below are Fire Safety tips from the  Red Cross.  

I would like to thank our neighbors who took us in in the middle of the night and provided us with warm clothes, blankets and a comfortable place to sleep.  You are the best.

From Our Home To Yours, Happy Holidays!

From our home to yours:  Happy Holidays!  

This year our house has taken on a more traditional holiday theme.  The tree has been placed in its usual spot allowing it to reflect in the surrounding windows, turning one tree into three.  The nativity scene, artfully arranged by Zoe in its redwood A-Frame, sits on the hearth below a garland resting on the brick mantel.  In years past, large pine cone branches or oversized wreaths adorned the fireplace, but this year I'm really enjoying the simplicity of the garland. 

Vibrant greens mixed with berry branches from the garden have been placed in hallways, in our guest room and the bathrooms.  The table dons an arrangement of magnolia leaves, fern fronds and pine branches. Vintage glassware and plates plus a capiz shell runner will set the tone for our holiday feasting.  

I'm looking forward to our Christmas Eve outing, cooking, relaxing with friends and family and watching the kids open their gifts on what just may be their last Christmas of believing in Santa.

Wishing you all a very merry holiday!  XOXO

You're Invited: Caftans, Clutches And More....

You're invited to Caftans, Clutches And More, a shopping event with Ginger Caftans, Beauty Counter, Chicory and The Cass Clutch.  Join us at my home on Sunday, September 25th, from 3 to 5pm for light snacks and bubbly.  Try on Ginger's beautiful and super comfortable caftans, wrap yourself in a Chicory cashmere or silk scarf, explore Beauty Counter's line of natural personal products and experience the Cass Clutch.  All these items and more will be for sale at the event, and the amazing thing is that they all work well together.  Further details below:

No better way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  Bring your friends!

At Home: Books, Textiles And Botanicals

Yesterday I decided to take some photos of the house after being away for the long weekend. Settling back in felt so good, that it prompted me to capture the "home sweet home" feeling through my lens.  This made me realize how this house gradually evolved into a home since we moved into it over three years ago.  As our essential furniture pieces remained the same, the smaller items, those that give our spaces their personality, have continually changed.  Pillows and art have been added and also moved around the house.  There's never a shortage of new plants, fresh botanicals, repurposed accessories and an array of current books and magazines.  It's uniquely our space and we are very grateful for it.  

Take a look: 

The Kilim pillows are from Yayla Rugs in Cambridge, Ma., while the textile that drapes over our sectional is from the Alameda Antique Market in the East Bay.

Our once yellow womb chair from Reside (Cambridge, Ma) was reupholstered in a vintage Knoll fabric in a tone very similar to our mid-century brick color.

Stacks of magazines, some old, some new, next to favorite design books offer inspiration as well as pleasurable reading. 

The bell garland is from Anthropologie (from years back) and the brass candlesticks are from Rare Heir, an antique shop in Oakland, Ca.

Foraged Acacia branches are displayed in a vessel found in a thrift store alongside a Heath Ceramics bud vase, a gnarled root and a wooden candlestick also found in a vintage store. 

This area of the kitchen was designed to display interesting/meaningful items and botanicals.  Since it's where we spend most of our time, I really wanted a designated spot for pretty and inspiring things.  The black and gold box is from West Elm, the Kwan Yin statuettes from Sugi in Lafayette, Ca., the wooden salt bowl is from Terrain and the vintage glass is from a recent visit to the Alameda Antique Market.

The large stripped pillow is from Garza Marfa while the smaller is one from One Kings Lane.  The metal table bases were found during a trip to Maine.  We added glass tops and spray painted them cobalt blue to be used as night tables in our previous home. In our current "project room" they happen to work perfectly with the rug from Yayla Tribal Rugs and the Peruvian blanket from the Marisa Mason studio in Oakland, Ca.  

What things do you love about your space and where did you find them?  Do share!