thanksgiving treats

Already elbow deep in pumpkin- one of the best Thanksgiving ingredients, in my opinion. So I thought I'd share a fun recipe that will definitely be making a debut on our Thanksgiving table.

Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Icing

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup homemade Pumpkin Puree, or canned
1/2 cup warm (110 degrees) milk
Brown Butter Icing
Caramelized Walnut Halves (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line pan with parchment, and butter the parchment. Coat pan with flour, and tap out any excess.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, and beat until combined. Add pumpkin puree and milk; beat until combined. Add reserved flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Let cake rest 20 minutes.
5. Unmold cake. Using an offset spatula, spread icing over top of cake, and decorate with caramelized walnut halves.

Brown Butter Icing

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.
2. Add sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk; stir until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon milk, a little at a time, until consistency is spreadable. Let cool 5 minutes. Use immediately.

And a little orange inspiration to help get us all in the holiday mood..

Happy Thanksgiving!!

fabulous fireplaces

When most think of Thanksgiving they think gourds, possibly pilgrims and definitely turkeys. Me? I think fireplaces. When the weather cooperates (I remember it being colder at this time in previous years) Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to start lighting the fire and enjoy time around the fireplace with friends and family, so I thought it would only be appropriate to start this holiday week off right.

Who wouldn't want to nurse their food coma around any (or all) of these beauties..

Not totally loving the red upholstery or cheetah pillows but I can see past them. Black is definitely "in" these days and I just love the contrast between the finish of the built ins the simple white marble fireplace.

Definitely a different look, but still warm and very inviting. Here I'd have to say it's the way the room is pulled together in it's entirety more than just the fireplace. Clear off that huge yellow ottoman and it could possibly be the best seat in the house on a cold Thanksgiving eve.

Now isn't this what a fireplace is supposed to be? This utilitarian design is still chic- the design is perfect in order to admire the beauty of the actual fire with no distractions. Though the decor may not be entirely practical if you're expecting a house full of messy eaters for the holiday.

Spending the holiday week in the mountains? I just love the textures in this house- the rustic wood floors and stone fireplace. Not to mention the hides used to determine the seating areas. The central location of the fireplace looks perfectly positioned to heat the home.

And with a fireplace? Firewood.

Earlier this year I posted about my love for firewood storage (you can read it here), but here are some more wonderfully chic ideas..
No need to trek outdoors to keep your fire going..

and just for fun..

going local

This week I had a chance to do a little antiquing downtown- both in Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. I was hoping to get a taste of all that the area has to offer and really had a wonderful introduction to it all.

My exploring will continue as the weeks go on- I'm hoping to start doing regular local posts with special finds and shops (**I welcome suggestions). But to start it off I stayed close to home. My day of exploring was coming to an end when I walked into Downstreet Antiques. While their inventory varies, I was really drawn to the collection of equestrian pieces. Remember my post about decorating with horse memorabilia (you can read about it here)? Well believe me, if you're going for that look to, this is the place to visit.

Here are some of my favorite..
This piece may have been what drew me in- I would love to see this in a vestibule of front hall- somewhere where it can be appreciated, but also used! What a perfect place to hang scarves or light spring coats!
Love these! They're the perfect pieces to use for gallery style hanging- surround them with pictures and other special finds. The similar and neutral coloring make them easy to incorporate with anything- existing or not. If gallery style isn't for you, hang them as a pair- hanging one on top of the other on a small wall or in an entry. They're great separately as well- so if buying two just isn't in your budget, don't miss out all together.

I just couldn't get enough of these bookends. I love the idea of using accessories like these to add interest to your decor. They're a great way to embrace a love or hobby without being too much in your face. These are in great "antique" shape, so they'd be best on a desk in a masculine study or on a mantel.
Maybe not really horse related, but I loved this trunk and felt like it was worth sharing. A good trunk is always hard to find- especially if you're looking for one in decent shape. I originally posted about trunks here, but as you'll notice new ones can be a bit pricey, which is why I always look around for vintage ones during my shopping excursions. It would make a wonderful coffee table in a warm, cozy den. Remember you can store extra blankets in it- something many of us may need once the cold weather comes around.

**Anyone in the Capital Region- like I mentioned above, I love suggestions! Email me with any information regarding shops, local design, vendors and manufacturers. I want to post about it all!!

pick of the week

I've been eying this since I first spotted it in the Crate & Barrel catalog months ago..
Delano High Dining Table/Barstool Set..

I first posted about it here- I had originally hoped I'd be able to squeeze them into my kitchen design. But I tried to practice patience hoping that they would go on sale.. and it finally has!

Available in five and three piece set this piece is great for a smaller kitchen- you know the kind.. the space that could desperately use a little more counter space. The one that isn't quite and eat-in even though you try to make it one. This table can be shoved into a corner and the stools can be pushed underneath. It can serve as an island- why not actually take advantage of the counter height and use it for prep when you aren't serving dinner on it.

I just love the white lacquer top (spills wipe right off) and walnut base, but unfortunately it's a good thing I did practice patience because it turns out I'm not going to be able to fit it into my kitchen.. I got a little carried away with the cabinets and won't be able to squeeze in the eat-in part. But since it's the look that I love, I'm thinking I might get one of the great coordinating sideboards instead..

I have been wanting to retire our old media cabinet for a while and this is the perfect combination of looks and practicality!

wedding weekend.. beautiful bouquets!!

We had a fabulous weekend in Philly, the bride looked beautiful and everyone had an incredible time. But back to reality.. it's so easy to get wrapped up in everyday life and before you know it the weekend celebrations are long gone and sometimes forgotten. So before I forget I want to share one small but lovely detail from the weekend wedding.. and then I'll get on with my daily grind and get back to interiors.

Like I said, the bride was beautiful..
but so were the bridesmaids...
and their incredible bouquets!
The combination of color and texture was really wonderful. A big white hydrangea served as the base with green berries and yellow floral accents. But unfortunately, as to be expected, during our long ride home my bouquet shriveled. When I discovered that my hydrangea had seen better days I decided I couldn't let the entire bouquet go just yet, so I quickly salvaged what I could..
So while I get back to reality (and the bride and groom head to the airport) at least I'll have a lovely reminder of what a fabulous weekend of celebrations we had!

wedding weekend.. alicia and jared!!

While you're all reading this chances are I'm half way through a manicure/pedicure with my sister-in-law, the bride to be. Our weekend is full of fabulous wedding festivities and this joyous occasion deserves a little DD shout out. Most designers would post about the perfect wedding decor, or perhaps the best favors and must needed accessories, I, on the other hand happen to think one of the most important part of a wedding (excluding the bride and the groom of course!) is the wedding cake. I must point out the only thing I love more than design is baked goods.. hence the word deliciously.

To help put it all into perspective- most newly engaged women run out to the nearest newsstand to buy the latest issue of Bride magazine. But as soon as I got engaged I took a trip to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes.
I'm pretty sure I was going to buy it whether I was engaged or not- but luckily for me Martha's timing was impeccable- I guess I shouldn't be surprised, Martha does everything right.

So in honor of Alicia and Jared's wedding weekend I've decided to share a few of my favorite cake designs from my own wedding bible. And I can only hope that these cakes taste as good as they look- but since they're all made with Martha's recipes I have no doubt they do.

Surprisingly I think you'll notice cakes and interiors are actually much more similar than many like to admit..

fabric inspired
Crewelwork has become very popular, so it's only fitting that it be applied to cakes as well! I have to admit, I'd love to see the detail in chocolate!

Classic lace- not preferred on windows, but beautiful on wedding dresses and just as lovely on a wedding cake!

The one above has always been one of may favorites. Perhaps because it reminds me of pleating- a welcomed detail I always love incorporating into design. But when I saw this cake my heart dropped..
It's like everything I've every dreamed of.. box pleating, ruffles, hounds tooth, stripes. I might just have to get married all over again..

the monogram

Monograms are often applied to linens and accessories, so why not to the wedding cake? This particular one is done on a smaller scale, but I'd also love it applied to a larger cake!
Every thing's better in chocolate.

faux design
Faux bois is all the rage these days. This one would be beautiful (and tasty) at a winter wedding!

And a marble inspired version- modeled after marbled endpapers.

Can't wait to see what Alicia and Jared have in store!!

new favorite site

This is definitely worth mentioning..

I stumbled upon Vicky's Yard Sale this past week and I spent lots of time browsing the selection. I cannot get over the prices!

Vicky's blog basically serves as a yard sale- one of the best I've ever been to (and believe me I've been to plenty!) She collects pieces- many of which need a little TLC and she posts them with great pictures, a little description and very reasonable pricing. Don't let her location stop you either- all of you LA residents are quite lucky- everything can be shipped these days!

Anyway, here are some of my favorites- but keep in mind the inventory is always changing so I suggest you check back often..

Vintage Multicolored Serigraph.. $275.00

Vintage Brass Arco Floor Lamp.. $325.00

Pair of Vintage Caned Arm Chairs.. $800.00/pair

Vintage Vinyl/Lucite Ice Bucket.. $45.00

Art Deco Black Perfume Bottle.. $50.00

Pair of Chippendale Faux Bamboo Arm Chairs.. $680.00/pair

Vintage Brass Desk Lamp.. $76.00

But act fast.. her inventory goes quickly!!