Kitchens!

Just a quick post today on some ideas I found through recent purging of old magazines. I'm absolutely in love with this kitchen - the colours are great - love the open shelves- that blue is one I covet. And the crisp white in contrast. Stunning. Image from Living Etc.

Love the open cabinets here- the interesting tile work and yummy color in the back of the cabinets. It helps to have all white dishes to really show them off. This kitchen feels so inviting and I love the mix of textures, colours etc.

From House Beautiful - December/January 2010 issue. Photograph by Matthew Hranek.

The high ceilings in this kitchen really make the space. I love the arched windows and light fixtures over the island. An island is top of my list when we re-do our kitchen!
From House Beautiful - December/January 2010 issue. Photograph by Thomas Loof.

Light makes all the difference and looking out onto the garden as this kitchen does- makes working and living in a kitchen all that more pleasurable.
From House Beautiful December/January 2010 issue. Photography by Simon Upton

Have always loved storage cupboards with chicken wire on the doors - love the vintage feel in this space.
From House Beautiful- December/January 2010 issue. Photograph by Simon Upton.

A more modern space with recycled doors used on the cabinets. Image from Living Etc.

Bedroom Inspiration

Good morning everyone - hope you had a lovely weekend. We finally had rain here in Ireland and while I was sorry to see the sun go- the farmers were in dire need of it to get the crops going. I still got out in the garden and planted a few things and transplanted a big thyme plant which has been flourishing in my back garden. I'm also working on a rockery in part of the front garden and attempting to remove some dandelions from the lawn! Sometimes I think it might be easiery to re-plant the entire lawn!
Anyway, was purging some of my magazines yesterday and came across some great shots of bedrooms to inspire you. They all came from Homes & Gardens magazine but from various issues and articles.

It's the wallpaper in these first two images that really captured me. The top image is particularly striking - I love the colours and would defininitely consider heading down that direction although not too sure how keen my husband would be about the whole lavender/pink thing. The accessories are well matched though giving it a great overall look. In the blue room I love how velvet bands have been added to the quilt to give it extra appeal. And that wallpaper is truly fabulous.

Loved the simple idea for a canopy here - it saves space in the room and is so effective - especially in a house with high ceilings like this.

Always a fan of blue and white, I found this room equally charming. It's probably a bit too perfectly organized for my taste but I can certainly appreciate it.

Good to see that not everyone has equal space on either side of the bed just like us! But this is so cosy and simple.

Love the simple blues here - very calming.

Sorry for the short post -Monday's are always rushed for me as I have an early morning meeting. Have a great week!

Warm Weather Inspiration from Katrin Cargill

I don't know about you but this warm sunny weather has me so inspired! My garden is coming to life in leaps and bounds and I can now see what survived this particularly cold winter. I was delighted to find that my lupines are back in force in my front garden and the foxgloves have self-seeded themselves all around my back garden so there should be a magnificent show later on in the year. I've invested in some additional lupines for the back as the slugs destroyed them last year and I've added in some more roses and a new clematis but I am armed and ready with some repellents as my roses were attacked by green flies last year.
Inside my house I want to throw open windows - let in the air and the sun. This house - featured in Country Living magazine in August 2008 has me completely inspired. It was photographed by Claire Richardson and styled by Katrin Cargill, the owner of the house who just happens to be a stylist and interior decorator. I've been following her inspiring work for years and she has quite a knack for putting together successful spaces.

This house has a colour theme running throughout it which I really admire. The colours are strong and bold but it works. "You need a neutral background to create a foil for a strong colour," Katrin explains,. "Sticking to just one dominant accent shade will really make it sing."
Katrin used a colour (the raspberry pinkish shade of paint) which she had mixed to her own specifications years ago and it has acquired the name Luscious Ellen. The dining room above, has a Scandinavian feel and this colour has been used on the chairs and cushions.

By using these combinations of colours - the house is unified and it makes it easy to walk from room to room. It certainly makes me re-think the way I've done my own house - not that I am disappointed with it. Actually upstairs in my house, each room is a different shade of blue so they are unified in that way. The landing floor boards have been painted white as is all the trim but this summer I'm hoping to give all the bedrooms a light grey paint on the floorboards to make it easier for vacuuming and keeping things clean - currently they've been varnished in a clear finish and over the "builders finish" pine - this is just not cutting it for me anymore.

I love how this house has the white floorboards throughout. Even Daisy the labrador has a coordinated bed...! ( I think Sugar needs one of those)

Katrin has a great passion for textiles - she'll buy pieces in flea markets for inspiration.

Just love this office - the bulletin board reminds me of my own. Although hers is definitely more organized and tidy!

This bedroom is just charming - the red is so effective here - it feels like a calm sanctuary. I love the wavy mirror and the striped lamp shades.

For more inspiration from Katrin - visit, www.katrincargill.com and www.gingham.co.uk.

Have a lovely weekend everyone - happy gardening-spring decorating or whatever you are up to!!1

Ardmore Pottery in Co. Waterford

First of all....I completely missed that the 1st Anniversary of my own blog - which was on April 17th!!! So it's been a year - I'm amazed how the time has flown and while it started off slow, it became my daily obsession...now with my new full time job it has slowed down a bit but I've recently found a new spurt of energy in it and realize that this creative side of my life is so important to keep going....so here we go for today. Thank you all for following me - I do hope you enjoy my odd ramblings and do please leave more comments! It's so nice to have feedback even if it's just once in a while.

I was working on my next column that I write for Ur dream home magazine over the weekend (next issue it will be on Irish crafts) and I came across some images I had used in the second issue of Your Home Today - a supplement I edited for The Limerick Leader newspaper in 2008/2009. I had written a piece on Irish Crafts for the August 2008 issue and featured Ardmore Pottery in County Waterford.

In a quiet seaside village in Ardmore, West Waterford, you'll find a little artist enclave of sorts started by potter Mary Lincoln. Mary learned to throw pots in the late 1970's early 80's and by 1983 was ready to open up her own studio to the public. Soon it developed into Ardmore Pottery and Crafts Studio and by then Mary was selling the work of numerous Irish artists including five ceramicists, three wood turners, jewellers and knit ware designers among others.


Mary's own pieces are created using a white glaze base and then she may sponge, spatter or paint freehand the designs and colours she uses on top. The miniature bowls and their matching spoons (pictured above) show the diversity of the patterns she can create.

I've always had tremendous interest and respect for artists and craftspeople and I think it is so important that whenever we can we buy from local sources. I know it is not always possible and sometimes expensive for our own homes but certainly for a special wedding present or birthday present to signify a specific milestone. What's wonderful in owning something handmade is that is comes with a story and it gives us something to talk about. It also continues to make a home more personal - filled with some expected surprises that make it a joy for visitors and the people who live inside. For example, I always buy wedding, engagement or new baby presents from Hanly Woolen Mills just outside Nenagh - these are beautiful woven pieces that are still being made in the mill just near our home. I want to support what they are doing and I also want to give people are part of Ireland a part of our strong tradition of making crafts. (I do have photographs I took there and promise to post soon).

So if you are heading down to Waterford this summer - make a stop in Ardmore and see for yourself the beautiful range of handmade crafts.

Ardmore Pottery and Craft Shop

The Cliff, Ardmore, Co. Waterford; Tel: 024-94152

Photographs by Sarah Lincoln.

Titanic Exhibit in Dublin

This past Saturday, my daughter and I drove up to Dublin to see the Titanic The Artefact Exhibition being held in the City West Centre. I have to say it was well worth the trip. Obsessed with the Titanic since I was a young child, I find now that my daughter has the same fascination. We all know the story and have heard so many renditions of it and even seen it brought to life on the big screen but this exhibition is incredibly effective in completing the whole story for people. It is a beautiful exhibit - laid out in a simple but effective plan with real artefact's from the ship on display. Large black and white photographs hang on the walls and there is a good bit of reading material on everything from building the ship in Belfast to it's launch, the passengers on board etc. You can opt for the audio tour but I seldom choose that route and I find I like to wander around at my own pace - exploring, re-reading and back tracking if necessary. It was so powerful to see the actual artefact's that had been brought up from the deep and utterly amazing to see what things remained intact after all these years. In one part of the exhibit you watch the actual video footage of the submersible recovering artefact's and then you look down and there they are encased in Plexiglass in front of you. I don't' want to spoil the exhibit for you because I really do feel it is so worthwhile to see in person.
When you enter the exhibit you get your boarding pass and on the back are the details about the passenger (an actual passenger who was on the doomed ship). You know their name, what class they were booked in, if they were travelling with anyone and some details about their life. At the end you look up on a big board to find out if you (they) survived. I know it sounds grim but even for children - it is a great way to understand the size of this tragedy.

Of course, like many attractions like this you can take away a souvenir and we decided we'd get this photo with the captain of the Titanic. Yes, I know a bit silly but fun when you are going with a 9 year old.
The exhibit is on in Dublin until I believe the end of June - it's easy to book tickets and there wasn't a big crowd there on Saturday so we were able to walk through comfortably without feeling rushed or pressured.

READISCOVER Your Local Library Week

Next week from the 19-25th of April will be READISCOVER Your Local Library week in Tipperary. I'm a huge fan of our local library here in Nenagh. Instead of a bookstore where you can buy what you want to read - I choose the method of finding something new and picking up a book depending on availability. I like this unpredictable method because it keeps my mind open to new suggestions. My first stop is the table where the new copies come in - then I go to the table to where recently returned books are placed. If someone has just read something, it has the potential to be good. If nothing catches my eye in either or those places, I'll browse the stacks but inevitable I take out my full 4 book limit at a time because so much appeals to me.

I love books and I'm teaching my daughter to love them which thankfully has not been too much of a problem. Not only is she reading avidly on her own but we also read a book together. Currently we are reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingall's Wilder. We have all the old copies I had as a child which scarily enough are about 35 years old. The series is wonderful and gives children a fascinating look at life in the late 1800's - and during a recession a great tool for showing children how difficult life was and how much children had to do etc. You can definitely get them on amazon! There's a book fair at her school today and this is the one thing I am happy to give her money for - as she's reaching new levels in her reading constantly and we need to keep her mind active and eager!

So back to this READISCOVER Your Local Library Week - The Guardian newspaper that comes out in Nenagh each week printed up some interesting facts about libraries throughout Ireland.
* 14.25 million visits are made to public libraries each year.
*4.5 million of those visits are by children
*305, 000 children are registered as library members ( I think we can do better than that!)
*13.7 million books are borrowed, 40% of which are children books
*libraries are open for 10,000 hours each week and most are open on Saturdays and in the evenings
(in New York I never got to the library because they weren't open on Saturdays so impossible when you work all week)

Right, need to head off to work. Be sure to Stop by your local library next week!

Ur Dream Home - New issue on Stands Now

Good morning everyone - and another lovely morning it is! The new issue of Ur Dream Home arrived yesterday and this time my regular column is all about window treatments "Let the Sun Shine In" (page 13). I'm all about letting the light in whenever possible -and with the longer daylight hours it's a blessing. I know we are all tempted to put in black out shades in our bedrooms to minimize the light but I enjoy being woken up by the sun. Getting my daughter to bed on a school night is another story all together!
Anyway, in the column this month I turned to my friend, interior designer and fellow blogger Lorna Sixsmith to give the readers and me some advice. So be sure to pick up the issue to read the entire interview and please check out Lorna's blog- it's a refreshing mix of post about the latest trends, interior solutions and also the goings on at their farm in Co. Carlow - like the arrival of triplet Easter lambs. And boy are they sweet.

A few inspirations from the articles - all embracing light!

Also just couldn't help borrowing this image from Lornas blog - these are new fabrics from GP&J Baker called Oleander and I think they are perfect for the redoing some outdoor chairs like these.

Well, gotta head off to work so my apologies for the short post - enjoy the fabulous weather!!!

Catch the Gardening Bug- It's Infectious!

I'm sure many of you were like me this past weekend here in Ireland - outdoors and loving the wonderful burst of sunshine. I just love this time of year here - the fields are full of spring lambs and most recently very young and very sweet calves tottering around. In Limerick today the magnolias were all in bloom. It was a brilliant sunny day and everyone felt the benefit. My cherry blossoms are just about to burst and my lupines and lambs ears have suddenly sprouted new growth. The anticipation of what is to come!

Understandably I've decided to focus this post on some gardening inspirations - all images were pulled from various issues of Martha Stewart Living magazine.

The herb tower, above, is a great way to keep all your herbs in one spot. You might decide that instead of rosemary, put your mint in the top so it doesn't over take everything else and it is kept in it's own container.


This garden is far grander than my own but I love how the path is overgrown and the large urn becomes a focal point.

Someday I'd love to have some kind of water feature in my garden, although it seems silly at times when we get so much rain but I did think this wonderful fountain created out of pots was a simple idea. It would blend in easily with the other pots around the garden.

I love lush deep borders like this with plants drooping over the edges and a variety of colours and textures

Of course window boxes are a wonderfully simple way to create added interest to the exterior of your home. I'm always looking for ways to make my ho-hum exterior look somewhat more exciting.

These pots one can actually make yourself and they were created using a mixture of peat and cement and then poured in to wicker baskets to create this natural design. What a great idea!

By the way, I am looking for a metal arch for my front garden - if anyone can recommend a good affordable source here in Ireland I'd greatly appreciate it. Nothing flimsy, must be substantial but have a simple design - would actually love to find a vintage piece if it's the right price. If I find an image of the kind of thing I'm looking for I'll post it here. I'm planning on growing roses and honeysuckle up it and add to my continued efforts to create a kind of cottage garden out front. One day, if my plans continue the way I hope they will, the lawn will completely disappear and I'll have this wild and colourful garden filling the front.

Still Life Photography

A beautiful still life image can be truly magical. I've had this photo pinned up on my bulletin board in my office ever since I moved to Ireland. It's taken by New York photographer Ellen McDermott and to me it is the simple beauty that captures me. Ellen has a vast portfolio of beautiful work that I hope you all go and look at - I was lucky enough to work with her at House Beautiful magazine but her work can be found in a wide range of notable magazines in the US. Not only is she incredibly talented but also a really lovely person which makes all the difference when you work together.

This was a product image I pulled out of Elle Decor magazine and again it has been posted up on my bulletin board for ages. Unfortunately I did not note down the photographers name and for that I apologise but it is an amazing shot of different products made from wood.

This image I pulled from Martha Stewart Living magazine but I'm not sure of the photographer but I just love how a small collection of blue and white china can be brought to life with this simple bouquet of pink carnations.

From the book Flowers for the Table by Ariella Chezar and photographed by Shaun Sullivan - I found this rich mix of flowers particularly captivating. In the cocktail glass is a clivia and in the larger bouquet a mix of poppies, ranuculas, parrot tulips, Creme Upstar tulips, clematis foliage and a maple flower. Of course the colour of the tablecloth does help make the image.

This still life was taken by photographer Paul Whicheloe. He photographed my book At Home in Nantucket and this was in the house of interior designer Gary McBournie. The walls are actually covered in fabric and padded. Paul is an equally talented photographer and we worked together throughout my career in magazines in New York. In 2004 we completed this great project of my first book (not sure when number two will ever come along - but hopefully someday). Please check out Paul's website as well to see more fine examples of his work.

Finally, I had to take this little still life of this beautiful Hellebore out of my own garden. Not particularly clear I know - by the way, I'll be getting a new camera in the upcoming months so am hoping my images will get a lot better.

Food and other Sights in Paris

On our recent trip to Paris, of course one of things we were really looking forward to was the food. Our hotel in Disney did not have the best selection so when we headed into Paris on our first day we were really looking forward to trying some of the traditional cuisine (which we already know we love). At a creperie - Nutella lined up for spreading inside them!

A fun wall on a restaurant - as you can see it was a lovely day.

We definitely went down a very touristy street for restaurants but it was okay - they had loads of tables out to show the types off food they offered and they were a delight to look at.

Shop windows laden with beautiful stacked goodies.

Ah, escargot - one of my favourite dishes!! Our daughter even tried one....but not quite ready to embrace it.

We did order a goat cheese fondue for the girls to try and that thankfully was a great success. I think there were 4 different types of goat cheese in it and of course it came with plenty of French bread for dipping. We were all stuffed by the end.

That's the exterior of the restaurant. Notice how the Smart Car was able to park straight on instead of parallel parking! What convenience.

Loved the exterior of this restaurant.

Delicious pates, dried meats and hams - next time I think we should rent an apartment so we can actually buy some of these wonderful locally produced foods and create our own meals.

As we were there just before Easter - windows were filled with colourful eggs and bunnies.

The perfect of these desserts!

Making crepes in the Tuileries. Filled with Nutella the girls and my husband inhaled them.