Blue Velvet Dining Chairs

 

Every now and then, I like to pop-over to Bondars clearance centre on a Saturday (the only day of the week they are open). You never know what quality pieces you're going to find. While I usually have a specific piece I'm looking for, it works better if I go shopping with an open mind. But this time, I was lucky. I had been coveting blue velvet dining chairs as they remind me of one of our favorite hotels in London; the Kensington Hotel. I was able to get six dining chairs for a fraction of the price. The store had simply over-ordered the number of chairs they anticipated selling. I was already planning to have some blue velvet dining chairs made, so you can imagine my delight! While I would have selected more of a sapphire blue than navy blue, for the price they are more than perfect. Oh, and speaking of puuurrrfect... naturally Bertie has tried out each chair and claimed one in particular as his new favorite hiding place. 

 

Two Thanksgivings

We were a bit spoiled this year with two Thanksgiving diners. My mom is out of town this weekend so she hosted a lovely family dinner last weekend, in a rustic French family style. This weekend Andrew and I prepared our own Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, I added my special accompaniment to the meal: Stove Top stuffing (Shhh! Don't tell my mom!). I know it's not the best, but I like it for some reason.

We took our time preparing our seasonal favorites while enjoying the fireplace and view of the outdoor surroundings. The color of our neighbors apple tree is so spectacular this time of year!

 

 ~ Wishing you a plentiful and restful Thanksgiving this year! ~

 

 

Christmas Day Recap

How was your Christmas day? Was it a crazy day of visiting and eating with family and friends? Or more of an intimate quiet affair? Either way, I hope it was everything that you wanted it to be.

We hosted an intimate Christmas Day dinner for five. My husband, (And resident chef!) decided to prepare his speciality; Herbes de Provence encrusted roast beef with traditional accompaniment.

 

 

 

 

I was in charge of the plum pudding sauce which, in the end, was more of a Courvoisier soup. So, we just went with it, lit it on fire and let the bluish flame dance over the bombe of dried fruit and nuts!

 

 

After our guests had left, we ended the night by settling down to our 'downstairs' tree to watch some of the UK Christmas specials.



~What are you doing New Year's Eve?~

Thanksgiving Dinner

 

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving so we hosted a small family dinner last night. Thanks so my mom's business, MEEZ Cuisine and Catering, we enjoyed a delicious gourmet pre-cooked feast. All we had to do was 'heat and serve' courtesy of our pal, Chef Judy Wood, and her outstanding team at MEEZ.

I contributed a few snacks to nibble on before the meal. That's about the extent of my culinary talent.

I added a few of Purdy's foil chocolate leaves and a couple of their milk chocolate turkeys to the table for fun. Andrew selected some lovely autumnal flowers for the occasion.

For the grand finale, two heavenly desserts; a pumpkin praline tart and lemon curd tart from my favorite bakery, Brulee Patisserie. Many thanks, Jen!

 

~Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving!~

 

 

Before and After: Dining Room

For us, the best part of making-over the dining room was getting rid of the unattractive chandelier left behind by the previous owners. The worst part of all - it was filthy! Completely too large and too dark for the small dining space it took over the room.

We  replaced the chandelier with a crisp and elegant five light fixture from the Quinn collection by Kichler pictured below.

 A few more 'after' photos of the space. I think we're finally ready for our first dinner party!

Spring Table

So nice to finally see some spring flowers blooming, even if they aren't outside! We hosted Easter Sunday brunch last weekend. I usually set-up a couple of tables and the bar if needed rather than trying to fit everyone at one table. A little sneak peak of the breakfast nook area (so far) as well....

Updated Photos

I haven't added any updated photos of our living and dining room areas in quite a while. Only a few subtle changes....I've added a few more leafy greens including a bowl of boxwood on the mantle. The dining room now has two additional side chairs at the table which were definitely needed. I finally found some chairs with nailhead detail at a reasonable price! 

Getting There

Our house is starting to come together since we moved in last Fall. It had been neglected and lonely for three years because the owner who built it didn't moved in and moved to Chicago instead. Like all new spaces, I'm sure it will evolve over time....For now, here is what I have come up with so far:

The dining space is a bit of a challenge. The space is not very large and I have a rectangular table.  This table has a subtle art deco look and a metal inlay which I thought gave it a simple but interesting detail. I'm not sure if I like our dining chairs. Some oval-backed or Klismos chairs may be better with the table. Or, I am also considering something that doesn't match the table for an interesting contrast.

here is our dining area at the moment:

I bought a soft blue herringbone fabric at Chintz and Company that I intended to recover the seats with but I am holding off on that until I decide to keep the chairs or not. Stay-tuned!