Rotating centerpieces and florals
Evren Vase Tall
I remember reading that for interior design for the Japanese culture there is a seasonal change for artwork. I understood this to be for artwork on the walls in a home. We may do this practice also with smaller decor items. It may seem instinctual. For many homes, a small alteration on the buffet, the mantel, the centerpice to a dining room table or an edit to the coffee table will bring a fresh perspective to the space. Or, if you prefer not to swap out, there’s the wonderful way of swapping around. Trying things in different places in our homes breaths fresh appreciation and a sense of newness to our lovely things.
Creams and Greens
The softness of creams and greens make for a calm and quiet get away atmosphere in our study.
Somehow references to the foliage and fauna of nature give breath into a home. We like to incorporate some sort of this into every room to allow for more closeness to nature. It’s comes naturally to us. Finding the inspiration is everywhere ~ plates, carpets, wallpaper, books. Highlight nature and you’ll have a sunny day everday.
Collaborating ~ Communicating and creating to help the client/s find thier comfort & happiness zone.
This is an original mood board, an initial jumping off point. The final product will be the client’s finished project. Lot’s of itterations and lots of working together. It’s a joint project with the happiness of the client and thier lifestyle as the main importance.
This family gathering room / hang out room is their living room. They live on 2 floors of a 2 flat and the bottom floor they rent. It’s a nice size foot print and a modern & open concept. The living room is intimate and the hope is to maximize the comfort of seating for the family to be all together, play games and sink in to comfort.
We like to ease into our celebrations ~ Valentine’s Day included.
I am happy to ease into celebrations. It feels better to have something talked about and thought about before celebrating. Also, if feels nice to have just simple touches. A paper napkin with a few new additions (not necessarily themed for Valentine’s Day) signals to our loved ones a little something new coming. Nothing grand, nothing fancy, no big statement. Just a little reminder that we are thinking about eachother as Valentine’s Day approaches. Soon we can give out our cards. Low key and sweet.
little ways to show love…
Our classic 2026 desk calendar is for sale at Mrs. Adelaide at Home.
February is here and we are approaching Valentine’s Day… This week I came across heart shaped crab cakes on sale at my grocery store. They looked fun loving and they were! My family is a busy one and we cannot sit together at the table as much as we’d like. But, with a little thoughtful heart shaped crab cake, my family felt my love. It was also to celebrate the first track and field meet for on of our daughters. I let her know that I was thinking of her because running takes a very strong heart. However it works, there are so many ways to show our love. Little ways of appreciation means more than big splashes sometimes. Our family ate the crab cakes, were not crabby about my cooking and were grateful. We don’t have to be a chef to show our love at the table, just some heart felt words can make our food taste better.
Our new easter Bunny family ~
Our beautifully dressed Easter Bunny family is available at Mrs. Adelaide at Home.
The winter is here ~ Just the beginnings of February. Superbowl, Valentine’s, family birthdays and so much more to look forward to. But for now, I’m just happy to have a little visit with our sweet and pretty Easter Bunny family, just in and available on Mrs. Adelaide at Home. They hopped over for just a little visit to help remind us of the soft pastels and pretty pinks coming up. The gardens will once again bloom and our doors will have fewer shoes and coats. But seeing the lovely bunny family is so nice. Still, I am grateful for our snowy weather. My family skiied this weekend and enjoyed perfect weather for being outdoors and active. Meantime, we’re still cooking soups and slow cooker meals. We truly are grateful for the snow!
Interior Decorating
A tortoise glass we sell at Mrs. Adelaide at Home
I was so happy when, out of the blue, a friend asked if I might be help her decorate her kitchen and living room. Her husband, an architect, designed their building (a 2 flat in the city). They are ready for an update. They have a large extended family and are interested in maximizing seating for comfortable family gatherings. They also love color. They are bold and warm and I’m excited for this project!
My sister’s wagashi
Wagashi (seasonal Japanese confections) which my sister made during a Japanese Tea Ceremony class.
It’s wonderful to learn something new, every day if possible. I never heard about this Japanese sweet called Wagashi before. But, this mildly sweet item (seen above) sort of clears the tasting palate prior to the main star of the Japanese Tea Ceremony ~ the Matcha tea. This is an integral part of the the traditional Japanese cultural art form ~ The Japanese Tea Ceremony.
When the host serves the wagashi (and all the subsequent items), the host connects with their guest calmly, peacefully and with respect. Everything is visually appealing. Things being visually appealing during the ceremony is as important as the actual taste of what is being served. It’s a very special experience.
Please feel free to share your experiences or stories/thoughts about the Japanese Tea Ceremony below. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you!
“the lazy man’s load”
A table I set with our “Mrs. Adelaide at Home” tabletop choices.
My dear aunt, know affectionately as “Grandma Nancy”, reminds me about her parents (my grandparents) repeated saying, “Don’t take the lazy man’s load”. We have tried to adopt this idea into the way we set the table, clear the table and clean up after a meal. It means a lot to me because it helps me to slow down and not only to be careful with the things I’m carrying or removing from the table, but it also helps me to be able to pay attention and participate in the enjoyable clean up time conversations.
In fact, the conversations before and after the meals are as much a way to connect and catch up further and maybe more in depth with loved ones as they are during the actual mealtime. By not taking the Lazy Man Load, we can slowly and carefully complete our task and feel good about paying attention to the details and feel good about doing a job well done.
The phrase, the lazy man load, comes from carrying too much during the first load to save taking a second load. It’s some folk wisdom. I feel more calm and satisfied when I can complete a task more intentionally, especially if I can clean up with another person. Taking a few extra trips or minutes to complete a task, gives us a chance to calmly work together with a friend or loved one. But, either with another person or not, let’s slow down and enjoy our time as we clean up and think about and appreciate the efforts and care that went into preparing our meal, whether we are eating alone or in community with friends and loved ones. Slowly enjoying our time together.
Please add your own special thought and comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts, if you have time. Thank you!
“Greatness is determined by Service”~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service…” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I love this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom we celebrate today, because greatness is possible. We can extend our arms and help someone. We can offer a simple warm, cooked meal in our own home. We can do a modest or big act of kindness and service and have it mean so much to another. It always makes us feel good when we are able to connect with another person through kindess. That truly is greatness.
COlors that you respond to
Coffee table in Living Room
Little touches of greens and ferns. Green feels fresh and happy and the earthier greens give such a sense of calm and restfulness. We all somehow know what colors we respond to and how much of it feels right. Color is so personal and I love seeing what colors people respond too. I love how personal colors can be.
A splash of Monochrome
Welcome and how wonderful you are here! Today, this lovely collection of greens and silvery olive colors gives a great deal of inspiration. We love these colors for the autumn time. They give us a sense of calm and getting back to nature. We respond to similar tones and colors, a type of monochromatic approach, distinctly. Almost viscerally. It’s a wonderful feeling. As we approach the holidays, I’d love for us to enjoy and think about ways we can bring some of our treasures into a collected and, maybe, into a monochromatic moment. Just for fun!
Holiday soft pumpkins blending and feeling a part of the setting. We love to see a place in our home where our eye can rest and relish in the tones and cohesion of a moment. We really do respond, sometimes, to the less is more approach.