So Haute!

Sweet Summer Strawberry Lemonade

This past weekend it was incredibly hot outside which had me craving a glass of cool, refreshing strawberry lemonade! I made a pitcher on Saturday and it was delicious. The ingredients are simple. All you need are lemons, strawberries, sugar and water. The recipe is super simple too.

 

Nicole's Sweet Summer Strawberry Lemonade

5-6 large lemons

1 lb strawberries

5 cups cold water (approx)

A concoction of simple syrup made from 1 1/2 cups sugar dissolved into 1 cup of warm water.

Note: The pitcher I use holds approx 80 oz so you can adjust the recipe based on the size of your pitcher. I also like my lemonade on the sweeter side so adjust the sugar based on your desired sweetness. 

Step 1: Slice up your lemons and strawberries. Mix your simple syrup and set aside.

Step 2: Place the strawberries in a food processor along with 2 tablespoons of the simple syrup and grind until a smooth puree forms. Set aside.

Step 3: Extract the juice from your lemons. I use this inexpensive citrus juicer by Proctor Silex which makes this step a breeze.

Step 4: Add the lemon juice, strawberry puree and the remainder of your simple syrup to a pitcher and stir. Next add the cold water. (Use more or less water depending on your desired level of sweetness and citrus strength.) Chill in the refrigerator for about a half hour, then serve over ice.

And Voila! You have yourself a pitcher of Sweet Summer Strawberry Lemonade. Enjoy!

Stylish Serving Tip: For a finished look, garnish your glass with a simple sliced strawberry. And your strawberry lemonade will look even yummier if served in a lovely pitcher and glassware. The classic pitcher and pint glasses below from Pottery Barn will do the trick nicely plus they're a really great value.

 
_{PB Basic Pitcher, $24 and PB Classic Pint Glass (on right), $24 for set of 6}

New Tabletop Collection from Dwell Studio

I'm obsessed with DwellStudio's stylish new tabletop collection! The recently launched line includes placemats, dinner napkins, runners, coasters, cocktail napkins and aprons (the latter three are new introductions). The pieces are all 100% linen with the exception of the placemats and runners which are a linen/cotton blend. All of the items were made using eco-friendly dyes and feature, modern, graphic prints in sophisticated colors that would blend well in any interior setting. The prints and patters were designed with mixing and matching in mind. Above, the Chionoiserie placemats (my favorite!) are paired with the Gate napkins in java...a super chic combination!

 

Here is the Gate placemat and napkin in the sun colorway. All of the placemats in the collection are $27 and the printed dinner napkins are $18.

Inspired by modern art, the Color Field print resembles vivid brush strokes. The graphic placemat is paired with a more classic Border napkin in white linen with a dove border. The Border napkins are $22.

Here are placemats and napkins in the Wooodblock print. This graphic print with its bold color palette was influenced by Mid-Century Danish art and culture.

The Mosaic placemats and napkins are decidedly modern with a rich geometric pattern.

And how cute are these Gate coasters? At only $24 for a set of four, these would make the perfect hostess gift!

And I absolutely love these aprons! A must-have for the stylish cook. They are $48. Be sure to check out dwellstudio.com to see more of the new table collection. The pieces should be ready to ship in a couple of weeks!

Weekend Bloglovin: W&R Style File

 

_{Jaime Rummerfield and Ron Woodson}

This weekend while you're surfing the net, check out W & R Style File - a blog brought to you by Hollywood design darlings Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield of Woodson & Rummerfield's House of Design. From odes to industry legends like Elsie de Wolfe and the late Julius Shulman, to recaps of exclusive parties and daily musings on design, W & R Style File gives you a peek inside Ron & Jaime's world of fabulosity. Click here to check it out!

Top Fashion Designers Collaborate to Design Custom Carpets for Elson & Company to Benefit Breast Cancer

 

Remember this "Outfit to Room" story from the June/July 2008 issue of Domino? In this feature, stylist Tina Chai's colorful Thakoon skirt was used as inspiration to create this room:

Well, Thakoon must have taken note of how beautifully his skirt's print translates into interiors as he recently adapted it to create this limited-edition rug design for Elson & Company:

Pretty fab, right? This design is part of the Fashion Underfoot II capsule collection for Elson & Company, designed in partnership with the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). Along with Thakoon, celebrated fashion designers including Oscar de la Renta, Marchesa, Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Home, Doo Ri, Cynthia Rowley, Lily Pulitzer, Tory Burch and Peter Som collaborated to design a collection of unique custom carpets that were hand woven with Himilayan wool by a team of master artisans in Nepal. All of the carpets can be ordered in custom sizes and are available through AM Collections in New York. The best part is that 10% percent of the proceeds will benefit Fashion Targets Breast Cancer - a major philantrhopic initiative of the CFDA that is committed to supporting women with breast cancer and has raised more than $40 million for the cause since 1994. Click here for more info and below is a look at more of the designs from Fashion Underfoot II. I'm especially loving the psychedelic looking rug by Cynthia Rowley!

Oscar de la Renta


Cynthia Rowley


Marchesa


Lilly Pulitzer


Peter Som


Tory Burch

Weekend Bloglovin: Found

_{Caitlin Moran & Tyler Dawson}

Last year San Francisco interior designers Tyler Dawson and Caitlin Moran teamed up to open a hip design shop called Found. Located on San Francisco's popular Union Street, Found offers a well-edited selection of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces that have been updated and reinvented by the stylish duo. Dawson and Moran chronicle their "finds" and other design musings on their blog which I highly recommend checking out by clicking here. And below are some of their recent finds that I think are fabulous!

<sub>A set of Chippendale chairs upholstered in Schumacher's Chiang Mai Dragon


A pair of Hendredon side tables.


A round brass coffee table.


An Irish Chippendale china cabinet.</sub>

{Haute Designer} Kevin Haley

_{Photo: Kevinhaley.com}

Celebrity designer Kevin Haley has designed projects in the past for A-Listers such as Brad Pitt, Winona Ryder, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. If you're not familiar, Kevin Haley is a self-taught, LA based designer whose work I would describe as modern and sophisticated while also dark and moody with a dash of sexiness sprinkled in for good measure. Click here to view Kevin's video bio to hear him chat about his career, his approach to design and what it's like working with his famous clients.

Thank You Real Simple!!!

A big THANK YOU to Real Simple for featuring So Haute in its August issue as one of the best online resources for your home! I'm so excited and honored to be included!

7 Secrets to Keeping Your White Bedding Bright

_{Image: Fox Nahem Associates}

A friend recently asked me how I keep my white bed linens so crisp and white so I thought I'd share some of my top tips for laundering your white linens here.

1. Wash your white linens separately. Mixing them with non-white laundry or with dissimilar textures (such as towels) can often cause pillage.


2. Always wash in cold water. Unless your linens are heavily soiled, there's really no need to wash on any temperature other than cold. High heat can break down the fibers in your linens, thus reducing their durability and lifespan. Plus, cold water is washing is the most energy efficient method...an added bonus.


3. Use only mild detergents. Regular detergents contain fragrances, dyes and harsh other chemicals that slowly eat away at the fibers in your delicate linens over time. Eco-friendly detergents such as Method's Squeaky Green Laundry are a great option because they're made from plant extracts and are generally much safer and gentler on your laundry. Another option is to use detergents that are made especially for fine linens. Le Blanc Linen Wash and The Laundress both make great products for laundering your linens.


4. Never use bleach. Bleach also eats away at the fibers in your linens and can cause a gradual yellowing of your whites. If your linens are extremely soiled, spray any stains with an enzyme based cleaner (good ol' Shout often does the trick) which will help lift stains and then launder in warm water. Also add an enhancer to the wash which will help boost the cleaning power of your detergent. I swear by OxiClean Free. As the name suggests, it's free of fragrances, dyes and harsh chemicals and is great for stain fighting when added as a laundry booster. I also use it to revive my whites whenever they start to look dingy. It works wonders! 


5. Avoid fabric softeners. They will decrease the absorbency of your linens and I find that they also seem to make your sheets feel filmy. 


6. Use a mild drying method. Line drying is best but if you don't have the time or the outdoor space for line drying, tumble dry on low. It may take longer but this will preserve the life of your linens. If you don't mind the extra step, I also recommend removing the sheets from the dryer while damp. Shake them out, then let them air dry. This will prevent wrinkles from setting in. 


7. Iron your sheets! It's a huge pain in the you-know-what, but it's the only way to achieve a crisp, clean and polished look like in the photo above. It's best to iron while damp, and if your sheets have any embroidery, iron them on the reverse which will make the embroidery pop. If you don't have the patience to iron your sheets thoroughly, then cheat a little (no one will ever notice!). Simply iron your pillowcases and the top half of your flat sheet which is typically the only part that's exposed. (I wouldn't skimp on ironing your white duvet though!)

I hope you find these tips helpful!
xoxo
Nicole

{Haute Shopping} The Melrose Trading Post

I think LA has some of the best flea markets around. Some of the better markets in the LA area are in farther away cities like Pasadena or Long Beach and only open on select weekends so I often miss them when I come to town. The Melrose Trading Post however, best known for its art, antiques and collectibles, is open every single Sunday rain or shine. It's also located right in the heart of Hollywood so it's easily accessible and even on holidays it's still open. I always manage to check it out when I'm in town and it's usually chock full of great deals. 

When I visited LA in May I stopped by to see if I could find some new tchotchkes for my place and found this booth selling everything for $1. Yes, that's right - ONE DOLLAR!

You  had to sort through a lot of junk but there were certainly many treasures to be found. It was full of fabulous lamps in working condition like this brass pair above. Couldn't you just imaging these all polished up with a fresh pair of black lacquered shades...they'd look so fab! 

This brass artichoke lamp was also in the dollar booth. I regret not buying it. I was being lazy and told myself it would be too much of a pain to lug on an airplane. I went to sleep that night and then woke up thinking about this lamp. Next time I'll do better! Below are photos of a few more fabulous finds I spotted at The Melrose Trading Post. The next time you're in the area, I'd highly recommend stopping by!

The Melrose Trading Post

Located at the Fairfax High School Parking Lot

Fairfax & Melrose, Hollywood, CA

Open Sundays, 9am-5pm 

Rain or Shine

Exciting Things To Come on So Haute!

I have some really exciting projects in the works and I wanted to update you on what I've been up to and what's to come here on So Haute!

• 1st-So Haute is getting a makeover! I've been working on re-designing my blog, both from a design and a content standpoint. When I launched So Haute in January of '08 my intent was to blog about not only decorating, but other passions including food and travel. The blog took on a life of its own, primarily focusing on interior design, which has been very well received (& I'm so grateful!). When I re-launch the blog, it will be infused with other fun and exciting topics related to home that I'm sure you will enjoy and will still feature all of the great inspirational and informative posts on design and decorating. And hopefully the posts will be a lot more frequent! As for the redesign of the site, above is a peek at a bit of my new logo. Cute, huh? I hope to have the new site up and running by the end of the month. Hopefully the transition will go smoothly. Stay tuned!

• 2nd-I've launched a decorating biz! Last summer I quietly started a decorating business, Nicole Gibbons Interiors, and I've been tackling mostly small projects in the New York City area. I feel awful for not having mentioned this sooner but I wanted to make sure I had things established a bit before before I started blogging about it. Since I have a pretty demanding day job, I don't have the capacity to take on large scale or multiple projects, but if you're interested in inquiring, feel free to email me. (I'm also working on having some of my projects photographed this summer so I can launch a website for that too!)

• 3rd-I just mentioned that I'm having some of my projects photographed...this includes my own apartment, which is being shot in just a couple of weeks....which means a So Haute house tour is coming very soon! (I know I've been promising it forever, but this time it's really coming soon!)

• Finally, I'm happy to report that I have a really great mention in the August issue of Real Simple! I feel honored and excited to have So Haute featured in Real Simple's insider's guide to the best online resources for your home! I'll be posting the clip ASAP so you can see!

• As you can see, I'm a very busy girl! With my day job, hectic work travel schedule and everything else going on, sometimes I'm amazed I even find the time to keep up with the blog, but I love it and I'm so grateful for everyone out there reading! Thanks for the support!

xoxo
Nicole

Weekend Bloglovin: At First Bite

_{Noria Morales}

I'm a big foodie. I'm a passionate cook and I also enjoy dining out so when I learned that my friend Noria Morales (who also happens to be a fashion editor at Lucky Magazine) started a food blog, I knew I'd love it instantly. At First Bite is a must-read blog that celebrates food and chronicles Noria's frequent excursions to some of the most fabulous restaurants in New York City and beyond. From hole in the wall taco joints to top-rated fine dining establishments, Noria will keep you in the loop on what places you should be checking out and why. Whenever I'm stumped on where to go for dinner or drinks, I visit AFB's regularly updated Eat/Drink Here page which features her well-edited list of bar and restaurant recommendations. The blog is also filled with enticing food photos that are sure to make your mouth water. (I swear, every time I read her blog I get hungry!) You can visit At First Bite by clicking here and below is a sample of some of the tempting photos you'll find while there. Hungry yet?

<sub>Carrot Cake Cupcakes from Babycakes


A creative culinary confection from LaGrenouille


Seared sea scallops with parsnip puree and caramelized Brussels sprouts served at a dinner party


A yummy brunch at Morandi in the West Village


And a fresh fruit breakfast of papaya, pineapple and bananas which Noria consumed during a fairly recent trip to Hawaii</sub>

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy 4th of July everyone! I'm in Michigan visiting my family and to celebrate Independence Day we're hosting a fun family barbecue at our house. Guests will be arriving soon and I've been tweeting all day about the preparations. Follow my tweets to join in on the festivities. Lots of fun in store!

_{Photo via epicurious.com}

New Fabrics from Katie Leede & Company

 

LA based interior designer Katie Leede has just launched her new line of ethnic inspired upholstery fabrics and they are gorgeous! There are 14 prints in various colorways, all printed on Belgian linen plus a single solid woven, also available in multiple colorways, that was produced in Guatemala. The prints were all inspired by Egyptian wall paintings and statuary. The line has a beautiful, organic feeling and a classic sensibility that can translate into any style of decor. The line is currently available through Holly Hunt in Los Angeles, Holland & Sherry in New York or directly through Katie Leede & Company. Click here for more info!

 

Kishani Perera on Budget Decorating

When I was pouring through Kishani Perera's portfolio I was struck by one of her projects which she titled "Miracle Mile Revival." I especially loved the photo above with that beautiful gray velvet sofa topped with bright pink pillows and a suzani throw to accent. When I asked her about this home I was surprised to hear that this was a project done for a client on a tight budget and that it was furnished using a number of items from mass market stores such as Crate & Barrel mixed in with flea market finds and vintage pieces from eBay. I think this home perfectly illustrates the fact that you can achieve high style without spending a fortune. Below, Kishani shares more about this project and also gives us her top tips for decorating on a budget. 

Tell me a bit about this project and how you were able to create a space with such style on a limited budget?

When our client came to us, a marketing director at Barbie/Mattel, she had very specific requests.  She wanted her space to have a modern yet European aesthetic, with pops of color.  The catch was, of course, it had to be done on a very tight budget. We invested in really great textiles, we recovered her sectional sofa set with high-end luxe grey velvet, and we spent a lot time getting the paint colors just right…we used a professional painter who completely transformed the rooms.  We also splurged on custom drapes in the master bedroom.  We found an inexpensive, beautiful fabric and had it upholstered into a fabulous cornice box and long flowy drapes for a romantic feel. We definitely saved with everything else in the house. We bought a lot of flea market basics, like end tables, side tables, mirrors, accessories, etc.  Other pieces came from high-end design shops like Jonathan Adler, to cost effective stores like Home Decorators.com, Linens 'N Things, and eBay.

When decorating on a budget, what pieces should people splurge on and where should they save?
Definitely invest in the obvious: solid basics and comfort items like a great mattress, a well made sofa, luxe sheets and towels...I also think a fabulous rug and gorgeous drapes are a worthwhile expense. 

What are some great resources for people who are shopping for their home with limited funds?
If you can be a little creative, eBay, Craigslist, flea markets and thrift shops are great for budget shopping.

Do you have any expert tips on navigating flea markets and scoring a great deal?
Be friendly and don’t be afraid to haggle. If the price isn’t right one day, the owner might remember you the next day, and be willing to sell for what you’re willing to spend.

What are a few simple ways to spruce up your space on a tight budget?
Paint is the least expensive way to completely change the mood of a room. Be bold, pick a strong color. Also, toss cushions immediately give a room a new feel.