Treasure Tuesdays!
I can think of many treasures that excite me like finding the perfect little restaurant that serves the best cuisine, or finding a great sale at Dillard’s, or even scoring found change in the car seat, along with food and stuff that the kids leave behind (that is NOT treasure!) lol
But the one treasure I like above all (well the little restaurant find is a close #2....ssshhhh! Lol) is design inspiration that can be translated to my own creativity! That’s the best! I found some treasures...I won’t give all my secrets but I wanted to share with you...
This kitchen design is absolutely stunning! I may use this word a lot, please excuse me! The two toned cabinetry along with that hardware and of course the lighting is all the rave. I can just imagine myself making my homemade cream of broccoli soup in that dreamy kitchen (I will share with you later). You know what I love the most about this kitchen? That fab Aztec inspired rug! The colors are muted but the quality and look of it is stunningly gorgeous! (There I go with that word again! Lol) Speaking of rugs, I found a great showroom, MOATTAR, in ADAC that you must go to if you’re apart of the trade.
Ok I got side tracked...
The simplicity of this design is what draws my eye in. I adore when designers and/or homeowners accessorize the island with practical accessories, ie fresh flowers and fruit/veggies! It makes the kitchen look lived in. Just grab a pretty container from one of my fave stores, HomeGoods, and voilà, you have a centerpiece that pairs well in a kitchen. That’s one of Renae’s Tips. I got more coming by the way! Lighting is sooooooo important in design, don’t overlook it, you’ll be doing a disservice to your design. Focus on lighting that compliments your architectural design elements. Don’t go all Art Deco on me when you have a farmhouse kitchen design..lol. Just stay in line with the architecture.
Now I love these travatine floors! Fab! (See I didn’t say stunning, although they TRULY are!) The hardware is my personal favorite and I’m in love with open shelving in a kitchen. It creates a light vibe instead of heavy upper cabinets, although if you do two toned cabinetry in your kitchen, try to do lighter cabinets on the top and darker at the bottom, unless you’re doing white. Another one of Renae’s Tips! See, they keep coming and coming!
Design is everything to me! I love when a complete creative thought comes together and is of awesomatic quality and discerning character. You’ll see a lot of examples soon enough!
Now for that Cream of Broccoli recipe! I promise it’s easy AND yummy! See below!
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion chopped
1 clove of garlic
2 stalks of celery
1 carrot, chopped
3 cups of broth (I use veggie because I'm pescatarian, but you can substitute for chicken)
8 cups of fresh broccoli chopped
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups of milk
salt and ground black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional but yummers!)
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion, carrot, garlic, and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup. Season with cayenne pepper and serve.
I serve this with freshly grated parmesan cheese and multigrain bruschetta bread slices from Sprouts. (only $1.89...YES!!!) Another treasure!
Until next time,
Live...Love...Design!
xo Renae
