Once the holidays are over and January has rolled around, for me usually, this means it’s prime nesting season. The weather is always lousy. It’s still dark at 5 (I am talking about pm–am is something I would not know of). Suddenly there’s plenty of time on these long wintry afternoons for nestling on the couch, snug in a blanket reading that novel I never got to in summer’ only occasionally rising to stir the fabulous stew simmering on the stove in the kitchen. And then, once dinner is served, there is no reason not to relax a little more and linger at the table enjoying a robust glass or two of wine…
This year, though, we had a fortuitous change in routine. Mid-January we decided to make a pit stop at America’s Mart in Atlanta.
Possibly the world’s largest trade show facility with over 700 million square feet, America’s Mart January market bills themselves as “An unparalleled collection of exceptional Home products…” and for once someone is telling the truth. There are acres and acres of products, thousands of vendors, and fun stuff like crazy cash machines (see above photo).
For us, or anyone with an eye on design, it is an amazing opportunity to see the latest offerings in furniture, rugs, artwork, lighting, bedding and floral, many of which are shown in room settings so you get to see–rather than just imagine–how things would look in a home.
Also featured were a series of vignettes by several of the country’s top designers that included products from a wide variety of manufacturers. This is what we do every day at British Cottage, so it was interesting to see how professionals took products we carry, like this chandelier from Curry & Co, and put it with an area rug by Loiloi (a company we are considering). Generally, we are not a fan of dark wall colors but love how everything pops in this stylish space.
And everywhere you looked there was a gorgeous navy blue couch–as our British Cottage aficionados know a look we have championed for several years now. We find navy fresh and classic, equally at home at the beach or in the city. 
There was no shortage of seminars and workshops. We especially enjoyed the presentation sponsored by Veranda Magazine. Billed as 30 Years of Veranda, interior design icons (from left) John Oetgen, Suzanne Kassler, Bill Peace and Susan Ferrier, candidly described their favorite memories and shared insights about how interior design has become what it is today.
We were also treated to a panel discussion of the power of social media by three prominent bloggers: Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita, Nora Murphy of Connecticut Country House and Courtney Allison of French Country Cottage, and I still bear the bruises from Keith nudging me when they all agreed that frequency was a major contributor to the success of their blogs…sorry I will try harder!
And after all that, it was nice to come home and resume nesting, and there is nothing like a home cooked meal after being out and about for a while. My favorite stew, of all time, is Chicken Cacciatore or Pollo Alla Cacciatora as my beloved Marcella Hazan, author of “The Classic Italian Cookbook” would say. First published by Knopf in New York in 1976, some say Marcella Hazan’s cookbook is the most authentic and best guide to Italian food ever written. Of course, I knew none of that when I pulled it out of the sales pile at Barnes and Noble over 20 years ago–but I know it now.
Chicken Cacciatore
First just use chicken thighs. Don’t fuss about cutting up a whole chicken and worrying about what bit gets cooked for how long. (I think it was Mario Batali who said he actually throws away the white meat because it is the dark meat of the chicken that holds all the flavor).
While you heat up a few glugs of olive oil in a large pan, dredge those chicken thighs (figure at least two per person) in flour and add to your heated oil skin side down. Cook on medium-ish heat for longer than you think. You want to get that skin browned up a bit before you turn them over and toast the other side. Transfer to a platter and lightly salt and pepper.
Remove excess fat from your pan, turn up the heat and deglaze with 2/3 of a cup or so of dry white wine. When it is reduced by half and you’ve scraped up all the bits from the bottom of the pan, lower the heat and add one medium onion chopped how you like it. I prefer chunks but small children might like their onions minced–it’s up to you. After 5 minutes or so add some chopped green pepper, one carrot (which I usually coarsely grate so it disappears) and 1/2 celery stalk sliced thin, and a couple of chopped up garlic cloves Quantities can vary according to what you like or have in the fridge. For example, Marcella calls for a whole green pepper–but I find just half gives me the flavor I like.
At this point add a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juice. You can chop them up first or just toss in the pan and chop them up there; they’re going to cook down anyway. Add the chicken, cover partly and simmer for about an hour, turning occasionally. (If your sauce looks too thin just remove the cover and let it reduce).
I like to cook my chicken until it is practically falling off the bone and when it is ready I just spoon a little of the hot sauce on the bottom of a warm platter, add some freshly cooked pasta (we like rigatoni for no particular reason) and cover with the chicken and more sauce–and maybe a dash or two of hot red pepper flakes for some zip.
Serve with some freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese on the side, a loaf of fresh garlic bread and a simple green salad. And of course a nice bottle of wine–white or red–you can’t go wrong with this dish!
As we all know the holidays should be all fun and games; but often times it is easy to get struck down by the details so it is best to be prepared. First, accept you are not Martha Stewart; perfection should never replace fun. Delegate, smile a lot and try not to sweat the small stuff. You have all of January to be miserable.
Same for the tree. Fresh or fake–your choice. I prefer fresh because it smells better and you can throw it out the front door on January 1. Toss on a few strands of the aforementioned white sparkly lights, no more than one box of ornaments, and call it a day. One year I only did lights and I think is was our prettiest tree ever. Less is more.
Keith and I are huge fans of the show, Fixer Upper. I confess to having spent countless evenings mesmerized watching to see what a hundred grand could do in Waco Texas–where we live in NJ that’s basically a master bath.
I have a vendor who makes a bed like this and now I just might get it. I just love the iron canopy, the dark hue and the dreamy styling.
All the bedding was lovely and from a company called Bella Notte Linens. I had just purchased similar bedding for the store from a company called Amity Home so it is nice to know Joanna and I are on the same page.
Maybe one of the more famous people we did not meet at High Point, but certainly it felt like Joanna Gaines was everywhere!
Down a few flights of stairs were Barclay Butera and Kathy Ireland–also powerhouses in the California design world. We have always loved how Barclay manages to meld beach house cool with an English manor house sensibility, and we all know that anything former model, Warren Buffet confident, and entrepreneur Kathy Ireland touches is sheer gold. When she says color is making a comeback; we listen.
Fortunately we are so on trend, because we had already purchased this fabulous couch and chair at Hickory White.
Not sure you will see a salmon pink wall anytime soon at British Cottage, (and I will source the Benjamin Moore color for those of you who have asked), but the couch and two chairs should arrive in a few weeks. We like to buy the Hickory White floor models. Why not take advantage of their professional design savvy and add to our inventory at the same time?
But fear not, we did not go completely pink, we also purchased this lovely, royal blue velvet sofa and two complementary armchairs.
I’m pretty sure the last thing my son and daughter-in-law expected was for me to write about their house after we visited them last week in deepest Nebraska. With a three week old infant, a toddler and a proud kindergartener just getting three meals on the table and everyone dressed in the morning is challenging enough. No one has the time, or the inclination to worry about home decor at this stage. But hey, I liked their house so much I couldn’t resist.
Wisely they opted to finish the walkout basement adding carpeting, a bedroom and a full bath. Perfect for visiting grandparents and perfect for two little boys stuck inside on summer days when the temperature is over 100 or in the depths of winter when snow and ice reclaim the prairie.
Upstairs there is a master bedroom suite with a fireplace, sitting room (where the treadmill sits), master bath and walk in closets, then three more bedrooms and an upstairs laundry room. Here is our newest baby modeling the upstairs quest room with all its fabulous British Cottage furniture.
Our furniture goes to the most lovely homes but rarely do I get to see them in person. Keith makes the deliveries and usually I merrily send him about his way. But Sunday I joined him on a jaunt to Quoque, a town, that to me, is all about the best Long Island living can offer. Sure there are multiple monstrosities masquerading as homes but there are also many terrific looking, normal sized houses that offer families fresh air and sunshine just sixty miles outside Manhattan.
My first advice to any novice interested in my decorating opinions is always to stay clear of jewel tones. Clearly this delightful great room proves me wrong. I love how the bold color adds definition to the space and provides a framework for all the diverse objects in this room. But also note how the glass coffee table, light rug and furniture keep the mood happy. As does Uncle Bowwow’s portrait to the left of the fireplace!
And as if the gorgeous pool wasn’t enough, the landscaping then is the icing on the proverbial cake. With both sun and a shade perennial gardens there is always something blooming magnificently.
