House Things

I have a member of my family — okay two actually — who are map fiends and for whom these plates would be perfect. They’re from Uncommon Goods and feature different cities from around the world, including Rome, Chicago, New York etc. It would be a fun way to remember trips you’ve taken or just to get the conversation going, don’t you think? Each porcelain plate features the city’s downtown core printed on a black background. Key buildings are represented with red icons, while rivers and public spaces are shown in blue and green. It comes gift-boxed with a printed key. Added bonus? The manufacturer donates 15% of its proceeds from the sale of the New Orleans plate toward the recovery and rebuilding of 1300 acres of City Park that experienced serious damage to grounds, trees, infrastructure and facilities. Price is $50

Why store your fruit in those ugly gray cardboard fruit containers when you could store them in these lovely porcelain knock-offs instead? Available at Seltzer Studios, they are made from bone china and come in three sizes. Prices range from $16-$27.

It’s the details that can make so much of a difference, don’t you think? Drawers can either be something you open and sigh happily at what you see or something you open, cringing, scrounging around as quickly as you can to find the object you need and then quickly slamming it shut. I know that a lot of mine fall into the latter category. I also know that I put shelf paper into our kitchen drawers when we moved into our house 23 YEARS AGO!!! and haven’t looked back. Yuck.

Chic Shelf Paper has me thinking redoing my drawers is the perfect way to start spring off on the right foot. (And spring had better be coming soon here to the Northeast or there are going to be a whole lot of people going absolutely nuts. Enough with winter already, Mother Nature!) Anyway, what better way to celebrate new beginnings than to empty out drawers filled with who-knows-what, cleaning them and then placing lovely, clean shelf paper  that immediately brightens your mood as soon as  you open the drawer?

Chic Shelf Paper offers a ton of custom-printed shelf papers and drawer liners in everything from laminated vinyl to fine-weave fabric and heavy matte paper. Price varies depending on the product. They also offer advice on the best measuring practices and removal of old paper. And they will pre-cut for you if you prefer!

Here are a couple of options to inspire you. Let the cleaning begin!

But you can also use it …

In the bedroom

In the bathroom

Even in your tool drawer!

In my life as editor of life@home, we feature books from time to time. This month, we’ve got a review of How to Squeeze a Lemon, 1,203 Kitchen Tips, Food Fixes, and Handy Techniques from the editors, contributors and readers of Fine Cooking. It’s published by Taunton Press.  It’s a handy book filled with a ton of solutions to just about anything you would ever want to know. You can read the full text of my review here.

And now the good news….if you want to have your very own copy to figure out how to solve all your kitchen issues, just leave a comment below and I’ll pick someone on Friday to get the book. Good luck!

I’ve been seriously into real herbs recently — what a difference in taste from dried!! — so this hydrogarden from the folks at Branch caught my eye. The hand-crafted recycled wine bottles come with soil, USDA certified organic/heirloom seeds, clay pebbles, a wool wick and plant nutrient. Each is  8″ tall x 3″ diameter, making them the perfect size for a desktop or windowsill. Just add water and voila! instant herb garden. You can pick from oregano, chives, basil, parsley and mint. Each is sold individually and costs $38.

Maybe it’s because I’m sick of winter or maybe it’s just because I’m also a big cooking fan (Shameless plug for my other blog, www.lifetoldinrecipes.blogspot.com), but I got the Sur La Table catalog the other day and went crazy turning down pages of stuff I would like to have. For most of my cooking life, I’ve been a low-tech person: I cream my batters by hand almost exclusively and only just got a mini-Cuisinart for chopping (and realized with the first chop what an idiot I had been all these years).

Anyway here are a few kitchen things grabbing my fancy. Which do you like? Are you having spring kitchen fever?

Why use metalware when you can use these pretty Le Creuset oven-to-table casserole and baking dishes in the color of the rainbow? This green featured here is Le Creuset’s new color —  fennel. Love it.

Deruta-Style Canister Set, $69.95

Doesn’t everyone want pretty canisters on their countertops? Why store things in drab when it could be something like this? Made in Italy, these canisters are inspired by the Umbrian region of Italy and crafted in a style that dates back to the Renaissance, showcasing the palette of its namesake city. Dishwasher safe.

Finally, what better way to say spring is on the way than a bright, floral tablecloth? The colorfast linens are 100% cotton and feature full hem and mitered boarders. Exclusive French design by Bruno Lamy employs the use of traditional block printing of hand-carved blocks. Machine wash cold, tumble dry.

Jardin Tablecloth, various sizes

Okay: Is this the greatest idea ever or just nuts? Gl*s creative coverings are basically decals for your cabinets, appliances, whatever strikes your decal fancy. They come in a ton of different colors and designs, and can also be customized. The idea is that instead of replacing your cabinets (which costs an arm and a leg) or resurfacing them (which costs at least a hand), you just decal them. And, as these photos will show, you don’t have to limit yourself to just the kitchen. So, what do you think? Terrific concept or not? I have to admit it; I’m kind of loving it. It wouldn’t work for everything, but for certain pieces, these coverings could be just the thing.

Laundry room before

Laundry room after

Bookcase makeover

$5 Thrift Store chair makeover

I’m loving this table runner from Farmhouse Wares, a favorite website that I haven’t visited recently but am so happy I stopped at today. I love the subtlety of the colors and how the simple cloth brings out the wood. Really quite lovely. Made of 100 percent cotton, the runner comes in blue or red stripes. Size is  20.5 x 105.5 inches. Price is $38.