At Home with Kim Vallee

ENTERTAINING, TABLESCAPE | November 16, 2009

Farmyard Tabletop for Thanksgiving

My goal was to create a Thanksgiving mood board that will not include gourds, pumpkins or a roasted turkey. I wanted a theme that mixed the old with the new. When I saw this adorable farmyard animal trays by Simrin, I found my starting point. Life after the harvest at the farm influenced my theme. Think [...]

ENTERTAINING, TABLESCAPE | November 11, 2009

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An Orange and Pure Linen Tabletop for Thanksgiving

I have a love affair with orange. Since it is not everyone’s favorite color, I enjoy the fact that I can pitch more orange tablescapes during autumn. The tabletop developed for a mid-class cozy café shows that you can create an impact by keeping things simple. The casual elegance of tabletop is something that you can [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | October 21, 2009

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Early autumn minestrone by Jamie Oliver

My husband could tell you how much I love soups. I think that a hearty vegetable soup makes the perfect lunch. Plus, it is a dish that is simple to bring at the office. I love the sight of this early autumn minestrone from Jamie’s Italy. You can get the recipe online. + photo: Jamie Oliver

HOME + GARDEN, ORGANIZING | October 13, 2009

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A Book, a Magazine Box and a Blanket | Fall Essentials

Once the cold has arrived, I like to read a good book, browse my favorite magazines or explore the Web on the couch with a blanket on my legs. My everyday dark charcoal blanket from Caban is getting old. Therefore, I started to look for a replacement. The black and off white Crux blanket by Pia [...]

COOKING tools, DINING | October 12, 2009

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3 Mozzarella Slicers for a Chic Kumato Caprese Salad

I bought for the first time a package of Kumato yesterday. Called the brown tomatoes, the fruits exhibit darker green, brown up to a darker red. It is sweeter than the red tomatoes that we are accustomed. The producer of Kumato, Sunset says it has an intense aroma and surprisingly sweet, juicy flavor. The Kumato grabbed [...]

HOME + GARDEN, HOME decor | October 5, 2009

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Swedish Decor Inspirations for Fall

Purple Area is a blog that inspires me. This time, Susann Larsson invites us on one of her shopping trip that she did with her neighbor. She stopped at Åkra Wind Farm, which has a café and a home decor boutique that I would love to visit. Susann shared a few pictures. I love the [...]

DINING, LINENS | October 4, 2009

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Tête-à-tête and an Online Store for Chilewich

Whenever I am thinking of creating a modern tabletop, the tablemats and table runners made by Chilewich often come to mind as a possible option. I think that their placemats are at their best over a nice surface, like a stunning wood table. I noticed that they now produce tête-à-tête, which is a type of table [...]

HOME + GARDEN, HOME decor | October 1, 2009

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Rich Jewel Colors for Fall 2009

Looking at the November 2009 preview of Living etc, you really get the feel that warm and rich colors are in vogue. As someone who loves burnt oranges and rich yellow tones, I could not be happier. The more daring can enliven their home with cerise. As you can see rich vibrant colors are used as [...]