by Caitlin Harrison | Sep 22, 2017 | Retreat, September 2017, Stuff
Blue is a favorite color of most people. It’s nature’s color for water and sky; it is cold, wet and slow as compared to red’s fire and intensity. Blue has more complex and contradictory meanings than any other color.
“Benjamin Moore Twilight is a great green-based navy. It’s a perfect backdrop for popping in bright colors.”
— MA Allen, MA Allen Interiors
“My go to navy is Benjamin Moore, Hale Navy. It is a classic Navy…dark, rich and masculine. I love to add a touch of gold to this navy, it’s a timeless combination that will never disappoint.”
— Tula Summerford, Design by Tula
“Our pick is “Sleepy Blue” (Sherwin Williams). Of course our favorite color is blue! Sleepy Blue is a soothing color that will add a peaceful spa-like feeling to your home. It would work especially well in a bathroom or bedroom where relaxation is a goal.”
—Beth Bridges, BeyondBlue Interiors
“Amy Howard’s One Step chalk-based paint gives you two great options for popular deep blues this season. American Dream is a beautiful dark royal blue and Lady Singing the Blues is great if a deep navy is what you’re looking for.”
—Laurie Ledbetter, Affordable Chic
“My blue is Benjamin Moore Santorini but please use eggshell finish to get the richness of this blue. It is a beautiful color. If you want to dress the room in touches of fall, go for it. With your gray or navy blue and cream fabrics, bring in the fall colors of fall leaves, white, orange and green pumpkins … the room will be fabulous!”
—Sandy Maccioli, Awesome Abode @ Inspirations Home Decor and More
by Caitlin Harrison | Mar 13, 2017 | March 2017, Retreat, Stuff
Who needs contradictory shades when you can create a stunning combination in the same color tones? Just play with the width of the stripes and keep them vertical.
“Stripes are a bold statement just by being stripes! So I pick a color, i.e. Amy Howard’s One Step chalk-based paint Java, a medium brown, for one stripe and then add about 1/4 part Ballet White or Bauhaus Buff to the Java for the opposing stripe, creating a “bi-tonal” look.”
— Laurie Ledbetter, Affordable Chic
“I prefer tone-on-tone stripes that are random widths creating a pattern. I often use striped wallpapers as a ground for other patterns occurring in the room. For a fresh approach, I would suggest Benjamin Moore 477 ‘Stolen Moments’ and 479 ‘ Apple Blossom’ as examples of what can be achieved with subtle shades.”
— Leigh Jones, Leigh Jones Interior Design
“Confident and bold stripes are a striking way to transform the walls of your room. Twelve-inch-wide stripes of Sherwin Williams Super White and Tricorn Black will make a statement that is memorable and fun to style. Paint vertically to visually elongate the height of the room, or paint horizontally to make the room appear wider.”
— Ashley Babb Falls, FINDS Collection
“I love alternating matte and satin black stripes! The best black to use for this look is Ralph Lauren’s Tea Kettle Black VM156. Black is a great color that complements classic colors; using a black-striped wall in two distinct finishes is guaranteed to give you a striking room.”
— Tula Summerford, Design by Tula
by Caitlin Harrison | Sep 6, 2016 | Eat, September 2016
We put Alex Flynn to the test with our mystery cocktail challenge. He decided to go sweet instead of spicy: “Tabasco is one of my favorite things in the food world but the first thing to lose. I don’t like spicy drinks.”
Though he liked the idea of lemongrass in a cocktail, it didn’t pair well with the other ingredients. Instead, he ultimately chose vinegar, vanilla and honey. “If you heat the honey and vanilla too much it will lose its flavor; you have to be very careful,” Flynn warns.
Bartender: Alex Flynn @ The Haymaker
Born: Raleigh, NC
Bartending Stops: Boston, Montreal, NYC and D.C.
Favorite Cocktail: Gin Martini with lemon twist, no olives
Autumn Enthusiast
*Honey
*Vanilla Bean
Cinnamon Stick
Rum
• Heat equal parts honey and water; scrape out the inside of the vanilla bean and add it to the small pot along with a cinnamon stick. Stir for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Reserve liquid.
• In a shaker, pour 1-¼ oz. of Guatemalan Ron Zacapa Rum, ¾ oz. of Apple Brandy, add ¾ ounce of heated honey syrup, ¼ oz. lemon juice, ¼ oz. apple cider vinegar and three dashes of Angostura bitters. Shake well and pour over crushed ice.
• Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
* Denotes mystery ingredients used.
