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More of My Favorite Gifts

posted on : December 1, 2018 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

I cannot tell you how many times people stop me around town or text me that they LOVE the Amazon gift guide. I have a whole bunch coming your way in the next few weeks (oh and some non Amazon too!!!). I hope you enjoy this week’s favorite gifts. There are some real winners here!! Bon Weekend!!!!

image raindropsofsapphire.com

These festive napkin rings are perfect if you are hosting a Christmas dinner or for anyone who likes to entertain!

My son actually pointed this out to me…perfect for a teen age or college age child!!!!!

I love these beaded ornament kits….it would be so much fun to get a few and have your girlfriends over for an ornament making party….

There are so many designs to choose from!!!!

They also make a great gift for all ages…this one is sooo gorgeous!!!!

Can you tell I am obsessed!???!??!?!

I read that this sleep aid is on top of many people’s wish list….

This is so great as a teacher gift!!!!

My girls are going to LOVE this necklace!!!!

I have seen this “IT” bag on other sites for tri ple the price….it also comes in so many fun colors!!!

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Holly Jolly Punch

posted on : November 29, 2018 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

It’s time for some Holly Jolly Punch!!! If you are running around shopping, decorating and wrapping you are truly ready for a rest and a cocktail and this is the one for you!!!! Bottoms Up!!!!

image The Cocktail Project

adapted from The Cocktail Project

1 part DeKuyper® Triple Sec Liqueur

2 parts Pinnacle® Original Vodka
3 parts Cranberry Juice
6 parts Ginger Ale
2 parts Orange Juice
Cinnamon Allspice
Nutmeg

Add ingredients to a punch bowl and stir. Slowly stir in orange juice concentrate as it melts. Add spices to taste, and garnish with orange slices.

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Home Goods Holiday Re-Cap

posted on : November 29, 2018 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

I know I owe you a Home Goods re-cap. I thought I would do one focusing on Holiday decor. My Home Goods was full of items. Things do really go fast but they are replenishing everyday. I think I am going to have to go back next week!!! Everything was found at the Home Goods in Port Chester. This store seems to have the best selection, second to Westport!!! Happy Shopping…Let me know what you end up buying, I’d love to hear!!!

I have been looking for this faux fur garland for 2 years now….It is so beautiful on a tree. I bought one and could not find another….Lucky for you they had a whole end cap full!!!!

I love these decorated felt trees. They had larger ones too but this trio caught my eye...

These storage baskets are so chic!!!

You know I cannot resist bar accessories!!!

Or anything hair calf!!!

There were tons of items for a Hot Chocolate Bar!!! We will be setting one up soon!!!! Def a highlight of the Holiday season!!!!

There were a bunch of decorative santas and Christmas trees. I loved this metal tree (there was a pair) and this is the cutest white fur Santa..I cannot believe I left him there!!!

There was also a ton of Le Creuset in every shape, size and color!!! They really do make the best gifts.

They had these evergreen centerpieces again this year….If I didn’t have a round dining table, one would def have come home with me…the one with the gold antlers is my favorite!!!

How cute are these Hermes orange colored storage boxes……such a great gift!!!

I LOVE these trees…they would make such a statement placed on either side of a fireplace…

Also these mercury glass red trees are incredible and there were sooo many..I love the way all the patterns look together!!!!

How great is this xlarge candle?!?….another fab gift!!!! I love the color!!

These bar stools are gorgeous..I wish I had a place for them!!!!! The gold legs are perfect.

I am really into mixing plaids this year on my tablesetting…stay tuned!!!!

These red crystal glasses would enhance any beverage!!!!!!

Another regret…my son would LOVE this lucite Jenga game…..I should have bought it.

There was the most gorgeous selection of napkin rings…

These reindeer and rattan trees are so fabulous!!! A great neutral decoration.

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The Importance Of A Lighting Plan

posted on : November 28, 2018 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

A lighting plan can make all the difference in home decor. Most people do not know how important it is. Having the proper mix of overhead lighting, wall lighting and table lighting can change the entire mood of a room. I recently visited the “Light Lab” at Patdo Lighting and was so impressed with all the elements they can add to each room in your home. Partner’s Mari Lou Nania and Gary Novasel are truly experts in their field. I was able to sit down with Gary and have him explain exactly what creating a lighting plan can do. Whether it is a new construction or simply just sprucing up one room, they can certainly lend a hand!!!!

One of the most enjoyable parts of being a Lighting Designer is when I work with a new client who has never used a lighting designer before. Throughout the design and specification process they are constantly amazed at the depth and breadth of the information and factors that we need to get into to create a proper design. There are questions about life style and family activities, artwork and collections (and protection from UV) , flexibility, furnishing style, finishes and placement, texture, wall, floor and ceiling finishes, structure and plenum, insulation, Electrical, Energy and Life Safety Codes, lighting’s effect on color, color rendition (CRI), color temperature, energy savings, dimming and control, flexibility, drama, functional and shadow free task lighting, the psychological factors of light, construction details and constraints, craftsmanship, budget, product lead times, fixture size, aperture shape and glare control, maintenance, environmental impact, security, and on, and on, and on…..It is this depth and diversity of required information that I think best defines the process and practice of Lighting Design.

“I had no idea!” Clients say, “ I just thought you just went to the Home Center and put a light in the middle of the room or have the Electrician go to the Supply House and install a couple of downlights in the corners”. This is what I call, “Lighting as a Commodity”.

Lighting is THE most powerful, yet UNDER-UTILIZED design tools available. When we treat lighting as a “commodity” we miss out on enormous opportunities to transform our environments as well as the joy of living and working in properly lit environments.

It is when our client’s projects are complete, furnishings and artwork are in place and Patdo has aimed and adjusted all of the lighting, that we get to hear the BEST comments, “Wow, I had no idea how beautiful my home could be.” I will NEVER build again without a Lighting Designer on board!” “I’m going to tell all my friends not to DARE do a project without Patdo.”

Frank Lloyd Wright called lighting, “the great revealer of form”. He made this statement in the context of the very crude and early lighting equipment available to him in his day. Just imagine the power of lighting now with today’s amazing new LED technologies and products at our disposal!

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Andy Warhol for Christmas

posted on : November 27, 2018 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

Who’s ready to give Andy Warhol this Christmastime? We have hired Emily McElweath, Warhol expert, to lead our group on a tour of the Warhol exhibit at the Whitney Museum. What a great gift for your mom, sister, BFF, etc. Here is the museum’s blurb about this once in a lifetime exhibit….

Few American artists are as ever-present and instantly recognizable as Andy Warhol (1928–1987). Through his carefully cultivated persona and willingness to experiment with non-traditional art-making techniques, Warhol understood the growing power of images in contemporary life and helped to expand the role of the artist in society. This exhibition—the first Warhol retrospective organized by a U.S. institution since 1989—reconsiders the work of one of the most inventive, influential, and important American artists. Building on a wealth of new materials, research and scholarship that has emerged since the artist’s untimely death in 1987, this exhibition reveals new complexities about the Warhol we think we know, and introduces a Warhol for the 21st century.

For more information or to hold your spot, EMAIL ME. A certificate announcing your gift will be available for you to put under the tree.

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Statement Earrings for Black Friday

posted on : November 24, 2018 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

This Black Friday I plan on getting a Starbucks and spending the day online starting my Christmas Shopping. I feel like the list gets longer and longer each year. I will admit that I do wait for this day to get a few things for myself. I stock up on embellished sweaters….Saks Off Fifth and Last Call have great ones. Mostly, the ones that were in the store last season for $$$$ and they are both having huge sales and addition percentages off!!! It’s worth a check…but back to the earrings….I am going to buy a bunch of statement earrings for clients and friends. I know that there are gorgeous ones out there but wayyyyyy over my budget…here are some really fabulous ones for way less…you might even get a few for your self!!! Happy Shopping!!!!! (oh some even have coupons for additional $ off)