Welcome 2021! Does it feel like a New Year yet? I sure do hope so. I have committed to giving you my 5 favorite things each week and this is our first one! I hope you love it and find some inspiration and maybe some of my favorite’s will be yours too!

So, let’s get to it!

1. Sherwin Williams announces the paint color of the year every time the ball drops and this year I am LOVING this beautiful vibe! Urban Bronze took home the gold this year. I’ve already seen this in a few design projects and it is truly gorgeous. It really can go in any space, don’t be afraid of it’s dark and sexy personality, and also don’t be tricked into believing that dark paint makes a room feel smaller, that is a design myth! Urban Bronze can make your room look taller, thus larger, and paired with light furniture pieces creates a dramatic statement. This is beautiful in a bedroom and even a powder room and can be used to elevate the space in a modern home or give a rustic nod to a farmhouse family room. I’m thinking this will be our new office color!

2. Matcha! I love my morning matcha and it’s so easy with this great frother I found on Amazon! It took me a minute to figure out how to modify my traditional matcha recipe to accommodate this modern frother but no one is complaining, so I think it’s a win! Did you know that matcha is loaded with antioxidants, helps boost brain function, may prevent cancer, promote heart health, protects your liver and may help you lose weight! That’s a pretty hefty list of benefits! Grab yourself this nifty frother here and make your mornings as dreamy as mine.

3. We are in the desert so when I say the weather is cold, well, it’s just about 65. But, I know most of you might be dealing with actual cold weather and this recipe will definitely make you feel cozy. I basically adapted my traditional lasagna recipe to accommodate my vegan soul and it turns out I’m a great cook! Just kidding, but I really do LOVE to cook and this recipe is a family favorite!

4. The Art of the Bar Cart. I feel like everyone needs a bar cart, it doesn’t even have to be a bar cart, it can be a breakfast cart, a makeup station, coffee and tea, honestly the list is endless. We have recently styled our bar cart, post holiday and we love it! I think it goes without saying, you need some booze if you want a bar cart. A nice rounded out simple bar will do. Tequila, Vodka, Gin, Aperol, etc. We added a few Pellegrino’s because you need mixer and well, back from my staging days they just look nice. A good stack of cocktail books, a bowl of lemons or limes and the tools you need to make a cocktail are important elements, jiggers, ice bucket, shaker and the like. Lastly, we like to add some life. We added cactus since we are in the desert but any plant will do as long as it’s in a nice basket or pot. Sometimes if the set up allows a great iconic framed photograph can set it apart. So go ahead and have some fun with it! Cheers!

5. Our last item for today is the Divided Lazy Susan from The Container Store. This is the most requested item on a job since the release of The Home Edit. In fact, there is an entire line of Home Edit products at The Container Store now too. We do love their products but there are lots of great options for the lazy susan. We recently did a project using a bamboo version of this and it’s a beautiful natural looking vibe. We use the lazy susan in pantries for storing items you use often. As with all our projects, “like with like” is how we roll. Under the bathroom counter it’s a great way to store beauty products as well. You can find yourself one here.

I hope you had fun and that you try a few new things every week!