So...I am not a huge Pinterest user but I really do enjoy it when I do use it. My friend Didi Altop introduced me to this app/platform/website many years ago after one of our dream-boarding-with-pinot-something-or-another sessions. She noted that this might in fact be the visual "daydreaming" site that I was looking for as an outlet to having two kids in diapers and not knowing what to do with myself in my 7-8minute pockets of free time. Over the years I have diligently pinned stuff that I conceptually and visually liked. Not until recently have I tried some of the weird suggestions on Pinterest offered by millions of other folks (mostly female) with minimal pockets of free time. Here are a few of the suggestions that I have tried that are really, really pin-worthy and worth trying.

I haven't written in a long while. I would like to blame IKEA for my extended silence. They haven't introduced any interesting products for a while and as a result, I have lacked inspiration. Wouldn't it be great if we could just blame IKEA for all of our woes? Actually, I haven't written because I have been very busy creating content and programs for my training and consulting business. But, two days ago, inspiration hit me like a thunderbolt at a two day public speaking workshop I was delivering for a group of senior-level managers. And so, I am back...trying to add a little more simplicty and splendour to our lives...

Read on to find out how busy executives will benefit from IKEA's new HEMSMAK collection.

I am not a huge fan of the typical red and green holiday decor color scheme. I love softening the traditional reds with pink, purple, magenta, fuchsia, burnt pink, plum, wine, berry, lilac and lots and lots of greens/beiges and other neutrals. If you are getting ready to entertain or decorate your surroundings for the holidays then take a look at these beautiful color and texture combinations for some inspiration.

If you follow this blog you know that I am a big fan of "Scandinavian design"," natural & neutral decorating" and "modern organic aesthetic" styles. In fact, all of these terms mean pretty much the same thing. I also like concepts such as "Simple luxe", "High-Low decorating", "Affordable luxury", "Bringing the Outdoors In"...the list is long but I won't bore you with the fancy language...

My five year old daughter says that her favourite activities in life are packing suitcases, organising closets and grocery shopping. Yes, it appears that I am raising a mini-me.  I took over grocery shopping duties for my family at age 18 when I got my driver's license in Canada. I must confess that up until very recently grocery shopping in North America or parts of Europe was much, much more pleasurable than market shopping in Istanbul. All the big players in Turkey were greatly lagging behind in the game in terms of the ritzy, glitzy, enticing, beguiling grocery-store models we were used to from our international experiences...and the products themselves were a mess in terms of packaging, labelling and product variety/options. 

More recently quality food products that are pleasantly packaged have started popping up all over the place. Here are my favourite products...I have tried them all but these are by far the best. See which products made my list...

My daughter Ada just turned 5 this week. She thankfully chose a Tinkerbell and The Pirate Fairy theme which gave me the opportunity use lots of black and white in addition to the fairy's more colourful palette for the styling of her birthday brunch. It is not always easy to balance the menu/aesthetics of a party geared towards both children and adults...Read on to see if I got it right...

This past weekend we had a lovely dinner at Macakizi Hotel in Bodrum. It was the first time we ate in the newly winterized restaurant which had a fabulous new fall fine dining feel. The warm chestnut soup adorned with lemon foam served as an amuse-bouche definitely amused my palate and set the tone for the revised menu from which I ordered cauliflower carpaccio and homemade ricotta gnocci. De-lish!! 

But what does all this have to do with ceramics you might be wondering...Since every detail at Macakizi is always meticilously planned, when I saw their gorgeous tableware last night it took me about a nanosecond to flip over the perfectly thin and round bread plate to check out the brand. (Can you guess which ones were at Macakizi?)

Read on to see my four most favourite fine porcelain/ceramics designers...these will all take tablescapes to the next level...

Imagine a birthday party without balloons. Andd...imagine only one focal point, one beautifully decorated corner...one single, gorgeous, colourful buffet table or dining table. Think of how easy that would be to pull off yourself. I really love party decorations but I don't like to be overwhelmed by them. One glorious spread is enough in my opinion. 


Take a look at these beautiful tables for a girly party...or a very feminine bridal shower...

I am not a big fan of sit-down dinners. I am not a big fan of serious, over-glammed adult parties in which thousands of dollars are spent for chair covers and flowers. I am a huge fan of kids parties...but simple ones...preferably self-decorated, self-catered, stylish and beautiful but on the simpler end of the aesthetic scale. Parties in Turkey-especially bridal showers, henna nights (like a hen night without the alcohol!?!), adult birthdays, and most weddings-are often really over the top. I propose we tone it down a little and bring back simple fun to these parties...without girls clad in disgusting alcohol+food colouring infused shot dispensing apparatus (it appears that the plural of apparatus is not apparati btw). Just good old food, drinks, a game or two and lots and lots of simple but splendid styling.

Read on to be inspired...

Are you ready to move outdoors? It is that time of year again…time to open the windows, set up the balcony, mow the lawn, rake the sand...

Everybody has their own way of enjoying the outdoors. Some can spend 200 dollars to make their outdoor space spectacular, some will spend 200,000 dollars to decorate their beachfront properties. The irony is that it doesn't really matter whether you are lying down on a 3 dollar picnic blanket enjoying the sun or sitting on a B&B ITALIA outdoor couch designed by Antonio Citterio or a KETTAL seating group designed by Patricia Urquiola. The sun, the wind and the beautiful air do not discriminate, they bless us all equally with their splendidness.

Having said that, most take great pleasure from decorating and beautifying their outdoor living spaces. Read on to see the inspiration gallery and my favorite basics from retailers in Turkey and online retailers delivering internationally. Enjoy!

As a follow up to my previous post I want to tempt you even further with beautiful selections from the Martha Stewart Collection's red, white and blue beauties…I have included home linens, kitchenware and beautiful entertaining pieces that are sure to make your next party or any everyday celebration a simple and chic event.

You know of my blue and white obsession but when red is added into the mix, I only get more and more excited. This is maybe because I was born in Utah :-)

You cannot help but think of American, British or French references when these three colors come together. But when Martha Stewart comes into the mix all I can think of is Americana and southern style entertaining and fourth of July parties….

See if these cakes and pies and beautiful products inspire you to have a lovely red, blue and white dessert buffet or brunch sometime soon...

She is the reigning queen of the simple and splendid entertaining and lifestyle movement and is a marketing/retail genius. This makes her a goddess in my books. I am sure everybody knows who I am referring to…but read on read on find out who and to see my favorite finds from her amazing line of products for Macy's…(almost all of these products are available for international delivery).

If these images don't inspire you to hop on a plane and fly to the closest Macy's store or at the very least refresh your kitchen by ordering a few of these beautiful tools and gadgets then…then…you really shouldn't be reading this blog and you really shouldn't ever come over to play with my barbies, ever!

Wine and cheese parties are the simplest way to entertain friends. They allow you to showcase all of the special entertaining skills and tools you have picked up over the years. 

You cannot really go wrong when choosing the right cheeses, charcuterie, fruits, veggies, breads, crackers, nuts and wines…anything goes really and that is why wine and cheese parties are so easy to prepare for.  

In my previous post I tried to inspire you to get imaginative when styling your wine and cheese tables.  And….I almost heard some of you saying, "great spreads, but I don't have boards and bowls and platters and beautiful accessories like these…" 

Simple and Splendid to the rescue…here is my roundup of just a few of most beautiful serveware, platters, boards, bowls, plates, cheese accessories which you can purchase right here in Istanbul (or at least have delivered right to your door).

But first, Today's Top 5 SPLENDID STORES for housewares and home furnishings in ISTANBUL!!

I am not embarrassed to admit it…I USE FAKE FLOWERS. While I love fresh cut flowers, I do not always have the time or the budget to adorn my house with these beautiful splashes of color and freshness.  
So, sometimes, I use fake flowers. But I try to use them carefully and when possible, in combination with real leaves or twigs.

Who says you have to have elaborate floral bouquets, fine bone china, silver cutlery and lots of expensive trinkets on your table to create a spectacular tablescape? 

Tables can be styled with a variety of items from around the house: 

plants, decorative objects, vases, bottles, old fabrics/burlap, stones, lanterns, picture frames, paperweights, fruits, vegetables, paper, branches…

This list is limited to the boundaries of your imagination...You could easily place toys on a table for a children's event or costume jewelry for a ladies tea party…

Here are some beautiful tables which utilize natural and simple textures, objects, colors and materials to create what I think are absolutely breathtaking tables...

We celebrated my darling younger daughter's third birthday this past weekend and as she insisted on a FROZEN theme and as it was a Sunday Brunch (avec les parents) this 50 person birthday required that I carefully balance adult and child appeal. It also of course had to be SPLENDIDLY PRINCESSY (as nothing else will do for a three year old) and it had to be SIMPLY UNCHEESY for me to enjoy it as well. Simplicity was also imperative as I did not have caterers and did not order anything other than the cake and the carrot cake cupcakes…