magazine

COOKING ENTERTAINING DECORATING

For a home tweet home

Premier Issue

FALL 2009

magazine

newbie style Thanksgiving to Go

Chef Lea McIntosh shares dreamy dishes

for a perfect potluck holiday

foodie peeps Kathy Goodman

Kathy Goodman Well Rehearsed - offers

tips and yummy treats for the Fall

kitchen newbiesLea Raves About Her Faves

chirpWersquod love to know if you used any of our recipes or ideas for your holiday entertaining Email us at infonestingnewbiescom

FALL 2009

COOKING

2

6

16

22

magazine

newbie style Thanksgiving to Go

Chef Lea McIntosh shares dreamy dishes

for a perfect potluck holiday

foodie peeps Kathy Goodman

Kathy Goodman Well Rehearsed - offers

tips and yummy treats for the Fall

kitchen newbiesLea Raves About Her Faves

chirpWersquod love to know if you used any of our recipes or ideas for your holiday entertaining Email us at infonestingnewbiescom

FALL 2009

COOKING

2

6

16

22

design chronicles Garageformation

San Francisco Designer Shelly Amoroso

completes a mind-blowing makeover

iconic nester Barclay Butera

sweet Whatrsquos New for the Nest

endnotes Best Blogs

tablescaping Harvest-to-Holiday

Kirsten McKay sets a flexible table thatrsquos

both autumn cool and Christmas clever

hot spot Brick Monkey

features

ENTERTAINING DECORATING

nestingnewbiescom 3

24

32

34

42

46

48

Nesting Newbiestrade Magazine is another creative endeavor by McIntosh amp

Murphy For additional cooking entertaining and decorating ideas go to

4

CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS

FRONT AND BACK COVERS

Kathy Goodman Lea McIntosh

Jodi Murphy Barclay Butera

Dean Birinyi ( djbphotocom ) Steph Dewey ( refleximagingcom )

Michael Soo ( soophotographycom ) Natalie Wi ( allurewestcom )

Fu Wong ( fcwongweddingscom ) Jed Wormhoudt Photography

Michael Soo ( soophotographycom )

Special thanks to Christopher Peacock for the use of their San

Francisco Showroom for the Thanksgiving to Go photo shoot

Jodi Murphy

editor

Lea McIntosh

creative director

Natalie Wi

photography editor

Betsy Rose

copy editor

nestingnewbiescom

SPECIAL THANKS

Our premier issue is just in time for the holidays Fall is my favorite

time of year and in California you blink and itrsquos gone If this is the first

time you are in your very own nest for the holidays enjoy this special

time of year Chef Lea McIntosh shares some of her recipes that al-

ways win a thumbs-up and Kathy Goodman our foodie peep in this

issue has some wonderful ideas for fall-themed desserts and libations

We love how Kirsten McKay approaches setting a harvest tablemdashitrsquos

so fresh and fun Barclay Butera nationally known designer and our

iconic nester has some sage advice for first-time homeowners And

we know yoursquoll want to makeover your wasted space as soon as you

see what interior designer Shelly Amoroso did for a young San Fran-

cisco family

Whether cooking entertaining or decorating our message to you cre-

ate some memories this holiday season because before you know

itmdashblinkmdashit will be gone

editorrsquos letter

Cheers

Jodi Murphy

nestingnewbiescom 5

Now that you are living on your own chances are yoursquove ei-

ther been put into the family rotation for hosting Thanksgiving or

yoursquove been asked to bring a dish to this yearrsquos celebration ldquoNot

to worryrdquo says Chef Lea McIntosh ldquoWhen you are in charge you

can put your own twist on tradition and pull together a fabulous

potluck party Figure out what yoursquod like to make (or try mak-

ing) and divvy out the rest of the menu to family and friendsrdquo If

yoursquore heading off to grandmotherrsquos house instead and only have

to think about one dishmdashmake something decadent (it is after

all a holiday) and an epicurean delight

Through the years Chef Lea has developed recipesmdashmany of

them from a very traditional basemdashusing unconventional combi-

nations of fresh ingredients Here she shares a few that are easy

to make ahead of time portable and guaranteed to make your

friends and family sit up and take notice

thanksgiving

Chef Lea McIntosh shares dreamy dishes for a perfect potluck holiday

tototo

cooking newbie style

gogotogototogoto

6

Photography by Natalie Wi

shares dreamy dishes

Photography by Natalie Wi

Put your own twist on traditionand pull together a fabulous potluck partyrdquo

nestingnewbiescom 7

Photography by Natalie Wi

ldquoPhotography by Natalie Wi

Put your own twist on traditionand pull together a fabulous potluck partyrdquo

nestingnewbiescom 7

Photography by Natalie Wi

ldquoPhotography by Natalie Wi

cooking newbie style

ldquoForget the stuffing Make my custard bread pudding using buttery bread like challah or brioche as the base This is a perfect choice to bring to a potluck because itrsquos easy to transportrdquo

8

(1) In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat sauteacute onions and celery in olive oil

until soft stirring occasionally about 10 minutes Add minced sage to onion mixture stirring

just until combined about 30 seconds set onion mixture aside to slightly cool

(2) Dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water add dried mushrooms and soak for about 10 min-

utes or until soft Strain and coarsely chop mushrooms reserving mushroom broth

(3) In a large bowl lightly whisk together cream milk eggs reserved onion mixture chopped

mushrooms salt and pepper

(4) Using a fine strainer strain the reserved mushroom broth and add to egg-cream mixture

(5) Cut egg bread into 1-inch cubes add to egg-cream mixture Gently press bread to im-

merse and let soak for 20 minutes

(6) Pour into a lightly greased 9 X 13 inch casserole dish and drizzle top with melted butter

(7) Bake in a 325ordm oven for 1 hour or until puffed around edges and lightly browned Let rest

at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound egg bread (challah)

2 cups onions chopped

1 cup celery chopped

2 tablespoons fresh sage minced

5 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

3 cups heavy cream

2 frac12 cups whole milk

1 bouillon cube turkey or chicken

1 cup boiling water

2 ounces dried wild mushrooms

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

⅓ cup unsalted butter melted

casserole choice

nestingnewbiescom 9

Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding Serves 10 to 12

(1) In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat sauteacute onions and celery in olive oil

until soft stirring occasionally about 10 minutes Add minced sage to onion mixture stirring

just until combined about 30 seconds set onion mixture aside to slightly cool

(2) Dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water add dried mushrooms and soak for about 10 min-

utes or until soft Strain and coarsely chop mushrooms reserving mushroom broth

(3) In a large bowl lightly whisk together cream milk eggs reserved onion mixture chopped

mushrooms salt and pepper

(4) Using a fine strainer strain the reserved mushroom broth and add to egg-cream mixture

(5) Cut egg bread into 1-inch cubes add to egg-cream mixture Gently press bread to im-

merse and let soak for 20 minutes

(6) Pour into a lightly greased 9 X 13 inch casserole dish and drizzle top with melted butter

(7) Bake in a 325ordm oven for 1 hour or until puffed around edges and lightly browned Let rest

at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound egg bread (challah)

2 cups onions chopped

1 cup celery chopped

2 tablespoons fresh sage minced

5 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

3 cups heavy cream

2 frac12 cups whole milk

1 bouillon cube turkey or chicken

1 cup boiling water

2 ounces dried wild mushrooms

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

⅓ cup unsalted butter melted

casserole choice

nestingnewbiescom 9

Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding Serves 10 to 12

vegetable theyrsquoll eat

10

(1) Fill a large stock pot with cold water and frac12 tsp salt Bring to a boil

(2) Wash yams and cut in half width-wise Add to boiling water and cook for approximately 20

minutes or until easily pierced with fork

(3) Using a potato ricer mash yam halves one piece at a time into a mixing bowl discarding

the skins and fibers that adhere to the device

(4) Add orange juice and salt to yam puree (Adding orange juice helps prevent oxidation or

browning that naturally occur)

(5) Using a rubber spatula evenly spread yam puree into a greased 9 X 13 inch baking pan

(6) Add chopped pineapple in a single layer evenly covering the surface

(7) Unwrap Scoth Kiss Candies and arrange in rows on top of pineapple

(8) Tuck 14-inch cubes of chilled butter between the candies

(9) Bake 375deg oven for about 35-40 minutes being careful not to allow white marshmallow

candy to over brown

(10) Serve immediately or cool and reheat

6 pounds medium garnet yams

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups fresh pineapple chopped

and drained

30 Seersquosreg Candies Scotch Kisses

frac14 cup fresh orange juice

frac12 cup cold butter cut into

frac14-inch cubes

scotch-marshmallow-caramel-kissed yams

Serves 10 to 12

a

cooking newbie style

ldquoAt 17 and right before entering culinary school I was buying Scotch Kisses at Sees Candies as a gift The salesperson handed me a Xerox copy of recipes including one for Scotch Kiss Yams It called for canned everythingmdashyams pineapple and mandarin orangesmdashand margarine After I graduated from the California Culinary Academy I adapted the recipe by only using fresh ingredientsmdashreal yams real butter fresh pineapplemdashand lots and lots of Scotch Kissesrdquo

nestingnewbiescom 11

ldquoOne day I sat down and

looked at recipe after recipe

for baked brie for the holi-

days I saw the same stan-

dard theme over-and-over us-

ing brown sugar cranberries

walnuts and butter I was

determined to make some-

thing different I used all of

my favorite flavorsmdashhoney

pecans and especially white

truffle oilrdquo

Hors drsquo oeuvres Selection

cooking newbie style

12

1 sheet puff pastry

1 tablespoon salted butter melted

2 tablespoons pecan pieces

1 tablespoon white truffle oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 8-ounce wheel Brie

1 whole egg beaten

1 piece kitchen twine

(1) Defrost puff pastry for approxi-

mately 15 minutes and unfold onto

a baking sheet covered with parch-

ment

(2) In a small bowl combine butter

pecan pieces white truffle oil and

honey set aside

(3) Place brie in middle of pastry

pull flaps of dough up around edges

to top of cheese pressing dough

against side of brie and gathering

together at the top

(4) Before sealing dough flaps

pour honey mixture over brie right

before squeezing together excess

dough and tie together with a piece

of kitchen twine

(5) Brush beaten egg over top and

side of pastry

(6) Bake in 375deg oven about 20

minutes until pastry is golden

Serve warm with French baguette

slices

Serves 8

Available at bloomingdalescom

Free your culinary spirit with

Calphalon Unisontrade The revo-

lutionary Slide Nonstick surface

releases food effortlessly and

the specially textured Seared

Nonstick surface seals in flavor

ndashprofessional cookware thatrsquos

conveniently nonstick

COOKING REVOLUTION

Chef Lea loves her Calphalon pots See

how she responds to an unscripted Newbie Q

Available at bloomingdalescom

Free your culinary spirit with

Calphalon Unisontrade The revo-

lutionary Slide Nonstick surface

releases food effortlessly and

the specially textured Seared

Nonstick surface seals in flavor

ndashprofessional cookware thatrsquos

conveniently nonstick

COOKING REVOLUTION

Chef Lea loves her Calphalon pots See

how she responds to an unscripted Newbie Q

ldquoIf you are off the hook and donrsquot have to bring a dish you should make

an edible gift for the host mdasheven if itrsquos

for your mom Try my nut recipes

and package them in Mason jars with

homemade labels

14

Bring a Gift

ldquoWhen I worked at Sunset Maga-zine I had to test this recipe and never forgot it Irsquove put my own spin on it for yourdquo

14 cup ginger syrup or honey

4 teaspoons green curry paste

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

12 cup shredded coconut

4 cups mixed cashews almonds

macademia nuts

(1) In a bowl mix honey curry paste

oil and salt Add all the nuts and the

coconut mix well Spread in a single

layer in a 10- by 15-inch pan

(2) Bake in a 300ordm oven turning often

with a wide spatula until nuts are dark

gold about 30 minutes

(3) Turn nuts often with spatula as they

cool Serve warm or cool

Makes 4 Cups

Sweet amp Spicy CocoNUTS

Photography by

Michael Soo

cooking newbie style

nestingnewbiescom 15

ldquoI use pumpkin pie spices blended with the sweetness of maple syruprdquo

14 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons pumpkin butter

1 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

12 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon vanilla powder

2 tablespoons butter melted

16 ounces pecan halves

(1) In a bowl mix maple syrup pump-

kin butter pumpkin pie spice salt

vanilla powder and melted butter Add

pecans mix well Spread in a single

layer in a 10- by 15-inch pan

(2) Bake in a 300ordm oven turning often

with a wide spatula until nuts are

golden and fragrant about 30 minutes

(3) Turn nuts often with spatula as they

cool Serve warm or cool

Makes 2 Cups

ldquoJava fanatics will love this mix The secret ingredient ishellipcoffeerdquo

13 cup brown sugar packed

12 cup dark corn syrup

2 tablespoons dutch-processed

cocoa powder

1 packet Starbucks VIAtrade

Italian Roast instant coffee

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla powder

1 tablespoon canola oil

6 cups raw almonds

(1) In a bowl mix brown sugar dark

corn syrup cocoa powder instant

coffee salt vanilla powder and canola

oil Add almonds mix well Spread in

a single layer in a 10- by 15-inch pan

(2) Bake in a 300ordm oven turning often

with a wide spatula until nuts are

caramelized and fragrant about 30

minutes

(3) Remove from oven completely

cool Break nuts apart and serve

Makes 6 CupsMakes 6 Cups

Mochaccino Almonds

Maple-Pumpkin Spiced Pecans

Kathy Goodman offers tips and yummy treats for Fall

cooking foodie peeps

16

Photography by Fu Wong

Caramel apples mini-pies and fall-tinis

ldquoWhen I plan an event whether for my business or my family I care

deeply about making sure I create a personalized experience that will

captivate the guestsrdquo Kathy has a knack for creating memorable par-

ties with fun themes interactive activities and one-of-a-kind design

elements Her company Well-Rehearsed is her unique take on event

planning Her specialty Rehearsal dinners but shersquos been known

to bring her creative energies to bridal and baby showers and other

milestone events

nestingnewbiescom 17

Caramel apples mini-pies and fall-tinis

cooking foodie peeps

18

Kathy has some spectacularly fun

ideas for your Thanksgiving Day dessert ldquoMake

it an experience After being stationary so long

at the dinner table let the crowd get up and get

involved in making their sweet treatsrdquo She sug-

gests a caramel apple station where crisp apples

(either Granny Smith or petite lady apples) are

coated with melted caramel and dipped into a va-

riety of toppingsmdashMampMrsquoSreg pretzels toffee chips

nuts sprinkles candy corn and peanut butter

cups Kathy says to make sure the apples go into

the fridge for a few minutes for the caramel to firm

up Then the finishing touch is a final dip or drizzle

into melted milk dark or white chocolate

nestingnewbiescom 19

Kathy has some spectacularly fun

ideas for your Thanksgiving Day dessert ldquoMake

it an experience After being stationary so long

at the dinner table let the crowd get up and get

involved in making their sweet treatsrdquo She sug-

gests a caramel apple station where crisp apples

(either Granny Smith or petite lady apples) are

coated with melted caramel and dipped into a va-

riety of toppingsmdashMampMrsquoSreg pretzels toffee chips

nuts sprinkles candy corn and peanut butter

cups Kathy says to make sure the apples go into

the fridge for a few minutes for the caramel to firm

up Then the finishing touch is a final dip or drizzle

into melted milk dark or white chocolate

nestingnewbiescom 19

That alone would be over-the-top but

Kathy suggests taking it even further

ldquoMake apple and pumpkin pies in bite-

sized versions and serve two fall sig-

nature drinkshellipa Caramel Apple Martini

and a Pumpkin Pie-tinirdquo

Kathyrsquos a foodie peep who enjoys mak-

ing dinner an event and for this we are

truly thankful

cooking foodie peeps

20

Find Kathy Goodman at wellrehearsedcom

chirp

1 ounce green apple-flavored vodka

12 ounce apple schnapps

1 ounce butterscotch liqueur

2 ounces half and half

Caramel sauce for the glass

Apple slice for garnish

Caramel Apple Martini

In a cocktail shaker with ice shake vod-

ka apple schnapps butterscotch liqueur

and half and half Strain into a martini

glass that you have drizzled with caramel

sauce Garnish with an apple slice

1 oz milk

2 TBS pumpkin pureacutee

1 frac12 oz Three Olives Vanilla vodka

1 frac12 oz cregraveme de cacao

Pumpkin Pie-tini

Using a small amount of honey rim

a martini glass with graham cracker

crumbs

Shake milk and pumpkin puree over ice

to combine Pour in remaining ingredi-

ents and shake well Strain into martini

glass

My favorite apple pie recipe is from

AmericasTestKitchencom

Use a cupcake tin to make cute little treats

or individual ramekins with pie crust over the

edges to make apple pot pies

Slice or chop the apples and make sure you

fill up the space because the fruit will shrink

when cooked

If using a cupcake tin make sure to fully seal

each mini-pie Leave enough room between

each tin cup so your pie edges donrsquot touch

Use frozen or refrigerated pie dough and

circle cutters to punch out the right dough size

The top crust will need to be bigger than the

bottom crust to fit nicely over the apple filling

nestingnewbiescom 21

Newbie Notes

APPLE PIES

Be creative with the decoration and use the

leftover dough to make fall leaves to garnish

each little pie Use the tip of a knife to score

the veins in the dough leaves and create some

texture Brush the dough edges and leaves with

an egg wash before baking to create a golden

crust

PUMPKIN PIES

Use the mini-pies as place card holders

Make a sign with each guestrsquos name attach a

toothpick insert into pie and present as part of

the place setting

AN INSPIRATION

Newbie Notes

My favorite apple pie recipe is from

Newbie Notes More Kathy Tips

Serves One

Serves One

Recipe Source NYDailyNewscom

Fall cocktails bring warmth and spice to the bar scene -

by Rosemary Black

for your kitchen pantry

22

Tourangelle White Truffle Oil

ldquoThis is one of my secret ingredi-ents for so many reci-pes La Tourangellersquos

White Truffle Oil is infused with grapeseed oil so you just taste the white truff lemdashthey have mastered the art of pro-ducing the aro-ma I find that truffle oils in-fused with olive oil tend to lose the delicate truffle tasterdquo

Available through madeincalifornianetfor $1999

Savory Choicetrade Liquid Broth Concentrate

ldquoSavory Choice makes exceptional liquid broth concentrate from natural ingredients The com-pany is committed to clean label products that contain no chemical additivesrdquo

Available in Chicken and Turkey (shown here) and also Vegetable and Beef

Can be purchased at Whole Foods or online at soupsonlinecom

Scotch Kisses by Sees Candiersquosreg

ldquoYou canrsquot make my Scotch-Marshmallow-Caramel- Kissed Yams without the real deal Buy extra for a little taste testing while cookingrdquo

Available at Seescom for $1560 per pound

Kitchen Gadget Gotta Have The Potato Ricer

ldquoEveryone needs a ricer for the perfect mashed potatoes and to make my special yam dish for the holidays I like the Deluxe Angled Potato Ricerrdquo

Chef Lea Raves

About Her Faves

for your kitchen pantry

Scotch Kisses by Sees Candiersquosreg

ldquoYou canrsquot make my Scotch-Marshmallow-Caramel- Kissed Yams without the real deal Buy extra for a little taste testing while cookingrdquo

Available at Seescom for $1560 per pound

Makes the Cut Pineapple Easy Slicer

ldquoThis stainless steel slicer is the only way Irsquoll tackle a prickly pineapple You just insert the cutting shaft apply light pres-sure and turn for the perfect stack of juicy ringsrdquo

Available at Williams-Sonomacomfor $32

Kitchen Gadget Gotta Have The Potato Ricer

ldquoEveryone needs a ricer for the perfect mashed potatoes and to make my special yam dish for the holidays I like the Deluxe Angled Potato Ricerrdquo

Available exclusively at Williams-Sonomacom for $32

nestingnewbiescom

cooking kitchen newbies

24

esign shouldnrsquot be taken so seriouslyrdquo says Kirsten McKay

ldquoand it doesnrsquot have to be expensive eitherrdquo Kirsten co-owns

Brick Monkey a home interiors store she and her two partners opened

under these guiding principles We challenged her to set a harvest table

that wasnrsquot just another clicheacutemdashsomething fresh affordable and easy

to interpret Eager and excited she delivered above and beyond our

expectationsmdasha flexible fall table that will carry through the Christmas

holidays with only a few sparkly changes

Kirsten McKay sets a flexible

table thatrsquos both Autumn cool and

Christmas clever

entertaining tablescaping

Photography by Natalie Wi

nestingnewbiescom 25

ldquo esign shouldnrsquot be taken so seriouslyrdquo says Kirsten McKay

Holiday

esign shouldnrsquot be taken so seriouslyrdquo says Kirsten McKay

ldquoand it doesnrsquot have to be expensive eitherrdquo Kirsten co-owns

Brick Monkey a home interiors store she and her two partners opened

under these guiding principles We challenged her to set a harvest table

that wasnrsquot just another clicheacutemdashsomething fresh affordable and easy

to interpret Eager and excited she delivered above and beyond our

expectationsmdasha flexible fall table that will carry through the Christmas

holidays with only a few sparkly changes

Kirsten McKay sets a flexible

table thatrsquos both Autumn cool and

Christmas clever

entertaining tablescaping

Photography by Natalie Wi

nestingnewbiescom 25

ldquo esign shouldnrsquot be taken so seriouslyrdquo says Kirsten McKay

Holiday

Kirsten had four criteria when approaching her

design 1) make sure everything is budget-

friendly 2) keep the design simple 3) make sure

it wonrsquot take a tremendous amount of time to

shop for and set up and 4) use lots of com-

mon materials that are easy to find She ad-

vises to twist tradition whenever possible espe-

cially the color scheme ldquoYou can get seasonal

without having to resort to brown and orange

for Thanksgiving and red and green for Christ-

masrdquo For her fall tableau Kirsten chose gold

amethyst green and black with bursts of bit-

tersweet orange as accent

Her centerpiece adds drama without eye block

ldquoI chose three glass vessels I purchased at Cost

Plus I wanted height but I didnrsquot want to ob-

struct a dinerrsquos viewrdquo She foraged for interest-

ing branches in her garden stripped them of

their leaves and placed them in two of the glass

vases She purchased dried Japanese lanterns

detached the blooms from their plastic stems

wrapped them with thin gold wire and sparingly

26

hung them on the branches ldquoJust use a few

and yoursquoll have a calm meditative look Itrsquos an

interesting way to bring in some orangerdquo To the

third glass vessel she added fresh artichokes

and small creamy-yellow pumpkinsmdashldquoJust go

shopping and choose a few edibles with inter-

esting shapes and textures Keep it to two dif-

ferent choices or the table will look too busyrdquo

Sprinkle small votives throughout the table and

it will twinkle with festivity

The place setting begins with a chargermdashto her

itrsquos critical for creating depth ldquoI prefer black

or gold because they work with everythingrdquo

Next she places a wooden dinner plate for an

organic touch topped with a vintage amethyst

glass salad plate ldquoItrsquos the layering of pieces

that makes a table so pleasing and invitingrdquo

Kirsten recommends buying basic monochro-

matic linens for the versatility that will carry you

from season to season ldquoDonrsquot feel that you

need to limit yourself to one napkin per setting

Try two so you can bring the softness of fabric

nestingnewbiescom 27

hung them on the branches ldquoJust use a few

and yoursquoll have a calm meditative look Itrsquos an

interesting way to bring in some orangerdquo To the

third glass vessel she added fresh artichokes

and small creamy-yellow pumpkinsmdashldquoJust go

shopping and choose a few edibles with inter-

esting shapes and textures Keep it to two dif-

ferent choices or the table will look too busyrdquo

Sprinkle small votives throughout the table and

it will twinkle with festivity

The place setting begins with a chargermdashto her

itrsquos critical for creating depth ldquoI prefer black

or gold because they work with everythingrdquo

Next she places a wooden dinner plate for an

organic touch topped with a vintage amethyst

glass salad plate ldquoItrsquos the layering of pieces

that makes a table so pleasing and invitingrdquo

Kirsten recommends buying basic monochro-

matic linens for the versatility that will carry you

from season to season ldquoDonrsquot feel that you

need to limit yourself to one napkin per setting

Try two so you can bring the softness of fabric

nestingnewbiescom 27

entertaining tablescaping

28

to your settingrdquo She tucks a bold yellow napkin

on top of the salad plate and rolls a black napkin

with cream polka dots into a playful napkin ring

to complete the setting

Now herersquos where the fun really begins ldquoI pur-

chased pin cushion plants for an unpredictable

seasonal effect I placed adorable ceramic

numbered balls in each to serve as place cards

As your guests arrive give them a glass of wine

in a numbered wine glass When it comes time

to eat they can find their seats by matching the

numbers We carry wine glasses with etched

numbers at Brick Monkey but you could also

attach a label with ribbon to your own glasses

Itrsquos these whimsical touches that will set the

right mood for your partyrdquo

You can keep the centerpiece in place through-

out the harvest season and when December

rolls around turn it into a holiday-scape with

only a few simple changes ldquoI placed a beaded

sari fabric as a runner down the center of the

table It works because it adds just the right bit

of glam and sparklerdquo Kirsten then replaces the

vegetables with a collection of ball ornaments

in shiny and matte finishes and in colors that

she pulled from the runner She removes the pin

cushion plants and the wooden dinner plates

replacing the polka dot napkins with plain silver

layering them with the original yellow napkins

Kirsten fashioned together a napkin weight us-

ing a silver napkin ring and a beaded tassel The

numbered balls rest inside the rings Additional

nestingnewbiescom 29

ldquoItrsquos the layering of pieces that will make a table so pleasing and invitingrdquo

to your settingrdquo She tucks a bold yellow napkin

on top of the salad plate and rolls a black napkin

with cream polka dots into a playful napkin ring

to complete the setting

Now herersquos where the fun really begins ldquoI pur-

chased pin cushion plants for an unpredictable

seasonal effect I placed adorable ceramic

numbered balls in each to serve as place cards

As your guests arrive give them a glass of wine

in a numbered wine glass When it comes time

to eat they can find their seats by matching the

numbers We carry wine glasses with etched

numbers at Brick Monkey but you could also

attach a label with ribbon to your own glasses

Itrsquos these whimsical touches that will set the

right mood for your partyrdquo

You can keep the centerpiece in place through-

out the harvest season and when December

rolls around turn it into a holiday-scape with

only a few simple changes ldquoI placed a beaded

sari fabric as a runner down the center of the

table It works because it adds just the right bit

of glam and sparklerdquo Kirsten then replaces the

vegetables with a collection of ball ornaments

in shiny and matte finishes and in colors that

she pulled from the runner She removes the pin

cushion plants and the wooden dinner plates

replacing the polka dot napkins with plain silver

layering them with the original yellow napkins

Kirsten fashioned together a napkin weight us-

ing a silver napkin ring and a beaded tassel The

numbered balls rest inside the rings Additional

nestingnewbiescom 29

ldquoItrsquos the layering of pieces that will make a table so pleasing and invitingrdquo

30

As your guests arrive give them wine in a numbered wine glass When it comes time to eat they can find their seats by match-ing the numbers to the place settings

glass pieces make the centerpiece feel more

dramatic and substantial Finally she keeps the

original branches in the vases but adds some

that are silver beaded for a bit of glam Voilaacute

Follow Kirstenrsquos easy tips and you will set the

stage for fun and festive holiday entertaining A

beautiful table conveys such welcoming gener-

osity Your family and friends will feel special

and appreciatedmdashand isnrsquot that what the holi-

days are all about

Wood plate$35 each

available at Brick Monkey

Set of Numbered (1-12)

Wine goblets$150

available at Brick Monkey

Numbered glass balls$2 each

available at Brick Monkey

Votives purchased at IKEA

Black chargersprivate collection

similar available at Brick Monkey

Silverware and napkins

purchased at Cost Plus

nestingnewbiescom 31

glass pieces make the centerpiece feel more

dramatic and substantial Finally she keeps the

original branches in the vases but adds some

that are silver beaded for a bit of glam Voilaacute

Follow Kirstenrsquos easy tips and you will set the

stage for fun and festive holiday entertaining A

beautiful table conveys such welcoming gener-

osity Your family and friends will feel special

and appreciatedmdashand isnrsquot that what the holi-

days are all about

Wood plate$35 each

available at Brick Monkey

Set of Numbered (1-12)

Wine goblets$150

available at Brick Monkey

Numbered glass balls$2 each

available at Brick Monkey

Votives purchased at IKEA

Black chargersprivate collection

similar available at Brick Monkey

Silverware and napkins

purchased at Cost Plus

nestingnewbiescom 31

Brick Monkey

Three friends open the ever-curious always-distinctive home interiors store

Photography by Dean Birinyi

Three friends Barry Johnson Stephanie Kolkka

and Kirsten McKay dreamed of opening a home

interiors store their waymdashwhere great style is

available at affordable price points In August

2009 their creative vision became brick and mor-

tar in historic downtown Redwood City (near San

Francisco) At Brick Monkey yoursquoll find the sen-

sible juxtaposed with a sense of humor vintage

placed next to ultra-modern and Asian-inspired

blended with cosmopolitan chic The three have

wisely created a destination and source of inspi-

ration for those who desire more distinctive and

original homes

Curious amp DistinctiveBrick Monkey

2400 Broadway Redwood City California Open Mon ndash Sat 10-6 Sundays by appointment

6502601155brickmonkeyonlinecom

nestingnewbiescom 33

entertaining hot spot

34

decorating design chronicles

nestingnewbiescom 35

GarageSan Francisco Designer Shelly Amoroso

completes a mind-blowing makeover

Photography by Steph Dewey

formation

nestingnewbiescom 35

GarageSan Francisco Designer Shelly Amoroso

completes a mind-blowing makeover

Photography by Steph Dewey

formation

36

Most of us look at an empty unfinished space and

wonder where to begin to make it livable attractive

and inviting But interior designer Shelly Amoroso

can walk into a room and instantly imagine the possibilities

In this San Francisco home she transformed a dreary ga-

rage basement into valuable family living space ldquoWhen we

started this project there was one baby in the familyrdquo she

says ldquoNow there are three So it was important to use ev-

ery spare inch of real estate for their growing needsrdquo

One of the many things Shelly is good at is listening to her

clients ldquoI asked them to write down every single solitary

thing they wanted and felt was missing from their homerdquo

The answer was tons of storage an entry laundry room

extra fridge and pantry full bath family room and office

Shelly deliveredmdashand then some

nestingnewbiescom 37

Her first genius move was to make sure to use the existing

structural elements to help define each living area and keep

construction costs down Shelly kept an open floor plan so

therersquos an illusion of space and painted the walls in Benja-

min Moore Alexandria Beige The ceiling was done in Kelly

Moore Swiss Coffee to be consistent with what the home-

owners had already done upstairs Rather than wall-to-wall

carpeting Shelly chose travertine throughout to withstand

the wear and tear of children at play Itrsquos beautiful easy to

maintain and will stand the test of time

The reclaimed wood mirror from Crate and Barrel makes for a dramatic entry and the foyer is a welcoming scene with a modern art print and two ottomans tucked under-neath the table for extra seating

nestingnewbiescom 37

Her first genius move was to make sure to use the existing

structural elements to help define each living area and keep

construction costs down Shelly kept an open floor plan so

therersquos an illusion of space and painted the walls in Benja-

min Moore Alexandria Beige The ceiling was done in Kelly

Moore Swiss Coffee to be consistent with what the home-

owners had already done upstairs Rather than wall-to-wall

carpeting Shelly chose travertine throughout to withstand

the wear and tear of children at play Itrsquos beautiful easy to

maintain and will stand the test of time

The reclaimed wood mirror from Crate and Barrel makes for a dramatic entry and the foyer is a welcoming scene with a modern art print and two ottomans tucked under-neath the table for extra seating

38

There is no longer clutter or chaos anywhere thanks to the built-in

cabinetry in the hallway laundry room and office The cabinetry

is a minimalist design in a sophisticated glossy gray in the office

and hallway and bright white in the laundry room There is final-

ly a place for everything this active family had formerly stashed

in their garagemdashbikes athletic gear camping equipment And

yoursquod never know that the children use this new space as their

playground too

Money was spent wisely ldquoI chose furniture and accessories

off-the-rack for durability and cost effectivenessrdquo says Shelly

ldquoMore money was spent on materials such as the flooring cus-

tom built-ins and plumbing fixturesrdquo According to Shelly itrsquos

nestingnewbiescom 39

decorating design chronicles

nestingnewbiescom 39

decorating design chronicles

Finally the homeowners have an extra bathroom The room has a clean modern aesthetic The orange accessories are from Jonathan Adler jonathanadlercom

decorating design chronicles

beforeEven the most undesirable seem-

ingly hopeless nothing-of-a-space

is just an opportunity awaiting

transformation

40

important to focus the bud-

get on the roomrsquos bones and

to buy the best you can af-

ford as these are the things

that need to last the longest

Also choose classic materials

with a hint of modernity and

they will be timeless Donrsquot go

for anything too trendy or you

will timestamp your home and

want to re-do it in just a few

years

The sofa coffee table Eames

chair slipper chairs and en-

try table came from Room amp

Board The upholstered pieces

are comfortable and covered in

stain-resistant fabrics Shelly

brought in texture with organic

elements in a reclaimed wood

entertainment center and mirror

ldquoKeeping the furnishings neutral

also adds to the feeling of spa-

ciousness And the homeown-

ers can spice things up with a

few chosen pops of colorrdquo In

this case itrsquos green in a large

potted plant and two cream-

and-green lumbar pillows on the

side chairs Bursts of orange

also stand out in the artwork

and the occasional blooms that

find their way indoors A couple

of zebra-striped pillows on the

sofa add vivacious spirit and

personality

Reach Shelly Amoroso at 4154090431 or visit amoroso-designcom

chirp

nestingnewbiescom 41

What can we take away from

this makeover Even the most

undesirable seemingly hope-

less nothing-of-a-space is just

an opportunity awaiting trans-

formation Shelly can already

see it happening

42

decorating iconic nester

Barclay Butera

QampA

nestingnewbiescom 43

When asked to share a favorite room

hersquos designed Barclay replied ldquoI love this

breakfast nook in an ocean-front homehellip

but Irsquod hang out here even without the views

Itrsquos comfortable made for conversation and

part of the great room approach Itrsquos a nook

in the kitchen that creates a retreat thatrsquos as

special as any other spot in that homerdquo

For over 15 years Barclay Butera has been the quintessential Cali-fornia voice of interior design From an early age he has been immersed in the business of de-sign watching and working with his mother who had clients all over the world Barclay has grown his own empire based upon his phi-losophy of ldquolivable luxuryrdquo and creates classic interiors and fur-nishings with an edgy element

Celebs love his stylemdashhersquos worked for Reneacutee Zellweger Sharon Stone Josh Groban and Jessica and Ashley Simpson to name a few His recent achievements in-clude a line of textiles for Kravet a rug line for Kravet Carpets his first coffee table book Living in Style and new lines of upholstery and pillows for the Hearst Castle Col-lectionreg House Beautiful calls him one of their ldquoTop 125rdquo designers

Barclay took a moment out of his impossibly crazy schedule to share his thoughts about nesting for the first time

Q You are one of Californiarsquos best

interior designers and the work you do is so

appealing and fresh What advice would you give to

people in their first homes who want to develop their

own sense of style

A I am a firm believer in tear sheets to create YOUR

own story Whenever I work with clients now I like them

to put together their own idea binder or file This may

take months I suggest buying all recent magazines and

going online Pull from fashion cooking travel and

yes of course shelter magazines and web-sites

Q Whatrsquos the first step to making a home your own

A The idea binder will help you see your taste develop

it further and create your personal story of who you are

Then you can hire a designer to help you determine the

aspects of the design you might want

Q What room would you focus your efforts and why

A It really depends on the homersquos floor plan But for me

itrsquos the great roommdashincluding the kitchen and entry - QampA

44

decorating iconic nester

ment I like richer warmer colors such as reds choco-

lates and golds But in any environment I use touches

of animal print

Q You also design furnishingsmdashwhatrsquos one of your

latest pieces that you love

A The Del Mar chair I just did for the Hearst Castle Col-

lectionreg The arm has some great detail on it and itrsquos a

classic looseback chair with great comfort both in width

and depth I like that it works beautifully for both petite

and larger people

Q Any other words of wisdom

A I think itrsquos nice to have a room that combines heritage

with current flavor I believe in elements that tell a story

in a homemdashthey can be as simple as pictures from your

childhood or your familyrsquos background your own person-

al art collection or a piece you found at a flea market

Whatever tells a story Conversation pieces break the ice

and add a lot of character to a room

because thatrsquos where you live This whole area is where

we socialize and entertain Rooms were more separat-

ed in older architecture from the early 1900s up into the

1960s For that kind of layout Irsquod say kitchen because

again we live in the kitchenmdashitrsquos where we begin our

experience in the home For me growing up I wasnrsquot

allowed to use the living or dining rooms except on

special occasions

Q In the great room where would you spend

your money to make the biggest impact

A This is hard Irsquod say the entry because it is

a major portion of your home and what people

see from the street I also think this space is

important because it leads into the great room

There is a certain expectation of entryways and

you can even do simple things there with pictures

of family a good lamp or fantastic entry table

And Irsquod even focus on the powder room off the

great room because it too makes a first impres-

sion Obviously in the great room a comfortable sofa or

seating arrangement is imperative

Q What are easy ways to add some style to a space

A Area rugs wallpaper (I use it a LOT) lamp shades and

throw pillows Also now therersquos such a vast price range in

artmdashfrom flea markets to art web-

sites to designer linesmdashyou

donrsquot have to spend a

lot of money on art

to make a big im-

pact

Q What are some

of your favorite

color combinations

A This depends on the

area or environment In a

warmer climate I tend toward lighter color

schemes that feel like a breath of fresh air in

particular celadon and touches of chocolate or

of course blue and white In a colder environ-

wwwDecorMetrocom

46

amp White

pillows your waypillows your way$330

To find a retailer call 8666962493 or visit LaufenUSAcomThe Inmod Pillow Design Studio

allows you to design your own How cool is that You start by se-lecting a pattern theme choos-ing your fabric type selecting a size and finally a base and embroidery colormdashthe result is a pillow you can be proud of Available at Inmodcom$50ndash$85 price range

In a colorful world therersquos nothing better than a little black and white

ampBlack

The bathroom is one of the big-gest germ havens in the home and the shower curtain Yuck We donrsquot even want to think about that Laufenrsquos new Mimo Collection has an innovative shower curtain that features antimicrobial propertiesmdashrepel-ling water mildew and bacte-ria It can be washed at up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit And itrsquos cute too This germ-free cur-tain is available in a pattern of interlaced loops in black or pink on a white background (or just plain white)

Jonathan Adler believes that ldquoyour home should make you happyrdquo and his new lacquer tray table makes us very happy Itrsquos a versa-tile piece perfect for a side table and easily put into action when entertaining Adler calls the look ldquocrack cocaine for the eyesrdquo It comes in white orange chocolate and turquoise blue

germophobe no more

Shine Home is one of those com-panies that gets it Today most of us want great design thatrsquos beautiful and makes us smilemdashnothing too serious but always seriously chic Their Sugalite Pen-dant has a contemporary profile with understated classic embel-lishments Itrsquos made of mdf res-in and lacquer and comes in jet black or pure white

lacquer-licious

Available at Jonathan Adler stores or on-line JonathanAdlercom $495

Find a retailer or order on-line at ShopShineHomecom$650

modern illumination

nestingnewbiescom 47

decorating whatrsquos new

endnotes best blogs Wersquore buzzing with enthusiasm for bloggers Take a peek at some of our current favoriteshellip

Bakerella MattBites

We canrsquot sing enough sweet praises for Bakerella The recipes for and presentation of homemade treats put Willy Wonka to shame Her pops and bites are beyond clever

Matt Armendariz combines his love of cooking writing and photography into mattbitescom a blog about his obsession with food drink and everything in between Warning Once you begin to read yoursquoll be addicted

Letrsquos Entertain Tastefully Entertaining

bakerellacom mattbitescom

letsentertainnet tastefullyentertainingcom

Letrsquos entertain offers tons of doable party ideas decorations and recipes Product discoveries can be purchased on their parent site HostessJocom

Tastefully Entertaining has inspiration boards and ideas for all kinds of parties and events The color themes are scrumptious

48

Wersquore buzzing with enthusiasm for bloggers Take a peek at some of our current favoriteshellip

SFGirlByBay Coco+Kelley

Coco + Kelley share insights about interiors and fashion that are glamorous but reachable Posh style oozes from their posts

Written by Victoria Smith sfgirlbybay is a bohemian-modern look at design featuring new product reviews shopping tips design resources and home entertaining and lifestyle stories Itrsquos a fun romp that will stimulate your own creative juices

Anh-Minh

sfgirlbybaycom cocokelleyblogspotcom

anh-minhcom

Anh-minh writes for the San Francisco Chronicle Home amp Garden section and her blog is the perfect blend of inspirational images and useful commentary She has a great eye for design and a keen observation of whatrsquos in vogue We love ervery pic she profiles

nestingnewbiescom 49

Wedding Blogs are great for finding event resources amp ideas

Search at OmniBridecom

chirp

Bon AppetweetTM