Thursday November 17th is Beaujolais Day!

Thursday, November 17 Beaujolais Nouveau Day (France) 2016

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is marked in France on the third Thursday in November with fireworks, music and festivals. Under French law, the wine is released at 12:01 a.m., just weeks after the wine's grapes have been harvested. Parties are held throughout the country and further afield to celebrate the first wine of the season.

For years I would have a party...It was a great tradition which quickly got out of hand in regards to the size of the party. The pictures below of our last party held in our NYC apartment...small intimate group... 

What Kind of Wine Is It? The vast majority of Beaujolais Nouveau is made from Gamay, a thin-skinned purplish-red grape that yields a wine with flavors and aromas of fresh raspberries, tart cherries (some folks even say tutti frutti), and pink and purple flowers. Some producers blend gamay with its relative, pinot noir, or aligoté, a white grape which also grows in the region. Beaujolais Nouveau is light, fruity and fresh, and meant to be consumed sooner rather than later, so drink up!

Where’s the Party This Year?Beaujolais Nouveau typically makes landfall in the US a few days after its French release, and several restaurants are planning to celebrate in style:
• Ocean Place Resort and Spa, Long Branch
Beginning November 19, diners at Seaview Restaurant and Lounge can sample a French-inspired prix-fixe menu from Chef Peter Csikos, including Louis Jadot Beaujolais Nouveau. For reservations call 732-571-4000 or log onto OpenTable.com.

• Chez Catherine, Westfield
This Westfield classic restaurant is offering a Beaujolais Nouveau dinner featuring a French menu loaded with food from the region.
• Verjus Restaurant, Maplewood.

Verjus Restaurant is planning a celebration on Friday, November 20. The restaurant will offer 2015 Les Grandes Coasses Beaujolais Nouveau and 2015 Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau to complement their $45 prix-fixe dinner menu. For more info or reservations, call 973-378-8990 or log onto log onto OpenTable.com.

• Madeleine’s Petit Paris, Northvale.
This French-owned restaurant and catering venue will host its Beaujolais Nouveau dinner on Sunday, November 22, with a menu that highlights the culinary creations of Lyon, France’s second-largest city, culinary mecca, and neighbor to the Beaujolais region. For more info or reservations, call (201) 767-0063.

Feeling Tired?

This time of the year many people are feeling tired.  One of the big factors is setting the clock's back by an hour.  As silly as that seems, once the dark comes upon us we automatically want to get settled in for the evening. 

Another reason is the overwhelmed  feelings of the holiday's coming upon us.  There is just so much to do between the time the calendar flips to November into December.   If you have young children in your house hold you most likely have school events, the class trips, birthday parties, sport practices, religion classes etc. etc. etc. Oh, and do you have a job outside the home?  If you have a significant other that helps keep up with the laundry, errands, food shopping etc ...you are among the  lucky ones...

One huge reason why you may be feeling so tired is from your home!  Since you are busy with so many other obligations and events this time of year your home sometimes gets neglected.  Or perhaps its not only this time of year but your home is always neglected.  If my home is out of sorts, I'm out of sorts.   Once your home is in order, your mind will be in order and you can rest easier at night.

There are professional organizers that can help you get your home to where it needs to be.  Thumbtack is a good resources.  You put in the area where you live and what you want done as far as organization.   You then will receive bids from various organizers.  If you can't afford a home organizer there are plenty on line sites that can motivate you to start.  My suggestion is to start in the heart of the home the kitchen.  Once your kitchen is organized than head on to the bedrooms.  I am telling you that once you have control of your home and your clutter you will feel energized and less.

Harmonizing Homes, LLC

Turning Inward

This is the time of year that I find that I am looking to re-decorate, cook, snuggle on the couch with my newly learned knitting hobby and sipping a glass of a hearty red wine. 

I'm thinking about warm foods, looking at new receipies and planning  the upcoming holidays.  At this stage it feels nice to put on a warm sweater....and to wear your favorite comfy boots again.  I still get excited over the first snow fall to add to the ambiance.

I love to add layers to a bed, with various colors and materials...a down comforter in a duvet cover is a must.

 I try to keep some of my herbs alive through out the winter that I've brought into the house.

I have found some great recipes on Food 52

Will keep posting!

Corinne

Reference

Photo's from Tumbler

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Who What Where When

Knowing that the success of Harmonizing Homes is dependent on myself is beyond scary at times however I wouldn't change it at all!

I have been asked what did you want to be when you were a child?  I wanted to be an artist, I loved color, design.  I studied graphic design when I was in High School, I elected to go off campus to do so. 

Best Business Advise -  You can't do everything on your own .  Look for experts when you need to and hire professionals for the things that you acknowledge that you are not good at.

What is the Biggest Risk?  Everyday is uncertain and is an adventure.  If I don't get up and get moving get my self out there the business would not be...Every day is different!

Biggest Lesson learned?  That it doesn't just take creativity to be successful in business, I have to deal with the daily nuts and bolts such as policies and procedures, contracts. It is something that I have battled from the beginning with some expensive lessons learned.

My Proudest Trades?   Resiliency.....recreating my self!

Where do I get inspiration?  Travel is the best way....remove your self from your daily environment even if its is a trip into NYC....but my favorite place for inspiration is Vermont.

 

Like clock work every year the beauty of Fall comes into our lives.  I always feel a bit sad that summer has come to an end.  There are no rules in Summer, no shoes, we live in swim suites, read books, hang on the beach and let our minds just wonder.

Fall comes and there are schedules, planning, flight arrangements for travel for the holidays. OMG Rosh Hashanah is next week What are the kids going to be for Halloween?  Where are we having Thanksgiving ? 

We decide we need to get things in order.





We start to look inward at our home, cooking, family and friends.  How can there be only three months left in 2016??

When I walk up this morning to a dark rainy cold morning.  I slipped on my yoga pants and loose fitted top and grabbed my coffee to begin planning my day. 

I just wanted to make a stew ..That Is what the day feels like.....or maybe just sit and read my book that I started on the beach this summer and didn't finish it.  Its still in my beach bag with my towel.

But the truth is we are busy helping folks like you get there homes in order for the holidays.  We have a great team of designers and artisans that can help you with your decorating

Don't wait until the end of October as it may be too late.

Resources

Pictures  via Tumbler

Harmonizing Homes

What Color Should I Paint My?

Hello,
One of the requests that we always receive is ,"I need help with paint colors". Paint colors can be intimidating. In today's market place there are many great tools that will help you with paint color.  For an example Sherwin Williams has Color Snap Visualizer. You can down load this APP onto your phone using google play or ITunes.  If you see a color perhaps in a pillow, take a picture and the app tells you what color matches the closest.

We continue to attend educational seminars, learning what are the new trends, studying products and sustainability.   We love color....that is what we do...

Last evening we attended a presentation by Sherwin Williams, presented by Rebecca Smith, Design Account Executive which was held at Creative Displays in Tinton Falls.  I'd like to share with you the inspirational colors for 2017.

This year trends were inspired for various generations, moods and culture.

For more information on Sherwin Williams Color Forecast.   Remember its only paint its not a life time investment. So have fun with color try something new this fall.   We would love to help you transform your home with great design and style.  Check out our website Harmonizing Homes.

Until the next blog

Corinne

Decorating on a Budget

Hope you all had a great labor day.....Its amazing how fast the summer goes...Now that we are into September many of you are starting to think about the upcoming holiday.  You may be thinking about updating some of your rooms; so I thought I'd share a recent project that we just finished in Rumson New Jersey.  We had a very limited budget as our client has three (3) children in college... Below is the finished photographs of the bedroom that we did.  We added crown molding, removed old molding, painted the room, added a new ceiling fan and had the floors refinished.

Below is a picture of what the room looked like before. 

We needed to take care of the off centered window and make the room look updated and romantic. I will list the sources at the bottom of the blog.

We removed the existing window treatments and added draperies and sheers.

The bench is a lovely addition to any bedroom

We moved the television and added a floor mirror

References

Lead Designer - Charles Messenger of Harmonizing Homes

Television - Best Buys

Mercury Glass Table Lamps -Lamps Plus

Floor Mirror - Home Goods

Draperies - JC Penny's

Bedding - Macy's

Headboard- Wayfair

Dresser and side tables - Ashley Furniture

Drapery Hardware- Bed Bath and Beyond

Accessories - Creative Designs Inc

Area Rug- Wayfair

Emergency Staging Testimonial

Look at the trends we found

Charles and I spent the day in New York City at the NY Now Summer Market for Home, Lifestyle and Gift Show at the Javits Center.

Our first stop was at Roost where we proceeded to place an order for some new items for our clients and for staging...they have a great selection from lighting, mirrors, furniture, and even jewelry....I had to buy a piece of jewelry...

The very first thing that we noticed was the trending in tribal arts, furnishing and accessories through out the entire show. Lots of African Artisans.   

The next trend is tassels and pom- poms  on pillows, blankets rugs

Bright bold colors from a designer in Brooklyn that has all her work done in Ethiopia -

Bird feathers every where....in frames, etchings, paintings on pillows

Maps is another thing that seems to be very popular in décor both vintage and bold

Our favorite booths would have to be Roost, Go Home and V rugs and home

This is products from V

We hope that you enjoyed the market trends.....there was so much to see in just a few hours..  Show ends today at 2:00 pm -

How to create a mood of belonging

When Harmonizing Homes  approaches a staging job, we take it one step at a time. Feeling each space, making sure we are creating a mood/feeling. When people walk into a room, they should "feel" the space. We want the prospective buyers to have an emotional reaction to the spaces that we create. The emotion is a  state of mind deriving from a mood.  We create that mood of  belonging and love. For more information on this home click on the force group Keller Williams

Reference

Photography - Motion City Media

Listing Agent - Theresa Kuyl

Staging Company - Harmonizing Homes