Today on Good Morning Texas, we’re dining in style!  I’m setting up a gorgeous dining table & chairs by Century.  This is one of my favorite dining ensembles.  The table is to die for!  With the leaf in, you can easily seat 8 or 10.  I love the height & the curved back of the chairs.  They’re covered in this sumptuous cinnamon & pumpkin fabric.  For a centerpiece I’m using some gold hand blown glass hurricanes, some left over pumpkin colored fabric, and fresh flowers in a pumpkin vase.  All we need now are some guests & great conversation & we’re ready to Dine In Style!!!

Steps to Dining In Style:

1. Find a fabulous dining table & chairs
2. Find a console, china cabinet, buffet, or side table to use for serving & storage of fine china & linens.
3. A chandelier can make or break the room.  This is your chance to set the tone for the room.  Do you want glamour with crystals or something more rustic?
4. Once you have the fabulous table & other major furniture pieces, you need to finish off the room with accessories, a nice rug, and some draperies to tie in your color palette.
5. Don’t forget art or a great mirror above your dining console.
6. Don’t forget the centerpiece!  Hurricanes, silk florals, & pottery can make a great statement on your table!
   
7. For holidays, use a festive fresh floral centerpiece & candles.
   

Click here to watch the segment…

I like to buy greeting cards in bulk so I have them handy when I need to send a birthday or special occasion card.  My desk drawer was full of them & hunting through the unorganized stack to find the right card was starting to get on my nerves.  So, I came up with a simple solution.  Here’s how I organized my greeting cards & made a decorative statement at the same time.

This is also a really great solution for organizing items other than greeting cards.

Hey everyone!  We had a blast cooking with Lisa Garza at our client’s fabulous home live on Good Morning Texas.  It was a fun filled morning & boy did the whole house smell so yummy!  You’ve got to try to make the recipe that Lisa showed us.  It’s so easy & everyone LOVED it!  Here are some behind the scenes pictures of the shoot.

Click Here to watch the design segment!

BTW, many of you have been asking where to find Lisa’s adorable couture aprons.  They can be found at Rich Hippie in Dallas.  www.richhippie.com  5350 W Lovers Ln # 127  Dallas, TX 75209  (214) 358-1968

Lisa Garza from the Food Network’s hit show The Next Foodnetwork Star is cooking in our client’s kitchen this morning!  Don’t miss it!  Tune in to WFAA Channel 8 to Good Morning Texas to watch.  In case you miss the show (shame on you!  ~ ok I’ll forgive you!) I will be posting the segments on the IBB website as well as on the DD blog later this afternoon.

Here is the recipe from Lisa’s segment ~ yummy yummy!!!

STILTON FILO FLOWERS with LAVENDAR HONEY SYRUP &
TOASTED ALMONDS & MIXED GREENS

6 (12 inch) sheets filo
6 tablespoons salted butter
4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 ½ cup stilton cheese
1 ½ cup ricotta
2 Organic Eggs
½ cup lavender honey, warmed
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in the microwave. Working quickly, on a large work surface, butter and sprinkle parsley over one layer of filo. Layer another on top and repeat until you have 3 sets of three, layered with butter and parsley. Cut each set into 3 ½ inch squares. Use the tips of your fingers to press each square into the cups of a regular muffin pan, Press the filo against the sides of the cup’s until you have formed 12 filo cups. Cups should look like flowers and stick out of the top of the muffin cups. Place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. In a large bowl combine the cheeses, eggs and seasoning. Mix well. Pour ¼ cup of the mixture into the center of each filo cup. Bake for 20 minutes or until the filo begins to brown around the edges and the cheese is set. Pull from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the filo flowers and drizzle with warm honey. Sprinkle with toasted almond slices. Serve with mixed greens.

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30
Inactive Prep:
Ease of Preparation: easy

Mixed Greens
½ cup French or Italian extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 pound baby mixed greens

Whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl EXCEPT, the oil and greens. Toss the greens in with the oil in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with the remaining mixture and lightly toss again. Serve.

Yield: 12 small side portions
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time:
Inactive Prep:
Ease of Preparation: easy

Enter to win this new contest sponsored by IBB Design Furniture Showroom!  It’s so easy & one lucky winner will receive a $500 Gift Certificate to IBB!  How cool is that?  Here’s the skinny:

The holidays are fast approaching & life can get pretty crazy this time of year.  Take some time to refelct on your family time & tell us about it!  You could win big!  Simply e-mail at least one photo of your family in action at the dining table.  Tell us about what happens at your dining table & explain your photo.  Does the dog beg for scraps?  Do your kids set the table?  Do you talk about politics or just about everyday life?  Do you eat there every night or just special occasions?  Does your family prefer the formal or casual dining area of your home?  Do you cook, or order take out?  Any special traditions?  Do the kids use the table for crafts or homework?

All entries will be entered into a drawing.  One winner will be drawn from submitted entries to win a $500 gift certificate to IBB.  A second “Viewer’s Choice” prize will be awarded for the most creative entry.  The Viewer’s Choice winner will win a $300 gift certificate to IBB.

Multiple entries are permitted.  All entries must be submitted by Monday, November 17th.  Voting for the Viewer’s Choice award will take place November 17th-20th.  Viewers can vote for their favorite entry on the Designer Detective blog.  Winners will be announed live on Good Morning Texas on Friday, November 21st.

Check out www.ibbdesign.com for more on official rules & entry information.  Good luck!

Today’s Design Dilemma:
Dear Shay,

I need to create a home office, but I don’t have an actual room to use.  We just need a place to pay bills & place a laptop.  How can I create an “office space” in our home?

-Melanie R.

Melanie,
No worries!  Why don’t you try adding a secretary?  No, not a person!  Although, who wouldn’t want that?  I’m referring to a secretary like the one pictured to the left.  You’ll get the office function without taking up much space.  The best part about a secretary piece is that you can conceal all of your “office clutter” by simply closing the drop down desk portion.  A secretary offers all of the functions of a desk in a more compact environment.

This secretary is by Hickory Chair.  It’s so simple and sophisticated.  It could easily be incorporated into your family room, bedroom, or even a wide hallway.  The white finish is so fresh & could work seamlessly with almost any style.  The clean straight lines, ample storage & stylish look make this a fabulous choice for an impromptu home office!  Happy decorating!

-Shay

I love this table!  This fantastic end table by Hickory Chair offers not only gorgeous style, but also superb functionality.  It’s actually a French bar cart.  The two tiered design features a top tray covered in eglomise miror (which means to take a glass panel & paint a picture on the  back of it that shows through).

Picture it anywhere in your home.  The table is on casters, so if you’re feeling fickle, simply move it into another room for a whole new look.  I’m a little biased about the fabulosity of this piece.  I actually have it in my family room.  It’s nestled in a corner between my sofa and a recliner.  The size is perfect because it offers a generous amount of space and easy access to the sofa & the recliner.  I’ve even used it at parties as an actual bar cart.  It was perfect at the end of a buffet to display a crystal ice bucket and a collection of fine liquors for guests to fix their drinks.

There is one left in stock right now on the floor of our showroom at IBB.  I highly suggest this piece to add some style and great function to your room & a perfect addition for your holiday parties!

Tune in, TiVo, & get your bootie in front of the TV to watch GMT this Friday Oct 24th!  You are NOT going to want to miss this!  I’m kicking off a 6 week design extravaganza on Home Entertaining (everything you need to know to get your home ready for guests for the holidays or whenever!)  & I’ve got a VERY special celebrity guest joining me!  Drum roll please…

It’s Lisa Garza from the Food Network’s hit show Next Food Network Star!!! Isn’t she just fabulous!  I am SOOOOOOO super excited!  Lisa will be doing a cooking segment live from one of our client’s homes!  I got  a sneak peek at the recipe & it looks yummy yummy!  We are MAJOR foodies & Food Network junkies at the Sampson household, so I feel a little star struck!  I can’t wait to meet her!

My design segment will feature a tour of the kitchen/nook area of this stunning home built with home entertaining in mind!  This is TRULY a gourmet kitchen complete with every appliance possible.  It’s designed with gathering around the cook in mind with not a single detail left out.  Wait until you see the wonderful finish out of the home from the cast stone vent hood over the stove top to the Italian Fresco walls, this home is a designer knock-out!  The kitchen/nook offer amazing views of the incredible backyard resort featuring arched stone columns and groin vault ceiling with hand forged wrought iron fixtures.  I will also offer some of my favorite tips for getting your home ready for a party!

Tune in to Good Morning Texas this Friday to WFAA Channel 8 at 9:00 AM!

Come by IBB Design Furniture Showroom on Friday, Otober 31st during normal business hours for fun & trick or treating!  Each guest thru the door will walk away with an IBB goodie bag filled with loads of treats!  Costumes are optional   Please join us!  Happy Halloween!

Friday, October 31st
Just Treats! at IBB Design Furniture Showroom
5798 Genesis Court
Frisco, TX 75034

These are a must-have for your home!  Functional, movable & so super stylish.  They can go just about anywhere in your home.  Place them in front of a fireplace, an entertainment center, or perched in a bare corner.  Use them in your master bedroom in front of your bed instead of a bench & you have “his & hers” places to sit.  

Picture yourself having a group of friends over for a party & having them rave about your new ottomans!  Use them in pairs & offer your guests a comfy seat that they can pull up & join in on the fun.

They come in a variety of different styles, frame shapes & fabric options.  The tops of the white leather ones pictured above open to reveal a storage compartment.  Just about every furniture manufacturer is making these amazing bench ottomans now.  The perfect little addition to any space.