Sarah Walker The Curated House, Author at The Curated House

Foodie Friday | Roasted Carrot + Ginger Soup

Today being the 1st day of November, I feel a bit like waiving a white flag. There’s no fighting it anymore. Autumn is upon us in all her splendour, displaying glorious colours and moody skies and a beautiful unpredictability in her winds that makes me certain that if seasons had genders, Autumn would indeed be a woman.

{2012 Family Photos by Gabriela Hansen}

Winter? Well, someone long before me deemed Winter an old man, and I think they were so right. They just missed an adjective…perhaps a grumpy old man? Don’t get me wrong. I love that Graham and Noah thrill in hockey season and skiing and all things winter. I live vicariously through their sub-zero joy. But me? I hibernate. I recoil from Old Man Winter’s chilly edge.

I have to wonder if Winter doesn’t also have a thing or two to teach me, though. About contrast. About learning to warm oneself through seasons of struggle. About perseverance and finding beauty in what doesn’t charm you at first. I need to be open, even if my coat is zipped up to the very top and wrapped tight with a scarf to keep out those biting winds.

{Photo by Gabriela Hansen}

One lesson I think Old Man Winter is out to teach me is about preparedness. “Get ready!” he says, “I’m a’comin’.” From lining my nest with warmer textures and blankets to making sure we’ve all got cozy socks and all the bits and pieces we need, I think Winter is telling me it’s really good to plan ahead. It’s a good reminder, especially with another very special someone saying “Get ready! I’m a’comin’!!”

As I think about prepping for this sweet baby boy’s arrival in early January, one of the things I’m thinking about is food. Sustenance. Basically, I’m thinking about survival and how the heck I’m going to feed my family while in a sleep-deprived stupor. So I’m calling upon Autumn’s bounty and Winter’s lessons in preparedness to work on some simple but nourishing dishes to have at the ready. Today I’m going to share one of my really basic favourites with you.

ROASTED CARROT + GINGER SOUP

THE INGREDIENTS:

2.5 lbs organic carrots

1 large onion

1/4 c. butter

6-8 cups organic chicken broth

2-3 Tbsp fresh ginger

Sea salt + pepper to taste

Plain Greek yoghurt and cilantro for garnish {optional}

THE METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Peel and roughly chop the carrots. Roughly chop the onion. Cut 1/4 c. butter into cubes and distribute over carrots and onions in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven until carrots and onions are tender and begin to caramelize {30-40 mins}.

In a large stock pot, chicken broth {6 cups for a thicker soup, 8 for a thinner consistency…you can add more at the end if you want to} and simmer together for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and chop 2-3 Tbsp fresh ginger. Once the vegetables are done simmering in the broth and are incredibly tender, add the fresh ginger along with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a good quality blender or use an immersion hand blender to purée into a velvety smooth finish. Garnish with a generous dollop of plain Greek yoghurt and some freshly chopped cilantro and ENJOY!

This soup stores really well in mason jars in the fridge and can also be frozen if you need to start planning ahead for a busy season. Guess what I’ll be making this weekend?

Wishing you a cozy, happy start to your November.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|November 1st, 2013|0 Comments

High Point Market Highlights | Dunes and Duchess

Okay, okay. It was me. In the library. With the candlestick.

Remember that awesome game? I spent hours in my friend’s basement playing Clue as a kid, savouring not only the mystery of it, but also the scene that it painted in my vivid imagination. I don’t know if that’s how the game played out for other kids, but for me, I would envision the mansion and its various rooms in absolute detail. The wood paneling. The grand staircase. The massive doorways with transom windows above and the moody lighting throughout. And of course, that iconic candlestick.

As it turns out, that candlestick from my imagination exists in much happier form, brought to life by the dynamic duo at Dunes and Duchess. Yes, one could say that it is drop-dead gorgeous, but that’s as far as its weapon-like status extends.

{Hamptons Designer Showhouse | Interior Design by Mabley Handler}

The candlestick really is where it all began for photographer Michael Partenio and stylist and writer Stacy Kunstel. Their photography and styling work appears regularly on the covers of interior design magazines and books, and {starting with that candlestick} they have extended their visual iconography into the world of home décor product design. The Dunes and Duchess line has expanded significantly since the creation of that first candlestick, but it all holds true to a very clear and striking aesthetic. Form and colour are the two bold signatures of this collection, and each piece is a statement unto itself.

I adore the bold colour and high-gloss sheen of the wall sconces above, the perfect punctuation mark to make a striking statement flanking a bed or a dramatic piece of art.

Turns out Oprah loves Dunes and Duchess, too. They were featured in this August’s issue of O Magazine. The candelabra really did steal the show in this spread, don’t you think?

One of my favourite pieces from Market was this oversized floor lamp {don’t you love the navy?}. Its unusual height offers condo owners with concrete ceilings the opportunity to wash a room with light without having to opt for ugly track lighting everywhere. Brilliant.

{photo: The Curated House}

I also loved the sculptural simplicity of this etagère in canary yellow, one of the newer pieces in their collection.

{photo: The Curated House}

I hope Dunes and Duchess have inspired you with their bold and sexy use of shape and colour. I know they have me, and I look forward to the next project where I can feature one of their striking designs.

xo
s.

All images via Dunes and Duchess except where otherwise noted.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|October 31st, 2013|0 Comments

High Point Market Highlights | Luna Bella

I have an announcement to make: The days of the matching furniture set are gone.

Forever.

Six feet under.

Never to return.

We have come so far from our 1950’s model of interior design, haven’t we? Back then, it was desirable to have a home that looked just like your neighbour’s. I suppose in the post-war era we needed safe and predictable. Control and cookie-cutter-sameness were de rigeur.

I think we have shed a lot of fear since then. We’ve come through so much – triumph and tragedy – and in the process we’ve learned that our stories are what shape us. Real life is colourful, full of whimsy and embrace, and brimming with the unexpected, and we want to see that reflected in our homes. Interior design is no longer about predictability or “fitting in,” but about what is bespoke, custom and a true personal expression of who we are.

{Image Source}

Enter Luna Bella, a Nouveau Chic home furnishings design studio based just outside of Miami, Florida. With an aesthetic that truly defies category, they embody a luxurious modern eclecticism that ranges from the decadently chic to the industrial and even the classical. As I was drawn into their moody and beautifully curated booth, I felt as though I might just be walking into Johnny Depp’s lounge. Each vignette offered a compelling story, carefully composed with their exquisitely unique pieces.

Their dramatic light fixtures were definitely one of the showstoppers for me. Difficult to capture when traveling with only a 50mm lens, these fixtures are true statement pieces and often spectacularly long. I loved seeing them suspended over coffee tables to anchor a conversation area and dropped over dining tables to create sparkle and glamour. I would love to install one in a soaring two story stairwell and will be keeping my eye out for a project in need of some decadent and dramatic flair.

No detail has been left untouched with the Luna Bella collection. Artists and founders Nicolas Trujillo and Teresa Costa bring a distinctly unexpected and sophisticated aesthetic to their collection with their innovative use of materials, proportions, colours and textures.

{Can’t you just picture Johnny Depp sitting in this chair? I mean, seriously! It was made for him!}

Interior designers, rev your creative engines. Luna Bella definitely has something to offer that will help you curate the storied and unexpected moments of discovery you are longing to create for your next project. For more information on this exclusive collection, please email the Luna Bella team at info@lunabella.com.