With the walls in two tones of blues and the doors painted red, I selected red to be my accent color. Our furniture is beech veneer with a few black pieces.

I went to IKEA tonight to purchase the new IKEA 365+ BRASA pendant lamp in red. I like the shape. I checked the inventory online and they were supposed to have it stock. Unfortunately, there were two black lamps plus one white but no red lamp in sight.

I was glad that I noticed a red KULLA pendant lamp in a dining room setting as I entered the store. I like the fact that the cord and the ceiling attachment were also red. Moreover, KULLA has a plate covering the globe. Since we will walk under the pendant, hiding the globe is a tempting feature. KULLA will do.

I stocked a few red storage boxes, 5 light blue eating bowls and red small SALONG vases to decorate a black and beech Expedit bookcase that we already have. I plan to make a row of light blue bowls and a row of red vases.

Categories: HOME + GARDEN  HOME office 

My daily quick links have everything you need to plan your Thanksgiving dinner party.

+ For appetizers, serve with light goat cheese on pepper wafers this tasty Sweet Butternut Squash and Coconut Jam. The Kitchn lists more appetizer recipes.

+ Real Simple suggests 13 recipes if you wish to host a potluck Thanksgiving. Check out Center’d on Thanksgiving featuring Real Simple.

+ Center'd is a planning and organizing tools. From basic activities like figuring out what to do this weekend to more complex plans like organizing a school event that requires volunteers. So it would be perfect for managing a potluck event.

Categories: HOLIDAY entertaining  ENTERTAINING 

I own a company with my husband. For more than a decade, I worked as a user interface designer then, as a Web designer. I enjoyed it but it was time for me to do something else. That is when I started to be an event designer for social events, working mostly on milestone events.

During that time, I started blogging in French. And later on, I switched to an English speaking blog with At Home with Kim Vallee. I never looked back. I found what I was looking for.

Simplify My Life

Less than 2 months ago, we removed all the clutter inside our house. It was more than 10 years of accumulation. Now, we are doing the same at the office in a more drastic way. We are moving to smaller premises because we reoriented our business over the years and we need less space. I feel rejuvenating. Jerome, my husband, also says that its feels like a new start.

I let go of my private office. I am only there a few hours a month anyway since I prefer blogging from my home office. Instead I will share a desk in Jerome’s office. The office is smaller but will be cooler.

Categories: OFF topics  ORGANIZING 

Right here in Montreal, Atelier Petit Chef offers culinary activities for children as young as 3 years old in a kid-friendly kitchen. Kids not only learn how to cook but most importantly the recipes tickle their taste buds by initiating them to new flavors.

Cooking classes for kids are an awesome idea. We are never too young to learn how to cook. It may be a way to bring our kids away from junk food. Since the kids bring home the recipes they cooked during the class, redoing the recipes in your own kitchen is an excuse to stimulate the habit of home cooking.

The workshops currently offered are:

• Mini Atelier - $5/child for 30 minutes
• P'tit Chou (ages 3 to 6) - $8/child for 1 hour
• P'tit Four (ages 7 to 12) - $20/session or $70/4 children, 1 1/2 hour as an after-school activity
• P'tit Pain (ages 7 to 12) - $45 to learn bread making, a 3-hour workshop on Sundays

Categories: FOOD + drinks  KIDS party  DINING 

To achieve a refined look, nothing beats the cake stands. Whatever your budget, you can find one that matches your style. Pastry domes and cake stands are a worthy investment if you like to host parties.

Upscale Versions

Add elegance with any of Juliska’s glass domes and cake stands. Juliska is renowned for its craftsmanship glassware. For a casual chic dinner to a formal dinner, opt for either Ursula Tea Cake Dome and Pedestal Set or the Isabella Medium Cake Dome and Pedestal Set.

On A Budget

Categories: HOLIDAY entertaining  FORMAL entertaining  TABLEWARE 

Even if the mid 20th Century furniture design trend is showing fatigue I still still fond of the look. I guess it is an unconditional love. I love that style since I was seven. And my passion is nourished by the fact that the style does not fit my current house. In fact, I never live with the style.

Launched in the 1990's, the world of Orly Kiely is one where color, pattern, graphics, texture and rhythm continually reinvent themselves. London-based Orla Kiely continues to be popular amongst the women blogosphere.

Over the years, she has teamed with many brands to produce products with her unique designs. Orla Kiely for Heal's is an exclusive and distinctive range of furniture. The line reflects both the designer’s work and Heal's core values. The dining room furniture is crafted out of solid American black walnut.

Everything on that picture, including the doormat, are exclusive to the UK retailer Heal’s. Coincidence: This dining room furniture line is a favorite of Living etc, my all-time favorite magazine.

Categories: HOME + GARDEN  KITCHEN design 

+ I always wanted a tree coat rack. I enjoy the narrowest of this black-finished hardwood tree coat rack available at West Elm. Via I Heart Luxe

+ Willow by W2 tea set is so adorable. I want one. A special offer set brings you the milk and sugar set, a large teapot with 4 teacups and 4 dessert plates for £100. Via Wee Birdy

Categories: HOME decor  HOLIDAY entertaining  ENTERTAINING 

Two more gift ideas for wine lovers.

A magenta ice cooler feels like bringing the Pantone colors at your table. Designed in 2007 by Archikò, Alavin aerates and cools wines and beverages in a kit. You place ice cubes or crushed ices inside the colored base. If you drink red wines, use only the carafe.

An earlier creation by Archikò is Vinocchio. You can feel the same influence executed in a more masculine vibe. Features include a slanted non-drip spout and a decanter that sits nicely in the hand or on the deep bottom acrylic base.

I did not find retailers in North America. So if you know one retailer which carries the Italesse decanters, feel free to contact me.

Categories: TABLEWARE  GIFT IDEAS  GIFTS for him 

The French always have a Je-ne-sais-quoi when it comes to food. You can see it as its best with the photos from the Spring 2008 catalogue of upscale caterer Dalloyau located in Paris.

These dishes are a real treat for all the senses. I picked the vegetable garden Saint-Honoré a tray of canapés. These are not cheap. Budget about $4.25 USD per one-bite appetizer as 16 hors d'oeuvres dressed on a tray cost 55 Euros.  These stunning appetizers qualify for butler passed hors d'oeuvres.

Categories: FOOD + drinks  FORMAL entertaining  ENTERTAINING 

I gathered classic recipes with a twist on the ingredients or the food presentation. Enjoy!

+ A Butternut Squash-Tangerine Soup with pistachio gremolata appealed to my senses. The tangerine juice adds a brightness of flavor to the butternut soup. The pistachio gremolata garnish looks and must taste amazing. Thanks to Cathy of Noble Pig for preparing this appetizing butternut soup.

+ I cannot recall when I last ate Duchess potatoes. This classic dish can regain its lost glory when served in individual ramekins. I usually sprinkle the paprika. The light brushing technique is something to try. Via The Well Seasoned Cook.

Categories: FOOD + drinks  HOLIDAY entertaining  DINING 

A quick note to say that I recommend that you get both the November and the December issues at Canada’s Style At Home magazine. They are full of practical tips and inspirations for easy and elegant entertaining.

You can buy the November 2008 issue online for $5.50 CAD. The December 2008 issue is still available at the newsstands.

Categories: HOME decor  HOLIDAY decorations 

More gift ideas for the Holiday season. This time, I celebrate the beautiful creativity of Finnish design.

Susanna Hoikkala and Jenni Ojala designed Oma, a white ceramic lemon squeezer that you can bring to the table. You pour the juice from the small opening. This 2002 design kept its charm.

Get it Rare Device or Nest Living. Rare Device only has two in stock. Nest Living has Free shipping until December 31, 2008. The black ceramic Oma costs $10 more.

More Gift Ideas

Categories: ALL occasions  TABLEWARE  DINING 

I introduced this innovative Dutch hotel last spring. I definitively plan to stay there one day.

citizenM is an innovative, contemporary hotel for the cost conscious traveler. The first hotel is located at Amsterdam Airport. The second citizenM hotel is under construction already and will open shortly near Amsterdam's World Trade Centre.

citizenM keeps accumulating awards. Last year, they won a Worldwide Hospitality Award for Best Innovative Hotel Concept. Philips fills the room with technological innovations as you can see in this video report by Megawhat.tv on YouTube.

About The European Hotel Design Award of the Year

Sleeper Magazine presented the award event on Thursday, 6 November 2008. The European Hotel Design Awards is the premier celebration of outstanding innovations in the hospitality industry and hotel design in Europe.

Categories: TRAVEL 

Brands invent all sorts of wine gadgets to enhance the taste of young wines. After the carafe and the aerator comes to specialized wine glass.

Leave it to the French to invent the concept. The airing surface is designed to stimulate the development of the aroma.

So far, I only saw the Luminarc’s young wine glasses at La Redoute, a French retail chain. Times will tell if it is a start of a trend or simply a marketing idea.

The four glasses at the top are the traditional wine glasses. You can see that the shape of the glass for young wines is quite different.

MORE:
+ Vinery collection by Luminarc – text in French

Categories: TABLEWARE  DINING 

When we travel, it is best to know the places where the residents hang out. I asked Jaime of It's A Jaime Thing to tell us about her favorites places in Chicago. She has been more than generous by sharing her number one places.

At Home with Kim Vallee (AHWKV): What are your favorite home decor shops?

Jaime: I'm a Target girl. Other favorites of mine are Crate & Barrel, Z Gallerie, West Elm, Pier 1 Imports, World Market, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Hobby Lobby.

Categories: TRAVEL 

Recall the Sunflower bridal shower with the tiki bar that I spotlighted this summer, today’s interview is with the talented blogger who designed that event.

Jaime is a happy housewife hoping to become one day a domestic goddess. When I asked her to talk about herself Jaime told me that she was very blessed to have a husband who supports her love for weddings and blogging. So you could say her day job consists of blogging full time and planning weddings and events for friends and family.  She can't get enough of it! I can rely to that.

Let's start with the interview about her blog and her tips for home parties.

At Home with Kim Vallee (AHWKV): When and how did you get into blogging?

Jaime: The wedding obsession started after I planned our own wedding back in 2003. After our wedding, I didn't want to stop planning; I enjoyed it too much! I think it might be because I've always loved being "artsy crafty", so our wedding just inspired me to use that love in a way to help others plan. Oh, how I do love it!

Categories: ENTERTAINING  EVENT planning 

We are moving to a new office space in two weeks. This explains why I have been less active on my blog as I am dealing with suppliers and must coordinate the work to be done before the move.

The painters are scheduled for Monday. Our office space is basically a large rectangle. The front, open space room plus a closed office at the back. There is a closed room with no window that will be use for storage.

This is the office of the Web development company of my husband and I. The closed office will be my husband’s office. I will have a desk on his office for when I stop by the office. Since I became a full-time blogger, I work most of the time from my home office.

Let have a look at the colors. The closed office gets lots of sunshine. The main front room only gets artificial lights. I choose colors from Benjamin Moore. It is funny. I did not find any office on Personal Colour Viewer of Benjamin Moore. I selected:

• Tear drop blue 2050-60 (pale) for the main room walls
• Blue Lake 2053-40 for the sunny closed office and the back wall of the main room
• Cream silk 2146-60 on all ceiling
• Red Tulip 2146-60 for the two doors and door trims

Categories: HOME decor  HOME + GARDEN 

I like to stock greeting cards and note cards so I do not have to rush to the store when I need them.

A few months ago, I noticed that most cards I buy are suited for women. Since then I try to find more cards suitable for men. But the choices of amazing masculine cards are scarce. That is why I was happy when Kara Magrin of Thoughtful Gent introduced me to her latest venture, ManCards.

The Concept

Kara launched Thoughtful Gent because she saw the same hole in the card market as she searched for note cards for her husband. I received my sample box. It is well done and beautifully presented. If you are in a hurry, you can simply tie a ribbon with a tag instead of gift-wrapping the box.

The tin box packaging extends the man touch. It is also practical since the tin box makes a catchall afterwards. I recommend ManCards for the men in your life: lovers, brothers, fathers, and colleagues. The note cards would make unique gift stuffers this Christmas.

Card Etiquette

ManCards strives to encourage thoughtful notes written by men. They are ideal for women to send to men. My rule of thumb is to select a card that fits the recipient for birthdays, anniversaries and other life events. Otherwise, the cards should reflect the person who writes it.

Categories: PAPER goods  GIFT IDEAS  GIFTS for him 

If you need to find art pieces to ornate your house, Fine Art America proposes a vast selection at affordable prices. The styles and subjects are diverse.

Holly Kempe captured Pour Me a Rainbow. You can buy it as a paper photo, on canvas. You can get it ready to hand on a stretched canvas or a frame.

An artistic feeling can also emerge from clever and neat storage. At her last party, my friend Renee of En Direct des Iles took these pictures of her storage bottles for me. Recycling old-fashioned bottles to store fresh beans, lentils and pasta is a smart idea. Renee did an excellent job at repurposing everyday items with style. This is green living at its best.

Categories: HOME decor  GIFT IDEAS  GIFTS for him 

These links will help you to be ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

+ Encourage artists and small card makers this Holiday season by buying your Christmas cards on etsy. The owls of Magnolia Moonlight are simply adorable and express warm feelings. They are the design of Christina Flowers. Via Poppytalk

+ Finish the weekend in style by serving a memorable Brunch. Serve a homemade Brioche with Burnt Milk Ice Cream. Take clues from the way Aran wraps the brick brioche. Via Cannelle et Vanille (by the way, cinnamon and vanilla are two of my favorite spices)

Categories: PAPER goods  HOLIDAY entertaining  ENTERTAINING