Vicki and Sloan introduce this season
Inside the Dream Home
Vicki and Sloan begin their journey decorating the Susan G Komen for the Cure Charlotte Affiliate show house. They introduce you to the builder Eric Johnson and we get our first tour of the home.
Raised Flower Bed Gardening
Billy Styles and Sloan show us how to correctly drain and plant in a raised accent flower bed. Installing a rubber membrane lining and drains in the bed will protect the home from any water damage. If you don’t already have a drain you can drill a whole with a concrete bit and use pvc pipe and a screen to make your own. Using a potting pot allows you to easily change your plant from season to season. Place plants that will fit comfortably under your window to cut down on pruning. Make note of the rising and setting of the sun before you do any gardening.
Outdoor Décor
Vicki spices up the homes curb appeal with metal accessories from Garden Ridge. Positioning of a wall hanging is crucial, make sure to center your pieces. Apply a lacquer to keep your outdoor frills from rusting. Adding an artificial plant will bring a pop of color with virtually no maintenance. If you want to add fresh seasonal flowers caulk your planter with a clear silicone.
Hanging Planter
Vicki plants and hangs a planter with black pepper, white pansies, and rosemary by the side door of the house. Pepper and rosemary plants are decorative and convenient for cooking.
Housing Permits
Sloan and Eric Johnson discuss the many permits needed to build a home.
Hello Everyone! Take a look at my first blog!
I’ve been in love with dishes since my Aunt Louise gave me my first tea set when I was six years old. I still have it as well as 20 to30 other sets of dishes that I’ve been collecting over the years. Most are antique sets. I love knowing that these dishes have graces the tables of generations of families. I keep that tradition going by using all my dishes as often as possible. I don’t believe in putting them away and saving them for special occasions.
Three years ago I planted wisteria vines from Charleston, South Carolina on my backyard pergola. This spring the vines exploded with thousands of magnificent purple flower clusters. The view on the patio was too stunning for just my husband, Chris and I to enjoy alone. It had to be shared. It also inspired me to bring out one of my favorite sets of dishes.
an antique English china set that I bought at the antique market 10 years ago. They feature wisteria blooms and a gentle fluted edging. Great weather, a beautiful setting and the perfect dishes prompted me to host a Sunday afternoon luncheon for some of my favorite girlfriends.
I sent off an E-vite. (If you haven’t used these yet…..check out our tip of the week.)
I couldn’t resist setting a dress code…”show-up sporting your favorite spring hat!” Of course if you knew my friends then you’d know they are going to show up in some pretty crazy bonnets. But that’s what makes them so much fun.
I love to give parties but I don’t have time to spend hours cooking. So I made it easy on myself and asked everyone to bring a summer dish to share. I made gazpacho. Which worked out perfect since this set of dishes had matching bowls. Remember it’s all about the dishes!!
Here’s the recipe it turned out great! (I added hot sauce to the leftovers and served it with chips the next day)
Ingredients
- 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not over process!
After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.
My friends’ food was equally as impressive. As always, there was way to much! But there is always room for desert. I kept that simple, light and airy just like the weather, lemon sherbet serviced in antique cocktail glasses with a touch of mint from my garden. See this weeks tip on other great uses for mint!
The party started at 2:00pm and everyone brought a great bottle of wine. We had a great time just eating, laughing, drinking and enjoying the party until way after dark.
It was a wonderful way to kick off the season and share time together. You don’t have to have great dishes or blooming wisteria to inspire a party. Your girlfriends are reason enough!
I have looked everywhere for the wall planter you used on each side of the door on the outside of the house. They are apparently from Ames which directed me to Planter.com but to no avail.
I have watched a few of the episodes ahead and can also not find the plastic wicker look planters used on the porch.
Any help available?
I love the show,
Marilyn Bronson
Hi, I love the bulletin board you made in the daughter’s room..but for some reason I can’t find a listing here of the product you used. would you please let me know what the newspaper/wood/cardboard product is!!!
Love the show!
Thanks Margaret
Hi,
I loved incorporating the sheet music into the walls of the music room. I was dissapointed you didn’t show how to do that. I would love to on some walls here. My family is really into music.
Thanks,
Lara
I love the chairs in (I think) the living room … white cushion, looks like burlap fabric up the sides? looks like old chairs redone? Is there a picture available or info if they’re new chairs?
I watch the show on PBS in Michigan as many Saturday mornings as I can.
Thanks ever so.
I would like to know the manufacturer of the dining room chandelier used in your featured Dream Home. Please email me the info and could you please tell me where in this site I can find info on products used in your shows?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sally
Good afternoon, Sally.
The crystal chandelier is from Currey & Company (www.curreycodealers.com). Thank you for watching our program and please let us know if you have any questions!
Good afternoon, Lee Ann.
The chairs are “Hanna Chairs” from Oly Studio (www.olystudio.com). Thank you for watching the program and for your question!
Good afternoon, Marilyn.
The set of three planters are available through Palecek (www.palecek.com). The wall planters are available through Garden Ridge (www.gardenridge.com). Thank you for your question and for watching our program.
Good morning, Margaret.
Please find instructions for this project below. Thank you for your question and for watching the show!
Bulletin Board
A cheap and easy way to contribute some color to the room along with some function is to make your own bulletin board.
Supplies Needed:
Frame (Find one you like at any discount store)
Homasote
Fabric (should be 2” longer around than board)
Quilt Batting
Staple Gun
Staples
6” of wire
Electrical tape (at least 1” wide)
Standard Picture Hangers
Hammer
Decorative Border (optional)
Scissors
Directions:
1. Gather all your materials. First purchase your frame and then you can work around that piece. You can find a frame at any craft or décor store, the size of the frame is completely up to you. Next, purchase homasote at your local lumber yard, have them cut your piece there. It should ¼” less than the outside of your frame.
2. Measure out your batting to be the same size as your homasote. Your fabric should be 3” longer all the way around than your homasote. Tip: Measure Twice, Cut Once!
3. Lay your fabric with the finished side facing your work surface. Place batting on top of that. Make sure your fabric is lying flat underneath the board and pull it up over the batting and homasote. While holding the fabric in place use a staple gun and place staples about an inch apart from each other all the way down the board. Wear safety glasses!
4. When you have completed one side flip the board around fold the next length of fabric over the piece and put several staples in, to secure it in the corner. Be checking the fabric for wrinkling. Continue until your fabric is secured to the homasote.
5. Then using thick black electrical tape mount the frame to your bulletin board.
6. Attach wire to the back of the frame using the staple gun, making the bulletin board simple to hang. The wire should not be pulled tight but leave room for the frame to hang. Then simply secure a hanger (or 2 depending on the size of the bulletin board) onto your wall and hang the wire from the bulletin board.
Tip: This is a fun project, so don’t worry too much about particulars…Just make it work!
Good morning, Lara.
The faux finisher responsible for that look was Bob Nulf. You may contact him directly at 704-763-8001 to ask for directions. Please be sure to catch the new season of FYH for some more incredible faux finishers! Thank you for your question and for watching the show.