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cooking with kimmy – #1 – shrimp risotto + all clad

I’m excited to debut a new set of blogs and a new phase in my life – healthy cooking.  While that doesn’t seem like a huge challenge, I do have a couple of hurdles to overcome…

One, I don’t really know how to cook.  My mom, God love her, can’t cook her way out of an Easy Bake Oven.  I’ve inherited a lot of great traits from her but skills in the kitchen were not up for grabs!  I’m good at following recipes to family dishes but they aren’t necessarily healthy and often require cans of Campbell’s soup.  What I am eager to learn is how to cook with raw ingredients from the farmer’s market.  I’m not very confident at the market and I want to learn more about these “foreign objects” and how to create wonderful dishes on the fly.  (Note: I secretly like to imagine myself as a Parisian woman shopping at the market in heels and a beautiful hat, flirting for deals on produce, mais oui!)

Ahh...the French Skillet from All-Clad!

My second hurdle is not having a well-stocked kitchen.  Until a month ago, I had very primitive tools and usually only cooked substantial meals at my parent’s house on the weekends.  I have since invested in some key pieces to round out my kitchen tools and I’m very excited to use one of them for the first time tonight!  My All-Clad French Skillet which is so beautiful and gleaming and already makes my little apartment kitchen look that much more “professional”!

Of course, there are other obstacles but I’ve just have to dive in and start tackling recipes!  I’ve also purchased a few new cookbooks geared towards healthy & seasonal eating with easy prep.  I’m going to challenge myself to make one new dish a week to broaden my skills and try new things.  I hope that making a blog out of it will keep me from straying too far from my goals.

Tonight, I started with a shrimp, basil & spinach risotto from Williams-Sonoma’s New Healthy Kitchen cookbook.  I LOVE risotto and I’ve never made it before.  I must say, it was pretty easy thanks to my new skillet and it tasted super yummy!  Here are a few photos from my inaugural outing!

Stay tuned for more adventures coming soon!

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office makeover…part 1 – ideas and organization

So, recently I have fallen out of love with my office space.  I am running out of usable space to work and would love to move to a bigger space but that is not in the cards at the moment.  Add to that, it seems like a ton of designers have recently updated their offices and I am bombarded with beautiful inspiring spaces on a weekly basis.  No sense fretting over it…instead, I will dream up ways to transform my existing space!

P.S. I kind of think that my frustration with my office is because I am super busy with work and it is an unnecessary distraction to daydream about an organized and inspiring space…

First, here are a few spaces which get me inspired and anxious to be creative!

Love the windows & crisp color palette!
I like the eclectic and functional feel of this space.
Multi-functional yet bright and open!

Since my office also doubles as my dining room, I need to consider dining seating.  I love this photo and I already have this table!

Love the floor mirror and the soft blue/grey of the chairs!

I have been scouring Craig’s List and finally came across these super cheap chairs that I will refinish for my office/dining room.  See my colorful inspiration photos below…

Definitely in need of some TLC...

Now, these are my before and in progress shots…

I moved my desk in front of the window, feels more open and kind of like Sex & the City!
I've started to accumulate more stuff that doesn't fit anywhere...
I ordered a matching desk which works as my new credenza! Yeah!
Much more organized but it needs color!

Stay tuned for progress updates!

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Kimberly Designs Outdoor Centerpieces on Great Day St. Louis!

I’m so honored to have been chosen to appear on Great Day St. Louis this morning!  Very fun experience indeed!

Thank you very much to Victoria and the rest of the Great Day team for making me feel welcome!

Also, thank you to Pottery Barn at Plaza Frontenac for lending me the goodies!

 

If the video doesn’t appear, click here.

I can give you more pointers at one of the decorating classes I teach at Pottery Barn.  Lots of great tips and hands-on advice from me and wonderful associates at the store!

Check their event calendar to get info and sign up!

 

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Decorating Idea: Outdoor Centerpiece Chic

Happy Almost Summer!  Are you ready to brave the heat and entertain friends and neighbors outdoors?

Some of you may know that I teach decorating classes at Pottery Barn a couple Sunday’s a month.  Luckily, they let me exercise my creativity and pull together some of my own ideas for the class.  Here’s a simple centerpiece idea I created using flameless candles, recycled glass candleholders and succulents.  It turned out very organic and natural if I may say so myself :)

outdoor centerpiece i created at pottery barn

One of the reasons this works is it is very neutral and would fit in with almost any decor or color scheme.  Another tip is to let one thing “shine” through in your design.  In this case, it is the candles.  When entertaining, especially at night, lighting can make or break your dinner party.  Too much and it doesn’t feel intimate, too little and it is hard to see your guests!  One of the things I love about flameless candles is their ability to flicker and “dance” like natural candlelight without the hazards.  Bonus: most flameless candles have a timer built-in.  Which means if you want your candles to come on every night at 5:00 and turn off at 10:00, you can make it happen!

Hope this idea sparks your creativity, too.  I would love to help with your decorating challenges!  Please email me with ideas or spaces you would like me to address.

Thanks & Happy Decorating!