Styled and Savored #002
Your weekly curated guide to great finds that make your home life easier, fuller, richer, and happier.
BRRRRRRR!!!!! Christmas might be behind us, but in case you hadn’t noticed, baby, it’s cold outside!
Along the Nature Coast in beautiful Citrus County, Florida, where the Homes by AnnDavid global headquarters is based, we missed the snow that other parts of the Sunshine State received this week, but we’re still immersed in the chill and our teeth are still chattering.
The mercury dipped into the mid-30s, and before any of our fans from up north start poking fun, those temperatures are pretty much unbearable for those of us native Floridians with thin blood, so cut us some slack as we try to thaw out from this unusual winter deep freeze.
One good thing about all this cold weather is the chance to cook up some hearty, warm comfort food. You know the kind I mean – a nice pot of stew or chili sounds pretty good right about now. If you’re feeling that vibe too, then you’re in luck because we combed through our favorite cooking sites and found a treasure trove of tasty “stew” recipes that will have your insides warm and toasty in no time.
If you’re not already a fan of Serious Eats, you need to run to the nearest browser and look them up. Start with their top 10 beef stew recipes, and you’ll be hooked on their site in no time.
To be fair, the title of the article is a little misleading since not everything on the list is the traditional version of beef stew, though they do have three good representations in that category including a beef bourguignon, a Guinness beef stew, and a good ol’ American beef stew. Their top ten also includes chilis, Jamaican oxtail stew, a Hungarian beef goulash, and a Nigerian pepperpot, so there’s a lot of international flair as well.
Choose your favorite recipe, throw the ingredients together in a nice big pot, and curl up with a heaping bowl of goodness under a blanket by a fire and get warmed up.
Bathroom remodeling trends – the secret to boosting your home’s value
© Builder Boy
If you’re looking to take on a project that can really boost the value of your home, the Builder Boy blog has some thoughts on the subject. They suggest updating that outdated bathroom with some more modern trends because it’s something today’s buyers prioritize when house hunting, which means you can get the most bang for your renovation dollars if you’re thinking of selling your home in the near future.
The hottest trends in bathroom design create a sense of luxury making the space a private oasis. Natural stone finishes, smart mirrors with built-in lighting and anti-fog features, rain shower heads, and underfloor heating are among updates they suggest. I know having some toasty bathroom floors to stroll around on sound pretty good right about now.
Valentine’s Day home decor
February 14th is almost upon us, and we have some suggestions for how to spruce up your living space with a few Valentine-themed home decor items. These pieces will help St. Valentine spread the love to family and friends and give everyone the warm fuzzies.
Love-themed throw pillow covers
These machine-washable pillow covers are ideal for use in living rooms on sofas, couches, and chairs, or in bedrooms, offices, etc. You’ll need to purchase some pillow inserts for these, but the hidden zipper opening makes it easy to insert or remove the inserts as needed. Available on Amazon for $20.99.
Wooden retro candy hearts
Bring a sense of nostalgia to your home with these wooden Valentine candy hearts. Sold in a pack of six with phrases like “Be mine”, “Sweet Heart”, and “Kiss Me”, these cute decorations will warm anyone’s heart for the holiday. They’re designed to stand up on their own and are ideal for decorating tables, shelves, mantels, or whatever your heart desires. Available on Amazon for $12.99.
Heart-themed table runner
With vibrant colors and a unique pattern, this heart-themed table runner adds a lovely touch to any table. Offered in seven different sizes and three different colors these runners can be washed in the washing machine and dried by laying flat. Available on Amazon for $12.99. Prices vary depending on size selected.
Heart-checked throw/blanket
If you want to snuggle up and get cozy with your better half, this blanket adds a sophisticated touch to any room. A must-have for chilly nights, the throw is available in a range of sizes and colors. Available on Amazon for $18.99.
Getting organized
January is almost over, and before you know it Spring will be here. That means decluttering and getting things organized. We’ll have more on that topic as we get closer to Spring (right now we’re just dreaming of warmer temperatures), but the good folks over at the home improvement blog Yellow Brick Home already have an eye on organization with a selection cool baskets to help keep things tidy.
© Yellow Brick Home
Baskets are great because they’re so practical. They work inside or outside, and the texture and material add a nice warm, natural element to the space.
The baskets they’re featuring come in a range of sizes and prices (big baskets can get expensive, but they have several choices that will work with even the stingiest budgets), so go give them a look-see and scratch your organization itch.
That’s it for this week, kids. We hope you’re enjoying this new weekly feature. If you feel inclined, leave us a comment and let us know what topics you’d like to see us feature in upcoming digests, and thanks for reading.
Stay warm!
