Newsletter Archive

The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle. (formerly Mummy’s Monday Manners) Timeless “white” paint colors and other paint tips! There are a myriad of “white” paint color options.  It can be a daunting task to choose the appropriate “white” for various interior applications, wouldn’t you agree?! “White” paints can have hidden undertones, which tend to be either cold or warm.  I believe that the best way to accurately see the complexity of the white color you have chosen is to place your color swatch on a piece of white paper.  It will reveal its true color right before your eyes. Over and over, I am asked to divulge my “go-to” white paint color for wood trim, walls, and ceilings.  Today, I am delighted to share my favorite, tried and true white colors with you! But first, let me share with you why I specify Benjamin

The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle. (formerly Mummy’s Monday Manners) A Well-Appointed Guest Bathroom, The Essential List! So, you have houseguests coming! Your Guest Bedroom is now well-appointed with your list of essential accouterments. So, now… how well-prepared is your Guest bathroom? And while you are not trying to be a 5-star hotel, you do want your guests to feel comfortable, relaxed, and attended to! So, prepare in advance and place these few thoughtful items in your Guest Bathroom. Your houseguests will appreciate your kind attentiveness. Assemble a little “guest bathroom basket” under the sink, or place it in a drawer or the guest bedroom closet. Fill it with items they may have forgotten or appurtenances that they may suddenly discover they need. This extra effort will create a sense of relief for your houseguests because once they find it, they do not

The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle. (formerly Mummy’s Monday Manners) The essential list for a well-appointed guest room! Before you know it, the holidays will be here and your houseguests and family will gleefully arrive!  After a year’s hiatus of no houseguests due to Covid times, it may be prudent to ask yourself, “How well-appointed is my guest room… and what else is needed?!” The perfect way to find out what is missing is to spend one night in the guest bedroom and roleplay yourself as the guest.  Then, you will truly discover firsthand what is needed. A very considerate detail to provide, which is often neglected, is one or two luggage racks in each guest room.  And no, they are not just for hotels…they are a welcomed addition for your guests who will be living out of their suitcases during their stay!  Luggage racks

The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle. (formerly Mummy’s Monday Manners) The world’s BEST dog training technique: “The Holly-Jingle!” Lovely living encompasses many aspects of a gracious lifestyle, which also includes a well-behaved dog! Our precious pup, Miss Zsa Zsa (as in Gabor) is a two-year-old, English Jack Russell Terrier (our fourth one). She is a little darling, albeit, a rambunctious “terror”… aka for “terrier!”  Zsa Zsa has been far from well behaved!  Being a “covid time” puppy, she lacked socialization with other dogs.  So, when I began walking her in Palm Beach, she went into a feisty attack mode, barking and growling when she spied another dog…. terribly embarrassing! The “Holly-Jingle” is my dog training technique.  It works like a CHARM!  It’s simple, it’s humane, and my training device discreetly fits into my pocket, even my petite-sized handbags.  I made a video with Zsa Zsa

The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle. (formerly Mummy’s Monday Manners) A secret to transforming mundane, brown furniture! Do you have any “brown furniture” that you consider to be rather mundane? Or, have you inherited a piece of furniture that has sentimental meaning to you but is humdrum? What about furniture that is not pretty enough to be in your house, but instead, remains quietly sequestered in the garage or basement? The above is what I refer to as the “Cinderella” pieces, or those that await a magic wand to transform their beauty into showstopper caliber. Want a wand? Well, do I have THE magic wand for you: lacquer paint! Lacquer paint can immediately revamp any piece of wood furniture, even kitchen cabinets, by instantly enhancing their outer beauty… and no glass slippers are required! Lacquer is thin but stronger than paint.  It is

The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle. (formerly Mummy’s Monday Manners) Monograms on sheets! Who doesn’t adore beautiful bed linens?!  Seeing and feeling crisply ironed sheets instantly brings back memories of various beloved venues, the way a scent or sound will trigger feelings from the past.  I vividly remember flying to London with our eldest daughter, Alexandra, then age ten.  We were invited to stay at a relative’s elegant London townhouse, replete with a driver and a “Roller” (aka Rolls Royce).  We were both exhausted from the overnight journey and climbed into our twin beds. The faint scent of lavender on the beautifully ironed and magnificently monogrammed sheets gently swaddled us… and instantly, we experienced “sweet dreams and a slice of heaven!”  That experience made an impression on me and how important it is to pay attention to guest room sheets.  Well, all bedrooms,