Monday, January 25, 2010

An Elegant Lunch in a Beautiful Home



As promised...here are a few pictures of the lovely home where Charlotte Lyons arranged for us to have lunch on Saturday.
It is the spectacular home of her brilliant friend Suzanne, who is a caterer and clearly a talented decorator....



The home sits high on the hill overlooking the Hudson River...
I wished that I had asked more questions about its history...Charlotte did tell us that Suzanne and her husband put a lot of work into restoring this grand old home to its former glory.



It boasts beautiful spacious porches...
(love the pale blue ceiling...)



Walking through the front door we found ourselves in a huge foyer...with a staircase at the far end. (Please forgive these less that perfect pictures!)



Looking back to the massive double door we just entered and the window seat where our purses were piled...



The beautiful mobile was made by Suzanne's husband with found driftwood...



There was a lovely organic and natural feel to Suzanne's decorating...



This fireplace is in the huge foyer as well. Originally the paneled walls were dark wood but I think it all looks beautiful painted white...Notice the detail in the ceiling...there is fabulous detail in the woodwork and moldings throughout...



This is one of the beautiful parlors off the foyer...
... It is decorated in creamy whites with a touch of lavender...



The window seat in this parlor looks out over the porch and the grounds...
... with the Hudson River down below...



A beautiful collection of amethyst colored glass bottles and coral...
...the river is reflected in the glass protecting the framed map...






The parlor on the opposite side of the foyer was also filled with objects from nature...seashells and an artful arrangement of fungi and driftwood on the mantel...
...beautiful paintings...







This elegant and gracious home is welcoming and comfortable...



The dining room was bright and sunny ....with another lovely tiled fireplace....
(I counted 6 fireplaces on the main floor!)
The two tables were beautifully set with fresh flowers...





Suzanne made one of her signature dishes for us...Coronation Chicken! It had the most delicious sauce...and I hate to admit it but I had a second serving! She served it with a salad composed of hydroponic watercress, frisee, organic radishes and Persian cucumbers in buttermilk chive dressing. Delicious! A side dish of couscous mixed with saffron, toasted almonds and golden raisins completed the menu along with fresh warm rolls...



An eye for details and a love of nature....
...notice the butterfly on the crisp linen napkins tied with brown and cream grosgrain ribbon...



Dessert was a scrumptious red velvet cupcake with a cream cheese and butter frosting.

So, you can clearly see that we were treated royally and that not only did we have a wonderful time crafting and enjoying each other's company but we were able to do so in two beautiful and gracious old homes.

Thank you Charlotte, Jane and Suzanne for your gracious hospitality!

41 comments:

north pal said...

oh that was so pleasant. thank you for the tour. everything was so grascious and beautiful. how pleasant. Bestest,Denise

*The Beautiful Life* said...

Oh wow.... Sooo beautiful, Laura! What a home! It is elegant yet welcoming -- stately, yet warm. Love it.

Hoping you are well!! :)

Ruth

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Such a lovely home- beautiful collections and architectural details!

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Oh Laura,
What a beautiful house. I think that I could fit the whole of my ground floor in the porch and foyer !! Is this the size of most people's houses in the area ? It's gorgeous. The front door and the windows are wonderful, I love her little touches too. The aqua/green pots and the lavender glass. I would eat my own liver with a rusty spoon, if it meant that I could have six fireplaces downstairs!!!! We have four and I thought I was lucky to have them !!
But, there is one thing that I can do. I have been making Coronation Chicken for years, although, I just have a feeling that Suzanne's would be just that bit tastier than mine !!
I would have paid to go on that course just for the lunch and a look at that fine home !! XXXX

Andrea said...

Breathtaking! Thank you for sharing these beatuiful pictures!
Andrea

Glenda/MidSouth said...

What a beautiful home! Thanks for sharing your photos.

Florence said...

Thank you for sharing, I loved all the shells and driftwood, I could almost feel like I was there. Florence

Vicki/Jake said...

Lucky you, and us, for seeing this awesome home!

GardenOfDaisies said...

So pretty!! I really love that big porch! And all the paneling . And the fireplace surround... And.......

Sea Witch said...

What a lovely home. Thank you for sharing this will all of your readers.

Unknown said...

...I adore older homes! So much life has been lived within those walls!! What a wonderful afternoon it must have been and oh how I miss a wood burning fireplace, let alone 6 of them!! Thanks for giving us a tour ~ xo

CarLe Etc. said...

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing...I have just found your Blog and glad I did...
Blessings...
Carolyn

pam q said...

I was anxious to see these pictures and they didn't disappoint!

Especially love those amethyst bottles!

A country bumpkin such as myself wouldn't know what to do with all that fancy food.....

But I would know what to do with that cupcake!

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

What a wonderful place to spend the day. Lovely home, delicious menu items and crafting with talented and creative women. What more could a girl ask for? Those amethyst bottles are gorgeous. Amethyst is my birthstone. I don't think I've ever seen bottles in that shade before. Love all the natural elements of decorating. Thanks for taking us on a lovely tour. Blessings, Tammy

City Hen said...

What a great day you had! Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Rhonda

Chemin des Muguets said...

Laura,

What a gracious home, and the decoration is beautifully unique. And such a yummy meal. You live right girl.

Marjorie

miniacollection said...

What a dream house ! Thank you for sharing the photos with us. I love the decoration in the house.
Geneviève

sylvia said...

oh my goodness...next time I will join you!! this is heavenly!

manon 21 said...

Pour moi c'est tout l'Amérique dans ces maisons.
De beaux souvenirs de mes amis de ce continent que j'aime.

merci Laura

Amitiés

manon

LiLi M. said...

..and thank you Laura, for showing us this beautiful and beautifully decorated home!

Maryann said...

Dear Laura,
I have just finished reading your whole blog, so now I feel like I can post a message. :) I'm sure you have heard this over and over, but here it is again: you have a great eye for display and are a very good photographer. Thank you for sharing your lovely possessions in such beautiful ways! I have enjoyed the journey greatly!
Hugs,
Maryann

lottens vita och gröna said...

hallo laura, i have neve seen such a lovely house, what a porch woooow it´s beautiful, take care!
warmhug lotten

Theresa said...

Be still, my heart... GORGEOUS! I love every inch of this beautiful home and it is decorated just perfectly. Thanks for sharing this special day with me!

cheryl kuhn said...

Wow,how lucky you were to spend time in such a beautiful home, thanks so much for sharing it with us!

Zita - Mlle Magpie said...

Suzanne's home is absolutely gorgeous!

Cathrines Kreative Hjørne said...

This was indeed a lovely home with SO many great details! Thank you so much for showing it to us!

Hugs,
Cathrine :-)

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Hello Laura

A very elegant house indeed! All that space, how wonderful. I love my cottage but it is a bit on the cosy side.

I like the front door letting all that light in.

Warm wishes
Isabelle x

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Dear Laura
When you take photos for us, you really take photos.. This home is incredible. It is truly a home, more than a house and I would kill for just one of those fireplaces [sorry i draw the line at eating my own liver].

Thanks for popping over to wish me a Happy Australia Day.. how sweet you are.. I just got back from the fireworks so sort of hoping there might be a few shots.. My arms are permanently stuck over my head from taking photos in the crowd.. but it was a fun evening..
Glad you liked the cockatoo .. crazy little critters.. haha Catch you soon. xx Julie

Mayflower said...

Hello Laura, thanks for the wonderful tour, what a beautiful house, my dreamhouse.
Warm regards, Mea

Anonymous said...

Tu Blog es muy hermoso, es agradable pasear por el.
Con tu permiso, lo he puesto en mi pagina, entre mis Blogg favoritos.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely place to have your class! I love the framed map and the amethyst bottles.

--Vicki K.

Lululiz said...

What a beautiful, elegant and warm home. Thank you for sharing it with us and posting all those lovely photos.

Carole said...

What a dream of a house. The wood detail alone I would give my teeth for...but then that wouldn't be a good exchange:))for them. The light that pours into the rooms is wonderful. It sounds like the class was worth every penny!
I'm so happy you had a great time!
xx.....Carole

free font said...

your house looks beautiful

Unknown said...

Oh my that is a BEAUTIFUL home!!! You must've felt very special to get to lunch in such a grand place!!!

:) T

Anonymous said...

I love tours. Thank you for taking us with you. :)

BonjourRomance said...

Bonjour Laura,
What a beautiful home, the foyer is so inviting. Thank you for the tour - wish I could have a taste of that red velvet cupcake.
Have a great week!

Lori said...

The porch was love at first site and then you took me inside....wow! What a beautiful place ~ I absolutely love it all! Thank you so much for sharing.

Gidget said...

This house is absolutly breath taking!!!!! What a beautiful home and a beautiful view.... Thank you for sharing... :)

r4 nintendo ds said...

Wow… this looks like a really cool house. The architecture in this space is beautiful and the floors are as well. Thanks for such nice pictures.

Anonymous said...

nice!