Martha Stewart Weddings - Summer, 2016

The summer issue of Martha Stewart Weddings is on stands this week and it promises to be an excellent one. It's been awhile since the magazine has had a cake on the cover and I love this one - "naked cake", which is a growing trend at weddings, reveals the actual cake layers without a lot of fondant or icing. The one on the cover has layers of coloured cakes with minimal icing designs. It looks like a beautiful issue and I can't wait to see it! Click here to read more about it.

Martha's New Outdoor Furniture Collections

I've always had a special place in my heart for Martha's outdoor furniture lines. Ever since my parents bought one of her patio sets from the Martha Stewart Everyday line many years ago, I've been a fan of Martha's unique take on outdoor furniture design. What I like about it is that it is different from just about everything else on the market, employing design elements that are inspired by Martha's own personal collections of outdoor furniture. Martha has a new series of four new collections at Home Decorators, a subsidiary of The Home Depot: Lake Adela, Blue Hill, Deer Isle and Calderwood. You can view all the details of the collections here, but I've compiled some examples below:

The Lake Adela collection is made with Cashmere Wicker, a manufactured material that is weather-resistant, durable and comfortable. It is the most extensive patio line with numerous dining and seating options available, including lounge chairs, benches and even a curved sectional sofa!

INSPIRATION: The collection is based on outdoor furniture that Martha uses at Skylands, her home in Maine.

The Deer Isle Dining Set, made of distressed eucalyptus wood, is perhaps my favourite. I love the graphic modernity of the set and the very linear structure.

This bench from the collection is featured in one of the stories in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.

INSPIRATION: Martha based the dining set on her own outdoor dining set at Skylands, shown above.

The Blue Hill collection is another favourite. It is made of eucalyptus wood treated in distressed grey to look weathered and has beautiful design features. The tabletop features diagonal slats pointing toward the center, while the chairs boast intriguing fretwork backs and slatted seats.

 This bench would be a nice addition to a front stoop or porch.

INSPIRATION: Once again, Martha based this collection on one from her private collection, shown here on the patio next to the Winter House in Bedford.

The Calderwood Collection is ideal for small outdoor spaces: a small patio or an apartment balcony. Made of treated eucalyptus wood, the table and the chairs can be folded down completely for easy storage.

So Many Copper Pots!

When Conan O'Brien visited Martha Stewart's Westport television studios in the early aughts, he was entranced by her collection of copper pots and jokingly asked Martha if she ever runs her hands lovingly through her hanging collection, marveling at their beauty. I would!

Those of us who have been following Martha for a couple of decades know about her affinity for copper cookware and her vast personal collection. I was very excited to learn that she recently designed a new set of copper cookware for the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's. Martha blogged about the set a few days ago and I was so happy to see such a complete set for such a reasonable price that I wanted to showcase it here. (Copper cookware will always be expensive, but look at it as an investment. It should last you for decades.) You can view the entire collection here.

The tri-ply 10-piece cookware set is for everyday use and was designed for lasting durability. Here are some of the features:

• Pure copper exterior for superior control over heat and cooking speeds
• Specially designed extra long handle for safety, balance, and ease of use
• Set includes:
• 8-qt. stockpot with lid
• 3-qt. saucepan with lid
• 2-qt. saucepan with lid
• 3.5-qt. sauté pan with lid
• 10" fry pan
• 8" fry pan
• Manufacturer's limited lifetime warranty
• Only at Macy's
• Tri-ply construction sandwiches an aluminum core between a copper exterior and a stainless steel interior
• Hand wash only
• Imported

 The handles on every pot are riveted for extra reinforcement and durability.

Using pegboard to display the collection is a very nice way to keep the set easily at hand.

The set would make an excellent wedding gift!

The June Issue

It is just May 1, but several readers of this blog received the June issue of Martha Stewart Living in their mailboxes over the weekend and excitedly shared the cover! June has been the annual "Food Issue" for a few years now, devoted to summer cooking and entertaining. I like the cover image. It is thoughtfully styled, something I know some of us have been missing on the covers of issues past. I'm excited about these "make and take" dishes on the cover. They'd make for some very envy-inducing work lunches! Also in the issue are guides to dressing up your outdoor space for summer and a ranch-house makeover - plus some cool gift ideas for Father's Day! Watch for it on newsstands very soon!