All posts by Beth Dotolo

5 Ways to Improve Your Relationships

Health + Beauty

Whether it be a partner, a friend, a client, or family, we could all explore ways to improve our relationships. I’ve found that it’s so easy to become comfortable and stop being curious about the people around us. So, whether a troubled relationship or a amazing one you want to continue building up, here are 5 ways to improve any relationship (including the one with ourselves)…

  1. We all experience and show love differently. Take this quiz to discover your 5 Love Languages and have those around you take it, too. It’s amazing how a relationship can change when we understand each other better.
  2. Speaking of quizzes, one of the most insightful tests is Gallup StrengthsFinder. Many times what we perceive as weakness is actually a strength and allows you to look at people in a different light.
  3. Human connection requires vulnerability and this video on the Power of Vulnerability is incredible insightful and life changing.
  4. Looking for a quick fix? Here are 10 simple ways to improve your friendships.
  5. Most importantly, have fun!! This list of 30 fun things to do with your friends is sure to spark an idea to come together in a large group or small and just have a good time!

Photo by Inez & Vinoodh for Vogue US

Sit + Sip: The New York Sour

Entertaining + Home Living

Your surroundings and how you spend your time in them is everything! When I see a space I love I always imagine how I’d spend my time in each space. Since I enjoy a cocktail (possibly more than the average human), enjoying that space usually involves a cocktail. So, I’m upgrading our old Sit + Sip column and imagining what drink we could enjoy in spaces created by Pulp Design Studios.

Sit In This Space

Pulp-Design-Studios-Couch1

Art Centric Style Living Room by Pulp Design Studios

Sip On This

New York Sour Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz rye whiskey | 1 oz fresh lemon juice | 1 oz simple syrup  |  1/2 oz fruity red wine (preferred Guardian Cellars)

COCKTAIL STYLE:

teardrop bar spoon | harry rocks glass |  rickey cocktail shaker – silver

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine 2 ounces rye or bourbon whiskey, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 1 ounce simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Gently pour 1/2 ounce fruity red wine (such as Shiraz or Malbec) over the back of a spoon held just above the drink’s surface so wine floats on top.

Cheers!!

Recipe by Mary Frances Heck via Bon Apetit, Cocktail Photograph by Dan Monick

5 Ways to Have a More Meaningful Holiday

Entertaining + Home Living

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday, sometimes we need to remind ourselves to take it all in, enjoy those around us, and be compassionate towards our community. Here are some ways to go beyond the gifts and the food to create meaning around this special time to bring joy to your season!

  1. Dock that phone and stay engaged. Here are some tips on how to unplug this holiday, without ditching electronics completely.
  2. Explore other beliefs and the healing a restorative power of spirituality around the world, especially during the holiday, with Oprah’s Belief series. It’s on my watch list for the holiday break.
  3. Want to give a socially conscious gift? Check out Forbes list of the Gifts that Give Back.
  4. Share the love with your community with these 10 Ways to Give Back as a Family This Holiday Season.
  5. Create your own new traditions that you can pass on to your own family. Here are 14 fun family holiday traditions for inspiration.

 

image via Saint Society

2015 Holiday Gift Guide: For The Guys

Shopping Guide

Gift Guide1. Blackbird Ballard Invisibility Robe, $275 | 2. General Store Totem Key Ring, $98 | 3. Leather Headphone Case, $64 | 4. ‘Socialmatic’ Wi-Fi® Digital Instant Camera, $299 | 5. Kasba. Leather Messenger Bag, Brown, $150 | 6. Busted Tees Shirt of the Month Club, $50 | 7. Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells, $299 | 8. Rikke Hagen’s Whiskey Glasses, $50 | 9. The Craft Your Own Bitters Kit, $60 | 10. Williams-Sonoma KitchenAid Stand Mixer Pasta Roller, $200 | 11. Rolling Stones Photography by Guy Webster, $950 | 12. The John Lennon Letters, $20 | 13. Boba Fett Mimobot USB, $20 – $70 | 14. Sony PlayStation 4, $399 | 15. Brass Peace Sign, $185

featured image From Neiman Marcus Holiday Book 2011

5 Great Thanksgiving Side Recipes

Entertaining + Home Living

It always gets super busy this time of year, so in case you’re needing a little meal inspiration for Turkey Day, I wanted to share some of my favorite sides from my Pinterest board to inspire a little twist on traditionalism.

 

classic-potato-gratin-940x560Classic Potato Gratin

Brussels-Sprouts-with-Bacon-and-HazelnutsBrussel Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon & Hazelnuts

dfa68184a31ecadd47d99bcf2605cdbaScratch Cheddar Bay Biscuits

crispy potato and sageGarlic and Sage Crispy Potatoes 

roasted-carrots-with-fennelRoasted Carrots with Fennel and Goat Cheese

 

Wishing you a very safe, relaxing, and Happy Thanksgiving!

featured image: Sylvie Becquet for Martha Stewart Weddings

Coveted Red

Entertaining + Home Living, Shopping Guide

After meeting with an interior design client recently about a kitchen renovation the topic of those Wolf Gas Range red knobs came up… It was a apparently a hot topic in their household before we came along! Wolf ranges are known for their heritage red knobs. Some want their range to just blend into the kitchen, but some understand that (much like the Loubitin shoe) those red knobs are coveted. It’s a fashion forward approach that screams unapologetic luxury! So, let’s highlight some of those unexpected coveted reds, that may seem haphazardly placed at first but in reality say a lot about fearless style.

Coveted Red

  1. Louboutin Verita | 2. Wolf Range | 3. Gucci Red Lipstick | 4. Diorific Vernis – Holiday Limited Edition Polish | 5. Front Door Makeover | 6. The New Traditionalists Cabinet No 455.3

 

featured photography by Erik Madigan Heck

Starburst Pulls are Back: Our Top 10 Customer Inspiration Photos

News + Announcements, Shopping Guide, , ,

After being out of stock for a short time, our Pulp Home Starburst Pulls are back in the shop! Some of our customers have been using them in new ways and some have been taking inspiration straight from our interior design projects!

10 Ways Customers have used Pulp Home Starburst Pulls

 

Starburst Pulls in Nickel and Brass

Pulp Home Starburst Pulls Installed

1. @barbara_cosgrove_lamps | 2. @insignia_design_group | 3. @pulpdesigns | 4. @hunted_interior | 5. Brenda B. | 6. @glitterguide | 7. Monique C. | 8. Earnest Home Co. | 9. Marcy B. | 10. Madeline S.

If you’ve used our Pulp Home Starburst Pulls, be sure to share your photos and show us how you’re using them!

3 Classic Martini Cocktails with a twist

Entertaining + Home Living

We have been loving the Martini Table (also known as the cigarette table, but I prefer ‘Martini Table’) around the studio. It’s an amazing flexible table that can be moved around the room, looks super stylish, and also serves a function: keeping your cocktail at arms reach. In honor of this stylish little table, I’m sharing 3 classic Martini cocktails for your enjoyment, all with a twist on the classic. It’s all about drinking in style.

Pulp Design Studios - Vesper Cocktail

Ingredients:

1/2 oz vodka | 2 oz gin | 1/2 oz lillet blonde | orange peel for garnish

Vesper Cocktail Style:

nick and nora glass  |  fitzgerald accent table

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake until cocktail shaker is frosty on the outside. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with orange peel. Enjoy!

 

Pulp Design Studios - Martinez Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz gin | 1 oz sweet vermouth | 1/4 oz maraschino liqueur | 1 dash orange bitters | lemon peel for garnish

Martinez Cocktail Style:

beck round drink table – marble & brass | coupe glass

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice. Stir until mixing glass is frosty on the outside. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with lemon peel. Enjoy!

 

Pulp Design Studios - Dirty Martini Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 1/2 oz gin or vodka | 1/2 oz dry vermouth | 1/2 oz olive brine | olive for garnish

Dirty Martini Style:

laurent round drink table | jasper cocktail glass

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake until cocktail shaker is frosty on the outside. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with olive. Enjoy!

 

You can also shop our entire Martini Table collection to find your personal style.

Cheers! 

#SplendidWeekend: 5 Links for your Best Halloween Yet

Entertaining + Home Living

I must confess, I’m not much of a Halloween person. I love to celebrate, but I like to do it in my own way… with a not-too-spooky movie, a delicious cocktail, and some homemade pumpkin seeds and candy treats. However, with small children my old ways of celebrating just don’t fly- until after bedtime, that is. Whether you want to take this weekend to be super festivious or if you want to take a more low-key approach, here are some links that will make for a great Halloween. 

  1. If you’re a Halloween introvert (like me), turn that porch light out and watch a movie from this list of The 13 Best Horror Movies on Netflix.
  2. Maybe you’ve been just too busy or had a change of heart and are ready to get dressed up, here are 50 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes.
  3. If you want to take more of a fashion approach to Halloween, here are the 11 Best Halloween Makeup Ideas – complete with tutorials.
  4. Try one of these 13 cocktails that are perfect for Halloween. Cheers!
  5. Take the test: Out of the 100 Best Halloween Candies, how many have you tried?

Happy Halloween!!

image via iModels

8 Stylish Statement Door Knockers

Shopping Guide

The entrance to your home is so important. It sets the tone for what you expect to see inside the home. And, just like you’d dress up a cocktail dress with gorgeous jewelry, it’s always a good idea to dress up your door with a door knocker that tells your guest a bit about you. Make a statement about your style with these stylish door knockers…

8 Stylish Statement Door Knockers

1. Large Chinese Brass Door Knockers | 2. Pendulum Door Knocker | 3. Avalon Door Knocker | 4. Bronze Face Door Knocker | 5. Lion Door Knocker | 6. Ring on Beveled Square Door Knocker | 7. Urban Front Door Knocker | 8. Victorian Style Brass Hand Door Knocker

photo by Dmitri Korobtsov